Fortress Frontier

Shadow Ops [Publication Order] #2

by Myke Cole

The Great Reawakening did not come quietly. Across the country and in every nation, people began to develop terrifying powers—summoning storms, raising the dead, and setting everything they touch ablaze. Overnight the rules changed…but not for everyone.

Colonel Alan Bookbinder is an army bureaucrat whose worst war wound is a paper-cut. But after he develops magical powers, he is torn from everything he knows and thrown onto the front-lines.

Drafted into the Supernatural Operations Corps in a new and dangerous world, Bookbinder finds himself in command of Forward Operating Base Frontier—cut off, surrounded by monsters, and on the brink of being overrun.

Now, he must find the will to lead the people of FOB Frontier out of hell, even if the one hope of salvation lies in teaming up with the man whose own magical powers put the base in such grave danger in the first place—Oscar Britton, public enemy number one...

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Military Fiction, Science Fiction, Fiction, Magic, Action

344 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 29, 2013

About the author

As a security contractor, government civilian and military officer, Myke Cole’s career has run the gamut from Counterterrorism to Cyber Warfare to Federal Law Enforcement. He’s done three tours in Iraq and was recalled to serve during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. After hunting terrorists and criminals in real life, he kept up the job on TV, first tracking fugitives on CBS’ 2017 show Hunted, and UFOs on Discovery Channel’s 2019 show Contact.

All that conflict can wear a guy out. Thank goodness for fantasy novels, comic books, late night games of Dungeons and Dragons and lots of angst fueled writing.

Reviews

[Mark Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Control Point was one of my favourite reads of 2011 year ... quite possibly my favourite. I'll have to caveat that with the fact I don't manage to read a huge number of books these days - but it's a great read, fast, imaginative, well written, fun. I had my gripes about the main character, Oscar Britton, but I can appreciate the realism behind a 'hero' who isn't consistent, who changes his mind, who doesn't do what I think he should - that's real life for you.

Fortress Frontier is probably a better book. Certainly it opens better and the writing on display shows Cole has more strings to his bow, capable of considerable sophistication in bringing to life a new main character, far less gung-ho than Britton and with more subtle characterization.

Our new man, Colonel Bookbinder is an army beaurocrat (a word I can never spell ... it looks right(ish) & I refuse to check ... so I'm leaving it). He's a family man, unused to action or conflict and Cole does great work making us care about his situation and then through him reintroducing us to the world we first discovered in Control Point.

Bookbinder swaps the stage with Britton throughout the tale, their adventures largely separate until a collision toward the finale.

We see new and interesting variants on the magic introduced in book 1. We meet new monsters. We further explore the world of the Source. Things are blown up, set on fire, frozen, sliced, diced and variously demolished. The action dial is turned to 11 by the end of the book and a great time is had by all, with a healthy smattering of twists and moral dilemmas.

I enjoyed Bookbinder's sections more than Britton's, and many of Britton's storyline issues are left hanging at the end in a slightly unsatisfying way, but these are minor complaints. Fortress Frontier is like the Control Point upgrade. If you liked Control Point, you should love Fortress Frontier.


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[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The big thing about over-the-top action flicks (or books like this) is that we've got heavily stereotyped hero characters from all walks of life doing heavily stereotyped things in big flashy over-the-top action scenes.

It's kinda the defining characteristic. We sometimes love to have a big steaming plate of our favorite foods over and over and over because it tastes good and it's comforting... and this is no different.

Bookbinder is a paper-pushing Officer who awakens with frighteningly powerful magics and gets sent to the front lines in the Other World. He's smart, he's flexible, and he's not willing to let obvious problems slide... like having all the supplies to the Forward Base cut off.

Of course, the only one who can reestablish connections is a certain AWOL soldier from the first book.

See how this works? Simple tale. Lots of flashy magics and Army Hoo-Rah, can-do attitudes, pathos, and competence versus corruption. And did I say that it's flashy? It is. Popcorn fiction.

Magic and the Army. Fast-paced, nothing really new, but still written in that shiny way that is pure edge-of-your-seat entertainment.

I liked this one a lot more than the first. :) It has a brand new problem with stereotypes, too, eschewing the whole Indian thing for a Hindu thing. *sigh* But it's hard to take any of it seriously, here, because these cardboard characters are even bigger and shinier than the ones in the first book. It's like... Wow. Look at that. Good thing they're all Nagas, right? *shakes head*

Still, don't let me get you down. It was still a great mindless action flick. :)

[seak · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the things that really gets me into a series is when an author creates a unique world or magic system and not only does a good job staying true to those ideas, but constantly and consistently using them throughout the story. Brandon Sanderson and Peter V. Brett are two authors that quickly come to mind where they have created such interesting and compelling worlds that I want to live and breath it no matter what happens, even when they're a doorstopper that doesn't further the plot all that much.

Myke Cole has created such a world with his Shadow Ops series even though it takes place in the present day. Magic is such an integral part of the world that it consumes the reader with its awesome implications. In addition, Cole has created a whole new world, the frontier, in a whole new dimension to be explored and similar to Matthew Woodring Stover's Heroes Die, takes technology to a world that has not advanced past the dark ages.

Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier actually begins just before the events of the last book, Control Point, and continues the story as well. Introducing a new lead character in Colonel Alan Bookbinder while continuing the story of Oscar Britton, who graces the top of the most wanted list of Selfers, or fugitive magic users who have not given themselves up to the military.

Something that comes off almost immediately is that Bookbinder is a much more sympathetic character than Oscar Britton. It's not the fact that he's one of the highest ranking officers in the Army, but only through pencil-pushing not through field work, but the fact that he is pushed into the world of magic out of nowhere, deprived of his family, and sent to a new world without any real assurances of seeing them again.

I know lots of people had problems with Britton in the first book, but I still liked him. I didn't always agree with the choices he made, one of which got a lot of people killed, but I thought he was compelling and interesting and like I said above, I almost immediately fell in love with the world Cole created.

Bookbinder, having such a high ranking in the military, experiences things a bit different than Britton when he comes into his magic, or rump latency since magic hasn't manifested. He's given a command position, but like most everyone who is magically inclined he is sent to the FOB or forward operating base. But that comes with its own problems as the present commander for the FOB, who is equal in rank with Bookbinder, doesn't take too kindly to his imposition.

That brings me to the point that there are lots of acronyms and many are actual ones used in the military as Cole himself is a military man. I've been extremely impressed at how seamlessly he has integrated the magical (and hence non-existent in the real world) acronyms, but I'm sure my lack of knowledge helps in that regard as well.

Fortress Frontier introduces us to the world of the Source, much more than did Control Point. Where CP focused on the actual base and Britton's training, FF takes us through the world, which shown to be much more dangerous (and even cooler) than we were first shown in CP.

Because of Britton's actions at the end of Control Point, the FOB is cut off from the normal plane of existence and the goblin hordes that have been fighting them to a standstill while the FOB was fully armed and stocked with food and ammo is getting even more brave. Thus, it's time for Bookbinder to show his mettle as a leader taking a small band of the best the FOB has, including a terromancer (uses earth magic) and a seven-headed snake creature who is a prince in his culture.

The interesting organization of this novel, what with starting just around the same time as the events of the first novel in the series and then continuing on both plots toward the end was a bold play that really worked with me. It's interesting to see another's take on the whole magic thing along with the instant reassignment in the military and Bookbinder is such a great character, I was happy to spend more time with his POV (not a military acronym, well, it probably is). Then, Bookbinder's POV is able to show us much more of the world of the Source, which turns out to be a vast and dangerous place, which is always good for more action in a fiction novel.

So what would happen if people suddenly started manifesting powerful magic? You'd get drafted. I don't think Myke Cole's that far off to be honest. I've expressed my opinions on urban fantasy before and while i don't hate it, I don't love it either. However, the Shadow Ops series is something I can get behind, this is my kind of urban fantasy. Highly entertaining, unending action, and great characters that make you think. What more can you ask for?

4.5 out of 5 Stars (Very Highly Recommended!)

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am very fortunate to be one if Myke Cole's beta-readers, and had the privilege of reading Fortress Frontier long before its Feb. 2013 release. I can say with all honesty that fans of Control Point will not be disappointed. In addition to continuing the adventures of Oscar Britton and the other characters who survived the heated climax if Control Point, in Fortress Frontier Cole introduces a new protagonist, Alan Bookbinder, an unlikely hero who nonetheless delivers a powerfully compelling story. You will find yourself staying up late turning pages as Cole's already great writing continues to grow in power.

[Mihir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: Myke Cole’s Control Point was # 5 on my top ten-debut list for last year and amid the slew of fantastic debut releases, it is credit to the author’s vision and skills that the book gained that position. The potential shown in Control Point marked him out as an author to watch for and so it was with high anticipation that I awaited to read the sequel. Also I must disclose at this point that I have a soft spot for this book as Myke graciously allowed me to be a part of its creation by allowing me to provide some help in regards to a few facets of the Hindu mythology and Indian elements integrated within the story and Shadow Ops world.

The book begins during the latter third of the events shown in Control Point as Myke Cole introduces a “Nikki-Paulo” like situation in the story but with significantly better success than the creators of LOST ever imagined. This book has a new POV character and it explores latency through a different set of eyes. This time around we get to experience the latency turn through colonel Alan Bookbinder who is a “paper-pusher and not a true soldier” in his own worlds. Thus begins the first contrasting point between Oscar Britton and Alan Bookbinder and this is just the first of many that the readers will come across as they read through the story. Alan is a simple man who faces rather extraordinary circumstances and is forced to adept to them.

The emergence of his powers means that he goes to the same Forward Operating Base wherein Oscar and the rest of the latent community are sent. He however gets an exalted status because of his previous military position and his own initiative in reporting and turning himself in. His coming out is as explosive as was that of Oscar however his life takes a different route and we get to see a different side to the characters previously introduced such as Fitzsimmons, Crucible, Taylor, Talon etc.

In this book,Bookbinder is the major POV character however we also get to know what happened to Britton and the runaways as well. This book is dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien and Gary Gygax as the author pays homage to the heroic journey trope. Both the POV characters learn to evolve beyond what they are individually capable of. But the crucial aspect is the journey and what a journey it is. This is what I really loved about the book, namely its exploration of a different magic system and nation, the Sahir Corps of India and the Nagas. Myke Cole absolutely lets fly his imagination and we get to see a trek across the magical landscape that connects the American FOB to the Indian FOB and this plot thread is the heart of the story. The author, I have to say does good by Tolkien and Gygax with his version of the heroic odyssey. Check out the map that accompanies this book to get an idea about the start and end destinations of Bookbinder’s journey.

The action is nonstop and the cast of characters is significantly expanded. We get more of Bookbinder and a relatively smaller dose of Oscar Britton, Not to say that Oscar’s fight is any less important but compared to Bookbinder, it pales slightly in scope of the task and enormous pressure. Myke Cole has to be lauded for his approach to his debut series as he brings in a new POV character and yet manages to make the transition seem seamless. His prose skills have definitely bettered this time around as the readers are exposed to a wider character cast and yet all the plot threads are comfortably ensconced within the compact book plot. There’s also the use of vignettes before the start of every chapter, which like the first book help in making the readers aware of the world and the various different aspects about it. The world which Myke hints at is incredibly complex and I feel it will remain fresh for a long time as the author can possibly explore all its nooks and crannies and keep readers entertained for a long time to come.

There’s an overall story arc, which Myke is attempting to build up and it continues wonderfully in this second book as the problems between the US government and the Selfers are coming to a violent conclusion. I believe Breach Zone will be the book where it all comes down and Myke has promised a terrific climax in New York City. Breach Zone will feature another new POV character besides Britton and Bookbinder and I believe he gives a strong hint about who that might be in this book. The next book will also feature Scylla as a major player as has been hinted at in Control Point and Fortress Frontier. She’s a character that I love to know more about and so I can’t wait to read about her and the mega confrontation Myke has planned in Breach Zone.

Plus with Myke’s new revelation that the Shadow Ops series will be continued for a further three books however books four & five will be prequels focusing on the great reawakening. While book six will be featuring an ancillary character featured in Fortress Frontier, I feel that I might know whom this character might be however I‘ll wait till Myke announces it to confirm my presumption. This means that Breach Zone will at least bring an end to the story arc begun in Control Point and so I await it with high anticipation.

Talking about drawbacks, for me Fortress Frontier had next to none, some readers might still complain about the writing style and perhaps about the characters themselves but I feel Myke has outdone himself with this book and proves that he is indeed a wordsmith with a bright future ahead. The only complaint I can think of is that we will have to wait for a year to find out what happens next and I think that's due credit to the author for making his readers feel such anticipation.

CONCLUSION: Fortress Frontier is a sequel and a better book than its predecessor, it is a book that will have something for fantasy readers of every kind and pays homage brilliantly to Tolkien's legacy. Give it a read to know why Myke Cole is an absolute gift to urban fantasy and military fantasy sub-genres. Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier is a fantastic book and IMHO is simply a must buy for all fantasy lovers when it releases tomorrow.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Executive Summary: I thought this was much better than Control Point, possibly because Colonel Bookbinder was FAR more likeable to me than Oscar Britton.

Audiobook: Korey Jackson once again does a good job. He's well-spoken and easy to hear and understand. This isn't a must listen, but it's definitely a book that works well in audio.

Full Review
Control Point was a pretty good debut, but it had its issues. You could tell it was Mr. Cole's first novel. It felt clunky in places. I also didn't like Oscar Britton very much. That last point might have been intentional by the author though.

I was glad to discover that while this book continues the story of the first, it's largely told from a new viewpoint: Colonel Alan Bookbinder. He's VASTLY more likeable to me. That made a huge difference. It's hard for me to root for a character I don't like and it's hard for me to root against the protagonist.

In addition both the writing and the plot seemed more polished. Many of the events of the first book were in shades of grey. I never knew what I was rooting for half the time. I like that sort of story in general, but the execution frustrated me at times.

This one felt a lot more black and white. There was plenty of conflict Bookbinder had to deal with without him needing to be an asshole about everything. I think if Oscar Britton was more sympathetic to me, it might have worked better. In addition, Bookbinder is a character I can identify with better. While he is a military officer, he's an office worker and an administrator instead of coming from a combat background.

The pace of this book was good. The world building is fairly light though. You get more character development and personal history than you do of an explanation for magic, the source or how the world reached the point it was at.

For a middle book, I found this very enjoyable. Since I'm writing this review after having finished the next one, I can say that it's my favorite of the trilogy. That's pretty rare for me. In fact I can't recall another time where I enjoyed the middle book the most. It does suffer a bit from "middle book syndrome" though. It feels a bit transitional at times.

That said, I really enjoyed Bookbinder and his journey from normal office worker to major player in the world of militarized magic. I enjoyed this one so much, I jumped immediately into the final one.

[Milo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book, really enjoyed it and can't wait for the third book. Great research, world building, pace & characters. An early contender for Book of the Year 2013.

FULL TFF Review (with link):

“An awesome second novel proves that Myke Cole is more than just a one-hit wonder. Expect Fortress Frontier to be one of the best novels of 2013.” ~The Founding Fields


I loved reading Fortress Frontier. The first book in the series, Control Point, was good – it made it onto my Best of 2012 list after all. But Fortress Frontier is better, and I can stress that if you’re not reading Myke Cole at the moment then I highly suggest that you drop whatever you’re reading right now and go out and buy a copy of Control Point if you haven’t read it already and read that. And then come back and read this review. Trust me, you won’t regret it. If the words X-Men meets Black Hawk Down hook you at all then you shouldn’t need further convincing. But if you’re reading this review and liked the first book, then you’ve probably not only brought the second book already but have probably already read it. But there was no way I was going to pass the chance to review this book up – particularly because at this rate, it may turn out to be one of my favourite novels of 2013, even if we are only in February.

"The Great Reawakening did not come quietly. Across the country and in every nation, people began to develop terrifying powers–summoning storms, raising the dead, and setting everything they touch ablaze. Overnight the rules changed…but not for everyone.

Colonel Alan Bookbinder is an army bureaucrat whose worst war wound is a paper-cut. But after he develops magical powers, he is torn from everything he knows and thrown onto the front-lines.

Drafted into the Supernatural Operations Corps in a new and dangerous world,Bookbinder finds himself in command of Forward Operating Base Frontier–cut off, surrounded by monsters, and on the brink of being overrun.

Now, he must find the will to lead the people of FOB Frontier out of hell, even if the one hope of salvation lies in teaming up with the man whose own magical powers put the base in such grave danger in the first place – Oscar Britton, public enemy number one…"

Fortress Frontier introduces us to a new character as Cole decides to split the narrative between Alan Bookbinder and Oscar Britton. I liked this approach as it not only gave us a chance to read about magic from a different perspective, but also explore more of this wonderfully built world. I couldn’t help but notice how much different Bookbinder is to Britton, and it was really interesting reading this book and comparing the characters as they go on. Whilst this book doesn’t exactly start immediately after the events of Control Point, it takes us back to the latter section of the events in the first book it examines them in a new light, and really gives a different perspective to characters who we were limited to seeing from Britton’s perspective in Control Point.

This is one of the fastest paced stories that I’ve read recently and Fortress Frontier really is one of those “Just One More Chapter” books. Cole has captured the ability of James Patterson, Suzanne Collins and company when it comes to writing page-turners, but the good thing here is that not only is the Shadow Ops series better than any of the previous authors works so far, it also has a great premise of things to come. When you’re reading a book you can often tell how much effort has gone into the creation and development of the world and this series in particular is no exception. For readers who wanted to see how countries other than America reacted to the Great Awakening then you will get the chance to do so here – for the level of world-building supplied in Fortress Frontier is outstanding. Cultures are explored here in such a way that the pace never seems to slow down to a crawl.

I’d like to talk about the characters for a moment. Although Oscar Britton does have an important role to play in this book, Alan Bookbinder is a key character here too and the novel itself spends as much time developing him as he discovers his latent abilities as it explores the adventures of Oscar. An interesting comparison to make here is that Bookbinder doesn’t have the training as Oscar – he’s an “army bureaucrat whose worst war wound is a paper-cut,” as the blurb explains. This thus shows us another interesting difference between the two characters and it’s really nice to see their different approaches to certain elements. Like Control Point, Cole has used his military knowledge to great effect, writing some great action scenes and giving a great insight into how the military tick following the Great Awakening. It almost makes me wonder what would have happened to this series if Cole didn’t have a military background – how different would these series be? Would we even have a Shadow Ops series?

The middle book in a trilogy is often very difficult to write and many a trilogy has been let down by its second act – but Fortress Frontier is among the second books that raise the game even further, much like Mark Lawrence’s King of Thorns did last year, and really gives the reader something to look forward to in terms of the final book in the trilogy. Breach Zone is a book I’m going to be doing my best to read as soon as possible – I’ve just got to remember to request it from NetGalley this time. Because this is one of the books that I’ll be eagerly looking forward to read in 2014, and I just wish that I didn’t have to wait that long for the third act.

This book is awesome. Seriously, if you haven’t brought it already, I suggest that you make Fortress Frontier your next book purchase. This is one heck of a whirlwind ride and right now, Myke Cole’s Shadow Ops series is quickly becoming the best that military fantasy has to offer. Top notch stuff.

VERDICT: 5/5

A great book by an author at the top of his game. Fortress Frontier is a second installment that ups the ante and allows for a great read. And if you get the UK version, it has a great cover art too.

http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/02/....

[José · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fortress Frontier es el segundo capítulo de la primera trilogía de Shadow Ops, una peculiar serie de novelas que combinan elementos de fantasía clásica con aspectos modernos como el ejército y las fuerzas especiales. Esto se debe a que su autor, Myke Cole, no solo es un gran fanático de Dungeons & Dragons, sino que además tiene experiencia en tácticas de combate y estrategia debido a su carrera en el ejército. El resultado es una serie de libros que son muy fieles en cuanto a los elementos técnicos y forma de proceder de las fuerzas especiales que los protagonizan, pero que además tienen ingredientes mágicos tradicionales como goblins, gigantes, monstruos y magia basada en los diferentes elementos.

La historia de este segundo libro comienza un poco antes del final del primero y se da un cambio de protagonista. En este caso, en vez de seguir los pasos de un soldado rebelde como Oscar Britton, nos encontramos con Alan Bookbinder, un oficial que se dedica a la parte administrativa y que jamás disparó un arma sin ser durante su entrenamiento básico. Todo cambia cuando se convierte en un latent (es decir, manifiesta uno de los poderes mágicos) y es alejado de su esposa y sus hijas para unirse forzosamente a la SOC, una unidad militar secreta creada por el gobierno para aprovechar los poderes mágicos de los soldados. Este cambio de protagonista me molestó un poco al principio porque quería saber cómo seguía la historia de Oscar después del final del primer libro, pero Bookbinder no tardó mucho en ganarse mi aprecio y además sentí que es mucho más fácil simpatizar con él.

El cambio de protagonista no implica que se abandone por completo la trama del primer libro ya que hay varios capítulos narrados desde la perspectiva de Oscar Britton; lo que tiene de bueno esta forma de contar la historia es que a través del nuevo protagonista Myke Cole aprovecha para introducir muchos más elementos y expandir el mundo presentado en Control Point.

El defecto que destaco de estos libros es que por momentos caen en ciertos clichés como el del soldado rebelde, el soldado bueno y el soldado HDP; además hay pocas protagonistas mujeres que tienen algún rol importante. Tampoco considero que sean demasiado complejos y son bastante lineales en cuanto a la trama, pero les juega a favor el hecho de que son muy entretenidos y están repletos de momentos cargados de acción (leer que un gigante arranca el cañón de un tanque fue muy divertido). El concepto de soldados con poderes mágicos me pareció algo muy original y el gran conocimiento que tiene Cole respecto a la forma en que actúan hace que todo se sienta bastante real.

En resumen, si estás buscando una lectura ágil, entretenida y llena de acción, entonces esta trilogía puede ser recomendable. Sería un libro 3 estrellas porque no es muy complejo y por momentos es un poco trillado, pero al menos a mí me gusta leer historias sobre soldados que le patean el culo a los goblins con sus poderes mágicos y eso basta para que gane puntos. Es la clase de lectura que precisaba en este momento y es ideal para los fanáticos de la acción; simplemente no esperen una narrativa demasiado compleja y giros argumentales que te vuelen la cabeza.

[Audiobooks_Rock · Rating 2 out of 5]

I see all these full stars while honestly, I cannot agree with that assessment.

This book starts off HALF WAY of the previous book, but this time it features an other character. I rated it 2 stars instead of the previous book's 3 because of the following reasons:

1. Whilst there now is some story, it does not tie up the loose ends throughout

2. In this series it was mentioned multiple times that the FOB was an international base, there were multiple nationalities located there who had their own zones within the base that were prohibited to the first books main character.

In this book, although it is referred to that there is a foreign presence in the camp, it gets MAJORLY downplayed from the previous book. Resulting in the camp after the brief referral to suddenly only contain U.S. Forces.

3. HALF this book contains a considerably boring and nearly meaningless journey to an other base, where a large majority of the time is wasted, of both the main character and the reader. (If I wanted to read a story from 1000 INDIAN nights, I would have picked up an Indian book)

4. On the cover there is a quote: Black Hawk Down meets the X-Men.
Black hawk down happens to be my favorite movie, The X-Men my favorite band of heroes. NOTHING IN THIS BOOK made me think of these 2 things even once nor do I see the similarities. Peter V. Brett obviously did not see BHD or even an X-Men Movie.

5. If the books in this series lived up to their titles, covers and quote's from other writers, then I would have been foaming at the mouth just to read a single page of it. however, the suggestions given by the cover's illustration, the quote and the title, are all miss-advertising this book. An illustration of a soldier, an Indian hippy and a multiple headed snake with the title: Shadow Ops: Slithery prison. Would have been just as accurate if not more so..

6. this book also leaves a lot of questions un-answered which I doubt will be covered in the next book

If I could make one improvement to this writers writing, I'd have him take a deep long look at Chris Ryan and Andy Mcnab books. While they are certainly not the best writers out there, their story buildup is great all-round, the amount of detail given and left out is perfect, loose ends get tied up and they make for a smoother more enjoyable and full-filling read in the areas where MYKE COLE is weakest.

If he can overcome his weaknesses and patch them up, his books and stories would be awesome, but as it is, they just feel like a waste of time on un-necessary content and leave you screaming in your head: ITS BEEN SEVERAL HOURS ALREADY, GET TO THE _-__-___ POINT!

This story would have turned out for the better without the pages and pages of the Indian base part.

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

~4.5

When it comes to nasty surprises, magic doesn’t discriminate. As a paper pusher par excellence, Colonel Alan Bookbinder may not get the respect his position demands—as he admits, the military “didn't give Purple Hearts for paper cuts”— but since he gets to go home at night to his loving wife and darling kids, he figures that it’s more than a fair trade. Unfortunately for Bookbinder, his comfortable life has just ended: suddenly, he is able to feel the magical currents around him. Like so many others, Bookbinder has come up Latent, which means his life is now effectively owned by the US military’s SOC (Supernatural Operations Corps). Hustled away from his family and transported to an alien world, Bookbinder has to figure out his magical talent, put his military training to work, and figure out how to handle his rather difficult colleagues, all while the whole world is falling apart.

Fortress Frontier is an interesting continuation of the Shadow Ops series: the timing overlaps with certain sections of the first book, but about half of the story is told from Bookbinder’s point of view. Whilst Britton spends much of his time in the first book struggling against the SOC, Bookbinder is very much a willing part of the system. I felt that the last book was fueled by pure rage; this one, not so much. At the same time, Bookbinder is a far more likable character. This added an interesting dimension to the story because I think Britton is a complete ass yet generally agree with his politics, whilst I really like Bookbinder and still am morally opposed to the imperialistic regime that he supports.

As one might expect, Britton is still a major POV character in Fortress, and I found my previous dissatisfaction with the character congealing into pure dislike. Britton continues to claim that he can protect people, but when they get hurt or killed, he demands forgiveness, dodges blame, then reasserts control over whatever situation he has landed them in. The responsibility for having destroyed peoples’ lives doesn’t give him the right to whatever pieces might still remain. Honestly, I find his delusions rather terrifying. He repeatedly states that he’s “not going to let that happen,” as if he really believes that he can control the outcome. Basically, he’s an arrogant, self-justifying asshole.

Bookbinder, on the other hand, is the quintessential nerd; he believes that he has “all the leadership capability of a wet sock,” but when circumstances force him to take action, he shoulders the responsibility while still listening to those around him. I also enjoyed his self-deprecating humour. One of my favorite scenes occurs after Bookbinder wakes up late in camp:

Bookbinder stood. "Why the hell didn't anyone wake me?"
"You looked peaceful, sir," Anan volunteered.
Bookbinder looked askance at Won, but the major only shrugged. "You did." [...]
Bookbinder nodded and shouldered his pack, sucking at his own water feed now. "Surely you must eat, sir," Dhatri said, his voice concerned.
"I can eat while we walk," Bookbinder replied. "We've lost enough time to my cherubic sleepy-time appearance."

In terms of secondary characters, I think Fortress is far stronger than Control Point. Whilst some of the more frustrating characters still pop up—for example, I can never remember Downer’s given name, since “Debbie” seems to fit her personality so well— there are a host of new and entertaining personalities, and the new perspective brings humanity to some of the previously inhuman characters. I think my favorites are probably Woon, a sarcastic and down-to-earth terramancer, and return character Crucible, who shows a whole new side of his personality to Bookbinder.

The book also introduces some new dynamics in the magical world, including India’s Sahir Corps “Bandhav” relationship with the naga, and the nagas’ own tensions with the Agni danav. I liked the complexity this added to the worldbuilding, although I had certain issues with the logic of some of the characters’ actions.

The anger and drive of the last book are more subdued here, but the issues of freedom versus security continue to emerge. As one Latent notes,

"What do you expect us to do? Lie still and let you kill us, imprison us, strip us of our humanity? You've outlawed our existence. You provide no options."

Many of the issues I found compelling in the last book—the problems of jingoism and imperialism, for one thing—are not really discussed here. Dehumanization and exoticism of certain groups within the narrative continues; for example, take a conversation in which some of the characters are trying to decide who to go to for help:

"The Apache have already committed so many atrocities on camera that people will never get behind them. The masks, the Mountain Gods. They're too... alien. People follow... you know, other people. People like them."

What, so the Apache are no longer “people”?

At the same time, I loved getting a glimpse of other countries’ attitudes towards magic; perhaps unsurprisingly, the U.S. was one of the most aggressive in militarization of magical forces. Overall, while I think the fury so tangible in Control is muted in Fortress, I think the stronger cast of characters more than made up for the difference. As for me, I've made the next book in the series my first summer purchase. I can't wait to find out what happens next.

Excerpted from my review on BookLikes, which contains additional quotes, spoilers, and commentary that I was too lazy to copy over.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fortress Frontier is book 2 of Myke Cole's Shadow Ops series. While it may not be necessary to read book one to enjoy this, I think reading the first will enhance the reading of the second.

Myke Cole builds on the steady foundations of Control Point. But while Control Point is a good book, Fortress Frontier is a FANTASTIC book.

From the outset, Fortress Frontier gives you an inkling that you're in for a great read. It begins by introducing a new character-- Colonel Alan Bookbinder, a career administrator at home with the ins and outs of the military bureaucracy, but untested in combat. Bookbinder's life was a series of routines from his job to his family life until one day when he experiences unfamiliar, discomfiting sensations. Colonel Bookbinder is a latent. Being a dutiful soldier, he reports his newfound status and is drafted into the Supernatural Operations Corps. Bookbinder is wrenched from everything familar and is whisked into the parallel world of Forward Operating Base Frontier. He now must come to terms with his latency, his new surroundings and all the strangeness that comes with them.

Bookbinder finds himself assigned to the same administrative position until a crisis puts him in the middle of a battle. The Colonel is painfully aware of his combat inexperience but he will be damned if he lets down the soldiers under his command. Bookbinder is the star of Fortress Frontier and deservedly so. He is a fully fleshed out and totally sympathetic character, a shining example of an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances and thriving. I fell hard and fast for Bookbinder. Myke Cole was at his best when he penned a character so alive, vivid, larger than life and yet totally credible. His beliefs, motivations, doubts, joys, pride, fears-- they are all front and center. I know exactly the kind of man Colonel Alan Bookbinder is and it makes him a totally compelling character and my favorite by an otherworldly mile. Reading how he develops combat legs was an absolute joy.

Oscar Britton returns in Fortress Frontier and he is also more clearly painted in this book. In Control Point, I couldn't get totally behind Britton because there was an ambiguity about him. I didn't quite have a handle on exactly who he is. His role in Fortress Frontier allows for a greater comprehension of his character, making him more winsome and endearing although there is no outshining Bookbinder's star. In any event, Bookbinder's and Britton's paths are destined to cross and their sense of duty will be tested in different ways. Fortress Frontier shows the glory and tedium of the military.

Much of the Control Point cast -- including a shocker -- also return, each one changed by the circumstances that occurred in that first book. New characters, human and otherwise, also enter the fray. Each one has a unique part and, together, they form a cohesive whole.

Fortress Frontier is, in every respect, a better book than Control Point which was -- mind you -- a good book already. The polish of book two establishes Cole as a veteran after only two novels. He demonstrates a palpable maturity in Fortress Frontier. The writing is fresh and fluid, the transitions seamless, the pace deftly deliberate, the dialogue facile. He expanded on the parallel world of The Source and even further by including an international perspective.

Cole continues the practice of putting epigraphs at the beginning of the chapters. They alternately provide clarification, insight and a portent of things to come. By and large, the epigraphs effectively add intrigue and provide a tone and color apropos to the tale.

Fortress Frontier raises more thoughtful questions about society and government. The magical world of latents blurs further the dividing line between right and wrong. The inequalities created by the random and spontaneous appearance of latents only make it more difficult to determine 'the ought'. As the world has changed, perhaps the rules must evolve and change as well.

I will be remiss if I do not mention the ending. IT IS SPECTACULAR. I am not ashamed to admit that the last fifty pages nearly brought me to tears -- in the middle of Starbucks! The conflict comes to a head and explodes in an avalanche of action and emotions. The best way I can describe it is that it is sublimely satisfying.

In summary, I frickin' loved the hell out of this book!

[Benji Glaab · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

This was good overall. We get a new main character that I could personally relate to well since he was a family man, and to see the circumstances that led him to the frontier would be more than frustrating. I have to say his character evolution was actually very well handled. I thought there would be a great deal more action. Aside from the finale I didn't find any of the action sequences overly gripping or engrossing. Myke Cole does a great job expanding on the frontier world, and I found the Naga race to be pretty cool, and would like to see more of them in book 3. On the home front things will definitely be ramping up after the shit storm that was created by this finale. I'm going to have to see how this baby wraps up eventually. Fortunately for me my library has all the shadow ops series on RB so this is definitely a series I can find myself enjoying.

Full RTC

[Ranting Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.rantingdragon.com/review-o...


Last year, Myke Cole’s magical US Army took the world by storm in Control Point. This February, its sequel in the Shadow Ops series, Fortress Frontier, raises the bar by adding more magic, American politics, and the Indian Army to the mix. It is an amazing combination of military fantasy, epic worldbuilding, and superhero influences, with action that sweeps you in from the very first page and may lead to sleepless nights trying to finish the book as quickly as possible.

What a geek wants
Fortress Frontier does everything right that geek culture ever did wrong. It is like Heroes without the cop-out of a supernatural senator. It is like X-Men, but with a realistic government. It is like Stargate Atlantis without all the clichés, and Stargate Universe without all the drama. It is Dungeons and Dragons without mediocre worldbuilding. Heck, it even reminds me of 24 without the too-perfect, badass agent saving the world in a day. Now, you may not understand all these references, as not every one of our readers will have seen each of those shows. Suffice to say, Fortress Frontier is everything this particular speculative fiction geek loves, but better.

No more whiny little pansies?
Where the main character was Control Point’s prime weakness, it is Fortress Frontier’s certain strength. Events don’t pick up where they left off in the first book. Instead, we see Cole’s magical version of our world through a new pair of eyes. Bookbinder is an administrative colonel who has never really seen any action—that is, until he becomes Latent, at which point his life is changed forever. All of a sudden, he finds himself in the Source—the parallel universe linked to our own plane, where goblins and magical creatures reign—trying to figure out how his magic works while dealing with a completely new chain of command.

To be honest, after reading Control Point, I was convinced Cole was unable to write good characters. Oscar Britton, the main character, changed his mind as quickly as an octopus may change its colors and was more emo than any teenager I’ve ever met. In what little we see of Britton in Fortress Frontier, he’s still his old annoying self. Bookbinder, on the other hand, is a strong and morally stable character. He has his weaknesses and insecurities, but despite those, he stays loyal to himself and his country. Basically, he’s everything you’d expect from an all-American patriot, except more realistic. In hindsight, Britton being a whiny little boy wasn’t bad writing; Fortress Frontier makes it look like writing that character the way he did was a conscious choice Cole made. A choice that, to me, detracted from Control Point, but actually strengthens Fortress Frontier.

Magical viewpoint
With Bookbinder’s new set of eyes, the magic of Fortress Frontier takes a big step up as well. The magic in the world Cole created is one of the biggest strengths of Control Point. It is captivating in its simplicity, yet delightfully creative in its application; the Latent can develop one of a possible nine abilities, four of which are prohibited, and each ability comes with a series of skills that can be used towards endless goals. Fortress Frontier also adds a new ability to the mix. This ability is more creative than the all other abilities combined, and the applications are unending and wonderfully imaginative. The battle scenes in Fortress Frontier are even more mind-blowing—and not just because of the new magic, but it certainly helps.

Straight from the Source
Not only does the magic get a facelift, but the Source is expanded upon and further explored. This is aided in no small part by the fantastic map by Priscilla Spencer. Much like the magic, the Source is a wellspring of creative conduit for Cole, and it shows in the writing. The obstacles faced by Bookbinder and company throughout the book are intriguing and captivating, and left me wanting a whole lot more—something that Cole is almost certain to deliver in future installments.

Flaws? Nah!
No book is perfect, however, so I asked myself: is there absolutely nothing wrong with Fortress Frontier? I suppose I could mention the fact that some of the characters are a little too trusting—Dude, Britton, I saw that was a trap the moment you first walked into the room! Why did it have take you a whole chapter to figure it out?—or that it is a little farfetched for a whole army division to commit to fighting a war at the word of a colonel without checking with superiors first. Those things are merely minor problems, though; they definitely don’t detract from the reading pleasure that this amazing novel offers.

Revolution!
Fortress Frontier is a force of nature. It is a breath-taking rollercoaster ride. It is an artistic tour de force. Cole’s no-nonsense prose pulls you in and takes you for a ride through high-paced action and astonishing conflicts both military and political. In this book, Cole asks us a question relevant to all generations: if you are different than others, does that make you less human? This story questions loyalties and motives, and, while we don’t live in a magical world—though Cole’s magic system makes me wish we did—the philosophies behind Fortress Frontier are still relevant to us today. The “us against them” parts of the story—the sections that pitch the Latent against the US government—are extraordinarily well-written and portray a realistic revolution, one without the easy solutions you so often find in stories like these.

Why should you read this book?
Fortress Frontier is even better than Control Point, and we gave that one a 4¾-star review. If you like superheroes, ancient mythology, military fantasy, comics, epic fantasy, TV shows like Stargate, Heroes, and The 4400, or really if you are geeky in any possible way at all, I cannot recommend Cole’s Shadow Ops series to you highly enough. If you haven’t picked it up yet, go get a copy of Control Point right now. You’ll love it—I daresay that’s a promise.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fortress Frontier by Myke Cole is the sequel to the author’s debut novel Control Point. Control Point was very much the tale of Oscar Britain and through him served to introduce the readers to the Supernatural Operations Corps. Unfortunately, this was also my problem with the novel I didn’t like Oscar. While there were times in the novel where I certainly sympathized with his plight more often than not I had serious issues with his decision making process. Fortress Frontier sees Cole broadening the scope of his world as the plot delves deeper into the various aspects of the Supernatural Operations Corps and the other “latent” people around the world.

Fortress Frontier primarily divides the story between the fugitive Oscar Britain and his crew (the former members of Shadow Coven plus the healer Teresa) and Colonel Alan Bookbinder, newly latent. The opening chapters of Fortress Frontier take place over the same time span of Control Point as Colonel Bookbinder first manifests his magic and finds himself gated out to FOB Frontier. Much like in Control Point readers get to witness the stark difference between a characters former life and their experiences in the SOC. The perspective in Fortress Frontier is shifted somewhat since Bookbinder, as an officer, offers insights into SOC operations that Oscar Britain never could. Things take a different turn as Fortress Frontier catches up with the finale of Control Point and the change of pace is refreshing.


With FOB Frontier cut off from the Home Plane things really kick into high gear. The story shifts from being about a fish-out-of-water into one about survival. While not quite the classical hero’s journey seeing Bookbinder evolve from the bureaucratic armchair officer he was into a frontline commander is exciting and there are definite moments as he starts to come out of his shell that me with my fist in the air. For the trappings of military fantasy there are sections of Fortress Frontier that echo traditional fantasy. Bookbinders sojourn to find relief for the isolated FOB Frontier in particular reminded me of Lord of the Rings, or other quest fantasies. It was never anything too overt, and all couched in the language of a military expedition but the quest-like nature of the journey across the Source was a nice twist on a familiar trope.

Oscar’s part of the story plays a nice counterpoint to Bookbinder’s part of the story. There is less back-and-forth regarding Oscar’s opinions on the SOC and he is actually stepping up to take responsibility for his actions. These sections of the novel also delve deeper into what’s happening on the home. I still think Cole is a bit too tentative in exploring the social and political situations often discussed in the opening epitaphs of each chapter but Fortress Frontier shows a marked improvement in exploring those parts of the story. There is still a lot left unanswered in Fortress Frontier and the novels action-packed finale ends in such a way that leaves me excited for whatever Cole has planned next.

Korey Jackson returns as narrator for the audio version of Fortress Frontier. However, I found his performance this time to be much improved. While I’m still not a huge fan of his female voices (Teresa is the only major female character and the one that never sits right with me) I found he was better able to present a unique voice for the individual characters in the novel. Fortress Frontier also feels like a story that could have been well served by two narrators to better distinguish the novel’s two leads.

An improvement over Control Point on all fronts Fortress Frontier solidifies Myke Cole as an important new voice in fantasy fiction today. As the Shadow Ops world continues to grow and Cole begins to explore the social and political aspects of the Great Reawakening in greater detail I can see this series becoming a classic of the genre. The strict military tone of the series makes it an easy sell to fans of military sci-fi readers and its rich world building and ever-deepening plot will engage fantasy readers. I’m in for the long haul on this one and I highly recommend all fans of fantasy and (some fans of) science fiction give the Shadow Ops series a shot.

[Jacqie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and a half stars. I waffled on 4 or 5, but ultimately decided on 4 because of some technical issues.

The main character of this book is Alan Bookbinder,another person with Latent magic abilities. When he discovers his abilities, he almost immediately does what he is supposed to and turns himself in, unlike Oscar Britton, the main character in the first book in this series. Because of this difference, we get a very different view in this book about how military magic works.

Bookbinder is a rules guy. He does logistics, details, and paperwork. He's never seen combat, and keenly feels that lack when dealing with his colleagues who've seen action. Even though he's a full colonel, he is filled with self-doubt.

This book is the process of Bookbinder learning how to command. Instead of the meditation on institutional vs individual power in the first book, this book focuses on command decisions and responsibility. Bookbinder must learn how to make quick decisions and how to take responsibility for his actions, even if it means death for his men. BTW, it's pretty much always men in this book. There is Woon, who I liked a lot, but thus far women are seen, they aren't used as POV characters. There's only one woman making decisions on her own, and she's... well, she's a witch and not in a good way.

Bookbinder's crisis of self-confidence is contrasted with a section on Oscar Britton, who has no problem making decisions, but doesn't seem to be able to choose wisely. Britton instinctively understands issues of morale and motivation. What he's not good at is finding a good way to change the system with which he disagrees. The part of the book featuring Britton works as a contrast to Bookbinder, but it also took away from the tension of Bookbinder's story and possibly could have been done a different way in order to fill in backstory and give the reader a sense of Britton.

Ultimately, we see an Indian naga prince, who I liked, help Bookbinder out of the jam he's got with a base cut off from re-supply. I enjoyed the journey across hostile country, and the lack of certainty of how to deal with a different culture without giving offense, but getting what is needed.

Cole is a compelling writer. He's got a gift for telling a story that sweeps you along, anxious to find out what happens next. I'll definitely pick up the next book in the series as soon as I can. I also like how he goes beyond pure pulp entertainment and also gives the reader some sort of issue to chew on, whether it be how much to give into established authority or how to establish your own authority.

After finishing the book, I'm going to also offer the critique that comes to my mind mulling over the book afterwards. The main reason that the book went down half a star is the ending. I had no problem with the fight scene at the end action-wise. But POV switched erratically and without good signposting between Harlequin, Britton, and Bookbinder in a somewhat confusing manner which interrupted the flow of my reading. The end was the only part of the book that had this problem. It might be better to stick more strictly to fewer POV and decide how much changing POV is really essential to telling the story you want to tell.

Secondly, Bookbinder's got a really cool ability- he can suck magic from someone or something and bind it either to himself or to an object, essentially making magic items. He does some really creative things with this ability early on. But he almost never uses it as an offensive weapon, and at the end of the book there were several times when he could have used it to defend himself that he didn't. The ability didn't pan out as much as I was hoping it would. Maybe next book there will be more development of the concept. Last, I didn't think that Britton's father needed to make a reappearance. What happened to him in the first book was powerful, and drove home the fact that actions, even unintentional actions, have consequences. I think that storyline could have ended there without being revisited.

So I have issues with some of the structure of the book, but am really enjoying this author and highly recommend him.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fortress Frontier by Myke Cole is the sequel to the author’s debut novel Control Point. Control Point was very much the tale of Oscar Britain and through him served to introduce the readers to the Supernatural Operations Corps. Unfortunately, this was also my problem with the novel I didn’t like Oscar. While there were times in the novel where I certainly sympathized with his plight more often than not I had serious issues with his decision making process. Fortress Frontier sees Cole broadening the scope of his world as the plot delves deeper into the various aspects of the Supernatural Operations Corps and the other “latent” people around the world.

Fortress Frontier primarily divides the story between the fugitive Oscar Britain and his crew (the former members of Shadow Coven plus the healer Teresa) and Colonel Alan Bookbinder, newly latent. The opening chapters of Fortress Frontier take place over the same time span of Control Point as Colonel Bookbinder first manifests his magic and finds himself gated out to FOB Frontier. Much like in Control Point readers get to witness the stark difference between a characters former life and their experiences in the SOC. The perspective in Fortress Frontier is shifted somewhat since Bookbinder, as an officer, offers insights into SOC operations that Oscar Britain never could. Things take a different turn as Fortress Frontier catches up with the finale of Control Point and the change of pace is refreshing.

With FOB Frontier cut off from the Home Plane things really kick into high gear. The story shifts from being about a fish-out-of-water into one about survival. While not quite the classical hero’s journey seeing Bookbinder evolve from the bureaucratic armchair officer he was into a frontline commander is exciting and there are definite moments as he starts to come out of his shell that me with my fist in the air. For the trappings of military fantasy there are sections of Fortress Frontier that echo traditional fantasy. Bookbinders sojourn to find relief for the isolated FOB Frontier in particular reminded me of Lord of the Rings, or other quest fantasies. It was never anything too overt, and all couched in the language of a military expedition but the quest-like nature of the journey across the Source was a nice twist on a familiar trope.

Oscar’s part of the story plays a nice counterpoint to Bookbinder’s part of the story. There is less back-and-forth regarding Oscar’s opinions on the SOC and he is actually stepping up to take responsibility for his actions. These sections of the novel also delve deeper into what’s happening on the home. I still think Cole is a bit too tentative in exploring the social and political situations often discussed in the opening epitaphs of each chapter but Fortress Frontier shows a marked improvement in exploring those parts of the story. There is still a lot left unanswered in Fortress Frontier and the novels action-packed finale ends in such a way that leaves me excited for whatever Cole has planned next.

Korey Jackson returns as narrator for the audio version of Fortress Frontier. However, I found his performance this time to be much improved. While I’m still not a huge fan of his female voices (Teresa is the only major female character and the one that never sits right with me) I found he was better able to present a unique voice for the individual characters in the novel. Fortress Frontier also feels like a story that could have been well served by two narrators to better distinguish the novel’s two leads.

An improvement over Control Point on all fronts Fortress Frontier solidifies Myke Cole as an important new voice in fantasy fiction today. As the Shadow Ops world continues to grow and Cole begins to explore the social and political aspects of the Great Reawakening in greater detail I can see this series becoming a classic of the genre. The strict military tone of the series makes it an easy sell to fans of military sci-fi readers and its rich world building and ever-deepening plot will engage fantasy readers. I’m in for the long haul on this one and I highly recommend all fans of fantasy and (some fans of) science fiction give the Shadow Ops series a shot.

[Azriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myke Cole's sophomore work is a significant step forward in narrative. Cole’s strongest points for me have been the use of moral conundrums as character development, and his attention to authentic military detail in depicting everything from bureaucracy to the life and culture of a Forward Operating Base. Oscar Britton had a habit of moral flip-flopping that occurred so rapidly throughout CONTROL POINT that he seemed like a cartoon version of John Kerry. He didn’t seem like a maverick or a “loose cannon" but rather a fickle, easily manipulated man-child. By the end of the first novel I found myself almost nauseous with horror and confusion as I watched the incredible suffering Britton kept creating due to his inability to stop and think for a minute before he took his actions. In comparison Alan Bookbinder faces challenges and fears that seem so much more real and relevant to my life as a military officer. His world was instantly more human and immediate for it.

Cole’s descriptions of deployment and life in a hostile country are every bit as precise and real as that of David Abram’s FOBBIT. Little details like the shape of the defenses or the lines at the chow hall are sharp enough to summon memories of living the same lifestyle. He also runs a decent balance in detailing on weaponry and equipment that allows someone who has used such things to fill in the blanks without crushing the less technically oriented with Clancy-babble. And best of all, the narrative is far more focused plot wise that in his Debut novel. Highly entertaining, and with continued strong characterization and world building, this book also had a swift pace that led me to complete it in two days.

My only complaints are a few details, to include USMC units, Quantico Geography, and how a shotgun works. . .

[Stefan · Rating 4 out of 5]

With last year’s Shadow Ops: Control Point, Myke Cole burst onto the scene with a bang, launching a cool, action-packed new series that combines elements of military fantasy and superhero fiction in a contemporary setting. The novel introduces a world in which random people suddenly find themselves with magical powers, able to control the elements, create portals to another realm, even raise the dead. The U.S. military has taken control of these powerful new abilities because, as they say, “magic is the new nuke.” People who discover they are “Latent” must report themselves or face persecution as “Selfers.” On that first novel’s cover, Peter V. Brett called it “Black Hawk Down meets the X-Men,” and that’s still the best summation of this series I’ve seen so far. (The publisher seems to agree, as that quote is in the same prominent spot on the new book’s cover.)

Now, about a year later, Myke Cole delivers Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier, the eagerly awaited sequel to that spectacular debut. (You can find an excerpt and the rather awesome book trailer here, and a review of the first novel here.) Quick summary for people who haven’t read Control Point yet: this new installment is just as good as the first one, so if you were waiting to see if Cole manages to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, rest assured and jump right in. For more info, including some vague plot details from the first novel, read on.

Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!

[Bogdan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first novel was very interesting and I had high hopes for this.

But this time I wasn`t so interested in Oscar Britton story but I found that the arc of Bookbinder had far more potential and appeal to me.

The story was still good, maybe I wanted that the Indian arc to end in another way because you could see that they were really ignored in the first part by the Americans, and when they needed help, it was the Indian turn to be selfish and not so good with diplomatic ties. :)

Still a good evolution for the story, with new characters laid out on the field, meaning that the writer knows his job and a lot of loose ends for the future novels. Even if I saw that this was the fourth in the chronology order.

Five stars for the audio version from GraphicAudio. It was unbelievable with a lot of actors, an amazing diversity of sounds, in the battles especially, in short, an amazing experience. Indeed, like you had a movie for your ears. Very Intense Stuff.

The novel gets four stars because it has the hooks to still make you curious about the others in the series and because it delivers.

[Kdawg91 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never ever written a review, I figure your opinion on books or movies or whatever is your own, why listen to a critic?

Ignore the previous sentence and go read this book.

The Shadow Ops series so far (and yes, I'm including both books) has been a action packed, character driven, rip roaring blast of machismo that is what urban modern fantasy needs. A fresh face in a world of vampires and gothy emo characters.

I'm not spoiling the book, that's where you go out and read it yourself. The author in book two, Fortress Frontier, ramped up everything, the character development, the story, the worldbuilding, the magic system which was already one of the better developed I have read.

Yes, I know reviewers are supposed to tell you about the book, you can read up on the story yourselves, I am one of these I would spoil the thing if I start talking about it, So listen, and listen hard. You want a good read? You want to be on a thrill ride and wonder how you lost a night caught up in reading?

go buy this book.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Fortress Frontier, Myke Cole eradicated pretty much any of the criticisms I had with Control Point. A huge, huge plus goes towards new protagonist and POV character, Alan Bookbinder, who I found to be a much more likeable hero, with a particularly interesting power. It was very easy to sympathise with him and even made Oscar Britton's parts more digestible when spread out against Bookbinder's parts. The action in Fortress Frontier is just as explosive and heart-pounding as Control Point and I think Cole is definitely going to become known for his ability to pen these sections so well. I can't wait to see how his writing develops with the third Shadow Ops book.

[Jeff Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Built nicely off of the first novel. Cole integrates new characters into the story nicely and gives us more details on some we already know. He nails the modern military aspect in ways most authors don't.

[Stephine · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a rare instance, social media (don’t snicker now) will induce me to try an author I might not normally pick up on my own. Such was the case with Myke Cole’s Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier. I’ve read and enjoyed his blog and Twitter feed, and generally have liked what he has to say. So when I was offered the chance to review the book, I promptly picked it up thinking that what I’ve read online thus far could translate into a really good book.

Colonel Alan Bookbinder is a paper pusher who has never seen combat. At the beginning of the novel, he discovers that he is a “Latent”, that is, someone who possesses magical abilities. The Colonel is whisked away from his family and the life he’s known to a strange realm where he lands at the Forward Operating Base Frontier. Myke Cole does an incredible job with conveying Colonel Alan Bookbinder’s confusion and fear regarding his status as a “Latent.” You really get the sense of his frustration at the non-answers that come from his doctors and the various military personnel he comes into contact with. In addition to his new status as a Latent, he keeps coming up against Camp Commandant Taylor, a man who makes it abundantly clear that he thinks Bookbinder is pretty much worthless. When all hell breaks loose and the Forward Operating Base Frontier is attacked, Alan Bookbinder has to step up and lead the soldiers at the Forward Operating Base Frontier.

One of the most satisfying parts of the novel was watching the transformation of Colonel Alan Bookbinder. He starts off as a pretty ordinary man who is very well aware of his limitations and simply does what he’s told. You see him gain the confidence as he goes through the battles, but he still is plagued with self-doubt and it makes you feel for the guy. The author does a remarkable job with communicating Bookbinder’s fears, his pride, not to mention the crippling self-doubt.

While this is a military fantasy, the jargon is kept to a minimum and there is a very handy glossary at the end of the book, which I referenced several times. The language choice is economical and smooth, and because of this, makes for a very easy read. Nothing ever feels extraneous in the book. Every word choice has a purpose and serves the narrative extremely well. My only big caveat to this novel is that I felt a little unclear as to Oscar Britton’s motivations. Because I haven’t read Control Point, the first book in the series, I was missing out on the character development of Britton, and he does take up a sizable chunk of text within Fortress Frontier. On the whole, Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier was a fantastic adventure that had me rooting for Colonel Alan Bookbinder all throughout the book. This was my first book by Myke Cole, but it won’t be my last.
- Ronnie

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Sammy

This is the second book in the series, I have not read the first one. When reading the synopsis it appears you can read this as a stand alone and you can. However, I would recommend reading the first book to have a better understanding of characters and how things started. Having said that, what an excellent book, the world this author builds is amazing his characters seem real with flaws and insights into themselves and others. I can’t wait for the next book to come out am hoping to read more about the wicked witch and what her plans are.

When starting a book I’m always looking for a sentence or idea that captures my attention and in this case it was on page 4.

” Julie murmured, her slim body gone to the padded comfort of middle age but still beautiful.”

What a lovely way for the main character Bookbinder to describe his wife. He really loved and cared for his wife and kids in a wonderful way throughout the story. The other thing that I liked about Bookbinder was his insight into himself.

” If you don’t like who you are, you have to change it.”

A great line and he continues to do that until the end of the story, what an excellent hero.

The creatures and magic are fascinating, I found the goblins to be unique and the powers the characters had were wonderfully diverse and interesting. So many times when reading about magic and creatures it’s not fresh, in this case it’s very fresh and well thought out, with an added bonus of being very well written. What I really enjoyed about this story was that the main character was a “paper pusher” in the military, and the author was able to show how very important that aspect of running the military smoothly is. He had a lot of power but not something we are used to reading about in Military Sci-fi. But, when you think about it, what an important job!

I’m not sure if it was because I had not read the first book, but the names of everyone got to be a bit confusing, I know it’s part of the group thing, but there were so many and I think because several of the characters were in the first book that it wasn’t connected to something to hang on to as well. One of the reasons I personally would recommend to read in order. I highly recommend this book for young adults to adults who enjoy super well written Military Sci-fi.

http://openbooksociety.com/article/fo...

[J. S. Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myke Cole's sophomore effort expands his Shadow Ops world mightily, introducing a new main character in the Pentagon paper pusher Colonel Bookbinder, to new supporting characters, creatures and locales, to returning characters in Oscar Britton and crew from Control Point. The beginning of the novel has the same kind of feel as Control Point. Bookbinder and Britton's magical awakening and SOC transition felt quite familiar; Two military guys coming up latent and thrust into a new and rugged life, both very unsure of themselves and the SOC's operating procedures, which is a running theme throughout both novels, to both characters butting heads with a superior. Their overall characterization is different, however their thematic situations felt very similar.

As you read on, the meat of the book switches between Oscar Britton's quest for redemption and Bookbinder's quest to become a true combat leader. Both are learning on the fly and both face considerable hardships along the way. One slowly becoming a freedom fighter, the other fighting for his troops' freedom. Not to spoil any details, but this section of the book introduces many of the new supporting players, creatures and locales and sets up the grand transformations of the main characters. The tempo slows a bit, but Myke is world building here.

Fortress Frontier's climatic finale jumps off the pages. There are character twists and behaviors I honestly did not see coming. Myke is on a roll here. I can picture his fingers not being able to keep up with his brain as the vivid descriptions of battle and chaos flow as if HE was latent. The climactic finish is as good as I have ever read. With one quest completed and one continuing, this sets the stage for interesting story lines in Book 3, which I most certainly look forward to.

Buy this book, heck, buy two and pass one on to a friend. You and they will not be disappointed in what Myke Cole brings to the table.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic in a many ways, The idea of people becoming latent" (having magic) not just born into it but develop's at any age is welcoming in that you might have magic at anytime in your life,(this is not always a good thing), I can see some kind of government containment author is spot on there and works well with his story' The first novel's main character Britton (quite a few people had some "issues" of liking him and his choices , but with this development of a magical power mainly earth water fire air ect. There would most definitely be some real @#$-holes that would abuse Everything, so I understood this character and had no problems with him' But this does bring us to the second main character Bookbinder" who is a much more likable and incredibly new power in this world...and the other' This has so much going for it I would not be surprised to see some adaption into film, a series or movie ..well Then a series.
I am not stating this is a literary masterpiece but for the enjoyment and wonder, action ect. These books Rock!
I did stop about half way and re-read the first novel as there was much I could not recall of this setting and everything that had happened previously, I am envious of the newcomer to these novels as they get to read right through book one and 2, then they can join me and many others I am sure on there wait for #3-4 I really like the feeling when you finish a novel and just keep going over it in your mind, living in the world created.
I have a small list of authors that have done this for me and on reading the first Shadow Op's novel I did not expect to enjoy the world this much but the second changed everything Great work'

[Chris Bauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series "Shadow Ops" by Myke Cole and it was superior to the first in just about everyway imaginable. There were several aspects I really appreciated in the work;

- very tight and authentic military setting and feel
- complex exploration of duty vs honor vs right vs obligations
- introduction of a new POV main character was excellent
- combined a variety of genres into a seamless work
- unexpected twists
- rigid adherence to the rules of "magic" set forth in the first book

The only gripes about the book I had were;
- little difficult at times to know who a particular character was with callsigns intermingled with real names.
- Seemed to drag just a bit every few chapters before "a man with a gun busts down the door" to get things moving again.
- Less focus on society at large and the impact of magic. More micro-world focused.
- Less interaction with Others in the realm, which I really enjoyed in the first book.

I also appreciated his decision to not encumber the book with needless backstory and setting information about what happened in the first book. that information was very well communicated to new readers through dialogue and other narrative tools.

Myke Cole has just become an "insta-buy" author for me.

[Lisa P · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book two of the series begins a little before the first one ends. However, it introduces a new character, Bookbinder, and the story is viewed from his perspective. With Britton from the first book, I was hit or miss with him throughout the story (he was a little wishy-washy at times for me). With Bookbinder, I liked him instantly from the very beginning. I always enjoy a good "unlikely hero" story, and that is what we have here. This series has fantastic world building and I particularly enjoy the magic system created. And finally, just like in the first book, there are some great monsters and otherworldly creatures aplenty with lots of action throughout. Just as in the first book, there were a few loose ends, so I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

That was so good. Fortress Frontier expands on Coles world from a variety of viewpoints. Bookbinder is an intensely likeable and followable character. He is truly human, with everyone's doubts and fears. He grows into the role he's landed in and excels far past his own expectations and you find yourself proud of him as you read.

Control Point was amazing. Fortress Frontier blows it out of the water.

Cole leaves you in sensory overload, taking time to process everything that's just happened. I am rather upset with him though for one glaring thing. The book ends, albeit masterfully. This is just the beginning. I would read a dozen books in Coles world.

[Saphirablue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like it.

I like the Bookbinder plot a bit more than the Oscar one, mainly because Bookbinder got to explore the Source and its inhabitants a bit. Also, it had a bit of an adventure feeling which I highly aprove of.

Oscar has been a bit too trusting for me when he met Big Bear and, yep, it bit him in the butt.

I have to say, the Naga sound kind of cute, even though they have multiple snake heads. /o\ Sorry!

All in all, a nice adventure/military/fantasy story.