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Blood and Treasure #1
Blood and Treasure
The destruction of the International Space Station and the discovery of an ancient scroll are inextricably intertwined in this debut crossover thriller from a former naval officer.
The International Space Station inexplicably loses contact with Earth. When a NASA tech devises a way to restore the feed, the images that come through are a scene of terrible violence, the crew unresponsive, droplets of blood hovering in zero gravity. But which of the astronauts on board would have done such a thing? And why?
Off the coast of Mozambique, former Delta soldier and current treasure hunter Ethan Cain sees something he can’t an object shot out of the heavens plunging deep into the Indian Ocean. When he goes to investigate, it becomes even less intelligible. A space capsule has crashed into the sea, and inside is a woman—alone, unconscious, and injured. Ethan knows he must save her. What he doesn’t know is who she is, how she got there . . . or why she’s the only survivor from a killing spree conducted 254 miles up in the sky.
9 hrs. 25 mins.
The International Space Station inexplicably loses contact with Earth. When a NASA tech devises a way to restore the feed, the images that come through are a scene of terrible violence, the crew unresponsive, droplets of blood hovering in zero gravity. But which of the astronauts on board would have done such a thing? And why?
Off the coast of Mozambique, former Delta soldier and current treasure hunter Ethan Cain sees something he can’t an object shot out of the heavens plunging deep into the Indian Ocean. When he goes to investigate, it becomes even less intelligible. A space capsule has crashed into the sea, and inside is a woman—alone, unconscious, and injured. Ethan knows he must save her. What he doesn’t know is who she is, how she got there . . . or why she’s the only survivor from a killing spree conducted 254 miles up in the sky.
9 hrs. 25 mins.
10 pages, Audiobook
Published July 22, 2025
About the author
Ryan Pote
6 books92 followersRyan Pote is a twelve-year veteran Navy helicopter pilot who was part of a joint interagency special operations task force, deployed throughout Central and South America conducting counter narcotics. After he left active duty, he was a federal investigator for six years. He currently works for the DoW with experimental UAS as a safety officer. Before the Navy, he was a scuba diving instructor in Hawaii and a lab tech conducting algae-biofuels research. He holds a Masters degree in History from Ashland University. He lives with his wife and children outside Washington, D.C. Follow him on IG, Facebook, X, and Goodreads @ryanpotebooks. Check out his website ryanpote.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
June 16, 2025
This is a gripping crossover thriller, and I can hardly believe it's a debut! At the beginning, the author introduces quite a few characters, so it took me a bit of time to get used to everyone, but soon I was flipping through the pages without even noticing.
The book follows two main plotlines–events take place at the Johnson Space Center and in Africa. The main character, Ethan Cain, is a treasure hunter searching for an artifact off the coast of Mozambique. He’s brave and daring, with a body marked by scars that still cause him pain. He really reminded me of Indiana Jones. Overall, the author paints vivid descriptions and presents the story from different angles, so I could clearly picture everything in my mind. I honestly think this book would make an excellent movie in the style of a ‘90s action film.
I also loved how the author played with my emotions. There’s one character, whose role kept me on edge—my feelings toward them kept shifting, and by the end, I was truly shocked.
I feel like the ending hints at a possible sequel! I’d gladly read more about Ethan Cain’s adventures.
________
Pre-read: My first ARC from Berkley!🤩
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group (Berkley) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The book follows two main plotlines–events take place at the Johnson Space Center and in Africa. The main character, Ethan Cain, is a treasure hunter searching for an artifact off the coast of Mozambique. He’s brave and daring, with a body marked by scars that still cause him pain. He really reminded me of Indiana Jones. Overall, the author paints vivid descriptions and presents the story from different angles, so I could clearly picture everything in my mind. I honestly think this book would make an excellent movie in the style of a ‘90s action film.
I also loved how the author played with my emotions. There’s one character, whose role kept me on edge—my feelings toward them kept shifting, and by the end, I was truly shocked.
I feel like the ending hints at a possible sequel! I’d gladly read more about Ethan Cain’s adventures.
________
Pre-read: My first ARC from Berkley!🤩
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group (Berkley) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 12, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley publishing group for the ARC!
The plot keeps you on edge, making you care about the characters.
The book has many different tropes, including adventure, espionage, fantasy, and teamwork, which I love.
The story is constantly moving and is easy to read.
Vivid descriptions give a sense of immersion in the plot.
It's immediately clear that the author knows what they're writing about.
However, I personally don't like when belief is involved in thrillers, so all those moments felt dull to me...
At times, it reminded me a bit of the atmosphere in Dan Brown's books.
The themes of faith, different cultures, and technology intertwine with a race for ancient relics.
• NASA
• Treasure hunters
• The Old Testament
⭐️3,5/5
🪂🛩🗺🪬
The plot keeps you on edge, making you care about the characters.
The book has many different tropes, including adventure, espionage, fantasy, and teamwork, which I love.
The story is constantly moving and is easy to read.
Vivid descriptions give a sense of immersion in the plot.
It's immediately clear that the author knows what they're writing about.
However, I personally don't like when belief is involved in thrillers, so all those moments felt dull to me...
At times, it reminded me a bit of the atmosphere in Dan Brown's books.
The themes of faith, different cultures, and technology intertwine with a race for ancient relics.
• NASA
• Treasure hunters
• The Old Testament
⭐️3,5/5
🪂🛩🗺🪬
June 17, 2025
It was such a captivating read! From the very first sentence, you’re immersed in the story through the author’s vivid descriptions. I’m not sure what else to say without giving away any plot details. But I can say one thing: if you’re a fan of adventure stories in the spirit of Indiana Jones, Lara Croft, and The Mummy, you’ll likely enjoy this book.
The author took storytelling very seriously and paid great attention to detail.
I wouldn’t be surprised if someone bought the rights and turned this story into a movie.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The author took storytelling very seriously and paid great attention to detail.
I wouldn’t be surprised if someone bought the rights and turned this story into a movie.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2025
What a ride. This is the kind of book that throws you into the action and does not let off the gas the entire time.
There are location spanning the globe (and off in space) and multiple points of view. And you are just dropped into the action. But as Pote establishes all that we need to know, he doesn’t let us get bogged down in the massive amount of information and dynamics, because he gives us all these details in the midst of incredible action sequences.
Themes of religion and extreme loyalty were prevalent here and I really enjoyed how these topics were woven in and handled in sometimes unexpected ways.
The whole time I was reading I kept thinking how cinematic this felt. I can imagine this being a summer blockbuster movie. I could smell the fumes, experience salty ocean air, feel dry desert heat, fear the enemy closing in, and have my heart race as I searched for treasure too. Everything was vibrant and tangible.
It’s hard to believe this is a debut! I can’t wait for more of Ethan Cain. This is going to be a fun series to continue.
This is for readers who like a more action packed version of Dan Brown/National Treasure.
Content Warning: Graphic killing and violence, torture, abuse, death, cursing
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Pub for the gifted book.
There are location spanning the globe (and off in space) and multiple points of view. And you are just dropped into the action. But as Pote establishes all that we need to know, he doesn’t let us get bogged down in the massive amount of information and dynamics, because he gives us all these details in the midst of incredible action sequences.
Themes of religion and extreme loyalty were prevalent here and I really enjoyed how these topics were woven in and handled in sometimes unexpected ways.
The whole time I was reading I kept thinking how cinematic this felt. I can imagine this being a summer blockbuster movie. I could smell the fumes, experience salty ocean air, feel dry desert heat, fear the enemy closing in, and have my heart race as I searched for treasure too. Everything was vibrant and tangible.
It’s hard to believe this is a debut! I can’t wait for more of Ethan Cain. This is going to be a fun series to continue.
This is for readers who like a more action packed version of Dan Brown/National Treasure.
Content Warning: Graphic killing and violence, torture, abuse, death, cursing
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Pub for the gifted book.
April 7, 2025
4.5 stars, rounded up for Goodreads
My quick takes:
- 4.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
- Language 🤐 moderate
- Spice ❤️🔥 none
- Content 🤔 graphic killing and violence, torture, death, abuse
What 👏🏼 a 👏🏼 debut 👏🏼 Blood and Treasure hits you with action and never lets off the gas. I was instantly consumed in the plot and the book was hard to put down.
There are multiple points of view, different locations around the globe (and off the globe 👀), and an underdog feel to the ex military male main character. I will say, his past is STILL shrouded in mystery and I’m very intrigued to learn more about Ethan Cain and get some good character development in the coming books!
I thoroughly enjoyed the different religious aspects woven throughout the book, I have a religious studies minor and always love seeing common threads alongside the stark differences in religion. The multifaceted, religion-based treasure hunting was a fun added detail throughout the plot.
While the storyline leans heavily into the action/adventure side of the thriller genre, I really enjoyed that there was an aspect of military and political intelligence as well. I’m very intrigued to see where this series goes and planning to read the next books!
If you like Dan Brown, Joel C. Rosenberg, National Treasure, this one’s for you. Thank you to the author and Berkley Publishing for a copy of the book to read and review. #bloodandtreasure #netgalley
My quick takes:
- 4.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
- Language 🤐 moderate
- Spice ❤️🔥 none
- Content 🤔 graphic killing and violence, torture, death, abuse
What 👏🏼 a 👏🏼 debut 👏🏼 Blood and Treasure hits you with action and never lets off the gas. I was instantly consumed in the plot and the book was hard to put down.
There are multiple points of view, different locations around the globe (and off the globe 👀), and an underdog feel to the ex military male main character. I will say, his past is STILL shrouded in mystery and I’m very intrigued to learn more about Ethan Cain and get some good character development in the coming books!
I thoroughly enjoyed the different religious aspects woven throughout the book, I have a religious studies minor and always love seeing common threads alongside the stark differences in religion. The multifaceted, religion-based treasure hunting was a fun added detail throughout the plot.
While the storyline leans heavily into the action/adventure side of the thriller genre, I really enjoyed that there was an aspect of military and political intelligence as well. I’m very intrigued to see where this series goes and planning to read the next books!
If you like Dan Brown, Joel C. Rosenberg, National Treasure, this one’s for you. Thank you to the author and Berkley Publishing for a copy of the book to read and review. #bloodandtreasure #netgalley
October 18, 2025
3.5 stars
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
May 17, 2025
Blood and Treasure by Ryan Pote is a modern adventure story, combining up to date events and technology with the classic spirit of treasure hunting heroes.
His main protagonist, Ethan Cain leaps onto the page with charisma and energy. Fully formed and ready for countless more adventures yet to be published.
Complete with the International space station, espionage, religious zealotry and an artifact which is shrouded in ambiguity, Blood and Treasure weaves the various genre elements into a satisfying adventure you can’t set down.
His main protagonist, Ethan Cain leaps onto the page with charisma and energy. Fully formed and ready for countless more adventures yet to be published.
Complete with the International space station, espionage, religious zealotry and an artifact which is shrouded in ambiguity, Blood and Treasure weaves the various genre elements into a satisfying adventure you can’t set down.
August 2, 2025
This book was fantastic fun to read. Another author Brad Taylor described the hero Ethan Cain as "a mix of Indiana Jones and Jason Bourne." As I was reading the book, Ethan Cain reminded me of Jack Du Brul's geologist hero Philip Mercer.
The plot was one wild and wooly spy-fi adventure. And that last line! I imagine that was how Dr. Stanley Goodspeed felt when he recovered the microfilm from the church in Kansas at the end of the movie The Rock.
The plot was one wild and wooly spy-fi adventure. And that last line! I imagine that was how Dr. Stanley Goodspeed felt when he recovered the microfilm from the church in Kansas at the end of the movie The Rock.
September 19, 2025
July 24, 2024 Review:
This wild adventure starts with a crisis aboard the International Space Station then features a former Navy pilot-turned-treasure hunter who retrieves an ancient artifact while stumbling across and rescuing the lone surviving astronaut who crashed landed off the coast of Mozambique. Chaos ensues as competing parties hunt down the mysterious astronaut and the even more mysterious artifact.
This page-turner has major Indiana Jones vibes but with higher stakes (I mean, the space agency is involved!), and non-stop exciting action with daring feats that should be re-enacted on the big screen.
If you’re looking for a thrilling high-stakes adventure off the coast of Africa (without having to leave the comforts of your own home) then you might want to check out this book.
I will note that there were a lot of technical and product details included throughout that were a bit excessive in my opinion (I’m not sure it was necessary to include the make and model of every device, tool, and weapon that the characters use). Also, the number of times the Garmin Fenix 7 watch was mentioned made me wonder if this book was sponsored by Garmin or if the author is simply just a fan of this thousand plus dollar multisport GPS solar-charging smartwatch (and yes, the not-so-subtle hints as to how amazing this watch is made me look it up out of curiosity).
*I received a free physical copy of this book from the publisher (Berkley) for review consideration, but all opinions are my own. *
*** #10 of my 2025 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book you got for free ***
July 22, 2025 Pre-Review:
Happy publishing day to this fast-paced, action-packed, should-be-adapted-into-a-movie, page-turning thriller!
I'm halfway through this book right now and it's such a thrilling adventure with major Indiana Jones vibes (but with higher stakes and modern tech).
This wild adventure starts with a crisis aboard the International Space Station then features a former Navy pilot-turned-treasure hunter who retrieves an ancient artifact while stumbling across and rescuing the lone surviving astronaut who crashed landed off the coast of Mozambique. Chaos ensues as competing parties hunt down the mysterious astronaut and the even more mysterious artifact.
This page-turner has major Indiana Jones vibes but with higher stakes (I mean, the space agency is involved!), and non-stop exciting action with daring feats that should be re-enacted on the big screen.
If you’re looking for a thrilling high-stakes adventure off the coast of Africa (without having to leave the comforts of your own home) then you might want to check out this book.
I will note that there were a lot of technical and product details included throughout that were a bit excessive in my opinion (I’m not sure it was necessary to include the make and model of every device, tool, and weapon that the characters use). Also, the number of times the Garmin Fenix 7 watch was mentioned made me wonder if this book was sponsored by Garmin or if the author is simply just a fan of this thousand plus dollar multisport GPS solar-charging smartwatch (and yes, the not-so-subtle hints as to how amazing this watch is made me look it up out of curiosity).
*I received a free physical copy of this book from the publisher (Berkley) for review consideration, but all opinions are my own. *
*** #10 of my 2025 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book you got for free ***
July 22, 2025 Pre-Review:
Happy publishing day to this fast-paced, action-packed, should-be-adapted-into-a-movie, page-turning thriller!
I'm halfway through this book right now and it's such a thrilling adventure with major Indiana Jones vibes (but with higher stakes and modern tech).
September 5, 2025
Blood and Treasure is a decent thriller with flashes of excitement, but it ultimately left me wanting more—particularly in the “treasure” department. For a book with such a promising blurb, it’s far heavier on the blood and action than on any real treasure-hunting adventure.
The setup hooked me immediately: a massacre aboard the International Space Station, a mysterious crash landing in the Indian Ocean, and treasure hunter Ethan Cain stumbling upon the lone survivor. Unfortunately, most of the thrills teased in the cover blurb are frontloaded into the opening chapters. After that, the story becomes another generic action thriller full of gunfights, chases, plane crashes, and more.
Ethan Cain is a likeable enough lead in the Clive Cussler mold, but character development across the board is thin. Several secondary characters—especially the women—felt underutilized or sketched in just enough to move the plot forward without ever becoming compelling in their own right. The mix of sci-fi, spy thriller, and military adventure could have worked so much better, but it felt like it was trying to do too much. Also, and this is a personal peeve, but the repetitive intrusion of prayer got on my nerves.
All in all, Blood and Treasure delivers some decent popcorn thrills, but never quite lives up to the promise of its premise. If you enjoy shootouts at sea and techno-thriller detail, it might scratch the itch—but if you’re looking for a true treasure-hunting adventure, the title oversells what you’ll actually find inside.
The setup hooked me immediately: a massacre aboard the International Space Station, a mysterious crash landing in the Indian Ocean, and treasure hunter Ethan Cain stumbling upon the lone survivor. Unfortunately, most of the thrills teased in the cover blurb are frontloaded into the opening chapters. After that, the story becomes another generic action thriller full of gunfights, chases, plane crashes, and more.
Ethan Cain is a likeable enough lead in the Clive Cussler mold, but character development across the board is thin. Several secondary characters—especially the women—felt underutilized or sketched in just enough to move the plot forward without ever becoming compelling in their own right. The mix of sci-fi, spy thriller, and military adventure could have worked so much better, but it felt like it was trying to do too much. Also, and this is a personal peeve, but the repetitive intrusion of prayer got on my nerves.
All in all, Blood and Treasure delivers some decent popcorn thrills, but never quite lives up to the promise of its premise. If you enjoy shootouts at sea and techno-thriller detail, it might scratch the itch—but if you’re looking for a true treasure-hunting adventure, the title oversells what you’ll actually find inside.
April 18, 2025
As several astronauts are found murdered aboard the International Space Station, treasure hunter and ex-Special Ops pilot Ethan Cain sees an object crash into the Indian Ocean. When he investigates, he finds a space shuttle with an unconscious woman inside, thrusting Cain into a wild and deadly adventure. Blood And Treasure blends genres here, part sci-fi, part spy thriller which would have worked better as two separate stories. Instead, the two storylines are muddled and confusing, often branching out into even other genres, and it just gets too confusing. The battle scenes are overly detailed and borderline cartoonish, and the reader learns little about the characters, even Ethan, whose burn scars are described too many times to count. The plot teaser really grabs your attention and seemed promising, but this one was a huge disappointment. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2026
Indiana Jones and Robert Langdon meets Mitch Rapp and James Reece. Blood and Treasure is the first book in the Ethan Cain series and it is a fast paced, edge of your seat, stay up all night thriller from the start. National security breaches, betrayal, loyalty, globe trotting.... Blood and Treasure has it all. Ryan Pote has hit a homerun with this thriller.
December 20, 2025
As a 40-something guy who’s spent years reading Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, Mark Greaney, Jack Carr, and Dan Brown, Blood and Treasure by Ryan Pote felt like it was written for a guy like me. The story follows a former special ops pilot and current treasure hunter, Ethan Cain, as he is pulled into a deadly hunt where an ancient treasure isn’t just a historical curiosity, but something that could seriously shift the balance of power if it falls into the wrong hands. Growing up watching all the great action/adventure of the 80s, 90s, and early 00s, this book blends present-day military and intelligence action with deep historical threads in a way that feels like Indiana Jones adventure, Jack Ryan tension, and Robert Langdon–style mystery all rolled together. Even with multiple factions racing across different locations, the plot stays tight and easy to follow, steadily building toward a strong payoff. I don’t have as much time to read as I would truly hope for, but this book grabbed me fast and kept me fully immersed with its smart pacing, high stakes, and cinematic feel. Also, to top it off, Ryan Pote is an incredibly nice guy and really goes all out for his fans! Highly recommended!
May 9, 2025
This book pulls you right in from the beginning and does not let up. The one thing I really enjoyed about the book is the character development, I felt like I got to know many of the characters well and want to know what is going to happen next to them.
An action/adventure novel mixed with political intrigue and archeology made for an interesting plot. I really enjoyed this book.
You do not want to miss this new book and I hope to see another in the series coming next.
An action/adventure novel mixed with political intrigue and archeology made for an interesting plot. I really enjoyed this book.
You do not want to miss this new book and I hope to see another in the series coming next.
March 17, 2025
This was a fast paced story that drew me in right away. The character development was fantastic - I really connected with all the characters. This was a quick read too. I'm always leery when faith and religious belief are interwoven into books, but the author did a good job here so that even those that don't believe in that kind of thing will still enjoy this one. I would highly recommend this book to any thriller fan and any fan of authors like Dan Brown.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Net Galley for this arc. #BloodandTreasure #NetGalley
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Net Galley for this arc. #BloodandTreasure #NetGalley
July 30, 2025
Blood and Treasure is a compelling thriller packed with solid characters, exciting twists, and globe-trotting adventure! Pote seamlessly blends the quest for an ancient artifact with a murder mystery in outer space, of all places. It's an intoxicating concoction that will keep you reading late into the night. Touches of humor appear in all the right places. This is one novel you will not want to miss!
July 30, 2025
This book is what would happen if Jack Carr wrote Indiana Jones.
I absolutely loved it.
The action and story were tight and the plot was riveting.
I absolutely loved it.
The action and story were tight and the plot was riveting.
August 26, 2025
Captivating plot, great pace, and fantastic ending!
August 11, 2025
Excellent book!! This is a great start to hopefully a long line of books in my favorite genre, adventure. Pick it up, you won't be disappointed.
June 24, 2026
Great Indiana jones style adventure. Light spoiler alert:
Of note the enemies are a rogue portion of the Iranian government. The book makes explicit statements in favor of the Iranian people and Muslims in general, so there don’t seem to be any nefarious purposes here, it has just aged a bit poorly for obvious reasons through no fault of the author. I didn’t feel it had a significant impact on my ability to enjoy the book, but some might feel differently.
Of note the enemies are a rogue portion of the Iranian government. The book makes explicit statements in favor of the Iranian people and Muslims in general, so there don’t seem to be any nefarious purposes here, it has just aged a bit poorly for obvious reasons through no fault of the author. I didn’t feel it had a significant impact on my ability to enjoy the book, but some might feel differently.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2026
One of my favourite books!
September 14, 2025
Loved it!!!! Can't wait to see what Ethan Cain is up to next.
February 8, 2026
4.75 stars, happily rounded! One heck of a debut! If you enjoy action-packed thrillers, do not sleep on this. Standouts for setting, plot, writing, and sheer thrill. The lowest score I gave this was for character work which I can easily forgive given the fast pacing and scope of it all.
We've got outer space, we've got underwater exploration, a race across the globe. There's the mystery of a destroyed space station while the only remaining witness falls into our laps and kicks off chases across continents to secure a deadly weapon that could jeopardize millions. All alongside secrets, betrayals, international espionage, and top secret projects within projects.
Some might think this is too much for one book, but Ryan Pote does it well. You could never have guessed this is his debut novel. The writing is smooth, cinematic, and immersive. You can tell the author is knowledgeable in many areas (thank you for your service as well). Somehow even concepts that require more leaps of imagination are written in a way that makes sense in the context of the story. Indeed, even though there is an interweaving of different religious beliefs that spur on the action, I could still hold onto my own while allowing myself to enjoy the things yet shrouded in mystery. Faith and trust showed up again and again.
I appreciated the humor woven into the story. I enjoyed the one-liners throughout which relieved the tension. I looked forward to every time Hank and Dale showed up on page because of this. A probably unintentionally funny bit were the brand drops. Was this sponsored by Garmin? Haha! Overall, Blood and Treasure is ambitious in scope but has all the elements to make this an immersive thrill ride. Somebody should pick this up for the big screen.
We've got outer space, we've got underwater exploration, a race across the globe. There's the mystery of a destroyed space station while the only remaining witness falls into our laps and kicks off chases across continents to secure a deadly weapon that could jeopardize millions. All alongside secrets, betrayals, international espionage, and top secret projects within projects.
Some might think this is too much for one book, but Ryan Pote does it well. You could never have guessed this is his debut novel. The writing is smooth, cinematic, and immersive. You can tell the author is knowledgeable in many areas (thank you for your service as well). Somehow even concepts that require more leaps of imagination are written in a way that makes sense in the context of the story. Indeed, even though there is an interweaving of different religious beliefs that spur on the action, I could still hold onto my own while allowing myself to enjoy the things yet shrouded in mystery. Faith and trust showed up again and again.
I appreciated the humor woven into the story. I enjoyed the one-liners throughout which relieved the tension. I looked forward to every time Hank and Dale showed up on page because of this. A probably unintentionally funny bit were the brand drops. Was this sponsored by Garmin? Haha! Overall, Blood and Treasure is ambitious in scope but has all the elements to make this an immersive thrill ride. Somebody should pick this up for the big screen.
June 8, 2026
If you are looking for a high-octane thriller that speeds out of the gate on page one and doesn’t slow down, Blood and Treasure is a solid choice. Reading this debut novel felt like a cinematic cross between an Indiana Jones archaeological adventure and a high-stakes spy thriller.
What I Loved:
* Relentless Pacing: The story jumps from high-tech space tension to ancient mysteries without losing an ounce of momentum.
* The Characters: I found myself invested in the main protagonist, Ethan Cain. He’s a compelling mix of a former special operations pilot and a modern-day treasure hunter, bringing a heart to a story that easily could have been overshadowed by the action.
* Tech vs. History: The book does a great job of contrasting cutting-edge, modern tech with ancient history. I loved how deep historical and religious elements were woven seamlessly into a high-tech world.
* The Realism: The author clearly knows his stuff. The technical details regarding flying and diving are incredibly sharp and added authenticity to Ethan's operations.
Minor Critiques:
No book is perfect, and there were a few minor things that took me out of the story just a bit. At times, the plot relies a little too heavily on "nick-of-time" escapes that strained reality. Additionally, the author occasionally gets a bit too bogged down in hyper-specific technical gear descriptions that felt a bit dry and slowed the momentum down just a touch.
Final Verdict:
Despite a few small bumps, the sheer fun factor, realistic operational details, and the won me over. If you love military thrillers mixed with ancient puzzles, this debut is well worth the ride.
What I Loved:
* Relentless Pacing: The story jumps from high-tech space tension to ancient mysteries without losing an ounce of momentum.
* The Characters: I found myself invested in the main protagonist, Ethan Cain. He’s a compelling mix of a former special operations pilot and a modern-day treasure hunter, bringing a heart to a story that easily could have been overshadowed by the action.
* Tech vs. History: The book does a great job of contrasting cutting-edge, modern tech with ancient history. I loved how deep historical and religious elements were woven seamlessly into a high-tech world.
* The Realism: The author clearly knows his stuff. The technical details regarding flying and diving are incredibly sharp and added authenticity to Ethan's operations.
Minor Critiques:
No book is perfect, and there were a few minor things that took me out of the story just a bit. At times, the plot relies a little too heavily on "nick-of-time" escapes that strained reality. Additionally, the author occasionally gets a bit too bogged down in hyper-specific technical gear descriptions that felt a bit dry and slowed the momentum down just a touch.
Final Verdict:
Despite a few small bumps, the sheer fun factor, realistic operational details, and the won me over. If you love military thrillers mixed with ancient puzzles, this debut is well worth the ride.
November 17, 2025
My interest was piqued when I first read the book’s description. You have a terrible event that happens on the ISS and the discovery of an ancient scroll by a modern day treasure hunter/former special ops pilot, Ethan Cain, and that is just the start to the adventure this book will take you on. I definitely got flavors of some of my favorite things here. Indiana Jones’ artifact-chasing thrill, Alias’ espionage intrigue, and Mission: Impossible’s high-stakes action, all wrapped up in a story that is ultimately about redemption.
This is a fun fast paced story that takes you from the ISS, to the coasts of Africa, into the Middle East and even to the ‘Church In The Sky’ on a hunt for the Ark Of The Covenant and just what it has to do with the tragedy that lead to the destruction of the ISS and a satellite that can drop missiles from space.
I really enjoyed the main character of Ethan Cain and the team that surrounds him. He is definitely a character that is scarred by his previous life in the military, both inside and out, and I hope we learn more about that past in subsequent books. I like that he is a character that isn’t infallible. He struggles but puts his all into what he is trying to accomplish or survive. The side characters are really well developed too.
I would recommend checking out Ryan’s website for some very cool book trailers, book club discussion questions and some other neat Easter eggs.
If you are looking for an action filled adventure, Blood And Treasure should definitely be on your TBR!
This is a fun fast paced story that takes you from the ISS, to the coasts of Africa, into the Middle East and even to the ‘Church In The Sky’ on a hunt for the Ark Of The Covenant and just what it has to do with the tragedy that lead to the destruction of the ISS and a satellite that can drop missiles from space.
I really enjoyed the main character of Ethan Cain and the team that surrounds him. He is definitely a character that is scarred by his previous life in the military, both inside and out, and I hope we learn more about that past in subsequent books. I like that he is a character that isn’t infallible. He struggles but puts his all into what he is trying to accomplish or survive. The side characters are really well developed too.
I would recommend checking out Ryan’s website for some very cool book trailers, book club discussion questions and some other neat Easter eggs.
If you are looking for an action filled adventure, Blood And Treasure should definitely be on your TBR!
August 1, 2025
Murder and mayhem on the space station. A secret orbiting weapon seized by anti-American forces. The lone surviving astronaut, Moj, an Iranian woman, survives the return to earth in an escape pod, happens to be recovered by Ethan Cain, who had just recovered the long lost Ark of the Covenant, which Moj’s handler has also been searching for. When the Iranians come to collect the Ark and their agent, things get crazy. Meanwhile, back in the US, ace programmers are trying to regain control of the stolen space weapon, while another squad goes after the Ark and kill the Iranian astronaut. Lots of dead bodies, lots of impossible escapes for both Moj and Ethan and an encounter with caretaker of a hidden church. In the end, the good guys win and the bad guys are punished (along with uncounted scores of innocents). Overall the plot had some interesting elements. The characters were a little too “typical” to be engaging.
June 11, 2026
3.5 stars
I guess my dad was right when he said I would like his military thriller-type books. haha
I really enjoyed the audiobook narrator for this one; he gave every character such a distinctive accent it helped keep the [large] cast of characters straight (somewhat; I 100% mixed up some of the govt guys.)
This one was Indiana Jones meets Jason Bourne meets Mission Impossible meets Jack Ryan, which is NOT my normal reading fare but IS what I tend to enjoy watching as a TV show/movie. The military/tech speak was a little heavy for a civilian but I'm sure someone military would appreciate.
There was a quote at the end that stuck with me:
"Life has but two masters: faith and wealth, to switch we all become slaves..."
Solid ending. Will continue this series via audio.
I guess my dad was right when he said I would like his military thriller-type books. haha
I really enjoyed the audiobook narrator for this one; he gave every character such a distinctive accent it helped keep the [large] cast of characters straight (somewhat; I 100% mixed up some of the govt guys.)
This one was Indiana Jones meets Jason Bourne meets Mission Impossible meets Jack Ryan, which is NOT my normal reading fare but IS what I tend to enjoy watching as a TV show/movie. The military/tech speak was a little heavy for a civilian but I'm sure someone military would appreciate.
There was a quote at the end that stuck with me:
"Life has but two masters: faith and wealth, to switch we all become slaves..."
Solid ending. Will continue this series via audio.
June 30, 2025
In his debut novel, Blood and Treasure, author Ryan Pote takes you on an adventure that will constantly keep you guessing. Space warfare, treasure hunting, foreign espionage, torture, manipulation, and redemption. If you like Clive Cussler, Dan Brown, and Jack Carr, this is a must read you will not want to miss!
September 1, 2025
Very similar to Clive Cussler.
Interesting plot.
Pretty likeable main character.
Women in the book cut short, except for Devine at Nasa.
Mogden is so mysterious, you really don't get any expansion of the character,
she's driving the plot, but through her actions not as a character.
Lana in really not needed, but probably introduced for futher books.
No crime if you skip this book.
Interesting plot.
Pretty likeable main character.
Women in the book cut short, except for Devine at Nasa.
Mogden is so mysterious, you really don't get any expansion of the character,
she's driving the plot, but through her actions not as a character.
Lana in really not needed, but probably introduced for futher books.
No crime if you skip this book.
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