Red Star Falling, by co-authors Steve Berry, Grant Blackwood's, is the second installment in the Luke Daniels series. This novel features a character from Berry's Cotton Malone series, Luke Daniels, a thirty-something Magellan Billet agent Malone has jokingly nicknamed "Frat Boy." This story involves fascinating historical events regarding Ivan III, the Russian Civil War, the Tsarist White Army, a convent destroyed by Stalin, the Russian covert space program, and the infamous UVB-76 Russian numbers station.

Wrapping up his latest assignment for the Magellan Billet, Luke Daniels receives a surprise visit from Sean Fernando, the head of a former-CIA operation named Sommerhaus; a failed attempt to assemble an espionage network within the Ukraine on the eve of the Russian invasion. Sommerhaus ranks high on Luke’s list of painful regrets for it was during this mission that his friend, CIA case officer John Vince, was captured by Russian operatives and supposedly executed.

But Luke is provided some shocking news. Vince is alive, in failing health, locked behind the walls of Russia’s brutal Solovetsky Island prison, and has a critical message he’ll give to no one but Luke. Needing no further convincing Luke vows to bring Vince home along with Vince's lover Danielle Otero formerly of the Russian FSB. However, just as he manages to extract his friend from prison Vince tragically dies and his final words are rambling and incoherent.

Just bits and pieces. But enough to plunge Luke into a hunt for something lost since the 15th century. The legendary library of the first Tsar of All Russia, Ivan the Terrible. Within that priceless collection of rare manuscripts is the key to unraveling a modern-day cipher and stopping a secret Soviet satellite program called Red Star that still exists. But Luke is not the only one on the trail.

Others, both inside and out of Russia, including those you will likely surprise you, want the library for a totally different reason to re-start the Red Star program and finally unleash its destructive potential to take out the current President of Russia who has launched invasions against George, Crimea, and Ukraine. Luke’s mission is clear. Find the lost library, solve the puzzle, and prevent Red Star falling.

*Thoughts* This is one those stories that is filled with historical events, and people including a former Russian President who was responsible for the end of Soviet Russia. While there is a lot of focus on historical events, I don't think I found it painful, or boring. As I said, this is the second of three Luke Daniels adventures. The first dealt with the Kennedy assassination. The authors claim the next book will release in 2026 because of their commitments to writing more Cotton Malone books, and Blackwoods own series.

I like the Luke Daniel’s series better with every book. Once a part of the Cotton Malone series, it is good that Luke has his own. Cotton is still mentioned occasionally and that is nice for loyal readers of Steve Berry. This book has such a correlation with Putin and his invasion of Ukraine that, even with different names, there is no denying the relevance to today. Hopefully, the nuclear part is really fiction and we don’t have that hanging over our heads, literally.

Red Star Falling by Steve Berry and Grant Blackwood is a Luke Daniels thriller in which the erstwhile protegee of MagellanBillet and Cotton Malone strives to rescue a captured comrade and in doing so manages to disrupt a nuclear disaster. It is loosely based on people and situations in today’s world. Aleksi Delov is the dying ninety-something ex-president of Russia. He had guided Russia into democracy after decades of Communism and authoritarianism. He is now dying and feels the need to try and correct the current course of his motherland which has deteriorated under the current regime. His solution is a drastic one, the possibility of which is known only to himself and two others. He entrusts his head of security to retrieve one of these men to set the ball rolling. At the same time, Sean Fernando, CIA, has a source telling him that missing operative, John Vince, has been located and he has contacted Luke Daniels to locate and rescue him. Stephanie, Luke’s boss at Magellan Billet agrees to Luke’s involvement but cautions it will be an off-the-books op with not support from her agency. Luke dives in headfirst.

An engaging thriller of the first water, Luke meets and kills a plethora of bad men. Some good ones get killed, too, but not by Luke’s hand. One thing leads to another and Luke and Danielle Otero, John’s girlfriend, who became his new partner, locate John and orchestrate a rescue, not only of him, but of a high-value Russian prisoner. It is then it becomes obvious that there is someone else chasing the same things they are and they discover what before Efim Kozar dies. It all becomes much more a matter of life and death. It is an engaging thriller, with an engaging hero. At this time there is only one more Luke Daniels thriller in the offing. Thanks Steve Berry and Grant Blackwood for writing an engaging book.

