The Bottom Line: A must-read. Sua Sponte is both a high-concept action thriller and a nuanced examination of American social unrest seen from multiple points of view.
Sua Sponte: The Minneapolis ADOZ begins as Emmit “Chicago” Haskins, a battle-hardened Staff Sergeant in the 75th Ranger Regiment, leads a convoy through the perilous terrain of southeastern Syria near Al-Tanf Garrison. This forgotten outpost on the borders of Iraq and Jordan is a key strategic position in America’s shadow war against Iranian-backed militias, but for Emmit, it’s another day of quiet tension that shatters into chaos when an ambush by ISIS fighters traps his squad in a deadly kill zone. Cut off from his commander’s orders and driven by his unwavering warrior ethos to leave no man behind, Emmit’s heroics leave a fellow soldier awestruck: “You must have really wanted that Silver Star.” But Emmit knows the opposite is true. He’ll be lucky to avoid a court martial.
A year later, we find Emmit, recently discharged from the military, trying to cope with civilian life in his sister’s Minneapolis home within the city’s arts district. Combat video games are a poor substitute for the adrenaline and brotherhood of real-life missions. Emmit’s sister, who has always worried about her brother’s post-Army aimlessness, challenges him to reconnect with his old Ranger squad by inviting them over for a barbecue.
In the wake of George Floyd’s death, the city descends into unrest – an environment that author Mikael Carlson draws beautifully by detailing the agonizing decisions in play both within city government as well as outside of it. Within the arts district, a group of “reformers” set up an occupied zone (the ADOZ) that the mayor refuses to dismantle. It’s essentially a modern-day siege.
Emmit is naturally on edge when friends show up for the barbecue with steaks and beer. Soon, the team’s fun is interrupted by armed activists who come to the house demanding that the American flag hanging outside his sister’s house be taken down. It’s just the first of what will be several potentially explosive encounters. As Emmit’s buddy Nashville remarks, “We’re going to need more than a shotgun.”
Meanwhile, journalist Kai Z is drawn to the ADOZ as it forms in Minneapolis. Recognizing the potential for a larger story, he infiltrates the zone to document events from within. His camera — both body-worn and hidden — becomes a tool for capturing raw, unedited footage that reveals the truth, no matter how uncomfortable. Kai’s pursuit of the story puts him in dangerous proximity to the armed occupiers and the volatile crowd.
Carlson, whose prior books include the highly recommended Justifiable Deceit, has created another winner. The story pits police, activists, Kai Z and Emmit’s Rangers in a battle for the soul of an American city. Throughout, Carlson deftly captures the disorienting swirl of misinformation, political gamesmanship, and the raw human cost of civil conflict. Each character — from Emmit’s struggle to find his purpose, to Kai’s relentless pursuit of the truth — brings depth and moral complexity to the narrative. The action scenes are intense, the politics nuanced, and the characters are fully believable. For fans of contemporary thrillers that don’t shy away from real-world issues, Sua Sponte is right on target.
