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Deckard #4
Gray Matter Splatter
From New York Times best selling author and Army Special Operations veteran Jack Murphy comes the next installment in the Deckard mercenary fiction series. The high Arctic is a region untouched by war. Until now. A mysterious weapon is stolen from a Russian facility by an equally elusive foe. With America under attack, the only chance to recover the weapon falls to Deckard and Samruk International in what quickly becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse in the Arctic Circle. Their enemy is technically savvy, sophisticated, and cunning, staying a step ahead of Samruk at every turn as they race across the tundras of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and beyond. With the numbers ticking down, Deckard makes a desperate final push across the frozen waste while the enemy triggers their final a blow that could knock Western civilization back a hundred years and give birth to a new empire.
- GenresThriller
364 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 23, 2016
23 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 12, 2016
“What the hell did I just read?” I questioned with an ear to ear grin. In fact, I almost wish that I was sitting with Jack over a beer while I read the ARC of his book just to see him with a big smirk prodding me on proudly, knowlingly to keep going, keep going. And proud he should be. Warriors battling artillery drones in the arctic tundra battlespace, an advanced role-playing game used for covert meetings, ninja-like shock troops, remotely orchestrated attacks by a league of nations looking to take over the world, and a JSOC think tank battling amongst themselves to stop eminent disaster that the U.S. is too blind to see. All the while the foot pressed down on the gas in this very cerebral but entertaining military thriller. Whatever it was, whatever Jack just did, it was fun as hell, very fresh, and I probably need to read it again!
Ultimately, Jack Murphy has continued to advance the Action & Adventure pocket novel by pushing the envelope on tomorrow’s threats and military innovations to bring back the mass market paperback experience. The culmination of characters, setting, plot, and technology set the bar for authors looking to give their readers an entirely new experience. At the same time, there was a comfortable familiarity of this wicked cool G.I. Joe vs. COBRA tale. Jack’s substitution, SAMRUK, a private military contractor outfit, which like G.I. Joe, is a daring, highly trained special mission force. It’s mission this time to defend freedom against OCULUS, an organization determined to offset American hegemony.
The narrative is what you would expect from a high action thriller with all the tools and toys you can imagine---and more. But Murphy, a seasoned operator in real life and a smart as sh*t geo-political analyst brings some real issues to light that are hopefully keeping folks in the White House up at night. What is amazingly crafted is the way Jack sewed the 50lb head content into the story without it disrupting the pace and flow of the action. The smart guys knew smart stuff and the shooters shot. Deckard the hero took his lumps and continued to evolve while showing great humor, some brash remarks to the brass, and an iron will to complete the mission that fans of the series will expect.
My only advice to readers--aside from buying it right away--is to keep an open mind when the initial role-playing game scene is introduced. At first it threw me off, but not in a bad way. As it quickly evolved I saw the genius in it. So hang tight and go with the fantasy throw in that proves to be a very strategic element within the story. It’s different, but works very well. And personally having been involved with playing Second Life and World of Warcraft for the military and government to assess dark networks, I know that Jack Murphy is spot on in how he details the scenarios which simply added to the authenticity that graces each and every page.
Kick ass
Ultimately, Jack Murphy has continued to advance the Action & Adventure pocket novel by pushing the envelope on tomorrow’s threats and military innovations to bring back the mass market paperback experience. The culmination of characters, setting, plot, and technology set the bar for authors looking to give their readers an entirely new experience. At the same time, there was a comfortable familiarity of this wicked cool G.I. Joe vs. COBRA tale. Jack’s substitution, SAMRUK, a private military contractor outfit, which like G.I. Joe, is a daring, highly trained special mission force. It’s mission this time to defend freedom against OCULUS, an organization determined to offset American hegemony.
The narrative is what you would expect from a high action thriller with all the tools and toys you can imagine---and more. But Murphy, a seasoned operator in real life and a smart as sh*t geo-political analyst brings some real issues to light that are hopefully keeping folks in the White House up at night. What is amazingly crafted is the way Jack sewed the 50lb head content into the story without it disrupting the pace and flow of the action. The smart guys knew smart stuff and the shooters shot. Deckard the hero took his lumps and continued to evolve while showing great humor, some brash remarks to the brass, and an iron will to complete the mission that fans of the series will expect.
My only advice to readers--aside from buying it right away--is to keep an open mind when the initial role-playing game scene is introduced. At first it threw me off, but not in a bad way. As it quickly evolved I saw the genius in it. So hang tight and go with the fantasy throw in that proves to be a very strategic element within the story. It’s different, but works very well. And personally having been involved with playing Second Life and World of Warcraft for the military and government to assess dark networks, I know that Jack Murphy is spot on in how he details the scenarios which simply added to the authenticity that graces each and every page.
Kick ass
August 11, 2021
This book single-handedly ruined the Fate of the Furious for me.
Former special operations soldier Jack Murphy has been consistently delivering on kinetic action and behind-the-scenes geopolitical thrills that you will rarely find in print.
In REFLEXIVE FIRE, we watched protagonist Deckard take the helm of Samruk International and make it his own as he took on shadow political brokers.
In TARGET DECK, Deckard turned his sights on the Mexican Drug Cartels and uncovered a secret program to use Middle Eastern terrorists to forward American objectives in the region.
In DIRECT ACTION--probably his most controversial book to date--Deckard discovers that there is a cabal of former SOF personnel committing war crimes on a massive scale while promoting the objectives of shadow political brokers. He successfully infiltrates the group and works to defeat them from within.
GRAY MATTER SPLATTER takes us in a whole new direction. Samruk International has set its sights on the newest frontier of power politics: the Arctic. To lift a phrase from the book, all the villains in Gotham have turned their sights there in order to effect the downfall of the United States, and it is up to Samruk International to stop them.
Now, Murphy could have certainly just clad his mercs in cool-guy snow camouflage and written the book, and 95% of his fanbase wouldn't have been any the wiser. But that is not his style. Instead, he conducted in-depth research into arctic warfare and the politics surrounding the Arctic, and it shows in spades. Whether it's a description of a movement across tundra in snowshoes, or scaling an ice cliff with picks in order to establish vertical dominance, Jack Murphy places you right there in the action and delivers a crash course in how to fight in the snow.
Now, how did that ruin FATE OF THE FURIOUS for me?
Well, when you finish the book the same day you watch the movie, and you see The Rock and Michelle Rodriguez in minimal jackets with fingerless gloves and no headgear in the middle of Arctic Russia, it makes it painfully obvious that the writers did not do the research, and subsequently makes it difficult to enjoy the film.
Damn you, Jack Murphy.
But seriously, put metal to matter and pick up GRAY MATTER SPLATTER.
Former special operations soldier Jack Murphy has been consistently delivering on kinetic action and behind-the-scenes geopolitical thrills that you will rarely find in print.
In REFLEXIVE FIRE, we watched protagonist Deckard take the helm of Samruk International and make it his own as he took on shadow political brokers.
In TARGET DECK, Deckard turned his sights on the Mexican Drug Cartels and uncovered a secret program to use Middle Eastern terrorists to forward American objectives in the region.
In DIRECT ACTION--probably his most controversial book to date--Deckard discovers that there is a cabal of former SOF personnel committing war crimes on a massive scale while promoting the objectives of shadow political brokers. He successfully infiltrates the group and works to defeat them from within.
GRAY MATTER SPLATTER takes us in a whole new direction. Samruk International has set its sights on the newest frontier of power politics: the Arctic. To lift a phrase from the book, all the villains in Gotham have turned their sights there in order to effect the downfall of the United States, and it is up to Samruk International to stop them.
Now, Murphy could have certainly just clad his mercs in cool-guy snow camouflage and written the book, and 95% of his fanbase wouldn't have been any the wiser. But that is not his style. Instead, he conducted in-depth research into arctic warfare and the politics surrounding the Arctic, and it shows in spades. Whether it's a description of a movement across tundra in snowshoes, or scaling an ice cliff with picks in order to establish vertical dominance, Jack Murphy places you right there in the action and delivers a crash course in how to fight in the snow.
