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Birds of Flight #2
Raven
What if Jason Bourne remembered everything right from the very start? What would happen to his therapist and nurse that helped him through his post-trauma amnesia? Would the government that trained him want him and his friends to live now? What would he do to protect himself and the people who helped him from his ruthlessly efficient, former boss?
When Alexander Burns, former counterterrorist specialist of a powerful, clandestine spec-ops agency, released a destructive computer virus known as "Albatross" to millions, he infiltrated the security of three federal agencies, immobilized all levels of law enforcement, and brought the entire Northeast region to a standstill. What his civilian team of reluctant operatives did took years of meticulous planning, six hours to execute, and then they evaporated into thin air.
But before Burns could steal terabytes of classified operations and mission recordings that would shock the world, he had to make sure key people were out of the way. Former Marine Warrant Officer Diane Welch was an obstacle. Her knowledge of events in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, and her contact with Burns’s handlers and the FBI director would have compromised mission. Burns was lucky on May 2 – Welch was not around that fateful day.
But his luck might have run out. She is now part of the team that is on the hunt to bring him and his domestic terrorists to justice and keep classified secrets from becoming public. Welch, Andersen and Helms know Burns has these damning files but they need to find out why he risked so much to get them. To find out, the FBI approaches him to retrieve those documents and negotiate for Burns and Littleton to come in from the cold.
The plan might have worked except Thomas “Steel” Webber blows the plan up with clear objectives: kill Burns and his team. As new alliances are formed and dangerous enemies emerge, Burns has to decide whether he is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save his crew.
Award winning Raven: Birds of Flight continues where Albatross left off with its fast-paced, character-driven action adventure.
When Alexander Burns, former counterterrorist specialist of a powerful, clandestine spec-ops agency, released a destructive computer virus known as "Albatross" to millions, he infiltrated the security of three federal agencies, immobilized all levels of law enforcement, and brought the entire Northeast region to a standstill. What his civilian team of reluctant operatives did took years of meticulous planning, six hours to execute, and then they evaporated into thin air.
But before Burns could steal terabytes of classified operations and mission recordings that would shock the world, he had to make sure key people were out of the way. Former Marine Warrant Officer Diane Welch was an obstacle. Her knowledge of events in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, and her contact with Burns’s handlers and the FBI director would have compromised mission. Burns was lucky on May 2 – Welch was not around that fateful day.
But his luck might have run out. She is now part of the team that is on the hunt to bring him and his domestic terrorists to justice and keep classified secrets from becoming public. Welch, Andersen and Helms know Burns has these damning files but they need to find out why he risked so much to get them. To find out, the FBI approaches him to retrieve those documents and negotiate for Burns and Littleton to come in from the cold.
The plan might have worked except Thomas “Steel” Webber blows the plan up with clear objectives: kill Burns and his team. As new alliances are formed and dangerous enemies emerge, Burns has to decide whether he is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save his crew.
Award winning Raven: Birds of Flight continues where Albatross left off with its fast-paced, character-driven action adventure.
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First published December 16, 2012
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About the author
J.M. Erickson
20 books6 followersJ.M. Erickson earned his bachelor's degree from Boston College, majoring in psychology and sociology, masters degree from Simmons School of Social Work, and post-graduate certification program in psychological trauma, clinical assessment and treatment from Boston University.
Early in his clinical practice, Erickson worked as a critical incident specialist for first responders for a large urban setting just outside of Boston, Massachusetts, and later he provided crisis prevention and clinical intervention training for staff working with clients deemed dangerous to self or others in locked settings.
To date, Erickson works as a senior clinician in a group practice in the Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts, and is also a senior instructor teaching psychopathology, counseling & ethics to both graduate and undergraduate students at Cambridge College, Massachusetts.
Erickson received an Honorable Mention at the Readers' Favorite 2013 International Book Awards. Presently he is working on a science fiction novella series, Future Prometheus.
Erickson lives with his wife, Christine, and their two teenagers in a suburb north of Boston, Massachusetts.
Early in his clinical practice, Erickson worked as a critical incident specialist for first responders for a large urban setting just outside of Boston, Massachusetts, and later he provided crisis prevention and clinical intervention training for staff working with clients deemed dangerous to self or others in locked settings.
To date, Erickson works as a senior clinician in a group practice in the Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts, and is also a senior instructor teaching psychopathology, counseling & ethics to both graduate and undergraduate students at Cambridge College, Massachusetts.
Erickson received an Honorable Mention at the Readers' Favorite 2013 International Book Awards. Presently he is working on a science fiction novella series, Future Prometheus.
Erickson lives with his wife, Christine, and their two teenagers in a suburb north of Boston, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 14, 2017
If you have not read part one, of the Birds of Flight Series, then 'Raven might not make a whole lot of sense to you. With this being said I do not recommend this as a stand alone read. It will make a whole lot more sense to you if you have taken the time to read part one first. It is not impossible to read it as a stand alone, it will just not be as clear what is going on to you at times.
J.M Erickson's Raven, is an action packed book filled with espionage and intrigue. I really enjoyed the read. The characters are well developed, and I could actually see this book, plus the previous volume of the series, being made into a feature film.
This is a story's concerning a special branch of American secret agents set up to counter terrorism around the world as well as the daily lives of those that make up the unit. I don't usually read this genre of book, but I really enjoyed this author and the world that he managed to create.
Since the September 11th attacks, terrorism has become a world wide phenomen. This is not a subject like vampires or Harry Potter that is not based in our reality. It makes it a much more relevant story for our times.
J.M Erickson's Raven, is an action packed book filled with espionage and intrigue. I really enjoyed the read. The characters are well developed, and I could actually see this book, plus the previous volume of the series, being made into a feature film.
This is a story's concerning a special branch of American secret agents set up to counter terrorism around the world as well as the daily lives of those that make up the unit. I don't usually read this genre of book, but I really enjoyed this author and the world that he managed to create.
Since the September 11th attacks, terrorism has become a world wide phenomen. This is not a subject like vampires or Harry Potter that is not based in our reality. It makes it a much more relevant story for our times.
May 13, 2017
I really love the intensity of the books written by J.M. Erickson. I feel like I am there with Welch when she is sabotaged. And I sensed the grief Burns must have felt when he realized he killed an infant’s mother to save hundreds of other’s lives.
Raven: Birds of Flight twist around the careers of several military personal. There are those that value and guard the integrity of their team. And then there are those whom are only seeking glory and recognition, no matter who they run over in the process. But one thing is clear, the higher up in command the more you are judged by those who are not privileged with the same information.
There were times I was confused because the author portrayed the main characters in various stages of their career in different chapters. I was not expecting this at the beginning of the book, but it does tie it all together with a tremendous ending that will leave you craving the next book.
Raven: Birds of Flight twist around the careers of several military personal. There are those that value and guard the integrity of their team. And then there are those whom are only seeking glory and recognition, no matter who they run over in the process. But one thing is clear, the higher up in command the more you are judged by those who are not privileged with the same information.
There were times I was confused because the author portrayed the main characters in various stages of their career in different chapters. I was not expecting this at the beginning of the book, but it does tie it all together with a tremendous ending that will leave you craving the next book.
September 14, 2013
This is the second book in the Birds of Flight series which I find to be resembling the plot in Bourne movies. Except in this series the characters name is Alex Burns. I read the first book, Albatross, before I began this book which I found to make things much clearer. I wouldn't recommend reading them out of order.
In the first book, Alex is an ex secret agent on the run from the very agency that employed him before the accident, that gave him amnesia causing him to not remember any of the classified secrets he is thought to have.
Erickson doesn't waste any time on getting straight to the action in this book. There's multiple action scenes in just the first few chapters. I found that I was instantly grabbed into this book which held my attention all through the book.
Samantha, Alex's partner and the love of his life, is sent on a mission that ends in a devastating way that Alex just can't handle. Revenge is in his sight and he wont stop until he feels he has found justice to those who changed his life.
Just as I recommended on the first book, if you enjoy a spy/thriller fiction novel, you'll enjoy reading Raven: Birds of Flight.
The only complaint I have about the book is, Alex seemed extremely hard to kill. It seems he is invincible and the agency is in complete awe over it. He almost seems like a super hero, and the agency is curious to why and how he became this way.
I joyfully give this book 4/5
In the first book, Alex is an ex secret agent on the run from the very agency that employed him before the accident, that gave him amnesia causing him to not remember any of the classified secrets he is thought to have.
Erickson doesn't waste any time on getting straight to the action in this book. There's multiple action scenes in just the first few chapters. I found that I was instantly grabbed into this book which held my attention all through the book.
Samantha, Alex's partner and the love of his life, is sent on a mission that ends in a devastating way that Alex just can't handle. Revenge is in his sight and he wont stop until he feels he has found justice to those who changed his life.
Just as I recommended on the first book, if you enjoy a spy/thriller fiction novel, you'll enjoy reading Raven: Birds of Flight.
The only complaint I have about the book is, Alex seemed extremely hard to kill. It seems he is invincible and the agency is in complete awe over it. He almost seems like a super hero, and the agency is curious to why and how he became this way.
I joyfully give this book 4/5
March 12, 2013
J.M. Erikson, brought it in the second installment of Alex and clan. I thoroughly enjoyed the band of misfits in the first book, but Erickson develops there characters well beyond my imagination in this second book. An amazing action filled novel that continues the storyline from book one and takes it above and beyond. If you have not read book one you are doing yourself an injustice and will get lost. Read the first one and hurry up and read this novel, the second installment.
Erickson brought out the best and worst in the characters in Raven. There is no predicting the story in my opinion, Erickson does a superb job of keeping the reader on their toes. It was hard for me to put the novel down, only taking time out to catch a quick nap and then I was back to reading. You stay on the edge of your seat wanting to know the outcome. Terrific book, cannot wait for the next novel authored by Erickson.
Erickson brought out the best and worst in the characters in Raven. There is no predicting the story in my opinion, Erickson does a superb job of keeping the reader on their toes. It was hard for me to put the novel down, only taking time out to catch a quick nap and then I was back to reading. You stay on the edge of your seat wanting to know the outcome. Terrific book, cannot wait for the next novel authored by Erickson.
July 27, 2014
"Raven: Birds of Flight” is the second book I’ve read from this author now in this series, and I think it is continuing to get better and better. This book had all the intensity and drama of the first, and in a way it reminds me of a cross between “Bourne Identity” and “24” and a Jack Ryan novel, but still very original. Very exciting to read and lots of plotlines being woven together building up tension as it goes along. Like the first one, while I very much enjoyed the actual story and the characters, I thought the mechanics could use a bit fine tuning, as there were some editing things (minor), and the overuse characters saying the other characters names in dialogue (sounded unnatural) and definitely needed more pronoun use in general for a smoother read. But still a great book and now I need the third one because I need to see what will happen next! Highly recommend.
June 4, 2013
Alexander J. Burns and Samantha Littleton are back and still on the run from the government in this second book in the Birds of Flight series. Counter-terrorism specialist Burns obtains top-secret documents showing corrupt governmental action before releasing a powerful destructive computer virus that affected the Northwest Region of the United States.
Left it open ended for a possible sequel.
Left it open ended for a possible sequel.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews