Redemption: (Ryan Drake: book 1): a compelling, action-packed and high-octane thriller that will have you gripped from page one

Product Information

Will Jordan is the bestselling, internationally published author of the Ryan Drake series. He was born in Scotland in 1983. His works to date include: He lives in Scotland with his wife and two sons, and is currently writing the next novel in the Ryan Drake series.

Redemption by Will Jordan | Waterstones

Time is running out for Ryan Drake. With his enemies moving against him and his allies no longer able to support him, his world is turned upside down by a personal tragedy that forces him to return to the UK. This is an interesting contrast to the author's own recent critiques on how female action heroes are often depicted in modern movies (Drinker Fixes Maras, anyone?). And of course, in addition to being able to punch her way through any man, she's very beautiful and sensual (with so much emphasis on descriptions of her body that it almost feels uncomfortable at times), in a great physical condition, and doesn't shy away from sexuality at all - all this regardless of just having been released from a prison where for years she had been abused in all ways possible.For Ryan Drake, this is just the beginning as the sniper is revealed to be Anya – the rogue former CIA agent he helped rescue from prison nearly two years earlier. Now she has allied herself with an elusive but deadly new terrorist group bent on the utter destruction of the Russian government. Came to this book as a fan of the author's YouTube persona, The Critical Drinker. I'll frame this by saying that I don't consider myself to be a fan of this particular genre, but props to Jordan for entering a field already well-populated (saturated, even) with big names and heavy-hitters. But it's when the mission is successfully completed that the real danger for Drake begins. Faced with a terrible threat, he is forced to go on the run with Maras - a veteran agent scarred by years of brutal imprisonment.

Northbank Talent Management | Will Jordan Northbank Talent Management | Will Jordan

With the fate of the War on Terror hanging in the balance, loyalties are tested and scores settled, as Drake embarks on the fight of his life. Only one side will survive… Born in 1983, Will Jordan hails from Fife in Scotland where he still lives to this very day, growing up in the region and taking in a lot from his surrounding environment during his upbringing, right up until he became a writer. He always had a strong interest in computers and information technology, a passion which is clearly reflected throughout the ongoing themes displayed in his books and narratives, featuring heavily, as they are used by his colorful cast of characters. Later on he was to develop his interest in military technology and hardware, which led him towards getting the inspiration for writing his novels. I also love playing with the notion of who the ‘bad guy’ really is. No character should be 100% good or bad in my opinion, and I think that holds particularly true for the antagonists. In Redemption, characters may do bad things but in their own minds (and perhaps even in the real world) they’re serving a greater good. I think that makes them far more interesting because it gives the reader a different perspective. The story is skillfully told and it's a captivating read, yes, but at the same time the events unfold in a way that's seldom surprising. Many of the plot twists are quite easy to see coming from afar, and there's not much that's genuinely new, original or surprising in the storyline. Sometimes the characters are made to do uncharacteristically stupid mistakes for the sake of drama, such as a badly wounded character forsaking their gun and being taunted into a fistfight with a much stronger opponent, even though the same character is supposed to show their enemies (and this one in particular) no mercy.

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Distrustful of this uneasy alliance and with no outside support to call on, Drake gathers his small group of trusted team mates and embarks on his most difficult and dangerous mission yet. However, his plans soon unravel, forcing him into a deadly game of cat and mouse against a vengeful British intelligence officer with an unknown agenda. Russia, 1959. Nine members of a Soviet mountaineering team on an ambitious expedition into the Ural Mountains are found dead, victims of massive and bizarre injuries. The Dyatlov Pass incident, as this grisly event came to be known, remains unexplained to this day.

Ryan Drake Series by Will Jordan - Goodreads Ryan Drake Series by Will Jordan - Goodreads

Maras on the other hand represents the past. Her character has its roots in the dark days of the Cold War when East and West faced off across a divided Europe. She’s older and more experienced than Drake, having spent the better part of two decades doing dirty jobs for the CIA. Her experiences have left her jaded and embittered, but also extremely dangerous. After graduating high school he moved on to university, gaining an Honors Degree in Information Technology. To support himself during his degree he worked a number of part time jobs, one of which was as an extra in television and feature films. Cast as a World War Two soldier, he was put through military boot camp in preparation for the role. Drake represents the present. He’s younger and still relatively new to the world of covert operations. He certainly has some baggage (much of which will come out later in the series), but he’s still something of a blank slate with lots of potential for growth. Thrown together in a race to survive, their differing outlooks and experiences allowed me almost endless scope for creating tension and interesting exchanges.I certainly see Redemption as the first step in a complex overarching story that will develop over the course of five books. There are an awful lot of unanswered questions at the end, both for Drake and Maras, and the next four books will see both of them searching for answers – sometimes together, sometimes apart and sometimes against each other. Will Jordan lives in Fife, near Edinburgh. He gained an honours degree in Information Technology and currently works in web design for Sky Digital. Aside from writing, his interests include military history, mountain climbing, fitness training, boxing and, of course, reading. One review I read mentioned that the language was often repetitive and uninspired. I would say that is probably a valid criticism. It's clear Mr. Jordan is no wordsmith. However this is more than balanced by excellent characterisation, plot and pacing. Personally, I would also have welcomed some of the author's natural wit to have come across in the novel. With many major publications singing Jordan’s praises, most are drawn towards his sense of suspense. That and his ability to create action set-pieces which are highly visceral and entertaining for his readers to experience, is what many readers have come to appreciate, as he gains fans both far and wide. The career of Will Jordan is growing from strength-to-strength due to this, something that doesn’t appear to stopping anytime soon. This book does not let up. It hits the gas and it doesn't let up on the pedal.' -- ***** Reader review