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Kill Zone
Power duo Kevin J. Anderson and Doug Beason team up in Kill Zone, a perilous disaster thriller for the modern age.
Deep within a mountain in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a Cold War-era nuclear weapons storage facility is being used to covertly receive more than 100,000 tons of nuclear waste stored across the US. Only Department of Energy employee, Adonia, and a few others including a war hero, a senator, and an environmental activist, are allowed access to perform a high-level security review of the facilities. But Hydra Mountain was never meant to securely hold this much hazardous waste, and it has the potential to explode, taking with it all of Albuquerque and spreading radioactivity across the nation.
This disaster situation proves all too possible when a small plane crashes at a nearby military base, setting off Hydra’s lockdown and trapping Adonia and her team in the heart of the hazardous, waste-filled mountain. Now, the only direction for them to go is deeper into the mountain, through the tear gas and into a secretive area no one was ever supposed to know about.
Deep within a mountain in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a Cold War-era nuclear weapons storage facility is being used to covertly receive more than 100,000 tons of nuclear waste stored across the US. Only Department of Energy employee, Adonia, and a few others including a war hero, a senator, and an environmental activist, are allowed access to perform a high-level security review of the facilities. But Hydra Mountain was never meant to securely hold this much hazardous waste, and it has the potential to explode, taking with it all of Albuquerque and spreading radioactivity across the nation.
This disaster situation proves all too possible when a small plane crashes at a nearby military base, setting off Hydra’s lockdown and trapping Adonia and her team in the heart of the hazardous, waste-filled mountain. Now, the only direction for them to go is deeper into the mountain, through the tear gas and into a secretive area no one was ever supposed to know about.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 27, 2019
49 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
About the author
Kevin J. Anderson
1,037 books3,102 followersYes, I have a lot of books, and if this is your first visit to my amazon author page, it can be a little overwhelming. If you are new to my work, let me recommend a few titles as good places to start. I love my Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series, humorous horror/mysteries, which begin with DEATH WARMED OVER. My steampunk fantasy adventures, CLOCKWORK ANGELS and CLOCKWORK LIVES, written with Neil Peart, legendary drummer from Rush, are two of my very favorite novels ever. And my magnum opus, the science fiction epic The Saga of Seven Suns, begins with HIDDEN EMPIRE. After you've tried those, I hope you'll check out some of my other series.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
February 26, 2022
This, the 8th book I've read with Kevin J. Anderson and Doug Beason as co-writers, is both the worst book I've read by those two authors, and somewhere near the worst I've ever read. The other seven books I've read by them were given ratings between 3.75 to 4.5 (which just means a 4 on Goodreads). This book? Barely 2 stars (and, if possible, something closer to 1.66 stars).
bah. Wonder if I'd think differently of this book if I hadn't spent so many years working on a "Spent Fuel" project. Which involves the nuclear waste created by the nuclear industry. *thinks about it* Nah, I'd still have rated this near 2 stars.
The characters are crap. The plot is contrived and stupid. And, then based on everything that came before in the book, the book ends abruptly unresolved. It's a "solid ending" in a "normal thriller", but because of how everything that happened before in the book, it's more of a cliff-hanger. I remind myself more than anything else
Right. Hmm. I mentioned Spent Fuel up above. A little backstory. (Very Little). During the nuclear power process, "spent fuel rods" - rods still radioactive but no longer able to be used to power a nuclear power plant (not mentioned in the book, but one way to "get around" the issue presented in the book is to "reuse" the rods, it'd take a differently designed system, but there are countries out there that reuse rods). These rods need to be protected or they'll leak radioactive waste all over the place, contaminating everything and everyone, and killing people and stuff. But the nuclear industry doesn't have anywhere to send the nuclear waste, the spent fuel rods. Mentioned in this book was the very very long process taken to set up a permanent storage facility deep within a mountain (Yucca Mountain), but seemingly seconds after it was to open, political pressure forced its closure. Not mentioned in this book, and not really that relevant except to what this "spent fuel project' I worked on was: while Yucca Mountain was being set up/built (not specifically that, but lets not get too deep into details), the utility companies that owned the nuclear plants were paying money to the government so that, eventually, the spent fuel rods would be picked up and stored . . . somewhere (also part of not going too far into details: some paid up front, some paid in yearly deposits, and some deferred payment; and yes, the public was involved in this: in fees tacked onto energy bills). I worked on the many lawsuits against the federal government when Yucca Mountain was closed (the lawsuits actually started the second the first fuel rod wasn't picked up by the date it was supposed to be picked up, which was before Yucca Mountain closed - it just didn't open on time for those first spent fuel rods).
Right, so. Book opens with a terrorist attack on a nuclear plant. One that has spent fuel rods sitting around in pools of water "temporarily" waiting on being moved (the wait might be as long as it takes for the rods to stop being radioactive, oh, 50,000 years or so, give or take 100,000 years). Due to fast thinking, the disaster was limited by one of the main characters in this book (and almost turned into a much worse disaster by another main character in this book). Both characters, though, acted stupidly, though only one of them was called on it (the site manager, the "good character" in the book constantly did stupid things in the book but were presented as "the good character who knows what they are doing", what stupid thing did they do at the start of this book? Run down stairs to get in the way of the clean-up crew: everything she needed to do and could do, could have been done sitting in her office on her phone).
The book plot proceeds with the "bad character", the assistant Energy dude, or whatever his title was, got a meeting, after the terrorist disaster that he grabbed all the praise from for solving/fixing/etc, with the President of the United States of America. Important/not-important is the part where a third main character was also at the meeting (it was a three person meeting). The military advisor to the president. Van StupidHead, the bad character, presented a plan to the president to "take care of" the situation. Use the power of the president to store the nuclear waste in a decommissioned military base that has a mountain wherein they stored nuclear weapons.
A year later various people are called on to explore the place on a Sunday (a huge, and I mean HUGE deal was made about how the meeting took place on a Sunday (if I didn't know better, and I do know better, I'd think neither author ever worked on projects for the federal government). Right, so the people were to review the facility. While inside the mountain, a plane crash-lands outside - causing the mountain to get locked down, and causing the people inside to proceed to do one incredibly stupid thing after another. Very very stupid incredibly stupid thing after another. As expected, they begin to die, and because of how everything was set up, and how everything proceeded, I actually started rooting for them to die. But, eh, whatever.
An incredibly dumb stupid book.
Rating: 1.65
February 26 2022
bah. Wonder if I'd think differently of this book if I hadn't spent so many years working on a "Spent Fuel" project. Which involves the nuclear waste created by the nuclear industry. *thinks about it* Nah, I'd still have rated this near 2 stars.
The characters are crap. The plot is contrived and stupid. And, then based on everything that came before in the book, the book ends abruptly unresolved. It's a "solid ending" in a "normal thriller", but because of how everything that happened before in the book, it's more of a cliff-hanger. I remind myself more than anything else
Right. Hmm. I mentioned Spent Fuel up above. A little backstory. (Very Little). During the nuclear power process, "spent fuel rods" - rods still radioactive but no longer able to be used to power a nuclear power plant (not mentioned in the book, but one way to "get around" the issue presented in the book is to "reuse" the rods, it'd take a differently designed system, but there are countries out there that reuse rods). These rods need to be protected or they'll leak radioactive waste all over the place, contaminating everything and everyone, and killing people and stuff. But the nuclear industry doesn't have anywhere to send the nuclear waste, the spent fuel rods. Mentioned in this book was the very very long process taken to set up a permanent storage facility deep within a mountain (Yucca Mountain), but seemingly seconds after it was to open, political pressure forced its closure. Not mentioned in this book, and not really that relevant except to what this "spent fuel project' I worked on was: while Yucca Mountain was being set up/built (not specifically that, but lets not get too deep into details), the utility companies that owned the nuclear plants were paying money to the government so that, eventually, the spent fuel rods would be picked up and stored . . . somewhere (also part of not going too far into details: some paid up front, some paid in yearly deposits, and some deferred payment; and yes, the public was involved in this: in fees tacked onto energy bills). I worked on the many lawsuits against the federal government when Yucca Mountain was closed (the lawsuits actually started the second the first fuel rod wasn't picked up by the date it was supposed to be picked up, which was before Yucca Mountain closed - it just didn't open on time for those first spent fuel rods).
Right, so. Book opens with a terrorist attack on a nuclear plant. One that has spent fuel rods sitting around in pools of water "temporarily" waiting on being moved (the wait might be as long as it takes for the rods to stop being radioactive, oh, 50,000 years or so, give or take 100,000 years). Due to fast thinking, the disaster was limited by one of the main characters in this book (and almost turned into a much worse disaster by another main character in this book). Both characters, though, acted stupidly, though only one of them was called on it (the site manager, the "good character" in the book constantly did stupid things in the book but were presented as "the good character who knows what they are doing", what stupid thing did they do at the start of this book? Run down stairs to get in the way of the clean-up crew: everything she needed to do and could do, could have been done sitting in her office on her phone).
The book plot proceeds with the "bad character", the assistant Energy dude, or whatever his title was, got a meeting, after the terrorist disaster that he grabbed all the praise from for solving/fixing/etc, with the President of the United States of America. Important/not-important is the part where a third main character was also at the meeting (it was a three person meeting). The military advisor to the president. Van StupidHead, the bad character, presented a plan to the president to "take care of" the situation. Use the power of the president to store the nuclear waste in a decommissioned military base that has a mountain wherein they stored nuclear weapons.
A year later various people are called on to explore the place on a Sunday (a huge, and I mean HUGE deal was made about how the meeting took place on a Sunday (if I didn't know better, and I do know better, I'd think neither author ever worked on projects for the federal government). Right, so the people were to review the facility. While inside the mountain, a plane crash-lands outside - causing the mountain to get locked down, and causing the people inside to proceed to do one incredibly stupid thing after another. Very very stupid incredibly stupid thing after another. As expected, they begin to die, and because of how everything was set up, and how everything proceeded, I actually started rooting for them to die. But, eh, whatever.
An incredibly dumb stupid book.
Rating: 1.65
February 26 2022
December 16, 2019
Obviously there is a receptive audience for this type of poorly written and hastily edited book. A reader who’s preferred genre is the “best-seller, airport paperback-style book with short chapters, wide margins and a 6th grade vocabulary”.
I am not among that group. I am not a particularly strident or vituperative critic, leaping upon the smallest flaw. But descending to this level of bad writing was painful.
I picked this up casually as an in-between book; the premise looked interesting. And, indeed, the basic premise held much potential...if only for a moderately good movie.
Firstly, any reasonably intelligent person is able to see how the entire plot will unfold after only the first 50 pages or so. The only big reveal...the other SAP project housed in the mountain...was not even interesting. It was blatantly obvious which characters were not going to make it and which two would be heros. All were 2D cardboard of the very tritest sort.
What bothered me most...above a whole litany of obvious bad writing problems...was the relentless repetition of everything!! The characters would pause at inopportune moments and explain facts that had already been laid out 4 times in the previous pages, and THEN the author would repeat them AGAIN! I honestly read this book with a great deal of astonishment, muttering to myself constantly “Are you kidding me? AGAIN?”
It genuinely seemed as if whole paragraphs were lifted from some book on government and inserted randomly, regardless of the pacing and action.
All the aspects of Machiavellian politics and bloated bureaucratic paranoia did not leave me informed; they simply left me feeling scorn and disgust. That might have been the point. Who knows?
Frankly, this book was probably written by a computer algorithm and hastily edited by a barely educated and quite stoned 20something.
I am not among that group. I am not a particularly strident or vituperative critic, leaping upon the smallest flaw. But descending to this level of bad writing was painful.
I picked this up casually as an in-between book; the premise looked interesting. And, indeed, the basic premise held much potential...if only for a moderately good movie.
Firstly, any reasonably intelligent person is able to see how the entire plot will unfold after only the first 50 pages or so. The only big reveal...the other SAP project housed in the mountain...was not even interesting. It was blatantly obvious which characters were not going to make it and which two would be heros. All were 2D cardboard of the very tritest sort.
What bothered me most...above a whole litany of obvious bad writing problems...was the relentless repetition of everything!! The characters would pause at inopportune moments and explain facts that had already been laid out 4 times in the previous pages, and THEN the author would repeat them AGAIN! I honestly read this book with a great deal of astonishment, muttering to myself constantly “Are you kidding me? AGAIN?”
It genuinely seemed as if whole paragraphs were lifted from some book on government and inserted randomly, regardless of the pacing and action.
All the aspects of Machiavellian politics and bloated bureaucratic paranoia did not leave me informed; they simply left me feeling scorn and disgust. That might have been the point. Who knows?
Frankly, this book was probably written by a computer algorithm and hastily edited by a barely educated and quite stoned 20something.
December 28, 2019
I have enjoyed Mr. Anderson’s work for a long time. This action driven story is no exception. Well written and with characters I want to see escape the dangers of a radioactive storage facility. Plenty of government conspiracy along with left over cold war era issues that in today current climate people have forgotten. The Russians may be gone from the gameboard as a major threat but the left over nuclear issue is for from gone as radiation last longer than one life time. Well written and action driven it was difficult to put the book down. There is constant danger and even if the heroes escape radiation will always follow.
January 2, 2020
The whole book is built on a premise of classified information and thoughtless regulation-following workers that is supremely flawed. Characters are shallow and the start of each chapter feels like the recap on your weekly television series. Many of the characters' actions don't make sense. I definitely don't recommend this book.
January 21, 2020
My biggest complaint was how many times the author repeated himself explaining the situation. Over and over again the characters would either think or repeat to each other what the problem is.
October 8, 2022
Four discs in to an eight disc set and I couldn't finish. This is not up to Kevin J. Anderson standards.
I do a great deal of work on control systems. Hearing about interactions and unpredictables and restart times and safety system versus protection system and budget constraints was torture. Yes, I know. Could we move on to something else?
This book, or at least the first 3.5/8 of it, is chock full of repetition of the characters' habits and backgrounds, how all their actions fit those backgrounds, and their physical attributes which somehow are meant to match.
The idiot senator.
The plucky woman engineer.
The slim hips.
The snarky energy expert going off on green energy when he needs to be working on escape.
After 40-odd percent or so, I was done.
I do a great deal of work on control systems. Hearing about interactions and unpredictables and restart times and safety system versus protection system and budget constraints was torture. Yes, I know. Could we move on to something else?
This book, or at least the first 3.5/8 of it, is chock full of repetition of the characters' habits and backgrounds, how all their actions fit those backgrounds, and their physical attributes which somehow are meant to match.
The idiot senator.
The plucky woman engineer.
The slim hips.
The snarky energy expert going off on green energy when he needs to be working on escape.
After 40-odd percent or so, I was done.
October 9, 2019
What if a secret nuclear waste dumping ground also holds something even scarier, something that could destroy a big part of America? The new book by Kevin J. Anderson and Doug Beason is not only fast-paced, but it also presents a scenario that could easily come true. And that's as scary af.
One point off due to the abrupt ending. I really wanted to see what happened to the survivors.
Full review at https://mysterysequels.com/book-revie...
One point off due to the abrupt ending. I really wanted to see what happened to the survivors.
Full review at https://mysterysequels.com/book-revie...
January 12, 2022
A good read for its genre, some greatly suspenseful segments, and totally realistic political power plays.
Some of the deterrents were a bit outlandish, but not implausible.
However, I did knock one star off due to the abruptness of the ending, after getting the reader so invested in the characters, I feel a little more detail on the wrap up would have bolstered my enjoyment of the story.
Some of the deterrents were a bit outlandish, but not implausible.
However, I did knock one star off due to the abruptness of the ending, after getting the reader so invested in the characters, I feel a little more detail on the wrap up would have bolstered my enjoyment of the story.
August 23, 2019
This had a great storyline that pulled you in. All of the what-ifs you can think of when the topic of nuclear waste is a point of discussion. Just what could happen if one area of the government has no clue about another area. The main characters felt genuine and you find yourself rooting for (some of) them throughout. A great read.
October 1, 2020
I made two major mistakes with this novel:
1. I believed the many review that said Kill Zone was a page turner that you could not put down.
2. Once I did start it I was foolish enough not to put it down.
How I wish I could get my eight hours back from listening to this as an audio book.
The premise of dangers of storing nuclear waste from power plants with the twist that there were also nuclear warheads had promise. I even enjoyed reading the many interesting deterrents against intruders ranging from the level of deterrent to near lethal to lethal.
However, the five or six main characters were horrible cardboard cutouts. They were beyond stereotypical and predictable. Worse of all every couple of chapters they kept repeating themselves in case you didn't get it the third or fourth time.
The ending was also abrupt and unsatisfying and far from provoking or making me wish there would be a sequel.
1. I believed the many review that said Kill Zone was a page turner that you could not put down.
2. Once I did start it I was foolish enough not to put it down.
How I wish I could get my eight hours back from listening to this as an audio book.
The premise of dangers of storing nuclear waste from power plants with the twist that there were also nuclear warheads had promise. I even enjoyed reading the many interesting deterrents against intruders ranging from the level of deterrent to near lethal to lethal.
However, the five or six main characters were horrible cardboard cutouts. They were beyond stereotypical and predictable. Worse of all every couple of chapters they kept repeating themselves in case you didn't get it the third or fourth time.
The ending was also abrupt and unsatisfying and far from provoking or making me wish there would be a sequel.
May 26, 2021
I really liked the early work by these two writers and was excited to see them collaborating again. The story and content were good. The writing was also pretty good. My biggest challenge was that they kept repeating info. There were several times when I thought, "I've read this exact same content multiple times already, so why are they including it again."
April 24, 2021
This is a story of what happens when politicians try creating programs for areas they have no idea of the logistical needs because they want to be considered the "savior". I happen to live near the Indian Point Nuclear Plant in Buchanan, New York by a distance of 30.6 miles, well within as described by the book's title--the Kill Zone. So the potential catastrophe described is an unconscious thought daily, but it makes me laugh when I hear people complaining about the rising cost of electricity supply, caused by the closure of the nuclear plant by me that still has 10 years to dispose correctly of those spent radioactive rods.
The story starts out with a small plane loaded with handmade bomb ingredients primed to explode dive-bombing on a nuclear plant about 50 miles upstate of NYC. The plane's pilot was determined to make a statement along with killing a large number of people. Unfortunate for him, the plant's manager, Alonia had been re-enforcing the "temporary" water holding pool building area because there was no other place to store them. Nuclear power is a clean efficient form of energy supply but no one has found an effective method to recycle the rods to be re-used, hence the growing pile. When this small plane crashes at the plant, it fails to do the impact the pilot desires and the only one who dies is the pilot. The President of the United States wants a quick-under-the-table solution to this dilemma, which the assistant secretary of the DOE, Stanley von Dykeman presents. He presents the solution of using what he thinks is a completely decommissioned old DOD site that used to store nuclear warheads and converting it into a storage "temporary" site for the spent radioactive rods across the country. The President quickly signs an executive order but demands it be kept under the radar and under cost. Well typical government agency interaction, neither agency gives full disclosure to the other about the real storage and anti-entry by intruder measures so full information is not forthcoming, which causes the problems of this story.
A final review of the facility is scheduled on a Sunday by the Plant manager Bob Harris, who deliberately chose 4 members of the group because they would make the most correct decision on the site. Victoria Doyle from the DOE.'s National Nuclear Security Administration knows about the contents of an undisclosed storage area, that will jeopardize the new use of the facility, Adonia and Shawn have enough nuclear engineer background to recognize the danger, and Garibaldi, a former DOE person, who now is the leader of Sanergy, an anti-nuclear group. The last member of the group was Senator Pulaski, who is the leader of the Oversight Committee that handles the approval funding. He's the typical politician type that claims to understand but only grasps the highlight, not the full details. In fact, he is the one that causes the chain of events that the group has to undergo while trapped inside under full lockdown. This book's story will grip you and none of it is based on false facts--the anti-intruder methods do exist. Also mixing analog technology with digital technology never mixes well. But we still have a need for good clean energy that is not dependant on the whims of Mother Nature, which wind and solar power depend on. Food for thought.
The story starts out with a small plane loaded with handmade bomb ingredients primed to explode dive-bombing on a nuclear plant about 50 miles upstate of NYC. The plane's pilot was determined to make a statement along with killing a large number of people. Unfortunate for him, the plant's manager, Alonia had been re-enforcing the "temporary" water holding pool building area because there was no other place to store them. Nuclear power is a clean efficient form of energy supply but no one has found an effective method to recycle the rods to be re-used, hence the growing pile. When this small plane crashes at the plant, it fails to do the impact the pilot desires and the only one who dies is the pilot. The President of the United States wants a quick-under-the-table solution to this dilemma, which the assistant secretary of the DOE, Stanley von Dykeman presents. He presents the solution of using what he thinks is a completely decommissioned old DOD site that used to store nuclear warheads and converting it into a storage "temporary" site for the spent radioactive rods across the country. The President quickly signs an executive order but demands it be kept under the radar and under cost. Well typical government agency interaction, neither agency gives full disclosure to the other about the real storage and anti-entry by intruder measures so full information is not forthcoming, which causes the problems of this story.
A final review of the facility is scheduled on a Sunday by the Plant manager Bob Harris, who deliberately chose 4 members of the group because they would make the most correct decision on the site. Victoria Doyle from the DOE.'s National Nuclear Security Administration knows about the contents of an undisclosed storage area, that will jeopardize the new use of the facility, Adonia and Shawn have enough nuclear engineer background to recognize the danger, and Garibaldi, a former DOE person, who now is the leader of Sanergy, an anti-nuclear group. The last member of the group was Senator Pulaski, who is the leader of the Oversight Committee that handles the approval funding. He's the typical politician type that claims to understand but only grasps the highlight, not the full details. In fact, he is the one that causes the chain of events that the group has to undergo while trapped inside under full lockdown. This book's story will grip you and none of it is based on false facts--the anti-intruder methods do exist. Also mixing analog technology with digital technology never mixes well. But we still have a need for good clean energy that is not dependant on the whims of Mother Nature, which wind and solar power depend on. Food for thought.
August 27, 2019
Anderson and Beason do an admirable job at worldbuilding, certainly. Much of the plot, characters, and setting feel ripped out of real life -- any of these occurrences could seemingly easily happen right now.
I personally struggled to get into "Kill Zone". While the level of detail was admirable -- it was almost too much detail for me at times! I had a hard time keeping the characters and their jobs straight; maybe I worked too hard at that and just needed to take a step back and enjoy the book for what it is. "Thriller" is a genre I don't typically go for, so I think that may have been part of my challenge. Clancy or Ludlum fans likely would enjoy this read; Star Wars fans who've read the compilations Anderson edited may find this a new challenge, certainly possibly in a good way -- knowing it's a modern- and present-day thriller rather than sci-fi. Even Marvel fans would enjoy it, especially those fans of Bruce Banner or who are of a scientific bent.
I received a copy of the book from the author. All opinions are my own.
I personally struggled to get into "Kill Zone". While the level of detail was admirable -- it was almost too much detail for me at times! I had a hard time keeping the characters and their jobs straight; maybe I worked too hard at that and just needed to take a step back and enjoy the book for what it is. "Thriller" is a genre I don't typically go for, so I think that may have been part of my challenge. Clancy or Ludlum fans likely would enjoy this read; Star Wars fans who've read the compilations Anderson edited may find this a new challenge, certainly possibly in a good way -- knowing it's a modern- and present-day thriller rather than sci-fi. Even Marvel fans would enjoy it, especially those fans of Bruce Banner or who are of a scientific bent.
I received a copy of the book from the author. All opinions are my own.
August 29, 2019
Nuclear waste and nuclear weapons don't go well together. Wait, what? They don't? Why not? Kill Zone takes you on a never ending journey of suspense and adventure. As soon as you think you're safe, you're not. Climb. Keep moving. This new thriller opens your eyes to the dangers of storing nuclear waste in general, especially in a place where not all is as it seems. It also opens your eyes to a problem you may not have thought about before. Where does all this nuclear waste go? Where is it stored? Is it stored with other sensitive material? Is it safe? What does the government have to say about it? Read Kill Zone and find out. Wow.
October 9, 2019
Although I enjoyed the book the underlying premise is not entirely believable to a former IT person like myself. That aside, the book was interesting and explained the inner workings of the US civilian and partially military nuclear programs especially around waste disposal. I finished it quickly and moved onto another book. I wish it had been of the caliber of other famous thrillers. Sorry Kevin, you missed this read with this one.
March 1, 2020
The issue of nuclear waste is the theme of this fast-paced thriller that finds six people trapped deep within a mountain facility run by the U.S. government that is storing dangerous material. Once things go wonky for the main characters, the facility goes on lockdown and a series of automatic "countermeasures" begin that lead them through a labyrinth of danger deeper into the mountain.
I am not sure if the countermeasures unleashed in the book exist, but either way they are bad-ass.
I am not sure if the countermeasures unleashed in the book exist, but either way they are bad-ass.
August 17, 2025
Loved it! Imagine a fanatic ploughing into a nuclear power plant with a plane, prompting an emergency review of nuclear waste storage procedures. Mix in secrecy, politics, and personal ambition, and imagine what could possibly go wrong. Lots of twists and turns in a facility that seems intent on killing people.
(This is the second book by Kevin Anderson that I've read. The other, Ill Wind remains one of my favorites.)
(This is the second book by Kevin Anderson that I've read. The other, Ill Wind remains one of my favorites.)
August 25, 2019
Firstly, I am so glad I was able to read this early! And secondly, Wow! This was an intense page turner packed with action and suspense! From the very beginning it is thriller of a ride the whole way through to the very end! I could feel my anxiety rise at certain parts, which was awesome. Overall a really well crafted thriller of a book by Kevin J. Anderson and Doug Beason! Thank you!!!
October 28, 2019
This was a top notch thriller that shouldn’t be confined to the sci-fi section. Worthy of Clancy or Crichton, the science is plausible and the action is relentless. This was an enjoyable read. The villains were a bit cartoonish yet still believable and the plot was good for an escape. I definitely would like to read more like this.
January 24, 2020
This was a mystery/thriller centered around the formation of a high level nuclear waste disposal. I found the story informative and a quick read, if not deep. The characters are mildly engaging and the plot moves along without excessive technical detail. The science seemed good based on my (limited) knowledge of the nuclear power industry.
August 28, 2019
Tightly paced thriller that hits all the notes. I learned so much about the storage of nuclear waste and the perils we could be in.
Overall, I liked the characters and was generally concerned for their safety throughout the novel. Terrific summer thriller read.
Overall, I liked the characters and was generally concerned for their safety throughout the novel. Terrific summer thriller read.
November 26, 2019
A bit unrealistic sometimes, like when the senator is portrayed as a totally senile who doesn't listen to anyone (well I guess it might be so in the real life as well), more like a political and/or environmental read than an action book.
February 1, 2020
I never write reviews but I felt I needed to. I was conflicted with the rating. I really enjoyed this book. Quick easy read. However, at the end I wanted more. The story could have easily continued. I wanted to know more on what happened in the aftermath!
February 4, 2020
Good storyline and action, but as other reviewers noted, the repetition of the dire consequences did get old. It seemed as if the authors had to hit a certain word limil😂. I would put this down as a decent “beach” read.
March 7, 2021
A review committee for a nuclear spent fuel rods storage facility become trapped in Hydra Mountain. Indiana Jones style of systems are triggered. Names of real places give it a feel of reality.
Very suspenseful.
Very suspenseful.
April 20, 2021
While the initial concept was really intriguing, I felt the plot devolved into a disappointing Cube-style, room horror. The characters were complex enough to push the plot forward, but I felt I was dragging myself page by page near the half way point.
July 12, 2021
Don’t let the reviews tank your opinion of this book. It’s not my favorite book, but it doesn’t deserve the bad rap it gets here. It’s a fun premise, a bit technical at times, but I could suspend my disbelief and get into it. I found this on my library’s featured book shelf and it was all right!
October 9, 2024
a great read for vacation
Non-stop action and good writing. Light Political intrigue, nuclear social activism, and real-world ambiguity. I enjoyed it. Another great read by this duo.
Non-stop action and good writing. Light Political intrigue, nuclear social activism, and real-world ambiguity. I enjoyed it. Another great read by this duo.
November 27, 2024
Esh... It was okay - maybe a 3.5 star book. The story was okay. There were some likeable characters and at least one who earned his spot as the book's bad guy. Not a book I couldn't put down but inexplicably one I wanted to finish. It was good enough to entertain, but I won't read it a second time.
September 25, 2019
decent fairly well paced thriller. No unexpected surprises.
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