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Crescent Rising
Ryan Black is living a life most men will never know- filled with high-risk adventure in exotic locales, an authentic hero who willingly confronts head-on the life and death challenges often found in emerging trouble spots around the globe. He is a man most women find intriguing- yet it is Cassandra, a rare woman possessing a unique combination of inner strength and beauty who dares to enter his life.
This high impact thriller takes you on a desperate mission to prevent a radiological attack on the United States by Jusef al Sudairy. From mysterious crashes of Soviet-era fighters in California to high-tech naval battles in the Atlantic, the action is nonstop in this first volume in the Ryan Black Series.
An
Chapter 1
"If the conquest of a great peak brings moments of exultation and bliss, which in the monotonous, materialistic existence of modern times nothing else can approach, it also presents great dangers. It is not the goal of grand alpinism to face peril, but it is one of the tests one must undergo to deserve the joy of rising for an instant above the state of crawling grubs."
Lionel Terray, 1965
THE WINGS OF THE BALD EAGLE rippled from the rising currents as he knifed through the sky high above the foothills of the Sierra range. Feeling the turbulent air of the thermals boiling off the sun-baked landscape, he instinctively banked into the uplifting arms of the air column and was pulled skyward toward the roof of the world. He was the perfect predator- master of all the territory that lay thousands of feet below. A reflection on the distant East face of Mt. Whitney attracted his attention but for a moment and he resumed his pursuit in the ageless dance of hunter and prey.
About the Zack Hamric lives in Sarasota, Fl and when he's not writing his next thriller can be often found in the Gulf sailing his classic sloop Dolce Vita. His next book BLANK SLATE is available on Amazon and he is currently working on another thriller based in Sorrrento, Italy.
This high impact thriller takes you on a desperate mission to prevent a radiological attack on the United States by Jusef al Sudairy. From mysterious crashes of Soviet-era fighters in California to high-tech naval battles in the Atlantic, the action is nonstop in this first volume in the Ryan Black Series.
An
Chapter 1
"If the conquest of a great peak brings moments of exultation and bliss, which in the monotonous, materialistic existence of modern times nothing else can approach, it also presents great dangers. It is not the goal of grand alpinism to face peril, but it is one of the tests one must undergo to deserve the joy of rising for an instant above the state of crawling grubs."
Lionel Terray, 1965
THE WINGS OF THE BALD EAGLE rippled from the rising currents as he knifed through the sky high above the foothills of the Sierra range. Feeling the turbulent air of the thermals boiling off the sun-baked landscape, he instinctively banked into the uplifting arms of the air column and was pulled skyward toward the roof of the world. He was the perfect predator- master of all the territory that lay thousands of feet below. A reflection on the distant East face of Mt. Whitney attracted his attention but for a moment and he resumed his pursuit in the ageless dance of hunter and prey.
About the Zack Hamric lives in Sarasota, Fl and when he's not writing his next thriller can be often found in the Gulf sailing his classic sloop Dolce Vita. His next book BLANK SLATE is available on Amazon and he is currently working on another thriller based in Sorrrento, Italy.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 22, 2010
Mr. Hamric's novel is listed as a techno-thriller. I can tell you honestly that I have never read a techno-thriller and didn't even know there was a genre by that name. The enormous amount of research, knowledge and expertise in all things technical concerning war, terrorism, modern warcraft and miltary topics that must have went into Zack's book is mind-boggling.
The book is non-stop action from cover to finish and leads the reader down the shady paths followed by the terroristic fanatics out to destroy the United States. He brings heavy guns to bear on the enemy while weaving a story of personal revenge and political intrigue in the background. Mr. Hamrick also gives the reader a glimpse of how the uber rich enjoy themselves 'yachting'and partying at South Beach.
A good book for adventurous reader ready for everything from rock climbing to recreational 'kicking ass'. Well done, Zack.
The book is non-stop action from cover to finish and leads the reader down the shady paths followed by the terroristic fanatics out to destroy the United States. He brings heavy guns to bear on the enemy while weaving a story of personal revenge and political intrigue in the background. Mr. Hamrick also gives the reader a glimpse of how the uber rich enjoy themselves 'yachting'and partying at South Beach.
A good book for adventurous reader ready for everything from rock climbing to recreational 'kicking ass'. Well done, Zack.
November 28, 2010
Storyline: Crescent Rising is a Rising star among techno-thrillers. It is a complex tale of international terror in which an off-the-radar operative name Ryan starts off serenely enough on a holiday, trying to rid himself of a ghost from his past by climbing the east face of Mount McKinley (a hair-raising endeavor worthy of a book all its own in my opinion). Just as he reaches the top and tries to relax, he is suddenly plunged back into the world of hi-tech, super secret intelligence operations when an unexpected visitor shows up on the summit with him.
