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Forsaken Patriots #1
Fault Lines: Forsaken Patriots
Deadly resurrection.
Former Army Ranger Jack Bradshaw has found a niche in the civilian world as a private investigator and part-time executive protection agent. His new task of protecting a political activist was accepted with reluctance. It rapidly heats up when an attempt is made on his principal's life.
In the wake of that attempt, Bradshaw unearths a horrifying the would-be assassins are in league with an enemy Bradshaw thought he had killed in Afghanistan.
Past and present collide as Bradshaw works outside the law in a race to discover the truth. What he brings to light will be radically life-changing...and deadly....
Former Army Ranger Jack Bradshaw has found a niche in the civilian world as a private investigator and part-time executive protection agent. His new task of protecting a political activist was accepted with reluctance. It rapidly heats up when an attempt is made on his principal's life.
In the wake of that attempt, Bradshaw unearths a horrifying the would-be assassins are in league with an enemy Bradshaw thought he had killed in Afghanistan.
Past and present collide as Bradshaw works outside the law in a race to discover the truth. What he brings to light will be radically life-changing...and deadly....
Audible Audio
Published April 3, 2019
30 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Steven Hildreth Jr.
13Ìýbooks88ÌýfollowersSteven Hildreth, Jr. is an author, Iraq War veteran, and firearms enthusiast. He resides in Tucson, Arizona.
As a reader, he primarily reads non-fiction regarding special operations and geopolitcs, as well as action thriller fiction (especially from self-published authors). However, he appreciate a good story and has known to deviate from the beaten path from time to time.
All publications on this page ©Steven Hildreth, Jr., unless otherwise noted. Any unauthorized use of material on this page is prohibited.
As a reader, he primarily reads non-fiction regarding special operations and geopolitcs, as well as action thriller fiction (especially from self-published authors). However, he appreciate a good story and has known to deviate from the beaten path from time to time.
All publications on this page ©Steven Hildreth, Jr., unless otherwise noted. Any unauthorized use of material on this page is prohibited.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 19, 2019
I've avidly followed Steven Hildreth's writing for several years now through his Ben Williams novels, but when I first heard the concept for the "Forsaken Patriots" series, I was frankly skeptical that the end result would be the kind of book I would enjoy.
After reading "Fault Lines," the first novel of the new series, however, I have to admit that I was wrong. And while I still hope to yet see the return of Ben Williams down the road (knock on wood), my hat's off to Hildreth for creating yet another compelling cast of characters whom I will look forward to in future installments.
Action-packed, and filled with the kind of hard-edged military realism Hildreth fans have come to expect of his writing, "Fault Lines" is a compelling page-turner and one of the best thrillers I've read in the last year. Not to be missed.
After reading "Fault Lines," the first novel of the new series, however, I have to admit that I was wrong. And while I still hope to yet see the return of Ben Williams down the road (knock on wood), my hat's off to Hildreth for creating yet another compelling cast of characters whom I will look forward to in future installments.
Action-packed, and filled with the kind of hard-edged military realism Hildreth fans have come to expect of his writing, "Fault Lines" is a compelling page-turner and one of the best thrillers I've read in the last year. Not to be missed.
December 29, 2020
A thriller fuse with the potential to ignite an unforgettable saga
Jack Bradshaw is an ex-Ranger hunted by demons from his past. He thought he had at least put the catalyst in the ground. He was wrong...
Steven Hildreth jr. was recommended to me by a good friend. At first, the depth of military details took some getting used to but I got hooked on the clever, timely and fresh plot concept pretty quickly after that.
The action is among the most visceral and realistic I’ve ever read in this genre, the characters left a lasting impression in my memory, easily standing out amongst their contemporaries due to to their nuanced world views and human authenticity.
The last hundred pages easily rank among the most intense, gut-wrenching and shocking I’ve experienced in a long time. Can’t wait to pick the next one up!
Jack Bradshaw is an ex-Ranger hunted by demons from his past. He thought he had at least put the catalyst in the ground. He was wrong...
Steven Hildreth jr. was recommended to me by a good friend. At first, the depth of military details took some getting used to but I got hooked on the clever, timely and fresh plot concept pretty quickly after that.
The action is among the most visceral and realistic I’ve ever read in this genre, the characters left a lasting impression in my memory, easily standing out amongst their contemporaries due to to their nuanced world views and human authenticity.
The last hundred pages easily rank among the most intense, gut-wrenching and shocking I’ve experienced in a long time. Can’t wait to pick the next one up!
April 9, 2022
It’s rare when a book’s so brilliantly written that it seems too realistic. Steven Hildreth Jr.’s Forsaken Patriots series is a criminally underrated gem that’s better than classic Clancy in many ways. The first book in this series, Fault Lines, tackles the politically divisive nature of modern-day America in a grim way that’s too close to reality. Fault Lines shines in its hardcore military realism, realistic three-dimensional characters who have complete character development, the extreme attention to detail, a politically neutral yet mature and smart perspective on current day problems, gritty visceral action and a dark sense of humor while still retaining the serious tone of the story, and the all around originality of the story. Hildreth is an underrated author, but a brilliant writer to watch out for in this genre. Of course, the book is not for everyone as it sometimes goes overboard on the profanity, violence, ultra-realistic attention to detail, and graphic sex but still stays epic and serious, taking on heavy socio-political themes.
The hero of the tale, Jack Bradshaw, starts the story in the Ranger Recon Company, a unit within the Ranger Regiment that’s attached to JSOC. He’s in the Middle East(2018 or 2017) when a JSOC compound gets attacked by terrorists. Bradshaw loses his best friend in that battle but finds a few Slavic Russians among the dead terrorists with high-tech weapons. Upon returning State-side, he’s forced to omit that fact from his report, to avoid unwanted panic with the public in an unwinnable war. Like any righteous hero, Bradshaw gets angry at the dishonorable nature of his superiors and quits. He’s then making a living in private security and investigations when he’d asked to protect a young female Democrat politician, Gabrielle Rivera, who’s targeted for assassination by an alt-right white supremacist militant group. Bradshaw, a hard-right conservative himself, has trouble protecting someone he disagrees with but eventually forms a bond with his principal(Protectee).
After an assassination attempt where Bradshaw spots a Russian whom he’s killed in the Middle East now working with the alt-right group, he goes on a personal investigative mode, looking to take out the Russian as revenge for his battle buddy’s death a few years ago. This leads him to unravel a larger deep state conspiracy where nothing is what it seems. The spy games between Bradshaw and the Russian SVR/GRU operator who’s influencing the alt-right group is a treat to read. It reminded me of old-fashioned Ludlum-esque, paranoia-inducing, classic espionage epics that are low on action, but smart and compelling to keep turning the pages.
The scenes with the multiple law enforcement groups working with and against Bradshaw are more realistically written than most thrillers out today. It’s slower than most current-day thrillers, but Fault Lines is definitely a smarter and more addictive read than the stereotypical thrillers that are churned out in our era. I liked how Hildreth shows the good and respectable parts of both the conservative and the liberal sides of the political spectrum while still showing the destructive extremes of both sides. It’s a politically mature, sane, and rational perspective that I liked and would love to see more in thrillers, but this is a genre that’s usually filled with stories that take the perspective of one or the other extremes.
The pacing is realistic and full of twists and turns that are very believable. Even the tactical action is written with an extreme attention to detail that it feels like a work of non-fiction as it’s never over the top. The procedural parts of private security, law enforcement, courtroom scenes, and the military are very educational and show the depths of research done behind them. Hildreth’s book is definitely not for those who want constant pulp grade action, but it’s a treat for the more cerebral readers who want an emotionally gripping and intellectually stimulating, gritty, hardcore, ultra-realistic, dark, and fun read. The ending ruins the hero, Bradshaw’s life, and the twists at the climax set up the multiple sequels in Jack Bradshaw’s epic saga. There are two more books in this series out as of now, and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel Nightmare Exodus soon after a few months.
For more long-form book reviews, check out -
The hero of the tale, Jack Bradshaw, starts the story in the Ranger Recon Company, a unit within the Ranger Regiment that’s attached to JSOC. He’s in the Middle East(2018 or 2017) when a JSOC compound gets attacked by terrorists. Bradshaw loses his best friend in that battle but finds a few Slavic Russians among the dead terrorists with high-tech weapons. Upon returning State-side, he’s forced to omit that fact from his report, to avoid unwanted panic with the public in an unwinnable war. Like any righteous hero, Bradshaw gets angry at the dishonorable nature of his superiors and quits. He’s then making a living in private security and investigations when he’d asked to protect a young female Democrat politician, Gabrielle Rivera, who’s targeted for assassination by an alt-right white supremacist militant group. Bradshaw, a hard-right conservative himself, has trouble protecting someone he disagrees with but eventually forms a bond with his principal(Protectee).
After an assassination attempt where Bradshaw spots a Russian whom he’s killed in the Middle East now working with the alt-right group, he goes on a personal investigative mode, looking to take out the Russian as revenge for his battle buddy’s death a few years ago. This leads him to unravel a larger deep state conspiracy where nothing is what it seems. The spy games between Bradshaw and the Russian SVR/GRU operator who’s influencing the alt-right group is a treat to read. It reminded me of old-fashioned Ludlum-esque, paranoia-inducing, classic espionage epics that are low on action, but smart and compelling to keep turning the pages.
The scenes with the multiple law enforcement groups working with and against Bradshaw are more realistically written than most thrillers out today. It’s slower than most current-day thrillers, but Fault Lines is definitely a smarter and more addictive read than the stereotypical thrillers that are churned out in our era. I liked how Hildreth shows the good and respectable parts of both the conservative and the liberal sides of the political spectrum while still showing the destructive extremes of both sides. It’s a politically mature, sane, and rational perspective that I liked and would love to see more in thrillers, but this is a genre that’s usually filled with stories that take the perspective of one or the other extremes.
The pacing is realistic and full of twists and turns that are very believable. Even the tactical action is written with an extreme attention to detail that it feels like a work of non-fiction as it’s never over the top. The procedural parts of private security, law enforcement, courtroom scenes, and the military are very educational and show the depths of research done behind them. Hildreth’s book is definitely not for those who want constant pulp grade action, but it’s a treat for the more cerebral readers who want an emotionally gripping and intellectually stimulating, gritty, hardcore, ultra-realistic, dark, and fun read. The ending ruins the hero, Bradshaw’s life, and the twists at the climax set up the multiple sequels in Jack Bradshaw’s epic saga. There are two more books in this series out as of now, and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel Nightmare Exodus soon after a few months.
For more long-form book reviews, check out -
February 1, 2019
Without question Hildreth's finest work yet, "Fault Lines" is a no-punches-pulled thriller with a refreshingly unique premise—one sure to raise the hackles of readers belonging to a certain extreme sociopolitical persuasion. Unlike most other novels with overt political messages, though, Hildreth dexterously crafts the storyline and humanizes even the story's antagonists in such a way as to make them far from one-dimensional.
Bradshaw, the novel's protagonist, is remarkably authentic. He's a badass Army Ranger veteran working like hell to assimilate into civilian life while facing demons from his time in service. He's modest, bleakly humorous, and gloriously lethal. His principal—the woman whom he's protecting as part of a private security detail—is a firebrand social-justice advocate who stands out as among the most headstrong, inspirational female characters I've read.
Add to all this Hildreth's natural talent for research and his expansive tactical, legal, and political knowledge, and you've got an enthralling, riotous thrill ride from beginning to end. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!
Bradshaw, the novel's protagonist, is remarkably authentic. He's a badass Army Ranger veteran working like hell to assimilate into civilian life while facing demons from his time in service. He's modest, bleakly humorous, and gloriously lethal. His principal—the woman whom he's protecting as part of a private security detail—is a firebrand social-justice advocate who stands out as among the most headstrong, inspirational female characters I've read.
Add to all this Hildreth's natural talent for research and his expansive tactical, legal, and political knowledge, and you've got an enthralling, riotous thrill ride from beginning to end. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!
May 20, 2025
A real Thriller
First time I have read this author and there will be more. This is a great story, has all the elements I enjoy. Already downloaded Book 2.
First time I have read this author and there will be more. This is a great story, has all the elements I enjoy. Already downloaded Book 2.
April 11, 2019
A good, solid action thriller
I enjoyed this book more than I expected. It has solid characters and it’s closeness to the headlines often works in its favor.
Most of the bad guys are not cardboard cutouts, which is refreshing.
The action is tight and, while there is some military jargon (which is fine by me even if my own experience is way dated) it should be easy for the non military reader to follow.
A solid 4 star from me.
I enjoyed this book more than I expected. It has solid characters and it’s closeness to the headlines often works in its favor.
Most of the bad guys are not cardboard cutouts, which is refreshing.
The action is tight and, while there is some military jargon (which is fine by me even if my own experience is way dated) it should be easy for the non military reader to follow.
A solid 4 star from me.
December 23, 2021
A fantastic action thriller that reads all too realistic for me. Completely believable ultra-right wing 'patriots' (as they were called by the US administration then) and a former Ranger turned PI has to protect his cient from those monsters. Just like in Afghanistan, where he fought other monsters, the Taliban. And the Russians in the midst, then and now.
August 13, 2019
A VERY SOLID THRILLER
Stephen Hunter. Vince Flynn. Mark Greaney. Lee Child.
Steven Hildreth Jr. Yes, he deserves to be named among them, in my humble opinion.
This was an impressive entry for a new series. Compelling and very relevant story, action packed, suspenseful. Meticulously written. Methodical and detail oriented, like the protagonist, Jack Bradshaw. A vet turned P.I. caught up in conspiracies and political intrigue. Like they say, this story is RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES.
Also, there are character arcs in this book. That is a rare thing. Most of the time, these hard-ass heroes take decades and dozens of books to evolve. Not the case, here: Bradshaw is a bad-ass with his habits and convictions, but he feels real. Experiences make people adapt and evolve. Bradshaw is a human being.
If you dig thrillers, look no further.
Stephen Hunter. Vince Flynn. Mark Greaney. Lee Child.
Steven Hildreth Jr. Yes, he deserves to be named among them, in my humble opinion.
This was an impressive entry for a new series. Compelling and very relevant story, action packed, suspenseful. Meticulously written. Methodical and detail oriented, like the protagonist, Jack Bradshaw. A vet turned P.I. caught up in conspiracies and political intrigue. Like they say, this story is RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES.
Also, there are character arcs in this book. That is a rare thing. Most of the time, these hard-ass heroes take decades and dozens of books to evolve. Not the case, here: Bradshaw is a bad-ass with his habits and convictions, but he feels real. Experiences make people adapt and evolve. Bradshaw is a human being.
If you dig thrillers, look no further.
February 6, 2019
If you have been enjoying Steven Hildreth Jr.'s books, you will definitely like this one. If this is the first of his, you will definitely like it too. Jack Bradshaw is an ex-Army Ranger presently working as a PI for an executive protection company. His current principle is a lady lawyer activist who is stirring up quit a commotion. A white supremacist group is planning to take her off the grid and Jack needs to protect her. Govt higher ups want to suppress the fact that there is a Russian involved. Excellent read!
April 14, 2019
This is the best book I've read since Tom Clancy's "Without Remorse." Steven Hildreth's writing has arrived at another level.
With unexpected plot twists and edge-of-your-seat action, it was a thrill to read.
I highly recommend Forsaken Patriots #1: Fault Lines.
With unexpected plot twists and edge-of-your-seat action, it was a thrill to read.
I highly recommend Forsaken Patriots #1: Fault Lines.
July 21, 2023
A hard hitting tour-de-force with great characters (Especially the MC who grows and changes throughout), dialogue, and especially the intense gunplay, action, and suspense that helps drive the plot forward. Steven Hildreth, Jr. is a wickedly talented writer as evidenced by the Ben Williams trilogy and he does not disappoint with this first entry in the Forsaken Patriots series. Highly recommended!
February 2, 2019
When Army Ranger Jack Bradshaw sees his longtime friend and fellow Ranger killed in action under suspicious circumstances, the government orders him to lie about what he saw. Key facts surrounding the event are buried by people in high places, and Bradshaw finds himself unexpectedly back in civilian life when he refuses to be complicit in the cover-up, or compromise his knowledge of what is right and just in order to serve under those who authorized it.
A year later, working as a civilian bodyguard-for-hire in the American southwest, Bradshaw comes face-to-face with a ghost from his past: one that Bradshaw thought he had killed back on a battleground half a world away.
Hildreth blends together a chain of seemingly unrelated stories—the death of a Ranger while under hostile fire in Pakistan; activist rallies led by a firebrand political activist in Arizona; white nationalist conservatives who move among the upper middle class; and high-reaching, international political conspiracies—into his best novel to date.
Beneath it all, Fault Lines is also a story about very three different people—Jack Bradshaw, who is just trying to live a quiet, unobtrusive civilian life in the wake of the events of the previous year; liberal activist Gabriela Rivera, who wants to ensure America remains welcome to immigrants and asylum seekers, and nationalist leader Gerald Pfarrer, who sees the increasingly diverse melting pot of America as a threat to his race, his God, and his way of life—trying to do what they feel is right: both for themselves and the good of our nation.
Fault Lines is a tightly-plotted, fast-paced journey through America’s current political landscape, as well as the opening installment in a promising new series. Hildreth’s pacing and characterizations are top-notch, and the novel is a hard-to-put-down read even for someone like me, who rarely ventures into this particular genre.
A year later, working as a civilian bodyguard-for-hire in the American southwest, Bradshaw comes face-to-face with a ghost from his past: one that Bradshaw thought he had killed back on a battleground half a world away.
Hildreth blends together a chain of seemingly unrelated stories—the death of a Ranger while under hostile fire in Pakistan; activist rallies led by a firebrand political activist in Arizona; white nationalist conservatives who move among the upper middle class; and high-reaching, international political conspiracies—into his best novel to date.
Beneath it all, Fault Lines is also a story about very three different people—Jack Bradshaw, who is just trying to live a quiet, unobtrusive civilian life in the wake of the events of the previous year; liberal activist Gabriela Rivera, who wants to ensure America remains welcome to immigrants and asylum seekers, and nationalist leader Gerald Pfarrer, who sees the increasingly diverse melting pot of America as a threat to his race, his God, and his way of life—trying to do what they feel is right: both for themselves and the good of our nation.
Fault Lines is a tightly-plotted, fast-paced journey through America’s current political landscape, as well as the opening installment in a promising new series. Hildreth’s pacing and characterizations are top-notch, and the novel is a hard-to-put-down read even for someone like me, who rarely ventures into this particular genre.
April 1, 2024
I went into this book not knowing what exactly to expect--new series, new characters, and I have a man crush on Ben Williams so why can't I read more about him? etc. etc. But given my familiarity with the author's past work, I already knew what he is capable of, and he has delivered breakneck action and insightful character moments in spades, and as if those weren't enough, a bone-chilling story that had me on edge from cover to cover.
Jack Bradshaw is a character who is more than capable of standing on his own among a cast of unique, realistic, and colorful people. The enemy is vicious and terrifying... and he is us. (Or is he?) Given the thematic backdrop of the story, there are ample moments where hot-button issues are discussed, but it always comes off as natural and unforced; no Atlas Shrugged types beating you over the head with a Rearden Metal hammer or endless monologues about X or Y. People on differing sides of the immigration debate can read this and come away with a more balanced look at the issues.
But at its core, this is a fantastic yarn that will keep you reading until the final moments and leave you begging for more. I cannot wait for the next installments.
Jack Bradshaw is a character who is more than capable of standing on his own among a cast of unique, realistic, and colorful people. The enemy is vicious and terrifying... and he is us. (Or is he?) Given the thematic backdrop of the story, there are ample moments where hot-button issues are discussed, but it always comes off as natural and unforced; no Atlas Shrugged types beating you over the head with a Rearden Metal hammer or endless monologues about X or Y. People on differing sides of the immigration debate can read this and come away with a more balanced look at the issues.
But at its core, this is a fantastic yarn that will keep you reading until the final moments and leave you begging for more. I cannot wait for the next installments.
July 18, 2021
What a start
What a start to a new series. If you've read Steven Hildreth's other novels you know what to expect; great writing, lots'o'action and great characters (you're gonna like Bradshaw). Keeping this from a 5 star novel for me (more a 4.5) was that the political rhetoric was a little much at times, certainly not enough to not recommend the novel (far from it). I look forward to #2. Steven Hildreth's 'Fault Lines' is highly recommended.
What a start to a new series. If you've read Steven Hildreth's other novels you know what to expect; great writing, lots'o'action and great characters (you're gonna like Bradshaw). Keeping this from a 5 star novel for me (more a 4.5) was that the political rhetoric was a little much at times, certainly not enough to not recommend the novel (far from it). I look forward to #2. Steven Hildreth's 'Fault Lines' is highly recommended.
May 25, 2024
Love the excellently paced action-adventure story. The story is well laid out and has all that you want in a fun read for a guy.
This is my soap opera for Men like myself. A veteran who enjoys a high adventure with lots of good action sequences to read.
Steven delivers in spades with this action story. Look forward to more to this series.
This is my soap opera for Men like myself. A veteran who enjoys a high adventure with lots of good action sequences to read.
Steven delivers in spades with this action story. Look forward to more to this series.
March 11, 2024
The book has a great start, beginning as a military thriller and then changing gears to more of a vigilante story. Both settings are done well and thoroughly researched. The action scenes are fast paced and visceral. The good guys do seem to come out of them a little too unscathed compared to the antagonists but they're the kind of bad guys who you'll want to see get splattered anyway. The hero either already has done some planning and preparation or manages to think of a cunning plan to earns his victories so they all feel pretty satisfying.
Hildreth is even handed addressing the beliefs of liberals and conservatives in the US. It's much to his credit; although, unfortunately rare in American political discourse. The neo-Nazi antagonists have clearly explained motivations and the author isn't afraid to let these characters speak for themselves. I can imagine a lesser writer not touching these kinds of ideologies with a barge pole or only doing so with constant caveats that this is not the authors beliefs. Hildreth seems to trust his readers enough to make their minds up about these characters for themselves. As someone who has researched extensively in this area (having done my post graduate dissertation on it), I found these characters and their beliefs to be very convincing.
One criticism sort of:
Everyone in this book fucks for some reason. Even antagonists and secondary characters. And look, I understand, a lot of people fuck in real life, but how much of it really adds to the story? A certain character arc benefits from but it probably didn't need as much description and didn't need to go on for as long as it did.
However, this might just be my compulsory religious education talking.
The gear descriptions are a little clunky but a lot of people seem to enjoy those in this genre and they do have a purpose. I probably didn't need as much information about what everyone was wearing though.
Overall, would recommend.
Hildreth is even handed addressing the beliefs of liberals and conservatives in the US. It's much to his credit; although, unfortunately rare in American political discourse. The neo-Nazi antagonists have clearly explained motivations and the author isn't afraid to let these characters speak for themselves. I can imagine a lesser writer not touching these kinds of ideologies with a barge pole or only doing so with constant caveats that this is not the authors beliefs. Hildreth seems to trust his readers enough to make their minds up about these characters for themselves. As someone who has researched extensively in this area (having done my post graduate dissertation on it), I found these characters and their beliefs to be very convincing.
One criticism sort of:
Everyone in this book fucks for some reason. Even antagonists and secondary characters. And look, I understand, a lot of people fuck in real life, but how much of it really adds to the story? A certain character arc benefits from but it probably didn't need as much description and didn't need to go on for as long as it did.
However, this might just be my compulsory religious education talking.
The gear descriptions are a little clunky but a lot of people seem to enjoy those in this genre and they do have a purpose. I probably didn't need as much information about what everyone was wearing though.
Overall, would recommend.
June 25, 2023
Near perfect - no story is, although this probably deserves 5 stars. Believable action and strong character development, for characters that matter, whilst not wasting time on those that are peripheral to the plot. Paints a bleak picture of the recent and ongoing US political environment without naming the obvious names. I doubt the alt-right would be fans, but I doubt they would be reading Mr Hildreth anyway. I'm looking forward to reading what the future has in store for Boy Scout. I'm glad he got rid of his caterpillar, picturing a Tom Sellec look a like as the protagonist grated with me as much as it did the story's other characters ("I've come to clean zee pool" that 70's porn cliche kept intruding - probably deliberate on Mr Hildreth's part - funny guy!).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2024
A great military thriller. Interesting protagonist and supporting characters. A great start to what looks to be a promising series. Good surprise twist at the end.
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