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ENIGMA Directive #1
Primal Thirst
If you think monsters are scary, you don't know Jack!
Wisecracking cryptozoologist Dr. Obadiah "Jack" Jackson has hunted plenty of dangerous creatures over the years. But he finds a lot more than he bargained for when he travels to Malaysia to save a beautiful missionary and her village from being ravaged by ghoulish, blood-feeding monsters straight from local legend...creatures known as the jenglot...creatures that are very dangerous, elusive, and intelligent. But that's the least of Jack's troubles. It seems that the blood-crazed cryptids aren't the only ones bent on using Jack as their favorite chew toy. Other denizens of the Malaysian jungles have their sights set on him as well including a local witchdoctor threatened by the missionary's message of hope and a mysterious guerrilla leader who appears to have a dark and secret agenda. Jack and his team must keep their wits about them to escape the jenglot and discover the answers to the deep mysteries surrounding their existence.
Wisecracking cryptozoologist Dr. Obadiah "Jack" Jackson has hunted plenty of dangerous creatures over the years. But he finds a lot more than he bargained for when he travels to Malaysia to save a beautiful missionary and her village from being ravaged by ghoulish, blood-feeding monsters straight from local legend...creatures known as the jenglot...creatures that are very dangerous, elusive, and intelligent. But that's the least of Jack's troubles. It seems that the blood-crazed cryptids aren't the only ones bent on using Jack as their favorite chew toy. Other denizens of the Malaysian jungles have their sights set on him as well including a local witchdoctor threatened by the missionary's message of hope and a mysterious guerrilla leader who appears to have a dark and secret agenda. Jack and his team must keep their wits about them to escape the jenglot and discover the answers to the deep mysteries surrounding their existence.
440 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 2010
26 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Kent Holloway
40 books76 followersInternational bestselling author Kent Holloway lives on death. Literally. With more than twenty-two years’ experience in forensic death investigations, he’s seen it all. Experienced the worst that life has to give and never let it dim his sense of wonder or humor. Now, he brings all this experience, along with a zeal for uncovering the folklore and superstitions of death, to the written page as author of mysteries, forensic crime fiction, and paranormal thrillers!
He is the author of six paranormal thrillers, including his highly acclaimed Ezekiel Crane series, as well as his forensic thriller, CLEAN EXIT. He’s also written his first installment of the Baron Tombstone adventures—a series that steps directly into the world of the dead—in the shared pirate world series, Tattered Sails.
Death investigations isn’t his only foray into the darker side of life. He's also an adjunct professor of criminal justice at St. Johns River State College in Florida. He’s worked as a private investigator and a newspaper reporter covering the crime beat in Florida. When he’s not writing, designing book covers, or investigating deaths, he spends much of his spare time researching folklore, as well as investigating ghosts and cryptids throughout northeast Florida.
Find Kent at his website: www.kenthollowayonline.com.
He is the author of six paranormal thrillers, including his highly acclaimed Ezekiel Crane series, as well as his forensic thriller, CLEAN EXIT. He’s also written his first installment of the Baron Tombstone adventures—a series that steps directly into the world of the dead—in the shared pirate world series, Tattered Sails.
Death investigations isn’t his only foray into the darker side of life. He's also an adjunct professor of criminal justice at St. Johns River State College in Florida. He’s worked as a private investigator and a newspaper reporter covering the crime beat in Florida. When he’s not writing, designing book covers, or investigating deaths, he spends much of his spare time researching folklore, as well as investigating ghosts and cryptids throughout northeast Florida.
Find Kent at his website: www.kenthollowayonline.com.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 17, 2019
In Kent Holloway's Primal Thirst, we start out with Jack, a cigar chomping professor/ cryptozoologist/ adventurer in the Amazon chasing a supposedly mythological creature - and get pounced on by real cats at the edge of a ravine! Barely escaping that calamity, Jack gets offered a simple job with a lot of money behind it. Fly immediately to Malaysia, rescue a Senator's daughter, and fly her home safely. Nothing to it, right?
Except that she's beautiful and the remote tribe she is working with is being slowly slaughtered by creatures that a) are not supposed to exist b) IF they exist, they are supposed to be no more than a foot or two tall and c) are over 4 feet tall! Oh, and they suck you dry of blood... without leaving a mark on you.
