Outlaw has interesting plot and development. Characters are also interesting. Technical thriller readers will appreciate that element. This is my first Jack Stewart read but it will not be the last.

Jack Stewart’s sophomore novel continues the story of Punky and once again intersects with the character of Colt. This series is shaping up to be something special in the military thriller genre. While trying to track down a bio terrorist the crew saves an entire aircraft carrier abroad while also trying to save the day at home. My one harsh critique is that the flying jargon gets to be a bit much for the average reader while understanding that the author’s background leads to this intense detail. Looking forward to number 3, and ever so grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read. This is set to be a hit!

This is the second book in a series by Jack Stewart that I was graciously provided by the publisher, Severn River Publishing, and the fine folks at NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The action, and there is a great deal of it, centers on two principal characters, Colt Bancroft, a naval aviator stationed in the Pacific, and Emmy "Punky" King, an NCIS Special Agent with plenty of attitude and a fascination with fast cars.

The plot of this solid novel of techno fiction revolves around great power shenanigans in the Pacific, principally the rivalry between the U.S. and China.

Stewart's mastery of plotting and pace is impressive as the protagonists race to forestall direct military confrontation with espionage and special operations at sea, in the air, and on land. Characters are well drawn and interesting and the plot, while often fairly convoluted (a consequence, I suspect, of a glut of thrillers with similar starting points) is, nevertheless, thoroughly engaging and the excitement in the story never seems to end.

Stewart's demonstrates a mastery of the military, scientific, and technological dimensions in his writing, but he never allows it to overwhelm the human concerns of his protagonists.

This novel would definitely be a favourite for those afficiendos of near-future techno-thrillers and would easily rate a solid four stars out of five stars. The action is fast-paced and very technical from the flight deck and the characters are all very well-defined and is relatively easy to read.

As with most of my literary ramblings, these are just a smattering of my five cents worth.

A good second book in the series. The action was still intense and kept your attention. The main characters from the first book continued to have prominent roles in this book. The only criticism I had was that the ending felt rushed. I would have like to have seen more explanation. However, it still was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Definitely top gun in military thrillers,
Colt Bancroft is sent on a mission from his aircraft carrier, to find and rescue a CIA agent who has been
kidnapped in China. A top Super Hornet pilot, he has eyes for success only as part of a wider biotech weapon search.
The kidnapped female CIA agent is tortured and near death, as Colt goes off on his assignment to bring her
home while providing cover for her rescue mission.
Emmy King, an NCIS officer back in California is working the other part of this mission; looking for and to protect the family of a missing biotech weapon specialist who has been killed.
The action is fast paced and very technical from the flight deck and the characters are all very well defined and
east to read.
The torture scenes were a bit torturous to read but definitely added to the sense of urgency and expediency needed in moving the story along.
Certainly will watch for the next one,

Do you feel the need? The need for speed? If the answer is yes you need to pick up a copy of Outlaw, step into the cockpit of a FA-18E Super Hornet, strap into the driver’s seat of a Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye, and hold on for dear life with a kung fu death grip while Jack Stewart fires the afterburners and takes you through this nail-biting story at supersonic speeds.

A CIA officer goes missing in China. A US aircraft carrier is under quarantine due to an unidentified illness. An infectious diseases academic is being pursued by both American and Chinese operatives. And in the middle of it all are fighter pilot Colt Bancroft and NCIS Agent Emmy “Punky” King. One taking to the skies to support the mission to rescue the missing CIA officer. The other is trying to figure out how all these pieces fit together to uncover the larger plot. And with time ticking down to a military showdown between world superpowers, they better get the job done quickly. Or the world will never be the same.

The action in Outlaw is nonstop, pulsating, hair on fire stuff. Vehicular pursuits between muscle cars and high-performance motorcycles through the streets and freeways of southern California. Foot pursuits and gunfights during daring rescue missions on an island in the South China Sea. Aerial pursuits between fighter jets and helicopters in the skies above disputed territory in Southeast Asia. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of missiles and machine guns, fisticuffs and combat, for readers to gorge on. Layer in international intrigue, spy hunts, and heavyweight twists that land like a sucker punch to the solar plexus and this thriller is seriously cooking with gas.

Outlaw is a tremendous follow up to Stewart’s debut novel Unknown Rider and deftly sets the stage for the upcoming Bogey Spades to continue the intense and electrifying Battle Born narrative. Don’t sleep on this series or it’s author. Both are poised to catapult up the ranks of this genre in the not-too-distant future.

I have just completed my read of the second volume of Jack Stewart's "Battle Born" trilogy, entitled "Outlaw" being published by Severn River Publishing (who have graciously provided me with an ARC for review purposes). I must first confess that I was so intrigued by initial word of mouth on this series of books that I rushed out to buy the first volume, "Unknown Rider", in order to make sure I did the second volume justice. I am very glad that I did, so much so that I am eagerly anticipating the third volume in the series, "Bogey Spades", to be released later this year.
The action, and there is a great deal of it, centers on two principal characters, Colt Bancroft, a naval aviator stationed in the Pacific, and Emmy "Punky" King, an NCIS Special Agent with an "attitude" and a fascination with fast cars. The plot, which is overlapping in the series, revolves around great power shenanigans in the Pacific, principally the rivalry between the U.S. and China. Stewart's mastery of plotting and pace is impressive as the protagonists race to forestall direct military confrontation with espionage and special operations at sea, in the air and on land. Characters are well drawn and interesting and the plot, while often fairly convoluted (a consequence, I suspect, of a glut of thrillers with similar starting points) is, nevertheless, thoroughly engaging.. Stewart's mastery of the military, scientific and technological dimensions of his material is obvious and on point, but he never allows it to overwhelm the human concerns of his protagonists. If you like technofiction, this one is for you. It is the kind of thing you can easily imagine providing a screenplay for a future blockbuster. I am delighted to add Stewart to the writers I follow.

First, thank you to Severn River Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel before release.
I have to say after two novels with Unknown Rider and now Outlaw that Jack Stewart is now an author that I want to read every book he writes. Outlaw continues on from Unknown Rider with the continued development of Colt and Punky; I really like both of the characters and look forward to how the story continues in the next book. Colt is on the USS Eisenhower in the South China Sea and Punky is in San Diego continuing her investigation into China’s espionage efforts. The story starts off fast and doesn’t let up, a good fast can put it down read! I really enjoy the technical aspects of the explanation of taking off from a carrier in an F-18 Super Hornet and just the aspects of air combat. I highly recommend this book and series overall! Can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Jack Stewart is, hands down, the new king of the military-techno thrillers. UNKNOWN RIDER was terrific, and OUTLAW is every bit as good. The sense of immersion into the military world that Stewart produces is extraordinary. You can smell the carrier deck and feel the tight confines of a jet fighter cockpit around you. And his writing suits the narrative. It's not showy and never calls attention to itself, but rather it's uniformly tight, crisp, and propulsive.

One quibble. The last chapter was nothing but a cheesy set-up for the next novel in the series. It felt pointless and tacked on, something well beneath the dignity of both the narrative that came before it and Jack Stewart's obvious talents as a writer. The novel would be improved significantly by losing it entirely.

Outlaw is tour-de-force by Jack Stewart as he takes readers to the skies in cutting-edge fighter jets and a startling threat that will keep you up at nights. It is bigger, bolder, and more awesome as it progresses the story outlined in its predecessor.

Full review to be posted on https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kashif-hussain

Outlaw by Jack Stewart is the second book in the Battle Born series and we gett to follow Colt Bancroft and Emmy King on their different paths to protect the Unisted States against the evil that comes from China. I find this series a fresh addition to the thriller genre and it's fast paced and filled with all kinds of action and a dose of humor. I like the characters created by this author and can't wait to see what will happen next. Will Punky be a contender with Joe Pickett when it comes to spending cars? I heard a rumor that someone found the first book being gross? If so then they shouldn't read this one. (Haha) I must thank Severn River Publishing and Netgalley for giving me an advance copy.