The Boy from Reactor 4

Nadia Tesla #1

by Orest Stelmach

Nadia’s memories of her father are not happy ones. An angry, secretive man, he died when she was thirteen, leaving his past shrouded in mystery. When a stranger claims to have known her father during his early years in Eastern Europe, she agrees to meet—only to watch the man shot dead on a city sidewalk. With his last breath, he whispers a cryptic clue, one that will propel Nadia on a high-stakes treasure hunt from New York to her ancestral homeland of Ukraine. There she meets an unlikely Adam, a teenage hockey prodigy who honed his skills on the abandoned cooling ponds of Chernobyl. Physically and emotionally scarred by radiation syndrome, Adam possesses a secret that could change the world—if she can keep him alive long enough to do it. A twisting tale of greed, secrets, and lies, The Boy from Reactor 4 will keep readers guessing until the final heart-stopping page.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Ukraine, Mystery Thriller, Russia

388 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 29, 2011

About the author

Orest Stelmach is the Kindle#1 bestselling author of six novels. His Nadia Tesla Series has been optioned for film development and translated into numerous foreign languages. He's a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Orest lives in Weatogue, Connecticut, with his wife and rescue cat.

Reviews

[L.A. Starks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa--this book was so much fun! The protagonist is a Ukrainian woman from Connecticut, but the action takes place in New York, Ukraine, and Russia.
While there's an information dump here and there, readers will enjoy the suspense, authentic dialogue, wily characters, and the bond between the protagonist and the boy she must rescue.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

Highly, highly recommended for mystery and thriller readers, especially those who like international settings.

[Pete Morin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read over 40 mystery/suspense/thriller novels during the past 18 months, and none of them circumnavigate the globe. Orest Stelmach's The Boy From Reactor 4 does that - and everything else - with elan and eclat.

This is the story of an American woman who is sucked into the global search for a "secret formula" by the machinations of a long-lost uncle, a Ukrainian thief thought to have been dead. Her search for Uncle Damian takes her inside of the razor wire separating the ravages of Chernobyl from the rest of the world.

Stelmach's knack for description of place is but one gem in this crown of jewels. I could smell the NYC sidewalk vendors' roasted chestnuts, his street scenes shined with such authenticity But it was when Nadia Tesla's mission brought her to Ukraine, and later to the dark, foreboding venue of Chernobyl, that the description really packs a wallop.

This is a work of superb imagination and grand storytelling that really gripped me. If you've ever had the notion to travel across the breadth of Russia in a train, or drive the pockmarked ice and mud roads of Irkutsk to get to the Bering Straits, then this is second best.

And the surprise ending is worth every second of tension.

I stumbled across Stelmach in a LinkedIn group. What great good fortune.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Initially I purchased this because a portion of the proceeds went towards the Chernobyl Children's Project International organization. After reading the synopsis, I wasn’t sure what to expect – hockey, Ukrainian and Russian mafia members, Chernobyl references – how on Earth can you fit all that into one plot?!

The chapters in this book are VERY short – like two pages and then you’re on to the next chapter; this makes it very tricky to keep up with the different vantage points in the book – you’re never quite sure who the narrator is.

Back to the story line – some parts are easy to predict what happens, and the prologue of the book already gives away the ending, which is a little disappointing. I really enjoyed, though, how the author explained a lot of the cultural references, or the historical significance of many of the locations or events. If anything, perhaps it will give readers a renewed interest in the Chernobyl accident and the aftermath which still plagues the country today. There is an interesting depiction of Ukrainian culture - corruption and greed, which seems to plague the government even today.

The characters of “the good guys” (Nadia, Adam, Damian, and the array of folks who help them along the way) are likeable enough, but you still question their motives. No one helps for the sake of helping or out of care – there are always ulterior motives and hidden agendas. Of course, those characters portraying the Ukrainian and Russian mafia are not to be liked – they are ruthless, cold-blooded, and money-hungry. There is definitely some foul language to deal with – so be warned of that. There are some violent scenes as well, though nothing that would traumatize you after reading them.

Overall, it was a decent read…Would I pick it up again? I’m not sure. Would I recommend it to others? Maybe, depending on their interests.

[Mark C · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. Truly. I am fascinated with Russian and Ukrainian culture. I wanted to learn more about Chernobyl. But I just couldn't do it. It wants to be a mystery-thriller, but the author's insistence in breaking up the chapters into bite-sized chunks (never more than 5 pages probably to make it an easy bathroom or "waiting for airplane" reader) makes it impossible to get into a scene, get to know a characters, or become intrigued by a mystery before you're onto the next thing. Half the time, the sudden changes in perspective left me thinking I had missed whole chapters.

I simply can't recommend this book to anyone. The concept is great and the outline is good. But the actual execution is too flawed.

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nadia Tesla, a mid-thirties New York woman of Ukrainian descent, gets drawn into travelling to Ukraine to meet a long lost uncle and cousin. The story involves various groups of Ukrainian criminals, two based in the US and one in Ukraine, and a trip to Chernobyl. Not quite good enough for 4 stars, but good enough for me to try the second book in the series

[Katya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading a book that features your stomping grounds can go one of two ways; either the author gets all the details right down to the local accent and last blade of grass, or you read an obviously-cobbled-together-from-Wikipedia version of your city/country. Bravo to Orest Stelmach for getting it all right in his new novel The Boy from Reactor 4. The last ten years of my life have been lived in Alaska, Ukraine, and Siberia, three of the locations featured in the story, and he paints life as it is in those places.
I'd swear the characters are real people that I've met before.
The locations, from the backroads of the Siberian tundra to the caves of Pechersk Lavra in Kiev, are laid out brilliantly before the reader.
And the storyline is so rich, so dramatic, and so far out there that it ends up being entirely possible.

This novel is going to be one of the greatest vicarious adventures you can live in 2013!

[Sky Thibedeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nadia Tesla is an unemployed Ukrainian American woman who is thrust into an exciting adventure when a man claiming to be a friend of her father’s is shot beside her. His last words to her; “Find Damien, Find Andrew Steen. Millions. Fate of free world” pushes her into an exciting mystery filled with twists and turns.

She becomes a target of local Eastern European thugs that believe she has discovered the whereabouts of her Uncle Damien’s $10 million he stole from the communists in the 1970’s. She finds her Uncle is alive and has a son he wants to send to the US.

She goes to the Ukraine pursued by the Russian Mafia looking for her uncle’s money. She finds that he is living in the restricted area near the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant where there is high radiation and other danger. She meets her uncle and agrees to take in her cousin and return with him to the US.

There are many exciting moments as Nadia and Adam try to escape her pursuers. Many red herrings and misunderstandings add flavor to the mystery of the boy from reactor 4. Where is Damien’s treasure?
I enjoyed the book very much. It made for pleasant bedtime reading. It is a very wild and fun adventure with a smart, resourceful female protagonist.

[One Man Book Club · Rating 3 out of 5]

How about a mixed bag? I'm trying to decide what I can say about The Boy From Reactor 4. I mean, I didn't really love it, but some parts were really cool. The chase across Siberia was exciting. The mystery was fun and ended with an unexpected twist. Going into Chernobyl was fascinating, as was Kiev and Russia. I enjoyed getting a new perspective on history, and idea that I was learning the true story behind the Chernobyl disaster was great. Unfortunately, the weird things were hard to ignore. The bad guys had too much baggage--they were too distracting instead of evil and menacing. They nearly stole the story. The rotten and unnecessarily foul language was a huge turn off, as was the completely out of the blue sex scene that was so far out of character I wondered if I'd somehow jumped into a completely different book.

Usually I'll find a way to love a good story enough to overlook the negatives. I'm really trying, but I'm afraid The Boy From Reactor 4 isn't one of those books. But who am I to say? Maybe you'll see things differently. That's the thing about a mixed bag....there's going to be something for everyone!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book and honestly didn't even realize that I'd read its prequel until I read something that made me think, "hey, that sounds familiar - like it came from that other book I read earlier this year."

I think my only real issue with it is its pacing, which I think I had a problem with in The Altar Girl (the prequel to this book), so maybe it's the author's writing style and I just don't entirely mesh well with it. I just felt like everything took so long to occur that I actually lost track of how many days had gone past in the story and when it finally came up it seemed too short a time considering how long I felt it took to get there.

[M.J. Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though this book has a horrible cover and just as unappealing of a title, and I would never have picked it up if hadn't been free at Denver Comic Con, it was an exceptional book! Such a surprise and not a science fiction story that I was expecting, either. The main character of the story is Nadia, a young woman from New York, who finds herself in trouble with mob-like men. They're demanding she pay them money they lost when the FBI raided their business after she wrote an article exposing them. If she doesn't, she loses her life. She has no money, though, and the only way she sees to get out of her mess is to find an uncle who had reported stolen ten million dollars decades earlier. From there, Nadia sets out on a wild adventure, traveling to Ukraine, Russia, and Siberia. The tension is great, the pacing is fast, and the outcome is perfect.

If you love thrillers and suspense, you really need to read this book - I HIGHLY recommend it!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the book that originally led me to this series. The title was incredibly intriguing.
This book started off with bombshells of action and mystery. I was hooked! They were a fabulous driver to keep me asking questions and wanting to know more.
This story was so masterfully written. I loved how everything and everyone was woven together and kept me wanting to know more and find out how it was all connected and how it would all piece together bit by bit.
I loved the way the race to the conclusion was written, and the ending was incredibly intense! I am already reaching for the next book in the series.

[Grace Harwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a well-written, really enjoyable crime caper novel. The action was fast and I thought that to keep the pace up, the short chapter style worked well (I know some readers haven't liked that element of the book, but it worked for me). The heroine, Nadia, was stylish, resourceful and cunning, and she bears a good likeness to "the fox" to which her fellow characters compare her. Adam is a good hero too - I liked the fact that he had his background in "the Zone" and I felt he offered something different than the usual standard run-of-the-mill hero. I really enjoyed reading the section in the book which is based in the Ukraine itself. It was a fascinating window into another world and I found it so interesting to read about Chernobyl and "the Zone" in the aftermath of nuclear meltdown. Some of the other characters aren't quite as strong as the leads - the Mafia characters are a bit more stereotypical, but there's a good twist at the end. Also "Specter" as a name for a spy? Bit obvious, but there you go. At least it turns out that it's not his real name. It's a real page turner this one, and it didn't take me long to get through at all. At the end I was racing through it faster than the hero and heroine are racing away from their pursuers. One criticism: the author puts the wrong character name on page 280 - he refers to "Nadia and Damian" boarding a train, when, of course, it should be "Nadia and Adam". Damian we had last seen dying in "the Zone." It's a small thing but it speaks volumes of lack of editing and checking which I find intensely irritating. When a book reaches this stage it should be as polished as it is possible to be, and not contain basic, silly errors.

This - very minor point aside - I can recommend this one - there's not much substance to it, but the pace and action is good and it's very, very readable.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story takes us virtually around the world in a flash of flight, fury and intrigue. Opening in New York City, the main character, Nadia Tesla of Ukranian descent, is personally delivered a message from a man who is immediately shot and killed. At stake are millions of dollars, the fate of the free world, and Nadia’s own family. The story quickly goes to the underground in a whirl of dangerous characters that threaten her life at every turn.

The depiction of Ukraine and the culture there is fascinating to this American reader. Various characters—whether trustworthy or seedy—people the pages with lifestyles that illustrate a country where the bad guys and government officials form a maze of deceit as they work together for nefarious purposes. Excursions into the Chernobyl disaster “Zone” reveal a frighteningly desperate way of life for the inhabitants damned to deteriorate under the heavy hand of radiation poisoning.

Although a fast read in the second half of the book, the beginning throws a lot of characters on the table that are difficult to differentiate for lack of character depth. Additionally, while the plot is certainly quite interesting, the book cries out for much better editing. These two reasons keep my rating below four stars.

The Boy from Reactor 4 is a very entertaining and informative read allowing for a little history along the way. If you are an American as I am, you will likely gain a deeper appreciation for your home country by story’s end.

[Dan Mayland · Rating 5 out of 5]

As entertainment, The Boy From Reactor 4 is a spectacular success. The pacing is breakneck, the action unrelenting, the spare use of language well-suited to the genre, and our underdog heroine—Nadia Tesla—is plucky, likeable, and easy to root for on her dangerous quest to uncover a secret of vital importance to the world. But this book is more than just an entertaining thriller.

Stelmach’s haunting depictions of the exclusion zone that surrounds the ruins of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor give readers an intimate glimpse into a part of the world that has endured far too much suffering. His portrayal of Ukraine’s capital city of Kiev, and the way he skillfully weaves the history and culture of Ukraine into the story, is superb. As the novel circumnavigates the globe, his insights into Siberia and the people that live there add even more depth to the story.

Where others might see only misery and cruelty, Stelmach finds beauty, and—sometimes—even kindness.

The final revelation, the promise of which relentlessly propels this story, confirms that The Boy From Reactor 4 has a heart of gold.

The novel is the first of a series; I look forward the next.

[Katherine Coble · Rating 1 out of 5]

Since it's April 1 I feel like I should write a review praising the book for how interesting it is, how well-developed the characters are and how straightforward the plot is. Because that would be a great APRIL FOOL!

I think this book might be meant for the type of people who enjoy stock characters faffing about in one increasingly improbable scenario after the other. It reminds me very much of twenty other generic thrillers that hope to accomplish Dan Brown style popularity by flinging the characters around the globe after macguffins. Sadly, they aren't as good as fan brown. And that means they are very bad indeed.

[julia de jong · Rating 5 out of 5]

at first i had a hard time getting into the writing style of the author, the chapters are very short and sometimes id have to read a page twice before really understanding whats going on, but once i got deeper into the story i had no problems with that anymore. the story was extremely well written and fast paced. if youre someone who doesnt like long winded books that take a lot of time til they get to the point this book is for you. there's a lot of action immediately and you'll never be bored because theres plottwists everywhere. i finished this book very fast and this is definitely one of my favourite books ive ever read

[Andrew Mueller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read and a solid first effort from Stelmach. I found the first portion of the book a little erratic, but I enjoyed it more as I progressed. The scenery was a nice change of pace; I've always been fascinated with Chernobyl. It definitely setup what appears to be a series based on his next novel coming out in early 2014 and I will be tuning in.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving it a 5 because of the way the book moved so quickly from place to place. I really liked reading about the Zone as I know nothing about Chernobyl. Damian was a terrific character who never left his death bed but accomplished so much. Nadia is an interesting character and I'm looking forward to reading more about her.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my usual style, but I couldn't put it down. It keeps you guessing until the end. Highly recommend it.

[Dave Carroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a strange synchroncity that occurs when you begin to expand your reading horizons personified in the final pages of this book.

A few years ago I became conscious of the American and British centric narure my reading had become over the years so I ventured into a project of reading works from authors from every nation. In an effort to try to read representative work from each country I decided to orient towards celebrated authors which, in some nations with long literary traditions can be challenging to narrow down. Using both a chronological list of Nobel Laureates for Literature and and alphabetical list of nations, I had made steady success through the A's and was working through the B's when I reached Belarus. I expected a long list of literary notables but was surprised to find the list of celebrated Belarusian authors rather small, particularly those with works translated into English.

Thus, my discovery of Svetlana Alexievich, the first ever Nobel Prize winner for literature awarded in 2015. I picked up one of her seminal works, "Voices From Chernobyl" which turned out to be a rather haunting study of the survivors of the nuclear reactor explosion that still plagues the people in the border region of Belarus and Ukraine. Hearing what I was reading, my mother-in-law purchased "The Boy From Reactor 4."

It also told the story of Chernobyl but fictionalized and from the Ukrainian perspective and introducing heroinne Nadia Tesla, a child of Ukrainian immigrants on a quest to uncover family secrets. I won't go into too much detail of either work other than to suggest that the depopulating of a vast swath of industrial and natural resource rich Soviet countryside breed both tragedy and opportunity. While the Soviet Union tried to literally and figuratively bury the tragedy and erase the signs of tragedy, the people who knew it only as home could not be stopped from returning and settling off the grid to live off the land as they always have. Along with them are a unique breed of scientists, engineers, maintenance people and a cottage adventure tourists who can't resist the lure of "The Zone."

Stelmach did a great job of capturing these unique and crazy/brave people and the underappreciated risks they willingly undertake in a place many want to forget. Stelmach weaves a fun and intriguing tale of adventure and treasure hunting with a journey into the Russian and Ukrainian underworld that tells a modern immigrant's tale.

In the acknowledgements I discovered that the reason for Stelmach's stellar discription of "The Zone" was his studying of Svetlana Alexievich's haunting writing. I encourage the reading of both and congratulate Stelmach on an excellent first novel. I look forward to more from him in the future.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

More than anything, The Boy from Reactor 4 is a look into Ukrainian culture and history, both in Ukraine and America. This backdrop makes for a startling read for anyone who's unfamiliar with this culture. The action is top-notch and the twists and turns will leave you gasping. Overall, it's very well-written.

But, the prologue, which has Bobby playing hockey in America with Nadia as his guardian, gives away so much of the story that the tension isn't there. You know that everything is going to work out and the two of them will make it back to the States before you even meet Bobby. For me, that made the entire chase lose some interest, since there weren't really high stakes.

It's still a thoroughly enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

[Cookie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining book rating 3.5 stars

Wow! This is a fast read. I was not bored at all! None stopped action. This book reminded me of Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon series. Chapters were short and learn a lot of history of the Ukraine and Chernobyl. Then why the so so rating. Well I like books that have character development. I felt there is no depth to the characters what so ever. Nadia Tesla is an unemployed former Wall Street employee whose parents immigrated from Ukraine. Adam is a “child from the zone” who happens to be a hockey progeny. But that is about all you know from these characters. No feeling from any characters what so ever just we gotta get from point A to point B without the mafia catching us. I you like a fast read with no character development I recommend this book.

[L Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I ever wanted to be a savvy "detective" and narrowly escape the grasping fingers of evil men, hell bent on doing me harm, this was the adventure to do it in. I've had a goal to read a series of books and I think I picked a winner. The protagonist's mindscape is revealed as she plans and reflects on clues and experiences from assorted nefarious characters. And I found my heart pounding at times as "we" narrowly escaped with our lives. A great book that also gave me a flavor of the Ukraine - a place I know absolutely nothing about. My only stumbling block, was the Ukrainian names of people and places - not my strength - so a challenge. I also knew very little about Chernobyl and this was an eye opener on that front too. Fun read! Twists, turns, surprises and a few touching moments too! Enjoyed the heck out of this book right up to the very last page.

[Alistair · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful story that traverses non-traditional landscapes whilst an American woman seeks a treasure buried in Ukraine and escapes through Russia. All the while she is pursued by an eclectic mix of shady characters.

The book had wonderful little twists throughout, and the shorter chapter lengths allowed for clear delineation between the multiple storylines. The only downside is that the prologue ruins the ending of the book, however that can be easily overlooked.

Overall I would holy recommend this for a great piece of escapism with a very large dose of Eastern Europe thrown in for good measure.

[Sally Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating Thriller

I know nothing about Ukraine, but this book which mostly took place there and in Russia as well as places in Siberia has become one I highly recommend. A first generation American woman is lured into going to her parents ' homeland to find a long lost uncle who supposedly died years ago. With the promise of much wealth, she is followed by Ukrainian mobsters. Her search takes her into Chernobyl. A long and exciting hunt and escape goes on from there. Nadia is resourceful and clever. She is a hero to watch. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Maria Louise Schreffler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thumbs-up

For a first novel, this was very good. I deducted from 5 stars because there are references where the main character previously broke up a fraud ring, and I thought I was reading Book 2 in a series, rather than Book 1. Also, for the longest time, I felt misled by the description of the book. Yes, in the end, the book is about a boy, but you don't get that impression through the first 2/3 of the book. That being said, it was still very captivating, and at about the halfway point, became a real page-turner for me. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Start from the beginning! Great book!

In an interesting turn, I received the fourth book in this series as an ARC and enjoyed it so much I wanted to go back to the beginning of the series. This is a great book and paints such a realistic picture of Ukraine and Russia. Plus the book does a fantastic job of explaining Chernobyl and the aftermath of the incident there.
I really like the characters and setting of this book. I plan to continue with the series because it was so interesting.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few short years ago, I probably wouldnt have enjoyed this book, but as my tastes change, I have come to like a slick, fast paced mystery, with international tones. Although I had to miss my book
discussion due to a wicked headache, I bet the group liked this one too. So obscure that our local bookseller had never heard of it, I am glad it came to my attention-- one of the real benefits of a book group is the finding of new books and authors.

[Jim Bishoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprise!

Was the book a surprise or will this review be the surprise? For me, it's the latter. I found the beginning boring and confusing, and planned to give up. But suddenly it came to life, and I read the final 2/3 in three days. Turned into an amazing journey of excitement, nervousness, fear for the boy, and curiosity. Couldn't put it down. Buy it, deal with the beginning and enjoy the ride

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nadia Tesla is an unemployed financial analyst who becomes involved in a deadly scheme to steal $10 million dollars that her uncle supposedly stashed somewhere. Racing from New York to Ukraine and Russia, Nadia embarks on a mission to find her uncle (in hiding in Chernobyl) and rescue her nephew. There are a lot of coincidences and a fairly implausible plot, but there's lots of action and Nadia seems like a likable young woman.