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Alex Hunter #4
Black Mountain
Alex Hunter, code named Arcadian, wakes up with no knowledge of who he is, in the care of a woman he doesn't recognise, in a country not his own. But there is a calling deep within him, to return home to Black Mountain.
Formed a billion years ago, the Appalachian's Black Mountain hosts a terrible legend. Only one elder remains to guard its long-forgotten, deadly secret and there is a fear that there is evil lurking again. Some hikers have gone missing, and the rescue team sent to search for them has not returned. Meanwhile, in nearby Ashville, Professor Matt Kearns is drawn into the mystery of an ancient artefact recovered from the mountainside, and an image too grotesque to be real.
A survivor is then found half-alive, covered in blood – blood revealed to be not quite human.
Alex must confront an age-old enemy of man and discover the truth about his past, and confront the horror that stalks the frozen mountain, and also the one haunting his very soul.
Formed a billion years ago, the Appalachian's Black Mountain hosts a terrible legend. Only one elder remains to guard its long-forgotten, deadly secret and there is a fear that there is evil lurking again. Some hikers have gone missing, and the rescue team sent to search for them has not returned. Meanwhile, in nearby Ashville, Professor Matt Kearns is drawn into the mystery of an ancient artefact recovered from the mountainside, and an image too grotesque to be real.
A survivor is then found half-alive, covered in blood – blood revealed to be not quite human.
Alex must confront an age-old enemy of man and discover the truth about his past, and confront the horror that stalks the frozen mountain, and also the one haunting his very soul.
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2012
148 people are currently reading
1004 people want to read
About the author
Greig Beck
46 books1,148 followersHi GoodReaders, I’m an Australian author residing in Sydney with my wife, son and a mad Golden Retriever named Jessie. My novels are now available globally, also in Large Print and now in full AUDIO format.
I grew up spending my days surfing at Bondi Beach before entering a career in Information technology which took me around the world. After completing an MBA, i was appointed both an Australasian director of a multinational software company, and tasked with setting up the USA arm of the organisation.
Today, I spend most of my time writing... with plenty left over for surfing.
More information about me and my works can be found at either www.greigbeck.com, or join me on FaceBook (Greig Beck Author).
I grew up spending my days surfing at Bondi Beach before entering a career in Information technology which took me around the world. After completing an MBA, i was appointed both an Australasian director of a multinational software company, and tasked with setting up the USA arm of the organisation.
Today, I spend most of my time writing... with plenty left over for surfing.
More information about me and my works can be found at either www.greigbeck.com, or join me on FaceBook (Greig Beck Author).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
October 22, 2023
Black Mountain Is Near Idaho?
This is the fourth episode of the Alex Hunter show. Hunter, aka The Arcadian, and his team of HAWCs are split up (with the team believing that Alex is dead).
But Colonel Hammerson hides him away in Israel to save his life. Suddenly, his Arcadian spidey senses tell him that someone he “knows” is in trouble.
With his memory gone, Alex is under the influence of pure instinct. He travels back to the United States to intervene.
Apparently, he has a mob of people on his tail (and trail). Things get lively.
Three stars. ✨✨✨
This is the fourth episode of the Alex Hunter show. Hunter, aka The Arcadian, and his team of HAWCs are split up (with the team believing that Alex is dead).
But Colonel Hammerson hides him away in Israel to save his life. Suddenly, his Arcadian spidey senses tell him that someone he “knows” is in trouble.
With his memory gone, Alex is under the influence of pure instinct. He travels back to the United States to intervene.
Apparently, he has a mob of people on his tail (and trail). Things get lively.
Three stars. ✨✨✨
January 18, 2016
I LOVE THIS SERIES! Mr Beck I salute you! What an exciting ride!
Alex Hunter is back in the 4th instalment of the Alex Hunt/Arcadian series. After surviving the horrible virus he contracted at the end of This Green Hell, Alex awakens in Israel with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Meanwhile back in the USA at Black Mountain, there has been an earthquake and the movement of the mountain has opened a doorway to an ancient cave, where a monster is released from its prison.
OH MY GOODNESS! What a FABULOUS read! Think Matthew Riley on steroids! Absolutely action packed and FANTASTIC!
This is only the second book I have read written by Greig Beck, and it is going to be the second of many I predict! This Green Hell was extremely impressive, and Black Mountain was even better!
Non stop action, thrills, blood, guts, gore, a bit of romance and angst, violence, monsters.
WOW!
Loved the characters! I have a bit of a book crush on Alex Hunter, I just think he is fantastic! But where was Aimee??? I hope she comes back into the story in subsequent books! But it was nice to have a different focus I guess.
Really enjoyed all the different plot lines throughout the story and one of the things I really like about Black Mountain, and find really refreshing, is that it doesn't exactly have the happy ending vibe that a lot of books have. People you don't want to die, die... Gruesome and grizzly, HORRIBLE deaths.
I don't know what else to say! Black Mountain is just great! If you are a fan of action books absolutely check this series out. I started at the third one and haven't read the first two yet so you don't HAVE to start at the first one - Enough of the story is set up throughout the novel so you are not lost at all. However the beginning is always a great place to start.
The audio version?? FANTASTIC!!! Sean Mangan is SO GREAT narrating this series! One of my favourite narrators ever!
Would I recommend it?
YES YES YES!!! Remember where I said non stop action? Thrills? Blood and guts? Gore? Romance and MONSTERS?? If you like that you will love this series!
For more reviews check out my blog
www.booksbabiesbeing.com
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/booksbabiesbeing
Twitter
www.twitter.com/BBB_Mel
Alex Hunter is back in the 4th instalment of the Alex Hunt/Arcadian series. After surviving the horrible virus he contracted at the end of This Green Hell, Alex awakens in Israel with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Meanwhile back in the USA at Black Mountain, there has been an earthquake and the movement of the mountain has opened a doorway to an ancient cave, where a monster is released from its prison.
OH MY GOODNESS! What a FABULOUS read! Think Matthew Riley on steroids! Absolutely action packed and FANTASTIC!
This is only the second book I have read written by Greig Beck, and it is going to be the second of many I predict! This Green Hell was extremely impressive, and Black Mountain was even better!
Non stop action, thrills, blood, guts, gore, a bit of romance and angst, violence, monsters.
WOW!
Loved the characters! I have a bit of a book crush on Alex Hunter, I just think he is fantastic! But where was Aimee??? I hope she comes back into the story in subsequent books! But it was nice to have a different focus I guess.
Really enjoyed all the different plot lines throughout the story and one of the things I really like about Black Mountain, and find really refreshing, is that it doesn't exactly have the happy ending vibe that a lot of books have. People you don't want to die, die... Gruesome and grizzly, HORRIBLE deaths.
I don't know what else to say! Black Mountain is just great! If you are a fan of action books absolutely check this series out. I started at the third one and haven't read the first two yet so you don't HAVE to start at the first one - Enough of the story is set up throughout the novel so you are not lost at all. However the beginning is always a great place to start.
The audio version?? FANTASTIC!!! Sean Mangan is SO GREAT narrating this series! One of my favourite narrators ever!
Would I recommend it?
YES YES YES!!! Remember where I said non stop action? Thrills? Blood and guts? Gore? Romance and MONSTERS?? If you like that you will love this series!
For more reviews check out my blog
www.booksbabiesbeing.com
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/booksbabiesbeing
www.twitter.com/BBB_Mel
April 17, 2015
This was cheesy as hell. I liked the first 3 books in the series but this didn't work for me. It's possible that I'm just sick of the series and this Arcadian protagonist in general. I also read Bigfoot Crank Stomp recently which sets the bar for all other sasquatch literature and this didn't live up to it. I'll give the series one more go with Gorgon because it's called Gorgon and by default has to be awesome.
July 11, 2022
The lost memory trope is not my favorite but it does work well here. It’s basically a creature horror story mixed with some X-Files.
September 25, 2015
4 Stars
Black Mountain, book four in the Alex Hunter series by Greig Beck is another great installment of the series and quite it has quite a different feeling to it. This story takes place on Black Mountain and centers on the story of Sasquatch, The Big Foot. As this book directly follows the events from the end of This Green Hell, our hero is definitely not quite himself. Without any spoilers, most of this story takes place without the Arcadian as the story itself takes center stage. The book spans the globe but certers in Asheville North Carolina.
This book plays off like the non mythology episodes of shows like The X-files and Lost, think a creature feature. The legends are explored, the murders continue, and more people disappear. Back again are many of the regular characters. Archaeologist Matthew Kearns is first on the scene and first to reach the unimaginable conclusions. He is a likable scientist that is much closer to being a normal person and therefore easy to identify with. Hammerson is back and his risks have paid off. We are introduced to a bad ass female HAWC named Franks that is quite scary. To my pleasure, Adria is back and is one the main characters in this one. She is amazing. Unfortunately, she also comes with quite a bit of baggage.
Make no mistake, like all Beck novels, Black Mountain is a blazing fast action packed novel and adventure. These books are today's Michael Crichton page turners. By the books end The Arcadian is back and his future still unclear. I love these books and cannot wait to read more.
