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American Praetorians #3
Alone and Unafraid
A Country In Flames…
…And Jeff Stone’s Praetorian contractors are right in the middle of it.
Mullah Abdullah Al Hakim has established himself, with Praetorian assistance, as the leader of the autonomous province of Basra in the wake of the bombing that killed the Iraqi Parliament. But an Iranian-aligned Iraqi General-turned-Warlord is descending on Basra with more force than either Al Hakim or Jeff’s two reduced teams of Praetorians can resist. They have to escape from both the oncoming troops and treachery from within their erstwhile allies.
Once out, however, they receive a new mission. During the fight for Basra, Jeff’s team stumbled on a rogue American operation, supporting the Islamic State in Iraq and al Sham, the most notoriously savage jihadist organization in the region, as a proxy weapon against Iran. Now they’ve been hired to shut down the operation, known simply as “The Project,” by any means necessary.
With their new employers’ identity just as shadowy as The Project’s backers, Jeff and his brother contractors have to navigate political pitfalls as well as a raging civil war as they drive into Baghdad, and the heart of an Iraq coming apart at the seams…
…And Jeff Stone’s Praetorian contractors are right in the middle of it.
Mullah Abdullah Al Hakim has established himself, with Praetorian assistance, as the leader of the autonomous province of Basra in the wake of the bombing that killed the Iraqi Parliament. But an Iranian-aligned Iraqi General-turned-Warlord is descending on Basra with more force than either Al Hakim or Jeff’s two reduced teams of Praetorians can resist. They have to escape from both the oncoming troops and treachery from within their erstwhile allies.
Once out, however, they receive a new mission. During the fight for Basra, Jeff’s team stumbled on a rogue American operation, supporting the Islamic State in Iraq and al Sham, the most notoriously savage jihadist organization in the region, as a proxy weapon against Iran. Now they’ve been hired to shut down the operation, known simply as “The Project,” by any means necessary.
With their new employers’ identity just as shadowy as The Project’s backers, Jeff and his brother contractors have to navigate political pitfalls as well as a raging civil war as they drive into Baghdad, and the heart of an Iraq coming apart at the seams…
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2014
35 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Peter Nealen
71 books105 followersPeter Nealen is a former Recon Marine, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, and something of an aspiring renaissance man (emphasis on aspiring). He has long been a reader of history, philosophy, folklore, science fiction, and fantasy, and is the author of the American Praetorians series of paramilitary thrillers as well as the Jed Horn series of supernatural thrillers.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 20, 2021
Sheer, unadulterated combat.
One of the unintended side effects of a war is that in its wake, a breed of warriors turned wordsmiths emerge and bring something new to genre literature. Mickey Spillane brought Mike Hammer to life after World War II. Don Pendleton was a product of WWII and Korea, and brought Mack Bolan to life, a title that invented men's action adventure and enticed many, some of them Vietnam veterans, to write when he handed the reigns of the series to Gold Eagle.
The GWOT generation is no different. Peter Nealen is not only a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, but he fought as a Reconnaissance Marine. He brings that elite experience to the table with his American Praetorian series, and his third entry, Alone and Unafraid, is in many ways the darkest entry I have read to date.
With Nealen in general and Alone and Unafraid specifically, you won't find romantic subplots or any of the feel-good breaks from reality, some done for dramatic effect and some done to please social justice warriors. All you get is combat. Sheer, unadulterated combat. It's not Hollywood's idea of what combat is. Nealen has been there and done that, and it shows in his details. Tactics, weapons, jargon, and mentality. Alone and Unafraid has them all, and any combat arms veteran will quickly pick up on that.
This isn't an FM, though. Nealen packs the spaces between firefights with relevant political intrigue. Any Iraq veteran who paid attention will tell you the current situation on the ground became the predicted Charlie Foxtrot. Throw in a sinister element that I won't spoil here and it becomes a top rate geopolitical war thriller.
Alone and Unafraid is light on characterization. That is actually realistic in this context. When bullets are flying past one on an objective, their buddy's likes and dislikes and personality are the last things on one's mind. With how much combat is in the book, it leaves no room for it. Readers looking for characterization would be better off reading previous entries to get a warm and fuzzy on the key players.
Bottom line: if you want an idea of what combat is really like, or if you're looking for an informed, factually accurate work of fiction on the current situation in Iraq, read Alone and Unafraid. You won't be disappointed.
One of the unintended side effects of a war is that in its wake, a breed of warriors turned wordsmiths emerge and bring something new to genre literature. Mickey Spillane brought Mike Hammer to life after World War II. Don Pendleton was a product of WWII and Korea, and brought Mack Bolan to life, a title that invented men's action adventure and enticed many, some of them Vietnam veterans, to write when he handed the reigns of the series to Gold Eagle.
The GWOT generation is no different. Peter Nealen is not only a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, but he fought as a Reconnaissance Marine. He brings that elite experience to the table with his American Praetorian series, and his third entry, Alone and Unafraid, is in many ways the darkest entry I have read to date.
With Nealen in general and Alone and Unafraid specifically, you won't find romantic subplots or any of the feel-good breaks from reality, some done for dramatic effect and some done to please social justice warriors. All you get is combat. Sheer, unadulterated combat. It's not Hollywood's idea of what combat is. Nealen has been there and done that, and it shows in his details. Tactics, weapons, jargon, and mentality. Alone and Unafraid has them all, and any combat arms veteran will quickly pick up on that.
This isn't an FM, though. Nealen packs the spaces between firefights with relevant political intrigue. Any Iraq veteran who paid attention will tell you the current situation on the ground became the predicted Charlie Foxtrot. Throw in a sinister element that I won't spoil here and it becomes a top rate geopolitical war thriller.
Alone and Unafraid is light on characterization. That is actually realistic in this context. When bullets are flying past one on an objective, their buddy's likes and dislikes and personality are the last things on one's mind. With how much combat is in the book, it leaves no room for it. Readers looking for characterization would be better off reading previous entries to get a warm and fuzzy on the key players.
Bottom line: if you want an idea of what combat is really like, or if you're looking for an informed, factually accurate work of fiction on the current situation in Iraq, read Alone and Unafraid. You won't be disappointed.
April 23, 2015
HEART OF DARKNESS.
"Surround yourself with people.
They are easier to fight for than principles."- Ian Fleming.
We're halfway into the second decade on the war on terror. And things aren't getting better at all. Most recently, the cold war between Iran and Saudi Arabia has become overt with the well trained IRGC going up against Saudi Arabian special forces in the hills of North Yemen. Peter Nealen's "American Praetorians" series is like a distorted reflection of the current situation in the Middle East. Set in a contemporary dystopia, in the world of the Praetorians, the US is a broken nation, the Sunni states have come under the rule of Islamic extremists and Iran has taken the gloves off in its international dealings. Shortly after book 2 was published, Daesh became hot property in the world of Islamic Terrorism. In book 3, the story arc continues with the main protagonists uncovering a black operation with nightmarish ramifications for what is left of the stability of the Middle East. Now to the review. What happens when those that are supposed to protect us are beyond caring about what they do?
The book kicks back in Basra. The protagonist, Jeff Stone and his subordinates are going steady, working to eliminate the IRGC presence in the fiefdom which they run in co-operation with ally they've made an arrangement with. However, things change for the worse when they get news that a Shia extremist General who has allied himself with the Iranians in planning to invade Basra. Knowing that they don't have the firepower to face him and that their ally of convenience will sell them down the river, they make their leave in a spectacular manner, along with some more trustworthy friends who have nothing left to lose. Before departing, their superiors received a new contract from a former CIA officer, pertaining to the black operation which they accidentally uncovered in book 2. Having been given the order to destroy the participants of the operation, the main characters head into Baghdad and link up with a friendly PMC running security arrangements at the American Embassy. What starts as a search and destroy mission slowly evolves into an escape from the heart of darkness, as the situation deteriorates and the nightmarish Balkanization of Iraq commences.
In terms of plot, Alone and Unafraid mostly maintains the standards of the previous book. Mr Nealen's contemporary dystopia still manages to evoke paranoia which Robert Ludlum could only dream of. He further develops and elaborates on the ramifications of the black operation uncovered in book 2, namely the consequences of picking one side in a sectarian conflict between two groups of psychotic religious extremists. He also uses this story to explore what would happen if those fighting the war on terror decided that morality is a limiting thing and threw it out the window. The antagonists of Alone and Unafraid embody this theme. They're people who have been burned out from fighting a fruitless, thankless war and in a world gone mad, with nothing left to live for have decided to change the game and damn the consequences. The action in alone and unafraid is simply the best in the series. From the opening take down of a particularly large Shia-extremist terrorist cell to an epic evacuation of the American Embassy in Iraq, combined with a incredibly well researched narrative, you will feel every bullet and bomb blast that the main protagonists suffer and endure.
Now for the characters. Mr Nealen shifts some focus away from the secondary characters and onto Jeff Stone. He finally gets a more character development than in the previous two books. This is done through exploring his motivations by contrasting them with the antagonists. For all his pragmatism and the necessary amorality he has to bring to his job, Stone tries to live up to a few standards, even when the events of the story are slowly destroying his sanity, something which defines him from the more callous opposition he's trying to destroy. Next, we have my favorite character in the series, Hussein Ali. Introduced in book 2 as the surprisingly competent former Iraqi militant turned ally of the main protagonists, he continues to shine and keep up with the contractors who he's allied with. Ali also embodied an running theme through the books, namely the idea of "Tribe". Having started as an idealist and seen the Americans, Iraq's neighbors and his fellow countrymen make a right hash of things, he helps the Praetorians due to seeing them as kindred spirits, men who have nothing but each other in an unforgiving world. Finally we have Joseph Vetner, leader of the PMC managing security arrangements at the American Embassy in Baghdad. In other novels, his character would be an incompetent jerk resenting the main protagonist. Not here. Vetner's a consummate professional, just as competent as the main characters and happy to help them whenever he can, up to running interference for them when the Praetorians exposure starts rising.
While Mr Nealen suitably raised the stakes in this book, unlike the previous two, I had a few problems. First, while the opposing organization was a great foil, the man who led it, did not get enough characterization in my opinion. He only got a non-speaking cameo and was unceremoniously eliminated off page. Secondly I consider the ending dragged out and something that could have been executed a bit better. While liquidating one of the more remorseful antagonists in cold blood would have made the main characters less sympathetic, the blatant use of Deus Ex Machina to throw in one more action sequence felt a bit cheap to me. If the author had not thrown in that last phone call, the story would have ended on a memorable, dark cliffhanger.
Overall, despite the two issues, "Alone and Unafraid" is a great conclusion to the "Daesh" story arc. The American Praetorians have established themselves as a military series in a class of their own above the usual post 9/11 novels. Set in a dystopia that is contemporary and recognizable, rather than outlandish and science fiction based, Nealen has created worst case scenarios that actually unsettle and act as a brilliant sort of alternate history to what is currently going on in the Middle East right now. With a highly visceral writing style, rich, well researched narrative and improving characterization, I readily recommend the American Praetorians series to readers who want a military thriller with a difference.
TOTALLY RECOMMENDED.
"Surround yourself with people.
They are easier to fight for than principles."- Ian Fleming.
We're halfway into the second decade on the war on terror. And things aren't getting better at all. Most recently, the cold war between Iran and Saudi Arabia has become overt with the well trained IRGC going up against Saudi Arabian special forces in the hills of North Yemen. Peter Nealen's "American Praetorians" series is like a distorted reflection of the current situation in the Middle East. Set in a contemporary dystopia, in the world of the Praetorians, the US is a broken nation, the Sunni states have come under the rule of Islamic extremists and Iran has taken the gloves off in its international dealings. Shortly after book 2 was published, Daesh became hot property in the world of Islamic Terrorism. In book 3, the story arc continues with the main protagonists uncovering a black operation with nightmarish ramifications for what is left of the stability of the Middle East. Now to the review. What happens when those that are supposed to protect us are beyond caring about what they do?
The book kicks back in Basra. The protagonist, Jeff Stone and his subordinates are going steady, working to eliminate the IRGC presence in the fiefdom which they run in co-operation with ally they've made an arrangement with. However, things change for the worse when they get news that a Shia extremist General who has allied himself with the Iranians in planning to invade Basra. Knowing that they don't have the firepower to face him and that their ally of convenience will sell them down the river, they make their leave in a spectacular manner, along with some more trustworthy friends who have nothing left to lose. Before departing, their superiors received a new contract from a former CIA officer, pertaining to the black operation which they accidentally uncovered in book 2. Having been given the order to destroy the participants of the operation, the main characters head into Baghdad and link up with a friendly PMC running security arrangements at the American Embassy. What starts as a search and destroy mission slowly evolves into an escape from the heart of darkness, as the situation deteriorates and the nightmarish Balkanization of Iraq commences.
In terms of plot, Alone and Unafraid mostly maintains the standards of the previous book. Mr Nealen's contemporary dystopia still manages to evoke paranoia which Robert Ludlum could only dream of. He further develops and elaborates on the ramifications of the black operation uncovered in book 2, namely the consequences of picking one side in a sectarian conflict between two groups of psychotic religious extremists. He also uses this story to explore what would happen if those fighting the war on terror decided that morality is a limiting thing and threw it out the window. The antagonists of Alone and Unafraid embody this theme. They're people who have been burned out from fighting a fruitless, thankless war and in a world gone mad, with nothing left to live for have decided to change the game and damn the consequences. The action in alone and unafraid is simply the best in the series. From the opening take down of a particularly large Shia-extremist terrorist cell to an epic evacuation of the American Embassy in Iraq, combined with a incredibly well researched narrative, you will feel every bullet and bomb blast that the main protagonists suffer and endure.
Now for the characters. Mr Nealen shifts some focus away from the secondary characters and onto Jeff Stone. He finally gets a more character development than in the previous two books. This is done through exploring his motivations by contrasting them with the antagonists. For all his pragmatism and the necessary amorality he has to bring to his job, Stone tries to live up to a few standards, even when the events of the story are slowly destroying his sanity, something which defines him from the more callous opposition he's trying to destroy. Next, we have my favorite character in the series, Hussein Ali. Introduced in book 2 as the surprisingly competent former Iraqi militant turned ally of the main protagonists, he continues to shine and keep up with the contractors who he's allied with. Ali also embodied an running theme through the books, namely the idea of "Tribe". Having started as an idealist and seen the Americans, Iraq's neighbors and his fellow countrymen make a right hash of things, he helps the Praetorians due to seeing them as kindred spirits, men who have nothing but each other in an unforgiving world. Finally we have Joseph Vetner, leader of the PMC managing security arrangements at the American Embassy in Baghdad. In other novels, his character would be an incompetent jerk resenting the main protagonist. Not here. Vetner's a consummate professional, just as competent as the main characters and happy to help them whenever he can, up to running interference for them when the Praetorians exposure starts rising.
While Mr Nealen suitably raised the stakes in this book, unlike the previous two, I had a few problems. First, while the opposing organization was a great foil, the man who led it, did not get enough characterization in my opinion. He only got a non-speaking cameo and was unceremoniously eliminated off page. Secondly I consider the ending dragged out and something that could have been executed a bit better. While liquidating one of the more remorseful antagonists in cold blood would have made the main characters less sympathetic, the blatant use of Deus Ex Machina to throw in one more action sequence felt a bit cheap to me. If the author had not thrown in that last phone call, the story would have ended on a memorable, dark cliffhanger.
Overall, despite the two issues, "Alone and Unafraid" is a great conclusion to the "Daesh" story arc. The American Praetorians have established themselves as a military series in a class of their own above the usual post 9/11 novels. Set in a dystopia that is contemporary and recognizable, rather than outlandish and science fiction based, Nealen has created worst case scenarios that actually unsettle and act as a brilliant sort of alternate history to what is currently going on in the Middle East right now. With a highly visceral writing style, rich, well researched narrative and improving characterization, I readily recommend the American Praetorians series to readers who want a military thriller with a difference.
TOTALLY RECOMMENDED.
October 11, 2021
Damn, but Peter writes great action scenes. You really feel like you are there, taking part in the action right along with the characters..
This book continues pretty much straight on from the last book. The main difference is that they and their allies are now being actively hunted by not only ISIS, Al-Queda and all the other terrorists, but also the Iraqi army, who have decided that the Americans must die.
At the same time, the Praetorians have been tasked with interrupting the CIA rogue group that are actively helping ISIS. They manage to sneakily attack the ISIS allies, eventually making them realise that the Americans helping them are actually getting them killed, even though the Americans don't realise it.
It culminates in the Praetorians raiding the Americans secret hideout, supposedly to 'rescue' the surviving American operators, but ends up with them getting gunned down, after the Iraqi army shows up trying to capture everyone.
Really looking forward to the next book.
This book continues pretty much straight on from the last book. The main difference is that they and their allies are now being actively hunted by not only ISIS, Al-Queda and all the other terrorists, but also the Iraqi army, who have decided that the Americans must die.
At the same time, the Praetorians have been tasked with interrupting the CIA rogue group that are actively helping ISIS. They manage to sneakily attack the ISIS allies, eventually making them realise that the Americans helping them are actually getting them killed, even though the Americans don't realise it.
It culminates in the Praetorians raiding the Americans secret hideout, supposedly to 'rescue' the surviving American operators, but ends up with them getting gunned down, after the Iraqi army shows up trying to capture everyone.
Really looking forward to the next book.
August 23, 2021
Exciting and Plausible
Exciting action and characters. Very plausible suggestion of what future events could happen. As I write this review Afghanistan is falling, not many details yet but unfolding events certainly seems similar & neither the Pentagon or State Dept. has been prepared, both living in bubbles of denial.
Exciting action and characters. Very plausible suggestion of what future events could happen. As I write this review Afghanistan is falling, not many details yet but unfolding events certainly seems similar & neither the Pentagon or State Dept. has been prepared, both living in bubbles of denial.
February 29, 2020
Wild Ride
This is the next one in the series of Praetorians and it’s a complex wild ride. Politics, gun fights, traitors and flips make this one very real and very current. It reads like it could be happening right now in our world. Read this.
This is the next one in the series of Praetorians and it’s a complex wild ride. Politics, gun fights, traitors and flips make this one very real and very current. It reads like it could be happening right now in our world. Read this.
March 4, 2023
Quite Enjoyable
Peter tells good stories; I’ve enjoyed each of the Praetorian books and am looking forward to the next. Keep it up Peter.
Peter tells good stories; I’ve enjoyed each of the Praetorian books and am looking forward to the next. Keep it up Peter.
December 3, 2014
Jeff Stone's Private Military Company is like a man trying to navigate a forest fire barefoot. Alliances are constantly shifting. Friends become enemies overnight and vice-versa. Praetorian Security seems to be only a half-step in front of the Grim Reaper most of the time, in a world with a violent power vacuum in the absence of American interventionism after the collapse of the dollar.
In Alone and Unafraid, Nealen really ramps up the action. Some of the complex regional politics might be challenging to follow early on, but don't let that deter you. Once it gets going, it just about never stops.
This is my favorite novel in the series so far. Pete has found a nice balance between plausibility and entertainment, and I expect his audience to expand after this.
If you like paramilitary adventure, you need to read this book.
In Alone and Unafraid, Nealen really ramps up the action. Some of the complex regional politics might be challenging to follow early on, but don't let that deter you. Once it gets going, it just about never stops.
This is my favorite novel in the series so far. Pete has found a nice balance between plausibility and entertainment, and I expect his audience to expand after this.
If you like paramilitary adventure, you need to read this book.
February 18, 2017
Awesome read !
Another great read written by Peter Nealen ! Keep them coming buddy. This book and the ones before really grab you and pull you into the story as if you were there. I can't wait to read book 4 !
Another great read written by Peter Nealen ! Keep them coming buddy. This book and the ones before really grab you and pull you into the story as if you were there. I can't wait to read book 4 !
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews