Major Jake Fortina and the Tier One Threat

By: Ralph R. "Rick" Steinke
Publisher: Koehler Books
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-64663-733-1
Reviewed by: Kathy Stickles
Review Date: October 2, 2024

Major Jake Fortina and the Tier One Threat is an excellent first novel in this series that I would highly recommend to fans of thriller and espionage novels. With a very well-woven storyline and a fabulous protagonist in the form of US Army Major Jake Fortina, this is a novel that will keep you engaged, eagerly anticipating what will happen next from the first page to the last.

Major Jake Fortina and the Tier One Threat begins on an exciting note as two terrorists break into the graves of two Jewish-Americans that are buried in a small cemetery outside of Paris. Why are they doing such a thing and what have they taken become the first unknowns in a long line of questions as the story moves on (and that is all in the first few pages). Major Fortina, who works with the military and is stationed in Paris, is called upon to join forces with the FBI and law enforcement in France and Italy as the terrorists’ plan is brought to the forefront. We then learn that the terrorists are planning to release a terrifying and new biological virus that will not only be worse than the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918, but will also target Americans and Jews in the hopes of eradicating them completely from the world.

This story is the international thriller that many fans have been waiting to read. It ranks right up there with the amazing novels that Tom Clancy gave us. The plot of the story is very well-written and thought-out. This author has used his excellent writing ability as well as his real-life background to put together a story that is interesting, factual, suspenseful, and grabs you from the very beginning. All of the characters are well-developed and become people that you will care about and want to see succeed. It was very interesting to see how all of the different countries and agencies worked together to protect the world and the author’s background and research put us right in the middle of the action in a fascinating manner.

One of the best things about this story was the numerous flashbacks included which helped the reader follow the life of the main character, allowing us to see what he has already survived and witness how he ended up in his current state of life. Jake is very strong, very brave, and very smart. He is a protagonist that will appeal to many and it was so interesting to watch the development of his character through these flashbacks as the story progressed. Through this character, as well as others, the reader is given a very real and honest glimpse into what happens when those who are fully trained are immersed into a world of espionage where it is their goal to protect the world around them.

Major Jake Fortina and the Tier One Threat is a riveting and suspenseful story that I would definitely recommend to others. There is something in these pages for everyone: action, mystery, suspense, emotion, twists and turns you will never anticipate, and even some romance and it is all combined perfectly. I know that I will be running to read the subsequent stories in this series, because I honestly cannot wait to see what Jake and the others get up to next. I am sure, after you read this story, you will feel the exact same way.

Quill says: Major Jake Fortina and the Tier One Threat gives fans of the thriller novel a new author and character to watch. I personally see a lot of adventures in Jake’s future and that is definitely something to look forward. The only thing that could make these adventures better would be seeing them on the big screen. Jake may just be everyone’s new Jack Ryan.

For more information about Major Jake Fortina and the Tier One Threat, please visit the author's website at: www.ricksteinke.com