"Crown of Souls" by Ronie Kendig

Cole "Tox" Russell and his task force of super-soldiers are back for another Indiana-Jones-meets-Jack-Reacher adventure.  This time, someone Tox used to work with has gone evil.  Former soldier Alec King starts killing people he blames for the death of some of his team members years ago, and he thinks Tox will join him on what King insists is a holy quest to rid the world of evil.

Eventually, Tox and Haven and the rest of their cohorts find evidence that King has gotten his hands on an artifact called the Crown of Souls that uses an otherworldly power to control and distort whoever wears it.  The crown has a history that involves Saladin and the Knights Templar, ancient Assyrians, and more. 

On a whole, I did not like this as well as the first book in the series, Conspiracy of Silence.  I felt like the faith-based elements were less focused and integral to the story, and I had a harder time engaging with the plot.  However, it was definitely a thrilling story, and if you're into thrillers or books that blend archaeology with suspense, you'll probably like it a lot.

Particularly Good Bits:

The subtle tendrils of bitterness were watered over years as wounds were left to fester, the person believing their wrong, their hurt more important than healing.  Than letting go (p. 432).

If This was a Movie, I Would Rate It:  PG-13 for a lot of violence and some implied sexual activity -- one side character has been cohabiting with someone they're not married to.  No graphic or detailed love scenes.

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for me to read while judging the INSPY awards. In no way did I agree to review this book in exchange. These are my honest opinions.