MATT DRAKE (2011)

Full Name:	Matt Drake
Nationality:	British
Organization:	SPEAR
Occupation	Agent

Creator:	David Leadbeater
Time Span:	2011 - 2023

ABOUT THE SERIES

Matt Drake is the lead agent with SPEAR.

That acronym stands for Special Response and Recon. Good name with a very catchy nickname, it was the tight group of people who were sent in when something immediate needed handling. Unfortunately for the people in the team, that invariably meant there was no time for decent preparation and no time to have backup available when the inevitable happened and the bad guys did not cooperate with Plan A.

Drake's path to membership in this group was a very rough road, a major leg of it being the time he spent in the British SAS. That had ended seven years before the events in the first recorded adventure and Drake had found the transition from the regimented life of the SAS to the civilian world was considerably tougher than he had anticipated. He finally found a handhold with photography and he was in that line of work when he was pulled sharply back into the sphere of bullets and bombs.

Drake is described as "an easy-going, capable man with a soldier's sense of camaraderie and humor. Someone had once called him 'James Bond in jeans'. Though flattered, Drake wasn't exactly comfortable with the comparison." There would be no doubt in his mind, though, that action was something that came as natural to the former soldier as his thick Yorkshire accent. And he did not truly seek to change that any more than he tried to mellow his sometimes hard to understand brogue.

Joining Drake in the dangers that are a natural part of SPEAR are a small but highly capable and even more interesting cadre of fellow warriors, a couple male and a couple female, and all as tough as they could be. One of them, Alicia Myles, is so kick-butt that she will eventually get her own series though she lives long enough in Drake's sphere that she is at home in both.

BOOKS

Number of Books:	33
First Appearance:	2011
Last Appearance:	2023


1			The Bones Of Odin Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2011 Needing something to do with his life, Matt Drake has landed on photography and this latest photo mission results in his being in the search for the Nine Pieces of Odin. Once reunited, they are said to point the way to the Tomb of the Gods and there are a fair number of dangerous people who want there first.

2			The Blood King Conspiracy Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2012 The Blood King is that name used by an underworld figure who is bold enough to attack America. Somehow the mysterious person is out to solve the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle to use its power to cause tremendous destruction. Matt Drake and his friends are as determined to stop him.

3			The Gates of Hell Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2012 Stopping the Blood King's audacious plan only caused personal loss for Matt Drake's friends and he is determined to get revenge. The enemy is now preparing to enter the Gates of Hell. Drake would like to send him there a different way.

4			The Tomb of the Gods Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2013 Bringing to a close his war against the Blood King, Matt Drake will risk everything to keep the man from finding the lost weapon of Odin and using it on a modern world.

5			Brothers In Arms Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2013 Now with a new agency and starting a new career, Matt Drake is given an incredible assignment - take on the government of North Korea. His first move gets him blown out of the sky and marooned on a desert island with his colleague, Mai Kitano.

6			The Swords of Babylon Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2013 Matt Drake's latest job gets him captured and sent to a remote Russian prison. And that is the good news. The bad news is that someone is again going after Odin's doomsday weapon and is planning on using the 7 Swords of Babylon to get it.

7			Blood Vengeance Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2013 The news is pretty bad. The Blood King is back. Washington is being attacked. The President is kidnapped. Matt Drake and his team have their work cut out for them.

8			Last Man Standing Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2014 Matt Drake and his SPEAR team is very good at survival. They will have to be even better when they are thrown into an extreme tournament against eight of the deadliest assassins in the world.

9			The Plagues of Pandora Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2015 A new enemy comes to the attention of Matt Drake as that power is out to try its hand a world domination, this time involving the ancient Greek gods and the legendary Pandora's Box. This is a crossover event also involving The Disavowed group as well as Alicia Myles.

10			The Lost Kingdom Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2015 The Irish gang called itself the 27 Club. It is working for a secret force that is out to use the Niven Tablets to find a Lost Kingdom, and not for any nice reason.

11			The Ghost Ships of Arizona Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2015 While Matt Drake and his team are in search of a fabled ghost ship of the desert, other people are out to find a fantastic treasure, and to destroy West Coast power stations, bringing darkness to the region.

12			The Last Bazaar Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2015 When Matt Drake and his team learn of a terrorist's "arms bazaar" they are interested. When they discover it is also being attended by some in the CIA, they are really curious.

13			The Edge of Armageddon Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2016 Without a chance to rest from their last crazed mission, Matt Drake and company are thrown into a series of attacks on New York City and there are several different groups wanting to stop the SPEAR team.

14			The Treasure of Saint Germain Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2016 Was Saint Germain really as remarkable as legend has made him to be? One very determined man is certain of it and plans to do anything he must to get his hands on the Elixir of Life that was said to have been created by the mysterious figure of old.

15			Inca Kings Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2016 Some pretty unusual relics from long ago are popping up one at a time on the black market. Matt Drake is curious who is selling them and how were they obtained. Finding out the truth will put him and many others in mortal danger.

16			The Four Corners of the Earth Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2017 Four horrific weapons are said to have to power to end the world as we know it. The secret to their locations is rumored to be the graves of the Four Horsemen. Matt Drake and team have their work in store for them to keep these items out of the hands of some very bad people.

17			The Seven Seals of Egypt Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2017 When Matt Drake and team make enemies, they do not mess about. America has disavowed them and Luther, that country's most lethal assassin is sent after them. And he is just the beginning of their troubles.

18			Weapons of the Gods Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2018 Throughout his time leading the SPEAR team, Matt Drake has been involved in finding numerous lost tombs. Someone has been raiding those locations and combining the items looted to make one very nasty weapon.

19			The Blood King Legacy Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2018 A very angry and powerful man in Russia is determined to get revenge and that means going after and kidnapping the President of the U.S. while visiting London. Matt Drake and team are taking a well deserved R&R in that capital and are the ones spearheading the rescue.

20			Devil's Island Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2019 In order to rescue Mai Kitano, Matt Drake and team must head to the Devil's Island, a private island owned by the Devil, the world's most ruthless contract killer. Besides the assassin to contend with, there are several groups of people also attacking the place out to kill anyone they find.

21			The Fabergé Heist Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2019 A bus heading for LA has a bomb hooked to it; if the engine is shut down, the vehicle goes boom. This is just a distraction by a highly skilled heist team out to steal a large collection of priceless Fabergé eggs which Matt Drake and team are to protect

22			Four Sacred Treasures Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2019 Relics known as the Sacred Treasures of Japan are on display for the world to see but those are actually fake. That fact is connected to the attack by shinobi warriors on Matt Drake and friends and the kidnapping of some close to Drake.

23			The Sea Rats Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2020 The notorious assassin called The Devil is back and is somehow connected to the hijacking of a cruise liner by Somali pirates. Matt Drake and team are sent to get the liner back and the hostages free but that means going up against The Devil.

24			The Blood King Takedown Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2020 The insane criminal known as the Blood King has hidden a nuclear bomb in America's capital and Matt Drake and associates have the chore of locating it before it can go off. The odd twist to this problem is that it can only be deactivated by the President.

25			Devil's Junction Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2020 Following the calamity of the previous adventure, Matt Drake and his people have been ostracized by the government. At a great low in morale, they look to a surprise invitation by their old friend, G, for a party on an upper floor of an L.A. skyscraper. What they do not know is that G is already dead and the festivities are a trap set by an old enemy, the Devil.

26			Voodoo Soldiers Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2020 Alicia finds herself in more trouble than she can handle. "Marinette has a dark and carnal reputation. She lives in Black Snake Swamp, a legendary no-go area for locals. She smuggles guns, people and drugs, and indulges her need for fresh body parts. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. Marinette has a more sinister master—Baron Samedi, the Voodoo God of the Dead."

27			The Carnival Of Curiosities Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2020 "When Drake’s team respond to a desperate message sent by Cam’s sister, they find themselves thrown into the middle of a volatile, fifty-year-old feud about to ignite the warring traveling clans of Romania. Cam’s father has controlled the mysterious Carnival of Curiosities for half a century, managing a dreadful criminal conspiracy behind its entertaining façade. Surrounded by myth, magic and death, the carnival tours Romania, attracting huge audiences but hiding a terrible secret. Dahl and Alicia storm across the country, trying to rescue Cam’s sisters, who have been abducted by a rival clan, whilst the others infiltrate the carnival. Betrayal, bloodshed and murder reign in the shadows cast by the Ferris wheel, the Wall of Death, and the burlesque."

28			Theatre Of War Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2021 "The SPEAR team face their worst enemy yet: The President of the United States ... From coast to coast an old, vengeful entity known only as the Scourge launches a series of devastating attacks upon America, attacks designed to bring the country to its knees and turn its people against each other. Looting and violence breaks out in every town and city. From a nightmare attack in New York City to a fierce confrontation with the Relic Hunters at the Grand Canyon, from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and Washington DC, Matt Drake and his team race to thwart a plan decades in the making."

29			Shattered Spear Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2021 "Team SPEAR: shattered, captured and interrogated. Five nuclear weapons across the globe, primed to explode. When Kenzie’s name appears on a list of the world’s top black marketeers, the SPEAR team are targeted by a group of vicious, beautiful assassins who possess skills on a par with their own. Drake and his team are seized and taken to far-flung reaches of America and Europe to be interrogated and tortured for a wealthy madman’s viewing pleasure."

30			Ghost Squadron Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2022 "When Matt Drake and his team are tasked with transporting the world’s most important man across the globe from Tokyo to Washington DC, they are unaware that the combined might of all the shadow societies that control our planet are set against them. They will face deadly onslaughts and countless epic struggles, forcing them to gain ground from country to country to make any headway."

31			A Cold Day in Hell Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2022 "When Matt Drake’s team is assigned a new role bodyguarding a movie star’s two-week vacation in Hawaii they don’t exactly jump for joy. Babysitting Haley Rose is not their usual kind of assignment and not something they can get their teeth into. But when the actress is abducted one night a terrible ultimatum is issued. The authorities are given a time limit in which to release Hawaii’s most notorious and ferocious gang leader, or Haley will be murdered live on the Internet. It’s up to Matt Drake’s team to save her as the minutes tick down."

32			The Winged Dagger Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2022 "Matt Drake and his team return to Washington, DC to find themselves targeted by a deadly, unknown assailant who calls himself the Paymaster. They know they are about to be tested to their limits. More than that, the Paymaster appears to know Drake from their days together in the SAS. Is Drake the target, or all of them, and why does this man want to hurt Drake so badly?"

33			Two Minutes To Midnight Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2023 "Matt Drake and his Ghost Squadron are enjoying a relatively calm lull in their lives when they learn that someone has stolen a nuclear weapon from an obscure facility in the old Soviet Union. The powers-that-be want Drake’s team on the mission and, within hours, they are winging their way from Washington, DC."

34			The Devil's Reaper Written by David Leadbeater Copyright: 2023 "When Matt Drake learns that Mai’s old gang, desperate for vengeance, has retained the services of a deadly contract killer known as Devil’s Reaper to make his team suffer and then die, he knows their world has come crashing down. The Devil’s Reaper is a legend, a myth, a person who kills indiscriminately, capable of taking out dozens just to eliminate a single person. And now her sights are set on Matt Drake and his team. Old friends start dying – the onset of the suffering. Drake tries to track down the reaper, racing from the Hollywood Hills to Italy, from Los Angeles to Tokyo in pursuit, but their enemy is ahead of them every step of the way. Matt Drake knows that the final showdown will take everything they’ve got and that the team is up against one of its deadliest ever enemies."

MY COMMENTS

I enjoyed this series a lot.

I state that up front because I also want to say I am not often a fan of relic hunters looking for ancient artifacts that can rule the world. I mean, if they were so powerful, how did the owner lose them? Mind you, just because I profess to not be a fan does not mean I do not read a lot of them.

So I saw right away that Drake belonged in my compendium because he fights a lot of people who want to take over this planet and have the wherewithall to pull it off. But I hesitated for a long time because most of the bad guys are out looking for these relics I just said I did not like reading about.

When I finally forced myself to open the book (well, crank up the e-reader) I found I really liked Drake a lot. He is a kick-butt kinda guy who is also far more down-to-earth than most I have read. The plots are often over the top but then they pretty much are meant to be and you know they are going to be before you start them so it is not such a big deal. (So why am I mentioning it? Cause I'm me!)

I have not read all of these books yet. There are a lot and I have dozens of other series to read and write about but I find myself coming back to these because I do like 'em.

GRADE

My Grade: B+

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