What do you think?
Rocket's Red Glare
From the world's #1 bestselling author: they’re ex-Special Forces. They’re on American soil. Their code name is “Rocket's Red Glare.”
“A military thriller that captures the best of American heroism. There’s courage and nonstop action on every page. Nat Phillips is the hero we need.”—Bret Baier
"Rocket’s Red Glare brings the heat! In a summer read you will not soon forget, James Patterson and Matt Eversmann combine forces to create unforgettable characters and plot, with breakneck pacing that will keep you riveted through the night! This one is a banger!" —Jack Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fourth Option
Nat Phillips leads an elite roster of special operators. They are ex-Special Forces, communications specialists, and intelligence officers. Phillips is a brilliant strategist and battle-tested leader who inspires total loyalty in his team. Now these decorated veterans of international warfare are at home and on stand-by—until a presidential campaign is interrupted by murder.
Suddenly, the plan is no longer the stuff of Mission: Impossible. Emergency operations happening not overseas but in the centers of American power, from Nantucket to Washington, DC. This national crisis is real.
“A military thriller that captures the best of American heroism. There’s courage and nonstop action on every page. Nat Phillips is the hero we need.”—Bret Baier
"Rocket’s Red Glare brings the heat! In a summer read you will not soon forget, James Patterson and Matt Eversmann combine forces to create unforgettable characters and plot, with breakneck pacing that will keep you riveted through the night! This one is a banger!" —Jack Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fourth Option
Nat Phillips leads an elite roster of special operators. They are ex-Special Forces, communications specialists, and intelligence officers. Phillips is a brilliant strategist and battle-tested leader who inspires total loyalty in his team. Now these decorated veterans of international warfare are at home and on stand-by—until a presidential campaign is interrupted by murder.
Suddenly, the plan is no longer the stuff of Mission: Impossible. Emergency operations happening not overseas but in the centers of American power, from Nantucket to Washington, DC. This national crisis is real.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published June 8, 2026
About the author
James Patterson
957 books359k followersOfficial US Site
Official UK Site
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, Michael Crichton, and Viola Davis, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Official UK Site
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, Michael Crichton, and Viola Davis, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 468 reviews
May 26, 2026
Have read most of James Patterson books and have always found them hard to put down.
I looked forward to this new book co-authored with Matt Eversmann; I found the characters strong and Nathan Phillips who leads a clandestine special forces group that works with the U.S. government though not exclusively. The plot twists around a terrorist attack on Nantucket with conspiracy, espionage, covert missions, betrayals, shifting alliances all seeming to be controlled by the Chinese.
Only you don't get to an answer, the book ends with all this unanswered.
This is the first book I have felt totally let down at an ending. Hopefully there will be a sequel that will give the final answers. If not, I have wasted several hours of my life.
I looked forward to this new book co-authored with Matt Eversmann; I found the characters strong and Nathan Phillips who leads a clandestine special forces group that works with the U.S. government though not exclusively. The plot twists around a terrorist attack on Nantucket with conspiracy, espionage, covert missions, betrayals, shifting alliances all seeming to be controlled by the Chinese.
Only you don't get to an answer, the book ends with all this unanswered.
This is the first book I have felt totally let down at an ending. Hopefully there will be a sequel that will give the final answers. If not, I have wasted several hours of my life.
June 27, 2026
I am a reader of most the books written (at least co-written to some degree) by James Patterson. I would not necessarily call myself a huge fan because I consider his plots to be a bit formula driven, predictable, and not necessarily challenging to read. However, I tend to find him to be a quick and easy read with some of the books and series better than others. He is my escape author that provides a nice two to three-day distraction.
His new action thriller for the summer is “Rocket’s Red Glare” – a name for a team of ex-military special forces that are moving their field of operations from outside the United States to inside. Their team is led by Nathan “Nat” Phillips, and includes dangerous combat and battle tested soldiers, communications and weapons experts, and intelligence officers.
When the novel starts off Nat and his team have arrived home from a deadly mission near Baghdad, and trying to get some rest and recovery time in Nantucket on the East Coast. That is until a local Senator gearing up his campaign for President is attacked by terrorists, throwing Nat’s team into the middle of the fire, and providing the country’s only hopes of dealing with this new national crisis.
I am going to keep my review fairly short because the results are not going to be pretty and I want to keep myself from spouting off too much on my issues with this one.
“Rocket’s Red Glare” tries very hard to be a Tom Clancy Ryan thriller, but it is really a fairly blatant copy of Patterson’s popular “Private” series. Whether intended or not. the main character of that series – Jack Morgan - is for all intents and purposes the mirror model for this book’s lead – Nat Phillips. It is really that obvious. They are like biological twins in all of their skills, behaviors, physical attributes and analytical thinking. I would even say that Nat is just a younger version of Jack.
I am not sure whether this copycat approach was even needed since this could have been a Private novel, except I think having a younger lead and more recent military experiences were part of it. And it’s also another reason for Patterson to create a new series to sell his readers on.
But that wasn’t the only issue that I noticed. The plotting was a double-edged sword. Although it was fast-paced and exciting, providing a fast-paced reading experience, it was also extremely unrealistic and far-fetched in several ways. Talk about suspending your sense of realism, this one doesn’t ask for it. It demanded it without the payoffs needed to support it. In additions, it presents several characters in the most political and social prejudicial ways, including evil Russians, a psycho Algerian zealot, and of course evil Chinese government agents. To make things worse, these characters weren’t even given any kind of motivations to support their crazy actions to kill and torture American leaders. I guess they were just bad to be bad. Ugh.
Another issue for me, and this one really annoyed me just as much, was the ending. Or should I say, the lack of an ending. It was like getting to the end of act 3 of a 4-act play, turning on the lights, and telling the audience, that’s all folks, go home. Because of that, it’s easy to assume there will be another book because that is what Patterson does, but come on man, at least let us know up front that there is not an ending to this book. The fact that it ends in the middle of the story without any real climax is a horrible way to treat the readers. At least put “Part 1” or “The beginning of…” or “The first book in the series…” on the cover and prepare the reader for a disappointing ending cliffhanger that leaves a very sour taste in your mouth. Patterson did this same type of cut-off ending with one of his Alex Cross novels and I remember how frustrated his readers were over the ill delivered choice that it was. And now, he’s pulling this stunt again. I guess when you sell as many books as he does, you can do this sort of thing.
For me, the biggest frustration was getting to the last 20 pages and immediately sensing that it was very unlikely that you were going to get any closure before the book ended. When that turned out to be true (through a very rushed and choppy ending), I was very glad that I was reading a library book that was free rather than having had to pay money for the $30 hard cover disappointment. At least I only suffered a loss of my time and not a maddening hit to my wallet.
Overall, this may have been a promising idea on paper, but it turned out to be a hot mess in the execution and delivery. I really wanted to enjoy this one, but it turned out to easily be one of the most annoying and frustrating Patterson novels I’ve read in a while.
Maybe you will like it more than I did, and I hope you do. Maybe I will like the follow-up book, assuming that it’s published, and more so, assuming that I will be interested enough to read it. At this point, I can only say, we’ll see if the bad taste has left my mouth if and when that time comes…
His new action thriller for the summer is “Rocket’s Red Glare” – a name for a team of ex-military special forces that are moving their field of operations from outside the United States to inside. Their team is led by Nathan “Nat” Phillips, and includes dangerous combat and battle tested soldiers, communications and weapons experts, and intelligence officers.
When the novel starts off Nat and his team have arrived home from a deadly mission near Baghdad, and trying to get some rest and recovery time in Nantucket on the East Coast. That is until a local Senator gearing up his campaign for President is attacked by terrorists, throwing Nat’s team into the middle of the fire, and providing the country’s only hopes of dealing with this new national crisis.
I am going to keep my review fairly short because the results are not going to be pretty and I want to keep myself from spouting off too much on my issues with this one.
“Rocket’s Red Glare” tries very hard to be a Tom Clancy Ryan thriller, but it is really a fairly blatant copy of Patterson’s popular “Private” series. Whether intended or not. the main character of that series – Jack Morgan - is for all intents and purposes the mirror model for this book’s lead – Nat Phillips. It is really that obvious. They are like biological twins in all of their skills, behaviors, physical attributes and analytical thinking. I would even say that Nat is just a younger version of Jack.
I am not sure whether this copycat approach was even needed since this could have been a Private novel, except I think having a younger lead and more recent military experiences were part of it. And it’s also another reason for Patterson to create a new series to sell his readers on.
But that wasn’t the only issue that I noticed. The plotting was a double-edged sword. Although it was fast-paced and exciting, providing a fast-paced reading experience, it was also extremely unrealistic and far-fetched in several ways. Talk about suspending your sense of realism, this one doesn’t ask for it. It demanded it without the payoffs needed to support it. In additions, it presents several characters in the most political and social prejudicial ways, including evil Russians, a psycho Algerian zealot, and of course evil Chinese government agents. To make things worse, these characters weren’t even given any kind of motivations to support their crazy actions to kill and torture American leaders. I guess they were just bad to be bad. Ugh.
Another issue for me, and this one really annoyed me just as much, was the ending. Or should I say, the lack of an ending. It was like getting to the end of act 3 of a 4-act play, turning on the lights, and telling the audience, that’s all folks, go home. Because of that, it’s easy to assume there will be another book because that is what Patterson does, but come on man, at least let us know up front that there is not an ending to this book. The fact that it ends in the middle of the story without any real climax is a horrible way to treat the readers. At least put “Part 1” or “The beginning of…” or “The first book in the series…” on the cover and prepare the reader for a disappointing ending cliffhanger that leaves a very sour taste in your mouth. Patterson did this same type of cut-off ending with one of his Alex Cross novels and I remember how frustrated his readers were over the ill delivered choice that it was. And now, he’s pulling this stunt again. I guess when you sell as many books as he does, you can do this sort of thing.
For me, the biggest frustration was getting to the last 20 pages and immediately sensing that it was very unlikely that you were going to get any closure before the book ended. When that turned out to be true (through a very rushed and choppy ending), I was very glad that I was reading a library book that was free rather than having had to pay money for the $30 hard cover disappointment. At least I only suffered a loss of my time and not a maddening hit to my wallet.
Overall, this may have been a promising idea on paper, but it turned out to be a hot mess in the execution and delivery. I really wanted to enjoy this one, but it turned out to easily be one of the most annoying and frustrating Patterson novels I’ve read in a while.
Maybe you will like it more than I did, and I hope you do. Maybe I will like the follow-up book, assuming that it’s published, and more so, assuming that I will be interested enough to read it. At this point, I can only say, we’ll see if the bad taste has left my mouth if and when that time comes…
July 11, 2026
Always eager to see what James Patterson has percolating, I chose his latest collaborative effort with Matt Eversmann. Nat Phillips leads a group who are tasked with protecting America’s greatest assets. When a murder rocks a presidential campaign, Phillips and his team are called into action, as the plot takes them in many directions.
With a long history of difficult military maneuvers, it is a no-brainer for Nat Phillips to lead a secret and elite group of operatives. They are a cross section of former Special Forces, communication experts, and those who know intelligence. Phillips’ leadership brings these vets from their stand-by roles into action when a presidential campaign is mired by a brutal murder. This is no test and the team, known colloquially as Rocket’s Red Glare, is thrust into action. They are hunting a group of domestic terrorists seeking to topple any centre of power they can. With international layers, the hunt will take Phillips everywhere for answers before America is harmed again. Patterson and Eversmann keep the reader on the edge of their seat until the final page turn.
I love a good thriller with significant action and ongoing developments. James Patterson’s novels can be like that, depending who he brings on as a collaborator. Matt Eversmann serves as a great addition, helping formulate a strong narrative that builds momentum with Patterson’s trademark short chapters. Soon, the story has the reader fully committed as they try to understand all the moving parts put before them. The end begs for a sequel or a complete series.
Characters serve to set the scene in this piece as well. Nat Phillips is a strong protagonist, whose backstory is anything but smooth, as he leaves himself open for further development. He has a mission, somewhat impeded by the terror cell, which sets the tone for the novel. The reader is likely to find something about Phillips they want to explore, making his construction all the more important. Strong secondary characters, teammates and others alike, also help create a sense of tension, defining things for the attentive reader without revealing too much at once. This is a great introduction to the core characters and I am left to wonder if there will be more installments, especially with how things ended with this piece.
The authors embed twists and surprises inside the story to stoke the flames from the outset. They keep the reader hooked, leaving everything to chance at the most opportune moment. All this is essential to understanding the foundation of this novel, as Phillips encounters numerous surprises to impede his success throughout and a cliffhanger that begs for resolution. I cannot wait to see whether Patterson will return to have Eversmann add more collaborations in the years to come, with Nat or others leading the way.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Eversmann, for a great thriller all can enjoy.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
With a long history of difficult military maneuvers, it is a no-brainer for Nat Phillips to lead a secret and elite group of operatives. They are a cross section of former Special Forces, communication experts, and those who know intelligence. Phillips’ leadership brings these vets from their stand-by roles into action when a presidential campaign is mired by a brutal murder. This is no test and the team, known colloquially as Rocket’s Red Glare, is thrust into action. They are hunting a group of domestic terrorists seeking to topple any centre of power they can. With international layers, the hunt will take Phillips everywhere for answers before America is harmed again. Patterson and Eversmann keep the reader on the edge of their seat until the final page turn.
I love a good thriller with significant action and ongoing developments. James Patterson’s novels can be like that, depending who he brings on as a collaborator. Matt Eversmann serves as a great addition, helping formulate a strong narrative that builds momentum with Patterson’s trademark short chapters. Soon, the story has the reader fully committed as they try to understand all the moving parts put before them. The end begs for a sequel or a complete series.
Characters serve to set the scene in this piece as well. Nat Phillips is a strong protagonist, whose backstory is anything but smooth, as he leaves himself open for further development. He has a mission, somewhat impeded by the terror cell, which sets the tone for the novel. The reader is likely to find something about Phillips they want to explore, making his construction all the more important. Strong secondary characters, teammates and others alike, also help create a sense of tension, defining things for the attentive reader without revealing too much at once. This is a great introduction to the core characters and I am left to wonder if there will be more installments, especially with how things ended with this piece.
The authors embed twists and surprises inside the story to stoke the flames from the outset. They keep the reader hooked, leaving everything to chance at the most opportune moment. All this is essential to understanding the foundation of this novel, as Phillips encounters numerous surprises to impede his success throughout and a cliffhanger that begs for resolution. I cannot wait to see whether Patterson will return to have Eversmann add more collaborations in the years to come, with Nat or others leading the way.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Eversmann, for a great thriller all can enjoy.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
June 9, 2026
Rockets Red Glare is a fast-paced thrilling ride with non-stop action which is something James Patterson always seems to deliver.
I found this military themed book interesting however quite confusing at times. There are many unresolved storylines and the story ends abruptly with a cliff hangar.
I really wanted to enjoy this book more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
I found this military themed book interesting however quite confusing at times. There are many unresolved storylines and the story ends abruptly with a cliff hangar.
I really wanted to enjoy this book more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Did Not Finish
June 5, 2026DNF @ 50%. I liked the political intrigue, but the military banter and acronyms almost killed me.
September 10, 2026
This book is bonkers in the best possible way.
Readable. Bonkers. Fast-paced. Bonkers. Gripping. Bonkers. Entertaining. Bonkers. Good twists. Bonkers.
And I had a lot of fun with it.
Protagonist Nat Phillips is a former Special Forces soldier now leading a team in a military contracting company. He finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy and more action than one sane person could handle. The story move quickly, the conspiracy keeps expanding, and twists and betrayals compound but keep things interesting.
The book also commits to its own brand of action-thriller logic. For example, early on in the story, Nat meets Si, a young man from a wealthy family, in police detention after Si wrecks his mother's car. They get along. Nat gives him some maintenance work. A few days later Si is working for Nat's military contracting company, carrying a gun, and helping track down a terrorist organisation capable of a major attack.
Did you notice I said this happens in a few days? Si needs a better guidance counsellor.
But despite how bonkers this is, the book has a decent structure. It's fast-paced and extremely readable, and the twists work. It reminded me a little of the excess of some 1980s horror novels. You stop asking whether any of this is reasonable and just want to know what insanity is coming next.
Standout characters for me were Nat, who is insanity with access to far too much weaponry. He’s engaging, capable, loyal, and desperately in need of a stress ball. Si, in the wrong place at the wrong time. His progression from wrecking his mother's car to participating in counterterrorism operations in a matter of days is one of the most entertaining things in the book. Rowan, who is probably the best-written character in the novel. Each new piece of information changes how you see her without making her feel inconsistent.
I couldn’t take this book seriously, but I don't think I needed to. It commits to the absurdity, keeps the pages turning, and ends with a few things unresolved. I'll be back for the sequel.
Readable. Bonkers. Fast-paced. Bonkers. Gripping. Bonkers. Entertaining. Bonkers. Good twists. Bonkers.
And I had a lot of fun with it.
Protagonist Nat Phillips is a former Special Forces soldier now leading a team in a military contracting company. He finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy and more action than one sane person could handle. The story move quickly, the conspiracy keeps expanding, and twists and betrayals compound but keep things interesting.
The book also commits to its own brand of action-thriller logic. For example, early on in the story, Nat meets Si, a young man from a wealthy family, in police detention after Si wrecks his mother's car. They get along. Nat gives him some maintenance work. A few days later Si is working for Nat's military contracting company, carrying a gun, and helping track down a terrorist organisation capable of a major attack.
Did you notice I said this happens in a few days? Si needs a better guidance counsellor.
But despite how bonkers this is, the book has a decent structure. It's fast-paced and extremely readable, and the twists work. It reminded me a little of the excess of some 1980s horror novels. You stop asking whether any of this is reasonable and just want to know what insanity is coming next.
Standout characters for me were Nat, who is insanity with access to far too much weaponry. He’s engaging, capable, loyal, and desperately in need of a stress ball. Si, in the wrong place at the wrong time. His progression from wrecking his mother's car to participating in counterterrorism operations in a matter of days is one of the most entertaining things in the book. Rowan, who is probably the best-written character in the novel. Each new piece of information changes how you see her without making her feel inconsistent.
I couldn’t take this book seriously, but I don't think I needed to. It commits to the absurdity, keeps the pages turning, and ends with a few things unresolved. I'll be back for the sequel.
June 16, 2026
Enjoyable read. Bad guys, good guys, and mayhem. However, is that really how you are going to end this book, Mr. Patterson & Mr. Eversmann? At the very least I expected an excerpt for a sequel!
June 17, 2026
By page 75 I was ready to give up on this one but I persevered and it did get better. The language is a bit much and the character development is a bit lacking and there is no resolution to the conflicts and story lines at the end, but other than that I vibe it a 2.5 rounded up to 3. Maybe this duo is planning a sequel...I'm holding my breath..
July 21, 2026
James Patterson along with Matt Eversmann managed to weave a story that captured my interest for the very beginning..,,
The ending left me hanging on edge with unanswered questions…
Does Nat fully recover from his gunshot injury or is he forever sidelined from his injury. The loss of Meg left a void that I’m certain is still affecting the team and what of Rowan Anderson who seems to have gotten away unscathed.
I certainly hope there is a part two to tie things all together…..
Enjoyable read 👍👍
The ending left me hanging on edge with unanswered questions…
Does Nat fully recover from his gunshot injury or is he forever sidelined from his injury. The loss of Meg left a void that I’m certain is still affecting the team and what of Rowan Anderson who seems to have gotten away unscathed.
I certainly hope there is a part two to tie things all together…..
Enjoyable read 👍👍
May 27, 2026
A quick read.
July 9, 2026
I am used to occasionally reading a Patterson book and feeling disappointed, but this one more than usual. I find the premise a bit thin, bordering on truly ridiculous.
I can envision the need to “establish a team of US-based operators who could, if needed, augment the existing paramilitary and law-enforcement organizations within the United States during times of national crisis…A lawful, in-extremis operations network…calling it
Rocket’s Red Glare.”
However I cannot envision this particular group having to start their operation after a disastrous foreign operation in Nantucket. The logic was not there for me. Nat Phillips, team leader, is the most gullible soldier of all, falling in love with a secret service special agent, who is a spy and a traitor…and a poor actress at that. He is remarkably clueless for being such an esteemed leader.
And speaking of unbelievable women, a word about Aimee Sullivan the senator’s mistress/secretary who demands a position on the National Security Council. She has no experience but is granted her wish because of the best solution: “Easy: We kill her.”
Next on my list of unbelievable women is Senator Coleman Harrison’s bereaved widow. Neither woman has any scruples, and their ties to a foreign plot for money stretches the believability factor.
Don’t get me started on the Algerian mastermind of the evil plot to send “The pig, the whore, and the infidel [that] must begin their painful journeys to hell.”
There are so many better books about former soldiers involved in private military contracting.
Sorry.
I can envision the need to “establish a team of US-based operators who could, if needed, augment the existing paramilitary and law-enforcement organizations within the United States during times of national crisis…A lawful, in-extremis operations network…calling it
Rocket’s Red Glare.”
However I cannot envision this particular group having to start their operation after a disastrous foreign operation in Nantucket. The logic was not there for me. Nat Phillips, team leader, is the most gullible soldier of all, falling in love with a secret service special agent, who is a spy and a traitor…and a poor actress at that. He is remarkably clueless for being such an esteemed leader.
And speaking of unbelievable women, a word about Aimee Sullivan the senator’s mistress/secretary who demands a position on the National Security Council. She has no experience but is granted her wish because of the best solution: “Easy: We kill her.”
Next on my list of unbelievable women is Senator Coleman Harrison’s bereaved widow. Neither woman has any scruples, and their ties to a foreign plot for money stretches the believability factor.
Don’t get me started on the Algerian mastermind of the evil plot to send “The pig, the whore, and the infidel [that] must begin their painful journeys to hell.”
There are so many better books about former soldiers involved in private military contracting.
Sorry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2026
Honesty I wanted to like this book, but it really just hit every conventional stereotype from wealthy Russian arms dealer to Muslim terrorist and Chinese doctors as spies.
Slop fest of a book, and it leaned very right wing without even giving an ending like the airport book it was written to be.
Slop fest of a book, and it leaned very right wing without even giving an ending like the airport book it was written to be.
June 27, 2026
No thank you!
This book just leaves you hanging. I don’t like that. I won’t get sucked into a series of books. I like a beginning and an end. Character development from one book to another is great, but an ongoing open ended book is another. No more Rocket’s Red Glare for me.
This book just leaves you hanging. I don’t like that. I won’t get sucked into a series of books. I like a beginning and an end. Character development from one book to another is great, but an ongoing open ended book is another. No more Rocket’s Red Glare for me.
September 13, 2026
This was a traditional Patterson thriller with lots of fast paced action. Nat is a special agent that operates a domestic operation for the government that works in a gray area of private security and government operations.
Things goes haywire when there is an attack on Nantucket where a presidential candidate resides. The story basically turns into full action movie with spies, terrorists, romance and betrayal.
There's not a whole lot of character development and it's like watching an action movie. The story just gets very a bit over the top and the ending makes me feel like there will be a follow up to this story.
Thank you @littlebrown for a copy of the book.
Things goes haywire when there is an attack on Nantucket where a presidential candidate resides. The story basically turns into full action movie with spies, terrorists, romance and betrayal.
There's not a whole lot of character development and it's like watching an action movie. The story just gets very a bit over the top and the ending makes me feel like there will be a follow up to this story.
Thank you @littlebrown for a copy of the book.
July 7, 2026
I love James Patterson; and Matt Eversmann did a great job with this novel. The thrill and suspense were so good. But oh my heavens; there’s soooo many people to keep track of and the people that died and the ending was total crap. I listened to this book via audiobook on Libby and maybe if I eye ebook read it I would have been able to follow it better, BUT it wouldn’t have changed the ending. I know there’s a sequel coming and there will be a lot of ends tied up, so I’m looking forward to that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2026
Congratulations James Patterson and Matt Eversmamn. Four stars out of five. Definitely an entertaining thriller.. I kept turning pages, staying up late past curfew. Grab you a copy of this book.. it's 369 pages long but can easily be read on two or three nights worth of reading. The book was so exciting, but the end came too quick and left some loose ends hanging. What about the Governor of Colorado? I never understood the reason for her character. The Irish Mafia in Boston. Lots of characters to keep track of in this one.
August 6, 2026
Decent debut novel from a new author. Some of the interactions didn’t feel authentic but I think some of that will be fleshed out as he becomes more comfortable with the story telling process. Story was solid and the action was told well. Looking forward to the follow up to the obvious cliffhangers.
June 10, 2026
GENRES/SUBGENRES:
action, crime thriller, military, political
This is the kind of book/genre I think I would rather choose to watch personally rather than read.
I tried to get into it hence me reading till chapter 19 but it was kinda putting me into a reading slump which is rare for me as I thankfully don't really get reading slumps much but this one I just couldn't find the interest/flow to pick it back up and continue. I hardly DNF books but ultimately after a good few weeks of trying I figured its best to not force it and just soft dnf it as I'm not able to enjoy it maybe in the future I could give this another go but not right now.
I believe tho that this would be enjoyed by someone into the political-military genre. For me though I felt the main character was a bit cocky + detached which I can also understand that it's the way he was intended to be written due to the whole special agent thing but even so it fell flat & I just couldn't connect with him or anyone here.
Also I wasn't invested enough to keep up with the various names and characters so it felt really boring. This is just something I'd opt to watch maybe and not read as mentioned above. Not for me but worth looking into for fans of a military action novel that's heavy on the political drama.
• Thanks PRH for the review copy •
action, crime thriller, military, political
This is the kind of book/genre I think I would rather choose to watch personally rather than read.
I tried to get into it hence me reading till chapter 19 but it was kinda putting me into a reading slump which is rare for me as I thankfully don't really get reading slumps much but this one I just couldn't find the interest/flow to pick it back up and continue. I hardly DNF books but ultimately after a good few weeks of trying I figured its best to not force it and just soft dnf it as I'm not able to enjoy it maybe in the future I could give this another go but not right now.
I believe tho that this would be enjoyed by someone into the political-military genre. For me though I felt the main character was a bit cocky + detached which I can also understand that it's the way he was intended to be written due to the whole special agent thing but even so it fell flat & I just couldn't connect with him or anyone here.
Also I wasn't invested enough to keep up with the various names and characters so it felt really boring. This is just something I'd opt to watch maybe and not read as mentioned above. Not for me but worth looking into for fans of a military action novel that's heavy on the political drama.
• Thanks PRH for the review copy •
August 14, 2026
I enjoyed the first half of the book, and it kept me engaged. I had trouble with the second half. I feel it bounced around a lot, had too many characters and too many people ended up dead. The plot got choppy and hard to follow.
July 15, 2026
He better have a sequel in the works!
August 11, 2026
Introduction to a new set of characters and hopefully the start of a new series. My thought it’s likely due to the cliff hanger ending. I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns.
August 22, 2026
Another page turner by James Patterson!
June 26, 2026
Solid military thriller!
July 18, 2026
I thought I had the ending figured out…….but I didn’t. Enjoyed the book.
July 29, 2026
Cliffhanger at the end. I'm Ready for next book!
August 25, 2026
Another great Patterson read!
August 16, 2026
James Patterson is usually consistent for a good, well paced thriller. This did not deliver.
Like other reviewer's the book's ending was weak and essentially a set up for a sequel. There was zero character development and as a result, there was no rationale behind their actions.
The most rediculous story line was the young adult who was between colleges and his parents were trusting that he could participate in activities with ex-special forces guys with no training. I doubt a person who had been in special forces would allow this either.
Also, this seemed to be a promo for allowing contractors to become special forces on US soil...isn't that's why we have the FBI and Secret Service?
Dont bother with this one
Like other reviewer's the book's ending was weak and essentially a set up for a sequel. There was zero character development and as a result, there was no rationale behind their actions.
The most rediculous story line was the young adult who was between colleges and his parents were trusting that he could participate in activities with ex-special forces guys with no training. I doubt a person who had been in special forces would allow this either.
Also, this seemed to be a promo for allowing contractors to become special forces on US soil...isn't that's why we have the FBI and Secret Service?
Dont bother with this one
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2026
Worst Patterson book ever. The characters are just superficial cliches. The plot is all over the place with so many elements that don’t make sense or are just silly. There is no ending. Absolutely terrible. I wonder if this was AI generated because it felt like a string of copycat characters and plot elements from the genre that weren’t cohesive.
June 13, 2026
I usually enjoy James Patterson’s fast pacing and short chapters, and Rocket’s Red Glare definitely delivers on action. The story is full of military detail, explosions, gunfights, and high-stakes moments, making it an easy book to fly through.
However, my biggest issue was the ending. After such a fast-paced and chaotic build-up, the story felt like it came to an abrupt stop. Too many plot points were left unanswered, and instead of feeling like a complete story, it felt more like setup for a sequel.
I don’t mind a few loose threads, especially in a thriller, but I still want some closure for the main story I just read. This one left me wanting more answers than I got. Overall, it was entertaining and action-packed, but the unresolved ending kept it from fully working for me.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
However, my biggest issue was the ending. After such a fast-paced and chaotic build-up, the story felt like it came to an abrupt stop. Too many plot points were left unanswered, and instead of feeling like a complete story, it felt more like setup for a sequel.
I don’t mind a few loose threads, especially in a thriller, but I still want some closure for the main story I just read. This one left me wanting more answers than I got. Overall, it was entertaining and action-packed, but the unresolved ending kept it from fully working for me.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2026
Was this novel written by 15 or 16 year old boys? James Patterson should be embarrassed to have his name attached to this. I know he adds his name for the money, but really???
Displaying 1 - 30 of 468 reviews