What do you think?
Rate this book
Force Nine
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 13, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 20, 2026
Diane Nine was looking for love in Central Park, New York. She pulled her wheelchair up near the jogging trail and used her scope to check out the guys running towards her. She had a sketch pad on her lap and let it fall when a prospective runner stopped. Then she asked a couple of questions to see if the runner had anything between his ears.
She made her living sketching comic books. Endura was her creation and a syndicated feature series. Diane had a live-in masseuse and friend in Oliver, and a nurse and carer in Bibi, a large black woman who could cook, clean and make sure she got in and out of the wheelchair. She didn't like the idea of Diane dating the guys she met.
Chet Strauss was different. He was intelligent and cheeky. He promised to give Diane something she hadn't had since she was five: the ability to walk. Diane quickly realised he was a tech nerd and he dressed well. They went on a few dates. He drove like a maniac and kept looking behind him like he was being tailed.
Diane was smitten. When Chet took her to his ultra-secure workshop and told her what he was doing was for military use and 'eyes only' access. He told her he was being followed. She did believe it when she saw how fortified his workshop was. His equipment was high-tech. He told her about his TACS, 'Tactical Armoured Combat System'. The exoskin or suit is what he fitted to her body. Like Lego, the fasteners fitted her body. He explained how to use the finger controls. With a trial run, she could walk.
Chet gave her instructions, and they tested the components. He suggested they go out on the town with her in the suit. This time Diane could see the car trailing them. She suggested they go back to her house. Bibi didn't like the look of Diane looking like an action hero. Chet said he didn't have the security system turned on when they'd left. He went back to secure his place.
That's when the whole world for Diane and her friends changed because Chet didn't return. They followed the trail Chet had left. They rang the authorities, who thought she was crazy and didn't want to help at all. Only a CIA desk operative named Agent Eugene Gene started to think twice about the obscure information Diane Nine had told him. Could the creator of comic books really have a new age exoskin in her possession? Who was this Chet Strauss? He didn't exist as far as Gene could discover.
Diane, Bibi and Ollie followed Chet to Cuba. That's where the comic book author became the centre of high drama and was hunted by a Triad of countries, who would do nothing to stop getting hold of the exoskin. The three friends were running from terrorists and barely escaped being killed. All this happened while a hurricane blew the island to pieces. Small communities were living hand to mouth near towns.
This is action-packed, fast-paced, goodies-against-baddies. It's a hell of a ride from the first part of the book right through. Chris has become an accomplished writer. I love how his characters survive from one disastrous situation to another, until the satisfying conclusion.
She made her living sketching comic books. Endura was her creation and a syndicated feature series. Diane had a live-in masseuse and friend in Oliver, and a nurse and carer in Bibi, a large black woman who could cook, clean and make sure she got in and out of the wheelchair. She didn't like the idea of Diane dating the guys she met.
Chet Strauss was different. He was intelligent and cheeky. He promised to give Diane something she hadn't had since she was five: the ability to walk. Diane quickly realised he was a tech nerd and he dressed well. They went on a few dates. He drove like a maniac and kept looking behind him like he was being tailed.
Diane was smitten. When Chet took her to his ultra-secure workshop and told her what he was doing was for military use and 'eyes only' access. He told her he was being followed. She did believe it when she saw how fortified his workshop was. His equipment was high-tech. He told her about his TACS, 'Tactical Armoured Combat System'. The exoskin or suit is what he fitted to her body. Like Lego, the fasteners fitted her body. He explained how to use the finger controls. With a trial run, she could walk.
Chet gave her instructions, and they tested the components. He suggested they go out on the town with her in the suit. This time Diane could see the car trailing them. She suggested they go back to her house. Bibi didn't like the look of Diane looking like an action hero. Chet said he didn't have the security system turned on when they'd left. He went back to secure his place.
That's when the whole world for Diane and her friends changed because Chet didn't return. They followed the trail Chet had left. They rang the authorities, who thought she was crazy and didn't want to help at all. Only a CIA desk operative named Agent Eugene Gene started to think twice about the obscure information Diane Nine had told him. Could the creator of comic books really have a new age exoskin in her possession? Who was this Chet Strauss? He didn't exist as far as Gene could discover.
Diane, Bibi and Ollie followed Chet to Cuba. That's where the comic book author became the centre of high drama and was hunted by a Triad of countries, who would do nothing to stop getting hold of the exoskin. The three friends were running from terrorists and barely escaped being killed. All this happened while a hurricane blew the island to pieces. Small communities were living hand to mouth near towns.
This is action-packed, fast-paced, goodies-against-baddies. It's a hell of a ride from the first part of the book right through. Chris has become an accomplished writer. I love how his characters survive from one disastrous situation to another, until the satisfying conclusion.
May 1, 2026
THE REVIEW
The action picks up immediately, from the very start of the book. The author quickly finds a balance between action and rich storytelling, taking readers on an adrenaline-fueled ride. The visceral imagery the author brings to life on the page is very engaging, as it feels like the reader is transported into a sci-fi adjacent Jason Bourne-style film that plays out perfectly on the page.
What really resonated in this book was the way the author brought out a Cold War-era style of politics and spy thriller elements into a more modern, cyber-suspense narrative. The book also does a great job of exploring subtler themes, such as life with disabilities, through characters like the protagonist, Diane. The level of detail in the military jargon and its balance with the very relatable cast of characters will keep readers engaged every step of the way through this narrative.
THE VERDICT
Compelling, thrilling, and entertaining, Author Chris Stevenson's “Force Nine” is a must-read cyber thriller-suspense novel with a slight sci-fi twist. A story filled with espionage, heartfelt characters, driven storylines, and a remarkable cast of characters that readers can really root for and against allows the twists and turns to have much more weight and keep readers on the edge of their seats as the story progresses.
The action picks up immediately, from the very start of the book. The author quickly finds a balance between action and rich storytelling, taking readers on an adrenaline-fueled ride. The visceral imagery the author brings to life on the page is very engaging, as it feels like the reader is transported into a sci-fi adjacent Jason Bourne-style film that plays out perfectly on the page.
What really resonated in this book was the way the author brought out a Cold War-era style of politics and spy thriller elements into a more modern, cyber-suspense narrative. The book also does a great job of exploring subtler themes, such as life with disabilities, through characters like the protagonist, Diane. The level of detail in the military jargon and its balance with the very relatable cast of characters will keep readers engaged every step of the way through this narrative.
THE VERDICT
Compelling, thrilling, and entertaining, Author Chris Stevenson's “Force Nine” is a must-read cyber thriller-suspense novel with a slight sci-fi twist. A story filled with espionage, heartfelt characters, driven storylines, and a remarkable cast of characters that readers can really root for and against allows the twists and turns to have much more weight and keep readers on the edge of their seats as the story progresses.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews