Megalith

Interview with Paul Byers, author of Arctic Fire

2012-01-11T10:33:00.000-05:00

I had the privilege of interviewing thriller author Paul Byers.

Arctic Fire is your new release. Tell us about it.

First of all, I want to say thank you for having me on your great site. I always appreciate the chance to talk about my books and the writing process.

In a nutshell, here’s the short version of the book;

A brutal storm damages a man-made iceberg destined to bring safe drinking water to New York harbor and the Chief Engineer, Gabriel Pike has serious doubts about the true intentions of the project. A grisly double homicide puts the inspection on hold as he’s accused of being the jealous murderer in a lover’s triangle.

But Pike soon discovers that there is far more at stake than just his own life. He uncovers a plot that will level a city, change the face of America, and whose shockwaves will be felt around the world.

As both a writer and a reader, what draws you to the thriller genre?

I like books that pull you into situations that as you the reader, living through the main character, would never have imaged fining yourself in. I like action and the, ‘I never saw that one coming,’ twists that any good thriller should have.

As a writer I want to leave the reader wondering where the facts end and the fiction begin. I think that is the mark of a good thriller writer. Having said that, you say to yourself, towing and iceberg for fresh water, come on, impossible! Really? Check out this link, life imitating art.

What do you think readers will most enjoy about your book?

Several things I hope, the first being the characters. Any novel, no matter the genre, has to have believable characters in order for you to believe in the story. In Arctic Fire I tried to do this. If they aren’t real to the reader then they won’t care about them, and if the reader doesn’t what happens to them, then ultimately they won’t care about the book and it will go back on the shelf, unread.

Action is also very important to any story. You’ve got good characters but it isn’t much of a thriller of they don’t do anything. The action has to fit the style and pace of the story and you have to create a sense of danger, real peril for your characters to either get into or out of and I think I’ve done that with both Catalyst and Arctic Fire.

You mentioned good characters in your stories, can you tell us about a few of the characters in Arctic Fire?

Our hero is, Gabriel Pike and I wanted him to be the “everyman hero.” He isn’t ex-military, a Kung Fu master or a super hero; he is an ordinary man put into extraordinary circumstances. He is not a wimp by any mean as he flies a Korean War vintage F-86 Sabre jet. Pike is an engineer so he sees thing just a little bit differently than the rest of us and even though he’s used to running out structural calculations to five decimal points, he lives by the simple motto that there are few things in life that can’t be fixed with a bigger hammer or a roll of duct tape!

Our villain in the story is, Nigel Cain. Cain is a self-made man and is one of the wealthiest men on the planet. And being wealthy, the press thinks he is prone to being eccentric, especially with his latest stunt, but there is an underlining method to his madness as he never does anything without a reason. His passion, devotion and his vision of the future are his greatest assets… but they are our greatest threat.

Both books sound very interesting. What kind of research did you do for them?

For Arctic Fire, the vast majority of the research was done online. One website led to another which led to another etc.., all good information but looking for just the right tidbits to throw in and make it interesting, without boring the reader with too much information. I also talked with a couple of people, experts in their field to get ‘first hand’ knowledge rather than just all ‘book smarts.’

Catalyst was much the same way with a lot of online research but since WWII actually happened, I was able to talk to several vets and get their real life experiences. I talked with one gentleman who was shot down and was interned at Stalag III. If you remember the movie, The Great Escape, it was the true life story of how over 70 Allied prisoners managed to escape from the POW camp.

The flyer I talked to was there about three months after the escape and a lot of the camp life descriptions are from him, lending a personal view to the descriptions.

I also did my fair share of book reading too and I’ll throw in this little teaser. There’s a scene where our hero goes to pick up some money to send to his agents in France, and what they did to age the money so as not to tip off the Gestapo was real.

Tell us about your journey to publication.

Wow, how much time do we have here? When my first book, Catalyst, was published by Breakneck, later Variance, I didn’t have a clue as to what went on behind the scenes. I sent them the manuscript, went through some changes with the editor and bam! I had a book.

Artic Fire, I published myself so everything was up to me now, things I didn’t even think or know about that went into making a book. I had to deal with the interior design, layout of the pages and formatting (both print and e-version and some of the different e-book sites have different formatting requirements) Then after the electronic versions were taken care of I had to find a POD (print on demand) company that offered the best service (and price) for my book, cover art, etc… I never realized just how clueless in Seattle I really was when it came to book publishing.

These are things I never thought of (and I bet most other people haven’t either) that goes into making a book. I’ll admit, it was a bit overwhelming at first, but not insurmountable. It’s like the old saying, How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. I think of myself as the perfect examples to others wanting to start out in the business, if I can do it, so can you!

When I started this journey I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I didn’t know how to build a website, that was for geeks; who by the way, ten years ago we used to make fun, now we want them to be our best friends! Since then, I have built three websites. I’ve guest lectured at high schools, done book signing, done interviews and more.

So you can say I’ve learned a thing or two along the way, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

What’s next for you? Any new books on the way?

When I first started writing, they say to write about what you know, so I did. I grew up watching Star Trek, the original series with Kirk, Spock and Bones. Hard to believe I’m that old! So I started writing science fiction, in fact, my first novel was a hand written Star Trek novel. There were no computers in those days and I couldn’t afford a typewriter, wow, now I really am dating myself. Can you imagine a world not without computers?

This is just a long way of saying that I’m rewriting several science fiction short stories I wrote way back when and am going to put them into an e-book.

I am more than halfway through with another thriller set in the South Pacific on a small island where things are not as they seem, and hope to have that ready by late spring. I’m also in the early stages of laying the foundation for a sequel to Arctic Fire.

Where can we find you on the web?

My website is www.paulbyersonline.com There you can read more about my books, upcoming events, check out a few links and learn more about yours truly. Thanks again for taking the time and stopping by!

My thanks to Paul for taking the time to discuss his work with me.

The 2011 Meg Awards!

2011-12-30T23:35:00.001-05:00

Once again it's time for the Meg Awards, honoring my favorite books in the genre over the past year. These aren't necessarily books that I reviewed, but books I read. Some might have technically been released in late 2010, but I don't split hairs.

Best Book by a New Author

The End of Marking Time by C.J. West. An excellent thriller that cuts across subgenres.

Honorable Mention: KiDNApped by Rick Chesler

Most Underrated Author

David Wood- You can always count on Wood for an entertaining story. In 2011, he gave us a top-notch thriller in Quest, a solid co-authored effort with Jeremy Robinson, plus another Dane Maddock adventure just before Christmas.

Honorable Mention: Scott Mariani

Action Hero of the Year

Ben Hope- Scott Mariani's thrillers are well known outside the US, and gaining momentum in the States. If you love Brad Meltzer or Dan Brown, give him a try.

Honorable Mention: Aloysius Pendergast (Preston and Child)

Most Reliable Author

Jeremy Robinson- How can you not appreciate an author who gave readers new novels in the Chess Team and Last Hunter series, seven co-authored Chess Team novellas, and a novel under his Jeremy Bishop pseudonym.

Honorable Mention: David L. Golemon

Book of the Year

Cold Vengeance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

This was a tough call. I loved the books on my Best Reads list, but all had weak points in my opinion. The best book I read this year was 11-22-63 by Stephen King, but that doesn't fit the content of this blog, so I'm going with my next choice. Cold Vengeance tops The Devil Colony mostly because the plot had more twists and I preferred Preston and Child's villain.

Best Reads of the Year
1. Cold Vengeance- Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
2. The Devil Colony- James Rollins
3. Quest- David Wood
4. The End of Marking Time- C.J. West
5. Threshold- Jeremy Robinson
6. Gideon's Sword- Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
7. Legacy- David L. Golemon
8. Full Black- Brad Thor
9. KiDNApped- Rick Chesler
10. The Catalyst Boyd Morrison

Interview with Kyle Mills, author of The Immortalists

2011-11-28T09:49:00.001-05:00

Interview by Ed Homa

Please welcome Kyle Mills to Megalith. Mr. Mills has been a successful author since 1997 when his first book, Rising Phoenix, was published. At the end of December Kyle’s The Ares Decision was published; this was his first novel in Robert Ludlum’s Covert-One series. At the beginning of December he will release his most recent solo novel, The Immortalists.

M: We are pleased that you accepted our invitation to speak with us. You grew up as a child of an FBI agent. What was that like?

KM: Endlessly interesting. I was having dinner with my father in London when his assistant came in and told him that a plane had gone down and they needed to get to a little town called Lockerbie right away. I’ve had drinks with a guy who, by law, can’t be photographed. I’ve heard first person accounts of gunfights that actually involved monkeys. I always felt sorry for kids whose fathers sat at a desk all day.

M: Did you ever consider becoming a FBI agent?

KM: I did. I even went so far as to apply. The sad truth, though, is that it isn’t the same organization it was when my father was young. He’d go after fugitives by himself and, if he was lucky, grab a local sheriff to help him out. He’s fallen out of second story windows, chased people through the woods in a 4x4, and gotten into a gunfight when he wasn’t carrying a gun. Now it’s more cerebral and technical—lots of careful counter-terrorism and white collar crime. I wanted to be a cowboy.

M: Tell us a little about your career before becoming a writer and your move to Jackson Hole.

KM: I made commercial real estate loans for a bank in Baltimore during a market collapse. I was 26 years old, responsible for almost 100 million dollars in bad debt, and my hair was starting to turn grey. When I got the chance to escape, I took it.

M: Your continuing series character, Mark Beamon, is an FBI agent. Tell us a little about the creation and development of him.

KM: He’s very much a composite of FBI agents I’ve known over the years: My father for that bigger-than-life quality, a combination of a few other guys for that absent-minded intellectual streak, and a dash of me for the underlying self-doubt.

M: Early in December The Immortalists will be released. Could you fill us in about this book?

KM: It seems inevitable as you get older to start thinking about your mortality. And if you’re a science geek like me, you start wondering why it’s so inescapable. The science of aging is advancing at a startling rate and a time when people won’t have to suffer through it isn’t that far off. In fact, it’s possible that there are kids alive today who won’t ever get old.

I tell my story through the eyes of a biologist whose daughter has progeria, a rare terminal disease that causes children to age at a wildly accelerated rate. He stumbles across some promising research done by a recently deceased colleague and suddenly it seems as if the entire world is against him—he is arrested for industrial espionage, someone tries to kill his family, his lab is destroyed. The forces he’s up against seem almost omnipotent, but his daughter’s life hangs in the balance and there’s nothing he won’t risk to save her. Similarly, there’s nothing the group trying to silence him won’t do to keep their secret.

M: How were you approached by the Ludlum people about the Covert-One series?

KM: I just got a call one day. It was startling to the point of prompting me to initially say that I wasn’t sure I was interested. It’s a little terrifying to be asked to step into shoes that big.

M: Are you a Ludlum fan? Were you familiar with the Covert-One series?

KM: I was a huge fan when I was growing up, though I actually hadn’t read any of the Covert-One novels until I got the call.

M: What directions were you given regarding your handling of the series?

KM: They were pretty flexible—the two main characters needed to be included, the spirit of Ludlum’s style needed to be adhered to, and there had to be a science angle. Other than that, I was given a lot of creative rope.

M: Did you enjoy playing with characters that are not yours?

KM: Much more than I thought I would. It’s kind of nice not to have to create all your characters from scratch and to instead riff off something someone else has done. The Covert-One characters are very different than ones I would normally devise, so it was an interesting opportunity to move out of my comfort zone.

M: Did any character surprise you by becoming a favorite?

KM: I ended up really liking Jon Smith, the main character. In prior novels, he had been very much defined by his actions with only a few hints at his inner character. It was a perfect set up to explore him a bit.

M: Will you be writing another Covert-One?

KM: It looks like I will be. Not the next one, but the one after that.

M: Is it possible for you to produce a Covert-One and a solo novel of your own each year?

KM: No way. I wish I was a faster writer, but I just can’t seem to write a book I’d want to put my name on in much less than a year.

M: What is your process for writing a novel? How do you balance research and the writing?

KM: I tend to be a nut for research, but it really depends on the book. Darkness Falls was a story about a terrorist attack that collapses the world’s oil supply and demanded an enormous amount of research. Is it possible to destroy oil in the ground? What would the economic ramifications be? How does drilling work, etc.

Sometimes, I have to control myself a bit. In The Ares Decision and The Immortalists, I decided that I’d include all the evolutionary biology, neurology, and genetics information that I wanted in the first draft and that in the second draft I’d take precisely half of it out. I can get a little over excited about that kind of stuff and find myself writing a textbook.

M: How do you write? Are you a disciplined writer? Sitting at your desk the same hours each and every day?

KM: I am fairly disciplined, though you wouldn’t know it from looking. I work lying on my sofa in the living room and spend anywhere from three to eight hours a day depending on where I am in the process. If I’m outlining, three is about all I can manage. It’s tough to think that hard for much longer without getting a headache.

M: What programs (such as Google Earth) do you use in your writing?

KM: The rise of the Internet has been so amazing for thriller novelists. I can’t believe I was able to write Rising Phoenix without it. There were a lot of calls to the DEA and stacks of subversive-looking books on my shelf as I recall.

Now I use search engines and Wikipedia, but rarely Google Earth. There’s no substitute for actually standing on the ground in the places you write about. I spent a lot of time in Africa researching Lords of Corruption and The Ares Decision, and in January, I’m off to Spain and Morocco to scout locations for the next Ludlum novel.

M: Are you a techie? What are your favorite devices?

KM: I live in both extremes. My mountain bike looks like it was built by NASA, but I drive a ’52 Chevy pickup. I love having the latest MacBook and ski boots made from carbon fiber and titanium, but don’t own a cell phone.

M: Do you writing in public places like coffee shops?

KM: Only when I’m really stuck. There are so many distractions around my house, I’ll occasionally go to a bar where no one knows me and there is no Internet connection. Amazing what I can get done when there’s no alternative.

M: Who were your favorite authors growing up?

KM: Ludlum, Stephen King, George Orwell, and Tom Clancy spring immediately to mind. But I pretty much read whatever I could get my hands on. My seventh grade book report was on James Clavell’s Shogun. I had to get an extension because I didn’t realize there was a second volume.

M: Do you have much time to read? Who are your current favorite writers?

KM: I almost never read fiction anymore. Most of my book time is devoted to research, which isn’t so bad because I’m curious about almost everything—physics, biology, psychology, history, music, language. It’s all changing so fast, I feel like I’m constantly playing catch up.

M: Are you a fan of thriller movies? Do you have any favorites?

KM: Absolutely, but I’m never sure what falls into that category. Alien, Seven Samurai, Rope, Pulp Fiction, Jaws, Scarface, Blade Runner, Natural Born Killers, Angel Heart. Do those count?

M: Have you jumped on the e-reader bandwagon?

KM: The Immortalists is being published by Thomas & Mercer, which is a division of Amazon, so I bought a Kindle recently. Amazing technology and no doubt the future, but my wife took it and won’t give it back.

M: You and your wife are rock climbers. How did that love develop?

KM: In college, I’d read a magazine article about Yosemite rock climbers and thought they sounded like the most amazing people in the world. When I got out of school, I spotted an ad in the back of Outside offering lessons at some cliffs about five hours from my house. I signed up and was immediately hooked. Thank God my wife (girlfriend at the time) is pretty adventurous.

My elbows and shoulders have semi-retired me at this point, but it’s something that will always be a part of my life. We’ve made friends all over the world and always have an excuse to travel to some crazy place or other. I’m a mountain biker and backcountry skier now, but I have to admit that they are no substitute. If I could have my 25-year-old body back, I’d return to the cliffs in a second.

M: Good luck with The Immortalists and Covert-One and we look forward to your future work. Thank you for taking time out to chat with us and we look forward to speaking with you again.

The Vault by Boyd Morrison

2011-11-18T09:29:00.000-05:00

Thriller writer Amy Rogers provides today's review. You can learn more about Amy and her work at the bottom of the post.

The Vault by Boyd Morrison (2011)

Book #2 in Morrison’s Tyler Locke series of thrillers about ancient myths and legends (after The Ark)

SUMMARY:

Someone has kidnapped Tyler Locke's father, but the ransom isn't money (which Tyler, a self-made tech wizard, has plenty of). Instead of writing a check, Tyler is forced to help the kidnapper solve a two-thousand-year-old puzzle left behind by the ancient Greek engineering genius Archimedes. With the help of Stacy Benedict, an expert on archeology and ancient Greece whose sister has also been taken, Tyler has five days to find the most valuable treasure of all time: the "gold touch" of King Midas.

REVIEW:

The Vault is a smart, contemporary thriller by author Boyd Morrison, himself an engineer, Jeopardy! champion, and all-around smart guy. Morrison's fascination with puzzles and clever mechanical devices shines through in this story. The Vault has a great premise (linking Archimedes, King Midas, and a ruthless present-day treasure hunter), multiple villains, and plenty of action. Like many popular thrillers today, The Vault uses a myth as the basis for a treasure hunt using ancient artifacts and texts. The story flies through a variety of exotic European settings (all easily accessed using Locke's private jet), where our heroes must defuse bombs, commit a heist, escape the mafia, translate dead languages, and more while racing a deadline and dodging a lot of bullets.

Along the way, Morrison incorporates a fair amount of cool and largely accurate tech detail, which should please fans of science-themed thrillers. I liked the way he handled the issue of the Midas Touch itself, stretching reality a little but keeping it believable (if not quite possible). Some of my favorite bits in this novel: creative use of sign language in the plot, a thrilling scene set in a robotic parking garage, a high speed car chase that's one of the best, radioactive strontium, and clever engineering-based puzzles.

This book should appeal to fans of Steve Berry and Dan Brown.

FCC disclaimer: A free copy of this book was given to me by the publisher for review.

Amy Rogers is a scientist, book fan, author, and critic. At ScienceThrillers.com she reviews thrillers with scientific or medical themes. In her latest novel PETROPLAGUE, oil-eating bacteria contaminate the fuel supply of Los Angeles and paralyze the city. View the trailer and read the praise for PETROPLAGUE at AmyRogers.com.

Interview with Graham Brown, Author of Devil's Gate

2011-11-14T07:05:00.004-05:00

Interview by Ed Homa.

We would like to welcome Graham Brown to Megalith, Books that Rock! Devil’s Gate, the new NUMA Files novel featuring Kurt Austin is Graham’s first book working with Clive Cussler. Graham is also the author of Black Rain and Black Sun; this third novel in the series The Eden Prophecy will be released in January.

M: Welcome, Graham, we are happy that you could take some time to speak with us. It was a surprise to see that you were taking over the NUMA Files series. How did this opportunity present itself to you?

GB: It's a fun story actually - basically I'd finished touring for Black Sun - was hunkering down to work on The Eden Prophecy - and I got a message from Clive's agent asking if it would be okay for him to call me. At first I thought maybe they were doing some kind of conference for Arizona writers and wanted me to attend and then the thought started to creep into my mind that maybe - just maybe - they want me to work on something.

Eventually, I talked with Clive and he told me he was interested in signing me up. I asked how he'd heard of me, thinking I had someone fantastic to thank for getting my name in front of him, and he said he picked my book up in the airport when he was traveling and read it on vacation and he really liked it. I thought wow, all my life I've been picking up Clive Cussler books in the airport and reading them on vacation and loving them. It was almost too cool.

M: You are an attorney and a pilot; please tell us a little about your past and how it has helped with your writing.

GB: I went to school in Prescott, Arizona to learn how to fly. I loved it. But as a career it has major ups and downs. I graduated into a bad economy and jobs for pilots were hard to find. After a year or two of bumping around I decided to go back to school and get a degree that was always in demand. Hence Law School - which was great fun. Being an attorney on the other hand - not so fun. I think to be a successful attorney you have to love paperwork and arguing with people - I pretty much hate both.

Funny thing is there are two great lessons in my missteps. First - most of my friends who persevered eventually got great jobs in the aviation industry. So lesson one is: just keep plowing forward and you'll get there. And lesson two - never do anything just for the money.

M: Was it easy for you to jump in and to start writing these characters?

GB: It became easy - and it was fun from day one - but I swear it's like someone handing you the keys to their Ferrari - it's fun to drive but don't hit the wall in turn three or you're going to catch hell for it. At first I really needed to make sure I understood them from my own point of view - not just how they were written - but who they were deeper down and let that come through. I think if you write from the surface down you end up with characters that are flat - but if write from their deeper essence - they become more real and consistent. I had to get a sense of how I saw Kurt, how I saw Joe and the Trouts. Dirk Pitt has a pretty good part in this book and I just had to get him right. He has an essence of coolness that few other characters have and if that didn't show up I would have been very disappointed. I think they all came out great and I know Clive and the publishers were very happy.

M: Which of the characters became your favorite to write? Did it surprise you which character became your favorite?

GB: I swear this isn't a cop out but they were all great. Kurt's the star - he gets to have most of the fun. But he and Joe have a great time as they rumble through this book. The way old friend should. And of course it was unbelievably cool to be writing scene's with Dirk Pitt - a character I've been reading for years.

I think the one character that surprised me the most was Gamay Trout. Originally we didn't intend for her and Paul to have too big of a part in the story - but it just kept growing and becoming more integral and she really came alive. Clive and I were laughing about it at one point.

M: How is writing a NUMA Files adventure different than your solo thrillers?

GB: Big audience out there for NUMA and having been to the Clive Cussler Convention this year I know I've got big shoes to fill. I feel a little bit like Daniel Craig when he took over the James Bond role - there were definitely some suspicious glances at first but I think I won them over. Hopefully I have as much success in my new role as he's had in his.

The collaboration part is different - in some ways its easier. I write my novels on my own - with only myself to bounce things off. Clive and I mix this thing up like a stew. And I know if I get off course he'll get me back on track.

M: How is it working with Clive Cussler?

GB: He knows so much its crazy - I remember brainstorming with him at his house for a couple of days and kind of getting jealous because his ideas were all better than mine. Not better in the "he's the boss" kind of way but better in the "damn, why didn't I think of that?" kind of way. I told someone it's like learning to hit a baseball from Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron and it's true. He's also funny, he tells a lot of jokes. He laughs. He's so down to earth it's awesome.

M: Did you have much contact with Mr. Cussler?

GB: Yeah. Quite a bit. We talk, we e-mail. We're close enough that I can drive up to his house and we can do some work together and go over things in person. He's a busy guy, so I try not to waste his time.

M: A hero needs nefarious villains; do you find it hard to come up with villains and their unique situations?

GB: The great villain is the one who has good reason for the evil he or she is plotting. They should a little crazy and enjoying their dastardly acts but they should have a compelling reason for doing them in the first place. The most dangerous person in the world is the one who's on a crusade. Obsessed and willing to do anything. The tough part is making sure their evil shines through without turning them into a cartoon. I think we have a couple of fantastic villains in Devil's Gate.

M: How do you go about writing a novel? How much time is devoted to research and writing?

GB: Ideas come first., then a plot line around those ideas, and then research, which usually changes the plot and story because it often suggests something exciting and novel. I was halfway through The Eden Prophecy when a completely new idea hit me. A plot from the villain's point of view that I'd never seen done before. I was so excited I scrambled around to write it down before I forgot it. And then I went back to page one and rewrote the whole book. I think people are going to be stunned, and whatever they think about the rest of the book they'll be kind of blown away by the direction it goes.

M: What is your work day like? Are you a disciplined writer?

GB: I didn't used to be - I wrote when the muse was around. Then I got busy and I realized that the muse is almost always around - you just have to get your butt in your seat and get going, she'll show up.

I usually put in a good seven to eight hour day - ten to twelve to fourteen as deadlines come upon me. But usually eight hours, some of it's unproductive, but mostly its pretty good as long as my subconscious isn't nagging at me that I've gone off course somehow. By the end of the day I can't really type or write complete thoughts that's when it's time to stop.

M: Do you write in an office? What is your office like?

GB: I just moved so right now my office is a table surrounded by boxes. I'm actually thinking of leaving it like this - that way if I ever move again I don't have to pack anything.

M: do you ever “go on the road” and write in places like coffee shops or in public places?

GB: Yeah - especially at the start of the book when I'm doing a lot of hand writing and just kind of jotting down ideas or outlines or partial scenes. I put on my I-Pod crank up some classical music or soundtracks and block out the rest of the world.

M: Do you use any kind of writing programs?

GB: Just Microsoft Word. What else is there?

M: What kind of research do you do? How handy do you find technology in your writing?

GB: Technology can be the great assistant or the great time waster. You have to be careful. I read magazines like Popular Science, Discover, National Geographic - just to keep up on the world - then when I'm on the trail of something I surf the web. There's so much information out there it's mind boggling.

M: Google Earth – do you use it in your writing?

GB: Oh yeah - if you have to know what a certain harbor in Africa looks like you got two choices and one is a lot less dangerous and a lot less expensive.

M: Your next book, The Eden Prophecy, is due in January. What can you tell us about it?

GB: It has to do with genetic engineering, the search for the Garden of Eden and doomsday cult that has plans to destroy humanity one way or the other. I think it will reward those who've read Black Sun and Black Rain but also be very accessible for those who've never read either of the other Hawker/Laidlaw books. My editors swore they could not put it down as it keeps you guessing right to the end. So we're all very excited.

M: Where did Hawker and Danielle Laidlaw come from?

GB: We've all seen the rogue cop/agent/spy who plays by his own rules and gets away with it, I wanted to write a character who'd done that and basically ruined his own life. Hawker's that character. He's an outcast by his own doing. No one framed him. He just wouldn't follow the rules and now he's trapped between believing what he did was right and wishing he'd just towed the company line and done as ordered. It set up pretty cool conflicts for him. Not sure what it says about where I was at the time.

Danielle was supposed to be a bond girl when I started; sexy, in need of rescuing, probably scantily clad at some point. But she just wouldn't play that part. It was boring. And as she became more of a kick ass and take names character the book got so much better. Of course it dawned on me then that all my girlfriends have been strong independent women - so maybe there's something to that.

M: Who were some of your favorite writers growing up?

GB: Clive and Michael Crichton were my two favorites. Alistair McClain. Peter Benchley. I'm a huge fan of Stephen King now. But growing up I didn't quite get his genius. Now I do.

M: Do you have time to read for pleasure any longer? Since becoming a writer what authors have you come to admire?

GB: It's tough because your natural instinct as soon as you pick a book up is to start breaking down what the author is doing and why. But on vacation - I try shut my brain down and just read for pure pleasure. This summer I read The Spy - it's Clive and Justin Bell - it was awesome. Last year I read the Pirate Latitudes - Michael Crichton's last book. It was fantastic.

Steve Berry is a tremendously talented writer. His scenes are so sharp, I've read all his books and look back over them just to see the crispness of his writing and remind myself not to ramble. He also a really genuine guy. James Rollins is terrific of course, nobody blends science and adventure like him. Boyd Morrison has a wild imagination and really puts some of the most fantastic action in his books. Lee Child - his voice and style are so totally unique its awesome. There are so many its impossible to even list them.

M: What is next for you? Will you be writing another NUMA Files?

GB: Yeah. I'm working on the next NUMA files right now. We're about a third of the way through and I think it's going to be wild. It has a working title but I'm probably not supposed to share it with you. If I get the green light you'll be the first to know.

Graham, thank you for taking the time to speak with us and good luck with Devil’s Gate and The Eden Prophecy.

Guest Post- Strong Female Characters in Fiction May Lead the Way in Real Life

2011-11-11T07:00:00.002-05:00

Today we pleased to have a guest post courtesy of Phyllis Zimbler Miller, co-author of Lt. Commander Mollie Sanders. More about Phyllis and her work at the end of the post.

Strong Female Characters in Fiction May Lead the Way in Real Life

In the mid-1970s I taught a newswriting course at Temple University Center City (Philadelphia). In that long-ago time women were not portrayed very positively even in news stories. In fact, I had quite a collection of news clippings of negative portrayals of women, including condescending descriptions of women in front-page stories of The Wall Street Journal.

Being an early feminist, I wanted my newswriting course students to learn to portray women in an equal light to the way men were portrayed in news articles. What this turned out to entail was first disabusing both the male and female students of negative stereotypes of women.

From that time on I have felt strongly that the way in which women are portrayed in the media has a strong impact on how both men and women perceive women.

Thus it was natural that, when my husband Mitch and I started writing screenplays together, we always had a strong female (and often an accompanying strong male) as the protagonist.

In the years since those newswriting courses, women have gotten more and more opportunities in the U.S. military. But when Mitch and I first wrote the screenplay “Lt. Commander Mollie Sanders,” women were not allowed to serve on subs, and we wanted to explore a story about a woman who forced her way onto serving on a sub.

We liked the character of Lt. Commander Mollie Sanders so much that we then wrote a prequel screenplay, “A Needle in a Haystack.” And when neither screenplay got produced, I decided to combine the two screenplays into the technothriller ebook “Lt. Commander Mollie Sanders.”

Of course, we did a great deal of research about submarines. We were helped in this research because Mitch is a member of the U.S. Naval Institute, which produces the monthly print magazine Proceedings.

Also, I’m now a member of the Department of Defense’s Bloggers Roundtable. Because I heard firsthand the interview about how women will soon be serving on U.S. subs, I know that the first women will be assigned in groups of three to a bigger sub than the one on which our protagonist serves.

While the technical aspects of our ebook are as accurate as we could make them, we also feel that the portrayal of how the first woman on a sub might be treated is realistic. Part of that realistic portrayal requires an exceptional woman who has had to continually fight her way in a man’s world to get where she is. Getting to serve on a sub is just one more obstacle she is determined to overcome.

Perhaps 10 years from now women serving on U.S. submarines will be commonplace. But for now this is still uncharted waters. And for what it’s worth, Mitch and I think our fictional character may help pave the way for the real women who will be serving on submarines.

Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the co-founder of the marketing consulting company Miller Mosaic, LLC. “Lt. Commander Mollie Sanders” is available on Smashwords at http://budurl.com/MollieSandersebooks and the first chapter of the technothriller ebook may be read at www.MollieSanders.com

Interview with David Meyer, Author of Chaos

2011-11-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

I had the privilege of chatting with David Meyer, author of the action-adventure novel Chaos. He also runs one of the most interesting blogs I've visited in a long time.

Welcome David! Why don't you start out by telling us who you are and why you're here?

Hey M! Thanks for letting me borrow some space on your site. My name is David Meyer, aka the Guerrilla Explorer. I'm an adventurer and a first-time author, with a particular interest in the unknown. I've hunted for lost treasure and explored everything from ancient Pre-Columbian ruins to abandoned subway tunnels.

At http://www.guerrillaexplorer.com, I write regularly about treasure, archaeology, historical mysteries, forgotten lands, cryptids, conspiracies, and strange science. Now, I'm turning my attention to fiction with my first novel, the adventure/thriller Chaos. It's available as a paperback book as well as via Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, and iBooks (other versions to follow shortly).

Tell us a little bit about Chaos.

I think the description covers this question quite nicely...take a look:

New York City, 1976: Heavily-armed, masked men hijack a subway train...and its deadly cargo.

New York City, Present: An expedition vanishes while conducting a top-secret operation deep underground.

A SHATTERED MAN WITH NOTHING TO LOSE...

To locate his missing friend, former urban archaeologist Cyclone Reed must piece together his shattered life and return to the one place on earth he truly fears...Manhattan.

A LOST WORLD FULL OF DANGER...

Soon, he's storming through flooded subway tunnels, discovering a lost laboratory, battling a mysterious man-eating beast, and scaling a mountainous skyscraper. But as he plunges deeper into the strange and murky legends surrounding a piece of forgotten technology, he begins to untangle a staggering conspiracy.

A SHOCKING SECRET THAT WILL ROCK THE EARTH!

More than sixty years ago, a Nazi physicist created a weapon capable of setting the world aflame. Now, a diabolical industrialist plans to finish the job. At stake is the future of a nation...millions of innocent lives...and one man's final chance at redemption.

Sounds like my kind of book! So, is this your run-of-the mill action/adventure story? What sets it apart from other books?

I should start out by saying that the seed for Chaos was planted a few years back when I was tromping through an abandoned subway tunnel with my future wife (yes, she still married me!). As I passed through a particularly desolate stretch, I found myself wondering: What if someone hijacked a subway train?

It wasn't the most original question in the world. After all, a similar premise underlies Morton Freedgood's novel, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. But while Freedgood saw the subway system as a unique crime scene, I saw it as a "lost world" full of crumbling ruins, dangerous natives, and metal monsters.

At the same time, I've always loved adventure novels. So, I decided to take the traditional adventure tale and put a distinctively modern, urban spin on it. Rather than scale a mountain, my hero Cyclone Reed scales a mountainous skyscraper. Rather than wading through a vicious river, he's thrown headfirst into a violent, artificial one. And rather than fighting a typical "secret society" in order to recover some ancient "totem of power," Cy battles a gang of old sandhogs who are protecting a decidedly, not-so-ancient secret. Even Cy himself is a modern, urban version of the archetypal archaeologist hero. He's a former urban archaeologist who once worked extensively in New York City.

Cool! By the way, what's this I hear about a "book club"?

Ah yes, the book club. Since October 24, I've been running a three-week long book club at my site. But it's not your typical book club. Instead, I'm focusing on the shocking mysteries and unbelievable history that helped to inspire Chaos. Just to whet your appetite, some of the topics include: The Great Train Robbery of 1963, Nazi Treasure & ODESSA, Buildering: The Art of Climbing Skyscrapers, and New York's Forgotten Subway Tunnel (coming on November 10).

I'm looking forward to it. What's next for you and Cy Reed?

I'm pleased to say that more adventures are coming soon...very soon! I'm currently working on the sequel to Chaos as well as a few other exciting projects. Stay tuned!

Thanks for visiting us David. Where can we find you again?

Thanks for your support! Please visit me at http://www.guerrillaexplorer.com. Oh, and don't forget to buy Chaos!

Quest by David Wood

2011-11-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Quest is the third book in the Dane Maddock Adventures series. This book finds Maddock and his sidekick Bones hot on the trail of Percy Fawcett's final expedition.

From the publisher:

149 B.C.- Escaping just ahead of the invading Roman legions, a Carthaginian soldier carries an ancient secret to places unknown.

1925- Percy Fawcett launches his final expedition into the Amazon, but what is his true objective?

Dane Maddock is back. Deep in the Amazon, a university group encounters a horror beyond their darkest nightmares and vanishes without a trace. Called upon to undertake a daring rescue mission, Dane and Bones must trace the true path of Percy Fawcett's final expedition, but the secret that lies at the end of the search might be even deadlier than the enemies who seek it. From the streets of London, to remote islands in the Atlantic, to the deadly jungles of the Amazon, Dane and Bones must penetrate a secret lost to history, on their deadliest Quest.

Quest is one of the most entertaining action-adventures I've read this year. It's another of Wood's fast-paced mystery/adventures. The heroes are on a globe-hopping race against a biotech company to solve the mystery of what really happened on Percy Fawcett's last trek into the Amazon. Along the way they must battle not only the bad guys, but dangerous creatures and more mysterious and sinister foes. There's the usual piecing together of clues, legend, history and ancient mysteries, Indiana-Jones style tunnels, traps and temples, and the big finish.

David Wood has given us another classic action-adventure tale in Quest. Don't miss it!

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

Miracle Cure by Harlan Coben

2011-11-05T16:54:00.001-04:00

Miracle Cure is the latest release, though not a new book, from mystery/thriller author Harlan Coben. In this book, a cure for AIDS has been discovered, but a serial killer is knocking off the cured patients.

From the publisher:

In a clinic on Manhattan's Upper West Side, a doctor has dedicated his life to eradicating a devastating disease. One by one, his patients are getting well. And one by one, they're being targeted by a serial killer.

There's only one cure, but many ways to die...

I've only read a few of Coben's novels, since my reading preferences tend more toward action-adventure than mystery. Those I've read, however, have been fun reads because the pacing is fast and fills my need for a quick-moving story. Miracle Cure is no exception. The plot moves along at a steady clip, and the tension is high. There are plenty of potential bad guys, and the ending is satisfying.

A reader familiar with Coben's work will be able to tell it's one of his earlier works (his second book- initially released by a small publishing house.) The writing doesn't flow as well as his more recent works, and we meet many people who are more cliche than character. That's not to say this is a bad book- it simply pales in comparison to his current books. Some readers will find the subject matter controversial, and depending on your political leanings, you might find it politically slanted and a little preachy. If you don't find these elements off-putting, Miracle Cure is an enticing gateway drug to one of the best authors in the genre. If you're looking for a fast-paced mystery, give Miracle Cure a try.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

Guest Post- Jeremy Robinson Kindle Giveaway

2011-10-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's my pleasure to play host today to Jeremy Robinson's blog tour in which he is giving away a Kindle reader. Jeremy is the author of a number of best-selling thrillers and is well-know to regular readers of this blog. He did a brief Q&A with me and shares a bit about his work and how you can win a Kindle! Now I'll hand it over to Jeremy:

Welcome to Jeremy Robinson’s Great Kindle Giveaway and Blog Tour.

“Hurray for free Kindles!” you say, but who the hell is Jeremy Robinson? Allow me to introduce myself. I’m the author of eleven mixed genre novels, published in ten languages, including the popular fantasy YA series, THE LAST HUNTER, and the fast-paced Jack Sigler series (also known as Chess Team—not nearly as nerdy as it sounds), PULSE, INSTINCT and THRESHOLD from Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press. I’m the co-author of an expanding series of novellas deemed the Chesspocalypse, which take place in the Chess Team universe. If that doesn’t wet your whistle, I’m also known as Jeremy Bishop, the #1 Amazon.com horror author of THE SENTINEL and the controversial novel, TORMENT. For more about me, or my books, visit www.jeremyrobinsononline.com.

I have watched for years as my fellow authors held online events called blog tours. Some would visit ten blogs. Others, as many as ninety. And every day they would bring something different, waxing eloquent about a multitude of topics. When I finally decided to have a blog tour of my own, and settled on doing each and every weekday in October, my first thought was, “This will be cool,” which was immediately followed up by, “Holy crap, I can’t think of something interesting to say twenty times in one month!” I can barely think of something worthwhile for my own blog just once a month. The solution is what follows; each blog participating in the tour could ask me ANY three questions. That means, if the subject matter bores you, I’m not to blame! Huzzah!

But fear not. There are other rewards for sloughing through the questions and answers. I’ll be giving away two Kindles to two randomly selected readers who sign up for my newsletter. Details on the giveaway can be found below. On to the Q&A!

1. The Chess Team Universe has really expanded of late. What does the future hold for that series?

I’m planning to do two to three more full length novels—whatever it takes to bring closure to the Manifold/Hercules storyline begun in PULSE and continued in THRESHOLD. Whether or not these books will be available in hard cover is yet to be seen. When Thomas Dunne signed me on for two more novels, they asked for stand-alone, non-Chess Team books. Which is fine. My next hard cover, SECONDWORLD, is one of the best I’ve ever written. But THRESHOLD ended with a lot of unanswered questions and I’m not the kind of author that leaves readers hanging.

The fourth book, RAGNAROK, will hopefully be out next summer, which is slightly longer than the books are typically released (because I had to write the non-Chess books first). To fill in the gap, I came up with the Chesspocalypse, a co-authored series of novellas that feature individual members of the team. Right now there are six “book 1” novellas, each titled for the character it follows: CALLSIGN: KING, CALLSIGN QUEEN, CALLSIGN: DEEP BLUE, etc. But there will also be a second book for King out in 2011 titled: CALLSIGN: KING – UNDERWORLD. The cool thing about Rook and Queen’s stories is that they directly bridge THRESHOLD and RAGNAROK. They’re not required reading, but they’re a unique and fun way to bridge the longer gap between the books.

2. You're primarily an action-adventure author, though you've done horror/adventure, young adult adventure, and humor. Are you considering branching into any other genres?
Tough question. What other good genres are there? I don’t think I’ll be hitting any sub-genre’s that focus on a certain field. So no medical thrillers, no court room dramas, no police procedurals, all of which kind of rule out the mystery/suspense genre, which I walk right on past in the bookstore. I was going to write fantasy, but I’m really already doing that with THE LAST HUNTER. It’s not traditional fantasy with dragons and trolls, but it’s definitely fantasy, just my own world. Romance? If things get tight, maybe I’ll write a romantic-thriller. Under a pen name. Which I’ll never reveal. But right now, I think the science-thriller, fantasy, YA, horror, sci-fi, action-adventure and humor I’ve got going on is enough to satiate my creativity.

3. What have you not yet accomplished as a writer that you would like to achieve.

There are a lot of things I would like to achieve as a writer, most of which have nothing to do with novels. Not only would I like to write some comic books, I would love to see a comic book adaptation of some of my books. The Chess books, and Last Hunter series would both make awesome comics. This is probably universal among authors, but I really want to see some of my books made into movies. Sure, the money would be nice, but I also really just want to see some good movies! Okay, that’s a little egotistical, but it’s true. I write stories that I would like to read. I’d also like to see the Chess books turned into a video game. They’re compared to a video game in almost every review they get, and the story, characters, weapons, are perfectly suited to gaming, probably because I’m an avid gamer. I’m a novelist by profession, but my aspirations stretch far beyond this single storytelling format. I’ve accomplished a lot. I make a living from my stories. But if I get my way, I’m just getting warmed up.

Hope that was as good for you as it was for me. Now how about that kindle giveaway?

Here’s the deal: to be entered to win one of two free kindles all you have to do is visit my website—www.jeremyrobinsononline.com—and sign up for the newsletter. That’s it. The first kindle will go to a randomly chosen newsletter signup on October 31. For the second kindle, there’s a catch. The second giveaway will only be triggered if one of my kindle books hits the Amazon.com bestseller list (top 100). So pick up some books (most are just $2.99 a pop) and spread the word! If one of the books squeaks up to #100 for just a single hour, the second kindle will be given away to another randomly chosen newsletter sign up on October 31.

*When you sign up for the newsletter, be sure to include the name of the blog that referred you in the field provided. I’ll be giving away two $50 Amazon.com gift certificates to the blog that refers the most sign-ups and another to the blog who referred the first kindle winner.

** I will announce winners via Twitter, Facebook, my blog, and newsletter (which you will be signed up for!) but I’ll also e-mail the winners directly—I’ll need to know where to ship those kindles!

Thanks for spending some time with me today. Hope you enjoyed the Q&A, and good luck with the kindle giveaway!

Ranking the Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child Books

2011-09-26T08:00:00.002-04:00

Cabinet of Curiosities- I love the plot of the hunt for an "immortal" serial killer. If memory serves, this was the first book that brought Pendergast, Smithback, and Nora Kelly together. I loved the mix of thriller, mystery, history, and the occult.

Riptide- I was always fascinated by the Oak Island mystery, and this story is clearly inspired by that tale.

Relic- This is more of a straight-up action adventure story than the other Pendergast novels, but it's perhaps the purest adrenaline rush of all the Preston-Child books. Loved it!

Dance of Death- Pendergast is playing a cat-and-mouse game with brother Diogenese, who just might be his match. The only negative about this book is Diogenes is such a worthy adversary that I don't think I'll ever be able to take another Pendergast opponent as seriously. Diogenes understands Pendergast in a way no one else does.

Thunderhead- Not a Pendergast story, but Smithback and Kelly caught up in another of my favorite mysteries- the disappearance of the Anasazi.

Still Life with Crows- The first really creepy Pendergast novel. Most thrillers go for exotic settings, but Preston and Child plop their hero down in a small town in Kansas, and pull it off masterfully.

Book of the Dead- Another Pendergast vs Diogenese story with shades of Relic.

Brimstone- Hints of the occult and a trek to Italy make this an intriguing tale.

Fever Dream- I loved the twisting plot and the surprises along the way.

Reliquary- A cool plot with forays into underground New York into the kingdom of the "Mole People." The ending is memorable, if a bit over the top.

Cemetery Dance- No spoilers here, but this would be higher if they hadn't killed off a favorite character.

Cold Vengeance- Reviewed this recently. A good book, but it definitely felt like the middle of a story, rather than a stand-alone book in a linked series of three.

The Ice Limit- A good book, but very different from the Pendergast books. Reminiscent in some ways of a Crichton novel. It's near the bottom for me because I didn't connect with any of the characters.

Mount Dragon- I remember nothing at all about this book. I take that back- I think I remember something about a virtual reality world. Maybe I'll go back and read it, but it doesn't bode well that nothing about it stuck with me.

Wheel of Darkness- Pendergast almost got his butt kicked by a weird pattern woven into a rug. I'm not kidding. Like the others in the series, I enjoyed it, but it's far from my favorite.

Gideon's Sword- A good book, but I'll have to wait and see if Gideon grows on me.

I'll sum up by saying that the worst Preston/Child book is better than 90% of the books published in the genre today, so being at or near the bottom of this list isn't a slam. It's all relative.

Those are my thoughts. What are yours?

KiDNApped by Rick Chesler

2011-09-23T10:16:00.001-04:00

Rick Chesler's latest techno-thriller features FBI agent Tara Shores in search of the missing CEO of a biotech company. She is joined by a marine biologist and the missing man's children, each of whom has his or her own agenda. With only a few days remaining until the man is declared legally dead, Tara is under the gun. And then, as they say, the plot thickens and the action ramps up. (See what I did there? Two cliches for the price of one!)

Here's the synopsis:

A priceless biotechnology, an FBI agent, and an unspeakable act of familial betrayal collide in a tropical kidnapping more twisted than a DNA double helix.

When a renowned scientist with a solution for global warming is kidnapped at sea, FBI Special Agent Tara Shores must unravel a high-tech trail of S.O.S. messages encoded into the DNA of living cells. As each decoded message brings Tara nearer to the missing genius, it also takes her farther from help than she ever thought possible.

"FBI agent Tara Shores is back in Rick Chesler's latest pulse-pounding techno-thriller, kiDNApped, an intelligent page-turner that will change your outlook on the world of genetics and keep you reading late into the night!" - Jeremy Robinson, author of INSTINCT and THRESHOLD

There is a lot to like about KiDNApped. The plot moves along, with shifting perspectives and points of view and some satisfying twists. While Chelser doles out revelations a little faster than I would like, his technique of sprinkling these among the various characters adds to the suspense. The lush Hawaiian setting is conveyed in a way that immerses the reader in the story. There's a strong scientific element to the plot, but is handled in a way that keeps the book accessible. KiDNApped is an exciting techno/science thriller in the spirit of Michael Crichton. Give it a try!

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

Cold Vengeance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

2011-09-07T09:05:00.002-04:00

While I get many more books than I can hope to read or review (at least at my snail-like pace), Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's books always move to the top of the pile, so I was excited when Cold Vengeance was released. The story picks up where Fever Dream left off. While that novel is a stand-alone, Preston and Child extend the story, with the focus being on the search for Pendergast's wife, whose death he thought he'd avenged in Fever Dream, but who might still be alive. Here's the synopsis:

Devastated by the discovery that his wife, Helen, was murdered, Special Agent Pendergast must have retribution. But revenge is not simple. As he stalks his wife's betrayers-a chase that takes him from the wild moors of Scotland to the bustling streets of New York City and the darkest bayous of Louisiana-he is also forced to dig further into Helen's past. And he is stunned to learn that Helen may have been a collaborator in her own murder.

Peeling back the layers of deception, Pendergast realizes that the conspiracy is deeper, goes back generations, and is more monstrous than he could have ever imagined-and everything he's believed, everything he's trusted, everything he's understood . . . may be a horrific lie.

As always, this is a book that you don't want to put down, with lots of plot twists along the way. Preston and Child introduce a new enemy organization that has the potential to be a dangerous enemy for Pendergast, much like the Guild in James Rollins' books. Corrie Swanson, a character from Still Life With Crows, has a part in this book, and it appears she might become a recurring character. As always, there are surprises and plenty of intrigue. One of the best parts of this book is tI like that the reader is seeing the human side of Pendergast. He has always been rather stiff, distant, and even cold, though unfailingly loyal to his friends. In Cold Vengeance, we see flashes of his vulnerability, though he remains the same character we've always known.

I sometimes felt the heroics and cleverness were just a bit too much. The story begins with a chess match-type scenario with Pendergast trying to outwit his enemy, and the two give us a heavy dose of "See how I've outwitted you!" "No, I knew you were going to do that, so I did this!" "Oh yeah? Well I knew you were going to know..." We are also treated to a couple of tired cliches in the opening chapters: 1) Leaving your enemy to die rather than finishing him off and, 2) Making an important revelation to the dying man since there's no way he'll get out of this one. While the character does offer an explanation later, it's a weak one,in my opinion. If a guy has time to reveal a deep secret to a dying man, he has time to put one more bullet in him. After these opening chapters, however, the plot smooths out and the book lives up to the series' usual high quality.

A word of warning: while the story does come to a resolution of sorts, the rug is immediately yanked out from under us, and we are left with major cliffhangers. This is very much an Empire Strikes Back story that leaves many things open for future novels. All in all, Cold Vengeance is a twist-filled thriller that promises to satisfy Pendergast fans.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

Giveaway Winner!

2011-09-07T08:39:00.002-04:00

Me being me, I messed up on the latest giveaway. I thought I'd taken care of it, but when I went to post a new review I discovered I hadn't done it. So, the winner is...

Michael Armbruster of Glenville, NY.

Sorry for the mistake. In addition to the Holloway and Cussler books, I've thrown in a hardcover of Dan Ronco's Unholy Domain.

Time for Another Giveway

2011-08-23T11:09:00.000-04:00

It's that time again. Clearing a few more books off of the shelves as I slowly transform into a dreaded ebook fan. This week's prize is:

A review copy of Primal Thirst by J. Kent Holloway and a copy of Cyclops by Clive Cussler. As always, to enter, send your name and snail mail address to megalithbooks [at] gmail.com. Winner will be chosen at Random on Friday morning around 8:30et.

The Messiah Secret by James Becker

2011-08-21T11:54:00.001-04:00

The Messiah Secret by James Becker is another entry into the religious thriller arena. This third installment of the Chris Bronson series finds the police detective caught up in another Judeo-Christian, ancient mystery-themed, treasure hunt. When Bronson's ex-wife, Angela, discovers a parchment that might be the world's first reliable extra-biblical account of Jesus, the adventure begins.

From the Publisher:

Assessing the contents of a lavish English estate, museum conservator Angela Lewis discovers a crate full of sealed pottery jars-one of which holds a parchment which describes the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth.

For Angela, the find is a miracle-a written reference to Jesus outside of the New Testament. But her discovery draws her and her husband, Chris, into a centuries-old race for the truth that they may not win...or survive.

As I noted last year in my review of The Moses Stone, Becker doesn't break any new ground. The Messiah Secret is a typical, though certainly well-written and entertaining, religious thriller set firmly in the subgenre Dan Brown popularized. It's also a cut above the two previous books in the series. It's a quick, easy read. The interplay between Chris and Angela is one of the book's strengths, as both are engaging characters and their relationship adds depth to a story that some readers might feel they've "heard" before. Becker also weaves in plot threads from the earlier Bronson thrillers, (The First Apostle and The Moses Stone), though the book stands alone. The Messiah Secret is a solid, entertaining religious thriller, a great choice for fans of Dan Brown or C.M. Palov.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

Giveaway 2 Winner!

2011-08-19T14:36:00.001-04:00

The winner of the second 'Clear the Shelves' giveaway is Scott Deboer of Auburn, WA. Congratulations Scott!

Look for another giveaway coming soon.

Clear the Shelves Giveaway #2!

2011-08-15T20:19:00.000-04:00

It's time for another installment of Megalith's "Clear the Shelves" giveaway. This week, we're giving away a hardcover edition of Thomas Greanias's The Atlantis Revelation, and a paperback version of Ark of Fire by C.M. Palov.

Contest ends Friday at 8:00am Eastern Time. To enter, send your name and snail mail address to megalithbooks [at] gmail.com. Please put "Giveaway" or something to that effect in the subject line.

BTW- previous giveaway winners are always welcome to re-enter. In fact, feel free to enter every giveaway. The more the merrier!

Callsign: King by Jeremy Robinson and Sean Ellis

2011-08-10T19:58:00.003-04:00

Thriller authors Jeremy Robinson and Sean Ellis join forces for Callsign: King, the first book of the "Chesspocalypse." Robinson, author of the Jack Sigler/Chess Team adventures, has engaged several writers to co-author stand-alone novels, each featuring one member of the Chess Team. I have been a fan of both authors for some time and had high hopes for Callsign: King. I was not disappointed.

Here's the synopsis:

The fabled Elephant Graveyard has been discovered. It contains enough ivory to make Ethiopia a wealthy nation. But the cave contains more than physical riches--it also holds the means to control the world. Fifteen scientists enter the cave. Only one leaves.

Jack Sigler, Callsign: King (field leader of the covert, black ops Chess Team) receives a cryptic text from Sara Fogg, his girlfriend and CDC "disease detective". A catastrophic disease has been reported in Ethiopia's Great Rift Valley, but Fogg suspects something more is going on. Her suspicion is confirmed when King's arrival in Africa is met by a high speed assassination attempt.

As King fights against two competing, high-tech mercenary forces, each struggling for control of the deadly discovery, Fogg disappears. Working with the surviving member of the science team that made the discovery, King begins a search for Fogg and the source of the potential plague that takes him back to the Great Rift Valley, back to the Elephant Graveyard, and brings him face-to-face with modern man's origins.

Callsign: King joins Robinson's signature breackneck pacing with Ellis' solid prose and deft handling of characters. Like other Chess Team books, the plot maintains a rapid pace, and there is never a good spot to stop reading. Robinson's fans will find that Callsign: King seamlessly blends with the Jack Sigler/Chess Team universe and will find the story an enjoyable addition to the canon. Fans of Ellis' Nick Kismet and Dark Trinity series will likewise feel they are on familiar ground as the resourceful hero combats a modern danger grounded in an ancient mystery. Callsign: King is the quintessential action-adventure book. A don't-miss for your summer reading list!

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

Giveaway Winner!

2011-08-01T10:32:00.001-04:00

The winner of the first "Clear the Shelves" giveaway is:

David Sansone of Mobile, Alabama! Congrats!

We'll announce another giveaway on Friday.

Megalith's 'Clear the Shelves' Giveaway- Quest by David Wood and a Bonus Book

2011-07-29T14:41:00.000-04:00

The rumors are true. Megalith has gone over to the dark side. Yes, I own an e-reader. Understand, I still read print books, and receive plenty of review copies in print, but I really need to clear my shelves. So... I'm beginning a series of giveaways that will include not only the various review copies I've received over the years, but also books from my personal library that I've replaced with ebooks. My plan is that the winner of each giveaway will receive one review book and one "classic" book.

This week's giveaway is:
A review copy of Quest by David Wood (which I'll be reviewing soon) and
a paperback copy of Clive Cussler's Dragon.

*One rule- You get both books. No writing in and saying, "I only want _____." The point is for me to get rid of some books. It's all about me, folks!

To enter, send your name and snail mail address to megalithbooks [at] gmail.com.

Contest ends 9:00 (Eastern time) Monday morning.

Effigy by Theresa Danley

2011-07-27T20:01:00.001-04:00

Effigy is the debut novel by Theresa Danley. It's an archaeological thriller with plenty of action. Here's the synopsis:

A serial killer is on the loose, depositing his victims’ hearts amid the Toltec ruins of central Mexico. Meanwhile, a priceless Mesoamerican artifact is stolen from the University of Utah, sweeping archaeologists Anthony Peet and Lori Dewson on a desperate recovery mission south of the border. Accompanied by a reluctant colleague, an enthusiastic young journalist and a Yaqui woman in mourning, the team must decipher clues hidden within the Aztec sunstone, mystical Toltec Pyramids and astronomical calendar rounds to find the priceless effigy of Quetzalcoatl. They suddenly find themselves in a race against the coming solar eclipse, all the while dodging a corrupt Mexican police force still on the hunt for the sadistic murderer – a killer who’s chosen one of them for his next human sacrifice.

“Theresa Danley deftly blends contemporary and ancient mysteries together in a uniquely American…or maybe that should be Meso-American…archaeological adventure that grabs you and doesn’t let go. If you need a break from Templar treasures and Masonic mysticism, EFFIGY is just what the doctor ordered.”

-Sean Ellis, author of INTO THE BLACK and THE SHROUD OF HEAVEN "A rip-roaring archaeological adventure..." -Kent Holloway, author of PRIMAL THIRST and SIRENS' SONG

I found Effigy to be good fun. Being a long-time Indiana Jones fan, I love archaeological thrillers, and books with an ancient artifact or mystery at the center, and Effigy fits the bill. Danley strikes a good balance between mystery and action, keeping the plot moving forward at a steady pace. Great attention is paid to the setting, the cultural details, and the historical back story. Theresa Danley has written a solid debut novel. Fans of archaeological thrillers should give it a try!

Visit the author's website.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

A Conversation With Jeremy Robinson and Sean Ellis

2011-07-21T12:12:00.003-04:00

Jeremy Robinson and Sean Ellis are two thriller authors whose work I've enjoyed immensely. Imagine how happy I was to see them combining forces on Callsign: King, the first book of the "Chesspocalypse." A review will be coming shortly, but suffice it to say it's an excellent story that fans of either writer will enjoy. The two took some time to answer my questions about their book and about the series in general.

What is the Chesspocalypse?

JR: The Chesspocalypse is what I’m calling the creation of five Chess Team novellas by myself and five other spectacular authors, Sean being the first. Each novella follows one of the five Chess Team field operators and are titled for them; CALLSIGN: KING, CALLSIGN: QUEEN, etc. Each book simultaneously expands the Chess Team universe and the characters. It’s hard to fully develop main characters when there are five. This was my solution. Granted, Jack Sigler, King, the leader of the team is technically the main character (the series is now titled for him) but fans of the series all have different favorites. The other novellas are due out between late summer and early fall. The authors involved are Sean Ellis, David Wood, Ethan Cross, David McAfee and Edward G. Talbot.

How did the idea for the series come about?

JR: I was actually doing an interview with David Wood (author of QUEST and CIBOLA) for his Thrillercast podcast. During the interview he mentioned that Scott Sigler (who Jack Sigler was named for before Scott or I had hardcover novels released) was doing a series of novellas with other authors and it struck me as a fantastic idea to help grow the series’ fanbase.

Also, the fourth book in the series, THE RAGNAROK AGENDA (or possibly just RAGNAROK) will be a little longer coming out than the others, so the novellas are the perfect way to lessen the time gap between books for fans. So after grilling Scott with some questions, I did what Scott and I often do with each other’s marketing/promotional ideas, I stole it. And David Wood ended up becoming one of my five authors, so good on him for bringing it up!

How and why did you select Sean for this project?

JR: I’ve read several of Sean’s Nick Kismet novels and have blurbed some of them. They’re awesome books and I recommend them all the time. His style is compatible with mine AND he has a better vocabulary. So I knew KING would be a fast paced read and would make me look smarter. J And that’s exactly what he delivered, and in record time. Sean never fails to impress me and I hope we can do this again in the near future.

Tell us a little bit about Callsign: King.

SE--Callsign: King is a novella featuring King, aka Jack Sigler, on a solo mission. Actually, he's not completely solo; King's girlfriend, CDC disease invesigator Sara Fogg, who was introduced in the second Chess Team novel, Instinct, is back as well, and her relationship with King is a pivotal story element. Briefly, when Sara is sent to Ethiopia, ostensibly to investigate a disease outbreak, she only has time to send King a text message about her destination. He decides to follow on his own, but as soon as he’s on the ground, the bad guys start coming out of the woodwork. He arrives at the hospital just as a team of gunmen attack, evidently targeting both the CDC investigators and the patient at the center of the “epidemic;” Felice Carter, a female geneticist who happens to be the only survivor of an ill-fated research expedition that disappeared in the Great Rift Valley. King rescues her and subsequently learns that the troubles began with the Carter’s discovery of the legendary Elephant Graveyard—a mythic place where all the elephants in Africa supposedly go when they know they are approaching death. When Carter’s team found it, they also unleashed something terrible…probably shouldn’t say anything more about that. King elects to guide Carter back to Graveyard in order to learn more about what happened, and keep the discovery out of the wrong hands.That’s about as much of the story as I can give away without ruining it. There is of course a lot of action, as you would expect from a book with Jeremy’s name on it.

Sean, what was it like writing another author's characters and in his universe? How does writing Jack Sigler compare to writing Nick Kismet?

SE- I always start with the story. In this case, the Elephant’s Graveyard idea was something that had been kicking around in my head for a long time; I just didn’t know what to do with it. When Jeremy contacted me about doing a Chess Team tie-in, everything clicked. I knew more or less what was going to happen in the story, so all I really needed to do at that point was get familiar with the characters.I read through the entire Chess Team series with a notepad close at hand, taking notes about the characters, and because I had the story already in my head, it was fairly easy to think in terms of “What would King do in this situation?” Of course, it helped knowing that Jeremy would be there to catch my mistakes. Sara Fogg was a particularly challenging character because of her sensory integration disorder, so I had to do a little extra research on that to make sure I got the details right. In many respects, Jack Sigler was easier to write than Nick Kismet because of the fact that I didn’t create him. I had three Chess Team/Jack Sigler novels to draw from. With Kismet, I’ve got two novels and a short story, but I also have a lot of incomplete ideas bouncing around in my head, and that can lead to a lot of creative white noise.

What was the process like for this book? Was it a back-and-forth writing process, or more of a Cussler-type collaborative effort?

JR: The novellas are more of a Cussler-deal, but I think even less so with Sean. I was prepared to give Sean a story concept (like I’m doing with the other authors) but he beat me to the punch and said, “This is what I’m thinking.” The concept was so cool I immediately agreed and off he went. A few weeks later he delivered the book, I read it, was once again shocked at how cool it was, made a few tweaks—mostly for series continuity—and we were done. Couldn’t have gone better.

SE: Jeremy pretty much gave me free rein. I sent him my outline for the story and he approved it with only a couple minor tweaks. Then I went to work. I emailed him a few times, mostly to get some specific details right—I recall specifically asking him for more info on Chess Team’s stealth plane, Crescent.

Jeremy- I notice this is Callsign King Book 1. Does this mean there will be future Chesspocalypses?

JR: It means I HOPE there will be. I don’t know how the other books will turn out, so I can’t comment on whether or not there will be future books for the other team members, but the KING book came out so good, and Sean created such an awesome antagonist that I think we really need to do future KING books. The question is whether or not to put out a second book before the next full length novel, or keep it to one novella between each novel. If any fans of the series (or Megalith, or Sean) have opinions on this, I’m all ears.

What's next for each of you?

JR: I’m currently writing my second horror novel under my top secret penname and should be done with that by September and releasing it in late October. Also, in October, I have a humor book coming out. It’s titled THE NINJA’S PATH – INSPIRATIONAL SAYINGS FOR THE SILENT ASSASSIN, written and illustrated by my penname, Kutyuso Deep (sound it out). At the same time, I’ll be writing the third book in the Antarktos Saga – THE LAST HUNTER – ASCENT for a hopeful November release. In November, I’ll start writing ISLAND 731, a future hardcover release from Thomas Dunne Books. Then in March, I’ll begin work on THE RAGNAROK AGENDA for a summer 2012 release and the last two Antarktos Saga books after that. In Spring 2012, my next hardcover novel, SECONDWORLD, a brutal standalone novel which I think is one of my best, will be coming out. Oh yeah, there are also the four other CALLSIGN books coming out this summer, too! What’s that, 12 books in a year? Pray for me. To keep up to date on all this madness, check out www.jeremyrobinsononline.com and sign up for the newsletter.

SE: I just finished editing an anthology of stories based on the classic short "The Most Dangerous Game," and my own contribution is a sequel of sorts to the original; that should be out in mid-August. My first novel, Magic Mirror, is going to be re-issued very soon, and will for the first time be available in digital format, so I’m excited about that.Writing-wise, I’m working on the third Dodge Dalton novel. I’m hoping to deliver that one to my publisher by early fall for a fast-track Christmas release…not sure if that’s actually going to happen, but the deadline gives me some incentive. I’m also about half-way through the third Nick Kismet novel, and I’ve made a start on the second book of the Dark Trinity series.And I’ve got some ideas for round two of the Chesspocalypse…just waiting to hear from Jeremy.

Q&A with Jared Sandman, Author of Leviathan

2011-07-20T06:00:00.032-04:00

Jared Sandman is the author of the creature thriller Leviathan, as well as two other novels. He took the time for a quick question and answer session as a part of his current blog tour in support of his novel.

Tell us about your writing background.

I began when I was thirteen years old and never looked back. In retrospect I’ve always been a storyteller, but it took until that age for my passion to shift from idle interest to career potential. I wrote for eighteen months before penning a story I thought was good enough to submit anywhere, then another six months before I made my first professional sale.

There are plenty of "creature" thrillers out there, but not many involving Leviathan. How did that choice come about?

I got to thinking about mythical creatures mentioned in the Bible, namely Leviathan and Behemoth. The Leviathan had more written about it in the Book of Job. At that point I wondered whatever happened to the creature, or what would occur if it surfaced in modern times. What sort of havoc would it wreak if it suddenly appeared off the Florida coast? Based on the biblical description given, it was clear to me what type of beast it was. That was my original springboard, I guess.

What is your writing process like?

My rough drafts generally take four months to write, but the road to publication was much longer than that. Leviathan first clocked in at 115,000 words, while the final draft was around 90,000, so I cut out about one hundred pages to make it lean and streamlined. I was nineteen or twenty when I worked on it, so this would’ve been 2005 or so. Then I set it aside to collect dust for two or three years before I got a literary agent. By that time the economy had tanked, and it was hard for fiction writers to sell anything beyond YA paranormals. Despite the manuscript getting solid reviews from editors in New York, it never found a home.

You're blending contemporary thriller with Bible lore. What sort of research was involved?

Research is especially important in genre fiction because readers are asked to suspend their disbelief more than normal. Much of the book takes place on the Atlantic Ocean, so I got certified in scuba-diving as part of my research. Since the creature in the Book of Job is reptilian, I also spoke with a couple herpetologists to get an idea for the way it might move or behave.

You have three books in print. Was Leviathan the first book you wrote?

It’s the first I published but the second I wrote. I have another book sitting on the shelf, Blood Money, that I realize now was pretty ambitious for a teenage writer. Compared to that novel, Leviathan is more manageable; it’s stripped down by a finite number of sets and characters. It probably should’ve been my first novel, except I didn’t get the idea for it until I was midway through Blood Money. I’m working on number six at the moment.

Independent publishing is in the news quite a bit. Why did you choose that route?

Thanks to the digital revolution, writers have an unique opportunity at present. I brought it out myself because I decided I could make more money in the long run. Large publishers simply cannot compete with the royalty rates offered by e-book distributors. On the other side of this transitory period, I believe writers will have more freedom, earn more cash and control their own careers. That certainly sounds good for all authors.

Jared Sandman’s Blogbuster Tour 2011 runs from July 1st through August 31st. His novels include Leviathan, The Wild Hunt and Dreamland, all of which are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords. His next book, The Shadow Wolves, will be released in August. Follow him on Twitter (@JaredSandman) and be entered to win one of several $25 Amazon gift cards. See rules at www.jaredsandman.com for eligibility.

The Devil Colony by James Rollins

2011-06-20T21:33:00.002-04:00

James Rollins Sigma Force makes its triumphant return in The Devil Colony. After taking a brief break from the Sigma crew in Altar of Eden, Rollins has immersed Painter Crow and company in the midst of a conspiracy that dates back to the Founding Fathers and beyond. Throughout the buildup to publication, the catch phrase for this book has been "the lie." That lie is the center of the historical foundation of the novel.

It's difficult, if not impossible, to give much more of a synopsis of The Devil Colony without spoiling the story. It's an excellent book, though. Rollins heaps on the action and close calls throughout, and maintains the rapid pacing that thriller fans love. In addition to the Sigma cast of characters, Seichan returns, and plays an important role. She is fast becoming my favorite character in this series. Background threads in the lives of the main characters also carry over, such as Pierce's father's progressive decline. While such details might not seem like normal fodder for a thriller novel, it makes a character seem that much more real when he not only has to deal with far-fetched conspiracies, deadly enemies, and threats to national security, but also has to worry about and help out his aging parents. It makes the less believable parts seem more real.

The best part about this book, for me, is that Rollins preserves elements of the mystery so that the reader can uncover them along with the characters as the story unfolds. Regular readers of this blog know that one of my pet peeves is authors whose characters solve the mystery too early, leaving us to read two hundred or more pages of running, shooting, chasing, and escaping before the hero's inevitable triumph. The only suspense in those sorts of books is not whether the hero will win in the end, but how. Rollins does it better.

The one negative in this book is that there are far too many point-of-view characters for my liking. We not only hop through the heads of Sigma operatives and Seichan, but also through "bad guy" points-of-view, Painter Crow's niece, and various scientists and other supporting characters. Couple that with the frenetic pacing, and the switches were sometimes jarring. Otherwise, I have no complaints about what is a terrific book.

A suspenseful, well-crafted plot, and characters with whom the reader can empathize are just two of the reasons James Rollins stands a notch above most of the writers in the thriller genre. The Devil Colony is a must-read for action-adventure lovers everywhere!

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

Free James Rollins Audiobook and Other News

2011-06-07T11:53:00.001-04:00

James Rollins' publisher is giving away the complete, unabridged audiobook of his thriller, Map of Bones. Follow this link to download it.

Don't forget that Rollins' latest Sigma Force adventure, The Devil Colony, will be released June 21.

In other news, Jeremy Robinson has lots to share, including the release of the second book in his "Last Hunter" series, re-releases of his earlier titles, and the forthcoming "Chesspocalypse." Here are the announcements:

Book 2 of the Antarktos Saga

The brutalizing of Solomon Ull Vincent continues in The Last Hunter - Pursuit. New characters are introduced and things get intense as Solomon must now confront his personal demons along with the actual demons seeking to capture, break and remake him. I'm hoping to have book 3 (of five) out this fall and the final two books out in 2012. The Hunter series is the best of all my books, containing the same brutal action as my other novels, but with a strong first person voice and a lot more heart and a fantastical world that really lets my imagination run wild.

Repent! Or, get excited. You're choice.

I'm teaming up with five of my favorite indie authors to bring you FIVE new Chess Team stories over the summer/fall. Each story is novella length and focuses on a single member of the team, taking place in the time period between THRESHOLD and book 4, tentatively titled THE RAGNAROK AGENDA.

The books are titled after each character:

Callsign: KING

Callsign: QUEEN

etc, etc...

We'll get to see King and Sara Fogg together again. We'll see what remains of Manifold, struggling to regain power. We'll hunt down Ridley duplicates. We'll follow Rook's struggle in the frozen north, a story that leads directly into the plot of book 4. Each book will be a fast-paced battle against a managery of enemies, serial killers, creatures and myths, in a variety of locations around the world. Each book will develop the individual characters in a way a novel featuring all five can't do.

So, without further delay, I'd like to introduce you to my five horsemen of the Chesspocalypse! I have read and given blurbs to all five.

Edward G. Talbot (ROOK) is the author and successful podcast novelist of NEW WORLD ORDERS and the upcoming 2012 - THE FIFTH WORLD, which I've already read and enjoyed. http://www.edwardgtalbot.com

David Wood (QUEEN) is the author of DOURADO, CIBOLA and the upcoming novel QUEST, which has a masterful cover...designed by me. :) http://www.davidwoodweb.com/

Ethan Cross (KNIGHT) is the Amazon.com and Amazon UK bestselling author of THE SHEPHERD, a novel that made me squirm and cringe like few others. As of this morning, he is still dominating the Amazon charts.

http://www.ethancross.com/

Sean Ellis (KING) is the author of SHROUD OF HEAVEN and INTO THE BLACK, both following character Nick Kismet. He's also the author of the Dodge Dalton series.http://seanellisthrillers.webs.com/

David McAfee (BISHOP) is the author of the amazing 33 A.D., which like some of my novels combines Biblical storylines with an unlikely genre, in this case-vampires. 33 A.D. also features a cover by me! He's got several other books available as well.http://mcafeeland.wordpress.com/

So there you have it. I'm thrilled to be working with all five authors and am excited to see where we take the team and what kind of hell we put them through. No exact release dates as I'll probably be releasing them on a first finished, first published basis, but I expect they'll all be available (in e-book and print formats) by late October.

New Story by and Interview with James Rollins

2011-06-02T09:20:00.000-04:00

One of the things I am enjoying about the so-called "digital revolution" is the fact that novelists now occasionally put out digital short stories and/or novellas for the enjoyment of their fans. James Rollins has taken the plunge with the release of "The Skeleton Key," a short story that ties in to his forthcoming novel, The Devil Colony.

"Seichan is ripped out of the Sigma series for an adventure all her own—but can she survive? The beautiful and elusive assassin wakes in a hotel in Paris with a deadly electronic collar fastened to her throat.

From New York Times bestselling author James Rollins comes a thrilling short story that delves deep beneath the city of Paris to a dark necropolis, where the only means for escape is…The Skeleton Key.

Learn more here at Rollins' website!

While you're at it, don't miss J.A. Konrath's interview with James Rollins!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get back to reading my ARC of The Devil Colony. Sometimes I love being a reviewer...

The End of Marking Time by C.J. West

2011-05-16T12:53:00.001-04:00

The End of Marking Time by C.J. West is not your typical thriller. It's a little bit crime-thriller, a little bit psychological thriller, a little bit mystery and, techically, contains a tiny bit of science fiction in the way of advanced technology. It's the story of a career small-time thief who is injured while trying to escape from the police, and wakes up from a coma several years later to find that the criminal justice system has changed in a very major way. Here's the syopsis:

"Gifted housebreaker, Michael O'Connor, awakens inside an ultramodern criminal justice system where prison walls are replaced by surveillance equipment and a host of actors hired to determine if he is worthy of freedom. While he was sleeping, the Supreme Court declared long term incarceration to be cruel and unusual punishment and ordered two million felons released. The result was utter chaos and the backlash from law-abiding citizens and police departments reshaped the United States. Felons now enter reeducation programs where they live freely among the population. At least that's what they think. In reality they are enslaved to an army of counselors and a black box that teaches them everything they failed to learn from kindergarten through adulthood. Michael believes he's being tested by the black box, but what he slowly begins to realize is that everything he does is evaluated to determine whether he lives or dies."

I was immediately drawn in by Michael's character. I understood his motivations, though he can be maddeningly stubborn, and was fascinated by his insights into a criminal's "tricks of the trade." As the story unfolds, we join Michael as he struggles to adjust to the new crimial justice system, resolve loose ends in his personal life, and unravel the mystery underlying the workings of the new system. Though this story doesn't have a heavy does of the action that pervades most of the thriller genre, I never felt that the plot slowed down. I did hate the ending- I'm not saying it was the wrong way to end the book- just that I hated it.

The End of Marking Time is one of the best thrillers I've read this year. It is not published by one of the major publishing houses, perhaps because it crosses so many sub-genres and would be difficult to categorize. Don't let that stop you from reading an excellent story.

Churchill's Secret Agent by Max and Linda Ciampoli

2011-04-22T11:00:00.002-04:00

Churchills' Secret Agent is a work of fiction based on the author's own experiences during World War II. In short, it tells the story of a young Frenchman who serves as a spy as a result of a connection with Winston Churchill. Here's the synopsis from the publisher:

"Based upon Max Hardonniere's own experience as a covert operative during World War II, this is the story of a young man whose acquaintance with Prime Minister Winston Churchill would lead to him being recruited and trained as a spy who would fight his own war from behind enemy lines."

This is a difficult book to categorize. It's not precisely a thriller, but it's not your typical historical fiction tale either. While the reader enjoys some degree of character development, as Max overcomes his upbringing, and goes on to combat the Nazis in his own way, this is not, to my mind, a heavily plotted book. The main focus is on a series of missions, each more exciting and dangerous than the last. Along the way, Max encounters figures of note from World War II, and his exploits are sure to entertain thriller fans. To make a comparison from outside the genre, the book reminds me a little bit of Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller novels, which technically has an overall plot, but really is a set of stories about the protagonist's life.

The book has drawn criticism from some readers because, in their minds, the author exaggerates or embellishes the elements of the story. Personally, I find this critcism unfair. This is neither an autobiography nor a non-fiction book on World War II. The Ciampolis use the typical tropes of historical fiction and the adventure genre to craft an entertaining tale. I don't know how much of the story is fact, and how much is fiction, and that's all right with me.

Churchill's Secret Agent blends the best parts of the thriller and historical fiction genres into an exciting and engrossing read. Give it a try!

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

Books and Authors You Might Want to Try

2011-04-15T13:50:00.000-04:00

International Thriller Writers has announced its 2011 Thriller Awards Nominees. If you haven't given some of these books or authors a try, you might want to check them out.

Best Hard Cover Novel:

Michael Connelly - THE REVERSAL (Little Brown)

Jeffery Deaver - EDGE: A NOVEL (Simon & Schuster)

Brian Freeman - THE BURYING PLACE (Minotaur)

Mo Hayder - SKIN (Grove)

John Sandford - BAD BLOOD (Putnam)

Best Paperback Original:
Robert Gregory Browne - DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN (St. Martin's)
Max Allan Collins and Matthew Clemens - YOU CAN'T STOP ME (Pinnacle)

J.T. Ellison - THE COLD ROOM (Mira)
Shane Gericke - TORN APART (Pinnacle)
John Trace - THE VENICE CONSPIRACY (Hachette Digital)

Best First Novel:

Carla Buckley - THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE (Random House)

Paul Doiron - THE POACHER'S SON (Minotaur)

Reece Hirsch - THE INSIDER (Berkley)

Thomas Kaufman - DRINK THE TEA (Minotaur)

Chevy Stevens - STILL MISSING (St. Martin's)

Best Short Story:
Mike Carey - "Second Wind" (THE NEW DEAD, St. Martin's)

Michael Connelly - "Blue on Black" (Strand Magazine)
Richard Helms - "The Gods for Vengeance Cry" (Dell Magazine)
Harley Jane Kozak - "Madeeda" (CRIMES BY MOONLIGHT: Mysteries from the Dark Side, Berkley)
Nicholas Kaufmann - "Chasing the Dragon" (ChiZine Publications)
Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins - Long Time Dead (Strand Magazine)

New Releases in Thrillers

2011-03-29T12:53:00.002-04:00

Today is the release date for Jeremy Robinson's Threshold. Here's the synopsis:

After a terrorist attack on a reservation in Oregon leaves thousands dead, Jack Sigler, call sign King and his Chess Team-Queen, Rook, Bishop and Knight-must protect the only survivor, thirteen year-old Fiona Lane. When a death in the family pulls King away, and the rest of the team is sent on a mission, Fort Bragg is attacked by a strange and overwhelming force. When the dust settles, Fiona is gone.

But the attack is part of a larger offensive. Around the world the last speakers of ancient languages are being systematically exterminated. As they fight to find the mastermind behind the killings, and Fiona, the team is hunted by strange creatures that defy explanation-living statues, genetically modified monsters and walking megaliths-sent by an enemy from their past. If not stopped, he will be able to remake himself, and the world.

Calling on help from old friends and ancient heroes, the team fights their most desperate battle yet, not just to save the world as we know it, but to rescue a little girl who wants nothing more than to call King Dad.

An ancient tower holds the key to unlocking a horrifying secret hidden within mankind's most antiquated languages. If unlocked, the world as we know it will cease to exist.

Jeremy Robinson's third book in the Jack Sigler series is a rocket-powered thriller, combining high adrenaline action, smart science, ancient legends, and stunning locations.

Liquid Fear by Scott Nicholson will be released Friday, April 1. Here's more:

In LIQUID FEAR, a group of volunteers realize their tragic experiment in fear response from 10 years ago hasn't ended, and they must finish the research...or else. More info at

http://www.hauntedcomputer.com/liquidfear.htm

Ian Kharitonov has just released The Russian Renaissance. Here's the blurb:

"Constantine can no longer hide in Europe. As he discovers a century-old secret, he must flee back to Moscow, chased by assassins. Only one man can save him. Eugene Sokolov: an officer in the world's most elite rescue unit, a martial arts legend… and Constantine's brother. They face an enemy unlike any other. In a game run by a KGB spymaster, the fate of Russia will depend on their survival."

Rick Chesler's latest is KiDNApped.

A priceless biotechnology, an FBI agent, and an unspeakable act of familial betrayal collide in a tropical kidnapping more twisted than a DNA double helix. When a renowned scientist with a solution for global warming is kidnapped at sea, FBI Special Agent Tara Shores must unravel a high-tech trail of S.O.S. messages encoded into the DNA of living cells. As each decoded message brings Tara nearer to the missing genius, it also takes her farther from help than she ever thought possible.

Jack Dubrul and Clive Cussler have released The Jungle. Look for a review from Ed Homa in the near future. Here's what Publisher's Weekly had to say:

Juan Cabrillo and his crew of mercenaries engage in one daring rescue operation aft

er another with progressively higher stakes in Cussler's high-octane eighth Oregon Files novel (after The Silent Sea), his sixth collaboration with Du Brul. The rescue of a kidnap victim, an Indonesian teenage boy, from an Afghan village, yields a bonus in the form of MacD Lawless, a former U.S. Army Ranger, who proves of immediate value. Betrayals, more rescues, and escapes follow as one mysterious man seeks world domination using a discovery linked to 13th-century China. Cabrillo's handpicked team members, who operate from their state-of-the-art ship, the Oregon, are the only chance to stop a plot that threatens to bring the U.S. government to its knees. The frenetic action moves from Afghanistan to Singapore and the Burmese jungle with lots of derring-do at sea before climaxing in a surprising locale in a fashion sure to delight series fans. (Mar.)

Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

2011-03-03T07:00:00.006-05:00

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child embark on a new series in Gideon's Sword. The story follows the exploits of a former criminal/con artist with a tragic past. He is engaged by a secretive organization (that works by private contract for the government) to track down a Chinese national and recover a potentially explosive secret.

Here's the synopsis from the publisher:

At twelve, Gideon Crew witnessed his father, a world-class mathematician, accused of treason and gunned down.

At twenty-four, summoned to his dying mother's bedside, Gideon learned the truth: His father was framed and deliberately slaughtered. With her last breath, she begged her son to avenge him.

Now, with a new purpose in his life, Gideon crafts a one-time mission of vengeance, aimed at the perpetrator of his father's destruction. His plan is meticulous, spectacular, and successful.

But from the shadows, someone is watching. A very powerful someone, who is impressed by Gideon's special skills. Someone who has need of just such a renegade.

For Gideon, this operation may be only the beginning . . .

Gideon's Sword is a solid entry into the mystery/thriller genre. I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the Pendergast novels, but I found it engaging and it held my interest. Gideon as a character has potential, he's skilled at scams and deceit, and offers a touch of anti-hero. We get to experience his tragic past, and the story of how he seeks to avenge it, which makes him sympathetic. Unlike Pendergast, who can sometimes seem almost too good, too perfect, Gideon is fallible, which adds suspense to the story. Preston and Child also bring back a familiar character as a bridge to their other works. The negatives to me are that some of the scams seem to work a bit too easily; and the authors do not, in my opinion, satisfactorily explain why Gideon working alone was a better choice than the combined resources of their entire organization working in concert. Those are minor considerations. In the main, it's a good, fast read for Preston and Child fans.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

The Last Hunter- Descent by Jeremy Robinson

2011-02-28T07:00:00.004-05:00

Jeremy Robinson returns to the world of Antarktos rising in The Last Hunter-Descent, book one of the Antarktos Saga. The story follows teenage Solomon, as he returns to Antarctica, his birthplace. As the story unfolds, strange happenings abound, and we realize that Solomon is more than he seems.

Here's the synopsis:

I've been told that the entire continent of Antarctica groaned at the moment of my birth. The howl tore across glaciers, over mountains and deep into the ice. Everyone says so. Except for my father; all he heard was Mother’s sobs. Not of pain, but of joy, so he says. Other than that, the only verifiable fact about the day I was born is that an iceberg the size of Los Angeles broke free from the ice shelf a few miles off the coast. Again, some would have me believe the fracture took place as I entered the world. But all that really matters, according to my parents, is that I, Solomon Ull Vincent, the first child born on Antarctica—the first and only Antarctican—was born on September 2nd, 1974.

If only someone could have warned me that, upon my return to the continent of my birth thirteen years later, I would be kidnapped, subjected to tortures beyond comprehension and forced to fight...and kill. If only someone had hinted that I'd wind up struggling to survive in a subterranean world full of ancient warriors, strange creatures and supernatural powers.

Had I been warned I might have lived a normal life. The human race might have remained safe. And the fate of the world might not rest on my shoulders. Had I been warned....

This is my story—the tale of Solomon Ull Vincent—The Last Hunter.

Overall, I'd grade this as a pretty good book. It's a young adult novel, a genre in which I don't read widely, but I still enjoyed it. There's a strong mystery element, and Solomon's experiences as he discovers more about himself and his past, are creepily surreal. Some readers might not like the elements of the fantastic that imbue the story. The pacing, to me, is slower than the typical Robinson book. Though it's not among my favorite of Robinson's books, I'll still give the next book in the series a go. If you like young adult thrillers, definitely give Descent a try.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

City of Dreams by William Martin

2011-02-24T15:23:00.001-05:00

Peter Fallon and Evangeline Carrington are on the trail of a stash of rare bonds from the early days of United States history in City of Dreams, a breakneck-paced thriller from William Martin.

Here's the synopsis:

Peter Fallon and his fiancée, Evangeline Carrington, return in another page-turning adventure that spans the centuries from the creation of the U.S. to the present. To help the cause of freedom, Alexander Hamilton and others issued a series of bonds called New Emission Money, most of which was either destroyed or used. In the present, during the height of the financial crisis, it appears that a stash of these bonds exists. If true, the value, with more than 200 years of compound interest, would be immense. Fallon and Carrington race to find the bonds by following the historical trail, while the contemporary Supreme Court makes a decision as to the true value of the currency. Martin has a winning formula, and it shines again here. Readers follow the money and get to travel back in time and meet fascinating characters, while, in the present, Fallon and his soon-to-be wife prove to be thoroughly compelling protagonists. Fans of Martin’s previous works and readers of historical thrillers will find this one a worthwhile investment.

I loved this book! It has some of just everything I enjoy in the genre: elements of the modern day thriller, mystery, a touch of adventure, a smattering of legal-related drama, and a healthy dose of historical fiction. The reader enjoys both the search for the bonds, and trips into the past. Martin spins a fine yarn, but excels at crafting characters. Don't miss this first-rate thriller!

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

Win Books by Jeremy Robinson

2011-02-11T11:53:00.000-05:00

Jeremy Robinson is at it again. The author who brought you the promotional video "Man Reading Book in Elevator Breaks Wind, Doesn't Notice" has a wacky new promotion. I'll let him tell you all about it:

THE HOLY CRAP, INSTINCT IS OUT IN MASS MARKET FOR ONLY $7.99 AND I NEED TO TELL THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD CONTEST!!

Prize: Five winners will get an incredibly rare, signed, advanced reader copy of the next Chess Team book, THRESHOLD, three weeks before the hard cover comes out.

How to enter: Take a photo of yourself along with a mass market copy of INSTINCT featured in aprime in-store (B&N, Borders, etc) location, prefferablely looking so excited you're about to pee yourself. THEN put that sucker online: Facebook, Twitter, Blog, whatever. If you have a cool phone you can do it all right there in the store! Then just send me an e-mail at info@jeremyrobinsononline.com with a link to the posted photo so I know about it.

The only other thing I ask is that if you're a winner, and enjoy THRESHOLD, please post a review online! :)

How to enter #2: Take a video of yourself in-store telling a total stranger how awesome INSTINCT and Jeremy Robinson are. This garantees you a free copy of THRESHOLD even if I have to send you a hardcover! * The stranger doesn't actually have to buy the book.

Contest Ends: February 28. I will draw winners and send e-mails to the winners on March 1.

Visit http://www.jeremyrobinsononline.com/ for complete details.

Primal Thirst by Kent Holloway

2011-02-09T16:28:00.003-05:00

Primal Thirst is the first book in Kent Holloway's Enigma Directive series. The story (and series) follows the exploits of Dr. Obadiah "Jack" Jackson, a cryptozooligist who finds himself traveling to southeast Asia on the trail of the jenglot, a bloodsucking creature of legend.

Here's the synopsis:

Wisecracking cryptozoologist Dr. Obadiah "Jack" Jackson has hunted plenty of dangerous creatures over the years. But he finds a lot more than he bargained for when he travels to Malaysia to save a beautiful missionary and her village from being ravaged by ghoulish, blood-feeding monsters straight from local legend known as the jenglot.

The jenglot are very dangerous, elusive, and intelligent. But that's the least of Jack's troubles. Others besides the blood-crazed cryptids want Jack dead as well...a local witchdoctor threatened by the missionary's message of hope and a mysterious guerilla leader who seems to have a dark and secret agenda. Jack and his team must keep their wits about them to escape the jenglot and discover the answers to the deep mysteries surrounding their existence.

One of the things I like the most about Primal Thirst is the cryptozoological angle. I've always enjoyed stories that deal with cryptids, and the jenglot is one of which I've never heard. Although I certainly don't mind a Bigfoot or Nessie-themed thriller, it was a pleasure to break some new ground. Johson is a fun character who doesn't seem to be a titanium-plated superhero who can't fail. Holloway lists among his influences Indiana Jones and The X-Files, and the reader can certainly find elements of both in this entertaining novel.

There were only a few negatives. Holloway heaps a generous dose of self-deprecating humor onto Jackson. At times, the wry observations were amusing and added to the character, but other times the humor felt forced, as if the author was trying too hard to be funny. I'd rather have a good laugh here and there than a bunch of half-smiles. Like many debut novels, I felt the writing was stronger in the latter third of the book than in the earlier portions, which feel a bit stiff, and too wordy. Once the plot gets rolling, however, the writing smooths out and Holloway spins an entertaing yarn.

Overall, Primal Thirst is a light, enjoyable read for thriller and cryptid fans. I'm interested in seeing how Holloway grows as a writer and where he takes his series. If you enjoyed novels with a cryptid-themed plot, consider giving the Enigma Directive series a try.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

New Book by David Golemon

2011-02-03T17:57:00.000-05:00

David Golemon has signed with Seven Realms Publishing for the publication of a new book that's a departure from his Event Group series. Here's the press release:

It is with great pleasure that we introduce you to David L. Golemon, NY Times Bestselling author of EVENT, LEGEND, ANCIENTS, LEVIATHAN, and PRIMEVAL. David comes to us with a fantastic new tale of terror…The SUPERNATURALS…a classic ghost story that will chill you to the bone. We can honestly tell you…this is one book that will give you sleepless nights.

The SUPERNATURALS will be released in October 2011!

Summer Place—built at the turn of the twentieth century by one of the richest and most powerful men in the world. Tucked away in the pristine Pocono Mountains and used as a summer retreat for the rich and famous, Summer Place was the description of charm and beauty. Built to spec, the twenty-four bedrooms and manicured grounds sparkled. It was truly a home that was as warm and beautiful as any well-appointed resort.

For a retreat that boasted the most glamorous setting in all of America, the gable roofed mansion was the epitome of tranquility…until 1925 when something went horribly wrong. Once homey and inviting, Summer Place had now become a haven for evil incarnate. A dark presence came to the yellow and white trimmed mansion, and it was now collecting the souls it needed to survive and thrive amongst the mountains that surround it.

Closed down by the owners and not lived in since the start of World War II, Summer Place has been maintained in its pristine condition, waiting for the team of men and women to discover its dark secret. In a national television broadcast reminiscent of Orson Wells War of the Worlds broadcast of 1939, America will witness on live television the coming of true evil, and it will be up to Professor Gabriel Kennedy, a disgraced Psychologist who had once faced the evil inside of Summer Place and came away a true believer in its extraordinary power. Now, along with the paranormal ghost hunting team; The Supernaturals, Kennedy will draw out and try to end the haunting that has been going on at Summer Place for over a hundred years.

You are asked to bear witness to the battle of wills as the thing inside of Summer Place will not go down without a fight!

New Bond Novel by Jeffrey Deaver

2011-01-18T11:22:00.000-05:00

Carte Blanche Unveiled

by Ed Homa

The new James Bond book, due to be published later this year and written by best-selling thriller writer Jeffery Deaver, is to be called Carte Blanche. Its title and cover artwork were unveiled today (Monday 17th January), at a special launch event at the InterContinental Hotel in Dubai. It was previously known under the moniker "Project X".

Like Fleming, Jeffery Deaver takes inspiration from exotic locations around the world, and after visiting Dubai for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature last year he decided to set part of Carte Blanche in the United Arab Emirates City.

Carte Blanche is due to be published by Hodder and Stoughton in the UK, a few days before Fleming’s birthday, on 26th May 2011. It has been commissioned by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.

Jeffery Deaver comments, “I’m really excited about being back in Dubai. It is an inspirational and awe-inspiring city and makes a perfect Bond location—especially for a novel that pushes our hero to new extremes.”

Regarding the book's title, Deaver added, “In the world of espionage, giving an agent carte blanche on a mission comes with an enormous amount of trust and constantly tests both personal and professional judgement. Part of the nonstop suspense in the novel is the looming question of what is acceptable in matters of national and international security. Are there lines that even James Bond should not cross?”

Unlike the most recent James Bond book, Sebastian Faulks’ period piece Devil May Care, Jeffery Deaver’s Bond will have a contemporary setting. As part of his latest assignment, the modern-day secret agent travels with Emirates Airline and spends a number of thrilling hours in Dubai both meeting up with an old friend and tracking a very disturbing villain.

The novel’s setting encompasses Deira and Port Saeed, and the history of the Emirates provides an exciting backdrop for some heart-stopping action. Bond is renowned for visiting the most exotic and glamorous of cities and this is the first time Dubai has featured in a James Bond novel.

Jeffery Deaver will be making a special appearance at Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, on Tuesday 18th January, when he will be speaking about his love of Bond and his experience of writing Carte Blanche.

Carte Blanche also features Fleming’s favourite car – a Bentley. Historically, Bond owned three Bentley cars in the course of the fourteen original novels written by Ian Fleming and, bringing the plot completely up to date, Bond drives a Bentley Continental GT in the new book.

New and Upcoming Releases

2011-01-04T14:48:00.001-05:00

The Templar Conspiracy by Paul Christopher- Released today!

The fourth in the Templar series.

The Judas Gate by Jack Higgins- Released today!

Military thriller in the Sean Dillon series.

The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer- January 11

National Treasure- inspired mystery-thriller.

Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child- February 22

The new series by Preston and Child. Can't wait!

The Jungle by Jack Dubrul and Clive Cussler

The next installment in the Oregon Files series.

The Meg Awards!

2010-12-31T14:21:00.001-05:00

It's that time again! The annual Meg Awards, in which I recognize books I have read, or that have been reviewed on this site. In some cases, I recognize a book for which I did not personally write the review, but rest assured, I did read it. I'd like to say thank you to all the dedicated readers who support this site. I am grateful for the submissions of reviews and guest posts, and hope this will continue in the coming years. In fact, I will probably have to decline more and more offers of review copies as my stack gets taller and taller, but submissions of guest posts and press releases from authors in the thriller genre will always be welcome. Real life prevents me from reading and reviewing as much as I would like, but I still hope to assist readers in discovering great new books!

And now, on with the awards!

Best Book by a New Author
The Ark by Boyd Morrison- I was actually reading this book at the time a reader submitted a review, but I kept on reading. Morrison has the potential to eventually stand among the best in the action-adventure genre.
Honorable Mention: Black Rain by Graham Brown

Most Underrated Author
Rick Mofina- The Panic Zone was an excellent book, and I think Mofina is deserving of more attention.
Honorable Mention: Boyd Morrison

Action Hero of the Year
Isaac Bell- the hero of Justin Scott and Clive Cussler's historical adventure novels is part action hero, part Sherlock Holmes. This series has become my favorite of the various Cussler lines.
Honorable Mention: Jack Sigler (Jeremy Robinson's Jack Sigler Adventures)

Most Reliable Author
David Golemon- You can always count on Golemon to produce an entertaining adventure story.
Honorable Mention: Sean Ellis

Book of the Year
Altar of Eden by James Rollins- This stand-alone novel was a welcome departure from the Sigma Force series, and reminded me of the books that first made me a Rollins fan.

Best Reads of the Year
1. Altar of Eden by James Rollins
2. Fever Dream by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
3. Primeval by David Golemon
4. The Barbary Pirates by William Dietrich
5. The Wrecker by Justin Scott and Clive Cussler
6. The Company by K.J. Parker
7. Instinct by Jeremy Robinson
8. The Panic Zone by Rick Mofina
9. The Ark by Boyd Morrison
10. The Promised War by Thomas Greanias

The Ark by Boyd Morrison

2010-12-17T07:00:00.043-05:00

Review by David Wood

I initially held off on reading Boyd Morrison's The Ark. I could not see how a writer could pull off a convincing Noah's Ark-centered thriller. After all, the thing has to have rotted by now. Finally, due primarily to the story of Morrison's road to publication, I gave it a try.

Morrison surprised me early when his characters acknowledged the many reasons for skepticism about the Noah's Ark story, and the possibility of ever finding such a vessel. Over the course of the book, he provides alternate translations, and thus spins the story in a direction that differs greatly from the traditional story. I suspect these are probably not the most likely or reliable scholarly interpretations, but that doesn't bother me. This is a thriller, not a work of biblical scholarship. In my own writing, I certainly take major liberties with biblical history. For me, it's all part of the fun, and The Ark is good fun.

Morrison's main character, Tyler Locke, is your typical thriller hero. He has a military background, but has moved on to scientific endeavors. Thus, he has the smarts and the know-how to take on the bad guys. I found him to be an engaging hero, and his sidekick, Grant, to be a solid number two man. The leading lady, Dilara Kent, didn't do much for me. I hope we'll see more novels with Tyler and Grant, but with rotating female leads.

The story itself kept moving, and had plenty of action- fights, chases, military incursions, and a big finish. Morrison tips his hand a bit too much toward the end, making it obvious how our heroes will finally escape the bad guys, but maybe that's because I read so many thrillers. This minor detail didn't ruin the book for me, though. Overall, I'd rate The Ark as one of my favorite thrillers of the year.

The Last Ember by Daniel Levin

2010-12-14T12:23:00.002-05:00

I held off reading this book for quite some time because, frankly, my review stack has been overflowing with Temple Mount books, and The Last Ember treads that familar territory. From the publisher:

THE LAST EMBER confronts the real-life political struggle over the Temple Mount—archaeological ground sacred to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In Levin’s riveting, tautly written work, actual events from the ancient world lead to a modern mystery where death is the cost for protecting the past.

Jonathan Marcus is a young rising star at the international law firm, Dulling and Pierce, and as a former doctoral student in classics, he has become a sought-after commodity among less scrupulous antiquities dealers. But when he is summoned from New York to Rome in the dead of night to examine a client’s artifact, he makes a history-altering discovery. Together, Jonathan and U. N. preservationist Dr. Emili Travia uncover not only an ancient intelligence operation to protect the sacred menorah of Herod’s Temple, but also a ruthless modern plot to destroy it.

Yes, it's a very familiar premise with some devices that have been done before and done very recently. The good news is, The Last Ember is one of the better thrillers in this vein. Daniel Levin masterfully weaves archaeology and history into an exciting thriller. The story happens over a short period of time, and there are twists and turns aplenty, so the reader rarely finds him or herself bored. It's the "rarely" that is a problem. Sometimes the history and details are laid on too thick, and not very smoothly in terms of writing style, thus resulting in uneven pacing. Because I enjoy the historical aspects, the slower pace does not bother me as much as it will some other readers. I recommend The Last Ember for readers who enjoy authors like David Gibbins, and want a heavy dose of history and archaeology with their adventure.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

Ranking the Indiana Jones Movies

2010-12-11T20:27:00.000-05:00

I've been enjoying the Indiana Jones weekend on cable, which inspired me to rank and discuss these adventure classics, all of which are among my favorites.

4. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

You might be cuter than Marion, but you annoy me.

Two words sum up why I consider this my least favorite (though still great) Indiana Jones movie: Short Round. (Also know as the Jar Jar Binks of the Indiana Jones franchise -or is he the "young Anakin"?) After the spectacular first movie in the series, the franchise came perilously close to becoming a satire of itself by introducing a completely unnecessary 'cute little kid' sidekick for comic relief (and a helpless bimbo, but we're focusing on pre-Jar Jar right now). How does he bother me? Let me count the ways...

First, he has magic martial arts! When this seventy pound kid front kicks a 200 pound man, the man goes flying. He should be in the UFC! Even I know martial arts kicks don't send people hurtling through the air, especially people who outweigh you by 100 pounds or so.

The Antichrist?

Second, he has magic fire! Indy is under the influence of some sort of drug/magic blood. How does one purge Indy's system of this foul concoction? Why, shove a burning torch into his abdomen, of course! Not only does Shorty's magic fire purge the body of impurities, it apparently leaves no lasting burns, because Indy proceeds to kick butt without regard for the third degree burns that ought to be blistering his side. But wait, there's more! Short Round's magic fire later turns the creepily effeminate maharaja into a nice, helpful kid who is happy to give you directions. (Seriously.)

Third, he's just plain annoying.

3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

You know, Son, this temple is cooler than the one in Raiders.

If you close your eyes during the scene where the Millennium Falcon, I mean the 'inter-dimensional ship', flies away, this is a pretty good movie. Yes, the refrigerator scene is absurd, but no more so than the mid-air escape from the crashing plane in Temple of Doom.

Overall, this movie felt more like an Indiana Jones move that did Temple of Doom. I love the chase scenes, the fight scenes, and especially the quest to return the skull. I also like that the movie doesn't try to pit Indy against the Nazis one last time, but fast-forwards to the Cold War, and many minor details firmly set the story in that time period. I liked the inclusion of scenes at the college where Indy teaches, something that was missing from Temple of Doom.

Finally, I prefer the supporting cast of characters in this movie. I'll take Marion Ravenwood over the always helpless and clueless Willie Scott any day. Shia LaBeouf was surprisingly good as Mutt Williams, and Jim Broadbent, Ray Winstone, and John Hurt were excellent as well.

What made this move for me, though, is the closing scene. The door flies open, the wind blows in, and Indy's trademark fedora comes rolling up to Mutt's feet. Mutt picks it up and raises it to his head, and viewers are thinking, "Here we go. A symbolic passing of the torch. Prepare yourself for Mutt Williams-Jones and the Lost City of Hair Gel." And then Indy plucks the hat from Mutt's hand, puts it on his own head, and gives his son a, "There's only one Indiana Jones" grin. Classic!

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark

I could shoot this guy all day and it would still be funny.

I still recall the day I saw this movie in the theater. It blew me away then, and I still enjoy it. The opening scene in the temple perfectly sums up who and what Indy is. I like the biblical mystery, the fights and chases, the sinister villains... you name it. And let us never forget the greatest scene in action-adventure movie history. Yes, I'm talking about the whip fight, big guy with sword, deep sigh, shoot him and walk away scene. Awesome!

1. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

It's a close call between Crusade and Raiders for the top spot, but just about everything I liked about the original is present in this movie. Add in Sean Connery, who couldn't have been more perfect as Henry Jones Sr. and you have the top of the heap of Indiana Jones movies.

What do you mean you won't do Indy 4?

This was a movie in which everyone could have mailed in their performances and it still would have been a blockbuster hit, but there are many good performances. The scenes between Indy and his father are well-written, and Ford and Connery have great chemistry. The story itself is, for me, a shade more engaging than Raiders. I love the quest for the grail, the tank chase, and the final "path" to the grail itself. The one negative that stands out to me is that Marcus Brody is too inept in this film, but that is a minor detail to me. One scene that stands out almost as much as my favorite scene in Raiders is the scene at the cliff, where everyone is looking over in shock and grief, and Indy staggers up and leans over to see what they are looking at.

So there you have it. Agree? Disagree?

The War Cloud by Thomas Greanias

2010-12-08T16:05:00.001-05:00

This new release almost escaped my attention, but Thomas Greanias, author of the Atlantis trilogy and The Promised War, has a brand new e-only release called The War Cloud.

From the publisher:

"She was the last link in America's chain of command. Now she's the world's last hope."

THE WAR CLOUD! The No. 1 eBook of the new decade has just hit.

From New York Times bestselling novelist Thomas Greanias, the No. 1 bestselling author of RAISING ATLANTIS and world leader in eBook adventure, comes a mega blockbuster engineered for maximum enjoyment on your Kindle. Features an excerpt from THE 34TH DEGREE—the next time-traveling, mind-bending, heart-stopping Sam Deker adventure—coming Summer 2011 from Atria Books.

And here's what the author himself had to say:

"The War Cloud is a long-planned eBook-only release to celebrate @lantis Books' 10th anniversary when we first launched The Atlantis Mapping Project website that led to the Raising Atlantis No. 1 bestselling eBook, which later came out in print from Simon & Schuster.

The War Cloud, too, is eBook only, although like Raising Atlantis it may well come out in print after Dominus Dei if Simon & Schuster has its way. But I like it being eBook only and am promoting it that way because that's what makes it special from all my other titles.

Its heroine--my first female lead (Serena Serghetti is co-lead in the Atlantis books)--becomes president after a twin nuke-cyber attack on DC. She has to conduct the war. From the military version of Air Force One even as she has to find her lost daughter and unmask America's true enemy."

The War Cloud is available for Kindle, Nook, and in the ibookstore.

Interview with Brad Thor

2010-11-27T17:40:00.001-05:00

Interview by Ed Homa.

Megalith: Books that Rock, would like to welcome bestselling author Brad Thor to the site to answer a few questions. Brad is the man behind the ex-Navy SEAL Scot Harvath series. The most recent Harvath adventure, Foreign Influence, was published this past summer. Just this week, The Athena Project by Brad hit the shelves of your local bookstore. Brad, we would like to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions.

Why did you decide to start another series?

I have more stories in me than I could possibly tell in one lifetime. My readers say that their #1 complaint is that I don’t write fast enough. I have been wanting to write about a team of female covert operatives for a long time and thought that now would be the perfect time to begin.

Tell us about the The Athena Project.

The Athena Project is based upon the female counter-terrorism operators Delta Force has been recruiting and training. I was fascinated at how Delta was haunting high-end female athletic events in order to recruit. It’s a brilliant strategy as bad guys just never see these women coming; their beauty (and the women in the book and real life are beautiful) disqualifies them as a threat.

I found it fascinating exploring what kind of assignments these women could be sent on. The deeper I got into my research, the more excited I became about this book. This is really something fresh; something entirely new that hasn’t been done before.

In The Athena Project, I take the female operators I introduced in Foreign Influence and give them their own standalone book. You don’t have to have read any of my previous books prior to beginning this one.

What I also really like about it is that this is a book I believe will appeal equally to men and women. It has a sweeping international locations and a great domestic, US storyline all wrapped up into a very fast-paced plot.

Are your two series in the same “Universe” and will characters go between series?

Yes, it is and they do.

How are your two series different?

The major difference is that The Athena Project is a thriller with no politics while the Scot Harvath novels are political thrillers.

Do you keep to a schedule when writing?

My goal is to write 2500 words a day.

Do you write in an office? What is your office like?

I do write in an office. It’s probably what a lot of readers envision when they think of a writer’s office – heavy wood furniture, globe in the corner (which hides a bar), interesting pictures on the walls, interesting souvenirs from my travels abroad…

E-readers, have you embraced the technology?

I own a Sony Reader and plan on buying an iPad.

With the explosion of e-readers on the market what do you think the future of books/reading will look like?

I think we’re going to see even more people reading and that’s terrific. The problem, though, is that if five people on the train are reading the same book off of their Kindles, you have no idea what their reading. That is one of the cool, buzz-building aspects of paper and ink books – you get to see what people are reading. It is a shared bit of reading kinship that you don’t get with ebooks. That said, I love eReaders for how accessible they have made books.

The literary James Bond wears a Rolex Sub Mariner, the Daniel Craig James Bond wears an Omega Seamaster, Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt wear an orange face Doxa Dive Watch, James Rollins wears a beat up Breitling Avenger, what kind of watch does Brad Thor wear?

Kobold Phantom Chronograph – great watch, incredible watch company.

What do you have planned for 2011?

2011 will bring a new Scot Harvath thriller and a new Athena thriller. I also have another “secret” project I have been working on which I hope to unveil, but more on that in 2011.

Once again, thank you for taking time to stop by and good luck with The Athena Project.

News and Notes

2010-11-27T13:16:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to B.C. Bell of Chicago, who is the winner of two Sean Ellis novels!

Jeremy Robinson has two new releases- The Last Hunter- Descent, (ebook only) a young adult novel that returns to the world of his hit thriller Antarktos Rising, and the paperback release of his sci-fi thriller Beneath.

Steven Saville is giving away a free Ogmios Team short story. All you have to do is send an email to: ogmiosteam [at] gmail.com and the address will reply to you with a link to the story. If you enjoyed his debut novel Silver, or if you haven't yet discovered his thrillers, give this story a try.

Thrillercast interviews Kent Holloway.

Crescent Dawn by Clive and Dirk Cussler

2010-11-23T08:47:00.002-05:00

Review by Ed Homa
Crescent Dawn is the twenty-first Dirk Pitt adventure, the fourth time that father Clive and son Dirk Cussler have corroborated. It used to be that I could not wait until the new Pitt adventure arrived and I would devour as quickly as possible. Those days are over. With the arrival of Pitt’s children the books have become less and less of a must read for me. Sure, I pick them up for nostalgia's sake, but Cussler’s Fargo Adventures, Kurt Austin/NUMA Files and Oregon Files have become more enjoyable than good ole Dirk Pitt. But I was looking forward to once again reading a straightforward and fun adventure!

As the title hints, the Pitt’s adversaries in this novel are Muslims intent on taking over the Middle East and blaming the mayhem on the CIA and the West. Mosques in Egypt and Turkey are destroyed as a plot is hatched to return the glory to the Ottoman Empire. Pitt has adventures on air, land and sea as he fights to solve the crisis. It seems even Pitt’s children that I have hated in the past have gotten to the point where I can accept them.

The thriller market seems to have been taken over by anti-terrorist, anti-Muslim heroes and authors. And as time goes on it seems that both heroes and authors drift further and further to the right. Being a middle of the road guy I am less and less interested in these kinds of adventures. And I have to admit that I was disappointed that Dirk Pitt was taken down this current, easy path. Give me the straight ahead action that is Cussler’s/Pitt’s trademark. Heck, Pitt used to out Indy Indiana Jones!

All-in-all I am sure Cussler fans will enjoy the novel. While I wasn’t happy with the subject matter I found the series to me making a slight comeback. Dirk Cussler seems to be getting more comfortable with the series. While I cannot say that the Dirk Pitt series is as good as it was in the past it is in better shape than it has been the past few years. I did enjoy this book and I am looking forward to the next Pitt adventure!

Book Giveaway- Win Two Sean Ellis Novels

2010-11-22T11:52:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since our last giveaway. I'm pleased to announce that one lucky winner will receive a brand new hardcover copy of Sean Ellis' latest book, The Adventures of Dodge Dalton in the Shadow of Falcon's Wings, and a signed Advance Review Copy of his previous novel, The Shroud of Heaven. (It's signed to me. It's not that I didn't like the book- I did- I just need the shelf space. I'll probably be giving away more books just to make room.)

To enter, send an email with "Giveaway" in the header, and your name and mailing address in the body to megalithbooks [at] gmail.com. Deadline is whenever I pour my coffee on Saturday morning.

The Adventures of Dodge Dalton in the Shadow of Falcon's Wings by Sean Ellis

2010-11-22T11:46:00.001-05:00

Yes, that's a very long title. If it sounds a bit different, that's because it is. From the campy, "Sky Captain"-like title to the movie poster-style cover, Sean Ellis' first Dodge Dalton adventure is a return to the classic pulp stories that are the foundation of action-adventure movies like the Indiana Jones series and, of course, adventure novels.

From the publisher:

"IN THE GOLDEN AGE OF ADVENTURE... Dodge Dalton's stories about the adventures of Captain Zane Falcon have made both the author, and his iconic protagonist, famous. Maybe a little too famous. When a diabolical villain, wielding a fantastic power unearthed in the ruins of a forgotten civilization, kidnaps the president, he has only one demand...a fight with America's greatest hero. There's just one problem: Falcon doesn't exist. Or does he? In order to save America, Dodge must embark on a journey to the ends of the earth to find Captain Falcon, and along the way will discover the hero within himself."

I enjoyed Ellis' modern thriller, The Shroud of Heaven, and was skeptical about Dodge Dalton, but I found it to be good fun. The hero is engaging, and the villains suitably dastardly. This is one of those books in which you have to let your imagination run free, and immerse yourself into the story. The reading experience took me back to stories I read as a kid. If you enjoy the old pulp stories, Indiana Jones, or Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, The Adventures of Dodge Dalton in the Shadow of Falcon's Wings is a delight.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

Notes and Links

2010-11-08T12:06:00.000-05:00

New and upcoming releases in thrillers:

Crescent Dawn by Clive Cussler
Hell's Corner by David Baldacci
The Confession by John Grisham
The Templar's Code by C.M. Palov

Interview with Sean Ellis, author of The Adventures of Dodge Dalton and The Shroud of Heaven.

Thrillercast podcast interviews Rick Chesler, author of Wired Kingdom.

Scott Nicholson is giving away another Kindle reader in support of his new book, Disintegration.

The Templar's Code by C.M. Palov

2010-11-05T10:37:00.002-04:00

Caedmon and Edie are back in search of another ancient relic of power in C.M. Palov's brand new thriller. As you can probably guess from the words "Templar's Code", this story is firmly set in the tradition of The DaVinci Code. Like Palov's previous novel, Ark of Fire, the story features an academic (Caedmon), his female companion (Edie), a heavy does of Freemasonry, and a murder which sets them on a search for a relic, pursued by a dangerous enemy.

The Templar's Code is sure to be a hit among fans of Dan Brown and Paul Christopher. Although it might be lacking somewhat in originality, I enjoy a mystery/adventure with a Biblical backdrop, so it was a fun read for me. I find Caedmon a good hero for the genre. He's still a bit stiff, but he's got a little bit of Robert Langdon in him, but with a greater underlying sense of toughness. I wish Palov had stuck with him, and moved on to a different leading lady. As was the case in Ark of Fire, good fortune smiles on our heroes a few too many times along the way. Otherwise, it's a good plot.

If you like a thriller in the tradition of The DaVinci Code, give The Templar's Code a try.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

A Note to All the Rocking Megalith Readers...

2010-11-02T11:13:00.000-04:00

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who visits this site. I continue to "meet" many wonderful people- readers, writers, and publicists.

I've realized that I'm having a hard time not repeating myself in my book reviews. I feel like I repeat myself a great deal. Sometimes it's because the book in question is covering the same territory that previous new releases covered. Other times, it's a matter of me revealing my biases as a reader.

I don't like the "Groundhog Day" feeling I get when I try to follow my tried and true format: (Spoiler-free synopsis, strengths, weaknesses, overall impression.) Consequently, you'll be seeing more variety in the way I review. If I have a lot to say, I'll say it. If I don't have much to say, I'll tell you what I, as a reader, would want to know before picking up the book, and leave it at that. My primary goal is simply to make readers aware of new/different authors, and I think my critiques/reviews are secondary to that goal.

I'm sure regular readers have noticed that I've slowed down again on posting content. Limited leisure time is some of it, personal choice about what I do with that time is most of it, and also, I don't read as fast as I used to. So, I want to re-extend the invitation for readers and authors to submit content. Book reviews are great, but I also love getting releases from publicists and authors about them and their work. Anything I can copy and paste is excellent. (If your book is only borderline-thriller, I can't promise I'll post your info, but feel free to send it.) In the last few months, I've gotten many requests for reviews from independent authors. I like to say yes to as many people as possible, but the reality is, I already get more advance review copies than I can keep up with. I might say yes to a review, but guest posts and press releases are more likely to fit into my schedule. Also, if you've queried me and I've missed it, feel free to write again.

So, that's a very long way of saying: I'm still reviewing, and feel free to send in items for the site.

Thanks again and hope everyone has a great holiday season,
M

Injustice for All by Scott Pratt

2010-10-20T12:27:00.001-04:00

Pratt's third book featuring attorney Joe Dillard is a compelling legal thriller that will keep you up late at night. When his best friend is found dead, Dillard finds himself at the center of a tangled mystery, one which forces him to re-evaluate many of those closest to him. There is not much more I can say about the plot without spoiling the mystery, so I'll stop there.

Though this story lacks the action and adventure of the thrillers to which I am typically drawn, Dillard keeps the tension high throughout. The mystery unfolds at a tantalizing pace, and the legal scenes are interesting, but not overdone. Pratt is also excellent in crafting his characters. Dillard's internal conflicts are deep and believable, and the characters around him are interesting, and well-crafted. Pratt also has a gift for apt description in a few words, adding zest to his writing without adversely affecting the pacing.

If you are a fan of mysteries or legal thrillers, be sure to pick up your copy of Scott Pratt's Injustice for All.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

News and Notes

2010-10-14T14:32:00.001-04:00

The thriller genre is making its way into the world of podcasting and blog talk radio. Check out Suspense Radio, an internet talk radio show sponsored by Suspense Magazine. Guests for this month include:

Erica Spindler and Allison Leotta 10/19/10
James Rollins and Iris Johnansen 10/22/10
Steve Berry and Jeremy Robinson 10/26/10
Alan Jacobson and John Miller 10/29/10

Authors David Wood and Alan Baxter have launched a podcast called ThrillerCast, which is "a weekly podcast for readers and authors of books in the thriller genre." Visit their site for more information and to listen to the first episode.

Coming soon in thrillers:

The Templar Salvation by Raymond Khoury (Oct. 19)

The Templar's Code by C.M. Palov (Nov. 2)

Crescent Dawn by Clive and Dirk Cussler (Nov. 16)

The Emperor's Tomb by Steve Berry (Nov. 23)

The Athena Project by Brad Thor (Nov. 23)

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

2010-10-11T07:00:00.003-04:00

Review by David Wood

Though non-fiction, The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon is a great book for the reader who enjoys Indiana Jones, pulp-style adventures, or any good, old-fashioned lost city tale. David Grann's book follows his quest to learn the outcome of Percy Fawcett's final expedition into the Amazon in search of the legendary Lost City of Z. For those of you who might not know, Fawcett was a "real life Indiana Jones," who was arguably the greatest explorer of his day.

Because so little is known about Fawcett's final expedition, the author begins by sketching out Fawcett's life, telling the story of how he first became fascinated with legends and exploration. Grann alternates episodes in Fawcett's life with segments of his own story of how he researched Fawcett and eventually traveled to the Amazon to follow Fawcett's final expedition.

The stories of Fawcett's early treks into the Amazon are the most interesting, and make you appreciate how perilous that region of the world was and remains to this day. The reader also gains a greater appreciation of how difficult exploration was without the benefit of modern technology. The culmination of the story is not exciting, but is still interesting. Grann's speculation is interesting, and he relates some relatively recent discoveries of which I had not heard.

I would not call this an "exciting" book, but it is definitely interesting, even engrossing at times. Adventure fans, particularly those who love an "old school" action hero, will find this an interesting and informative book.

David Wood is an action-adventure author. His titles include Cibola and Into the Woods. Visit him on the web at http://www.davidwoodweb.com/.

News and Notes

2010-10-05T11:34:00.000-04:00

Lots of great new releases for your reading pleasure!

Hell Island by Matthew Reilly

The Pyramid of Doom by Andy McDermott

The Hidden Oasis by Paul Sussman

Warlord by Ted Bell

Velocity by Alan Jacobson

On Target by Mark Greaney

The Martyr's Prize: A Tale of American Exceptionalism... by Brooks William Kelley

2010-10-05T10:42:00.003-04:00

"For Kyle Simms and Jason Lanford, the discovery of a roadside-bomb tutorial will prove a seminal event, changing every aspect of their lives from that moment forward. Posted to an extremist website, the meticulous schematics hint at a new era-one in which the daily death and destruction previously confined to the third world is to be brought to the American heartland. A mere touch of the sticky silk is all it takes and the two find themselves drawn into a world so foreign, both literally and figuratively, that they are forced to reassess everything they previously understood about the history of Western Civilization and the global war on terror."

For me, The Martyr's Prize was definitely a case of don't judge a book by its cover. Given its cover and its cumbersome title (The Martyr's Prize: A Tale of American Exceptionalism and Ruthlessness in the Age of Religiously Inspired Terrorism), this book looks like one of my early-1990's college textbooks. The good news for readers is that it is actually a thriller story centered around one of the twenty-first century's greatest fears.

The positives of this book are the pacing, which is quick, and the subject matter, which is excting and high-stakes. On the downside, the writing is a little stiff, particularly early in the book. I also had trouble engaging with the characters. I cared about their situation, and the things they were doing, but I didn't reallly identify with them. It almost felt at times like I was being told what was happening, but was removed from the action, like a distant observer. The latter part of the book did seem smoother and more engaging to me, so doubtless Kelley will continue to improve.

Because this story centers around a hot-button political topic, I think this book will be perceived very differently by different people, depending on their political predispositon. Some people will consider it to be a fair and honest portrayal of the state of world affairs. Others will likely find the book to be politically biased. I have no interest in taking sides, and the plot description is sufficient for readers to determine whether or not this book is for them. Overall, a good first effort for this debut novelist.

Visit Brooks William Kelley's website.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

The Beat of a Different Drummer with Scott Nicholson

2010-09-21T12:21:00.002-04:00

The Beat of a Different Drummer
By Scott Nicholson
http://www.hauntedcomputer.com/

I was exposed to ghost stories at the foot of my grandmother’s rocker in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, where we would visit during vacations. I can still recall the magical mists of the mountains, the first time I saw the sparkling fairyland of frost, and the secrets that seemed to seep out of those rocking-chair runners as the stories spilled out.

It’s no surprise that I ended up living in the mountains, nor that I kept an ear cocked for those old mountain legends. Though some of the stories were “true,” my favorites were always the tales of supernatural and folk magic. The best combined elements of historical time and place with suggestions of the otherwordly, which is how I fashion most of my fiction.

Having heard legends of “The Jangling Hole,” I consulted the Legend Lady, Charlotte Ross, who has collected thousands of folk tales and is something of a witchwoman herself. According to Ross, the Hole was a remote cave system in the Linville Caverns, where Civil War deserters from both sides hid out to escape persecution. Since mountain people had no use for either government or the war, the soldiers were relatively safe, since the area saw little military activity.

According to legend, you can still hear the tools and mess kits of the soldiers clinking and jangling, as if they are still inside waiting out the war. I have visited the area, which ironically is now a tourist destination where you pay five bucks to wander in the dark caves, see blind fish in underground streams, and imagine what it’s like to get lost in miles of unmarked caves when the lights are shut off. I didn’t hear any jangling metal, but I did get a sense of the weight of those mountains and the depth of the darkness, and what it would be like if your spirit were tapped there.

A legend is not enough for a novel, so I created two young best friends, Bobby and Vernon Ray, who discover the secrets of the cave. The spirits have been disturbed by development, which is another of the “modern horrors” of the scenic mountains. And one dead soldier is ready to go home, in a turnabout of a “Cold Mountain” trek.

Vernon Ray, whose Dad is captain of the local living-history society that recreates Civil War battles, can’t win his dad’s affection because he’s a misfit. And so Vernon Ray can’t be the drummer boy in the local troop. On the verge of the town’s annual re-enactment, the past and present collide, and Bobby is ashamed to learn he’s a coward. Who will betray his best friend if necessary. And Vernon Ray must decide which army he will join–the living or the dead.

Sure, it’s only a modern folk tale, a supernatural thriller. But some wars never end, and some warriors never rest in peace.

Scott Nicholson is author of 12 novels, including the paranormal thrillers Speed Dating with the Dead, The Red Church, and Creative Spirit. He’s also written four comic series, six screenplays, and more than 60 short stories. His web site is www.hauntedcomputer.com.

To enter to win the Kindle DX, simply leave a post comment with contact email. Scott will return in seven days and collect the names and assign numbers. At the end of the tour, one number will be randomly selected by the staff of the Watauga County (NC) Public Library.

You can also enter to win a Kindle 3 by subscribing to the tour newsletter at scottsinnercircle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. A Pandora’s Box of e-books will be randomly given away through Scott’s Twitter (follow “hauntedcomputer”). No purchase necessary and the contest is international.

Primeval by David L. Golemon

2010-09-09T12:03:00.001-04:00

The Event Group is back! Primeval is the latest installment in David L. Golemon's highly popular adventure series. The book begins with the infamous murder of Tsar Nicholas's family, and the escape of his children Anastasia and Alexei, who take with them a treasure of immense value and historical significance. As they make their way through Canada, they are stalked by... something.The story moves forward in time to the discovery of the treasure, and then to present day. Someone is after the treasure, and it's up to the Event Group to stop them and rescue Jack Collins' kidnapped sister.

It's difficult to elaborate further on the story without giving too much away. Like every Event Group novel, there is plenty of action, mystery, and adventure. The historical prologues are Golemon's finest to-date, reminiscent of some of Clive Cussler's best work. The "bad guys" are well-crafted, and a worthy challenge for our heroes. My favorite plot element, though, is the inclusion of cryptids (and that's all I'm going to say on that topic.)

For me, the downside of Primeval, and every Event Group book, is the large ensemble cast. Though Jack Collins is the 'hero', the Event Group is large and the reader spends time inside the points-of-views of many characters. This might not pose to great a challenge to my feeble mind if it were not for the fact that we also meet plenty of other characters, and are given lots of names, some of whom live such short lives after we meet them that I wonder why we needed to know their names at all. I found myself pausing to ask myself "Who is this person?" Sometimes I actually had to stop reading and go back and check on someone's identity. This, of course, might not be everyone's reading experience, and sharper tools than me might have no problem keeping up with all the names and identities, Despite this, Golemon remains one of my favorite action/adventure writers, and I'd love to see what he could do if he branched out and wrote a story with only a couple of main characters.

Overall, Primeval is Golemon's most enjoyable book yet. Keep them coming!

The Panic Zone by Rick Mofina

2010-09-06T07:00:00.000-04:00

The Panic Zone by Rick Mofina ties together a series of horrific events that seemingly have no connection:

After her car crashes, a young woman sees someone take her infant son from the burning vehicle. The police believe shock and traumu are causing a false memory, but one night, she receives a phone call telling her that her baby is alive.

Reporter Jack Gannon sets out to investigate a bombing in Rio that killed ten, including two of his colleagues who might have been on the verge of uncovering a dangerous secret.

The horrific death of a cruise ship passenger leads scientists to fear that past secret research has been unearthed and is being used as a weapon.

These three sparks ignite the fire that is The Panic Zone. The plot is sufficiently complex to engage the reader who is tired of the linear plots that plague many contemporary thrillers. The pacing is excellent, and the story suspenseful. What Mofina does best is hold back enough information that the reader has to keep reading in order to find out how these diverse elements come together. I've read too many thrillers in which the reveals happen too early, and the remainder of the book is a string of action sequences leading to the inevitable showdown. Mofina has crafted a tale that will please both the mystery/thriller crowd and the action/thriller crowd. I'm definitely going to go back and read the first Jack Gannon adventure, Vengeance Road.

The Lost Empire by Grant Blackwood and Clive Cussler

2010-09-03T07:00:00.002-04:00

Review by Ed Homa

Lost Empire, the second Sam and Remi Fargo thriller by Clive Cussler and Grant Blackwood has been released. And like the first one, Spartan Gold, it is a breath of fresh air!

The Fargo Adventures seems to be the redheaded step child in the hierarchy of Cussler series after Dirk Pitt, Kurt Austin/NUMA Files and the Oregon Adventures. The series doesn’t feature as outlandish villains or adventures as the other Cussler series and the Sam and Remi are almost like ‘50’s throwbacks. The Fargo series doesn’t take itself as seriously and is a little more lighthearted than the other series in the Clive Cussler/Dirk Pitt Universe of adventures.

In Lost Empire the Fargos are on vacation treasure hunting in Zanzibar when they find a sunken, mysterious bell. The bad guys appear shortly after and the fun begins! In this case the bad guy is Quauhtl Garza, the President of Mexico and his band of rogues. Mexican nationals showing up in Zanzibar, just what is going on? What could they have in common with the treasure hunting Fargos? It seems that the mystery of the bell can bring down the Garza government and the Fargos are in the middle of the fight for power! Right from the beginning the Fargos are chased by a hit squad over land and sea. The go from exotic locale to exotic locale as hunter and hunted. The plot takes many twists and turns as you would expect from any Cussler novel. If you are a fan of Cussler novels you will feel right at home here.

The Fargo Adventures doesn’t take itself as seriously as the other series in the Cussler stable but it might be the most fun. I don’t know how Cussler and co-writer Grant Blackwood split the chores, but I would suspect that Blackwood does most of the heavy lifting. The two books in the series so far have a very easy-going with a readable style that suits the series and makes it a light and easy read. This series is currently one of my favorite series being published. As stated above it is a breath of fresh air in the deadly serious and grim world of thrillers. My only complaint is why the paperback of Spartan Gold and Lost Empire are being released at the end of the summer? These books are perfect summer reading, be it at the beach, the pool, on vacation or at home relaxing!

If you are looking for a fun read run out and get either of the books in the Fargo Adventures!

A note, if you missed Spartan Gold, the first Fargo Adventure it is now out in paperback. And Raise the Titanic, arguably the best of the Dirk Pitt adventures, is now out in the $9.99 paperback format. If you haven’t read RTT or want to reread it this might be the format to pick it up, I know my aging eyes appreciate this larger size paperback.

Kindle Giveaway Blog Tour

2010-09-01T21:33:00.000-04:00

Author Scott Nicholson and Amazon are giving away two Kindles as part of his fall book blog tour from September through November, including a stop here at Megalith Books on Sept. 21. A Kindle DX will be given away through the participating blogs, and a Kindle 3 will be given away through the tour newsletter. A Pandora's Box of free ebooks will be given away through Nicholson's "hauntedcomputer" Twitter account.

"The digital era coincides with Act II of my career," Nicholson said. "The Kindle has broadened many people's horizons and given readers more power than ever, and this is an opportunity to celebrate them and the book bloggers who spread the word."

Nicholson is author of 12 novels and three story collections, as well as four comics series and six screenplays. His paranormal thrillers "The Red Church," "Drummer Boy" and "Speed Dating with the Dead" have all hit #1 in the Kindle "Ghosts" category.

As a bonus, if Nicholson hits the Top 100 in the U.S. or U.K. Kindle Store during the tour between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30, he will give away an extra Kindle 3 through the blogs. Sign up for the newsletter at scottsinnercircle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to get daily links to the participating blogs. Winners will be selected at the Watauga County (NC) Public Library in December. No purchase necessary, and the contest is international. Co-sponsored by Kindle Nation Daily and Dellaster Design. Details at http://www.hauntedcomputer.com/.

News and Notes

2010-08-18T15:46:00.000-04:00

There's a new book from Matthew Reilly. Okay, it's not exactly new, but his Shane Schofield novella, Hell Island, is finally available in the US!

Want to read Jeremy Robinson's novel Beneath in hardcover format? Jeremy is running a special promotion for those who would like to see Beneath, previously available only as an ebook, on hardcover. Click here for details and a video!

The Manhattan Prophet by Jake Packard

2010-08-16T08:58:00.001-04:00

The Manahattan Project by Jake Packard is a futuristic urban fantasy-type thriller set in New York City in a time after a limited nuclear war between the forces of fundamentalist Islam and the west. In one part of New York called "Shantypark", life is desolate. Salem Jones, the child of incarcerated parents, has grown up in prison, but is being released, having reached adulthood. His reputation precedes him, as he is reputed to have worked wonders with the populace inside the prison. It is even rumored that he can perform miracles. The story unfolds as a reporter tries to get the "real story" while Salem works his wonders and the powers that be stand to oppose him, culminating in an a "good versus evil"-type conflict.

This is not the sort of book I typically read, my preference being modern-day thrillers or pulp-type adventures, so I don't have much basis for comparison. Overall, I think The Manhattan Prophet is an entertaining read, in some ways reminiscent of Stephen King's The Stand. I was very interested in Salem's story, and the descent of post-apocalyptic America. There was also enough action to hold my interest despite this book not being set squarely in my preferred genre. There's a heavier dose of sexual content than what is typical for the thriller genre. It doesn't bother me, but it doesn't do much for me either. There is some graphic content, but it fits with the setting of the story, and emphasizes how bad things are, as Packard contrasts the life of the elite with that of the downtrodden.

On the downside, the big negative to me is the prose, which is frequently off-putting. The dialogue is not bad, but the narrative has too many unnecessarily elaborate sentences, overlong paragraphs, and awkward word choices that distracted me enough to jolt me out of the story. This doesn't necessarily equate to bad writing -it's a matter of personal taste- but I am a "plot first" kind of reader.

Overall, The Manhattan Prophet is a good read if you enjoy urban fantasy. There's a strong mytho-religious thread running through the book. It's not typical Megalith fare, so be sure you know what you're getting into when you buy it.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

News and Links

2010-07-21T16:26:00.000-04:00

I just discovered a great new internet radio show dedicated to the thriller genre. Check out C.J. West's show, Thriller 30, on Blog Talk Radio. Thriller 30 focuses on books by up-and-comers in the thriller genre. You can download old episodes via iTunes.

Sean Ellis's latest, a throwback to the old pulps, titled The Adventures of Dodge Dalton in the Shadow of Falcon's Wings, is out this week!

Voting continues in NPR's Killer Thriller contest to choose the greatest thrillers of all-time.

New roundtable discussion on David Wood's blog.

The Pawn by Steven James

2010-07-20T14:05:00.002-04:00

The Pawn by Steven James is a mystery-thriller featuring environmental criminologist and FBI agent Patrick Bowers. Bowers investigates a series of murders committed by a serial killer calling himself "The Illusionist." Along the way, he uncovers possible ties to a presidential candidate or possibly a cult.In a mystery story such as this, it's difficult to say much more about the plot without giving away spoilers, so I'll leave the synopsis at that.

The Pawn is a cut above most of the books in its genre. The mystery is well-plotted, with adequate twists and conflicts, and no real slow parts. Bowers is a sympathetic character who is dealing with more than just his job- his wife has recently died, and he is estranged from him daughter. While environmental criminology is not a great deal like forensic biology or paleontology, fans of the television series Bones or the Forensic Files shows will enjoy this series that continues with The Rook, The Knight, and The Bishop.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.

News and Links

2010-07-13T14:34:00.000-04:00

Today is the release date of John Connolly's The Whisperers.

Ancient artifacts and the second Iraqi War provide the backdrop for Connolly's outstanding ninth novel featuring PI Charlie Parker (after The Lovers). When the former NYPD homicide detective looks into the suicide of an Iraq war veteran, he discovers that several members of the soldier's unit have also killed themselves and that they may have been involved in smuggling looted treasures into the U.S. Parker begins to fear that the returning soldiers have brought back more than their own personal demons. As he races to find an antique golden box before it falls into the wrong hands, Parker discovers that he's being shadowed by the enigmatic Collector, a repulsive killer whose nature is as problematic as that of Parker himself. Connolly displays a real knack for fusing the detective and horror genres, providing a rational chain of evidence and deduction for the plot while simultaneously creating a real atmosphere of numinous dread that reminds us that mystery can refer to more than a mundane tale of crime and human justice.-Publisher's Weekly

Stacey Cochran and Kent Holloway are featured on David Wood's blog.

Brad Thor on the John Batchelor Show

Big News from Matthew Reilly

2010-07-09T13:56:00.000-04:00

(Thanks to Ed Homa for the tip)

IT BEGINS…!

Well, after a lot of thinking about what to write for my next novel (Do I write another Jack West book, or perhaps a standalone, or maybe a Scarecrow novel, since so many fans ask about him?), I have just recently commenced work on…

…the fourth Scarecrow novel!

Strictly speaking, if you counted Hell Island, this one would actually be the fifth Scarecrow novel, but I tend to view Hell Island as a brief side-adventure that has really only been released in Australia – although, US fans, get ready: Hell Island will be released in the United States ether late this year or in early 2011 (it’ll even feature illustrations).

As many of you will know, I tend to put a bit of pressure on myself with each new book. I’ve always felt that each new novel always has to be better than the last one, and this time, the pressure is even more intense than usual. After The Five Greatest Warriors did so well (the No.1 Australian book in 2009), the challenge is a big one. Top that, Matt.

And so I thought long and hard before I settled on my story. I decided that if I was going to bring Scarecrow back—after the horrible events from the novel named Scarecrow—then I wanted to do it right. Any new Scarecrow story had to be massive, explosive, superfast, hard and mean. And I’m pleased to say, the new book is all that and more!

I’ll be writing it over the next eight months or so, with a view to releasing it in late 2011. Still thinking about a title. Who knows, maybe The Return of the Scarecrow…

News and Links

2010-07-08T13:15:00.000-04:00

New review of Rick Chesler's Wired Kingdom.

Kent Holloway profiles Jeffrey Kafer.

Andy McDermott's The Sacred Vault is out in the UK. Sorry US fans- for some reason, it won't be out in the States until spring of 2011.

News and Notes

2010-07-06T09:50:00.000-04:00

Primeval by David Golemon is out. Pick up your copy!

Writeup on Primeval by David Golemon.

Good news and bad news from James Rollins. Good: The Sigma Force movie won't be a re-hash of one of his books, but a brand new, written-for-the-screen storyline. Bad: The release of Devil Colony has been pushed back until next summer (Bummer).

What's new from David Morrell.

Interview with Robert Masello.

Black Rain by Graham Brown

2010-07-05T07:00:00.012-04:00

Sean Ellis, author of The Shroud of Heaven and the forthcoming Adventures of Dodge Dalton provides today's review.

Discovering a new thriller author is a lot like going for a swim on a hot day. You know what's coming, a refreshing dip into mystery, violence and suspense, but as you take those first tentative steps, you discover that the water is much colder than you expected, and your initial enthusiasm quickly turns into a sort of dread at what's to come. That was my reaction to Black Rain, the debut novel from Graham Brown.

A glance at the back matter lets you know that you're about to embark into rather familiar territory:

"Covert government operative Danielle Laidlaw leads an expedition into the deepest reaches of the Amazon in search of a legendary Mayan city. Assisted by a renowned university professor and protected by a mercenary named Hawker, her team journeys into the tangled rainforest--unaware that they are replacements for a group that vanished weeks before, and that the treasure they are seeking is no mere artifact, but a breakthrough discovery that could transform the world.

"Shadowed by a ruthless billionaire, threatened by a violent indigenous tribe, and stalked by an unseen enemy that leaves battered corpses in its wake, the group desperately seeks the connection between the deadly reality of the Mayan legend, the nomadic tribe that haunts them, and the chilling secret buried beneath the ancient ruins."

Instead of Sigma Force or Event Group, here we have NRI (National Research Institute) a similarly fictional agency of scientists who roam the world looking for new technologies and resources, but without the Special Forces background. That's okay, because the NRI nerds (not really) are accompanied by a team of mercenary guides packing the requisite firepower. Scientists and shooters, lost Mayan cities, ancient artifacts that will somehow change the world, and even a monstrous beast--Black Rain sounds exactly like my kind of book. But when I dipped my toes in, I immediately realized that it was going to require a little adjustment time.

Brown's writing is adequate to the task at hand, but I felt like narrative really got bogged down in the setup. There is an obligatory shoot-out and car chase early on that seems intended merely to keep the action moving through the introduction of too many characters with complicated back-stories. Even the expedition into the unknown regions of the Amazon basin, which ought to have really set the pace for the book, felt more like travelogue. Early on at least, most of the real action takes place back in the States, with skullduggery in the ranks of the NRI leadership. More than once, Brown leaps the story ahead several days at a time, in mid-chapter no less. That's some chilly water to wade into, especially in an environment where we've gotten rather accustomed to thrillers that take place over the course of a few days or even hours. At times, it almost felt like Brown was also probing the waters, trying to figure out what direction the story should take.

But if experience teaches us anything, it's that you never wade into the cold water; you jump in and fully immerse yourself. That can be a little tough to do with a book. It's not like you can completely skip the boring parts--there's some important stuff in there--but you have to keep the pages moving until you can acclimatize. Unless you've got a block of several hours with nothing else to do--a long flight or a wait in the doctor's office--this is the kind of book that you might very well put down and forget about. That would be unfortunate, because if you can stick with it, Black Rain becomes a lot of fun.

This novel suffers from being too long; it's a three hundred page story that's been fleshed out into a five hundred page novel. The good news is that most of the excess pages are at the beginning. In the end, Brown delivers on the promises made on the back cover in a fashion that is, if not completely original, at least very satisfying. You'll probably even be looking forward to the sequel, Black Sun which will be out later this year.

Notes and Links

2010-07-02T10:34:00.000-04:00

Hope everyone is looking forward to a fun 4th of July weekend. Here are a few items of interest to tide you over:

Interview with Brad Thor.

Rick Chesler is featured on David Wood's blog.

J.A. Konrath on Jungle Red.

Claws 2 by Stacey Cochran is Released Today!

2010-07-01T09:34:00.000-04:00

Today is the official release date for Stacey Cochran's Claws 2, the follow-up to the wildly successful Claws. Claws 2 is another 'torn from the headlines' thriller. Stacey was good enough to take time out to share a little bit with us about the book

CLAWS 2 is the story of wildlife biologist Angie Rippard’s research into the status of the presumed-extinct southwest Colorado grizzly bear. Angie is brought in by a desperate Colorado governor who seeks to enact an Endangered Species Act to halt construction of a 6,000-acre ski resort. What Angie finds pits her against powerful political forces that will stop at nothing to see that her research never sees the light of day.

The real story of grizzly bears in southwest Colorado is somewhat mysterious. The last grizzly was shot and killed by bow-hunter Ed Wiseman in 1979. In recent years, several unconfirmed sightings have suggested a very small population (less than a dozen) may have moved back into the region, and so the idea for this novel came straight from that possibility. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4414320

If a small population has done so, it would make it the most endangered subspecies of large mammal in the United States, and how wildlife management services handles such a delicate group needs intense consideration, discussion, and legal initiatives to support the bear population. My goal with writing the novel was to help create such a dialogue.

The reality is today’s wildlife populations in the U.S. are very different than when our parents were our age. What we’re seeing with big mammals like grizzlies and mountain lions is a strong reemergence, and in the case of cougars which are much more efficient breeders than bears, animals are reaching carrying capacity in a constantly dwindling wilderness space. And so the way tomorrow’s biologists and conservations handle big animal initiatives is going to have to be different than 30 or 40 years ago. I believe we need greater control against real estate development in wilderness areas.

If I’m lucky enough to live another forty or fifty years, it is very likely that I’ll see a natural grizzly bear population return to Colorado, Utah, and possibly as far south as New Mexico and Arizona. That would be great. However, the local laws in those states need to be considered today (not in ten, fifteen, or twenty years from now) regarding how to manage a delicate population.

It would be an enormous help in that direction if folks read, download, and write reviews of CLAWS 2 discussing the book and discussing their positions on these issues.

That’s the main reason I’m doing this blog tour. The issues need to be discussed and government agencies need to have well-formed initiatives in place to protect animals before (not after) human/animal encounters occur in these areas.

Thanks so much, Megalith, for the opportunity to talk a little bit about the book. I’ll be checking in throughout the next day or two to respond and answer any questions anyone has. Thanks, everybody. I look forward to your comments!

Stacey Cochran was born in the Carolinas, where his family traces its roots to the mid 1800s. In 1998 he was selected as a finalist in the Dell Magazines undergraduate fiction competition, and he made his first professional short story sale to CutBank in 2001. In 2004, he was selected as a finalist in the St. Martin’s Press/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Contest. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife Dr. Susan K. Miller-Cochran and their son Sam, and he teaches writing at North Carolina State University. His books include The Colorado Sequence, Amber Page, CLAWS, and CLAWS 2.

News and Notes

2010-06-29T09:32:00.001-04:00

James Rollins' Sigma Force coming to the big screen?

Brad Thor's Foreign Influence is released today!

Blog Talk Radio interviews Brad Thor.

JA Konrath interviews Barry Eisler.

New JA Konrath newsletter.

News and updated Q&A from Jeremy Robinson.

The Moses Stone by James Becker

2010-06-28T11:19:00.000-04:00

In this follow up to The First Apostle, Chris Bronson sets out to unravel an ancient biblical mystery. In Morocco, tourists discover an ancient clay tablet. The next day, they are found dead. If this sounds familiar, well... it is. You won't find any new ground covered in The Moses Stone. There's a mystery involving and ancient code, a secret to be revealed... even the clay tablet as the center of the crisis his been done very recently in the thriller genre. That's the bad news.

The good news is, this is a thriller, and few thriller readers expect a writer to re-invent the genre with each new offering. The Moses Stone is a fast-paced mystery with an interesting biblical mystery at its foundation. Becker does a fine job of not revealing too much too soon., keeping up the suspense The chapters are short, and the pacing is good, so the narrative never bogs down. Interesting historical tidbits are sprinkled throughout, never with a heavy hand.

This is a good "airplane" or "beach" book. If you're looking for something new and different, look in another direction, but if you want a fun biblical/historical mystery, pick up The Moses Stone.

Ancestor by Scott Sigler Is out Today!

2010-06-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

Today is the release date for Scott Sigler's Ancestor. Here's a bit about the book:

“The ancestors are out there … you have to believe me.”

Acclaimed author Scott Sigler, New York Times bestselling creator of INFECTED and CONTAGIOUS, offers a chilling tale of what can happen when hubris, greed, and madness drive scientific experimentation past the brink of reason.

Every five minutes, a transplant candidate dies while waiting for a compatible heart, a liver, a kidney. Imagine a technology that could provide those life-saving transplant organs for a nominal fee ... and imagine what a company would do to monopolize that technology.

On a remote island in the Canadian Arctic, PJ Colding leads a group of geneticists who have discovered this holy grail of medicine. By reverse-engineering thousands of animal genomes, Colding's team has dialed back the evolutionary clock and re-created the progenitor of all mammals. The method? Illegal. The result? A computer-engineered living creature, an animal whose organs can be implanted in any person, with no chance of transplant rejection.

There's just one problem: these ancestors are not the docile herd animals that Colding's team envisioned. Instead, the work has given birth to something big, something evil … something very, very hungry.

As creators become prey in an ultimate battle for survival, Colding and the woman he loves must fight to survive — even as government agents close in to shut the project down, and the deep-pocketed company backing this research reveals its own cold-blooded agenda.

From Publisher's Weekly:

In Sigler's timely tale of science run amok, Genada, a renegade biotech firm, is striving to synthesize a proto-mammal similar to the prehistoric entity that all mammalian life sprang from as a source of transplantable organs that the human body won't reject. Pressured for results before the government shuts down her lab, the firm's lead medico, Liu Jian Den, introduces something unorthodox into the creature's genome. The result: oversized and ravenously hungry embryos that eat their way out of the bovine wombs incubating them. A small band of scientists wind up trapped with the creatures on a Lake Superior island, where they become the prey of predators that pose a threat to life as we know it. Sigler (Contagious) stuffs his story with an overabundance of speculative science, but the cinematic pacing keeps the action relentless and suspenseful. Its many pulpy flourishes notwithstanding, this is that rare horror B-movie of a thriller that compels reading until the final page. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

And if that wasn't cool enough, you can download a bonus prequel to the novel at Sigler's website. Don't miss it!

Audio Interviews

2010-06-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

Some interesting podcast interviews with thriller authors, courtesy of Reading and Writing Podcast.

Lee Child interview

Jack Kilborn (JA Konrath) Interview

Warren Fahy Interview

David Morrell Interview

Thriller Notes

2010-06-18T09:30:00.000-04:00

Author magazine interviews Thomas Greanias.

Scott Sigler's Ancestor will be released June 22.

Sean Ellis' new book, The Adventures of Dodge Dalton- In the Shadow of Falcon's Wings will be released July 20.

Brad Meltzer on Good Morning America (video).

Another Interesting Site

2010-06-17T08:22:00.000-04:00

I discovered Silver Mists as I was looking back through some old comments. Not everything there will be of interest to Megalith readers, but there are some good book and movie reviews. Here are a couple of links:

Subterranean by James Rollins

Altar of Eden by James Rollins

Killer Thrillers and More!

2010-06-16T07:21:00.000-04:00

Cast your vote for your favorite Thriller!

James Rollins lists his favorite books.

Podcast interview with Scott Sigler

Podcast interview with J.A. Konrath

The Promised War by Thomas Greanias

2010-06-15T09:19:00.001-04:00

When I read the first few pages of The Promised War, my first thought was, "Oh boy. The Temple Mount. Again." (Is the sarcasm coming through?) Apparently, editors went on a Temple Mount-related thriller binge a few years back, hence the spate of such books showing up in my review stack.

The Promised War is different.

The plot follows Israeli counter-terrorism agent Sam Deker. Amidst the constant threat of violence between the various Middle religious and ethnic groups, Deker is captured and tortured, but later escapes. He goes down and wakes in ancient Israel at the time of the siege of Jericho, and Deker finds himself immersed in the ancient war.

Greanias masterfully blends the best aspects of the modern thriller and historical fiction. The end result is his finest work to-date. This book doesn't feel like your typical "time travel" tale. This is not a shallow "escape from the past" story in which history is painted with a superficial brush. Deker experiences a critical moment in his nation's history through the filter of his 21st century prejudices and interpretations of that event, while simultaneously finding himself in the middle of said event.

It is a pleasure to witness Thomas Greanias's growth as a writer from book-to-book, and I'm looking forward to reading his future works. The Promised War comes out today, so don't miss it!

Fever Dream by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

2010-06-14T11:19:00.000-04:00

Agent Pendergast returns in Fever Dream, another page-turning mystery/thriller by the writing team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Pendergast stumbles across conclusive proof that his wife, dead for many years, was actually murdered. This discovery sets the story in motion as he and Vincent D'Agosta seek to find the truth behind her murder, and eventually Laura Hewyard is drawn in to the story. As always, the plot moves along at a fast pace, with short chapters and quick moves from location-to-location and revelation-to-revelation, leading to an action-packed showdown.

I love all of Preston and Child's books, including those written as a team, and their solo novels. Fever Dream stands out for a few reasons. It is foremost a mystery story. There is action throughout the narrative, with a heavy dose at the climax, but the mystery element is paramount. Unlike many contemporary thriller authors, Preston and Child keep the pages turning not with escape after escape, but with a multi-layered plot filled with twists and turns. I continue to be impressed by their ability to change up their techniques and plot devices, yet always produce a satisfying thriller.

The reader gets a bit more insight into the life and history of Agent Pendergast in this book, though he remains an enigmatic character. Heyward and D'Agosta's relationship is explored a little bit, though they are very much relegated to secondary character status. They make contributions, but they do not grow or change in this book. Another fascinating plot thread is that of Constance Green, Pendergast's ward. Her story does not impact the plot, but instead continues the arc that was begun several books ago. A few enticing hints are dropped in her point-of-view, and her situation is left fairly open-ended, thus giving the reader a reason to look forward to the next book while wrapping up the plot of this book.

Another masterful job by the best writing tandem in the thriller genre!

Great Site for Reviews and More!

2010-06-11T11:37:00.001-04:00

I recently discovered Relevant Geek. I've only explored the 'Books' section, but it looks like a great site. Many good thriller reviews there. Here are a few that will be of interest to Megalith readers:

The Ark by Boyd Morrison

The Judas Strain by James Rollins

Kronos by Jeremy Robinson

We'll be back Monday with news, reviews, and interviews. Have a great weekend!

-M

Tidbits from the World of Thrillers

2010-06-10T12:17:00.000-04:00

David Morrell discusses the paperback release of The Shimmer and more on his website.

Jeffery Deaver to pen new Bond novel.

James Rollins interviews Thomas Greanias about The Promised War (coming out next week!)

Sean Ellis moves into the realm of pulp adventure:

Scott Sigler's Ancestor is coming:

Publishers Are Not as Dumb as People Think

2010-06-09T08:39:00.000-04:00

Thriller author Scott Nicholson provides today's guest post.

Most observers and even some authors believe the major publishing industry has been slow to respond to the electronic-book era. True, the industry is struggling with pricing while trying to protect hardcover sales and has not been especially welcoming of digital books, especially those that compete with their higher-priced versions. But they have not been putting their heads in the sand, either.

Publishing contracts of this century almost universally grant publishers the electronic rights to the content, and those clauses may have seemed innocuous even two years ago, when e-book sales were negligible. The clauses that were afterthoughts returned the electronic rights to the writers when the book went out of print, back when that term was more cut-and-dried.

But, increasingly, the publishers are setting clauses that lock in the license as long as some minimum sales levels are reached. I don't get a lot of contracts these days, but the ones I know about generally have numbers like "If ebook royalties reach $100 in a six-month period, the clause automatically renews." In other words, if some laughable minimum of sales is met, the publisher retains the rights. Possibly forever, if the clause keeps renewing.

That is literally indentured servitude that traps writers over an entire career, at least those unlucky enough to have the moderate success needed to stay trapped by the clause. Ironically, those writers who are most deeply invested in The System are the ones who are going to be in the worst shape in five years, and even worse in 10 or 20, their retirement years, when they will be getting nickels instead of dollars.

You'd think agents and authors would be screaming about this development, but the ones who are most invested in The System are the ones most actively in denial. Look at the agent blogs--most are talking about how challenging the current system is and how lousy the quality of submissions are (when they are not actively making fun of some poor author's query letter), not how their roles may be diminishing, and very few (I've only found one) will admit that the current ebook clauses are suicide. I know agents have fought these battles with publishers, insisting on better e-book terms, but at the end of the day, you just get the most you can right now and take your 15 percent. Any agent who did otherwise would be either looking for job or heralded as a true advocate of the author. In other words, blackballed by New York.

In today's publishing environment, you still need an agent and the agent still needs to get a significant deal. It makes sense for them to do the best they can right now and not worry so much about the long term. Unless the client is a blockbuster, the client likely will not be earning royalties or a lifetime revenue stream anyway.

Even if you are an e-book phenomenon, you will do better if you have shelf presence. Take Boyd Morrison's deal for The Ark, after making a name selling $1.99 e-books. He was signed by a major publisher and now his e-book is $11.99 and he's not making much more per sale than he did back then--and the poor consumer is expected to pay six times the price. By Boyd's own admission, the biggest edits were some minor stuff and the changing of one character's name. Where's all that extra money going and what value was added?

Publishers are great at distributing books and can afford to ship free copies to the numerous book bloggers, who often seem to be reviewing the same book at the same time. That's been the carrot publishers are still holding out while they grip the stick to beat authors over the head. "You're not a real writer and no one will review your books" is still a powerful tool.

If publishers use the carrot to lock down long-time e-book rights, and ebooks become even 20 percent of the market (as is predicted by 2015), then those publishers have just made major bank, and will continue to do so as e-books increase in popularity. I don't see anyone predicting the genie will be shoved back in the bottle and all this new-fangled technology will get boring. After an e-book is published, it is nothing but content, and the publishers will be skimming both the cream and the milk, with little additional work besides dipping the ladle. As the e-book market grows, those publishers who have hoarded the most content will be on Easy Street. Those writers who gave the most away will be in the soup-kitchen lines, or, if they're lucky, they will be the beneficiaries of charity auctions at fan conventions.

Agents are debating whether it's better for the writers to get 15 percent of list or 25 percent of net--well, what about 70 percent of gross? How about that, Mr. Agent and Ms. Publisher? (And, by the way, you can trim 15 percent off that 15 percent, so the writer is getting around 13 percent.) And when e-books reach their natural price range of $1-$5, those writers will be getting a quarter a copy and have no control over anything, while publishers will have an easy, ongoing revenue stream because they essentially own the content (you can call it a "license," but if it's for a rock-bottom e-book floor to keep the clause active, then it will last forever). Sure, publishers will be happy to return your rights once the content is worthless, meaning your career is dead and every drop has been squeezed from the teat. Of course, agents will get their spillover as long as their names were on the original contracts.

The odd thing is how little the word "author" appears in all this discussion of "The Future of E-books." But, then, most authors went into writing because they were lousy at math. And, I suspect, they like getting beaten with sticks.

Scott Nicholson is author of 10 novels, including Drummer Boy, The Red Church, The Skull Ring, and They Hunger. He's also written three story collections and six screenplays. He works as a journalist and freelance editor in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. His web site is www.hauntedcomputer.com.

Anyone Care to Cross-Pollinate?

2010-06-08T09:05:00.001-04:00

No, it's not anything inappropriate. Author Jeremy Robinson shares this special promotion that a group of top thriller authors are putting on. (He actually sent this a while back, but the Smackdown got in the way.)

Like other readers, when a new round of awesomeness hits store shelves I find myself with a lot of unanswered questions. What are the release dates for the books I'm already itching to read? Who are the new authors I should check out? What are the stories about? Will my book choices be in hardcover or paperback? And how much money do I need to shell out?

But fear not! A solution is at hand. I contacted some of my favorite authors who have just released new books, or have new books coming out soon. We have banded together to create and promote a detailed catalog of the novels we all think are worth snagging. You will recognize some of our names. Some of us might be new to you. But all of us are worth reading, I promise.

Authors include: Jeremy Robinson, JA Konrath, Steve Alten, David Moody, Blake Crouch, Scott Sigler, Thomas Greanias, and Jonathan Maberry.

Click here to download the catalog

So take a gander, mark off which books tickle your fancy and print out the checklist at the end of the PDF. Organizing your Springtime book buying has never been easier.

Be sure to forward the catalog to your friends and help spread the literary pollen.

Like the cover says: BE. THE. BEE.

Templar Throne Giveaway Winners

2010-06-07T12:57:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to the three lucky readers who will receive a free copy of The Templar Throne:

Michael Armbruster, Andrew Morton, Eric Winebarger

The Silver Bear by Derek Haas

2010-06-04T09:31:00.000-04:00

Review by Ed Homa and Megalith

Derek Haas, a screenwriter who has penned such notable films as 2 Fast 2 Furious, 3:10 To Yuma, Wanted and the A Team, branches out into novels with The Silver Bear.

Columbus, known as The Silver Bear, has a particular talent for killing, and is thus one of the deadliest assassins in the world. The reader follows Columbus on what purports to be a revenge killing. If you've ever wondered what it is like to spend some time inside the mind of a killer, this book, written in the first person, is for you. Despite the fact that Columbus is a meticulous, stone cold killer, Haas balances this out by giving Columbus his own struggles and vulnerabilities, though they are underplayed at times, as Haas tries a bit too hard to emphasize his character's toughness.

The Silver Bear is short at just over two-hundred pages, much like an old pulp novel. There is plenty of action packed into it, though too many flashbacks interrupt the flow of the story. Overall the book was not bad for a first novel. Haas has potential, and it will be interesting to see how he develops as a thriller writer. Give The Silver Bear a try, and if you enjoy it, be sure to check out the sequel Columbus.

Why People Can't Wait for the End of the World

2010-06-03T11:01:00.000-04:00

Jeff Carlson, international bestselling author of the Plague Years trilogy, provides today's guest post.

I think we’re programmed for hardship. In my experience, human beings are happiest when they’re working themselves to the bone. Call me crazy, but from what I’ve seen people are more likely to feel adrift and unsatisfied when they have too much leisure time. Purpose is the greatest gift. Obstacles are good.

Here’s why. For hundreds of thousands of years, life was brutal. It still is for a good chunk of the planet. The technology and wealth we enjoy in North America is a very new development in history, and I think we miss the challenges of day-to-day survival in our comparatively easy modern lives. Some people will even create problems if they have none.

Everyone’s had a psychotic girl- or boyfriend, right? Well, lots of ‘em really are just nut-flavored bologna. They have a neurochemical imbalance or ate too many paint chips as a kid… but some people look for drama and emotional upheaval for reasons they can’t explain themselves, reenacting the shortcomings, chaos, or abuse of their childhoods.

Surprise. These drama kings and queens might be exactly the kind of person you’d want at your back during the zombie apocalypse or the aftermath of a comet strike. Each of our nut-flavored friends is a sponge. They’re ready to soak up as much as trauma as anyone can dish out. They have the stamina, heart and depth to keep on slogging through the radioactive bugs even long after the last shotgun shell is gone.

They’re not the only ones. I like to think I’m the kind of guy you’d give the keys to the bomb shelter and I’m extremely boring and normal — wife, kids, mortgage, bleh — ha ha — except to say that I grew up fascinated with books like Lucifer’s Hammer and The Stand.

We like to be scared because we have a huge capacity for fear. The most basic element of storytelling is conflict because we respond to it.

For me, writing post-apocalyptic novels isn’t so much about exploding helicopters and fifty megaton doomsday bombs as it is about the pleasure of dealing with the best of everything that makes us human: cleverness, grit, loyalty, and self-sacrifice.

Sure, the hot-sex-with-our-last-breath and the gunfights are fun, too, but ultimately my novels boil down to the ability of some people — the greatest of us — to overcome nearly any hurdle. I back my heroes into corners just to watch them wiggle free.

People are tough. We’re evolved for less food; more exercise; less sleep; less security; more paranoia. The irony is that we’re so good at what we do. We strive for more food; less exercise; more sleep; more security; less paranoia — and we’ve succeeded.

Look around. Humankind has remade the entire face of the planet, blanketing Earth with electrical grids, highways, super-agriculture, shipping lanes and aircraft, even wrapping the sky in satellites. It’s easy to complain about your bills or morning traffic or the neighbor’s neglected, ever-barking dogs (you know who you are), but these are fantastic problems to have.

The grocery stores are loaded, we have the industrial strength to roll off three cars per household, and every other family has enough money to spare to feed two dogs and a cat even though they don’t have any inclination to walk Sparky and Spot every day and choose instead to leave their canines to noisily go insane, each set of dogs fenced off inside their own isolated little patch of suburbia.

Anyone with a computer to read this blog is richer than 99.99% of the human beings who’ve ever lived, and yet we can’t help imagining what things would be like if we had to start over. Nuclear armageddon. Superflu. The living dead. Nanotech.

Give me a wild scenario and some smart good guys and I’m happy — just so long as the lights stay on and there’s iced tea in the fridge. I’d really rather not be sifting through the rubble for canned food and medicine while we keep one eye peeled for roving gangs of illiterate cannibals.

Bio: Jeff Carlson is the international bestselling author of the Plague Year trilogy (Plague Year,Plague War, Plague Zone) . To date, his work has been translated into fourteen languages. Plague Year has also been optioned for film. Jeff is currently at work on a new stand-alone thriller. Readers can find free excerpts of his novels, videos, contests and more on his website at www.jverse.com