Blacklisted

by Luke Romyn

Blistering action and espionage in this incredible military adventure from USA Today and Amazon #1 best seller, Luke Romyn. TOP 10 BEST SELLING ACTION & ADVENTURE ON AMAZON! #1 BEST SELLING MILITARY THRILLER ON AMAZON! #1 BEST SELLING TERRORIST THRILLER ON AMAZON! #1 BEST SELLING VIGILANTE JUSTICE ON AMAZON!! "A non-stop adrenalin rush! ... Ludlum would have been proud, or jealous. A big time five-star read which you don't want to miss!" -- Claude Bouchard, author of Vigilante "An Intense Ride!!! ... Luke Romyn is a master of suspense and non-stop action... a story that gives the reader an intense ride into a world filled with guns, blood, fights, death, sex, passion, determination, insanity, evil, and even love, albeit a twisted, broken thing." -- American Leo Nobody can escape their past. It will always be there, returning to haunt you in the darkest times of your life. Mike Swanson knows this - his past torments him daily and he sets himself upon a path of death and misery. He justifies his dark deeds by enacting them upon those he perceives as evil, not knowing that the real evil lies within himself. Killing the scum of society, Mike becomes one of them and draws the attention of a group who require people with his skills. Unwillingly enlisted into the notorious 'Blacklisted Brotherhood', Mike must first survive horrendous training in order to hunt down a madman whose deeds will see the world plunged into anarchy if he succeeds. Blasting across continents in their pursuit of justice, the team will come together in ways that they had never imagined and must learn to trust each other if they are to survive. For if they die, it could mean the end of freedom. Will Mike survive the confrontations in order to see out the mission? Or will he cut loose and run from the responsibility that has been placed upon him? Why should he care for the people of the world when they have never cared for him? Why indeed...? "Hooked from the start... There's never a dull moment for the characters or the reader. Any fan of action stories must read Blacklisted." -- Christy Brown "What's Yer Major Malfunction, Soldier??!! ... The pace was PERFECT in fact and drove me along like a military humvee on a mission to the end." -- E. Kelly "A Kick Ass Thriller... The writing is tight, pacing is good, and the main character is appealing, despite his violent past." -- Richard P.F. "A gripping page turner! ... Action packed with some very well placed wit throughout. This is definitely a must read." -- Tina Lewis

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Action, Fiction, Adventure, Suspense, Horror

366 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2011

About the author

A terrifying storm lashed Sydney’s North Shore on June 21st, 1975. Boats were swamped and jetties smashed in what some claim was the worst storm to hit the coast for four decades.

In the midst of the chaos, Luke Romyn’s parents battled to get to a hospital to birth their baby boy. Normally their idyllic island cottage was a near-paradise; on this night the journey to the mainland in their tiny boat seemed like a passage through Hell. Their son was born near midnight, but part of the storm never left him.

When Luke reached fifteen years of age his father was killed while working in Fiji, leaving Luke and his mother alone. At times, the only things to get Luke through his grief were the stories playing out in his head, endless fantastical tales of lands both distant and near, with characters who would protect him from any tragedy.

At eighteen, Luke began working in nightclubs as a bouncer. Unbeknownst to him, this was simply the first step on a trek which would dictate much of his life from that point on. For over two decades since, Luke has worked in the security industry; from bouncing in some of Australia's roughest pubs and nightclubs to protecting Mickey Mouse and the Disney crew from the overzealous jaws of tenacious toddlers. He's been bodyguard for celebrities internationally and chased feral pigs and snakes from jungle sets on Steven Spielberg productions. Luke has traveled the globe and spent time in some of the most amazing locations the world has to offer.

This experience fuels the Australian writer’s ever-expansive imagination, and he pours it into his novels, combining fact with fiction, history with fantasy, delivering engrossing action-thrillers which leave fans gasping for more. Luke’s quick wit has seen his social media following explode, and he is currently one of the most prolific social media celebrities in Australia, with several hundred thousand followers across the internet.

Publishing his first book, The Dark Path, in 2009 saw it voted in the top 10 horror novels of that year, even though Luke denies ever intending the novel to be classed as horror. Luke Romyn is now one of the most popular indie authors in the ever-growing eBook market and personally completes everything from cover art to final formatting, working tirelessly with editors so as to refine the best stories possible for his readers. The results are international bestsellers you’re certain to love diving into. Hundreds of thousands of readers can’t be wrong.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would give it 2.5 stars. The beginning almost made it a DNF for me. The time line was confusing to me as it jumped all around with very little reference. There were details I felt were skipped over which made it hard to follow. I almost felt like this was a second in a series at the start. After the main story got started the book improved so I kept reading.

The overall rating was a 2.5 stars and I would give the main part of the story a 3 star rating. The story moved a long at a pretty good pace. It did feel a little herky jerky still with the time line but it was easier to follow than in the beginning. I wanted the main character a bit more fleshed out during his late teen, early adult life to make me understand better why he did the things he did. The author, however, was very descriptive of all the guns and other "toys" used in the story.

[Tina Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this book. Lots of twists and turns. I attached myself to Mike immediately and couldn't stop liking him, no matter what. I love how descriptive the author is. It was an easy page turner and very hard to put down. I really hope to read more from Mike Swanson!

[Nancy Fornataro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've found that Luke's books are awesome in the imagery he uses and the images he creates in my mind. I have found them incredible reads, although a bit outside of my romance comfort zone!! I would highly recommend this very strong author's titles.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suspense filled book, liked the writing style, however, seemed quite unrealistic and story line was too hard to believe.

[Lee Willie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, action-packed read

"Blacklisted" by Luke Romyn is a gripping thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The story follows a serial killer who gets pulled into a deadly game of cat and mouse, blending action and suspense seamlessly. Romyn's writing style is fast-paced and engaging, making it hard to put the book down. The characters are well-developed, and the plot twists keep you guessing. If you're a fan of high-octane action and clever storytelling, "Blacklisted" is definitely worth a read.

[Jeff Benham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowser! I knew Luke was an awesome cover artist (see any Claude Bouchard books), but never tried any of his writings. We got to discussing this on FB and one of his fans suggested I start with this one. Turned out to be great advice! Action on every single page. Surprises galore. This could end up being the favorite book I have read this year!

[Ingrid Spera · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a few pages to get into the book because it starts off a bit choppy and unsettling, but I'm very glad I stuck with it because it ended up being a great action packed thrill ride! It had a few twists and turns and I definitely chuckled out loud more than once! A fun action read all around.

[Meri Blankenship · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping! And not predictable

You’re gonna just love Mike, murderous bastard that he is. Some of this story is as I would have written it, some of I never saw coming! From first words to end, I was enthralled!

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is advertised as something other than what it turns out to be. I can't lie. I couldn't finish it for not being in to it.

[Mark Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK..but rather lame.

Corny plot with little believable. I'd not read this author again. Wish I had quit reading soon after I started reading but hung on until the end.

[Melissa Herman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read!!

[Ramona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

Not my usual read, lots of gore, without explanation. Characters are rounded and relatable to a certain extent. Easy enough to read.

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

Action and espionage feature heavily. if you enjoy Clancy you’ll probably enjoy this one.

[Frédéric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an action book. You like it or not but I find Luke Romyn's book very entertaining. It is fast paced, with a lot of twist, sometimes you see it coming but it is always a ride. And the author is bloody fun( follow him on twitter).

[Gareth · Rating 5 out of 5]

High-octane, no holds-barred thriller:

This one DEFIES you to stop reading and… make a cup of tea or whatever. Really hard to stop once you jump on this roller-coaster, even for sleep. It’s a supercharged, all-action adventure story, with thrills, shocks, twists, and a teasing guessing game interlaced into a driven narrative.

Mike leaves behind a troubled childhood, only to wander into a confused and unsettled maturity. Nevertheless, two mentors cross his path and go a long way to straightening him out. But during the course of events, both are lost to him in circumstances that he can not forgive. He begins his ‘revenge’ against the sociopaths of society, and undertakes a mission to purge the streets of those low-life individuals.

Cut forward (to avoid spoilers) and Mike goes from facing severe legal retribution for his actions, to being recruited to a brutal army. His meeting with the enigmatic Carlson and introduction to his operation, sees Mike forcefully enlisted into a deadly crew of killers and psychopaths. The training for this ‘enlistment’ is brutal, but Mike succeeds, despite all odds, to become a valued member of the team – and finally feels that he has found his place in the world – even believing, at last, that he is part of a ‘family’.

The team is assigned a series of missions – all in preparation for one big task… to find and kill the real brains behind a terror threat we are all too aware of. The route to this target is littered with subterfuge, betrayal, deceits and shocks.

The story contains flashback, which fleshes-out Mike’s past life, but doesn’t slow the pace of this action-packed thriller for one moment. This story is a vivid portrayal of violence and retribution. There are numerous twists and turns, none of which you see coming, all designed to keep this an edgy thrill-ride. I found myself thinking this a cross between “Dexter” meets “The Dirty Dozen” … and yet I can’t deny there is something singularly original about this storyline and how the events play out.

Well-researched in armaments, combat, logistics, and military tactics, it’s difficult to know where fact and artistic licence separate – so credit to the author for this incredible blend. A twist on the war-on-terror theme; a subtle commentary on politics, especially as they pertain to 9/11; terrorism and the fear it provokes; and even a hint of romance, all fuse into this plot to keep it multi-dimensional, yet a furious page-turner.

I kept guessing the twists and found myself wrong at every turn. The clues lead you to believe one thing, and then it turns out to be quite another. There is an excellent variety of character profiles throughout the story.

The emotion is crammed in tight amongst the blood ‘n guts – expertly measured so as not to distract you from pondering the big question… Can Mike become the unlikely saviour to the free world?

Well, don’t bet on it. Nothing is as it seems. Only as the story concludes does everything click together. A great read, and recommended.

[Drako · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this is possibly my favorite indie author. Seriously, I love everything I've read of his so far. So this is the latest book of his that I've read.

The story centers around Mike Swanson, a guy who is, in reality a serial killer. He has a code. He kills those that he feels have escaped justice. He's decent at it, but has every expectation of being caught. And eventually, he is. However, while he's sure that he's about to face the death penalty, he is taken by a strange group that requires his skills, the Blacklisted brotherhood. Supposedly, this is an unofficial project of the CIA to catch a man responsible for just about every major terrorist attack in the world, including september 11th. Led by a man named Carlson, this group intends to pose as mercenaries to catch this supposed former CIA operative gone rogue. But first, Mike must be tested. He has to learn how to operate a large variety of weapons and survive dangerous environments.

Mike himself is a bit complicated. He's accustomed to losing everyone he loves. First his father dies and his mother turns against him until finally kicking him out of her home. Next is Angus, the man that takes him in and teaches him a way to channel all the pent up anger he has through boxing. Then there's Chewie, a friend who teaches him how to be a bouncer in a club and also helps him try to work through his anger. With Chewie's death, Mike turns into a vengeful killer.

Working with the blacklisted Brotherhood, he finds new friends and a new love. However, there are a lot of twists and turns, and lies get exposed repeatedly. No one is who Mike thinks they are and he seems to get betrayed a lot. He's fairly gullible actually, but it's not such a bad flaw for a character in the end. It keeps the story interesting right up until the end.

[Michael Kelso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hold on for a wild ride. Blacklisted moves at breakneck speed, interrupted only by moments of introspection. The story follows the life of young Michael Swanson. From his self-destructive teenage years, through personal tragedy, and a stint of trying to save the world. Blacklisted leaves him battered and bruised, but not broken. Mike is not your typical hero. As life deals him some crushing blows, he turns bitter, succumbing to vengeance, and calling it justice. Embarking on a string of murders, he is eventually arrested. Facing the death penalty, he is rescued by a mysterious group, leading him to a much more terrible fate. As he, and a team of mercenaries band together for an impossible mission, Mike’s endurance, as well as his trust, are stretched to the limit.
Mr. Romyn’s sense of humor shines throughout this book, and Benny was my favorite character. I found myself wanting many more scenes to feature him. Attention to detail was also a strong point. Each weapon was identified and explained, but in a way that wasn’t tiresome. And every redneck in the world (including me) would want to get behind the wheel of Benny’s heavily modified Jeep.
The only negatives I saw were the solutions to impossible problems came a little too easy, and the ending left me wanting a little more.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, easily envisioning it as a big budget action movie, in the vein of the ‘Bourne’ movies.
I look forward to seeing Michael Swanson (and Benny) grace the pages of another novel soon.

[Matthew Andrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read, very much like a Hollywood blockbusters scrip. Every time I put it down I wanted to read more and more.

If you love action movies were the action comes thick and fast much in the Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger movie mould then you'll love "Blacklisted" by Luke Romyn.

Blacklisted is the story of a group of nasty killers and criminals thrown together by a mysterious CIA operative to try and save the world from falling at the hands of a rogue CIA agent turned tore its master mind

Mike Swanson is a former fighter, bouncer & nightclub owner who becomes part of the "brotherhood" and sent across the globe to track down the terrorist and try and prevent world war 3.

Luke Romyn has a fantastic story telling ability that keeps the reader hooked with every turn if the page, I really couldn't put this book down mainly due to the fact the action came thick and fast, in fact so much so I could easily see this book being turned into a Hollywood blockbuster in the future,

On a final note there is some fantastic books similar out there, I read this on Kindle but am sure this available in print version.

check out more book reviews on www.iwannabeadored.weebly.com

[Sheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story humanized a future killer who finds he does care. A life filled with hatred, bad mojo, and unscrupulous, money grubbers who have definitely slid off their cracker. Though the conspiracies have a nice twist, I think sticking to one or two and building them up more in the story would be nice. There was almost too much to digest. The romance is angrily sweet but clunky. The characters I would of liked to know more about, especially due to the inner emotional conflicts and their external releases and responses. All in all, this is a book I enjoyed reading and wanted to finish. The military descriptives were over my head, and nearly had me stop reading to find a picture of what it was, that part is frustrating, not knowing. Kind of not knowing a word in a sentence, it deterred from the storyline. The inner working plot twist had me reading for more and kept the story real. Overall, I'd say a solid 3 but only because I read many authors who write military-type books. My favorite author is Clive Cussler, who has totally spoiled me. Thanks for the book journey. I will certainly read more from this author.

[C.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author, Luke Romyn is becoming a favorite for me. I really enjoyed Beyond Hades and this is the second book I've read. His ability to move a story forward is fantastic sometimes it's at breakneck speed that it does resemble what I would expect from a Hollywood action film.

This story is about Michael 'Mike" Swanson and his story is a tortured one that I never really thought I would be rooting for the criminal but it's a great writer to weave the story in such a way that I 'get' Mike and hope he can make it through this crazy life journey of his. First through high school, then as a young adult as a bouncer in a club, then a vigilante criminal and finally a mercenary.

I enjoy a fast read, but some of the military weaponry was lost on me and I'd speed read through it (yep lil ol girly girl here). What I really wanted was more description for further character development, although what is there is truly quite good, again could be the girly girl in me.

Great action read and truly fantastic writing!

[L.J. Monier · Rating 1 out of 5]

So far, about chapter 6, I find it just another action thriller thing. It reminds me a lot of any Hollywood 'blockbuster' with Sylvester Stallone in it and, by my standards and taste, that's not a compliment. Also I find the dialogue really hard going in places and barely passing throughout.

I'm 49% done with Blacklisted: On pg 3442, Mike thinks, This is a very dangerous individual. Well, just reading it made me snigger. Do you really believe a hardened serial killer would think exactly those words? I don't think so.

A few more pages and Osama bin Laden is brought back to life and I'm losing the will to read on.

More unbelievable dialogue in the mouth of hardened criminals.

On pg 5828, the girl the hero has been having the hots for in an unbelievable and unrealistic twist, changes her mind and practically jumps him.
This does it for me, I quit reading. I have better things to do.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blacklisted (Luke Romyn)
Action/Thriller

Mike Swanson has a haunted past that lives inside him each day. Learning to box from his mentor at an early age, he doesn't take well to others. He has always been a bit of a "loner' and he feels that killing and hurting those who deserve it is his only choice in life.

He is (pretty much) forced into the "Blacklisted Brotherhood" a group of mean coldblooded killers just like him. Not knowing who to trust this group of men and women are on a mission to hunt down a crazed man, for if they do not succeed pandemonium and anarchy will over take the world.

Action thriller with a lot of killing and brutality. More of a mans book in my opinion, but I did find the plot exciting and kept my interest until the end. This is not the type of book I usually read but I am quite fond of Luke Romynwork and love to read his books. I was not disappointed in this one.

[Juin Charnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am torn between the stars. Only because I liked the book at first but then it veered off into conspiracy theory and super human men. It reminds me of the Alpha men in women's romance novels so I can't be fair if that is the particular style of this genre. I will admit, I was absolutely blown away by the military knowledge, that was cool, as an ex-Army woman, so I like guns but sometimes it bordered on "die already". If you are a military fan and action junkie with a little "suspend disbelief" then this will rock your world. The plot was interesting and I thought I knew who was behind it all and I was wrong, so I kept reading because I truly wanted to know who was behind it all. Visually stunning, I could absolutely see a Vin Diesel in this part. So if you want the screenplay written, hit me up.

[Leigh Clemons]

I liked the premise of this book: a group of covert operatives assembled from some of the country's most notorious killers, eligible because they did "bad" things for "good" reasons. It has a very LA FEMME NIKITA air about it (the film, not the TV show). There was a diverse and interesting cast of characters, including a strong woman figure who holds her own with the guys until pretty much the end, when the narrative falls into the standard "rescue the girl" rut. The situations in which the action unfolds were also fun and original, taking the characters and, by extension, the reader, from a series of extremes into another series of extremes. The surviving characters are a good basis for a series of novels focused around government intrigue, military weaponry, and the life of the professional, albeit reluctant, soldier.

[Miranda McHenry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great masterpiece by Luke Romyn! After "The Dark Path", which was amazing, he brings you "Blacklisted". An incredible story about Mike Swanson who becomes the most skilled killer ever mainly because he has no other choice.

After going through a rough life he makes some bad choices which ends him up getting "Blacklisted" This is where the real thrill ride starts filled with adrenaline pumping action, brain splattering gun fights, tactical weaponry beyond your wildest dreams, some romance, suspense, betrayal etc etc

A hard to put down book, incredibly written with the wittiness of Luke's hand

Loved it!!

[Misha Tagliaferro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book and was intrigued at the beginning, but then the conspiracy theories started cropping up. The theories ranged from a bit cliche to unbelievable, and there were way too many of them. Including one or two in a book like this would have been good, but to have them crop up as often as they did took away from the story's impact. Then there were the highly detailed descriptions of weapons that were a little too detailed for my tastes. While I liked the basic storyline, the execution didn't live up to its potential. The writing, however, was good and made it difficult to set the book down until I reached the end.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book and I did to a certain extent. It had a good main character in Mike and I liked Dobbs and Carrie but there were just too much I didn't like.

The author tried way too hard to impress with his use of big words that just made the dialogue and description awkward. There was one sentence that when something like "he moved with amazing alacrity" why not just use the word speed?

My other critique is that the conspiracy plots got so confusing that by the end I no longer cared who was lying and who really wanted to blow up the world.

I did like the Benny character but his under the mountain hide-a-way was a bit too Bondish for me.

[T.W. Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this book. Maybe because it relates to my future book (shameless plug!). Anyway I liked the main character Mike Swanson. The book starts out with a bang and keeps going through out.

Some reviewers have bashed it for believability or political nature. All I can say to that is people who are able to let go of real life and are able to enjoy fiction without getting hung up reality will love kick'in back with this book and watch the blood fly or is it read the blood fly HA!

Fire up the equipment get to your favorite ebook seller and get the book. Who doesn't have a little vigilante in them :-)

[Julie Ramsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Swanson is a tortured soul. Everyone he comes close to, or loves dies. In fit of rage Mike Swanson takes matters into his own hands. After multiple murders Mike Swanson is caught. The police catch him and take him down to the station. During his interrogation Mike starts to think all is lost and his life is over. And this is the exact minute his life will change forever.

This book has multiple twists and takes the reader across the globe and down into the black side of the government. A fast read with lots of action, murder and mystery. A definite fun read.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book... rather long and tedious at times. A great editor could help with that.
Soldiers are being recruited from the criminal element. They are being recruited to help with a mission to stop a terrorist. They have to go through training and if you do not pass, you die. Spoiler alert:
The guy hosting the training, carlson, is the bad guy working with the PLA to try to Nuke the USA. Two of his recruits stop him. One is CIA and one is a murderer who falls in love with Carrie, another recruit.