Drone Strike By David Austin

I went into Drone Strike with high expectations, and I was extremely pleased by the end. With a realistic, contemporary, and adrenaline pumping threat scenario centered around the horrific idea of a weapons-capable UAV done hijacked by an enemy state with a nefarious agenda that goes beyond simply reverse engineering the UAV, the high stakes up-shift the action, the characters, and the thrills. Couple the narrative with a kickass protagonist that is Joe Matthews, and you have a must-read action thriller.

I enjoy how the story picks up not too far after the events of the first book, so that the events of the first book still resonate within both the readers and the characters, and continue to evolve the characters with the horrifying events of the first book in a humbling manner. The prospect of Russia, a country without any weapons-capable UAVs daringly hacking and hijacking a US Reaper drone with a sinister purpose to turn the middle eastern nations and the entire world against America while deepening Russian roots into the Middle East feels like not too far-fetched. It is a bold plan, and so is its undertaking, making for an unpredictable and exciting read. The elements of Protective outfits, as the one Joe Matthews leads, for case officers of CIA as well as diplomatic members and foreign assets are written with the finesse that comes from strong research and first-hand experiences. The research into Drone capabilities and the technology behind the drones of different countries adds to the plausibility of the bold narrative of the book as well as engages readers with interesting bits of information for general knowledge of the current geopolitical situations and drone technology.

After Tehran’s Vengeance, I was looking forward to high quality action sequences, and those were exactly what were delivered. The book offers shootouts and hand-to-hand combat involving technically and tactically sound sequences written with the vigor of capturing the chaotic and dangerous crux of firefights and close quarters combat. Joe Matthews is as lethal with his bare hands as he is with his Glock 19 and HK 416. Each member of Joe Matthews’ outfit felt well described and imbued with distinctive personalities that made it easy for me to relate to the characters. Each team member holds his/her weight in the narrative. From the very first brutal shootout, it is clear that no one is safe in a firefight, lending to the unpredictability of the entire narrative.

One of the best things about Drone Strike is how easy and natural it feels to read through the book. The sentences are written with an ease about them, written in a way that one can read through them fast while keeping track of everything that happens in the story.

Drone Strike is not a simple action thriller. The emotions run high in the story, with the idea of members of Protective Outfits putting their lives on the lines to protect their principles conveyed in such a heartfelt manner that one can not help but be one with the characters and admire the bravery of real-life members of Protective outfits.

Drone Strike kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I would describe Drone Strike as an action-packed, geopolitical, character-driven, audacious and contemporary narrative thriller that does not let up for even a little bit. This is a book that must be read only when the plans for the next few days are cleared out, because it would be impossible to put the book down. I tried to evaluate anything that I felt could be done better with the book, but I came up empty. Drone Strike is as great an action thriller with a fantastic protagonist and superb storyline as a thriller can get.

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Time To Hunt By Simon Gervais

Time To Hunt is NOT a book one can miss on. Despite my best efforts to savor the book at a leisurely pace, the fast pace and non-stop high adrenaline shootouts and brutal hand to hand combat had me hooked in tight. Not just the action, but also the constant jaw dropping twists and lack of security for almost all involved characters had me turning pages to find out what would happen next.

The story picks up right after the cliffhanger of Trained To Hunt, with Hunt deciding to undertake a CIA operation to rescue his friend, Charlie Henican, who was kidnapped by Turkish authorities while on mission to find and kill Jorge Ramirez, the antagonist from Trained To Hunt who had a big hand in killing many young athletes in US through a supply of lethal amphetamines. However, the mission is not as straightforward as it may seem, with unexpected betrayals and moles within the mission that create confusion and a smoke screen through which Hunt has to navigate to get to the heart of the conspiracy while Hunt has to decide who he can trust. I would talk more about the entertaining and exciting plot, but that would spoil the fun of unexpected twists and turns in the book. I will say this, it is the ingenuity of the author to have one of the moles’ character develop in a manner that it isn’t as black and white of a decision to label the mole as an evil character, not only for the readers but also for Hunt and his team.

The action is top-notch with accurate and descriptive weaponry in shootouts and high visual appeal in the way the sequences are written so much so that the reader feels right in the middle of the shootouts and fisticuffs. One of the major accomplishments in the action sequences is the infusion of emotions into the action. Hunt and Ramirez exchange blows and shots on more than one occasion and the author does an excellent job of setting up the appropriate tension between the two adversaries and how that anger seeps into the action sequences involving the two of them, making for highly cinematic showdowns.

Another great idea explored in the book is Hunt’s vulnerability as an aging operator. With all the shootouts and brutal combat he is involved in, the book dawns on his thoughts of his own mortality as the events beg the question of how long his body and mind can keep taking the punishment before he cracks. It’s an intriguing idea and its execution paints Hunt as a grounded protagonist.

The locations in Time to Hunt are of global scale, including locales such as The Bahamas, Turkey, and Switzerland. I enjoyed the change in locations from the previous novels and it added to the exotic and dangerous narrative of Time to Hunt with a touch of espionage and spy thriller vibes.

Time to Hunt is hands down one of the best books of 2020, and continues to elevate Pierce Hunt higher in the list of the best characters in the genre. With an exciting and twists filled plot, riveting action, interesting and enjoyable characters, this is a clear winner! A must-read in every sense.

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The Sentinel By Andrew Child

It is said a Jack Reacher book is sold worldwide every 9 seconds. It’s not a stretch to believe, given the tremendous love for Lee Child’s crisp prose and ingenious sleuthing stories set in grim towns that make for a chilly ambiance. Going into the book with high hopes for excellence, The Sentinel still managed to blast through my sky high expectations with a wonderfully fast but not rushed pace, killer dialogues especially for Reacher, extremely fun action sequences tailored for Reacher’s huge physique, and a highly captivating plot with big twists and turns. 

Jack Reacher hitches a ride to a small town in central Tennessee where he finds an IT specialist walking into an ambush. In typical Reacher fashion, he jumps in to save the innocent man and later learns about the sinister agenda brewing in the town involving Nazis, Russian spies, and the US elections. In terms of the stakes, this is a far grander story than other Reacher stories, but still retains the grounded vibe of a story set in a small town, allowing Reacher the opportunity to wreak havoc on the bad guys without worrying about the big brother elements of a bigger urban city. 

The Sentinel is Andrew Child’s first take on Jack Reacher, taking over from his brother, Lee Child. For anyone uncertain about Reacher’s future, there is no cause for alarm. Andrew Child not only understands the foundations of what makes Jack Reacher so great, but adds a freshness to those traits. Reacher’s intimidating yet witty and elegant dialogues are delightful and in abundance. In contrast to some of the previous Reacher stories, there is a lot more action in The Sentinel, written in highly entertaining prose where Reacher goes through the bad guys like a knife through butter. Even with Reacher’s almost infallible combat moves, the narrative never loses momentum due to the cinematic nature of the fight scenes. The final sequence has Reacher fighting a grizzly Russian in an extremely well written street style brawl that shows why Reacher is a true badass.

The Sentinel is an extraordinary thriller that revitalizes Jack Reacher as a charismatic, witty, and dangerous protagonist. The narrative wastes no time in setting up and there is never a dull moment. A tremendous treat for longtime fans of the series as well as new readers. 

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The Hidden Vector By Mathew Snyder

The Hidden Vector is a fantastic fast-paced action-packed paranoia-inducing debut by Mathew Snyder. If you’ve been reading through a wordy book and you need a change of pace with a highly entertaining actioner, then this is the book for you. The action picks up literally just a few pages in, and continues to romp up as you go along for the ride. Shootouts, car chases, and hand-to-hand combat are all present in copious amounts for a guaranteed adrenaline-pumping experience that compliments a trust-no-one narrative which dives into one of our greatest fears of all time now; biological threats.

Without spoiling the crafty twists and turns of the narrative, readers are introduced to Ethan Pierce, a CIA targeting officer, who is tasked with investigating a downed passenger jet after it was hijacked by a Chechen group of armed combatants. Little does Ethan know; the bombing was a smokescreen for the kidnapping of an Iranian scientist who has the capability to manufacture the Marburg virus in an even more devastating fashion. Ethan has to investigate the disappearance of the scientist whilst dealing with the possibility that there is a mole within the CIA who is working with the mysterious group that is using the scientists for a nefarious bidding. The story is far from straightforward as it shifts with shocking twists and turns just when you think you’ve gotten the plot down. Unpredictability is a powerful tool that Snyder utilizes wonderfully in this debut.

The action is well-written and easy to read through with the right amount of description to help visualize the shootouts extremely well. Even though Ethan holds his ground admirably, he is not as trained as an operator as Mitch Rapp, Pike Logan, and Court Gentry. The vulnerability gives way to a keen sense of danger lurking around at every corner with the stark possibility that things may not work out as well as we hope, especially when he is battling an assassin who manages to overpower him considerably. It definitely paves a roadmap of character development for future books by Snyder.

Ethan Pierce is not a two-dimensional character, rather he has layers to his personality and trauma that may resonate with readers. I loved his emotional vulnerability that reminded me of the dire stakes of the story and the constant threats to Ethan in his investigation. It’s a trait I admire in characters and I enjoyed the book immensely because the protagonist didn’t seem infallible, but rather very human even as he survived countless shootouts.

I am very excited to read more of Ethan Pierce in the future and I am confident readers will enjoy The Hidden Vector immensely. I only wish I had read it sooner!

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Total Power By Kyle Mills (Vince Flynn)

Total Power was my most awaited action thriller of 2020, and I couldn’t have imagined it to be this spectacular. I burned through the pages in essentially one sitting and I have not done that for any book yet. The incredibly well-handled fast pace of the book deserves a one-sitting read.

Mitch Rapp books are no strangers to scaring readers with plausible horrific scenarios, some often taking shape in reality in some form or way (Lethal Agent and Coronavirus). What if this time around Mitch Rapp couldn’t stop the horrible event from happening? THAT is Total Power. The sheer brilliance of the story and the events that unfold are testament to Kyle Mills’ praiseworthy efforts to keep Mitch Rapp on the throne of the action thriller genre. Total Power involves a sinister plot to target the US power grids which end up plunging the entire country into darkness and utter chaos. Mitch Rapp operates in the dark quite literally this time around, no longer in the sun baked deserts of Middle East, but on his home turf in US. This time around Mitch Rapp can’t prevent the attack, but he must fix it. How he does it, is quite unconventional and an absolute mind-blowing experience to read. The mission parameters are unlike any before. The hiccups and difficulties in restoring the power of an entire country before it all implodes make Rapp's life all the more difficult.

Every time I read a Mitch Rapp book, I tell myself this is the most awesome Mitch Rapp can get. Total Power continues the tradition of dissuading me of this illusion. Total Power is all the evidence one needs to realize Mitch Rapp is still on top of the game. The action sequences are top-notch with adrenaline-inducing descriptions of the sequences and WOW factors throughout. Mitch Rapp is still just as lethal with his trusty suppressed Glock 19. There are moments of sheer awe where Rapp deals with his adversaries in some of the coolest and badass ways I have ever read.

One of the many enjoyable aspects of Total Power is the bond between Scott and Mitch. Total Power depicts their friendship and camaraderie wonderfully with great dialogues and conversations between the characters. Even with so many moving parts in the story, the interactions between Rapp and his allies make up a strong emotional anchor in a story about a wildly scary scenario.

The plot is an ingenious one with so many cogs working simultaneously to create the bigger picture. The cogs all connect as the pages fly by, combining each piece of the puzzle without overwhelming readers. The puzzle pieces are put together through a great combination of investigative works and careful deductions on the good guys’ part instead of convenient coincidences. The deductions and investigations allow for a great display of Mitch Rapp’s mental ingenuity in addition to his physical prowess and skills with firearms.

Total Power is undoubtedly a top contender for the best action thriller of 2020. The fast-pace, jarring narrative, heart-pumping action, sadistic plot, and legendary Mitch Rapp to put an end to the evil, all collectively make for an incredible read that will reverberate through the foreseeable future. Mitch Rapp is back and better than ever.

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Rogue State By Ross Sidor

In the saturated ocean of action thrillers, only a handful of gems hit the perfect mark right off the bat. Rogue State is one of these gems. Ross Sidor writes a gripping race-against-time espionage with high testosterone and nuclear weapons in the hands of egomaniacs. 

Rogue State continues the story of Avery, a formidable CIA contractor who lands head first in a dangerous scheme concocted by Saudi’s crown prince and an unhinged former Navy SEAL to import nuclear weapons from Pakistan against signed treaties and sanctions. Avery and his team are tasked to exotic and dangerous locations in the Middle East to extract a journalist with information that Saudi forces and mercenaries will kill to prevent from leaking. What seemingly appears to be a simple extraction turns complicated when the unhinged navy SEAL turns out to be someone whom Avery had crossed paths with in the past with disastrous results. Without spoiling the twists and turns, which are plentiful, there isn’t a single resting point for readers once they begin reading. 

The action is relentlessly paced in superb gunfights and hand-to-hand combat sequences expressed in perfect balance of weaponry details and execution. Each gunshot reverberates through the pages and each slice-and-dice of sharp knives and tomahawks may result in paper cuts as one flips the pages with high adrenaline. Ross Sidor does a superb job of displaying Avery’s finesse with all sorts of weapons as well as fisticuffs without making him less human, an element I find overlooked in quite a few other thrillers.  The climax sequence is a grand action set-piece with good guys chasing the bad guys in combat dune buggies packed with heavy weaponry in the Sudanese desert.

What shines brighter than both action and story is Ross Sidor’s dedicated and intensive research of the locales and subject matter, which adds a rare layer of strong credibility to the fantastic plot, bolstering the story with real world events and insights behind the scenes of nation states with fishy alliances without force feeding an outdated propaganda. Avery himself is as far from a trope as possible. His traits and drives are more relatable towards self-preservation not only for the body, but also for the soul. As a contractor, he fights not for a flag but for what is right, a distinction Sidor makes great use of by establishing Avery as a multi-layered character. 

Rogue State is a must-read for action thriller fans with a desire for smarter stories, bigger action, and unclichéd protagonists. If you haven’t read Ross Sidor, you’re missing out on one of the masters of geopolitical action thrillers. 

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The Buffalo Pilot By Lawrence A. Colby

The Buffalo Pilot is an intriguing tale of corruption and crime, set in the backdrop of politics and Jet fuel.

The story revolves around a congressman being blackmailed by a crime mob to close down a US Air Force Reserve base. With a sinister right hand of the congressman planning devastating means of making sure the base gets closed down, Ford Stevens and Charlie Stevens get wrapped up in a dangerous plot. Ford Stevens is the commander of the air refueling squadron at the base, with his younger brother Charlie joining the squadron to follow in his brother’s footsteps. Both brothers have their arcs in the book as the plot thickens.

As mentioned above, the narrative also runs on jet fuel, and as such, there is a good amount of technical details and inner workings pertaining to jet planes and refueling measures, as well as interesting flight sequences that give an insight into the smooth but at times dangerous functioning of huge refueling aircraft.

I enjoyed the focus on gritty crime vibe with the integration of politics and gangs. The right hand man of the congressman trying to shut the air base down, is definitely a stand-out character in terms of disturbing behavior and scary personality. An absolutely evil antagonist who gives a great challenge to the Stevens brothers.

I became quickly acquainted with the characters and invested emotionally in them, despite jumping in directly into the third book. The characters are fun to read, especially the Stevens brothers. Each brother has his own charisma, with Ford being more comfortable in his role as the commander of the squadron and Charlie learning to adapt to the demanding environment of the air base as well as learning to live up to the reputation of being Ford’s younger brother.

I believe the interactions between characters could have been a bit more natural in terms of dialogues. The dialogues felt fine in writing but not when being imagined as spoken words in the narrative.

The narrative does pack a gut-wrenching ending that had me shook as I read through it. While it does not have a strong emphasis on action, the story is a crime thriller at heart and the constant plot twists and turns add to the captivating vibe emanating from the book.