Now, how did that ruin FATE OF THE FURIOUS for me?
Well, when you finish the book the same day you watch the movie, and you see The Rock and Michelle Rodriguez in minimal jackets with fingerless gloves and no headgear in the middle of Arctic Russia, it makes it painfully obvious that the writers did not do the research, and subsequently makes it difficult to enjoy the film.
Damn you, Jack Murphy.
But seriously, put metal to matter and pick up GRAY MATTER SPLATTER.
July 29, 2016
*Full disclosure: I received an advanced copy for the purposes of editing this novel*
If Jack Murphy were strictly interested in making money with his novels, he has the real-world experience and writing talent to bang out a dozen decent military thrillers a year. Instead—and much to his readers' benefit—he carefully researches, plots, and crafts each novel until he's certain he's made something so powerful, unique, and memorable, those who read it will be utterly blown away.
"Gray Matter Splatter" is without question some of his finest work to date.
Here, Murphy pulls out all the stops. Deckard finds himself plunged into a new, hostile environment—the Arctic—battling a new, hostile enemy: a coalition of all of America's most powerful enemies. Toss in gadgets galore, some cyber warfare, a few genetically enhanced super soldiers, and a healthy dose of unapologetic bloodshed, and you've got a formula for wild entertainment that blows most of today's mainstream thrillers out of the water.
If Jack Murphy were strictly interested in making money with his novels, he has the real-world experience and writing talent to bang out a dozen decent military thrillers a year. Instead—and much to his readers' benefit—he carefully researches, plots, and crafts each novel until he's certain he's made something so powerful, unique, and memorable, those who read it will be utterly blown away.
"Gray Matter Splatter" is without question some of his finest work to date.
Here, Murphy pulls out all the stops. Deckard finds himself plunged into a new, hostile environment—the Arctic—battling a new, hostile enemy: a coalition of all of America's most powerful enemies. Toss in gadgets galore, some cyber warfare, a few genetically enhanced super soldiers, and a healthy dose of unapologetic bloodshed, and you've got a formula for wild entertainment that blows most of today's mainstream thrillers out of the water.
July 15, 2018
THE THINKING MAN’S WAR.
“Now days battles are just sort of a "You shoot up my town and I'll shoot up yours." They say that Americans don't play fair. They shoot 'em up all the time. I hope so because I want to finish this job as soon as possible.” – Harry S. Truman.
“Keep a cool head and maintain a low profile. Never take the lead - but aim to do something big.” – Deng Xiaoping.
“Enemies are right in front of you, you are at war with them, then you make an armistice with them, and all is clear.” – Vladimir Putin
“I shall kick their teeth in.” – Ayatollah Khomeini.
At the end of the Cold War, it was assumed that America would have a God given right to hegemony over the earth, remain the only super power on earth, and further develop the American led global order so it would spread around the world and bring peace and joy to all. Such innocent sentiments proceeded to be smashed by the sledgehammer of unpredictable geopolitics and poked full of holes by the power drill of complacency. As of now, American hegemony is wobbling, the American led order and its ideas are being rejected by the semi - authoritarian populist wave and now, the land of the free, home of the brave and occasionally foolish is no longer the only super power on earth.
Meet the Great Powers and assorted minions. We have the big boys, China and Russia, the regional little brothers, Iran and North Korea and associates like Pakistan and Venezuela. Like a good sized criminal gang, they each bring a special skill to the table. China's the money and brains, Russia's the muscle and firepower, Iran provides the networking (of the terrorist variety) and the fuel for the getaway car and North Korea is the wild card and patsy. It's the Great Powers which are currently driving much of 21st century geopolitical change and who seek to eventually wipe out the unilateral hegemony of the United States. Alone, they are nothing, but together, they have the power to nudge Uncle Sam closer to the edge, one inch at a time.
It's on this backdrop which Jack Murphy, veteran soldier, journalist and novelist has set his fourth Deckard Novel in the Samruk Saga. The Samruk Saga concerns the life and times of sacked CIA Paramilitary officer by the name of Deckard and the modest Private Military Corporation he runs. Over the course of three books, Deckard has gone to war against terrorists, drug cartel soldiers, rival guns for hire and the real rulers of the United States of America. Characterized by sharp, edgy plotting, real world research that you don't quite get in mainstream published thriller novels, an exploration of some unexpected real world issues and badass, deep characters, the Deckard books have now culminated in "Gray Matter Splatter". Mr Murphy puts the thriller back in technothriller, creating a dark, old school speculative fiction novel that explores the future of modern warfare, and how one would go about cutting up a super power into small, bite sized pieces. Now to the review. What happens when someone changes the game?
The novel begins in the most mundane of places, an employee interview. We have Deckard and the Samruk international leadership preparing for a new job in the snow. They're looking for soldiers with alpine and winter warfare experience. After selecting a few candidates and coming up with one bumbling, obnoxious dud, we then transition to a series of unfortunate event that are happening around the world. A team of well equipped gunmen attempt to take possession of a nuclear weapon in the American heartland.
US Embassies in East Africa are overrun, and the rescue force sent to liberate them is tracked down and blown to smithereens by a suicide bomb. And an annoying fence jumper once again exposes the impotence of the USSS and breaches the White House perimeter. This wave of chaos, comes to the attention of a trio of covert operatives who run a subsection of JSOC. This subsection, rolls into action upon the discovery that a nuclear weapons research facility in north Russia was taken. With the sluggish behemoth of the US military rendered useless due to this unrestricted warfare, one of the leaders of the JSOC subsection calls upon one asset, a wild card whom his fellow operatives hate and fear with a passion. Deckard.
Sailing across the North Pole, Samruk International battles a foe the likes of which have never been seen in the post 9/11 era. Laser focused, sly, quick as a fox. The opposition hold all the best cards and bodies hit the floor when those cards are played. But in a game without rules, and with every inch of the United States in peril, desperate times call for a most desperate, deadly man for the job. And as the seconds wind down and the greatest country on earth is set to be washed away by the greatest act of geopolitical change in a generation, only one question remains. Can a non state actor beat the great powers at their own game?
In terms of plot. Gray Matter Splatter is a fun, well made romp that channels the best of classic 80s technthrillers, speculative novels and even science fiction cartoons like GI Joe, while leaving the worst excesses of those influences on the cutting room floor. The story captures the chaotic geopolitical flux of our time, where we're only just remembering that the enemy has a vote, that the free world doesn't have a guaranteed right to victory and complacency kills with the once mocked johnny foreigner developing unique technical solutions to return and wreck your day. While mixing fun action scenes and the most violent, vicious combat put to pen in a post 9/11 technothriller, bloodshed that makes most of the NYT bestseller list look soft and sanitized, Murphy integrates a surprisingly complex subtext that tackles the changes modern warfare is set to go through in this century. And it's these changes that the new generation of geopolitical players seek to ride on to get to the top.
Action and setting? Excellent. The backdrop Murphy has selected for the operatic butchery to commence is the North Pole. Most spy fiction cold war and post 9/11 prefers the wrong side of the tracks in Europe or some Arab World backwater. In particular, I despise how Paris has been overused by spy novelists for far too long. Murphy avoids this by selecting a most unusual setting that is only set to become way more important as time goes by.
From the first raid on a Russian Mafia property in the snowy wastes, to naval combat between high tech ice breakers, an ambush with UAV and UGVs that throw a serious spanner into the Samruk works, and a smashing climax in a cave network above Canada where the fate of America comes down to Deckard and a Glock 19, Gray Matter Splatter reminds me why my tastes have increasingly leaned towards indie fiction over the years. More creative, more daring, more edgy, and so, so much more violent than even the most praised NYT bestseller could ever hope to be.
