Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

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This book is a total thrill ride from the first six words y’all. It’s like No Exit, Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider rolled into one. ⠀
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It’s not really gory, but there are some intense scenes!⠀
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If you want a thrilling action/adventure read I highly recommend this one. ⠀

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Ronan Frost for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of White Peak. My opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

Ryerson McKenna has just been through the worst tragedy imaginable. His wife was at the mall when a gunman opened fire. Ryerson was on the phone with her through the whole ordeal. She died while he listened, unable to do a thing about it. He fell into a deep depression and not caring whether he lived or died. One day he meets a strange man, with an even stranger offer. Greg Rask, a dying billionaire, has offered a chance for Ryerson to be alone with his wife’s killer for a night. He can exact his revenge any way he wants, but afterward, Ryerson has to work for Rask. 

Rask wants Ryerson’s mountain climbing skills for a very special job. Rask has put together a team of specialists to find what he thinks is a cure for his disease. Something that the Nazis discovered and hid away. The team follows clues hidden in a painting that takes them all over the world. The clues lead them to the ancient and magical land of Shambhala. It will be a treacherous journey, made more dangerous by the mystical brotherhood, who have sworn to keep the secret buried.

This was a great adventure story. The way Ryerson gets pulled into this crazy man’s last-ditch effort to avoid dying is a perfect way to kick it off. Each member of the team has their own unique and interesting backstory. They are all specialists of some sort and all a little crazy. They are completely loyal to Rask, having had a personal tragedy that Rask somehow “fixed” for them. They go from one end of the world to the other. The action is exciting and the locations exotic. I was very caught up in this story and read this one straight through. I liked the characters. They had depth and developed nicely as the story advanced. It was similar to an Indiana Jones type adventure, with the Nazis and mysticism. The brotherhood was the perfect bad-guy foil against the team trying to find this magic cure. Ryerson, with his personal demons, made you sympathetic to what he was going through. 

I just really enjoyed this one. It was exciting, it was suspenseful, had a lot of heart and was so much fun. It has all the elements of a good story and has something for everyone!

At the heart of WHITE PEAK is Greg Rask, a billionaire desperately hunting for a miracle. He’s invested millions from his tech company chasing a cure for the rare disease that’s killing him. In a last throw of the dice, he’s put together a team willing to go to the ends of the earth to save him.

Rye McKenna, our gateway into Rask’s world, is the newest member of the team. He’s reeling from the harrowing loss that opens the story, when Rask approaches him with an offer we have to wonder if we—as readers—would refuse…

Rye is broken. He may never recover from the murder of his wife. Enter Rask! Rask is a billionaire chasing….something. Rask approaches Rye to become part of his team. Little does Rye know..this could end up getting him killed!
Well! I needed a good thriller and I got it! Talk about all over the globe. I loved the section in Nepal. The history and the scenery…WOW! And Rye! He is one of the best characters ever. He is heartbroken and this just automatically triggered my sympathies. Plus, he is one tough dude! He can get himself out of any situation unscathed! I think he has become my new book boyfriend.
The ending got a little “out there”. There were hints throughout the read that something strange could occur. And strange is not the word for this ending. This did sort of change my thoughts a little. It is still a great read, just not the ending I expected. Just a little “out there!”
I received this novel from St. Martin’s Press for a honest review.

Greg Rask, a dying tech billionaire, has invested millions chasing miracle cures. None of them are worth a damn, but he refuses to give up. Now, he’s gathering a team willing to go to the ends of the earth chasing life.

Each of Rask’s crew has beaten incredible odds to rise from the ashes of their old lives to where they are now. Together, their next task is to retrieve a painting that is believed to hide a map which, if genuine, marks it as a treasure of the Ahnenerbe, the occult wing of the SS, who had devoted dozens of expeditions in search of the three cintamani stones for their combined properties, and the lost city where they were rumored to lay hidden: Shambhala. But a mystical brotherhood sworn to protect the secrets of the ancients—the same secrets that allow its members to defy death—will stop at nothing to ensure that Rask’s crew fail.

In an adrenalin-pumping quest through some of the most savage terrains known to man, the crew will be pushed to the limits of endurance and beyond.

One of the things that delights me most about being a fiction reviewer is that I get to jump between genres on a regular basis. Last week I enjoyed the thoughtful and introspective science fiction novel A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World while this week there is a complete change of pace as I cast my beady eye over the breakneck action adventure White Peak by Ronan Frost*.

The book blurb above would have you believe that the enigmatic billionaire Greg Rask is White Peak’s main protagonist. He’s not. Rask is just the bankroll; our hero is Rye McKenna a born adventurer who has been broken by a personal tragedy. Rask reaches out to McKenna, offering the young daredevil the chance at something new. The best way to describe McKenna? He feels like the modern-day equivalent of Indiana Jones. McKenna is that rare breed of indomitable hero who steadfastly refuses to ever give up.

The rest of the crew searching for Rask’s miracle cure are a ragtag bunch who all owe something, like McKenna, to their financial benefactor. If you’re planning on undertaking a globetrotting quest, it makes perfect sense to me to have the ultimate hacker, the sneakiest of sneak thieves, a deadly spy, and a weapons expert accompany you. I certainly would. Needless to say, all these respective individuals are at the top of their game. I’d be disappointed if it were otherwise. I think characters in action thrillers need to be a little larger than life. The one thing that sets this novel aside from others is the way Frost add an extra layer of depth to proceedings. It’s a nice counterpoint to all the swaggering bravado. Like McKenna, each of the people hired by Rask are being given a second chance at life. They have all hit rock bottom, and though they may be skilled at what they do, they are also all too human. I look forward to discovering more about their histories as the series continues. We learn about the event that led McKenna into Rask’s employ, but I suspect the other individuals in the group still have many of their own revelations to share.

The plot zips along from scene to scene. Short, punchy chapters guarantee you’ll hardly have time to pause for breath. I enjoyed it all. Action thrillers need to flow naturally and Frost nails it consistently. There is a section of the novel where McKenna finds himself completely alone, in distinctly unfamiliar territory, and the narrative briefly segues into something that is almost psychological horror. I particularly enjoyed this part of the story, the author does a great job of offering insight into how all the constant pressure of events grinds a protagonist down (mentally and physically). I may be a little sadistic but it’s always great fun when a writer really puts his characters through the ringer.

I was reminded a little of Steve Alten’s Domain trilogy. Things start off in a fairly straight forward fashion and then veer off into something far more mind-bending and cosmic. The ending of White Peak certainly offers some tantalising morsels of what we can expect in future novels. Blending together elements of science fiction and mythology with a solidly entertaining action tale really pays off.

To my mind, the most enjoyable action thrillers have to hit a specific set of criteria in order to work successfully – (1) Jetting between a host of exotic locales at a moment’s notice is a must (2) Your antagonists have to be suitably insidious. Nazis are always a good bet in that regard (3) This is probably the most important one. Time MUST be a factor, if we’re not (relatively speaking) a hair’s breadth away from a cataclysmic event, then I’m going to be hugely disappointed. The good news is Ronan Frost is keenly aware of all of this and White Peak delivers in every regard. Amidst the pages of the novel you are going to find treasure hunts, art heists, betrayal, revenge, death defying escapes, adrenaline fuelled chases and some suitably pithy one-liners. I ask you, what more could you ask for?

Action, adventure, hidden temples and quasi-mystical mysteries demand a truly exceptional soundtrack recommendation and I think I have come up trumps. Uncharted 2 – Among Thieves by Greg Edmonson is the perfect fit with Ronan Frost’s frenetic action. I’ll admit the fact that the majority of Uncharted 2 is set in the Himalayas, as is White Peak, did make my choice quite easy.

White Peak is published by St Martin’s Press and is available from 1st May. Action adventure junkies will love it.

*Ronan Frost is the pseudonym for author Steve Savile.

Imagine listening to your wife's murder over the phone. This is what Rye has to deal with, and finds himself in a downwards spiral afterwards. Hope comes to the rescue, in this case a dying billionaire after Rye's unique set of skills, offering him a second chance. For this billionaire has assembled a team to go to look for the elixir of life, philosopher's stone or what ever you want to call it. Does it exist? They don't really know, but hey, let's go looking for it anyway.

So, we embark on a rollercoaster action adventure, starting in America, going through Europe, then onto the Himalayas. All the time being chased by the baddies, so obviously something they are after must be real! We then come to the astonishing conclusion. I say astonishing because that's exactly how I felt about it. I mean really? That's the best ending the author could come up with? I felt a bit duped at the end.

For the most part though it was a fun book to read, and although I'm not good with the ending, it was quite enjoyable. I recommend this book to lovers of action-adventure, who don't mind endings based on total fantasy.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ryerson "Rye" McKenna lost his wife in a tragic mall shooting.
He is contacted by an intermediary for dying, wealthy businessman Greg Rask, asking him if he deserves a second chance. At first he says no.
Then he listens to the offer presented by Rask's representative, Guuleed.
He will be left alone in a cell with Matthew Langley, the shooter in prison who killed his wife, to do whatever he wants.
After that, he may decide to join Rask's team, which includes a linguist, a thief, a tech guru and a Soviet Intelligence Operative.
Hunting a mysterious stone with healing powers. Rask is searching for a miracle cure, in the lost city of Shambhala.
But they will be pitted against a mystical brotherhood, trying to protect their hallowed secrets.
An action adventure thriller, with a sprinkling of the supernatural.
Fast paced and edgy, suspend your belief on this wild ride.
Not typically my favorite genre, but if you are an action junkie, this will give you your fix!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley or the free ebook in exchange for and honest review.

This is a book filled with adventure, thrills and great characters. Each of these characters work well with each other. There are twists and turns. This takes you to many different locales. This story really kept my interest. I hope there will be more stories with these characters. I received an ebook copy from St. Martin’s Press for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

The first chapter gets your heart pumping, and the action is non-stop after that. Ronan Frost (aka Steven Savile) shows, once again, that his a master of his craft. White Peak reminds me of books written by Steve Berry or Dan Brown, the way historical fact is combined with religion and mysticism, is a great combination to me.

If you are a surface climber, or want to learn about this subject, that will be an additional bonus to your enjoyment of this book. I did think it was interesting, but after a bit, I will admit I did skim some. Especially when Frost was writing long equipment lists, or after a solid page or two of the climbing descriptions, because I wanted to get back to the action!

As far as character development, Frost did a great job, giving just enough to entice me in this book to want to learn more about the crew in, what is sure to be, a sequel. Some of the characters were more developed than others, but for a thriller, I have come to expect it.

The scenery and world building is where Frost really shined. The descriptions were so detailed in many spots that I felt as if I was actually there. And it made me want to travel more, to visit some of these locales. I don’t know if he’s actually ever been to some of these places, but Frost sure knows how to write like he has.

The one thing that I have to mention is the genre classification of Thriller. It definitely was a Thriller, but I would also classify it as Sci-Fi. I can understand the publishing company perhaps shying away from this for marketing reasons, since some people refuse to read Science Fiction. But I was really surprised when the book turned that direction, especially if you read the jacket blurb. I could see readers thinking there might be Supernatural or Mystical elements after reading the jacket cover, but not Sci-Fi. I still enjoyed it though, especially since I read Sci-Fi.

I highly recommend White Peak, and will pick up book two if this continues into a series.

A man sees his life as all but over when a mass shooting leaves his wife dead. A hand reaching out to Ryerson McKenna comes in the form of a mysterious billionaire who is desperate for a cure of his chronic illness. Greg Rask is compiling a crew to help him find an answer... a group of people have a certain set of skills and need a second chance in life.

Tales of an ancient mythology that might hold the power to change the course of the disease... a power that has been sought for ages, most recently by a conspiracy-hunting group of SS soldiers. Although they are given endless resources, it won't be easy for the Rask's crew to put the clues together. Scattered all over the world and protected by a rogue brotherhood, the 'treasure' will take Rye on a journey of miles and personal development.

Frost excels in many types of writing: Building the distinct mythos of the mysterious object of desire. The fighting scenes, from icy mountain tops to dirty back alleys. The details of outdoor adventure, climbing and survival. Each setting is described with a great skill of blending the characters with the enemy and their surroundings.

In a chilling opening scene, Rye feeds quarters in a pay phone as he tries to talk his wife out of the desperate situation of being in the middle of a mass shooting. Trauma is shared by the members of the crew. Each have returned from a pain, and now have each other to depend on.

An Indiana Jones for the modern times... A riveting pace and several plot twists that were no where near my predictions make White Peak the thrilling book in a promising new series to follow.

4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for an advanced copy for review.

White Peak by Ronan Frost.

Firstly thanks to Sarah Bonamino at St Martins Press for the invite to the blog tour for this new action packed adventure from Ronan Frost.

Centered around Rye McKenna , this book Is a blistering thrill ride .

Rye is a renowned climber, recently suffering a tragedy when his wife is gunned down in a shopping mall by terrorists, he is approached by a sick billionaire, Greg Rask, offering him a chance at redemption, a second chance at life.

Rye eventually agrees and joins a crack team of others who are also getting that second chance . The billionaire has a task, he wants them to find the cure to his illness in the mythical lost city of shambala.

What follows is a riveting roller coaster journey through Europe and the mountains of Tibet and Bhutan.

Shades of Indiana Jones and tomb raider mixed In with science fiction , nazis and extra terrestrials, this really is a wild ride.

The action is nonstop and is ratcheted right up to the cliff hanging end.

Characters are likeable if unbelievable but this is pure escapism.

The locations are described in great details , the mountains and temple and tombs are brilliantly told.

This is simply a fun, chaotic , riveting read and would recommend to anyone with a sense of adventure. I look forward to the sequel

Just switch your brain off, sit back and enjoy!

4🔥🔥🔥🔥

Title: White Peak

Genre: adventure/ SCI Fi

Pages: 325

Pub Date : May 21 ,2019

St.Martin's Press

Ronan Frost's White Peak is a fast-paced action thriller full of death-defying adventure.

Greg Rask, a dying tech billionaire, has invested millions chasing miracle cures. None of them are worth a damn, but he refuses to give up. Now, he’s gathering a team willing to go to the ends of the earth chasing life.

Each of Rask's crew has beaten incredible odds to rise from the ashes of their old lives to where they are now. Together, their next task is to retrieve a painting that is believed to hide a map which, if genuine, marks it as a treasure of the Ahnenerbe, the occult wing of the SS, who had devoted dozens of expeditions in search of the three cintamani stones for their combined properties, and the lost city where they were rumored to lay hidden: Shambhala. But a mystical brotherhood sworn to protect the secrets of the ancients—the same secrets that allow its members to defy death—will stop at nothing to ensure that Rask’s crew fail.

In an adrenalin-pumping quest through some of the most savage terrains known to man, the crew will be pushed to the limits of endurance and beyond.





My thoughts

First off I want to thank St.Matin's Press for inventing me to this blog tour and for send me a hard back copy of it so I could read it and review, and I have to say that I 100% loved it, from the very start to the very end and I hope this is a series because if it is its a great start and I want more of it, it reminds me of series that I'm reading, which are ; Jame Rollins ( SIGMA ) , Andy McDermott sereis ( Nina Wilde & Eddie Chase), and the J.R. MacCready series by Bill Schutt & J.R.Finch , along with a touch of Michael Crichton's book Prey , its fast pace and it keeps you wanting to know more , and the characters , what can I say about them but I love them , if i have any favorites it would be Rye and the thief Carter Vickers, though out the book these two had me laughing with every comment made to each other . I also loved how he used history about the Nazis and how Hitler believed in the supernatural . With that said I want to thank St.Martin's Press as well as Netgalley for letting me read and review it , and I really hope the author writes more for this story .

Who Knew A Fictional Character Could Write This Well? In this debut work by fictional character Ronan Frost, we get a solid action/ adventure tale of a man haunted by being on the other end of the phone when his wife is killed in a mass shooting being recruited to find a mysterious map for one of the world's wealthiest men. The action is taut, the mystery is compelling, and the locations include some rarely if ever used in novels before. Truly an outstanding work. Particularly for a fictional character.

Here's hoping we get a sequel from this new author far faster than we got the sequel he appears in. ;)

White Peak by Ronan Frost (not the author's real name) was a very fun, very fast read. The book is centered around that of Rye McKenna. It was Rye's tragic misfortune to witness his wife being murdered in an attack on a mall by several gunmen. Feeling lost and unsure of all that matters, Rye is contacted be a reclusive millionaire who asks him if he would like a second chance. Unknown to Rye, the killer of his wife is alive and being sent to prison contrary to all reports that all of the shooters had been killed. Rye through the machinations of Rask, the millionaire is given a chance to be in lockup with his wife's killer and unwatched. If he wants, vengeance is his.
After his prison adventure, Rye is taken to Rask's Mansion fortress where he meets others who have been given a second chance , all loyal to the old man. It appears that Rask is dying and he feels the only thing that can save him is the mythological story of Shambala and the Cintamari stone.
Rask asks Rye to join the others in trying to see if there is any reality to the legends and stories, as Rye has been a world class climber, his skills would be invaluable in the harsh climate of the Tibetan mountains.
Through exotic locales and a seemingly un-killable killer chasing them the action ratchets up to a cliff hanging ending.. with more to come.

White Peak is a good and Ronan Frost is a better version of Mathhew Reilly. Pure escapist fiction.

Thrilling book that takes reader onto journey from the US, through France then onto the forbidden Tibet. It's action packed with villians the entire way and there are turns at every part of the story. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to sequel.

A superb read! Ronan Frost's White Peak is a fast-paced action thriller full of death-defying adventure.

The stories about Adolph Hitler and his fascination with the supernatural are legendary. Now, in Frosts’s book, a dying billionaire will pay a band of misfits with some pretty exceptional skills to find a cure. Using a map that the occult wing of the SS believed would lead to the legendary city of Shambala and the secret of eternal life, the crew sets off, only to find there is a brotherhood who will do anything to prevent them from finding the city and its ancient secrets. A combination of Dan Brown and James Rollins, this wild adventure will appeal to fans of both authors and the action/adventure genre.