Unknown Rider is an adrenaline-filled debut worthy of blazing praise. From car chases to gunfights to aerial combat in state-of-the-art F-35 fighter jets, Jack Stewart has concocted a fantastic cocktail of swirling action and espionage.
The last thing TOP GUN instructor Colt Bancroft had fathomed as he catapulted off in his F-35C Joint Strike Fighter plane was that a series of mysterious lights near his aircraft carrier will somehow lead to his jet becoming unresponsive, almost as if being remotely controlled by a hidden combatant. Barely surviving the ordeal, Colt finds himself targeted by enemy spies and assailants working with a traitor towards a horrifying end goal involving the latest US jets. Colt pairs up with NCIS Special Agent Emmy King as she investigates clues leading not only to the nifty espionage happening on US soil but also to a direct threat on Colt’s life.
Jack Stewart infuses the action with such crisp and energetic detail that whether Colt is pulling G’s in an F-35 fighter jet or if he’s taking out bad guys on ground, you experience it all in a spine-tingling sensation. The fighter jet sequence in the climax in particular is breathtakingly stunning as every move Colt makes in the cockpit oozes coolness and authenticity. A major reason why the action sequences feel particularly powerful is that Stewart takes the time to ground the narrative in real-time so that you’re not just along for the ride but you’re actively engaged in the character foundations so much so that you’re petrified of what may happen to them. Every character embraces a depth to their personalities and motivations unveiling in layers which work in tandem with the espionage-laden story. You become quickly invested in seeing through the mystery and suspense, which thankfully stays consistent to the last page, ending the thriller in a cliffhanger that will make it utterly hard for readers to wait until the next book in the series.
Unknown Rider combines well-crafted action on both ground and in the air with edge-of-your-seat thriller-pacing with a heroic protagonist who makes following along his journey so instinctive that you’ll be reaching the final page before you even know it. Jack Stewart is here to stay and slay! Don’t be surprised if you find out you’ve got jet fuel in your blood after finishing Unknown Rider..
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