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65 Below
At sixty-five degrees below zero exposed human flesh freezes solid within three minutes.
Retired Marine Master Sergeant Marcus Johnson returned to his family homestead in rural Alaska after twenty years chasing bad men. Now he wants nothing but to hunt and fish and run his trapline in peace and quiet, and no more war.
Lurking deep in a long forgotten bunker in the remote arctic hills is a decades old secret that could not be destroyed, and was never meant to be rediscovered.
Retired Marine Master Sergeant Marcus Johnson returned to his family homestead in rural Alaska after twenty years chasing bad men. Now he wants nothing but to hunt and fish and run his trapline in peace and quiet, and no more war.
Lurking deep in a long forgotten bunker in the remote arctic hills is a decades old secret that could not be destroyed, and was never meant to be rediscovered.
374 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2010
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409 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
March 6, 2015
ABR's full 65 Below audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Marcus Johnson, retired Master Sergeant, just wants to have some peace and quiet. He joined the marines at 18 and put in his 20. Now he has come home to his family homestead in Alaska and thought he left the war behind.
No such luck. While running a trap line he comes across a North Korean special ops team digging in the snow. He tries to report it at the nearby base but they don’t believe that North Korean special ops. are on a covert mission on US territory.
Marcus also has seen two other strangers at the local cafe. Neither were speaking English but he understood their remarks. Both were bragging about the plan to take over the US. They were driving a stolen electric company truck.
The police start putting the bits of information together. An officer is sent to contact Marcus about what he saw and heard. She just happens to be the woman he has loved since childhood. She is also the one who broke his heart.
As the action picks up it is discovered that an old bunker was hidden behind the base and it contained a WMD virus. One terrorist is caught and he gives them information on other men involved.
The chase is on. They have to catch the 2 NKs before they can dump their death in the cities water supply. Racing across the snow on snowmobiles in -65 degree temps. is deadly.
The characters are well developed. Marcus adds to his character with flashbacks of his romance with Lonnie and his war experience. I found the flashback very well placed. Lonnie also flashes backs to their romance and wishes she had been more understanding.
Others doubted the plausibility of this scenario but I don’t think it is that far from something that could happen. Where did all the chemical WMDs that this country produced go???
I liked the book cover. It made the land look so cold, forbidding and dangerous . Just what this stroy is about. If you get the audio version it is read by the author. Once he gets going he does his book justice. Basil has a fine voice and makes his book come to life. I enjoyed his narration very much. The audio sound was first rate also.
Audiobook provided for review by the author/narrator.
Marcus Johnson, retired Master Sergeant, just wants to have some peace and quiet. He joined the marines at 18 and put in his 20. Now he has come home to his family homestead in Alaska and thought he left the war behind.
No such luck. While running a trap line he comes across a North Korean special ops team digging in the snow. He tries to report it at the nearby base but they don’t believe that North Korean special ops. are on a covert mission on US territory.
Marcus also has seen two other strangers at the local cafe. Neither were speaking English but he understood their remarks. Both were bragging about the plan to take over the US. They were driving a stolen electric company truck.
The police start putting the bits of information together. An officer is sent to contact Marcus about what he saw and heard. She just happens to be the woman he has loved since childhood. She is also the one who broke his heart.
As the action picks up it is discovered that an old bunker was hidden behind the base and it contained a WMD virus. One terrorist is caught and he gives them information on other men involved.
The chase is on. They have to catch the 2 NKs before they can dump their death in the cities water supply. Racing across the snow on snowmobiles in -65 degree temps. is deadly.
The characters are well developed. Marcus adds to his character with flashbacks of his romance with Lonnie and his war experience. I found the flashback very well placed. Lonnie also flashes backs to their romance and wishes she had been more understanding.
Others doubted the plausibility of this scenario but I don’t think it is that far from something that could happen. Where did all the chemical WMDs that this country produced go???
I liked the book cover. It made the land look so cold, forbidding and dangerous . Just what this stroy is about. If you get the audio version it is read by the author. Once he gets going he does his book justice. Basil has a fine voice and makes his book come to life. I enjoyed his narration very much. The audio sound was first rate also.
Audiobook provided for review by the author/narrator.
August 20, 2009
I've never read any of Tom Clancey's books, but I have a feeling that Basil Sands books run in the same vein. The main character is a Marine that is very good at his job, killing. However, he appears to have a heart of gold. He has a great personality and has people who love and care for him, and vice versa. The author tells his story in a manner that becomes apparent that he has done his research in regards to the military life. As the story unravels, it sucks you in. The fact that it all takes place in Alaska is even more compelling. The environment itself serves as a character. If I had one complaint, it would be how people he served with in the military just happened to be in Alaska.
It was definitely a good listen.
It was definitely a good listen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2013
65 Below by Basil Sands is an actioned packed thriller. Sands weaves the story from modern times to the late 90s and balances the writing expertly. This spy drama takes place in the wilds of Alaska. It involves ex and current special forces teams, the FBI ang the Alaskan Highway Patrol Troopers. It centers around Marcus Johnson and Lonnie Wyatt. Marcus discovers a terrorist link between Muslim Albanians and North Koresn spies with a plan to contaminate water supplies with a deathly virus thst kills within minutes. Can the good guys stop the bad guys in time? Can they prevent a disaster? Read and discover for yourself.
September 24, 2010
One of the best free podibooks I have read so far. I liked the main character, Marcus Johnson, and his ties to the special military forces. If you want to read this book you can download it for free from here: http://www.podiobooks.com/title/65-below
October 16, 2017
Felt So Real I Couldn’t Sleep
4.5 out of 5 stars
Once again, Sands wrote a better synopsis that I cannot beat: “A nearly forgotten bunker in the frozen wastes of Alaska is hiding a weapon that could end the world. And only Marcus Johnson and his team can keep it from falling into the worst possible hands.”
I don’t always do back-to-back books by the same author or narrator, but when I do — they take place in Alaska and are incredibly well written and thought out. Basil Sands can write and keep me reading way into the night (2am more than once) — thankfully I didn’t have the sun never rising (or setting) to keep me up later!
The most enjoyable part of 65 below was the combination of military and non-military. From the way that they talked about the situations that they were thrown into. The back and forth made this one of the most interesting, stressful, and fun books I’ve read in a while. Sands is able to write from a military point of view without completely alienating non-military people. His intimate knowledge of weapons, armies, and operational situations is unbelievable and thorough.
Marcus was one of those bad-A main characters that also had a soft side. This was shown in the multiple flashbacks to losing the love of his life (due to her coming back into his life). Obviously things like that cause the main character to do even more than they might have done to make sure that the woman he loves is safe and no longer under threat. Sure, it sounds a little cliche, but it wasn’t done in a sappy way.
The overall story of the book was pretty scary and as I said before kept me up at night to figure out what was going to happen. 65 below was both action-packed and well thought out. Sands took his time in the pacing and storytelling in this book and I think it paid off. I love a good bio-thriller and this book felt like it was on the cusp of it numerous times. I love the feeling of hopelessness that Sands was able to make me feel during parts of this – it felt that real.
Overall, another great book by Sands and another book I’m glad that I listened to by him. I’ll be looking to add more books written and narrated by him (both his and not).
4.5 out of 5 stars
Once again, Sands wrote a better synopsis that I cannot beat: “A nearly forgotten bunker in the frozen wastes of Alaska is hiding a weapon that could end the world. And only Marcus Johnson and his team can keep it from falling into the worst possible hands.”
I don’t always do back-to-back books by the same author or narrator, but when I do — they take place in Alaska and are incredibly well written and thought out. Basil Sands can write and keep me reading way into the night (2am more than once) — thankfully I didn’t have the sun never rising (or setting) to keep me up later!
The most enjoyable part of 65 below was the combination of military and non-military. From the way that they talked about the situations that they were thrown into. The back and forth made this one of the most interesting, stressful, and fun books I’ve read in a while. Sands is able to write from a military point of view without completely alienating non-military people. His intimate knowledge of weapons, armies, and operational situations is unbelievable and thorough.
Marcus was one of those bad-A main characters that also had a soft side. This was shown in the multiple flashbacks to losing the love of his life (due to her coming back into his life). Obviously things like that cause the main character to do even more than they might have done to make sure that the woman he loves is safe and no longer under threat. Sure, it sounds a little cliche, but it wasn’t done in a sappy way.
The overall story of the book was pretty scary and as I said before kept me up at night to figure out what was going to happen. 65 below was both action-packed and well thought out. Sands took his time in the pacing and storytelling in this book and I think it paid off. I love a good bio-thriller and this book felt like it was on the cusp of it numerous times. I love the feeling of hopelessness that Sands was able to make me feel during parts of this – it felt that real.
Overall, another great book by Sands and another book I’m glad that I listened to by him. I’ll be looking to add more books written and narrated by him (both his and not).
June 5, 2017
Wonderfully written and well told by the author, 65 Below is an exciting tale of espionage and intrigue in the sub-zero temperatures of Alaska. In a unique and interesting mix of State Police and military forces we track down the unusual disturbances around the small town of Salchasket, pronounced “Salt Jacket” Alaska. Our unsung hero retired Marine Master Sergeant Marcus Johnson only wanted to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet of his hometown after 20 years in Force Recon. Such was not to be the case as North Koreans are found poking around old silo bunkers. Action and suspense becomes a real page turner as the hunt for the terrorists conclude. Character development is amazing with flash backs filling in supportive background. I enjoyed the book very much and Basil Sands’ narration is an excellent addition.
February 4, 2020
An interesting plot with lots of action highlight "65 Below". Basil Sands has written a solid novel with plenty of strengths and a few weak points. The story unfolds slowly and there seems to be too much background information at times. Everyone, literally everyone has a military or law enforcement background that defies statistical law even in Alaska. The big romance also strains credibility.
It's the last hundred pages that saves this book. It's a engaging thrill ride that kept me reading into the night. The parts of this novel that are good are very good, including the writing. The flashbacks were annoying and distracting at first. These flashbacks later became so appealing I was looking forward to them. Overall, I'm glad I bought this book.
It's the last hundred pages that saves this book. It's a engaging thrill ride that kept me reading into the night. The parts of this novel that are good are very good, including the writing. The flashbacks were annoying and distracting at first. These flashbacks later became so appealing I was looking forward to them. Overall, I'm glad I bought this book.
August 15, 2017
This was a really good story telling the tale of terrorists looking to disable America with a toxin in the water supply which results in a horrifying death. An ex Marine has come home to retire and lives in the home where he grew up. The love of his life is now a state trooper and they have to work together to overcome the threat. The book was set at a good pace and it made me want to keep reading to find out what happened next
January 31, 2022
A foreign power is trying to use a weapon of mass destruction just north of Fairbanks, Alaska. The only people standing in their way is a retired Marine Master Sergeant and a Korean Alaska State Trooper in temperatures as low as -65 degrees below zero. This is an exciting, thrill packed adventure in the winter of central Alaska.
March 12, 2019
This should be a movie
It's five star exciting..action..interesting plot lines..a hero that's bigger than life...tells the story of those who are in special forces...it's just plain a fan good read
It's five star exciting..action..interesting plot lines..a hero that's bigger than life...tells the story of those who are in special forces...it's just plain a fan good read
July 31, 2019
No. I couldn't make sense of it.
January 24, 2024
Amazing and thrilling Thank you Mr Sands
December 16, 2017
great read. story of operators an counter terrorisim in Alaska.
Read
March 14, 2017Book was read as part of MWSA awards program. Review will be posed after award winners are announced.
August 5, 2012
I picked up 65 Below as a free download from my daily Kindle newsletter. The title and description seemed interesting and I thought I'd take a look at it. I found the story line to be similar to the movie "Walking Tall" where the lead character is recently retired from the military and returns to his hometown, although in this story it's Alaska. He soon finds out that is "ex-fiance" is now divorced and is an Alaskan State Trooper - based in the same town. There are actually three different stories taking place in 65 Below: discovering terrorists in Alaska - Police and a Seal detachment join forces to seek out and destroy this elusive enemy unit on U.S. soil, Marcus - our retired Seal hero is still in love with Lonnie Wyatt, his ex-fiance and now State Trooper, and finally, Markus' temporary assignment with British Special Forces and their fatal rescue mission in Africa - providing answers to why Lonnie left him.
The author does an excellent job at juggling the stories - often leaving the reader hanging and hungry for more when he switches gears and moves to a different story, picking up where he left off earlier. Anxious to find out what is going to happen next, you find yourself unable to put the book down. Of course there are typos and formatting errors, and earlier reviewers also criticized the authors' knowledge of Seal tactics and other facts, but who cares - it is fiction! 65 Degrees held my attention throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I would have given it five stars, but held one back because of the editing issues. Great read!
The author does an excellent job at juggling the stories - often leaving the reader hanging and hungry for more when he switches gears and moves to a different story, picking up where he left off earlier. Anxious to find out what is going to happen next, you find yourself unable to put the book down. Of course there are typos and formatting errors, and earlier reviewers also criticized the authors' knowledge of Seal tactics and other facts, but who cares - it is fiction! 65 Degrees held my attention throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I would have given it five stars, but held one back because of the editing issues. Great read!
January 28, 2021
This a slightly above average terrorist thriller set in Alaska. It is the first book of Sands I’ve read having got it on offer for Amazon Kindle. The plot strains credibility a bit, but the action and tension keep the reader turning the pages.
A group of North Koreans infiltrate Alaska on the trail of an older biological weapon buried back in the 60s. For some reason, never fully explain, they are supported by some Albanian Muslins. Their aim is to impregnate the local water system with the biological weapon and bring the US to its needs as the poison spreads throughout the country.
There are one or two aspects of the story that I didn’t feel added much to the overall story. Firstly their were the flashbacks to provide some of Marcus Johnson’s back story, whilst this was interesting I don’t think it added anything to main plot. There was brief appearance by a really repugnant FBI agent, who didn’t seem to be able to open his mouth without something racial, sexist or homophobic coming out of it, I just didn’t see the need for either the character or the need for him to be such a horrible person. Finally, there was the fact the Johnson first discovers the North Koreans when he is ‘running’ a friend’s trap line, which is being used for fur hunting and taxidermy. As it serves no purpose other than being the mechanism for getting Johnson out into the wilderness I think the author could have found a better mechanism than apparent tacit support for fur hunting.
Downsides not withstanding I still enjoyed the book. Will I read more by the author, I’m not sure as it was not an outstanding representation of the genre.
A group of North Koreans infiltrate Alaska on the trail of an older biological weapon buried back in the 60s. For some reason, never fully explain, they are supported by some Albanian Muslins. Their aim is to impregnate the local water system with the biological weapon and bring the US to its needs as the poison spreads throughout the country.
There are one or two aspects of the story that I didn’t feel added much to the overall story. Firstly their were the flashbacks to provide some of Marcus Johnson’s back story, whilst this was interesting I don’t think it added anything to main plot. There was brief appearance by a really repugnant FBI agent, who didn’t seem to be able to open his mouth without something racial, sexist or homophobic coming out of it, I just didn’t see the need for either the character or the need for him to be such a horrible person. Finally, there was the fact the Johnson first discovers the North Koreans when he is ‘running’ a friend’s trap line, which is being used for fur hunting and taxidermy. As it serves no purpose other than being the mechanism for getting Johnson out into the wilderness I think the author could have found a better mechanism than apparent tacit support for fur hunting.
Downsides not withstanding I still enjoyed the book. Will I read more by the author, I’m not sure as it was not an outstanding representation of the genre.
December 14, 2010
This book was great! I enjoyed much more than Faithful Warrior (again, not a bad story) as it kept me riveted to the page. The pacing was great and the character development on target. What I enjoyed most about the characters though is that Marcus "Mojo" Johnson, the protagonist, appeared in parts of Faithful Warrior. So it was great to get to know this character in much more detail. I like that Sand's universe is populated with characters that show up across his books almost like a comic book universe.
The plot, Korean and Albanian terrorists unearth a biological weapon and plan to unleash was horrifying too plausible. The parts of the story dealing with the virus really elicited a fear reaction in me so hats off to Mr. Sands for accomplishing what few authors have done to me in the past.
The romance aspect of the story was tastefully executed and did not drag the story down or did it feel at all out of place as it did in Faithful Warrior. The story of Mojo's live and his relationships as told through the flashbacks weaved perfectly with the present storyline.
Again, what I did enjoy about this book and was echoed in FW was that the characters are highly trained individuals but they are not super human. They get battered and beaten pretty badly in the course of the adventures.
65 Below is a fantastic read, I highly recommend it. Kudos Sands, kudos!
The plot, Korean and Albanian terrorists unearth a biological weapon and plan to unleash was horrifying too plausible. The parts of the story dealing with the virus really elicited a fear reaction in me so hats off to Mr. Sands for accomplishing what few authors have done to me in the past.
The romance aspect of the story was tastefully executed and did not drag the story down or did it feel at all out of place as it did in Faithful Warrior. The story of Mojo's live and his relationships as told through the flashbacks weaved perfectly with the present storyline.
Again, what I did enjoy about this book and was echoed in FW was that the characters are highly trained individuals but they are not super human. They get battered and beaten pretty badly in the course of the adventures.
65 Below is a fantastic read, I highly recommend it. Kudos Sands, kudos!
August 16, 2015
This was my first military, terrorist, action, thriller. I did like it. The plot was interesting; North Korean soldiers and a couple of Kosovars plan to release a deadly chemical into the Alaskan water supply. Marcus Johnson, newly retired USMC, gets involved by chance. Ultimately, it's a race to get to the bad guys before they can get things going. Throw in a little romance, and I do mean a little, and you've got yourself a pretty good story. Normally I don't like love stories mixed in with my action. However, Lonnie Wyatt is one tough cookie. I would hang out with her. She broke up with Marcus a few years back. They're reunion is tainted with the threat of wmd's. Their story doesn't permeate what's going on. It shows up here and there, and it's not the mushy kind of love. It's tense between them. It's more of a side story. The fire fights with the Koreans, car chases, and snowmobile chases kept me into it. It was exciting! The author did over explain, or over describe things that were not necessary to me; like describing the bell that clangs when you go into some stores. He described almost everything about it-what it hung from, what that was attached to, etc. Same thing with the security lock. It was annoying, but nothing I couldn't work around. All in all, it was a good read.
February 5, 2015
A masterpiece of epic proportions!
I admit I didn't read the summery before picking up this book, 65 Below! I'm glad I didn't or I might not have listened to it at all. I don't normally like military or war books, but this book was phenomenal! From the first page, to the last I was lost in it. I cried, I laughed, I was shaking with cold and sweating for some parts! The most memorable scene has to be the part when one of the good guys has to have his leg cut off to save his life!
The character development was outstanding! I want to read more about Mark Johnson! encore! I am recommending this book to everyone I meet! I will also be forwarding this review on to my family who live in Alaska! I can't say enough wonderful things about this book! I would love to see it on the big screen!
The narration was excellent! I'm an avid listener of audio books, I conquer about 3-4 books a week. I know a good narrator when I hear one. This was extraordinary! I would put him right up there with my favorite narrator, Holter Graham! The accents were incredible! The adrenaline, fear, and pain that you feel in the voices really transport you into the experience!
An excellent work of art, Basil Sands! Congratulations! I will be looking forward to picking up more of your work.
I admit I didn't read the summery before picking up this book, 65 Below! I'm glad I didn't or I might not have listened to it at all. I don't normally like military or war books, but this book was phenomenal! From the first page, to the last I was lost in it. I cried, I laughed, I was shaking with cold and sweating for some parts! The most memorable scene has to be the part when one of the good guys has to have his leg cut off to save his life!
The character development was outstanding! I want to read more about Mark Johnson! encore! I am recommending this book to everyone I meet! I will also be forwarding this review on to my family who live in Alaska! I can't say enough wonderful things about this book! I would love to see it on the big screen!
The narration was excellent! I'm an avid listener of audio books, I conquer about 3-4 books a week. I know a good narrator when I hear one. This was extraordinary! I would put him right up there with my favorite narrator, Holter Graham! The accents were incredible! The adrenaline, fear, and pain that you feel in the voices really transport you into the experience!
An excellent work of art, Basil Sands! Congratulations! I will be looking forward to picking up more of your work.
April 12, 2012
Growing up in the UK, BBC radio broadcasts were a great source of spoken-word entertainment and thanks to the Internet this has continued to be available. A few years ago I ‘discovered’ Podiobooks.com, works often read by the author, covering a vast range of genres. These books made my daily commute much more pleasant.
This was a fun ‘read’ and I found myself really involved in the characters. Definitely a page-turner.
The main plot-line relates the story of Marcus Johnson, former Master Sergeant in the Marines, who has returned home to Alaska after twenty years in the service for a well-earned retirement. He discovers a group of foreign nationals excavating at the outskirts of the nearby airbase, but the authorities don’t seem too concerned so he takes matters in to his own hands with the help of some active-duty friends.
The secondary arc is about his former girlfriend, the one that got away. I’m partial to some romance in my thrillers and I wasn’t disappointed.
The book is written and performed by the author, Basil Sands, and he did an excellent job with both. The run-time is approximately 8.3 hours.
This was a fun ‘read’ and I found myself really involved in the characters. Definitely a page-turner.
The main plot-line relates the story of Marcus Johnson, former Master Sergeant in the Marines, who has returned home to Alaska after twenty years in the service for a well-earned retirement. He discovers a group of foreign nationals excavating at the outskirts of the nearby airbase, but the authorities don’t seem too concerned so he takes matters in to his own hands with the help of some active-duty friends.
The secondary arc is about his former girlfriend, the one that got away. I’m partial to some romance in my thrillers and I wasn’t disappointed.
The book is written and performed by the author, Basil Sands, and he did an excellent job with both. The run-time is approximately 8.3 hours.
September 9, 2012
I started reading this because I like outdoor mysteries - Dana Stabenow, C.J. Box, etc. This book has those outdoor elements that I enjoy, however it involves soldiers stationed in Alaska. When I was finished I immediately purchased another of Sands books which I am waiting to read.
First paragraphs, "Chapter 1 Suburban Neighborhood Seattle Washington June 16th 19: 25 Hours The knife was razor-sharp. Shock morphed into terror as Michael realized first that he could make no sound, then that he could not breathe. There was no pain, but he knew something was very wrong. He reached up to grab his throat. When his hand touched his neck, his head flopped at an awkward angle. Blood jetted upward in two powerful streams, spattering against the ceiling and walls with rhythmic pulses that left abstract patterns, symbolizing his quickly draining life. From Nikola’s perspective, Michael stood upright for a long time, longer than he had thought possible. He had slit many throats in his life. Most grasped their throat and collapsed, or just crumpled and died. Nikola stared back in amusement."
Sands, Basil (2010-09-07). 65 Below (Kindle Locations 21-32). . Kindle Edition.
First paragraphs, "Chapter 1 Suburban Neighborhood Seattle Washington June 16th 19: 25 Hours The knife was razor-sharp. Shock morphed into terror as Michael realized first that he could make no sound, then that he could not breathe. There was no pain, but he knew something was very wrong. He reached up to grab his throat. When his hand touched his neck, his head flopped at an awkward angle. Blood jetted upward in two powerful streams, spattering against the ceiling and walls with rhythmic pulses that left abstract patterns, symbolizing his quickly draining life. From Nikola’s perspective, Michael stood upright for a long time, longer than he had thought possible. He had slit many throats in his life. Most grasped their throat and collapsed, or just crumpled and died. Nikola stared back in amusement."
Sands, Basil (2010-09-07). 65 Below (Kindle Locations 21-32). . Kindle Edition.
November 26, 2012
Retired Marine Master Sergeant Marcus Johnson, Trooper Lonnie Wyatt (Marcus' long ago flame), along with a huge cast of good guys, mostly with military special ops-type backgrounds take on terrorists with a bio-weapon that can turn human tissue into jelly within minutes. Time is of the essence, because the deadly chemical is about to be released into the Anchorage, Alaska area. As if finding and fighting the bad guys isn't enough, the temps in Alaska are getting as low as 65 degrees below zero!
This is a man's man kind of story, loaded with details about weapons, thermal gear, what happens to human tissue when the temps drop. The action is non-stop, the good ole' boy system intact. The only person who seemed a little out of place was Lonnie, the lone female, although, she seemed to stand up well to all of the testosterone flying!
I enjoyed this read! It had a great pace, great plot! The author really knows his stuff, the details regarding guns, extreme temperature clothing, and what happens when temperatures drop to -70 was amazing. The romance side of the story...spoken like a guy!
This is a man's man kind of story, loaded with details about weapons, thermal gear, what happens to human tissue when the temps drop. The action is non-stop, the good ole' boy system intact. The only person who seemed a little out of place was Lonnie, the lone female, although, she seemed to stand up well to all of the testosterone flying!
I enjoyed this read! It had a great pace, great plot! The author really knows his stuff, the details regarding guns, extreme temperature clothing, and what happens when temperatures drop to -70 was amazing. The romance side of the story...spoken like a guy!
December 1, 2012
Wow! A great read and a refreshing author!! This is the first book I've read from this author, so I really had no idea what I was getting into. Got this as a free Kindle book simply because I was intrigued by the title and the background setting of Alaska. After sampling this author, I will happily pay full price for other books. I really loved all of the characters in this book. They all felt like real people, and I truly loved that some were even Christians (including even a virgin or two!) and they weren't wack jobs (as Hollywood loves to portray all those of the Christian faith). Only reason it didn't get 5 stars was because it could use some editing - which is fairly typical of self published authors. There were a number of spelling errors, missing words, typos, etc. And, at times, the fact that everyone in Alaska seemed to be some special forces type and they all participated in the same past missions and knew all the right languages (Albanian & North Korean) strained credibility a bit. But, it was still a truly fun read. And, I really did love the setting of Alaska!
July 22, 2012
1) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
2) Genre: Military fiction
3) Synopsis: Retired Marine Master Sergeant Marcus Johnson returned to his family homestead in rural Alaska after twenty years chasing bad men. Now he wants nothing but to hunt, fish, and run his trap line in peace and quiet, and no more war.
Lurking deep in a long forgotten bunker in the remote arctic hills is a decades old secret that could not be destroyed, and was never meant to be rediscovered
4) Feelings: I should start out I listened to this book vs. read it. That being said I liked it but I never felt dragged into the story. I usually enjoyed it as I listened to it but I never felt like I needed to listen to it. I also think the flash backs were an annoyance. I have never liked them and this had lots trying to tell some of the back-story.
5) Final recommendation: It is an enjoyable listen if you enjoy military fiction and don't mind flashbacks.
Ryan James Burt
Husband, Father, and Writer
http://ryanjamesburt.wordpress.com/
2) Genre: Military fiction
3) Synopsis: Retired Marine Master Sergeant Marcus Johnson returned to his family homestead in rural Alaska after twenty years chasing bad men. Now he wants nothing but to hunt, fish, and run his trap line in peace and quiet, and no more war.
Lurking deep in a long forgotten bunker in the remote arctic hills is a decades old secret that could not be destroyed, and was never meant to be rediscovered
4) Feelings: I should start out I listened to this book vs. read it. That being said I liked it but I never felt dragged into the story. I usually enjoyed it as I listened to it but I never felt like I needed to listen to it. I also think the flash backs were an annoyance. I have never liked them and this had lots trying to tell some of the back-story.
5) Final recommendation: It is an enjoyable listen if you enjoy military fiction and don't mind flashbacks.
Ryan James Burt
Husband, Father, and Writer
http://ryanjamesburt.wordpress.com/
November 12, 2010
Grammar mistakes REALLY annoy me while reading, so it says a lot that I kept reading this book. I tried to ignore the many misplaced commas, the few missing apostrophes, and the few other mistakes. For the first half of the book, the story - which keeps one begging to find out what happens next - made these things easy to ignore. However, after awhile even that was not enough, and I had to force myself to keep reading.
The consciences in the story - there just happens to be someone that speaks this language or that language in this small town, this guy just happened to meet this guy on the other side of the world years ago, etc. - are just too unbelievable. At its core, though, it is a great story. I hope that in the future Basil Sands enlists the help of an editor/proofreader, because while he is excellent at telling a story, grammar just doesn't seem to be his forte.
The consciences in the story - there just happens to be someone that speaks this language or that language in this small town, this guy just happened to meet this guy on the other side of the world years ago, etc. - are just too unbelievable. At its core, though, it is a great story. I hope that in the future Basil Sands enlists the help of an editor/proofreader, because while he is excellent at telling a story, grammar just doesn't seem to be his forte.
August 30, 2012
Wish there were half-stars, I hate ratings that are 'not quite but better than'. Ended up rounding this one up to a 4 star because I definitely liked the characters and the feel of the wilderness areas and the weather were wonderful.
Fairly standard black ops from a foreign country/ save everyone from terrorists plot. Characters were easy to identify with although I did have a bit of difficulty with the way the connection/romance between the two main characters was handled as the author seemed to have some difficulty with female characters.
There were some very annoying formatting issues with this, which I don't usually mention, but they are annoying and quite a few of them. I also had some problems with the flashbacks. I understand they were there because the backstory was important but I think the number and length could have been reduced.
Fairly standard black ops from a foreign country/ save everyone from terrorists plot. Characters were easy to identify with although I did have a bit of difficulty with the way the connection/romance between the two main characters was handled as the author seemed to have some difficulty with female characters.
There were some very annoying formatting issues with this, which I don't usually mention, but they are annoying and quite a few of them. I also had some problems with the flashbacks. I understand they were there because the backstory was important but I think the number and length could have been reduced.
May 1, 2015
This thriller was awesome. It had a gripping story line, well developed characters, and was easy to follow for one who has very little knowledge of military lingo. It was honestly hard to put down.
This was my first experience listening to a fiction audiobook narrated by the author. I must say I stayed clear of them for personal reasons, but I'm glad Basil Sands superb talent proved me wrong. His character development and amazing versatile voices made this book a five star performance. I will definitely be looking for more of his work.
This audiobook was given to me in exchange for a review.
This was my first experience listening to a fiction audiobook narrated by the author. I must say I stayed clear of them for personal reasons, but I'm glad Basil Sands superb talent proved me wrong. His character development and amazing versatile voices made this book a five star performance. I will definitely be looking for more of his work.
This audiobook was given to me in exchange for a review.
September 15, 2012
I did not like the flashback of the main character. Don't know why that was necessary. Also the romance reminded me of a teenager back in the 50's.
So this guy has only ever loved one woman and he's also a virgin, but he's in his 30s or 40s after working all around the world in the Marines? It was so jarringly unrealistic as to be distracting.
I found myself skimming the pages to get done and still know what was going on.
So this guy has only ever loved one woman and he's also a virgin, but he's in his 30s or 40s after working all around the world in the Marines? It was so jarringly unrealistic as to be distracting.
I found myself skimming the pages to get done and still know what was going on.
March 21, 2013
As a former resident of the Fairbanks area, I really appreciated the author's eye for authenticity in this story. It brought back a lot of memories, although none involving terrorists and biological weapons, of course :p
As for the actual plot, it started off strongly but I got hung up in the middle.... for about 3 months! Finally picked it up again and am very glad I finished instead of abandoning it.
As for the actual plot, it started off strongly but I got hung up in the middle.... for about 3 months! Finally picked it up again and am very glad I finished instead of abandoning it.
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