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Dark Harvest
For fans of World War Z , a chilling mystery, an ancient threat, and a race against time to save humanity--inspired by the true events of the Dyatlov Pass incident Russia, 1959. Nine members of a Soviet mountaineering team on an ambitious expedition into the Ural Mountains are found dead, victims of massive and bizarre injuries. The Dyatlov Pass incident, as this grisly event came to be known, remains unexplained to this day.
Iraq, 2019. Ex-soldier-turned-mercenary Cameron Becker is escorting a Russian businessman named Luka Belikov through Baghdad. It seems like a routine job, until Belikov is abducted on Becker's watch. After forming an uneasy alliance with WHO medic Lori Dalton, Becker sets out to uncover the truth behind the attack, and quickly realizes he's caught in the middle of something far bigger and more dangerous. As bio-terrorists prepare to unleash a virus that causes humans to descend into ravenous madness, the pair are thrust into a desperate race against time to prevent a global plague that could wipe out human civilization.
Who is behind the attack? What do they want? And how can humanity hope to survive? Becker and Dalton's answers may just lie deep within the icy wastes of the Ural Mountains ...
Iraq, 2019. Ex-soldier-turned-mercenary Cameron Becker is escorting a Russian businessman named Luka Belikov through Baghdad. It seems like a routine job, until Belikov is abducted on Becker's watch. After forming an uneasy alliance with WHO medic Lori Dalton, Becker sets out to uncover the truth behind the attack, and quickly realizes he's caught in the middle of something far bigger and more dangerous. As bio-terrorists prepare to unleash a virus that causes humans to descend into ravenous madness, the pair are thrust into a desperate race against time to prevent a global plague that could wipe out human civilization.
Who is behind the attack? What do they want? And how can humanity hope to survive? Becker and Dalton's answers may just lie deep within the icy wastes of the Ural Mountains ...
415 pages, Hardcover
First published August 16, 2022
107 people are currently reading
2962 people want to read
About the author
Will Jordan
22 books670 followersWill Jordan was born in Fife, Scotland in 1983. He is best known as the author of the RYAN DRAKE series of action thrillers, and for his YouTube alter-ego, THE CRITICAL DRINKER, amassing well over a million followers and quickly becoming one of the most popular movie critics on the internet. Having always enjoyed a passion for storytelling, he began writing short stories from a young age, eventually moving up to full-length novels and the publication of his first Ryan Drake novel in 2012.
His works to date include:
Redemption (Ryan Drake 1) - 2012
Sacrifice (Ryan Drake 2) - 2013
Betrayal (Ryan Drake 3) - 2014
Black List (Ryan Drake 4) - 2015
Deception Game (Ryan Drake 5) - 2015
Second Chances (Ryan Drake novella) - 2016
Ghost Target (Ryan Drake 6) - 2016
Shadow Conflict (Ryan Drake 7) - 2017
Deadly Cargo (Co-written with James Patterson) - 2017
Trial by Fire (Ryan Drake novella) - 2018
Downfall (Ryan Drake 8) - 2019
Something to Die For (Ryan Drake 9) - 2020
Dark Harvest (2022)
His works to date include:
Redemption (Ryan Drake 1) - 2012
Sacrifice (Ryan Drake 2) - 2013
Betrayal (Ryan Drake 3) - 2014
Black List (Ryan Drake 4) - 2015
Deception Game (Ryan Drake 5) - 2015
Second Chances (Ryan Drake novella) - 2016
Ghost Target (Ryan Drake 6) - 2016
Shadow Conflict (Ryan Drake 7) - 2017
Deadly Cargo (Co-written with James Patterson) - 2017
Trial by Fire (Ryan Drake novella) - 2018
Downfall (Ryan Drake 8) - 2019
Something to Die For (Ryan Drake 9) - 2020
Dark Harvest (2022)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
August 17, 2022
3.5⭐
Dark Harvest is intense and action-packed. After I finished the book, I had to relisten to the prologue once more. 1959, a possible beginning of the end of mankind buried deep in Dyatlov Pass in the northern Ural Mountains, Russia where an expedition had gone wrong and all nine trekkers succumbed to unexplained deaths.
Cameron Becker is a former soldier and now working as a private military contractor (aka bodyguard) protecting a Russian businessman in Baghdad when the group was attacked and the Russian was captured. The bad guys aimed to spread the long-lost apocalyptic virus that makes human falls into a frenzied madness and attacks one another. Becker along with a WHO doctor, Lori Dalton must prevent the biochemical attack before it's too late.
This is a solid action adventure with heroes you care about. It has a sci-fi feel to it and what I enjoy most is the author's imagination weaving the Dyatlov Pass event into the story. I hope that this is the beginning of new series!
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Bradford Hastings. I think his voice was perfect as Becker but his female voice needs some getting used to. Overall, I like his narration and it was enjoyable.
Thank you Blackstone Audiobooks and Netgalley for this DRC.
Published Aug 16th, 2022!
Dark Harvest is intense and action-packed. After I finished the book, I had to relisten to the prologue once more. 1959, a possible beginning of the end of mankind buried deep in Dyatlov Pass in the northern Ural Mountains, Russia where an expedition had gone wrong and all nine trekkers succumbed to unexplained deaths.
Cameron Becker is a former soldier and now working as a private military contractor (aka bodyguard) protecting a Russian businessman in Baghdad when the group was attacked and the Russian was captured. The bad guys aimed to spread the long-lost apocalyptic virus that makes human falls into a frenzied madness and attacks one another. Becker along with a WHO doctor, Lori Dalton must prevent the biochemical attack before it's too late.
This is a solid action adventure with heroes you care about. It has a sci-fi feel to it and what I enjoy most is the author's imagination weaving the Dyatlov Pass event into the story. I hope that this is the beginning of new series!
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Bradford Hastings. I think his voice was perfect as Becker but his female voice needs some getting used to. Overall, I like his narration and it was enjoyable.
Thank you Blackstone Audiobooks and Netgalley for this DRC.
Published Aug 16th, 2022!
July 18, 2022
I hate giving two 5 stars reviews consecutively, I don’t want people to think I’m going soft! But this book was just so freaking good. It was full on action/adventure but the two main characters were also really well fleshed out. After the prologue which is set in ancient times, Jordan takes the real life mystery of the mysterious deaths of 9 experienced Russian hikers in the Dyatlov Pass in the Ural Mountains and weaves a nail bitingly tense story of international intrigue and an existential threat to humanity.
Cameron Becker, former army ranger and CID is now a private military contractor (PMC) in Iraq charged with ferrying Russian businessman, Belikov, into the green (safe) zone in Baghdad. Only their vehicle gets T-boned and Belikov is snatched in a daring manoeuvre. Becker and his 2 team members hurry to their safe house and, along with their tech guy, set about finding Belikov who has a GPS tracker hidden in his clothing.
Meanwhile Dr Lori Dalton, an epidemiologist also in Iraq with the UN learns of a disturbing occurrence at a village not too far away. There is a report of all the villagers being dead with their eyes bleeding their mouths frothing. Dalton is alarmed and wants to investigate. Her boss vetoes this strenuously but Dalton defies him and takes a small contingent of medical and army personnel to see what is going on. It’s like a zombie apocalypse as not all the villagers are dead and they swarm the investigating team.
Becker and Dalton hook up and work together to stop this menace. It turns out that Belikov is actually Ivanov, a brilliant researcher who has weaponised the Dyatlov virus strain. His kidnappers are forcing him to perfect the strain. But saving the world is not easy and they have to fight for every inch of progress. Arrayed against them are huge resources. It’s a race against time and the zombie like infected. Both Becker and Dalton are in deep do-do with their respective bosses but they soldier on. The pace was cracking throughout, there was no letup and I read this in one sitting. It also made a pleasant change from serial killers, abusive husbands, revenge plots and locked room mysteries. No frills - pure adrenaline! Opinions are divided on this book but I really enjoy the odd action thriller and this was definitely that. Many thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
Cameron Becker, former army ranger and CID is now a private military contractor (PMC) in Iraq charged with ferrying Russian businessman, Belikov, into the green (safe) zone in Baghdad. Only their vehicle gets T-boned and Belikov is snatched in a daring manoeuvre. Becker and his 2 team members hurry to their safe house and, along with their tech guy, set about finding Belikov who has a GPS tracker hidden in his clothing.
Meanwhile Dr Lori Dalton, an epidemiologist also in Iraq with the UN learns of a disturbing occurrence at a village not too far away. There is a report of all the villagers being dead with their eyes bleeding their mouths frothing. Dalton is alarmed and wants to investigate. Her boss vetoes this strenuously but Dalton defies him and takes a small contingent of medical and army personnel to see what is going on. It’s like a zombie apocalypse as not all the villagers are dead and they swarm the investigating team.
Becker and Dalton hook up and work together to stop this menace. It turns out that Belikov is actually Ivanov, a brilliant researcher who has weaponised the Dyatlov virus strain. His kidnappers are forcing him to perfect the strain. But saving the world is not easy and they have to fight for every inch of progress. Arrayed against them are huge resources. It’s a race against time and the zombie like infected. Both Becker and Dalton are in deep do-do with their respective bosses but they soldier on. The pace was cracking throughout, there was no letup and I read this in one sitting. It also made a pleasant change from serial killers, abusive husbands, revenge plots and locked room mysteries. No frills - pure adrenaline! Opinions are divided on this book but I really enjoy the odd action thriller and this was definitely that. Many thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
September 25, 2022
I had really been looking forward to reading this book and now that I have, I can say it didn't disappoint! I wasn't sure what to expect but based on previous books I knew it would definitely be action-packed and intense. There were also some genuinely frightening moments and at times it felt like a horror novel, which I really liked a lot. This book got me interested in the Dyatlov Pass tragedy and I thought the way it was worked into the story was fascinating. The opening prologue especially had me hooked and there wasn't a single moment where I was bored. It was a great time overall!
April 7, 2022
People, people, authors, publishers, if you're going to put your books out there for advance reading, take a moment to create a listing for your book on GR. I'm tired of doing it for you, but ok...community service. Now, onto the book itself...
I should have probably paid closer attention to the kind of author this was – the kind that writes testosterone driven actioneers for out-of-shape dads who dream in macho everywhere. But no, this book grabbed my attention at Dyatlov Pass and that was it.
Dyatlov Pass is one of those wild real-life mysteries that simply boggles the mind. There was a proper book about it, even a speculative movie adaptation about it, and now there’s this…tangentially connected bombastic thriller.
Dyatlov Pass here is a mere plot driver in a way that it might have been any other similar place. The concept is neat but not wildly original. Tomorrow’s War recently explored similar theme in a similarly bombastic military action style cinematic bonanza.
The book is more original that its title at least, though. Do you know how many books share that title? So many.
And here you have it again – the race to save the civilization, with all the action and all the guns and all the army vehicles and such a book like this would have.
Not at all my thing, although objectively speaking this book was pretty well done for the sort of book it was. Solid on all accounts with nothing egregiously stupid or gratuitously violent getting in the way of telling a story. If action is your thing (especially, high-stakes apocalyptic-flavored action), you’ll probably love this novel. It has a very cinematic sort of style to its high-octane narrative that works well and makes it a dynamic read. The sense of place, be it snowy mountains or sandy deserts is done very well too.
Overall, a decent, decently entertaining read. Not quite as desired or expected for this specific reader, but plenty of thrills for others, likely. Dyatlov Pass remains a mystery. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
I should have probably paid closer attention to the kind of author this was – the kind that writes testosterone driven actioneers for out-of-shape dads who dream in macho everywhere. But no, this book grabbed my attention at Dyatlov Pass and that was it.
Dyatlov Pass is one of those wild real-life mysteries that simply boggles the mind. There was a proper book about it, even a speculative movie adaptation about it, and now there’s this…tangentially connected bombastic thriller.
Dyatlov Pass here is a mere plot driver in a way that it might have been any other similar place. The concept is neat but not wildly original. Tomorrow’s War recently explored similar theme in a similarly bombastic military action style cinematic bonanza.
The book is more original that its title at least, though. Do you know how many books share that title? So many.
And here you have it again – the race to save the civilization, with all the action and all the guns and all the army vehicles and such a book like this would have.
Not at all my thing, although objectively speaking this book was pretty well done for the sort of book it was. Solid on all accounts with nothing egregiously stupid or gratuitously violent getting in the way of telling a story. If action is your thing (especially, high-stakes apocalyptic-flavored action), you’ll probably love this novel. It has a very cinematic sort of style to its high-octane narrative that works well and makes it a dynamic read. The sense of place, be it snowy mountains or sandy deserts is done very well too.
Overall, a decent, decently entertaining read. Not quite as desired or expected for this specific reader, but plenty of thrills for others, likely. Dyatlov Pass remains a mystery. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
August 29, 2022
DNF@ chapter 34. I hate to do this because I love this author’s YouTube persona/alter ego, but this feels like a bait and switch.
I was hoping more Dyatlov Pass and less military action story. I’m over half way through the audiobook and I keep zoning out. I feel like the Critical Drinker would rip this book new one.
The narrator for the audiobook is absolutely awful! All his feminine voices sound ridiculous. The worst being the villain (I can’t recall anyone’s names except the MC’s Becker and Dalton). She (the villain) sounds like a 65 year old Jewish man that’s been smoking a pack of cigarettes a day since birth. The ex American/German soldier is a close second for worst voice. He sounds like the clichéd evil German from every movie ever made with evil German antagonists.
The story started out sort of interesting, but quickly became a struggle for me to stay engaged. The dialogue is bad. The characters are one dimensional. The plot has been done a million times and done better by others.
The only thing this book has going for it is a blonde leading male. I don’t know why every man and his brother has to have black hair in books now, but I’m glad this one breaks the mold. Best of all the author is very “anti-woke”. Or like we used to say before cancel culture, he’s not politically correct and I love him for it. I just wish this book had been better. Maybe it’s just not my kind of story.
I was hoping more Dyatlov Pass and less military action story. I’m over half way through the audiobook and I keep zoning out. I feel like the Critical Drinker would rip this book new one.
The narrator for the audiobook is absolutely awful! All his feminine voices sound ridiculous. The worst being the villain (I can’t recall anyone’s names except the MC’s Becker and Dalton). She (the villain) sounds like a 65 year old Jewish man that’s been smoking a pack of cigarettes a day since birth. The ex American/German soldier is a close second for worst voice. He sounds like the clichéd evil German from every movie ever made with evil German antagonists.
The story started out sort of interesting, but quickly became a struggle for me to stay engaged. The dialogue is bad. The characters are one dimensional. The plot has been done a million times and done better by others.
The only thing this book has going for it is a blonde leading male. I don’t know why every man and his brother has to have black hair in books now, but I’m glad this one breaks the mold. Best of all the author is very “anti-woke”. Or like we used to say before cancel culture, he’s not politically correct and I love him for it. I just wish this book had been better. Maybe it’s just not my kind of story.
September 23, 2022
Decent enough, but as others mentioned, not much Dyatlov lore was really wrapped in the story. Also, given the last 2 years and various governmental responses to COVID, bold of the author to imagine a world where a deadly virus could be tamped out in little to no time.
I found myself skimming about just over halfway through and the overall story definitely could have benefited from a heavier editorial hand.
I found myself skimming about just over halfway through and the overall story definitely could have benefited from a heavier editorial hand.
November 18, 2023
An interesting thriller. Cold era Soviets, the Gulf War, a deadly virus, and a budding flirtation between a doctor and a former soldier. This book has a little bit of everything. Well read by a voice actor who sounds a bit like Gary Sinise.
August 26, 2022
Dark Harvest is the first novel I’ve read by this author. It was a fun and intense thriller. The story had all the good elements of writing including third-person, past-tense. The narrative was brisk and the chapters were not overly long. There was a little bit of head-hopping but outside of that, I can’t fault much about this novel. I had a great time from start to finish and I liked his take on that Russian mystery. Very well done and highly recommended.
August 27, 2022
This should appeal to fans of Clive Cussler who like some violent horror thrown into the mix. There is plenty of real, accurate history that is used as plot devices and break neck speed adventure that doesn't stop until the last page. Extremely fun read.
July 14, 2024
This was very close to only getting 2 stars. Story was all over the place.
January 13, 2023
I don't often write reviews but I jumped online to do so due to the following reasons:
- The selling tag mentioned "for fans of World War Z [...]".There are no similarities whatsoever.
- The main "hero" is extremely unlikeable and his dialogue is so incredibly cringy its hard to imagine someone would be so rude.
- The cast's movements in the Middle East are beyond unrealistic, and that's considering this is a virus/plague/zombie book. Humvee with random US soldiers driving from Turkey to Syria back to a city in Turkey to shut down a building, with no one asking for credentials and authorizations.
- The dialogue deserves a second mention, as it is really bad. The whole thing reads like a script for a B grade, cheesy 2000's action movie.
- Unoriginal characters: russian scientist. US-ex-military-hero. US-ex-militar- presumed-dead-turned-mercenary villain. Tough yet fragile female doctor. Unfiendly yet helpful ally. Give me a break.
- The writting could have used heavy editing as several phrases repeat themselves very often. "skill set" being one of them.
- The plot is a paint by numbers, formulaic hero-saves-the-world story. The Dyatlov Pass mention is just used to mascarade a bland story we all have seen before hundres of times.
This is not a bad read if you purchase it in a airport book store and have a 17 hour flight ahead, but it doesn't deserve more than that.
To put in the same category as World War Z is an insult to the genre and its fans.
- The selling tag mentioned "for fans of World War Z [...]".There are no similarities whatsoever.
- The main "hero" is extremely unlikeable and his dialogue is so incredibly cringy its hard to imagine someone would be so rude.
- The cast's movements in the Middle East are beyond unrealistic, and that's considering this is a virus/plague/zombie book. Humvee with random US soldiers driving from Turkey to Syria back to a city in Turkey to shut down a building, with no one asking for credentials and authorizations.
- The dialogue deserves a second mention, as it is really bad. The whole thing reads like a script for a B grade, cheesy 2000's action movie.
- Unoriginal characters: russian scientist. US-ex-military-hero. US-ex-militar- presumed-dead-turned-mercenary villain. Tough yet fragile female doctor. Unfiendly yet helpful ally. Give me a break.
- The writting could have used heavy editing as several phrases repeat themselves very often. "skill set" being one of them.
- The plot is a paint by numbers, formulaic hero-saves-the-world story. The Dyatlov Pass mention is just used to mascarade a bland story we all have seen before hundres of times.
This is not a bad read if you purchase it in a airport book store and have a 17 hour flight ahead, but it doesn't deserve more than that.
To put in the same category as World War Z is an insult to the genre and its fans.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2022
“Dark Harvest” is a dynamic read full of apocalyptic action! Although this 600-page novel was not at all my in my preferred genre, I enjoyed it for the quality writing. It was cinematic and well-written.
This book is definitely for action-thriller lovers-- from shootouts in Iraq to close quarter combat in the snowy mountains of Russia, the action never seems to end. I found the main character, Cameron Becker, solidly developed and engaging.
I felt this book has been written with a very current world-event narrative that included a WHO medic, a global plague and bio-terrorist created virus. At another time, I might have found it a more thrilling and fictional threat, but given recent events, I did not find the book to be very uplifting.
Overall an entertaining read, and not a good fit for this specific reader, I’m sure there are plenty of thrill-seeking readers who will love the book. I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at
www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
This book is definitely for action-thriller lovers-- from shootouts in Iraq to close quarter combat in the snowy mountains of Russia, the action never seems to end. I found the main character, Cameron Becker, solidly developed and engaging.
I felt this book has been written with a very current world-event narrative that included a WHO medic, a global plague and bio-terrorist created virus. At another time, I might have found it a more thrilling and fictional threat, but given recent events, I did not find the book to be very uplifting.
Overall an entertaining read, and not a good fit for this specific reader, I’m sure there are plenty of thrill-seeking readers who will love the book. I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at
www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
January 3, 2024
Good action thriller. Nothing amazing to write home about. Somewhat predictable. Akin to watching a middle of the road action movie. Wouldn't go back for a second read, but not unhappy that I read it.
October 13, 2023
I didn't even realize that Will Jordan was the Youtuber 'The Critical Drinker' who critiques movies and shows with a high level of popularity. It sort of explains a little, Dark Harvest is a very "movie" book, by which I mean the story is very action-packed, stylized, and lacking any sort of literary depth. Now just to be clear and I'm going to say this a couple of times - its not necessarily a bad thing. If you want a butt kicking zombie action movie BOOK then this is exactly what you need.
It's also very well written, that may sound like a contradiction with what I just said, but the prose is efficient, vivid and does the job. I don't think there was a moment in this book where I wasn't grounded in the setting and following the action with ease and enjoyment.
But I am afraid I am going to have to mock something about this book, holy smoly, I don't think I've ever read 400 pages with quite so many tropes and cliches all shoved together in one place. It feels like instead of a story outline the next trope from TVtropes was selected and a scene built around this.
Some examples:
A character who stays behind to hold zombies off, and when asked not to stoically reveals a zombie bite
A character who gets shut behind some blast doors to be eaten by zombies "it was him or us" A baddy says
Bad guy from the MCs past that he thought was dead (among other very cliche bad guy tropes which would be spoilers to reveal you'll see what I mean if you read this)
Characters showing up in the nick of time
There are also a few moments were the logistics and science are just a bit too stretched, I normally wouldn't mind too much but just things like the characters being able to zoom around the world with minimal fuss and there is a very awkward juxtaposition of this book being written before Covid-19, but also being very much based around the idea of a Zombie virus being treated as a disease outbreak. Again its not deal-breaker stuff its just sits kind of weird e.g. we know that in an outbreak its unlikely that all countries are going to have the same responses / co-operate with the WHO.
Anyway that probably sounds super negative, its really more cheeky hassle, as I said the book is actually very well written its just geared more towards action/fun/excitement rather than originality or depth.
It's also very well written, that may sound like a contradiction with what I just said, but the prose is efficient, vivid and does the job. I don't think there was a moment in this book where I wasn't grounded in the setting and following the action with ease and enjoyment.
But I am afraid I am going to have to mock something about this book, holy smoly, I don't think I've ever read 400 pages with quite so many tropes and cliches all shoved together in one place. It feels like instead of a story outline the next trope from TVtropes was selected and a scene built around this.
Some examples:
A character who stays behind to hold zombies off, and when asked not to stoically reveals a zombie bite
A character who gets shut behind some blast doors to be eaten by zombies "it was him or us" A baddy says
Bad guy from the MCs past that he thought was dead (among other very cliche bad guy tropes which would be spoilers to reveal you'll see what I mean if you read this)
Characters showing up in the nick of time
There are also a few moments were the logistics and science are just a bit too stretched, I normally wouldn't mind too much but just things like the characters being able to zoom around the world with minimal fuss and there is a very awkward juxtaposition of this book being written before Covid-19, but also being very much based around the idea of a Zombie virus being treated as a disease outbreak. Again its not deal-breaker stuff its just sits kind of weird e.g. we know that in an outbreak its unlikely that all countries are going to have the same responses / co-operate with the WHO.
Anyway that probably sounds super negative, its really more cheeky hassle, as I said the book is actually very well written its just geared more towards action/fun/excitement rather than originality or depth.
March 26, 2023
Dark Harvest by Will Jordan
https://medium.com/@peterseanEsq/book...
This is a page-turner, or, whatever the equivalent is when you listen to it as an audiobook.
Will Jordan offers the Youtube video channel known as the Critical Drinker. He opines about science fiction, fantasy, and gaming offerings. I have found his opinions to be invariably insightful and informative. His usual complaint about modern stories is that they either don't make the character engaging or they don't present the story conflict in a way that captures the readers' attention.
This book shows he can practice what he preaches.
The story opens with a girl returning a crystal to a cave. It then shifts to Cameron Becker, a former American Special Ops soldier turned private contractor. Becker's team is ambushed, the person it was hired to protect is kidnapped. Becker then pursues the kidnappers across the desert where he wanders into a town of zombies. At the same time, Lori Dalton, a WHO communicable disease medical specialist, is investigating the town. The signs are that the zombie outbreak is a virus tailored by terrorists.
From that point, Becker and Dalton are chasing after the virus in an effort to prevent it from being unleashed on the world. The action is high-level, with enough breaks for the reader to get to know Becker and Dalton. We get involved with Becker and Dalton and care about them as they run through the maze to figure out what the virus is, how to stop it, and where to find the antidote. The character moments do not get in the way of the action, which merits this book being a worthy entry in the "thriller" category. My attention to the story did not flag.
https://medium.com/@peterseanEsq/book...
This is a page-turner, or, whatever the equivalent is when you listen to it as an audiobook.
Will Jordan offers the Youtube video channel known as the Critical Drinker. He opines about science fiction, fantasy, and gaming offerings. I have found his opinions to be invariably insightful and informative. His usual complaint about modern stories is that they either don't make the character engaging or they don't present the story conflict in a way that captures the readers' attention.
This book shows he can practice what he preaches.
The story opens with a girl returning a crystal to a cave. It then shifts to Cameron Becker, a former American Special Ops soldier turned private contractor. Becker's team is ambushed, the person it was hired to protect is kidnapped. Becker then pursues the kidnappers across the desert where he wanders into a town of zombies. At the same time, Lori Dalton, a WHO communicable disease medical specialist, is investigating the town. The signs are that the zombie outbreak is a virus tailored by terrorists.
From that point, Becker and Dalton are chasing after the virus in an effort to prevent it from being unleashed on the world. The action is high-level, with enough breaks for the reader to get to know Becker and Dalton. We get involved with Becker and Dalton and care about them as they run through the maze to figure out what the virus is, how to stop it, and where to find the antidote. The character moments do not get in the way of the action, which merits this book being a worthy entry in the "thriller" category. My attention to the story did not flag.
September 15, 2022
What does a 14-year-old girl in ancient times struggling against the weather and the powers that be to bring back a magical stone taken from a cabe and seven hikers who watch their friend go insane on side of a mountain in 1959 in a current day security guard on contract and I raku just watched two of his friends get killed in one man kidnap with the Russian diplomat telling him if he gets the guy back he’ll get $5 million and if we get back the kidnappers he’ll get 10 million have to do with the threat to the world? … Everything! This book was so good and so crazy and so very scary but most of all intelligent action packed I loved Cam Becker I thought the author did a fabulous job getting him into and then out of some crazy situation I just love this whole book it was so good it seemed like each new chapter was a new story but essentially they all went to the same place and it is so worth taking that ride. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
January 16, 2025
For the story, maybe 2.5 or even 3 stars. This is a typical spy/espionage/adventure/apocalypse story, not horrible but nothing really setting it apart from the pack. It was marketed as an alternate telling of the Dyatlov pass mystery and, to be fair, it was mentioned as the origin point of the biological weapon. However, I thought Dyatlov would be much more prevalent in the story. It has also been compared to World War Z, not even close! I have enjoyed the author's Ryan Drake series so this book was a bit of a disappointment. Not necessarily the books fault, just my expectations.
The narrator was terrible, no stars! He voiced the women as if he was the brother who grudginly agreed to play barbies with his little sister. And apparently he thinks Russians sound like Count Dracula. If you decide to give this one a try, skip the audio and read it with your eyeballs.
The narrator was terrible, no stars! He voiced the women as if he was the brother who grudginly agreed to play barbies with his little sister. And apparently he thinks Russians sound like Count Dracula. If you decide to give this one a try, skip the audio and read it with your eyeballs.
August 16, 2022
I’ve never read anything by Will Jordan before. I heard about his series and decided to try it.
Dark Harvest wasn’t part of his series, only a stand alone.
I’ll have to say that it did take me a while to get through.
Perhaps I was in the wrong mindset to focus on this, I don’t know.
Even during its slower bits, it definitely want boring.
The characters were fairly compelling.
The man can definitely write an action scene.
I don’t know how this author’s regular series is, but I do plan to find out.
Dark Harvest wasn’t part of his series, only a stand alone.
I’ll have to say that it did take me a while to get through.
Perhaps I was in the wrong mindset to focus on this, I don’t know.
Even during its slower bits, it definitely want boring.
The characters were fairly compelling.
The man can definitely write an action scene.
I don’t know how this author’s regular series is, but I do plan to find out.
July 15, 2022
⭐⭐⭐ - A Solid Pick
Book Title - Dark Harvest
Author - Will Jordan
Release Date - Aug 16, 2022
Genre - sci-fi, thriller
Life hangs in the balance in this engaging zombie thriller as a small team of military experts, government agents, and scientists race against time to unlock the cure for a fatal bioweapon that has been unleashed in a crowded airport.
Dark Harvest's opening scene hooks the reader in one fell swoop, and the action continues to culminate as the pages turn. The plot is cinematic and visually descriptive, just what I expect from a thriller of this sort.
However, I found the resolution to be a bit too tidy. I prefer a few loose ends, a little bit left unsaid. Or, dare I say, an unhappy ending and the demise of the main character(s). But maybe that's just me! Maybe I should seek counseling for my sadistic book preferences.
Dark Harvest is a solid addition to the zombie offshoot of the science fiction genre, and I'm pleased to have read it. Thanks @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for the advanced copy!
#NetGalley #DarkHarvest
Book Title - Dark Harvest
Author - Will Jordan
Release Date - Aug 16, 2022
Genre - sci-fi, thriller
Life hangs in the balance in this engaging zombie thriller as a small team of military experts, government agents, and scientists race against time to unlock the cure for a fatal bioweapon that has been unleashed in a crowded airport.
Dark Harvest's opening scene hooks the reader in one fell swoop, and the action continues to culminate as the pages turn. The plot is cinematic and visually descriptive, just what I expect from a thriller of this sort.
However, I found the resolution to be a bit too tidy. I prefer a few loose ends, a little bit left unsaid. Or, dare I say, an unhappy ending and the demise of the main character(s). But maybe that's just me! Maybe I should seek counseling for my sadistic book preferences.
Dark Harvest is a solid addition to the zombie offshoot of the science fiction genre, and I'm pleased to have read it. Thanks @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for the advanced copy!
#NetGalley #DarkHarvest
August 1, 2022
Not really for me. The action is too prevalent and feels like a Marvel movie. The plot is quite dragged out and somewhat boring. The characters are likeable enough, but not really enough to completely save this. 3/10.
August 4, 2023
World war Z? I don't think so. Maybe I would have liked this book more if I didn't listen to the audiobook. There was a lot going on and I found myself zoning out for most of it.
December 19, 2022
Dark Harvest is an explosive, action-packed thriller and a race against time to save humanity written by the acclaimed author Will Jordan. His nine-book series featuring Ryan Drake had been one of my favorite reads so far and I was waiting to see what the author had in store for his fans for a long time. This book has been worth the wait and inspired by the true events of the Dyatlov Pass. The prologue begins with a young girl who braves the harsh cold weather in search of a magical stone but falls to her death in the deep crevices of the snow-laden Ural Mountains. Later in 1959, a group of nine ambitious mountaineers on an expedition to these treacherous mountains and inhospitable climate are found dead after succumbing to massive and dreadful injuries, that remains unexplained even to this day.
Fast-forward to 2019 in Iraq, where Cameron Becker, an ex-military now working for a private military contractor is assigned to escort a Russian businessman, Luka Belikov to a safe house in Baghdad. Although it seemed like a routine job, Belikov is abducted following a daring attack on his vehicle and under the eyes of Becker and his team. Following the GPS tracker hidden in his clothing, Becker and the team chase them to their safe house, but the abductors have given them a slip and escaped. Becker’s Russian handler insists that he tracks Luka and hand him over to them, as he is a valuable asset to the current Russian regime.
Meanwhile, Dr. Lori Dalton, an epidemiologist working in Iraq under US Humanitarian mission, learns of a disturbing event at a small village to the north of Iraq and bordering Turkey and Syria. The initial reports confirmed that the villagers are falling dead after their eyes bleeding, mouths frothing, and zombie-like behavior. Dalton wants to investigate the cause of this mysterious event and despite her boss's vetoes, she drives into this village with a small contingency of medical team and army personnel. The sight of the village and the dead people, shocks the team as they are witness to a zombie apocalypse, people madly running and screaming, blood spurting from their bodies, violently attacking and savaging one another, and beginning to swarm the investigating team. Meanwhile, Cameron Becker has also landed in the village on a solo mission, who had been tipped off by his Russian handler that Luka Belikov and his kidnappers would be in and around the same region.
As Becker and Dr. Lori’s team begin to work together trying to unfold the incidents at the village, they are in for a scare. Luke Belikov is an alias for Ivanov, a perverted genius scientist who undertook research on the Dyatlov virus strain and weaponized them during the Cold War era. The virus was so deadly, that there was no known cure and therefore, the Soviet government abandoned the project. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, a few carefully stashed vials containing the virus strain were stolen, as nuclear and bio-chemical scientists fled the Union to the West and exchanged them for huge sums of money. Unfortunately, this fell into the wrong hands and the kidnappers coerced Ivanov to perfect the strain and create a deadly biological weapon unleashing them into the world’s populated nodes causing the annihilation of mankind. Four mercenaries chosen for this task were on their way carrying this deadly virus in an aerosol can to Washington, London, Dubai, and Beijing.
It is a race against time as Becker, Dr. Lori, and her team would have to find an antidote that does not seem to exist to date and save humanity. Although they have the resources of the whole world at their disposal, time is of the essence. Becker and Dr. Lori are convinced that answers to their questions would lie deep within the Ural Mountains at the Dyatlov Pass. Will they get there in time to find the antidote that has evaded mankind for many years? Who are the people behind this nefarious plan to destroy mankind? Would people in the four cities be infected before the vaccine is made available? Brace yourself for this unputdownable, fast-paced, intense thriller where the pages turn themselves. A fabulous novel from Will Jordan after the Ryan Drake series and hope to see many more such explosive machinations from the author.
Fast-forward to 2019 in Iraq, where Cameron Becker, an ex-military now working for a private military contractor is assigned to escort a Russian businessman, Luka Belikov to a safe house in Baghdad. Although it seemed like a routine job, Belikov is abducted following a daring attack on his vehicle and under the eyes of Becker and his team. Following the GPS tracker hidden in his clothing, Becker and the team chase them to their safe house, but the abductors have given them a slip and escaped. Becker’s Russian handler insists that he tracks Luka and hand him over to them, as he is a valuable asset to the current Russian regime.
Meanwhile, Dr. Lori Dalton, an epidemiologist working in Iraq under US Humanitarian mission, learns of a disturbing event at a small village to the north of Iraq and bordering Turkey and Syria. The initial reports confirmed that the villagers are falling dead after their eyes bleeding, mouths frothing, and zombie-like behavior. Dalton wants to investigate the cause of this mysterious event and despite her boss's vetoes, she drives into this village with a small contingency of medical team and army personnel. The sight of the village and the dead people, shocks the team as they are witness to a zombie apocalypse, people madly running and screaming, blood spurting from their bodies, violently attacking and savaging one another, and beginning to swarm the investigating team. Meanwhile, Cameron Becker has also landed in the village on a solo mission, who had been tipped off by his Russian handler that Luka Belikov and his kidnappers would be in and around the same region.
As Becker and Dr. Lori’s team begin to work together trying to unfold the incidents at the village, they are in for a scare. Luke Belikov is an alias for Ivanov, a perverted genius scientist who undertook research on the Dyatlov virus strain and weaponized them during the Cold War era. The virus was so deadly, that there was no known cure and therefore, the Soviet government abandoned the project. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, a few carefully stashed vials containing the virus strain were stolen, as nuclear and bio-chemical scientists fled the Union to the West and exchanged them for huge sums of money. Unfortunately, this fell into the wrong hands and the kidnappers coerced Ivanov to perfect the strain and create a deadly biological weapon unleashing them into the world’s populated nodes causing the annihilation of mankind. Four mercenaries chosen for this task were on their way carrying this deadly virus in an aerosol can to Washington, London, Dubai, and Beijing.
It is a race against time as Becker, Dr. Lori, and her team would have to find an antidote that does not seem to exist to date and save humanity. Although they have the resources of the whole world at their disposal, time is of the essence. Becker and Dr. Lori are convinced that answers to their questions would lie deep within the Ural Mountains at the Dyatlov Pass. Will they get there in time to find the antidote that has evaded mankind for many years? Who are the people behind this nefarious plan to destroy mankind? Would people in the four cities be infected before the vaccine is made available? Brace yourself for this unputdownable, fast-paced, intense thriller where the pages turn themselves. A fabulous novel from Will Jordan after the Ryan Drake series and hope to see many more such explosive machinations from the author.
