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Ryan Drake #5
Deception Game
The nerve-shredding new thriller from the bestselling author of Black List
Time is running out for Ryan Drake. As enemies move against him, his world is turned upside down by a personal tragedy that forces him to return to the UK. There he is presented with an unexpected offer – to travel to Libya, where he must kidnap a high-ranking officer in Gaddafi’s much-feared intelligence service. In exchange, Drake will be given everything he needs to destroy the CIA’s corrupt Deputy Director, Marcus Cain.
Drake gathers a small group of trusted allies and embarks on his most difficult and dangerous mission yet. But with the desert heat blazing, and amidst the backdrop of a looming civil war, events soon spiral out of control. To finish the job, and to get the team out alive, Drake must unravel a web of deceptions and betrayals, even dark secrets lurking within his own family, and confront the rise of a shadowy new group that threatens to change everything.
Fast-paced and gripping throughout, Will Jordan’s thrillers are unforgettable journeys into a world of violence, terror and hidden conflict.
Will Jordan's Ryan Drake series draws on extensive research into weapons and tactics, as well as the experiences of men who've fought in some of the world's most daunting combat zones. Previous Ryan Drake thrillers include Redemption, Sacrifice, Betrayal and Black List. Will lives in Fife, Scotland, with his wife and sons.
Time is running out for Ryan Drake. As enemies move against him, his world is turned upside down by a personal tragedy that forces him to return to the UK. There he is presented with an unexpected offer – to travel to Libya, where he must kidnap a high-ranking officer in Gaddafi’s much-feared intelligence service. In exchange, Drake will be given everything he needs to destroy the CIA’s corrupt Deputy Director, Marcus Cain.
Drake gathers a small group of trusted allies and embarks on his most difficult and dangerous mission yet. But with the desert heat blazing, and amidst the backdrop of a looming civil war, events soon spiral out of control. To finish the job, and to get the team out alive, Drake must unravel a web of deceptions and betrayals, even dark secrets lurking within his own family, and confront the rise of a shadowy new group that threatens to change everything.
Fast-paced and gripping throughout, Will Jordan’s thrillers are unforgettable journeys into a world of violence, terror and hidden conflict.
Will Jordan's Ryan Drake series draws on extensive research into weapons and tactics, as well as the experiences of men who've fought in some of the world's most daunting combat zones. Previous Ryan Drake thrillers include Redemption, Sacrifice, Betrayal and Black List. Will lives in Fife, Scotland, with his wife and sons.
667 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 23, 2015
66 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
About the author
Will Jordan
21 books666 followersWill Jordan was born in Fife, Scotland in 1983. He is best known as the author of the RYAN DRAKE series of action thrillers, and for his YouTube alter-ego, THE CRITICAL DRINKER, amassing well over a million followers and quickly becoming one of the most popular movie critics on the internet. Having always enjoyed a passion for storytelling, he began writing short stories from a young age, eventually moving up to full-length novels and the publication of his first Ryan Drake novel in 2012.
His works to date include:
Redemption (Ryan Drake 1) - 2012
Sacrifice (Ryan Drake 2) - 2013
Betrayal (Ryan Drake 3) - 2014
Black List (Ryan Drake 4) - 2015
Deception Game (Ryan Drake 5) - 2015
Second Chances (Ryan Drake novella) - 2016
Ghost Target (Ryan Drake 6) - 2016
Shadow Conflict (Ryan Drake 7) - 2017
Deadly Cargo (Co-written with James Patterson) - 2017
Trial by Fire (Ryan Drake novella) - 2018
Downfall (Ryan Drake 8) - 2019
Something to Die For (Ryan Drake 9) - 2020
Dark Harvest (2022)
His works to date include:
Redemption (Ryan Drake 1) - 2012
Sacrifice (Ryan Drake 2) - 2013
Betrayal (Ryan Drake 3) - 2014
Black List (Ryan Drake 4) - 2015
Deception Game (Ryan Drake 5) - 2015
Second Chances (Ryan Drake novella) - 2016
Ghost Target (Ryan Drake 6) - 2016
Shadow Conflict (Ryan Drake 7) - 2017
Deadly Cargo (Co-written with James Patterson) - 2017
Trial by Fire (Ryan Drake novella) - 2018
Downfall (Ryan Drake 8) - 2019
Something to Die For (Ryan Drake 9) - 2020
Dark Harvest (2022)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 29, 2021
This takes place not long after the third book, ignoring the fourth since that just dealt with Anya and her quest. Ryan is still trying to get at Marcus but is so predictably thick in the head that it gets infuriating that he walks into situations that could've been avoided. On the plus he's learning to think outside his box.
Great adventure and honestly I wish I read it instead of listening to it since it spoiled what I think was suppose to be a "holy shit" moment. I still thoroughly enjoyed it and if you liked the books so far, you'll like this one too.
Great adventure and honestly I wish I read it instead of listening to it since it spoiled what I think was suppose to be a "holy shit" moment. I still thoroughly enjoyed it and if you liked the books so far, you'll like this one too.
September 22, 2021
Been enjoying this series, and they're getting slicker as they go. However, Deception Game, among the many twists, had one of the most common thriller series clichés, one I've always struggled with: a previous generation of the hero's family is revealed to be involved in the conspiracy.
Nevertheless, I'll look forward to starting the next in the series.
Nevertheless, I'll look forward to starting the next in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2016
I was really excited to read Deception Game, mainly due to the fact that I have never read a Will Jordan book I didn’t like. I was especially interested to see where Jordan took the story after the ending of his previous novel Black List. Having finished the book, all I can say is that I am really pumped to see how the story continues in the next book because Deception Game ends with one hell of a cliff-hanger.
Deception Game is Will Jordan’s fourth novel featuring CIA agent Ryan Drake. When Drake and his team are sent to capture a former Libyan informant who has “gone dark” in Paris, Drake gets a feeling that the situation is not quite right. He finds out that the man he had just captured was innocent and evidence of a deal between the deputy director of the CIA and Gaddafi. Drake and his team then decide to infiltrate Libya and find evidence of the deal and ultimately try to bring down the deputy director, Marcus Cain.
Honestly I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed the previous four in the series. Don’t get me wrong it’s a good book, it’s just that I didn’t connect with it the same way I did with the others, which were some of my favourite books ever written. I felt that this book was a bit slower paced than what Jordan usually writes, although it did have several short sharp bursts of crazy action. I also felt that this book didn’t really feel like a full story, but rather it felt like it was just a long lead-in for the next book in the series.
The plot of the book is actually pretty interesting. Drake and his team inadvertently help cover up a secret deal between CIA and Libya by capturing an innocent man and then infiltrate Libya in order to uncover the secret plot. There’s a real big overarching international conspiracy plot that also ties into a smaller more personal plot as Drake is also trying to find out who murdered his mother. While the plot is interesting, I felt it dragged out a bit and that the book could have been a bit shorter. Also, I was a little disappointed that the book didn’t really tie in with the end of Black List, but that’s something to look forward to in the next one.
My favourite part about this book is the characters, and in particular the characters of Drake and Sowan. I really enjoyed the relationship between Drake and Sowan because it is so different to what you usually see in these kinds of books. Spy books are generally pretty black and white, with the good guys fighting the bad guys, but I liked the fact that Jordan presented that maybe there is no black and white. I liked that Jordan introduced the idea that the enemies aren’t necessarily “bad guys”, but rather that they are just people fighting for their own beliefs and interests.
All in all, while Deception Game didn’t engage me the way the rest of Will Jordan’s Ryan Drake series did, that ending certainly did get me super-excited for the next instalment. After following the story through five books, I can’t wait to see how, or if, Jordan manages to end this long, overarching battle between Drake, Anya and Cain.
Is it worth a read? If you are into spy thrillers with big international conspiracies and lots of action, then Deception Game is worth a read. Although I would recommend first reading Will Jordan’s other books because I felt it would have been quite hard to follow without knowing what has already gone on in Ryan Drake’s world.
This review was originally published at Worth a Read.
Deception Game is Will Jordan’s fourth novel featuring CIA agent Ryan Drake. When Drake and his team are sent to capture a former Libyan informant who has “gone dark” in Paris, Drake gets a feeling that the situation is not quite right. He finds out that the man he had just captured was innocent and evidence of a deal between the deputy director of the CIA and Gaddafi. Drake and his team then decide to infiltrate Libya and find evidence of the deal and ultimately try to bring down the deputy director, Marcus Cain.
Honestly I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed the previous four in the series. Don’t get me wrong it’s a good book, it’s just that I didn’t connect with it the same way I did with the others, which were some of my favourite books ever written. I felt that this book was a bit slower paced than what Jordan usually writes, although it did have several short sharp bursts of crazy action. I also felt that this book didn’t really feel like a full story, but rather it felt like it was just a long lead-in for the next book in the series.
The plot of the book is actually pretty interesting. Drake and his team inadvertently help cover up a secret deal between CIA and Libya by capturing an innocent man and then infiltrate Libya in order to uncover the secret plot. There’s a real big overarching international conspiracy plot that also ties into a smaller more personal plot as Drake is also trying to find out who murdered his mother. While the plot is interesting, I felt it dragged out a bit and that the book could have been a bit shorter. Also, I was a little disappointed that the book didn’t really tie in with the end of Black List, but that’s something to look forward to in the next one.
My favourite part about this book is the characters, and in particular the characters of Drake and Sowan. I really enjoyed the relationship between Drake and Sowan because it is so different to what you usually see in these kinds of books. Spy books are generally pretty black and white, with the good guys fighting the bad guys, but I liked the fact that Jordan presented that maybe there is no black and white. I liked that Jordan introduced the idea that the enemies aren’t necessarily “bad guys”, but rather that they are just people fighting for their own beliefs and interests.
All in all, while Deception Game didn’t engage me the way the rest of Will Jordan’s Ryan Drake series did, that ending certainly did get me super-excited for the next instalment. After following the story through five books, I can’t wait to see how, or if, Jordan manages to end this long, overarching battle between Drake, Anya and Cain.
Is it worth a read? If you are into spy thrillers with big international conspiracies and lots of action, then Deception Game is worth a read. Although I would recommend first reading Will Jordan’s other books because I felt it would have been quite hard to follow without knowing what has already gone on in Ryan Drake’s world.
This review was originally published at Worth a Read.
February 14, 2022
Will Jordan is back on form with the splendidly engaging fifth book in the Ryan Drake universe. This is the strongest entry in the series with a focused story, great characters (with a couple of awaited comebacks!), and an explosive pace with a few surprisingly deep character moments sprinkled here and there in between all the action. Ryan and his team get to shine in this one, and I loved it.
I think Jordan has by now noticed which characters work well in his stories and indeed we get to witness a couple of old favourites return, even if just briefly. In particular there is one character , whose reappearance I cherished: the moment the narrator's voice confirmed my anticipation I had a smile on my face that shouldn't belong to anyone walking the dog in the Finnish midwinter. It feels like all characters have believable motivations for their actions, they feel human and almost never cartoonish. You can follow in their line of reasoning, understand them and their aims without necessarily accepting their means, and the point gets driven home several times that in this world there are many good men in bad situations, having to deal with it as best they can. Also our heroes are shown struggling at the limits of their morality, and often we see how perilously close they get to treading the same steps as the villains they so vehemently oppose.
This book is about Ryan more than anything else. We finally get to spend more time with him and observe him as a character. And yes, there are some flashbacks to his past - but not really to his "dark past" as hinted in previous books. We don't get flashbacks that deal with some relevant plot point really, but rather we get to know Ryan's character. Not his life story, not some obscure connection to any of the villains, but a simple character study. And boy does it work well in this story! No matter how many stupid decisions Ryan has and will make in the course of this series, he's a very relatable character and easy to root for.
All in all the book is beautifully written (though I'd dare repeat that there's a chink in the author's armour: repetitive language), there's lots of action and a story that keeps the reader on their toes, and regardless of the heroes' success relying on a mother lode of luck working in their favour I found myself thoroughly entertained. There are so many intertwining stories, conflicting interests and characters keeping secrets from each other that the series could go to any possible direction from here - and I really feel like starting the next part already.
A word of warning though: if you are listening through the series as audio books as I am, this may sometimes spoil a few plot twists in advance. I don't mean to complain - I love Sam Devereaux's narration - but some things are meant to be understood only at a later time, now with the narrator doing the voices you understand who is speaking much earlier than the author probably intended.
I think Jordan has by now noticed which characters work well in his stories and indeed we get to witness a couple of old favourites return, even if just briefly. In particular there is one character , whose reappearance I cherished: the moment the narrator's voice confirmed my anticipation I had a smile on my face that shouldn't belong to anyone walking the dog in the Finnish midwinter. It feels like all characters have believable motivations for their actions, they feel human and almost never cartoonish. You can follow in their line of reasoning, understand them and their aims without necessarily accepting their means, and the point gets driven home several times that in this world there are many good men in bad situations, having to deal with it as best they can. Also our heroes are shown struggling at the limits of their morality, and often we see how perilously close they get to treading the same steps as the villains they so vehemently oppose.
This book is about Ryan more than anything else. We finally get to spend more time with him and observe him as a character. And yes, there are some flashbacks to his past - but not really to his "dark past" as hinted in previous books. We don't get flashbacks that deal with some relevant plot point really, but rather we get to know Ryan's character. Not his life story, not some obscure connection to any of the villains, but a simple character study. And boy does it work well in this story! No matter how many stupid decisions Ryan has and will make in the course of this series, he's a very relatable character and easy to root for.
All in all the book is beautifully written (though I'd dare repeat that there's a chink in the author's armour: repetitive language), there's lots of action and a story that keeps the reader on their toes, and regardless of the heroes' success relying on a mother lode of luck working in their favour I found myself thoroughly entertained. There are so many intertwining stories, conflicting interests and characters keeping secrets from each other that the series could go to any possible direction from here - and I really feel like starting the next part already.
A word of warning though: if you are listening through the series as audio books as I am, this may sometimes spoil a few plot twists in advance. I don't mean to complain - I love Sam Devereaux's narration - but some things are meant to be understood only at a later time, now with the narrator doing the voices you understand who is speaking much earlier than the author probably intended.
February 25, 2017
Love this series! Each book holds my interest and I'm reading slower (Im a very fast reader) to make them last.
March 8, 2016
The latest entry to an increasingly awesome series!
With each new entry, Will Jordan expends the fascinating larger story arc around Ryan, Anya and the conspiracy they are trying to uncover.
Deception Game sees Ryan and his team on a desperate venture into Libya, where nothing is as it seems.
Jordan has many strengths, reaching from the creation of great multi layered characters to the vivid description of action scenes, but in my opinion his greatest strength is plotting. The plotting of a story with so many twists, that you can never hope to anticipate them all (the final twist would be a prominent example), while at the same time skillfully weaving it in the always expending main story!
Deception Game is a real treat for everyone who enjoys the genre! But I highly recommend to read the series in order! The author offers sufficient background to understand the story, but only if you have read the previous 4 books, can you fully appreciate the bigger picture!
Can’t wait for the next one!
With each new entry, Will Jordan expends the fascinating larger story arc around Ryan, Anya and the conspiracy they are trying to uncover.
Deception Game sees Ryan and his team on a desperate venture into Libya, where nothing is as it seems.
Jordan has many strengths, reaching from the creation of great multi layered characters to the vivid description of action scenes, but in my opinion his greatest strength is plotting. The plotting of a story with so many twists, that you can never hope to anticipate them all (the final twist would be a prominent example), while at the same time skillfully weaving it in the always expending main story!
Deception Game is a real treat for everyone who enjoys the genre! But I highly recommend to read the series in order! The author offers sufficient background to understand the story, but only if you have read the previous 4 books, can you fully appreciate the bigger picture!
Can’t wait for the next one!
April 19, 2016
Just finished reading this book and can't wait for the next instalment. The "drake" series is absolutely brilliant and riveting to read. Good pace to this instalment and definitely had me gripped. Highly recommended.
May 4, 2017
Brilliant book, constant twists and turns with a cast of characters you can't help but care about. The author always keeps you guessing about what will happen next, especially here with lots of insights into Drake's personal life and history. I can't recommend this series highly enough.
October 5, 2020
A heart-pounding high octane concoction from Will Jordan featuring Ryan Drake. The protagonist and his team are out on a mission to capture and bring back a rogue informant from Paris, only to later realize that not only he is innocent, but there is a bigger underlying conspiracy between CIA and Libyan authority. While he is still in the shock of the cold-blooded assassination of his mom, his instinct is persuading him to follow and expose the clandestine deal between his deputy director at CIA and the Libyan regime that will uncover the truth behind his mother's killing. The protagonist teams with his carefully chosen mates and attempts to kidnap a high-ranking intelligence bureaucrat in the Gaddafi regime who may hold the key to his questions and as well bring down the corrupt deputy director of CIA. What follows next is a brilliantly laid out plan to infiltrate into Libya in search of the evidence, the roadblocks and hurdles in the process, their escape from the feared Libyan army at several milestones and a web of deception and betrayals. The revelation of Ryan's mother's true assassin is shocking and leaves some questions unanswered compelling the reader to look forward to his next book in the series. A brilliantly written book for lovers of international conspiracy and loads of action. Looking forward to the next one in the sequel hoping to see the corrupt deputy director of CIA finally being brought down and the protagonist unwinding from his tumultuous personal life.
December 1, 2021
For this story, all I can say is WOW! This is by far the best story of the Ryan Drake saga yet. It had every bit of suspense, intrigue, action and mystery to the story that there were times it become so riveting that I had to put the book down for a moment to catch my breath. Very few suspense/action thrillers get me like this one did. I finished this novel in three days and the only reason I did not finish it in two days was only because I needed sleep. I was so taken by what was going on throughout the story with Ryan Drake and the Shepherd team, the villain MI-6 agent David Faukner and the dangling subplots that were unrelenting in their intensity and the surprise at the end I totally did not see coming. I am enjoying author Will Jordan's storytelling. His style put him up there with the greats and the more famous authors. I would love to see a movie or TV series based on these books and if they are true to the books, it'll be a sure fire hit. VERY highly recommended.
