Ryan Pote is a twelve-year veteran Navy helicopter pilot who was part of a joint interagency special operations task force, deployed throughout Central and South
America conducting counter narcotics. Before the Navy, he was a scuba diving instructor in Hawaii and a lab tech conducting algae-biofuels research. He holds a Masters degree in History from Ashland University. He lives with his wife and children in New England.
Pote's new novel is
Blood and Treasure.
At
The Strand Magazine the author tagged "five of the most realistic thrillers ever written..., each earning its stripes through authenticity, technical precision, and unflinching humanity." One title on the list:
American Assassin by Vince Flynn
Vince Flynn’s origin story for CIA operative Mitch Rapp is a visceral dive into the world of counterterrorism. The novel’s depiction of Rapp’s grueling selection 
process—physical endurance, psychological stress, and moral dilemmas—rings true to the real-world gauntlet faced by elite operatives. Flynn’s attention to tradecraft, from surveillance to “wet work,”, is spot-on, and his portrayal of the bureaucratic tensions within the intelligence community feels ripped from my own debriefs. A high-ranking CIA official reportedly once told staff to read Flynn’s books to think about how to more effectively wage the war on terror, suggesting they were valued for their strategic insights or mindset rather than as formal training manuals. What elevates American Assassin is its focus on the toll of violence: Rapp’s rage and loss mirror the hidden scars many operators carry. This is a thriller that respects the cost of the fight.
Read about
the other entries on the list.
--Marshal Zeringue
America conducting counter narcotics. Before the Navy, he was a scuba diving instructor in Hawaii and a lab tech conducting algae-biofuels research. He holds a Masters degree in History from Ashland University. He lives with his wife and children in New England.
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