Warshot By Don Keith And George Wallace

Warshot is a superb choice if you’re in the mood to read some tense naval standoffs with a pinch of old-school treasure hunt. The narrative focuses on altercations between US and Chinese naval forces as China tries to extend its grasp on an island beneath which lies unexplored gold in abundance. Facing the threat of upsetting the world economy, US steps in to protect its interests. The matter quickly escalates to stressful situations where warring submarines are pitted against each other in descriptive sequences of naval combat that vividly highlight the somber yet energetic mood of the submariners as they try to sink their opponent as quickly as possible while aggressively evading incoming torpedoes. I loved the realistic details presented of the inner workings of the submarines from the commands to the equipment without becoming too complex for a layman. Reading the skippers shout commands to dive down from periscope depth took me back to the days of watching The Hunt for The Red October and Crimson Tide. The narrative moves a little slow at first to set up the necessary characters, but once the first torpedo is launched, the action sets off relentlessly underwater and on land as well. The writing puts an emphasis on the communication breakdown between naval officers having to commit to a course of action, and bureaucracy underestimating the need for swift movements. The story fills you with an immense sense of gratitude for sailors who undertake the daunting endeavor of wading into battle in a confined medium in the dark depths of the vast oceans where anything can happen. This is a story you’ll want to kick back to and enjoy on a sunny weekend by the beach. Mirroring the recent geopolitical situations and blending them with an adventurous plot, Warshot is definitely recommended for readers seeking an underwater escapade.

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A Hostile State By Adrian Magson

There is no such thing as too many great spy action thrillers. I am constantly searching for unexplored territory of well-written action espionage thrillers, and that search led me to A Hostile State by Adrian Magson. As soon as I flipped to the first page, I knew I would love it when the very first chapter hooked me in with the protagonist, Marc Portman code-named Watchman, maneuvering under sniper fire while equipped with a Kahr semi-automatic pistol. The action takes off without wasting momentum and the plot fires away with the high-octane action. 

Without giving away too much, A Hostile State puts Marc Portman, a contractor for the CIA, under the spotlight where his cover is blown by a secretive Russian group that aims to take revenge against its recent espionage failures by putting a bullseye on Portman who happens to be one of the most effective CIA assets. Then begins a long trail of blood and bullets with Portman chased from Lebanon to Paris by assassins who will stop at nothing to kill Portman. The plot thickens when the pattern can only be accredited to a leak in the CIA that is feeding Portman’s location to the assassins. The fast-paced and nail-biting aura of the narrative where Portman is constantly surveilled and targeted by killers, aided by a few friendlies, makes for an extremely compelling and energetic read. This sets up a fantastic stage for Marc Portman to show why he truly should be feared by his adversaries, as he parries and counters the assassins sent after him in brutal hand-to-hand combat and explosive shootouts. 

With such a propelling story, it needs to have breakneck action sequences, and the author delivers on this promise. There is absolutely no shortage of bullets and gunfire as Marc showcases his lethal talents with pistols, rifles, and even a crossbow on a globetrotting hunting ground. With accurate weapons descriptions in the sequences detailing Marc’s tactical acumen, the reading experience is everything an action thriller fan could ask for. Even without a weapon, Marc puts his fists to good use with detailed descriptions of hand-to-hand combat with a focus on practicality and speed. 

With A Hostile State being the 5th novel in the Marc Portman series, I was surprised by the ease of which I slipped into the narrative. The right amount of backstory is provided for readers to get into this book and enjoy it immensely. The characters are developed over the narrative with grounded personalities and foundations that made it easy to visualize and resonate with them fairly quickly, especially Marc Portman. While his profession is utterly violent, he comes across as the kind of guy you would root for without any hesitation. A straight shooter who will get the job done while exhibiting a strong moral compass. I immediately gelled with Marc Portman and his down-to-earth but intriguing personality, cultivated to preserve his anonymity. The strong focus on his POV as a first person POV, only shifting to a handful of other characters to progress the parallel storyline of the CIA leak, was done superbly to kept the momentum rolling. There was always something happening in the narrative that was extremely vital to the bigger picture. 

Even before I had finished this thriller, I knew I was going to read the previous Marc Portman books. With such crisp and captivating writing, intriguing characters, fantastic action, and authentic narrative, I am sold on A Hostile State being a must-read for action thriller fans who are on the search for a new exciting thriller series to dive into. It is no piece of cake to allow readers to jump in headfirst in the latest thriller in a series without having read the previous books, but Adrian Magson pulls it off!

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Bone Rattle By Marc Cameron

Bone Rattle is a captivating and gritty crime thriller that puts seasoned Deputy Marshal Arliss Cutter hot on the trail of murderers and corrupt politicians in the heart of Alaska. 

Arliss Cutter is brought to the city of Juneau to assist with marshaling criminals tied to a sinister businessman with an inclination towards violence. There is more than meets the eye and Cutter is pitted against killers who are looking to silence a witness who can blow the whistle on a huge conspiracy built on the dead and the wronged. It is up to Cutter to find the truth and save the witness, easier said than done with all the mind-boggling plot twists.

Bone Rattle balances sleuthing and action in the delicate fashion of keeping a realistic tone. The majority of the narrative focuses on investigative deductions of Cutter until the climax where Cutter and a friend are caught in a guns-blazing shootout without proper cover whilst only utilizing a Colt Python and a Glock. It’s an excellent action sequence that is augmented by Marc Cameron’s descriptive environments of the rocks and gravel in the cavernous hills and mines.

Arliss Cutter continues to be a delight to read as a no-nonsense Marshall who tracks his prey without fail and renders justice. Marc Cameron continues to develop Cutter as a complex personality, displaying his ferocity in dealing with his antagonists as well as his warmth when it comes to his family. His thoughts and actions resonate with readers not only when he stands up to bullies and murderers, but also when he struggles to deal with his inner turmoil, especially when it comes to his sister-in-law.

Cameron’s Arliss Cutter books are written with emphatic visuals of the environments to portray the cold and gloomy feelings of crime scenes and isolated locales in Alaska. The heavy environmental descriptions only serve to personify the locations as living breathing personalities, and immerse the readers further into the the trade and tricks of tracking prey as Cutter tracks his. 

