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Alex Cave #1
Dead Energy
Oil supplies begin to mysteriously vanish without a trace and society starts to crumble, and the only clue is a dollar size crystal found in the empty hold of an oil tanker, in this science fiction techno-thriller.
It all started when his wife was murdered during a mission, and Alex Cave quit the CIA for a less stressful life as a geophysics instructor at a small college town in Montana. At least, that was his plan.
While on vacation sailing the waters of Puget Sound, geologist Alex sees a brilliant flash of light from an oil tanker and changes course to help. He discovers there was no explosion, no one on board, and the oil has mysteriously vanished without a trace. The bodies of the missing crew are found a hundred miles away in the snow on Mount Baker, but there are no footprints leading in or out of the area. Alex’s only clue is a dollar-size blue crystal found in the hold of the empty oil tanker, which under a high-powered microscope, appears to be alive.
The shortage of fuel causes mass panic, and Harold Wooley, a sniveling coward with a domineering wife, thinks he can save his family from a world-gone-mad by joining a radical civilian army, but as the group undergoes a drastic change in command, things get out of control when their new leader kills without compunction. Harold must dig deep inside his soul if he is to discover the courage to save his family from their living nightmare.
It all started when his wife was murdered during a mission, and Alex Cave quit the CIA for a less stressful life as a geophysics instructor at a small college town in Montana. At least, that was his plan.
While on vacation sailing the waters of Puget Sound, geologist Alex sees a brilliant flash of light from an oil tanker and changes course to help. He discovers there was no explosion, no one on board, and the oil has mysteriously vanished without a trace. The bodies of the missing crew are found a hundred miles away in the snow on Mount Baker, but there are no footprints leading in or out of the area. Alex’s only clue is a dollar-size blue crystal found in the hold of the empty oil tanker, which under a high-powered microscope, appears to be alive.
The shortage of fuel causes mass panic, and Harold Wooley, a sniveling coward with a domineering wife, thinks he can save his family from a world-gone-mad by joining a radical civilian army, but as the group undergoes a drastic change in command, things get out of control when their new leader kills without compunction. Harold must dig deep inside his soul if he is to discover the courage to save his family from their living nightmare.
326 pages, Paperback
Published August 10, 2013
38 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
James M. Corkill
24 books28 followersHello. I’m James M. Corkill, a Veteran, and retired Federal Firefighter from Washington State, USA. I was an electronic technician and studied mechanical engineering in my spare time before eventually becoming a firefighter for 32-years and retiring. I’ve since settled into the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina, and I have a fantastic view from my writing desk.
I began writing in 1997, and was fortunate to meet a famous horror writer named Hugh B. Cave, who became my mentor. In 2002, I rushed to self-published a dozen copies of Dead Energy so my wife could see my book before she was taken by cancer. When my soul mate was gone, I stopped writing and began drinking heavily.
My favorite quote. “When you wake up in the morning, you never know where the day will take you.”
In 2013, I met a stranger who recognized my name and had enjoyed an old copy of Dead Energy, except for the ending. When she encouraged me to start writing again, I realized this chance meeting was just what I needed to hear at the right moment. I quit drinking and began the rewrite of Dead Energy into The Alex Cave Series, and I’m thankful for that fateful encounter.
I began writing in 1997, and was fortunate to meet a famous horror writer named Hugh B. Cave, who became my mentor. In 2002, I rushed to self-published a dozen copies of Dead Energy so my wife could see my book before she was taken by cancer. When my soul mate was gone, I stopped writing and began drinking heavily.
My favorite quote. “When you wake up in the morning, you never know where the day will take you.”
In 2013, I met a stranger who recognized my name and had enjoyed an old copy of Dead Energy, except for the ending. When she encouraged me to start writing again, I realized this chance meeting was just what I needed to hear at the right moment. I quit drinking and began the rewrite of Dead Energy into The Alex Cave Series, and I’m thankful for that fateful encounter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 17, 2014
Review also on www.jolasbookshelf.wordpress.com
'Dead Energy' is a great novel, perfect for a sci fi and thriller enthusiasts. The suspense never ends and I was very eager to know what will happen next. I also enjoyed the writing style, the story had a nice flow and if not for ordinary things that were calling to me, I would read this book in a day. I'll look forward to Episode 2!
Thanks to James Corkill for sending me an ebook in exchange for an honest review.
'Dead Energy' is a great novel, perfect for a sci fi and thriller enthusiasts. The suspense never ends and I was very eager to know what will happen next. I also enjoyed the writing style, the story had a nice flow and if not for ordinary things that were calling to me, I would read this book in a day. I'll look forward to Episode 2!
Thanks to James Corkill for sending me an ebook in exchange for an honest review.
August 22, 2015
6 of 10 stars:
Dead Energy is a Sci-Fi/Cli-Fi/Mystery concerning the effects of a sudden lack of petrochemicals in the US. It's is clever and relates to old conspiracy theories which is a means to continue the series I suspect. Alex Cave is an interesting academic/CIA spy combo. We get to know him only superficially. The book could have had tighter editing and proofing.
Interesting, but not great.
Dead Energy is a Sci-Fi/Cli-Fi/Mystery concerning the effects of a sudden lack of petrochemicals in the US. It's is clever and relates to old conspiracy theories which is a means to continue the series I suspect. Alex Cave is an interesting academic/CIA spy combo. We get to know him only superficially. The book could have had tighter editing and proofing.
Interesting, but not great.
January 24, 2014
I was given a copy of “Dead Energy: An Alex Cave Adventure,” by author James M. Corkill, in exchange for an honest review. I met Mr. Corkill through www.goodreads.com. He was in a forum discussing his books and needed to gather some reviews. Through our brief conversations, I only knew that the book was a Sci-Fi. Needing a break from the fantasy of dragons and magic, I decided, this would be a perfect book to read.
The U. S. Coast Guard is called in about the Americrude oil tanker “Scorpio” who has dispatched a mayday call. Before the Coast Guard can reach the tanker, Alex Cave, reaches the ship first. Coming back from the San Juan Islands on his 35 ft. sailboat, he pulls his boat up next to the tanker and boards. Once aboard, he realizes that things are amiss. The crew is missing. The boat riding higher than it should. The life boats are still onboard. Something terribly wrong has happened!
By the time the Coast Guard makes it to the Scorpio, Alex Cave has done his investigation. Commander McBride who has the knack of being an ass, starts his questioning of Cave. CDR McBride, not happy with the cocky attitude he is getting from Cave, calls into check this guy out. It comes back that Alex Cave is a professor at the Univ. of Montana and teaches geology and geophysics. Then the kicker comes over, he’s also the special advisor to the Director of National Security. (This just tells you that Cave isn’t an ordinary man)
The mystery of the missing crew grows even more when the bodies are found inland in the snow on Mt. Baker. There aren’t any footprints surrounding the bodies. The coroner finds that the blood in the bodies has been dehydrated, but not with the means of heat. Through Cave’s contacts he finds that there is two more tanker ships abandoned in waters surrounding America’s coast.
As things are spinning out of control and gas is becoming tainted or missing. Marshall Law is enacted. It becomes every man, woman and child for themselves. A crazy militia group surfaces, who at first offer military type protection to those who come to their compound. As the militia group undergoes a drastic change in command, things get out of control and tempers flare. Then a mistake is made on their behalf. They seize Cave and his associates.
Even odder things begin to surface. A crystal like substance is being distributed and found in gas. People are acting weird and under the control of some entity. Nobody is certain what is going on or who is behind it all. That is until a man in a hospital describes what he witnessed at a store. With his description, things seem to start falling into place and Cave and his associates start formulate what is going on. Only question is, are they going to be able to solve this mystery and save humanity?
This was a well written book. With all the craziness that was going on, it was easy to follow. As the story flips flops back and forth between characters, you aren’t lost or confused. I also found that the description of the scenes throughout the book were perfect. Sometimes you will run across a new author that spends too much time describing people or the scenery. This isn’t the case with this book. He gave you just enough to build a picture in your head and not be overwhelmed.
I was impressed also by the way the story transitions between each character. It’s easy to follow the dialog without feeling lost in the story. With the amount of people that he introduces, you were able to follow the conversations and not get lost with who said what.
I was fortunate to be given the second installment in the Alex Cave Adventure, Cold Energy. I’m really excited to see where the book Dead Energy left off and where the new one begins. I have high hopes for this author and his work.
The U. S. Coast Guard is called in about the Americrude oil tanker “Scorpio” who has dispatched a mayday call. Before the Coast Guard can reach the tanker, Alex Cave, reaches the ship first. Coming back from the San Juan Islands on his 35 ft. sailboat, he pulls his boat up next to the tanker and boards. Once aboard, he realizes that things are amiss. The crew is missing. The boat riding higher than it should. The life boats are still onboard. Something terribly wrong has happened!
