When Founders Leave


Christian - Fiction
447 Pages
Reviewed on 05/13/2021
Buy on Amazon

Author Biography

Randall Jarmon started out as an English major at heart, but ended up with an engineering degree. It left him with a lifelong interest in technology.
He once received more than his share of elite military training. Those few years were a good way to learn about tactics, weaponry, martial arts, and so forth.
He has worked in a world-class manufacturing setting and a world-class R&D center. Part of the fun for those with technical backgrounds is determining when the technology in his stories goes from fact to fiction, if it does so. The shifts will be subtle. Expect to miss some.
He earned a pretty good MBA. Later he earned a doctorate (in Management) well worth having. Among other things, he now easily explains the complex organization of human effort. Expect good plots clearly set forth.
Randall Jarmon and his wife divide their time between Arizona and Texas. They have two children, six grandchildren, and a golden retriever named Virgil.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Maureen Dangarembizi for Readers' Favorite

When Founders Leave by Randall Jarmon is a contemporary political thriller with Christian undertones. It is also the conclusion of the Riley/Blue Dog book series. When the Riley brothers are interrupted in their New Zealand vacation by a would-be assassin, they realize their vendetta with The Movement is far from over. Valkyrie may work for The Movement but she has a personal ax to grind with Blue Dog and the Rileys. The Rileys recognize the danger as trouble follows them to the States. Things come to a head when multiple attacks lead to a clash that will leave both sides changed forever. This book ties together all the strings connecting previous black-ops against The Movement.

This is my first novel in the Riley/Blue Dog series and I must say I was vastly impressed by the fast-paced action sequences in When Founders Leave. Randall Jarmon cuts to the core of human nature and displays the things that make people who they are. You really feel the spirit of patriotism in this story. Most of the lead characters are well into their dotage but that doesn’t stop them from jumping into dangerous situations. I had to keep reminding myself that these were not young men and women. I would like to have lived a fulfilled life with little regret like some of these characters. The gospel is preached by a funny coffee-toting, beach-loving pastor and it was quite educational. The author doesn’t cut corners here and I think that is what makes this book so special. It is very touching when a stone-cold killer turns over a new leaf. I hope there will be more books about the firebrand younger generation.

Foluso Falaye

When Founders Leave, the final installment in the Riley/Blue Dog series by Randall Jarmon, is a fast-paced and action-packed narrative about different sides fighting for what they believe in. Lioness 3, who had been trained by Coral, is set on killing the three Riley brothers as they embark on what seems to be a ski vacation. Coral was the protégée of a woman named The Valkyrie, the deadliest assassin on Earth. Is Lioness 3 good enough to stop the three dangerous brothers? This, however, is only one of the many plots to harm the United States. Fortunately, Red Dog’s elite Black Ops would not hesitate to eliminate any threats from terrorists on American soil. Meanwhile, former all-American football player Spook Riley considers becoming the governor of Texas and a new church springs up with money-centered doctrines, posing a threat to the core values of Christianity.

I love it when books have lifelike characters with strong and memorable personalities. Spook Riley's conversations were so cheerful and infectious that I wanted to participate in them and the terrorists intimidated me right from the start with their dark and confrontational personalities. Though I didn't read the previous books in the series, I understood the story quite quickly. However, so many characters are introduced throughout the course of the plot that it was challenging to keep up with it. When Founders Leave is a Christian-themed book that anyone can read regardless of their beliefs as it does not attack other beliefs. Randall Jarmon's book would mostly appeal to readers who love action, suspense, and complex narratives with multiple viewpoints and characters.

Romuald Dzemo

When Founders Leave by Randall Jarmon is an action-packed thriller and the last book in the Riley/ Blue Dog Series. The story follows the Riley brothers who have a high-end security business as they take down criminals from Mexican drug dealers to the Russian mob. But in this final showdown, they encounter a sophisticated enemy known as The Movement, a highly skilled and well-equipped group that also boosts a deadly poison. With the help of Blue Dog, the retired admiral who lives in the shadows, can they beat this powerful foe?

Randall Jarmon is a great storyteller who writes in exquisite prose and creates characters that are robust and interesting to follow. Even the supporting female characters like Deborah, Lady Spook, and Lady Bytes are diligently written and they are fun to watch as they evolve through the story. The plotting is clever and the author keeps the reader guessing, creating moments that are tense, and weaving manifold surprises into the story. When Founders Leave is a nonstop, page-turning, action thriller and the fast pace will keep those who are fond of pulsating action and twisty plots racing through the pages. The descriptive prose captures scenes that are focused and the author does an impeccable job of building the tension in incremental doses right up to the delightful end. This book features a world that is realistic and deals with strong political, moral, and cultural themes. While readers will root for the characters, they will find themselves pondering about the choices these characters make.

Jose Cornelio

When Founders Leave by Randall Jarmon concludes the Riley/Blue Dog series and is loaded with action. The story features the Riley brothers who run a long-standing family high-end security business. They go after the bad guys, and in this concluding book of the series, they face Mexican drug rings, the Russian mob, and another enemy that might be the end of the Rileys. The Movement is known for their deadly methods and they have skilled weapons, including poison, to take down their enemies. Yes, they are sophisticated but in this exhilaratingly fast and pulse-pounding action thriller, the Rileys, together with their mysterious friend, ex-admiral Blue Dog, face them. Do they have enough fight to take down The Movement that is increasingly menacing?

When Founders Leave is a masterful work that will make an action-packed blockbuster movie. One of the things readers will adore is the way the relationship between the characters is developed, even the ladies who back the Rileys are interestingly written and they add depth to character development. It is spellbinding, atmospheric, and filled with high stakes. Randall Jarmon's brisk and straightforward prose style makes it easier to follow the intricate maze-like tale with focus. The captivating prose mixes with good dialogues to augment the entertainment that readers get from the story. The characters are extraordinarily written, fleshed out, and reflecting a world that readers can easily grasp. When Founders Leave is a story that is entertaining, but it also compels readers to reflect on some of the compelling traits of the characters, on family, terrorism, and justice. It reads well as a standalone novel.

Christian Sia

When Founders Leave by Randall Jarmon is the concluding installment in the ten-book Riley/ Blue Dog Series. It is a breathless, exciting thriller filled with action and features a very strong conflict. The narrative follows the Riley brothers who run a state-of-the-art security business. The business has been in the family for decades. In this story, they take on dangerous Mexican drug rings and Russian mobs. The Movement becomes a very dangerous foe, one the world hasn’t known about, and one with a lot of military resources and tactical skills. With the help of their friend, Blue Dog, the retired admiral who officially doesn’t exist, the Riley brothers face The Movement in this final showdown. Can they pull it off?

When Founders Leave is well-plotted and the characters are rock-solid and well-written. Characters like Spook and Bytes are likable and believable and I loved to follow these characters through the heart-pounding action. The story is suspenseful, written with many breathless moments in which the reader wonders what could happen next to the characters. The antagonistic characters are well-written as well, and their cunning and power raise the bar when it comes to crafting conflict that moves the story forward. The novel features a lot of ingeniously written backstory that fills in the blanks for anyone not familiar with the series. When Founders Leave by Randall Jarmon is written in beautiful prose, a pulse-quickening story that will appeal to anyone who enjoys stories with strong, relentless action. It is a real page-turner.