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Enigma Series #1
The Enigma Factor
Explore the inner workings of technology in the fast-paced thriller The Enigma Factor. Authors, Breakfield and Burkey, weave a complex tale full of danger, intrigue, and international cyber wars in their joint fictional novel debut.
Jacob Michaels is a brilliant programmer who has spent his life in the field of information protection, considering it his mission to protect major organizations from the horrific damage cyber criminals can inflict.
But it is his own life he finds in danger when rogue cyber-criminals target Jacob for inclusion in their nefarious activities. Determined, he sets off on a mission that takes him into the furthest reaches of cyber technology and is provided support through unknown protectors.
With his best friend in tow, as well as a distractingly beautiful encryptionist, Jacob’s journey ultimately sets off a chain reaction involving cyber theft, international hackers, romance, and more danger than he could have ever imagined.
As Jacob closes in, however, he soon learns that the line between good guys and bad guys is increasingly blurry.334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2013
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About the author
Charles V. Breakfield
36 books75 followersWrites mostly with Rox Burkey as "Breakfield and Burkey"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
November 9, 2020
Jacob Michaels is a naive computer programmer who loves encryption. He monitors cyber threats for large companies. His life is simple until he meets Petra. He believes she cares for him, but Petra was hired to watch him. When cybercriminals target Jacob, he keeps his cool and sense of decency.
I learned more technical terms in this book than in any other. The book is a roller coaster ride through cyberspace. The authors provide a chart of terms to assist readers in navigating through their complex world.
I learned more technical terms in this book than in any other. The book is a roller coaster ride through cyberspace. The authors provide a chart of terms to assist readers in navigating through their complex world.
November 8, 2017
4.5/5.0
Breakfield and Burkey’s joint fictional debut is certainly done with style – after a somewhat slow start, this tense techno-thriller keeps the listener on the seat’s edge, as the roller coaster ride of twists and turns roars into the story’s conclusion with smoke billowing from the brakes!
Read full review in the 2017 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Breakfield and Burkey’s joint fictional debut is certainly done with style – after a somewhat slow start, this tense techno-thriller keeps the listener on the seat’s edge, as the roller coaster ride of twists and turns roars into the story’s conclusion with smoke billowing from the brakes!
Read full review in the 2017 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.
January 7, 2023
Life has infinite possibilities, but human beings are hopelessly predictable.
🦄
Jacob Michaels, computer network security-tester extraordinaire, tries to settle into a quiet life of work to polish his technology skills after the death of his mother.
Cyber-criminals are hunting for new victims when they target the brilliant programmer to try to seduce into joining their cause. More people are hunting him than just the Russian cyber kingpin.
As Jacob sets off to find those who target him, he discovers other technologists’ views, which puts him in direct contact with previously unknown global experts.
Buzz, when looking for the easy way, inadvertently crosses the line to the dark side and then begs his best friend Jacob for help. Jacob, brilliant as he is, may not have enough experience to win this on his own. Of course, having your identity erased makes helping anybody else secondary to your problems.
Jacob battles against global cyber masterminds using his knowledge of programming, identity theft, and hacking but learns more about security and encryption when he connects with the distractingly beautiful encryptionist Petra
Jacob’s challenge is how to keep ahead of the criminals and identify who to trust.
🦄
The Enigma Factor is the first book in the Enigma series by authors Breakfield and Burkey that contains thrillers with a mix of technology, romance, humor, and mystery.
While this was a fun book to read because it was different from what I'm used to, however, I found it a bit slow. While the plot is something that could appeal to lovers of various genres because of its multi-genre blend, getting used to the tech side of things took a while, and I found myself taking a long time to get through the first part of the book. However, later on, things do pick up, and I think it's mostly to do with me getting used to the plot and the slow-paced build-up writing style of the story. (Although I still did not understand a lot of the technical references.)
Another issue I had was with the writing style, especially some of the dialogue. It felt off, mainly because it was grammatically wrong in a lot of places, and it didn't feel like a real conversation between characters. There seem to be a lot of editing errors that have been overlooked.
While I did enjoy a lot of the latter part of the book, one of the plus points is that Jacob's character development was done really well, and that was something I held on to for the entire book. In the same way, we meet a lot of the characters who have vivacious personalities (be they positive or negative), and they end up being the stars of the book.
If you strip away the majority of the techie talk and things that will fly over the head of a regular reader, there's quite a lot of interesting plot points going on in the storyline, with a few twists and quite a bit of action to make it all the more intense and keep you on your toes.
Overall, an OK read. However, it could have been so much better if a little more attention had been paid to the final editing.
🦄
Rated 6/10
Melina L.
🦄
Jacob Michaels, computer network security-tester extraordinaire, tries to settle into a quiet life of work to polish his technology skills after the death of his mother.
Cyber-criminals are hunting for new victims when they target the brilliant programmer to try to seduce into joining their cause. More people are hunting him than just the Russian cyber kingpin.
As Jacob sets off to find those who target him, he discovers other technologists’ views, which puts him in direct contact with previously unknown global experts.
Buzz, when looking for the easy way, inadvertently crosses the line to the dark side and then begs his best friend Jacob for help. Jacob, brilliant as he is, may not have enough experience to win this on his own. Of course, having your identity erased makes helping anybody else secondary to your problems.
Jacob battles against global cyber masterminds using his knowledge of programming, identity theft, and hacking but learns more about security and encryption when he connects with the distractingly beautiful encryptionist Petra
Jacob’s challenge is how to keep ahead of the criminals and identify who to trust.
🦄
The Enigma Factor is the first book in the Enigma series by authors Breakfield and Burkey that contains thrillers with a mix of technology, romance, humor, and mystery.
While this was a fun book to read because it was different from what I'm used to, however, I found it a bit slow. While the plot is something that could appeal to lovers of various genres because of its multi-genre blend, getting used to the tech side of things took a while, and I found myself taking a long time to get through the first part of the book. However, later on, things do pick up, and I think it's mostly to do with me getting used to the plot and the slow-paced build-up writing style of the story. (Although I still did not understand a lot of the technical references.)
Another issue I had was with the writing style, especially some of the dialogue. It felt off, mainly because it was grammatically wrong in a lot of places, and it didn't feel like a real conversation between characters. There seem to be a lot of editing errors that have been overlooked.
While I did enjoy a lot of the latter part of the book, one of the plus points is that Jacob's character development was done really well, and that was something I held on to for the entire book. In the same way, we meet a lot of the characters who have vivacious personalities (be they positive or negative), and they end up being the stars of the book.
If you strip away the majority of the techie talk and things that will fly over the head of a regular reader, there's quite a lot of interesting plot points going on in the storyline, with a few twists and quite a bit of action to make it all the more intense and keep you on your toes.
Overall, an OK read. However, it could have been so much better if a little more attention had been paid to the final editing.
🦄
Rated 6/10
Melina L.
August 28, 2022
The Review
This was a tense and adrenaline-fueled cyber-thriller! The authors did an incredible job of making the narrative and characters feel alive and vibrant on the page. The amount of detail and experience the authors have in the world they have created feels truly authentic, due in large part to their own work in the world of cyber security and high tech. This authenticity helped elevate the narrative and keep readers invested with every twist and turn.
I was immediately enthralled with the character development in this book. The shocking loss early on for the protagonist leads to so many different questions that keep the reader invested, from who his unknown family truly is to who the shadowy organization is that is hunting him down. The way the authors are able to infuse so much humanity and emotion into a tech-heavy narrative and keep the reader invested in the protagonist's journey helped make the mystery of this book that much more engaging.
The Verdict
Thought-provoking, entertaining, and action-packed, authors Breakfield and Burkey’s “The Enigma Factor” is a must-read cyber-thriller. The tension and atmosphere the authors create and the rich world-building the story takes on make this story truly one of a kind.
This was a tense and adrenaline-fueled cyber-thriller! The authors did an incredible job of making the narrative and characters feel alive and vibrant on the page. The amount of detail and experience the authors have in the world they have created feels truly authentic, due in large part to their own work in the world of cyber security and high tech. This authenticity helped elevate the narrative and keep readers invested with every twist and turn.
I was immediately enthralled with the character development in this book. The shocking loss early on for the protagonist leads to so many different questions that keep the reader invested, from who his unknown family truly is to who the shadowy organization is that is hunting him down. The way the authors are able to infuse so much humanity and emotion into a tech-heavy narrative and keep the reader invested in the protagonist's journey helped make the mystery of this book that much more engaging.
The Verdict
Thought-provoking, entertaining, and action-packed, authors Breakfield and Burkey’s “The Enigma Factor” is a must-read cyber-thriller. The tension and atmosphere the authors create and the rich world-building the story takes on make this story truly one of a kind.
July 25, 2017
Review originally published at: http://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookre...
Jacob Michaels is a brilliant computer programmer whose mother taught him the difference between good and bad in the years they shared before she was killed on a hit and run. He gets tickets from a mysterious company for an important convention where he meets Petra, a special girl also into computers, and which will warn Jacob about the dangers he might be facing if he is not careful enough.
As a security specialist and a background working onsite with several customers, I was quickly caught in the story. Some of the issues Jacob faced reminded me of my current and some past jobs. It is a highly technical book, with lots of specific terms. This really appealed to me but it could be a setback for less technical people.
I may also mention that some of the things described do not work in the real world. Usually, once a program is compiled, one cannot read the lines in it unless they keep a copy of the source code.
The story was well built, and the characters were distinctive enough to make this an enjoyable read. I felt though the second half a bit long winded, and despite the issues they faced, I was not invested enough to care for them. I am not sure what failed for me here. I think it was a mix of not very likable characters, an uninteresting love story, and lack of character development.
I was really bothered by how good a boy Jacob was. He had very clear that he was a white hat, and worked very long hours without complaining. He sometimes continued working in the evenings at home and did not mind getting calls from work at any time. And if he had to travel overseas it was okay too, he just needed some hours to pack and he was a happy camper. I understand that he was seeking refuge on his work after his mother's death, but his attitude was almost monastic. I also had difficulties liking Petra, who always had quite a negative attitude seldom gave Jacob explanations he deserved. I did not care much about the rest of characters since they were not very developed.
The love story felt as an excuse to attract some feminine readers. It did not hold and the sex scenes were just too perfect to be real. It always bothers me when this happens in books: a couple having sex for the first time and everything happening like clockwork.
I also found some sentences that should set off alarms for any woman with brains, like "inability to look like a lady". I would expect this in a 19th century book, not in a book that claims to be a 21st century technothriller.
What I loved was Seven Jay Cohen's narration. He struggled with some accents but displayed an ample range of voices, from male to female, making the characters more distinguishable that I am sure they would be in print. Cohen also expressed the right amount of emotions to the characters when needed.
It was a good listen, even though it felt a bit long towards the end. I would recommend it for highly technical people since all the specific terminology may scare non-geeks.
I received a free copy of this book in audio format from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Jacob Michaels is a brilliant computer programmer whose mother taught him the difference between good and bad in the years they shared before she was killed on a hit and run. He gets tickets from a mysterious company for an important convention where he meets Petra, a special girl also into computers, and which will warn Jacob about the dangers he might be facing if he is not careful enough.
As a security specialist and a background working onsite with several customers, I was quickly caught in the story. Some of the issues Jacob faced reminded me of my current and some past jobs. It is a highly technical book, with lots of specific terms. This really appealed to me but it could be a setback for less technical people.
I may also mention that some of the things described do not work in the real world. Usually, once a program is compiled, one cannot read the lines in it unless they keep a copy of the source code.
The story was well built, and the characters were distinctive enough to make this an enjoyable read. I felt though the second half a bit long winded, and despite the issues they faced, I was not invested enough to care for them. I am not sure what failed for me here. I think it was a mix of not very likable characters, an uninteresting love story, and lack of character development.
I was really bothered by how good a boy Jacob was. He had very clear that he was a white hat, and worked very long hours without complaining. He sometimes continued working in the evenings at home and did not mind getting calls from work at any time. And if he had to travel overseas it was okay too, he just needed some hours to pack and he was a happy camper. I understand that he was seeking refuge on his work after his mother's death, but his attitude was almost monastic. I also had difficulties liking Petra, who always had quite a negative attitude seldom gave Jacob explanations he deserved. I did not care much about the rest of characters since they were not very developed.
The love story felt as an excuse to attract some feminine readers. It did not hold and the sex scenes were just too perfect to be real. It always bothers me when this happens in books: a couple having sex for the first time and everything happening like clockwork.
I also found some sentences that should set off alarms for any woman with brains, like "inability to look like a lady". I would expect this in a 19th century book, not in a book that claims to be a 21st century technothriller.
What I loved was Seven Jay Cohen's narration. He struggled with some accents but displayed an ample range of voices, from male to female, making the characters more distinguishable that I am sure they would be in print. Cohen also expressed the right amount of emotions to the characters when needed.
It was a good listen, even though it felt a bit long towards the end. I would recommend it for highly technical people since all the specific terminology may scare non-geeks.
I received a free copy of this book in audio format from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2017
My original The Enigma Factor audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Computer programmer and technology expert, Jacob Michaels helps with information protection and enjoys spending time correcting open programming just for fun. Each programmer has their own signature and when Jacob finds his in some heavy malicious programming, he takes it personally and begins his mission of finding the culprits and shutting them down. The problem is, who can he trust? His best friend is deeply involved and a drop-dead gorgeous encryptionist visiting New York join together to figure it out. Death, cyber hackers, romance and more set the stage for this deadly thriller.
Charles Breakfield and Roxanne Burkey slowly lay the groundwork for the romance, involvement and cyber activity in vivid and rich detail allowing the listener to see the story as it moves. While one may anticipate where this story is going, Breakfield/Burkey throws in some twists that throw the listener off track. Each character is developed fully, relationships are detailed and the cyber technology is done in terms that anyone can understand or at least grasp.
I wasn’t quite sure if this was going to be a book I could enjoy given the technological premise. I was very pleasantly surprised to find the book an easy listen, the authors creating the story and presenting the technology in a manner that allows everyone to enjoy.
The storyline moved slowly but that is good as there were detailed pieces that needed to be in place for the story to work. There’s not a lot of physical activity, but the intense mental and programming skill was enthralling. A good solid thriller that anyone will enjoy and find interesting.
The narrator, Steven Jay Cohen performed the narrative with great versatility and meticulously. His voice was appropriately pitched projecting just the correct amount of emotion. Steady and fluid, Cohen holds the audience captivated.
Overall, the authors and narrator did an excellent job of making this thriller feel natural and realistic. Makes me a tad bit nervous to post on social media now!
There were no issues with the quality or production of this audio book.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author.
Computer programmer and technology expert, Jacob Michaels helps with information protection and enjoys spending time correcting open programming just for fun. Each programmer has their own signature and when Jacob finds his in some heavy malicious programming, he takes it personally and begins his mission of finding the culprits and shutting them down. The problem is, who can he trust? His best friend is deeply involved and a drop-dead gorgeous encryptionist visiting New York join together to figure it out. Death, cyber hackers, romance and more set the stage for this deadly thriller.
Charles Breakfield and Roxanne Burkey slowly lay the groundwork for the romance, involvement and cyber activity in vivid and rich detail allowing the listener to see the story as it moves. While one may anticipate where this story is going, Breakfield/Burkey throws in some twists that throw the listener off track. Each character is developed fully, relationships are detailed and the cyber technology is done in terms that anyone can understand or at least grasp.
I wasn’t quite sure if this was going to be a book I could enjoy given the technological premise. I was very pleasantly surprised to find the book an easy listen, the authors creating the story and presenting the technology in a manner that allows everyone to enjoy.
The storyline moved slowly but that is good as there were detailed pieces that needed to be in place for the story to work. There’s not a lot of physical activity, but the intense mental and programming skill was enthralling. A good solid thriller that anyone will enjoy and find interesting.
The narrator, Steven Jay Cohen performed the narrative with great versatility and meticulously. His voice was appropriately pitched projecting just the correct amount of emotion. Steady and fluid, Cohen holds the audience captivated.
Overall, the authors and narrator did an excellent job of making this thriller feel natural and realistic. Makes me a tad bit nervous to post on social media now!
There were no issues with the quality or production of this audio book.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author.
July 27, 2017
This was a wonderfully researched and written tech-centric thriller, rounded out with a steamy bit of romance. You won't need a degree in computer programming to understand and enjoy book one of The Enigma Factor. I have only the most casual, passing interest in computer networking and security protocols, yet still I became thoroughly engrossed in main character Jacob's projects and adventures. I followed Jacob into the world of white-hat hacking, where he soon flirts with crossing that ambiguous line between "doing good" and "doing bad as a means to a good end." He uncovers a secret about his past after joining an underground group of mysterious individuals who all possess extraordinary talents. But can he really trust who these people say they are? What is their true motive? Why must he abandon his old life to join this elite group? I highly recommend this title, especially the audiobook read by Steven Jay Cohen. He gives each character a truly unique voice that only enhances a novel that's already fabulous from beginning to end. Well done! I do agree with other reviewers that this could easily be translated into an exciting TV mini-series or serial show.
I was provided a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my unbiased review. Many thanks for this opportunity!
I was provided a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my unbiased review. Many thanks for this opportunity!
January 27, 2018
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
The characters were really good. I enjoyed learning about these people, especially Jacob and Otto, though I suspected Petra of being a turncoat the entire novel. I thought they were written really well and I really liked the friendship between Jacob and Buzz.
However, there was a lot of conversation, so it wasn’t exactly fast paced, and the plot itself was quite confusing. It was a bit weird because the plot tried to be fast but the topic itself slowed it down and with all of the exposition talking, it felt really strange. The hacking aspects of the book sounded interesting but they felt rather overdone. I say sounded, because it was quite difficult to follow because it didn’t make much sense to me. However, I am a complete computer novice.
I didn’t like the sex scenes. They weren’t particularly good, so either they needed more attention, or they needed removing.
The group itself confused me. Are they a stealth group? Because it seems like everybody knows they exist and can request their services.
So I was confused by most of this novel, but I really liked the characters, character development and the writing style.
The characters were really good. I enjoyed learning about these people, especially Jacob and Otto, though I suspected Petra of being a turncoat the entire novel. I thought they were written really well and I really liked the friendship between Jacob and Buzz.
However, there was a lot of conversation, so it wasn’t exactly fast paced, and the plot itself was quite confusing. It was a bit weird because the plot tried to be fast but the topic itself slowed it down and with all of the exposition talking, it felt really strange. The hacking aspects of the book sounded interesting but they felt rather overdone. I say sounded, because it was quite difficult to follow because it didn’t make much sense to me. However, I am a complete computer novice.
I didn’t like the sex scenes. They weren’t particularly good, so either they needed more attention, or they needed removing.
The group itself confused me. Are they a stealth group? Because it seems like everybody knows they exist and can request their services.
So I was confused by most of this novel, but I really liked the characters, character development and the writing style.
July 2, 2017
As with so many of these techno-thrillers, the technology described in this story, especially with respect to computer programming and code, is misrepresented and inaccurate. The story is fast-paced, so much so that some of its continuity is sacrificed. A real sense of time is missing in this story.
The characters are well developed and reasonably realistic, made all the more so by the outstanding narration by Steven Jay Cohen. He gives distinct and appropriate voices to the characters. His accents aren't particularly accurate, but they serve their purpose. This looks to be a promising series.
NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
The characters are well developed and reasonably realistic, made all the more so by the outstanding narration by Steven Jay Cohen. He gives distinct and appropriate voices to the characters. His accents aren't particularly accurate, but they serve their purpose. This looks to be a promising series.
NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
February 21, 2014
Fun read! Lots of twists and turns.
March 24, 2014
Cool new twist! Different from a lot of books out there! Definitely recommend this book!
October 3, 2022
THE ENIGMA FACTOR by Breakfield and Burkey is the first techno-thriller I've read. Although I'm not a programmer or an IT specialist, I was still able to work my way through the portions of the story where those discussions took place. In fact, I did learn a little while reading this story which made me paranoid.
Jacob Michaels is a skilled programmer who is specifically asked to resolve customer issues for the corporation he works for. However, his skill set would also be quite valuable to those working in 'black-hat' or unsavory dealings on the dark side. Serious hackers can do this to anyone. Imagine that you are at a convention in a different state when on the second day, your ID becomes nonexistent and there is no record of you anywhere. Left with no access to the remainder of the seminar, no room, no clothes, money, credit card, or way of getting home. I would freak!
He is eventually rescued by The R-Group who appears to be the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' or policemen of the world-wide-web, taking measures to right all wrongs discovered. Jacob accepts their generous offer to work with them.
The main characters are Jacob, Petra, Buzz, and Otto - the good guys. The bad guys are the DTeam, comprised of Russian mobsters who steal identities, etc. on the web, and The Chinese School for Cyber warfare which wants to own it all.
I was intrigued by R-Group's ability to see everything and access any system in the world to make programming changes, and then leave no tracks behind.
Other than Jacob's mother being killed at the beginning, dead bodies begin turning up halfway through the story. I wasn't quite sure of the main plot of this story but sensed it had something to do with keeping certain software out of the hands of the bad people. The story initially moved slowly with surprises along the way. I do think it ended abruptly and was shocked to see it finished with 10% left on my Kindle. The balance of the book features a glossary of terms with lengthy explanations (wish I knew this ahead of time) along with titles and descriptions of the 11 remaining books in the series.
All in all, I did enjoy THE ENIGMA FACTOR and will soon begin the next book in the series. My only concern was that there seemed to be an issue with the Kindle formatting whereas several lines on a page ended halfway and then followed by empty spaces before picking back up again. There was no pattern, but this occurred in every chapter. There are also descriptive sex scenes within the story and I'd recommend that readers be 18 years or older. If you're a computer geek and enjoy thrillers, then you'd enjoy this one.
Jacob Michaels is a skilled programmer who is specifically asked to resolve customer issues for the corporation he works for. However, his skill set would also be quite valuable to those working in 'black-hat' or unsavory dealings on the dark side. Serious hackers can do this to anyone. Imagine that you are at a convention in a different state when on the second day, your ID becomes nonexistent and there is no record of you anywhere. Left with no access to the remainder of the seminar, no room, no clothes, money, credit card, or way of getting home. I would freak!
He is eventually rescued by The R-Group who appears to be the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' or policemen of the world-wide-web, taking measures to right all wrongs discovered. Jacob accepts their generous offer to work with them.
The main characters are Jacob, Petra, Buzz, and Otto - the good guys. The bad guys are the DTeam, comprised of Russian mobsters who steal identities, etc. on the web, and The Chinese School for Cyber warfare which wants to own it all.
I was intrigued by R-Group's ability to see everything and access any system in the world to make programming changes, and then leave no tracks behind.
Other than Jacob's mother being killed at the beginning, dead bodies begin turning up halfway through the story. I wasn't quite sure of the main plot of this story but sensed it had something to do with keeping certain software out of the hands of the bad people. The story initially moved slowly with surprises along the way. I do think it ended abruptly and was shocked to see it finished with 10% left on my Kindle. The balance of the book features a glossary of terms with lengthy explanations (wish I knew this ahead of time) along with titles and descriptions of the 11 remaining books in the series.
All in all, I did enjoy THE ENIGMA FACTOR and will soon begin the next book in the series. My only concern was that there seemed to be an issue with the Kindle formatting whereas several lines on a page ended halfway and then followed by empty spaces before picking back up again. There was no pattern, but this occurred in every chapter. There are also descriptive sex scenes within the story and I'd recommend that readers be 18 years or older. If you're a computer geek and enjoy thrillers, then you'd enjoy this one.
August 6, 2022
Computers, hacking, and everything that can happen – hardly an enigma, but possibilities!
Breakfield and Burkey – what a team! – becoming more prominent with every volume of their ENIGMA SERIES, now twelve volumes strong. Charles V. Breakfield is a technology solutions architect (AI, cloud computing, security etc) while Rox Burkey is a technologist as well as being consumed with writing fiction. Together they prove to be not only experts in the field of computers and all permutations of AI, but they also have mastered the art of composing stunning thrillers, populated with characters with whom we can identify.
The pleasure of their prose opens a Prologue as a taste tester – ‘Her watchful eyes followed rapid movements across the bright flickering monitor as each piece of the puzzle moved to its assigned location. Her subdued smile increased as each piece was transmitted. She knew that Q on the other side would have them captured and reassembled seconds after they arrived at their destination. This was the last of the updates for the communications interceptor routines…Complex communications were her specialty…’
To prepare for the fascinating thriller, they authors offer – ‘Jacob Michaels, computer network security-tester extraordinaire, tries to settle into a quiet life of work to polish his cyber security skills after the death of his mother. Jacob is unaware that his growing reputation makes him a person of interest. Cyber-criminals are hunting for new recruits. They target this brilliant programmer to seduce him into joining their cause. More people are hunting him than just the Russian cyber kingpin. Jacob sets off to find those who are targeting him. He discovers he’s in the crosshairs of previously unknown global experts. Of course, having his identity erased puts him front and center above anything else. Buzz, when looking for the easy way, makes a ghastly judgment error and inadvertently crosses the line to the darknet. He pleads to his best friend Jacob for help. Jacob, brilliant as he is, doesn’t have enough experience to help Buzz on his own. Jacob battles against global cyber masterminds using his knowledge of programming, identity theft, and hacking. He is pulled up short when his security knowledge is dwarfed following his introduction to the distractingly beautiful encryptionist Petra. Jacob’s challenge is how to keep ahead of the criminals and learn who to trust.’
The Enigma Series becomes an instant addiction, that sort of literary commitment that underscores the pleasure of reading. Very highly recommended.
Breakfield and Burkey – what a team! – becoming more prominent with every volume of their ENIGMA SERIES, now twelve volumes strong. Charles V. Breakfield is a technology solutions architect (AI, cloud computing, security etc) while Rox Burkey is a technologist as well as being consumed with writing fiction. Together they prove to be not only experts in the field of computers and all permutations of AI, but they also have mastered the art of composing stunning thrillers, populated with characters with whom we can identify.
The pleasure of their prose opens a Prologue as a taste tester – ‘Her watchful eyes followed rapid movements across the bright flickering monitor as each piece of the puzzle moved to its assigned location. Her subdued smile increased as each piece was transmitted. She knew that Q on the other side would have them captured and reassembled seconds after they arrived at their destination. This was the last of the updates for the communications interceptor routines…Complex communications were her specialty…’
To prepare for the fascinating thriller, they authors offer – ‘Jacob Michaels, computer network security-tester extraordinaire, tries to settle into a quiet life of work to polish his cyber security skills after the death of his mother. Jacob is unaware that his growing reputation makes him a person of interest. Cyber-criminals are hunting for new recruits. They target this brilliant programmer to seduce him into joining their cause. More people are hunting him than just the Russian cyber kingpin. Jacob sets off to find those who are targeting him. He discovers he’s in the crosshairs of previously unknown global experts. Of course, having his identity erased puts him front and center above anything else. Buzz, when looking for the easy way, makes a ghastly judgment error and inadvertently crosses the line to the darknet. He pleads to his best friend Jacob for help. Jacob, brilliant as he is, doesn’t have enough experience to help Buzz on his own. Jacob battles against global cyber masterminds using his knowledge of programming, identity theft, and hacking. He is pulled up short when his security knowledge is dwarfed following his introduction to the distractingly beautiful encryptionist Petra. Jacob’s challenge is how to keep ahead of the criminals and learn who to trust.’
The Enigma Series becomes an instant addiction, that sort of literary commitment that underscores the pleasure of reading. Very highly recommended.
November 17, 2020
Reading about organizations who work underground whether to control the world or save it always put me on the edge. This book certainly put me on the edge.
It started with Julianne and her son Jacob living their private and protected lives, working at jobs they loved in the cyber world of programming and encryption. It was the description of what took place in this world completely hidden from the common human eyes that took my breath away. These people have their eyes everywhere, they knew the business of everybody, and they could find, dismantle, or destroy any threats to themselves and for others who hire them. They knew what was happening anytime and anywhere. It was frightening! With their activities, no one was really free, unless that person was not on their radar.
This was the world of Jacob especially after the death of his mother, killed by a hit and run driver. Could it be assassination? Possibly!
Jacob was happy working on his job at the PT, Inc where they worked to prevent bad guys from security breaches. He was very careful with his money and did not have much of a social life unless from an occasional meet-up with his childhood friend, Buzz. He was good at his job, so good that big underground companies, especially the one known as Regal who needed his skills noticed him. To persuade him to work for them, they wiped out all the record of his past life, just as if he never existed.
This incident finally brought him face to face with who he really was. He will fall in love with Petra, another very highly skilled internet operator. She was the daughter of Otto. One of the owners of Regal. Regal happened to be a very closely guarded family business, ran by three friends who escaped the Nazi onslaught during the World War II.
The story was extraordinarily true to life. if what this story narrated is close to being real, then the world is helplessly under siege.
I found a lot of formatting issues that distracted from the story and a couple of missing words. Otherwise, this was a head reeling story. I look forward to reading the segue.
September 27, 2021
Authors Roxanne E. Burkey and Charles V. Breakfield have leveraged their amazing professional skills to create a techno-thriller series. The Enigma Factor, first of twelve books in the series, is my introduction to the genre. Setting the plot in motion, protagonist Jacob Michaels receives a tee shirt and free airline ticket to a Las Vegas convention. The reader has to wonder, “Is the mysterious benefactor friend or foe?” Jacob, a brilliant programmer, but inexperienced in the cat and mouse game of cyber warfare, becomes enmeshed in a variety of plot twists making it difficult to distinguish who is exploiting whom. Jacob learns, sometimes in retrospect, how digital information can be moved with or without his knowledge. At one point, he is forced to survive the complete erasure of his identity.
Both Chinese and Russian operatives add a global aspect to the operations which include use of malicious code, a rogue computer virus, and encryption. To increase the intrigue, Grigory, one of the sleuths, owns a white tiger with a diamond-studded collar, both menacing figures in the cast of characters.
Some typos and errors in e-book formatting were sometimes distracting. However, the authors certainly initiated me into the cyber-world of secrets and suspense, and I consider The Enigma Factor, Book 1, a worthy introduction to the genre of techno-thrillers.
Both Chinese and Russian operatives add a global aspect to the operations which include use of malicious code, a rogue computer virus, and encryption. To increase the intrigue, Grigory, one of the sleuths, owns a white tiger with a diamond-studded collar, both menacing figures in the cast of characters.
Some typos and errors in e-book formatting were sometimes distracting. However, the authors certainly initiated me into the cyber-world of secrets and suspense, and I consider The Enigma Factor, Book 1, a worthy introduction to the genre of techno-thrillers.
January 4, 2020
Let me preface my review by saying this is not a genre I would normally read. A lot of the technical acronyms were lost on me and I skipped over them. The story starts slow and doesn't really get moving until around chapter four. The story plot and the characters are the things movies are made of and I can easily see this story on the big screen. With cyber criminals, world leaders, mob bosses, a hot romance, and the good guys, it's a great mix of characters. The story has a satisfying ending. The authors provide a key of sorts at the end of the book that explains all the technical acronyms, if a reader wants to learn more about them. I have two critiques of this book. First of all, the authors get into everyone's point of view. They tell us what everyone is thinking. Some refer to this as omniscient point of view, but to me, it was distracting getting out of one character's head into the next within the same scene. The other reason I only give this book three out of five stars was due to the stilted dialogue between the characters. It did not sound natural. I think this is a book that any computer geek would enjoy. And, it gives some scary insight into just how "insecure" our online "secure" interaction is (or we think it is.)
May 19, 2021
This is the first really techy book I've read, and although the authors describe those scenes in detail, it went a bit over my head at times. There were parts of the story that I liked a lot. I liked the main storyline. Jacob was a great character, and I enjoyed his journey in this story and how he found "home" (I won't give anything away). I liked the idea of the R-group and the work they do to digitally save people, businesses, and the world.
There were a few things that personally kept me from losing myself in the story. There were some formatting issues, but I could read past those, and I believe the authors have an updated version that doesn't have those (I was just too lazy to update my version before reading it. lol!). There was a lot of head hopping, and I prefer having scenes in just one person's perspective. I also felt there was too much backstory for minor characters. It pulled me away from the plot and made me want to skip over those sections. I had a difficult time connecting with the characters, even though I liked them. It just felt it was lacking depth for me.
That being said, I enjoyed the storyline enough to keep reading it to the end. Anyone who enjoys techy stories and complicated plots that have plenty of scheming will like this story. :-)
There were a few things that personally kept me from losing myself in the story. There were some formatting issues, but I could read past those, and I believe the authors have an updated version that doesn't have those (I was just too lazy to update my version before reading it. lol!). There was a lot of head hopping, and I prefer having scenes in just one person's perspective. I also felt there was too much backstory for minor characters. It pulled me away from the plot and made me want to skip over those sections. I had a difficult time connecting with the characters, even though I liked them. It just felt it was lacking depth for me.
That being said, I enjoyed the storyline enough to keep reading it to the end. Anyone who enjoys techy stories and complicated plots that have plenty of scheming will like this story. :-)
August 14, 2022
I’ve always liked tech, to a certain degree, which I’m told by my siblings at 63 is not normal for our age range. So, I thought I’d give this techno thriller a try.
The book ended up being a bit more than I anticipated as it was written like a programming guide. I take cyber security classes for work, so some of the terminology made sense to me, but so much of it went over my head. Still, I did find the information interesting and somewhat informative. Made me realize how the average person has no clue how vulnerable they are as they lay their lives out on social media.
As for the actual story, you have to break through tons of ponderous code to hack your way to the actual plotline. Within that is a romance, intrigue, though most of that is pretty obvious, and some danger. Even though the characters are as one dimensional as you can get, I still felt for Jacob and even Buzz. Having your world turned upside down wouldn’t be fun.
It definitely needs an editor as the writing and dialogue is stilted and mostly exposition. Which would also remove all the needless side stories and over explanations. I also felt there were unbelievable events that happened and not relatable at all.
If you’re a coder or geek/nerd, you might enjoy the story. Otherwise, 95% of normal readers will get lost in the tale. I give it 2.5 stars rounded to 3.
The book ended up being a bit more than I anticipated as it was written like a programming guide. I take cyber security classes for work, so some of the terminology made sense to me, but so much of it went over my head. Still, I did find the information interesting and somewhat informative. Made me realize how the average person has no clue how vulnerable they are as they lay their lives out on social media.
As for the actual story, you have to break through tons of ponderous code to hack your way to the actual plotline. Within that is a romance, intrigue, though most of that is pretty obvious, and some danger. Even though the characters are as one dimensional as you can get, I still felt for Jacob and even Buzz. Having your world turned upside down wouldn’t be fun.
It definitely needs an editor as the writing and dialogue is stilted and mostly exposition. Which would also remove all the needless side stories and over explanations. I also felt there were unbelievable events that happened and not relatable at all.
If you’re a coder or geek/nerd, you might enjoy the story. Otherwise, 95% of normal readers will get lost in the tale. I give it 2.5 stars rounded to 3.
June 27, 2017
“The Enigma Factor”, recently released in audiobook format is book one in a series of eight books today available in Kindle format. However, be aware this book is the only one presently available (at the time of this review) on Audible. I’m sure the authors (Charles V Breakfield and Roxanne E BurkeyLet) plan to release the others over time. The book is well narrated by Steven Jay Cohen who I enjoyed in another of his narrations; The Somniscient.
Let me say up front that I have been directly involved in both the technology and information security industries for over thirty years. I have read and enjoyed many fiction and non-fiction books on the subjects including a number of techno-thrillers. I feel my background gives me the capacity to examine this book more critically. I personally felt the story could have been written with less technology references and still be exciting. It would have turned the story into a more decent spy-vs-spy book which is really the under lying premise when the technology is stripped away. I felt the authors took nearly every technology buzzword at the time the book was written and attempted to find a way of including them. Do not get me wrong, I like and enjoy technology as much as most, but just using it to sound technical in what really is a suspense thriller did not work for me as much as I had hoped. If you can get over all the techno lingo thrown in, the foundation and bones of the story are well implemented and well executed. If you are searching for a thriller book where the use of technology is a major part of the story, at times overloaded, I think you may want to have a look at The Enigma Factor. Remember, the book is one in a series, so it ends with some unanswered or unresolved plots. If that is a concern, I would wait until more in the series are released in audiobook format or you could read the others today in Kindle format.
This is a very difficult review because of my involvement in the technology and security industry. I will say that I laughed out loud a few times based on the technology being used which I myself leveraged so many years earlier. For example, the book talks about communication circuit testing using a T-Brid device; boy does that bring back memories. I also liked the inclusion of the well-known Dolly Madison cream cakes called Zingers; the raspberry and coconut were my favorite. When I say there were a number of different technologies or attacks involved, let me just list a few I can remember: digital currencies, every kind of encryption, steganography, RAID, Data Transfers, malware, trojans, salami slicing, identity theft, etc. These are just a few and when you add in the standard technical thriller tropes of white and black hats, Russians, Chinese, and a number of bumbling law enforcement, it seems to be more average then something new and exciting. Again, the story telling and overall book is decent, but it seemed to get lost in it wanting to be a techno thriller than simply a thriller with technology elements or undertones. There are also a few areas where the book touches on more philosophical security questions such as which side is better to be on, offensive or defensive security.
Let me say that I thought the authors did a good job of setting up the world, characters and events. There were times of intense emotions, relationships that were not what the seemed, a good amount of crime and intrigue, along with hunting and chasing. The book showed just how intertwined the characters were with each other. I would have liked to have had less technology in exchange for even deeper and more complex characters, but that is more a personal desire. Additional backstories, childhood events, and activities would have also strengthened the characters. We get some of this because of the story plot, however none are used just to give shape the many characters themselves.
Let me say again that I thought Steven Jay Cohen did an exceptional job narrating this book. Not only did he have to deal with both male and female characters, he also had to voice characters having very different accents (American, Russian, and Chinese). On top of all that, he had to have a decent knowledge of the technology he was reading about. He seamlessly pronounced the terms as one in the industry would have. I know this often can be hard for a narrator who may try to pronounce a work when it is simply spoken as the letters themselves and not pronounced; “URL” for example. Overall, audio volume was consistent with only a few areas I notices slight changes. The recording itself was clean and crisp lacking any noticeable audio artifacts while I listened.
I feel it is important to let people know that this book is not intended for younger readers. Not only does it contain some use of vulgar language, it contains a few scenes that would easily get the movie rated of either a heavy R or more likely an NC-17 (Adults Only). There are at least two scenes containing quite graphically described sexual activity in detail that even made me feel uncomfortable and the content is completely unexpected for the book in this genre. There are also discussions and details relating to bondage and adult toy usage in a few spots. Maybe these are included more for their shock factor by the authors. The scenes really seemed to be out of place. Note, these events are in the second half of the book, so if you have already invested your time in the first half, these scenes can be completely skipped as they do not impact the storyline.
In summary, “The Enigma Factor” the first book in a series of suspense thrillers takes you around the world and into the world of both hacking and information security. If you are looking for a new series to begin, you may want to take a look at this book and the others available in Kindle format. If you are not easily offended by graphic adult content and do not mind the technology overload, the thriller and suspense aspects of the book are decent.
Disclaimer: I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.
Let me say up front that I have been directly involved in both the technology and information security industries for over thirty years. I have read and enjoyed many fiction and non-fiction books on the subjects including a number of techno-thrillers. I feel my background gives me the capacity to examine this book more critically. I personally felt the story could have been written with less technology references and still be exciting. It would have turned the story into a more decent spy-vs-spy book which is really the under lying premise when the technology is stripped away. I felt the authors took nearly every technology buzzword at the time the book was written and attempted to find a way of including them. Do not get me wrong, I like and enjoy technology as much as most, but just using it to sound technical in what really is a suspense thriller did not work for me as much as I had hoped. If you can get over all the techno lingo thrown in, the foundation and bones of the story are well implemented and well executed. If you are searching for a thriller book where the use of technology is a major part of the story, at times overloaded, I think you may want to have a look at The Enigma Factor. Remember, the book is one in a series, so it ends with some unanswered or unresolved plots. If that is a concern, I would wait until more in the series are released in audiobook format or you could read the others today in Kindle format.
This is a very difficult review because of my involvement in the technology and security industry. I will say that I laughed out loud a few times based on the technology being used which I myself leveraged so many years earlier. For example, the book talks about communication circuit testing using a T-Brid device; boy does that bring back memories. I also liked the inclusion of the well-known Dolly Madison cream cakes called Zingers; the raspberry and coconut were my favorite. When I say there were a number of different technologies or attacks involved, let me just list a few I can remember: digital currencies, every kind of encryption, steganography, RAID, Data Transfers, malware, trojans, salami slicing, identity theft, etc. These are just a few and when you add in the standard technical thriller tropes of white and black hats, Russians, Chinese, and a number of bumbling law enforcement, it seems to be more average then something new and exciting. Again, the story telling and overall book is decent, but it seemed to get lost in it wanting to be a techno thriller than simply a thriller with technology elements or undertones. There are also a few areas where the book touches on more philosophical security questions such as which side is better to be on, offensive or defensive security.
Let me say that I thought the authors did a good job of setting up the world, characters and events. There were times of intense emotions, relationships that were not what the seemed, a good amount of crime and intrigue, along with hunting and chasing. The book showed just how intertwined the characters were with each other. I would have liked to have had less technology in exchange for even deeper and more complex characters, but that is more a personal desire. Additional backstories, childhood events, and activities would have also strengthened the characters. We get some of this because of the story plot, however none are used just to give shape the many characters themselves.
Let me say again that I thought Steven Jay Cohen did an exceptional job narrating this book. Not only did he have to deal with both male and female characters, he also had to voice characters having very different accents (American, Russian, and Chinese). On top of all that, he had to have a decent knowledge of the technology he was reading about. He seamlessly pronounced the terms as one in the industry would have. I know this often can be hard for a narrator who may try to pronounce a work when it is simply spoken as the letters themselves and not pronounced; “URL” for example. Overall, audio volume was consistent with only a few areas I notices slight changes. The recording itself was clean and crisp lacking any noticeable audio artifacts while I listened.
I feel it is important to let people know that this book is not intended for younger readers. Not only does it contain some use of vulgar language, it contains a few scenes that would easily get the movie rated of either a heavy R or more likely an NC-17 (Adults Only). There are at least two scenes containing quite graphically described sexual activity in detail that even made me feel uncomfortable and the content is completely unexpected for the book in this genre. There are also discussions and details relating to bondage and adult toy usage in a few spots. Maybe these are included more for their shock factor by the authors. The scenes really seemed to be out of place. Note, these events are in the second half of the book, so if you have already invested your time in the first half, these scenes can be completely skipped as they do not impact the storyline.
In summary, “The Enigma Factor” the first book in a series of suspense thrillers takes you around the world and into the world of both hacking and information security. If you are looking for a new series to begin, you may want to take a look at this book and the others available in Kindle format. If you are not easily offended by graphic adult content and do not mind the technology overload, the thriller and suspense aspects of the book are decent.
Disclaimer: I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.
May 25, 2020
Unexpected twists and turns
This is the first in a lengthy series of books (eleven to date) so the authors must have a keen group of followers that appreciate their style of writing.
I was apprehensive that the techno-thriller nature of the story might be confusing. Although I stumbled on the technical complexities several times, my fears subsided as I got drawn into a well written and structured narrative.
The plot was interesting and even educational to a degree. I found the characters believable and soon empathised with Jacob, around whom this story revolves. Unexpected twists and turns led me through a convincing storyline I could not stop reading.
My only minor criticism is that the ending felt too contrived and abrupt, as though the authors wanted to tie up the loose ends in a hurry. I was expecting more of a cliff-hanger to lead on to the second book.
Despite my last comment, I do not think it will be long before I am embarking on the next in the series.
This is the first in a lengthy series of books (eleven to date) so the authors must have a keen group of followers that appreciate their style of writing.
I was apprehensive that the techno-thriller nature of the story might be confusing. Although I stumbled on the technical complexities several times, my fears subsided as I got drawn into a well written and structured narrative.
The plot was interesting and even educational to a degree. I found the characters believable and soon empathised with Jacob, around whom this story revolves. Unexpected twists and turns led me through a convincing storyline I could not stop reading.
My only minor criticism is that the ending felt too contrived and abrupt, as though the authors wanted to tie up the loose ends in a hurry. I was expecting more of a cliff-hanger to lead on to the second book.
Despite my last comment, I do not think it will be long before I am embarking on the next in the series.
February 26, 2021
Romance, cyber crime and international intrigue are combined to create an excellent read. The writing style and realistic situations drew me in from the first pages, but when organized crime entered the story, my enthusiasm increased. The authors do an excellent job of character development, with personalities varied and memorable. As the tension builds, the story explodes. We learn about the family business, and some surprising connections among a few of the major players. I hope Nikkei makes a future appearance or two.
I am a technological klutz. This novel, however, provided an education in cyber crime that, while a bit frightening, was quite interesting, and completely understandable. This initial installment of a twelve book series is the first techno thriller I’ve read, yet it may have me hooked on that genre, at least for The Enigma series.
I am a technological klutz. This novel, however, provided an education in cyber crime that, while a bit frightening, was quite interesting, and completely understandable. This initial installment of a twelve book series is the first techno thriller I’ve read, yet it may have me hooked on that genre, at least for The Enigma series.
December 17, 2025
Engaging book!
I just finished this book and I really enjoyed reading it. In my opinion, it has an engaging plot, it is fast-paced, and it uses easy vocabulary that makes it simple to read.
One of the things I would like to highlight is the way the author develops the characters throughout the story. They feel real and grow little by little as the book moves forward. I liked that no character stays the same, which makes the reading interesting and easy to follow.
Another aspect I enjoyed is how there is always an unexpected plot twist that changes the direction of the story and keeps you paying attention. Just when you think you understand what is happening, something new appears.
I would definitely recommend this book because it keeps you curious, connected to the characters, and surprised until the end.
I just finished this book and I really enjoyed reading it. In my opinion, it has an engaging plot, it is fast-paced, and it uses easy vocabulary that makes it simple to read.
One of the things I would like to highlight is the way the author develops the characters throughout the story. They feel real and grow little by little as the book moves forward. I liked that no character stays the same, which makes the reading interesting and easy to follow.
Another aspect I enjoyed is how there is always an unexpected plot twist that changes the direction of the story and keeps you paying attention. Just when you think you understand what is happening, something new appears.
I would definitely recommend this book because it keeps you curious, connected to the characters, and surprised until the end.
May 26, 2021
Playing God for fun and profit
Well, so Jacob the techie is part of a mysterious family, whom he gets to know as mysterious and unpleasant things begin happening to him. Now, there are families and families. Think cosa nostra. After Jacob gets kidnapped by his relatives the fun begins. Turns out this crowd in a humble way runs the world through tech. They manipulate multiple deaths—all for the greater good, of course. By this time, the tale is seriously losing me and I can’t really figure out why I finished it. Steamy sex, steamy sex mixed with sadism and murder. And these are the GOOD GUYS. Sorry folks—I did learn a lot about the tech world, but I can’t recommend this book.
Well, so Jacob the techie is part of a mysterious family, whom he gets to know as mysterious and unpleasant things begin happening to him. Now, there are families and families. Think cosa nostra. After Jacob gets kidnapped by his relatives the fun begins. Turns out this crowd in a humble way runs the world through tech. They manipulate multiple deaths—all for the greater good, of course. By this time, the tale is seriously losing me and I can’t really figure out why I finished it. Steamy sex, steamy sex mixed with sadism and murder. And these are the GOOD GUYS. Sorry folks—I did learn a lot about the tech world, but I can’t recommend this book.
June 29, 2021
Sadly I found much of this story slow and tedious. Admittedly It is not the genre I would usually choose. This lead me to the reason I choose to read it as I hoped my mind-set might be altered.
I have to confess to being 'technophobic' so the technical use of language was lost on me.
I listened to the story on audio, well read, but sadly did little to improve my enjoyment of the story.
I gave the book 3 stars as I enjoyed the developing relationship between Jacob and his lover and the caring side with his mother and the girl in the café.I give nothing more away.
I hasten to add this is my personal opinion and that those who enjoy computers and their complexes are likely to thoroughly enjoy the tale and those following in the series.
I have to confess to being 'technophobic' so the technical use of language was lost on me.
I listened to the story on audio, well read, but sadly did little to improve my enjoyment of the story.
I gave the book 3 stars as I enjoyed the developing relationship between Jacob and his lover and the caring side with his mother and the girl in the café.I give nothing more away.
I hasten to add this is my personal opinion and that those who enjoy computers and their complexes are likely to thoroughly enjoy the tale and those following in the series.
December 17, 2025
It makes you feel respect for technology
This book leaves you thinking about countless things, as many of us perceive technology only as a friend, when it is clear that if misused it can cause devastating damage.
This fantastic work is a journey through precisely those darkest corners of the sinister use of technology. The character of Jacob represents that light at the end of the tunnel, the figure who conveys tranquillity through not only his great knowledge as a hacker but, more importantly, his ethics and good intentions.
I thought it was an excellent work, and the author should continue to publish more books of this style. I can't wait to move on to the other books.
This book leaves you thinking about countless things, as many of us perceive technology only as a friend, when it is clear that if misused it can cause devastating damage.
This fantastic work is a journey through precisely those darkest corners of the sinister use of technology. The character of Jacob represents that light at the end of the tunnel, the figure who conveys tranquillity through not only his great knowledge as a hacker but, more importantly, his ethics and good intentions.
I thought it was an excellent work, and the author should continue to publish more books of this style. I can't wait to move on to the other books.
December 18, 2025
I’ve to start by clarifying that it’s been a while since a book completely blew me away and this really did it for me.
The authors Rox Burkey and Charles Breakfield develop their characters carefully, in an organized manner, methodically, making the readers want to know more about them. They are also crafted very realistically so it’s pretty easy to empathize with them.
The story flows smoothly, and it's amazing how the characters' dark and dangerous secrets are gradually revealed.
In my opinion, this is a solid 5 stars-recommendation! And honestly, I am very eager to start the next installment of the series and discover more about the fascinating protagonists.
The authors Rox Burkey and Charles Breakfield develop their characters carefully, in an organized manner, methodically, making the readers want to know more about them. They are also crafted very realistically so it’s pretty easy to empathize with them.
The story flows smoothly, and it's amazing how the characters' dark and dangerous secrets are gradually revealed.
In my opinion, this is a solid 5 stars-recommendation! And honestly, I am very eager to start the next installment of the series and discover more about the fascinating protagonists.
December 18, 2025
I found this book hard to put down because I like this idea of losing your identity and all the trouble and adventures that came. Also, I enjoy the character of Jason, being like a broken hero, he is smart but he is hurting and that leads to making choices more interesting. I also enjoyed Petra's character very much, the mystery all the time, not knowing which side she is on.
The book is about being hunted, losing control and trying to stay one step ahead of powerful enemies. To sum up, I think the book has action, suspense and a strong first page. I really enjoyed it!
The book is about being hunted, losing control and trying to stay one step ahead of powerful enemies. To sum up, I think the book has action, suspense and a strong first page. I really enjoyed it!
August 30, 2024
Computer Science Fiction
I have had some cyber security training so many of the terms were familiar. The story was interesting and a fun read. The cloak and dagger politics was interesting too. I was thinking that computer nerds being sexy and coveted properties was a bit of a stretch but perhaps that isn’t so far fetched… Rating: “maybe” due primarily to its not really sci-fi.
I have had some cyber security training so many of the terms were familiar. The story was interesting and a fun read. The cloak and dagger politics was interesting too. I was thinking that computer nerds being sexy and coveted properties was a bit of a stretch but perhaps that isn’t so far fetched… Rating: “maybe” due primarily to its not really sci-fi.
September 26, 2018
The Enigma Factor by Breakfield & Burkey This is a really slow book. Since it’s in the Thriller genre, I was expecting there to be more action and a much swifter pace. With that said, the over all premise is an interesting one. White Hat hackers unite! It takes over half the book to get to that point, but once it does, there is a bit of action and a set up for more action in the sequel.
Jacob Michaels is always so very, very polite. It takes a lot of dialogue to be that polite and considerate all the time. He’s faced with some tough truths that rise abruptly and smack him in the face and yet, he is still the polite, caring person. In his 30s, he’s never pursued a deep romantic relationship wanting to wait until he can afford a wife… but he says it in a more considerate way. This quaint mind set made me think of 1800s and even early 1900s where it was fairly common for men in their 40s to marry women half their age. So obviously Jacob has some deep seeded issues to work on.
His mom and granny were White Hats as well but unfortunately they are dead. I think having them alive and meddling would have made this story much more interesting. As it is, the ladies are nearly all romantic interests with a few other skills that we rarely get to see in action. Petra is the main love interest and is a skilled White Hat, though we are mostly told that and not shown. I think she’s in her 40s or older but that’s unclear. Julie is a flirtatious barista with hidden skills. Patty also has hidden skills but seems to be most proficient in inventive bedroom play. Haddy is married. Master Po, while currently celibate, used to enjoy oral sex and was proficient at it. As you can see, with nearly every female character, there is a bedroom scene. While the men get to be professional managers, hackers, bad guys, cops, spies, business men, etc.
At one point, Petra is thinking to herself how attracted she is to Jacob because of his aura of danger. So funny! Jacob hasn’t done anything dangerous at all at this point. He keeps in shape but he doesn’t have any hand to hand combat training nor any gun or knife proficiency. So, no danger here. Also, that was during the bike tour of the Long Island wineries. Petra has a motorcycle but she lacked the experience to carry a heavier passenger on the back seat, so she let Jacob drive. Argh! If Petra had a slew of other skills that we see used in this plot, that scene wouldn’t bother me so. With Petra relegated to Main Love Interest, it’s a let down. She’s been riding since her teen years but has never carried heavier people on the back seat…. It would have been so easy to give her this one skill and put it on display.
OK, so about halfway through this book we finally get a dead body. Yes! Let the action commence! The pace does pick up a little but it’s still pretty darn slow for a Thriller. I did really like how complicated things got for Buzz, Jacob’s best friend. He’s been taking it too easy, using Jacob to complete his own work tasks (Buzz’s coding skills aren’t all that). Now he’s in some hot water and he has to make some tough choices. I expect Book 2 will show us more of Buzz.
There are a ton of info dumps all the way through this book. Some are fun, cutting edge science or just plain science fiction and I enjoyed those. Like there’s some image encryption tech coupled with tattoos. Yes! That’s very interesting stuff and I wish we had more of it. There’s info dumps on China’s economics and how that relates to cyber security and also on the Enigma machine of WW2. Those were interesting if a bit long winded. Other info dumps were pretty pedestrian and only increased the word count to this novel. Honestly, I don’t really need to know how many pairs of socks Jacob packed to go to DefCon in Las Vegas.
For the most part, the characters stay the same throughout the story. I was expecting some character growth since there wasn’t much action going on. Perhaps the characters needed some action to force them to grow. Buzz showed the greatest growth and that was just a smidge. Some evil Russians (Sergei and Grigory) come in late in the book and give us some true, if one dimensional, villains to watch out for. I did feel for the white tiger Nikky.
All told, the book has promise but it’s long winded. 3/5 stars.
The Narration: Steven Jay Cohen does a pretty good job. He has distinct voices for all the characters and most of his female voices sound like ladies. I felt he struggled with some of the accents a little, some being a bit over accentuated. For the first few hours, Cohen kept putting a slight emphasis on an odd word in every other sentence. It wasn’t William Shatner level, but it was noticeable. After a while, this did smooth out and wasn’t noticeable very often. There’s no technical issues with this recording. 4/5 stars.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by MK Marketing. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Jacob Michaels is always so very, very polite. It takes a lot of dialogue to be that polite and considerate all the time. He’s faced with some tough truths that rise abruptly and smack him in the face and yet, he is still the polite, caring person. In his 30s, he’s never pursued a deep romantic relationship wanting to wait until he can afford a wife… but he says it in a more considerate way. This quaint mind set made me think of 1800s and even early 1900s where it was fairly common for men in their 40s to marry women half their age. So obviously Jacob has some deep seeded issues to work on.
His mom and granny were White Hats as well but unfortunately they are dead. I think having them alive and meddling would have made this story much more interesting. As it is, the ladies are nearly all romantic interests with a few other skills that we rarely get to see in action. Petra is the main love interest and is a skilled White Hat, though we are mostly told that and not shown. I think she’s in her 40s or older but that’s unclear. Julie is a flirtatious barista with hidden skills. Patty also has hidden skills but seems to be most proficient in inventive bedroom play. Haddy is married. Master Po, while currently celibate, used to enjoy oral sex and was proficient at it. As you can see, with nearly every female character, there is a bedroom scene. While the men get to be professional managers, hackers, bad guys, cops, spies, business men, etc.
At one point, Petra is thinking to herself how attracted she is to Jacob because of his aura of danger. So funny! Jacob hasn’t done anything dangerous at all at this point. He keeps in shape but he doesn’t have any hand to hand combat training nor any gun or knife proficiency. So, no danger here. Also, that was during the bike tour of the Long Island wineries. Petra has a motorcycle but she lacked the experience to carry a heavier passenger on the back seat, so she let Jacob drive. Argh! If Petra had a slew of other skills that we see used in this plot, that scene wouldn’t bother me so. With Petra relegated to Main Love Interest, it’s a let down. She’s been riding since her teen years but has never carried heavier people on the back seat…. It would have been so easy to give her this one skill and put it on display.
OK, so about halfway through this book we finally get a dead body. Yes! Let the action commence! The pace does pick up a little but it’s still pretty darn slow for a Thriller. I did really like how complicated things got for Buzz, Jacob’s best friend. He’s been taking it too easy, using Jacob to complete his own work tasks (Buzz’s coding skills aren’t all that). Now he’s in some hot water and he has to make some tough choices. I expect Book 2 will show us more of Buzz.
There are a ton of info dumps all the way through this book. Some are fun, cutting edge science or just plain science fiction and I enjoyed those. Like there’s some image encryption tech coupled with tattoos. Yes! That’s very interesting stuff and I wish we had more of it. There’s info dumps on China’s economics and how that relates to cyber security and also on the Enigma machine of WW2. Those were interesting if a bit long winded. Other info dumps were pretty pedestrian and only increased the word count to this novel. Honestly, I don’t really need to know how many pairs of socks Jacob packed to go to DefCon in Las Vegas.
For the most part, the characters stay the same throughout the story. I was expecting some character growth since there wasn’t much action going on. Perhaps the characters needed some action to force them to grow. Buzz showed the greatest growth and that was just a smidge. Some evil Russians (Sergei and Grigory) come in late in the book and give us some true, if one dimensional, villains to watch out for. I did feel for the white tiger Nikky.
All told, the book has promise but it’s long winded. 3/5 stars.
The Narration: Steven Jay Cohen does a pretty good job. He has distinct voices for all the characters and most of his female voices sound like ladies. I felt he struggled with some of the accents a little, some being a bit over accentuated. For the first few hours, Cohen kept putting a slight emphasis on an odd word in every other sentence. It wasn’t William Shatner level, but it was noticeable. After a while, this did smooth out and wasn’t noticeable very often. There’s no technical issues with this recording. 4/5 stars.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by MK Marketing. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
February 25, 2024
A great book. Kept me turning the pages.
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