The plot goes global ranging from California to the Middle East to the Arctic Coast of Russia as terrorists plan to carry out a super plot right under the noses of the United States government.
Only Ryan's personal happenstance romantic involvement with a beautiful woman who, along with her father, turns out to be victims of the terrorists' victims spurs him on to solve the crime before it happens.
Grammar/Spelling: Very well written. Very few grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors, if any, were noted.
Character Development: All of the characters with major parts and some with very minor parts in the story were extremely well-developed and believable. Backstory information and motivations were more than adequately presented throughout the book. Bad guys and good guys both had believable reasons for doing what they were doing. The actions of the characters clearly displayed the dangerous world of terrorism and counter-terrorism and the reason why so many innocent bystanders are often caught up in the ruthless business on both ends.
Writing Style: Mr. Hamrick is very colorful and descriptive in all areas of the work from romantic scenes to brutal murders. His characters interact easily with each other like old friends and/or professional associates should. He displays extensive knowledge of nautical subjects and employs them with great skill, explaining things that ordinary people might not normally understand or even think about. He also takes the reader on an odyssey of activities from manning a super-surveillance attack boat to climbing a sheer rock face to operating a rust-bucket tug in Russian waters.
Continuity: I did not notice anything out of sequence or unbelievable as far as timeframe or continuity.
Overall Rating: 5- The story was energetic, fast-paced and interesting. A surprisingly understandable techno-thriller with overtones of romance on the back burner. My only complaints, if you can call them complaints or simply preferences, is that some of the good guys seemed a bit over the top and James Bond-like, bigger than life and their names matched them. I personally would have liked to see a bit more of their 'feminine sides'. Ha! I can say that because I'm a girl! What I mean is that I like a little more sensitivity and less brawn in my heroes, but I understand that the majority of techno-thriller fans are male and so they might not agree. Great book.
Some sexual content, violence, graphic language.
The plot goes global ranging from California to the Middle East to the Arctic Coast of Russia as terrorists plan to carry out a super plot right under the noses of the United States government.
Only Ryan's personal happenstance romantic involvement with a beautiful woman who, along with her father, turns out to be victims of the terrorists' victims spurs him on to solve the crime before it happens.
Grammar/Spelling: Very well written. Very few grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors, if any, were noted.
Character Development: All of the characters with major parts and some with very minor parts in the story were extremely well-developed and believable. Backstory information and motivations were more than adequately presented throughout the book. Bad guys and good guys both had believable reasons for doing what they were doing. The actions of the characters clearly displayed the dangerous world of terrorism and counter-terrorism and the reason why so many innocent bystanders are often caught up in the ruthless business on both ends.
Writing Style: Mr. Hamrick is very colorful and descriptive in all areas of the work from romantic scenes to brutal murders. His characters interact easily with each other like old friends and/or professional associates should. He displays extensive knowledge of nautical subjects and employs them with great skill, explaining things that ordinary people might not normally understand or even think about. He also takes the reader on an odyssey of activities from manning a super-surveillance attack boat to climbing a sheer rock face to operating a rust-bucket tug in Russian waters.
Continuity: I did not notice anything out of sequence or unbelievable as far as timeframe or continuity.
Overall Rating: 5- The story was energetic, fast-paced and interesting. A surprisingly understandable techno-thriller with overtones of romance on the back burner. My only complaints, if you can call them complaints or simply preferences, is that some of the good guys seemed a bit over the top and James Bond-like, bigger than life and their names matched them. I personally would have liked to see a bit more of their 'feminine sides'. Ha! I can say that because I'm a girl! What I mean is that I like a little more sensitivity and less brawn in my heroes, but I understand that the majority of techno-thriller fans are male and so they might not agree. Great book.
Some sexual content, violence, graphic language.
May 27, 2011
Fast paced action, a traditional summer type read. If you're looking for character development, there is none. Bad guys try to destroy America, good guys race to stop them. Good guys use lots of cool gadgets. The plot is exciting, though not all that plausible. Still a fun read.
September 8, 2011
Not a bad story. A quick read that you don't have to concentrate too much on.
March 20, 2015
Edge of the seat
Good story line with sufficient tension. Looking forward to the next episode. I hope the next session is as gopd
Good story line with sufficient tension. Looking forward to the next episode. I hope the next session is as gopd
July 4, 2014
Fast paced thriller.Quite good
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews