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Shadow Warriors #1
Pandora's Grave
An American president who will do anything to win reelection...
An Iranian leader who will stop at nothing to bring about apocalypse...
An ancient evil, only waiting to be reborn...
High in the Alborz Mountains of northwestern Iran, an archaeological team disappears. American citizens are among the missing...
Days later, imagery from U.S. spy satellites reveals detachments of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps descending upon the site...
With the presidential election only months away, President Roger Hancock authorizes a covert CIA mission into the mountains of Iran. Their objective - rescue the archaeologists and uncover the truth.
With fifteen years in the Clandestine Service, paramilitary operations officer Harry Nichols is unquestionably the man for the job. He's a tough, ruthless veteran operator. He's led his men into harm's way time and again. For him, it's all about the mission. It's all about the team.
He's never seen anything like this before. . .
Drawn into a web of conspiracy that reaches half-way around the world and into the highest levels of the U.S. government, he soon finds that nothing is as it seems.
The mission itself is suspect. His team can no longer be trusted. And a misstep means world war. . .
An Iranian leader who will stop at nothing to bring about apocalypse...
An ancient evil, only waiting to be reborn...
High in the Alborz Mountains of northwestern Iran, an archaeological team disappears. American citizens are among the missing...
Days later, imagery from U.S. spy satellites reveals detachments of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps descending upon the site...
With the presidential election only months away, President Roger Hancock authorizes a covert CIA mission into the mountains of Iran. Their objective - rescue the archaeologists and uncover the truth.
With fifteen years in the Clandestine Service, paramilitary operations officer Harry Nichols is unquestionably the man for the job. He's a tough, ruthless veteran operator. He's led his men into harm's way time and again. For him, it's all about the mission. It's all about the team.
He's never seen anything like this before. . .
Drawn into a web of conspiracy that reaches half-way around the world and into the highest levels of the U.S. government, he soon finds that nothing is as it seems.
The mission itself is suspect. His team can no longer be trusted. And a misstep means world war. . .
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2011
1040 people are currently reading
703 people want to read
About the author
Stephen England
35 books162 followersStephen England is the author of the bestselling Shadow Warriors thrillers, including Amazon's #1 Bestselling Political Thriller, Pandora's Grave, and its long-awaited sequel, Day of Reckoning--a novel hailed as "the perfect spy thriller for our time--chaotic, cynical, with only a few good men keeping the barbarians from the gate."
Drawing upon nearly a decade of research into the nature of Islam, the Middle East, espionage and counterterrorism operations, England's work has drawn praise for breathing new life into the genre with the hard-edged, unsparing realism of his portrayal of the war on terror, the people who wage it, and the moral and psychological costs exacted of those who take the war to the enemy where he lives. "Soldiers without uniforms. Fighting a war without end. Shadow warriors. . ."
The short stories NIGHTSHADE and TALISMAN round out the Shadow Warriors series, and England's work also includes the stand-alone historical adventure novel, Sword of Neamha.
Drawing upon nearly a decade of research into the nature of Islam, the Middle East, espionage and counterterrorism operations, England's work has drawn praise for breathing new life into the genre with the hard-edged, unsparing realism of his portrayal of the war on terror, the people who wage it, and the moral and psychological costs exacted of those who take the war to the enemy where he lives. "Soldiers without uniforms. Fighting a war without end. Shadow warriors. . ."
The short stories NIGHTSHADE and TALISMAN round out the Shadow Warriors series, and England's work also includes the stand-alone historical adventure novel, Sword of Neamha.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
August 11, 2014
In the interest of full disclosure, the author of this book, Stephen England, provided a free copy in return for a review. Now, normally when this happens, I can't help but be a little skeptical and, indeed, downright picky when I start to read the book. It's rare for a new author, particularly one that has written a spy/military/anti-terrorist thriller to rise above the vast ocean of such books that hit the market each year. I tend to expect the formula recipe that such novels tend to follow, along with cliched characters and the obligatory military jargon that many authors use to impress the reader with their great knowledge of how things work.
I've read many many books in this sub genre, many fantastic reads that drive my need to keep searching for more treasures. I tolerate the also-rans because when I run across a treasure it is absolutely worth it. I am very pleased to say that this book is just such a treasure. This author is not afraid to take chances with the characters, let them out of the bag of cliches and let them roam the landscape. And there are many characters here; juggling their points of view and motivations and weaving that into the plot is not a job for an amateur author but Mr England has pulled it off with considerable success. I won't rehash the plot here as other reviewers have done that well, but I will say, that the complex layers of the plot and the setting, and the very nature of the threat that pervades this novel, provides massive intrigue. I will also add that pacing, something many newer authors struggle with, is right on target here leading up to the absolute edge-of-your-seat gotta-read-faster final 50 pages of the book.
Although this novel is complete in itself, it is the first in a series; I'll be first in line for the next one as I can't wait to see what happens next.
I've read many many books in this sub genre, many fantastic reads that drive my need to keep searching for more treasures. I tolerate the also-rans because when I run across a treasure it is absolutely worth it. I am very pleased to say that this book is just such a treasure. This author is not afraid to take chances with the characters, let them out of the bag of cliches and let them roam the landscape. And there are many characters here; juggling their points of view and motivations and weaving that into the plot is not a job for an amateur author but Mr England has pulled it off with considerable success. I won't rehash the plot here as other reviewers have done that well, but I will say, that the complex layers of the plot and the setting, and the very nature of the threat that pervades this novel, provides massive intrigue. I will also add that pacing, something many newer authors struggle with, is right on target here leading up to the absolute edge-of-your-seat gotta-read-faster final 50 pages of the book.
Although this novel is complete in itself, it is the first in a series; I'll be first in line for the next one as I can't wait to see what happens next.
April 2, 2019
The realm of covert action is one popular for thriller writers. There is a certain allure to hard men dealing death behind the scenes, probably because of the knowledge that it really does happen and it is rare that those deeds are uncovered. Thus, we settle for fiction. Some of it is more down to earth and realistic, while others is stylistic and flashy, chock full of gunplay and martinis.
Stephen England not only answered the question of which path to take--one many thriller authors grapple with when entering the genre--but he elected to add another variable to the equation: he set out to write, as he termed it, a "Christian spy thriller."
I know what you're thinking. I was thinking it when I read his second book, the first work of his I've ever read (DAY OF RECKONING). "I'm not sure about this. Men and women in tactical lines of work usually have colorful vocabularies. How is he going to reconcile that with his faith? Is he going to be preachy with his faith a la Ollie North and his thrillers? And this is coming from a guy whose debut novel was a Medieval historical epic? How is this going to turn out?"
Well, to break down those concerns, from the top:
-yes, in PANDORA'S GRAVE, there's a lot of "blessed this" and "confound that." Thankfully, he opted not to use "dagnab it." That would have been a dealbreaker.
-the scenes of faith were actually portrayed pretty straightforward. As somebody who is not a man of faith, I did not feel as if England was preaching to me or blaming my lack of faith for the state of the union or anything like that.
-yes, England did make a few mistakes. I'll break one out right now, but only if you promise to withhold judgment until you read the rest of my review. I have your word? Good, because I take my pinky promises seriously. Now, having settled that: at one point, an Israeli agent safed her Glock. If you're a gun guy like me, you probably feel like I slapped you in the face.
Hey! Where are you going? Sit back down. You made a promise to hear me out. If you value your pinky, sit yourself back in that chair.
Now, two of the three points above raised concern.
And guess what?
I enjoyed the hell out of the book anyway.
Anybody can be taught the technical aspects of tactical fields, of tradecraft, of internal politics. Give me a few hours with you and I'll have you believing you're ready to storm northern Iraq to hunt for ISIL scalps (though you most certainly won't be).
What can't be taught is raw writing talent, and pound for pound, Stephen England is one of the best thriller writers I've ever read. I'll say that again, now that a version can be used as a byline for the more genteel crowd: Stephen England is one of the best damn thriller writers I have ever read.
England sets the plot from page one, then immediately plunges us into the world of the Special Activities Division. We watch as Harold "Harry" Nichols, Alpha Team leader, is deployed on what appears to be a high-stakes yet straightforward hostage rescue mission inside of Iran, then watch how it quickly devolves into something much, much more sinister.
Harry Nichols has the intensity of Jack Bauer with the professionalism of Jason Bourne and the violent capacity of both, all wrapped up into a straight-edged Christian package that you can take home to your mother. The other characters--Tex, Parker, Davood, Hamid, Kranemeyer, Director Lay--all have their own personality traits as well, and none are cardboard cutouts that can be easily replaced. I especially found myself thinking violent thoughts while watching President Hancock constantly impede the Agency men's mission with concerns for his reelection campaign.
The prose is tight and gripping, and leaves you turning the page quickly so you can see what happens next. This is coming from a guy who had a general warm and fuzzy on what happens next because I read Book 2 (DAY OF RECKONING) first. When you already know what happens and yet you find yourself breezing through the pages to see it for yourself, you know that the author has done a fine job, and England has done exactly that.
The best part? This was his debut into the genre. Remember the two reservations I opened up with? Completely absent in later books. He only gets better from PANDORA'S GRAVE, which even with the minor gripes I have corrected is difficult to do.
England's knack for the written word is Harry Nichols incarnate, and that temptation to facepalm when you read the occasional error in PANDORA'S GRAVE is a watchlisted terrorist with a Presidential finding in its name.
Read PANDORA'S GRAVE now. You won't be disappointed.
Stephen England not only answered the question of which path to take--one many thriller authors grapple with when entering the genre--but he elected to add another variable to the equation: he set out to write, as he termed it, a "Christian spy thriller."
I know what you're thinking. I was thinking it when I read his second book, the first work of his I've ever read (DAY OF RECKONING). "I'm not sure about this. Men and women in tactical lines of work usually have colorful vocabularies. How is he going to reconcile that with his faith? Is he going to be preachy with his faith a la Ollie North and his thrillers? And this is coming from a guy whose debut novel was a Medieval historical epic? How is this going to turn out?"
Well, to break down those concerns, from the top:
-yes, in PANDORA'S GRAVE, there's a lot of "blessed this" and "confound that." Thankfully, he opted not to use "dagnab it." That would have been a dealbreaker.
-the scenes of faith were actually portrayed pretty straightforward. As somebody who is not a man of faith, I did not feel as if England was preaching to me or blaming my lack of faith for the state of the union or anything like that.
-yes, England did make a few mistakes. I'll break one out right now, but only if you promise to withhold judgment until you read the rest of my review. I have your word? Good, because I take my pinky promises seriously. Now, having settled that: at one point, an Israeli agent safed her Glock. If you're a gun guy like me, you probably feel like I slapped you in the face.
Hey! Where are you going? Sit back down. You made a promise to hear me out. If you value your pinky, sit yourself back in that chair.
Now, two of the three points above raised concern.
And guess what?
I enjoyed the hell out of the book anyway.
Anybody can be taught the technical aspects of tactical fields, of tradecraft, of internal politics. Give me a few hours with you and I'll have you believing you're ready to storm northern Iraq to hunt for ISIL scalps (though you most certainly won't be).
What can't be taught is raw writing talent, and pound for pound, Stephen England is one of the best thriller writers I've ever read. I'll say that again, now that a version can be used as a byline for the more genteel crowd: Stephen England is one of the best damn thriller writers I have ever read.
England sets the plot from page one, then immediately plunges us into the world of the Special Activities Division. We watch as Harold "Harry" Nichols, Alpha Team leader, is deployed on what appears to be a high-stakes yet straightforward hostage rescue mission inside of Iran, then watch how it quickly devolves into something much, much more sinister.
Harry Nichols has the intensity of Jack Bauer with the professionalism of Jason Bourne and the violent capacity of both, all wrapped up into a straight-edged Christian package that you can take home to your mother. The other characters--Tex, Parker, Davood, Hamid, Kranemeyer, Director Lay--all have their own personality traits as well, and none are cardboard cutouts that can be easily replaced. I especially found myself thinking violent thoughts while watching President Hancock constantly impede the Agency men's mission with concerns for his reelection campaign.
The prose is tight and gripping, and leaves you turning the page quickly so you can see what happens next. This is coming from a guy who had a general warm and fuzzy on what happens next because I read Book 2 (DAY OF RECKONING) first. When you already know what happens and yet you find yourself breezing through the pages to see it for yourself, you know that the author has done a fine job, and England has done exactly that.
The best part? This was his debut into the genre. Remember the two reservations I opened up with? Completely absent in later books. He only gets better from PANDORA'S GRAVE, which even with the minor gripes I have corrected is difficult to do.
England's knack for the written word is Harry Nichols incarnate, and that temptation to facepalm when you read the occasional error in PANDORA'S GRAVE is a watchlisted terrorist with a Presidential finding in its name.
Read PANDORA'S GRAVE now. You won't be disappointed.
May 4, 2013
Pandora’s Grave is a unique thriller from a up and coming author. It throws out the swearing and sex of most spy novels and focuses on what matters most. It has one of the most genuinely tense plots ever to grace the genre, a cast of protagonists who you will grow to love and a group of extremely competent antagonists which is a rare thing in your average spy novel. The story is simple. A certain state in the Middle East discovers a bio-weapon of immense power and decides to deploy it in the heart of its biggest regional enemy. Standing in their way is a team of operatives from the CIA’s Special Activities division led by Harry Nicholos, the novel’s protagonist. Despite being highly skilled, Nicholos is human, agonises over his job as a professional killer and is hurt physically and mentally over the course of the story in big ways. While facing a small army of terrorists in the Middle East and political backstabbing in the USA, Nicholos must also contend with a mysterious mole imbedded in his team who is actively sabotaging the mission to prevent the bio-weapon’s deployment. Told in a similar style as the TV series “24” with time-stamps to the end and thoroughly researched, Pandora’s Grave is a fantastic thriller and should be one of the first books Tablet/Kindle owners should purchase.
October 3, 2012
"Pandora's Grave" by Stephen England is a taut, suspenseful thriller that keeps you turning the pages right up to the very end. It's a hard hitting tale of spec ops warfare, betrayal, and counter-terrorism. If you are looking for an adventure, England's story fits the bill and makes great escapism reading that could actually be a story from today's headlines.
The format of the book is a bit different from many in the genre. England uses an interesting technique that at first was a bit confusing, but as I got further into the story it became clearer and the technique worked quite well for this tale. The technique was to change points of view and locations quickly. In fact, many times there were two or three changes in two pages of text, and it was rare to have two full pages of text before a change. Each of these changes had a bold heading of the time and location. For instance, it might have "4:22 A.M. Base camp" with two paragraphs following, and then "6:23 P.M. Central Time, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) Fort Bragg, North Carolina" with a page of text, and then "7:27 P.M. Eastern Time, CIA Headquarters, Langley, Virginia" and then a page of text. And the changes might go from Langly, to Iran, to Iraq, and so on back and forth all within a few pages. But again, after I got into it, these quick changes worked.
There were a number of characters to keep track of throughout the novel, and some had more detail and character development than others. The two main characters, and the ones I'd like to read about again, and hopefully England will expound on their development in future books, are Harry Nichols, the veteran operator with years of clandestine service and Thomas Parker, an operator and sniper that finds himself in some of the major operations of this story. (Of course I had to like the man behind the Barrett M98B.)
I enjoyed the pacing of the tale, along with the twists and unexpected events the story contained. It was not s simple formula piece, but rather a complex yarn that wasn't always "happy ending" storytelling. This added realism and a few jolts while reading. The book does contain quite a few military acronyms. For some, even I, a military guy, had to look in the Glossary to remind myself what they meant. With that said, there is a Glossary in the front to help with these.
If you are looking for a fast paced military thriller, check out Stephen England's "Pandora's Grave!"
The format of the book is a bit different from many in the genre. England uses an interesting technique that at first was a bit confusing, but as I got further into the story it became clearer and the technique worked quite well for this tale. The technique was to change points of view and locations quickly. In fact, many times there were two or three changes in two pages of text, and it was rare to have two full pages of text before a change. Each of these changes had a bold heading of the time and location. For instance, it might have "4:22 A.M. Base camp" with two paragraphs following, and then "6:23 P.M. Central Time, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) Fort Bragg, North Carolina" with a page of text, and then "7:27 P.M. Eastern Time, CIA Headquarters, Langley, Virginia" and then a page of text. And the changes might go from Langly, to Iran, to Iraq, and so on back and forth all within a few pages. But again, after I got into it, these quick changes worked.
There were a number of characters to keep track of throughout the novel, and some had more detail and character development than others. The two main characters, and the ones I'd like to read about again, and hopefully England will expound on their development in future books, are Harry Nichols, the veteran operator with years of clandestine service and Thomas Parker, an operator and sniper that finds himself in some of the major operations of this story. (Of course I had to like the man behind the Barrett M98B.)
I enjoyed the pacing of the tale, along with the twists and unexpected events the story contained. It was not s simple formula piece, but rather a complex yarn that wasn't always "happy ending" storytelling. This added realism and a few jolts while reading. The book does contain quite a few military acronyms. For some, even I, a military guy, had to look in the Glossary to remind myself what they meant. With that said, there is a Glossary in the front to help with these.
If you are looking for a fast paced military thriller, check out Stephen England's "Pandora's Grave!"
February 4, 2021
Disjointed from the perspective that you can never seem to really get involved. England takes you from one location, say Washington to Iraq to Iran..well, you just get to know what is going on and then time change and a location changes. I've read many military thrillers and clandestine books and this doesn't rate the numbers that I am seeing. Some people criticized the book yet gave it 4 stars. The readers should read Mark Greaney or Vince Flynn and decide if England really deserves a 4 Star rating. Me, a sad and disappointing DNF.
April 22, 2014
Pandora’s Grave is truly an extraordinary work by an enormously gifted writer.
I don’t want to rehash details about this novel that you can easily get by perusing its product page on Amazon. Suffice it to say that Pandora’s Grave is a sweeping international thriller about an Iranian bioterrorism plot designed to set the entire Middle East ablaze, and the courageous American special operators who are in a desperate race against time to stop it.
Stock post-9/11 thriller plot, right?
Oh, but wait: In Stephen England’s hands, this idea is transformed into an extraordinarily ambitious, panoramic exploration of the minds, motives, and methods of a vast host of international figures and movements: from the U.S. president to foreign religious leaders and heads of state; from CIA bosses, analysts, and field officers, to their counterparts in the Israeli Mossad and other foreign intelligence services; from the feuding factions of Sunnis and Shiites and their Ayatollahs and Grand Muftis, to sophisticated terrorist schemers, to the expendable cannon-fodder recruits in their cells.
But above all, it explores the lives of the “shadow warriors” in this ongoing war: the U.S. special operators who daily, courageously, unhesitatingly put their bodies and souls on the line to protect America from its enemies.
Now, that would be compelling enough. But add to this a ticking-bomb storyline of unrelenting suspense. Then add an utterly astonishing mountain of realistic, you-are-there detail: about Middle Eastern history, geography, and politics; about the history, doctrines, traditions, practices, and schisms within the religion of Islam; about a host of colorful, gritty locales scattered throughout Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Lebanon, Crete, the United States (including many scenes at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia), and a bunch of other exotic places I’ve forgotten; about bioterrorism; about the organization and tactics of terrorist cells; about a mind-boggling array of sophisticated modern weapons, communications gadgets, spy satellites and technology; about small-team special ops methods, equipment, lingo, and tactics . . .
. . . and finally, about the human spirit. The glue holding all of this stunning detail together consists of the character and commitments of real flesh-and-blood human beings, most notably the story’s main hero, veteran CIA paramilitary operator Harry Nichols. His is a rich, complex portrait of a man of deep moral and religious convictions who must do violent and terrible things to protect his country and those he loves from those who wish to do them harm. This is where the heart of this long, sprawling tale lies — perhaps the most singular element that elevates it so far above mundane action thrillers. For author England means to explore the moral and psychological costs of warfare upon the warrior.
Any thriller author of mature years would be proud to craft a novel as big and ambitious as Pandora’s Grave, perhaps even consider it to be his masterwork. It is without doubt the product of years of exhaustive reading and the intellectual mastery of a vast number of arcane topics. Even now in my sixties, I certainly could not have written this book, or anything like it.
But as I was reading it, I had to continually remind myself — in flabbergasted disbelief — that Stephen England began writing Pandora’s Grave at age 19, and that he finished and published it in 2011, at age 21. (Incredibly, even earlier in his teens he also wrote an historical adventure novel set in Gaul and the Celtic islands around 250 B.C.: Sword of Neamha.) Today, with three published novels and two short stories under his belt, England is still only 24 years old.
There is simply no way that a man this young can possibly have learned so much about . . . so much. And yet, there it is. Pandora’s Grave is clearly the work of a young literary prodigy.
If you are a fan of big international espionage or military thrillers, I want you to do yourself a huge favor: Buy and read this book now. After you do, you will almost certainly want to read the subsequent entries in the “Shadow Warriors” series: the even-bigger Harry Nichols sequel, Day of Reckoning; plus two nail-biting short stories: the powerful and poignant Nightshade, and the just-released Talisman. If you don’t trust my judgment, thinking me biased by friendship, just go sample the rave reviews by Amazon customers for these thrilling tales.
Pandora’s Grave is the mind-blowing launch of what is certain to be a renowned and fertile thriller-writing career. After my unforgivably foolish tardiness in reading his debut in the “Shadow Warriors” series, I can’t wait to read the rest of Stephen England’s works.
--Robert Bidinotto, author,
HUNTER: A Thriller (2011)
BAD DEEDS: A Dylan Hunter Thriller (May 2014)
I don’t want to rehash details about this novel that you can easily get by perusing its product page on Amazon. Suffice it to say that Pandora’s Grave is a sweeping international thriller about an Iranian bioterrorism plot designed to set the entire Middle East ablaze, and the courageous American special operators who are in a desperate race against time to stop it.
Stock post-9/11 thriller plot, right?
Oh, but wait: In Stephen England’s hands, this idea is transformed into an extraordinarily ambitious, panoramic exploration of the minds, motives, and methods of a vast host of international figures and movements: from the U.S. president to foreign religious leaders and heads of state; from CIA bosses, analysts, and field officers, to their counterparts in the Israeli Mossad and other foreign intelligence services; from the feuding factions of Sunnis and Shiites and their Ayatollahs and Grand Muftis, to sophisticated terrorist schemers, to the expendable cannon-fodder recruits in their cells.
But above all, it explores the lives of the “shadow warriors” in this ongoing war: the U.S. special operators who daily, courageously, unhesitatingly put their bodies and souls on the line to protect America from its enemies.
Now, that would be compelling enough. But add to this a ticking-bomb storyline of unrelenting suspense. Then add an utterly astonishing mountain of realistic, you-are-there detail: about Middle Eastern history, geography, and politics; about the history, doctrines, traditions, practices, and schisms within the religion of Islam; about a host of colorful, gritty locales scattered throughout Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Lebanon, Crete, the United States (including many scenes at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia), and a bunch of other exotic places I’ve forgotten; about bioterrorism; about the organization and tactics of terrorist cells; about a mind-boggling array of sophisticated modern weapons, communications gadgets, spy satellites and technology; about small-team special ops methods, equipment, lingo, and tactics . . .
. . . and finally, about the human spirit. The glue holding all of this stunning detail together consists of the character and commitments of real flesh-and-blood human beings, most notably the story’s main hero, veteran CIA paramilitary operator Harry Nichols. His is a rich, complex portrait of a man of deep moral and religious convictions who must do violent and terrible things to protect his country and those he loves from those who wish to do them harm. This is where the heart of this long, sprawling tale lies — perhaps the most singular element that elevates it so far above mundane action thrillers. For author England means to explore the moral and psychological costs of warfare upon the warrior.
Any thriller author of mature years would be proud to craft a novel as big and ambitious as Pandora’s Grave, perhaps even consider it to be his masterwork. It is without doubt the product of years of exhaustive reading and the intellectual mastery of a vast number of arcane topics. Even now in my sixties, I certainly could not have written this book, or anything like it.
But as I was reading it, I had to continually remind myself — in flabbergasted disbelief — that Stephen England began writing Pandora’s Grave at age 19, and that he finished and published it in 2011, at age 21. (Incredibly, even earlier in his teens he also wrote an historical adventure novel set in Gaul and the Celtic islands around 250 B.C.: Sword of Neamha.) Today, with three published novels and two short stories under his belt, England is still only 24 years old.
There is simply no way that a man this young can possibly have learned so much about . . . so much. And yet, there it is. Pandora’s Grave is clearly the work of a young literary prodigy.
If you are a fan of big international espionage or military thrillers, I want you to do yourself a huge favor: Buy and read this book now. After you do, you will almost certainly want to read the subsequent entries in the “Shadow Warriors” series: the even-bigger Harry Nichols sequel, Day of Reckoning; plus two nail-biting short stories: the powerful and poignant Nightshade, and the just-released Talisman. If you don’t trust my judgment, thinking me biased by friendship, just go sample the rave reviews by Amazon customers for these thrilling tales.
Pandora’s Grave is the mind-blowing launch of what is certain to be a renowned and fertile thriller-writing career. After my unforgivably foolish tardiness in reading his debut in the “Shadow Warriors” series, I can’t wait to read the rest of Stephen England’s works.
--Robert Bidinotto, author,
HUNTER: A Thriller (2011)
BAD DEEDS: A Dylan Hunter Thriller (May 2014)
April 4, 2015
Stephen England's debut novel Pandora's Grave is a speedy read. The action in the book pretty realistic and the suspense keeps the reader guessing to an extent. If you keep in mind the concept of expecting the unexpected then the suspense in this book is guessable but if you are newbie to the thriller genre the book is bound to surprise you.
I will not go much into the plot premise, that can be found from the book blurb anyways. Harry Nichols is a team man, he lives and breathes and trusts his team, he knows that he has been in some tough spots with his team but with them backing each other to the hilt they have always come up on tops. He trusts his team implicitly. But things are starting to go wrong with the planned mission, there are slip ups and there are mishaps, nothing very serious but they are setting back the tempo of the mission and are causing problems that need to be dealt with.
But the problem is that there is a leak in the team. Somebody is leaking information and Nichols trusts his team, he knows it cannot be one of his people, it has to be someone new who has come into the team. But the stakes are high and failure is not an option. The final show down is in Jerusalem. A place where three major religions have a huge stake and any slip up here can cause a religious war of disastrous consequences.
Major players like Israel, Iran are involved in this and the potential to offend the sensibilities is tremendous. It is a tripwire of humongous proportions and England comes up in spades in managing the taunt storyline while maintaining the suspense for as long as possible without letting up on the action.
This is the first that I have seen on Harvey Nichols and based on what I have seen I would like to see more and happily for me there is more coming up in the form of other novels in the series. A great start and really worth the 4 stars for the high octane action… Action Thrillers have a new star and Stephen England is thy name.
I will not go much into the plot premise, that can be found from the book blurb anyways. Harry Nichols is a team man, he lives and breathes and trusts his team, he knows that he has been in some tough spots with his team but with them backing each other to the hilt they have always come up on tops. He trusts his team implicitly. But things are starting to go wrong with the planned mission, there are slip ups and there are mishaps, nothing very serious but they are setting back the tempo of the mission and are causing problems that need to be dealt with.
But the problem is that there is a leak in the team. Somebody is leaking information and Nichols trusts his team, he knows it cannot be one of his people, it has to be someone new who has come into the team. But the stakes are high and failure is not an option. The final show down is in Jerusalem. A place where three major religions have a huge stake and any slip up here can cause a religious war of disastrous consequences.
Major players like Israel, Iran are involved in this and the potential to offend the sensibilities is tremendous. It is a tripwire of humongous proportions and England comes up in spades in managing the taunt storyline while maintaining the suspense for as long as possible without letting up on the action.
This is the first that I have seen on Harvey Nichols and based on what I have seen I would like to see more and happily for me there is more coming up in the form of other novels in the series. A great start and really worth the 4 stars for the high octane action… Action Thrillers have a new star and Stephen England is thy name.
October 8, 2015
Is it an action story?
Probably it is.
My problem with that way of writing is that the story is jumping every few pages to another location, with other character, and another part of the story.
Once you have something interesting being developed in one of those locations, the story jumps to another place. So our author “Stephen England” is driving us from Tel-Aviv to Tehran to Iraq, to Washington, to Langley-Virginia, To Gaza, to a Mosque in Virginia, then Manassas Virginia, Alborz Mountains-Iran, A Compound in Iran, Dulles Airport, Presidential Palace Iran, and so on so on.
Every location is a short story of about 2-3 pages.
You can’t maintain any flow of story with that kind of writing. I tried hard, and succeeded in reading 12% of the book, till I gave up. Why waste my time, fighting to keep up with the soup, our author is trying to create. There are so many other action books out there.
I may try another of his book, if it wouldn’t jump from place to place and from story to story.
Probably it is.
My problem with that way of writing is that the story is jumping every few pages to another location, with other character, and another part of the story.
Once you have something interesting being developed in one of those locations, the story jumps to another place. So our author “Stephen England” is driving us from Tel-Aviv to Tehran to Iraq, to Washington, to Langley-Virginia, To Gaza, to a Mosque in Virginia, then Manassas Virginia, Alborz Mountains-Iran, A Compound in Iran, Dulles Airport, Presidential Palace Iran, and so on so on.
Every location is a short story of about 2-3 pages.
You can’t maintain any flow of story with that kind of writing. I tried hard, and succeeded in reading 12% of the book, till I gave up. Why waste my time, fighting to keep up with the soup, our author is trying to create. There are so many other action books out there.
I may try another of his book, if it wouldn’t jump from place to place and from story to story.
February 13, 2022
I first read the description of the book and immediately knew, I wanted to dive right in and try this book out. I will not lie, at first I had a really hard time getting into this book with the way the author went back and forth between multiple point of views and jumping all over the place. With that said, there was a purpose to the madness and this book came together and started to fly in an action packed edge of seat mission. The intricacies of the characters and the plot all come together and are really well done. The twist and turns will have you guessing every chapter. England really pulled this one off and should be commended! Great buck and pulse racing ending!!
January 22, 2019
This isn't my usual read. And I didn't even refresh my memory about what the blurb was when I picked up my ereader and chose this book. I just went by the cover, which had me thinking biohazard sign + dark colours = virus/plague/possible apocalypse.
What I actually got was a military procedural with a heavy anti-terrorism plotline. It was a little off what I was hoping for, and not really like anything else on my ereader. But it was engrossing and hard to put down, I finished all 400+ pages in 2 days, so it obviously held some appeal.
The location and viewpoint changed quickly throughout the book, which helped keep things moving. I was a bit confused over some of the characters, I kept mixing up a few. There are 2 or 3 with very similar names, and their actions are similar and the character personalities were similar. I was able to figure things out enough not to get too lost, but character development was obviously not the strongest part of the book.
The action was strong, and everything kept moving, and there was enough suspense that although the outcome was pretty apparent from the very beginning, it was still an entertaining read. This is one book that I was happy to read, even if it was by accident.
What I actually got was a military procedural with a heavy anti-terrorism plotline. It was a little off what I was hoping for, and not really like anything else on my ereader. But it was engrossing and hard to put down, I finished all 400+ pages in 2 days, so it obviously held some appeal.
The location and viewpoint changed quickly throughout the book, which helped keep things moving. I was a bit confused over some of the characters, I kept mixing up a few. There are 2 or 3 with very similar names, and their actions are similar and the character personalities were similar. I was able to figure things out enough not to get too lost, but character development was obviously not the strongest part of the book.
The action was strong, and everything kept moving, and there was enough suspense that although the outcome was pretty apparent from the very beginning, it was still an entertaining read. This is one book that I was happy to read, even if it was by accident.
September 15, 2013
Pandora’s Grave: Shadow Warriors Series
There were several things I was looking forward to in this book by Stephen England. The fact that it is a thriller set in Iran, involved the loss of an archeological team while on a site. The idea of a ancient bioweapon being at the heart of the book. All those things should lead to a fascinating read.
Sadly, there were several issues in the book that let me down. The main one was the failed research in the book regarding the different agencies and their training. As I believe another reviewer on Amazon pointed out, the CIA doesn’t train at Quantico, the FBI does. I know, that is a minor issue, but it is sloppy and could have been easily been done correctly with a bit of research.
Some reviewers complained about the number of characters in the book, and how convoluted the plot was. That didn’t really bother me all that much. If I am going to spend time with a thriller, I expect there to be more than two characters. This isn’t a Harlequin Romance, after all. A book set in the thriller genre should have multiple levels, multiple story lines, and foreign names. What bothered me more was the sub-par plotting. I pretty much could sense the whole storyline from the beginning, the sleeper agent, the religiosity; nee, the sanctimonious tone of the whole thing was rather formulaic. This, to me, was a much greater sin than any convolutions of plot. Simply put, this struck me more as an adolescent boy’s version of an action/adventure thriller rather than that of a grown man. Everyone is Superman, jumping up from bullet wounds and diving right back into the fight, seemingly with no real effect to their abilities. Most books of this genre suffer from some aspect of the ‘Superman Syndrome’, even the great Clive Cussler. However, this was a bit over-the-top for my tastes.
There were several other things that left a rather bad taste in my mouth about the book, issues of research and issues of culture and the characters reactions to it. For example, the caviler attitude of the writer towards the murder of women in Iran, as well as the rote tone of the religious fundamentalist dogma spewed by the characters. Overall, I am disappointed that the author did not meet the potential of the premise.
I will not say ‘Recommended” or “Not Recommended”. I will simply say that, in this instance, the book was disappointing to me, but may meet with better reviews from others.
There were several things I was looking forward to in this book by Stephen England. The fact that it is a thriller set in Iran, involved the loss of an archeological team while on a site. The idea of a ancient bioweapon being at the heart of the book. All those things should lead to a fascinating read.
Sadly, there were several issues in the book that let me down. The main one was the failed research in the book regarding the different agencies and their training. As I believe another reviewer on Amazon pointed out, the CIA doesn’t train at Quantico, the FBI does. I know, that is a minor issue, but it is sloppy and could have been easily been done correctly with a bit of research.
Some reviewers complained about the number of characters in the book, and how convoluted the plot was. That didn’t really bother me all that much. If I am going to spend time with a thriller, I expect there to be more than two characters. This isn’t a Harlequin Romance, after all. A book set in the thriller genre should have multiple levels, multiple story lines, and foreign names. What bothered me more was the sub-par plotting. I pretty much could sense the whole storyline from the beginning, the sleeper agent, the religiosity; nee, the sanctimonious tone of the whole thing was rather formulaic. This, to me, was a much greater sin than any convolutions of plot. Simply put, this struck me more as an adolescent boy’s version of an action/adventure thriller rather than that of a grown man. Everyone is Superman, jumping up from bullet wounds and diving right back into the fight, seemingly with no real effect to their abilities. Most books of this genre suffer from some aspect of the ‘Superman Syndrome’, even the great Clive Cussler. However, this was a bit over-the-top for my tastes.
There were several other things that left a rather bad taste in my mouth about the book, issues of research and issues of culture and the characters reactions to it. For example, the caviler attitude of the writer towards the murder of women in Iran, as well as the rote tone of the religious fundamentalist dogma spewed by the characters. Overall, I am disappointed that the author did not meet the potential of the premise.
I will not say ‘Recommended” or “Not Recommended”. I will simply say that, in this instance, the book was disappointing to me, but may meet with better reviews from others.
October 11, 2011
"Pandora's Grave" by Stephen England is a fictional book set mostly in the US and Middle East. The novel is the first of a series and I, for one, am looking forward to see what's next.
Members of the CIA's National Clandestive Service sent to rescue a group of archaeologists from Iraq they come face to face with several surprises. Someone has beat them to the punch, the archaeologists have stumbled on something they shouldn't have and that there is a spy in their midst.
The head of the Service's Alpha Team, Harry Nichols, tries to find out who the traitor is as well as save the world from certain calamity. Not only fighting enemies from without and within, but red tape, bureaucracy and politicians.
"Pandora's Grave" by Stephen England is an exciting thrill ride which starts fast and continues until the last page. This book is the kind of spy thrillers we rarely see anymore, maybe because the Cold War has supplied so many great stories and its end demised them.
The book reminded me of the TV show "24", it is devised into small sections which tell the reader what happens in different places at the same time. The story is rich, thrilling with plenty of action in the tradition of the good ol' Cold War thrillers but with twists.
The main character, Harry Nichols, is well written as well as the rest of the cast. I was actually surprised to find how well the author balanced Nichols' moral dilemmas as a Christian with his job, which, let's face it, is not for boy scouts.
I love "gray" books, those that the distinction between the good guys and bad guys is very thin, if any. Sometime there are no good guys or bad guys per say, just everyone working for their best interest, willing to screw everyone over to get what they want which, to be fair, is usually to live another day. Master storyteller Ian Fleming was known to have said that he distinctly wrote his main protagonist, James Bond, to be just as bad as the villains only working for the government.
For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
Members of the CIA's National Clandestive Service sent to rescue a group of archaeologists from Iraq they come face to face with several surprises. Someone has beat them to the punch, the archaeologists have stumbled on something they shouldn't have and that there is a spy in their midst.
The head of the Service's Alpha Team, Harry Nichols, tries to find out who the traitor is as well as save the world from certain calamity. Not only fighting enemies from without and within, but red tape, bureaucracy and politicians.
"Pandora's Grave" by Stephen England is an exciting thrill ride which starts fast and continues until the last page. This book is the kind of spy thrillers we rarely see anymore, maybe because the Cold War has supplied so many great stories and its end demised them.
The book reminded me of the TV show "24", it is devised into small sections which tell the reader what happens in different places at the same time. The story is rich, thrilling with plenty of action in the tradition of the good ol' Cold War thrillers but with twists.
The main character, Harry Nichols, is well written as well as the rest of the cast. I was actually surprised to find how well the author balanced Nichols' moral dilemmas as a Christian with his job, which, let's face it, is not for boy scouts.
I love "gray" books, those that the distinction between the good guys and bad guys is very thin, if any. Sometime there are no good guys or bad guys per say, just everyone working for their best interest, willing to screw everyone over to get what they want which, to be fair, is usually to live another day. Master storyteller Ian Fleming was known to have said that he distinctly wrote his main protagonist, James Bond, to be just as bad as the villains only working for the government.
For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
February 14, 2012
I’m not a military guy. I’ve no interest in military things. I respect them and value what they do. I stand when those who serve or have served parade by and upon meeting them I, to paraphrase Prince Hal, hold my manhood cheap.
But if I was given short notice that I was being tossed into battle to fight forces aligned against my country I’d want to make sure I had Pandora’s Grave loaded onto my Kindle. Re-reading it would give me a sense of what I was about to go up against. There’s is such a profound sense of realism in this novel that I’m agog at the amount of research that must have went into it. We’re accustomed to suspending belief when reading or watching fiction - especially in spy/thriller tales but not once did I feel Stephen England was asking me to. This felt like what those men tasked with covert ops must go through. That’s not only a sign of respect to the soldiers England writes about but a deep sign of respect to the intelligence of his reader.
Other signs of respect to the reader? An original plot that reaches back into history and writing that is direct and vivid with an economy of words that is a reflection on the stoicism of the type of men he writes about.
The sign of a good book for me is one that sticks with you over time. I have a feeling this will be one of them. Whether I’m reading about an archaeological dig in the middle east or another report of another explosion in that region my thoughts will wander back to Pandora’s Grave and the dangers the world faces and the men who silently thwart those dangers time and again.
But if I was given short notice that I was being tossed into battle to fight forces aligned against my country I’d want to make sure I had Pandora’s Grave loaded onto my Kindle. Re-reading it would give me a sense of what I was about to go up against. There’s is such a profound sense of realism in this novel that I’m agog at the amount of research that must have went into it. We’re accustomed to suspending belief when reading or watching fiction - especially in spy/thriller tales but not once did I feel Stephen England was asking me to. This felt like what those men tasked with covert ops must go through. That’s not only a sign of respect to the soldiers England writes about but a deep sign of respect to the intelligence of his reader.
Other signs of respect to the reader? An original plot that reaches back into history and writing that is direct and vivid with an economy of words that is a reflection on the stoicism of the type of men he writes about.
The sign of a good book for me is one that sticks with you over time. I have a feeling this will be one of them. Whether I’m reading about an archaeological dig in the middle east or another report of another explosion in that region my thoughts will wander back to Pandora’s Grave and the dangers the world faces and the men who silently thwart those dangers time and again.
August 21, 2012
An exciting military thriller with a fascinating premise, Stephen England’s Pandora’s Grave pitches a team of American heroes against a world of political violence, death and germ warfare. The Middle East is nicely drawn with a pleasing sense of balance set against the imbalance of destruction. While the main protagonist is Christian, the author gives a convincing and sympathetic voice to his Muslim characters, making this a good read from any side of the faith barrier. Backstories, essential to the plot, are given with excellent timing, so the reader knows the facts but doesn’t resent time spent being told. The interference of politics (American, Iranian, Jewish and more) in life-threatening drama is entirely convincing, and the identity of the double agent is very nicely kept in the background, almost known, always threatening, keeping the tension going to the end.
My favorite quote: “‘For you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.’ Harry had often thought they would have been better off going with Pilate’s cynical soliloquy, ‘What is truth?’”
My favorite character? I’d like to meet Harry again in more books and learn more about him.
My verdict: I tend to be put off by too many 5-star reviews, so I started this not expecting to enjoy it then found I had to struggle to put it down.
Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel from the author in exchange for my honest review.
September 13, 2021
Stephen England is an author who belongs in the realm of literary thriller grandmasters who are rare in today’s world, and his first full-length book – Pandora’s Grave – is a masterpiece that I should have read sooner. It’s not for everyone, especially the Action Junkies like my usual self who wouldn’t find any ‘entertaining action’ here but this book and the entire Shadow Warriors series excels in creating a humanized and dramatic epic of believable, serious, flawed, inspiring, grim, realistic, and a classically intense cast of characters who drag the reader’s minds deep into this emotionally mind blowing work of art.
The writing, plot, pacing, characters and their development, locations, cultural detail, operational realism, politics, technology, and the emotional and psychological impact of Stephen England’s work make me respect his literary genius as this book does read like a classic. All praise aside, Pandora’s Grave requires a lot of focus and patience to read, and I took a few breaks between reading this thriller to start and finish other books.
The story begins in the far past where a Persian city is ravaged by a plague and then moves to the 21st century where our main protagonist, Harry Nichols, has arrived home after executing an assassination in Latin America when his team is assembled in Langley for an operation into Iran. A team of archaeologists is held by the Iranian military and Harry’s team is ordered to undertake a covert rescue for political reasons connected to one of the hostages with the CIA still unaware of the virus/bioweapon which has accidentally infected many of the captives.
Most of the first quarter of the book involves the long and detailed covert insertion by Harry’s team of Shadow Warriors into the Iranian campsite for their rescue mission, simultaneously as a Mossad operation to rescue a hostage who happens to be their deep cover agent in Iran takes place. At the same time, the situation is complicated by an Iranian operative embedded deep within Harry’s team who tries to sabotage their operation at many steps along the way. This epic sequence is more detailed, realistic, dramatic, and intense than the works of Tom Clancy in the 80s and 90s, and that’s not an exaggeration.
Stephen England’s writing shows the logistics, management, operational control from both the characters at offices in Langley and the operators on the ground with the kind of realism that will make the readers feel they are right with the characters for every single moment. This level of realism and detail is smart and interesting but will put off most of today’s readers who want the story to move fast and wish to be entertained like watching a commercial movie. The action in this book will not please the fans of action books and movies, as the action in this book is too realistic. That’s a compliment to the narrative and a recommendation to readers who want a classical and educative thinking person’s story while being a warning for those who’ll be bored of such tales.
The story has too many main characters who all get a lot of importance, have complete motivations and character development, morally conflicting both internally and externally, and have their different plots moving parallelly. Like many of old Clancy’s books, Pandora’s Grave has scenes that go for a few short paragraphs before switching to another for a few short paragraphs, and in this way moving back and forth between too many characters in many different locations involved in different things simultaneously in each long chapter. Readers of current-day books who’d have problems with such writing might have trouble focusing on all the moving parts in this book.
Switching away from many cliches and tropes, the author ventures into a truly original epic that’s filled with morally gray and problematic decisions, the twisted factor of unknown variables, the realistic involvement of many different players with their agendas, a realistically paced but grim journey where there aren’t any proper happy endings. Every character pays heavily and the costs aren’t easy. While there are many post-9/11 thrillers in the 21st century, this series is many levels above all of them, and I’m saying it despite being a long-time Mitch Rapp fan.
I’m usually a reader of profanity-loaded action thrillers and would generally be put off by books without a good level of cussing, but I felt Stephen England’s writing is grimmer and more serious than most profanity-loaded books while completely avoiding any serious cussing in writing. That’s a skill that I find surprising in thriller writers of this subgenre. The story, which spirals into many directions after the long and drawn-out first act, cannot possibly be summarized to fit the size of a review. It’s complex, yet simple and straightforward at the same time, and all the different elements get a more than satisfying conclusion while setting things up for the next books in the Shadow Warriors series, which has been running for around a decade so far.
Without going into any spoilers about the plot, which has too much to even try to summarize, the story involves the Ayatollah, the Iranian President, the Hezbollah, Iranian special forces, Mossad, Israeli covert warriors, a bioweapon that could cause a new black plague, political drama in the US involving a womanizing President who cares only about winning his reelection and the oil market which makes him put the world and the heroes in more danger, the Kurdish militia, the spymasters and operational analysts at Langley, a sleeper agent who plays a larger impact on the story in a heavy mind@#$ way at the end, arms dealers, and a complex plot to turn the middle east into a larger warzone than it ever was with an inciting attack with Harry Nichols and his team of Shadow Warriors caught in the middle.
The cultural detail on different people, their region, their history, their politics, and their conflicts is more richly detailed than most books in the genre, which felt like a heavily educational read. While the pacing is uneven, the final 80+ pages will keep you turning the pages(or tapping on your kindle screen… :P) in an adrenaline-fueled twisted and mind bending read to the finish.
For more long-form book reviews, check out - www.kronosananthsimha.com/book-blog/
The writing, plot, pacing, characters and their development, locations, cultural detail, operational realism, politics, technology, and the emotional and psychological impact of Stephen England’s work make me respect his literary genius as this book does read like a classic. All praise aside, Pandora’s Grave requires a lot of focus and patience to read, and I took a few breaks between reading this thriller to start and finish other books.
