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Marika Hartmann #3
Lethal Sky
A light aircraft flies over Sydney Harbour carrying the spores of a deadly microbe, enough to kill the population below and render the city uninhabitable for decades. Intelligence agent Marika Hartmann races to the scene aboard a Taipan helicopter packed with Australian commandos, unable to shoot the plane down for fear of releasing the lethal cargo. Can she save her city?
In Western Europe and America millions of ordinary people start their day, unaware that a swarm of powerful new weapons, armed with the same biological agent, gathers in the skies. In London PJ Johnson leads a team of Special Forces soldiers to find the terrorists' base of operations as biologist Jan Sloven works furiously to decode the conundrum left by a deranged scientific genius - but time is against them all.
Action and adventure, plots and conspiracies all combine for a breakneck thriller that feels terrifyingly real.
In Western Europe and America millions of ordinary people start their day, unaware that a swarm of powerful new weapons, armed with the same biological agent, gathers in the skies. In London PJ Johnson leads a team of Special Forces soldiers to find the terrorists' base of operations as biologist Jan Sloven works furiously to decode the conundrum left by a deranged scientific genius - but time is against them all.
Action and adventure, plots and conspiracies all combine for a breakneck thriller that feels terrifyingly real.
382 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2014
6 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
About the author
Greg Barron
24 books115 followersCrime, terrorism, history, international politics and the wide open spaces of outback Australia are all passionate interests of author Greg Barron. He has lived in North America, New South Wales and in and around Katherine, Northern Territory. He once crossed Arnhem Land on foot, and has a passion for the Top End landscape.
His books, published by HarperCollins Australia and Stories of Oz Publishing, are gutsy pageturners that tell the truth about the world. Rotten Gods was long listed for the prestigious Ned Kelly awards, and has been lauded as "one of the most sophisticated geopolitical thrillers ever written." Savage Tide was described by ABC Radio reviewer Rob Minshull as; "Both supremely intelligent and written at breathtaking pace."
Camp Leichhardt is the first of his Australian stories to see print, and was serialised in 2016 to wide acclaim. Rotten Gods, Savage Tide, Voodoo Dawn and Lethal Sky all feature Marika Hartmann, the Australian intelligence agent who has won the hearts of readers all over the world.
His books, published by HarperCollins Australia and Stories of Oz Publishing, are gutsy pageturners that tell the truth about the world. Rotten Gods was long listed for the prestigious Ned Kelly awards, and has been lauded as "one of the most sophisticated geopolitical thrillers ever written." Savage Tide was described by ABC Radio reviewer Rob Minshull as; "Both supremely intelligent and written at breathtaking pace."
Camp Leichhardt is the first of his Australian stories to see print, and was serialised in 2016 to wide acclaim. Rotten Gods, Savage Tide, Voodoo Dawn and Lethal Sky all feature Marika Hartmann, the Australian intelligence agent who has won the hearts of readers all over the world.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 26, 2014
Marika Hartmann was farewelling Paisley Johnson as he dropped her at Gatwick Airport in England for an emergency flight home to Australia. Marika and her team had been alerted to the possible execution of a terrorist plot to kill the population of Sydney by deploying a canister holding deadly spores by light plane – the breeze would carry the microbes to all corners of the city, rendering it a wasteland for decades to come. Marika would join Australian forces to save the city and its people; hopefully to avert a catastrophe like no other.
Meanwhile across the United Kingdom, Europe and America forces were gathering to create the same biological disaster as was about to occur in Australia – and the diabolical genius of a psychopath who was determined to succeed would create a challenge which PJ Johnson and his team of experts had never seen before. For this crazed but terrifyingly intelligent terrorist was determined to rule the world by wiping out populations everywhere.
As specialists worked frantically to find the solutions to taking the deadly cargo out of terrorists’ hands, it seemed that time was against them all. With different factions working undercover in the various cities and on the ocean, the danger to all was immense. As Tom Mossel lead the teams of people desperately working for answers, PJ and his Special Forces soldiers hunted for the terrorists’ base in London – while across London members of a different group were preparing to riot, pillage and burn.
Would Marika and PJ succeed in this most desperate of quests? Or would a deranged killer beat them all once again?
This action packed thriller, with an incredible plot and gripping pace is absolutely brilliant! Aussie author Greg Barron just gets better and better. His incredible ability to juggle people, plots and places, linking them all together with ease astounds me. There is no confusion, no misunderstanding – just flowing, page-turning action. Barron is definitely at the top of his game; his writing keeps me enthralled to the very last page, and I can’t wait for his next one! I have no hesitation in recommending Lethal Sky highly.
With thanks to the author and publisher for my copy to read and review.
Meanwhile across the United Kingdom, Europe and America forces were gathering to create the same biological disaster as was about to occur in Australia – and the diabolical genius of a psychopath who was determined to succeed would create a challenge which PJ Johnson and his team of experts had never seen before. For this crazed but terrifyingly intelligent terrorist was determined to rule the world by wiping out populations everywhere.
As specialists worked frantically to find the solutions to taking the deadly cargo out of terrorists’ hands, it seemed that time was against them all. With different factions working undercover in the various cities and on the ocean, the danger to all was immense. As Tom Mossel lead the teams of people desperately working for answers, PJ and his Special Forces soldiers hunted for the terrorists’ base in London – while across London members of a different group were preparing to riot, pillage and burn.
Would Marika and PJ succeed in this most desperate of quests? Or would a deranged killer beat them all once again?
This action packed thriller, with an incredible plot and gripping pace is absolutely brilliant! Aussie author Greg Barron just gets better and better. His incredible ability to juggle people, plots and places, linking them all together with ease astounds me. There is no confusion, no misunderstanding – just flowing, page-turning action. Barron is definitely at the top of his game; his writing keeps me enthralled to the very last page, and I can’t wait for his next one! I have no hesitation in recommending Lethal Sky highly.
With thanks to the author and publisher for my copy to read and review.
July 25, 2014
I just finished Greg Barron's latest thriller, Lethal Sky.
He set a high standard with his first novel, Rotten Gods, and followed this successfully with Savage Tide. Lethal Sky has not disappointed, and deserves the high acclaim it has already received!
The action, twists and turns just keep coming. The fate of the world hangs in the balance, and there are a few gritty saviours who can bring us back from the brink. Marika Hartmann is chief of these, and she keeps us riveted with her exploits until the very end.
Well done Greg Barron. I hope there are many more novels to come! You have a talent that must be shared!
He set a high standard with his first novel, Rotten Gods, and followed this successfully with Savage Tide. Lethal Sky has not disappointed, and deserves the high acclaim it has already received!
The action, twists and turns just keep coming. The fate of the world hangs in the balance, and there are a few gritty saviours who can bring us back from the brink. Marika Hartmann is chief of these, and she keeps us riveted with her exploits until the very end.
Well done Greg Barron. I hope there are many more novels to come! You have a talent that must be shared!
December 24, 2015
Starts off fantastically with an air of mystery that carries throughout the book, drawing your attention to the story. It keeps you there, glued to the page- you don't want to put it down because you have this urge to find out what's going to happen next. The style of writing itself almost reminds me of Tom Clancy. I lost sleep because of this novel. I don't mean that in a bad way; quite the contrary. I stayed up too late on many a night, reading, because I was so engrossed in the story.
August 17, 2016
Well, I know this is fiction but reading it really scared me. It is a great read and I was totally immersed in the story. Now I'm seeing the real possibilities of biological warfare that this world faces. Greg Barron's writing is tight, well researched and gripping.
October 25, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and my husband did as well.
It was well researched and had lots of action and excitement.
A great read and I will definitely be reading more books by Greg Barron!
July 4, 2018
A very interesting speculative technothriller with a writing style that rather jarring in some ways, ultimately works in service of the plot scheming and research.
July 11, 2014
3.5*
In one sentence, this story is about a plot to unleash a new and deadly mutation of the anthrax bacilli over the skies of various western cities by a Middle Eastern terrorist. But that one sentence doesn't really do the book justice because it is so much more than that. Marika Hartmann says goodbye to her partner Paisley Johnson in London before heading home to Sydney because of the known terror threat on her home city. The action was then "all systems go" with Marika foiling the initial plot and heading back to London. Meanwhile PJ has been recruited by another secret agency and is facing his last days as Marika's colleague and would like to see an end to this mission before he is required to leave his life. Meanwhile, the terrorists have tested their new, deadly, biological weapon, although witness to the test is able to raise the alarm. The action then delves further into London and the use of drones in modern warfare. Ultimately the plot twists and turns with the terrorists escaping and their plan seemingly faultless. Can Marika and the other agents stop it in time?
This seemed to read like an action movie, but as a result I feel that the characterisation really suffered. There were also a lot of side plots that detracted from the main story, although they were eventually tied back in, I felt they didn't necessarily add much to the overall story. Otherwise it was a decent read.
Note: I also didn't realise this was part of a series until i finished the book, so as a stand alone it is perfectly fine.
In one sentence, this story is about a plot to unleash a new and deadly mutation of the anthrax bacilli over the skies of various western cities by a Middle Eastern terrorist. But that one sentence doesn't really do the book justice because it is so much more than that. Marika Hartmann says goodbye to her partner Paisley Johnson in London before heading home to Sydney because of the known terror threat on her home city. The action was then "all systems go" with Marika foiling the initial plot and heading back to London. Meanwhile PJ has been recruited by another secret agency and is facing his last days as Marika's colleague and would like to see an end to this mission before he is required to leave his life. Meanwhile, the terrorists have tested their new, deadly, biological weapon, although witness to the test is able to raise the alarm. The action then delves further into London and the use of drones in modern warfare. Ultimately the plot twists and turns with the terrorists escaping and their plan seemingly faultless. Can Marika and the other agents stop it in time?
This seemed to read like an action movie, but as a result I feel that the characterisation really suffered. There were also a lot of side plots that detracted from the main story, although they were eventually tied back in, I felt they didn't necessarily add much to the overall story. Otherwise it was a decent read.
Note: I also didn't realise this was part of a series until i finished the book, so as a stand alone it is perfectly fine.
July 12, 2014
This action thriller got me in from the very first page. Several characters from the author's first two books make a welcome return. These characters develop in such a way that makes me want to re- read the first two in the series. The action is constant and kept me reading well into the night and I especially admire the way that the author helps the reader understand how even the worst terrorists come to their positions. There is no good and evil, right and wrong simplicity. I finished the book feeling more knowledgable and a little afraid of what is possible in the future.
September 1, 2014
Book three in the Marika Hartmann series and I loved Lethal Sky--yet another of Greg Barron’s great stories full of action and conspiracies. PJ and Marika are at it again saving the world and Greg does a great job making fiction seem like reality (and given the 'enemy' in this story, that reality is a terrifying thought). The detail and research to make this story (all his stories) so real brings well-deserved praise to Greg’s novels and writing abilities. J. :)
October 2, 2014
Another well-crafted novel by Greg Barron. I enjoyed every page of this enthralling book and at times couldn't put it down if only for sleep! Well done Greg, I can't wait for your next book and what a great end to a wonderful set of three books.
October 30, 2015
Marika Hartman is a Badass Aussie that makes James Bond look like a sexist Wussie and would make Jason Bourne return to his therapist crying..
Doesn't disappoint, the first two novels didn't and neither did the third..
Doesn't disappoint, the first two novels didn't and neither did the third..
April 28, 2019
Robert Ludlum, Wilbur Smith, Greg Iles, Led Child, Tom Clancy, Alistair Maclean.. They all carved a niche and most are still doing so, as writers who deliver adventure page after page, story after story.
In "Lethal Sky", Greg Barron does just that. Delivers a compelling story which doesn't waste any time at drawing you into his web. What's at risk is the potential to disperse a seriously lethal dose of a biological weapon over major cities on both sides of the Atlantic and over Sydney, Australia. The extremists have the weapon and are preparing to transport it to their target cities, ready for distribution. If they succeed in sending the agent over the airspace of the targeted cities, millions will die.
Intelligence agent Marika Hartmann is on the case, desperately aware of how vital her mission is. To track down the weapons and to stop the terrorists before they press the delivery mechanisms. She is fearless and prepared to risk everything to save the planet from devastation. Easier said than done.
Greg Barron is no newbie to the thriller genre, and his character Marika Hartmann is also an established operator in his previous novels. He certainly engages the reader from page one.
In "Lethal Sky", Greg Barron does just that. Delivers a compelling story which doesn't waste any time at drawing you into his web. What's at risk is the potential to disperse a seriously lethal dose of a biological weapon over major cities on both sides of the Atlantic and over Sydney, Australia. The extremists have the weapon and are preparing to transport it to their target cities, ready for distribution. If they succeed in sending the agent over the airspace of the targeted cities, millions will die.
Intelligence agent Marika Hartmann is on the case, desperately aware of how vital her mission is. To track down the weapons and to stop the terrorists before they press the delivery mechanisms. She is fearless and prepared to risk everything to save the planet from devastation. Easier said than done.
Greg Barron is no newbie to the thriller genre, and his character Marika Hartmann is also an established operator in his previous novels. He certainly engages the reader from page one.
November 6, 2018
Terribly implausible but nonetheless good fun. Given it's outing #3 for Ms Hartmann and her homies, upping the in-depth character development would have balanced this book better.
June 27, 2014
Disquieting, suspenseful, and thought provoking, Lethal Sky, set in the near future, shows just where The World of Science could be taking us.
The good results of science we see all around us - but in some embittered, revengeful, twisted, and often obviously very intelligent minds, the powers of science are to be used purely for destruction. The reader will experience all this in Lethal Sky where groups of terrorists plan to use drones and deadly microbes in efforts too destroy some of the western countries' most important cities - first off, our very own Sydney,. The tension builds!
We have learnt that there are organisations with dedicated, intensely super-trained agents to combat these threats - and hence, again meet Marika Hartmann (an Aussie girl), PJ Johnson and some characters who have starred in other books. All the characters become real to us, and the situations are highly possible!
Reading Lethal Sky is a nail- biting, roller coaster experience - an experience not to be missed! It will keep you thinking, with renewed eyes, about the world around us. Congratulations to the very talented author!
The good results of science we see all around us - but in some embittered, revengeful, twisted, and often obviously very intelligent minds, the powers of science are to be used purely for destruction. The reader will experience all this in Lethal Sky where groups of terrorists plan to use drones and deadly microbes in efforts too destroy some of the western countries' most important cities - first off, our very own Sydney,. The tension builds!
We have learnt that there are organisations with dedicated, intensely super-trained agents to combat these threats - and hence, again meet Marika Hartmann (an Aussie girl), PJ Johnson and some characters who have starred in other books. All the characters become real to us, and the situations are highly possible!
Reading Lethal Sky is a nail- biting, roller coaster experience - an experience not to be missed! It will keep you thinking, with renewed eyes, about the world around us. Congratulations to the very talented author!
September 22, 2014
This is the first of Greg Barron's books that I have read and I am intrigued to try more even though this is not my normal reading genre. I was very impressed with the amount of detail and research that was evidently done as having the details all laid out for me made the plot seem more realistic and severe. The parts in the beginning seemed to present parallel storylines but ultimately joined together quite nicely. Although the part where Marika is captured and PJ can't save her is predictable I still felt his pain. I only gave this book a 3 as during parts I was not totally absorbed in the story and I felt that perhaps there was a bit too much detail in a slow paced scene... The other faults are all a combination of minor things so do not need to detract from this review. Overall I am fairly satisfied with this read :)
July 8, 2014
The action begins very early on in the book, a story of trying to stop the terrorists at the eleventh hour, and carries on throughout, though I can't describe it as action from cover to cover. It's an exciting read but does get a big bogged down and side tracked at times, such as the Zaw. It's as if the author had knowledge he wanted to share and choose this novel as the avenue. It didn't really add to the story and was a distraction, puting a handbrake on the action.
However, this is still another excellent chapter in the Marika Hartmann story and look forward to more. One disappointing aspect was the events for PJ Johnson. I really wonder if he is being spun off for his own series of stories.
However, this is still another excellent chapter in the Marika Hartmann story and look forward to more. One disappointing aspect was the events for PJ Johnson. I really wonder if he is being spun off for his own series of stories.
August 7, 2014
I'm a little conflicted about this book. It had a lot of action, and it really started with a bang, and it's obvious from the little changes that the author wishes to set this in the future, but not too far, perhaps as little as five years. Some of his technology choices are rather laughable, and some of the technical bits during the climax were so wrong it almost caused me physical pain. It seems I missed something by not reading a previous book, but it wasn't pointed out by the book itself.
August 6, 2014
Wow! I enjoyed reading Lethal Sky immensely. Many of the other reviews have given the plot, so I will just say that I think Greg Barron's writing skill is getting better with every book he writes. It was thoroughly researched, lots of action and great characters. Lethal Sky flowed with all the right elements to keep me reading on into the night. I was especially intrigued because a large part of the action is located in my area in the United Kingdom. Am I being watched by a drone?
February 17, 2015
I loved this third book in the Marika Hartmann series. Greg's fast paced and incisive writing makes it a thoroughly enjoyable read. Lot's of action with Marika and PJ back together again intent on saving the western world from devastation.
Greg's inevitable attention to detail and thorough research make this a book which receives my recommendation.
Greg's inevitable attention to detail and thorough research make this a book which receives my recommendation.
August 23, 2014
enjoyed the story but found the writing style difficult to get used to .
January 10, 2015
much like a Reilly thrill ride, it was over too soon. a well written and well paced story.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews