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Warborn: The Desecration of Red
Ten years of war have taught Captain Evelyn Blackthorn two family is chosen, and tomorrow is never promised. Back with Obsidian Directive, the off-book unit that goes where governments refuse, Evelyn is partnered with Commander James Reaves, the quiet force who has kept her alive and dangerously close for a decade.
A routine infiltration in southern Ukraine exposes a weapons program that behaves more like tissue than metal. It learns, adapts, and hungers. As Obsidian hunts the source, enemies close in, reputations are targeted, and the team’s hard-won sanctuary begins to fracture. Evelyn and James must navigate battlefield ethics, buried trauma, and a love neither of them can outrun, before a bioengineered nightmare spreads beyond the shadows that birthed it.
Gritty, intimate, and breathlessly paced, The Desecration of Red blends military authenticity, biotech dread, and a romance tempered by fire. Perfect for listeners who want high stakes, found family, and hearts on the line with every mission.
A routine infiltration in southern Ukraine exposes a weapons program that behaves more like tissue than metal. It learns, adapts, and hungers. As Obsidian hunts the source, enemies close in, reputations are targeted, and the team’s hard-won sanctuary begins to fracture. Evelyn and James must navigate battlefield ethics, buried trauma, and a love neither of them can outrun, before a bioengineered nightmare spreads beyond the shadows that birthed it.
Gritty, intimate, and breathlessly paced, The Desecration of Red blends military authenticity, biotech dread, and a romance tempered by fire. Perfect for listeners who want high stakes, found family, and hearts on the line with every mission.
500 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 29, 2026
4 🌟
This debut throws military thriller, body horror, and romance into the same trench and somehow makes it work. The biotech horror elements are genuinely unsettling, but the heart of the story is Obsidian Directive itself — a bruised, dysfunctional found family held together by loyalty and trauma. Captain Evelyn Blackthorn and Commander James Reaves carry the emotional weight of the novel, with their slow-burn relationship woven naturally into the chaos rather than overpowering it.
N.M. Cotton’s military detail and pacing give the book a cinematic feel, though at times I felt the sheer amount of tactical jargon can slow things down. Still, the mix of visceral action, emotional damage, and creeping biotech dread makes this feel far more character-driven than a standard military sci-fi thriller. It ends with enough scars, questions, and emotional fallout to make the next instalment hard to ignore.
Overall: A slow burn culminating into a satisfying cliffhanger.
This debut throws military thriller, body horror, and romance into the same trench and somehow makes it work. The biotech horror elements are genuinely unsettling, but the heart of the story is Obsidian Directive itself — a bruised, dysfunctional found family held together by loyalty and trauma. Captain Evelyn Blackthorn and Commander James Reaves carry the emotional weight of the novel, with their slow-burn relationship woven naturally into the chaos rather than overpowering it.
N.M. Cotton’s military detail and pacing give the book a cinematic feel, though at times I felt the sheer amount of tactical jargon can slow things down. Still, the mix of visceral action, emotional damage, and creeping biotech dread makes this feel far more character-driven than a standard military sci-fi thriller. It ends with enough scars, questions, and emotional fallout to make the next instalment hard to ignore.
Overall: A slow burn culminating into a satisfying cliffhanger.
May 24, 2026
Warborn: The Desecration of Red by N.M. Cotton absolutely blew me away. From the very first chapter I was hooked by the brutal world, intense action and emotionally driven characters. The pacing was fantastic and every twist had me desperate to keep reading “just one more chapter” 😍
The character development was one of my favourite parts — raw, layered and so easy to become invested in. I also absolutely loved the humour and banter between the characters, which balanced the darker moments perfectly and made the relationships feel so natural and entertaining. The darker tone mixed with the emotional moments made this such an addictive fantasy read.
N.M. Cotton has created a world that feels vivid, dangerous and impossible to forget. If you love gritty fantasy, high stakes and characters that stay with you long after finishing, this book is definitely worth picking up 📚🔥
The character development was one of my favourite parts — raw, layered and so easy to become invested in. I also absolutely loved the humour and banter between the characters, which balanced the darker moments perfectly and made the relationships feel so natural and entertaining. The darker tone mixed with the emotional moments made this such an addictive fantasy read.
N.M. Cotton has created a world that feels vivid, dangerous and impossible to forget. If you love gritty fantasy, high stakes and characters that stay with you long after finishing, this book is definitely worth picking up 📚🔥
February 25, 2026
Wow, Natalie Cotton, a fabulous honour to be chosen as an advanced reader for Warborn.
What a start, as we launch into the first page we see our main characters: James Reaves (Jamie/Paladin) and Evelyn Blackthorn (Red/Ev/Valkyrie), who have seen Obsidian from the start. Along with a fantastic bunch of 'merry men'; Mack (Grim) the heart of the group and also the feeder, AJ (Rook) the boyish boy with his love of music, Frost (Zero) quiet but deadly Fleetwood Mac lover, Irish (Wrath), Bullet (Coyote) and Selena the oracle who can read your soul just by looking at you.
We see them reconvene at Obsidian Hq, Virginia Beach, to dance to bad music, celebrate Liverpool FC. and begin classic missions such as who is nicking weapons from Eastern Europe and can they stop them! Where is that gas going? Hostage rescues? Stolen ordnance?
With stolen nights in Ghent, Norfolk or Fort Knox with Fairy lights and missions in Southern Ukraine. However, Red is hiding something, what is the revenant that turns your veins blue but not for long as a mission with kids in cages reveals the grotesque lengths with biotech some people will go to win. With a wedding and a nobody funeral what will the next installment bring?
If you love Jack Reacher this is for you!
If you sell kevlar vests, radios and trauma packs this author mentions them all - so she needs a collab!
What a start, as we launch into the first page we see our main characters: James Reaves (Jamie/Paladin) and Evelyn Blackthorn (Red/Ev/Valkyrie), who have seen Obsidian from the start. Along with a fantastic bunch of 'merry men'; Mack (Grim) the heart of the group and also the feeder, AJ (Rook) the boyish boy with his love of music, Frost (Zero) quiet but deadly Fleetwood Mac lover, Irish (Wrath), Bullet (Coyote) and Selena the oracle who can read your soul just by looking at you.
We see them reconvene at Obsidian Hq, Virginia Beach, to dance to bad music, celebrate Liverpool FC. and begin classic missions such as who is nicking weapons from Eastern Europe and can they stop them! Where is that gas going? Hostage rescues? Stolen ordnance?
With stolen nights in Ghent, Norfolk or Fort Knox with Fairy lights and missions in Southern Ukraine. However, Red is hiding something, what is the revenant that turns your veins blue but not for long as a mission with kids in cages reveals the grotesque lengths with biotech some people will go to win. With a wedding and a nobody funeral what will the next installment bring?
If you love Jack Reacher this is for you!
If you sell kevlar vests, radios and trauma packs this author mentions them all - so she needs a collab!
May 30, 2026
I don’t know where to start with reviewing this book! I am obsessed and on tender hooks waiting for book 2! Ev and James are just the ultimate power couple through this entire story and I absolutely love the banter between all the characters. My favourite quote has to be “I was like… like a Christmas tree had a baby with an ambulance”!! This book is Natalie’s first and wow she smashed it out the park. The missions and main storyline was engaging and had me racing through the pages. The book flowed so easily, making it an easy read, and one that had me really connecting with each character. I love the mix of the romance, black ops missions, and even horror. It didn’t feel like it was just one dragged out genre with only minimal aspects of the other elements. It was all proportioned so well. Easy 5 stars from me!
May 22, 2026
Warborn : The Desecration of Red is a story that combines military thriller and biotechnology with romance.
I really fell in love with all the characters in this story especially Ev and James, the main characters. However, for the length that this book was there wasn't a lot of character development. Some of the characters past or stories were brushed upon but it was a fleeting moment and not really explained as such.
Another thing that marked it down a star for me personally was the editing. Whilst I completely understand that being an indie author means there isn't a massive publisher behind it I found one or two spelling mistakes (not the end of the world), some random words were highlighted in bold for no reason that I could find and one sentence wasn't even finished, with the next sentence not making sense when being joined together so I'm unsure what was even trying to be said.
That being said, these little bits won't stop me from buying the next book in the series. I'm excited to see where the next one takes us.
I really fell in love with all the characters in this story especially Ev and James, the main characters. However, for the length that this book was there wasn't a lot of character development. Some of the characters past or stories were brushed upon but it was a fleeting moment and not really explained as such.
Another thing that marked it down a star for me personally was the editing. Whilst I completely understand that being an indie author means there isn't a massive publisher behind it I found one or two spelling mistakes (not the end of the world), some random words were highlighted in bold for no reason that I could find and one sentence wasn't even finished, with the next sentence not making sense when being joined together so I'm unsure what was even trying to be said.
That being said, these little bits won't stop me from buying the next book in the series. I'm excited to see where the next one takes us.
February 4, 2026
One of the most unique and gripping stories I've ever read. I read this in 2 sittings because I couldn't put it down! The characters are raw and real, and the horrors the author has come up with are dark and disturbing but fascinating all at the same time. The romance grows alongside you as you read, but the book has just as much emphasis of found family and the beautiful complex relationships that come with it. I'd highly reccomend to any lover of body horror, military thrillers and romance.
March 6, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well developed, the plot is very interesting, and the love story is well written.
I look forward to reading more!
I look forward to reading more!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews