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Shadow Tier #1
Shadow Tier
You killed his family, and now there is no hope for you.
Lance Bear Wolf, a Crow Indian by birth and an American Special Forces leader, stops with his parents for a casual lunch during a family outing in Mexico. They are classically in the wrong place at the wrong time.
As they are seated in the picturesque Mexican restaurant, Wolf and his father witness and get drawn into soldiers from the Sinaloa Cartel killing the restaurant owners over a perceived slight to cartel princess Eliana Cortes, a leader in her family’s drug empire.
When Wolf and his father shoot back and save many lives, Cortes orders her soldiers to kill the Americans. Wolf’s father is killed, and his mother critically wounded. The cartel princess and her escorts get away, but not until many of their shooters are left bleeding out on the ground.
Wolf vows revenge no matter the cost.
He builds a team of like-minded men to join a new classified unit codenamed Shadow Tier—and Wolf is its head of operations, giving him free rein to build an assault on the Mexican drug kingdom. A training mission along the Arizona border provides a cover story for a devastating assault on the core of the cartel’s operations. They decimate Mexican drug runners, but there are unanswered questions,.
And Wolf is losing to the darkness of revenge.
Lance Bear Wolf, a Crow Indian by birth and an American Special Forces leader, stops with his parents for a casual lunch during a family outing in Mexico. They are classically in the wrong place at the wrong time.
As they are seated in the picturesque Mexican restaurant, Wolf and his father witness and get drawn into soldiers from the Sinaloa Cartel killing the restaurant owners over a perceived slight to cartel princess Eliana Cortes, a leader in her family’s drug empire.
When Wolf and his father shoot back and save many lives, Cortes orders her soldiers to kill the Americans. Wolf’s father is killed, and his mother critically wounded. The cartel princess and her escorts get away, but not until many of their shooters are left bleeding out on the ground.
Wolf vows revenge no matter the cost.
He builds a team of like-minded men to join a new classified unit codenamed Shadow Tier—and Wolf is its head of operations, giving him free rein to build an assault on the Mexican drug kingdom. A training mission along the Arizona border provides a cover story for a devastating assault on the core of the cartel’s operations. They decimate Mexican drug runners, but there are unanswered questions,.
And Wolf is losing to the darkness of revenge.
- GenresFiction
Kindle Edition
Published June 14, 2022
33 people are currently reading
562 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
May 21, 2022
I saw a chance to volunteer for something called Steve's Squadron run by an author named Steve Stratton and get the chance to recieve an advance copy of his first book Shadow Tier. It took some time but I was one of the lucky ones who got a copy and now I have gone through it. What did I think? Well it is one of the best things that will hit the shelves this year. Lance bear Wolfe the main character is a great addition to a growing group of protagonists that I'm following. Stratton has come up with a great story and it is full of action and thrills, it surprises me that it's his first book but I'm certain that there will be more. I only found one downside to this new adventure and that is that it was over so very fast, it was hard to put down. I will recommend this book to everyone I know and then some. From a proud member of Steve's Squadron, great work Steve.
September 5, 2022
Steve Stratton’s debut novel Shadow Tier is one hell of a good read! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a fast paced, high action, non-stop thriller! From the very well done character development, more than believable plot, and meticulously researched subject matter, Mr. Stratton takes you for a ride that you will not soon forget. Lance Bear Wolf and company are most assuredly on my must be read list after reading Shadow Tier!
It was an honor and a privilege to be selected to receive an Advance Readers Copy, and I cannot wait to hear what my friends have to say after they get to read Shadow Tier!
It was an honor and a privilege to be selected to receive an Advance Readers Copy, and I cannot wait to hear what my friends have to say after they get to read Shadow Tier!
April 27, 2022
First of all I have to thank Steve Stratton, Force Poseidon, and the gang at Best Thriller Books for getting me an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) of the best debut novel I have read since The Terminal List by Jack Carr in 2018.
Steve does a magnificent job of creating a riveting story that keeps you reading from the beginning till the end. The story of Lance Bear Wolf (Wolf) starts on vacation in Mexico with his mother and step-father and ending tragically. Wolf starts a personnel war against the Cartel, that will nearly get him and everyone around him killed.
I love the Cast of Characters created by Steve Stratton, and how he prepares the reader for the next mission that Wolf and his team at Shadow Tier will go on next.
Shadow Tier is released to the wild on June 14th and you are going to want to read this book. So Pre-Order now. I cant wait to receive my hardcover and re-read with everyone on publication day.
