Showing posts with label thriller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thriller. Show all posts

The 19th Element: A James Becker Nuclear Thriller Review

The 19th Element: A James Becker Nuclear Thriller
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Al Qaeda plans to attack Minnesota's Prairie River Nuclear Power Plant to remind everyone they are still very active and to get back in the international headlines. They have recruited some homegrown anarchists to add to their terrorist forces, one of which is a Three Mile Island survivor with a huge grudge against the power plant, and two more with questionable education and background.
James "Beck" Becker is a former elite U.S. government intelligence operative who has retired to his childhood hometown of Red Wing, Minnesota just a few miles from the Prairie River Nuclear Power Plant. After a university professor's body is found along the shore of the Mississippi River, clearly murdered, "Beck" gets in on the investigation and all his instincts tell him, this dead body is just the start of something much bigger. He is very concerned when he learns the professor's assistant is missing along with what could be a very dangerous piece of lab equipment. Later clues like a missing fertilizer truck and an international phone call only confirm to "Beck" that terrorists are involved and that something major is going to happen, but he can't convince any government officials that a huge threat exists. So with the help of his American Indian friend "Bull", he tries to foil the plan on his own.
I LOVE IT!!!!!
I am so glad John Betcher sent me the extraordinary thriller. It is scary good!! I say this because this fiction could easily become reality. This could definitely be a "ripped from the headlines" story. When I think of terrorist targets in the United States, I think of major cities, Washington D.C., New York, maybe Los Angeles, but this story takes place in my "backyard", the Upper Midwest. Also we know from history there are terrorists and their supporters here in the states, and this story brings them out front and center. Yes, this story is fiction but it has all the details that make you realize this could really happen. While this book entertains it also raises the readers awareness that there are people that want to hurt Americans.
I had the pleasure of reading, reviewing and interviewing the author after her sent me his first book, The Missing Element, and while I truly loved that book, I enjoyed this book even more. This book is now tied with Harlan Coben's CAUGHT as the best book I have read this year. If you like a riveting, page turner this is definitely a book that should be in you hot little hands today. Don't wait, click the link and order this book today! You will not be able to put it down until you finish the last page and you will be thinking about the reality of it for a long time after you put this book on your keeper shelf.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author.. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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GOLD MEDALIST 2011 READERS FAVORITE BOOK AWARDS.Al Qaeda plans to attack Minnesota's Prairie River Nuclear Power Plant as a means to return the down-trodden terrorist organization to international prominence.In addition to their own devoted forces, the terrorists enlist some homegrown anarchists, and a Three Mile Island survivor with a pathological vendetta against the nuclear establishment, to assist in the assault.James "Beck" Becker is a former elite U.S. government intelligence operative who has retired to his childhood hometown of Red Wing, Minnesota -- just six miles down the Mississippi from the Prairie River nuclear facility.Possessing wisdom born of experience, Beck suspects the terrorists' intentions as soon as the body of a university professor turns up on the Mississippi shore -- the clear victim of foul play.He recognizes connections between seemingly unrelated incidents -- the murdered agronomy professor, a missing lab assistant, an international cell call, a stolen fertilizer truck, an explosion in the street in front of City Hall -- but can't piece it together in enough detail to convince government authorities that a larger threat exists.Only his American Indian friend, "Bull," will help Beck defuse the threat.So it's Beck and Bull versus international terror.May the better men win.___________"Betcher writes with intelligence and humor. The 19th Element is an intriguing blend of Robert Parker wit and Vince Flynn action. A fun, exciting read for anyone who enjoys a well-written thriller." Lois Greiman, award-winning author of the Chrissy McMullen mysteries.

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Relentless: A Novel Review

Relentless: A Novel
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Koontz's newest book reminds me of his early stuff. After the last few books, I was feeling really tepid toward Koontz. His writing used to be predictable- always a thriller with a twist and great characterization. His more recent work has tasted a bit flat to me- almost as if he was trying to be contemplative and instead coming off sophomoric. Earlier books were very entertaining and always interesting, not necessarily fantastic literature but very adroit at entertaining the reader and hard to put down.
When I first started reading "Relentless", I thought, "Here we go again." We are introduced to the sweet but goofy Cubby who, coincidentally, is a writer. His wife, Penny, is the tough and capable daughter of survivalists and author of children's books featuring a rabbit with big ears. They, of course, have a child who is, at the tender age of six, a genius of the highest degree and currently working on a project he is unable to even begin to explain to his dad. They have a very lovable dog who also seems to be very special.
Cubby and family are plunged into a nightmare when the infamous Shearman Waxx, reclusive book critic, reviews Cubby's recently released book and skewers it. Despite Penny's warnings to "let it go", Cubby just can't. When he finds out that the reviewer frequents a restaurant where he and his family dine, he goes to lunch hoping to check the guy out. A brief encounter in the restaurant bathroom soon has Cubby wishing he'd followed his wife's advice.
Catastrophe ensues and Cubby and his litttle family are soon on the run from absolute evil of mythical proportions that seems to have practically supernatural resources.
Waxx makes for quite the sinister boogeyman and despite my initial misgivings, Cubby, his wife and kid and the group of eccentric family and friends that aid their flight and search for answers in a race to save their lives, turn out to be quite endearing. They have no idea what's coming for them and they must keep on the move and their wits about them to avoid, not just death- but a terrible one.
Koontz injects a hefty dose of what appears to be his light-up-the-darkness philosophy into the book. Cubby, despite his goofiness and mechanical ineptitude, has a dark secret in his past that makes his comedic and wonder-filled contribution to the literary world all the more amazing given what he has overcome.
An easy read- the time will fly by(read this straight through). Once past the initial chapters, the thriller aspect grabbed me and held me. Koontz likes to leave his reader hanging at the end of the chapter- something major just happened but nope, you're not going to find out until you readd the next chapter. So, if you aren't going to read it straight through, I imagine it would be fun to jump back into it with a new chapter.
Koontz does a good job developing his characters which is ultimately very necessary to suspend disbelief because some very unbelievable things take place in this book and even some of the characters are a tad far-fetched. I so enjoyed his characters, though, that I willed them into the realm of possibly existing in my mind.
If you are a fan of the Koontz thrillers(Lightning, Watchers, Phantoms) you will enjoy this. If you are new to Koontz, I highly recommend those titles I've mentioned. This book has some good suspense(a la Robert Ludlum) and a twist of the unexpected(Stephen King lite). The book does contain several scenes that describe graphic murder scenes which are a bit disturbing. The message of the book, overall, however, is a very positive one(Koontz does get a little heavy-handed with preaching his world view but it does not detract from the overall storyline).
Koontz makes no small show of telling us that we should hang on to our senses of humor, love and moments of grace despite the murder, mayhem and madness of the world and thus we keep the darkness at bay and good wins out over evil.

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