Saving Cascadia

by John J. Nance

A few hundred years ago, Cascadia Island didn’t even exist. Like the Washington seacoast, it was rock submerged beneath the Pacific. A massive earthquake changed that, exploding the rock upward, making it land – unstable land, according to seismologist Dr. Doug Lam. Lam has spent years researching the Cascadia Subduction Zone. He published a theory that the unrelieved tectonic strain beneath the idyllic landscape of Cascadia Island could be triggered with modern construction processes – with catastrophic results. The paper was disregarded, even ridiculed, by his peers and by mega wealthy developer Mick Walker, who stands to earn millions from the construction of a luxury resort on Cascadia. The elegant casino, hotel, and convention center will reap millions for him even if the tiny island only lasts for a short time… When a series of earthquakes begins to shake the Northwest Corridor, Doug’s worst fears are confirmed. In an attempt to convince Walker to evacuate Cascadia immediately, Doug hurries to join guests arriving for the resort’s grand opening. As the tremors wreak havoc across the Northwest coastal area, the military is left with too few resources to assist the people on Cascadia. Convinced that the island will be in ruins within hours, Doug reluctantly calls upon his girlfriend, Jennifer Lindstrom, president of Nightingale Aviation – a major medical transport helicopter company – for help. With snow falling, visibility dropping, and winds increasing, Doug embarks on an impossible mission with Jennifer and Nightingale’s helicopters to evacuate over three hundred people, while smaller earthquakes continue to herald the approach of a catastrophic tsunami. John J. Nance hurtles readers along a nail-biting quest to rescue hundreds of stranded vacationers and resort staff. Meticulously researched, and with the signature authenticity only a veteran pilot could provide, Saving Cascadia is a hair-raising thriller of awesome magnitude.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Adventure, Aviation, Action, Mystery Thriller, Geology

Audio Cassette

First published February 22, 2005

About the author

John J. Nance is an American pilot, aviation safety expert, and author. He served in the USAF during the Vietnam War and also as a Lt. Colonel in Operation Desert Storm.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

The style of this was not of the quality I would have expected for a best seller. Most like a Towering Inferno, or Posiden Adventure, sensationalism for its own sake.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Is anyone ever turned off by too much detail in a book?
This is clearly setting itself up to be a thriller - I can already see the daring rescues, the dangerous helicopter flights, buildings collapsing, a tsunami, all of that.
But because it’s 3 hours in and we’re just getting laden down with details about … everything… I’m passing on this one. Life’s too short to listen to a book you already can predict the ending to, and you’re not interested in hearing how to get there 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Luisa Gaffga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Einfach super spannend. Geile Plot Twists. Richtig gut geschrieben!

[Lianne Burwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saving Cascadia turned out to be a huge disappointment. The cover promises 'a nail-biter' and 'a thrill a minute'. Unfortunately, it was anything but. Instead it read like a reject from the SyFy Saturday B-Movie line (the one that brought us such gems as Sharktopus and 2012: Ice Age). I was especially disappointed after reading the non-fiction book, Cascadia's Fault.

Let's see. We have the maverick seismologist with a theory no one believes. We have the helicopter pilot girlfriend who has problems with him because he refuses to explain why he hasn't finalized his divorce (I was really peeved when I got to the answer and found that I had predicted the reason right on. Cliche much?). There's her father, with whom she has issues living up to his expectations. There's the senator's daughter, an engineer, who has evidence that someone in her firm faked an engineering report about the building of a resort on a wild-life preserve island. There's the engineering firm where someone faked the report sent to to the developer. There's the developer, who has sunk everything into the resort and refuses to listen to the science, even as his resort is coming down around his ears. There's the incompetent indian activists who think they can get away with blowing up the resort.

And then there's the sequence of escalating earthquakes, and the experimental power system that may set off the Cascadia fault, which will cause untold destruction, followed by a devestating tsunami of the type that hit Indonesia years ago, and Japan just last year.

And yet, with all these elements, the first half of the book was a snooze and the second half (once the destruction starts) isn't much better. The girlfriend's daddy issues and relationship issues made me roll my eyes so hard I nearly sprained something. The danger never really felt real, and the indian activists were Larry, Curly and Moe. Can they stop (what???) the big earthquake and save the west coast? Can the hero and his girlfriend resolve their problems while trying something incredibly dangerous to stop it? Can the people trapped in resort for its opening weekend (including the governor, his wife, and his super-slutty daughter) be saved? Will a tsunami wipe them all of the map (please!)? And the sudden twist at the end with the engineer had me royally pissed, since it made no sense after multiple scenes done from inside her head.

All in all, it was a huge disappointment. At least it was just a library book.

[Kristin Lundgren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is classic Nance - good solid thriller, clean cut, with no high body count. This one involves a fault line in Washington State, a zone of quietude (no action at all), and pressure building up from the plates moving, along with some geological problems beneath the island itself. Despite the warnings from an eminent seismologist, an engineering firm certifies the island as sound, and a developer builds a big casino complex on the island along with a convention center and hotel. But as warned, the activity in building the resort has caused problems. The area is unique in that, as the seismologist proposes, the fault line under it will amplify the pounding and drilling pressures above, sending it deep into the ground and could awaken the sleeping giant underneath, which it does. As the resort crumbles, something must be done to ferry the guests to safety, and a local air ambulance and air taxi service is brought in. They also need to try and stop the big one from coming. Strong characters, including some strong female leads, and some surprises along the way make this a solid thriller. Nance never fails to deliver.

[Wanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit farfetched. Characters weren't developed very deeply. Centered on action surrounding the earthquakes and all the damage and potential damage. Lots of technical info on the helicopters. Was surprised in the end by the fact that the resort was built given false geological information and who actually supplied the info. Couldn't really believe that the developer would be so accommodating at the end.

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I barely finished this silly thriller. The technology is more overwrought than usual, as are the characters and situations. The helicopter descriptions are repetitive (how many times do I need to read/hear 'collective'). And the twist is too easy to see coming.

On top of all that, I was listening to the author read their own work in an audio edition, which was not successful here.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love thrillers like this and I don't require them to be totally believable either. The science seemed solid but there seemed to be some random things thrown in & never explained. At one point, some pilots see a blue whale impaled on a rock cropping in the ocean which seemed significant but was never explained or mentioned again. The ending was disappointing with the entire problem being blamed on an unstable woman.

[D. E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An aviation event pitted against and earthquake that threatens an area in the Seattle area. A monstrous hotel and gambling casino is built on an island off the coast. A scientist warned the builders that the potential for destruction of the island could occur. The people involved in the building and running of the operation could not be swayed and when the area was inundated with small tremors the scientist again warned the people. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS

[Sandy Carmichael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read about the NW coast; evokes beliefs, revenge and life experiences.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nance is a favorite of mine. Just enough science to educate, along with good characters and an interesting plot.

[Karen Suhorsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting book.

[Elaine Ledder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winner

Hard to put down. Easy to believe it could occur tomorrow. I was sorry to have it come to a conclusion, as with all his books!

[G E Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

Great story from a knowledgable writer full of twists and turns. Good characterisation and well paced with much food for thoughht

[Summer Zee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.2

[Sheila Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great novel full of action and suspense. Both the plot and characters seem realistic.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just couldn't put it down. 👍👍
With the wild winds, heavy and brutally cold surf, I don't believe Lester would have survived 30 minutes unconscious in the water face down.

[Richard Schaddelee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reading!

You will not want to put this book down!!
It holds you in it,s grip. The final chapter is great!!! Get it today.

[Leiah Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Saving Cascadia, Mr. Nance shows once again his expertise all things technical. He has expanded his world, and his expertise, beyond his avionic specialty, and it is a new and refreshing side to his writing that kept me awake and reading well into the night. In this novel, we move into the world of geological phenomena, and as always, Mr. Nance has written in an incredibly educated and precise manner, with a clarity that even the least 'geologically knowledgeable' can easily comprehend.

As a previous occupant of the Northwest Coast, I am well versed in just how devastating it will be when the subduction zone ruptures. All it takes is a walk along the cliffside beaches of Southern Oregon at lowest tide to see the total destruction which was caused by the last great quake along the coast. Once the sand has washed away in a storm, your walk will show you the bases of massive tree trunks, twenty feet or more across, sitting in a deep green clay, eight feet or more below the current cliff tops. These massive trees literally sunk under the seas when the coast ripped and fell away, straight down, into the openings left by the tears in the zone. It is both shocking and humbling to realize the true enormity of these movements and the destruction they have caused, and will again.

Mr. Nance explores not only the technical aspects of why the zone exists, but also how our intense disregard for the earth can, and most likely at some time will, cause the very destruction he posits in this novel. His Dr. Lam character is a man who not only knows deeply the geology of the earth in his location of expertise, but is capable of making the type of intuitive leap which separates the merely educated and intelligent from the truly brilliant. Mr. Nances second, or possibly first, goal in writing this novel was indeed involved in avionics, his original specialty, as he drew his characters of air rescue, giving the reader a true insight into the dedication of professional air rescue personnel and the dangers they face every day.

The interactions among the characters are realistic. Just because the world seems to be coming to an end doesn't mean that people don't still have the same issues continuing in their lives that they had before. Yes, I had guessed Dr. Lam's personal situation before learning the truth near the end of the novel, and wasn't surprised. A truly honorable man would have acted just as he did. And I was glad that a truly strong and determined, but emotionally damaged woman was able to stand up to the father who caused he so much pain in her life. I was able to deeply relate to both her strength and her pain, and was glad she finally found it within herself to stand up and say "No more", and yet get beyond that pain to forgiveness. And even a spoiled, self centered, horney old multi billionaire can pull his heads out of the sand and start thinking about someone other than himself when faced with the destruction of so many souls, especially when it is caused by his own self aggrandizement . . . and when he has to actually see and touch the people he is murdering through his own self centered disregard, not just do it 'long distance' with bombs and chemicals and poverty. Even a true misanthrope would have difficulty overlooking his responsibility in this case.

No, this isn't a solely avionic novel. Mr. Nance continues to grow with every novel - it is to be hoped that his readers will grow right along with him.

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 3.75

Cascadia Island was formed off the coast of the state of Washington through earthquakes on the Pacific Ocean floor pushing rock upward. Mick Walker, luxury resort builder, has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to transform the sparsely inhabited island into a high roller destination. Prior to the construction, he hired an engineering group to do studies to ensure that the resort would be safe. However, despite their clearance, US Geological Survey seismologist Doug Lam is convinced that there is a major fault line beneath the island that is being aggravated by the stresses of construction and that Cascadia is in imminent danger of being destroyed by earthquakes which will lower the island by several feet, leaving all on the island victim to the resulting tsunamis which will wash away the entire land area.

As the time draws closer for the grand opening ceremony of Cascadia, Lam and his fellow scientists see signs that there is seismic activity in the area. In fact, several earthquakes are starting to occur along the whole northwestern part of the United States. Nobody is willing to believe Lam's doomsday warnings and that he believes that in addition to Cascadia, thousands of people in the Pacific Northwest are at risk.

Lam's significant other, Jennifer Lindstrom, is the owner of a helicopter service founded by her domineering father. Nightingale Aviation is scheduled to fly many of the guests to the opening rites, and Jennifer is planning to attend as well. Desperate to be heard, Lam also goes to the island, where he is finally able to get Walker to listen to him. But it may be too late.

SAVING CASCADIA was an exciting read, but I felt that he went into too much depth on the scientific aspects of how the earthquake would begin and progress. In addition, the final revelation about a character who double crossed Mick Walker bordered on the ridiculous. However, the book was saved by the solid detailing of the disaster and the reactions of the various characters to the terrifying events.

Nance is an expert at writing seat-of-the-pants thrillers, and SAVING CASCADIA is no exception. In addition to following the disaster scenario, he also weaves in several sub-plots having to do with people and relationships that enhance the narrative.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly interesting story, I did enjoy how Nance's characters all struggle with arrogance, selfishness, etc. that all "human beings" do; every character except the protagonist....The lead character, Dr. Lamb, seems to the second coming of Christ, perfect in every way, he has none of the faults of humans! I also seem to side with most characters in the story, that the Dr. Lamb's theory is very far fetched. The author did his proper research before writing and obviously is very interested in seismology, supported by previous books, but is so overtaken with it that he has every character calling the potential earthquake a "subduction zone quake" as well as all seem to describe the fault in question as having 300 years of built-up potential energy. This is not how the "average" person speaks. Never the less, Nance writes an interesting story!

[Ashley Wong · Rating 2 out of 5]

my boyfriend asked me to read this so we'd have a book to discuss (he loves the action/michael crighton/sci-fi genre)...and it's just not my type of book. i mean, i actually like michael crighton--very entertaining, interesting on many different levels, smart and multi-dimensional. however, i think john nance is a very shallow writer, with little creativity or insight to offer his reader. all of his characters are stereotypes (midlife crisis guy, sexy/independent young careerwoman, geeky asian scientist, etc) and plot-wise not much happens; he has one storyline with a large sense of impending doom, but by the end of the story nothing actually happens and you're left wondering what exactly you were reading for the last 400 pages. anyway, i wouldn't recommend it...not awesome.

[Stacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a good story, but very detailed and involved. While I admire the research that goes into a plot like this, I don't like to get bogged down in the details. This is my first Nance book, but he reminds me of Ludlum - very long winded and detailed on things that I'd just as soon have a brief overview of. In this case, geology and seismology. While interesting, it was more info than I wanted in a book. Still, a good book with a good plot and characters. I'll give another of his a try, but not for a while. I prefer light and fluffy more often than not :)

[Kristal Stidham]

Wow! This is a "page-turner". I'm currently living in Port Angeles WA, right in the middle of the action, but I think I would have appreciated this book anyway. Quite a thriller! I liked everything about it, especially the fact that the story was told from like 20 different perspectives, giving added depth and a great pace to the book. (I can just imagine my high school English teacher's head exploding and that makes me love this author even more!)

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was your average thriller. A lot of information about earthquakes and the Pacific Northwest. A lot of people trying to get on an island that is supposed to sink didn't ring true for me. And I didn't like the ending at all; I didn't think it fit with the facts we had been given. There were way too many plots to keep track of for me. But the facts about earthquakes was interesting to me because I live in that area.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wow, perfect timing to read on the cruise with Dr. Ray (the geophysicist)! So I could grill him. :-)
Really good book, especially if one lives in the Pacific Northwest! Although I always feel that unreliable narrators are unfair.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found the beginning of the book boring and I almost gave up.  Nance spent so much time explaining earthquakes and technical information.  The story picked up and became interesting.  Some of it was unbelievable.  Not what Nance usually writes.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book by John Nance that I've read, and so far I've loved them all. Its an exciting and wild ride right from the beginning. I loved it!

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

[Teri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty good but the characters were sort of weak.