Tom Avitabile

Thank you NetGalley for this book.
This read more like a screenplay than a novel! No surprise there.
The characterization was flat and devoid of any human nature or emotional depth. The dialog was extremely curt and flat offering no insight into the characters, their decisions, thought processes, etc. It seemed to me that the author just wrote out the bare-bone dialog and descriptions hoping his readers would fill in the emotional aspects or breathe life into his characters (like actors show more would do with a screenplay). It would truly be a feat if it worked! I’m sorry to say it didn’t.
The plot line moved along pretty fast due to short chapters and a short page count. The cliffhangers were placed in the most unreasonable and weird places along the story line cutting the scenes unduly short and without any sense.
I was looking forward to a thriller and a good mystery - the Kennedy assassination, c’mon! Unfortunately, it was not thrilling or, least of all, mysterious.
(I read the digital version on NetGalley app and the punctuation marks were all over the place! Quotation marks beginning and ending in random places where the dialog was still ongoing, etc. This definitely needs fixing). show less

William (Wild Bill) Hiccock is the Science Advisor to the President, when unknown terrorists begin to attack the United States in a wide range of areas, with various methods. When the Director of the FBI goes after the terrorists with the same old techniques, William believes that using scientific methods would look at the picture differently and bring about a better outcome. He turns to his ex-wife and other experts to track down some of the peculiarities he sees.

This is an incredibly show more action packed book that reaches out to the reader on so many different levels. The setting moves all across the country and in multiple areas of the White House, dealing in political, military, and FBI/CIA relationships. Using science as a venue for the crimes, the vocabulary and focus of the book builds around various areas including computers and artificial intelligence, keeping the reader involved. The action just keeps hopping. It kept me up late for three work nights! The premise leaves your wanting to check your computer to make sure it does not have an enemy within. Hiccock is much like a mental MacGyver. If you like action packed adventure with scientific deduction, you will love this. I cannot wait to get the next book in the series. show less

Definitely a Page Turner of Major Proportions!

Bill Hiccock is a man of science that works for the President of the United States. He created a network of scientists that bounce information off each other anonymously over the Internet, gleaning answers through virtual brainstorming. Information from his group starts him down the road to intercept a group of terrorists that have links to the neighborhood of his youth and childhood friends. The Islamic Jihadists put together a plot filled with show more twists to prevent detection, leading Hiccock and his team across the world.

The book is filled with military and scientific terminology giving the information a tensely realistic feeling. The plot races from action to action, leaving the reader breathless. The author paints such realistic pictures that the reader rides on the belief that the descriptions of Washington, defense, and the battle against terror are entirely accurate. Best thriller I have read in a long time. I missed the first in this series, but I will definitely go find it ASAP. I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys tense, military, political thrillers.

Received Galley from NetGalley.com show less

Interesting premise regarding mind control via the internet. A first novel; not great but readable.