Blood and Treasure is a decent thriller with flashes of excitement, but it ultimately left me wanting more—particularly in the “treasure” department. For a book with such a promising blurb, it’s far heavier on the blood and action than on any real treasure-hunting adventure.

The setup hooked me immediately: a massacre aboard the International Space Station, a mysterious crash landing in the Indian Ocean, and treasure hunter Ethan Cain stumbling upon the lone survivor. Unfortunately, most of the thrills teased in the cover blurb are frontloaded into the opening chapters. After that, the story becomes another generic action thriller full of gunfights, chases, plane crashes, and more.

Ethan Cain is a likeable enough lead in the Clive Cussler mold, but character development across the board is thin. Several secondary characters—especially the women—felt underutilized or sketched in just enough to move the plot forward without ever becoming compelling in their own right. The mix of sci-fi, spy thriller, and military adventure could have worked so much better, but it felt like it was trying to do too much. Also, and this is a personal peeve, but the repetitive intrusion of prayer got on my nerves.

All in all, Blood and Treasure delivers some decent popcorn thrills, but never quite lives up to the promise of its premise. If you enjoy shootouts at sea and techno-thriller detail, it might scratch the itch—but if you’re looking for a true treasure-hunting adventure, the title oversells what you’ll actually find inside.

Thank you, @RyanPoteBooks and @BerkleyPub for the free book. #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #BerkleyBookstagram

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Blood and Treasure by Ryan Pote
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 368
Genre: Action & Adventure
Release Date: July 22, 2025

Up in space, sabotage onboard the International Space Station leads to a crew of murdered astronauts except for one. Meanwhile, in the depths of the Indian Ocean, former special ops pilot and current treasure hunter Ethan Cain has unearthed what his employer believes to be the Arc of the Covenant. These two stories combine into one hell of an adventure.

This book had some of my favorite things: short chapters, fascinating characters, and incredible action. It was fast-paced and incredibly interesting. I only have two beefs that kept it from being five stars for me. First, the advertised blurb made it sound like there was going to be a lot more space stuff happening. That was really only in the beginning and it was fantastic, my favorite part of this book. Second, the ending. I went through this whole adventure and I don’t get it. What was it? They made it seem like I should get what he saw, since only his reaction was described. But what was it? Am I supposed to know or is it a cliffhanger and I’m not actually missing anything, I just have to wait for the sequel?

Let’s get right to it… BLOOD AND TREASURE by Ryan Pote surprised me, igniting a desire for adventure, and an immediate second read!

I read a lot of books. Like the average reader, most of us find that niche, that genre or that subgenre within a larger genre that clicks with us. Find the authors and series to keep up for each yearly release. As all y’all are well aware, thrillers are my forte and truthfully the espionage and/or military subgenre tend to consume most of my hours reading. Things like The Gray Man, a Mitch Rapp adventure, even a bit of western vibe’s with C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett novels. I even read a mystery here, or a crime thriller, and even I will read fiction or non-fiction. That all being said, there is always one genre or subgenre that feels unfulfilled.

Adventure thriller!

Simply stated, there isn’t enough of it. Now on Amazon or other sources, BLOOD AND TREASURE is listed as Thriller or Military Thriller or Thriller Suspense Action Thriller. None of those are wrong, but Blood and Treasure strikes a balance between Adventure and Military/Espionage/Political Thriller. Aside from Clive and Dirk Cussler, Steve Berry, James Rollins, Dan Brown, and perhaps a few others, this adventurous, dare I say swashbuckling adventure is prevalent in the publishing industry. It seems alive and well in the self-published/independent realm, but Blood and Treasure shines a light in the cavernous path to continue showcasing this genre. Ryan Pote actually pours gasoline on the fire to remind readers plenty of potential to read here.

What is Blood and Treasure?

A debut novel for author Ryan Pote, Blood and Treasure showcases a modern day thriller adventure that weaves a dash of geopolitics, a chase for an ancient mystery, a disruption with the International Space Station, and a killer swashbuckling hero in Ethan Cain.

Ethan Cain…

Cain is one of those heroes, rough and tough, capable of standing next to any other hero, but with a depth that pulls you in. Ethan Cain is the type of unrestrained action character able to risk it all facing danger and daring decisions while blending in naturally with the real world. With a physical appearance showcasing his past, Ethan aims his focus to keeping his excavation business and those involved headed on a positive path. He cares deeply for the mission and more importantly those around him. Stopping at nothing, Ethan Cain is the next big hero that will continue to live on in future novels. Each year readers will flock to this character, all because of how Ryan Pote weaved his hero in the midst of treachery and danger in this debut novel!

Supporting Characters…

Pote spreads the story amongst several supporting characters, all pivotal to forward progression of the plot and thoughtfully playing a role in the thematic elements. Each character has purpose and the pages are nearly painted with immersive writing to capture your attention and you embrace the weight of character decisions, as if you were on the adventure yourself. That sensation plunges you into sharing their pain and fortunately their joy.

Two characters, Mojdeh Zahedi and Azhar Arbab, keep an eye out for them. Both are impeccably written and add that extra thrill or chill to the adventure!

Mystery Artifact?

I will keep this short… I am not spoiling this point. Sorry, but five chapters in and you will know what Ethan and everyone is viciously on the hunt for. As I read, a sense of thrill and joy consumed me. Even if another ten chapters came before learning of the artifact, the story and characters suck you in from page one.

Should you purchase Blood and Treasure?

Do you like adventure? How about Indiana Jones? Maybe a mix of Dan Brown and Tom Clancy or Vince Flynn and Clive Cussler?

Then absolutely purchase this! Or if you like thrillers in general, then no question, this is the book to read.

Several books have the ability to contend as my book of the year. No shade to the likes of any other book… and yes we still have several months to go for book releases, but Blood and Treasure launches you into a high stakes adventure with deadly thrills lurking around every corner, while hunting an artifact that will change the world if it falls into the wrong hands!

Blood and Treasure earned a 5 out of 5 stars!

I'm intrigued by the story and I love the multiple points of view that all intertwine, but I absolutely dislike all of the full brand names and acronyms/initialisms. Maybe men like this and that portion just isn't for me? But it takes me out of the story every time. I totally understand painting a picture for the reader, but it was over the top for me. I almost dnf but I was curious enough about the story to press on. It reminds me of National Treasure, Fools Gold, and Sahara (all treasure hunting movies I loved growing up)

CW
Crude language
Violence and death

What an incredible debut. Ethan Cain will hopefully become the next Reacher, Cross, Smoak, Hunt, etc. This one is a banger. Non-stop action from the opening lines that hook you and keep you engaged until the closing lines. I could have read this in one sitting if I didnt have real world responsibilities. Exciting action sequences, intense fight scenes and a touch of humanity. The technology discussed is spot on. I look forward to the next thing thst Mr Pote writes. Mr Potes background is very evident in the storytelling, I have friends with the same history and some of their stories are just as riveting.

The most excitement you can have (reading) in Summer 2025 outside of joining the foreign service or creating an international incident...

After promising to never take up the .44 Magnum as DIRTY HARRY again following the release of THE ENFORCER in 1976, it took Clint Eastwood a few years and a handful of pictures of monkeying around to get back into the fold. Beloved by audiences and hated by bad guys and his superiors for unorthodox methods that get results, good old Harry made a SUDDEN IMPACT right off the bat in 1983, intimidating the biggest crime lord of the West Coast into a heart attack, not 5 minutes from the opening credits. Harry's old nemesis Captain Briggs sees his opening for a dressing down and a not-so-humble brag of his own accolades, prompting Inspector 71 to clap back that he's a "legend in his own mind." WALKING TALL with a solid reputation preceding him, Ethan Cane is a true legend in his own mind and in that of others as well. When it comes to BLOOD AND TREASURE, there's no one better at finding what is lost, and there's a truckload of that in Ryan Pote's debut thriller. A violent ballad of life and death, BLOOD AND TREASURE is a grandiose mix of MIL-thriller and adventure novel akin to the likes of Wilbur Smith and Clive Cussler, a globetrotting chase to stymie the bad guys from getting their hands on the ultimate weapon; a weapon to end all wars.

Set up like Indy vs Belloq and blessed with much better luck than the Oakland NFL team in their 1982-94 Raiders 2.0 experiment, BLOOD AND TREASURE shapes up to be the legit sequel to RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK or better, a literary reboot of the Spielberg/Ford 1981 collab. Subtract the scruffy History PhD with whip and fedora and add Ethan Cane who sounds just a bit like Ethan Hunt, as impossible missions are what Cane does best. Though he sucks at monies and relationships, Ethan is a crafty treasure hunter extraordinaire who always finishes a mission. Always. Opening in media res, BLOOD AND TREASURE swaps in Iranians for Nazis as the perennial baddies, giving Ethan Cane a run for his money for all 368 exhilarating pages. Up against a female Benedict Arnold who's an unstoppable force of insurgency, code breaking, lying and killing, Ethan better look up, look down, and look out--she's a THUNDERBALL who aims to impress on the world the rather overused phrase 'Memento Mori', as those who seek to claim the weapon for blood or treasure will find both.

Decidedly detailed and technical, the author knows his aircraft and how to fly, crash, and perform miracles. It really shows. BLOOD AND TREASURE is TOP GUN in book form, and then some. A literal what's what of how to fly a handful of airships and how to operate when things go wrong. And they do. BLOOD AND TREASURE runs chaos in a blender and the Iranians are sitting pretty at the power button. The perpetual question throughout the narrative: "will it blend?" Between going SWIMMING WITH SHARKS like Felix Lighter and an end that sparkles so hard it puts Marsalus Wallace's briefcase glow to shame, BLOOD AND TREASURE enthralls with dope lingo like Venturi effect, Hohmann transfer, break-glass, NAFOD, and ram air. Boasting that the most dangerous lie is the one you tell yourself, that faith is an act not an outcome, that history bends the truth to its will, and that the edge of memory is a steep drop, BLOOD AND TREASURE keeps it light with deft shoutouts to Clive Cussler, Indiana Jones, ROBOCOP, and PREDATOR. From the dark reaches of space and the scorched plains of Africa to the deep blue ocean, BLOOD AND TREASURE is superb blockbuster popcorn adventure for thrill-seeking summer readers, taking the race for the most powerful weapon in the world right to the edge of annihilation. And beyond.

Blood and Treasure, by Ryan Pote ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a book! I devoured this in 24 hours, then wished I had savored it and read slower. If you like The Mummy/National Treasure/Indiana Jones/Mission Impossible/Dan Brown, then you will love this book.

Ethan Cain is a treasure hunter searching for an artifact off the coast of Mozambique. The supporting characters are interesting, and I was invested in their lives as well, not just in what Ethan was doing. There’s one character who I could never quite figure out. I kept thinking I knew what was going on, and by the end of the book I was surprised.

A lot of characters are introduced, but once I got going reading, I didn’t have trouble keeping them straight.

From the very first paragraph, I was hooked. The attention to detail is amazing, the character development, the settings, the descriptions…they’re all top notch. There is a lot of information thrown at you, but it is given to you in reasonable increments and with action scenes, so it never feels like you’re just reading facts.

I almost can’t believe this is a debut! I’m thrilled at the hints of a sequel, and I would not be surprised if one day this becomes a movie.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group (Berkley) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Imagine Indiana Jones with a military edge and access to cutting-edge technology alongside decades-spanning connections—meet Ethan Cain. Even beyond Ethan Cain, the supporting characters stand out with their own unique skills, motivations, and depth. Each one adds layers to the story, making the world feel rich and the stakes even higher. They aren’t just side players—they’re memorable and essential to the adventure’s momentum and you will love (or love to hate) them all.
This nonstop globe-trotting adventure will take you from the Willow Street Synagogue in Lakewood, New Jersey to the Space Center in Houston Texas and all the way to the conflict zones of Tigray, Ethiopia and even to a remote church that I spent a lot of time down a rabbit hole learning about it. Full disclosure: I made 41 annotations throughout the book to dive deeper into the people, places, and history that Pote masterfully weaves into his narrative. The depth of research behind this debut is truly staggering.
Ryan Pote explores the complex intersections of history and religion, blending well-established facts with mysteries that historians have yet to unravel. This balance creates a story that feels both authentic and entirely believable, drawing readers into a world where the past’s secrets come alive. From the first page to the last, Blood and Treasure delivers relentless, adrenaline-fueled action that completely immerses you in its smart, cinematic world. With echoes of Clive Cussler and Dan Brown, Ryan Pote crafts a gripping, intelligent thriller that’s impossible to put down.

Very creative and entertaining thriller. This story about the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant is going nuclear!

This is a gripping crossover thriller, and I can hardly believe it's a debut! At the beginning, the author introduces quite a few characters, so it took me a bit of time to get used to everyone, but soon I was flipping through the pages without even noticing.

The book follows two main plotlines–events take place at the Johnson Space Center and in Africa. The main character, Ethan Cain, is a treasure hunter searching for an artifact off the coast of Mozambique. He’s brave and daring, with a body marked by scars that still cause him pain. He really reminded me of Indiana Jones. Overall, the author paints vivid descriptions and presents the story from different angles, so I could clearly picture everything in my mind. I honestly think this book would make an excellent movie in the style of a ‘90s action film.

I also loved how the author played with my emotions. There’s one character, whose role kept me on edge—my feelings toward them kept shifting, and by the end, I was truly shocked.

I feel like the ending hints at a possible sequel! I’d gladly read more about Ethan Cain’s adventures.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group (Berkley) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It was such a captivating read! From the very first sentence, you’re immersed in the story through the author’s vivid descriptions. I’m not sure what else to say without giving away any plot details. But I can say one thing: if you’re a fan of adventure stories in the spirit of Indiana Jones, Lara Croft, and The Mummy, you’ll likely enjoy this book.

The author took storytelling very seriously and paid great attention to detail.

I wouldn’t be surprised if someone bought the rights and turned this story into a movie.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book pulls you right in from the beginning and does not let up. The one thing I really enjoyed about the book is the character development, I felt like I got to know many of the characters well and want to know what is going to happen next to them.

An action/adventure novel mixed with political intrigue and archeology made for an interesting plot. I really enjoyed this book.

You do not want to miss this new book and I hope to see another in the series coming next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC.

This story delivers a thrilling ride from start to finish. With a fast-paced plot, vivid settings, and a cast of dynamic characters, the book pulls you into a world where danger and discovery go hand in hand. The author does an excellent job building tension and keeping the stakes high, especially during key action scenes.

While a few moments felt a bit rushed or could have used deeper character development, the overall story is engaging and well-executed. It’s a solid pick for fans of fantasy-adventure who enjoy a mix of lore, conflict, and just the right touch of mystery.

What a ride. This is the kind of book that throws you into the action and does not let off the gas the entire time.

There are location spanning the globe (and off in space) and multiple points of view. And you are just dropped into the action. But as Pote establishes all that we need to know, he doesn’t let us get bogged down in the massive amount of information and dynamics, because he gives us all these details in the midst of incredible action sequences.

Themes of religion and extreme loyalty were prevalent here and I really enjoyed how these topics were woven in and handled in sometimes unexpected ways.

The whole time I was reading I kept thinking how cinematic this felt. I can imagine this being a summer blockbuster movie. I could smell the fumes, experience salty ocean air, feel dry desert heat, fear the enemy closing in, and have my heart race as I searched for treasure too. Everything was vibrant and tangible.

It’s hard to believe this is a debut! I can’t wait for more of Ethan Cain. This is going to be a fun series to continue.

This is for readers who like a more action packed version of Dan Brown/National Treasure.

Content Warning: Graphic killing and violence, torture, abuse, death, cursing

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Pub for the gifted book.

Wow, what an exciting, fast-paced thriller from debut author Ryan Pote. We start out with a crisis aboard the International Space Startion followed by introduction to the main character, Ethan Cain, diving for a lost artifact off the coast of Africa. After seeing a large object crash into the ocean, he rushes to the scene and rescues the loan survivor from the ISS after crashing to earth. Little do they both know they will be joined at the hip on an adventure of biblical proportions.

This will be a great summer read for thriller fans, this book has the feel and flair of the adventures that you would find in a Clive Cussler or James Rollins novel, with a great blend of history, science, and exotic locations. The story telling here is really good. While the pace really moves, it’s not at the expense of developing characters or scenes. The author does a great job blending historical details with religious beliefs and incorporating these into what the characters think and believe. This is evident as the story progresses, there are many times where the question of trust comes up between the characters and how they work together or against each other. His attention to detail really brings the story to life and allows the reader to feel like they are right there with the characters.

While developing the characters, the author also teases out partial details from their background, which makes the reader understand who they are but also leaves them wanting to know more about their past. Hopefully these will be elaborated on in future novels. There is something special here and i look forward to more from the author.

As several astronauts are found murdered aboard the International Space Station, treasure hunter and ex-Special Ops pilot Ethan Cain sees an object crash into the Indian Ocean. When he investigates, he finds a space shuttle with an unconscious woman inside, thrusting Cain into a wild and deadly adventure. Blood And Treasure blends genres here, part sci-fi, part spy thriller which would have worked better as two separate stories. Instead, the two storylines are muddled and confusing, often branching out into even other genres, and it just gets too confusing. The battle scenes are overly detailed and borderline cartoonish, and the reader learns little about the characters, even Ethan, whose burn scars are described too many times to count. The plot teaser really grabs your attention and seemed promising, but this one was a huge disappointment. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blood and Treasure by Ryan Pote

Action/adventure is usually not my genre but this story has an ex-military superstar, former special ops pilot and current treasure hunter Ethan Cain, whose injuries (mental, physical, emotional) show just how strong he is to keep on going despite all he's endured to recover from his physical injuries. Several agencies would hesitate to bring him on now that he's developed " No Apparent Fear of Death" because of all the trauma he's been through in the past. No matter, Ethan has done something much better in his eyes, he's gone freelance as a treasure hunter and he loves what he is doing. He's got some great people working with him, people he trusts, people he'd give his life for, and he's living the best life he can live, for the most part. His love life has an on/off aspect to it but Ethan knows it's his fault, that he's too dedicated to his work, despite all the risks to his life.

When a space capsule falls into the ocean near where Ethan is working he is the one to open the capsule and save the person inside of it. There is a female astronaut inside the capsule and it seems she is the only survivor of a slaughter on the now destroyed International Space Station. A whole slew of people want this woman and they also want the latest treasure that Ethan has discovered. The body count is high with this one, things move very fast, and I sometimes had trouble keeping up with the whats, whys and wherefores but that's me, I don't think fast enough for action adventures.

I'd like to see these characters again (the ones that survive, of course). Ethan is a very likeable leader and he's surrounded by people who have his back. There is room for more with this world and maybe Ethan can get his love life back on again, if he plays his cards right.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.

Blood and Treasure is the story of a massacre at the US Space Station, with only one survivor who escaped into a space capsule that broke off from the main unit. Off the coast of Mozambique, treasure hunter Ethan Cain is trawling the ocean when he uncovers said space capsule with a woman inside. When she comes to she does not want to contact NASA. How is she the only survivor and what is she hiding?

I tried quite a few times to get into this story but I just couldn't. I felt like the action was all over the place and it was not fluid between the concurrent storylines with one being much more interesting than the other.

One thing that really bothered me about the writing was the author's need to detail each piece of equipment, using the proper name. If it was once or twice I don't think it would have bothered me as much, but it very much took me out of the story, like he was saying, "look how knowledgeable I am on this subject." All in all it's not a bad story, just not the one for me. For that reason I'm giving it 2.75 stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

4.5 stars, rounded up for NetGalley

My quick takes:
- 4.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
- Language 🤐 moderate
- Spice ❤️‍🔥 none
- Content 🤔 graphic killing and violence, torture, death, abuse

What 👏🏼 a 👏🏼 debut 👏🏼 Blood and Treasure hits you with action and never lets off the gas. I was instantly consumed in the plot and the book was hard to put down.

There are multiple points of view, different locations around the globe (and off the globe 👀), and an underdog feel to the ex military male main character. I will say, his past is STILL shrouded in mystery and I’m very intrigued to learn more about Ethan Cain and get some good character development in the coming books!

I thoroughly enjoyed the different religious aspects woven throughout the book, I have a religious studies minor and always love seeing common threads alongside the stark differences in religion. The multifaceted, religion-based treasure hunting was a fun added detail throughout the plot.

While the storyline leans heavily into the action/adventure side of the thriller genre, I really enjoyed that there was an aspect of military and political intelligence as well. I’m very intrigued to see where this series goes and planning to read the next books!

If you like Dan Brown, Joel C. Rosenberg, National Treasure, this one’s for you. Thank you to the author and Berkley Publishing for a copy of the book to read and review. #bloodandtreasure #netgalley

This was a fast paced story that drew me in right away. The character development was fantastic - I really connected with all the characters. This was a quick read too. I'm always leery when faith and religious belief are interwoven into books, but the author did a good job here so that even those that don't believe in that kind of thing will still enjoy this one. I would highly recommend this book to any thriller fan and any fan of authors like Dan Brown.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Net Galley for this arc. #BloodandTreasure #NetGalley