Research? Well Mr Murphy gets the details right here. Correct kit for surviving in the antarctic, environmental dangers and variables that need to take into consideration. The problems that result if you don't have the right kit, like having buggys rather than snowmobiles (the buggys fall over like an overturned tortoise). And that's just the tip of the iceberg. The primary highlight of the Samruk Series book 4, is Murphy's look into what a properly deadly asymmetric warfare campaign would involve. Channeling the legendary PLA Unrestricted Warfare paper, the baddies of Gray Matter Splatter go to town on our heroes with a strategic use of cyberwarfare, terrorism, drone warfare and some experimental WMDs. All these are designed to render the billions America has spent on its military worthless within hours and create the opportunity for a killing blow. Despite this large amount of real world detail, the testament to Murphy's ability to integrate it into the narrative is how the physical copy of the book can't stop a door in the way Tom Clancy's The Teeth Of The Tiger could.
Themes? Well quite a few real world issues are dealt with in this story. The central one however is the exploration of what an asymmetric warfare campaign could achieve if given the resources of multiple nation states, rather than single nations and individuals. In this story, we have the Axis of Evil 2.0 who decide to take down the USA through a most unconventional final solution that one wouldn't expect. In real life and in most works of fiction, we have only seen one kind of asymmetric warfare in a Muslim world context. Murphy however takes time to show the true power of such tactics when given the advanced technology a several nation states could provide that a Saudi Prince or a Iranian IRGC General couldn't alone.
Characters? Lots of standouts but I'll focus on three. Deckard, Will and the Mage. First, Deckard. After his previous assignment which hit too close to him personally, we first find Deckard suffering from an existential crisis. Having seen what sort of monster he could become if he lost something to anchor his professionalism towards, he finds himself working with and trying to save the country that rejected him, the USA. For all his cynicism and amorality, Deckard is still patriotic enough to go toe to toe with three ships of state who have the power to sink his own with a slight nudge. Tough, badass and capable of the most lunatic feats of soldiering, Deckard is not a one trick pony like most gunmen of Post 9/11 fiction. He switches hats between commanding others to do battle for him and leading from the front with aplomb. A thinking man's soldier, Deckard is even able to hold his own with the savvy, but snobbish primary antagonist of the story.
Secondly, we have Will. Will is an old spy in the mould of the cold war Zealots like Dewey Claridge and Robert B Baer. Having pissed off Langley and the Pentagon long ago, Will is drawn back to do some hunting on behalf of his inferiors. A chap who doesn't take fools gladly, Will's arrogance, savvy and biting sarcasm makes his banter with his fellow JSOC subsection members provide a significant amount of the comedy in the story, ensuring Gray Matter Splatter doesn't hit the dark depressing depths of Direct Action.
Finally, we have an individual only known as "The Mage". He is the primary spokesperson of the unholy trinity that are the antagonists of the story. A hatchet man and resident geopolitical fixer for his country, "The Mage", is a highly enigmatic, charismatic adversary. Affable, cultured but commanding the most powerful asymmetric army the world has ever seen, "The Mage" is far more dangerous an individual than the Cobra Commander or Blofeld ever were. Some of the best scenes of the story were the verbal duels he and Deckard had in cyberspace, where they discuss everything from philosophy, to modern warfare and geopolitics. I really hope he comes back in a future Deckard novel and the author has set the stage for him to do a most welcome (for us and unwelcome to Deckard) reappearance.
Constructive criticism? Well I felt the two other secondary antagonists working the The Mage were most underused and inserted in as an afterthought. Also, while I understand structure and plot constraints had come into play, I did feel that the political/backroom side of the story didn't get enough chance to shine. Apart from that, Gray Matter Splatter was an amazing technothriller novel.
In conclusion Jack Murphy hits the sweet spot with his fourth Deckard military thriller novel. There's nothing quite like the Samruk Saga in post 9/11 military fiction, as like the Mission Impossible films, the books change and adapt rather than end up being stuck in a rut. From the epic ludlum conspiracy thrills of the first book, the contemporary urban warfare of book 2, the intriguing modern day contract killer story of book 3 and finally, the genre bending light science fiction - unconventional warfare of book 4, each of the entries in the series has its unique flavor while remaining true to the edgy character that is Deckard.