Steve does a magnificent job of creating a riveting story that keeps you reading from the beginning till the end. The story of Lance Bear Wolf (Wolf) starts on vacation in Mexico with his mother and step-father and ending tragically. Wolf starts a personnel war against the Cartel, that will nearly get him and everyone around him killed.
I love the Cast of Characters created by Steve Stratton, and how he prepares the reader for the next mission that Wolf and his team at Shadow Tier will go on next.
Shadow Tier is released to the wild on June 14th and you are going to want to read this book. So Pre-Order now. I cant wait to receive my hardcover and re-read with everyone on publication day.
May 6, 2022
Steve Stratton’s SHADOW TIER debut introduces Special Forces Master Sergeant Lance Bear Wolf. When a rare family vacation in Mexico sends in tragedy, Lance Bear Wolf uses all his skill, knowledge and connections on a crusade to punish those responsible. The plot is very intricate but action-packed from start to finish. Lance Bear Wolf is a character who is easy to cheer for. A genuinely good man, he does at times in this book almost let his personal quest for revenge (justice) get the better of him. Good friends, and his own sense of honor, keep him from falling off of that tight rope. Stratton’s military & Special Forces background are on display as he weaves this story. Lance Bear Wolf is a great new addition to the Thriller genre, and this book sets the stage well for follow-on books.
May 9, 2022
Such a great debut for Steve Stratton. Thank you for picking me to read the ARC. Lance Wolf is such a bad ass and fits in perfectly with the great military thriller characters. This book is chalk full, with what I call "Greaney-esque" action, which means non stop from page 1 till the end. The journey you are taken on with Wolf and all the other characters really brings you into the story and keeps you turning the pages. I love the set up for what this Team and series can and will become!!. I am very excited for the future of Strattons writing!!
May 27, 2022
With summer holiday vacations approaching, the perfect beach reading novel has been produced. It is one of the latest to be published by Force Poseidon , a new thriller publications house. The style of writing is similar to that of AndrewsWilson or Simon Gervais, authors who produce quick action, kick in the door fire fights. A fast-paced read, not having the in-depth character analysis of a Jack Carr novel, but gets right to the point of the business at hand. Steve Stratton’s SHADOW TIER is a novel of payback, not exactly revenge for the death of his parents by Mexican Sinaloa Cartel members, more along the “I have had enough” and initiates the plotting of its downfall, uncaring how many will fall in the aftermath.
Stratton introduces Master Sergeant Lance Bear Wolf enjoying an evening drink at sundown with his mother, Alma Anderson. We learn he’s a former Army Ranger, Special Forces trained, working out of Tampa’s Special Operations Command in conjunction with the Florida National Guard in training missions with Mexico’s TIER 1 unit. The Unit finds itself tasked to go after and take down the Sinaloa Drug Cartel who has done serious damage to the Mexican Special Forces team.
The customs of Native American Crowe are melded with Lance Wolfe’s Intell and Special Forces training, and come in handy in fighting in desert/ mountainous terrain. With the death of his parents in a restaurant crossfire firefight, Wolf uses his contacts to go after the Sinaloa drug cartel with the purpose of destroying those responsible, Alejandro and Eliana Cortes, the cousins of “El Chapo” Guzman. Thus Stratton produces a made to order story, fit for a movie script, the takedown of El Chapo’s Sinaloa Cartel. It becomes a story just this side of legal and overflowing with retribution.
Surprise attacks, battle by battle, the protagonist, along with his siblings, execute slice and dice activity in breaking apart the Sinaloa cartel. It’s not beyond them to implicate other cartels’ operations with holding responsibility for the mayhem. Stratton delivers the vengeance in a blow by blow tale.
We learn some of the background of Master Sergeant Lance Wolf through reminiscent flashbacks of other operations. These round out the character development of the protagonist, and set up the next series of action events. As I stated, if you are into firefights, explosions, seat of the pants flying, you won’t be disappointed. As a reader, you see the cruelty and brutality that cartels are noted for, and Stratton does not hold back on description.
Stratton captures his years in US military service through bringing his knowledge, energy, intuition of human nature to the plotting of his premiere novel SHADOW TIER. His life experience as Special Forces, a Green Beret is seen in the scene by scene plotting of activity, and operational knowledge of American Special Forces doing battle against the cartels. It ensures authenticity to the story told of the inside structure of the hierarchy doing battle against an insidious evil. Stratton brings his tale to a climax and as with anything in life, there is loss, success, and unfinished business.
Make sure you leave a block amount of time to consume this novel.It will capture your full attention to the last page. The story wraps with the creation of a special forces unit, known to few, operating in the shadows, with the encompassing mission of taking down the drug cartels utilizing friends, family and respected colleagues. From drug cartels, to child and sex trafficking, one way or the other, they are all going down. The hunt has just begun. 5*
Unfinished.
Stratton introduces Master Sergeant Lance Bear Wolf enjoying an evening drink at sundown with his mother, Alma Anderson. We learn he’s a former Army Ranger, Special Forces trained, working out of Tampa’s Special Operations Command in conjunction with the Florida National Guard in training missions with Mexico’s TIER 1 unit. The Unit finds itself tasked to go after and take down the Sinaloa Drug Cartel who has done serious damage to the Mexican Special Forces team.
The customs of Native American Crowe are melded with Lance Wolfe’s Intell and Special Forces training, and come in handy in fighting in desert/ mountainous terrain. With the death of his parents in a restaurant crossfire firefight, Wolf uses his contacts to go after the Sinaloa drug cartel with the purpose of destroying those responsible, Alejandro and Eliana Cortes, the cousins of “El Chapo” Guzman. Thus Stratton produces a made to order story, fit for a movie script, the takedown of El Chapo’s Sinaloa Cartel. It becomes a story just this side of legal and overflowing with retribution.
Surprise attacks, battle by battle, the protagonist, along with his siblings, execute slice and dice activity in breaking apart the Sinaloa cartel. It’s not beyond them to implicate other cartels’ operations with holding responsibility for the mayhem. Stratton delivers the vengeance in a blow by blow tale.
We learn some of the background of Master Sergeant Lance Wolf through reminiscent flashbacks of other operations. These round out the character development of the protagonist, and set up the next series of action events. As I stated, if you are into firefights, explosions, seat of the pants flying, you won’t be disappointed. As a reader, you see the cruelty and brutality that cartels are noted for, and Stratton does not hold back on description.
Stratton captures his years in US military service through bringing his knowledge, energy, intuition of human nature to the plotting of his premiere novel SHADOW TIER. His life experience as Special Forces, a Green Beret is seen in the scene by scene plotting of activity, and operational knowledge of American Special Forces doing battle against the cartels. It ensures authenticity to the story told of the inside structure of the hierarchy doing battle against an insidious evil. Stratton brings his tale to a climax and as with anything in life, there is loss, success, and unfinished business.
Make sure you leave a block amount of time to consume this novel.It will capture your full attention to the last page. The story wraps with the creation of a special forces unit, known to few, operating in the shadows, with the encompassing mission of taking down the drug cartels utilizing friends, family and respected colleagues. From drug cartels, to child and sex trafficking, one way or the other, they are all going down. The hunt has just begun. 5*
Unfinished.
Read
May 25, 2022READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books
When former Army Ranger Lance Wolf's Mexican vacation takes a tragic turn, he is propelled down a path of revenge and retribution against a major drug cartel and it's brutal leaders. What had been a wrong place, wrong time situation turns into an all out war spanning from Tampa to Los Angeles and into the heart of Sinaloan controlled territory. With the help of his family and friends, Wolf takes the fight directly to the cartel. The incredible toll and personal cost will be the deciding factor in this battle of wills.
Make sure to check out the full review
When former Army Ranger Lance Wolf's Mexican vacation takes a tragic turn, he is propelled down a path of revenge and retribution against a major drug cartel and it's brutal leaders. What had been a wrong place, wrong time situation turns into an all out war spanning from Tampa to Los Angeles and into the heart of Sinaloan controlled territory. With the help of his family and friends, Wolf takes the fight directly to the cartel. The incredible toll and personal cost will be the deciding factor in this battle of wills.
Make sure to check out the full review
April 28, 2022
I was privileged to receive an Advanced Reader’s Copy of “Shadow Tier” by Steve Stratton. I was impressed with this debut novel and enjoyed both the story line and the characters. Story lines are critical, and getting the reader to care about characters is also key to a good novel. In both respects, Steve succeeds. I also liked the way Steve ended the book, tying up some parts of the puzzle but leaving more for future novels. Fortunately, it wasn’t a novel that left an unsatisfying cliffhanger, but there is plenty of “ammo” (pun intended) for more action from Lance Bear Wolf and his colleagues.
June 8, 2022
The first Lance Bear Wolf novel is action packed.
I received an ARC of SHADOW TIER and found it difficult to put down.
Taking place in Mexico and the US Lance Bear Wolf fights the drug cartel to avenge his parents and stop the drugs trade.
I felt like every page was filled with intense action I don’t know where Steve Stratton was able to put in the character development. But it is there and by the end of this first book I feel like I have been reading this series through several books. Very well done.
I received an ARC of SHADOW TIER and found it difficult to put down.
Taking place in Mexico and the US Lance Bear Wolf fights the drug cartel to avenge his parents and stop the drugs trade.
I felt like every page was filled with intense action I don’t know where Steve Stratton was able to put in the character development. But it is there and by the end of this first book I feel like I have been reading this series through several books. Very well done.
May 25, 2022
Shadow Tier is a solid action thriller that takes readers on a vicious journey of gut-wrenching loss and action-packed retribution with a new take on the war on drugs.
Check out my full review at https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kas...
Check out my full review at https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kas...
October 15, 2022
Lance Bear Wolf is on vacation in Mexico and on the way back to the US with his parents, when they get into the middle of a Cartel attack and his parents get killed. He vows revenge and intends to destroy as much of the Cartels as possible. A very entertaining revenge thriller with a remarkable main character and fascinating story building.
Unfortunately the publisher, Force Poseidon, saves money in the completely wrong places and didn't employ a proof-reader which lessens the fun of reading quite a bit.
Unfortunately the publisher, Force Poseidon, saves money in the completely wrong places and didn't employ a proof-reader which lessens the fun of reading quite a bit.
June 26, 2022
Stratton’s debut reads like a Clancy novel. Action packed at every turn, drawn in length, and detailed. The action sequences are as realistic as can be, and you can tell Stratton’s time in the military paved the storyline. The pages are full of suspense, desperation, revenge, and determination. Wolf is a great main character who was pushed to the limits, forced into difficult decisions, and never worried about the odds. If it’s action, and I mean real action, this is the book for you. Fantastic debut!
May 22, 2022
Get ready for unconventional warfare at its finest Ladies and Gentlemen…Steve Stratton comes out swinging with this debut, and crushes it! Lance Bear Wolf is a standout addition to the thriller genre, and felt like someone I could have deployed with. In fact, the entire Shadow Tier cadre feels authentic and are a perfect counter element to the cartel. The Shadow Tier concept itself is brilliant, and expertly executed. Vicious retribution is coming. The cartel made it personal, and they have no idea what’s coming for them.
April 26, 2022
Wow!!! What a rush. I finished this book in a couple of weeks and had to force myself to put it down. I loved the characters and storyline. Incredible writing style
May 27, 2022
Romeo Tango Foxtrot … Ready to fight
Steve Stratton has written one of the best debut novels I can remember! Shadow Tier delivers characters that are both interesting and compelling, and drops them into a world of danger, revenge, cartels, and pulse pounding action. Stratton also does a good job exploring the boundary between the righteous battle against evil, and where revenge can not only cross that boundary but also may leave others in danger unforeseen and not planned for. What is the cost to one's humanity to fight the good fight vs. a revenge fueled wave of death and destruction.
I really enjoyed the transition from single person and small unit targeted destruction, to a sanctioned, funded, lethal team that confronts an unconventional enemy with chaos, fierceness, and an entirely new, unscripted playbook that leaves the enemy frustrated and the readers wanting more.
I am very thankful to Steve Stratton, Force Poseidon, and Best Thriller Books for the opportunity to be a member of the inaugural 'Steve's Squadron', and to receive an ARC of Shadow Tier in exchange for my thoughts and review. I am extremely excited about Lance Bear Wolf and his Shadow Tier squadron, and seeing where they take the fight next. Perhaps the biggest praise I can make is that Stratton is on my list of authors that I will definitely buy their new releases.
Steve Stratton has written one of the best debut novels I can remember! Shadow Tier delivers characters that are both interesting and compelling, and drops them into a world of danger, revenge, cartels, and pulse pounding action. Stratton also does a good job exploring the boundary between the righteous battle against evil, and where revenge can not only cross that boundary but also may leave others in danger unforeseen and not planned for. What is the cost to one's humanity to fight the good fight vs. a revenge fueled wave of death and destruction.
I really enjoyed the transition from single person and small unit targeted destruction, to a sanctioned, funded, lethal team that confronts an unconventional enemy with chaos, fierceness, and an entirely new, unscripted playbook that leaves the enemy frustrated and the readers wanting more.
I am very thankful to Steve Stratton, Force Poseidon, and Best Thriller Books for the opportunity to be a member of the inaugural 'Steve's Squadron', and to receive an ARC of Shadow Tier in exchange for my thoughts and review. I am extremely excited about Lance Bear Wolf and his Shadow Tier squadron, and seeing where they take the fight next. Perhaps the biggest praise I can make is that Stratton is on my list of authors that I will definitely buy their new releases.
July 24, 2022
I feel like I'm reading a different book than everyone else. All the reviews remark on how this doesn't seem like a debut author. I disagree, it really seems like a debut novel to me. And one that needs a stronger editor than the one used. I counted 10 serious error in the first 10 pages alone. Run on sentences, missing words, confusing tense shifts that made me go back and reread several paragraphs that didn't make sense on the first read. Single paragraphs that consist of 1 or 2 sentences that just go on and on. You get no time to get to know the character as he's suddenly dropped into a tactical situation with maybe 2 sentences to shift you into it.
I really wanted to like this book. I just finished Mark Greaneys book Armored and I was excited to read something else in the same genre. I just can't continue after about 25 pages.
I'm not a troll and I absolutely hate giving a new author negative feedback but I think some honest feedback may help. Maybe not.
I really wanted to like this book. I just finished Mark Greaneys book Armored and I was excited to read something else in the same genre. I just can't continue after about 25 pages.
I'm not a troll and I absolutely hate giving a new author negative feedback but I think some honest feedback may help. Maybe not.
June 13, 2022
I received an advanced reader copy of Shadow Tier in return for an honest review. Buckle up... here it is.
Outstanding! I stayed up late last night in order to finish the novel before the release date. The fast-paced action and plot felt like a seasoned author of 40+ novels, not their first book. I am envious of Steve's ability to describe action scenes while keeping the tension ramped up. I could picture the fights like a movie in my mind and nearly smell the cordite as my heart raced as the pages turned.
Get used to hearing the name Lance Bear Wolf and Shadow Tier, book one. You never forget the title that launched a career. I'm looking forward to further adventures in the series.
Outstanding! I stayed up late last night in order to finish the novel before the release date. The fast-paced action and plot felt like a seasoned author of 40+ novels, not their first book. I am envious of Steve's ability to describe action scenes while keeping the tension ramped up. I could picture the fights like a movie in my mind and nearly smell the cordite as my heart raced as the pages turned.
Get used to hearing the name Lance Bear Wolf and Shadow Tier, book one. You never forget the title that launched a career. I'm looking forward to further adventures in the series.
Read
May 22, 2022READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books
Make sure to check out the full review
Make sure to check out the full review
March 15, 2023
Steve Stratton's "Shadow Tier" is over the top good. Greatly impressed with his first novel. Lance Bear Wolf and the rest of the characters--whether in major or support roles--are well developed and enjoy realistic character ARCs. The plotting is tight and Stratton draws from current news headlines or calls the shots (no pun intended) before incidents reach the mainstream news. I can see why the manuscript had to be vetted through DoD. Some of the turf war scenes bring alive pages from "A Small Wars Journal-El Centro Anthology" by Bunker and Sullivan. And is rich in borderland research. Bottom line, Steve Stratton is one great storyteller, who should be added to everyone's short list of must reads. Am really looking forward to the continuing saga of Lance Bear Wolf and the Shadow Tier team.
June 8, 2022
Closely following a hot wash, Tier One operators may often reach for the likes of Olde English 800 or similar to help the wind-down. Of a different kind, however, is the originally unnamed epic poem and one of the most important works of Old English lit; Beowulf. An alliterative ditty of 6th century pagan times where the eponymous hero comes to the aid of a Danish king who's plagued by a monster and thereafter, his vengeful mother. Comparably starting in media res, SHADOW TIER throws its protagonist Lance Bear Wolf into the late 1990s during a drug interdiction raid aimed at freeing beleaguered US communities from the perils of Schedule 1 substance abuse and is semi-foiled by the sister to El Chapo's Director of West Coast Operations, who's also a mother to be.
Hot on the trail of the drug princess and her sec team is Lance Bear Wolf (rhymes with Airwolf?), a Crow Indian warrior well versed in death song, a Master Sergeant with a spirit guide and the perfect combo of photographic memory, resilience, and ability to manage fear. Owning high levels of rhodopsin and being right-handed and left-eye dominant (but don't tell the hordes of TLC fans!), he was born to conduct priority solo missions. A combat vet of Grenada, Panama, and the Gulf War, BearWolf is ready to unleash hell on the Sinaloa Cartel for meddling with national security, the health and livelihood of freedom loving Americans, and the MSG's personal tribe and safety. Thus cementing the relational affair, the family that kills together, stays together. Or perhaps not. Justice being a commodity that is a situational thing in Mexico, BearWolf has to take things into his own hands, and assembles a team that includes brother, sister, mom, step-dad, who's a former Nam cruising Ranger, and other capables who are in the biz.
Twenty years of on-going warfare in a sandbox about 7,500 miles away has inoculated the general public against the mid 1980s lone warrior syndrome, and SHADOW TIER leverages the multilayered group approach to warfare perfectly. In essence, this actioner is a hefty set of Spark Notes of everything Richard Marcinko has ever written. Kudos also to veiled shout-outs to three former Navy SEALs turned authors via quoting their axioms that are creeping into almost all Mil-Thrillers getting published. In homage to one and the current hubris surrounding him, Steve Stratton's opus could've easily been titled THE TERMINAL PATH and gotten away with it. In fact, SHADOW TIER may as well be called LA LISTA DE TERMINALES for how close it feels to what is soon to be a miniseries on Amazon Prime, just transpiring south of the border instead of CONUS. And it works! A handful of National Guard soldiers have done more through happenstance and serendipity in crimping Sinaloa Cartel business than the war on drugs did since its official declaration by President Nixon in '71 and Nancy Reagan doubling down about 15 years later.
Like Ludacris, who doesn't go clubbing but brings the party to him, BearWolf (rhymes with Airwolf!) doesn't need to deploy, the WarZone will find him. Unparallelled by any other thriller, SHADOW TIER takes the Stephen King advice to kill your darlings literally, literally. Death, destruction, fire fights, and violence can and does erupt at any time. Stratton creates a government called anarchy and a country called chaos. As such, L.A. is being turned into a warzone. Who's in charge, the Cops? Nah-uh. All that's missing from the denouement is Tony Pope visually and verbally accosting a video camera and through it, the audience. By the time the first SHADOW TIER mission, Operation Thor's Hammer, is accomplished, shoutouts to AIRPLANE! and FIRST BLOOD are complete and tactical elements like Senior NCO magic, the mad minute, RLTW, PLF, ODA, and fatal funnel have been revisited. A fresh voice in the Thrillerverse indeed, SHADOW TIER is geared for legalized, justified revenge, an eye for an eye, if you will--the Bible said so. Don't worry too much about it, it's a showdown waiting for prime time: BearWolf vs Tomador de Almas, the Taker of Souls; as ominous as it sounds, yes. A force of nature. Invariably the first in a series, Steve Stratton and SHADOW TIER are coming for the crown of Mil-Thrillers and there's nothing to stop this hailstorm of bullets and mayhem.
July 12, 2022
I was privileged to get an ARC copy but didn't get the chance to read it until after the publishing date. The praise from those that read it before I was warranted. An action packed, drug war cartel conflict with a realistic feel of how this war is waged. Mr. Stratton lays out a detailed story with a good flow.
June 4, 2022
Shadow Tier is AMAZING! This is a brilliant debut for Steve Stratton. It is so hard to put this book down! Shadow Tier is so packed with action but not overly stuffed. The protagonist development was superb. This book does a very good job of transporting you through time and take you on the journey with Lance "Bear" Wolf. The antagonist development was fantastic! The story ends well and answers your questions, but it still sets up many more great books. I can't wait to see where Lance goes!
I was very fortunate to receive a very early ARC and I will be forever grateful to be a Shadow Tier plank owner.
I was very fortunate to receive a very early ARC and I will be forever grateful to be a Shadow Tier plank owner.
May 24, 2022
This book is a fantastic read. It's a high intensity, action packed thriller. The reader is introduced to a new group of heroes. In my opinion this is a new kick ass hero. I can't wait for more thrills.
May 12, 2022
Non stop action that will keep you engaged every step of the way. Finding one's purpose, taking care of business, and a cast of characters that are awesome and will lead the charge. Enjoy the ride!
December 15, 2022
Unbelievably good. Adrenaline pumping page turner. Half of the characters you'll want to hang out with the other half will make youy want to help Lance Bear Wolf in his mission. Excellent read.
April 17, 2025
Book Review – Shadow Tier – Steve Stratton
Former U.S. Army Green Beret turned thriller author Steve Stratton’s debut novel, “Shadow Tier” is a moving military thriller of settlement and revenge for the death of his parents by the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel.
Protagonist Lance Bear Wolf – a Crow Native American by birth and an US Army Special Forces leader – is vacationing with his family in Mexico when they witness a killing by some Mexican Sinaloa Cartel members. Wolf and his mother and father happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Wolf’s father is killed, and his mother critically wounded so Wolf declares revenge on the Mexican Cartel and with some help from the U.S. government, this is where all the action begins!
I was impressed with Steve Stratton’s writing style. He delivered a blow-by-blow justifiable vengeance tale that would please any action thriller enthusiast. I also loved how he merged Bear Wolf’s Native American Crow customers with his Army Special Forces training in confronting the Mexican drug cartel and taking them out!
This was some resourceful and innovative writing. The “violence-of-action” in this tale is noteworthy.
Anytime the Mexican drug cartel is mixed up into something, there is sure to be some violence, bloodshed, and carnage involved. And it’s especially pleasing to read a good retribution story involving an ‘ass-kickin’ special forces operator that initiates the punishing payback.
Stratton’s experience as a Special Forces, Green Beret authenticated this book. His knowledge and insight were vividly conveyed in the plotting, the intense battle scenes, and the heartbreak loss in the storyline. Everything flowed well, felt real, and led me to continuous reading. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down.
Although I’ve cut back significantly on my reading this year, I’m adding the Shadow Tier series – books two and three – “Shadow Sanction” and “Caribbean Harvest” to my TBR List.
I really enjoyed this book...
Former U.S. Army Green Beret turned thriller author Steve Stratton’s debut novel, “Shadow Tier” is a moving military thriller of settlement and revenge for the death of his parents by the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel.
Protagonist Lance Bear Wolf – a Crow Native American by birth and an US Army Special Forces leader – is vacationing with his family in Mexico when they witness a killing by some Mexican Sinaloa Cartel members. Wolf and his mother and father happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Wolf’s father is killed, and his mother critically wounded so Wolf declares revenge on the Mexican Cartel and with some help from the U.S. government, this is where all the action begins!
I was impressed with Steve Stratton’s writing style. He delivered a blow-by-blow justifiable vengeance tale that would please any action thriller enthusiast. I also loved how he merged Bear Wolf’s Native American Crow customers with his Army Special Forces training in confronting the Mexican drug cartel and taking them out!
This was some resourceful and innovative writing. The “violence-of-action” in this tale is noteworthy.
Anytime the Mexican drug cartel is mixed up into something, there is sure to be some violence, bloodshed, and carnage involved. And it’s especially pleasing to read a good retribution story involving an ‘ass-kickin’ special forces operator that initiates the punishing payback.
Stratton’s experience as a Special Forces, Green Beret authenticated this book. His knowledge and insight were vividly conveyed in the plotting, the intense battle scenes, and the heartbreak loss in the storyline. Everything flowed well, felt real, and led me to continuous reading. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down.
Although I’ve cut back significantly on my reading this year, I’m adding the Shadow Tier series – books two and three – “Shadow Sanction” and “Caribbean Harvest” to my TBR List.
I really enjoyed this book...
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April 16, 2023MWSA Review
Shadow Tier by Steve Stratton introduces us to Lance Bear Wolf, a member of the Crow Tribe, former Army Ranger, and Special Forces soldier. Now a civilian contractor within the Joint Special Missions Command, he keeps his hand in the military through a position in the Florida Army National Guard. When his National Guard team is called upon to provide intelligence and training support to a Mexican Army Special Forces unit, in relation to their war on drugs, Wolf is in his element. Their support role in a mission places Wolf in the sights of the Sinaloa Cartel.
After his parents are killed in a cartel shootout, Wolf embarks on a private revenge mission, first in a special operation with his team, then entering Mexico alone on a violent rampage across multiple West Coast Sinaloa sites. The Mexican government, under the influence of the cartel, labels him a terrorist and demands that the United States bring charges against him. During the investigation, Army Special Operations Command steps in, realizing that Wolf’s revenge tour had been the most effective known attack on the drug cartels. Charges are dropped and a new unit, the Shadow Tier, is created.
While I would have enjoyed a more in-depth exploration of Wolf’s character and motivation, the descriptions of weapons, technology, and procedures used in various operations were quite detailed. The many minor characters and subplots promise a long series of books on Shadow Tier missions.
Review by Lynn Ellen Doxon (April 2023)
Shadow Tier by Steve Stratton introduces us to Lance Bear Wolf, a member of the Crow Tribe, former Army Ranger, and Special Forces soldier. Now a civilian contractor within the Joint Special Missions Command, he keeps his hand in the military through a position in the Florida Army National Guard. When his National Guard team is called upon to provide intelligence and training support to a Mexican Army Special Forces unit, in relation to their war on drugs, Wolf is in his element. Their support role in a mission places Wolf in the sights of the Sinaloa Cartel.
After his parents are killed in a cartel shootout, Wolf embarks on a private revenge mission, first in a special operation with his team, then entering Mexico alone on a violent rampage across multiple West Coast Sinaloa sites. The Mexican government, under the influence of the cartel, labels him a terrorist and demands that the United States bring charges against him. During the investigation, Army Special Operations Command steps in, realizing that Wolf’s revenge tour had been the most effective known attack on the drug cartels. Charges are dropped and a new unit, the Shadow Tier, is created.
While I would have enjoyed a more in-depth exploration of Wolf’s character and motivation, the descriptions of weapons, technology, and procedures used in various operations were quite detailed. The many minor characters and subplots promise a long series of books on Shadow Tier missions.
Review by Lynn Ellen Doxon (April 2023)
October 29, 2024
Shadow Tier is the second book of the Shadow Tier series.
This chapter of the series centers on the origin of Shadow Tier and what motivated the main character, Lance Bear Wolf, to start down the path to the creation of Shadow Tier.
The book starts off with very tragic events that further harden, toughen, energize, and temper an already tough soldier. This is much to the chagrin and eventual regret of bad hombres south of the border. Tragedy follows Lance throughout the book, but Lance dispenses with vengeance and Green Beret ingenuity, in disrupting and bringing chaos to his adversaries.
Shadow Tier is born out of these events. They were tested and found more than worthy to continue as a new breed of asymmetric and unconventional fighting team. As with Steve’s other titles, my thought as I finished the book was, again, “Damn that was good”.
“Shadow Tier” is very enjoyable, and I highly recommend it. Steve has a new book, coming out in January 2025 “Caribbean Harvest”. Pre-purchase it please.
This chapter of the series centers on the origin of Shadow Tier and what motivated the main character, Lance Bear Wolf, to start down the path to the creation of Shadow Tier.
The book starts off with very tragic events that further harden, toughen, energize, and temper an already tough soldier. This is much to the chagrin and eventual regret of bad hombres south of the border. Tragedy follows Lance throughout the book, but Lance dispenses with vengeance and Green Beret ingenuity, in disrupting and bringing chaos to his adversaries.
Shadow Tier is born out of these events. They were tested and found more than worthy to continue as a new breed of asymmetric and unconventional fighting team. As with Steve’s other titles, my thought as I finished the book was, again, “Damn that was good”.
“Shadow Tier” is very enjoyable, and I highly recommend it. Steve has a new book, coming out in January 2025 “Caribbean Harvest”. Pre-purchase it please.
December 10, 2023
Author Steve Stratton, a Green Beret, who was deployed with a Special Forces Unit on counter-drug and missions, also had a career in the White House. As a former member of US Army and US National Guard, I love how he takes his real life knowledge and action and puts it into fiction for the readers. You can tell that his passion is about the war on drugs and that doesn’t seem to get talked about on the headlines as much as it used to which is a shame.
For a new author, it is clear that the Military Writers Society of American got it right giving him the Bronze Award for this book. It is fast-paced and action packed keeping the pages turning straight out of the gate. The details that Stratton gives us, from the heritage that is sprinkled in for Lance Bear Wolf, the descriptions of the missions and what the Shadow Tier is doing to the scenes in Tampa that simply puts the reader there in real time.
A revenge military thriller that leaves you wanting more in this series!
For a new author, it is clear that the Military Writers Society of American got it right giving him the Bronze Award for this book. It is fast-paced and action packed keeping the pages turning straight out of the gate. The details that Stratton gives us, from the heritage that is sprinkled in for Lance Bear Wolf, the descriptions of the missions and what the Shadow Tier is doing to the scenes in Tampa that simply puts the reader there in real time.
A revenge military thriller that leaves you wanting more in this series!
August 11, 2025
I honestly wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this book because I normally read romance and psychological thrillers. I found myself immersed in the world of Green Berets and how they think. How they plan and conduct operations. This book was good. Lots of nonstop action from the beginning to the end. As Wolf and his team goes after drug cartels there’s loss, betrayal and a wee bit of romance. There’s character development amidst multiple characters. The characters are complex, dangerous and relatable. I will be checking out more from this author in the future.
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