Rogue Elements (2024)

In Estonia, a CIA team attempts to extract an informant.  The operation is compromised, and the team is either killed or captured.  Volkov, who is in charge of the Russian forces, suddenly finds himself targeted by an unseen sniper.  He escapes though not all of his men survive.  A video showing the interrogation and execution of the captured CIA agents was sent to Langley.  Volkov was most interested in discovering who rescued Maras from a Siberian prison; Ryan Drake's name was offered.  The CIA director is not happy.  Ryan Drake is sent to recover the informant, which will probably end up being a trap.  His teammates are less than eager.  Drake and Frost - who is the computer whiz of the group - infiltrate the warehouse while Deitrich - who is fluent in Russian - provides a distraction at the front gate.  Things go mostly smoothly until Frost realized there are Rogue Elements involved.  The mysterious sniper from the opening returns to finish the job.

The story takes place sometime after the events in Redemption.  Anya, AKA Maras, was tortured by Volkov and she intends to settle that score.  She owes Drake a debt for her extraction but she's not going to let him get in the way of her vengeance.

Drake and his team come across as only moderately competent.  The same is true of the Russians.  The original CIA team was clearly incompetent to have been so easily surprised and taken down.  Even Anya, who has the most experience, makes some boneheaded blunders.  Most surprising was how the female characters repeatedly stood toe to toe with larger men while brawling.  Sorry, not going to happen.  The idea of Frost holding the knife away from her neck while a man twice her size is shoving down with his weight is just unbelievable.  Clearly, the makers knew that which is why the villain says, "I'm not even trying."  Yeah, okay.

In his Critical Drinker persona, I doubt Will Jordon would speak favorably of this.  It's a run-of-the-mill espionage story with a predictable plot and uninspiring characters.  Given the time constraints - it is only 40 minutes, there isn't much room to develop the characters or have an intricate plot.  Of course, this is basically a pilot, an effort to get something more going for his Drake series (9 books so far).  I would watch episode 2, which makes this a success.

Redemption (Book 1 of Ryan Drake Series)

Iraqi Desert, 2007

Ryan Drake is sprawled on the sand, a bullet wound in his abdomen.  He's bleeding out.  His final thoughts are how she said he was a good man.

2 weeks earlier

Mosul, Iraq

A predator drone has gone offline.  When command regains control, they discover that it has fired its complement of Hellfire missiles and flattened part of Mosul.  Someone has hacked the system.

Washington, D.C.

Ryan Drake receives a call from his friend and superior, Dan Franklin.  Franklin needs a team to extract a valuable target from a Russian prison in Siberia.  He has less than a week to get the job done.  Drake accepts the job and learns he is recovering a rogue operative who goes by the codename of Maras.  When he sees the picture, he is seduced by her beauty and the mettle in her eyes.  Franklin refuses to provide any further intel on her.  Drake quickly assembles a team, which is not entirely to his liking, but time is short.  The team will parachute in, secure the operative, and egress via a helicopter.  Sounds easy but it proves a challenging operation.  Maras has been in solitary for several years and isn't the most grateful rescuee.  They have hardly returned her to Washington when she's snatched from her handlers and the team has to chase her across the United States and even overseas.

Overall, a great spy thriller with twists and turns, plenty of action, and some engaging characters.  I liked Drake though some of his emotional issues didn't fit his line of work.  Maras was the strong female and just too overpowered.  I didn't mind that she was a great shot, an excellent tactician, or could read people like a book.  However, when she easily defeats trained fighters who are much bigger and stronger than her, it went a little too far.  The villain, Munro, had that magical ability to vanish while the heroes were occupied with something else.

Of particular note, the author is Will Jordan AKA The Critical Drinker.  He can write a story, which shows that he can create as well as criticize.

Recommended.