Rollins' Latest Debuts at #2 on NYT

From James Rollins' website:

I just learned that The Doomsday Key will debut at the #2 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. I've never hit so high before, and I know it's all because of YOU out there. This just proves I have the coolest readers in the world! THANKS for spreading the word to friends and families, for being so vocal and supportive about the books.


Also, time is almost up to enter our latest book giveaways. We'll announce the winners on Monday.

Video Friday

Gayle Lynds holds a workshop on writing thrillers at ThrillerFest 2006.







See YouTube for the entire lecture.

The Apostle by Brad Thor

Review by Ed Homa

Brad Thor brings back his hero; Scot Harvath, ex-Navy SEAL, ex-Secret Service Agent, and ex-Homeland Security Specialist; for his eighth adventure in “the Apostle”.

A new President is in office and Homeland Security Specialist Scot Harvath is out of a job. Harvath doesn’t agree with the more liberal positions of the new President but respects the Office and the man. When the daughter of the President’s top adviser is kidnapped in Afghanistan Harvath is approached to bring her home.

Harvath must kidnap a top al-Qaeda operative to trade for the hostage. The main problem is that the al-Qaeda target is being held in a Kabul prison. The U.S. government can’t support this action so Scot is on his own with very limited resources in war-torn Afghanistan. Can one man break into a prison in a hostile nation and breakout one of the world’s most wanted terrorist?

If Harvath can get his prisoner out of prison can he trade him for the hostage and set free a known terrorist? Add to the main plot some political intrigue in Washington, D.C. and Thor brings home a top-notch thriller! Brad Thor traveled with U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan researching this novel and it shows. Thor understands the complexity of the problems in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

Brad Thor presents a realistic look at the world of Special Operations and Afghanistan. I will be the first to admit that I am more a fan of escapism thrillers. I get my fix of the real world in the news and for pleasure I read escapism writers like James Rollins, Steve Berry, Clive Cussler or Matthew Reilly. Brad Thor presents the real world in his books with real world problems and conflicts. I could not read a steady diet of this kind of book, but between my escapism reading Brad Thor brings me back into the real world and I look forward to the new Scot Harvath novel each and every summer.

I was pulled into the book from the start and couldn’t put it down when I picked it up. If you are a fan of Vince Flynn and haven’t read Brad Thor do yourself a favor and give him a try.

Don't forget our Brad Thor book giveaway!

The Judas Cross by Charles Sheffield and David Bischoff

Review by Cym Lowell

The Judas Cross by Charles Sheffield and David Bischoff (1994 Warner Books)

Sometimes, it is amazing to pick up a backlist book and read it in the current environment. This is my experience with The Judas Cross, published in 1994 and written, no doubt, several years before. It is a thriller with all of the action and plot twists that we expect from bestsellers in that genre, written by bestselling authors. The Judas Cross was written before the Da Vinci Code created a new genre of thrillers, which has been followed by many other writers in its wake.

The Judas Cross is set during World War I at a place that is just behind the dug-in positions of the French and the Germans. A courageous young American woman is curious about what has happened to her father in the war. The message is that he is recovering at the Chateau Cirelle, in the care of the Marquis. Against the advice of all, Jenny Marshall travels to the Chateau, finds her father and adventures that rival the travails of any thriller ever written in terms of excitement, romance, sensuality, and surprise.

The Marquis is the current possessor of the Judas Cross which he believes to have magical powers to end the war for the greater glory of France, a personal use that is forbidden for the Cross.

As opposed to common approach of some current thriller writers, which is to paint thriller backgrounds upon canvasses of the Church or Church-related organizations, not surprising given the success of the Da Vinci Code, The Judas Cross creates its own history.

I was galvanized, reading the story straight through over the Atlantic on my way to Paris, which, of course, was appropriate given the setting of the story.

The themes in this book are perfect for readers or reading groups to explore. Father – daughter (in two varieties), need for fulfillment, stalled and new romance, history of the trench warfare of World War I, bravery, treachery, and simple good fun.

I only hope that there enough copies of this wonderful book to provide the joyful experience that I had in reading it.

Thanks to fine writers for an excellent story, only recently brought to my attention. I hope this review brings to the attention of many others, and for its republication for a new generation of international thriller readers!

Cym Lowell is the author of the thriller Riddle of Berlin. Learn more about him at his blog.


Don't forget our giveaways of Brad Thor's The Apostle and David Bischoff's The Judas Cross.

Book Giveaways!

It's time for some more book giveaways. Get your free copies of:

The Apostle by Brad Thor

and

The Judas Cross by David Bischoff and Charles Sheffield.


Ed Homa will review The Apostle on Tuesday, and thriller author Cym Lowell will review The Judas Cross tomorrow.

To enter, simply send an e-mail to megalithbooks [at] gmail.com. The subject line should be the book(s) in which you are interested ("Apostle" or "Judas Cross"). The body of the e-mail should include your name and snail mail address. You may enter both giveaways with a single e-mail if you like. Simply indicate that you are interested in both books.

Five Greatest Warriors update

I noticed that many recent visitors to the site have arrived while searching for information regarding the sequel to Matthew Reilly's Six Sacred Stones. Here's what information I could gather:

The Five Greatest Warriors is scheduled for and October 20, 2009 Australia release, and a US release on January 5, 2010. Not sure what that means for the UK and other European markets. It's available for pre-order on Amazon.com.


Here's some info on the book from Reilly's website:

MATTHEW REILLY IS BACK!
AND THE COLOSSAL ADVENTURE CONTINUES...

It began with WONDERS...

It grew beyond measure with some SACRED STONES...

Now, come the WARRIORS...

Strap yourself in and hold on tight as Matthew Reilly’s epic adventure series reaches dizzying new heights with THE FIVE GREATEST WARRIORS...

THE FIVE WARRIORS

Having left readers desperately hanging at the end of his action-packed adventure, THE SIX SACRED STONES, Matthew Reilly returns with his biggest and fastest adventure yet, THE FIVE GREATEST WARRIORS.

The action begins right where THE SIX SACRED STONES left off...with our hero, Jack West Jr, falling into a fathomless abyss and his astonishing escape from certain death.

Now, with the end of the world fast approaching, Jack must rebuild the final pieces of the fabled “Machine”. But he is out of clues, out of leads...until he is presented with an ancient text about five unnamed warriors, great historical figures who were all in some way connected to the mysterious Machine...

A NEW QUEST

And so Jack and his loyal team set out to discover the identities – and the secrets – of THE FIVE GREATEST WARRIORS.

It is a singularly impressive list: from Moses to Genghis Khan and Napoleon, and to one most unlikely warrior. And who is the unknown “Fifth Warrior” who it is said will be there “at the end of all things”?

In SEVEN ANCIENT WONDERS, Matthew Reilly explored the mysteries of the Great Pyramid.

In THE SIX SACRED STONES, the astonishing link between Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid was examined.

In THE FIVE GREATEST WARRIORS:

* the explosive secrets of history’s greatest commanders will be revealed;
* our heroes will stage an extraordinary mission into the lair of a powerful villain to rescue their friend, Stretch;
* Jack West will race tsunamis (!!);
* the Earth will come face-to-face with the apocalypse;
* and not for a single moment does the action let up.


In it the story begun in SEVEN ANCIENT WONDERS and THE SIX SACRED STONES will reach its literally Earth-shaking climax at one of the most mysterious places on our planet.

From the deserts of Israel to the storm-lashed coasts of Japan, to the wastes of Mongolia and to the most mysterious island on Earth — this is what we have come to expect from Matthew Reilly: stupendous action, white-knuckle suspense, heroes to cheer for, and an adventure beyond imagining.

This is...THE FIVE GREATEST WARRIORS.

Video Friday

Here are a couple of videos of interest: