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Matt Ryland

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

https://www.mattryland.com

Genre

Thriller, Action & Adventure, Suspense

Influences

Mark Greaney, Douglas Preston, Robert B. Parker, Bernard Cornwell ...more

Member Since

October 2024

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Matt Ryland writes thrillers with a heart — stories where action has consequence, choices carry weight, and the characters matter more than the body count. He is the author of the Brent Savage series, including Cypher and Fallout — two emotionally charged thrillers that blend cinematic pacing with character-driven depth.

A self-proclaimed "hometown orphan," Matt moved six times before the age of eleven, eventually finding his emotional anchor in the Rocky Mountain West and the written word. He studied English and creative writing at the University of Wyoming, where his love of storytelling took root — not in lecture halls, but in the quiet corners where fiction became refuge.

When he’s not writing, Matt is a self-professed computer geek who f ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

What inspired you to write the Brent Savage series?

Matt Ryland I’ve been writing since I was young—mostly literary fiction, love stories, even fantasy. For a long time, my focus was on stories about the human cond…moreI’ve been writing since I was young—mostly literary fiction, love stories, even fantasy. For a long time, my focus was on stories about the human condition: heartbreak, hope, connection. The kind of stories that sometimes left you with a lump in your throat. I wrote what moved me.

But I was also a longtime reader of thrillers—Stephen Hunter’s Bob Lee Swagger novels were early favorites, alongside authors like Robert Ludlum, Lee Child, and later, Vince Flynn and Mark Greaney. At one point, my brother asked why I wasn’t writing the kind of books I was always raving about. That question stuck with me.

I didn’t think I had a thriller in me, but the idea came anyway—an assassin is sent to kill a woman, and something in him refuses. That seed became Cypher. I stepped away from writing for a few years after starting it, but when I returned, I knew I had to finish it—and I had to write it my way. Not to chase a market, but to tell the kind of story I didn’t see often enough: a high-stakes, character-driven thriller where emotion matters just as much as action.

That’s how Brent and Eliana were born. I thought Cypher would be a standalone novel. By the time I reached the ending, I knew I had started a trilogy.(less)

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Combine Editions
Matt Ryland’s books

Average rating: 4.52 · 27 ratings · 16 reviews · 2 distinct works • Similar authors

	Cypher (Brent Savage Book 1) 4.43 avg rating — 21 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Fallout (Brent Savage Book 2) 4.83 avg rating — 6 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

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Matt Ryland's Blog

Accidental Trilogies: Why Brent Savage Refused to Die in Book One

The Question: “Did you always plan for the Brent Savage series to be a trilogy, or did the story evolve as you wrote it?”

The Answer: There’s an old saying among authors: we’re the gods of our own little universes. We control the weather, we control the timeline, and we decide who lives and who dies.

At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work.

But sometimes—if you’re doing your job right—the characte Read more of this blog post »

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Published on January 10, 2026 11:24 • Tags: author-life, behind-the-scenes, book-news, brent-savage, character-driven, cypher, series, thriller, writing, writing-process

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Matt’s Recent Updates

Matt Ryland liked Beverly's review of Genesis (Harry Starke Genesis #1): "This was an exciting edge of my seat nail biter read. The birth of the cop turned detective Harry Stark. If this is any indication of Harry's path, I'm here fornit 100%. I was deeply invested in the characters and their outcomes. It was fast paced an" Read more of this review »
Feb 18, 2026 07:10PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Genesis by Blair Howard. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Genesis by Blair Howard <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Matt Ryland liked Jackie's review of A Deadly Game: The Untold Story of the Scott Peterson Investigation:
Feb 16, 2026 02:58AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Deadly Game by Catherine Crier. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Deadly Game by Catherine Crier <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Matt Ryland and 2 other people liked Lori Peterson's review of Rooms Without Names: A Novel About Choice, Identity, and the Lives We Never Live: "Received as a review copy from Booksirens, this is an honest review. Author Paulius Kajokas Rooms Without Names is a philosophical, emotional masterpiece that every reader should read in their lifetime. Steve McKerry, through this prominent career has " Read more of this review »
Feb 16, 2026 02:58AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Rooms Without Names by Paulius Kajokas. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Rooms Without Names by Paulius Kajokas <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Matt Ryland is now following Mark Dawson Author of The Cleaner (John Milton, #1)
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Matt Ryland is now following Simon Gervais Author of The Last Protector (Clayton White, #1)
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Matt Ryland answered Lori Peterson's question: What inspired you to write the Brent Savage series? I’ve been writing since I was young—mostly literary fiction, love stories, even fantasy. For a long time, my focus was on stories about the human condition: heartbreak, hope, connection. The kind of stories that sometimes left you with a lump in your See Full Answer
Dec 08, 2025 07:28PM · 1 like · like
Matt Ryland is accepting questions on their profile page.
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Matt Ryland is now following Dionne Muller and Lori Peterson
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