Can our daring adventurer save the day? What are these creatures? How did they get so big? And why does some former Soviet who is intent on overthrowing the Malaysian government want the oldest of the creatures for himself?
Well, you're just going to have to read this book to find out!
*Disclaimer: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Except that she's beautiful and the remote tribe she is working with is being slowly slaughtered by creatures that a) are not supposed to exist b) IF they exist, they are supposed to be no more than a foot or two tall and c) are over 4 feet tall! Oh, and they suck you dry of blood... without leaving a mark on you.
Can our daring adventurer save the day? What are these creatures? How did they get so big? And why does some former Soviet who is intent on overthrowing the Malaysian government want the oldest of the creatures for himself?
Well, you're just going to have to read this book to find out!
*Disclaimer: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
June 20, 2015
Their are not many authors that I choose to read rather than sleep but Kent Holloway has been added to that short list. Primal Thirst is fantastic, action-packed from the get go with characters that you can't help but love. Some moments had my jaw hanging open, I'm pretty good at seeing twists but the twists in this book threw me big time and it was awesome. I cannot wait to read the next one.
October 20, 2012
Dear Kent Holloway,
You are a cross between Indiana Jones and Agent Pendergast. Well, your character in this book is! Dr. "Jack" Jackson is sarcastic, witty, and a daredevil all in one. As a cryptozoologist, Jack finds adventure the world over, trying to find out if urban legends and monsters are truly real. I want Jack to see if the Turner Beast here in Maine is real, LOL!
The ending was not what I expected, believe you me.
Loved the book, loved the characters, love you!
Smooches,
Jayne
You are a cross between Indiana Jones and Agent Pendergast. Well, your character in this book is! Dr. "Jack" Jackson is sarcastic, witty, and a daredevil all in one. As a cryptozoologist, Jack finds adventure the world over, trying to find out if urban legends and monsters are truly real. I want Jack to see if the Turner Beast here in Maine is real, LOL!
The ending was not what I expected, believe you me.
Loved the book, loved the characters, love you!
Smooches,
Jayne
August 10, 2012
From the moment I picked up this book I could not put it down. I literally completed in a day and could not wait to pick up the next book in the series ! I love the fact that the author mixes myths and legends with modern day super sleuthing, but doesn't attempt to "explain" away the mystery we all love to keep in our imaginations!
January 5, 2013
Fantastic read! When choosing between sleep or reading this, the choice was obvious! Read on. I love the voice of the character, the plot was interesting and the whole style was consistent and engaging. The book was creepy enough to make me look over my shoulder and jump at shadows - so much fun!
November 13, 2014
Good read and introduction to crypto zoologist Dr Obadiah "Jack" Jackson and his team. Sent on a rescue mission, Jack gets more than he bargained for and who can he really trust. Enjoyable and light hearted adventure.
January 3, 2013
Took a chance on a new author and now I'm hooked. Fascinating blend of horror, humor, cryptozoology, adventure, and bits of religion. Anxiously awaiting the third in the ENIGMA series!
March 12, 2020
This fun and fast-paced book hooked me from page one. Primal Thirst is part adventure novel, part thriller, and part mystery. The main character is thoroughly likable, the dialogue is first rate, and the writing is top-notch. Danger is constantly on the horizon, and just when you think you have things figured out, Holloway throws in a new twist. I especially loved the spiritual journey the book’s main character, Jack, goes on. Too many books neglect that huge and important aspect of character. Now I’m looking forward to book 2 in the series!
June 20, 2017
Awesome Adventure with lots of the good news of Jesus.
December 19, 2011
You know it's bad (or shall I say good) when I wake up at 3 am and have to open my Nook because I am just dying to know what happens next in this book. Welcome to my world these past couple days. I love a good adventure, horror and mystery and I think I got a little of everything in these pages. I was quite surprised that I got drawn into this book so fast but I felt that I was on an adventure trying to solve a puzzle with high-powered guns, jungles, ancient history and jenglots. What's a jenglot? Well, that is what everyone wants and to get one you have to decide what price you will pay. The characters Kent pulled together in this book are top-notch. Satire humor was added to some of the heightened drama ares of this book to add a relaxed atmosphere which was a great touch and the suspense had me going (yes, at 3 am even). I liked how there was no big romance in the story as the characters were focused on their missions/problems. There were comments about attractions throughout the book but no romantic gestures were made until the mission was winding down. There were a few unexpected twists in the book which added dimension to the story. I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more from Kent.
