Chameleon

Black Box Ops #1

by Remi Adeleke

From actor, memoirist, and former Navy SEAL Remi Adeleke comes the first installment in the electrifying, pulse-pounding Black Box Ops Thriller series, featuring Nigerian-born Kali Kent and the top-secret Black Box program--perfect for readers of Jack Carr, Mark Greaney, and Brad Taylor.

When a mysterious former South African commando begins taking wealthy hostages all over the world, it appears at first to be a typical ransom gambit. However, it soon becomes clear that Lucas Van Groot is not only making a fortune with his "Hostage Inc." venture, but also manipulating worldwide stock markets and causing panic on Wall Street and at the Federal Reserve.

Enter Black Box, the CIA's most secret special operations branch--so surreptitious that not even the Director of CIA is fully privy to the unit's activities. Black Box is comprised of secret agents with incredible skills: Chameleons who can transform into myriads of characters, Ghosts who are specialists in stealth and surveillance, Wind operatives who are transportation experts, and Aberration spies whose specialty is deep cover for years.

Kali Kent, a Nigerian born and Bronxite super star in the Black Box program, leads the hunt for Van Groot and his conspiracy of international criminals. However, he soon discovers that the South African mastermind is after a much larger prize.

Kali Kent and Black Box must stop Van Groot before he can execute a worldwide tragedy. But along the way, Kali will have to face the demons from his childhood and reflect on his emotional path that made him the Chameleon that he has become today.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Amazon, Action, Adult, Military Fiction, Suspense

356 pages, Hardcover

Published July 25, 2023

About the author

Remi Adeleke was born in western Africa, but following the death of his father, his mother, brother, and he relocated permanently to the Bronx in New York City. After years of making regrettable decisions, Remi joined the Navy in 2002 and later became a Navy SEAL.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a Military Thriller (Spy Thriller), and this is the first book in the Black Box Ops series. I really wanted to love this book, but that was just not the case with this book. I found this book really hard to follow because of a couple of reasons. The first reason was there were way too many characters, and the names of the characters were hard to remember. Some, of the characters talked about for a page or two and then was killed. I also filled this book with too many details which also made it hard to follow what was going on. After reading the book, and I had to keep re-reading some parts I still do not know 100% where the plot was trying to take the readers. I just think this book was a lot of action with no reason at times. The action scenes were well written, but there needs to be more. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (William Morrow) or author (Remi Adeleke) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Please note: I also won a goodreads giveaway at the same time I got approved for the Netgalley copy.

[Jeremy Peers · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a notorious former South African commando, Lucas Van Groot, begins kidnapping wealthy people all over the world, people tend to take notice. Especially when said kidnappings start effecting the financial markets. Intelligence on the South African and his merry gang was severely lacking. The goons were up to something and the CIA needs to know what that something is posthaste and covertly. Perfect for the Black Box Program. Buried within the bowels of Langley, Black Box employs agents with special skills and talents . They are the best of the best in their specialty. Kali Kent, who immigrated from Nigeria after series of tragic events, is known as a Chameleon; a master of disguise and is absolutely lethal. Kali and Black Box are tasked with finding Van Groot and soon discover a bigger plan that will have ramifications worldwide. Kali will be forced to confront his past if he and Black Box have any chance of stopping Van Groot and his conspirators.

This is a very, very good. fiction debut. Fast paced and cinematic, Chameleon is filled with great characters, nonstop action and plenty of surprises, The story features Kali but the real stars of Chameleon are his Black Box teammates and Black Box itself. Think Mission Impossible with a higher body count in book form.

Remi has the beginnings of a series readers will gravitate towards on the tip of his pen. I look forward to seeing where he takes Black Box next.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Chameleon!

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chameleon by Remi Adeleke is the first in the Black Box Ops series where we follow this group of undercover agents take on some of the bad people in the world. I found it well written and entertaining and it is not exactly like every other clandestine thriller out there. I look forward to see where Adeleke will take this series and the great characters he has created. If you want to read some non fiction you are in luck for he has also written Transformed a book about growing up in Nigeria and then coming to America not unlike one of his heroes in this fiction story. I have got it but not read it yet, but I will. I can really recommend this book if you haven't already read it.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, Chameleon, by Remi Adeleke, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is not the sort of book I typically read. Van Groot has taken wealthy hostages, Kali Kent and Blackbox are trying to stop Van Groot. This book was a little confusing for me, all the weird names, a good read though.

[Melissa P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

🦎❤️ Won in a giveaway 🦎❤️

Very fast and action packed book. I am not usually into action books or movies very much like when I was younger. So this is probably not a book I would normally go pick at the library, but it sounded interesting. It's all about war, hostages, secret missions, soldiers etc. Right away, the action starts. It kept me engaged throughout most of the book. If I had to choose reading an action book or watching an action movie, I would rather watch it. This book is definitely not bad though. I usually like feeling some kind of connection with at least one character but in this book, I didn't really. It was really fast paced. Very well written. Thank you to the author, Remi Adeleke, HarperCollins and Goodreads for my free copy of this book. Happy reading. 🌎

[Sergio Melendez · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book but it makes me wonder just how much the government is hiding.

[Rex · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are probably many reasons people write novels. Sometimes they have a certain ideology and think fiction is a way to make it more palpable. Others must have strong sexual fantasies, or at least want to feed the repressed fantasies of others. I'm sure a large contingent is simply looking for fame and fortune. I would hope most of them are simply good storytellers and have a burning desire to just share them and provide good literature. Remi Adeleke represents a new breed.

Consider this: The main character is Nigerian, as is the author. The main character was forced to emigrate to America, specifically to The Bronx, upon the death of his father, as did the author. The main character went from being part of a wealthy family in Nigeria to having almost nothing in American, just like the author. The main character didn't have much of a goal in life until he joined the military, just like the author. The main character ended upon joining an elite special force and turned his life around, just like the author. The main character developed special acting skills that he was able to use in his covert job, and the author is an actor who has appeared in several recent, popular TV shows and movies. They also both have short, four-letter names, which I doubt is a coincidence.

No, this is not an autobiography, but it became obvious to me that its reason for its existence is to serve as the basis for an ongoing television show or series of films featuring Remi Adelke in the principal role. The novel does claim to be the first of a series.

It had great potential, although it is not the least bit original. If you remember the popular television series, Mission Impossible (not the Tom Cruise films), you'll pretty much recognize the major structure of this book. There's lots of action, bad guys, shadowy agents, hard-nose government officials, a down-home American president with a drawl, and more shooting than any book probably needs. It got tedious.

One thing a professional editor could do to this book to vastly improve it, and shorten it by around 50 pages, is to limit the totally unnecessary detail, jargon and acronyms. The author feels a need to give the brand name, model number and various characteristics of every firearm, vehicle, aircraft, communication device, accessory and even clothing. It not only pads the book, but sometimes makes it unreadable. This is especially true when the author uses all kinds of military abbreviations, but then defines them for those of us who are not in the service.

This actually would make a good ongoing Netflix or Amazon series and I'm sure Adeleke would make an outstanding lead in it. As a novel, though, it fell very short.

[Tim Yaciuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Chameleon by Remi Adeleke. A great first endeavor into the world of fiction by the author. He does a great job telling the story Kali Kent and the Black Box group, also using Kali's past to tie into the case they are working. The story takes the Black Box crew all over the world, touching almost every continent searching for the group using kidnappings to manipulate the stock market. The investigations leads to a bigger plot that could will have bigger ramification on the whole world.

The story takes lots of twists and turns. It is a fun read that you need to pay attention too to make sure you don't miss anything.

Look forward to future books in the series and by the author

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

Firstly I’d like to thank the publisher, William Morrow, as well as the author, Remi Adeleke for an ARC of this novel.

This book had a very solid foundation that went into much detail about many aspects, that may have seemed trivial but ended up being pure genius. At first it is hard to get an understanding of what is happening however if you stick with it the twists and turns taken throughout this book were well worth it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the plot.

The only downfall of this book were the weird little time skips without any acknowledgement. At one point it alludes to being the next day and then it randomly says that Spencer has been gone for over a week. Then Spencer was gone for a month and there was really nothing in between that moved the story along in the timeline except for those brief sentences. Otherwise this was a very well rounded book with intricate plot points and technology. I cannot wait to see what else this series has in store.

And again thank you to the publisher, William Morrow for the arc of Chameleon.

[Laura A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. This book took us to places that we never been. Seeing the criminals they are trying to capture while staying alive in a very dangerous part of the world. This book was very good.

[Cathi Cantrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won this amazing (uncorrected proof) book through generous Goodreads Givaways and couldn't be more pleased or impressed by the overall writing storyline, characters and sustaining plot. Thinking it borders on and is similar to my other favorite authors, David Baldacci, also Brad Thor! Quite suspensefully entertaining and will be on the lookout for more excellent books from Remi Adeleke!

[Cassandra Trhlik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty great. Action packed and a page turner. The beginning was difficult to get through though, I almost stopped reading a couple of times. I'm glad I powered through the hard to follow beginning as the book turned out being very good. I also won it in a giveaway on this site, which is appreciated.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unevenly paced. 2.5 stars. Just another CIA black ops story without much more to offer than workmanlike writing, and a bit dull until the very end. I’ll warrant his autobiography is better.

[Chris Kneer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chameleon is Remi Adeleke’s debut novel and the first installment in the Black Box series. The author has an impressive bio including military service as a Navy Seal (is every Seal an author?), roles in movies, and a memoir named Transformed. I first recall seeing him as one of the coaches on a reality television show, Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.

Kali Kent is a member of the CIA’s top-secret Black Box Program. He and his team are called upon when a South African former soldier, Lucas van Groot, kidnaps wealthy hostages and manipulates the world’s financial markets for profit. The team is known as chameleons because they transform into different characters to achieve their objectives.

In time, the Black Box team realizes that the kidnappings are just the beginning of Van Groot’s devious plans. They chase him worldwide to stop him from selling a futuristic weapon that will cause international upheaval. The action also forces Kali to face trauma from his childhood in Nigeria.

The protagonist, Kali Kent, is based loosely on the author, including a childhood in Nigeria as part of a wealthy upper-class family who loses everything and is forced to move penniless to New York. Remi’s military background gives him credibility in this genre, and he writes well. The main character is solid, and the supporting characters are interesting. There are several bad guys and some good twists at the end.

There were several nights when I stayed up reading a little later than I wanted, which is my sign of a good thriller. If you are a fan of Brad Thor, Jack Carr, and Mark Greaney, you will enjoy Chameleon.


More reviews can be found at:

https://chriskneerauthor.com/read-eat...

[Jessica Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! An incredible first book, from an incredible author

When I first read about this book pre-release I was like “Whoop-de-doo another SEAL writes a book”. In the last ten years lots of SEALS have written books, but very few have been this good. This book is Jack Carr good, this book is Rob O’Neill good.

The protagonist is named Kali Kent, and as part of a CIA program called Black Box, as a Chameleon agent is like a Nigerian Jason Bourne, but with a team. Black Box teams have wind agents which drive, fly, and ride whatever necessary to get the job done. They have Ghost agents which are experts in all manner of surveillance and infiltration, and they have Chameleon agents which are professionally trained method actors and polyglots, who are also experts in disguise. They can become anyone, while also carrying a VERY large quiver of tactical skills.

The story starts out with Black Box stumbling upon a group who is kidnapping the children of wealthy scions to manipulate the share price of the companies they control. In the course of investigating they find that this group is in possession of technology that could shift the balance of power in Europe and worldwide forever.

The hunt for the men behind this takes them all over the world, and this book was an absolute joy to read. My favorite part about this book is that it’s not another SEAL being a SEAL doing SEAL things. That’s been done very well already. This book creates a whole new world, and I am very excited to read the next one.

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a completely average book in the thriller category. Elements in Afghanistan and Russia conspire to assault Eastern Europe, extending Russia's control in Eastern Europe, using a technology which makes planes invisible to radar.

The Black Box is an elite US military team, backed by an assault team, which is tasked with subverting this plan. The primary focus is on Nigerian-born Kali Kent, whose life story mirrors the authors. The book explores Kali's back-story, living a privileged life in Nigeria until his father is arrested for corruption (a bogus charge by a corrupt government).

The team wanders around Europe, Nigeria, and Afghanistan, as they chase bad guys and eliminate the threat of war. There are no twists in the story - every person they need to talk to is home and they readily provide all the information the Black Box team needs to move to the next location. There is lots of gunfire and violence, no foul language or sex.

None of the characters is very interesting. Kali's backstory is sad but not interesting. The dialogue moves the story forward, but does little to develop characters.

Ultimately, the story is neither bad nor good. I doubt I would read a sequel.

[Orsayor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chameleon by Remi Adeleke is a thrilling espionage adventure that combines intense action with personal introspection. Set in the world of covert operations, this fast-paced novel keeps readers engaged from beginning to end.

Kali Kent, a CIA agent with the ability to transform into different personas, leads a mission to capture Lucas Van Groot, a former South African commando. As they delve deeper, they uncover a global conspiracy with serious consequences.

Adeleke's own experiences as a Navy SEAL add authenticity to the tactical aspects, making the action feel genuine. The diverse team of agents in the Black Box unit brings intrigue and keeps readers guessing.

Adeleke's writing is immersive and captivating, transporting readers to various locations. While the focus is on the characters and their mission, the plot is filled with twists and turns, keeping the suspense high.

Chameleon is an exciting spy thriller that combines action with personal growth. Remi Adeleke's authentic voice and compelling storytelling make this book an engaging read. Whether you enjoy spy novels or simply want an entertaining adventure, Chameleon is sure to captivate.

[GAllonFan1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the ARC to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I understand that this is the author's debut fiction novel, and without a doubt this former Navy Seal writes action like he has experienced it first hand. I also enjoyed the different characters of the Black Box; however, the storyline I felt was a little thin. Also, I had an issue with the way the POTUS was presented here as I realize perhaps that the past couple of presidents have had cartoonish moments, but this president was a little over the top. The saving grace was the author set up the next novel nicely. There is just enough here for me to be intrigued about the next book, and I am also willing to believe that this author will continue to grow as a fiction writer. I enjoyed the book and look forward to what is to come.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very update with current events. It is set in the Middle East and names of countries and people are very difficult to follow. Also a South African commando takes wealthy hostages to get money to fund their businesses. Consequently, because they are dealing with very rich people, they can manipulate the stock market and make even more monies. The Black Box program is made up of chameleons that transform into all kinds of characters, e.g. ghosts. KaliKent is Nigerian born and leads the hunt for VanGroot. Van Groot is involved in multitudes of international criminals. They must stop him before he causes a a worldwide tragedy. A good read and very enlightening as a current synopsis with possibilities of where the world could head.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the playaway version of the book. I liked the cover image of the book. It drew me to the book and made me want to listen to it.

I had trouble understanding what was going on in the book until about chapter 30 or so. If I would have read the description about the book I would have probably understood what was going on better. Or the synopsis whatever its called. The thing that summarizes what the book is about.

I don't know that much about what a real CIA agent is like or what they do but, I do think Chameleon might be realistic as to what a CIA does and how a CIA agent might act.

So I thought Chameleon was kind of interesting for the first 30 or so chapters but, I really got into it in the later chapters. I hope to listen to it again.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot sounded interesting but for me, characters really make the story and for me, these characters didn’t quite make it. A bunch of Uber-macho super-skilled super spies with the token woman (beautiful of course) take on criminals, the Afghan government and the US government to prevent World War 3 and save their teammate. I was actually more interested in Kali Kent’s flashbacks to his childhood. It moved fast, lots of odd details about US security and futuristic weapons. The scene where the government official scolds the President and shames him into acting was tough to swallow. Still, a fast-paced thriller with a cool storyline about international crime and greed.

[Georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It must be noted that the author was a Navy Seal; therefore, he is interested in intelligence, research, security, equipment like guns, planes, bombs, missiles,etc. and new techno. Some reviewers have stated there is too much description but they are the the maneuvers of the chameleons who are the main characters of this book who take on many identities in order to outwit the bad guys. It is a very realistic book. For me the author used a lot of acronyms so you better keep a list! This must be Seal lingo! 🤔. A very important paragraph to read is on page 273 of the hard bound edition! I give this book⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 🥸

[Matthew Haas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was a really well-written and easy to read book. It was action-packed, fascinating, and often times, unpredictable. References and content were very up-to-date and relevant. It was interesting to get an inside viewpoint from a former navy seal. It was a perspective within an action book that you don’t usually receive. Plus, the character development was great. You really got to understand Kali, where he came from, and how that impacts the different decisions he makes throughout the book. I am eager to read more from Adeleke in the future!

[Jan Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this first book in a new series by Remi Adeleke.

He is a very good "action writer" and the battle scenes were amazingly detailed
and exciting "edge of your seat" reading which I liked. The cast of characters were interesting and intriguing at the same time. The plot was not too far off what we can expect in the near future and the bad guys got what they deserved in the end!

A fast read, with great action, interesting characters and a good back story too. I look forward to his next book.

Enjoy the ride, I did!

[The Geeky Viking · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent military thriller, the first in a series. Author Remi Adeleke has created a cool cast of characters in Black Box, the ultimate US government espionage force. Kali Kent is loosley based on Remi himself (if you read his autobiography, Transformed, you'll know what I mean) but the other characters that work alongside him come alive. You can clearly see this was designed to be a film or television series and that's not a bad thing. I really enjoyed this one and can't wait for the sequel.

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway. This novel is a solid fiction debut. The action was thrilling, the tension well done, and it has an intelligent plot. The MC and primary side characters are well developed and I cared about what happened to them, good and bad. The only negative was that there are a lot of characters to keep track of and not all of them really matter. Overall, that wasn't enough of a downside to detract from my enjoyment of the story and I would recommend this to those looking for a fast-paced military thriller.

[Dalton Chamberlain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creative, Brutally realistic and unique, Chameleon is a refreshing spin on military thrillers. An easy 5-Stars, this book rewrites the landscape of its genre with its new twists and turns in what makes thrillers, thrilling.

I enjoyed every second of listening to the audio read by the author, which I truly believe adds another layer of emotional depth to the story, since only the writer knows the full extent of each scene.

Adeleke is incredibly talented and I cannot wait to read the future installments of the Black Box thrillers! Thank you for another great read!

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel started off with so much energy with explosions, and people running around. And then the tempo slowed down as the next project is being planned. The characters are all well developed and the plot kept me interested to a point. The change of tone and all the very small details begin to make the book less exciting. The author shows a great deal of knowledge of aircraft and weapons and the entire stealth operation.

[Kevin Stumpf · Rating 3 out of 5]

ROUGH START. Wow. I almost quit this book after the first few chapters. Too many characters introduced with not enough information. Irritating use of words. Confusing plot. BUT….then Mr. Adeleke settled in and the book came together.

I understand this is a debut novel and it reads like it, but the overall plot is fascinating.

Unfortunately, the foreshadowed ending/plot twist kept this from being a four star review.

[JalenReads ?? · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5…I have one more book of the CIA-esque book but I’m pretty sure I’ll give it the same 3-3.5 . I liked this. Perfect action scenes. However this was a tad bit confusing for a bit. We follow two timelines. We which POVs in the same paragraph, as the titles says “Chameleon” so we end up following people who are our main set, but Chameleonized. Was just a bit much. Nice characters, kinda which we got to see the women in action more. But good.