Status-6: An NCIS Special Ops Thriller

by W. Craig Reed

Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention Award for Best Military Fiction Book of the YearWhat’s the next nightmare after the coronavirus? An NCIS agent and British scientist must stop an AI-controlled Russian submarine from exposing hundreds of millions to a deadly fallout far worse than any virus.Deep beneath the Arctic Ocean, a covert team of Chinese operatives uses stolen U.S. technology to capture Russia’s newest attack submarine. Loaded with massive torpedoes carrying city-destroying payloads, the sub is headed west. The Americans want to sink her, the Russians want her back, and the Chinese claim they’re not responsible. NCIS Special Ops agent Jon Shay is a former SEAL Team Two operator. Activated for a mission in the Arctic, he pairs with British scientist Kate Barrett to battle a ticking clock, trained operatives, and three naval armadas. Together, they must find and stop the world’s most lethal submarine. The stakes are raised when they learn that the Russian sub is controlled by an infected AI system bent on completing its mission to annihilate hundreds of millions. “W. Craig Reed’s Status-6 is my vote for ‘Thriller of the Year.’ The protagonist is Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan meets Lee Child’s Jack Reacher.” —Grant Blackwood, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Tom Clancy Under Fire “W. Craig Reed’s latest novel, Status-6, is the best book I’ve read this year—a ripped-from-the-headlines military technothriller that literally left me awake at night, fearful of where we’re headed as a nation and a species. If you thought the coronavirus was terrifying, wait until you read about this potential nightmare. Don’t miss this first book in the NCIS Special Ops series that promises to shatter the thriller genre.” —James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Demon Crown (Sigma Force) “W. Craig Reed’s Status-6 grabs you from page one and doesn’t let you go. The global crisis revealed in this book is all-too-real and could well be tomorrow’s headlines. The characters are well nuanced and provide a powerful urge to root for or against them. Don’t read this thriller before going to bed—you’ll be awake all night!” —George Galdorisi, New York Times bestselling author of the Tom Clancy Op Center series

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 13, 2021

About the author

Born into a Navy family on the island of Guam, W. Craig Reed served as a U.S. Navy diver, submarine weapons technician, and special operations photographer deployed on nuclear fast-attack submarines. He lives in Silicon Valley, California.

Reviews

[JayRaeReads]

⚓️BOOK REVIEW & BOOK TOUR⚓️
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𝙏𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚: Status-6
𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧: W. Craig Reed
𝙋𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧: Permuted Press
𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(5)
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: Suspense/Thriller
𝙋𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙚: 13 APR 2021
⠀
⚓️I have got to be honest Suspense/Thriller is just not my cup of tea… Sometimes if fantasy books have some suspense or thriller vibes in the plot I enjoy it, but thriller by itself is usually a no go for me!
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🌊That being said, I loved this book! It felt like I was was watching an action movie the entire time I was reading. It was fast paced and never boring!
⠀
⚓️The 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 of Status-6 provides a continuous stream of action and adventure and intrigue. With the added bonus of submarines, highly trained operatives, and military intelligence!
⠀
🌊The 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 in this story are super engaging and realistic and flawed at the same time. All in a good way! If I saw these characters in a second book I would definitely need to read it!
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⚓️I would definitely recommend this book!

[BookTrib.com]

There are lots of tricks of the trade to dive into with this book, especially submarine lingo, that will prove fascinating for fans of military thriller or fiction genres. Secret technology, Chinese terrorists, AI transformations, Russian submarines all factor into the intrigue. Apparently, the stakes are only … the future of all mankind.

Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2021/06/04/a-hau...

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this thriller. I like the plot with a few highly trained but rather regular people pitted against a villain's nefarious plan. I like Reed's writing style, providing almost continuous action. I like the advanced submarine technology and cutting edge artificial intelligence. I like the thought provoking aspects of the novel such as government officials creating clandestine operations.

This is a great novel for readers who like special ops thrillers. The characters are well crafted and I found most of them, except the villains, engaging. The action is almost continuous. I did not understand all the military and technology terminology and I have no idea if the underwater vehicles can do all Reed devised, but I trust he got it right.

Put on an extra sweater and get yourself a hot beverage as you plunge beneath the frozen arctic to see if an ex-navy SEAL and a bright scientist can save the world from destruction. It looks like there might be another novel featuring these heroes. I will definitely by watching for it.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from this author but it won't be the last. It was like an action thriller movie playing in my head while I was reading this book. Yes, rockets being launched is scary but not as scary as a submarine carrying torpedoes. I have always thought submarines were more scarier. Probably due to the fact that submarines can travel under the naked eye undetected.

The two main protagonists, Jon and Kate are endearing. They really are engaging and a bit flawed but this is what drew me towards them. Although, they did have help along the way. They aren't superheroes. The other cast of characters were just as engaging. I just love reading a book where everyone has a part but is contributing.

The last third of the story is where it really picked up. In fact, the last several chapters, you could say were almost nail biters.

[Leslye Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

The writing in this book reminds me a lot of Tom Clancy's style. There was a lot of details about many things but also a lot of information imparted. I need to read more of his works.