January 3, 2013
I stumbled onto this book, and thought why not? Looks good... it definately was and now I read all of the series! Love it!!
The main character Dr. Obadiah "Jack" Jackson hunts cryptids and travels to Malaysia to find a missionary and save her the villagers from the Jenglots. In the process, he finds himself up against a local witch doctor, the Jenglots and others. Jack seems to get into many scrapes, and slides out of them .. with some help from him buddy Randy and others.
The overall plot is outstanding and story is fun and action packed. Add the Cryptozoological aspect and you have one heck of a story to read. It keeps you wondering and in the end, it's an "ah ha" moment... and fun!
All in all I enjoyed it immensely and recommended it to my then 13 yr old daughter. It's something that teens and adults can enjoy and I recommend this to anyone looking for a good book to pass the time with.
I also eagerly watched the authors website and amazon to see if another installment was coming, because I enjoyed the characters that much. I wasn't disappointed and have read the next two books in the series.
Definately a series to read and watch for more to come.
The main character Dr. Obadiah "Jack" Jackson hunts cryptids and travels to Malaysia to find a missionary and save her the villagers from the Jenglots. In the process, he finds himself up against a local witch doctor, the Jenglots and others. Jack seems to get into many scrapes, and slides out of them .. with some help from him buddy Randy and others.
The overall plot is outstanding and story is fun and action packed. Add the Cryptozoological aspect and you have one heck of a story to read. It keeps you wondering and in the end, it's an "ah ha" moment... and fun!
All in all I enjoyed it immensely and recommended it to my then 13 yr old daughter. It's something that teens and adults can enjoy and I recommend this to anyone looking for a good book to pass the time with.
I also eagerly watched the authors website and amazon to see if another installment was coming, because I enjoyed the characters that much. I wasn't disappointed and have read the next two books in the series.
Definately a series to read and watch for more to come.
October 27, 2015
Primal Thirst is the first in a series being written by J. Kent Holloway. This series is following a cryptozoologist as he and his team investigate reports of strange creatures around the world.
In this book they are after the jenglot of Malaysia. The team is Jack, Vera, Randy, and Marc. They are hired to go to Malaysia, find a senator’s step-daughter Nikki, and see that she is brought home before the jenglot can get her. She is there as a missionary. However, everything is cloaked in secrecy and the team is also saddled a government man named Landers.
What they find isn’t what they thought they would. There are Russians involved as well. What are they doing in Malaysia and what do they want with a jenglot. Jack gets beat up a lot and losses a team member.
I enjoyed this story, even though I’m not sure that I actually like Jack all that well. Interesting, except for his anger issues, I identified with him to a certain extent. I am looking forward to ready more of the books in this series. If you like adventure and strange creatures this is a great book for you. Young adults, as well as adults, would like this book.
In this book they are after the jenglot of Malaysia. The team is Jack, Vera, Randy, and Marc. They are hired to go to Malaysia, find a senator’s step-daughter Nikki, and see that she is brought home before the jenglot can get her. She is there as a missionary. However, everything is cloaked in secrecy and the team is also saddled a government man named Landers.
What they find isn’t what they thought they would. There are Russians involved as well. What are they doing in Malaysia and what do they want with a jenglot. Jack gets beat up a lot and losses a team member.
I enjoyed this story, even though I’m not sure that I actually like Jack all that well. Interesting, except for his anger issues, I identified with him to a certain extent. I am looking forward to ready more of the books in this series. If you like adventure and strange creatures this is a great book for you. Young adults, as well as adults, would like this book.
June 18, 2013
Some people actively avoid books written in the first person. Those folks are missing out if they skip this book. Primal Thirst is written from this point of view and it's a stronger adventure for it. It helps capture the dry sense of humor of the protagonist and it paints the transpiring events with great color and flare.
Additionally, Primal Thirst was a rip-roaring tale of adventure but, more than that, it was a well-crafted, fun thriller. This is a classic Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider type tale with a bit of the X-Files mixed in for good measure. In short, this book was a heck of a lot of fun to read and one that I will readily recommend to anyone looking for a fund adventure novel.
Additionally, Primal Thirst was a rip-roaring tale of adventure but, more than that, it was a well-crafted, fun thriller. This is a classic Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider type tale with a bit of the X-Files mixed in for good measure. In short, this book was a heck of a lot of fun to read and one that I will readily recommend to anyone looking for a fund adventure novel.
April 6, 2014
I love me a wise-cracking hero, and Obadiah "call me Jack" Jackson is all that and more! In the first, very fun, adventure of the Enigma Directive series, Jack and his team are off to save a supposed damsel in distress in the Malaysian jungle, and hopefully find the legendary Jenglot. Of course, the damsel doesn't particularly want to be rescued, and the Jenglot are scary, creepy, ugly beasts that don't want to be caught or studied.
It's a rollicking, fun adventure, reminiscent of Indiana Jones, with lots of action, funny one-liners and dangers abounding. Often, the first book by an author can be a bit dodgy. If this is any indication for Mr Holloway, then the rest of his books should be amazing, as this is a fantastic start!
It's a rollicking, fun adventure, reminiscent of Indiana Jones, with lots of action, funny one-liners and dangers abounding. Often, the first book by an author can be a bit dodgy. If this is any indication for Mr Holloway, then the rest of his books should be amazing, as this is a fantastic start!
February 27, 2013
Another wow book for me, Primal Thirst drops you head first into a fast paced, twisting, sometimes gut wrenching hell of a ride.
The main character "Jack" is now my new favourite hero, along with his steadfast crew they hunt the Jenglot, are they mystical creatures or not? You'll only found out by reading this fantastic book.
A great final twist that I didn't see coming and I was left wondering about myths and legends, how much truth are they based on? In my mind enough to be a little scary.
Needless to say I will be buying the second in this ENIGMA series.
The main character "Jack" is now my new favourite hero, along with his steadfast crew they hunt the Jenglot, are they mystical creatures or not? You'll only found out by reading this fantastic book.
A great final twist that I didn't see coming and I was left wondering about myths and legends, how much truth are they based on? In my mind enough to be a little scary.
Needless to say I will be buying the second in this ENIGMA series.
October 22, 2015
Kent Holloway has created another book with non-stop action to keep you reading. This book introduces us to some new characters, including Obadiah "Jack" Jackson. He is very entertaining, and has a witty comeback for everything he hears. He goes in search of a missionary at the request of her father. The creatures that he finds in his travels are quite intriguing and I hope we revisit them again in the future.
January 15, 2016
I Love action adventure stories with a few crazy creatures tossed in. This book sure fills the bill. Great characters, lots of suspense. crazy creatures and friendships with betrayals. Who can Jack really trust and will he succeed in his ventures.
I am looking forward to more if this teams adventures.
I am looking forward to more if this teams adventures.
November 8, 2015
Primal Thirst is a great adventure novel, Jack is an amusing, sarcastic hero and Holloway's other characters are fleshed out nicely as well. I enjoyed the creations within a lot also. I'll definitely be checking out the other books in the series!
November 4, 2015
Phew! What a story. Some great characters and some really crazy ones, too. Those Jenglots were something else and wouldn't want to meet up with any. Now to read the second in the series, and hope its just as good.
October 8, 2016
I struggle to logically defend my 4 star rating. The story is more science fiction than thriller, a genre I generally don't enjoy. Yet, I was thoroughly engaged throughout the incredulous journey. The character's dialog is a bit "corny, " but endearing and often humorous.
July 16, 2020
While the plot may not be as in depth or as consistent as a Rollins, Robinson, or Fahy would have done this is still an excellent read. Quirky and likable characters mixed in with the right amount of humor and a touch of sadness. Great start to the series.
February 12, 2011
If you want to read about an adventurous crypto zoologist this is the book for you. I liked the book. I was a fun easy read with some twists and turns I did not expect!
February 21, 2013
Wonderful book, thrilling and proof that hard work pays off! A MUST read!
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August 4, 2016Great author!
Edge of your seat action with one of my favorite authors. If you like Jeremy Robinson, Jim Butcher, and/or James Rollins then Holloway is a must read!
Edge of your seat action with one of my favorite authors. If you like Jeremy Robinson, Jim Butcher, and/or James Rollins then Holloway is a must read!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews