I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions are my own. 

Special Agent Rake Ozenna must stop a Russian Invasion of a small Alaskan island in author Humphrey Hawksley’s “Man on Ice,” the first book in the Rake Ozenna Thriller series.

The Synopsis

ICE COLD. RED HOT ACTION

A remote Alaskan island. A brutal winter storm. A Russian invasion the world didn’t see coming.

Special Agent Rake Ozenna is used to the cold. Born and raised on the jagged rocks of Little Diomede, he knows the Bering Strait better than any man alive.

But when a fleet of Russian military helicopters screams out of the fog, Rake realizes the ice is about to run red.

What starts as a desperate medical emergency spirals into a terrifying geopolitical standoff. The Russians aren’t here to help. They’re here to seize American soil.

ONE MAN STANDS IN THEIR WAY.

Trapped between two superpowers on the brink of World War III, Rake must wage a one-man war across the frozen wilderness. No backup. No heat. No room for error.

If he fails, the border isn’t the only thing that collapses — the future of the United States goes with it.

A gripping thriller full of action, intrigue, and heart-pounding suspense. Fans of Lee Child, Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Mark Greaney, and Mark Dawson won’t want to miss this.

WHY READERS ARE HOOKED:

THE SETTING: A claustrophobic, sub-zero battlefield where the weather is as lethal as the enemy.

THE HERO: Rake Ozenna — a man of few words, dry humor, and a lethal sense of justice.

THE STAKES: High-octane action meets terrifyingly plausible global politics.

THE REVIEW

This was a compelling and gripping geopolitical thriller. With tensions between the United States and Russia in constant flux, and the wilderness of Alaska still a point of contention, this near-future narrative does a wonderful job of immersing the reader into the frigid cold of the setting while also elevating the narrative with suspense and tension as the threat of World War III looms over the protagonist.

What keeps readers so invested in this story and the series going forward is the protagonist. The way Rake has to outsmart and outmaneuver his foes while also staying alive and trying to prevent all-out war keeps readers on the edge of their seats throughout the novel. The author’s understanding and detailed analysis of the geopolitical tensions that would mount in the wake of such an event, and the balance this brought to the protagonists and the cast of characters’ personal storytelling, made this story shine brightly.

THE VERDICT

A dynamic, richly woven, and highly entertaining geopolitical thriller, author Humphrey Hawksley’s “Man on Ice” is a must-read novel. The twists and turns, as well as the high-octane drama driven by the political and physical threats hanging over the characters’ heads, made this story a completely thrilling narrative to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, please be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Humphrey Hawksley is an author, podcast host, commentator and journalist. His reporting with the BBC has taken him to crises around the world. The three books in his future history series — Dragonstrike, Dragonfire and The Third World War — have been praised as authentic, catastrophic scenarios which begin with a Chinese strike in the South China Sea. His Rake Ozenna espionage thriller series is set in the Arctic and High North, beginning with with Man on Ice, a Russian invasion of the Alaskan island of Little Diomede. Rake is an island native and a special forces veteran with the Alaska National Guard. The late, great Nelson de Mille applaused Rake as being smart and tough, ‘and we’re glad to have him on our side.’ Humphrey’s non-fiction work includes Democracy Kills: What’s So Good About Having The Vote, published during the Iraq civil war and Asian Waters: The Struggle over the Indo-Pacific and the Challenge to American Power which examines the impact of Chinese expansion in Asia. Humphrey hosts the bi-monthly Democracy Forum Debates. His work has appeared in most mainstream media outlets and he has been a guest speaker at think-tanks and universities around the world.

https://www.humphreyhawksley.com