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Lana Elkins #2
Trident Code
Ruthless cyberhackers seize a US nuclear submarine, training its most powerful weapon on a target so unusual, yet so vulnerable, that a successful strike could change the face of the earth for millions of years. With the world held hostage, former NSA operative Lana Elkins must join forces with a mysterious computer mastermind—who might be working with the enemy—to avert this unprecedented Armageddon. Intrigue, power, and blackmail force Lana to fight on all fronts—land, sea, air, and in cyberspace—to prevent the worst catastrophe in human history.
The author of Lethal Code returns with a new geopolitical thriller that combines cyberterror, environmental devastation, and unhinged ambition.
The author of Lethal Code returns with a new geopolitical thriller that combines cyberterror, environmental devastation, and unhinged ambition.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2015
80 people are currently reading
956 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Waite
11 books159 followersTHOMAS WAITE is the bestselling author of the celebrated Lana Elkins thriller series. Lethal Code was declared "Taut, tense, and provocative" by Hank Phillippi Ryan, the Agatha, Anthony, and Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author, who quickly added "...this frighteningly knowing cyberthriller will keep you turning pages--not only to devour the fast-paced fiction, but to worry about how much is terrifyingly true."
Trident Code followed in form. "Scary good," according to King Features columnist Dale Dauten: "The science and technology are as convincing as they are chilling, with an original trifecta of cyber, nuclear, and environmental terrorism all worked into one wild ride of a plot."
Unholy Code, the third novel in the series, received similar praise. "Rarely does a novel pull me down and strap me in for the long, beautifully turbulent ride like Unholy Code did," said Vincent Zandri, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Remains and When Shadows Come.
Waite's first novel, Terminal Value, reached #1 at Amazon. One reviewer wrote, "Terminal Value is to the corporate world what John Grisham's The Firm is to lawyering: a taut, fast, relentless thriller. A most impressive debut novel."
Shadowed, the follow-up to Terminal Value, was released October 2, 2018. Dale Dauten of King Features wrote "Thomas Waite has already established himself as a preeminent writer of riveting thrillers and Shadowed is no exception. From the murky depths of Boston's Charles River to the harrowing wild lands of Kenya, Waite takes readers on a ride so real they'll feel as if they're flying in the co-pilot's seat!"
Waite is a board director of, and an advisor to, a number of technology companies. His nonfiction work has appeared in The New York Times, the Harvard Business Review, The Boston Globe, and The Daily Beast.
Trident Code followed in form. "Scary good," according to King Features columnist Dale Dauten: "The science and technology are as convincing as they are chilling, with an original trifecta of cyber, nuclear, and environmental terrorism all worked into one wild ride of a plot."
Unholy Code, the third novel in the series, received similar praise. "Rarely does a novel pull me down and strap me in for the long, beautifully turbulent ride like Unholy Code did," said Vincent Zandri, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Remains and When Shadows Come.
Waite's first novel, Terminal Value, reached #1 at Amazon. One reviewer wrote, "Terminal Value is to the corporate world what John Grisham's The Firm is to lawyering: a taut, fast, relentless thriller. A most impressive debut novel."
Shadowed, the follow-up to Terminal Value, was released October 2, 2018. Dale Dauten of King Features wrote "Thomas Waite has already established himself as a preeminent writer of riveting thrillers and Shadowed is no exception. From the murky depths of Boston's Charles River to the harrowing wild lands of Kenya, Waite takes readers on a ride so real they'll feel as if they're flying in the co-pilot's seat!"
Waite is a board director of, and an advisor to, a number of technology companies. His nonfiction work has appeared in The New York Times, the Harvard Business Review, The Boston Globe, and The Daily Beast.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 27, 2015
Definitely a page-turner. The world is again on the brink of catastrophe and Lana Elkins, heroic expert on national security, is again called on to step up her game.
Someone has been secretly working on a process by which carbon dioxide can be directly extracted from the atmosphere, Ambient Air Capture (AAC). This sounds like an Earth-saving discovery as we Earthlings speed toward that tipping point from which violent weather and rising oceans could devastate billions as well as many other species on this planet. Good if for everyone; not so good if used for national strategic advantage. This is the big concept that drives this story.
Waite is at his best when he, like the Cuslers and Clancys, is giving us the details of what the threat is: "In malevolent hands, AAC could crate an ice age or turn the earth into an oven. More responsible parties could use AAC to reduce global temperatures to what they had been at the down of the Industrial Revolution..." He sketches the Arctic scramble among Russia, USA, Canada, Denmark and Norway for the predicted "untapped reserves of natural gas and oil..." He details what could happen if some or all of the Antarctic ice shelves were to be released into the ocean. Because this is Lana Elkins, we are speculating about the threat of cyber-terrorists and their ability to hold the world hostage. If they are aligned with one country, that could skew the balance of power significantly for decades to come.
Waite struggles when he attempts to add dimension to his characters. The hacker who, as a single mother, is trying to save the world while saving her baby from cancer. The terrorist who's father is a Russian oligarch and, who wants to show Papa that he is no longer the big cheese in the family. Our hero, who is torn between attending her daughter's National Cathedral recital and saving the world.
The story moves quickly enough that you might not notice all the false notes. But, for me, there were just to many jarring bumps on this fast ride.
Someone has been secretly working on a process by which carbon dioxide can be directly extracted from the atmosphere, Ambient Air Capture (AAC). This sounds like an Earth-saving discovery as we Earthlings speed toward that tipping point from which violent weather and rising oceans could devastate billions as well as many other species on this planet. Good if for everyone; not so good if used for national strategic advantage. This is the big concept that drives this story.
Waite is at his best when he, like the Cuslers and Clancys, is giving us the details of what the threat is: "In malevolent hands, AAC could crate an ice age or turn the earth into an oven. More responsible parties could use AAC to reduce global temperatures to what they had been at the down of the Industrial Revolution..." He sketches the Arctic scramble among Russia, USA, Canada, Denmark and Norway for the predicted "untapped reserves of natural gas and oil..." He details what could happen if some or all of the Antarctic ice shelves were to be released into the ocean. Because this is Lana Elkins, we are speculating about the threat of cyber-terrorists and their ability to hold the world hostage. If they are aligned with one country, that could skew the balance of power significantly for decades to come.
Waite struggles when he attempts to add dimension to his characters. The hacker who, as a single mother, is trying to save the world while saving her baby from cancer. The terrorist who's father is a Russian oligarch and, who wants to show Papa that he is no longer the big cheese in the family. Our hero, who is torn between attending her daughter's National Cathedral recital and saving the world.
The story moves quickly enough that you might not notice all the false notes. But, for me, there were just to many jarring bumps on this fast ride.
May 17, 2015
I received a free advanced ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Trident Code is book 2 in the Lana Elkins thriller.
In this book, a hacker hacks into and takes control of a US nuclear submarine and threatens to do something that will cause great trouble all around the globe...
Reading about some of the devastating events really got me scared, and it got me thinking whether this could happen in real life? What if the sea level started rising rapidly...?
This one definitely was a good read.
Trident Code is book 2 in the Lana Elkins thriller.
In this book, a hacker hacks into and takes control of a US nuclear submarine and threatens to do something that will cause great trouble all around the globe...
Reading about some of the devastating events really got me scared, and it got me thinking whether this could happen in real life? What if the sea level started rising rapidly...?
This one definitely was a good read.
May 26, 2015
If I could categorize this in Tweeter, it will be #scaryshit. Thomas Waite made Dan Brown's DIgital Fortress look like child's play. Story starts with a background story about the Artic's gas resources, and how powerful countries are racing to claim it.
Enter these cyber hackers, threatening to destroy everything unless they pull out. At first glance, it seemed like a threat that was not possible, but as the hackers gain access to dangerous weaponry, Lana Elkins has a job to do.
She is a great woman, Lana Elkins: a mother, employee charged with safety of the countries' people etc. Her choices often made her only daughter hate her, yet she is unable to rectify the situation. Choosing her daughter over her job will have dire consequences, and I really feel for her.
In Russia, Gloria Bortnik is somehow involved in something bigger than she was told it would be. And her sugar daddy/ employ Oleg Dernov is not to be trifled with. There are good guys, bad guys and everyone in between, it makes the book interesting and gives the book a little more depth.
The pace of the book varies from fast to *omg please hurry up!*, which is good for those who wants to have a breather. I like my book normal paced, not quick quick slow, in this case I find it good, because of the length of the book.
Characters? Oleg is a real pain, and love to be feared, making him a villain worth stabbing in the dark. Others? You can argue, but not everyone who is on Oleg's team is evil, and the sad parts about Oleg's brother, Dmitri is worth reading sometimes.
As the race against time starts, can Lana trace down the cyber terrorists before the whole becomes an island? If you like science fiction that is too close to home, this is pretty good.
Enter these cyber hackers, threatening to destroy everything unless they pull out. At first glance, it seemed like a threat that was not possible, but as the hackers gain access to dangerous weaponry, Lana Elkins has a job to do.
She is a great woman, Lana Elkins: a mother, employee charged with safety of the countries' people etc. Her choices often made her only daughter hate her, yet she is unable to rectify the situation. Choosing her daughter over her job will have dire consequences, and I really feel for her.
In Russia, Gloria Bortnik is somehow involved in something bigger than she was told it would be. And her sugar daddy/ employ Oleg Dernov is not to be trifled with. There are good guys, bad guys and everyone in between, it makes the book interesting and gives the book a little more depth.
The pace of the book varies from fast to *omg please hurry up!*, which is good for those who wants to have a breather. I like my book normal paced, not quick quick slow, in this case I find it good, because of the length of the book.
Characters? Oleg is a real pain, and love to be feared, making him a villain worth stabbing in the dark. Others? You can argue, but not everyone who is on Oleg's team is evil, and the sad parts about Oleg's brother, Dmitri is worth reading sometimes.
As the race against time starts, can Lana trace down the cyber terrorists before the whole becomes an island? If you like science fiction that is too close to home, this is pretty good.
June 14, 2015
The Trident Code is the second book in the Lana Elkins series. Last years book, Lethal Code, was a thrill ride that seemed so fast paced that it might never stop. Well, the Trident Code starts much the same way. Lana Elkins our Cyber Guru is called by the NSA because of a crisis that they are facing. That crisis is a Chinese group of hackers that they want to weed out and make impotent. So, Lana is going to help.
But before they can even start their meetings on this issue a new one comes front and center. Someone has hijacked a U.S. Navy Nuclear Missile Submarine. They have released a gas into the air system that kills the entire crew, with the exception of one man who was able to get an oxygen mask on and vent the gas out of the sub and restore the normal oxygen. Is that providence or is it design?
Well, soon it seems design because this sub will be front and center for a cyber attack not just on the United States but on the world. The Cyber terrorist claim they can launch the nuclear missiles unless the world caves to their demands. When the world doesn't cave quickly enough they do launch a missile, but it is not headed towards any major city of the world, instead it is headed towards the Antarctic and the polar ice cap and glaciers. Why?
Well, here is where the story might be taking a political / Global Warming / environmental shift to do a bit of preaching while still in the thriller realm. The nuclear missile melts a major portion of a Glacier plus breaks off the ice in such a degree that it causes the oceans of the world to start rising. This is what environmentalist have said will happen with Global warming, but it would happen over a very long period of time. But with this nuclear strike it happens overnight. The coastlines of the continents are inundated with a four foot rise in sea level (with the threat that another missile will make it an eleven foot rise). To think of this makes you realize what that could actually mean to the world.
Most of New Orleans would again be under water, but it would never recede. The Netherlands would be 60% under water at 4 feet and totally under water at 11 feet. Thousands will drown, economies will be devastated, thousands more will either die of thirst or starvation because of the disruption of food deliveries and water purification.
This is huge.
The charge to Lana and her team, find out who did this, find out how to wrestle back control of the nuclear sub and prevent the launch of another missile, or for that matter the remaining twenty two missiles.
The book is fast paced and excellent reading. So, why only four stars? Well, I thought the ending was a bit to quick, to cut off. While we have had a wild ride it just abruptly is over. Maybe that is real life, but it seemed a bit to quick. I wanted a bit more closure on some topics. But all in all it is a good read.
But before they can even start their meetings on this issue a new one comes front and center. Someone has hijacked a U.S. Navy Nuclear Missile Submarine. They have released a gas into the air system that kills the entire crew, with the exception of one man who was able to get an oxygen mask on and vent the gas out of the sub and restore the normal oxygen. Is that providence or is it design?
Well, soon it seems design because this sub will be front and center for a cyber attack not just on the United States but on the world. The Cyber terrorist claim they can launch the nuclear missiles unless the world caves to their demands. When the world doesn't cave quickly enough they do launch a missile, but it is not headed towards any major city of the world, instead it is headed towards the Antarctic and the polar ice cap and glaciers. Why?
Well, here is where the story might be taking a political / Global Warming / environmental shift to do a bit of preaching while still in the thriller realm. The nuclear missile melts a major portion of a Glacier plus breaks off the ice in such a degree that it causes the oceans of the world to start rising. This is what environmentalist have said will happen with Global warming, but it would happen over a very long period of time. But with this nuclear strike it happens overnight. The coastlines of the continents are inundated with a four foot rise in sea level (with the threat that another missile will make it an eleven foot rise). To think of this makes you realize what that could actually mean to the world.
Most of New Orleans would again be under water, but it would never recede. The Netherlands would be 60% under water at 4 feet and totally under water at 11 feet. Thousands will drown, economies will be devastated, thousands more will either die of thirst or starvation because of the disruption of food deliveries and water purification.
This is huge.
The charge to Lana and her team, find out who did this, find out how to wrestle back control of the nuclear sub and prevent the launch of another missile, or for that matter the remaining twenty two missiles.
The book is fast paced and excellent reading. So, why only four stars? Well, I thought the ending was a bit to quick, to cut off. While we have had a wild ride it just abruptly is over. Maybe that is real life, but it seemed a bit to quick. I wanted a bit more closure on some topics. But all in all it is a good read.
February 23, 2016
Trident Code is the second in a two book series about Lana Elkins. If you want to read about very realistic cyber attacks that could actually happen in today's world, this series is the best yet. Great writing keeps you on the edge of your seat, all the while realizing 'oh my gosh this could really happen' !
December 18, 2018
I enjoyed this excellent thriller. On the other hand, now I know about the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and what will happen if it ever breaks off and falls into the ocean, and it's pretty terrifying. (Climate change could cause it if the ocean continues to warm.) Ocean levels would rise 9-10 feet in a very short period, putting most of the world's largest cities (which also happen to be coastal) under water with no time for evacuation. This story is about a terrorist's threat to this ice sheet, and it's very compelling. It kept me hooked to the very end.
July 18, 2021
This is a great story, but not expertly told. I may be spoiled, but I thought the story telling was inconsistent, some passages expertly written, but others dragged. In th ed weaker sections, there was a bit too much "telling" and not enough "showing", which doesn't allow you to get absorbed in the story.
December 17, 2018
Global Warming Accelerated!
Great imagination but terrifying consequences. What if a terrorist attack could lead to global flooding? I kept wondering if Chatham, Mass. would be underwater???
Great imagination but terrifying consequences. What if a terrorist attack could lead to global flooding? I kept wondering if Chatham, Mass. would be underwater???
February 16, 2019
The Trident Code is the second in the series and the only one I've read to date. A little far-fetched and "Hollywood" (by that I mean Hollywood action, a little "overdone") at times, but I really, really enjoyed it.
December 31, 2019
I won this book on Goodreads. I liked it - there is plenty of suspense that kept me reading. Waite did a good job with the technology explanations; I am such a Luddite but I could understand what was going on! I didn't care for the romance angle, though. It just didn't seem real.
August 16, 2021
Very much enjoyed part 2 in the Lana Elkins series. Thrilling to to envision the potential impact of high jacking a nuclear submarine and flooding major coastal cities around the world! Hoping that Unholy Code will come out on Audible sometime soon.
July 1, 2017
Great new series to follow.
I find it hard to get into a new author and new character but this did the trick. I've definitely found a new series to follow!
I find it hard to get into a new author and new character but this did the trick. I've definitely found a new series to follow!
September 22, 2017
It was OK. I preferred Book 1 of the series more.
October 26, 2017
Too much mumbo jumbo. #1 was much better
December 19, 2015
It kept me interested, even through the ineptness of the cyber defenses
One of the staples of thrillers is the use of the super soldier, an individual that seems capable of operating every weapon, driving every vehicle and flying every device that can get off the ground. Also, despite being shot at by many people that should be good shots, they never get killed and any wounds they suffer in action are not debilitating. Such story tactics can be overdone and eliminate much of the tension. For the reader knows that the hero is not in any real danger.
The plot of this book uses the premise of the super computer hacker rather than that of the super soldier. In this case there are three such hackers and they are all working against the United States. They are extremely talented, far superior to the best that the U. S. has. The hacker triad is so good that they have been able to penetrate the most sensitive of U. S. military assets, the submarines that carry nuclear missiles as well as the anti-ballistic missile system defenses.
The premise is that two of the three hackers are determined to destroy much of the world in order for one nation to rise to global supremacy. The third recognizes the ruthlessness of the other two and joins forces with American cybersecurity expert Lana Elkins in an attempt to stop them.
With control of the weapons of a nuclear submarine in their hands, the evil hackers launch their attack and the world is on the precipice of the death of millions. The attack is so powerful that it will destroy large areas of many nations, rendering them uninhabitable for what may be millions of years.
If you can overcome the absurdity of such a small group of hackers being able to gain control of so much with the cyber defenses so inept, then you will enjoy this book. I enjoyed it even through the parts where I scoffed at the ineptness of the people that wrote the very code that was defeated. The idea that people that did not write the software that would be millions of lines in length could penetrate it so thoroughly and render all counter measures by the people that understand it best useless is pretty difficult to believe.
However, there is one very sound premise in this story, that even dramatic global warming will soundly benefit some countries, particularly those with land in extreme northern and southern climates. Every degree of increase in temperature moves the upper limit of tillable ground farther north. This is something to keep in mind when studying the current geopolitical situation, disasters can be lucrative for some nations.
This book was made available for free for review purposes and this review also appears on Amazon
One of the staples of thrillers is the use of the super soldier, an individual that seems capable of operating every weapon, driving every vehicle and flying every device that can get off the ground. Also, despite being shot at by many people that should be good shots, they never get killed and any wounds they suffer in action are not debilitating. Such story tactics can be overdone and eliminate much of the tension. For the reader knows that the hero is not in any real danger.
The plot of this book uses the premise of the super computer hacker rather than that of the super soldier. In this case there are three such hackers and they are all working against the United States. They are extremely talented, far superior to the best that the U. S. has. The hacker triad is so good that they have been able to penetrate the most sensitive of U. S. military assets, the submarines that carry nuclear missiles as well as the anti-ballistic missile system defenses.
The premise is that two of the three hackers are determined to destroy much of the world in order for one nation to rise to global supremacy. The third recognizes the ruthlessness of the other two and joins forces with American cybersecurity expert Lana Elkins in an attempt to stop them.
With control of the weapons of a nuclear submarine in their hands, the evil hackers launch their attack and the world is on the precipice of the death of millions. The attack is so powerful that it will destroy large areas of many nations, rendering them uninhabitable for what may be millions of years.
