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Ground Zero
2048: the city of Adelaide – the capital of South Australia – has grown, developed, changed. The population has doubled, and the city’s livelihood is high technology. A new university has grown up since the Twenties – Franklin University, in the hills above the city. It’s the home to Doctor Robert Strachan’s Paranormal Studies department, where Lee Ronson and Brendan Scott head the data analysis team.
They’re the best in a difficult business, and they’ll be tested to their limits in an assignment handed to Strachan by Metro’s most senior criminologist, DCS Maggie Jarmin.
It’s winter when the city suffers a series of bizarre murders, robberies at high-tech labs – and a virus which sprang from nowhere. Every two days, a fresh body is discovered … entirely drained of blood. Every two days, a weapons research or energy technologies facility is robbed of a seemingly bizarre list of oddments. Meanwhile, the virus known only by a codename – 2048-3a – is so new, no part of the community is immune and the city is crippled.
Murders, robberies and virus are intimately connected in a mystery that will astonish. Lee Ronson and Brendan Scott find themselves taking point in an investigation filled with unexpected hazard – and equally unforeseen reward.
Sexy very-near-future gay action/adventure from the pen of the maestro.
They’re the best in a difficult business, and they’ll be tested to their limits in an assignment handed to Strachan by Metro’s most senior criminologist, DCS Maggie Jarmin.
It’s winter when the city suffers a series of bizarre murders, robberies at high-tech labs – and a virus which sprang from nowhere. Every two days, a fresh body is discovered … entirely drained of blood. Every two days, a weapons research or energy technologies facility is robbed of a seemingly bizarre list of oddments. Meanwhile, the virus known only by a codename – 2048-3a – is so new, no part of the community is immune and the city is crippled.
Murders, robberies and virus are intimately connected in a mystery that will astonish. Lee Ronson and Brendan Scott find themselves taking point in an investigation filled with unexpected hazard – and equally unforeseen reward.
Sexy very-near-future gay action/adventure from the pen of the maestro.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
1 person is currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Mel Keegan
54 books71 followersA self-confessed science fiction and fantasy devotee, Keegan is known for novels across a wide range of subjects, from the historical to the future action-adventure. Mel lives in South Australia with an eccentric family and a variety of pets.
Every Mel Keegan book is strong on gay or bisexual heroes (also, often, on gay villains), and some of these heroes are the most delicious in fiction: Jarrat and Stone from the NARC series, Bill Ryan and Jim Hale from The Deceivers, Neil Travers and Curtis Marin from Hellgate, and many more unforgettable characters. Because Mel's books feature the same sex relationships, the partnership at the core of each book is integral: this is the relationship driving the story, and it can be very powerful indeed.
Every Mel Keegan book is strong on gay or bisexual heroes (also, often, on gay villains), and some of these heroes are the most delicious in fiction: Jarrat and Stone from the NARC series, Bill Ryan and Jim Hale from The Deceivers, Neil Travers and Curtis Marin from Hellgate, and many more unforgettable characters. Because Mel's books feature the same sex relationships, the partnership at the core of each book is integral: this is the relationship driving the story, and it can be very powerful indeed.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 19, 2013
I'm a fan of Mel Keegan - his ability to construct a fascinating science fiction universe is top notch and simply amazing. That same world building is still evident in Ground Zero, in a futuristic Earth that is not so inconceivable compared to our present time.
Unfortunately, I couldn't really get into the read. The storyline was a little too 80s/early 90s science fiction, in the cheesy and not very flattering way. The whole human investigators vs alien life form just didn't sit well with me, and had me skimming the last 20% of the book.
The characters were well written though. Lee and Brendan were a nice couple, and their intimacy and sex was nice for the M/M romantic in me (though my niggle on the use of "breast" on a guy, though a clinically correct terminology, isn't sexy at all!).
So overall? Not the best from Mel Keegan. If you can overlook the cheesy storyline, then perhaps you will like this more than I did?
Unfortunately, I couldn't really get into the read. The storyline was a little too 80s/early 90s science fiction, in the cheesy and not very flattering way. The whole human investigators vs alien life form just didn't sit well with me, and had me skimming the last 20% of the book.
The characters were well written though. Lee and Brendan were a nice couple, and their intimacy and sex was nice for the M/M romantic in me (though my niggle on the use of "breast" on a guy, though a clinically correct terminology, isn't sexy at all!).
So overall? Not the best from Mel Keegan. If you can overlook the cheesy storyline, then perhaps you will like this more than I did?
August 5, 2018
When it was new, this one tickled the Top 50 Techno Thrillers in the Kindle store -- and the ranking is highly deserved. GROUND ZERO is among Keegan's best, and he's written some doozies. It's near-future SF, yet close enough to our world for it to have a contemporary feel. (In fact, I was at Amazon a while ago and noticed that a lot of readers are tagging it "contemporary thriller" as well as SF. This shows you that the book is rooted deeply in the present, at the same time as having the SF aspect that places it in the Techno Thriller bracket.)
And "thriller" it surely is. Here's another novel you don't want to start reading in the evening. You won't get of a lot of sleep till you're done! It's a page turner almost from the get-go. Keegan takes a chapter out to introduce characters, backdrop, the geography inside which the story's going take place. As Chapter Two starts you're on a rollercoaster to the end.
