Cloudburst: A Novel [Hardcover]

Ryne Douglas Pearson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1993

Immediately after two Libyans assassinate the U.S. president, the United States is hit with a second blow when political extremists hijack a crowded American 747. 20,000 first printing. $15,000 ad/promo.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A gripping blend of techno-thriller and detective story, Pearson's first novel is set in an all-too-convincing near future. The American President is assassinated in L.A. by a terrorist suicide squad. Shortly thereafter, an American 747 is hijacked to Libya, and when it sets off on its return flight home, it is carrying a deadly device, the second step in a plot by Libyan leader Muammar Khadafy, who plans to destroy Washington, D.C., in a nuclear holocaust. As Pearson's carefully structured plot unfolds, the FBI hunts down the terrorists' supporters while Delta Force moves to recapture the plane. Only the cooperation of Fidel Castro can save the aircraft and its passengers. FBI agent Art Jefferson, Delta Force captain Sean Graber, pilot Bart Hendrickson and other players are effectively characterized in economical prose. The suspense runs at a high pitch right up to the tense confrontation between Delta Force and the terrorists--at 20,000 feet over the Atlantic, with no room for error or hesitation. Genre fans will find this a must for midsummer reading.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Hyperreal whiz-bang first novel by a gifted high-tech specialist. The President is assassinated in L.A. by Libyan terrorists as the first act of a three-act vengeance scenario by Qaddafi, who is dying of leukemia from tainted blood introduced into him during surgery by order of the former CIA head. James ``Bud'' DiContino, named head of the National Security Agency when his boss is killed with the President, leads an immense cast of all variety of specialists whose working methods Pearson knows inside out and relates here with impressive realism. Bud answers directly to the new President as his team sets out to bust up acts two and three of Qaddafi's plot. An American 747 out of Athens is hijacked by a terrorist team, flown to Benghazi, loaded with a thermonuclear device, and then headed toward the States to blow itself up, praise Allah, in a suicide mission over the already mourning Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, we follow various FBI, Secret Service, and CIA teams as they try to fill in backgrounds on the terrorists, and we join an antiterrorist military team out to thwart the hijackers. We also hop all over the globe as enormous force is mobilized both to blow the passenger-laden 747 out of the air, if necessary, and to strike a fantastically big retaliatory atomic attack on Libya. Pearson keeps us alert to the drama aboard the plane and to a rising storm front causing the diversion of the aircraft to Havana, where it's refueled after a disastrous landing that all but disables it. And we also follow the progress of Joe Anderson, who may be able to disarm the nuclear device if by some miracle he can get close enough to it. The widespread plot includes an attempt to pluck out of Libya a high-placed informant who's kept the US up to date on Qaddafi's hideous activities. Newcomer Pearson ranges about smartly indeed with mind- boggling expertise. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 347 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (July 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688122469
• ISBN-13: 978-0688122461
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,759,312 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An inventive, kinetic thriller, July 19, 2011

By 

Judy Blue Eyes - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cloudburst (An Art Jefferson Thriller) (Kindle Edition)

Cloudburst reminded me of an early Tom Clancy novel--a sprawling cast of characters, weapons galore, high-tech espionage, and a do-or-die operation to vanquish terrorists and rescue innocents.

The story plays out in multiple locales, from multiple viewpoints, letting the reader experience events through the eyes of an FBI agent, the president's national security adviser, members of elite military units, and even the antagonists.

Even though this is a plot driven story, I enjoyed the time given to the main characters, though it would have been nice to glimpse their lives beyond the maelstrom of the action.

A very enjoyable read. Perfect for summer.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Thriller - Can't Wait for More from This Author, July 25, 2011

By 

Michael P. Gallagher (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cloudburst (An Art Jefferson Thriller) (Kindle Edition)

This one started off a little slow for me, say the first 5% of the Kindle version, but the author suddenly kicked it from first gear all the way to fifth. After a while, the turbo boost engaged and what you have is a pulse-racing thriller. Forgive the auto references but believe me when I tell you this is one action-packed thriller that had my heartbeat increasing on occasion until I completed it.

The author does a really good job of explaining the technical details related to science, aviation, and the military without the reader feeling either overwhelmed or the thought of being talked down to while reading. His character dialogue is outstanding as well as the development of those characters for both the "good" and the "bad" guys. I was impressed with how he was able to switch scenes from an FBI team, the armed terrorists, the Delta force team, and the defector with ease and weave it all together.

About the only negative I could give it is there are a few words that are typos, and some of it appears dated - early Vietnam war veterans still in active-duty front-line service, for example, but it does not take away from an all-around great read.

As I type this review, the book is free in the Amazon Kindle store which raises the rating an extra star; if it is still showing up for free I highly recommend you grab it. It was refreshing to read an action-packed novel that doesn't seem to repeat the Vince Flynn / Lee Child framework, and I am looking forward to reading more from the author.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A real thriller, July 22, 2011

By 

Mike Mcdonald "Trombonist" (Waynesville, NC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cloudburst (An Art Jefferson Thriller) (Kindle Edition)

The author REALLY had to do some homework for all the tech info involved, but it was explained so even the layman could understand. The plot was really detailed, but again, easy to assimilate. The skipping from one of many venues to another within a few pages was disorienting at first, as was keeping track of some of the characters, but surprisingly it all fell into place...eventually. For a real page clicker (that phrase has now entered the vernacular of ereaders) and edge of your seat thrills, I highly recommend Cloudburst.
One sort of odd typo...in about 12 to 15 occurances (on Kindle), the word "the" was printed as "die". From a German translator perhaps?