Who is Jack Kendall?
Welcome to the world of the fictional character Jack Kendall
Author: Patrick Greenwood | Series: The Jack Kendall Thriller Series | Genre: Military Cyber Thriller
If you've been searching for a thriller series that blends real-world cybersecurity, military authenticity, and geopolitical tension — the Jack Kendall series by Patrick Greenwood deserves your attention. Here's everything you need to know.
Who is Jack Kendall?
Jack Kendall is the protagonist of Patrick Greenwood's three-book military cyber thriller series. A complex, driven man navigating the collision of personal relationships and global threats, Jack is equal parts reluctant hero and seasoned operative. He's the kind of character that feels real — because the world he operates in is drawn from real experience.
Patrick Greenwood is the pen name of John Gormally — a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and 28-year cybersecurity professional who has worked with Cisco Systems, Citrix, BlackBerry, and IBM. Jack Kendall carries that weight on every page.
The Three Books in the Jack Kendall Series
Book 1 — Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon
🏆 2023 Firebird Book Award Winner — Historical Fiction & Romance
Jack Kendall's story begins in Vietnam. Drawn by a childhood memory of the fall of Saigon in 1975 and an online connection with a young woman named Linh Ng, Jack sets out on a cycling tour of Ho Chi Minh City — and finds far more than he bargained for. Romance, history, and the first shadows of the threat that will follow him across the Pacific.
"With echoes of Tom Clancy and Jack Higgins..."
👉 Get Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon on Amazon
Book 2 — Shores of Okinawa
The series shifts into full cyber-thriller territory. As Jack heads to Portugal with his partner Nella, forces are moving in the background: Travis Jones — Jack's nemesis from Book 1 — and General Vo, head of China's PLA cybersecurity division, are recruiting Jack's own daughter Regina into a law firm secretly fronting a massive cyber attack on Taiwan's classified networks.
Jack and his ally Forest Adams must race across Taiwan and Okinawa to stop the hack of the century before it's too late.
What makes Shores of Okinawa stand out is Greenwood's authentic detail — he has traveled and cycled through Vietnam, Taiwan, Portugal, and Okinawa, and served in the Marines on Okinawa. The geography, the tension, and the tradecraft feel lived-in because they are.
👉 Get Shores of Okinawa on Amazon
Book 3 — Red Scorpion: Rising (Available July 1, 2026)
The Jack Kendall series concludes with its most personal and high-stakes mission yet. Espionage. Betrayal. One last mission. A portion of proceeds from Book 3 supports the Wounded Warrior Project.
👉 Preorder Red Scorpion: Rising on Amazon
What Order Should I Read the Jack Kendall Books?
Read them in order:
- Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon (Book 1)
- Shores of Okinawa (Book 2)
- Red Scorpion: Rising (Book 3, July 2026)
Each book stands alone, but the series rewards readers who follow Jack's journey from the beginning.
Who Will Love This Series?
The Jack Kendall series is for you if you enjoy:
- Tom Clancy–style geopolitical thrillers
- Authentic military fiction written by a veteran
- Cyber warfare and real-world intelligence tradecraft
- Pacific Rim settings — Vietnam, Okinawa, Taiwan, Portugal
- Characters with moral complexity and genuine stakes
Where Can I Learn More?
Visit cyclewriterllc.com to read blog posts, follow Patrick's writing journey, and explore the full Jack Kendall world — including behind-the-scenes insights on each location, the cybersecurity research behind the plots, and what's coming next.
All books are available on Amazon in Kindle and print formats.
Patrick Greenwood is based in Oro Valley, Arizona. A Marine Corps veteran and cybersecurity professional, he writes fiction drawn from decades of real-world intelligence work and global travel. The Jack Kendall series is published by Quill Hawk Publishing.
About John
Patrick Greenwood is the pen name of John Gormally — a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, MBA graduate, and 28-year cybersecurity professional. Based in Oro Valley, Arizona, John writes fiction drawn from decades of real-world intelligence, threat analysis, and global travel.
Becoming Patrick
The Writing Journey — Finding the story from within.
Every great story begins with a single decision. In 2019, John — a content strategist, brand builder, and digital marketing consultant — made his: to start writing fiction.
The View from the Writing Locations
Where the stories were written
Writing Locations
Every location in the Jack Kendall series is drawn from real experience — places John has cycled, traveled, lived, or worked. The geography is never invented. It is remembered.
Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon
🇻🇳 VIETNAM
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
The heart of Book 1. John's travels through Vietnam — the chaos of the streets, the weight of the war's legacy, and the final desperate days of the US embassy — form the historical backbone of Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon. The 2023 Firebird Award-winning novel.
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
California
Carlsbad and Pasadena California appeared in several sections of the novel, including Sushi ROKU, Carlsbad cycling shop, Carlsbad beach, and the Rose Bowl.
Shores of Okinawa
🇯🇵 JAPAN
Okinawa
The Pacific island where some of the bloodiest battles of World War II were fought. John's firsthand travels through Okinawa gave Shores of Okinawa its visceral authenticity — the landscape, the memorials, and the weight of history that still hangs over the island.
🇵🇹 PORTUGAL
Portugal
One of John's most beloved cycling destinations — and a country that shaped his voice as a storyteller. The Atlantic coastline, the azulejo tiles, the unhurried pace of Lisbon's backstreets. Portugal is where John first understood that the best fiction is written between the miles.
🇹🇼 TAIWAN
Taipei
Taiwan sits at the center of the world's most volatile geopolitical fault line — the semiconductor supply chain, cross-strait tensions, and the shadow of great power competition. John's travels through Taipei gave Red Scorpion: Rising the authentic street-level detail its threat scenarios demand.
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Maryland & Virginia
The intelligence corridor. Home to the NSA, the CIA, the Pentagon, and the quiet office parks where the real cyber wars are fought. John's professional background in the US cybersecurity industry gives the domestic scenes in Red Scorpion: Rising an insider's authenticity that can't be faked.
Red Scorpion: Rising
🇮🇹 ITALY
Italy
A country that reminds any writer why stories matter. John's travels through Italy — most recently to visit his son — reaffirm the timeless truth that the best thrillers are grounded in the human connections between missions, not just the missions themselves.
🇯🇵 JAPAN
Okinawa
Okinawa returns in Book 3 — this time as a geopolitical flashpoint in a modern threat landscape. The US military presence, the strategic geography, and the simmering tensions of the Pacific make it the perfect stage for Jack Kendall's most dangerous mission yet.
🇭🇺 HUNGARY
Budapest
One of Europe's most architecturally dramatic cities — and a historic crossroads of Cold War intrigue. Budapest brings old-world espionage tradecraft into collision with a modern cyber threat in Red Scorpion: Rising, and sets the stage for the next novel, Bridges over Budapest (2027).
🇹🇼 TAIWAN
Taipei
Taiwan sits at the center of the world's most volatile geopolitical fault line — the semiconductor supply chain, cross-strait tensions, and the shadow of great power competition. John's travels through Taipei gave Red Scorpion: Rising the authentic street-level detail its threat scenarios demand.
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Maryland & Virginia
The intelligence corridor. Home to the NSA, the CIA, the Pentagon, and the quiet office parks where the real cyber wars are fought. John's professional background in the US cybersecurity industry gives the domestic scenes in Red Scorpion: Rising an insider's authenticity that can't be faked.
Home Base & Writing Inspiration
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Oro Valley, Arizona
Home base. John Gormally writes from the Sonoran Desert foothills north of Tucson — a landscape that rewards quiet mornings, long cycling routes, and uninterrupted thinking. The Jack Kendall series was shaped here, chapter by chapter, espresso by espresso.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is Patrick Greenwood?
Patrick Greenwood is the pen name of John Gormally — a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, MBA graduate, and 28-year cybersecurity professional who has worked with companies including Cisco Systems, Citrix, BlackBerry, and IBM. Based in Oro Valley, Arizona, Gormally writes military and geopolitical thriller fiction drawn from decades of real-world intelligence, threat analysis, and global travel.
What order should I read the Jack Kendall series?
Start with Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon (Book 1), followed by Shores of Okinawa (Book 2), and then Red Scorpion: Rising (Book 3, available July 1, 2026). Each novel stands alone but rewards readers who follow the series in order.
Has Patrick Greenwood won any awards?
Yes. Forever Our Sunrise in Saigon won the 2023 Firebird Book Award for Historical Fiction and Romance — a prestigious independent publishing award recognizing exceptional storytelling.
Where can I buy Patrick Greenwood's books?
All titles are available on Amazon in Kindle and print formats. Red Scorpion: Rising is available for pre-order on Amazon Kindle now, ahead of its July 1, 2026 launch.
How much of the Jack Kendall series is based on real events?
More than you might expect. John Gormally draws on nearly three decades in cybersecurity, global travel, and military service. The threat landscapes, tradecraft details, and geopolitical tensions in the series reflect real-world intelligence and experience — fiction built on a foundation of fact.b
What comes after Red Scorpion: Rising?
Bridges over Budapest is planned for 2027. Jack Kendall moves into a secondary role as the series expands — with fan-favorite character Regina stepping fully into the spotlight as the primary protagonist.
Does John support any charities?
Yes. Twenty percent of net sales from the Jack Kendall series is donated to the Wounded Warrior Project — a cause close to John Gormally's heart as a USMC veteran.