Standing Strong: A Matt Standing Thriller

by Stephen Leather

February, 2022. Russia invades Ukraine, the biggest attack on a European country since World War I.

Matt ‘Lastman’ Standing and a crack SAS team are sent in to the war zone. Their mission - to help the Ukrainians defend their country from the Russian invaders.

But when Russian mercenaries begin committing atrocities and war crimes in occupied Ukraine, MI6 decides to change the rules of engagement.

Standing and his team are given new orders - to take out the Russian president, one of the most protected men in the world. It has all the makings of a suicide mission, but Standing is the last man to turn down a challenge.

Praise for Stephen Leather

He has the uncanny knack of producing plots that are all too real — Daily Mail

The sheer impetus of his storytelling is damned hard to resist. — Daily Express

A master of the thriller genre. — Irish Times

Genres: Thriller

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 20, 2024

About the author

Stephen Leather was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. For much of 2011 his self-published eBooks - including The Bestseller, The Basement, Once Bitten and Dreamer's Cat - dominated the UK eBook bestseller lists and sold more than half a million copies. The Basement topped the Kindle charts in the UK and the US, and in total he has sold more than two million eBooks. His bestselling book The Chinaman was filmed as The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan and grossing more than $100 million.

Reviews

[Nick Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set at the start of the war in Ukraine, SAS Sergeant Matt Standing is tasked with training Ukrainian forces on a new missile system. Taking his newly trained colleagues, he, and a small SAS team insert into Ukraine to cause considerable mayhem to the invading Russian forces. The action then moves towards three distinct sub missions, all needing the very best of Standing’s considerable skills.

This is an action packed military thriller, obviously topical and with the usual clever twists that Stephen Leather is renowned for. There is also an interesting sub text relating to PTSD and the fact that even the best of the military have a breaking point.

All action thrills.

[Mrs S M Burt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of Stephen leather but to be honest, this book isn’t a patch on his previous works. Totally unbelievable and corny. This book was more like the script for a third rate American movie, especially with the Lisa ‘moment’ at the end. Time for the next one … ‘Standing at the End’

[Ian Hughes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really disappointing as I have really enjoyed the previous Standing books.
This one was ludicrous and didn't seem like Leather wrote it.
Let's hope the next Spider Shepherd book sees a return to form for Leather.

[KROTKIEWSKI THOMAS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephen in a hurry?

Previous books were more interesting and had tighter plots. This one seemed very hurried as if I was reading the Reader's Digest version.

[Own Timis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me start this review by saying that I am a huge fan of Stephen Leather. I've read nearly everything he's written and even though some books are weaker than others, I've enjoyed every single one.

However it appears that now Leather has lost his touch. He's gone from writing some of the finest action novels out there to churning out badly written dross that pushes artistic licence to its limits. Standing Strong is the prime example of this.

I felt that the pacing of the book was all over the place, rushing through important bits and spending lots of time on irrelevant parts. The first half really jarred with the second - it seemed like it was only there to demonstrate how amazing the main character is. It baffled me how at one point (not even as part of the main plot) he effectively single handedly took actions that had a real risk of starting WW3, yet his senior officers just brush it aside and tell him not to do it again. But he does have such strong plot armour that I suppose it wasn't really a surprise. The actual plot was really transparent and I could see the ending a long way off.

The characters are all poor cardboard cut outs, effectively parodies of themselves, resembling nothing close to reality. I am not sure if we're supposed to like the 2 main characters - I think that's what Leather is setting up, them being renegades who rail against the man and achieve success with their unorthodox methods - but they are two awful violent human beings, who in any semblance of reality would have been court martialled and imprisoned years ago. They are each written with only one note, not having a personality beyond the very forced sole character trait they're given.

The book was also filled with clunky exposition, badged up as wholly unrealistic conversations between characters. Paragraphs upon paragraphs of very simplistic explanations about Russia and Ukraine and the Wagner group etc etc. Are we really supposed to believe that the apparent intelligent SAS operatives, MI6 agents or whoever have conversations where they so explicitly talk through the history of the region? Surely if the reader needs to be told this, it could be better weaved into the plot, rather than a 2 page soliloquy from a character that seems to be there just for that purpose.

The only reason I continued reading was out of a sense of loyalty to Leather and the hope that the book might get better. Newsflash: it didn't.

Overall I was really disappointed with Standing Strong. I sincerely hope Stephen Leather goes back to the drawing board and has a think about improving his next books. His pre-2010 works were excellent, the pinnacle of this kind of fiction, so let's see more of that!

[Bob Hurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really??

Enjoyed the action sections of the book and the interaction between Standing, his SAS Colleagues, and MI6. The initial phase of training Ukrainian Special Forces in the use of the new Thor Missile along with aspects of insertion and exfiltration from Russian Territory was good. However, the final mission that Standing and his colleagues were tasked with was hardly believable. To escape with only two losses was less than credible given the mission. Great story telling, however, for me a little far-fetched.

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Seems to me this was written by AI, I have read every book of his, and his series atleast 5 times each but this was by far his worse. Made no sense, characters (in particular Standing) are nothing like they have been in past books. I had worries after the second half of the latest Jack nightingale book that he was either using AI or rushing and this book made that worry worse.

That said, I will still be trying the new Shepherd book when it releases and hope he’s back to his best

[Jamesm1975]

Stephen Leather’s latest Matt Standing novel, Standing Strong, cleverly weaves real-world geopolitics with gripping action and believable, well-drawn characters. Leather has that rare ability to make you feel as though if the events didn't actually happen this way, they should have. The pacing is tight, the twists are timely, and the global backdrop feels both authentic and urgent. Thoroughly enjoyed – one of those thrillers that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page.

[Mrs A. J. Turbfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overlong account of a failed assassination. Attempt.

A beautifully written account of SAS procedure.

Unfortunately P succesful t a pleasant if somewhat boring read successful one. An exciting, Overview of the logistics involved.

[Mr Kenneth L Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Excellent Story

Another excellent story by Stephen in the Matt Standing series. Lots of the usual characters and as always non stop action and fighting. Great storyline .Looking forward to reading more.

[Paul Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant really enjoyable

Great book and an extension of the Matt standing series which started with Spider shepherd, Stephen is a master of character creating and the 3yw) wayhe has introduced the spin off characters own series!

Very enjoyable.

[Kenneth J Simpson · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star may be OVERLY generous. Unbelievable story line even for Leather. I doubt I would waste anymore money buying anything else.

[John Packer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit over the top - well a lot over the top. Reasonably exciting in bursts.

[jane green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of unnecessary descriptions and initials that didn't mean a thing to me. It took a long time to get to the actual storyline.

[Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favourite in the series.

But enjoyable and reads well as a standalone.

[Cameron Sleight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t enjoy this one as much as the others, seemed abit rushed!

[Joseph · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not get into this book. Found it boring and reading it with no engagement. Maybe it’s OK but not for me

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

SAS story with a fairly ridiculous plot at the end

[mr neil j harper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took ages

Found it a bit boring and took over 6weeks to read, as it didn't keep me engrossed as other books had

[Gail Radka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to give 3.5 stars thought very well written and knowledgable but too much technical detail on weaponry etc for me

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

While he’s not Spider Shepherd Matt Standing is a close 2nd. Very topical rollercoaster of a read that’s intertwined with real events. At times a bit too much weapon detail for me, which for some I’m sure is a bonus
As always the author delivers a great read.