Dale Brown is the author of more than 50 novels. Arctic Storm Rising was published in 2021. It is the 81st book I completed reading in 2023.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.

US Air Force intelligence officer Captain Nicholas Flynn is the primary character of this novel. After a CIA mission he is on goes bad, he is exiled to a remote post in Alaska. His Special Ops team is to provide ‘radar defense’.

Not long afterward, the Russians begin overflying US airspace. When US fighters are deployed to intercept them, an accident ensues. That precipitates a brief but deadly bout of aerial combat that ends with all involved being casualties. As the closest unit, Flynn is deployed with his team to search for survivors.

The Russian incursion is in response to one of their aircraft, a prototype Tupolov PAK-DA stealth bomber, being stolen. Not only is it missing, but it is carrying 12 nuclear-armed cruise missiles. A massive aerial search is initiated that overflies US airspace.

The bomber theft has been instigated by a wealthy Russian oligarch. His private Special Ops team has hidden the stolen plane in a remote part of Alaska. Complicating everything is a severe winter storm that is sweeping across Alaska. Flynn and his team are squeezed between those who stole the bomber and a Spetsnaz team sent to retrieve it.

I enjoyed the 9.5 hours I spent reading this 397-page thriller. I have had the opportunity to read several Dale Brown novels and have enjoyed them all. Some of those are Shadows of Steel, Battle Born, Night of the Hawk, Flight of the Old Dog, Sky Masters, Day of the Cheetah, Dreamland, Warrior Class, Fatal Terrain, and Countdown to Midnight. This was another of his good, action filled thrillers. I give this novel a rating of 4.5 (rounded to 5) out of 5.

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Arctic Storm Rising is a gripping techno-thriller with the right blend of technical details and emphasis on strong character development, especially for a brand new protagonist. Packed with vividly authentic dogfights between F22s and Su-30s along with adrenaline pumping shootouts and high stakes, this is a highly entertaining adventure with a fascinating premise that twists and turns all the way till the very end.

This 1st in a new series stars U.S. Air Force intelligence officer Nicholas Flynn at a remote radar post in Alaska, where he was exiled after being made the scapegoat for a failed CIA covert mission.

The plot layers - and betrayals - are reminiscent of a Matryoshka doll. Crises escalate, along with winter storms that make intervention challenging as a Russian prototype long-range stealth bomber (with a full payload) heads deep in the Alaska wilderness.

It's up to Flynn and a small team to parachute in, fight Spetsnaz commandos operating on American soil, and prevent a nuclear holocaust.

Super start to military thriller series

I have read a handful of author Dale Brown's thrillers over the years since he started publishing his aviation military thrillers /different series back in the mid 1980s. And I've always enjoyed the books I've read. I haven't read more because I always seemed to come into the middle of a series and just didn't find the time to play catch up. That's why I was so pleased when I received this Advanced Reading Copy of the first book in a new series by Brown.

Brown's books are some of the best military thrillers out there. He brings his own military and aviation background to the forefront of his writing and the authenticity shows on every page.

The first thing that struck me about this book was actually a negative - page after page listing a Cast of Characters. My memory isn't what it used to be and, frankly, I almost didn't start the book because of this one item. I'm so glad I persevered. In the end, you really don't need to remember all the characters and the author gives enough cues to keep you on top of who is who in the story. I would have left that out myself.

U.S. Air Force Captain Nick Flynn gets caught up in a clandestine operation that goes sideways and, through no fault of his own, finds himself assigned to lead a ragtag crew to handle security at a Long Range radar facility in VERY remote northern Alaska.

No one expects that he and his crew will be the last defense against a highly secret rogue Russian stealth bomber that has found itself into U.S. territory.

I loved this book and highly recommend it to those readers who like thrillers, military, aviation, or otherwise. I especially liked the Alaska locale. This is the first book in a new series but it does not end in a cliffhanger.

