Review: Athenaem, Inc. Book 1: Door Number Three, by Dan Kemp

An irreverent romp that makes good use of the author’s extensive knowledge of military history and pop-culture trivia, all with a healthy dose of escapism.

The Professor works for Athenaeum, a private intelligence and espionage organization that walks the fuzzy line between legitimate government contractor and black market enterprise.

When his boss dies unexpectedly and he is unceremoniously promoted to CEO, the Professor is thrown into the deep end of the company’s operations. Then an incredibly risky once-in-a-lifetime opportunity lands in his lap. Why wouldn’t he jump on it?

But in doing so, he falls down a rabbit hole pitting him and his colleagues against some of the most powerful and dangerous people in the world.

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The story

The senior operator known as “The Professor” seems content with his position at the top secret private intelligence corporation Athenaeum, Inc. when he shortly finds himself in charge of the entire operation. With the help of a newly extracted accountant on the wrong side of the Mexican drug cartels, he plans to get up to speed on all of the company’s operations and finances when a golden opportunity appears: possibly a billion dollars in cash in cartel money right under the noses of the feds. The Professor is not one to pass up an opportunity like that, so he consults his hotshot team of consultants versed in everything from heavy weapons to organized crime, puts together a plan, and executes. But to paraphrase Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke, no plan survives first contact with the enemy.

Door Number Three is a combination political-military thriller / heist, and most of the book involves planning the heist. Kemp sets up The Professor’s plan in exact detail, describing the full capabilities of Athenaeum’s armory and its personnel. But that in no way means there are no surprises - while the company’s employee’s are top notch, they also tend to be wild cards, and The Professor has to adapt to the many curveballs they throw his way.

One thing to note: this is the first in a series. It is a complete story, but the ending is there to set things up for the sequels.

The characters

While his protagonist shares the codename and role of that of Netflix’s “Money Heist,” Kemp’s main character obscures his nerdiness in a sea of snark and an avalanche of pop culture references and military and historical esoterica. I’ll admit that a lot of the references went over my head, but I recognized the slim majority.

The Professor’s two main sidekicks are also (eventually) his girlfriends. The organizations newest accountant, codename Cash, is a walking sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen, and she’s taken a liking to low-cut shirts, short skirts, knee-high boots, and her superior, whom she likes to call “Sir.”

Angel is already in a relationship with The Professor, and is into bad boys, guns, and corrupting other young women to her boyfriend’s everlasting discomfort. By the end of the heist they join forces to globetrot around the world doing their damndest to secure the spoils.

Supporting cast include the rest of Athenaeum’s personnel, all with their own quirks and unique skillsets. As much research as Kemp put into the workings of the weapons, equipment, and organizations of the world, the characters of Door Number Three are pure escapist fantasy. They have chemistry together, and they are great for a romp across the world, but as Angel might say, just relax and don’t think too hard about it.

The world

The world of Athenaeum is dominated by shadowy organizations and governments making off-the-books deals on the black and gray market in pursuit of power and profit. But I can assure you there are some differences from our own world, too!

As odd as it might sound for an international thriller such as this, most of the novel takes place in Nashville, Tennessee. Don’t let that fool you, though. The forces at play span the globe, including some of the most dangerous around the world. Athenaeum has to contend with adversaries on all sides of the law from Juarez to Washington. Kemp puts a lot of effort putting meat on the bones of The Professor’s own organization, from their history to their armory to their operational capabilities and contacts.

The politics

The Professor’s Fed rival accuses him of being a white nationalist, which he chalks up to voting for Trump twice. One of the villains describes a plot between international corporations and globalist governments to run the world that could have been written by Tucker Carlson. Despite the fact that this plot underlies the main conflict in the story, the Professor is too busy surviving and trying turn a profit to dwell on ideology, and since he is the narrator, we don’t get much more than a glimpse of the political message.

Content warning

The Professor’s boss is said to have committed suicide by fentanyl.

The Professor, Cash, and Angel are in a bisexual/polyamorous sexual relationship with each other, which is referenced often, and they engage in a good deal of dirty talk throughout the novel. There is some on-scene depictions of nudity and mild fetish gear, but no graphic descriptions.

There is plenty of violence, but no graphic descriptions of blood and gore. Profanity is ubiquitous.

Who is it for?

If you don’t mind a little wish fulfillment and are looking for a military-thriller with Clancy’s grasp on geopolitics and hardware and Tarantino’s affinity for obscure pop culture, Door Number Three is for you.

Why read it?

Read Door Number Three for an irreverent romp that makes good use of the author’s extensive knowledge of military history and pop-culture trivia, all with a healthy dose of escapism.