This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
A veteran law enforcement officer, Stu has served in patrol, narcotics, criminal investigations, as an instructor of firearms and police defensive tactics and as a team leader of a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team. He is trained and qualified as a law enforcement SWAT sniper, as well as in hostage rescue and high-risk entry tactics. Recently, Stu served for three years with a U.S. Marshal’s Regional Fugitive Task Force - hunting the worst of the worst.
He is the author of multiple sci-fi/action/thriller novels, including the multi-award-winning It Takes Death To Reach A Star duology, written with co-author Gareth Worthington(Children of the Fifth Sun).
Known for his character-driven stories and blistering action sequences, Stu strives to create thought-provoking reading experiences that challenge the status quo. When he’s not chasing bad guys or writing epic stories, he can be found planning his next adventure to some remote or exotic place.
Stu is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo-Helin-Fountain literary.
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
S.H.R.E.D.: Gorgon Rising by Stu Jones is the origin story of a new superhuman series revolving around a young Hawaiian environmental activist named Sasha and the night that changed her life and her body forever. The book begins with Sasha aggressively subverting Russian whalers in her family yacht, which sinks to the bottom of the sea alongside the hopes she had for the future. A night out with her friends finds Sasha on her surfboard surrounded by a pod of orcas, until a military installation falls from the sky, altering Sasha's DNA as she is dragged deeper into the ocean. She wakes on a beach, is taken, confined, and tested by the son of a war criminal masquerading as an ally. The first look of her body shows a woman-orca hybrid, with the power to crush and the determination to find her own way. Sasha's new purpose aligns more closely with another, and she comes up against foes she had expected and others she could not have imagined would become enemies, even in her worst nightmare.
It was the cover art and concept that immediately drew me to S.H.R.E.D.: Gorgon Rising by Stu Jones. The depiction is absolutely stunning. I'm happy to report that the story itself is incredible also. Sasha is a powerhouse character and I love how her personality and passion are immediately displayed in acts that a less generous reader would likely call eco-terrorism. She is blinded by rage and capable of recklessness, but the intent is so pure and just that one cannot help but cheer her on. Until she sinks your yacht. Jager comes across initially as the father-figure-slash-enabler, allowing Sasha to indulge in her base instincts. It turns out he's no father figure at all and has his own issues. The pacing and steady stream of tension are sublime. The writing is first-rate. The plot twists are shocking, and I am grateful for the artist renderings at the back of the book because one of the more spectacular non-Sasha revelations was difficult to visualize in my mind. This is a phenomenal book and I would give it a whole bucket full of stars if I could.
