"red sky at morning" by steve wilson

About the book (from Amazon): When Marine Lieutenant Michael Neill is ordered to the former Soviet Union, his assignment is to verify nuclear disarmament. But before his mission begins, an American reconnaissance plane is attacked by a Russian fighter, and a Navy pilot is killed. After the incident, Neill’s mission changes.

Willis Avery, the President’s National Security Advisor, wants Lieutenant Neill to investigate Russian stealth technology, in addition to his original assignment. Photographic evidence—and the lack of radar images of the attacking aircraft—lead the American intelligence community to conclude that something new has been developed in the skies over Russia. Avery believes that Neill’s friendship with a high-ranking officer in the Ukrainian Air Force is the key to establishing Red Sky at Morning—the existence of new aviation technology that could upset the balance of power between East and West.

However, ultra-nationalist forces are at work. After arriving in Eastern Europe, Neill quickly uncovers a conspiracy of terrorism secretly instigated by the Kremlin. Government leaders in Moscow will stop at nothing to rebuild the Soviet Union as they try to force the breakaway republics back into the fold.

Neill discovers that the terrorism has extended to the weapons facility he is charged with inspecting. Communist agents have gone far beyond their original orders, and it’s a race against time as the Marine—with the help of a beautiful Ukrainian journalist—tries to stop them—and come up with a plan to bring down the corrupt govenment officials in Moscow.

My take: I love military movies, but I very rarely read military fiction. So it was with a little trepidation that I agreed to review Steve Wilson's Red Sky at Morning. I needn't have worried, as this book immediately grabbed my attention, and I soon found myself flying through the pages to see what would happen next.

The action moves quickly, and even though there are many characters, I didn't have trouble keeping them straight ... with one exception. The author often refers to characters by first name, last name, or both, sometimes all within the same scene. Once I figured this out, I was fine, but at first, I thought that Michael and Neill were different people!

While I enjoyed the entire book, the epilogue was, hands down, my favorite part. I don't want to spoil it, but it wraps up a minor character's story line in a most satisfying manner.

Red Sky at Morning is book one in Wilson's Michael Neill series, and I will definitely be continuing with book two. Those who enjoy military or espionage novels should definitely check these out.

My rating:  4 stars

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About the series: Red Sky at Morning (the first in the Michael Neill series) is a novel of military/espionage, with ties to Christian fiction. It explores the dynamics of faith in uniform, which are often absent from books of the same kind. There’s action, military hardware, strong core values, and even a little romance. Neill’s adventures will hold the interest of young and old, and will encourage readers to value patriotism and embrace honor and integrity.

Michael Neill was born and raised in Ukraine, the son of American missionaries. As a Marine Corps officer, Neill works counter-intelligence. He is fluent in Russian and Ukrainian and brings his linguistic skills to bear on national security issues facing the U.S. The fact that he grew up in that part of the world also gives him an edge.

Neill’s faith guides his actions. He’s an individual who has suffered his share of personal loss, and the different layers of his background are slowly revealed as the series progresses.

About the author: Steve Wilson is a multimedia designer for a large metropolitan newspaper, and has worked in advertising for over 25 years. He is a prior service Marine, now serving as a Master Sergeant in the Air Force Reserve.

Over the course of his military career, he has received the Iraq and Afghanistan Campaign Medals, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. In 2010 he was named the Air Transportation NCO of the Year. His ties to the armed forces—as well as short-term mission trips—have taken him to Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe and the Pacific, as well as the former Soviet Union. These experiences have helped to shape his story lines.

Steve is the author of Red Sky at Morning and Tempest of Fire, both military/espionage novels in the Michael Neill Adventure series. He is the father of two grown sons, and lives in Florida with his wife.

To learn more about Steve and his books, visit his website: http://stevewilsonauthor.com/ or his blog.

You can also find Steve on Facebook.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links on this page are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase a product, I will receive a commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” I am part of the CWA Review Crew.