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PRIMAL #1
PRIMAL Origin
PRIMAL Origin is the first short story in the PRIMAL series. It is a prequel to the full-length PRIMAL Unleashed novel and reveals the origins of PRIMAL.
Abu Dhabi is a city that dazzles with the trappings of wealth. Beneath this thin veneer lurks a sinister threat. A rich and powerful supporter of terrorism who will stop at nothing to rid the Emirates of Western influence.
Two CIA operatives are given the mission to track down an unknown terrorist group. Forced to question the morality of their government, they take matters into their own hands.
The head of counter-terrorism operations in the Emirates is a man trapped between honor and morality. Surrounded by enemies, he must look for new allies to bring justice to the untouchable.
In this world of turmoil and intrigue, a new organization is formed, a group of men willing to bring justice to a world filled with evil. Who are they?
They are PRIMAL.
Abu Dhabi is a city that dazzles with the trappings of wealth. Beneath this thin veneer lurks a sinister threat. A rich and powerful supporter of terrorism who will stop at nothing to rid the Emirates of Western influence.
Two CIA operatives are given the mission to track down an unknown terrorist group. Forced to question the morality of their government, they take matters into their own hands.
The head of counter-terrorism operations in the Emirates is a man trapped between honor and morality. Surrounded by enemies, he must look for new allies to bring justice to the untouchable.
In this world of turmoil and intrigue, a new organization is formed, a group of men willing to bring justice to a world filled with evil. Who are they?
They are PRIMAL.
35 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 11, 2011
463 people are currently reading
705 people want to read
About the author
Jack Silkstone
27 books164 followersI won’t lie, I’m just like every other guy on the planet. I love action movies, first person shooters, fast cars, technology, guns, cool kit and of course beautiful women. I grew up with Dirk Pitt, Jack Ryan, Jason Bourne, Doom, Wolfenstein, Commando Comics, James Bond, Rambo, The Predator and more. As a young man I have embraced Counter Strike, Half-life, The Bourne Series, Top Gear, Call of Duty the list goes on and on. Coupled with my military experience this seething mass of adrenalin-fueled testosterone has evolved into PRIMAL.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
September 21, 2016
Ok so I wrote it so I'm going to think it's pretty damn good.
March 8, 2017
Primal: Origin and Primal: Unleashed are the first two novels from reasonably recent-to-the-scene thriller author, Jack Silkstone. Essentially these are special forces, action adventure tales in the vein of Chris Ryan or Andy McNab.
Silkstone’s elite team bypasses the rigid directives issued by Western governments and their intelligence agencies hamstring their operatives on the ground because of various conflicting political agendas.
So our heroes instead chose to be employed by Primal, a private paramilitary intelligence/special forces team funded by a wealth Arab businessman operating out of an isolated island in the Pacific. Their distance from both political and geographical influences allows Primal far greater capabilities to take out ‘the bad guys’ without worrying about the ramifications their wakes of destruction often cause.
Yes, Primal is essentially a private military company, dare I even say they are mercenaries. Does that make them anti-heroes? I say no.
The first major difference between mercenaries and Primal is that they set their own missions. The second is that our heroes really are at war against the corruptions of the world supporting the underdogs. They won’t allow injustices to go unpunished.
PrimalOriginPrimal: Origin, the first book in the series, commences in the United Arab Emirates. Two CIA agents, Vance and Ice, disillusioned by the antics of their government are offered an opportunity to establish a secret organisation that can operate in the shadows and take down bad guys. Hence ‘Primal’ is formed. From there we have Russian Mafia and Middle Eastern terrorists in all out battles in both Abu Dhabi and Cyprus.
Primal: Origin felt a little like a set up for things to come rather than a novel in itself, but great fun to read nonetheless.
The second book, Primal: Unleashed, feels like the action and the tension from the previous book is kicked up about five gears with bloody battles in Sierra Leone, Ukraine and Afghanistan.
Two new characters and a minor character from Origin become our central protagonists, Aden Bishop formally of the Australian Army, Mirza Mansoor from India’s Special Frontier Force and Alfsaneh Ebadi from Iranian Intelligence (MOIS).
Primal’s mission is to stop an unscrupulous arms dealer from acquiring a weapon of mass destruction scary enough to change the global balance of power for various countries, not all of them seeking for a more peaceful world.