All in all, The Buffalo Pilot is a great crime thriller with lots of interesting tidbits about jets, and I enjoyed reading through the book.

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Assassin's Strike By Ward Larsen

Assassin’s Strike is what an action-espionage-thriller should be. With an engaging storyline, interesting characters, cinematic action sequences, and crisp chapters, there is no putting the book down until you’ve read the book.

Assassin’s Strike sees the return of David Slaton, a formidable and lethal assassin who is taking contracts for CIA in return for protection for his family. Slaton is no stranger to being tasked with taking out high-profile targets, only this time, his mission is to save his target. From herein begins the extraction of an interpreter for the Russian president, who has time sensitive information about a sinister biological attack. Without spoiling more, the narrative kicks into high gear, with Slaton on his own to extract the interpreter from hostile territory. From the very beginning, the book takes on an espionage and geopolitical tone with high accuracy. Every aspect of the book from the geopolitical relations, to the nitty gritty vibe of the streets and deserts of Syria and Sudan amongst other Middle Eastern cities, felt authentic and thoroughly researched. The tensions are kept on high, and the reader is kept glued to the book. Each moment in the book has significant consequences throughout the narrative. The build-up wastes no time in gripping the reader tight in its grasps.

David Slaton continues to evolve not only as a lethal operator, right up there with the likes of Mitch Rapp, Scot Harvath, and the Fraternity of badass heroes, but also as a complex and life-like character. The book asks and answers the burning question of Slaton’s psyche, why does he put himself in harm’s way even without being asked to, knowing he has the option to stay back with his family? The way his inner conflict is developed and resolved in the book is really enjoyable to read. Ofcourse, David Slaton thriller wouldn’t be one without some great action.

The action in Assassin’s Strike is worthy of David Slaton’s lethality. Slaton composes brilliant works of art with his personal favorite MP5. The shootouts and action sequences are realistically written and read like sequences in a big Hollywood production. Definitely some ingenious sequences handled superbly by the author. The climax is definitely going to have you panicking and biting your nails. Some of the best things about Assassin’s Strike, are the smart action sequences incorporating brand new never-seen-before technological advancements in the field for Slaton, as well as ingenuity on Slaton’s part where he works on the fly against all odds. These sequences not only make for a memorable read, but further establish Slaton as not only a formidable assassin, but also a brilliant tactician.

With a plot that packs some shocking twists and reveals about the antagonist and his grand plan with the usage of biological weapons, there is no shortage of WOW moments. I personally loved the short and crisp chapters, which made the read even more invigorating as I burned through the chapters wanting to read more and more without feeling overwhelmed. David Slaton is a protagonist capable of conveying strong feelings of emotions as well as terror and fear through his actions and words, as well as through his patient and tactical maneuvers.

I highly recommend reading Assassin’s Strike, it is one of the top reads of 2020 and it will please all action thriller fans with its smart plot, great characters, and fantastic action.

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The Stranger By Simon Conway

The Stranger is a gut-wrenchingly realistic tale of cutthroat espionage escapades of the modern world where immoral acts in the state of war have profound consequences that ripple throughout the world. Simon Conway throws caution to the wind as he writes depraved villains and struggling heroes, neither of which conform to stereotypes, along with scary situations that feel researched to the point that they seem highly believable. 

Jude Lyon, an MI6 agent, is unknowingly complicit in a dirty cover-up where an innocent Syrian is imprisoned for violent acts he did not commit. When the Syrian is broken out of prison, the intelligence members that perpetrated the cover-up task Jude with finding the prisoner discreetly by any means necessary, including liaising with shady characters in dangerous parts of the world. Racked with guilt over the idea of condemning an innocent man to torture, Jude veers off reservation to find out the truth about cover-up. What he finds may make him the ultimate target.

Simon Conway keeps readers unequivocally and completely immersed in the narrative with a plethora of uber-realistic characters and extremely shocking twists and turns that keep the ingenious story engaging throughout. His meticulous research into intelligence apparatuses adds to the realism of how global headlines transpire behind the scenes in different countries in sensible manner, a far cry from the naïve prospect of one man or woman gunning around the world with overplayed ideals. The mystique of the terrorists’ endgame perseveres until the very last moment, adding not only to the thrill of figuring out their plan, but also to the dreadful horror of the uncertainty of the events to follow. Jude Lyon’s frustration and inner turmoil are aptly highlighted to make him a relatable and sympathetic protagonist with a checkered past.

The Stranger is a smart thriller perfectly suited for readers who want something out of the box with their next book. I was hopelessly wrong with my prediction for its ending and I don’t come across too many thrillers that truly surprise me. Imagine a story in the vein of I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes but even scarier and twisted, and you get The Stranger.

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The Bourne Evolution By Brian Freeman

The Bourne Evolution pays a respectful tribute to The Bourne Identity while introducing Jason Bourne into the modern era in a fresh and exciting manner, rather than simply rehashing the elements of the prior Jason Bourne stories. The Bourne Evolution factors in the influence of Big Data companies and software in this day and age, with a shadowy organization known as Medusa that is hellbent on causing anarchy through social and data exploitation of individuals. Jason Bourne is the one man standing between Medusa and world domination with an undeniably strong weapon, technology.

The Bourne Evolution retains the grounded and realistic elements one reads in Robert Ludlum’s novels, with vivid sceneries and intriguing developments in plot that come with surprising twists in the narrative to keep the reader on the edge of their seat and glued to the book. The idea of a phone app having the power of manipulating its users with non-state actors and tech cabals behind the scenes pulling the strings is a drop of fresh blood into the genre of action thrillers. Moreover, many elements of the plot are grabbed right from major events in the news, lending to the authentic vibe of the story.

The action is worthy of Jason Bourne’s reputation as a badass, with realistic and exciting shootouts, foot-chases, and fisticuffs. There is no dull moment in the book, as Bourne navigates from Canada to US, seeking the head of Medusa through infiltration and secrecy, aided by a Canadian journalist, Abbey Laurent. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and it is handled extremely well by Mr. Freeman. Medusa employs a femme fatale, one that ranks high in the deadliest provocative characters ever written. Miss Shirley. Definitely a vicious match for the prowess of Jason Bourne.

There is no shortage of wow moments in the book, whether pertaining to Bourne’s ingenuity in espionage tradecraft or straight up action sequences, the shocking revelations, or moments that come full circle in the storyline with a beautiful finesse. I would say The Bourne Evolution puts Jason Bourne back on the list of the deadliest characters in literature today, and definitely establishes him as a protagonist that readers would want to read more of. The ending definitely hints as Jason Bourne’s return. A must-read for all action thriller lovers. It doesn’t need any prior Jason Bourne books to be read, it introduces Bourne in the modern age.

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Near Dark By Brad Thor

Near Dark is an amazing follow-up to Backlash. A blend of fast-paced narrative, thrilling events, well-written action, and characters that feel real and relatable. The book explores Scot Harvath in an emotionally damaged state of mind after the events of Backlash while having to navigate through a hundred million bounty on his head as retribution for Harvath’s brutal acts of vengeance in Backlash. This dynamic amps up the stakes for Harvath on a very personal level.

The storyline is crafted with a sense of constant worry for Harvath and his remaining family due to the extravagant bounty on his head. This creates a strong desire for readers to keep on reading to find out what happens next. Near Dark, while being a story of emotional healing, is also an espionage narrative at heart. Clandestine meetings, undercover operations, unlikely alliances, and more are all part of the brilliant aspects of Near Dark. Harvath must get to the bottom of the bounty on his head and make sure he doesn’t get claimed by an adversary before he gets the chance to release his bottled-up rage.

Harvath is joined in this undertaking by an operative of Norwegian Intelligence Service, Sølvi Kolstad. Kolstad and Harvath make a great duo, being in sync when it comes to tactics and thoughts. Kolstad is a lethal and well-trained operative who proves to be just as hell-bent in this undertaking as Harvath, for her own reasons, and is established earlier on in the story with bona-fides that leave no doubt for readers that she is a worthy ally of Harvath. With a dynamic chemistry between the two operatives, the read becomes even more intriguing to see how the two operatives would get along.

The action is smooth and fast-paced, comprising of fast-paced shootouts and some brutal melee combat. Even though I had expected more action sequences, the brilliant espionage aspects and characters made up for less-than-expected action sequences. The technical accuracy in details pertaining to firearms and tactics also played an important role in retaining the gritty espionage and operations vibe Scot Harvath books are known for.

I was a bit taken back by what I felt was a slightly abrupt ending. The compartmentalized branches of the narrative that collectively formed the bigger picture felt too quickly tied up at the end, not feeling as satisfying as I thought they would to finally unravel.

All in all, Near Dark packs exciting moments, three dimensional characters, realistic and grounded elements of espionage, and the devastating impact of the loss of loved ones for those who live dangerously at the edge of the sword. A great and engrossing read that does not let up till the very end.

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Blacktop Wasteland By S.A. Cosby

Blacktop Wasteland is a beautifully written story about the struggle of a black man trying to be a good family man, while navigating through the world of crime as a brilliantly talented wheelman to make ends meet. The story realistically handles racism in today’s world, with meaningful encounters throughout the book showing how Beauregard, AKA Bug, the protagonist, tries to teach his children the importance of being better than him and acquiring education to give them the choices he never had growing up. He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. One of Beauregard’s sayings to his child is ‘when you’re a black man in America, you live with the weight of people’s low expectations on your back every goddamn day’. This is just one of the hard-hitting realities Mr. Cosby, the writer, conveys to readers in a manner that will stick with you long after you finish reading the book.

The story flows naturally and in a fast-paced manner. Bug struggles to keep his mechanic shop afloat, with a competition taking away Bug’s customers. The desperation to provide for his family causes Bug to take part in one final heist as a wheelman. Bug is a natural behind the wheel. Sharp and meticulous. The car becomes a part of Bug when he’s driving it. It becomes a symbiotic bond, which makes for exciting and praise-worthy car chases. The driving portions are written so skillfully, I was in awe of their excellence. I felt the sequences to be cinematic, comparable to the excellent sequences of the movie Drive. With the backdrop of the book involving criminals, this book has realistic action sequences that fit into the world of Blacktop Wasteland without any hesitation.

As a reader, you resonate with Beauregard’s conflicts as if you’re reading a memoir. Beauregard struggles with his dark past, and he struggles with the darkness inside him that makes him feel more alive behind the wheel driving away from the cops than being with his family. The book begs the question, if we can be more than our dark past, or are we configured to repeat the cycle of our ancestors. Every single character feels like a real-life personality. Every presence in the book holds weight. Which is why, the tragedies in the book hit me harder than I could have braced myself for.

This book could not come out at a better time. Reading through this gave me an insight into the harsh world of living as a black man in America, and with all the injustices going on with racial inequality, this book resonated with me in ways I could not have expected. I would strongly urge readers to get this book. You will not be disappointed. I can absolutely say this is one of the best reading experiences I have had. It is a book for everyone.

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All The Good Men By Craig N. Hooper

All The Good Men is a riveting thriller with copious amounts of action, twists, and edge-of-your-seat thrills to keep you glued to the book without question.

All The Good Men follows Garrison Chase, a former FBI agent now working as a subcontractor for his friend’s PI firm focusing on power player clientele in Washington. Dropping right into a staged murder-suicide, Chase deduces early on that things are not how they seem, and there is a bigger conspiracy at work in the shadows. Indeed, there is. The narrative is told highly effectively through Chase’s POV to keep the story moving at a fast paced while keeping the storytelling grounded with the actions and emotions of Chase and his friends who aid him in getting to the heart of the conspiracy.

I immediately took a liking to the unpredictable nature of the story, delving into smart twists and turns to keep the narrative sharp and intriguing. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, burning through the pages to find out what happened next with each chapter. I immensely enjoyed the focus on the details of what Chase observes and acts upon, a technique that highly aided the vibe of detective/mystery solving thriller as well as making events and sequences relatable for readers. The author does a great job of injecting fresh blood into the series in the form of a determined FBI Agent Ramona Sanchez, who aid Chase and his partner, Slim, with the investigation. Their dynamic felt incredibly natural and interesting to invest my emotions in.

The author also steps up the action in this thriller. Garrison Chase is not only a sharp mind, but also a dangerous weapon, taking on his adversaries in brutal and realistic hand-to-hand combat sequences, one of which has to be one of the best hand-to-hand combat sequences I have ever read, involving Chase and his partner take on bad guys in spectacular flurry of punches and kicks. While I would have liked to see more shootouts, there is a fantastic shootout in close quarters between two highly skilled individuals, one of them of course being Garrison Chase, with descriptive and accurate tactical movements and equipment that had me smiling ear to ear. Another plus point is the description of the weapons, which adds to the realistic vibe of the thriller. I am hopeful and confident the author will continue to build upon some already awesome action sequences into his next thriller.

I find Garrison Chase to be a unique character. At the cost of losing time spent with his loved ones, he chooses to seek justice without having an actual obligation to do so, showing him to be a man of honor and integrity with a strong moral compass to do the right thing. Another interesting fact I find about him is his propensity to avoid violence. While Chase is not one to shy away from rising to meet a violent adversary, his initial choices are always to subdue his opponents in nonviolent ways, actually beneficial that way since he has to question the suspects he encounters. But more than that is his realistic fear of not falling into the abyss of violence. There are moments where he faces challenges with this prospect, but he rises above them.

Even if you have not read the first two books, which I highly recommend readers to read, this thriller is just as excellent on its own, giving readers the necessary backstory while building the new narrative. A non-stop thrill ride packed with strong emotions to rile the readers to want to seek justice along with Garrison Chase, I found this to be highly impressive. A must read for all readers!

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Rogue By James Swallow

It’s no secret that James Swallow writes riveting action-packed espionage stories that stand with the best of the best. Rogue is a testament to his extraordinary writing where the beautifully fleshed-out characters, a rich story-arc stemming over the course of previous books, innovative action sequences, and a haunting cliffhanger make it not only the best entry in the series so far, but also one of my all-time favorite books.

Continuing the proverbial war of two opposing private intelligence agencies, the one striving for global anarchy, Combine, hatches a plan born out of frustration caused by the other agency, Rubicon, to systematically break down the latter organization for a hostile takeover. Techie-turned-operative and protagonist Marc Dane, ex-Delta sniper Lucy Keyes, and IT guru Assim Kader of Rubicon agency are sent on a wild goose chase when a familiar face from Dane’s past reappears in sinister fashion, without knowing that Combine is pulling the strings. There is no good time for a quick rest as the entire narrative blasts through all stops full steam with brilliant plot twists and game-changing revelations. James Swallow dedicates the right amount of time focusing on character developments to truly immerse the reader in the high stakes of the story. The struggle for Marc’s grip on trust in the murky world of espionage is superbly demonstrated, similar to Jason Bourne’s struggle with his memory in Robert Ludlum’s trilogy, but even better with a faster pace to keep the story rolling.

Complimenting the stellar plotline and character developments are adrenaline-pumping action sequences on ground, at sea, and in air. Cinematic sequences including but not limited to parachuting off skyscrapers under a barrage of bullets, outrunning a combat helicopter on a super-fast boat, and souped-up private jets taking on Mig-21s in a creative as well as believable manner; this book has it all.

Rogue is a meticulously crafted global extravaganza of espionage and action with a deeply personal crux to amplify the power of gut-punching turns in the narrative that shake the core foundation of the story. I can’t recall the last time I felt mind-blowingly impressed by a grand spy thriller set on a global scale with the emotional center of a powerful drama.

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Curse The Day By Judith O'Reilly

Curse The Day is an adrenaline pumping non-stop action thriller with high stakes and dark moments. Even though I have not yet read the prequel, I had no trouble getting engrossed into the story and characters. The thriller felt well-balanced, combining an interesting narrative with enjoyable characters and fast-paced action sequences.

A promising endeavor of this novel was the integration of Artificial Intelligence into the thriller elements. This book touches on the behavioral and ethical aspects of what it would mean to teach an AI entity to act responsibly with the power to either aid or eradicate humanity, something I would love to see explored further in future novels.

The protagonist, Michael North, is a fascinating character to read, with a tragic past fueling his violent actions in the present, creating a vigilante of sorts. His character takes a journey of redemption and forgiveness in this book, leaving the future open for further insight into Michael North. As a new character for me, Michael North came across as a no-nonsense hero with the desire to push through any hurdles in his way. His journey from self-pity to self-realization made him a highly likable character in my book. The relentless action sequences, with accurate weaponry and adrenaline-pumping pacing, allowed for nail-biting shootouts and hand-to-hand combat sequences displaying his tactical prowess. He is joined by his allies, as unconventional as can be, which made the read even better for me due to enjoyable interactions between the characters. The jovial banter between the team created a lighter tone in the midst of the dark undertones of the thriller, to keep readers from feeling too gloomy.

The thriller packs twists and turns that smack you in the face as you read through the book, and the elements of mystery and race-against-time thrills kept me glued to the book. The book definitely incorporates dark and emotional moments, fueling characters and readers alike in their motivations to make sure the antagonists pay for their evil doings.

I definitely recommend readers to give Curse The Day a read, and enjoy the delightful combination of action, mystery, and thriller elements along with the idea of a sentient Artificial Intelligence that can revolutionize the world.

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Broken By Don Winslow

Don Winslow never ceases to amaze me with violent stories of tragedy, human nature, and redemption. Broken is a collection of six short novels that collectively convey a simple yet deeply haunting message: no matter how we come into this world, we come out broken. 

My initial apprehension towards Broken was whether the short stories would be long enough to get me emotionally attached. I needn’t have worried because Don Winslow can conjure the most powerful emotions with just a few words. Each of the six short stories are beautifully linked to create a connected world of flawed characters that feel utterly real. Each story has a different vibe, with settings ranging from hardcore shootouts and fast cars to incredibly poignant topics that pack an emotional punch equivalent to the sheer force of a raging bull. An empowering assortment of narratives rooted in reality that speak to readers on the most basic level without restricting to any single genre. This is a book you will not forget.

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One Minute Out By Mark Greaney

One Minute Out is a fresh and an exciting new look into the gritty world of The Gray Man. Going strong with now 9 books in the series, Mark Greaney shows no signs of slowing down in creating excellent action thrillers. One Minute Out is a testament to the fact.

One Minute Out takes a slightly different approach in highlighting Court Gentry as a lethal operative, this time in the first-person point of view, putting readers directly in Gentry’s mind. I was excited to see how it would pan out, and I was delighted with the result. The first person POV allowed for some memorable moments stemming from Gentry’s badass attitude and thought processes. The first person POV also added another layer to Gentry’s characterization, showing his inner thoughts and demons under a more focused spotlight, investing the readers even more into the narrative. I felt the first person POV was highly beneficial for a dark story as One Minute Out’s, emphasizing the evil of sex trafficking and the brutality suffered by the victims. Reading Court Gentry’s mind in the face of this evil brought Gentry even further to life as a real-life character.

The action doesn’t skip a beat as expected from The Gray Man, as Court Gentry operates with lethal parameters via his Glock 19 just as well as with his bare hands. With some highly cinematic yet grounded action sequences written in a fast-paced tone, I was highly entertained. The tactical and weaponry details were accurately described, adding to the tone of realistic action thriller. Ample number of heart-pounding shootouts, well-written airborne sequences, and a brutal knife fight, continue the trademark of an exhilarating Mark Greaney action packed thriller.

I was just as pleased with the storyline and narrative. With a plot that could have easily spiraled down into a rabbit hole, it would have been a shame to have that happen. However, Mark Greaney knows how to write. The narrative bounces to different places without losing sight of the plan, keeping the readers engaged with the plot and anticipating what will come next. Coupled with brilliant twists and turns to keep the plot on high heat, involving dark, shadowy, and unexpected alliances, One Minute Out is an absolute treat for Gray Man fans as well as fans of the action thriller genre. Gray Man's adversaries do not hold back any punches to put an end to the lethal operative, and are described with a malevolence that makes the reader want to root for Gentry to end them all.

This book is a dark one, with some brutal and upsetting moments, causing Court Gentry to lash out against his adversaries in a feral manner outside of his normal cool demeanor. The ending reflects Court Gentry’s inner dilemma for trying to save the whole world, but having to settle for a few at a time, his moral compass unwavering in the face of incredible odds against him, cementing Court as a broken hero with a strong desire to punish the sinners of the world.

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Get Idiota By Nate Granzow

If you enjoy snarky movies by Guy Ritchie, Quentin Tarantino, and crave for that cinematic charm to saunter over to the books, then you’re going to get a real kick out of Nate Granzow’s Get Idiota. A cartel capo obsessed with foosball and murdering journalists, a down-on-his-luck travel writer looking to make a name for himself and his sticky-fingered friend, and one sexy female assassin. It’s the complete package of sheer madness.

When travel writer Nick Ripley’s life comes crashing down after being suckered into a Ponzi scheme, he is desperate enough to do something foolish. That’s when a job comes down the pipeline to interview a cartel capo obsessed with foosball tournaments. Another known fact about Antonio Espinar is his penchant for brutally murdering journalists. Seeing the interview as an opportunity to make big bucks and gain publicity, Ripley decides to fly to Mexico and talk to Espinar, enlisting the help of an old friend with some not-so-legible habits. What starts off as a simple interview turns into a complicated affair as Ripley bites off more than he can chew. Hilarious chaos ensues and it’s way too wild to even describe here. It’s best read straight from the words of Nate Granzow.

Get Idiota is pure mayhem with non-stop action on foot, in car, and in the air with bullets blazing past Ripley, his friend, and their traveling companion in the form of Espinar’s pet emu, all in a fun kinetic style to pump you full of adrenaline. The action sequences are infused with well-timed and brilliantly executed comedic relief that will make you laugh without a care in the world and then wince right after. It’s one thing after another as Ripley jumps from one dangerous spot into an even more dangerous but hilarious predicament. 

Granzow makes his characters charming, witty, and unfailingly human through enjoyable dialogues and clumsy moments that highlight the absurd yet believable plights of the protagonists, whether its blood-thirsty cartel capos or a sanctuary of women wanting to mate with traveling men and then killing them in brutal ways. You won’t want this book to end. Not even for the sake of closure.

Get Idiota is a bona-fide adventure in the truest sense of the word and it's some of the most fun you’ll have. Nate Granzow is officially in my list of go-to authors for ballistic action and refreshing adventures. 

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Black 13 By Adam Hamdy

Black 13 is undeniably one of the finest action-spy thrillers you will ever come across. Brilliantly plotted with stellar execution in terms of a bold storyline, captivating situations, memorable characters, and exciting action.

When an ex-MI6 agent is murdered in London after uncovering a dark and dirty secret, Scott Pearce steps in to avenge his fallen comrade and rescue a lawyer who is targeted by the same group of extremists. Putting his skills as a former spy to work, he soon realizes that in order to beat the sinister group hiding in the shadows, he has to play on an asymmetric battleground where nothing is off limits. Escalating tensions and gripping twists and turns keep you hooked as Pearce teams up with a few friends to take on a radical far-right group who will stop at nothing to turn the tide against immigrants who they blame for Britain’s ruin. Adam Hamdy’s work tends to diverge from the formulaic Middle Eastern bad guys and puts a spotlight on the ugly forehead of racism as it exists today. Holding back no punches, Adam Hamdy showcases the terrifyingly powerful and profound effect of technology in the control of manipulators with nefarious agendas. Reading through the story, I found myself wondering more than once if many of the situations presented in Black 13 might have already happened in real-life. 

Scott Pearce instantly became one of my all-time favorites. With an interesting backstory involving some unsettled demons, Pearce is written as a strong and relatable protagonist who you can easily root for. Even as a no-nonsense badass, he is far from broody and silent. His interactions with friends and allies give way to strong character building that forges an instant connection between Pearce and the reader. The same can be said for other characters in the story, some of whom will haunt you with their brutally tragic and indisputably inspired-by-real-life backstories. You will cheer Pearce and his friends on as they take care of business with extreme prejudice.

The action is fast and furious with bone crunching fisticuffs, cinematic shootouts, and pedal to the metal bike chases that will thrill you. If Scott Pearce killing a guy by punching him so hard that the broken shards of the nose pierce the brain is not badass, then I don’t know what is.

I found the entire narrative to be quite remarkable. 475 pages flew by in a blur of 2 days. I could not have asked anything more from this explosive thriller. This is one book I would recommend you move up to the top of your to-be-read list. Adam Hamdy’s creative ideas channeled into an unflinching narrative with a smooth prose immensely elevate the caliber of storytelling to the highest order. A thriller that walks a beautiful balance between story-driven and action-driven to appeal to all readers.

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The Treadstone Resurrection By Joshua Hood

The Treadstone Resurrection is a thriller that establishes a new meaning to the word ‘action-packed’ in the best way possible. Set in the universe of Jason Bourne, The Treadstone Resurrection focuses on a new character, a former Treadstone operative by the name of Adam Hayes.

Adam Hayes is a man with a dark past, who’s trying to make up for his demons. A dark conspiracy pulls Hayes back into the fold of action and brutality. It was super easy to get attached to Adam Hayes as a character, with the writer creating Hayes as an intriguing character from the get-go. It doesn’t take more than a few chapters for the story to kick into overdrive mode with the beginning of brutal and fast paced action written with the finesse of a writer experienced in the moral combat, as Adam Hayes channels his training from Treadstone to swiftly take out assassins sent after him with a variety of tactics and weapons ranging from a Glock 19 to a Springfield SOCOM 16 with a thermal sight, all the way to a compound bow. Also a memorable mention of a sequence which includes a creative and brutal use of Air hammer. The emphasis on weaponry details throughout the book is an extremely enjoyable factor for action thriller fans. The plot keeps a fast pace throughout, adding to the time sensitive nature of the narrative.

The plot while at times seemingly straightforward, is still intriguing and attention grabbing with the action driving the story forward to keep the action thriller fans glued to the book. The narrative takes readers to Venezuela to uncover shady unsanctioned dealings between a CIA Agent and a Venezuelan Colonel of the Venezuela’s national intelligence service. Adam Hayes is put in the midst of this, trying to understand the full story of why he was pulled back into the fold out of nowhere. Jason Bourne gets a cameo reference in the book, and the book benefits from the inspiration of both the Jason Bourne books and the movies as well.

All in all, The Treadstone Resurrection sets up a great potential for future storylines, establishing Adam Hayes as an excellent protagonist with both wits and brawn to take out his adversaries as quickly as possible, a testament to his no- nonsense attitude. A great and exciting read packed with amazing action sequences that are not to be missed out on.

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