Retribution

Jason Conrad Thriller #1

by Michael Byars Lewis

Lieutenant Jason Conrad is living the dream. College graduate, married to a beautiful model, waiting to start Air Force pilot training. When Jason is offered the trip of a lifetime, how could he say no? But the trip quickly turns into more than he bargained for, and Jason is in a fight for his life! At the 50th Anniversary of D-Day celebration, a methodical killer continues his deadly path of revenge, and Jason is caught in his crosshairs!

Genres: Thriller

130 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2018

About the author

M.B. Lewis is an Amazon #1 International Bestselling Author, and his books have also been on the Bestseller lists on Barnes and Noble Nook and Kobo platforms. The author of the award-winning Jason Conrad Thriller series has been on numerous author panels at writer’s conferences such as Thrillerfest, The Louisiana Book Festival, The Pensacola Book and Writers Festival, and Killer Nashville.

A 25-year Air Force pilot, he has flown special operations combat missions in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan in the AC-130U Spooky Gunship. Michael is currently a pilot for a major U.S. airline.
A proud Christian active in his community, Michael has mentored college students on leadership development and team-building and is a facilitator for an international leadership training program. He has participated as a buddy for the Tim Tebow Foundation’s “Night to Shine” and in his church’s Military Ministry program. Michael has also teamed with the Air Commando Foundation, which supports Air Commando’s and their families’ unmet needs during critical times.
While his adventures have led to travels all around the world, Michael lives in Florida with his wife Kim.

Follow Michael Byars Lewis:

www.michaelbyarslewis.com

www.facebook.com/mblauthor

Contact Michael Byars Lewis:
michael@michaelbyarslewis.com

Reviews

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect entry point for newcomers to Michael Byars Lewis’ Jason Conrad series, Retribution is book zero, a prequel to Surly Bonds and Veil of Deception. It’s not often that an author can combine business and bombings without overstuffing a plot, but Lewis is up to the task. At times, the Clinton-era politics and personal vendettas seem like a lot to juggle within a relatively fast read, but Lewis reigns in any flights of fantasy, making every word count. The narrative bounces between London, Washington and New Orleans, making for a fun- and action-filled adventure that spans everything from Mardi Gras beads to back-alley dealings.

Check out the full review at BestThrillers.com.

[Sarah Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sarah Stuart for Readers' Favorite

Retribution is the prequel to Surly Bonds and the ideal place to start reading Michael Byars Lewis’ Jason Conrad aviation thriller series. It opens with a bang, literally, that, fortunately, does not directly involve Lieutenant Jason Conran, USAF pilot. Jason is a well-rounded character, with a mom who worries, and Bethany, his ambitious but unsuccessful model and actress wife. However, nothing is simple in the world of politics, and if a certain senator has his way, Bill Clinton won’t be serving a second term in the White House, but nobody mentioned murder, or conspiracy, or international ramifications, or not to Jason. What the man aiming to make a fortune out of manipulating a presidential election has to say is something else.

Michael Byars Lewis is an author to watch. He creates an authentic, detailed, scenario for Retribution, but that’s all it is, an expertly-written setting, plus of course, accurate action. It’s a joy to read a book that takes you so effortlessly into a different world: no “not sure I believe that” or “surely a bit OTT”, and it’s all down to characters that step off the page to meet you; Jason himself starts out very bohemian, and he remains true to himself in his military career, and his entanglement with hijack, when the grim reaper goes along for the ride. “Swift-paced” doesn’t do Retribution justice. It travels at a flat-out gallop through the week between its explosive opening and the tempting epilogue. It begs to be made into a movie; it ran like one in my head.

[Garrett Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very bland introduction to the main character and his story

I understand that this story was the introduction to the main character but there wasn't much interest create regarding his skills or talents

[Lynne-Maree · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novella Retribution by Michael Byars Lewis was a real treat to read. I enjoyed the realism of the scenarios he described. He was able to convey to me how it would feel when a B-25 war plane took to the air, the smells and sounds. He has a writing style that is easy to read and I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

This book is aimed at adults, males I think, as there is some murder and mayhem, it has some moments that had me on the edge of my seat, hoping that things will work out for the better.
The main character Jason was realistic, someone we all might know, down to earth, had emotions that were relatable, he had a beautiful wife and a mother that was concerned for him, he also had a father who was absent from his life.

Michael has been able to balance a whole lot of ideas like politics, personal revenge, back door deals and even some mardi gras beads into an action-packed story. There is some continent hopping with the story bounding from the USA including, Washington and New Orleans, over to London and with references to Rwanda.

The beginning was somewhat fractured for me however, it took a while for it all to pull together, I am glad I persevered as I really enjoyed reading this novella. This genre is one I really enjoy, I have read series similar to this one before and I am looking forward to this one also.

I was gifted this book by the author through VRO.

[Audrey Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a short novella, RETRIBUTION packs a solid action packed suspense novel! Written by the internationally acclaimed Michael Byars Lewis, RETRIBUTION is written as an exciting prequel to his highly regarded Surly Bonds series featuring Jason Conrad and can easily be read as a stand alone
story which will make you lust to start reading SURLY BONDS, the first thriller in this exciting series. Fans already familiar with the handsome and intelligent Jason Conrad will definitely enjoy this terrific prequel the action.

RETRIBUTION starts off with a bang and then it is all non-stop action and suspense! Right from the first page, Lewis pulls you right into the action and doesn't let go right to the very end. The story links a potential American presidential candidate, murders in New York, and connections to horrific events in Rwanda as well along with an historical WWII commemoration of Normandy with B-25s.

If you enjoy suspense and well researched historical/military related thrillers, there is much to enjoy and relish in RETRIBUTION! So, get your copy today! Warning! Once start, almost impossible to put down!

[Azri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll preface this by noting that this is not my typical reading fare and I don't have any previous exposure to this author. That said, I wasn't terribly impressed by Retribution. I felt like the number of viewpoints was excessive for such a short book, and didn't really feel a connection to any of the characters. I found the female viewpoints very lacking, and was honestly disgusted by the way most of the female characters were discussed. There was no balance to it, and I think it's safe to say this author's fanbase is predominantly males. I found the novel to be rather bland and uninteresting - I didn't feel pulled into this book, and honestly was only able to keep myself reading it by sandwiching each chapter between chapters from other books. There were small grammatical and punctual errors, and I found a few repeated sentences, but did not find them to be distracting. The story was well-written, in it's way, but I was definitely not a fan.

I received a complimentary copy of Retribution from VOR.

[PK Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is well written and fast paced. The author clearly knows how to tell a story and is well acquainted with flight and the thrill of getting out of a bad situation. For the most part, this was a fun read.
In the afterward, the sequence of which books were published when clarified some of my questions. And had I read book one before this prequel, I would probably have better understood its ultimate direction.
The book started with a bang, which was, apparently, not a main event. The main characters at the beginning very nearly disappeared by the halfway point and their subsequent actions were dismissed in a couple of sentences, when they could easily have been expanded on. This is especially true since it seems they will figure into future books.
A section of the next book was included at the end, and it left off at a point very likely to entice me to go in search of the full version.

[Charlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This for me is a tough book to read. The way it is written is fantastic, unfortunately though it took me a little while to get into the story line. I was confused for a fair while what the very first part of the book had to do with the rest and I was actually at a point where I was not going to continue reading it. I decided to give it one more chapter, to see whether thing were starting to make a little more sense and I'm glad I did. The rest of the novel was truly gripping. I finish it in a matter of hours. It has a good balance of suspense, keeping you interested, but not drawing things out too long. I could never have predicted the ending and I'm pleased of that. At this moment in time, I'm unsure as to whether I will read the following books as I'm questioning whether anything could top this first book?!

[Cathy Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book and in return will give an honest review. This is my first book written by Michael Byars Lewis and it was an enjoyable read.

The thing with a short story is you need to hit the ground running and make every page count. I felt the first 3rd of this novella introduced too many character that didn't really add to the story and meant the reader spends time trying to remember who's who only to discover they only really needed to know about 3-4 of the the characters.

Once we got past this and into the main action is was well written, fast paced and made you want to keep reading. There was a nice build up of tension in the second half and it ended with a twist that will be answered on the next book.

A good introduction to the Jason Conrad series

[Jeannine Wickliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jason Conrad has it all a beautiful wife, going to become pilot in the Air Force and now a trip to fly in a B-52 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of D-Day. What could be better? Meeting up with the plane and crew in England, Jason meets Phillip Ashford, who in financing the trip for the B-52. Jason realizes something is off about Ashford and after his conversation with his mother he is sure something is really wrong. As the B-52 is flying toward France, Jason finds out what is wrong and it is up to him to solve the problem. This is a good quick read and enjoyable

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like Retribution (Jason Conrad Thriller #1) more than I did. I found the flight scene riveting and the author, Michael Byars Lewis, did an exceptional job at building suspense and describing the challenges Jason Conrad faced. However, I just didn't connect with any of the characters enough to keep reading subsequent books, which is a shame because I'm sure Jason, as the main character, has a lot more to offer the reader.

I received a free copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.

[Eilean Rawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this through Voracious Readers Giveaway. I was a little disappointed in this Novella. It was pretty straightforward but the term 'thriller' is a bit strong. It was actually two short novellas and I had to explore a bit to find the second. It leads into further stories and I think that the other stories will probably finish this one more comfortably, as it was, the ending was not a completion of the plot and so was frustrating. To be fair, though, the heading did say that it was the first in the Jason Conrad thrillers.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

While it is a short read, it is nothing short of interesting, and I read this from beginning to end in one sitting.

There was alot going on for such a short story, but without feeling incomplete or rushed.

I am genuinely looking forward to reading the complete series.

[Jeannie Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complementary copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only. It was my first book by this author. Really enjoyed it and was sorry when it ended. I will be looking at his other books. The main character is very likeable and it will be interesting to see how he develops over the series. I would recommend the book. Certainly works as a holiday read too.

[Helen Mcstravick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have recently received a free copy to review.

I believe the best thing a book can do is leave you wanting more and this did. It had a number of storylines that didnt conclude and when it ended I was really disappointed.

Its obvious the writer knows his planes and the best sections are written here as the live is obvious, but overall it was a great read and I look forward to reading more

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Voracious readers only

My first read by Michael, it was good.
At first I was a little confused with all the changes of POV's. I kept reading and fully understood what was going on.
Very on the edge of your seat, page turner towards the end. Now I need to read the next book.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got the chance to read this book via voracious readers... it's not my usual style to read but I said I would give it a shot.. so happy that I did.. I was engrossed in the book.. it was so well written and left a lot of room to have follow on books.. definitely should be read if you want to switch up your book shelf

[Calleen Petersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really quick read, I read it in about 2 1/2 hours. It didn’t draw me in. I didn’t feel connected to the characters. Potentially great storyline but I think it needed to be developed more.
This book was provided to me for free by Voracious Readers in exchange for an honest review.

[J.E. Friend · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read anything else by this author, but was pleased with this little novella. It started out a little slow, but the pace quickened adding just enough tension and intrigue.
I received a complimentary copy via Voracious Readers for an unbiased review.

[Chandra Hebert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read this book from VRO. As a native from Louisiana, I really enjoyed this book and will likely continue the series. The story is fast paced and holds the reader’s attention from the beginning; it was hard to put down.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received my first Veracious Reader free book to review. What a great book to start the series with. Loved the character building and the story moved quickly. Will definitely be watching for more in the series.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story that makes you think what you might do under similar circumstances. The character Aston had little left to live for. Lewis spun a good story around what could happen. Even though I have read Surly Bonds and one questions this being before, he explained how this came about. 5

[Teegs · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book that pulls you in, in the very first few lines. I'm a hard reader to please but now Michael has me wanting to rethink the genres I read. Well done Michael. I'll definitely be looking forward to reading more work by you!

[Jelica Keller · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started out slow, didn't know where the author was going with the story. Let me tell you, once the action started, I could not put it down! I am going to have to look into more books by Michael Byars Lewis! The was a quick and satisfying read!

[Chez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story line of this novel is good, and the ending makes you want to read the next book in the series. This is the first novel I've read by Michael Byars Lewis, I'll be keeping an eye out for more novels by him.

[Wendy Munson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given the opportunity to read Retribution by giving an unbiased review for Voracious Readers only. This is a compelling quick read novella. If you are interested in airplanes and little history you will enjoy this book. A flight of a lifetime turns into a fight for your life.....

[Tom Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good starting base for background

Chi what is the prize of book involving the Clinton's and underhand dirty tricks unfortunately it's by the other side this time who knows what's gonna happen

[Michael Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Ending really surprised me. Series should be great

[J.D. Schechter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

A bareiy related political murder, an insane mass murderer, a presidential campaign, an unfaithful wife, a New Orleans street brawl...and a 50 year old aircraft

[Jay Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief bit of excitement as a character is introduced. The assisted landing by a untrained pilot was described well. The story itself raised more questions than it answered