Bone Rattle continues the charm of the Arliss Cutter books with the confident protagonist, devilish antagonists, chilly descriptions of Alaska, and well-executed action at the opportune moments. The book ends with an eerie cliffhanger that I hope brings an even darker chapter for Cutter next time. Bone Rattle is a superb blend of intellectual stimulation and adrenaline-pumping action.

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Red Wolves By Adam Hamdy

Red Wolves is a remarkably ingenious timely thriller with a unique story and tortured characters that make them all the more interesting to connect to. Adam Hamdy has outdone himself with the action-packed narrative that may just be his finest work yet.

Scott Pearce is back on the trail of the mysterious organization that has eluded him and every major intelligence agency after causing destruction in the capital city of Pakistan and then waging a terrible war against immigrants in the UK. Pearce is determined to unveil the shroud of mystery around the sinister group of connected individuals and joins the team of an enigmatic benefactor who has his own personal vendetta against the nefarious group. A violent prison break, a terrifying bioweapon unlike any other, and a plot to lay waste to America by hooking its citizens on a sophisticated drug; all three events are all linked to a major terrorist attack perpetrated by a non-state entity with operatives in every agency around the world. Can Pearce connect the dots in time to stop the terrorists from holding America hostage? 

Adam Hamdy writes some of the most sophisticated modern spy thrillers. The narrative keeps the brain cogs functioning in overdrive as every other chapter brings about hair-raising twists and turns that fit perfectly in a spy thriller where secrets are the norm. The pace is kept on high with a steady amount of adrenaline secreted from visceral action sequences. For a contemporary spy thriller, Adam Hamdy capitalizes on the ever-growing industry of technology with creative gadgets and airborne vehicles that are written with strong authenticity and are a huge delight to see in action.

Pearce is one of my favorite protagonists with the charisma of a badass operative who thinks on his feet and the vulnerability of a tormented soul for whom the impacts of violence and keeping secrets actually exact a toll. His motivations are not confined to the plot and are based off personal desires that make him more relatable and likeable amongst a sea of action protagonists. Pearce is undoubtedly the main lead but Adam Hamdy ensures that every character on either side of the equation is imbued with a unique personality, bringing them to life just as vividly as Scott Pearce with gradual and empowering character development. I fell in love with characters I could not have imagined liking when I had started Red Wolves.

A huge commendable aspect of Red Wolves is Adam Hamdy’s brilliant decision to base the story in the current global landscape, particularly one that has now gotten used to COVID-19. Adam Hamdy does not shy away from how the world has changed with regards to travel restrictions, face masks, and testing for Coronavirus. The face masks add a new layer of hardship for catching bad guys now that they can cover their faces without raising suspicion, an aspect no other thriller author has yet explored so well. A positive spin on the matter comes with the concept of all locations having the resources to use rapid Coronavirus testing to ensure anyone going into coffee shops and restaurants is not infected; a simple and elegant measure to not limit the story in any way while basing the narrative in the current times.

It is not a stretch to say Red Wolves is one of the best books to come out this year. However, taking into consideration the vast scale of globetrotting action as well as grounded storytelling with characters fleshed out expertly over time, it may very well be THE best action espionage thriller of 2021. The ending leaves no doubt for more of Scott Pearce to come in the future with a bigger mission. The mystery is far from being uncovered.

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The Devil's Hand By Jack Carr

The Devil’s Hand is an unflinching thriller masterpiece that I applaud for not shying away from the reality we now live in.  It’s on a much grander scale than the previous Jack Carr thrillers but entails the same ferocious James Reece who takes his combatants down in ways that will thrill even the most hardcore action fans of the genre. 

The Devil’s Hand is one of the first books to acknowledge the profound effects of the changes in the world brought on by the onset of COVID-19, adding a deeper level of connection to the story that comes with reading thrillers inspired by real events and situations. The President of the United States offers James Reece a secret mission of assassinating all those who had a role in perpetrating the horrible tragedy of 9/11. At the same time, an engineered biological virus is planned to be spread by members of the same terrorist cell in the hopes of pushing the president to enact a contingency that involves burning down US cities to contain a pathogen. When Reece stumbles unexpectedly upon this dangerous plot, he has to act quickly before innocent lives are lost to both the deadly virus and the explosive contingency of the US government. If the terrorist cell was not enough, Reece also has to outwit an ambitious senator who wishes to take control of the country at the expense of innocent lives. 

While the build-up to action does take a while, it’s worth it. The action sequences are a huge step up from the past James Reece thrillers. When Reece is targeted and his girlfriend is caught in the crossfire, Reece unleashes his feral side in a display of beautifully violent combat. In one particular shootout, Reece makes a brilliant dual wield combo of his Sig P365 compact pistol and a Tomahawk while taking on multiple opponents at a time. The action is not a flurry of movements, but detailed in the art of combat. 

The book does incorporate heavy political views at times that may not resonate with all the readers; I had some reservations as well. However, if one can put aside the political reservations, The Devil’s Hand is a highly rewarding and thrilling experience.

It is a relatively longer thriller than most, but it’s not a drag. The length is due to the world-building information that Jack Carr aptly presents in order to establish the foundations for scenarios and characters, giving the impression that the events in the book are not as far-fetched as one might think. It’s an aspect that will strike a chord with connoisseurs of classic action thrillers which detailed the world of the story to resonate with the readers. 

With awe-striking action sequences, riveting plots that merge together brilliantly, and a kickass protagonist, Jack Carr delivers another banger that ends with the promise of a showdown that needs to be done justice in the next thriller!

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A Dangerous Freedom By John Ruane

A Dangerous Freedom is an ambitious and timely take on the gun violence in America and the profoundly disastrous effects on those inflicted by the carnage. John Ruane depicts the life of a young anti-gun advocate, Dylan Reilly, who finds himself in not one, not two, but three situations where terrorists and unhinged gunmen go on shooting sprees around him. When the third bloodshed hits close to home, Reilly comes to a startling realization that he must bear arms to protect himself when he witnesses the helplessness of facing the shooting end of an automatic AR-15. Training himself to become proficient with a S&W .38 special six shooter, he tries to channel his hatred for the shooters into his training to become a gunslinger/vigilante.

While the story can be a bit far-fetched at times, the narrative engages the reader with John Ruane’s perspective of gun control expressed through his protagonist’s thoughts and actions. The story is augmented with admirable research of the Islamic culture that goes a long way towards highlighting the negative stereotypes towards the religion that many thrillers more often than not support. For a new author, there is room for John Ruane to enhance his storytelling with better dialogue and higher stakes for the characters to more effectively engage the reader. That being said, A Dangerous Freedom is an interesting read as a bold social commentary.

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Renegade By Rob Sinclair

Renegade is an adrenaline shot right to the heart. There is no rest for the protagonist nor the reader as the formidable hero punches, shoots, kicks his way out of lethal situations one after another. This is not the first book in the series but that did not prevent me from having a blast with it. By the time I flipped to the last page, Rob Sinclair was already in my list of excellent thriller authors.

Renegade sees James Ryker, a freelancing operative of sorts with a murky past, surveilling a potential meeting between a banker and a right-wing extremist responsible for sowing unrest in the Middle East. Two pages in and Ryker is involved in a dangerous car chase when the meeting goes horribly wrong. From that moment on, the pace does not let up as Ryker tries to unravel the conspiracy of the highest order. The story preserves the shroud of secrecy one would expect with the best of espionage thrillers by providing just enough clues for Ryker to take the next step without revealing the hidden ace until the HOLY MOLY moment. It barely took me a day to finish it, because the narrative warrants pure attention. I had no idea what the next big twist would be. The suspense was immensely helped by well-written characters, especially those of the antagonists, whose motivations ran deep beyond the somewhat cliched and saturated religious impetuses. 

Reading Ryker take on bad guys in the most badass of combat techniques is one of the most fun I have had reading an action thriller. Pump up the killer jams when reading the cinematic action sequences involving Ryker using bad guys as landing cushions and punching bags. There are tons of hand-to-hand combat sequences and a few shootouts, all of which are written with the elegance of detailed visualizations without becoming too complicated for readers. I would rank the action up with the best in the genre such as the works of Tom Wood and Mark Greaney. 

Aside from my enthusiasm for the raving action, Renegade offers more. Even though it is quite a few books into the series, I had no trouble familiarizing myself with Ryker. His admirable traits make it super easy to root for him but Rob Sinclair skillfully adds a few chinks in Ryker’s lethal persona for character growth and allowing readers to resonate with Ryker. The hints to his secretive and crazily wild past have me ordering the previous books in the series.

Full disclaimer, there is a big twist that I didn't see coming and it left me absolutely stunned for a good full minute. This action thriller has everything an action thriller fan wants to read. It left me wanting more of Ryker, and it is a hard feat to accomplish if I have not read the previous books in the series. 

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The Bounty By Janet Evanovich

The Bounty is a great break from the mostly grim action thrillers, with a fun-filled adventure for a world war II era treasure in the most exotic locales, superb action sequences, witty humor, great characters, and a popcorn munching narrative.

FBI agent Kate O Hara and international con man Nick Fox are surveilling a thief hired to supposedly steal the Pope’s ring from The Vatican, when the culprit turns out to be Nick’s father with a much grander plan involving gold bars in buried Nazi train, and a Neo-Nazi group known as The Brotherhood. What follows is a fast-paced search for hidden clues leading to the treasure in formerly Axis powers-controlled countries. To make things spicy, the merry band team of Kate, Nick, and their dads have to deal with the constant meddling of red star tattooed Nazis, polar bears, avalanches, dune buggies, depth charges, and one admirably persistent Brotherhood lieutenant who simply refuses to die. It’s not the ideal family vacation but it is an incredibly fun experience for the readers.

I was worried about jumping in on the 7th book in the series without reading the previous ones. My worry was unfounded because the book is a standalone experience with just the right amount of background for each character to become quickly acquainted with them and focus on the new narrative. 

I was most impressed with the action sequences which depict detailed weaponry in the shootouts, and focused viewpoints in chases for an easy read-through. The action is infused with subtle humor in keeping with the overall breezy vibe of the story.

The Bounty is unlike any story I’ve read. After reading quite dark thrillers recently, I relished reading a light hearted thriller that may sound cheesy but is more humorous than cringe. I would love to see it adapted for the big screen!

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Red Widow By Alma Katsu

Red Widow is a fascinating cerebral spy thriller that reads like an old school spy thriller with ample focus on character development and well-written twists that are worth the slow burn narrative. Alma Katsu utilizes her real-life experiences in the CIA to create a riveting cat-and-mouse tale of spies and betrayals in the gray world of espionage.

Red Widow presents Lyndsey Duncan, known as the human lie detector for her uncanny ability to catch micro expressions and nuances of her targets, in a compromising situation which puts her under the spotlight for fraternizing with an agent from a foreign intelligence organization. She is suddenly brought onboard to investigate the deaths of several Russian assets of the CIA. With a mole suspected of leaking the identities of the CIA assets, one of whom Lynsey personally handled during her successful tenure in Russia, she has to treat everyone as a suspect. Even when the identity of the supposed mole is revealed halfway through ( only to readers ), the mystique simply continues with hidden agendas and WOW-level twists. Without spoiling the fun part, the best advice is to be ready for ANY possibility in the narrative. 

Red Widow benefits immensely from Alma Katsu’s real experiences in the CIA. The slow burn allows more time to understand and resonate with the realistic characters. The inner workings of CIA are presented with an authority and expertise that feel extremely interesting to read through, especially with how Lyndsey investigates the mole through the use of CIA tools and tradecraft. Switching the POV from Lyndsey to the mole and back is a superb technique to create an aura of a chess match where the readers are feverishly flipping the pages to see who comes out on top. 

The only weapons in this espionage thriller are the incredibly relatable characters that drive the story with intense emotions and personal stakes, and that is all the ammunition needed for this clever narrative. I found the characters to be extremely well-written with consistent development throughout the narrative to give insights into backstories that, when combined with the present actions of said characters, clarify prior twists and give rise to new turns in the story. 

