Fresh and incredibly relevant to today’s geopolitical landscape, Fade In is a slow-burn thriller that meticulously sets the scene and challenges your view of global power before exploding with violence that leaves you stunned. Kyle Mills has delivered a powerful novel with a unique protagonist that will keep you riveted while asking you to ponder moral quandaries between bursts of action.

Salam al-Fayed, aka Fade, wakes up in the hospital after taking a sniper bullet to the spine. Unable to move and a shadow of the formidable Navy SEAL he used to be, he wishes for death. But then he’s resurrected, receiving the best rehabilitation money and technology can provide, as long as he signs on to the paramilitary unit of a shadowy organization run by a billionaire with designs on changing the world order. Now recovered, Fade joins a team hunting a reclusive Chinese scientist who has announced the imminent release of a virus that will wipe out over 10% of the population. Up against the clock and facing an unknown enemy force, Fade locks in and gets down to what he’s best at – succeeding at impossible missions where others will certainly fail.

Fade is a tremendous character, matching an elite tier one skillset with a nihilistic attitude that allows him to operate with freedom and a lack of concern for personal consequences because of coming back from near death on multiple occasions. He has a moral compass that seems to have some flexibility to it. He’s an independent thinker who doesn’t blindly follow orders and he’s also unafraid to challenge those in who sign his paychecks. So, while a powerful entity will want to use him as a tool to further their agendas, Fade will not do so without serious consideration first.

Additionally, this novel makes you think about significant topics in today’s world. Things like the vulnerabilities of an aging population and the desires/frustrations of younger generations who inherit the world for better or worse from their elders, the traditional power of sovereign nations vs. the emerging power of wealthy and influential individuals, and the grand possibilities of technological advancements in the field of human performance and lifespan elongation in relation to the ethical usage of such technology. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of bullets flying, hand to hand combat, and explosions contained within the pages of this book to excite an action junkie. But it’s a thinking man’s/woman’s thriller. Pensive and exhilarating. The best of both worlds.

Thriller fans will enjoy Fade In on its own merits but will also be excited for the potential of where this series can go in the future. It’s set up for more intriguing plots, ethical inquiries and exhilarating action. Can’t wait to see what Kyle Mills delivers next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC!!

I truly gobbled this one up!!
This novel continues Fade's journey!! It reintroduces Matt Egan, Fade's past best friend and rival.
This book is an enjoyable and a quick read!! Cant wait for the books to come!!!

Exciting start to a new series

I want to know more about Fade (Salam al-Fayed). He is an intriguing fellow—a former Navy SEAL who has died three times and come back to life. Fade’s ambivalent attitude to life plays a role throughout the story. He is someone who can blend in and yet stand out. Although feeling the effects of his age, 37, he is still capable of extraordinary feats of physical endurance. He has an innate sense of strategic and situational awareness.

I haven’t read the first book, Fade, published many years ago, but his background is in this book. His last brush with death resulted in him being in a coma for a long time. As he wakes from the coma, he draws the attention of a shadowy group of billionaires who invest in his recovery. He wonders what price he will pay. Is the group out to save mankind or enslave them?

An imminent threat to the world causes extreme chaos to break out. Fade and a team of elite paramilitary deploy to locate and neutralize the threat. This results in an exciting wild ride through many locations across the globe. This is a great start to a new thriller series with a quirky, flawed main lead character. I am eager to read more adventures of Fade.

Thank you to Authors Equity and NetGalley for a digital review copy.

I really enjoyed reading this, it had that thriller element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. The concept was wonderfully done and was invested in what was happening. The characters worked well in this universe and was written in a realistic way. Kyle Mills has a strong writing style and was glad I was able to read this.

I believe a great thriller balances cool action with a fresh and exciting narrative that doesn’t feel like a rehash of something you’ve read way too many times. Fade In embodies that energy with cool twists and morally-gray character motivations that add a charismatic dimension to the story, ensuring you're invested all that much more. Kyle Mills’ take on a shadowy cabal with somewhat noble and highly pragmatic intentions hits you in the gut and will make you think a little harder about how this world has evolved over the recent years.

The author has created an excellent character. He seems to have the nine lives of a cat. He may be slowing down, but he makes up for it with experience and savvy. The plot itself, while well designed and interesting, moved a little slowly for me.

A great introduction or reintroduction to Fade by Kyle Mills. The books gives enough backstory you don't need to read the first (even though I highly recommend it). The books follows Fade's recovery from injuries in the first book. The book brings back Matt Egan, Fade's former best friend and nemesis. The story follows the search for a scientist who wants to cause another pandemic.

The books is a fun fast paced read that I highly recommend and look forward to more in the series. Also read the first book in the series when you can.