I received this book from William Morrow Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

I've read several books by this author and have always enjoyed everything I've read, so I was looking forward to reading this book. I must say it didn't disappoint. This book was easy to read and fast paced and kept me wanting to read more. I highly recommend this book.

Dale Brown has just launched a new, edge-of-your-seat military thriller that features a brand-new protagonist with a talent for smartassery, a nose for trouble and enough steel in his character to build a battleship. He’s a U.S. Air Force Intelligence and Special Operations Officer whose rank is captain.  His name is Nick Flynn, and this is his coming-out party.

Nick runs afoul of a vindictive and less than competent CIA officer during a rescue mission in the Libyan desert, when the CIA man manages to pin the blame for mission failure on the lower ranking Air Force officer, rather than accepting responsibility for it.  As a result, Nick is banished to a remote, early-warning radar station in the northernmost reaches of the Alaskan wilderness and put in charge of a rag-tag band of misfits, drawn from different services.  They’re not exactly the Dirty Dozen, but they’re not exactly Uncle Sam’s finest either.  Nevertheless, Captain Flynn does his best to turn the lot of them into competent soldiers with the help of the one bright spot amongst his company, an Alaska National Guard First Sergeant who’s a native of the state and an expert in cold weather operations.

At the same time, halfway around the world, the Russian Government is preparing for the final test flight of a super-secret, advanced technology stealth bomber, known as the PAK-DA.  The bomber, on it’s last test flight, and carrying twelve nuclear-tipped and  fully operational cruise missiles, is commandeered by the test pilot, Col. Alexi Petrov.  He  flies it in stealth mode, under the cover of darkness and in the midst of an Arctic super storm, into the Alaskan wilderness . . . where he demands $2.6 billion in ransom to give up possession of it peacefully.  The only ones in position to intervene for the U.S. are Flynn and his group of oddballs, who face overwhelming odds . . . and a traitor in their midst as the novel rockets towards its stunning, unexpected and startling conclusion.  With electrifying tension and non-stop action, Brown delivers one of his best techno-military thrillers ever, and leaves us all looking forward to the next installment of the Nick Flynn series!

Thriller novelist Dale Brown delivers again with a new novel titled ARCTIC STORM RISING, featuring a new character, US Air Force intelligence officer Nick Flynn.

Flynn is on the hunt for Russian commandos in the mountains of Alaska after a Russian bomber test pilot flies away with the country’s most advanced long-range stealth bomber.

Full feature article available at The Big Thrill

I just finished reading an ARC of Dale Brown's latest novel, "Arctic Storm," provided to me by William Morrow and Custom House. I have been a fan of Dale Brown's since "The Flight of the Old Dog," and this novel, kicking off a new series in the richly imagined world Brown fans are already familiar with, was a delight. It focuses on a new character, Nick Flynn, and his adventures and misadventures as a skilled warrior pursuing his career but caught in the tug of war between self-serving intelligence agencies in the United States and Russians intent on developing a new Stealth Bomber. The plot is mature and well developed with a number of twists and turns designed to keep the reader on his or her toes. As always, Brown's mastery of technology, particularly that associated with aeronautics. as well as his insights into the military industrial complex and its intelligence adjuncts define the work. I found it hard to put down. I was particularly delighted to see that most of the text advances without being as deeply self-referential as most of Browns' canon. It is an excellent stand alone read, but by the time it comes to its spectacular conclusion, its position in the canon is clarified. I recommend it without reservation!

With an updated take on a primary Cold War fear, Dale Brown takes readers on a bone chilling and spine tingling adventure through the frozen north. Not unlike Brown’s previous work, his newest hero Nick Flynn and his misfit bunch of military rejects might as well be on the other side of the moon when it comes to getting rapid support from the folks down in Juneau.

When the CIA catches word that a rogue Russian pilot responsible for testing the latest stealth bomber is wanting to defect, as well as cash in on the cutting edge technology, the US has to choose if the offer is too good to pass up or too good to be true. While the powers that be in Washington decide, the soldiers on the ground are tasked with battling the elements and enemies in the harshest of environments.

Dale Brown crafts some great characters, sprinkles in the perfect amount of intrigue and misdirection, and ends the book in a great place to take this series in some really fun directions. The new Nick Flynn series will be a must read for me each year.

This book is fast paced and exciting. Dale Brown does a nice job of integrating military terminology. His descriptions of aircraft and weaponry of the Russian and U.S. forces enhanced the interest in the book. Great character development. This book makes it easy to see how World War III could happen.

Way to hit the ground running with a brand new series. Captain Flynn has a special set of skills which he puts to work in a way not appreciated by certain higher-ups. As a result he is shipped off to the Alaskan wilderness to be out of sight and mind with a cast of misfits. He and his crew, however, become key personnel when a rogue pilot invades their outpost. LOTS of action, strategies, procedures, alliances, and betrayals. Looking forward to the sequel(s).

Arctic Storm Rising represents the start of a new series for acclaimed thriller writer Dale Brown. It’s a departure from the world of futuristic techno-thrillers featuring the McLanahans and Iron Wolf Squadron taking on their Russian enemies in a battle of advanced military technology. In their place is Air Force Special Ops Captain Nick Flynn leading a rag tag army of banished malcontents, insubordinates, and scapegoats taking on …well…a Russian enemy with advanced military technology. But in this book, the technology isn’t the stuff of science fiction. It’s quite realistic and the central aspect of a scary plot that has the US and Russia on the verge of mutually assured nuclear destruction.

This is a story that harkens back to the days of the Cold War with a modern twist. The Russians have a broken arrow event when one of their pilots, with nothing to lose, absconds with a new stealth bomber prototype loaded for bear with 12 nuclear-armed cruise missiles. I desperate race ensues between the Russians and Americans as each country tries to get their hands on the bomber at all costs and by any means necessary. Storms batter the area of operations and sleeper agents engage in sabotage, making it near impossible for the US to respond to Russian aggressions and attempts to recover their bomber. However, the US is fortunate to have an island of misfit soldiers close to the action who they must rely on to save the day. They’re not the A-team. Hell they’re not even the B,C, D or E team. But they’re the team of underdogs America needs in this very moment to thwart all-out nuclear war. Will they be successful? You’ll just have to pick up a copy of Arctic Storm Rising to find out for yourself.

As much as I enjoyed the McClanahan universe Dale Brown has written about for many years, I believe Artic Storm Rising is a nice change of direction that will garner him more traditional-minded military thriller fans. The book still has the great character development and geopolitical plotlines that the author is known for, he just replaces sci-fi weaponry and battles in the dark vacuum of space with traditional soldiers wielding modern-day weapons while fighting on the frozen Alaskan arctic tundra.

As a result, Dale Brown delivers yet another captivating tale pitting Americans vs. Russians with the whole world facing dire consequences. He takes the time to set the stage and develop the characters before sprinting for the finish line with astonishingly intense action sequences. Consequently, Arctic Storm Rising is a fun thrill ride that is guaranteed to be enjoyed by fans Mr. Brown’s prior work as well as fans of military thrillers by authors such as Brad Taylor, Ben Coes and Ward Larsen to name a few. Preorder a copy now and get ready to meet Nick Flynn, the genre’s newest hero.

I did not previously have the honor of reading a Dale Brown thriller but after reading this, I plan to order a few of his earlier books with the hopes they are as good as this one. Nick Flynn, an intelligence officer is off in Africa and comes across something that seems a little off. He is told by those higher up the food chain to mind his business. He ends up saving the lives of many in the larger group and gets repaid for this heroism by being exiled to a military base in Alaska. This is where the story begins. A stolen new age stealth bomber is up for auction from Russia..and Russia is not happy their prized possession is lost. Now starts and all out chase to find the bomber and Flynn is the only hope of the US. A great book and I hope this is a book that starts a series.
Thank you Netgalley, Dale Brown and William Morrow and Custom House for the ARC for my honest review.