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Solomon Stone #1
First Storm: Solomon Stone 1
Meet Solomon Stone. Loner turned shadow agent.
Eighteen months after coming across a stranger walking along a darkening country road, Tom Brook's life has radically changed. In his old life, he was a nobody, drifting towards middle age - broke and chronically alone. In his new one, he is Solomon Stone: a shadow agent who tracks individuals of interest and dismantles their lives. Stone's new assignment takes him to a remote region in the north of England, tracking a man who has betrayed the organisation he works for: a rogue entity offering his skills to the highest bidder, irregardless of their agendas. Stone's mission is simple: to locate the man known as 'The Ghost' and go to work on dismantling his life before too many secrets are spilled and too many people get hurt.
140 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2019
16 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
E.G. Ellory
13 books22 followersE.G. Ellory is the author of the Short Thrills series and the Solomon Stone series.
E.G. Ellory is the pseudonym of R.A. Lindo, creator of the Kaira Renn fantasy series.
You can get in touch at egellory@gmail.com / ralindoauthor@gmail.com
Grab your FREE STARTER library at https://ralindoauthor.com
E.G. Ellory is the pseudonym of R.A. Lindo, creator of the Kaira Renn fantasy series.
You can get in touch at egellory@gmail.com / ralindoauthor@gmail.com
Grab your FREE STARTER library at https://ralindoauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 25, 2020
This is a well written book with an intriguing story line. The author does a great job building the story with all the action,suspense and mystery throughout and had me hooked from start to finish reading. The characters are strong and the story moves quickly and smoothly with detailed scenes. I enjoyed reading this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
August 1, 2023
I read this immediately after finishing the Solomon Stone prequel novella, Ghostwalking.
This picks up 18 months after the end of the prequel. The world building is written in a way that doesn’t leave you wanting for more. I was curious at the end of the prequel about how the training would go, but after reading this, I’m content with not really getting those answers. The world building, the mission, and the character building all fill plenty of voids.
The plot is fantastic. It is well shaped and left no stone (wink wink) unturned. It was followed through from the start and was well executed.
I can’t wait to read the next one!
I cannot remember if I received the copy of this book as an ARC or as a freebie, but this review is completely genuine. I am on the authors ARC team now, and I do have ARC copies of the next ones.
This picks up 18 months after the end of the prequel. The world building is written in a way that doesn’t leave you wanting for more. I was curious at the end of the prequel about how the training would go, but after reading this, I’m content with not really getting those answers. The world building, the mission, and the character building all fill plenty of voids.
The plot is fantastic. It is well shaped and left no stone (wink wink) unturned. It was followed through from the start and was well executed.
I can’t wait to read the next one!
I cannot remember if I received the copy of this book as an ARC or as a freebie, but this review is completely genuine. I am on the authors ARC team now, and I do have ARC copies of the next ones.
June 12, 2019
First Storm is a novel by E. G. Ellory. I have previously followed short stories by this author, and I liked the writing style. The story is a “Solomon Stone” thriller and the first writing I have seen by this author in a work that is not a short story. This 2019 publication promised a more well developed, better-trained adversary for bad guys. The idea of a protagonist that will develop a target and “dismantle” the lives of individual or institutional targets is imaginative, and I looked forward to reading how Ellory would express this idea.
The British government has contracted an agency to do its dirty work, the “dismantling” of a rogue agent, “The Ghost,” the current target of Solomon Stone. Already, I have a problem with the story. Sorry to disillusion the naïve readers of spy novels, but governments don’t do this. Governments create their organizations and do their dirty work. There are many historical examples to support this. Subcontracts for military operations are routinely made. Subcontracts for data collection and analysis exist, but the kind of work described here, especially in the way it is described, doesn’t meet a believability test.
The novel is a work of fiction, so why not allow a free-ranging imagination to produce such a story? It is certainly permissible, but characters and plots have to be skillfully blended to sustain reader interest. First Storm has an interesting plot; some may think it believable in today’s world of recurring economic crisis events. Very rich tycoons, businesspeople, scheming politicians, and greedy folks in general, form a cabal to generate chaos in markets and governments, all for their financial gain. The situation is believable but does not need to be repeated ad nauseam. For example:
Chapter 6: “world’s most powerful people orchestrate mass chaos to destabilize financial markets for personal gain” (690).
Chapter 6: “every detail of this select group bent on destruction for personal gain.” (712)
Chapter 7: an elite trio who use their power and wealth to destabilize their own country for financial gain.” (851)
There are similar repetitions throughout the novel. I get the idea. There is a group of bad people with evil intent. Having it repeated similarly over and over grates.
Alexander Rowe, “The Ghost,” is a rogue intelligence agent sharing information with anyone who has money. Tom Brooke, now known as Solomon Stone, received the mission to kill “The ghost.” George Ingram, Solomon’s controlling agent, oversees the mission and Solomon. Ingram had recruited Brooks, had him change his name to Stone, supervised Stone’s training, and was now testing Stone on his first mission. Even though “The Ghost” has eluded capture for many months, Solomon and his organization track him down and kill him in Chapter One as a part of Stone’s first field mission. Solomon must now protect agents compromised by “The Ghost.”
I found it difficult to care about any characters. There are a political activist and a journalist who threaten to expose operation Fire Storm which has the mission of destabilizing governments. The operation will be carried out by three rich businessmen, each with an area of expertise. Another assassin, Sennel, will try to kill the activist and journalist before Fire Storm is exposed. Solomon will try to stop or kill Sennel. There are many characters in this story.
I could not find any well-developed character. Solomon Stone, the main character, a person who should have his character the most fleshed out, frequently ruminates about his past mundane life from which he escaped into the word of intelligence. When not in such a contemplative mood, he revels in the isolation that he must keep himself in to avoid detection by anyone. All his thoughts are expressed in homilies such as “Death is rarely a topic of discussion - rather a form of collateral damage each intelligence operative recognizes.” (349). The most disturbing thought was “Killing is part of the game, at times, and as the house of cards continues to tumble down on the rich and powerful, I get the distinct impression that I may have to kill again before the mission is complete.” (1332).
I spent several years working in and with the intelligence community. Solomon would not have gotten far with these type of thoughts. Not in all cases, but most of the time, periodic psychological evaluations (where I worked) catch nut jobs like these before they advance to a position where they can do great harm. Veteran intelligence types gather and tell stories about wash-outs like this, usually after a lot of alcoholic prompting.
My bias of having worked intelligence for several years makes me hypercritical of works purporting to reveal secret rogue (but legitimate) organizations battling secret rogue illegitimate ones. There is a good, central story in this novel. It is mechanically well written except for one completely confusing sentence that had to be a typo. This sentence left me completely confused: “It will need to be dismantled before Levy we make our exit, the catalogue of intelligence on the powerful few safety stowed between us.” (541). I gave this novel three stars and will not read the further adventures of Solomon Stone.
This novel is available on Kindle Unlimited.
The British government has contracted an agency to do its dirty work, the “dismantling” of a rogue agent, “The Ghost,” the current target of Solomon Stone. Already, I have a problem with the story. Sorry to disillusion the naïve readers of spy novels, but governments don’t do this. Governments create their organizations and do their dirty work. There are many historical examples to support this. Subcontracts for military operations are routinely made. Subcontracts for data collection and analysis exist, but the kind of work described here, especially in the way it is described, doesn’t meet a believability test.
The novel is a work of fiction, so why not allow a free-ranging imagination to produce such a story? It is certainly permissible, but characters and plots have to be skillfully blended to sustain reader interest. First Storm has an interesting plot; some may think it believable in today’s world of recurring economic crisis events. Very rich tycoons, businesspeople, scheming politicians, and greedy folks in general, form a cabal to generate chaos in markets and governments, all for their financial gain. The situation is believable but does not need to be repeated ad nauseam. For example:
Chapter 6: “world’s most powerful people orchestrate mass chaos to destabilize financial markets for personal gain” (690).
Chapter 6: “every detail of this select group bent on destruction for personal gain.” (712)
Chapter 7: an elite trio who use their power and wealth to destabilize their own country for financial gain.” (851)
There are similar repetitions throughout the novel. I get the idea. There is a group of bad people with evil intent. Having it repeated similarly over and over grates.
Alexander Rowe, “The Ghost,” is a rogue intelligence agent sharing information with anyone who has money. Tom Brooke, now known as Solomon Stone, received the mission to kill “The ghost.” George Ingram, Solomon’s controlling agent, oversees the mission and Solomon. Ingram had recruited Brooks, had him change his name to Stone, supervised Stone’s training, and was now testing Stone on his first mission. Even though “The Ghost” has eluded capture for many months, Solomon and his organization track him down and kill him in Chapter One as a part of Stone’s first field mission. Solomon must now protect agents compromised by “The Ghost.”
I found it difficult to care about any characters. There are a political activist and a journalist who threaten to expose operation Fire Storm which has the mission of destabilizing governments. The operation will be carried out by three rich businessmen, each with an area of expertise. Another assassin, Sennel, will try to kill the activist and journalist before Fire Storm is exposed. Solomon will try to stop or kill Sennel. There are many characters in this story.
I could not find any well-developed character. Solomon Stone, the main character, a person who should have his character the most fleshed out, frequently ruminates about his past mundane life from which he escaped into the word of intelligence. When not in such a contemplative mood, he revels in the isolation that he must keep himself in to avoid detection by anyone. All his thoughts are expressed in homilies such as “Death is rarely a topic of discussion - rather a form of collateral damage each intelligence operative recognizes.” (349). The most disturbing thought was “Killing is part of the game, at times, and as the house of cards continues to tumble down on the rich and powerful, I get the distinct impression that I may have to kill again before the mission is complete.” (1332).
I spent several years working in and with the intelligence community. Solomon would not have gotten far with these type of thoughts. Not in all cases, but most of the time, periodic psychological evaluations (where I worked) catch nut jobs like these before they advance to a position where they can do great harm. Veteran intelligence types gather and tell stories about wash-outs like this, usually after a lot of alcoholic prompting.
My bias of having worked intelligence for several years makes me hypercritical of works purporting to reveal secret rogue (but legitimate) organizations battling secret rogue illegitimate ones. There is a good, central story in this novel. It is mechanically well written except for one completely confusing sentence that had to be a typo. This sentence left me completely confused: “It will need to be dismantled before Levy we make our exit, the catalogue of intelligence on the powerful few safety stowed between us.” (541). I gave this novel three stars and will not read the further adventures of Solomon Stone.
This novel is available on Kindle Unlimited.
June 22, 2019
I love this kind of story and I have been hooked since the first chapter. This is an incredibly action-packed book with suspense and all of the characters and action, plus great storyline that keeps me reading and wanting the next book in the series.
I received an ARC of this book from the author and am voluntarily providing my honest review.
I received an ARC of this book from the author and am voluntarily providing my honest review.
February 29, 2024
This was very reminiscent of James Bond without the martini. It starts out fast paced and doesn't stop. It kept me in my chair turning pages until the end. Stone is on his first assignment, but will it be his last??? Can he complete his tasks, or will someone end his career before it gets started. Looking forward to more.
September 20, 2020
Another exciting adventure with Solomon Stone
Great characters, brilliant story line, easy to read, you won’t want to put it down.
Can’t wait to read the next in the series.
I received this book as an arc and wanted to give an honest review.
Great characters, brilliant story line, easy to read, you won’t want to put it down.
Can’t wait to read the next in the series.
I received this book as an arc and wanted to give an honest review.
January 3, 2021
Great introduction to a new series (I hope)
I genuinely enjoyed First Storm. Good establishment of the main characters, minor fleshed out well, and a plot that is satisfying. In need of some editing, for typos and misspellings.
I genuinely enjoyed First Storm. Good establishment of the main characters, minor fleshed out well, and a plot that is satisfying. In need of some editing, for typos and misspellings.
December 5, 2024
A quite innovative approach to the parallel world inhabited by spooks and those doing the State’s dirty work. Spies, sometimes termed as ghosts in this creative addition to this crowded genre.
Having read the prequel, I was eager to see how the new life of Solomon Stone would evolve in these darker arts. A more suitable recruit you could not wish for in an agent. His first outings under the supervision of his handler serves as an extension of his probation period and is covered in this book.
All the usual elements are here but the author has taken a fresh approach to the established Cold War dramas and the personalities of Bond or Bourne. I found this quite satisfying, very enjoyable; its originality made for an interesting and page-turning read.
At times the development of the plot felt slow to me, bordering on the ponderous but as I read on I feel the style is deliberate and a reflection on the principal characters. Stone is one cool dude and if this is the start of his new career path, it is a journey, I as a reader am keen to follow.
The introduction of a femme fatale type, a flirting and passionate fellow agent, also provides a point of contrast to those who have gone before. We don’t know how Stone will react but he is unlikely to introduce himself as Stone, Solomon Stone.
Having read the prequel, I was eager to see how the new life of Solomon Stone would evolve in these darker arts. A more suitable recruit you could not wish for in an agent. His first outings under the supervision of his handler serves as an extension of his probation period and is covered in this book.
All the usual elements are here but the author has taken a fresh approach to the established Cold War dramas and the personalities of Bond or Bourne. I found this quite satisfying, very enjoyable; its originality made for an interesting and page-turning read.
At times the development of the plot felt slow to me, bordering on the ponderous but as I read on I feel the style is deliberate and a reflection on the principal characters. Stone is one cool dude and if this is the start of his new career path, it is a journey, I as a reader am keen to follow.
The introduction of a femme fatale type, a flirting and passionate fellow agent, also provides a point of contrast to those who have gone before. We don’t know how Stone will react but he is unlikely to introduce himself as Stone, Solomon Stone.
July 3, 2024
Ghost walking in the shadow world of cloak and dagger. This is a first read for me. Powerful mean creating chaos, greed, all so prevalent in the real world. Solomon works for a secret agency within the government, a shadow group. It almost felt like when the author was creating this world Solomon wasn't filled in enough, he was left a tad in the shadows. Though he might very well be fleshed out in the coming books, like putting together a puzzle and each piece providing a little more clarity. I will have to check and see! I received this book for free when I joined the authors news letter. I freely share my thoughts and opinions. #FirstStorm #ASolomonStoneThriller #EGEllroy #PeriumPublishing #Bookfunnel
January 21, 2024
Honestly, this book is a bit on the scary side. To read how people can operate as an agent for an agency so secret, even the operatives only know it by a single name. The lengths they are permitted to go to in order to complete their mission and the people they go after. Even though the story is a bit scary, it is well written and full of action. Makes me wonder how author E.G. Ellory came by this knowledge. All in all, I would recommend this story to all fans of the thriller genre.
June 1, 2024
Great Series Starter!
This was a very well-thought-out career move. Solomon Stone is someone who gets a lot of things done, just in different ways. There are rules, things to live by, and things not. I thought I knew what a 'Ghost' was, but now I realize I knew one version of that word.
Thank you, E.G. Ellory for a great story!
I received a complimentary copy of this story and this is my honest review.
This was a very well-thought-out career move. Solomon Stone is someone who gets a lot of things done, just in different ways. There are rules, things to live by, and things not. I thought I knew what a 'Ghost' was, but now I realize I knew one version of that word.
Thank you, E.G. Ellory for a great story!
I received a complimentary copy of this story and this is my honest review.
January 19, 2025
This is my first reading of this Author, and I am so glad I did. Really enjoyable read and what a great and interesting character. It's well worth the read. I would daresay that after reading this you will be looking for more from this Author as I will be doing. It has suspense and drama. I also love the style of the writer as he tells the story. Keeps you interested to the very end.
July 29, 2023
First Storm - Interesting writing style used for this quickly read, short story. Likeable main character with good support characters and interesting story lines. Do not expect Robert Ludlum quality but still an interesting read. Source: author. 4*
June 7, 2025
As the first mission for the main character, he completed his job really well. And this is what I like about the story— a reliable and competent main character. The plot is fast paced, and the characters are likeable. Just some minor spelling errors might need to be fixed.
November 18, 2025
Having read the prequel, I was familiar with the Ghostwalking concept. There is an excellent storyline and powerful characters. Add in almost non-stop action and you have an espionage style thriller. Love it.
September 4, 2019
Story has lots of action and suspense. Great story and characters, love reading this Author, can’t wait for other books.
I received ARC of this book for my honest review.
I received ARC of this book for my honest review.
August 8, 2023
This is a great book to begin the series with. Solomon is on his first assignment and nails it. He is getting his bearings and feels like he finally is accomplishing something with his life.
November 17, 2023
Solomon Stone is a shadow agent working off the books. He is assigned people he needs to eliminate.
A fair amount of action and a fast-moving plot. Keeps your interest.
A fair amount of action and a fast-moving plot. Keeps your interest.
April 27, 2024
Solomon Stone is a covert operative, or 'Ghost'. This is his first mission and a test to see if he has what it takes.
October 9, 2019
Solomon Stone is Ghostwalking
E.G. Ellory’s title and cover of prequel, Ghostwalking grabbed my attention and his mysterious creation of Solomon Stone was so intriguing, I had to read First Storm. Mr. Ellory’s “cloak and dagger” writing style and Stone’s ghostwalking assignments for British Intelligence kept me in awe and anticipation of the next. Mystery and suspense fans will definitely enjoy reading Solomon Stone. Prequel, best to read first. I’m looking forward to more of Stone.
E.G. Ellory’s title and cover of prequel, Ghostwalking grabbed my attention and his mysterious creation of Solomon Stone was so intriguing, I had to read First Storm. Mr. Ellory’s “cloak and dagger” writing style and Stone’s ghostwalking assignments for British Intelligence kept me in awe and anticipation of the next. Mystery and suspense fans will definitely enjoy reading Solomon Stone. Prequel, best to read first. I’m looking forward to more of Stone.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews