After co-authoring the the hit global Military opus Red Metal with Mark Greaney, Retired USMC Lieutenant Colonel Rip Rawlings released his first solo novel Assault By Fire in September 2020. I was excited to check it out after absolutely loving Red Metal last year, finding it to be a fitting ode to the Tom Clancy classics I grew up reading. After reading it, I'm happy to report Assault By Fire is an entertaining, action packed, balls-to-the-walls thriller that doesn't let you breathe for a moment.
The novel follows protagonist Major Tyce Asher, a US Marine who loses his leg in Iraq and then is denied his request to return to the sandbox, but is put in charge of training a joint reserve Marine/West Virginian National Guard unit. This assignment isn't what Asher wants, but it turns out to be exactly what America needs when Russia invades the US and he is forced to lead an insurgency against a stronger, more numerous occupying force. Asher and his rag tag band of Marines and National Guardsmen join up with locals, mountain men, other military units and a couple of retirees to fight back. Along the way they use unconventional methods to bring the fight to the enemy in an effort to save the country they love.
The book starts with a short setup, focusing on Tyce Asher's backstory and developing Russia's rationale for the insane idea of attacking America. But once the fighting begins, it never lets up. It's non-stop action that goes beyond mere battlefield engagements. In addition to the raw, visceral military confrontations, this book also has quite a bit of emotion and solid character development. Asher is forced to rise above and grow into a leader needed for the immense moment in front of him. He leans on the guidance of several key players, some he knows from his unit, others he just met. But they all add to the story in meaningful ways.
There are several twists and turns that leave the outcome in doubt for much of the book and an ending that seems to signal a sequel is in the works. If that's the case, sign me up! I'm a Tyce Asher fan and I want to see where this story takes readers going forward. Assault By Fire has the potential to be the beginning of a new long-running military novel franchise that fans of Tom Clancy, Andrews & Wilson and Marc Cameron will enjoy immensely.
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