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Apex (The Black Flagged Series) Paperback – December 28, 2012
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As Sharpe's task force unravels the curious fabric of True America's plot, they start to assemble the chilling details of an impending domestic bioweapons attack--on an unimaginable scale. With time expiring, and his task force running out of options, Sharpe embraces the illicit help of a sworn enemy, whose questionable tactics may be their only chance of stopping an insidious plan to destabilize the United States. Black Flagged Apex propels the gritty, often unapologetic Black Flagged Series into new territory, where hidden agendas, startling betrayals and brutal action define the daily landscape navigated by the puppet masters and frontline operators in the war on terror. Black Flagged ALPHA (Book 1) Black Flagged REDUX (Book 2) Black Flagged APEX (Book 3) Black Flagged VEKTOR (Book 4) Black Flagged OMEGA (Book 5)
- Print length485 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateDecember 28, 2012
- Dimensions6 x 1.22 x 9 inches
- ISBN-10198415012X
- ISBN-13978-1984150127
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From the Publisher


A man with a buried past
Daniel Petrovich, the most lethal operative created by the Department of Defense’s Black Flag Program, protects a secret buried in the deepest vaults of the Pentagon.
Blackmailed into executing one final mission by his former commanding officer, General Terence Sanderson, Daniel’s carefully constructed 'life' rapidly disintegrates into a relentless federal manhunt–and a '24-style' race against the clock to suppress the shocking truth about his past.
To survive, he’ll release the darkest side of his concealed identity. A dark side with few boundaries–and even fewer loyalties.

A disbanded Black Ops project rises from the ashes
Former Delta Force commander, General Terrence Sanderson, waits in the shadows for the right moment to demonstrate the grim necessity of his resurrected Black Flag program. His opportunity may arrive sooner than expected.
A rogue Russian scientist, obsessed with reviving a bio-weapons program long banned by the Russian government, has found partners willing to fund a devastating bioweapons project.
Sanderson's newly formed team turns out to be the West's only real hope to stop a plot with unimaginable consequences.
Steven has 'been there and done that,' lending a rare authenticity to his covert operations novels.
20th Combat Equipment Jump with 1st Anglico, 1999
Final days as a senior Lieutenant, USN, 2001
Maritime Interception Officer, Arabian Gulf, 1995
Product details
- Publisher : CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (December 28, 2012)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 485 pages
- ISBN-10 : 198415012X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1984150127
- Item Weight : 1.65 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.22 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #5,055,209 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #718 in Terrorism Thrillers (Books)
- #2,147 in Espionage Thrillers (Books)
- #11,399 in Military Thrillers (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Steven Konkoly is the Wall Street Journal and repeated #1 Amazon bestseller of over twenty thrillers.
Steven graduated from the United States Naval Academy, receiving a bachelor of science in English literature. He served the next eight years on active duty, traveling the world as a naval officer assigned to various Navy and Marine Corps units. His extensive journey spanned the globe, including a two-year tour of duty in Japan—and travel to more than twenty countries throughout Asia and the Middle East.
From enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq, as a maritime boarding officer in the Arabian Gulf, to directing aircraft bombing runs and naval gunfire strikes as a Forward Air Controller (FAC) assigned to a specialized Marine Corps unit, Steven's "in-house" experience with a wide range of regular and elite military units brings a unique authenticity to his thrillers.
He still wakes up at "zero dark thirty" to write for most of the day. When "off duty," he spends as much time as possible outdoors or travelling with his family--and dog.
Steven is an active member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) organizations.
You can contact Steven directly by email (stevekonkoly@striblingmedia.com) or through his blog (www.stevenkonkoly.com).
WORK BY STEVEN KONKOLY
DEEP SLEEP SERIES—Conspiracy/Espionage/Black Ops thrillers
"Stopping the most dangerous conspiracy to ever threaten America means believing the unthinkable. A modern day conspiracy thriller filled with twists and turns."
1.) Deep Sleep
2.) Coming Dawn (October 2022)
THE RYAN DECKER BOOKS—Action-Adventure/Vigilante/Black Ops/Conspiracy thrillers
"A heart-pumping thriller of betrayal, revenge, and conspiracy for fans of Tom Clancy and Lee Child."
1.) The Rescue
2.) The Raid
3.) The Mountain
4.) Skystorm
THE BLACK FLAGGED SERIES—Black Ops/Political/Conspiracy/Espionage thrillers
"A gritty, no-holds barred covert operations and espionage saga."
0.) INCEPTION (PREQUEL)
1.) ALPHA
2.) REDUX
3.) APEX
4.) VEKTOR
4.5) COVENANT
5.) OMEGA
THE ALEX FLETCHER BOOKS—Action-Adventure/Conspiracy/Dystopian thrillers
"A tense, thriller epic, chronicling the aftermath of an inconceivable attack on the United States."
1.) The Jakarta Pandemic
2.) The Perseid Collapse
3.) Event Horizon
4.) Point of Crisis
5.) Dispatches
THE FRACTURED STATE SERIES—Dystopian/Conspiracy/Near future techothrillers
"A near future conspiracy series set in a southwest United States on the verge of secession."
1.) Fractured State
2.) Rogue State
THE ZULU VIRUS CHRONICLES: A BLACK FLAGGED THRILLER SERIES SPIN OFF—Bioweapons/Conspiracy/Post-apocalyptic thrillers
"A modern thriller series based on the events surrounding an unthinkable bioweapons attack against the United States."
1.) Hot Zone
2.) Kill Box
3.) Fire Storm
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find this book to be a fantastic read with exciting plots and good twists and turns. The characters are well-developed, and the writing is very well done with attention to detail. Moreover, the book moves quickly and is very hard to put down, with one customer noting its wealth of detail about weapons and tradecraft. Customers consider it a nice conclusion to the series.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a fantastic read that's well worth the time and money, with one customer comparing it favorably to Tom Clancy's works.
"...All in all a great read, and I fully recommend this book and the entire series...." Read more
"...as I read this, a sure sign (at least to me) that I'd found another good read...." Read more
"...Apex -- really great work!" Read more
"...I really enjoyed the entire series and I keep bumping into vague references to many of the characters and situations in other books making the..." Read more
Customers enjoy the plot of the book, describing it as action-packed with good twists and turns and realistic excitement.
"...The multiple story lines are also nicely paced with ample time spent on each story line without impressions of neglect to other story lines...." Read more
"...The series needs to be read in order to gain the best feel for the plot - not to mention keep track of the twists...." Read more
"...from the start of his "Black Flagged" series, with his gritty, brutal action scenes and his ear for Washington...." Read more
"...series with this third installment, and overall he is a pretty darn good mystery / thriller; I will say the main terroristic plot in this..." Read more
Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting that they are well developed and thought out.
"...character development in this book quite a bit, even new characters were made memorable and developed in such a way that I quickly began to feel a..." Read more
"As far as I'm concerned, this has an excellent story line, characters and is paced appropriately...." Read more
"...Lots of action and some twists and turns. The characters really grow on you as well...." Read more
"...Jessica in particular is a fascinating character with a lot of story yet to tell IMHO." Read more
Customers enjoy this book as part of a fantastic series, with one customer noting how each installment improves upon the previous ones.
"...(I eagerly await the next installment to this great series), but I was also left with a feeling of resolution...." Read more
"This entire series is fantastic. Lots of action and some twists and turns. The characters really grow on you as well...." Read more
"...Pretty good plots through out the book. It ends well if ya like mini guns." Read more
"...Consistent characters make the reading enjoyable. Highly b recommended series to capture your imagination." Read more
Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting its attention to detail and how it captures the reader's imagination, with one customer mentioning it's simple enough to read quickly.
"...many reasons I enjoy reading his Black Flag series his work at producing the realistic detail. Apex -- really great work!" Read more
"...is hugely affected by an explosive event that has some of the best writing in the book...." Read more
"...It's so real you can see it. It's just detailed enough to provide a good imagery without being so detailed you're skimming for the point...." Read more
"...Highly b recommended series to capture your imagination." Read more
Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, describing it as a fast read with good momentum, and one customer notes that the action is pretty much non-stop throughout.
"...The twists and turns in Apex come nicely paced, and many come as real surprises...." Read more
"...Time seemed to melt away as I read this, a sure sign (at least to me) that I'd found another good read...." Read more
"...the character's heads and what they are thinking, and the action is pretty much non-stop...." Read more
"...The pace is fast and with several twists- well done." Read more
Customers find the book very hard to put down.
"Action packed read that is very hard to put down once you start reading it. Not really any slow moments in the story." Read more
"...Twists and turns all over the place. Very well written. Tough to put down once started. Have fun." Read more
"Excellent reading - hard to put down. In this day & age so many terrorists prove this could happen. stay safe." Read more
"Excellent series of books. Action packed and hard to put down. Very interesting characters and exciting plots...." Read more
Customers appreciate the sex scenes in the book, with one review highlighting the wealth of detail about weapons and tradecraft.
"...Typical for such books, there is a wealth of detail about weapons and tradecraft...." Read more
"...Weapons and tactics are up to date and sensibly employed as they would be in real life...." Read more
"...murder, mayhem, double crosses, evil bureaucrats, clandestine operatives with nerves of steel - every ingredient that makes the genre fun to read...." Read more
"A home grown terrorist group, connected financially and with political influence. Middle East terrorists used as pawns...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2013I have thoroughly enjoyed the Black Flagged series so far, and Black Flagged Apex was like a whipped frosting of delicious awesomeocity to top the cake built so far by Steven Konkoly. The previous two books in the series (Black Flagged and Black Flagged Redux) both left me wanting more, but with actual feelings that the books were a tad too short. The first book in the series was really the perfect length for the introduction into the Black Flagged world, but Redux could have used another hundred pages to smooth out the transition some I felt. Apex however, left me wanting more (I eagerly await the next installment to this great series), but I was also left with a feeling of resolution. Konkoly wrapped up the 'main' story of the book while leaving threads live for future installments, and did so in such a way that it lets the imagination run wild with what could happen.
The twists and turns in Apex come nicely paced, and many come as real surprises. The multiple story lines are also nicely paced with ample time spent on each story line without impressions of neglect to other story lines. I also enjoyed the character development in this book quite a bit, even new characters were made memorable and developed in such a way that I quickly began to feel a connection to them.
All in all a great read, and I fully recommend this book and the entire series. I do recommend that you read them in order so that you can get caught up in the story, but truthfully I think you could read Apex (or Redux) by itself and still find the book enjoyable.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2013As far as I'm concerned, this has an excellent story line, characters and is paced appropriately. The series needs to be read in order to gain the best feel for the plot - not to mention keep track of the twists. The author has not been publishing as long as Vince Flynn or Brad Thor, but that does not diminish in any way the enjoyment gained in reading the latest in the "Black Flagged" series. Time seemed to melt away as I read this, a sure sign (at least to me) that I'd found another good read. If Mr. Konkoly can maintain this level of quality, he will easily gain the same status as the other authors mentioned. Can't wait for "Vektor"...
- Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2015-I am not going into the analysis of Steven Konkoly's writing as I may have done a bit on other reviews. This was this cherry on top of the fudge sundae! Instead I will tell you what I did during the reading. I have been out of the military for some time now. over 30 years, Vietnam era soldier!
so I have not totally keep up with all the weaponry in use now or the MILSPEC Abbreviations. So every time he mentions a military vehicle, or a fire arm I went to goggle and looked it up. He has done his research or he has kept up to date with his friends who probably became career Military.
Taking the time to do these lookup gave the story more meaning as I had real mental pictures of the HK416 and HK UPS pistol. It also told me how focused He is on keeping the reality as close as it possibly can be kept.
I could have just as easily ignored the need I had to update myself on the hardware and just read the book for its total enjoyable "great story told".
I did own one of the weapons a short time ago but there isn't enough flat land on my farm to give me the distance it required to shoot it challengingly. So I sold it and bought other toys. Not everybody will get a chance to own "One of Those", so when it was mentioned in the book with its New MIL name I did recognize it and could really identify with its impact as did Steven in its use in his story. That is one of many reasons I enjoy reading his Black Flag series his work at producing the realistic detail.
Apex -- really great work!
- Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2013Mr. Konkoly hooked me from the start of his "Black Flagged" series, with his gritty, brutal action scenes and his ear for Washington. His view of the world is fairly complex, and this is reflected in his plots. Apex picks up from the previous story about chemical weapons in Russia, but this time the story takes place in the US. That takes the CIA out of the picture, for the most part, and leaves it up to Sanderson's off the books outfit and the interagency crisis team led by the FBI -- and we all know by now that there is a certain oil-and-water quality to that combination. But they must find a way to work together to prevent a cataclysm, and their cooperation is hugely affected by an explosive event that has some of the best writing in the book.
The Black Flag team exists to do things that cross many legal and even moral lines, somewhat like the Joe Ledger books but more firmly tied to the real world. Typical for such books, there is a wealth of detail about weapons and tradecraft. I do not exaggerate when I say that on almost every page there is something fierce happening. In the action/thriller genre, this is as good as it gets.
Top reviews from other countries
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Australia on March 19, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
excellent series!
- Walter ScottReviewed in Canada on March 2, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars The war that doesn't make the news
When I "discovered" the first book in this series - Alpha - I felt the kind of thrill I got when I read the first John Sandford and Lee Child books. Even before I was finished Alpha, I purchased Redux, Apex, and Vector. Konkoly has that special gift of dropping you into the action and letting it wash over you and banishing the "real" world. Even when you have read the last word in the novel, you need time to disengage from his story of integrity, betrayal, the politics of modern day military and civil leadership, and a plethora of lethal hardware.
Read the books in order, so as to get the maximum benefit from backstory references. Best of all, there is a Book #5.
- ThrillerfanReviewed in Germany on December 28, 2012
5.0 out of 5 stars The Black Flagged thrillers are on par with Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Mark Greaney, Tom Clancy, James Rollins
Konkoly's plots in his Black Flagged series are current and potentially realistic scenarios, featuring highly developed characters all told in a fast-paced writing style.
Their entertainment value is on the same level as similar thrillers from genre greats such as Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Mark Greaney, Tom Clancy, James Rollins, Patrick Robinson, Larry Bond, David Rollins, Brad Taylor, Brian Haig, Andrew Britton, Daniel Silva, David Baldacci, Dan Brown, Richard Doetsch, James Huston, Tom Cain, Ben Coes, Dany Tobey, Tom Wood, Jeff Abbott, Emlyn Rees, Felix Riley, Howard Gordon, Dalton Fury, Stephen Leather and Barry Eisler to name just a few.
- Mark kiddReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars ABSOLUTELY AWESOME
PICKED UP THIS FANTASTIC BOOK AND SIMPLY IMMERSED MYSELF IN THE CHARACTERS, STORYLINES ,PLOTS , TECH DETAILS ETC ETC. SIMPLY BRILLIANT BOUGHT THE ENTIRE COLLECTION AND BOY WHAT A FANTASTIC READ, TRULY THE BEST STUFF I HAVE READ FOR AGES. MR.KONKOLY PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE UP WRITING FULL TIME AND GENERATE MORE OF THIS EXCITING GENRE. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR WORK, NOW GRT ON WITH THE NEXT BOOK IM SOOOO HUNGRY FOR MORE !!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Mr. William B. LaidlerReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 22, 2015
4.0 out of 5 stars A must read follow up from Black Flagged
Good follow up from the first book. Well written and researched. Could hardly put it down.The ending is a bit of a let down, but I understand where the author is coming from. Very enjoyable. Have already read the next one.