Red Widow is a nail-biting story with growing tension of a showdown between a mole and a molehunter that pays off very well by the end. This story was just the tip of the iceberg, with an anxious cliffhanger that will have you wanting more! I am extremely excited to read more thrillers in this exquisite cerebral spy series by Alma Katsu. From the moment I read the first page to the moment I closed the book, I had no intention of putting the book down. 

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Nemesis By Anthony Riches

Nemesis is a brutal mystique-laden revenge action thriller that packs sharp twists and badass action sequences written with an eye for accurate tactical and weaponry details to create a fantastic reading experience for readers.  For an author’s first foray into the action thriller genre, I was amazed by the superb action sequences that felt well suited for a big screen adaptation.

Nemesis introduces readers to Michael Bale, a Protective Command officer who is seeking revenge for the death of his sister, Katie, who died due to a drug overdose. Mickey Bale puts his formidable skillset to use on tearing down the drug kingpin of a vicious criminal, Joe Castagna, whose underlying had slipped Katie the wrong drug that led to her death. As Michael embarks on his revenge warpath, we learn he is being aided by a mysterious entity, code named Nemesis, who is providing Michael with the necessary information to take Joe down. While it might have seemed prudent to only keep the revenge till the drug dealer directly involved with Michael’s sister’s death, Joe Castagna is depicted as a vile character whose unchecked evil propels Michael to protect people and take on the bigger and more violent mission of ridding Joe once and for all. As he takes on the bad guys, the police close in on the armed professional who leaves a trail of dead bodies in his wake. As Michael’s professional and personal lives clash, the question arises if Michael can escape both the police and Joe unscathed, or has he bitten off more than he can chew? 

Nemesis is a fantastic example of the crime genre infused with the tactics-and-details-focused action we read in espionage and military action thrillers. Michael Bale’s character is developed through his job and his vengeance more than anything else. His willingness to step into the harm’s way to take down evil men who prey on the innocent mirrors his job in Protection Command where he is assigned protection details to make sure his assignments are kept out of harm’s way, explaining his desire to go beyond simply assassinating the direct link to his sister’s death. I loved how he does not become a cliché in his warpath by questioning if he is too brutal to the monsters he goes after. He takes down the evil-doers proportionally in pain and agony to how the bad guys prey upon innocents. A protagonist with nerves of steel and willingness to bring justice.

The action is fast-paced and easy to visualize, thanks to the author’s vivid descriptions of the tactical movements of Michael Bale and his arsenal, including a Ruger .22, Glock 17 Gen 4, HK G36C, silenced MP5 and MP7, along with creative ways to inflict pain involving nasty alkaline burns. I was pleasantly surprised to see such fantastic hard-hitting action in a crime thriller. 

I enjoyed how Michael’s professional and personal violent endeavors intertwined, not in a big picture kind of manner, but in a rich world-building manner that allowed new characters and situations to develop and factor later into the story for a realistic vibe of the story where the experiences that aren’t directly related to the Michael’s private war on crime ended up helping him out of tight spots when you wouldn’t expect him to make it out. The author’s knowledge of Protection Command’s inside workings felt extremely well researched and interesting to read about and visualize how the brave men and women of the ‘Job’ put their lives on the line to protect those they are tasked with guarding. 

While I believe the character’s interactions can be made slightly better by incorporating more expressions for the characters, I found Nemesis to be an exciting and action-packed crime story that explores the criminal underworld of London in a violent fashion. The final mind-blowing twist ends the story on a high note as we finally find out who Nemesis is and what Nemesis’ grand plan has been for Michael Bale. I was way off course with my guess, and I commend the author for his crafty twists! It definitely has the potential to spawn off a badass action thriller series since the ending clearly charts the return of Michael Bale.

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Czar Of England By Ian Kharitonov

Czar of England is an incredibly exciting and informative thriller that broaches largely unexplored territory in thrillers, that is the rich and wild history of Russia that repeats itself in this wild narrative that I hadn’t expected to see in a thriller. It’s full of historical tidbits that feel very closely related to the story, grounded action interspersed throughout the plot, and two brothers who will do everything in power to seek revenge against the President of Russia for his crimes against his own country and people for power and wealth.  

As my first Ian Kharitonov novel, I wanted to go back and read the earlier books in the series because the characters felt so intriguing and the writing style of Mr. Kharitonov is captivating as he incorporates political and historical details about Russia that drive the plot further. 

Even though this is the sixth book in the Sokolov series, I had no trouble getting into the book. If anything, I want to read the earlier books just to see how the story evolved to this point. The narrative starts off with certain Russian officials being assassinated. That is when the Sokolov brothers, Eugene and Constantine, are introduced on their unforgiving mission to take down the Russian president’s regime as revenge for atrocities they have personally faced at the hands of the Kremlin. They find themselves caught in a plot against the Kremlin by a cabal hiding in the shadows who have grand plans against the Russian President, one that involves returning Russia to the era of monarchy. I wouldn’t have guessed this at all and I was blown away by the unique twists and turns throughout the story.

Where Constantine brings his literary expertise to the table, Eugene Sokolov brings combat expertise and driving skills to the dynamic duo.  The action is a great combination of well-executed hand-to-hand combat and shootouts with weaponry accurate to the gangs and forces utilizing the weapons. Seeing Sokolov deploy bone crunching marital arts techniques against his opponents and shredding the others with the Scorpion submachine gun in crisp and fast-paced sequences made my day. The descriptions of the exotic and sports cars revving at high speeds was a plus point as they became parts of the personalities of the characters driving them. 

I loved the bond between the Sokolov brothers; supportive while not above teasing each other. A real testament to the super character development augmented by natural dialogues and character interactions that felt realistic and imaginable without falling flat as corny.

While Russia is no stranger a topic in the thriller genre, Ian Kharitonov excels at presenting the very real issues plaguing the country with oligarchs and corrupt officials feeding off the resources for their own wealth, while giving a deeper insight into the ordinary people of Russia and their ideology shaped by the history that I believe a lot of people do not know a lot about. Topping off with two protagonists of Cossack roots and personal connections to Russia, the story felt powerful and invigorating that gelled geopolitics and personal motivations rather than a simple high-level view of nations. 

The narrative is closely connected to the previous books, just enough to get you excited to read them without making you feel lost in this one if you haven’t read them. I settled into the book without ever feeling clumsy with the story. I do want to see the beginning of the badass Eugene Sokolov. That being said, Constantine is also a sharp edge of the spear with his analytical thinking and acumen for historical details that help explain the reasoning for drastic measures in this book and foreshadowing of dire consequences.

Safe to say, I think Ian Kharitonov is an author thriller fans should check out immediately if they haven’t already. His writing is fresh, crisp, and extremely adventurous. The narrative feels to be straight out of the headlines with actual events and assassinations in recent history tying into the story. If you’re looking for a smart and slick action thriller that holds back no punches and makes you more knowledgeable about the Russian history, Czar of England is a superb pick! Be sure to catch up on the whole series in time for his next explosive thriller!

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The Outside Man By Don Bentley

The Outside Man is a gritty, brutal, badass, and compelling follow-up to Don Bentley’s superb debut, Without Sanction. It is twice as action-packed and twice as much packed with gut-wrenching twists and turns that sucker punch you in the best possible way.

The Outside Man starts off running as former DIA operative, Matt Drake, is ambushed by a group of highly trained operators in broad daylight on the streets of Austin, Texas. What results, is a spectacular combat sequence where Drake displays tactical acumen as he repels the ambush with his Glock 23 in a show of badass fashion. From that moment on, Drake and his partner, Frodo, work on figuring out the mysterious party behind the ambush on Drake, drudging up enemies from the past. The investigation by Drake results in more bloodshed and action sequences as Drake faces off against members of a sinister organization run by an Arab known only as The Devil. The Devil was also the foe that had sentenced Drake to death in the events of Without Sanction before Drake had miraculously survived his ordeal. With bad blood between the two characters, Drake takes up the task of finding The Devil and putting him down. Things become personal for Drake as he comes across betrayals and risks the well-being of people closest to him. The narrative takes a darker turn as Matt comes across a sex-trafficking ring run by The Devil. The darker turn in emotions bring about a stronger sense of responsibility for Drake and his friends to put an end to a despicable monster.

One of the many things that make The Outside Man an excellent thriller, is the constant feeling that nothing is what it seems. The Devil is ten steps ahead of Drake at every point, and when The Devil upsets the playing field with twists that even Drake couldn’t foresee, it makes the experience even better as the twists hit the reader like a freight train.

The first person POV from Matt Drake’s perspective is a clear winner. With Drake’s witty and somewhat dark humor in tight situations along with his vulnerable and raw thoughts, Matt Drake’s character development is taken a notch higher. Drake’s vulnerability and his tenacity to push through when odds are against him make him an even better protagonist than the one we saw in Without Sanction and that is a tall order. The focus on expressing situations from Drake’s POV helps with the twists and turns that readers won’t see coming because the POV is strictly Drake’.

The action sequences are written in a way that play on all sense of the reader to fully immerse the reader into the middle of the shootouts and the hand-to-hand combat sequences. Each sequence is tactically and technically sound and descriptive without overwhelming the reader with too many details. From weaponry to rappelling down an Osprey, Don Bentley displays all sorts of knowledge about the topic of being a believable badass.

The Outside Man is an adrenaline-pumping action thriller that starts off with a bang and goes for bigger bangs until the very end. I cannot recommend this action thriller enough, and the book further cements Matt Drake as a badass protagonist who can hold his own.

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Family Business By J.J. Fauser

Family Business articulates a grounded narrative of modern espionage by secretive non-state entities that officially do not exist but operate within the shadows, featuring a variety of fresh locations, realistic combat sequences, and a complex and unrelenting plot.

One of the unique aspects about Family Business is J.J. Fauser’s intriguing choice of using his own name for the protagonist in the first person POV, which creates an entertaining symbiosis of real and fiction as he undoubtedly draws upon his days in the field running and gunning. When the secretive spy organization known as EUSAOCT, Secret Agency against Organized Crime and Terrorism, comes across a report of an uptake in human and drugs trafficking originally discovered by the German Intelligence, J.J.’s team is tasked with unraveling the global thread of powerful individuals in charge of this immoral trafficking ring. The investigation leads J.J. and his team into mortal danger as they uncover a conspiracy that ultimately leads back to the White House.

J.J. Fauser tackles the long-asked question of addressing coronavirus in thrillers with a straightforward approach that works terrifically for thrillers; basing the story in reality. There are references to Covid-19 throughout the narrative but instead of rehashing the devastation of the virus, Fauser aptly incorporates the new norm of wearing masks, giving fist bumps over shaking hands, and addressing social distancing along with a few other aspects that become crucial for the plot, all of which give off the authentic feel which readers associate with timely thrillers. There is also a cool technothriller aspect to the story with the inclusion of Artificial Intelligence whose capabilities closely mirror those of AI today as the team utilizes its raw processing power to help connect the dots.

The fight sequences are written in keeping with the subtle nature of espionage where lethality is often discouraged to avoid the headlines. That being said, there are plenty of fisticuffs and a handful of shootouts where absolutely necessary, all executed in a manner that exudes the author’s familiarity with brutal violence.

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All Fall Down (Arkhangel) By James Brabazon

Arkhangel is one of 2021’s smartest and darkest action thrillers. James Brabazon sidesteps tropes to create genre-bending stories that you just can’t help but marvel at. 

Max McLean is a formidable assassin working deep in the dark for Her Majesty when he’s set up on an assassination mission. With his cover blown and deadly forces out to get him after he receives a mysterious message linked to his past, he must survive long enough to find out who sent him the message and who wants it bad enough to kill with impunity. 

Arkhangel truly deserves to be described as action-packed; there are cinematic shootouts and brutal hand-to-hand combat sequences in almost every other chapter. Along with the sheer quantity of action, each shootout and fisticuff is smart and efficient. Brabazon nails the nitty gritty technical and tactical details, especially ones that many action thrillers skip to achieve Hollywood style over realism, adding to the authenticity of Max McLean as a world-class operative and assassin.  

Arkhangel offers more than just relentless and stellar action. James Brabazon highlights the perils of running and gunning in today’s clandestine climate as Max’s enemies are not as easy to identify as they would have been in the old days. No flags or outdated ideologies to advance, rather a rat-race for technological advancement that will alter the course of humanity. Brabazon’s explanations of quantum computing and algorithms are some of the best I’ve ever come across as a computer science major; pulling in the readers gradually with technical terms and then overlaying with simple descriptions to help even the most non-technological reader understand what is what as he blends currently science-fiction elements with modern computer industry to create an overall grounded and stimulating narrative that will have you looking up quantum computing even before you’re doing reading.

Max McLean is a newcomer to the assassin sub genre but in no way a novice. The extremely fun first-person POV thoroughly explores McLean’s dark psyche as a weathered assassin who has to make calculated calls in the field while holding onto his humanity. With great sarcastic timing sense and continuous character development over the course of the narrative, he is one of the most distinguishable and root-able assassins.

Arkhangel is truly a must-read for all thriller fans, especially if you’re looking for something new to freshen things up. It checks all the boxes for an extraordinary thriller and then further explores new avenues that will leave you wanting more of this maverick assassin. Keep in mind, the ending isn’t a simple through-and-through, it will tinker with your mind, as great thrillers must.

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Relentless By Mark Greaney

Relentless is the perfect word for this action-laden espionage thriller that reads like a cold war story of the present-day geopolitical climate with grand stakes. Gray Man is better than ever despite being in the most vulnerable position. With a fresh take on Middle-Eastern politics and classic espionage vibe of tales of Berlin, Court Gentry is in for a rough journey against multiple assassins, drones, and a ruthless mastermind who happens to be the head of the intelligence of UAE and its crown prince. 

After the violent ending of One Minute Out, Court Gentry is convalescing with treatment for bone infection and sharp deep knife wounds, when he is called upon by Matthew Hanley, his handler at CIA off-books Poison Apple project, to uncover the mystery behind an intelligence community operative thought to be dead but very much alive in South America. This constitutes a pattern of supposedly dead intelligence agents who are working for a new and private intelligence organization whose origins and loyalties are unknown and sinister. With Zack Hightower having been captured on an exfiltration mission, and Zoya Zakharova deep undercover working this mystery from a different angle, Court Gentry, The Gray Man, operating at half his efficiency, is reinstated back into the field to get to the heart of this intelligence nightmare. 

Without giving away too much, this Gray Man adventure has more elements of classic espionage with more spy tradecraft and powerful entities planning political domination through shrewd and plot-twisty measures than the previous Gray Man books. Relentless has become my favorite Gray Man thriller yet, an accomplishment that is no easy feat. The narrative is developed not in a straightforward stretch but through winding twists in the story that will require you to flex your brain like in a good old fashioned espionage story with different perspectives of events that help paint the bigger picture. 

You cannot have a Gray Man story without badass action. Relentless continues the tradition of pulse-pounding and creative action sequences that are second to none. From visceral and detailed shootouts to extremely well-choreographed close quarter combat, Mark Greaney creates a symphony of badass action shootouts and fisticuffs that hold you in the moment. While a sucker for Glock 19, Court also uses a .22 suppressed Walther and a HK VP9 this time around and stacks up body count no less than as he does with his trusty Glock 9mm. I loved how different situations in combat called for different weapons and caliber, augmenting the realistic tone of the combat. The grand action-packed finale is unlike anything you will have read before, and just when you catch a breath of fresh air, you will find out there is more to worry about. Even with a fever and bone infection, Gentry is a lethal and relentless killing machine who has to contend with skilled assassins who are in much better physical health than Gentry.

Court Gentry is vulnerable this time around like we have never seen him before. Court is indeed in love with Zoya Zakharova, something he is neither good at experiencing nor expressing. We see Court and Zoya try to make up for lost time and even though there is some mistrust between them, they form a formidable duo with sparkling chemistry that made me want to see them together more often. At the same time, we also see Court in less-than-optimal condition. There are occurrences where the situation clearly demonstrates just how much out of depth Court is when operating in high stress situations and his body cannot cope. Court still kicks ass and shoots bad guys in the head, just with a lot more body ache and high fever and bleeding wounds.  However, he understands the need to have backup this time around, and this is where Zack Hightower comes in. With friendly banter and an easygoing bond between the two, Court and Zack make a superb duo as both wisecrackers and ass kickers. 

Relentless is undoubtedly going to be in the top 5 books of 2021 and I cannot wait to see where Mark Greaney takes Court Gentry next. The last few pages of the book will shake things up for Court Gentry just when he was settling back in. There are no safety nets in Relentless and the scope is bigger than any Gray Man story yet. Court Gentry is a relentless badass!

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The Treadstone Exile By Joshua Hood

If John Wick ever existed in a book, he’d be Adam Hayes. The Treadstone Exile is a beast of an action thriller, ramping up badass shootouts and hand-to-hand combat in wonderful detail that will please every single action thriller fan out there. You will not go more than a few pages before Adam Hayes takes down his opponents in spectacularly vivid and gruesome shootouts with a myriad of weaponry ranging from 1911 and Beretta 92fs to HK416 and 12-gauge shotgun. This is an action-fest for hardcore readers.

The Treadstone Exile picks up Adam Hayes, a former Treadstone operative on the run after assassinating a US Senator, living life in the shadows after being declared persona non grata. Trying to curb the bloodlust inside him programmed by the scientists in charge of the Treadstone program, he is helping out an NGO in Africa with medication and supplies. His righteous mission puts him right in the middle of a power play of a private intelligence group, a nuisance that Hayes steps willingly into to save the life of a young woman. As Hayes is trying to survive motorcycle chases, brazen ambushes, and petty street crime, the powers that be in Washington D.C put a bullseye on Hayes to cover up the dark history of Treadstone once and for all, sending a highly trained operative out to do the job. The chaos makes for a fun and amped up read when Hayes is dishing out punishment so frequently with so many different antagonists. That chaos however does not make things murky, as the author does a great job of keeping the narrative easy to understand while pumping up the adrenaline more and more.

The highlight of The Treadstone Exile for me was the action. Shootouts and knife fights filled with great tactical and environmental detail to visualize the scenes properly and easily, you will not tire of Adam Hayes kicking ass. At the same time, Hayes is shown to be very much human, compassionate for his wife and kid who he hasn’t seen in a while, curbing his bloodlust to be more than the lethal killing machine he was molded into, and an older man in a world of violence where those in his line of work are generally younger than him. His interactions with his wife, while limited in this book, are still presented with an emotional layer that lets readers know he is more than a cold-blooded killer. I was rooting for him to get back to his family to a life of tranquility. After the violent events of The Treadstone Resurrection, Hayes is trying to put the genie back in the bottle and take a less violent path in life, though that plan backfires spectacularly. We see Hayes falter with an assassin younger and faster than him, but we also see Hayes go to town on the guy with the experience and the training he has received. With so many close calls, the action feels intense and fun, especially with Hayes’s witty remarks and quips in the face of danger. While Adam Hayes is his own character, fans of the original Robert Ludlum series will be able to feel the nostalgia at times, especially when the voice in Hayes’s head guides him to survival and violent retribution, much like it did for Jason Bourne, a byproduct of the Treadstone program. 

I loved the setting of the book. Keeping most of the action in lawless regions of Africa gives Adam Hayes the freedom to wreak havoc without worrying too much about the cops and the law. With such brutal and frequent action, the lawless locale suited the dangerous situations Adam Hayes finds himself in. The locations do span to Washington D.C and Spain, the latter featuring a badass action sequence involving Hayes and his STI Staccato XC. The ending definitely hints at more exotic and exciting locations in the next adventure by Joshua Hood. 

The best advice I can give based on my intense and captivating reading experience of this book, one I devoured in a day, is READ IT! It’s an absolute treat for hardcore action thriller fans and it doesn’t miss the aim of being a fun, fast-paced, adventurous, action-packed escape. 

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Prodigal Son By Gregg Hurwitz

Prodigal Son is an action thriller that truly raises the standards for what encompasses a spectacular action-fest read with such a deeply resonating emotional core. It knocks out of the park all the previous Orphan X novels (no small feat) and establishes itself as THE BEST ORPHAN X NOVEL YET.

The storyline picks up with the shocking revelation at the end of Into The Fire where Evan Smoak gets a call from his mother. A mother he didn’t know he had. Meanwhile, following the events of Into The Fire, Evan Smoak is trying to adjust to a life outside of being The Nowhere Man. Trying to gain some semblance of a normal life and relationships. However, a sinister and dangerous plot involving drones being programmed to make ethical decisions on their own in terms of taking out targets without any human intervention or observation spins a web of a narrative that ends up becoming intimately personal for Evan Smoak, a narrative that digs deep down into Evan’s past as a little boy at the orphanage, and the ripple effects of his childhood extending to present day with some very startling discoveries about his real family, revelations that will surely leave you breathless while they hit like a freight train. The story is tied together with a component of a new danger in the form of self-thinking drones unlike anything Evan has ever faced before, mixing it with a gut-wrenchingly emotional story of family and decisions about responsibilities, making Evan face his deepest desires, taking readers on a journey of Evan’s emotional turmoil under the façade of coolness that Orphan X is known for.

The action, as ever, is absolutely praise-worthy with regards to interesting weapons details and vivid action sequences that are as fast-paced as they are brutal in nature. The finely described ARES 1911 pistol, Evan’s choice of weapon, is imbued somewhat with a sense of intimacy with descriptions about the weapon frame, bullet cartridges, and features such as slide locks and reloading techniques that give readers a great insight into just how deadly proficient Evan Smoak is with a weapon. The action sequences themselves are written with the beauty of allowing visualization of each and every move of Evan Smoak in tactical combat whether it is him breaking a guy’s spinal cord with a flashlight or shooting his opponents while taking a hostile as human shield.

There is also a focus on technological tidbits in this thriller, given that the book pertains to drones, and the technology described in the book is done so in layman terms, which if familiar to readers will jar their memories immediately, and if not familiar to readers, will explain promptly enough to take away any feelings of disarray with the narrative.

The relationship between Evan and Joey, a teenage former member of the Orphan program, is explored further beautifully, as Joey tries to become used to the life of a normal teenage girl, with Evan trying to work through his feelings of protectiveness for Joey. Their banters are warm and hilarious and it adds another level of emotional depth to the story.

Prodigal Son features enigmatic adversaries, both as brains and brawns, with brutal and unforgiving natures that make this arguably the most dangerous outing for Orphan X. Tech guru, murderous siblings, and microdrones capable of locking onto targets and not relenting until the target is destroyed. With a heart-pounding cliffhanger just when things start to seem happy again rocks the entire reading experience to the level of sheer excitement. A must read for action thriller fans for what will be one of the best reads of 2021 without any misgivings about this statement.

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The Enemies Of My Country By Jason Kasper

Ever wondered how an action thriller novel would be that is a cross of the badass shootouts from The Expendables, the high-tech mercenary group from 6 Underground, and a disavowed team operating against both the enemy and the allies on a time crunch to prevent a catastrophe of humongous destruction at the same time of Mission Impossible? That’s the beauty of The Enemies of My Country by Jason Kasper. 

The Enemies of My Country features a high precision low footprint group of ex-mercenaries now working as an unofficial scalpel for the CIA with the unique mindset of focusing on new and budding terrorists and bad guys that have the potential to be the next bin laden, so they can stop the threat there and then. This team is lead by David Rivers, the lead badass protagonist. Even though I have not read the previous David Rivers books, I had no trouble slipping into gear with this adrenaline action fest. The first chapter itself opens with a barrage of Barrett M107 .50 cal rounds coupled with the HK 417’s 7.62 mm rounds as David Rivers and his team try to ambush a target on their hit list. The ambush doesn’t go as planned and the target narrowly escapes. The team later gathers intelligence of a massive missile strike planned against an unknown target in the US on the 4th of July by the Chinese Uyghur dissident who is waging war against the western world with the help of ISIS.  The plot thickens further when David Rivers’ family is somehow tied into the plot, allowing readers to witness a feral and ungodly rage born out of the necessity to protect his family, a choice that may very well be against his directives as a contractor for the CIA. One thing was for certain, until the very last assault from the team, I had no clue what was going to happen. The plot unwound and twisted so well that I could only guess and fail at predicting what would happen next.

The firepower in this action thriller is massive. There are brutal, fast-paced, and extremely well executed action sequences that feel like set pieces out of the Expendables movies with violence and bloodshed without caution. The weaponry and tactical details are well defined to augment the visualization of the shootouts. Every team member is given his due spotlight in the war zones without distracting from the environment of the action.

Even though I jumped into the book without possessing any background knowledge of the characters, I was able to get a great sense of what drives each character to do what they do. It’s uncanny for a character to be so well written that you can pick a later book in the series and still gel with the character.  Each team member fulfills a unique role in the team dynamic, some as basic as the medic, and some as controversial as a somewhat broken moral compass who advocates the team to put aside any concepts of nobility towards their enemies and fight dirty, serving the dark tone of the narrative where the lines blur easily. You always have that sense of unease where a character may cross a line one too far. The writing style is reminiscent of that of Brad Taylor’s Pike Logan series as the first person POV on David switches to third person POV when focusing on other characters. The switch seems seamless and helps to develop the characters rather than focusing solely on one character’s development. 

The antagonist of the story was nt clearly defined or developed in the narrative. However, I feel this to be more of an active decision on the author’s part to keep the mystery going behind the actual benefactor and mastermind of the attack to be perpetrated by the antagonist in this story since there are clues dropped throughout the story where characters mention there has to be a mastermind behind the antagonist who is pulling the strings. I would love to see this mystery uncovered in future action thrillers. 

Authentically described shootouts coupled with fast-paced narrative and a badass and instantly likable legion of shooters and operators make for one of the best action-packed reads you must read in 2021.  I highly enjoyed The Enemies of My Country by Jason Kasper and I am intrigued to check out prior books by him.

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Savage Road By Chris Hauty

Savage Road is a well-planned and well-executed conspiracy thriller with copious amounts of shocking and game-changing twists at every plot turn. A worthy successor to Deep State, Savage Road will keep you hooked onto the book with the riveting plot, exciting espionage, unpredictable game-changing twists, intriguing characters with shadowy agendas, and a protagonist who’s equally as smart as she is badass!

Savage Road is the story of modern day warfare. A war not fought among clearly stated nations with nuclear weapons and other conventional weapons, but among shadowy entities with a greater weapon; computer code. Coding and programming play vital roles in this narrative, as the antagonist wrecks havoc on American lives through smartly written and dangerously executed computer code, made possible due to shocking and scary vulnerabilities in public utilities.

Hayley Chill is now working as a full time staffer at White House, secretly managing the Russian mole she turned as an asset against the Russians, the President of the United States. As the string of computer exploits bring about deaths and destructions with no clear attribution but lots of heated debates pointing fingers to Russia, it’s up to Hayley Chill and her fellow Deeper State operative, April Wu, to find the hacker and put an end to his shenanigans before the next unthinkable act occurs. The copious amounts of unpredictable and excellently jaw-dropping twists and turns are second to none.

While the narrative isn’t exactly action packed, the author still showcases Hayley Chill’s readiness towards violence in a showcase of after effects of Chill’s brutal antics. There is one badass hand to hand combat sequence where Chill takes on a Cuban operative, only armed with a fist full of keys utilized in fashion that will make the action fans and fanatics giddy.

Hayley Chill continues to shine as a strong, independent character whose emotional vulnerabilities and demons are explored, especially when she has a personal and unresolved trauma from her past in this storyline. Her cool under fire, and calm demeanor are ever present, but so is the rage bubbling underneath her calm façade. It’s a fascinating perspective that is a treat for the readers. Her banter with April Wu, her Deeper State somewhat reluctant peer, is a great one, with lots of witty exchanges and some profound emotional growth in the relationship between the two characters. I would definitely love to see more of April Wu in the future.

Savage Road is an unpredictable, fast-paced, character and plot driven thriller with lots of computer science and computer engineering tidbits that have been researched thoroughly enough to make a computer science undergrad like me relate to the programming aspects and the vulnerabilities of the systems. The what if scenarios brought to life in the events of the book are hauntingly eerie to imagine, and reaffirm the need to have people like Hayley Chill watching out for us. Hayley Chill is here to stay for good. A must-read thriller, with a hopeful positive aftermath of COVID to lift our spirits up.

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The Deeper Shadow By A.M. Adair

The Deeper Shadow is a violent espionage narrative with a lethal and unhinged female operative as the protagonist chasing down some unsavory characters linked to Daesh. From the very beginning, the story embraces a dark tone with the focus on Elle Anderson, who recently escaped captivity and torture at the hands of a terrorist. Even though her body recovers fairly quickly, the mental scars haunt her throughout the story, adding unpredictability to an already volatile and unorthodox Elle on a mission she may not be fully prepared for.

The narrative keeps the spotlight on Elle, allowing readers to gel with the character not only in terms of her background but also with her thought processes and her trauma which elevate the gravitas of what she has been through as well as the uncertainty of what she will go through in The Deeper Shadow. It’s refreshing to read new badass female operatives who take the fight to the bad guys. Elle is well-versed in hand-to-hand combat and firearms as demonstrated extremely well by A.M. Adair in crisp and grounded action sequences. 

I enjoyed the singular focus on one baddie in this narrative instead of Elle rushing through targets on her list. A.M. Adair utilizes the singular focus to shed insightful details of undercover work, no doubt mirroring her own experiences. It also allowed for deeper character developments on both sides of the coin leading to shocking twists and turns.

The ending is literally explosive with a badass action sequence, ending on a cliffhanger that promises lots more action and retribution in Elle Anderson’s next outing. If you’re a fan of Red Sparrow and Atomic Blonde, The Deeper Shadow is a fantastic fusion of the two.

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