Squad V

by John Steiner

In the decades following the second world war the United States created new agencies and departments to address a wide range of issues including intelligence, emergency response to disaster and disease as well as covert warfare both abroad and domestically. These converge on discovery of a new threat not only to the U.S. but to the fundamental nature of human society and physiology. Quincy Barns, a former U.S. Army Ranger and CIA paramilitary operative, learns that not only are vampires real but there is a professional combat force trained and equipped to face the threat they pose. Once recruited into Squad Five Quincy faces enemies and inner dilemmas like nothing the hardened veteran can imagine.

306 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2011

About the author

John Steiner earned his Associate of Biology at Salt Lake Community College, where he is currently working as a tutor in math and chemistry. He exercises an avid interest in history, science, philosophy, mythology, martial arts as well as military tactics and technology.

Reviews

[Tori Ridgewood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very impressed with the research and technical detail that went into this modern look at the issue of the vampire. Envisioned as a very real threat to the safety of regular citizens, in addition to its equally dangerous but much less intelligent cousin, the zombie-like ghoul, Steiner’s exploration of vampirism as the result of a transmittable virus or infection, and how a government might approach this problem, is fascinating. The book straddles two genres for me: horror and science fiction / fantasy.

While I would not normally choose a book of this genre for myself, I enjoyed the fast pace, the characters, and the plot twists that took me entirely by surprise. Steiner took the story beyond what I expected, adding layers of spirituality drawn from Native American beliefs and enhancing the vampire mythology with sound scientific principles.

I haven’t read a book like this since enjoying Robert Heinlein in my early teens, but there are definite parallels in the combination of real-world contemporary and future tech with the imagining of a world unknown to the rest of us. And just as I took away a better understanding of engineering and politics from Heinlein, I’ve gained a better grasp of paramilitary organization and fighting techniques from reading Steiner. I also found that Squad V dovetails nicely with the sci-fi / fantasy / horror film, Daybreakers, a movie that I enjoy for its similarly logistical take on the myth of the undead.

Steiner’s work is gritty, to-the-point, and should definitely appeal to those who appreciate plenty of technical details and men’s men. There is no shortage of carnage described in gory glory, for horror buffs. No sparkles, and no teenage angst -- in this fiction, it’s kill or be killed, in spectacular fashion.

[John Steiner]

Squad V started out as a question to myself about how regular people really would tackle vampires and under what real world policy guidelines and agencies that fight would be conducted through. Through the process of writing this novel it turned into an alternate way to talk about counter-terrorism and covert operations. This fact didn't go unnoticed by movie and book critic, Joseph Meyere of the Salt Lake Community College's The Globe paper:

"A new hope has risen, however, in John Steiner’s new vampire thriller, “Squad V.”


Kim HigleySLCC tutor and author John Steiner veers from the vampire stories common today in his book "Squad V."
“Squad V” is an interesting mix of Tom Clancy and Anne Rice, bringing the vampire back into the category of dangerous predator. The story follows Quincy Barnes, a CIA agent recruited into a top secret government program designed to hunt and destroy vampires. Along the way he not only gets embroiled in the conspiracy, but becomes the target of a deadly and powerful vampire group out to destroy him and his squad. On the opposite end of the law stands Vance, a cowboy-turned-vampire back when cowboys were the norm, who’s having a cross country adventure with a girl by his side and the law at his back.

The story’s unique dichotomy of one half espionage drama and one half supernatural thriller blend together seamlessly where most books would fail. There are plenty of both to keep fans of either side happy. Quincy’s squad is a band of career military soldiers armed with the highest tech equipment to battle the creatures of the night, while the vampires are classic without being cliché. Made with more of a scientific bend as to where they get their supernatural powers, the vampires feel plausible, and rather than taking from the same vampiric stock of Eastern Europians growing up in castles, it’s refreshing to see American born vampires as actual characters rather than thugs with fangs."

-Joseph Meyere, SLCC The Globe, January 18th, 2012

http://www.globeslcc.com/2012/01/18/s...

[Tim Forder]

If you like Vampire tales. If you like military stories--You will love this book!
The story is moved at an action filled pace with an rich ensemble of characters.