America's space program has been sabotaged. The Martian and Apollo 13 meet Tom Clancy in this gripping scientific thriller.
"A first-rate thriller delivered by a seasoned pro. Last year had Andy Weir's The Martian; this year's clear torch-bearer is Pineiro." --Open Letters Monthly on The Fall
"Move over Tom Clancy, there's a new kid on the block."--Library Journal on Ultimatum
Years before NASA planned to travel to Mars, and before the International Space Station ever reached orbit, the future of America's space program hung in the balance . . .
In this exciting alternate-history novel, the technicians at NASA hoped to create a fail-safe shuttle in the wake of the CHALLENGER disaster. With the brand-new space shuttle LIGHTNING, all systems were go . . .
Then lightning struck twice.
SIEGE OF LIGHTNING
America's greatest technological achievement has been sabotaged. First an engine malfunctions. Then, another. Now LIGHTNING is desperately trying to land, racing against time--and a powerful and unseen enemy will do anything to make the first flight of LIGHTNING its last . . .
"A brilliant tale of industrial espionage and sabotage. An insider's look at the secretive world of space exploration. Truly a good read." --Nelson DeMille, Bestselling author of The Gold Coast and The Charm School
"Chilling . . . a riveting climax." --Joe Weber, bestselling author of DEFCON One
"Heart stopping . . . one of the best thrillers of the year." --Charles Ryan, author of The Capricorn Quadrant
"Gripping, spine-tingling and explosively brilliant . . . Pineiro might just be the next Michael Crichton!" --Guy Durham, author of Stealth and Extreme Prejudice
Born in Cuba and raised in Central America, R.J. Pineiro spent several years in the midst of civil wars before migrating to the United States in the late 1970s, first to Florida to attended Florida Air Academy in Melbourne. There, RJ earned a pilot's license and high school diploma in 1979, before heading to Louisiana for college.
R.J. earned a degree in electrical engineering from Louisiana State University in 1983 and joined the high-tech industry in Austin Texas, working in computer chip design, test, and manufacturing.
In the late 1980s R.J. began studying to become a novelist. Reading everything from classical literature to contemporary novels, R.J.'s love of storytelling became uncontrollable. Using an aging personal computer, R.J. decided to launch a writing career.
R.J.'s first published work, SIEGE OF LIGHTNING, a novel about a sabotaged space shuttle, was released by Berkley/Putnam in May of 1993. A second novel, ULTIMATUM, about a second Gulf War scenario, was released the following year, 1994, by Forge Books, which went on to publish R.J.'s next 12 novels over the following 13 years.
In 2015, R.J. teamed up with TV News military analyst Colonel David Hunt to kick off the "Hunter Stark Book Series." The first book in the series, WITHOUT MERCY, about ISIS gaining acquiring nuclear weapons, was released on 3.7.17. The second book, WITHOUT FEAR, about the war in Afghanistan, was released on 8.7.18
In 2017, R.J. also teamed up with New York Times bestselling author Joe Weber. The result is ASHES OF VICTORY, a novel of global terrorism and international conflict released by Ignition Books on 9.3.18
In 2018, R.J. penned a nineteenth novel, AVENUE OF REGRETS, a mystery revolving around sex trafficking and domestic abuse released on 11.16.18
R.J. is married to L.M. Pineiro, an artist and jewelry designer. They have one son, Cameron & Daughter-in-Law Sarah, and two crazy dogs, Coco and Zea.
Great read. It keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the book. Thoroughly enjoyed and the incredible space rescue and return to earth was nail bitting. Loved it.
Although its 20 years old, the technology, tensions, personnel methods for intelligence and combat are still applicable today. Less implausible than a James Bond thriller. The characters were a little superhuman and some Stephen Coonts stretch-it-to-the-limit battle luck, skills, and outcomes entered near the last twenty five percent of the book. Still a good read for technology and suspense.