Having read a majority of the Splinter Cell books, I can confidently say Dragonfire by James Swallow is one of the best installments. In this fast-paced action thriller, Sam Fisher finds himself on the wrong side of an international incident and he must rely on himself and only himself to get out of it. But little does he know that his only daughter Sarah is breaking all the rules of their agency Fourth Echelon to try to help him when no one will. The plot with this story is much more grounded than in previous books in the series and the character development is notably better, especially in Sarah. In the past, the protagonist Sam Fisher is almost invincible in both his ability and the situations he finds himself in. One of my favorite aspects of this story was that for once, Sam finally finds himself in a situation where he completely vulnerable and without all his "gadgets" and mission support. I feel it was a much needed humanization of his character and made him much more believable as a human. This coupled with the vulnerability he shows in his relationship with Sarah, this book has done more for developing Sam's character than every book since the first two. This book does not disappoint with the action sequences as it has all the fast-paced action one comes to expect with this series. One of the few problems I had with this story was the inclusion of other Tom Clancy characters from other series as it felt forced and didn't really add too much to the overall story. I also felt the opening conflict was stretched out too much and made the story longer than necessary. Other than that, I really enjoyed this novel as it kept me on edge and wanting to see what Sam does next. If you're a fan of the Splinter Cell games or novels, I think you'd enjoy this book as it is true to the series and hits all the points needed for a great action-packed thriller. Thank you to Aconyte Books for the ARC.

Splinter Cell: Dragonfire continues the story of Fourth Echelon agent Sam Fisher and his daughter, Sarah, that was begun in last year's Splinter Cell: Firewall, as our heroes face one of their toughest challenges yet when they find themselves caught up in a plot to push the world to the brink of war in order to destabilise a global power.

Splinter Cell: Firewall was a tech heavy book. It was about shady businessmen creating a powerful piece of technology that they wanted to turn to evil ends. In contrast, this new book feels like a much more back to basics action thriller, and with a few teaks it could easily work in any recent decade due to not having to rely on cutting edge technology to drive the story forward. This results in the book feeling like a perfect companion piece to the other, with both of these books showing the versatility of these characters and the world originally created by Tom Clancy; now continued with such flair by James Swallow.

Splinter Cell: Dragonfire sees veteran agent Sam Fisher being sent on a top secret mission into North Korea in order to assassinate a dangerous figure. Deep behind enemy lines, Sam has been told that his target has control of a weapon of mass destruction, and that millions of lives and global stability are on the line. However, moments before pulling the trigger Sam realises that he's been set up, and that he's been tricked into killing an important political figure. Despite stopping the assassination in time, Sam is caught and it looks to the world like the US is trying to kill one of the most important figures in North Korea.

A prisoner of the insular nation, Sam is cast off by his government and left alone to not only fight for his freedom, but to try and get to the bottom of the conspiracy that almost saw him kill the wrong man. Fortunately for him, his friends and family refuse to abandon him, even if his government has, and his daughter Sarah sets out to save her father.

Splinter Cell: Dragonfire might be the best of the Splinter Cell books that I've read due to the fact that Swallow has stripped away a lot of the high-tech gadgetry and tech wizardry that tends to go with these kinds of stories. Sam is no longer kitted out with the best weapons and devices, he doesn't have a tech genius talking in his ear, and his back-up isn't hacking their way into secure systems for him whilst he takes out bad guys who don't even know he's there. This time the tables have been turned. Sam is alone, he's scavenging weapons where he can, he's taping books to himself to use as body armour, he's stealing cars, and he's kicking in doors. He's been reduced to simply being a man; and yet he manages to still be one of the most frighteningly efficient and skilled men around.

I'm sure that there will be those that love the parts of the series that this book seems to do away with, and might even be upset that they're missing here; but I think it makes the story better. We're getting to see Sam Fisher in a new way, it's impressing upon the reader that it's the man, not the weapons and gadgets, that makes him who he is, and it shows how Splinter Cell doesn't have to just sit in one particular box.

The book also continues to expand upon the relationship between Sam and Sarah that was built in the last book, with Sarah having joined Fourth Echelon as a field agent. At the end of that book Sam asked his boss to try and keep Sarah away from the field, and danger, as much as possible; and here we see the result of that. Their relationship is strained, even close to breaking; but when things go wrong and her father is in danger she's willing to come to his aid. It's a nice continuation, and their development here fits perfectly with what was done in the last book.

Splinter Cell: Dragonfire feels like a bold departure from what people expect of the series. It takes some risks, does things different, and ends up being all the more enjoyable for having done so. More stories like with this Sam Fisher are a must to keep things interesting.

This was a brilliant story. It was so full of action. There was never a dull moment. It has been some time since I read splinter Cell, but it didn't take me long to get into the story. The pace of the book was fantastic. I love the way the author wrote this book. It was so descriptive and atmospheric. There was plenty to be on the edge of your seat for. I certainly recommend reading this book, especially if you love high action books.

So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating such a thrilling story that had me frantically turning the pages to find out what would happen next. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author and series.
The above review has already been placed on goodreads ,waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog
https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/splinter-cell-dragonfire-by-james-swallow-aconyte-books-4-stars under ladyreading365

Great story. I've been a Tom Clancy fan since he started writing stories, and James Swallow keeps on the tradition fabulously. Will recommend to friends and family for sure.

My reviews are always 100% honest and my own opinions. I will try to never fully spoil a plot. This particular copy I was given access to a copy to review via netgalley. #NetGalley #AconyteBooks #SplinterCellDragonfire #JamesSwallow #TomClancysSplinterCell #TieInFiction

Dragonfire is a action-packed edge of your seat thriller that sees Sam Fisher’s toughest mission yet. Fourth Echelon agent Sam Fisher finds himself trapped inside North Korea on the run when a secret mission goes fatally wrong. Now Sam is hunted by his adversaries but worse than that betrayed by his allies and disavowed by his own agency. The only chance of survival is to uncover the murderous plot that reaches into the heart of the hermit state. But all is not lost while Sam struggles his estranged daughter Sarah risk everything to assemble an off the books effort to find her missing father before his luck runs out but it doesn’t take long to realise that the conspiracy that framed Sam goes deeper than either of them could have ever imagined.

The second Splinter Cell book by James Swallow and Aconyte is arguably better than the first. We are dropped literally into the action and it does not let up from the get go. Part thriller, part mystery this book will keep you on the edge of your seat and sprinkle in a few easter eggs to previous games and books along the way. That said I would argue you don’t even have to be a Splinter Cell fan to enjoy this thriller. Of course you may miss the easter eggs but this is a perfect military action thriller that will be sure to tick a lot of boxes.

If you are a fan of the games you will not be disappointed in the slightest since this reads just like the games – that is to say it is full of action from the start. A definite must read for thriller fans or Splinter Cell fans.

This review was originally published on NetGalley.com. I was given an ebook freely by NetGalley and the book’s publisher in return for a voluntary and honest review.

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Dragonfire
By James Swallow

This is only my second book I’ve read in the Splinter Cell brand. I think I may have played one of the earlier games. This book is the second book in James Swallow’s series. It’s the only one I’ve read by him so I’m not sure how connected the books/stories are from each book. I wasn’t at all lost or confused by the plot or characters so I’m under the belief this is a loose series.

Swallow does a great job bringing the action in the story. We open up on a mission in full swing and when Sam Fisher gets back his plan is to spend some quality time with his daughter only to be thrust right back into the action. A simple assassination turns into a conspiracy that leaves Fisher on the run trying to solve the mystery before an entire country finds and kills him.

Fisher and his daughter take the main stage throughout the story leaving the rest of the characters to be pretty one sided with little growth. Fisher is coming to terms with his age and the fact he isn’t recovering so quickly from all the strain of the job while also wanting to spend more time with his daughter. Sarah Fisher is trying to decide if she wants to continue to work with her Dad or if she needs to strike out on her own. Sam Fisher casts a large shadow.

In the end the Fishers save the day but their lives don’t reset for a new adventure. There’s real consequences for the actions taken in the book which I really enjoyed. This is definitely a popcorn book with tons of action and a quick pace. However there is the possibility that it could become something deeper if given the chance. The characters are primed to be explored more seriously and I for one would be all for it.

For a book based on a video game one might consider it meant for teenagers. The language and violence makes it lean towards an adult audience. It’s right in the middle if the book had an additional 100 pages to flesh out all the characters and the plot it would definitely be a five star book but as is a great book.

I'd like to start off by sincerely thanking Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to yet again review and critique an advanced reading copy of the next installment into the Splinter Cell series. I absolutely adore SC, as a 2 decade-long fan of the series, and the fact that they're still creating new content in the format of novels makes me ecstatic beyond words.

Once again, James Swallow did an excellent job. He clearly knows not only the audience well, but the SC world also. He brought back a lot of the same cast that we know and love - Sam (duh), Sarah, Grim, Charlie Cole, Briggs, Kobin, Vic Coste. He also had PLENTY of easter-egg tie -ins from previous games and novels, which I LOVED, and I'm sure other fans will too. Some of the most notable ones that caught my eye include (without explicit spoilers):

--> Reference to Chaos Theory's South Korea Mission ("the hawks in Pyongyang had doubled down and launched an armored thrust into the South [Korea]"….as well as reference to Admiral Otomo in Chaos Theory "…it was revealed that a rogue Japanese admiral had hacked the missile system to push the North into the role of belligerent"
--> Reference to Kestrel from Conviction - "Loskov. Also known as Kestrel, Mikhael Loskov has once been part of Voron, the ruthless Russian covert agency that mirrored the structure and profile of Fouth Echelon".
--> References to previous characters that we've grown to know (and sometimes love) including Doug Shetland, Dima Aslanov, Lambert , etc
--> Referenced one of the 3rd echelon tech geniuses who's position is similar to that of Charlie Cole's - Charles Fryman
--> Also included a cool reference to Grim's Icelandic background (and you can maybe even consider this a nod to another Ubisoft game) - "If you want to go to Valhalla, you must have a sword in your hand when you die"

The pacing of this one was perfect. This story follows the journey of Sam as he embarks on a mission overseas (as per usual), however the outcome is not what we'd expect. He gets captured, and we're shown another side of Fourth Echelon - the side that essentially cuts ties to their SC agents upon capture, and sweeps them aside as if they never existed. Every SC agent knows that if captured, the US government, NSA, and Fourth Echelon will consider the agent burned, leave them in the dark, and erase any evidence of their existence. This was a very interesting direction to take the story (and one we've never seen enacted before). This novel also continues the story of Sarah Fishes as she's settling more into her role at Fourth Echelon, and following in her father's footsteps.

The end of this novel (without spoilers), left me a little shocked (but also not really….you'll see what I mean).
It paves the way very well for another installment, and I am really excited to see where they take this.

Once again, excellent job James Swallow. I sincerely hope that the next installment is not too far behind!
This title is expected to be released on January 3rd, 2023, and I can't wait for other fans of the series to experience this!

4.5 ⭐

Wow, was this good! James Swallow continues to write bangers with Splinter Cell: Dragonfire. Sam Fisher of Fourth Echelon is on a top-secret assignment in North Korea for an assassination. At the last minute, Fisher realizes he has been played and finds himself alone and hunted in North Korea. Fisher must undercover a conspiracy that could start World War III, But being abandoned and on the run in North Korea means Fisher faces the longest of odds. Basically on a suicide mission, Fisher needs help but can't imagine any coming.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is in terrific hands with James Swallow. Splinter Cell: Dragonfire is a full-throated thriller that starts on page one and doesn't let up till the last page. The story is one of the more unique and audacious plots I've read recently in an area that hasn't been written into the ground.

Splinter Cell: Dragonfire and James Swallow deliver a thriller on par with some of the greats and should not be missed by any fan of the genre.

My sincere thanks to James Swallow, Aconyte, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Dragonfire.

This follow up to Firewall once again proves that the Splinter Cell series is in the safe hands of an author who knows how to take the series to new heights & deliver a thrilling plot!
Fisher finds himself betrayed & alone behind enemy lines in North Korea, caught in a conspiracy that could lead to all out war. Loved the use of the Ghosts in this one as well & the character of Sarah Fisher is a firm favourite! Cracking ending and cannot wait for more! Fans of the series & high-octane thrillers will not be disappointed!

I was a Splinter Cell virgin before I read this amazing book, never played the game and never read one of the books. The latter I will correct soon.
What a page turner Dragonfire was. From an explosive start in Africa, we follow Sam Fisher to North Korea where he is sent by Fourth Echelon for an assassination. But nothing there is as he was told and soon he gets captured and thrown in a cell. Back in the US his daughter Sarah learns about that and, also being a Fourth Echelon agent, hurries for his rescue with the help of a few friends. Lots of twists and turns along the way in this fantastic action novel. I loved the characters and the story telling.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Loved it.
I have been hoping we’d get a new game for ages now but this was definitely the next best thing!!!!

The world, the story and characters Spot on!!!!

Definitely going to read again!


Thank you Netgalley

James Swallow scores a lethal hit with Splinter Cell: Dragonfire that ramps up the awesomeness of the Splinter Cell games to a whole another level and blows past the high bar set by its predecessor, Splinter Cell: Firewall. If you thought you’d seen all there is to about Sam Fisher, you’re in for an action-filled treat that’s going to have you giddy and full of adrenaline.
Sam Fisher finds himself in hot waters when he’s set up and arrested in North Korea behind enemy lines. Declared persona non grata, he has to fight for his life any way he can. His only hope beyond his own training and survival skills is his daughter, Sarah Fisher, who will put her skills as a recent inductee of the Splinter Cell program to the test when she has to go dark in order to save her father’s life. Adding to the complexity of infiltrating enemy lines without backup is a new cabal of shadowy forces working in conjunction to bring an end to the Korean War in a rather explosive and destructive manner, having the means and reach to turn everyone against the Fishers.
An action-heavy synopsis as this merits gritty and smooth combat sequences. James Swallow captures the vibrant and fluid nature of the video games when it comes to the pulse-pounding shootouts and raw hand to hand fisticuffs. From the very beginning, the bar is set high for action when we get a glimpse of panther-like stealth combat followed by an all-out chaotic battle between Sam and his adversaries. Sam Fisher is revered by action-thriller fans as an iconic assassin with ‘tacticool’ gadgets and weaponry and this is an aspect James Swallow explores to the maximum without compromising the finality of danger that lies in every decision Fisher makes on the ground. Fans of the Ghost Recon video games will be pleased to see the titular team of operatives making a fun cameo in this entry.
What further makes Splinter Cell: Dragonfire a distinctive thriller in the modern narrative is the presence of fresh villains and a plotline both far from saturated topics in the genre. The cabal of antagonists is shown to be bigger than just a few players, hinting at a possible return in the sequels with something even more sinister. Drawing from his experience of the Nomad series, James Swallow is terrific at world-building as we see a whole universe of characters that not only live up to our expectations but also improve upon their 3D dimensionality to appear even more grounded and exciting.
Splinter Cell: Dragonfire is the best kind of book you can hope to read when you’re craving top-notch action and a refreshing roster of characters and motivations that fuel the narrative.

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