Fugitives, special operations, and high-stake spy games

This post was sponsored by Kensington Books. The author's comments below on the novels are his own.

It's a new year and one of the many resolutions people tend to make is to 'read more!' What should you be reading?

With all the choices of books and genres out there finding the right book or series can be a challenge. If you or your loved ones are into military fiction or thrillers, the team here at We Are The Mighty have your back with three very solid book recommendations which we're sure you will enjoy.

First up is Nathan's Run by prolific author and New York Time's bestseller John Gilstrap. Nathan's Run is John's first published work which launched a successful career spanning twenty books. John is best known for his 'Johnathan Graves' series, a ten book series about a former Delta operative running an independent hostage rescue firm, which has garnered praise from other authors and reviewers alike. He clearly knows how to spin a good tale.

Nathan's Run is a retelling of the 'Fugitive' tale, except the fugitive in this case is a scared but resourceful twelve-year-old boy who is pursued by an overly ambitious District Attorney, law enforcement officers who believe Nathan is a murderer, a villainous mob enforcer, and a weary and emotionally wounded Detective playing a hunch. The book starts off 'small' but the story soon blossoms into a nation-wide obsession as the stakes get higher every hour Nathan remains at large.

The author has a unique background as a fire-fighter and safety inspector, not military or law enforcement, but he has a knack for finding the right mix of detail and storytelling to create a book which was quite cinematic. It didn't take me long to become emotionally invested and start rooting for Nathan. I wager those willing to give the novel a chance will be pulling for him as well.

Next is Northern Thunder by Anderson Harp. Northern Thunder is the first book of a newer series – currently three books - featuring Will Parker, a small-town Georgia prosecutor and former Marine special operations veteran. There is trouble in North Korea, and Will's background and 'specific skills' makes him uniquely suited to go into North Korea in a high stakes covert mission. Complications ensue and what should be a straight-forward mission turns in a deadly struggle for survival.

Northern Thunder has a 'Dirty Dozen' kind of vibe to it as a good portion of the book is taken up with descriptions of Will and his team's training for the mission, interspaced with peripheral dramas that ultimately feed into the central storyline. The book is filled with intricate details of military gear, jargon and culture, and survival skills informed by Anderson's long history in the Marine Corps honing his craft. Ultimately this book is highly recommended for those who like their military fiction detailed and tradecraft heavy.

The final recommendation is Active Measures by Marc Cameron, the eighth book of his long running Jericho Quinn series. Marc is a former United States Marshal and a New York Times bestselling author, penning the popular Jack Ryan series set in the extended Tom Clancy universe.

The Jericho Quinn series, despite the military background of its central character, is more espionage and spy craft than special operations raids. The latest book sees Quinn and his companions in Havana, Cuba trying to stop a madman with a nuclear missile. The Jericho Quinn books feature a host of real-life bad folks ranging from Russians to Cartel guys going full Bond villain, with increasingly intricate and dastardly plots to destroy the United States and/or do evil. Active Measures can be read as a stand-alone, but there is a lot of fan service written to satisfy long time readers of the series. If your reader likes this book, they can always go back to the beginning to find the origins of this interesting cast of characters.

Have a safe and joyful holiday season and keep reading!

This post was sponsored by Kensington Books. The author's comments above on the novels are his own.