Book Review: The Shadow above the Flames by Daniel Swenson

Reign of Fire meets Jack Reacher.

In an idyllic little down in Ireland, a beast emerges from its long hibernation, awakened by the vermin known as Humans.

Years later, the Union Forest Corporation sends Rick Morgan and a team of soldiers to retrieve a priceless computer data core and become cut off from their superiors.​

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Bad Move, because Rick's older brother is Henry Morgan: a special forces operative with protective instincts second-to-none.

Recruited by his childhood friend, Lenny Kolwalski, Henry must infiltrate Union Forest, acquire Rick's coordinates, get himself to Ireland, and rescue his kid brother (again) before Rick and his team become Dragon hors d'oeuvres.  

Can Henry, and a small group of soldiers complete a mission after entire armies failed? Will he get to Ireland in time to save his brother from the Beast?

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What I liked:

The story takes the reader of a fantastic blend of Military suspense and Fantasy. I think Daniel has a creative mind, and I would have enjoyed learning more about the world that devolves at the appearance of a massive Dragon from deep underground.

Daniel has a straightforward writing style that lends itself to readers of all ages.
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What I didn't like:

The first half of the book builds slowly, a little too slowly. I found myself getting distracted in my own thoughts and imaginings during the info dumps while Rick and his team were playing hide-and-seek from what I took to be mutated animals on the Emerald Isle.

I give The Smoke above the Flames four stars for this excellent debut novel.

​I received an Advanced Reader Copy from Immortal works for an honest review.