ReadersMagnet Review features Paul Shemella’s latest fiction novel and the third installment of his Jungle Rules saga.
The saga of Carl Malinowski continues. Paul Shemella’s most famous fictional character, Carl Malinowski, is well-loved by readers. Since he was introduced in the first book, Jungle Rules as a specially skilled leader of a mercenary group doing covert operations against thugs and drug cartels, Carl has become one of the action thriller’s rising action figures. His untimely death in the second book, A More Perfect Union, surprised fans, and perhaps many are not ready to part with their charismatic and selfless hero. While his best friend and former teammate Jerry Tompkins have proven to be an equally skilled protagonist, many are still hoping for Carl Malinowski’s return. And Shemella’s fans might just get their request. Well, sort of. The third book from Paul Shemella’s Jungle Rules trilogy is officially out, and it’s all about the man, the myth, and the legend that is Carl Malinowski.
A Dictator’s Revenge was released this June 2021. The long-awaited installment is not a sequel to any of the previous books. A Dictator’s Revenge covers the story of Carl Malinowski and the origin of his mercenary team. The prequel centers on the cat and mouse chase between the then-active young Navy SEAL and the ruthless drug cartel sponsored by his old nemesis, former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega. Though shifting direction and taking readers to an earlier chapter of Malinowski’s past, Paul Shemella isn’t shifting gears as ADR proves to be another explosive action thriller. Here, we will discover a younger, more fearless, and robust character that will go to any lengths to save a nation from crumbling. A Dictator’s Revenge features a fast-paced adventure and rivetting action scenes that will undoubtedly cement Carl Malinowski’s legend as among this decade’s most exciting protagonists. The character of Manuel Noriega in Shemella’s The Dictator’s Revenge book is nothing short of menacing, and he is unlike any other villain we’ve seen in the previous books.
“In the summer of 1993, Manuel Noriega sits in a Florida prison, plotting his revenge for the American invasion of Panama more than three years earlier. He offers a large portion of his numbered bank account to the ruthless leader of his favorite drug cartel. The “contract” calls for the destruction of the Panama Canal, the lifeblood of Noriega’s homeland and jewel of American engineering. A Panama Canal pilot is kidnapped. The government turns to the US for help, and the mission is given to LDCR Carl Malinowski, a Spanish-speaking Navy SEAL who helped send Noriega to prison. Carl and his men soon discover that the kidnapping is just the beginning of an opaque and complex plot, a web of intrigue where nothing is rational or predictable. As the conspiracy unfolds, Carl demonstrates strategic and tactical brilliance at every turn. Ana Maria Castaneda, his Panamanian police partner and future wife become an unexpected hero. Despite their desperate efforts, the former dictator’s revenge is about to ruin the country he once ruled… and rock the maritime world.”
For Paul Shemella fans, A Dictator’s Revenge sort of makes up for Malinowski’s early and surprising exit in Book Two. Shemella finally comes full circle with his main hero’s narrative arc as we see for the first time the origin of Carl and his team, Carl and his relationship with the CIA, and Carl as a leader and a soldier. The setting also provides a breath of fresh air, and new characters make the book a remarkable standout novel, despite being a part of The Jungle Rules trilogy. Overall, Paul Shemella doesn’t disappoint and still provides his readers with a compelling narrative from start to finish.
Author Paul Shemella is a retired Captain (USN), Navy SEAL, and longtime lecturer on terrorism, civil-military relations, and maritime security. Shemella shared his expertise in planning and executing Special Operations in various parts of the globe, including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. As a lecturer, Shemella designed and delivered seminars and workshops on civil-military responses to national security threats and has written several books and papers regarding these topics. After his retirement, he ventured into fiction writing, producing the remarkable books found in The Jungle Rules trilogy.