It's also a difficult book to review without running into spoilers, so I'll describe it in broad terms. It's set in Adelaide in 2048 (which adds extra zest for me particularly, because Adee is my hometown), and unfolds in the winter, in the hills east and south of the city. Those who know the landscape will find it so involving. Those who don't should find the descriptions evocative, visual. The big changes are in the tech that runs the world in this era. People haven't changed.
Brendan Scott and Lee Ronson are two beauties, an established couple, hitched and all, who grew up in the decades after anti-gay prejudice died the death it ought to. They're gorgeous, and this novel is a tad hotter than Keegan's usual. There's actually quite a few steamy bits, deliciously written. Ground Zero also has a sharp sense of humor. There's a lot of chuckles, a couple of belly laughs. But the "thrust" of the story is the mystery:
The city suffers a series of bizarre murders, robberies at high-tech labs – and a virus which sprang from nowhere. Every two days, a fresh body is discovered … entirely drained of blood. Every two days, a weapons research or energy technologies facility is robbed of a seemingly bizarre list of oddments. Meanwhile, a virus known only by a codename -- 2048-3a -- is so new, no part of the community is immune. Adelaide is crippled. Murders, robberies and virus are intimately connected in one heck of a mystery. Lee and Brendan take point in a dangerous investigation.
They work for a university department, the data analysis team in the Paranormal Studies department at the (fictional) Franklin University. They're the ones who get to go into the field, "wrangle" data on offbeat cases that often turn out to be the work of serial killers, loonies, cults. On rare occasions, the data turns up a genuine haunting or sighting, or an "out of place artifact." So DCS Maggie Jarmin hands the latest too-weird case to old associate, Doctor Robert Strachan, the head of Paranormal Studies. Strachan assigns Lee and Brendan to do the sleuthing, find the data to prove (or dis) what the hell is going on in SA this winter...
The mystery unfolds over the book's 105,000 word length, growing progressively more thrilling until the last segment will have your heart in your mouth. I honestly can't say anything else without plot spoilers -- and in this case, plot spoilers will be story ruiners. You have to read this one, experience it "as it happens" to get the thrill ... it'd be lousy of me to spoil that for you.
AG's rating: 5 out of 5, and a gold star for giving me an absolute thrill set right in my hometown.
And "thriller" it surely is. Here's another novel you don't want to start reading in the evening. You won't get of a lot of sleep till you're done! It's a page turner almost from the get-go. Keegan takes a chapter out to introduce characters, backdrop, the geography inside which the story's going take place. As Chapter Two starts you're on a rollercoaster to the end.
It's also a difficult book to review without running into spoilers, so I'll describe it in broad terms. It's set in Adelaide in 2048 (which adds extra zest for me particularly, because Adee is my hometown), and unfolds in the winter, in the hills east and south of the city. Those who know the landscape will find it so involving. Those who don't should find the descriptions evocative, visual. The big changes are in the tech that runs the world in this era. People haven't changed.
Brendan Scott and Lee Ronson are two beauties, an established couple, hitched and all, who grew up in the decades after anti-gay prejudice died the death it ought to. They're gorgeous, and this novel is a tad hotter than Keegan's usual. There's actually quite a few steamy bits, deliciously written. Ground Zero also has a sharp sense of humor. There's a lot of chuckles, a couple of belly laughs. But the "thrust" of the story is the mystery:
The city suffers a series of bizarre murders, robberies at high-tech labs – and a virus which sprang from nowhere. Every two days, a fresh body is discovered … entirely drained of blood. Every two days, a weapons research or energy technologies facility is robbed of a seemingly bizarre list of oddments. Meanwhile, a virus known only by a codename -- 2048-3a -- is so new, no part of the community is immune. Adelaide is crippled. Murders, robberies and virus are intimately connected in one heck of a mystery. Lee and Brendan take point in a dangerous investigation.
They work for a university department, the data analysis team in the Paranormal Studies department at the (fictional) Franklin University. They're the ones who get to go into the field, "wrangle" data on offbeat cases that often turn out to be the work of serial killers, loonies, cults. On rare occasions, the data turns up a genuine haunting or sighting, or an "out of place artifact." So DCS Maggie Jarmin hands the latest too-weird case to old associate, Doctor Robert Strachan, the head of Paranormal Studies. Strachan assigns Lee and Brendan to do the sleuthing, find the data to prove (or dis) what the hell is going on in SA this winter...
The mystery unfolds over the book's 105,000 word length, growing progressively more thrilling until the last segment will have your heart in your mouth. I honestly can't say anything else without plot spoilers -- and in this case, plot spoilers will be story ruiners. You have to read this one, experience it "as it happens" to get the thrill ... it'd be lousy of me to spoil that for you.
AG's rating: 5 out of 5, and a gold star for giving me an absolute thrill set right in my hometown.
April 6, 2015
Not my favorite Keegan book. Even though this was one of three books he published in 2009, the science fiction is dated, technology is not very original. A Big problem it doesn't fit the future that he has woven into his other books. I think what I didn't expect the guys they were wooden, they should have been a bit more lively even through the big ending they didn't come alive for me.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews