Matt and Jenny welcome back Jonathan Maberry to discuss his March 10th, 2026 release of his 5th book to the Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International series - RED EMPIRE (15th Ledger novel).
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For a recap of our previous coverage of Jonathan Maberry’s work, visit Atomic Geekdom/Maberry.
For audio, please check out the Atomic Geekdom Podcast to listen in.
By Jenny Robinson
** POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD FOR JOE LEDGER AND ROGUE TEAM INTERNATIONAL Series **
For the fifth novel in the Rogue Team International series, Red Empire changes tone a bit from it’s predecessors but does not disappoint in keeping you on the edge of your seat. The chapters are familiar in the way they alternate between here or there, them or us, then and now. Except this round, each new segment can span over seventeen hundred years between start to finish. Red Empire not only encompasses time, but locations are abundant as we move through history to determine who exactly is Mr. Church.
Originally titled “The Alchemist”, it was no secret that an origin story was in the mix. In both the DMS and RTI novels, there has always been suspicion and intrigue when it came to the formable leader of both. Throughout the series and his many aliases - Deacon, St. Germain, St. John, Saishi and more, Church has garnered respect and fear. Each of his names through synchronicity has religious meanings. Because of all of this - and in spite, we learn even more as we weave through the histories of the Templars, The Red Order, Kings and possible Gods.
Red Empire is a perfect companion to the fourth DMS novel Assassin’s Code. Much of the story recalls events Joe and his team encountered while battling Upierczi (aka Knights of the Red Order), Nicodemus and the Scriptor Charles LaRoque from the previous tale, bring things full circle. Lots of twists and turns that pop up when you least expect it. One of those threads being Nicodemus himself. Always the trickster, we see an interesting side to his contrivances. For a character you shouldn’t like, every page he is present in this book is a gem.
As we tear at tidbit by tidbit of Mr. Church’s heritage, we can’t leave out Joe and the rest of Rogue Team. Joe allows his Cop persona to lead the investigation. The London headquarters of Barrier has been quarantined due to a new terrifying bioengineered plague. Protected in state of the art chem-suits from Mr. Church’s “Friends in the Industry”, Joe, Topp, Bunny, Remy and Belle investigate floor by floor. They quickly learn how difficult it is to determine friend from enemy. This makes the last hundred or so pages of this book move at record speed where none of our RTI family felt as if they’d make it out alive. That includes ALL of our RTI family including Toys and The Wild Hunt, Havoc, Bedlam, Chaos, and even Phoenix House. The term “Holy Moly” is not only the perfect pun but an understatement. Brace yourself, tears are shed.
For a lot of the answers we are given, it is hard to determine the price it took as consequences follow our beloved characters into the next book. So… Who is Mr. Church?
”Tell me, my friend, are you a good man?”
”I aspire to be….”