By the time the Coast Guard makes it to the Scorpio, Alex Cave has done his investigation. Commander McBride who has the knack of being an ass, starts his questioning of Cave. CDR McBride, not happy with the cocky attitude he is getting from Cave, calls into check this guy out. It comes back that Alex Cave is a professor at the Univ. of Montana and teaches geology and geophysics. Then the kicker comes over, he’s also the special advisor to the Director of National Security. (This just tells you that Cave isn’t an ordinary man)
The mystery of the missing crew grows even more when the bodies are found inland in the snow on Mt. Baker. There aren’t any footprints surrounding the bodies. The coroner finds that the blood in the bodies has been dehydrated, but not with the means of heat. Through Cave’s contacts he finds that there is two more tanker ships abandoned in waters surrounding America’s coast.
As things are spinning out of control and gas is becoming tainted or missing. Marshall Law is enacted. It becomes every man, woman and child for themselves. A crazy militia group surfaces, who at first offer military type protection to those who come to their compound. As the militia group undergoes a drastic change in command, things get out of control and tempers flare. Then a mistake is made on their behalf. They seize Cave and his associates.
Even odder things begin to surface. A crystal like substance is being distributed and found in gas. People are acting weird and under the control of some entity. Nobody is certain what is going on or who is behind it all. That is until a man in a hospital describes what he witnessed at a store. With his description, things seem to start falling into place and Cave and his associates start formulate what is going on. Only question is, are they going to be able to solve this mystery and save humanity?
This was a well written book. With all the craziness that was going on, it was easy to follow. As the story flips flops back and forth between characters, you aren’t lost or confused. I also found that the description of the scenes throughout the book were perfect. Sometimes you will run across a new author that spends too much time describing people or the scenery. This isn’t the case with this book. He gave you just enough to build a picture in your head and not be overwhelmed.
I was impressed also by the way the story transitions between each character. It’s easy to follow the dialog without feeling lost in the story. With the amount of people that he introduces, you were able to follow the conversations and not get lost with who said what.
I was fortunate to be given the second installment in the Alex Cave Adventure, Cold Energy. I’m really excited to see where the book Dead Energy left off and where the new one begins. I have high hopes for this author and his work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2014
DEAD ENERGY - An Alex Cave Adventure
By James M. Corkill.
This book in my opinion is best described as a sci-fi techno thriller. But whatever else it is, this gripping story unfolds into a true science fiction yarn.
From the outset I set about reviewing the story… rather than making comments about the grammar or writing style. I will leave that to more qualified individuals.
A rich quasi-religious sect the Mennonite becomes pretentiously involved in dangerous environmental matters. The sect is led by Menno Simons a belligerent madman, who as the saga unfolds proves to be more than he originally seemed.
Using hitherto unknown technologies the sect makes a serious and very nearly successful attempt to eliminate the global supply of crude oil. Society quickly breaks down and in the oncoming struggle to survive the US fared worse than most. Small militia groups made up mostly of mercenaries and the worse criminal elements started to flourish and hold sway over their own geographical areas. One group in particular the Army of Survival (AOS) is featured in an interesting fall from grace where the egotistical and wicked were slowly replaced by the fanatical and evil. Murder and theft is commonplace, women are forced into prostitution, and children betray their families.
Through it all the protagonist Alex Cave remains true to his belief that society can be saved. Cave proved a likeable hero and a thoroughly believable character.
That takes us to the final chapters where the twist is what I think changed the story from a techno thriller into pure science fiction. I don’t want to go into this much because I have no wish to spoil the book by revealing the ending. Save to say, that I think at this point in the novel the writer dreadfully underplayed the main characters emotional response to the discovery of a vile creature who for whatever insane reasons had caused the almost total breakdown of society and the deaths of countless numbers of people. I would have liked a whirlpool emotion culminating in an unholy cry for revenge.
Even though the villain eventually paid the ultimate price for his diabolical crimes I felt his excuse that the need to save the planet by forcing it technologically backwards, introducing his new tyrannical government, and then in the long run offering a controlled source of new cleaner energy was in part accepted. I may be wrong but it seemed the characters were prepared to accept the argument… that the end justifies the means. The leading characters seemed to take the attitude that what’s done is done and that in these extreme circumstances natural justice should be suspended in favour of cooperation from the surviving villain.
That said, it all made for a very thought provoking story. I enjoyed the yarn and will definitely read other work by this talented storyteller.
By James M. Corkill.
This book in my opinion is best described as a sci-fi techno thriller. But whatever else it is, this gripping story unfolds into a true science fiction yarn.
From the outset I set about reviewing the story… rather than making comments about the grammar or writing style. I will leave that to more qualified individuals.
A rich quasi-religious sect the Mennonite becomes pretentiously involved in dangerous environmental matters. The sect is led by Menno Simons a belligerent madman, who as the saga unfolds proves to be more than he originally seemed.
Using hitherto unknown technologies the sect makes a serious and very nearly successful attempt to eliminate the global supply of crude oil. Society quickly breaks down and in the oncoming struggle to survive the US fared worse than most. Small militia groups made up mostly of mercenaries and the worse criminal elements started to flourish and hold sway over their own geographical areas. One group in particular the Army of Survival (AOS) is featured in an interesting fall from grace where the egotistical and wicked were slowly replaced by the fanatical and evil. Murder and theft is commonplace, women are forced into prostitution, and children betray their families.
Through it all the protagonist Alex Cave remains true to his belief that society can be saved. Cave proved a likeable hero and a thoroughly believable character.
That takes us to the final chapters where the twist is what I think changed the story from a techno thriller into pure science fiction. I don’t want to go into this much because I have no wish to spoil the book by revealing the ending. Save to say, that I think at this point in the novel the writer dreadfully underplayed the main characters emotional response to the discovery of a vile creature who for whatever insane reasons had caused the almost total breakdown of society and the deaths of countless numbers of people. I would have liked a whirlpool emotion culminating in an unholy cry for revenge.
Even though the villain eventually paid the ultimate price for his diabolical crimes I felt his excuse that the need to save the planet by forcing it technologically backwards, introducing his new tyrannical government, and then in the long run offering a controlled source of new cleaner energy was in part accepted. I may be wrong but it seemed the characters were prepared to accept the argument… that the end justifies the means. The leading characters seemed to take the attitude that what’s done is done and that in these extreme circumstances natural justice should be suspended in favour of cooperation from the surviving villain.
That said, it all made for a very thought provoking story. I enjoyed the yarn and will definitely read other work by this talented storyteller.
February 28, 2022
"One of the Most Exciting Novels I've Read This Year"
This is a fantastic adventure/thriller that will grab you right from the beginning. A crew member on an oil tanker, "Scorpio," puts out a mayday call screaming that something is wrong with the ship. It's located just inside the strait of Juan De 'Fuca in Washington state.and is headed toward a refinery. As Alex Cave is lowering the sails of his chartered 35-foot sailboat, he hears the mayday call and listens to the Coast Guard respond to the distress call. He can just make out the ship through his binoculars. There is a brilliant flash of light outlining the vessel about four miles away. Starting the yacht's engine, he heads toward the vessel, surprisingly arriving before the Coast Guard. Alex boards the vessel, but there are no crew members aboard. When the Coast Guard Cutter "Adler" arrives with an enraged Commander McBride, he pounces on Cave with wrong assumptions. Soon, the radioman from "Adler" informs McBride about the ship's course from home port Valdez, Alaska enroute to the refinery with 12 thousand tons of crude oil. But the ship not only has no crew, but it is also missing it's cargo! Is this a mystery or not? McBride soon is informed as to who Alex Cave is: a professor at the University of Montana teaching geology and geophysics; and he also possesses a top-secret clearance, and is special advisor to the Director of National Security, Martin Donner. One can now assume the professional, cool-headed Cave outranks the near-out-of-control commander. There are many, many more events which will blow your mind! This story is extremely well written and reminds me of the popular novels written by Clive Cussler and James Rollins. High adventure, mystery, action, and the pace is ultra-vigorous. Each character is captivating, the plot development is excellent which weaves smoothly from scene to scene. I was so thrilled from the first chapter that it inspired me to read rather than do my chores! Highly recommend.
This is a fantastic adventure/thriller that will grab you right from the beginning. A crew member on an oil tanker, "Scorpio," puts out a mayday call screaming that something is wrong with the ship. It's located just inside the strait of Juan De 'Fuca in Washington state.and is headed toward a refinery. As Alex Cave is lowering the sails of his chartered 35-foot sailboat, he hears the mayday call and listens to the Coast Guard respond to the distress call. He can just make out the ship through his binoculars. There is a brilliant flash of light outlining the vessel about four miles away. Starting the yacht's engine, he heads toward the vessel, surprisingly arriving before the Coast Guard. Alex boards the vessel, but there are no crew members aboard. When the Coast Guard Cutter "Adler" arrives with an enraged Commander McBride, he pounces on Cave with wrong assumptions. Soon, the radioman from "Adler" informs McBride about the ship's course from home port Valdez, Alaska enroute to the refinery with 12 thousand tons of crude oil. But the ship not only has no crew, but it is also missing it's cargo! Is this a mystery or not? McBride soon is informed as to who Alex Cave is: a professor at the University of Montana teaching geology and geophysics; and he also possesses a top-secret clearance, and is special advisor to the Director of National Security, Martin Donner. One can now assume the professional, cool-headed Cave outranks the near-out-of-control commander. There are many, many more events which will blow your mind! This story is extremely well written and reminds me of the popular novels written by Clive Cussler and James Rollins. High adventure, mystery, action, and the pace is ultra-vigorous. Each character is captivating, the plot development is excellent which weaves smoothly from scene to scene. I was so thrilled from the first chapter that it inspired me to read rather than do my chores! Highly recommend.
December 15, 2013
This is a very entertaining story, very well written, that develops in a nice pace . When I was reading it, it reminded me the book "The Survivors" by Angela White in certain moments, mainly when the focus was on the army created after the chaos was in place. Also the NBC's TV-Series "Revolution" came to my mind, but this story is unique in a sense that the plot is directed to crude oil vanishing. Our hero is an ex-CIA agent named Alex Cave, that by coincidence witnesses the first case of crude oil disappearing from a tanker when he is sailing on his boat on close waters to the event. After reporting the incident, he is asked to investigate what is going on by his friend and Director of National Security, Martin Donner, and count on the help of Christa, a young physicist, and Bull, a supervisor at the All Alaska Oil Company. The story is full of very well developed characters, on a plot easy to follow and full of twists and keeps you cheering for your hero during the whole book. There are other parallel stories that are interlaced to the main plot in a very natural way, all converging to the apotheosis at the end. There are lots of brilliant sequences in action, some dose of romance and all the good ingredients that make this book a must read for all fiction lovers that want to spend some hours entertained. It took me around sixteen hours to read the whole book. I can cannot wait to read the next episode on Alex Cave adventures!
This book was written by James M.Corkill and I received an electronic version for reviewing. I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.
This book was written by James M.Corkill and I received an electronic version for reviewing. I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.
May 3, 2015
Dead Energy is a page-turner. The premise is good. The mystery of the missing oil continues to build throughout the story, and the repercussions of what would happen seem plausible--that might be the most frightening part of the story.
Society starts to crumble, pitting human against human. There are enough details of the meltdown to give a person pause. McCorkill paints a bleak picture of what happens when the means to fuel our normal life is taken away from us. His description of what happens while the oil is vanishing is excellent.
His character building is good. I liked the central characters in the story--each unique and well-drawn. It was easy to get pulled in and empathize with them.
Alex Cave is a hero for the ages. He stuck with it, outwitting and outlasting the worst of the villains in the story. And I rooted for him the whole way through.
Society starts to crumble, pitting human against human. There are enough details of the meltdown to give a person pause. McCorkill paints a bleak picture of what happens when the means to fuel our normal life is taken away from us. His description of what happens while the oil is vanishing is excellent.
His character building is good. I liked the central characters in the story--each unique and well-drawn. It was easy to get pulled in and empathize with them.
Alex Cave is a hero for the ages. He stuck with it, outwitting and outlasting the worst of the villains in the story. And I rooted for him the whole way through.
April 9, 2014
An amazing story. From science fiction to budding romance to doomsday apocalypse, this book has it all. The author does a great job of weaving the fantastical with reality, and bringing them together as a single entity. The author takes you on a roller-coaster ride from the very first page, and it doesn't stop until the last page. I couldn't put the book down; I was dying to know what happened next. The author really keeps you on the edge of your seat. The book is fast-paced and suspenseful.
The characters are written so well they really come to life right off the pages. The main character, Alex Cave, is a true man of mystery.
As a debut novel, James Corkill really delivers. This is definitely an author to keep an eye on. I look forward to reading more adventures of Alex Cave.
The characters are written so well they really come to life right off the pages. The main character, Alex Cave, is a true man of mystery.
As a debut novel, James Corkill really delivers. This is definitely an author to keep an eye on. I look forward to reading more adventures of Alex Cave.
January 17, 2016
Loved it going for book two
Good mystery, thriller. Loved the crystal energy idea, my son says it's possible in the future. The girls rocked it in the AOS camp. Total unexpected foo-bar flight in space.
Good mystery, thriller. Loved the crystal energy idea, my son says it's possible in the future. The girls rocked it in the AOS camp. Total unexpected foo-bar flight in space.
June 29, 2019
This is a science fiction novel, although it is written and paced more like a geopolitical thriller, and it is only at the end that it moves into more standard sci-fi territory.
This is the first in a series of novels featuring Alex Cave, and apparently Corkhill rewrote the ending when he returned to writing the series, having had a long break after this novel. The book is fast-paced and pretty easy to read, although Corkhill doesn't write romantic relationships all that well - perhaps that will improve in the later novels in the series.
This is the first in a series of novels featuring Alex Cave, and apparently Corkhill rewrote the ending when he returned to writing the series, having had a long break after this novel. The book is fast-paced and pretty easy to read, although Corkhill doesn't write romantic relationships all that well - perhaps that will improve in the later novels in the series.
March 20, 2017
A good what if story of trying to live with out oil energy
The author tells a story of good action. He keeps on edge from the beging to the end. You keep wanting to know, what is going to happen next. The story line is so believable. This is must read.
The author tells a story of good action. He keeps on edge from the beging to the end. You keep wanting to know, what is going to happen next. The story line is so believable. This is must read.
June 27, 2017
I seem to read in clumps: first a few westerns, then a couple of horror stories (and I HATE horror stories but sometimes they are so well done . . .), a pair of romances, a cozy mystery or three, and now I'm in a techno-thriller phase. Of course, to make it more interesting, these days most authors ignore genre and just write the SciFi/Romance/Dystopian Western Thriller of their choices. Aptly narrated by Paul J. McSorley (AUDIO), the story bounces from Boseman, Montana, to Alaska, to Texas, Idaho and Nevada. (Author James M. Corkill apologizes if your state isn't mentioned and may endeavor to include it in his next literary offering.) <-- I *SO* made that up =o]
With the bulk of those states being in the west, we'll leave on the Western tag.
Next, the premise--oil supplies are being hijacked and western--no, GLOBAL!--civilization is crumbling fast as pack mentality sets in. Oh, yeah, Dystopian! Romance? Well we have a dead wife and not one but TWO lovely ladies vying for the attention of the hero. In mixed-genre, however, no promises of HEA (Happily Ever After). And that brings us to Science Fiction. Nevada. Need I say more?
Oh, almost forgot the original tag--Techno Thriller: he's an ex-CIA geologist. Note I left out Christian and Military. If I say Jim Jones and Survivalist will you agree I should leave them out?
I strongly recommend you suspend your disbelief and jump into the vivid imagination of Mr. McCorkill for a romp with a possible destiny.
With the bulk of those states being in the west, we'll leave on the Western tag.
Next, the premise--oil supplies are being hijacked and western--no, GLOBAL!--civilization is crumbling fast as pack mentality sets in. Oh, yeah, Dystopian! Romance? Well we have a dead wife and not one but TWO lovely ladies vying for the attention of the hero. In mixed-genre, however, no promises of HEA (Happily Ever After). And that brings us to Science Fiction. Nevada. Need I say more?
Oh, almost forgot the original tag--Techno Thriller: he's an ex-CIA geologist. Note I left out Christian and Military. If I say Jim Jones and Survivalist will you agree I should leave them out?
I strongly recommend you suspend your disbelief and jump into the vivid imagination of Mr. McCorkill for a romp with a possible destiny.
January 30, 2015
Randomly chosen book for me and it was a good choice. Definitely a page-turner. Crude oil begins disappearing at first from transportation tankers and then from the oil fields. Alex Cave has a heavy past that he doesn't want to shine the light on at all, but he is still within reach to the Director of National Security. Alex is actually sailing off the coast of Washington State and witnesses something with the tanker Scorpio. He hears their mayday request and is within sight of the tanker. He decides to assist if he can as he's closer than the Coast Guard. When he steps onto the ship, it's eerily deserted. Alex discovers when he arrives back to land that the crew members were found in the mountains over a hundred and fifty miles away. The mystery around the Scorpio is just a small piece of the puzzle. America is far too dependent on fossil fuel and with the tankers popping up empty a rationing begins. People start to panic, especially on the West Coast where transportation is usually costly anyway, but with no fuel to head back east, many trucks aren't coming out West. The trucks that are braving the trek are being hijacked. Alex needs to find out what's going on before the whole country is ruined.
June 13, 2017
What did you love best about Dead Energy?
Omgoddess! This was an incredibly fast paced, well written thriller sci-fi book! The characters were deep, educated, and held fast convictions of individual belief, however wrong or immoral some could be.
The characters dealt with pains, grief, unrequited love, and hope. Even the villain didn't lose sight of their goals.
The book had inklings of typical chaos, but the similarity ended at that aspect. The climax was unexpected and could not have been guessed. It was unique and tied up all of the clues.
Which character – as performed by Paul J McSorley – was your favorite?
Paul J McSorley did a fabulous job with the dozens of characters in this book. His accent was perfect for the storytelling of the settings in this book.
Any additional comments?
I wasn't crazy about the rush of instaloves in the final chapters. It was not realistic and failed to complete this epic book. But a simple disappointment in this otherwise flawless and stay-up-all-night book.
For that reason, I'd DEFINITELY recommend this as a book to read on lazy days sans a To Do List deadline or the night before work or school!
Omgoddess! This was an incredibly fast paced, well written thriller sci-fi book! The characters were deep, educated, and held fast convictions of individual belief, however wrong or immoral some could be.
The characters dealt with pains, grief, unrequited love, and hope. Even the villain didn't lose sight of their goals.
The book had inklings of typical chaos, but the similarity ended at that aspect. The climax was unexpected and could not have been guessed. It was unique and tied up all of the clues.
Which character – as performed by Paul J McSorley – was your favorite?
Paul J McSorley did a fabulous job with the dozens of characters in this book. His accent was perfect for the storytelling of the settings in this book.
Any additional comments?
I wasn't crazy about the rush of instaloves in the final chapters. It was not realistic and failed to complete this epic book. But a simple disappointment in this otherwise flawless and stay-up-all-night book.
For that reason, I'd DEFINITELY recommend this as a book to read on lazy days sans a To Do List deadline or the night before work or school!
July 31, 2016
Oil? What Oil
With many of the storylines ending up now days with girls as the heroine, who is happy to fight everything and have a hot night and then rush out to save the world, Its actually nice to find a story with a male hero who it that traditional tall dark and handsome chap who rubs shoulders with world leaders, has a small spread in Montana (with a few head of horses, always turns the eyes of the ladies with his soft drawl and rustic looks, the of course, is called upon to please come and fight the evil that’s about to attack and please just save the world. This story stands well on its own and while it has a few aliens, is actually quite a realistic storyline that could, or may have, happened in the past. I like the way the author carries the story along without dragging in too much technical jabber, yea is clear on all the finer details that make the story so real. I think it was one of those, wow that was good and can I have a second helping please, sort of tales. The writer should go a long way.
A review copy was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
With many of the storylines ending up now days with girls as the heroine, who is happy to fight everything and have a hot night and then rush out to save the world, Its actually nice to find a story with a male hero who it that traditional tall dark and handsome chap who rubs shoulders with world leaders, has a small spread in Montana (with a few head of horses, always turns the eyes of the ladies with his soft drawl and rustic looks, the of course, is called upon to please come and fight the evil that’s about to attack and please just save the world. This story stands well on its own and while it has a few aliens, is actually quite a realistic storyline that could, or may have, happened in the past. I like the way the author carries the story along without dragging in too much technical jabber, yea is clear on all the finer details that make the story so real. I think it was one of those, wow that was good and can I have a second helping please, sort of tales. The writer should go a long way.
A review copy was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
July 1, 2014
An amazing story. From science fiction to budding romance to doomsday apocalypse, this book has it all. The author does a great job of weaving the fantastical with reality, and bringing them together as a single entity. The author takes you on a roller-coaster ride from the very first page, and it doesn't stop until the last page. I couldn't put the book down; I was dying to know what happened next. The author really keeps you on the edge of your seat. The book is fast-paced and suspenseful.
The characters are written so well they really come to life right off the pages. The main character, Alex Cave, is a true man of mystery.
As a debut novel, James Corkill really delivers. This is definitely an author to keep an eye on. I look forward to reading more adventures of Alex Cave.
The characters are written so well they really come to life right off the pages. The main character, Alex Cave, is a true man of mystery.
As a debut novel, James Corkill really delivers. This is definitely an author to keep an eye on. I look forward to reading more adventures of Alex Cave.
June 19, 2015
Thrill ride.
I enjoyed the adventures of Alex, Christa, Judy (love triangle), Menno Simons and the AoS. The AoS sequences dragged a bit for me because I was impatient to learn about what was happening to the world's oil and why it was being transformed into crystals. I'm not going to give away any spoilers, but I will say I cheered for the heroes and found the ending a roller coaster into the stratosphere. High-octane and intelligent. I am glad James Corkill decided to rework the novel into the first into a series and to keep writing because he clearly knows how to tell a story.
I enjoyed the adventures of Alex, Christa, Judy (love triangle), Menno Simons and the AoS. The AoS sequences dragged a bit for me because I was impatient to learn about what was happening to the world's oil and why it was being transformed into crystals. I'm not going to give away any spoilers, but I will say I cheered for the heroes and found the ending a roller coaster into the stratosphere. High-octane and intelligent. I am glad James Corkill decided to rework the novel into the first into a series and to keep writing because he clearly knows how to tell a story.
March 21, 2019
The premise of this story is very good and I wavered back and forth betw three and four stars for it. I finally decided to round up. I did enjoy the book but it needs a good editing. I recommend it even though I did have issues with some of the more unbelievable parts (hiking over 80 miles instead of calling for help, for instance) and it seemed that every thing in the book happened within just a few days where, I hope, this much chaos would take a few weeks or even months. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
December 30, 2013
An alien using a new energy source to make a point. Oil production disrupted. A group of survivalists under the control of a sadist. Alex Cave, a geology professor from Montana is on vacation on a sail boat when he finds a tanker derelict. The crew is missing and the oil is gone. As more oil goes missing, the Northwestern United States dissolves into chaos. Alex Cave must work while he can to find a solution before civilization collapses entirely.
Mr. Corkill has written an intriguing tale the is fast paced and hard to put down.
Mr. Corkill has written an intriguing tale the is fast paced and hard to put down.
September 10, 2014
This book provided an interesting twist on a present day scifi. I liked the premise behind the story and the beginning three quarters of the book were great. This book has some very typical hero type characters but it also shows some of the darker side of everyday people if pushed into a hard situation. There actually could have been a bit more focus on this darkness but it was a good mix for the most part. The story appeared to jump the shark a bit toward the end in a way that I didn't think was required however this may be a setup for the following books that I haven't read yet.
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December 8, 2014terribly dated. The main character escaped the soviet union a couple of years ago, still uses a home answering machine and the internet and mobile phones barley exist. Not really what I was expecting and not too impressive.
May 21, 2014
Great story line with a twist.
January 27, 2016
Corkill's story of what could happen if our main energy source began to disappear is entertaining and plausible. It is a great read and I've already ordered the second book in the series.
May 27, 2017
Interesting
Wow i didn't want to put it down. Lots of action. I did not like the ending. Terrorism at its worst.
Wow i didn't want to put it down. Lots of action. I did not like the ending. Terrorism at its worst.
July 28, 2017
This is a great story set in the present someone is stealing the world oil supply and Alex Cave is determined to solve the mystery. Thriller with a SIFI element would definitely recommend this read
May 9, 2018
I loved every book in this series! Non stop adventure and some futuristic things, too.
March 8, 2019
Book 1
What a great book. Makes the mind race with questions and thoughts, what ifs. So much to realize and explore. Loved it!
What a great book. Makes the mind race with questions and thoughts, what ifs. So much to realize and explore. Loved it!
October 21, 2023
Alex Cave is an ex-CIA agent and is a university professor of geophysics at a small college in Montana. A huge oil tanker with no crew disappears off the coast of Puget Sound leaving only sea water. Environmental Activist Reverend Menno Simmons wants to transform oil into new clean and powerful energy source and doesn’t care about depleting the world’s supply of raw crude oil. The Alaska pipeline and west coast refineries grow empty and people in cities begin to panic when they cannot get any basic supplies due to the oil crisis. With the help of National Security Director Martin Donner, oil specialist Crista and Alex’s friend Bull their investigation leads Alex to a spacecraft at Groom Lake and the only clue that he has is a dollar-size crystal which seems to be alive. I really enjoyed this fantastic science fiction thriller novel.
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December 5, 2019Dead Energy (Alex Cave, #1), my first read from author James M. Corkill. Well-written and captivating with well-developed main characters reminding one of Christopher Cartwright’s Sam Reilly writings. I received an Audible copy of Pandora's Eyes (The Alex Cave Series, Book 5) back in March of this year & wanted to read the series in order so I bought this book. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
January 10, 2025
This is more like a 3.5 stars. Interesting plot which takes twists I didn't see coming but quick ending. In the last few pages, revealed fact makes this story totally impossible.
I will read Alex Cave #2 a read and determine whether I continue with this series
I will read Alex Cave #2 a read and determine whether I continue with this series
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