March 8, 2023
I appreciate the genius that is Will Jordan (aka The Critical Drinker), a guy on youtube who regularly turns out critiques of our fractured culture that are uniquely insightful and wickedly funny.
But this is the second novel of his (the first being "Redemption: Ryan Drake”) that wasn’t exactly a disappointment, but wasn’t memorable, and so I probably won’t want to reread it (which is the criterion I look for when awarding 5 stars).
The “Dark Harvest" storyline was promising: something is causing people to turn into ravening killers, and only ex-soldier Cameron Becker and WHO medic Lori Dalton can stop it. I don’t want to say more about the book other than to mention the clichés:
And the infuriating:
One odd thing: A character in the book is named Sergey Golovko. Shout out to Tom Clancy’s head of the SVR or the serial killer?
Bradford Hastings did a great job narrating Cameron Becker’s voice, but he was awful when it came to voicing women (one of whom—who mercifully wasn’t around for very long—was given a voice that reminded me of Bobcat Goldthwait).
“Dark Harvest” is a fast listen (the audiobook is just under 12 hours long). It’s action packed and has good characters and if I hadn’t read so many books that were similar, I’d have a higher opinion of it. But the story just didn’t pull me in.
4 stars out of 5.
And so, Dear Reader, that’s my recommendation.
But this is the second novel of his (the first being "Redemption: Ryan Drake”) that wasn’t exactly a disappointment, but wasn’t memorable, and so I probably won’t want to reread it (which is the criterion I look for when awarding 5 stars).
The “Dark Harvest" storyline was promising: something is causing people to turn into ravening killers, and only ex-soldier Cameron Becker and WHO medic Lori Dalton can stop it. I don’t want to say more about the book other than to mention the clichés:
And the infuriating:
One odd thing: A character in the book is named Sergey Golovko. Shout out to Tom Clancy’s head of the SVR or the serial killer?
Bradford Hastings did a great job narrating Cameron Becker’s voice, but he was awful when it came to voicing women (one of whom—who mercifully wasn’t around for very long—was given a voice that reminded me of Bobcat Goldthwait).
“Dark Harvest” is a fast listen (the audiobook is just under 12 hours long). It’s action packed and has good characters and if I hadn’t read so many books that were similar, I’d have a higher opinion of it. But the story just didn’t pull me in.
4 stars out of 5.
And so, Dear Reader, that’s my recommendation.
March 19, 2023
Really a 3.5, but I'll give the benefit of the doubt.
One may see 3.5 and assume there are problems going on. That's not the case for me. There's nothing strictly wrong with the story, but not much stands out as being particularly memorable, either. Honestly, Dark Harvest gave me a 'lazy Saturday afternoon on the couch watching 90's action movies' sense about it. Perhaps due to the cinematic style the book is written in, or the somewhat tired ground it treads plot-wise. Whatever the case, it's very familiar. It's also quite a fast read. Some nice action sequences are populated throughout and you do get a good sense of urgency as the conflict ramps up. If a casual, quick read for some contemporary action is something you're after, then this isn't a bad choice.
A few small gripes...
First being character descriptions. Too many had a screenplay-style description block where it felt overly formulaic. I would have liked to see such descriptions worked in more organically to the flow. As it is, the descriptions tend to be bulky and abrupt.
Second small gripe is the repetition of explanations. Characters spend an inordinate amount of time (or at least it certainly feels that way), explaining and re-explaining the same situation for every new character that comes along. It may be understandable for an author to want to remind the reader if the thought is they may have forgotten or perhaps become confused, but this happened too often and, frankly, not enough happened between these instances for a reader to really forget.
Third gripe is excessive dialogue. This is just a narrative thing for me, and I recognize it is a very subjective gripe. So much of the story is told via characters speaking to one another that I don't feel much of an overall narrative voice going on. I feel more balance between narrative voice and dialogue wouldn't have gone amiss here.
Last gripe is the antagonist(s). Motivation and proportionate response is an issue with the antagonist(s) in this story for me that can't be ignored. While motivations are given, they're pretty flimsy and rely heavily on coincidence to set things in motion. Hate to say it, but the word for it is contrived. Perhaps a harsh word, but specifically in regards to the antagonists... I think it's probably warranted.
One may see 3.5 and assume there are problems going on. That's not the case for me. There's nothing strictly wrong with the story, but not much stands out as being particularly memorable, either. Honestly, Dark Harvest gave me a 'lazy Saturday afternoon on the couch watching 90's action movies' sense about it. Perhaps due to the cinematic style the book is written in, or the somewhat tired ground it treads plot-wise. Whatever the case, it's very familiar. It's also quite a fast read. Some nice action sequences are populated throughout and you do get a good sense of urgency as the conflict ramps up. If a casual, quick read for some contemporary action is something you're after, then this isn't a bad choice.
A few small gripes...
First being character descriptions. Too many had a screenplay-style description block where it felt overly formulaic. I would have liked to see such descriptions worked in more organically to the flow. As it is, the descriptions tend to be bulky and abrupt.
Second small gripe is the repetition of explanations. Characters spend an inordinate amount of time (or at least it certainly feels that way), explaining and re-explaining the same situation for every new character that comes along. It may be understandable for an author to want to remind the reader if the thought is they may have forgotten or perhaps become confused, but this happened too often and, frankly, not enough happened between these instances for a reader to really forget.
Third gripe is excessive dialogue. This is just a narrative thing for me, and I recognize it is a very subjective gripe. So much of the story is told via characters speaking to one another that I don't feel much of an overall narrative voice going on. I feel more balance between narrative voice and dialogue wouldn't have gone amiss here.
Last gripe is the antagonist(s). Motivation and proportionate response is an issue with the antagonist(s) in this story for me that can't be ignored. While motivations are given, they're pretty flimsy and rely heavily on coincidence to set things in motion. Hate to say it, but the word for it is contrived. Perhaps a harsh word, but specifically in regards to the antagonists... I think it's probably warranted.
December 6, 2022
Es una novela de acción (otras personas utilizarán el término thriller), que comienza en un recóndito lugar de la Unión Soviética en 1959. Una expedición desaparecida en extrañas circunstancias y una conexión con el presente que puede llevar a la muerte de millones de personas. Dos desconocidos que se encuentran en una situación límite deberán colaborar para evitar la catástrofe. Sin poder contar mucho más, este es el guión de “Dark Harvest”, una novela que no tiene más objetivo que entretener a quien la lea.
¿Por qué me llamó la atención? La compré por su autor, Will Jordan, un escritor escocés con más de diez novelas publicadas, y sobre todo conocido por su faceta de crítico de películas y series a través de su alter ego “The Critical Drinker”. En su canal de Youtube, en el que a diciembre de 2022 tiene un millón y medio de seguidores, Jordan muestra su hastío por las propuestas que tienen más interés en educar que entretener, y cierta nostalgia por películas de acción como “Terminator”, “Depredador”, o “Golpe en la pequeña China”.
Reconozco que, si bien no estoy de acuerdo con todo lo que dice, coincido con muchas de sus críticas. Así que cuando anunció en su canal la publicación de “Dark Harvest”, decidí comprarla para comprobar si “predicaba con el ejemplo”.
¿Qué me ha parecido? Me ha gustado. Es una novela entretenida y no busca nada más que eso: entretener y atrapar. Si alguien busca alta literatura siempre tiene el “Ulises” de James Joyce. La narración tiene mucho de película de acción, con tiroteos, persecuciones, malos malísimos, y viajes a lugares exóticos. Conforme avanzamos los capítulos se van haciendo más cortos, más rápidos, para transmitir la tensión de una cuenta atrás que los protagonistas tienen que parar.
¿A quién recomendaría este libro? Primero a una persona que hubiera disfrutado con películas como “La jungla de cristal” o “Depredador”. Tendría que gustarte este tipo de entretenimiento para que lo pasaras bien con “Dark Harvest”. Me parece un libro perfecto para un viaje en el que vayas a estar tiempo sentado o esperando.
¿Por qué me llamó la atención? La compré por su autor, Will Jordan, un escritor escocés con más de diez novelas publicadas, y sobre todo conocido por su faceta de crítico de películas y series a través de su alter ego “The Critical Drinker”. En su canal de Youtube, en el que a diciembre de 2022 tiene un millón y medio de seguidores, Jordan muestra su hastío por las propuestas que tienen más interés en educar que entretener, y cierta nostalgia por películas de acción como “Terminator”, “Depredador”, o “Golpe en la pequeña China”.
Reconozco que, si bien no estoy de acuerdo con todo lo que dice, coincido con muchas de sus críticas. Así que cuando anunció en su canal la publicación de “Dark Harvest”, decidí comprarla para comprobar si “predicaba con el ejemplo”.
¿Qué me ha parecido? Me ha gustado. Es una novela entretenida y no busca nada más que eso: entretener y atrapar. Si alguien busca alta literatura siempre tiene el “Ulises” de James Joyce. La narración tiene mucho de película de acción, con tiroteos, persecuciones, malos malísimos, y viajes a lugares exóticos. Conforme avanzamos los capítulos se van haciendo más cortos, más rápidos, para transmitir la tensión de una cuenta atrás que los protagonistas tienen que parar.
¿A quién recomendaría este libro? Primero a una persona que hubiera disfrutado con películas como “La jungla de cristal” o “Depredador”. Tendría que gustarte este tipo de entretenimiento para que lo pasaras bien con “Dark Harvest”. Me parece un libro perfecto para un viaje en el que vayas a estar tiempo sentado o esperando.
November 11, 2023
I took on the endeavor to read this book with great hesitancy. While I much enjoy Will Jordan’s (aka The Critical Drinker’s) YouTube movie reviews, some of his language and jokes are a little outside my tastes. But knowing how he can adequately praise or censure the story telling of a film I wanted to see if he could write a novel as well as he analyzed others stories. His video commentaries are eloquent and well scripted, but things don’t always transfer across mediums.
I am pleased to report he’s one of the best authors I’ve read. Or, listened to in the case of this audio book version.
The language is heavy but not over bearing or out of character I would say. The story is well planned and executed. I couldn’t help comparing his execution to his other analyzations and I’m happy to say, he doesn’t expect of others more than he expects of himself.
The characters are all well developed with actions consistent to their back stories and personalities. The pacing is neither too slow nor too fast. He expertly jumps in time so far as it’s necessary to connect the events without bogging down on clunky exposition.
I wouldn’t like to see the more gruesome parts in movie form but I could see with the right adaptation, a great film as well.
Various characters annoyed me at times but in ways that fit with the narrative and not counter to who they were or the story. You can tell Will puts great effort into crafting each one and knowing who they are as people as if they were real.
I thought myself pretty clever for guessing the antagonist’s true identity but I think now he did that on purpose so as to hide the real twist. The twist he executed in such a way that I was all ready to give this four stars until he revealed who truly lay beneath the headstone. Not only was I happy that he didn’t kill off one of our two heroes, but I thought he did an amazing job of making me think he had only to end on a truly perfect and poignant ending.
So, I truly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. This is how to tell a story.
Well done, sir.
I am pleased to report he’s one of the best authors I’ve read. Or, listened to in the case of this audio book version.
The language is heavy but not over bearing or out of character I would say. The story is well planned and executed. I couldn’t help comparing his execution to his other analyzations and I’m happy to say, he doesn’t expect of others more than he expects of himself.
The characters are all well developed with actions consistent to their back stories and personalities. The pacing is neither too slow nor too fast. He expertly jumps in time so far as it’s necessary to connect the events without bogging down on clunky exposition.
I wouldn’t like to see the more gruesome parts in movie form but I could see with the right adaptation, a great film as well.
Various characters annoyed me at times but in ways that fit with the narrative and not counter to who they were or the story. You can tell Will puts great effort into crafting each one and knowing who they are as people as if they were real.
I thought myself pretty clever for guessing the antagonist’s true identity but I think now he did that on purpose so as to hide the real twist. The twist he executed in such a way that I was all ready to give this four stars until he revealed who truly lay beneath the headstone. Not only was I happy that he didn’t kill off one of our two heroes, but I thought he did an amazing job of making me think he had only to end on a truly perfect and poignant ending.
So, I truly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. This is how to tell a story.
Well done, sir.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2023
Cameron Becker is a former military man now working in private security who finds himself embroiled in a race against time to stop a virus from killing humanity. Lori Dalton is a doctor working for a charity who finds herself working with Cameron to solve the mystery of who released the virus and how to stop it. Their journey will take them to faraway places looking for help and clues to solve the mystery. Will they find the answers they need in time or will the bad guys win?
This book does not take a lot of time giving the characters huge and sweeping background stories with lots of emotional baggage that they have to work through. Instead, the author chose to create two characters that have fairly simple motivations and they act in accordance with those motivations throughout. Sure, the author could have given the characters more depth but it wasn't necessary for this type of story. The author chose to focus instead on how big the world was where everything was happening. There are so many characters and so many locations that the reader doesn't get the chance to get bored. The action is constant and it keeps the reader guessing where the characters might go next. I really like how the author chose to end the story (not the end of the book which is an epilogue after the events of the story). I got emotional as the characters discovered the bad guy, the motivations, and the potential solutions.
My one chief complaint is that the characters were nearly superhuman in their efforts to solve the mystery. At one point I laughed because there is no way that real humans could endure the series of events and keep going with the kind of single-minded resolve Cameron and Lori show. They make the Energize bunny look lazy!
This is a contemporary story set in a lot of different locations. This is a mystery with a science/pandemic concept. This is the first book I have read by this author but I will definitely read more in the future.
This book does not take a lot of time giving the characters huge and sweeping background stories with lots of emotional baggage that they have to work through. Instead, the author chose to create two characters that have fairly simple motivations and they act in accordance with those motivations throughout. Sure, the author could have given the characters more depth but it wasn't necessary for this type of story. The author chose to focus instead on how big the world was where everything was happening. There are so many characters and so many locations that the reader doesn't get the chance to get bored. The action is constant and it keeps the reader guessing where the characters might go next. I really like how the author chose to end the story (not the end of the book which is an epilogue after the events of the story). I got emotional as the characters discovered the bad guy, the motivations, and the potential solutions.
My one chief complaint is that the characters were nearly superhuman in their efforts to solve the mystery. At one point I laughed because there is no way that real humans could endure the series of events and keep going with the kind of single-minded resolve Cameron and Lori show. They make the Energize bunny look lazy!
This is a contemporary story set in a lot of different locations. This is a mystery with a science/pandemic concept. This is the first book I have read by this author but I will definitely read more in the future.
December 7, 2024
I've been a regular viewer of Will Jordan's "Critical Drinker" Youtube persona for a couple years and only recently discovered he was a writer as well. So I picked up this book and started reading it to see if The Critical Drinker could walk the walk as well as he talked the talk...
And well, to paraphrase Tim Allen from Galaxy Quest, "It doesn't take a great author to roast a really really bad one." Jordan's scathing criticisms of Hollywood resonate with people not because he is a literary genius but because Hollywood's is genuinely just that god awful. Which is not surprisingly since Hollywood has been on a rapid decline ever since they started that reboot trend with Total Recall in 2012.
Meanwhile if Dark Harvest is anything to go off of, Mr. Jordan is a "B" grade writer. Not terrible but not amazing enough that I feel the need to immediately go out and buy another one of his books. And "B-grade" is pretty much my running summary of this book. The plot, the characters, and the setting are a modern B-Grade Action Movie/Suspense-Thriller in book form. It's not "great" but nothing made me want to throw the book against the wall and scream in frustration either. Unlike a few certain OTHER titles in my library of GoodReads reviews.
The protagonist is a square-jaw brooding anti-hero with a sketchy past and a gig in private security work, the female lead is a "brains and beauty" WHO doctor, and the plot is "what if someone tried to make a bioweapon out of the zombie virus from 28 Days Later?" And like a good B-movie, the plot is self-contained but ends with JUST enough threads that Mr. Jordan can come back and write a new adventure with the surviving characters...
In conclusion: Dark Harvest is not a particularly "bad" book but if you're expecting something particularly amazing given the author's reputation as an outspoken critic... it is a disappointing book.
And well, to paraphrase Tim Allen from Galaxy Quest, "It doesn't take a great author to roast a really really bad one." Jordan's scathing criticisms of Hollywood resonate with people not because he is a literary genius but because Hollywood's is genuinely just that god awful. Which is not surprisingly since Hollywood has been on a rapid decline ever since they started that reboot trend with Total Recall in 2012.
Meanwhile if Dark Harvest is anything to go off of, Mr. Jordan is a "B" grade writer. Not terrible but not amazing enough that I feel the need to immediately go out and buy another one of his books. And "B-grade" is pretty much my running summary of this book. The plot, the characters, and the setting are a modern B-Grade Action Movie/Suspense-Thriller in book form. It's not "great" but nothing made me want to throw the book against the wall and scream in frustration either. Unlike a few certain OTHER titles in my library of GoodReads reviews.
The protagonist is a square-jaw brooding anti-hero with a sketchy past and a gig in private security work, the female lead is a "brains and beauty" WHO doctor, and the plot is "what if someone tried to make a bioweapon out of the zombie virus from 28 Days Later?" And like a good B-movie, the plot is self-contained but ends with JUST enough threads that Mr. Jordan can come back and write a new adventure with the surviving characters...
In conclusion: Dark Harvest is not a particularly "bad" book but if you're expecting something particularly amazing given the author's reputation as an outspoken critic... it is a disappointing book.
August 23, 2022
Dark Harvest
Will Jordan
The prologue is the retelling of The Dyatlov Pass event from 1959 on Ural Mountain where A Russian team of nine were found dead with immense and inexplicable injuries. The Dyatlov Pass continues to be unsolved.
Dark Harvest takes place in Iraq, 2019. Cameron Becker is a former army ranger turned bodyguard/mercenary. His latest assignment is protecting Russian businessman Luka Belikov through Bagdad to the safe zone. What started out as a simple assignment rapidly becomes dangerous. Their vehicle is attacked and Belikov is kidnaped. Becker, two team members and their tech guy try to locate Belikov through the GPS transponder hidden in his clothing.
Dr. Lori Dalton (WHO doctor) is in Iraq with the UN. She learns of a close by village where all the villagers are found dead; their eyes are bleeding, and they are foaming from the mouth. Dalton disregards the orders of her boss and takes a party of medical and army recruits to the village. Some of the villagers are still alive and attack Dalton’s team.
Dalton and Becker make an uneasy partnership and work together to uncover why Belikov was taken. The fate of the world is uncertain when bio-terrorists plan to infect the population with a virus that causes people to fall into voracious psychosis. Becker and Dalton race to thwart a worldwide nightmare that could destroy the human race as we know it.
This is an intense read and left me with mix feeling. The plot will definitely stay with me for a long time. I do not like zombie tales and wish the author had taken this a different direction. This is a cross between thriller, mystery, suspense and sci-fi. Author Will Jordan interweaves the Dyatlov Pass case into the narrative. The characters are well fleshed out and likable. If you like Stephen King you will enjoy Dark Harvest.
Will Jordan
The prologue is the retelling of The Dyatlov Pass event from 1959 on Ural Mountain where A Russian team of nine were found dead with immense and inexplicable injuries. The Dyatlov Pass continues to be unsolved.
Dark Harvest takes place in Iraq, 2019. Cameron Becker is a former army ranger turned bodyguard/mercenary. His latest assignment is protecting Russian businessman Luka Belikov through Bagdad to the safe zone. What started out as a simple assignment rapidly becomes dangerous. Their vehicle is attacked and Belikov is kidnaped. Becker, two team members and their tech guy try to locate Belikov through the GPS transponder hidden in his clothing.
Dr. Lori Dalton (WHO doctor) is in Iraq with the UN. She learns of a close by village where all the villagers are found dead; their eyes are bleeding, and they are foaming from the mouth. Dalton disregards the orders of her boss and takes a party of medical and army recruits to the village. Some of the villagers are still alive and attack Dalton’s team.
Dalton and Becker make an uneasy partnership and work together to uncover why Belikov was taken. The fate of the world is uncertain when bio-terrorists plan to infect the population with a virus that causes people to fall into voracious psychosis. Becker and Dalton race to thwart a worldwide nightmare that could destroy the human race as we know it.
This is an intense read and left me with mix feeling. The plot will definitely stay with me for a long time. I do not like zombie tales and wish the author had taken this a different direction. This is a cross between thriller, mystery, suspense and sci-fi. Author Will Jordan interweaves the Dyatlov Pass case into the narrative. The characters are well fleshed out and likable. If you like Stephen King you will enjoy Dark Harvest.
October 7, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. The overall arc of the book is one that has been done before, but since this storyline is executed well, I can't really fault it. I do have a few structural issues with the book, like the two false beginnings, which were necessary, but did end up feeling a bit contrived. The twist at the end was obvious, too. The narrative thread regarding Prophet was too big to ignore and as the book approached its conclusion there was only 1 option for who Prophet could be. Kincaid's motivations weren't that developed either, sadly. Just the, "humanity's the virus" rhetoric heard many a time before and not terribly interesting, even at its conception. Other than those issues, Jordan's skill as an action writer comes through well in this story. The action set pieces were all well-realized and felt wonderful to sink my teeth into. Dalton & Becker are a wonderful pair and play off each other well. One thing I especially enjoyed about their dynamic is how, in another author's hands, they would have had a romance, but Jordan showed restraint and just let them be partners in their pursuit of Dyatlov virus. I also enjoyed how despite being primarliy focused on action and figuring out the mystery, Jordan made time to explore Okishev and the idea of the world leaving you behind, culturally. Such poignancy did not feel out of place at all and added to the story in a way I did not anticipate at all. On a much less important note, I liked the division of the book into parts, like a virus replicating. This is my first book I've read by Jordan, so I'll take a look at his other works.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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