I was invited to read Red Star Falling by Grand Central Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #GrandCentralPublishing #SteveBerry #GrantBlackwood #RedStarFalling

In the book Red Star Falling, author Steve Berry continues the Luke Daniels series, a spin-off of the Cotton Malone series. Daniels learns that a former friend, CIA case officer John Vince, who was captured by Russian operatives and supposedly executed, is still alive and being held in a secret island Russian prison. He has secret information that he will only give to Luke. Can Luke get John out alive? And what is this secret that Vince has? And what does this secret have to do with a secret Soviet Cold War satellite system that was thought to be decommissioned? This is another great book by Steve Berry continuing the Luke Daniels series. I would recommend this book. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A remnant of the Cold War could provide a way to curtail Russian aggression

Konstantin Franko, the current leader of Russia, is waging war in Ukraine, determined to cement his place in history by regaining control of lands which had been part of the Soviet Union regardless of the cost. The US and other countries want to stop him, as do many within his own country (though mentioning such things inside Russia generally brings to the speaker a death sentence)….but how? Enter Luke Daniels, former Army Ranger and currently an agent with the Justice Department’s Magellan Billet (and protégé of the legendary Cotton Malone). Luke is approached by Sean Fernando, part of the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, who asks him to contact an asset claiming to have information about John Vince. Vince was a CIA operative partnered with Luke a few years earlier; the two were assembling a network of local spies inside of Ukraine who would assist the West in countering the Russian’s expansionist actions until those assets began disappearing, then dying. When Vince too vanished, he was presumed either dead or captured and held prisoner by the Russians. Abandoning a comrade has never been in Luke’s DNA, so when he is given intel that Vince is alive and in a particular Russian prison there is no question about what needs to be done. With Danielle Ortero, former SVR operative and the asset who provided the intel about Vince’s current whereabouts, Luke sets out first to verify that Vince is alive and then, if true, bring him out. The mission becomes intertwined with a plan inside Russia headed by Aleksei Delos, a former Russian president who wants to stop Franko from destroying the country that Delos had worked so hard to bring out of the grip of communism. Turns out that there is one remaining satellite still in orbit around Earth from the Red Star program, a satellite that carries a nuclear payload that (with the right set of codes) could be armed and directed to drop from orbit and detonate over a chosen target. Delos knows where to find the people who know those codes, and wants them to use the satellite to take Franko and his supporters off the map. Luke is tasked with finding those same people and having them program the satellite to self-destruct. It is a race against time, and no one can be sure which side anyone is on. If there is a way to remove a malign power from existence, is it worth it to do so regardless of the cost? To succeed in his mission, Luke will need to rely upon other people in order to deactivate this powerful weapon….but they may not share his goal.
Readers of Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone series first met Luke Daniels within those novels. Red Star Falling is the second solo outing for Luke, and although it is not necessary to have read any of the earlier books to enjoy this one (it reads well enough as a standalone), those who have read any of them will have a wider understanding of Luke and the world in which he operates. Cotton Malone doesn’t make an appearance here, although his name is invoked a few times. Much of what I have come to expect in a Steve Berry novel can be found here….a tough, smart, wise-cracking agent who regularly colors outside the lines but gets the job done when others fail; a literary-related mystery, here the existence of the Lost Library of Ivan the Terrible; people who should be trustworthy but aren’t, which can prove deadly; and the moral dilemma faced by those who are the tip of the spear in geopolitical conflicts. There’s plenty of action, and given the state of world affairs the situation created here certainly rings true….I felt there were a couple of spots where the action flagged while characters became verbally introspective, but all in all it was an enjoyable read that fans of Jack Carr, Brad Thor and Robert Ludlum (as well as those of authors Steve Berry and Grant Blackwood) will enjoy. Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me early access to this adventure.

But there was still that crap.

Determined to rescue the partner he’d left behind Luke Daniels finds himself embroiled in a situation way bigger than anything he’s ever faced before in this action packed adventure that also doubles as a in depth history lesson of the former USSR. I can guarantee you’ll never look up at the sky the same way again after reading this!

I received a copy of this title from the publisher; all thoughts expressed are my own. Red Star Falling is the second of three Luke Daniels focused stories, but it can be read as a standalone title. In Red Star Falling, Luke is pulled into events that quickly spiral out of control when he receives word that a former colleague of his, John Vince may be alive and being held is an off the books Russian prison. The two worked together to set up a network of informants in Ukraine prior to a Russian invasion. Although the Russia in the book is led by fictional leaders, they are very recognizable to anyone on who is supposed to be who. Luke teams up with a disenchanted former Russian intelligence offers with a connection to Vince and they work to free him as quickly as possible. What they uncover is a secret beyond imagination that leads them across a hostile Russia racing to stop a large-scale mass murder. In his second solo outing, Luke more than proves he can star on his own without an assist from Steve Berry's Cotton Malone. This book has a very interesting premise that at times is just a little too believable to the reader. I love the high-octane race across Russia and the cast of characters supporting Luke and his adventure. My only quibble is that I was expecting a little bit more connection to between Ivan the Terrible's lost library and the events in the book, but definitely didn't diminish my enjoyment of the title. I'm looking forward to the next title to feature Luke Daniels and am hoping the authors will agree to additional titles featuring him.

I loved this so much! Luke Daniels is such a great character and I am glad he is getting to shine in his own series. This book mostly takes place in Russia, and there is a lot of Russian history revealed as well as a storyline with very familiar current events. I look forward to the next book in this series!

On the eve of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Luke’s friend and a CIA case officer was captured and reportedly executed. So when Luke learns that Vince is alive but in poor health, he vows to bring Vince home, even though that means breaking him out of a high security Russian prison. In the course of this mission, Luke learns of the secrets that are rumored to be hidden in the legendary library of Ivan the Terrible – if it still exists – and learning those secrets is crucial to keep the Russians in check and prevent a massive catastrophe.

Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone series is probably my favorite series, and I enjoyed Luke’s appearances in those books, so I was happy to see him get his own series. Although he has a slightly different skill set, Luke reminds me of the Cotton Malone we met in the early books of that series. He is intelligent, knowledgeable, quick-thinking and resourceful, but at the same time, he isn’t hesitant to ask for help and/or more information about things he’s not familiar with. In the two books of this series so far, he’s thrown in his lot with someone else who seems to want the same thing/s he does, but he does so with caution.

There was a lot going on in this book, with threads of stories weaving in and out of the narrative, making the reader wonder how on earth they might all be connected – and if you’ve read enough of Steve Berry’s books, you know they eventually *will turn out to be connected :) I gave up trying to figure it all out, and even trying to figure out who were the good guys (gals?) and just enjoyed the story. The confrontation scene was intense and kept me turning pages until it was over, but I wasn’t surprised by the way things worked out in the end.

I can’t wait to read the next book in this series, but I’m hopeful that there will be another Cotton Malone book before then for Steve Berry fans to enjoy.

"Red Star Falling" by Steve Berry and Grant Blackwood is a fast-paced, four-star read filled with action and adventure! This is the second installment in the Luke Daniels series. Luke is approached about a failed mission from his past, Sommerhaus, in which his friend, CIA case officer John Vince, was captured by Russian operatives and believed to have been killed. Luke is told that his friend is alive and being held in a remote Russian prison. With help from his employer, the Magellan Billet, Luke embarks on a dangerous mission to bring his friend home.
That’s just the beginning, as Luke finds himself falling deeper into danger.

I really enjoyed this book. Overall, the book moved ahead at a fast pace. There were a couple of parts that moved more slowly, and I just wanted them to get on with it already. I loved all the history included throughout the story. I sometimes had to stop to search for a topic that I wanted to know more about. I would recommend this book to thriller fans as well as anyone interested in Russian history. I have only read the Luke Daniels series, but I think I need to go back to the Cotton Malone series as there were a lot of quotes from him in this book.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, Steve Berry, Grant Blackwood, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

For the most part I enjoyed this book but parts of it felt a little jumbled especially when he tried to use multiple character POV within one chapter.

Thank You NetGalley for a pre-release of Red Star Falling.

This is the second installment of Luke’s stand alone novels. Sometimes side series disappoint - but not this one. A long time Steve Berry reader, I absolutely love this new spinoff. In turn Steve Berry fashion, this book has action, suspense, misdirection, ancient relics, and is grounded in believable history. I’m looking for the next installment in this series.

This is a fast moving action novel and keeps the reader engaged. Luke Daniels is asked by the CIA to assist them in rescuing his friend from Russia. Of course, the rescue mission becomes so much more.

In this book, readers will learn about Russian history and culture. Steve Berry has as usual a note at the end of the book about what is true and not true in the story. I recommend this book to anyone that likes thriller type books.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Following The 9th Man, which is Steve Berry's first book with the Luke Daniels protagonist, I expected more tight plotting and realistic fight scenes in Red Star Falling, the second in this series. I loved The 9th Man, but while Red Star Falling is good, it is not the great read I was looking for.
In this time out Luke Daniels goes into Russia to rescue an American spy and friend who Daniels thought was dead. During the mission Daniels finds out that an old satellite called Red Star is circling the Earth with a nuclear war head attached and now someone is trying to use it. The legendary library of the first Tsar of Russia, Ivan the Terrible, is involved! In fact a lot of history is thrown at the reader throughout the book -- the over-dose on history tends to take the reader out of the plot one time too many. Others are involved in finding the Red Star, of course, but while the storyline is logical, it does seem to be a bit over the top as the others involved are trying to use the weapon for a very strange purpose.
I always like Steve Berry thrillers and Red Star Falling was no different. Sometimes a book strikes you as over the top one day and just right the next day. Comparing this book to the first in the series brings this book up short, however, because The 9th Man was so good. For those who are following Luke Daniels, I think you will be happy to read this new outing -- it is a good thriller, if not a great thriller.
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. Red Star Falling will be published on June 11, 2024.

Steve Berry along with his co-author Grant Blackwood bring us a second standalone Luke Daniels adventure in “Red Star Falling”. Daniels is the young Cotton Malone sidekick at the Magellan Billet, off on another save the world adventure.

As Luke is finishing his current assignment he gets some shocking news: John Vince, Luke’s friend and a CIA operative who was captured by the Russians in a failed mission that Luke was a part of, is still alive and in a Russian prison. He has an important message for Luke, a message that could change the course of history. Teaming up (somewhat unwillingly) with an asset who turns out to be Vince’s girlfriend, Luke infiltrates into Russia and manages to find his friend, too late to save him. But the chilling message reveals a dark cold war secret: Russia had nuclear warheads in space aimed at targets around the world, the Red Star program, and one of those warheads is still active, waiting for the code to send it back down to earth.

Luke is not the only one searching for the key, other factions have their own reasons to release that weapon and each is after the secret codes, tied to the lost library of Ivan the Terrible, to arm and deploy the one remaining Red Star. Will Luke be able to stop their plans and prevent the unthinkable from happening?

Another decent solo outing for Luke, in line with all of Mr. Berry’s books, a lot of action, less ancient history than normal, and a few surprises along the way. A nice quick read, perfect to keep us interested until the next Cotton Malone adventure comes riding in.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

Third in the Luke Daniel’s series another page turner. this one based in Russia.A wonderful story blending history and a really well written story line.#netgalley #grandcentral

I like how Mr. Berry incorporates history into his books. In all honesty, I prefer the Cotton Malone character of Luke Daniels.

Luke Daniels returns in this new thriller from the writing team of Steve Berry and Grant Blackwood. Daniels is a former Army Ranger who finds himself dealing with a missing American spy believed to be imprisoned in Russia. Daniels takes on the covert task to rescue his fellow patriot and at the same time try to uncover the mystery of something called Red Star.

Turns out Red Star is a former Russian program to load a single nuclear warhead on satellites that circled the globe. Turns out all but one of these satellites is still active and loaded with a warhead, something that the United States wants to stop.

The Russian President is a Putin-in-disguise dictator and is being targeted by his predecessor, the former President, to remove from office any way possible. The goal here is to drop Red Star's weapon on top of the Kremlin in Moscow.

This is a basic look at the plot; there is a lot of fast-moving action and the story will keep the reader engaged although you have to suspend believability in places in the book. I give it a four star rating.

Red Star Falling will be a good beach read for summer or for anytime you want a thriller. I want to thank the authors, publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book. My review is unbiased and original.

Red Star Falling is the second book in the Luke Daniels series by Steve Berry and Grant Blackwood. Luke Daniels is making his way home from his latest assignment when he is visited by the head of a former-CIA operation named Sommerhaus. During Sommerhaus one of Luke's friends, John Vince, was captured by Russia and believed to be dead. Luke is informed that it is believed that Vince is alive and they need Luke to help extract John from Russia. Along the way Luke learns of an old Russian program known as Red Star, that the former Russian president is trying to restart. Luke must rescue John as well as beat the enemy to restarting Red Star.

While this book emphasizes the hunt for Ivan the Terrible's missing library, it is a very minor part of the story and only holds the key to starting the Red Star program. A book within the library was used to make a cipher for the commands to control Red Star.

I love reading books by Steve Berry because of the history he includes throughout the stories. I also enjoy that at the end he talks about the history that is included and separates the facts from fiction.

I did enjoy this book, but not as much as the first in the series. I felt this one moved at a slower pace and lacked the usual wit and humor that is characteristic of Luke Daniels. While this is the second in the series, you do not have to read the first to enjoy the book as there is no connection between the two and works as a standalone. I love the character and am looking forward to the next book in the series. While it has been said that there will only be 3 books in the series, I hope that Steve and Grant find a way to continue this series beyond that.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central for the pre-release copy of Red Star Falling. Below is my honest review.

I'm a long-time fan of Steve Berry and his Cotton Malone series, and I was super pumped when I found out that side character Luke Daniels was going to get his own spinoff trilogy, co-written with Grant Blackwood.

This one takes Luke into the heart of Russia, working with a turned asset to rescue an old friend. As Luke and this asset get deeper into the plot, their path begins to steamroll towards a Russian political battle that has the potential for massive, global fallout.

I really like Luke as a main character. I think he's got that something that it takes to lead a series, and I actually really hope we get more than three of these co-written books. For a second book in a trilogy, this one was still top notch. Usually book two in a trilogy can have some serious "filler" vibes, but Berry and Blackwood didn't slow down on the gas for this one, and it kept the same punch.

Looking forward to the third, and hoping that's not all we get of Luke - at the very least, fold him back into the main series, please!!!