Review | Chameleon by Remi Adeleke

I'm always leery of rookie novel, especially those novels that join a a genre that houses powerhouses like Jack Carr, Brad Thor, Mark Greaney, and so many more. I often wonder how is this story going to differ and set itself apart from all the other options out there.

Remi Adeleke's Chameleon was no different for me. However, when a book has endorsements by Jack Carr and Brad Thor, that makes a statement to me.

When you get into the pages of Chameleon, you realize the Adeleke is extremely talented. You also see that he doesn't try to copy what's been done before, but he takes what he's learned from his research and uses what he likes to create a world that is original.

One thing I think makes books great is authenticity. When it's clear the author is writing from what they know, either through extensive research or personal experience, the reader is drawn all the way into the world because we believe what we're reading. Authenticity, in my mind, takes a book from good to great.

The main character, Kali Kent, is a reflection of Adeleke himself. I love when authors use themselves as characters in their stories. I especially like it when they explore the positives and negatives of that character. Readers can tell when the author is working through their own demons and this creates another level of authenticity. As a Nigerian migrant, Adeleke knows what he's talking about when he describes Kent's childhood. I don't know the circumstances of Adeleke's father's death, but when reading about Kent's childhood in Lagos, you can tell Adeleke is working through pieces of his own life.

In Chameleon, Adeleke gives us an original and highly entertaining work. Black Box sort of reminds me of Task Force Ember from the Tier One series by Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson. The difference is how each member of the Black Box team functions. I don't want to go into too much detail to avoid giving something away.

Adeleke does a really good job of keeping the story moving and keeping the reader engaged. He gives us enough detail to make sure we understand a weapon system or strategy, but not so much where your eyes go crossed and you have to re-read the paragraph multiple times to grasp it.

I really like how the "Genesis" chapters are strategically inserted into the main story to break it up. A lot of authors will throw flashbacks into the middle of a chapter, but the way Adeleke inserts Kali's flashbacks is done brilliantly. Another thing I really appreciate is the way Adeleke changes how he writes these flashback chapters. It's a subtle change in style, but I to me it had a very dramatic effect on the story.

For fans of the thriller genre, Chameleon should, in my opinion, be high on your reading list. I think Adeleke has a winning recipe with his storyline. He has room in subsequent books to build and develop characters and relationships. I'm looking forward to book number two in the Black Box series.