And Gray Matter Splatter represents this in spades. Big guns, big boats and big body counts go hand in hand with intelligent plotting, gloriously violent, but perfectly executed action set pieces and a cast of amoral, enigmatic characters who will have you guessing about who comes out on top. Literary critics dismiss and demean thriller fiction due to its violence. But Jack Murphy proves they lack the gray matter to see the true potential of the genre here. With Murphy about to send Deckard back in time, now is the perfect opportunity to start reading a series that shows the true potential of indie thriller fiction and just how far it can go in the right hands.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
“Now days battles are just sort of a "You shoot up my town and I'll shoot up yours." They say that Americans don't play fair. They shoot 'em up all the time. I hope so because I want to finish this job as soon as possible.” – Harry S. Truman.
“Keep a cool head and maintain a low profile. Never take the lead - but aim to do something big.” – Deng Xiaoping.
“Enemies are right in front of you, you are at war with them, then you make an armistice with them, and all is clear.” – Vladimir Putin
“I shall kick their teeth in.” – Ayatollah Khomeini.
At the end of the Cold War, it was assumed that America would have a God given right to hegemony over the earth, remain the only super power on earth, and further develop the American led global order so it would spread around the world and bring peace and joy to all. Such innocent sentiments proceeded to be smashed by the sledgehammer of unpredictable geopolitics and poked full of holes by the power drill of complacency. As of now, American hegemony is wobbling, the American led order and its ideas are being rejected by the semi - authoritarian populist wave and now, the land of the free, home of the brave and occasionally foolish is no longer the only super power on earth.
Meet the Great Powers and assorted minions. We have the big boys, China and Russia, the regional little brothers, Iran and North Korea and associates like Pakistan and Venezuela. Like a good sized criminal gang, they each bring a special skill to the table. China's the money and brains, Russia's the muscle and firepower, Iran provides the networking (of the terrorist variety) and the fuel for the getaway car and North Korea is the wild card and patsy. It's the Great Powers which are currently driving much of 21st century geopolitical change and who seek to eventually wipe out the unilateral hegemony of the United States. Alone, they are nothing, but together, they have the power to nudge Uncle Sam closer to the edge, one inch at a time.
It's on this backdrop which Jack Murphy, veteran soldier, journalist and novelist has set his fourth Deckard Novel in the Samruk Saga. The Samruk Saga concerns the life and times of sacked CIA Paramilitary officer by the name of Deckard and the modest Private Military Corporation he runs. Over the course of three books, Deckard has gone to war against terrorists, drug cartel soldiers, rival guns for hire and the real rulers of the United States of America. Characterized by sharp, edgy plotting, real world research that you don't quite get in mainstream published thriller novels, an exploration of some unexpected real world issues and badass, deep characters, the Deckard books have now culminated in "Gray Matter Splatter". Mr Murphy puts the thriller back in technothriller, creating a dark, old school speculative fiction novel that explores the future of modern warfare, and how one would go about cutting up a super power into small, bite sized pieces. Now to the review. What happens when someone changes the game?
The novel begins in the most mundane of places, an employee interview. We have Deckard and the Samruk international leadership preparing for a new job in the snow. They're looking for soldiers with alpine and winter warfare experience. After selecting a few candidates and coming up with one bumbling, obnoxious dud, we then transition to a series of unfortunate event that are happening around the world. A team of well equipped gunmen attempt to take possession of a nuclear weapon in the American heartland.
US Embassies in East Africa are overrun, and the rescue force sent to liberate them is tracked down and blown to smithereens by a suicide bomb. And an annoying fence jumper once again exposes the impotence of the USSS and breaches the White House perimeter. This wave of chaos, comes to the attention of a trio of covert operatives who run a subsection of JSOC. This subsection, rolls into action upon the discovery that a nuclear weapons research facility in north Russia was taken. With the sluggish behemoth of the US military rendered useless due to this unrestricted warfare, one of the leaders of the JSOC subsection calls upon one asset, a wild card whom his fellow operatives hate and fear with a passion. Deckard.