Black Mountain, book four in the Alex Hunter series by Greig Beck is another great installment of the series and quite it has quite a different feeling to it. This story takes place on Black Mountain and centers on the story of Sasquatch, The Big Foot. As this book directly follows the events from the end of This Green Hell, our hero is definitely not quite himself. Without any spoilers, most of this story takes place without the Arcadian as the story itself takes center stage. The book spans the globe but certers in Asheville North Carolina.
This book plays off like the non mythology episodes of shows like The X-files and Lost, think a creature feature. The legends are explored, the murders continue, and more people disappear. Back again are many of the regular characters. Archaeologist Matthew Kearns is first on the scene and first to reach the unimaginable conclusions. He is a likable scientist that is much closer to being a normal person and therefore easy to identify with. Hammerson is back and his risks have paid off. We are introduced to a bad ass female HAWC named Franks that is quite scary. To my pleasure, Adria is back and is one the main characters in this one. She is amazing. Unfortunately, she also comes with quite a bit of baggage.
Make no mistake, like all Beck novels, Black Mountain is a blazing fast action packed novel and adventure. These books are today's Michael Crichton page turners. By the books end The Arcadian is back and his future still unclear. I love these books and cannot wait to read more.
May 11, 2015
The 4th book in the Alex Hunter/Arcadian series, maybe I am getting used to the writing style, or more familiar with the characters, but this book seemed to be a lot better paced. It picks up with Alex Hunter waking up in an Israeli hospital, to find out why he is there you would need to read the previous book, 'This Green Hell' (№3 in the series), but he has no memory of who, or what, he is. He is watched over by Adira Sanesh, a member of the Israeli Mossad.
Every so often he gets memory flashbacks, and for some reason he seems inexplicably drawn to Asheville in North Carolina. To do so they must first get out of Israel without attracting attention. Meanwhile over in Asheville there are an ever increasing number of disappearances, which starts with livestock, and progresses to people. Could an escaped Lion be to blame, or have the beings of nightmare and legend become reality?
Once again if you don't question things too deeply, it becomes a very enjoyable read, and a good escape from everyday life. It also sees a welcome return for Professor Matt Kearns, who was last seen in 'Beneath The Dark Ice (№1 in the series).
Every so often he gets memory flashbacks, and for some reason he seems inexplicably drawn to Asheville in North Carolina. To do so they must first get out of Israel without attracting attention. Meanwhile over in Asheville there are an ever increasing number of disappearances, which starts with livestock, and progresses to people. Could an escaped Lion be to blame, or have the beings of nightmare and legend become reality?
Once again if you don't question things too deeply, it becomes a very enjoyable read, and a good escape from everyday life. It also sees a welcome return for Professor Matt Kearns, who was last seen in 'Beneath The Dark Ice (№1 in the series).
July 2, 2017
4.25 Stars
August 12, 2018
Shameless abuse of the word 'towards,' but I think we all have a phrase we abuse until someone points it out. I figured it was a mannerism that would've been kicked by book #4. Objectively, the use of the word seems to be getting more frequent. I think it's even more obvious in audio format. Characters are always going 'towards' something.
That aside, a thrilling adventure with just the right mix of sci-fi, espionage, and mystery. I stand by my earlier assessment: I'm hooked on the series. Also of note: the death count seems to be rising. This book had characters been snuffed with Matthew Reilly like efficiency.
That aside, a thrilling adventure with just the right mix of sci-fi, espionage, and mystery. I stand by my earlier assessment: I'm hooked on the series. Also of note: the death count seems to be rising. This book had characters been snuffed with Matthew Reilly like efficiency.
January 27, 2025
Another great entry in an underrated series. This time the focus is on the sasquatch/bigfoot legend. This one was action packed, scary and emotional. It was interesting seeing the aftermath of the previous book and the impacts on Alex. This could be read as standalone but I'd recommend not as the previous backstory is helpful. Onto the next book!
November 23, 2024
Military/thriller/horror.
Greig Beck is one of my favourite authors these days.
His Alex Hunter series is a wonderful set of books that seem to cross the void between Michael Crichton, Andy McNab and Matthew Reilly.
If you like wonderfully-plotted tales, strong and unique characters, and heavily-researched mythos, then try a Greig Beck book.
Black Mountain, the fourth Arcadian book, looks at the long-held beliefs and legends of Bigfoot and the Yeti. Taken from a scientific viewpoint, the explanation Beck gives for the presence of giant hominids in the modern world is not outside the realm of believability. This is always the beauty of Beck's writing. He takes things that are so beyond our knowledge of what is natural and real, and then melds these concepts with science to the point where we find ourselves saying, "hmmm... that makes sense". At once, our ability to believe the story is empowered.
The writing itself is strong, both in style and overall skill.
Try Beck, and you won't look back.
Greig Beck is one of my favourite authors these days.
His Alex Hunter series is a wonderful set of books that seem to cross the void between Michael Crichton, Andy McNab and Matthew Reilly.
If you like wonderfully-plotted tales, strong and unique characters, and heavily-researched mythos, then try a Greig Beck book.
Black Mountain, the fourth Arcadian book, looks at the long-held beliefs and legends of Bigfoot and the Yeti. Taken from a scientific viewpoint, the explanation Beck gives for the presence of giant hominids in the modern world is not outside the realm of believability. This is always the beauty of Beck's writing. He takes things that are so beyond our knowledge of what is natural and real, and then melds these concepts with science to the point where we find ourselves saying, "hmmm... that makes sense". At once, our ability to believe the story is empowered.
The writing itself is strong, both in style and overall skill.
Try Beck, and you won't look back.
February 23, 2013
I really enjoyed the different aspects of this book; all the different worlds colliding. Beck has certainly done a good job! It was also nice to see the re-emergence of old characters back into the fold of the Arcadian world (:
March 27, 2017
You know there are some books that you can't put down, for anything. Black Mountain is one of those books. It's a heart-pounding, adrenalin fueled thriller, full of plenty of action and horror. The best Alex Hunter yet.
August 6, 2015
Exciting adventure thriller with lots of action and some humour. The Arcadian takes some time to make an appearance or to to join in the action but you're entertained by Matt Kearns and Charles Schroeder in the mean time. The monster is scary and the setting atmospheric.
December 28, 2013
Greig Beck
Love this guys work. If you love fast pace action with twists that can come from anywhere from Jurassic to aliens and Indiana jones to omega man then you will love this guys stories .
Love this guys work. If you love fast pace action with twists that can come from anywhere from Jurassic to aliens and Indiana jones to omega man then you will love this guys stories .
June 1, 2014
This one is a mix of adventure, some what mystery, action, thriller! Like the big " BIG FOOT" idea. Again he has one liking the mystery of the ancient history and in this one the main character absolutly gets a twist and you cant wait to read the coming book about Alex Hunter!!
July 27, 2014
Great book. An adventure from start to finish.
January 9, 2023
BLACK MOUNTAIN is bk 4 in Greig Beck’s Sci-fi, Horror-Thriller fiction Alex Hunter series. Narration is performed by Sean Mangan. Don’t get attached to anyone. :/
MY RATING GUIDE: 3.5 Stars. Small sections were a solid 4, most simply a 3 for me.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
Setting > a few years after Alex’s Antarctic disaster (BENEATH THE BLACK ICE and BLACK RISING). HAWK Specialized soldier Alex Hunter has gone missing and is presumed dead. Supporting characters former Harvard anthropologist professor & specialist Matt Kern and Israeli Mossad Spec Ops Adeera, appear in BLACK MOUNTAIN (both from previous books).
Black Mountain, NC > the Appalachian Mountain range.
A disturbance is felt and unusual happenings have begun occurring in Alex Hunter’s home town of Asheville. An escaped circus lion has gone missing along with his trainer, a local rancher complains his purebred cattle are missing, several individuals from the mountain area notice a funky odor in the air and a woman returns off the mountain, without her husband, in a comatose state. The woman snapped photos of a large stone etched with old writing and other photos of a large, unnatural creature. Within a week reporters, various special branch military teams, a few notable scientist-scholars, as well as Alex arrive to the foot of the mountains - each with their own agenda. The mountain has always been a risk for the unaware but now it could prove deadly for all. When the dust settles, who will be left standing?
Comments ~
1) The action scenes breaks away frequently to new locations with different characters. During the beginning I actually appreciated the breaks because they allowed me to relax a bit before the tension built again.
2) Although I find Beck’s Thriller novels fantastical, they are filled with considerable scientific details so his suppositions actually seems somewhat possible. ;D
3) BLACK MOUNTAIN is a character driven novel with a US military Super-Warrior guy, Alex Hunter, as main character, (think today’s 6 Million Dollar Enhanced Military Man). Supportive characters
Israeli Mossad Special Operative Adeera and professor-scientist Matt Kearn (who features in his own separate series) also appear.
4) Although I have enjoyed the previous Alex Hunter novels I thought BLACK MOUNTAIN moved in bits and spurts - dragging in the middle. BM begins with fast action scenes then pretty much slows down until the last 3hrs when the action kicks up again with the speed I expect from Greig Beck.
5) Occasionally certain characters carelessly venture into danger and/or act stupidly with the expected consequences (and I’m not speaking of soldiers taking calculated risks here). Stupid characters are a pet-peeve of mine.
6) I liked the voice performance by Sean Mangan. I think he does a solid job with this series and characters.
7) BLACK MOUNTAIN will probably be my last Alex Hunter novel. I didn’t like the direction (I believe) the series arc is taking regarding Alex’s future and the “Super Warrior” program. I have enjoyed the earlier audio books and expect I will again listen to them at some point in the future.
Readers who enjoy quasi-military Action novels which dabble in Sci-fi possibilities may want to check out this series.
MY RATING GUIDE: 3.5 Stars. Small sections were a solid 4, most simply a 3 for me.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
Setting > a few years after Alex’s Antarctic disaster (BENEATH THE BLACK ICE and BLACK RISING). HAWK Specialized soldier Alex Hunter has gone missing and is presumed dead. Supporting characters former Harvard anthropologist professor & specialist Matt Kern and Israeli Mossad Spec Ops Adeera, appear in BLACK MOUNTAIN (both from previous books).
Black Mountain, NC > the Appalachian Mountain range.
A disturbance is felt and unusual happenings have begun occurring in Alex Hunter’s home town of Asheville. An escaped circus lion has gone missing along with his trainer, a local rancher complains his purebred cattle are missing, several individuals from the mountain area notice a funky odor in the air and a woman returns off the mountain, without her husband, in a comatose state. The woman snapped photos of a large stone etched with old writing and other photos of a large, unnatural creature. Within a week reporters, various special branch military teams, a few notable scientist-scholars, as well as Alex arrive to the foot of the mountains - each with their own agenda. The mountain has always been a risk for the unaware but now it could prove deadly for all. When the dust settles, who will be left standing?
Comments ~
1) The action scenes breaks away frequently to new locations with different characters. During the beginning I actually appreciated the breaks because they allowed me to relax a bit before the tension built again.
2) Although I find Beck’s Thriller novels fantastical, they are filled with considerable scientific details so his suppositions actually seems somewhat possible. ;D
3) BLACK MOUNTAIN is a character driven novel with a US military Super-Warrior guy, Alex Hunter, as main character, (think today’s 6 Million Dollar Enhanced Military Man). Supportive characters
Israeli Mossad Special Operative Adeera and professor-scientist Matt Kearn (who features in his own separate series) also appear.
4) Although I have enjoyed the previous Alex Hunter novels I thought BLACK MOUNTAIN moved in bits and spurts - dragging in the middle. BM begins with fast action scenes then pretty much slows down until the last 3hrs when the action kicks up again with the speed I expect from Greig Beck.
5) Occasionally certain characters carelessly venture into danger and/or act stupidly with the expected consequences (and I’m not speaking of soldiers taking calculated risks here). Stupid characters are a pet-peeve of mine.
6) I liked the voice performance by Sean Mangan. I think he does a solid job with this series and characters.
7) BLACK MOUNTAIN will probably be my last Alex Hunter novel. I didn’t like the direction (I believe) the series arc is taking regarding Alex’s future and the “Super Warrior” program. I have enjoyed the earlier audio books and expect I will again listen to them at some point in the future.
Readers who enjoy quasi-military Action novels which dabble in Sci-fi possibilities may want to check out this series.
September 7, 2020
Last time I reviewed a Greig Beck was back in December, 2019, Primordia 3: The Lost World—Re-Evolution and I found it to be quite thrilling, finally giving Primordia the oomph that it deserved from the start. But before that it was a string of books that I liked but wasn't blown away by, like This Green Hell and Fathomless. I was still looking for that feeling of "Holy crap, this is amazing." that I got from Beneath the Dark Ice. In all honesty, I cannot wait to read Kraken Rising but all in good time!
I wouldn't say that I was losing faith in Greig Beck, he's a victim of my own expectations more than anything. But it was getting longer and longer between each Beck book whereas before I could not wait to pick up the next book. And starting out with Black Mountain, I can't say I had a great feeling. Part of it was simply that I had been gone for so long, I had forgotten key events from the last book and part of it was that it didn't seem like things would ever connect. Alex Hunter starts out on the other side of the planet, for God's sake, it's hard to think "Yup, this will certainly get thrilling."
I can't tell you exactly when things started changing, but at some point I just enjoyed it more. Then way more. If I felt fairly detached from the characters in the last book, this one certainly brought back my love for the Arcadian and his supporting cast. Characters just felt more endearing and fleshed out and it was nice to see the actual consequences of a mission beyond just "they're either dead or alive". The fact that the setup was also different from previous books no doubt helped as you didn't have the same cast of characters marked for death since they were just introduced.
It also helped that the book did not pull any punches. The brutality slowly creeps up on you and once you get towards the end of the book, the gruesome imagery is definitely cranked up a notch. I was quite surprised with some of the turns and twists along the path that was decidedly un-Hollywoodish of Beck. Happy endings are few here and while you keep expecting things to go a certain way, they certainly don't.
I said in my review of This Green Hell that it felt like it existed more to change the course of Alex Hunter and I think my prediction was fairly spot on. Before Black Mountain, I was uncertain how Beck could keep the series interesting when Hunter was little more than a soldier shooting things. An exceptional super soldier, sure, but still just a soldier. Well, this book definitely gives Hunter the depth he needs to carry the series together with his growing entourage of supporting characters that could, probably, carry a book all on their own. I know at least one of them has been given that chance.
It's a slow start, to be sure, but once it picked up and my memory was refreshed, it was a fantastic story from beginning to end. And it lays the groundwork really well for future stories that I cannot wait to read.
I wouldn't say that I was losing faith in Greig Beck, he's a victim of my own expectations more than anything. But it was getting longer and longer between each Beck book whereas before I could not wait to pick up the next book. And starting out with Black Mountain, I can't say I had a great feeling. Part of it was simply that I had been gone for so long, I had forgotten key events from the last book and part of it was that it didn't seem like things would ever connect. Alex Hunter starts out on the other side of the planet, for God's sake, it's hard to think "Yup, this will certainly get thrilling."
I can't tell you exactly when things started changing, but at some point I just enjoyed it more. Then way more. If I felt fairly detached from the characters in the last book, this one certainly brought back my love for the Arcadian and his supporting cast. Characters just felt more endearing and fleshed out and it was nice to see the actual consequences of a mission beyond just "they're either dead or alive". The fact that the setup was also different from previous books no doubt helped as you didn't have the same cast of characters marked for death since they were just introduced.
It also helped that the book did not pull any punches. The brutality slowly creeps up on you and once you get towards the end of the book, the gruesome imagery is definitely cranked up a notch. I was quite surprised with some of the turns and twists along the path that was decidedly un-Hollywoodish of Beck. Happy endings are few here and while you keep expecting things to go a certain way, they certainly don't.
I said in my review of This Green Hell that it felt like it existed more to change the course of Alex Hunter and I think my prediction was fairly spot on. Before Black Mountain, I was uncertain how Beck could keep the series interesting when Hunter was little more than a soldier shooting things. An exceptional super soldier, sure, but still just a soldier. Well, this book definitely gives Hunter the depth he needs to carry the series together with his growing entourage of supporting characters that could, probably, carry a book all on their own. I know at least one of them has been given that chance.
It's a slow start, to be sure, but once it picked up and my memory was refreshed, it was a fantastic story from beginning to end. And it lays the groundwork really well for future stories that I cannot wait to read.
December 30, 2021
Black Mountain is an intriguing sequel in the Alex Hunter series. Although Alex is very much still central to the story it is not so much in the way that James Bond is the star of the Bond saga, but rather that Hunters journey continues as the world goes on. Beyond that I can say no more in order to ensure I don’t spoil anything! It’s too good to do that to you!
Although Alex Hunter doesn’t feature in the “main” action for much of the book, characters we haven’t seen introduced for a couple of books (keeping it vague here!) appear and are gratefully received by the reader to entwine into the character development and stories, combining the books to one intricate storyline seamlessly. We also get to see Alex Hunter’s own family and background drawn into the mix as never before that increases the tension and anticipation of “what next?!” beyond what the storytelling already develops just by the overall narrative.
This book’s main mystery revolves around missing people on the local mountain that from point 0 look like they lead to “big foot”. Now before you roll your eyes, close the book, and say “nope, too far” - hear me out. Greig Beck is his usual writing genius in the way he spins the narrative to take genuine and historical facts and science and entwines that with legend, myth, and sci-fi to create a piece of beautiful fiction that treads the line so well that the reader could almost believe it, whilst also knowing that it is truly fiction and absolutely beyond the realms of the possible.
Although Alex Hunter doesn’t feature in the “main” action for much of the book, characters we haven’t seen introduced for a couple of books (keeping it vague here!) appear and are gratefully received by the reader to entwine into the character development and stories, combining the books to one intricate storyline seamlessly. We also get to see Alex Hunter’s own family and background drawn into the mix as never before that increases the tension and anticipation of “what next?!” beyond what the storytelling already develops just by the overall narrative.
This book’s main mystery revolves around missing people on the local mountain that from point 0 look like they lead to “big foot”. Now before you roll your eyes, close the book, and say “nope, too far” - hear me out. Greig Beck is his usual writing genius in the way he spins the narrative to take genuine and historical facts and science and entwines that with legend, myth, and sci-fi to create a piece of beautiful fiction that treads the line so well that the reader could almost believe it, whilst also knowing that it is truly fiction and absolutely beyond the realms of the possible.
June 6, 2014
This has to be my least favorite book in the series. I do realize that a certain amount of narrative has to played out and that not every book in the Arcadian series has to revolve around call signs, complex missions, state of the art weaponry and combat, but this book didn't even seem like it was written by Beck...until the end. There are a lot of charcters given chapters who I could have cared less about and I have to admit that I was still soured over the idea that a woman could be so enamored with a man that she would betray everything she stood for just to get a sliver of romance. Mind you that man is in love with someone else and suffering from amnesia. Her desperation should come off as a tragic, need for something other than the rigorous demands of being a deadly secret agent, but it doesn't.
The 'monster/scifi crisis' that Alex faces in this novel is more of a metaphorical mirror to his life rather than being a true abnormal situation, like the ones he's faced in the pace. The whole notion of him combating a creature with abnormal strength, a hulk of a monster that for so long chose to remove itself from sight of humanity might as well have been a blatant reflection of Alex's own psyche as he contimplates the monster that lives within him.
Altogether, I suppose it fits...but I am ready to return back to field with the Arcadian and his Hawcs. I can leave the Bruce Banner/Hulk roaming stuff for others.
The 'monster/scifi crisis' that Alex faces in this novel is more of a metaphorical mirror to his life rather than being a true abnormal situation, like the ones he's faced in the pace. The whole notion of him combating a creature with abnormal strength, a hulk of a monster that for so long chose to remove itself from sight of humanity might as well have been a blatant reflection of Alex's own psyche as he contimplates the monster that lives within him.
Altogether, I suppose it fits...but I am ready to return back to field with the Arcadian and his Hawcs. I can leave the Bruce Banner/Hulk roaming stuff for others.
October 26, 2019
Black Mountain, the fourth book in the stinky primordial creature series breaks from the pattern of it's predecessors.
While the story is adequate if considered a stand-alone, it is much less exciting than its antecedents. Undead priest, alien rhino and shape shifting squid beat bigfoot anyday. I might be slow on the uptake, but the author seems to be gearing up for a mega-episode with a standoff of Alex vs ancient beasts. Which all stink. A lot. All ancient beasts stunk? Man, old earth would have been a mega-stink by that logic. Also, each book until now is situated in each continent. Do we have Asia, Africa and Australia next?
Black Mountain saw the return of Alex, who's lost his memory and knowledge of his abilities. Adira takes advantage of Alex's memory loss and feeds lies to him. Sounds like a regular TC drama. Bad twist to Adira's character just to resolve the love triangle. Remaining of the plot remains the same, people die, Alex rages, jerkwad of the book gets killed violently (Professor, Irish, the Paraguan officer and now Markenson), Alex kills stinky things and places are blown up.
PS: Special mention to the old man. He has a wicked sense of humor and a breath of fresh air (see what I did there?). And faithful Sam uncle. Reminds of another faithful Sam who always helps his friend
February 23, 2021
I’m a huge fan of Greig Beck and Black Mountain was another great icky bug from him. This one is a sequel of the Alex Hunter series. This time, he has amnesia, starts off escaping from the clutches of Israeli intelligence and goes home on a quest to find his mother and an ancient icky bug terrorizing the titular mountain from his home in North Carolina. Of course, mayhem ensues.
The cast of characters is full of plenty of victims and some likable characters. Plus, the icky bugs themselves are taken from legend, which the author goes into a little bit after the end of the story.
Speaking of the end, there’s nothing like a good ending to make a story worthwhile. This story had a great one. Besides being written in solid third-person limited, and past tense, the chapters and scenes were short and the narrative brisk. When you add the good ending to it all, the writing never got in the way of the story. That made this an outstanding icky bug story. Highly recommended.
The cast of characters is full of plenty of victims and some likable characters. Plus, the icky bugs themselves are taken from legend, which the author goes into a little bit after the end of the story.
Speaking of the end, there’s nothing like a good ending to make a story worthwhile. This story had a great one. Besides being written in solid third-person limited, and past tense, the chapters and scenes were short and the narrative brisk. When you add the good ending to it all, the writing never got in the way of the story. That made this an outstanding icky bug story. Highly recommended.
June 27, 2023
This fourth instalment in the series really surprised me. I was concerned that Greig Beck would take the Arcadian abilities too far as the series progressed. And yes, Alex's powers are now extending beyond the physical and includes sensory abilities too. However, it did not detract from a good story.
In fact, the storywas brilliant. The last book I read that was so atmospheric was The Still Life of Crows by Preston and Child. I felt I was there participating in the story. The pacing and suspense were perfect with a very satisfactory conclusion. I sincerely hope the series maintains this standard. But for now I'm going to going to read Beck's Leviathan, the highly anticipated Cate Granger sequel. A story more than four and a half years in waiting.
In fact, the storywas brilliant. The last book I read that was so atmospheric was The Still Life of Crows by Preston and Child. I felt I was there participating in the story. The pacing and suspense were perfect with a very satisfactory conclusion. I sincerely hope the series maintains this standard. But for now I'm going to going to read Beck's Leviathan, the highly anticipated Cate Granger sequel. A story more than four and a half years in waiting.
June 20, 2017
OMG I am totally addicted to this Alex Hunter series. This book picked up nicely from the last Alex Hunter book and simply didn't stop with the action.
Alex awakes from a medical induced coma to know that his surroundings don't seem familiar but there is something familiar with the people who are "caring" for him. Little does he know he was put in a cryogenic state to try and rid him of an "virus" that has reduced other mere mortals to slime.
The action doesn't stop and there are thrills in every page of this book. Loved this action packed story and how it makes you question some of the things you see in the media.
Alex awakes from a medical induced coma to know that his surroundings don't seem familiar but there is something familiar with the people who are "caring" for him. Little does he know he was put in a cryogenic state to try and rid him of an "virus" that has reduced other mere mortals to slime.
The action doesn't stop and there are thrills in every page of this book. Loved this action packed story and how it makes you question some of the things you see in the media.
May 5, 2021
Alex Hunter wakes up with no memory and Bigfoot starts terrorizing his home town.
He is now on the run alongside his Mossad girl who keeps trying to make this a harlequin romance.
In midst we have guns, shootouts in scenic places around Israel and finally action is back on the mainland.
The gruesome deaths are very detailed and the gallery by IT is something to have nightmares unless you are weaned with the Predator movies.
We also have new Universal soldiers based on the arcadian experiments pitted against the original version.
Jack Hammerson stretches his neck out for his conscience. Matt Kearns gets another lookin before he gets his own series.
It is a joyful ride.
He is now on the run alongside his Mossad girl who keeps trying to make this a harlequin romance.
In midst we have guns, shootouts in scenic places around Israel and finally action is back on the mainland.
The gruesome deaths are very detailed and the gallery by IT is something to have nightmares unless you are weaned with the Predator movies.
We also have new Universal soldiers based on the arcadian experiments pitted against the original version.
Jack Hammerson stretches his neck out for his conscience. Matt Kearns gets another lookin before he gets his own series.
It is a joyful ride.
August 30, 2021
Apparently either hasn’t been to Blck Mt or just doesn’t know about the area (use Google!)
Love the series.. but shocked an author would write with so little knowledge of an area easily researched. From the mistakes about wildlife to the actual trees and landscape. Written as if in Yellowstone and walking in the Rocky Mountains. Definitely NOT well versed in the Appalachians (I grew up here).. PLEASE RESEARCH YOUR AREA!!
Love the series.. but shocked an author would write with so little knowledge of an area easily researched. From the mistakes about wildlife to the actual trees and landscape. Written as if in Yellowstone and walking in the Rocky Mountains. Definitely NOT well versed in the Appalachians (I grew up here).. PLEASE RESEARCH YOUR AREA!!
February 23, 2018
I really enjoyed this book but Greg B can be a pretty big ball buster> IE when Hammerson is fighting with the guy in the ski mask where the hell is Alex, what is he waiting for? Examples like this happen throughout this book, and also the other books. Again honestly I have enjoyed this series so far and hope I will enjoy the rest.
January 17, 2020
I have recently discovered Greig Beck, though he is a seasoned author. I have enjoyed the Alex Hunter series to no end. His writing style is creative, vibrant, and provides fantastic detail. It plays like a movie in your head.
I look forward to reading the rest of his work. Do yourself a service and read his books. You will not be disappointed.
I look forward to reading the rest of his work. Do yourself a service and read his books. You will not be disappointed.
April 20, 2022
I enjoyed this book a lot.
To the point where it could have been a stand-alone homage to the X Files type of investigation.
It had just enough suspense and intrigue thrown in that it made the Arcadian subplot almost unnecessary.
Having said all that i am looking forward to reading what happens to Alex Hunter next!
To the point where it could have been a stand-alone homage to the X Files type of investigation.
It had just enough suspense and intrigue thrown in that it made the Arcadian subplot almost unnecessary.
Having said all that i am looking forward to reading what happens to Alex Hunter next!
May 13, 2018
I was more interested in the 'Black Mountain' part of the story than the spy business. I also kept wondering why none of the experts thought about this 'bigfoot' being alone, where was his mate, family, etc. Why only one?
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