A family runs for its life across the wastelands of a future America on the brink of collapse.
Twenty years in the future, America perches on the edge of collapse, devastated by drought and dwindling resources. California, now a totalitarian surveillance state controlling the lion’s share of the nation’s economy, is on the brink of secession. And family man Nathan Fisher finds himself at the heart of a bloody conspiracy that threatens the lives of his loved ones and the future of the country itself. Pursued by Mason Flagg and the sinister Cerberus organization, Nathan and his embattled family—accompanied by tough-as-nails Marine David Quinn—make a desperate run across the blasted wastes of the western United States, seeking sanctuary in Nevada.
Woefully outmanned and outgunned by a cadre of ruthless Russian mercenaries enlisted by Flagg, and closely pursued by the drug cartels that rule the ravaged Southwest, the Fishers need some serious help to survive…but at what price?
Steven graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1993, receiving a bachelor of science in English literature. He served the next eight years on active duty, traveling the world as a naval officer assigned to various Navy and Marine Corps units. His extensive journey spanned the globe, including a two-year tour of duty in Japan and travel to more than twenty countries throughout Asia and the Middle East.
From enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq as a maritime boarding officer in the Arabian Gulf, to directing aircraft bombing runs and naval gunfire strikes as a Forward Air Controller (FAC) assigned to a specialized Marine Corps unit, Steven's "in-house" experience with a wide range of regular and elite military units brings a unique authenticity to his thrillers.
He still wakes up at "zero dark thirty" to write for most of the day. When "off duty," he spends as much time as possible outdoors or travelling with his family--and dog.
Steven is the bestselling author of ten novels and several novellas, including a commissioned trilogy of novellas based on the popular Wayward Pines series. His canon of work includes the popular Black Flagged Series, a gritty, no-holds barred covert operations and espionage saga; The Perseid Collapse series, a post-apocalyptic thriller epic chronicling the events surrounding an inconceivable attack on the United States; and The Fractured State series, a near future, dystopian thriller trilogy set in the drought ravaged southwest
You can contact Steven directly by email (stevekonkoly@striblingmedia.com) or through his blog (www.stevenkonkoly.com).
Nowhere in the description did it mention that book #2 doesn't finish the story -- it was published almost a year and a half ago! I even had checked the author's website, and there's no mention of a book 3, so I expected the story to be wrapped up. I avoid series with no ending like the plague, so I'm extremely unhappy to be screwed over like this.
I went into this assuming it was a duology but after finishing it, there clearly must be at least one more coming in the series. This one picks up literally seconds after the first one ended, continuing the breakneck pace and action. While the first one centered in and around San Diego county, this book takes place mostly in and around the southern border between the US and Mexico. Lots of action and close escapes for our protagonists. May. be a few too many? Not really expecting it to be super realistic as these "action thrillers" never are. After having read now 6 books from this author, he does tend to have a style. Mostly, his good guys are pretty lucky and the bad guys are really good at everything until it comes to actually stopping the good guys. Then they are inept and get gunned down.
This was good for what it was. An action-packed popcorn book that now needs a conclusion. Also, the main character's wife is written to be super annoying. Not very likable at all and was constantly on the verge a major freak out. Every scene she was in I wanted to skip.
A good book with plenty of action and some nice character development. Be warned that this is a bridge story between books one and three and there is no book three.
Believable action and conversations, riveting plot. I had trouble putting this book down, just as I did the Perseid Collapse. Now eagerly awaiting the sequel!
What I liked: Rogue State picks up where Fractured State ended and that’s a great thing with everyone’s life on the line. What I may have not touched on in my review of Fractured State is the rest of the country is pretty much dependent on California for its economy. There are two groups involved, one wanting to secede from the United States and the majority not wanting California to secede.
Neither of these groups is playing exactly fair and in the interests of the people of the country. You know, politics and wealth in one way or another is the driving force of the two groups. Nathan Fisher is the unwittingly “fly in the ointment” for both groups. One group wants him and his family dead at all costs and the other wants to use him for their benefit.
I will say the anti-secessionist movement appears to be more ruthless, better financed, and run by a group of millionaires who are actually only against the secession to fill their pockets. At no point is this group concerned with the citizens they might hurt.
The secessionist movement has their own plans. To put it simply, if they succeed, California will be a country that has everything to sell to the rest of the United States. They do have a problem though, besides their lesser numbers and access to technology, they need to figure out how to make California water independent. And you got it, that’s where Nathan comes in. How you ask, well, you need to read the series to find out. (Sorry).
Mr. Konkoly is great at keeping the tension in the story at a fever pace. The characters are still developing to catch up with the plot but he is doing a good job of following several characters and what drives them. His imagination in the overall plot is brilliant in my opinion. Mr. Konkoly essentially made me feel everything he was writing about was real. It was downright scary in the atmosphere of our country today.
What I didn’t like: The pace moves so quickly that apart from Nathan, I don’t feel like I’ve had the chance to “know” the characters. There is not a lot of backstory at this time with a couple of exceptions. I also want to know exactly what happened to put the United States in its current situation. There were some small explanations provided but I basically wanted more.
Rogue State is free for Kindle Unlimited members and very reasonably priced at $4.99 for the e-book. I’m waiting anxiously for the next in the series!
One word: WOW! Or better yet spell that with W-5 stars-W!
"Rogue State" - part 2 of Steven Konkoly's absolutely thrilling "Fractured State" duology - starts off just as its predecessor did, namely, by hitting the ground at top speed and not letting up until the very end! This second chapter starts literally at the scene we faded out from at the end of Book 1, which in itself was impressive as hell because (a) the previous ending was very satisfying and well-handled, even if obviously the story wasn't finished, but also (b) it was awesome how seamless Konkoly managed the transition! Quite a rarity indeed to have that kind of flow from one book to the next no matter the situation or genre!
And nothing is missing at all with the level of suspense, intrique and all-around WOW-ness (there's that core word again!!) being just as heart-poundingly amazing as before! I really must say again just how impressed I am with how Konkoly has managed these books in terms of keeping the characterizations fresh and believable as well as upping the tension and emotion with every step. I say this even with my oft-reported - well, not dislike but I'm not crazy about it - feelings about very short chapters. Sure, it still hits me as a bit of a hiccup in terms of my inner reading voice but dang, here it works because being able to catch your breath - not to mention getting your heart-rate back under control - is a positive for sure!
HOWEVER - if you live in the Western Hemisphere, you might have heard me screaming just a little while ago WHEN I REALIZED THAT THIS TALE IS STILL NOT DONE!! And with the publication date of "Rogue State" all the way back in 2017, well, I'm not hopeful that a new one is coming any time soon (particularly with the other series listed under the author's name apparently selling well). We'll see. Still, no matter what the outcome, Konkoly has won himself a new fan and I intend to devour his books wherever and whenever I can.
I've also signed up for his blog / newsletter so here's keeping my digits crossed that I'll find out somehow about a potential Fractured State #3! And heck, if one does come some day, I'll just have to totally torture myself (no! don't! stop!) and re-read these absotively wonderful books AGAIN!
Listened to the audio version of this book. Unfortunately, I was held captive in a car, on a long road trip; my only hope was that the story would be resolved quickly. It wasn't; this book leads to another: Book 3 of the series, which I will NOT listen to, nor will I read it. I doubt that I will ever read another Steven Konkoly book again.
Both this book & the preceding one describe a dystopian world in the near future, with rival interests in California & Mexico fighting over the claims to water resources. The storyline revolves around the kidnapping of a Hydrologist and his family. Or was he kidnapped? He/they might be in the protection of the Mexican Cartel. Or...in the protection of the California Secessionist Group. Couldn't tell, for sure. Then there's the Corporate entity group, "Servius", who have sent in their extreme para-military henchmen, to kill just about everyone, and foment disarray within the Secessionist Group, to discredit them.
The premise of this story is plausible, given the current environmental situation (climate change, droughts, fires) and the current political disaster in the USA (the corporate takeover of the government and the systematic dismantling of government agencies, especially the EPA). However,the story line gets lost in the telling. Author Konkoly seems to revel in infinitesimal details of military "games" of bad guy-good guy car chases and 21st century warfare, gangsta style. AND blood, lots of blood, with lots of bloody details. AND Konkoly's characters F...ing love the "F" word.
Fractured State set the bar real high and Rogue State did not fail to deliver. As I am reviewing this only a few days after its release I do not want to reveal any spoiler type thoughts here.
The world as outlined by the author in 2035 is easily believable. The detail in tactical equipment is both stunning and yet not at all futuristic. Living in AZ I really enjoyed the parts of this book that centered around places I live and visit frequently. Was hoping for more action dealing with Tucson and Phoenix specifically, but those were only my hopes, not expectations. The story did feel like it stalled a little early on with a huge chuck spent in the area where Fractured State left off. Later it felt like in just 3-4 chapters the story sped through an entire state.
The hotel battle scene had me on edge, holy cow! Stepping outside to get my mail I found myself checking my surroundings significantly more than I normally do after getting into that scene. Noting which objects I could use for concealment, or cover if needed, depending on the direction of the incoming fire. Side note... I now have 2 alternate routes to get back home from my mailbox which is 30 feet in front of my house.
Looking forward to the next book in the series, and hope this will not be stopped as just a trilogy.
Published in 2017 by Brilliance Audio. Read by Timothy Andres Pabon. Duration: 9 hours, 21 minutes. Unabridged
The action surrounding embattled water engineer Nathan Fisher and his family in the year 2035 continues in Rogue State. In the first book, Nathan witnessed an act of terrorism designed to egg on a tense situation between the government of California and the federal government. Now, he and his family are being hunted by a mysterious group funded by a group of oligarchs that are determined to manipulate this situation to their advantage.
In the second book of this series the action factor gets ratcheted way up. In many ways, the main story line of the book is one giant chase scene across a series of rural and urban desert landscapes - but it is a heck of a chase scene. We also learn a lot more about the bad guys and the messed up version of America that Konkoly has created for this book (which I found at least as interesting as the chase scene thread).
The audiobook was read by Timothy Andres Pabon who read the first book as well. Once again, he did a great job except he cannot say the word "chassis" correctly.
This is a fabulous book filled with action and suspense. The Fisher family is running from a corporation who wants Nathan Fisher's information in his head silenced. For good. He's on the run with a militant group who saved his life. They come into daily contact with mercenaries and cartel hired by the corporation who are trying to kill them.
So, this book can be a little on the violent side but it definitely not gory. The action takes place with Nathan's wife and 11yr old son in tow. So, even though there is tons of action there isn't anything too gruesome.
This is the second book in the series and I would suggest reading them in order. Even though this book could stand alone, I feel it would be much easier to understand what is going on after reading book one first. Since this book does leave us off with the family (safely?) ensconced in Las Vegas there will be another book added to this series. And , I will be chomping at the bit to get my hands on it. It seemed like such a long wait between book one and book two. But, I guess the wait was worth it.
I would definitely recommend this book and this series.
The subsequent novel to Steven Konkoly’s Fractured State: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller picks right back up where the prior novel ended. The first one ended without any real resolutions for the characters and this one wraps up some, but not all. Neither are standalone books and I assume the author has a third installment planned. The pace matched the first book and at moments I was holding my breath and on the edge of my seat. After one prominent death I was yelling to myself, "No no no!" This is as much a page-turner as the first one. I recommend them both to anyone interested in a post-apocalyptic story that’s plausible and filled with military action and jargon. Both free through Amazon Prime.
This series reads like a movie and I sort of hope it makes its way to the silver screen at some point. The action and drama intertwine perfectly for a well-balanced thrill ride.
Okay, this is a definitely cool novel and series. If you want action, advanced weaponry and desperate tactics, this one is for you!
Personally, I preferred the future history setting and scenario, which drives the desperate politics behind all of the action. The scenario may be unlikely, but it is by no means implausible, and certainly not impossible.
Resources -- and the wealth behind the control of resources -- is always in play in society. Societies can dominate, or crumble, based on the level of resources they possess or control. Konkoly taps into that historical truth and builds a terrifying, frustrating future of desperation for those on the short end of the resource stick.
How far will governments, militaries, corporations and even individuals go to get "their share" of precious resources? Further than one might think.
Nathan Fisher, his family, and their friend, David find themselves running from Cerberus in a fight for their lives. Caught in the middle of a war over water rights for the western states Fisher has information that could change everything. Will Fisher share this vital information or go into hiding – if he lives?
Konkoly’s second installment of the Fractured State Series, Rogue State, picks up immediately where the first novel ended. It is full of non-stop action and suspense. There is more development of the supporting characters. We get to see just how insidious the workings of Cerberus really are.
There is a lot of human emotion in this novel along with at least one laugh out loud moment. Konkoly easily combines black ops with everyday people. This has to be one of my favorite books written by this author. I highly recommend it.
I won this book as a giveaway. The story line sounded so interested I went and purchased the first book and read it before reading this one. This second book is a continuation of the Fracture State book and an excellent series. The author provides great details in a way that is easy to understand what is going on with David and the Fishers. His writing gives you the visual of what is going on even in the battle scenes. The book did end at a cliff hanger giving me the excitement that I will be watching out for the next book in this series. I did purchase the audio to this book in order for me to listen to the story while driving in/out from work. I do find that there are some narrators that I just do not enjoy either their voice or how they narrated the book. The narration can impact ones enjoyment of a book. I give Timothy Andres Pabon 5 stars for his narration.
The story picks up about an hour after the end of Fractured State (and there is at least one more book in this series forthcoming). As fast paced and violent as Fractured State, the severe environmental damage resulting from diverted water resources is highlighted as only one of many reasons for the existence of the California Liberation Movement. Add in the involvement of a “prepper” enclave, and the tension becomes almost unbearable. This new series by Steven Konkoly contains many of the elements that drove his Black Flagged series, but seems better grounded, more realistic. A “Big Brother” force that controls 21st society seems all-too-possible at this time of our lives.
As with the first book of this series, the main focus of book #2, Fractured State, is still with a family trying to evade a powerful group of people. This group has almost unlimted resources and wants to kill the family, particularly the father of the family who has expertise that can aid the groups opponents. While the overall story is about California being split between those wanting California to secede from the Union and those who want to remain in the Union, that is just background to the constant battles between the family and the bad guys. The family would easily be killed if not for the help of various groups of people including the United States Marines. The action in this story is pretty much constant.
The first book was a disappointment. The second book in the series was even worse. Fun to watch California crash and burn, as we all expect it to do eventually. But the second book ended with no closure. It just left you hanging. I assume there will be a third book (or more) although it was sold as a two-book series. The biggest challenge was the consistent complaining, harassment and abuse the wife (Keira) of the lead character inflicted on her husband. Keira is the typical over the top Karen from California. Funny at first but it eventually got old and made book 2 very difficult to finish.
I read both books in the series and loved it. It had me on the edge of my seat!
HOWEVER...I would NOT recommend it to others because there appears to be no 3rd book and I would NEVER have started this series of books had I been aware of that fact. It's like getting to your favorite bookstore, which is 70 miles away (worth the distance because they are the BEST) and it is closed for renovations and no message of when or if it will be open again.
You will get left in the rain if you start this series wondering how the Fischer family trauma ended. Very disappointed! This has never happened to me in any series I have read.
‘Rogue State’ picks up where the first book (Fractured State) leaves off, but this story is much more fast paced and has a great mix of action and plot development. The characters are interesting and relatable and as always, the author does a great job with the writing. The only bad thing I can say about this book is that it leaves a bit of a cliff hanger which doesn’t wrap up the story nicely (which is a pet peeve of mine). Overall though I really enjoyed the book and can’t wait for the next one in the installment!
Steven Konkoly continues the excellence from the first Rogue State book. Non stop action, very plausible technology coupled with great characters provides the necessary vehicle to propel this series to the top. Hair raising action, truly evil bad guys and our central characters continue to squeak by what seems to be insurmountable odds. This is the recipe that keeps you on the edge of your seat and asking for more. I highly recommend this series.. Heck, I highly recommend anything Steven Konkoly writes.
As with the first book in the series, Fractured State, this book has lots of action, killing, and foul language, but no ending. Which means there's no resolution or conclusion. Based on Steven Konkoly's previous works such as the excellent Jakarta Pandemic and the Perseid Collapse series, I expected Mr. Konkoly to wrap things up with a solid ending. But instead, he leaves the reader hanging. What happens to the good guys? What happens to the bad guys? After several hundred pages, readers deserve to know. For crying out loud, Mr. Konkoly, you're better than this.
Original story setup was intriguing, as was the prediction of future lunacy in California. Every chapter was action filled with new and interesting characters being developed all along the way. Action descriptions seemed realistic and were exciting. The whole story keep my attention and was a totally enjoyable read. I will look at more from this author.
This is a continuation of the first book in the series, Fractured State, in which we meet Nathan Fisher and Captain Quinn who, along with family on both sides, work to help Fisher and his family escape the One Nation Group's efforts to kill the group who has an increasing understanding of the intent and potential dangers to the United States. I hope that the author will write the third book soon as it left me wanting to see how the story continues.
After reading the first book of the series I couldn't wait to read the second. Both were awesome reads and I found myself holding my breath several times. Wow!! Mr. Konkoly is a gifted writer and you won't be sorry you read any of his action- packed books. Can hardly wait for the third book in the series.
This book is so exciting I read it in no time. I was shocked by the loss of a main character, but hope we lose no one else. Living in MT, I know exactly what the described addresses look like. I have been on that street and in those townhouses. Great story! Hurry with the next segment!
Not unimaginable. Not inconceivable. Only 25 or 30 years away. Californians want to secede, some of them. Water and power are rationed...severely; and as always there are powerful self serving groups battling for control behind the scenes with no regard for the people involved. And there ARE people, real people, involved. Fast and furious.
The pace quickens right out of the gate and sustains itself throughout this story. Great follow up to book one. Enjoyed the action ands the evolution of the core characters. The author's extreme!y plausible vision of the near future is disconcerting as well as a fine backdrop for this story. Looking forward to book three
I am rereading this book because I didn't leave a review the first time. Bad reader.
Excellent read. Once you start there is no stopping until you get to the end. It does leave you wanting more. Definitely recommend this book. Don't forget to read Fractured State first!
What a rollercoaster ride this series has been so far. The plot, set in the not so distant future, bears an eerie resemblance to the path of climate change we are currently on. Combined with feverish action and suspense, this series is a 5 star winner.