December 9, 2020
This one got a bit muddled for me, what with all the double- and triple-crosses going on, but things were satisfactorily brought together in the end, even with what felt like an out-of-the-blue plot involving Ryan's family.
Still, past characters and threads are brought together in ways that challenge both, as well as the reader's perceptions thereof. Which culminates in a welcome shift for the series, as the greater plot behind everything can no longer be ignored.
A solid entry in the series that only disappointed me by not being quite as personally engaging as the last one. Still very much invested in the story!
Still, past characters and threads are brought together in ways that challenge both, as well as the reader's perceptions thereof. Which culminates in a welcome shift for the series, as the greater plot behind everything can no longer be ignored.
A solid entry in the series that only disappointed me by not being quite as personally engaging as the last one. Still very much invested in the story!
July 13, 2020
I started reading this series because I follow Will Jordan on YouTube (his YouTube handle is The Critical Drinker and he's a terrific movie critic, mostly in the sci-fi/fantasy/super hero realm) and I wanted to see if he could walk the walk as well as talk it. Turns out he can! The Ryan Drake series is fun and exciting and twists and turns with the best of them. There's a twist at the end of this one that I didn't love, but we'll see where it leads.
January 10, 2021
Another enjoyable read
Book 5 takes us to Libya where we reunite with some old friends. Previously unknown information is brought to light and new mysteries are revealed. This book takes place during the events of Book 4. So a knowledge of previous books in the series would help but are not required for overall enjoyment of the story. I will be starting Book 6 earnestly.
Book 5 takes us to Libya where we reunite with some old friends. Previously unknown information is brought to light and new mysteries are revealed. This book takes place during the events of Book 4. So a knowledge of previous books in the series would help but are not required for overall enjoyment of the story. I will be starting Book 6 earnestly.
November 30, 2022
Ho. Lee. Krap. This was awesome
Every book in this series gets better than the last. The action is top notch. Then tension is almost unbearable but in a good way. The final confrontation with the villian is awesome and yet horrible at the same time. Drake has to male some horrible and terrible decisions, but he does it. And the epilogue. Mind blown. Cannot wait for book 6
Every book in this series gets better than the last. The action is top notch. Then tension is almost unbearable but in a good way. The final confrontation with the villian is awesome and yet horrible at the same time. Drake has to male some horrible and terrible decisions, but he does it. And the epilogue. Mind blown. Cannot wait for book 6
May 23, 2024
The story could have been summed up and condensed into one single long chapter. The reading is boring. The characters are bland. The plot twists are predictable from a mile away. The writer needs to acknowledge the fact that piling up words for the sake of lengthening chapters and volumising the book can only work for so long.
April 19, 2022
This is a gripping series some of the books are better than other but definitely worth a read. Keeps you guessing as there are mysteries that don’t get revealed until many books into the series. Read the series in order!
November 20, 2021
Another good book I the series. This was mostly Ryan Drake, which I think is a first in the series. Like always, the author I think goes for too many twists.
August 12, 2022
A return to form. Not quite sure why this is #5 in the series though...
August 17, 2025
Ab hier wird die Story unnötig in die Länge gezogen.
Qualität hat im Vergleich zu den Vorgängern stark nachgelassen.
Qualität hat im Vergleich zu den Vorgängern stark nachgelassen.
February 27, 2024
ALL MY HOMIES HATE SAMANTHA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2021
Explosive, Adrenaline pumping, Just Epic !
Ryan Drake is the unluckiest main character. I don’t think you can trust anyone or anything in this series. To sum up Ryan’s journey…..lies, deception, manipulation and betrayal.
Ryan Drake is the unluckiest main character. I don’t think you can trust anyone or anything in this series. To sum up Ryan’s journey…..lies, deception, manipulation and betrayal.
January 18, 2021
Crushed by lost and guilt, Ryan takes his team to Libya where he hopes to apprehend the man responsible for some of his suffering. What was supposed to be a simple extraction, precisely planned soon descends into a desperate fight for survival with betrayal hidden behind every corner and face. I barely noticed it was Jordan’s longest book so far as I devoured each page, anxious to find out what would happen next. I’m hooked on Ryan and I want to know how the series ends. If you want to have a mental cardio, this is your book.
March 11, 2016
Bit disappointing
Not as good as any of the previous books in the series. Feels like it will take several more books before things come to a head.
Not as good as any of the previous books in the series. Feels like it will take several more books before things come to a head.
September 9, 2024
Another by numbers, last ever do or die mission story.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews