Fields of Fire

A Matthew Redd Thriller

By: Ryan Steck

Narrated by: Chris Abell

Waiting to be deployed on a critical mission, elite Marine Raider Matthew Redd stops to help a stranger and wakes up hours later to learn his team was wiped out in an ambush. Unable to remember anything, Redd can’t deny the possibility that he’s somehow responsible for the information leak that led to the massacre. He’s given a deal to avoid a charge of treason, but it means walking away from the Corps and the life he loved.

As he faces his loss, Matty gets a cryptic message from his adoptive father, J. B.: “Trouble’s come knocking. . . . Might need your help.” He points his truck home to rural Montana, only to discover that J. B. is dead and the explanation for his death is far from satisfying. Determined to dig up the truth, Redd uncovers a dark global conspiracy with his hometown at the center and no team at his back―except one he might find among past friends, old enemies, and new allies, if he can figure out who to trust.

©2022 Ryan Steck (P)2022 Tyndale House Publishers

Decent start to a series

This is my first read from this author, and it was a decent thriller.

The protagonist is a USMC Raider member who gets a raw deal during an operation and is involuntarily separated from the Corps. This is one of the more cliched backgrounds, but it's efficient at moving a person with a certain set of skills from military life to a civilian setting, so I understand why authors use it.

He is mostly believable in the role, though he does lack situational awareness in situations where he should really be expecting trouble, which doesn't feel especially appropriate. I would like to say his impulse control issues aren't realistic, but there are certainly some spec ops folks who have those kinds of problems. As can be expected in this sort of story, he is something of a paragon of the spec ops warrior, with all sorts of random spooky stuff skills and elite combat skills.

The action in the story is done pretty well, though the results of injuries (on both the protagonist and his enemies) are not realistic. You don't just shake off blows to the head that cause prolonged loss of consciousness or disabling blows to the knee in a matter of hours. I don't care how "tough" you are.

The atmosphere is done pretty well. I haven't spent a lot of time in the parts of Montana away from attractions and cities, but I've spent a lot of time in similar places in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, North Dakota, ..., and he does a decent job of getting the feel right. <spoiler>Though there would be a massive reaction to the wildfires set in the last act of the story, and there's no evidence of that in the book.</spoiler>

The plot is more than a bit overblown, even for a technothriller, but it flows pretty well. There are times when cause and effect are more loosely coupled than I would prefer. The antagonists do have a bit more depth than is common for the genre.

Overall, while this isn't one of the best thrillers I've read, it's does show promise, so I'll be continuing the series when it's convenient. If you're new to the genre, though, I'd probably recommend starting elsewhere.

Well done !!

The book captured my attention at the beginning and I enjoyed it very much. Great story

mediocre

Good story line until you get near the end. the coincidences going on are just a little unbelievable. It seems a little far fetched the people responsible for so many things in the story are tied DIRECTLY to the main character. NO ONE is THAT unlucky. The things Redd did in his military service part of the story are great, but it doesn't carry on into the story. Very action packed beginning. Reader was mostly good, but at times, it's difficult to know when a different character is speaking.

Loved it

Was skeptical as how could the best critique of spy/thriller books be able to write anything that didnt have the same plot as all or some of the great books he has reviewed. After listening I’m more than impressed. Amazing book. Great characters great setting. Nailed it!

A Mish-mash of Plot Twists

Too many story themes borrowed from other novels of this genre. Shades of "The Terminal List", "Yellowstone", etc.