Sailing across the North Pole, Samruk International battles a foe the likes of which have never been seen in the post 9/11 era. Laser focused, sly, quick as a fox. The opposition hold all the best cards and bodies hit the floor when those cards are played. But in a game without rules, and with every inch of the United States in peril, desperate times call for a most desperate, deadly man for the job. And as the seconds wind down and the greatest country on earth is set to be washed away by the greatest act of geopolitical change in a generation, only one question remains. Can a non state actor beat the great powers at their own game?
In terms of plot. Gray Matter Splatter is a fun, well made romp that channels the best of classic 80s technthrillers, speculative novels and even science fiction cartoons like GI Joe, while leaving the worst excesses of those influences on the cutting room floor. The story captures the chaotic geopolitical flux of our time, where we're only just remembering that the enemy has a vote, that the free world doesn't have a guaranteed right to victory and complacency kills with the once mocked johnny foreigner developing unique technical solutions to return and wreck your day. While mixing fun action scenes and the most violent, vicious combat put to pen in a post 9/11 technothriller, bloodshed that makes most of the NYT bestseller list look soft and sanitized, Murphy integrates a surprisingly complex subtext that tackles the changes modern warfare is set to go through in this century. And it's these changes that the new generation of geopolitical players seek to ride on to get to the top.
Action and setting? Excellent. The backdrop Murphy has selected for the operatic butchery to commence is the North Pole. Most spy fiction cold war and post 9/11 prefers the wrong side of the tracks in Europe or some Arab World backwater. In particular, I despise how Paris has been overused by spy novelists for far too long. Murphy avoids this by selecting a most unusual setting that is only set to become way more important as time goes by.
From the first raid on a Russian Mafia property in the snowy wastes, to naval combat between high tech ice breakers, an ambush with UAV and UGVs that throw a serious spanner into the Samruk works, and a smashing climax in a cave network above Canada where the fate of America comes down to Deckard and a Glock 19, Gray Matter Splatter reminds me why my tastes have increasingly leaned towards indie fiction over the years. More creative, more daring, more edgy, and so, so much more violent than even the most praised NYT bestseller could ever hope to be.
Research? Well Mr Murphy gets the details right here. Correct kit for surviving in the antarctic, environmental dangers and variables that need to take into consideration. The problems that result if you don't have the right kit, like having buggys rather than snowmobiles (the buggys fall over like an overturned tortoise). And that's just the tip of the iceberg. The primary highlight of the Samruk Series book 4, is Murphy's look into what a properly deadly asymmetric warfare campaign would involve. Channeling the legendary PLA Unrestricted Warfare paper, the baddies of Gray Matter Splatter go to town on our heroes with a strategic use of cyberwarfare, terrorism, drone warfare and some experimental WMDs. All these are designed to render the billions America has spent on its military worthless within hours and create the opportunity for a killing blow. Despite this large amount of real world detail, the testament to Murphy's ability to integrate it into the narrative is how the physical copy of the book can't stop a door in the way Tom Clancy's The Teeth Of The Tiger could.
Themes? Well quite a few real world issues are dealt with in this story. The central one however is the exploration of what an asymmetric warfare campaign could achieve if given the resources of multiple nation states, rather than single nations and individuals. In this story, we have the Axis of Evil 2.0 who decide to take down the USA through a most unconventional final solution that one wouldn't expect. In real life and in most works of fiction, we have only seen one kind of asymmetric warfare in a Muslim world context. Murphy however takes time to show the true power of such tactics when given the advanced technology a several nation states could provide that a Saudi Prince or a Iranian IRGC General couldn't alone.
Characters? Lots of standouts but I'll focus on three. Deckard, Will and the Mage. First, Deckard. After his previous assignment which hit too close to him personally, we first find Deckard suffering from an existential crisis. Having seen what sort of monster he could become if he lost something to anchor his professionalism towards, he finds himself working with and trying to save the country that rejected him, the USA. For all his cynicism and amorality, Deckard is still patriotic enough to go toe to toe with three ships of state who have the power to sink his own with a slight nudge. Tough, badass and capable of the most lunatic feats of soldiering, Deckard is not a one trick pony like most gunmen of Post 9/11 fiction. He switches hats between commanding others to do battle for him and leading from the front with aplomb. A thinking man's soldier, Deckard is even able to hold his own with the savvy, but snobbish primary antagonist of the story.
Secondly, we have Will. Will is an old spy in the mould of the cold war Zealots like Dewey Claridge and Robert B Baer. Having pissed off Langley and the Pentagon long ago, Will is drawn back to do some hunting on behalf of his inferiors. A chap who doesn't take fools gladly, Will's arrogance, savvy and biting sarcasm makes his banter with his fellow JSOC subsection members provide a significant amount of the comedy in the story, ensuring Gray Matter Splatter doesn't hit the dark depressing depths of Direct Action.
Finally, we have an individual only known as "The Mage". He is the primary spokesperson of the unholy trinity that are the antagonists of the story. A hatchet man and resident geopolitical fixer for his country, "The Mage", is a highly enigmatic, charismatic adversary. Affable, cultured but commanding the most powerful asymmetric army the world has ever seen, "The Mage" is far more dangerous an individual than the Cobra Commander or Blofeld ever were. Some of the best scenes of the story were the verbal duels he and Deckard had in cyberspace, where they discuss everything from philosophy, to modern warfare and geopolitics. I really hope he comes back in a future Deckard novel and the author has set the stage for him to do a most welcome (for us and unwelcome to Deckard) reappearance.
Constructive criticism? Well I felt the two other secondary antagonists working the The Mage were most underused and inserted in as an afterthought. Also, while I understand structure and plot constraints had come into play, I did feel that the political/backroom side of the story didn't get enough chance to shine. Apart from that, Gray Matter Splatter was an amazing technothriller novel.
In conclusion Jack Murphy hits the sweet spot with his fourth Deckard military thriller novel. There's nothing quite like the Samruk Saga in post 9/11 military fiction, as like the Mission Impossible films, the books change and adapt rather than end up being stuck in a rut. From the epic ludlum conspiracy thrills of the first book, the contemporary urban warfare of book 2, the intriguing modern day contract killer story of book 3 and finally, the genre bending light science fiction - unconventional warfare of book 4, each of the entries in the series has its unique flavor while remaining true to the edgy character that is Deckard.
And Gray Matter Splatter represents this in spades. Big guns, big boats and big body counts go hand in hand with intelligent plotting, gloriously violent, but perfectly executed action set pieces and a cast of amoral, enigmatic characters who will have you guessing about who comes out on top. Literary critics dismiss and demean thriller fiction due to its violence. But Jack Murphy proves they lack the gray matter to see the true potential of the genre here. With Murphy about to send Deckard back in time, now is the perfect opportunity to start reading a series that shows the true potential of indie thriller fiction and just how far it can go in the right hands.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
October 1, 2016
Another great book from Jack! Really liked the setting and the storyline. The Chinese agents were an interesting twist that, who knows, could be already in a real world environment.
July 2, 2017
Looking forward to the next book in the series.
May 26, 2020
Great series
I've really enjoyed the series. Well thought out and researched. Funny where it should be and also action packed. Love all of Jack Murphy's work.
I've really enjoyed the series. Well thought out and researched. Funny where it should be and also action packed. Love all of Jack Murphy's work.
October 24, 2022
I absolutely loved this series. The book was awesome. I’m really sad that there hasn’t been a new Deckard novel since 2016. How do I get Jack to write more? Lol
December 3, 2025
Really good, but I didn't think it was amazing. Now I wonder if there will be a follow up?
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