Shadow Tier is a solid action thriller that takes readers on a vicious journey of gut-wrenching loss and action-packed retribution with a new take on the war on drugs.
Steve Stratton debuts Lance Wolf, a trained operative good with both tech and guns. When his parents are brutally gunned down by cartel members working for El Chapo, Wolf vows to utilize his military skills to use against the murderers of his parents. What follows is literally non-stop action with detailed weaponry and tactics as Wolf goes rogue with a team of soldiers operating under the radar to wreak havoc on the cartel on both sides of the border.
The characters are established in a relatable manner for readers to either root for or against, depending on their allegiances. Stratton drives the story with Wolf’s emotions at the loss of his parents and the contemplation of whether he has looked too long in the dark abyss, giving realistic gravitas to the idea of vengeance. Even the typical bad guys are imbued with layers of resonating traits that differentiate the story from a simple shoot-em-up narrative.
As mentioned, there is no shortage of well-executed action sequences throughout the narrative. Wolf utilizes a myriad of weaponry ranging from suppressed Russian pistols to M4 rifles on his unsanctioned path for revenge. The shootouts will catch you off-guard at times in ambush scenarios where Wolf and his team have to think on their feet to fight back. The author displays keen knowledge of military tactics and shootout techniques which color the sequences highly realistic.
Shadow Tier tackles a largely unexplored territory of the thriller genre, the drug arena, albeit in a slightly different manner. Ordinarily, you don’t get to read a protagonist on a mission to capture/kill El Chapo in every action thriller. The story ends with the promise of more to come and further exciting developments to take place, and I am very excited to see where Stratton takes the characters next.
Follow Kashif on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase Shadow Tier
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
