David breaks the mold, and shows off his skill as a historian, are his lively chapters on the high-level debates among Winston Churchill, Gen. Special forces are always cool-though 99% (by my rough estimate) of any big war’s work is conducted by regular joes-and books relating their exploits are always exciting, especially when related in so masterly a style as Mr. has both a knack with the pen and a nose for a thrilling tale. brought home that World War II belongs to an era fast disappearing. Amid all the drugs and guns and skyscrapers and cop bars, there's this shimmering image of an ancient tale hovering just at the edge of things.

The Wars of the Roses played out with New York City cops and robbers.It's a weird thing when you first realize it, brilliant and almost subversive as you watch it play out across the pages. He's clever enough to get away with what is essentially a double prologue (in a universe where, most times, one is too many), but his best trick is a buried, pulsing, live-wire second plot that hums just beneath the surface of the first: The Force is basically Game of Thrones without the dragons. He's smart enough to be tricky without looking like he's being tricky. An instant classic, an epic, a goddamn Wagner opera with a full cast and buckets of blood and smack and Jameson whiskey. Like can't-put-it-down, can't-get-the-voices-out-of-your-head fantastic. Trust me when I tell you that you gotta read this book not because it's beautiful (it isn't) and not because Winslow is a virtuoso stylist (he isn't) and not because it's one of those Important Books that everyone will be talking about (they will), but because it is just fantastic.

The Force by Don Winslow