The story begins in the far past where a Persian city is ravaged by a plague and then moves to the 21st century where our main protagonist, Harry Nichols, has arrived home after executing an assassination in Latin America when his team is assembled in Langley for an operation into Iran. A team of archaeologists is held by the Iranian military and Harry’s team is ordered to undertake a covert rescue for political reasons connected to one of the hostages with the CIA still unaware of the virus/bioweapon which has accidentally infected many of the captives.
Most of the first quarter of the book involves the long and detailed covert insertion by Harry’s team of Shadow Warriors into the Iranian campsite for their rescue mission, simultaneously as a Mossad operation to rescue a hostage who happens to be their deep cover agent in Iran takes place. At the same time, the situation is complicated by an Iranian operative embedded deep within Harry’s team who tries to sabotage their operation at many steps along the way. This epic sequence is more detailed, realistic, dramatic, and intense than the works of Tom Clancy in the 80s and 90s, and that’s not an exaggeration.
Stephen England’s writing shows the logistics, management, operational control from both the characters at offices in Langley and the operators on the ground with the kind of realism that will make the readers feel they are right with the characters for every single moment. This level of realism and detail is smart and interesting but will put off most of today’s readers who want the story to move fast and wish to be entertained like watching a commercial movie. The action in this book will not please the fans of action books and movies, as the action in this book is too realistic. That’s a compliment to the narrative and a recommendation to readers who want a classical and educative thinking person’s story while being a warning for those who’ll be bored of such tales.
The story has too many main characters who all get a lot of importance, have complete motivations and character development, morally conflicting both internally and externally, and have their different plots moving parallelly. Like many of old Clancy’s books, Pandora’s Grave has scenes that go for a few short paragraphs before switching to another for a few short paragraphs, and in this way moving back and forth between too many characters in many different locations involved in different things simultaneously in each long chapter. Readers of current-day books who’d have problems with such writing might have trouble focusing on all the moving parts in this book.
Switching away from many cliches and tropes, the author ventures into a truly original epic that’s filled with morally gray and problematic decisions, the twisted factor of unknown variables, the realistic involvement of many different players with their agendas, a realistically paced but grim journey where there aren’t any proper happy endings. Every character pays heavily and the costs aren’t easy. While there are many post-9/11 thrillers in the 21st century, this series is many levels above all of them, and I’m saying it despite being a long-time Mitch Rapp fan.
I’m usually a reader of profanity-loaded action thrillers and would generally be put off by books without a good level of cussing, but I felt Stephen England’s writing is grimmer and more serious than most profanity-loaded books while completely avoiding any serious cussing in writing. That’s a skill that I find surprising in thriller writers of this subgenre. The story, which spirals into many directions after the long and drawn-out first act, cannot possibly be summarized to fit the size of a review. It’s complex, yet simple and straightforward at the same time, and all the different elements get a more than satisfying conclusion while setting things up for the next books in the Shadow Warriors series, which has been running for around a decade so far.
Without going into any spoilers about the plot, which has too much to even try to summarize, the story involves the Ayatollah, the Iranian President, the Hezbollah, Iranian special forces, Mossad, Israeli covert warriors, a bioweapon that could cause a new black plague, political drama in the US involving a womanizing President who cares only about winning his reelection and the oil market which makes him put the world and the heroes in more danger, the Kurdish militia, the spymasters and operational analysts at Langley, a sleeper agent who plays a larger impact on the story in a heavy mind@#$ way at the end, arms dealers, and a complex plot to turn the middle east into a larger warzone than it ever was with an inciting attack with Harry Nichols and his team of Shadow Warriors caught in the middle.
The cultural detail on different people, their region, their history, their politics, and their conflicts is more richly detailed than most books in the genre, which felt like a heavily educational read. While the pacing is uneven, the final 80+ pages will keep you turning the pages(or tapping on your kindle screen… :P) in an adrenaline-fueled twisted and mind bending read to the finish.
For more long-form book reviews, check out - www.kronosananthsimha.com/book-blog/
August 27, 2011
Pandora’s Grave is an exciting spy thriller, I couldn’t put it down, and the pages seemed turn themselves. From start to the gripping finish the action didn’t stop.
Stephen has written strong characters, good guys and bad guys that lead the plot along, he manages to shift viewpoint with ease giving you a rounded perspective within the story. The action is chilling and would appear scarily accurate. His research into the background for this novel is impressive.
Superbly written and researched and I enjoyed the journey, a great debut novel and I look forward to reading more of the Shadow Warriors series.
Pandora’s Grave has an innovative storyline and brings a fresh approach to the genre. If you are a fan of Robert Ludlum or Tom Clancy I would give Pandora’s Grave by Stephen England a go as he has the potential to go far.
Stephen has written strong characters, good guys and bad guys that lead the plot along, he manages to shift viewpoint with ease giving you a rounded perspective within the story. The action is chilling and would appear scarily accurate. His research into the background for this novel is impressive.
Superbly written and researched and I enjoyed the journey, a great debut novel and I look forward to reading more of the Shadow Warriors series.
Pandora’s Grave has an innovative storyline and brings a fresh approach to the genre. If you are a fan of Robert Ludlum or Tom Clancy I would give Pandora’s Grave by Stephen England a go as he has the potential to go far.
July 3, 2016
Throw a missing archeological team, a plague type virus, a clandestine part of the CIA and unrest in the middle east all together and you get an espionage thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seats.
I don't normally read books this complex and detailed. I'm also not a fan of war/politic books. But I thought I'd give Pandora's Grave a try. Wow! I'm so glad I did. The book is complex and detailed, but in a way that I felt helpful and not overwhelming. The story was well written and had me glued from the very first paragraph. The author obviously knows his stuff. The twists in the book kept coming. And on the very last page when I thought the book has been wrapped up, I was thrown another twist. I am so glad this book is the first in a series. Because I will definitely be reading the rest!
I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.
I don't normally read books this complex and detailed. I'm also not a fan of war/politic books. But I thought I'd give Pandora's Grave a try. Wow! I'm so glad I did. The book is complex and detailed, but in a way that I felt helpful and not overwhelming. The story was well written and had me glued from the very first paragraph. The author obviously knows his stuff. The twists in the book kept coming. And on the very last page when I thought the book has been wrapped up, I was thrown another twist. I am so glad this book is the first in a series. Because I will definitely be reading the rest!
I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.
May 31, 2014
This book was ok. The story was a good one but the author jumped around like crazy. In a single chapter you could follow about six different people. It just jumped around way to much. I could never really get into the story because as I would read about one character and start getting involved with them it would change to someone else. The action is very well laid out and the story was a good one but I just couldn't get over the jumpiness of the author.
John
John
July 23, 2018
a fast paced, action packed spy thriller with a few surprises included until the very end.
December 27, 2025
"Pandora's Grave" is my first by thriller author Stephen England (and his first in the Shadow Warriors series) and I'll need to let it sink in awhile before I decide to try another. On the one hand, there's a lot of action, the characters are competent, the spy craft solid, and the plot (actually plots(s)) sadly believable. On the other hand, I found the narrative written from changing POVs and locations, often every page or two and proceeding through the entire book, to be off-putting and probably extended its length by many pages. I didn't think the dialogue was very realistic and, although the plot was OK at a high level the story didn't move as quickly as it should have mostly due to the narrative technique. The conclusion seemed a bit too "made for the movies" but did tie things up nicely.
I won't go into detail on the plot except to say that it's the story of a planned false flag attack by the terrorists on Moslem worshipers at a site in Jerusalem and efforts by the US to stop it, all the while keeping the Israelis in the dark due to our unauthorized presence in their country. A sub-plot involves the presence of a 'mole' somewhere on the US side that is passing info to the Iranians about efforts to stop the attack. It's a complex scenario that isn't helped, again, by the rotating perspectives of the narrative.
All-in-all, Pandora's Grave wasn't exactly up my alley but would be appealing to spy-thriller readers who wouldn't be bothered by the writing technique used in the narrative.
I won't go into detail on the plot except to say that it's the story of a planned false flag attack by the terrorists on Moslem worshipers at a site in Jerusalem and efforts by the US to stop it, all the while keeping the Israelis in the dark due to our unauthorized presence in their country. A sub-plot involves the presence of a 'mole' somewhere on the US side that is passing info to the Iranians about efforts to stop the attack. It's a complex scenario that isn't helped, again, by the rotating perspectives of the narrative.
All-in-all, Pandora's Grave wasn't exactly up my alley but would be appealing to spy-thriller readers who wouldn't be bothered by the writing technique used in the narrative.
March 29, 2022
Well versed in SOP LOL
Very good middle east conflict story. Rich with the shifting sands of motivation wrapped up in the many different ways Muslims interpret their own faith and vulnerable about the lack of understanding by the rest of the world. Also a good dive into the complexity of US vs Israeli relationships at best the way each country tries to use the other with no way to really understand living under the thumb of pressure faced by living in Israel. Last but not least taking on writing a story that peels back the layers and layers of US bureaucracy that makes simple tasks impossible when you cross jurisdiction and egos of people that might only last 4 years with the current sitting political party. Its no wonder our military budget is what it is. I applaud England for educating himself in all of the cultures religion and political alliances all while creating characters you want to know and just maybe take them home to try to fix.
This is easily recommended to this community of readers it doesn't disappoint
Very good middle east conflict story. Rich with the shifting sands of motivation wrapped up in the many different ways Muslims interpret their own faith and vulnerable about the lack of understanding by the rest of the world. Also a good dive into the complexity of US vs Israeli relationships at best the way each country tries to use the other with no way to really understand living under the thumb of pressure faced by living in Israel. Last but not least taking on writing a story that peels back the layers and layers of US bureaucracy that makes simple tasks impossible when you cross jurisdiction and egos of people that might only last 4 years with the current sitting political party. Its no wonder our military budget is what it is. I applaud England for educating himself in all of the cultures religion and political alliances all while creating characters you want to know and just maybe take them home to try to fix.
This is easily recommended to this community of readers it doesn't disappoint
March 31, 2022
Pandora's Grave is the 2nd Stephen England book that I have read after Lions Paw, which I absolutely loved. I Had high expectations of this book and it didn’t disappoint. In his trademark style, the author sets up the plot, location, background and characters in the 1st half of the book and then starts rotating the plot through locations and from perspective of different characters at dizzying speed. The suspense element didn’t work for me as I figured it out in the 1st half of the book, but that absolutely didn’t stop me from enjoying the book.
The only thing that I found odd is that he keeps referring to the Iranian-American and Iraqi-American agents as “the Iranian agent” and “the Iraqi agent” throughout the book which I felt was odd. I am sure he wouldn’t call a Greek-American or a Spanish-American “Greek agent” or “Spanish agent”.
That said, I love his writing and am going to go through all his books. I highly recommend this and Lions Paw to all thriller fans.
The only thing that I found odd is that he keeps referring to the Iranian-American and Iraqi-American agents as “the Iranian agent” and “the Iraqi agent” throughout the book which I felt was odd. I am sure he wouldn’t call a Greek-American or a Spanish-American “Greek agent” or “Spanish agent”.
That said, I love his writing and am going to go through all his books. I highly recommend this and Lions Paw to all thriller fans.
September 6, 2018
A very good action, thriller, and suspense story all in one. It is a CIA, counter terrorism squad action/thriller as Harry Nichols leads his team on some intertwined missions. The story is well written in a dynamic fashion with scene changes as contemporaneous events are detailed. There are plenty of plot twists, traitors and suspicions to keep you guessing about the identities of the good guys and the bad guys right up until the very end. And, there is plenty of action and tense moments for any fan of these counter-terrorism thrillers. If you are a fan of Mitch Rapp (author Kyle Mills), Scot Harvath (author Brad Thor) or John Wells (author Alex Berenson) stories, you’ll love Harry Nichols in Pandora’s Grave.
March 7, 2018
Full of action, and a lot of cloak and dagger stuff. I enjoyed the story line. The 'at the edge of your seat' read was certainly captivating. I didn't want to put the book down.
Nude/Sex: None
Cussing: Mild
Explicit Descriptions: At moment of death, and post death descriptions
FYI: Pedophile-Man does to boys {Nothing descriptive, past mentions}
Although I did not care for the pedophile and some of the religious references, I liked the plot. You definitely get a rush reading this book.
Nude/Sex: None
Cussing: Mild
Explicit Descriptions: At moment of death, and post death descriptions
FYI: Pedophile-Man does to boys {Nothing descriptive, past mentions}
Although I did not care for the pedophile and some of the religious references, I liked the plot. You definitely get a rush reading this book.
September 27, 2018
Good
Circling lazily over a city that had once been the home of thousands, the pride of the East. Rhodaspes. The old man sighed. Rhodaspes. She was renowned through history as a city of trade, a city of great kings. The unconquerable. In the days of his forefathers, she had stood against Alexander, the Romans, finally the hordes of Mohammed that had overrun the lands to the south. She had withstood them all, stood tall and proud. In his own time, the city had defied the onslaught of the barbaric horsemen from the Far
Circling lazily over a city that had once been the home of thousands, the pride of the East. Rhodaspes. The old man sighed. Rhodaspes. She was renowned through history as a city of trade, a city of great kings. The unconquerable. In the days of his forefathers, she had stood against Alexander, the Romans, finally the hordes of Mohammed that had overrun the lands to the south. She had withstood them all, stood tall and proud. In his own time, the city had defied the onslaught of the barbaric horsemen from the Far
June 6, 2024
Breathless
Amazing, brilliant, frightening that this is actually a reality or could be. Fast...furious, breathtaking. I love the dates, times and locations . The movement between these especially towards the end. Someone wrote in a review that it would have been good to know more about the main charachter, Harry Nichols. I disagree....You know what you need to know and it means every single page is full on without time taken up on developing characters. He is who he is. A trained Special Ops. Don't delay...get reading this. You will not be disappointed.
Amazing, brilliant, frightening that this is actually a reality or could be. Fast...furious, breathtaking. I love the dates, times and locations . The movement between these especially towards the end. Someone wrote in a review that it would have been good to know more about the main charachter, Harry Nichols. I disagree....You know what you need to know and it means every single page is full on without time taken up on developing characters. He is who he is. A trained Special Ops. Don't delay...get reading this. You will not be disappointed.
September 1, 2025
Complicated but intriquing
Complicated because a large number of characters and situations are within, and more because some of the characters get lost until bang or boom, they are gone. The complexities of the characters gets my A+, but the storyline, with it’s stops, starts, inbetweens and question marks felt sometimes like hitting the wall, or like riding the waves in a riptide.
Complicated because a large number of characters and situations are within, and more because some of the characters get lost until bang or boom, they are gone. The complexities of the characters gets my A+, but the storyline, with it’s stops, starts, inbetweens and question marks felt sometimes like hitting the wall, or like riding the waves in a riptide.
June 16, 2021
I chose not to finish this one. I've never read a political thriller before, so it's possible I just don't like the genre. I didn't have a problem following the characters or the sections of each chapter, as some people have mentioned, but I found the writing a little too flat and wasn't excited enough to keep reading.
Read
January 10, 2025Was confused in the beginning. Lots of characters and I felt I should of had a cheat sheet of characters to keep track of who was who. The storyline was riveting and shocking as things expired, was hard to find a spot to stop reading. Have already purchased book 2 and look forward to diving into it. Thank you Stephen England for a very interesting spy novel. Lots of twists and turns.
September 17, 2025
It took me a while to get into this book, which isn’t uncommon. Nonetheless, as I read on I began to appreciate the storyline and the author’s storytelling skills. The ending was, quite honestly, moving. Unusual for a spy thriller. But this one added some humanity to a dark side of the world. Highly recommend.
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