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Tradecraft #2
Shifting Sands: Tradecraft: Phase One
Iranian physicist Dr. Sara Qaderi has been leaking intelligence to the UN detailing her deadly work at a nuclear facility in Iran for months —but her time is running out. Colonel Mostafa Sabri is on the hunt for the traitors who have been compromising Iran's national security. And he always finds his prey. Since birth, Sara has been taught that Americans aren't to be trusted. Now her life is in the hands of Nick Shane, an American Marine whose mission is to get her and the vital information she carries to Afghanistan before Israel drops the first bombs of the next world war. He has his own reservations about this Iranian physicist and her motives. But he also has his orders, and will carry out his mission at all costs. Will they make it in time to save the world from erupting into a violent global conflict—or die in the unforgiving Iranian desert?
288 pages, Paperback
Published April 26, 2017
6 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 27, 2020
I read this book and I didn’t have the highest expectations, admittedly. But I really enjoyed this one and that’s because the author knows how to write a good thriller story. I have to share about this book with you!
I have to confess that the first half of the book is quite slow. It took me a while to get into it – to get properly hooked and invested into the story. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s because the beginning of the book is bad. More so, it’s because we need to give individual storylines time to develop and form before it can come together. But then the second half hits and you won’t be able to stop reading. The tension was sky high and the suspense gripped me until I could barely breathe. I loved reading this one and it gave me that awful need to turn pages that I love having when reading a thriller.
The book follows three brothers who are all in their adult age but are all in quite different positions in their respective careers and emotional lives. It was so interesting to see their dynamic because two of the brothers really did not get along, and one was left to play peacekeeper. When the parents were brought into the picture, the family situations could get quite complicated. I actually really enjoyed reading about the brother’s sibling dynamic and seeing how their situations impacted how they treated each other. But I have to admit that I fell hardest for Nick. He had such a troubled past in the war and a whole lot of angst he needed to shift through. Even though he did some wrong things, I understood why he did them. I just wanted him to make it through everything okay!
This thriller is told through multiple point of views, as is popular with thrillers. But it doesn’t only stick to the main characters, but sometimes jumps to the secondary characters. I didn’t mind that at all and thought it worked well for the story. But I think it’s worth noting in the review because I know there are some readers who don’t like that sort of set up.
The writing style was very simplistic, sometimes overly so. The author doesn’t use purple writing to tell the tale, but states everything as it is. I think it worked well for this story. It kind of set the army atmosphere feel to the story (a lot of this has to do with being in the army and a war), while also never wasting the reader’s time. Sometimes the writing could get a bit technical when talking about the science behind the nuclear weaponry, but it made it so I understood everything and saw how it all contributed to the bigger picture.
There is a dash of politics thrown into the story, and it only makes sense as this one has so much to do with the Afghanistan war and Israel’s politics. So of course, there is some in there. You don’t need to have any prior knowledge going in and it doesn’t give opinions on right or wrong when it comes to the politics. It’s more so just mentioned so the reader understands why certain information is more important than others and showing the motivations for the army’s decisions that it makes. I did appreciate how it wove politics in although I feel quite twisted about all the army fighting. (I think I might be a pacifist when it comes to wars, but I haven’t really given it too much thought yet. Or looked into what it means to be a pacifist and what political stance they take other than no war.)
All in all, this one was a plot driven thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat right until the end. I was up reading late into the night which is the sign of a great book to me! It also made me remember how much I love the thriller genre and definitely need to read more books within it. It wove together so well in the end that I know the author crafted this one carefully and managed to pull it all off in the end.
This review and others can originally be found on Olivia's Catastrophe: https://oliviascatastrophe.com/2020/0...
I have to confess that the first half of the book is quite slow. It took me a while to get into it – to get properly hooked and invested into the story. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s because the beginning of the book is bad. More so, it’s because we need to give individual storylines time to develop and form before it can come together. But then the second half hits and you won’t be able to stop reading. The tension was sky high and the suspense gripped me until I could barely breathe. I loved reading this one and it gave me that awful need to turn pages that I love having when reading a thriller.
The book follows three brothers who are all in their adult age but are all in quite different positions in their respective careers and emotional lives. It was so interesting to see their dynamic because two of the brothers really did not get along, and one was left to play peacekeeper. When the parents were brought into the picture, the family situations could get quite complicated. I actually really enjoyed reading about the brother’s sibling dynamic and seeing how their situations impacted how they treated each other. But I have to admit that I fell hardest for Nick. He had such a troubled past in the war and a whole lot of angst he needed to shift through. Even though he did some wrong things, I understood why he did them. I just wanted him to make it through everything okay!
This thriller is told through multiple point of views, as is popular with thrillers. But it doesn’t only stick to the main characters, but sometimes jumps to the secondary characters. I didn’t mind that at all and thought it worked well for the story. But I think it’s worth noting in the review because I know there are some readers who don’t like that sort of set up.
The writing style was very simplistic, sometimes overly so. The author doesn’t use purple writing to tell the tale, but states everything as it is. I think it worked well for this story. It kind of set the army atmosphere feel to the story (a lot of this has to do with being in the army and a war), while also never wasting the reader’s time. Sometimes the writing could get a bit technical when talking about the science behind the nuclear weaponry, but it made it so I understood everything and saw how it all contributed to the bigger picture.
There is a dash of politics thrown into the story, and it only makes sense as this one has so much to do with the Afghanistan war and Israel’s politics. So of course, there is some in there. You don’t need to have any prior knowledge going in and it doesn’t give opinions on right or wrong when it comes to the politics. It’s more so just mentioned so the reader understands why certain information is more important than others and showing the motivations for the army’s decisions that it makes. I did appreciate how it wove politics in although I feel quite twisted about all the army fighting. (I think I might be a pacifist when it comes to wars, but I haven’t really given it too much thought yet. Or looked into what it means to be a pacifist and what political stance they take other than no war.)
All in all, this one was a plot driven thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat right until the end. I was up reading late into the night which is the sign of a great book to me! It also made me remember how much I love the thriller genre and definitely need to read more books within it. It wove together so well in the end that I know the author crafted this one carefully and managed to pull it all off in the end.
This review and others can originally be found on Olivia's Catastrophe: https://oliviascatastrophe.com/2020/0...
May 10, 2018
This book introduces Dr. Sara Qaderi, an Iranian physisict, and to Nick Shane, an American Marine.
With Shifting Sands, Michael Shusko has created an action-packed thriller centred on Nick Shane, his brothers, and Dr. Sara Qaderi. It is a compelling read that drew me in after a few pages into the story. Michael Shusko paints a clear picture of the characters' minds while the story evolves, making them real(istic) persons. The main characters - good guys and bad guys alike - are complex, the other characters are described as required; you learn enough about them as well. The story comprises interesting turns, and has a good flow.
This is a book for you if you like fast-paced military thrillers, chilling moments, insights in criminal minds, and if you like believable characters with a mission.
Recommended.
With Shifting Sands, Michael Shusko has created an action-packed thriller centred on Nick Shane, his brothers, and Dr. Sara Qaderi. It is a compelling read that drew me in after a few pages into the story. Michael Shusko paints a clear picture of the characters' minds while the story evolves, making them real(istic) persons. The main characters - good guys and bad guys alike - are complex, the other characters are described as required; you learn enough about them as well. The story comprises interesting turns, and has a good flow.
This is a book for you if you like fast-paced military thrillers, chilling moments, insights in criminal minds, and if you like believable characters with a mission.
Recommended.
August 15, 2017
The plot is good, the story solid and well-written. Shifting Sands takes the reader into a world at the brink of war, showing us the harsh reality of the conditions around. We are introduced to Nick and his brothers on one side, and Dr. Sara Qaderi on the other. Israel is on the verge of dropping bombs on Iran, and the good doctor's testimony may be the one thing that can stop it all. While there is friction between Nick and his elder brother, it is clear that each one has issues of their own and Nick is trying to deal with his demons.
As the story progresses, the reader is given some insight into each of the characters and their lives. However, this proves to be a little confusing since we are introduced to so many people and chapters abruptly jump to describe someone completely new. Everyone of the characters has an angle and a mission. Experience and some knowledge of the area plays a big role in this story. It takes a little while to get used to the concept and style, but the writing is simple and straight forward. As a result, it may take some time to complete the book, but it's worth a read, especially when all the action starts! The author portrays how the war affects people and how they deal with it and this is clearly from some experience, otherwise it would be difficult to articulate and explain the emotions behind it all.
This book is definitely worth a read for those who enjoy the action and a slightly fast-paced story of duty, honor, and protection of countries and their people.
As the story progresses, the reader is given some insight into each of the characters and their lives. However, this proves to be a little confusing since we are introduced to so many people and chapters abruptly jump to describe someone completely new. Everyone of the characters has an angle and a mission. Experience and some knowledge of the area plays a big role in this story. It takes a little while to get used to the concept and style, but the writing is simple and straight forward. As a result, it may take some time to complete the book, but it's worth a read, especially when all the action starts! The author portrays how the war affects people and how they deal with it and this is clearly from some experience, otherwise it would be difficult to articulate and explain the emotions behind it all.
This book is definitely worth a read for those who enjoy the action and a slightly fast-paced story of duty, honor, and protection of countries and their people.
June 15, 2017
I was offered a free download for a review.
This is a fast read, a military/political thriller with a straightforward plot. A physicist at a secret Iranian nuclear facility has been leaking intelligence to the UN through an underground network of Turkish smugglers. Israel is about to start WWIII in the Middle East over Iranian nuclear weapons development. An American special ops team is sent to bring the physicist out. The information she will be able to reveal may be enough to persuade Russian and China not to veto a UN resolution imposing restrictions on Iran, thus calming down the Israelis. It's a believable, contemporary scenario.
The characters are also believable, but the author stretches to bring them all together at the center of the action. I balked at the notion of the Marine Corps allowing three brothers -- their parents' only children -- to go into combat together. I balked at the contrived way all three brothers become key players in the extraction of the physicist. I balked at what I considered a bit of a fairytale ending.
The writing is occasionally clunky. Shusko uses the omniscient narrator format to squeeze a lot of background information into some of his scenes: not enough action, too much explication. Occasionally character dialog is unrealistic, because even here Shusko packs in more background information.
Still, after some draggy setup scenes in early chapters, once the action starts it's hard to put the book down. Overall? Not bad.
This is a fast read, a military/political thriller with a straightforward plot. A physicist at a secret Iranian nuclear facility has been leaking intelligence to the UN through an underground network of Turkish smugglers. Israel is about to start WWIII in the Middle East over Iranian nuclear weapons development. An American special ops team is sent to bring the physicist out. The information she will be able to reveal may be enough to persuade Russian and China not to veto a UN resolution imposing restrictions on Iran, thus calming down the Israelis. It's a believable, contemporary scenario.
The characters are also believable, but the author stretches to bring them all together at the center of the action. I balked at the notion of the Marine Corps allowing three brothers -- their parents' only children -- to go into combat together. I balked at the contrived way all three brothers become key players in the extraction of the physicist. I balked at what I considered a bit of a fairytale ending.
The writing is occasionally clunky. Shusko uses the omniscient narrator format to squeeze a lot of background information into some of his scenes: not enough action, too much explication. Occasionally character dialog is unrealistic, because even here Shusko packs in more background information.
Still, after some draggy setup scenes in early chapters, once the action starts it's hard to put the book down. Overall? Not bad.
April 22, 2018
An Iranian physicist, Dr Sara Qaderi, has been leaking information to US Intelligence when she begins to suspect that her work is being used to develop nuclear weapons. After a UN inspection team is denied entry to the facility, the US mounts an operation to extract Dr Qaderi before her superiors discover what she is doing. This is where Nick Shane enters the picture. He will be on the team sent to get Dr Qaderi.
Before leaving on this mission, Nick goes to a family dinner where we are introduced to older brother, Mark, and the youngest brother, Joel. Nick and Mark are not on the best of terms and dinner ends in more heated words between the two. Nick's brothers are also involved in the mission and when things go sideways for Nick, Mark and Joel devise a plan to rescue Nick and Dr Qaderi.
This book is filled with lots of action but also has a good storyline dealing with the brothers' relationships. Shows the bond between brothers, of blood and by choice, and the willingness to do whatever it takes to protect those brothers.
Before leaving on this mission, Nick goes to a family dinner where we are introduced to older brother, Mark, and the youngest brother, Joel. Nick and Mark are not on the best of terms and dinner ends in more heated words between the two. Nick's brothers are also involved in the mission and when things go sideways for Nick, Mark and Joel devise a plan to rescue Nick and Dr Qaderi.
This book is filled with lots of action but also has a good storyline dealing with the brothers' relationships. Shows the bond between brothers, of blood and by choice, and the willingness to do whatever it takes to protect those brothers.
August 26, 2017
This review was originally posted at Dual Reads
I received a copy for an honest review.
Military thriller is not a genre I read often so I wasn't sure what to expect going into this. I was very pleased with how it turned out and am definitely interested in reading more, both of this genre and of this series. This is the second book in the series but they work as companion novels and can definitely be read separately, I had not read the first book but did not feel the story was affected.
The characters were something that really stood out to me. Shusko does a marvellous job of making the characters flawed, relatable and likable. Although Nick and Sara are arguably the main characters of the novel, other characters get plenty of page time too. And it was especially interesting to see so many different viewpoints in relation to each other. The relationship between the three brothers; Mark, Nick and Joel was especially interesting to me and being able to read from the view of all three really added a dimension to their relationship and my own response to it.
The plot was just as exciting and action packed as I was hoping. There were times when I felt a little lost in military detail - I am not super familiar with American military structure or tactics but I understood everything essential and the rest was explained well enough that I didn't get too confused. The details of the missions really made the whole story seem more realistic. I felt like everything was very plausible and that just enhanced the tension of reading it!
One complaint I have is with the romance however. It wasn't developed terribly well and the story would have worked just as well without it. I didn't really believe in the sudden connection between the two and the resulting romance lost its impact because of this. I felt like it was thrown in purely because a romance was expected but I honestly would have enjoyed it more without. It also resulted in a couple of moments towards the end that I nearly winced at because they were overly emotional when no emotion was really conveyed to the reader.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this and I am excited to check out more of Michael Shusko's writing in the future. The epilogue of this book left an opening (I hope) for a future book and it is definitely one on my wishlist!
I received a copy for an honest review.
Military thriller is not a genre I read often so I wasn't sure what to expect going into this. I was very pleased with how it turned out and am definitely interested in reading more, both of this genre and of this series. This is the second book in the series but they work as companion novels and can definitely be read separately, I had not read the first book but did not feel the story was affected.
The characters were something that really stood out to me. Shusko does a marvellous job of making the characters flawed, relatable and likable. Although Nick and Sara are arguably the main characters of the novel, other characters get plenty of page time too. And it was especially interesting to see so many different viewpoints in relation to each other. The relationship between the three brothers; Mark, Nick and Joel was especially interesting to me and being able to read from the view of all three really added a dimension to their relationship and my own response to it.
The plot was just as exciting and action packed as I was hoping. There were times when I felt a little lost in military detail - I am not super familiar with American military structure or tactics but I understood everything essential and the rest was explained well enough that I didn't get too confused. The details of the missions really made the whole story seem more realistic. I felt like everything was very plausible and that just enhanced the tension of reading it!
One complaint I have is with the romance however. It wasn't developed terribly well and the story would have worked just as well without it. I didn't really believe in the sudden connection between the two and the resulting romance lost its impact because of this. I felt like it was thrown in purely because a romance was expected but I honestly would have enjoyed it more without. It also resulted in a couple of moments towards the end that I nearly winced at because they were overly emotional when no emotion was really conveyed to the reader.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this and I am excited to check out more of Michael Shusko's writing in the future. The epilogue of this book left an opening (I hope) for a future book and it is definitely one on my wishlist!
July 12, 2017
I have been given the book for a fair review by the author, and it does not affect my opinion.
This is my first Shusko book, after reading I find out that this is the second book. I can safely say that I navigated through it without a problem. A fast paced book that is written by someone who knows what it is like in reality makes this book fairly scary accurate. I have read many military related fictions, but this one definitely seem real. I like the Shane brothers and their unerring loyalty to each other, to prove that blood is thicker than water, and nothing breaks the bond.
This book will make you hold your breath as our heroine tries to keep herself alive to save millions of lives. definitely worth following if you are into this genre.
This is my first Shusko book, after reading I find out that this is the second book. I can safely say that I navigated through it without a problem. A fast paced book that is written by someone who knows what it is like in reality makes this book fairly scary accurate. I have read many military related fictions, but this one definitely seem real. I like the Shane brothers and their unerring loyalty to each other, to prove that blood is thicker than water, and nothing breaks the bond.
This book will make you hold your breath as our heroine tries to keep herself alive to save millions of lives. definitely worth following if you are into this genre.
June 23, 2017
Excellent sophomore novel!
My five star rating is based on the strong characters, excellent plot, and attention to detail and realism provided by the highly qualified author. The only critique I would make is the relatively slow character development of the three brothers early in the novel, but the wisdom of doing it that way was made apparent as the novel progressed, culminating in an outstanding ending that put all the pieces together. Most highly recommended.
My five star rating is based on the strong characters, excellent plot, and attention to detail and realism provided by the highly qualified author. The only critique I would make is the relatively slow character development of the three brothers early in the novel, but the wisdom of doing it that way was made apparent as the novel progressed, culminating in an outstanding ending that put all the pieces together. Most highly recommended.
June 22, 2017
I received a copy of this book thanks a Goodreads giveaway. I think this is heart wrenching terrifying story with characters that are right out of the headlines and a story that is believable. It has a lot issues of distrust, hate, loyalties, family relationships, jealousies, discord and fear are just some of what is brought out in this outstanding novel. I look forward to many more!
August 14, 2017
A powerful, exciting story about how even families with deep-rooted differences come together when the chips are down — and the importance of overcoming prejudice when there’s a job to be done. Protagonist Nick Shane is far from perfect, but he’s fiercely loyal and his dedication do doing his duty is nothing short of admirable. And female lead Dr. Sara Qaderi is both brave and brilliant. I held my breath as they traversed the desert and faced very real danger from all fronts. Pick this up if you want an uplifting page-turner that will keep you drawn into the danger the whole way through.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews