Task Force E: The Reservation

by Jason Rubis

Twenty years ago, five young men enlisted in a top-secret military experiment claiming to enhance elite capabilities. Instead, they got cryptids! Bigfoot, lake monsters, chupacabras and more. For a decade, Task Force E took down these dangerous creatures until a tragic accident forced the team to disband.Now, the U.S. military is knocking on their door again. A deranged billionaire has created a reservation for cryptids, and the military smells trouble. Task Force E, with their unrivaled discipline, determination, and tactical brilliance, reunites for another wild ride. Hunting cryptids is their expertise. They’re just not that good at following the rules.

147 pages, Paperback

Published January 24, 2024

Reviews

[Adam Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this up through Kindle Unlimited because I love a good special forces vs cryptid story and boy was I disappointed.

The team has been disbanded when the story begins but don't ask why, we're never told. Oh, and the team, don't ask too much about them beyond their names and where they are, we don't get much in the way of background for them as individuals or as a team either, just that they were all given some kind of special serum that gives them heightened senses and abilities although what kind of heightened senses and abilities is rather vague.

A billionaire has decided to build a preserve in Alaska for cryptids because apparently cryptids are all over the place in this world and everyone knows about them but we, regular people, just kind of forget about them once we have stopped seeing them. No further explanation is given for their existence.

Anyway, the team is reassembled by the government to go in and inspect this preserve because the crazy billionaire wants the team to be his game wardens or something, whatever the case may be they have a legitimate reason to be there so they go. Their actual reason for going is to find the daughter of a senator that went to work there and hasn't been heard from since.

They find her and just when things look like they are about to pick up the book ends. Full stop. No fire fight, no chase, no escape, just a line of dialogue about hearing the bad guys coming and that's it. About 120 pages of nothing happening.

Now, I have read in reviews that Task Force E are in other short story collections and that's fine, just let me know that when I go into a novel that is supposed to be about just them. I took this as the Force's first adventure and was very disappointed because it isn't.

Skip this one.

[Calvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

What the heck was that ending?

The book ends on a semi cliffhanger out of nowhere. I initially thought my version was broken somehow, but nope, book just ends. Like slamming on the brakes in the middle of a Nascar race. Ending aside it's a good book. There's clearly a bunch of backstory for the team that isn't explained, which is super annoying. If the shared history of the team is constantly referenced then explain it. I'm not sure if this was the author's first book or even first draft, but he has some serious work to do to get better

[Amanda Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a cliffhanger!!

I think the story has a ton of potential but its early ... The story just cuts off right when the bad guys are showing up. If it continues to develop the plot and answers all the questions this book plants in your mind, then this will be a good series. So far, the characters are interesting. Ill definitely read the next book when it comes out.

[Arran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this premise of the book that I’ve seen but it very much is a novella at best. It feels like an episodic release, I’d have preferred a compendium with a full adventure rather than 120 pages and a cliffhanger without any real resolution at all. I’ll read the sequel because I bought them together. But if you look at this. Trust me, wait for the compendium of full series.

[irv Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to read.

You are taken to a cold region where people are at as well as strange looking animals , that reminds you of a big foot type . There are some strange things going on with dog man type of creatures , it is a different type of book.

[Trevor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The retired members of Task Force E, are tasked with investigating a mysterious benefactor collecting cryptids. They need to find out his motives and what is going on in his secret habitat. Was building nicely, but then just abruptly stopped, as the action was about to begin.

[KATHLEEN CORTE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Task force E

Excellent I love the witty comments . The way the government is always interfering and pretending they’re not. Once you’ve been in the service, you know the rest of the story as Paul Harvey would say can’t wait to read book 2!

[Edward Kowalski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

The story is a little choppy and the actions of the main characters are almost Deus ex machina in function but not bad for a quick read.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decently written pulp adventure, but just when the story seems about the kick into high gear, it just stops....

[Valarie Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

What kind of ending

The story grabbed attention was well written, and I was just beginning to appreciate the characters when it was over. No end in site. Aaarrrggghh

[lora s · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to give this more stars, but it's more like some middle chapters, than a book with a beginning, a middle and an end.

[Kisha Brookes · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was very disappointed, all now i am trying to understand fully what was going on!!

[Dglab1511 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Premise

Action packed and an interesting premise. If you have read about the Task Force’s other missions, you will find this a start and more to come.