There is no nonsense in these stories. When in trouble Primal operatives act fast and clinically. No long conversations with supervillians to reveal nefarious plots, no fancy acrobatics and stunts, with action that is realistic and frighteningly reflective of modern warfare.
PrimalUnleashedThe author’s origins are definitely obscured and his name is unlikely to be a real one (his ‘pen name’ in itself sounds like it belongs to a hero: Jason Bourne, James Bond and … Jack Silkstone).
His author profile claims a background in military intelligence and special operations. I suspect he is a former Australian or New Zealand SAS soldier based on his LinkedIn profile, the times he tweets and his fondness for his main characters, particularly Lieutenant Aden Bishop formerly of the Australian Army.
But Silkstone’s origins and credentials don’t really matter, because the detail in his stories certainly carry a ‘truth’ about them, suggesting that he really does know what he’s talking about. Details such as how construction work is carried out in Abu Dhabi, or jokes Sierra Leone rebels might make, even down to minute on weaponry and traps that Taliban insurgents might leave in the desert for unsuspecting Western soldiers.
I really hope Silkstone is Australian. Our country certainly needs a leading author in this genre to show just how well Australian’s can hold their own against the other elite combat units of the world.
Silkstone’s elite team bypasses the rigid directives issued by Western governments and their intelligence agencies hamstring their operatives on the ground because of various conflicting political agendas.
So our heroes instead chose to be employed by Primal, a private paramilitary intelligence/special forces team funded by a wealth Arab businessman operating out of an isolated island in the Pacific. Their distance from both political and geographical influences allows Primal far greater capabilities to take out ‘the bad guys’ without worrying about the ramifications their wakes of destruction often cause.
Yes, Primal is essentially a private military company, dare I even say they are mercenaries. Does that make them anti-heroes? I say no.
The first major difference between mercenaries and Primal is that they set their own missions. The second is that our heroes really are at war against the corruptions of the world supporting the underdogs. They won’t allow injustices to go unpunished.
PrimalOriginPrimal: Origin, the first book in the series, commences in the United Arab Emirates. Two CIA agents, Vance and Ice, disillusioned by the antics of their government are offered an opportunity to establish a secret organisation that can operate in the shadows and take down bad guys. Hence ‘Primal’ is formed. From there we have Russian Mafia and Middle Eastern terrorists in all out battles in both Abu Dhabi and Cyprus.
Primal: Origin felt a little like a set up for things to come rather than a novel in itself, but great fun to read nonetheless.
The second book, Primal: Unleashed, feels like the action and the tension from the previous book is kicked up about five gears with bloody battles in Sierra Leone, Ukraine and Afghanistan.
Two new characters and a minor character from Origin become our central protagonists, Aden Bishop formally of the Australian Army, Mirza Mansoor from India’s Special Frontier Force and Alfsaneh Ebadi from Iranian Intelligence (MOIS).
Primal’s mission is to stop an unscrupulous arms dealer from acquiring a weapon of mass destruction scary enough to change the global balance of power for various countries, not all of them seeking for a more peaceful world.
There is no nonsense in these stories. When in trouble Primal operatives act fast and clinically. No long conversations with supervillians to reveal nefarious plots, no fancy acrobatics and stunts, with action that is realistic and frighteningly reflective of modern warfare.
PrimalUnleashedThe author’s origins are definitely obscured and his name is unlikely to be a real one (his ‘pen name’ in itself sounds like it belongs to a hero: Jason Bourne, James Bond and … Jack Silkstone).
His author profile claims a background in military intelligence and special operations. I suspect he is a former Australian or New Zealand SAS soldier based on his LinkedIn profile, the times he tweets and his fondness for his main characters, particularly Lieutenant Aden Bishop formerly of the Australian Army.
But Silkstone’s origins and credentials don’t really matter, because the detail in his stories certainly carry a ‘truth’ about them, suggesting that he really does know what he’s talking about. Details such as how construction work is carried out in Abu Dhabi, or jokes Sierra Leone rebels might make, even down to minute on weaponry and traps that Taliban insurgents might leave in the desert for unsuspecting Western soldiers.
I really hope Silkstone is Australian. Our country certainly needs a leading author in this genre to show just how well Australian’s can hold their own against the other elite combat units of the world.
May 27, 2016
“PRIMAL Origin” is a prequel to “PRIMAL Unleashed”, and chronologically the first book in Jack Silkstone's PRIMAL series. It unveils the events and circumstances which lead to creation of PRIMAL, an organization of ex-military operators, who got tired of following political agendas of their governments and decided to start serving justice on their own. It's not a full-length book, but rather a novelette. The plot is simple, but original and the story is a quick and easy read.
If you already read and liked anything from the PRIMAL series, then you will definitely enjoy Origin, because it explains how the organization came into existence. If you haven't read any PRIMAL book yet, then "Origin" is a good starting point, which will give you a glimpse into the series without investing your time and money in a full-length book.
If you already read and liked anything from the PRIMAL series, then you will definitely enjoy Origin, because it explains how the organization came into existence. If you haven't read any PRIMAL book yet, then "Origin" is a good starting point, which will give you a glimpse into the series without investing your time and money in a full-length book.
December 4, 2013
Not bad for a short story. It serves the purpose of introducing the reader to the beginnings of the Primal team, hence the title Primal Origins.
If a person is a reader of Vince Flynn's Rapp series, or Alex Berenson's John Wells series, then this might be of interest to you.
If a person is a reader of Vince Flynn's Rapp series, or Alex Berenson's John Wells series, then this might be of interest to you.
August 19, 2011
I am a fan of this genre and lament the fact that it is in a downswing. Probably due to the fact America is currently at war. Jack Silkstone writes this genre well. There is an authenticity that leaps off the page. The prose is tight and the descriptions are not overdone, just enough to put you in the scene and get on with the action, and there's plenty of action packed into this short. The testosterone level is high. You could fuel the entire Tour de France peleton with the testosterone in this book.
There are only three things preventing me from giving this a five by five. In a few places I felt dialouge/descriptions could have been toned back a bit, felt like overreaching when a little more subtlety might have worked better. The main characters could have used some more depth. Finally, as I said, I am a fan of this genre, but even I had to fire up Google to look up some of the acronyms tossed out.
I look forward to reading the full version that will follow this prequel.
There are only three things preventing me from giving this a five by five. In a few places I felt dialouge/descriptions could have been toned back a bit, felt like overreaching when a little more subtlety might have worked better. The main characters could have used some more depth. Finally, as I said, I am a fan of this genre, but even I had to fire up Google to look up some of the acronyms tossed out.
I look forward to reading the full version that will follow this prequel.
February 16, 2021
Primal Origin
A hard hitting story that is something that the world could really use at this time! There a to many people who do what they want just because. They feel that they are above the law and don’t care who they hurt. Justice needs to find them.
A hard hitting story that is something that the world could really use at this time! There a to many people who do what they want just because. They feel that they are above the law and don’t care who they hurt. Justice needs to find them.
July 28, 2014
"To Much stop and go-Good Story bad Narration"
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
The storyline was good and the action was enough to keep the read/listener entertained throughout. But what I had to knock off stars for the choppy narration. I am not clear as to why the narration was so choppy whether it was part of the direction or the pattern of the narrators voice.
How could the performance have been better?
I felt the narration was choppy and a whole lot of stop and go "Sly" type of voicing. I think a smoother performance and presentation would have made for a more enjoyable listen and in fact I will be getting the next book in print because I don't think I could listen to another book by this narrator and I really liked the concept of good mercs going after bad people.
You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?
Yes, I enjoyed the concept of good people taking the fight to the bad. I think I will read the rest of the books in the series. I felt the characters were a little weak in this book but they were developed enough for me to want to find out more about what happens with Primal in the future.
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
The storyline was good and the action was enough to keep the read/listener entertained throughout. But what I had to knock off stars for the choppy narration. I am not clear as to why the narration was so choppy whether it was part of the direction or the pattern of the narrators voice.
How could the performance have been better?
I felt the narration was choppy and a whole lot of stop and go "Sly" type of voicing. I think a smoother performance and presentation would have made for a more enjoyable listen and in fact I will be getting the next book in print because I don't think I could listen to another book by this narrator and I really liked the concept of good mercs going after bad people.
You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?
Yes, I enjoyed the concept of good people taking the fight to the bad. I think I will read the rest of the books in the series. I felt the characters were a little weak in this book but they were developed enough for me to want to find out more about what happens with Primal in the future.
July 6, 2015
Great action!!
I thought the book moved at a quick pace. It never seemed to bog down on details you didn't need. I would try the next one in the series. If you want to read an action packed book I would give this. Book a try.
I thought the book moved at a quick pace. It never seemed to bog down on details you didn't need. I would try the next one in the series. If you want to read an action packed book I would give this. Book a try.
June 24, 2021
This is the best of the three I have read. I look forward to more of these books from Jack Silkstone.
October 6, 2019
Primal Origin is a fun novelette-sized story that focuses on the formation of a vigilante unit dedicated to taking down the targets that governments can't or won't touch. It starts with the recruitment of a pair of CIA paramilitary types targeting a terrorist financier and ends with the takedown of a Bratva boss exploiting migrant workers in the UAE.
The pros are that the weapons, gear, tactics, and overall action are crisp and enjoyable. The plot holds up, as well.
My only real gripe is that it seems...rushed? Without spoilers, there were certain parts I felt should have been slower paced and drawn out for effect.
Overall, though, it's a solid piece of writing and I'm looking forward to reading the next entry in the PRIMAL series.
The pros are that the weapons, gear, tactics, and overall action are crisp and enjoyable. The plot holds up, as well.
My only real gripe is that it seems...rushed? Without spoilers, there were certain parts I felt should have been slower paced and drawn out for effect.
Overall, though, it's a solid piece of writing and I'm looking forward to reading the next entry in the PRIMAL series.
May 18, 2017
Terrific🙋
Great series so far! The camaraderie between the characters was so wonderful. Vance, Bishop, Mitch, and Ice are the heroes out to save the world from evil. They're charming, deadly, and funny as hell. The scene where Ice and Bishop have to escape a deadly situation by way of a Prius ( only car available) had me LMAO! 😂 My favorite character is Ice, love him! 💕💜
Primal Origin is a terrific book. Lots of action! Lots of bad guys! Lots of weapons! Lots of laughs! Plus four wonderfully hot heroes to save the world! What could be better than that? I highly recommend you buy this book and read it now ! 💜😎💪
Great series so far! The camaraderie between the characters was so wonderful. Vance, Bishop, Mitch, and Ice are the heroes out to save the world from evil. They're charming, deadly, and funny as hell. The scene where Ice and Bishop have to escape a deadly situation by way of a Prius ( only car available) had me LMAO! 😂 My favorite character is Ice, love him! 💕💜
Primal Origin is a terrific book. Lots of action! Lots of bad guys! Lots of weapons! Lots of laughs! Plus four wonderfully hot heroes to save the world! What could be better than that? I highly recommend you buy this book and read it now ! 💜😎💪
January 12, 2021
Awesome Action, Military Thriller
I learned about this series from reading the SEAL romance series' book "Signed SEAL'd and Delivered. Once I started this PRIMAL Series I feel in love. These guys are strong, focused and dedicated to fighting for the underdogs, the less fortunate, and most importantly taking down the most corrupt and dangerous criminal lowlife our government won't remove. Great plot, love the action, the knowledge I'm getting about weapons and military groups in other countries. Can't wait to start book 2 "PRIMAL Unleashed".!!! 👍👍
I learned about this series from reading the SEAL romance series' book "Signed SEAL'd and Delivered. Once I started this PRIMAL Series I feel in love. These guys are strong, focused and dedicated to fighting for the underdogs, the less fortunate, and most importantly taking down the most corrupt and dangerous criminal lowlife our government won't remove. Great plot, love the action, the knowledge I'm getting about weapons and military groups in other countries. Can't wait to start book 2 "PRIMAL Unleashed".!!! 👍👍
January 1, 2023
Good intro to the Primal series. Entertaining story but short on details, I suppose this is to be expected as this prequel, at little more than 100 pages (last 40 or so are a preview of Inception), is really a short story or mini novella. Enjoyable enough to continue the series. Maybe the first real novel (Primal Inception) has the details I might expect from a covert spec forces series. Look forward to finding out what drives the main protagonists, their back stories and the environment in which they operate.
January 19, 2025
More or less well-written in terms of language, however, falls short by leaning heavily on stereotypes and clichés (Arab terrorists, crooked bureaucrats), leaving little room for fresh ideas, suspense and psychological depth, at times feels like watching a B-grade action TV series. The narrative is driven primarily by action, lacking some thoughtful analyses that would elevate it beyond a simple adrenaline rush.
October 9, 2025
A great beginning to this series
I initially read this story in the boxset, but I didn't realize it was the first book in the series as well. It's a fascinating story full of action, suspense, and intriguing twists that will keep you glued to the pages until the end.
I can't wait to see where the series goes from here!
I would definitely recommend this book, series, and outstanding author.
I initially read this story in the boxset, but I didn't realize it was the first book in the series as well. It's a fascinating story full of action, suspense, and intriguing twists that will keep you glued to the pages until the end.
I can't wait to see where the series goes from here!
I would definitely recommend this book, series, and outstanding author.
August 15, 2021
I think the writer is off to a good start. I like how the group comes to be formed and how that has great potential for future plots. But, the very first bit of action seemed a little too easy. I would have liked to have seen the plot contain a little more of the planning and danger of the very first operation that would provide the resources for all future ops.
February 24, 2023
Book 1
This book was a fun read and had errors throughout. This book is about a guy being recruited for work in a private security/save the world from evil people. The team combats terrorists and paves the way for future jobs. They do a lot of running around and following leads trying to find the terrorists. I'll probably read book 2 at some point.
This book was a fun read and had errors throughout. This book is about a guy being recruited for work in a private security/save the world from evil people. The team combats terrorists and paves the way for future jobs. They do a lot of running around and following leads trying to find the terrorists. I'll probably read book 2 at some point.
May 3, 2018
It was good
Not what I usually read but a good change of pace. If you like lots of action with military hardware this is for you. I will most probably read more of the series. Recommended.
Not what I usually read but a good change of pace. If you like lots of action with military hardware this is for you. I will most probably read more of the series. Recommended.
June 18, 2018
I don't usually read books of less than 200 pages. Must have missed the length when getting this one. However I thought it was very good. I like the genre of a "special forces like" story and this one was good. Fast moving and full of guys that can dish it out.
December 5, 2018
Good
There's potential. I wasn't blown away to be brutally honest, but then again I honestly think that at this stage I'm spoiled rotten by all the excellent options out there in kindle land. I will give the second book a chance to change my mind...
There's potential. I wasn't blown away to be brutally honest, but then again I honestly think that at this stage I'm spoiled rotten by all the excellent options out there in kindle land. I will give the second book a chance to change my mind...
January 1, 2019
This was a good start to the series, taking characters from the precursor books and showing how they form and start acting as an independent justice organization. the exploits are entertaining and exciting.
Read
July 31, 2021⭐⭐⭐⭐(7.09)
Como dije, pensé que era una novela gráfica jajaja.
Pues me sí me agradó la historia, acción, personajes, el humor, la intriga, espionaje. Algunos términos sobre armas, bombas, etc. un poco confusos, pero nada que fastidie la lectura.
Definitivamente leeré el siguiente libro.
Como dije, pensé que era una novela gráfica jajaja.
Pues me sí me agradó la historia, acción, personajes, el humor, la intriga, espionaje. Algunos términos sobre armas, bombas, etc. un poco confusos, pero nada que fastidie la lectura.
Definitivamente leeré el siguiente libro.
June 11, 2017
Origin of Primal. Action story. B
November 22, 2017
Very entertaining. Like the premise. Great characters.
March 12, 2018
Liked it
This was a good introduction to the characters and the genre concept of the author. Will definitely read next installment.
This was a good introduction to the characters and the genre concept of the author. Will definitely read next installment.
October 25, 2018
Great read!
I liked this book, lots of action, it never stops, well written, interesting idea, will probably read more primal books
I liked this book, lots of action, it never stops, well written, interesting idea, will probably read more primal books
April 9, 2019
2 in 1. But not what was wanted.
Nothing to say. Okay, thought I was reading a great story and it ended and went into another I was not interested in.
Nothing to say. Okay, thought I was reading a great story and it ended and went into another I was not interested in.
April 12, 2019
The origin of the Primal grouo
This is the story of how the Primal ground came about and the initial cast of characters with some individual background
This is the story of how the Primal ground came about and the initial cast of characters with some individual background
May 21, 2019
Fun read. The concept of a billionaire setting up a team to go after the bad guys.
March 31, 2020
This book got me hooked on Jack Silkstone. He writes action that I like. I have now read just about all of his books in this action series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews