Mike Maden expertly delivers his first instalment of The Oregon Files series with Hellburner.

The Oregon crew, led by the charismatic Juan Cabrillo, finds themselves embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a mysterious criminal organization known as “The Pipeline.” When a stolen torpedo threatens to wreak havoc on a global scale, Cabrillo and his team must race against time to uncover the mastermind behind the plot and prevent disaster.

Maden captures the feel of the series, bringing intrigue, cutting-edge technology, and high-stakes adventure. Maden’s vivid descriptions and well-developed characters bring the story to life, making it easy to become immersed in the world of the Oregon.

The plot is engaging, the characters are compelling, and the action is relentless. I found myself stealing chapters at every opportunity throughout the day. This is the second book that I’ve read in this series, and I’m getting to enjoy the characters a lot – even if their abilities seem endless and technology limitless, including Jaun Cabrillo’s ability to get out of any bind by pulling something from his combat leg!

This series seems to have Maden perfectly in his element. A host of characters that are bonded as a crew on the Oregon, and a universe in which Maden can let rip with the latest, and near future, technology.

I will be picking up Fire Strike next.