Caught Fire: A John Seal Novel

by Michael D. Wright

Who is John Seal? He’s a rookie CIA agent. His job is to protect America against cyber attacks from enemy organizations and terrorists whose tactic is to disrupt lives as a means to leverage their agenda. John finds himself in the middle of Barcelona during the Saint Joan Festival where he meets his handler for the first time. During his high stakes first mission, he is faced with hard decisions and is forced to go against his moral compass to complete his assignment leaving him to wonder if he is the right man for the job. Does John have what it takes to be a covert operative, or will he fail and possibly lose his life? ***Caught Fire is a novella and the prequel for the John Seal Series, and by no means the end of the story.***

78 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Michael D Wright is a cinematographer with a flair for storytelling. He has a passion for creating edgy characters who step off the page and into your life. His eye for creating unforgettable visual images with plot twists and explosive action are hallmarks of his work. Electric Eel, his debut novel, will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you itching for more. Check out Michael D. Wright's novel the first in the John Seal Series from Sweetwater Creek Publishing.

Reviews

[Kathi Defranc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Action Thriller with A New CIA Agent

John Seal is pulled from the military, and started on a job he has trained for with the CIA. He learns on this first job what is like to work alone, making your own decisions depending on the situation while fulfilling his part in a Black-Ops operation.
A fast-paced look into life on the inside a special agent this is a quick reading story that keeps you involved from the opening paragraph!!!

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Seal is a former military, former cyber security guy trying out for the CIA, or some other alphabet soup agency.

He is in Barcelona, and basically goes on a scavenger hunt to get the MacGuffin Device and hand it over to somebody else. Things don't go according to plan.

Pretty exciting with a lot of tension.

[The Celtic Rebel (Richard) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure if this is meant to be a start to a series or what. As it is, there are just way too many things left open to even understand what in the world is going on and why it happened. Was this just a training mission? How did the 2 ladies know each other? Those are just 2 of the big questions that you are left wondering about at the end.

The book could have definitely used a better editor. It needed to be tightened up for a short story. Also in the story I got there are about 3 pages that were exactly like pages before. It definitely effected the flow of the story.

I loved the story and feel the author was good at developing the plot. He just needed to answer more questions for this to be an effective short story.

[Mandy Walkden-Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the most fun espionage read I've come across.

Not sure who would be quite insane or desperate enough to employ the bumbling John Seal; his tradecraft is lacking, he can't seem to follow simple orders and he constantly draws attention to himself. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer by a long way.

Really pretty rough, plot holes, inconsistencies and typos. How does an author not remember how many people his protagonist kills in what is a short novella?

Not especially keen on reading more from this author just yet and it's one of the few times I begrudge the whole $1 I spent on this work - it wasn't free a while back but I took a risk.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caught Fire - a review by Rosemary Kenny

John Seal is a new CIA Agent whose first mission, Operation Gothic, takes him to Barcelona during the St Joan Festival, where he picks up (supposedly by chance), Maria, an attractive young woman and takes her back to his hotel room. So far, so good...but all is never as it seems in the world of espionage and what happens in this thriller by Michael D Wright, lifts the lid on a can of worms the average citizen would never have dreamed goes on underneath their noses!

With more than a nod to Mission Impossible, John Seal's life is a whirlwind of action and passion, interspersed with periods of sight-seeing and relaxation, where he never knows whom to trust and who will betray him without a second's hesitation.
Grab your copy today and tell all your friends...quietly - and only once!

[Chris Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this story for a lot of reasons but mostly I think because it gives us a glimpse into the main characters life just before it changes completely as he joins the CIA. Often we get thrown straight in with the character in this type of story when they're at the peak of their prowess so I liked the change. There's not much time though before John Seal finds himself right in the heart of the action. I liked that he's a highly trained soldier and what you might call an expert in his work but there's a vulnerable quality to him as he takes to his new life. This is a fun quick read that introduces us to the character nicely. It has a feel of a quick 'hit' for those seeking action and adventure stories. I look forward to reading more by Michael D Wright.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was startled by the early announcement that armed gorillas were guarding a location. The spelling of gorillas was repeated. Then it changed to the more usual guerrillas. I didn't see the point of a lot of the story, similarly; a man who has been through a lot of training and Asian warfare is told to sign papers to get into the CIA. After that he is sent to a city and given an assignment which doesn't resonate with any of the thrillers/ technothrillers I read. He never seems to worry about others tracking him via his phone or the searches he makes online. And if people knew who he was sleeping with, why wouldn't they have given him different instructions?

Maybe those readers who enjoy thrillers with lots of guns will like this one more than I did. This is an unbiased review.

[PAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Seal is a Navy seal tagged by the CIA. His job is to fall in the area of protecting his country against cyber attacks. He is immediately tagged for an operative (without training). He has a mission - but finds himself in a world of moral dilemmas. With lack of training, he is in a position of not really knowing how to handle them, and mostly has to act by his survival instincts. I am excited to read the next novel and see how John fairs now with a little more experience. I received this novel through BookFunnel. This is my honest review.

[Disney14604 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice entry into a series that will lead to more suspenseful/ thriller series. Definitely a novella. I read it in a couple of hours, so fast easy to read.

Will be interesting to see how character and story line develops more. One issue for me is why are they always claustrophobic?

Only four stars because it did not leave me wanting to read the next book right now. Series has room to grow.

I did receive this book as an ARC and this is my honest and freely given review.

[John A. Sillasen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prequel to the John Seal, Pandora Series

John is selected to be covert ops as an agent in the C.I.A.. He's tasked with short, follow these instructions to the letter and you'll be given further information or instructions. This short Prequel isn't even a novella, just a few chapters of storyline. They do explain why he was selected and who he reports to, though. Even his bind side for beautiful women - often at the cost of betrayal.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caught Fire, my first read from author Michael D. Wright. I’d gotten a copy of Swedish Drop: A Pandora File and wanted to see what John Seal was about before reading it & since I already owned this book I read it first. Well-written with a captivating, well-developed main character reminding one of a poor man’s Vince Flynn. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Rachelle Steward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was scary good. Like spying on a spy. Intrigue, stealth and spycraft woven into a intense and captivating storyline. Great reading leaving you with the desire, no, the need to know more. Deftly written. I shall be reading more of this author's work.

[Patrick Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

1 hr 45 mins left in book....

I like a timeline, but not when I'm reading, or being read to. Brian (GBR) provided a decent British narrative (text to speech). The book was interesting enough with just a hint of color.

[Bruce K. Beyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

So You Want to be a Spy

This book serves as an introduction to the series. There was a lot of action right from the beginning, which helped develop the main character. The many plot twists and turns kept the reader engaged and built tension for the outcome.

[Mimi Davis Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do Or Die

Great fast pace action, short quick and straight to the point. John Seal is ready for all occasions and ready to act. Great story read.

[David Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Seal's origin story has peaked my interest en0ugh to read Electric Eel, the next in the John Seal series.

[Michael Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story. Fanatstic characters. Can't wait to keep reading this series

[Lois Askin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting

It was a quick read and very intriguing. I would read more books by this author. Make the books longer.

[Marlys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I enjoyed reading this book. The characters are well written. This story grabs you from beginning to end. I recommend this book.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caught Fire - a review by Rosemary Kenny

John Seal is a new CIA Agent whose first mission, Operation Gothic, takes him to Barcelona during the St Joan Festival, where he picks up (supposedly by chance), Maria, an attractive young woman and takes her back to his hotel room. So far, so good...but all is never as it seems in the world of espionage and what happens in this thriller by Michael D Wright, lifts the lid on a can of worms the average citizen would never have dreamed goes on underneath their noses!

With more than a nod to Mission Impossible, John Seal's life is a whirlwind of action and passion, interspersed with periods of sight-seeing and relaxation, where he never knows whom to trust and who will betray him without a second's hesitation.
Grab your copy today and tell all your friends...quietly - and only once!
I received a free copy of this novella via Booksprout, on the understanding that I would write an honest review.

[Tina C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character steps out of his comfort zone to train for something new. What could possibly go wrong? Well... The author provides a new and different look into the world of spies and espionage. While providing suspense, you are also treated to a few giggles. This book adds a little touch of reality to a subject that is normally treated with only mystery. I enjoyed reading it. I do feel that there could have been a little more to the story. It was over and done a little too quickly for me, it felt incomplete. Maybe a bit more detail, or a more extended time to complete the mission. Hence 4 stars instead of 5.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Chris Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this story for a lot of reasons but mostly I think because it gives us a glimpse into the main characters life just before it changes completely as he joins the CIA. Often we get thrown straight in with the character in this type of story when they're at the peak of their prowess so I liked the change. There's not much time though before John Seal finds himself right in the heart of the action. I liked that he's a highly trained soldier and what you might call an expert in his work but there's a vulnerable quality to him as he takes to his new life. This is a fun quick read that introduces us to the character nicely. It has a feel of a quick 'hit' for those seeking action and adventure stories. I look forward to reading more by Michael D Wright.

[Teresa Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pretty good for what it is - a short introduction to the lead character in a continuing series. The story has potential and could be really good with some additional work. There are a significant number of typos (which is a pet peeve) but my main issue is a lack of character development. The story rides entirely on the back of John Seal and his first job as a CIA operative. The only problem is when I finished the book I didn't feel like I knew any more about who John Seal is than when I started. I'm hoping for more development and backstory with the next book. I enjoyed this enough to give the next one a try. We'll see how that works out.

[Garth Mailman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everything about the book and its author seems cloak and dagger. I obtained the book through Instafreebie and can find no record of the author on Goodreads or Amazon. He does have a Facebook page. As with most spy novels this short makes little sense. The writing is awkward with many sentences that make very little sense. If the story describes a training exercise three deaths seems somewhat extreme. The setting in the middle of a street festival in Barcelona such as only the Spanish could throw seems equally bizarre.

[Suzanne Comer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caught Fire was exactly what it was billed... a thriller. Fast moving... John Seal, a rookie CIA agent on his first mission, raced through the streets of Barcelona trying to complete his first mission. The fires and the heat seemed to foreshadow what was to come for John. Is John Seal really prepared for all the trials and turmoil that comes with being a CIA agent? The question remains to be seen in subsequent books, I presume. I loved this short novella and can't wait to read more from Michael D. Wright.

[Jay Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an introduction to John Seal, a rookie CIA agent who is leaving the safe world of cyber space for his first real world assignment. He capabilities and morality are challenged as he fumbles his way through a relatively simple assignment in Barcelona. The style of writing lets the story flow easily. The characters are interesting but not developed in any real depth. The action and suspense keeps the reader surprised right up to the end. The story is short, but worthwhile. It will be interesting to watch John develop in subsequent stories.

[Disney14604 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice entry into a series that will lead to more suspenseful/ thriller series. Definitely a novella. I read it in a couple of hours, so fast easy to read.

Will be interesting to see how character and story line develops more. One issue for me is why are they always claustrophobic?

Only four stars because it did not leave me wanting to read the next book right now. Series has room to grow.

I did receive this book as an ARC and this is my honest and freely given review.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Seal worked for the Air Force, then cyber security, now he's starting his new job as a CIA operative. His first assignment is in Barcelona, Spain. It's a one day operation. After he finishes it he has more questions than answers. This was a fast paced ,action filled book. Sometimes it gave too many details that weren't necessary. I did enjoy this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sue Olexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC reader..from Booksprout...Rookie Agent on call...trying to follow directions....but kind of makes a mess of things with accidental killings...but he keeps on keeping on and recieves acceptance for the job he was called upon to do..and it is “Welocme To Pandora” and this series is off and running! Suspenseful...and plot is good and main character defintely will improve with experience because his whole being is willing. Good read.

[Will Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad little prequel to what promises to be an engaging series. The main character is learning the hard lessons of his new trade. Character development isn't bad, locations are painted with color, and the editing is average. A few miss-used words, such as parameter, when it should be perimeter, and past, when it should be passed, but nothing so serious it causes hiccups in the flow of words.