When Totems Fall

Zeb Dalton #1

by Wayne C. Stewart

Alternate cover edition for B01G7MP1ZS

50,000 Chinese boots on American soil without a single shot fired. Two men hold the power to reverse the fate of millions... and avoid the unthinkable for billions more.

Iraq/Afghan Vet Zeb Dalton can't believe his eyes: Seattle's beloved icon--the Space Needle--lays draped in gold stars on red. Having escaped through mountainous terrain, he's slipped back into what is now foreign, enemy territory. Trying to set things right in his native city, the retired signal corpsman faces the daunting forces of an invading nation-state and his own turbulent past.

From the other side of the world, Chinese tech CEO Junjie Zang realizes he has made a terrible bargain. While enabling Beijing's expansionist ideals has brought him great wealth, it has also impoverished his soul--and that of his entire nation. Fleeing his own countrymen, Zang weaves his way to a hopeful path of reprisal, though one leaving an ever-growing body count in its wake.

As unknown, unlikely partners these men work to stem the tide of eastern aggressions while time and options run out. And when the only choice remaining is the unimaginable, who gets to decide?

When Totems Fall "stands tall" according to one reviewer, "... with the greats in thrillers in international intrigue and characters with series potential." As the first book in the Zeb Dalton Military | Political Thriller Series, this viciously addictive tale takes in the beauty of the American Northwest and the intrigue of Mainland China. In the page-burning style of everybody's favorite Jacks (Ryan, Reacher, and Bauer), you will not be disappointed with Zeb.

There are lots of new books out there. Don't let this debut offering from Wayne C Stewart slip by. Grab a copy of Totems today.

351 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2017

About the author

Wayne C Stewart writes military and political adventure with a techno thriller twist. His Zeb Dalton Series features an Iraq/Afghan Wars Veteran, working hard to make sense of his world with a keen mind and fragile, yet lingering sense of duty. The first book in the series finds Dalton in a Chinese-occupied Seattle. Book 2 calls him back into service as America's first female president tasks the team of Dalton and retired super-sniper Jessica Sanchez with fighting back an ancient Mayan scourge set in motion by a jaded tech billionaire. The Zeb Dalton Novella (short read) Juarez Liberty rounds out the present work on the Dalton stories, set against the backdrop of Zeb's earliest days in the military and an eye-opening off-base weekend in the border town of Ciudad Juarez. Wayne is a displaced Seattleite, currently living with his family in Iowa.

Reviews

[David Huelsmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the first few chapters the author uses a way over the top overly descriptive writing style and I do mean way, way over the top. Almost stopped reading the book because of those chapters. It gets better after that though there are still instances where the author does similar things in other areas of the book.

[Bruce McLennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. In the first few chapters, I had my doubts. The author likes to set the scene and part of the scene setting was to get inside the peculiar head of Zeb Dalton. I was almost looking for another book by the time the story actually started to make sense. If you can make it past the prosy descriptions and the slow lead in, When Totems Fall picks up pace and really draws you in.

A scenario where China gains a superior hand over the USA through better computer hacking skills and invades US territory isn't so far fetched that it could just happen. There is great attention to detail in this story, from computers to Chinese and American culture. It will delight the pickiest of readers, I'm sure.

[Alanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Totems Fall is the first book I have read in a very long time that I really did not want to put down. I am not sure how this book ended up in my Elibrary but I opened it four days ago and did not want to stop.
Zeb Dalton is a very talented coder, and he created something that he thought he would never encounter again. That all changes when China tries to use his code to take control of America's nuclear weapons systems. Zeb is called back into duty to try to finish the program he wrote as a young man.
I can not wait to download the next Zeb Dalton story. Thank you to Wayne C. Stewart for a story that has started me reading again.

[Carl J. Magnuson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

This was one of the best books I've read in my library. Reason, story line quiet believable, and I hope never comes to this nuclear standoff! Also the language was not offensive. Thank you! I have jumped right into the next book in this series and it is a page turner too! Love the two main characters. Just the right chemistry.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

My second read from author Wayne C. Stewart, a lot has happened to Zeb Dalton between Juarez Liberty & When Totems Fall. A series reminiscent (to me) of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher & Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan comes up a little short in this first book in the series and deliver the promise of the prequel. Still it was a good read and I’m going right on to book #2 The Cleansing.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edge-of-your-seat thriller

Terrifying in its potential reality! This is an excellent story of near catastrophic proportions and possibilities. The main characters grab your attention and don’t let go. The world is a familiar one but, the universe it inhabits is new to me. I throughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to book 2 in this series.

Purchased from Amazon

[Audrey Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give Me More!

I have read political, espionage & military books for years, but this was a new spin. I loved the contrasts yet parallels between the main American Hero and his Chinese counterpart. It gave a perspective to everything that I wouldn't have otherwise had.
I was a bit disappointed in the ending. It built to the Question then just kind of stopped anticlimactic. Then told what to me should have been one or to great chapters in an epilogue.
Even so, great book and I can't wait to read the next one!

[Randy Grossman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would more likely give it a 2.5....it was not very suspenseful or exciting. And the paragraph seemed to be all drawn out with very little dialogue. Pretty clean with language....a plus. But not compelling enough to want to read any further in the series.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a bright young Chinese computer scientist and his company come up with the means to disrupt communications between the US Command and all its units and weapons, the Chinese government takes it over and takes over the Seattle area under the threat of a nuclear attack of the west coast. With the US unable to defend or strike back Washington reluctantly concedes. It is up to Zeb Dillon to make his way out of the captured territory and connect up with the US army outside the captured area. Meanwhile in China the head of the Software Company is upset at the what the government is using his program for and is determined to disrupt it. Zeb, accompanied
by a Sgt. return to the captured area and meet up with an army sniper who has remained behind and has been gathering information on the Chinese activities. Together they work to get Zeb to a place where he can also attempt to breach the Chinese program and neutralize it. Action, Suspense and a scary possibility.