If you can overcome the absurdity of such a small group of hackers being able to gain control of so much with the cyber defenses so inept, then you will enjoy this book. I enjoyed it even through the parts where I scoffed at the ineptness of the people that wrote the very code that was defeated. The idea that people that did not write the software that would be millions of lines in length could penetrate it so thoroughly and render all counter measures by the people that understand it best useless is pretty difficult to believe.
However, there is one very sound premise in this story, that even dramatic global warming will soundly benefit some countries, particularly those with land in extreme northern and southern climates. Every degree of increase in temperature moves the upper limit of tillable ground farther north. This is something to keep in mind when studying the current geopolitical situation, disasters can be lucrative for some nations.
This book was made available for free for review purposes and this review also appears on Amazon
February 2, 2021
Overall this was a disappointing novel. This is the first of Waite’s novels that I have read having got this as Kindle freebie from Amazon. There was much to engage the reader and the fact that the elements of the hackers plan were successful was a rewarding change as all too often we have the in the nick of time saving of the day by the good guys. The overall plot was ingenious and original I was intrigued by the use of climate change as terrorist weapon. All of this was to the good, but from my point of view the poor outweighed this and I will not be seeking out other volumes by the author.
So what was wrong with the novel? Well to start with this is billed as a techno-thriller but from my point of view there is very little ‘techno’. We are told that hackers have taken over a US nuclear submarine and have total control of the Trident missiles. There is however no attempt made to explain how this extraordinary feat has been accomplished. I was not expect 100s of pages of geek speak to explain it but some detail would make it more believable. I know that nuclear submarines are very difficult to communicate with, indeed they have to have regular contact times set up to even communicate with their land based bosses as they need to get near the surface for the antennae to be able to pick up signals. Yet we are expected to believe that hackers have been able to be in contact with the sub long enough to take control. Coupled with this there is acknowledgement that a bar minimum of the crew would be needed to sail the vessel, maintain the reactor etc. and again no part of the story is given over to explaining how part of the crew have been compromised so they could be the ‘inside men’.
Next we have Lana Elkins herself. Now I know that governments tend to outsource elements of business and do employ outside contractors, but it stretched credibility to have Lana as this outside contractor working for the NSA who has been search systems and techniques than the NSA and can find out more than the government can. Add to this that the fact they send her as an untrained field agent to extract one of the hackers who is changing sides was almost too much to believe.
The ending felt rushed and all too convenient rather than one that flowed naturally from the story that had gone before. In all of the previous chapters we had been witnesses to the neutralising of military power and might by the subtle moves of the hacker only at the last of military power to step in and save the day.
This could have been a much more impressive read given the originality of the plotline but for me at least it was a big disappointment.
So what was wrong with the novel? Well to start with this is billed as a techno-thriller but from my point of view there is very little ‘techno’. We are told that hackers have taken over a US nuclear submarine and have total control of the Trident missiles. There is however no attempt made to explain how this extraordinary feat has been accomplished. I was not expect 100s of pages of geek speak to explain it but some detail would make it more believable. I know that nuclear submarines are very difficult to communicate with, indeed they have to have regular contact times set up to even communicate with their land based bosses as they need to get near the surface for the antennae to be able to pick up signals. Yet we are expected to believe that hackers have been able to be in contact with the sub long enough to take control. Coupled with this there is acknowledgement that a bar minimum of the crew would be needed to sail the vessel, maintain the reactor etc. and again no part of the story is given over to explaining how part of the crew have been compromised so they could be the ‘inside men’.
Next we have Lana Elkins herself. Now I know that governments tend to outsource elements of business and do employ outside contractors, but it stretched credibility to have Lana as this outside contractor working for the NSA who has been search systems and techniques than the NSA and can find out more than the government can. Add to this that the fact they send her as an untrained field agent to extract one of the hackers who is changing sides was almost too much to believe.
The ending felt rushed and all too convenient rather than one that flowed naturally from the story that had gone before. In all of the previous chapters we had been witnesses to the neutralising of military power and might by the subtle moves of the hacker only at the last of military power to step in and save the day.
This could have been a much more impressive read given the originality of the plotline but for me at least it was a big disappointment.
June 19, 2017
Lana Elkins is back in this book about cyber terrorism and environmental disaster.
A Russian-based hacker has been ordered to effect an intrusion into the codes of an American Trident submarine. Once this is done and some of the crew are gassed, the nuclear missiles could be launched by the rest of the crew and guided remotely, is the concept. The target turns out to be the unprotected West Antarctic Ice Sheet in order to trigger flooding and sea level rise around the world.
In this scenario, Russia will mainly be left high and dry but other nations have maximum exposure to sea rise with major cities on coastlines. The Russian psychopath directing this is an entrepreneur rather than a socialist or a dictator; he wants to control world energy and make other nations crawl to him. Just like Goldfinger or Blofeld in tone.
Lana Elkins can't be blamed for this appalling breach in US security but her daughter can surely blame Mom for not attending her concert as she promised. The juxtaposition is amusing and the separate perils of mother and daughter, as in the first book, serve to involve us in the real personal danger of the flooding as well as in the global concepts and statistics. Lana also gets a reunion with the no-good husband she never wanted to see again, adding an interesting character to the tale and rounding her as a personality.
I felt the early chapter was unnecessarily brutal, with a scientist forced to hand over secrets; these became submerged in the overall plan. The incident did show us how far the bad guys were prepared to go and warned readers that the squeamish should stop reading now. I liked the end of this tale better than Lethal Code, because it ran along very well and carried some personal triumphs. If you like geopolitics, thrillers, environmental warnings and cybercrime, Trident Code will be your book of the year.
A Russian-based hacker has been ordered to effect an intrusion into the codes of an American Trident submarine. Once this is done and some of the crew are gassed, the nuclear missiles could be launched by the rest of the crew and guided remotely, is the concept. The target turns out to be the unprotected West Antarctic Ice Sheet in order to trigger flooding and sea level rise around the world.
In this scenario, Russia will mainly be left high and dry but other nations have maximum exposure to sea rise with major cities on coastlines. The Russian psychopath directing this is an entrepreneur rather than a socialist or a dictator; he wants to control world energy and make other nations crawl to him. Just like Goldfinger or Blofeld in tone.
Lana Elkins can't be blamed for this appalling breach in US security but her daughter can surely blame Mom for not attending her concert as she promised. The juxtaposition is amusing and the separate perils of mother and daughter, as in the first book, serve to involve us in the real personal danger of the flooding as well as in the global concepts and statistics. Lana also gets a reunion with the no-good husband she never wanted to see again, adding an interesting character to the tale and rounding her as a personality.
I felt the early chapter was unnecessarily brutal, with a scientist forced to hand over secrets; these became submerged in the overall plan. The incident did show us how far the bad guys were prepared to go and warned readers that the squeamish should stop reading now. I liked the end of this tale better than Lethal Code, because it ran along very well and carried some personal triumphs. If you like geopolitics, thrillers, environmental warnings and cybercrime, Trident Code will be your book of the year.
January 23, 2016
The story unfolds when Lana Elkins, a former NSA employee, is recruited once again to stave off another possible world-wide catastrophe. When once of America's premier nuclear subs is highjacked and the sickening scene of crew members dying horrible deaths is broadcast for all the world to see, Elkins and her team race against time trying stop the cyber-terrorists from launching the Trident II missiles--an action that could change the face of the world forever.
I love thrillers and this one did not disappoint. With all the super-hackers out there bent on destruction especially against the USA, the highjacking of one of our most valuable subs seems the way to hit us hard. I'm not computer savvy enough to know if this is even a possibility, but nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed the story. With each page, there seemed to be no end to the destruction as Lana and her team try to discover the identity of the hackers. The sub-plot with Elkins' daughter, however, did nothing to add to the angst of the story. That storyline could have been eliminated while the tension and heart-pounding action of Elkins and her team could have easily carried the story. Beside that one criticism, fans of thrillers will thoroughly enjoy this book.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I love thrillers and this one did not disappoint. With all the super-hackers out there bent on destruction especially against the USA, the highjacking of one of our most valuable subs seems the way to hit us hard. I'm not computer savvy enough to know if this is even a possibility, but nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed the story. With each page, there seemed to be no end to the destruction as Lana and her team try to discover the identity of the hackers. The sub-plot with Elkins' daughter, however, did nothing to add to the angst of the story. That storyline could have been eliminated while the tension and heart-pounding action of Elkins and her team could have easily carried the story. Beside that one criticism, fans of thrillers will thoroughly enjoy this book.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 3, 2015
“Trident Code” eBook was published in 2015 (May) and was written by Thomas Waite (http://thomaswaite.com). This is Mr. Waite’s third novel, and the second of his ‘Lana Elkins’ thrillers.
I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this novel as ‘PG’ as there are some instances of Violence, Mature Language and Mature Situations. This Thriller novel is set in contemporary times, mostly in the US around Washington D.C.
The primary character is Lana Elkins, formerly with the NSA, now heading up her own cybersecurity firm that contracts to various government intelligence agencies. Hackers take control of a US missile submarine and threaten the world with destruction if nations claiming resources in the arctic do not withdraw. A Russian hacker is orchestrating the attacks, planning for Russia to be the winner with access to arctic resources when all is said and done.
The 6.5 hours I spent with the novel were enjoyable, but I felt there was something ‘off’ with it. There was not a lot of physical action, but there was intrigue and suspense. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this novel as ‘PG’ as there are some instances of Violence, Mature Language and Mature Situations. This Thriller novel is set in contemporary times, mostly in the US around Washington D.C.
The primary character is Lana Elkins, formerly with the NSA, now heading up her own cybersecurity firm that contracts to various government intelligence agencies. Hackers take control of a US missile submarine and threaten the world with destruction if nations claiming resources in the arctic do not withdraw. A Russian hacker is orchestrating the attacks, planning for Russia to be the winner with access to arctic resources when all is said and done.
The 6.5 hours I spent with the novel were enjoyable, but I felt there was something ‘off’ with it. There was not a lot of physical action, but there was intrigue and suspense. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
May 28, 2015
Thomas Waite’s latest Lana Elkin novel can certainly get the adrenaline pumping. What could be more terrorizing than the destruction of the world as we know it by terrorists using nuclear warheads directed at the glacial masses in Antarctica, The result would be massive global flooding. From the description of this book we know Lana will be using her genius to fight the terrorists. The villain is all wrapped up in one sociopathic package, Oleg, a Russian cyber hacking genius. His evil is not confined to global treachery, even his private life is filled with his villainy. His girlfriend Galina does not share in his villainous desires and attempts to make her escape with her cancer ridden daughter.
If you like lots of action and breathtaking suspense, you will get it in this novel. You will also get some really ugly scenes of human terror and torture and scenes of Lana’s personal life that will take you out of the story totally. If it weren’t for the boring side story of Lana’s impossible fifteen-year old daughter, Emma, I might have given this book 5 stars.
This is not a bad book but I feel this author could have made it so much better.
If you like lots of action and breathtaking suspense, you will get it in this novel. You will also get some really ugly scenes of human terror and torture and scenes of Lana’s personal life that will take you out of the story totally. If it weren’t for the boring side story of Lana’s impossible fifteen-year old daughter, Emma, I might have given this book 5 stars.
This is not a bad book but I feel this author could have made it so much better.
July 8, 2015
Trident Code By My New Favorite Thriller Author
After last year’s mile-a-minute, rollercoaster thrill ride Lethal Code, I wondered if Thomas Waite could repeat the effort. With his latest Lana Elkins thriller, Trident Code, Waite has established himself as one of today’s top thriller writers.
With an original trifecta of cyber, nuclear, and environmental terrorism combined with wrenching modern human dilemmas, Trident Code is a refreshing reboot of the thriller genre. And you’ll absolutely love to hate the evil mastermind Oleg, a fully contemporary Russian villain.
If you’re like me and you’ve grown tired of the old-school, predictable, formulaic books from writers like Patterson, Baldacci, DeMille, Preston, Child, and Finder, I recommend you give Waite a try. You won’t be disappointed.
After last year’s mile-a-minute, rollercoaster thrill ride Lethal Code, I wondered if Thomas Waite could repeat the effort. With his latest Lana Elkins thriller, Trident Code, Waite has established himself as one of today’s top thriller writers.
With an original trifecta of cyber, nuclear, and environmental terrorism combined with wrenching modern human dilemmas, Trident Code is a refreshing reboot of the thriller genre. And you’ll absolutely love to hate the evil mastermind Oleg, a fully contemporary Russian villain.
If you’re like me and you’ve grown tired of the old-school, predictable, formulaic books from writers like Patterson, Baldacci, DeMille, Preston, Child, and Finder, I recommend you give Waite a try. You won’t be disappointed.
May 17, 2015
Review: TRIDENT CODE by Thomas Waite (Lana Elkins #2)
The initial Lana Elkins thriller, LETHAL CODE, turned me inside out emotionally. It had me experiencing emotions I don't generally. LETHAL CODE took on cyberattacks collapsing the U.S. grid, with horrific consequences and unending terror. It also presented a strong, determined, highly intelligent heroine, her troubled adolescent daughter, and a cast of finely-drawn secondary characters. Now Lana Elkins (and the U.S. intelligence community, and many other nations) are confronted with a threat of global catastrophe, when a U. S. Navy nuclear sub is hijacked by cyberterrorists and poison gas. Orchestrated by a misguided Russian Narcissistic sociopath with delusions of megalomania, the world at large stands to be altered, with inconceivable loss of life.
The initial Lana Elkins thriller, LETHAL CODE, turned me inside out emotionally. It had me experiencing emotions I don't generally. LETHAL CODE took on cyberattacks collapsing the U.S. grid, with horrific consequences and unending terror. It also presented a strong, determined, highly intelligent heroine, her troubled adolescent daughter, and a cast of finely-drawn secondary characters. Now Lana Elkins (and the U.S. intelligence community, and many other nations) are confronted with a threat of global catastrophe, when a U. S. Navy nuclear sub is hijacked by cyberterrorists and poison gas. Orchestrated by a misguided Russian Narcissistic sociopath with delusions of megalomania, the world at large stands to be altered, with inconceivable loss of life.
October 20, 2015
Trident Code extends the first Lara Elkins book Lethal Code into the next exciting installment. The book starts with a hacked/stolen nuclear submarine full of Trident II missles - enough to raise your hair right from the beginning. Waite tells us a story of a possible near future that, even if the crisis is averted, will have dramatic global effects and change the world as we know it. The descriptions of hacker activities are believable without having to get too deep into the actual details, which often leads to authors missing the mark. Even though I love the movie Hackers, there is very little real about the technology the characters use in hacking. This story is much more real because it gets just detailed enough, without getting so detailed that it becomes unrealistic. I am really enjoying this series and look forward to book 3.
October 16, 2015
Trident Code extends the first Lara Elkins book Lethal Code into the next exciting installment. The book starts with a hacked/stolen nuclear submarine full of Trident II missles - enough to raise your hair right from the beginning. Waite tells us a story of a possible near future that, even if the crisis is averted, will have dramatic global effects and change the world as we know it. The descriptions of hacker activities are believable without having to get too deep into the actual details, which often leads to authors missing the mark. Even though I love the movie Hackers, there is very little real about the technology the characters use in hacking. This story is much more real because it gets just detailed enough, without getting so detailed that it becomes unrealistic. I am really enjoying this series and look forward to book 3.
April 16, 2015
An elite criminal hacker takes control of a US submarine, training its nuclear missiles on a target that, if struck, will cause devastating climate change across the globe. With the world held ransom, only former NSA operative Lana Elkins and her crew of cyberspies stand a chance at averting this unprecedented Armageddon. But as time runs out, a sinister figure from Lana’s past puts the mission in jeopardy. Caught in a trifecta of intrigue, power, and blackmail, Lana must prevent the worst catastrophe in human history, or countries will fall to the mercy of a new ruthless superpower
My Review
Another great read well written and a great page turner.
I have given this five Stars
This has been added to Angels book review blog reviewed by PSB
My Review
Another great read well written and a great page turner.
I have given this five Stars
This has been added to Angels book review blog reviewed by PSB
June 14, 2015
What is the worst thing that can happen? Ask Lana Elkins it all happens to her, first time out the U.S. Held to ransom by disrupting the national power grid, this time it is even worse. Cyber hackers penetrate a U.S. nuclear submarine intending to melt the ice caps, for who and for what. The author, Thomas Waite has the knack of describing catastrophe that to you and I is unimaginable, it is as good as going to the movies to see a disaster film. We follow Lana as she works with a mysterious hacker to try and stop the madmen destroying the world by flooding it. If this is not enough her daughter is again, unwittingly drawn into danger putting even more pressure on Lana to get a quick result. This is another great book from Thomas Waite entertaining and thrilling from start to finish.
Read
May 28, 2016A terrifying scenario only too plausible in todays political climate. With all our advances in technology much good has happened but the opportunity for evil as well. Maniacs like Oleg all too real and it's frightening. Oleg - self absorbed, egotistical and truly evil but unfortunately quite clever and seeing an opportunity to give himself unlimited Power and wealth couldn't pass up the chance regardless of the suffering, loss of life and destruction it would bring. Lana and Galina the only thing standing in his way. They have children, compassion and a way of life to fight for. A true thriller that kept me enthralled.
August 24, 2015
Good quick reading book
In Trident Code the author takes time to fully develop the characters, a little longer than I desire. I chose the book on Amazon because it discussed both cyber security and the Navy. Once the charters are developed, Trident Code quickly moves through their various roles and perils. I found myself rooting for the good guys over the unsavory bad ones. In reading Trident Code, I'm reminded that the complexity of war changes with technology, yet the ultimate battles will remain with hand to hand affairs.
In Trident Code the author takes time to fully develop the characters, a little longer than I desire. I chose the book on Amazon because it discussed both cyber security and the Navy. Once the charters are developed, Trident Code quickly moves through their various roles and perils. I found myself rooting for the good guys over the unsavory bad ones. In reading Trident Code, I'm reminded that the complexity of war changes with technology, yet the ultimate battles will remain with hand to hand affairs.
February 12, 2016
I wasn't terribly impressed by Lethal Code, but some stubborn part of me still felt compelled to read the sequel. I was curious as to what kind of a threat Lana Elkins could possibly go up against that would top the close call with total destruction the United States faced in the first book. Trident Code actually has an interesting premise, but I prefer stories where the good guys win before the evil masterminds do any serious damage. There is so much worldwide death and destruction in these two books that I can't imagine humanity surviving if Waite writes another book in this series.
June 3, 2015
Thomas Waite Does It Again - Hope This Series Makes It To The Big Screen!
Trident Code is a page turner to say the least. I loved the plot and the depth of the characters. A great novel with the page turning pace of Michael Crichton, and the in depth ideas that you could find in a Tom Clancy book. A scary look into the near future of cyber terrorism. Looking forward to more from Thomas Waite. Thanks for a great read!
Trident Code is a page turner to say the least. I loved the plot and the depth of the characters. A great novel with the page turning pace of Michael Crichton, and the in depth ideas that you could find in a Tom Clancy book. A scary look into the near future of cyber terrorism. Looking forward to more from Thomas Waite. Thanks for a great read!
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