Blue Shield: A 'What-if?' Action Thriller (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798254282051)

"If you've never read Holden, strap in and hold on for the ride of your life..." Readers Favorite

What if NATO called Russia's bluff in Ukraine?

A fragile UN monitored ceasefire in Ukraine is on the verge of collapse. Both sides have used the pause in fighting to rearm and regroup. Despite vague 'security guarantees' to Ukraine from NATO's Coalition of the Willing, there is no question Russia will attack again - but where? It could mean the start of a new war in Europe, but this gripping action thriller asks 'what if' ...

What if NATO countries act with resolve next time, and come to the defense of Ukraine at the first sign of a new war?

Ukraine Air Force pilot Vadim 'Beartooth' Korenchuk is testing new Brimstone missiles on his 30 year old Su-25 Frogfoot 'Frankenplane.' He doesn't believe for a moment the ceasefire will hold, but will his nation and its Coalition allies be ready this time?

In the skies over south-west Ukraine, USAF Captain Georgia 'Cyborg' Leeson identifies six Russian fighters approaching the Ukrainian DMZ. Is it just another provocation, or the first move in a new war?

Under the surface of the Black Sea, commander of the Turkish submarine Murat Reis, Captain Cem Keles, closes on a Russian Kilo class submarine as it rises to missile launch depth. Turkey is a member of the Coalition of the Willing but he is operating under peacetime rules of engagement: what can he do if it actually launches missiles at Ukraine?

Looking out to sea from Lebedivka in Ukraine's Budjak region, US Defense Intelligence Agency Clandestine Service collections officer, Captain Siku Smith, sees the low grey silhouettes of Russian warships approach on what Russia claims is a humanitarian mission to resupply its stranded troops in Moldova. Between Smith and the Russian warships is a belt of sea mines a kilometer deep. At his back is a Ukrainian Neptune coastal missile battery. The Russian convoy can't come ashore here, can it?

At the Coalition of the Willing Joint Operations Center (JOC), Poland, Head of Intelligence Lieutenant Colonel Carmine Lewis sees the opening moves in a new war unfolding, and warns her colleagues that the target of the coming attack may not be Ukraine at all, but the Coalition itself. Will the Coalition hold, or shatter under the pressure of the coming Russian onslaught?

Why military and techno-thriller readers love FX Holden:

• "FX Holden is the Nostradamus of military fiction writers..." US Readers Favorite.
• "Clancy fans will be pleased..." US Publishers Weekly
• "Full-throttle action..." BookLife Editor's Pick
• "In the spirit of Tom Clancy! Well done. I'm very techy, retired military. An engaging fast paced story. ..." Amazon reader
• "Tom Clancy type excitement and military geekiness right here." Amazon reader
• "Nothing has come close to Jake Grafton until now. If you love high tech fast military action, in the skies, with more than a little attitude, then you should love this read." Amazon reader

Author: Fx Holden
ISBN-13: 9798254282051
Publisher: Independently Published
Language: English
Published: 04/12/2026
Pages: 570
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.44lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 1.16d