Meltdown (Task Force Valor Series #3) [Paperback]

Chuck Holton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 18, 2009

The global war on terror has reached catastrophic proportions, leading the U.S. Special Operations EOD team–Task Force Valor–to Chernobyl, where ghosts of past disasters are nothing compared to the nuclear nightmare about to unfold.

With CIA Agent Mary “Phoenix” Walker heading her first Special Ops mission and Master Sergeant Bobby Sweeney fighting demons on and off the battlefield, Task Force Valor races to stop a terrorist threat in the Ukraine before Europe is turned into a radioactive wasteland.

But when the terror reaches American shores, the team is powerless to help until they can save themselves. And when they finally track down the source of the chaos, what they find is worse than anything they could have imagined.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Chuck Holton has traveled the world, experienced combat, served in the Elite 75th Ranger Regiment, and is the author of six books, including Allah’s Fire, Island Inferno, Bulletproof, Stories From a Soldier’s Heart, and A More Elite Soldier. His journeys have taken him from the depths of the Atlantic, to the mountains of Burma, from the dogsleds of Alaska, to skies of Iraq. Chuck lives in Appalachia with his wife, Connie, and their five children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (August 18, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590525604
• ISBN-13: 978-1590525609
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #995,469 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chuck Holton is a backpack journalist - traveling to more than a dozen countries a year, usually reporting on conflict. His experience in the U.S. Army Rangers and extensive travel come out in his writing - both fiction and non-fiction. He is regularly featured on CBNNews.com and is currently editing the American Heroes series of books with Oliver North.

Chuck and his family live on a farm in Appalachia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars super Task Force Valor anti terrorism thriller, August 22, 2009

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Meltdown (Task Force Valor Series #3) (Paperback)

Chernobyl remains a horrific radioactive wasteland due to its nuclear heritage; not just the most famous accident. Now terrorists see the locale as the perfect ground zero to devastate Europe.

U.S. Special Operations Explosives Ordinance Detachment (EOD) unit Task Force Valor is assigned to prevent a disaster in the Ukraine that will make 1986 look like a picnic. CIA Agent Mary "Phoenix" Walker leads the EOD squad with Master Sergeant Bobby Sweeney at her side. Both have issues but especially Mary who still suffers nightmarish flashbacks to when she was a prisoner. The threat widens to include the United States as the terrorists widen the Global War on the NATO alliance.

The third Task Force Valor anti terrorism thriller is the best of a strong series as even with the return of leads and support players from the previous books (see ALLAH'S FIRE and ISLAND INFERNO), the star is Chernobyl. The story line is fast-paced and filled with non-stop action, but it is when the heroes enter the dead zone where the MELTDOWN occurred that the true meaning of nuclear energy having no cost (disposal of the by-product in a waste land apparently does not count) is clear. Fans will relish Chuck Holton's strong tale as the MELTDOWN dead zone eerily hooks the reader.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MELTDOWN is hard to put down., August 18, 2009

By 

AngieM2 "Angie" (N Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meltdown (Task Force Valor Series #3) (Paperback)

I was lucky enough to get MELTDOWN early and have finished reading it.

I just finished reading this latest book of Chuck's. It's the 3rd in the Task Force Valor series and I must say the best of them. It's good as a stand alone book, but if you have not read the first two, you will want to after reading this one.

In this book there is a lot of action that can have a severe impact to USA and rest of North America in some cases. Though it's done with not much violence in comparison to the impact. This alone will give you a real eye opening thought of what you'd do if only ONE of the several things happened and how it could impact your life.

Then the team goes overseas to take care of the root of the violence, and there's quite a bit of action in places you'll probably never go, but have definitely heard about.

When the book ending comes to the violence - and happenings, not what you'd have ever thought was the cause and the causee is not who you'd have thought. It really makes you think.

As to the people of the book, they are people you expect to run into and have a conversation with. Basically - they are real. There's even a situation or two that corresponds to something in my life, even though it's totally different in the book.

At the end, a dash of romance, just a dash - but very classy and all the ladies would like it but not too mushy for the tough guys reading the book.

Through the whole book there is a strong feeling of people of faith, and of one searching for why the faith - that is answered in the end. This is also a clean book that doesn't rely put downs and bad language to give it some spirit.

I think many people here would really enjoy the series, but this book does very well as a stand alone read. (You'll still want to read the others that came before).

5.0 out of 5 stars Task Force Valor Book Three, August 24, 2009

By 

booklover1983 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meltdown (Task Force Valor Series #3) (Paperback)

Meltdown is the third book in the Task Force Valor series. I have been eagerly waiting for it since I read the last book. :) Chuck Holton's fiction and nonfiction reveal his real life experience in the military. Action, suspense, and a little romance make this a hard to put down story for me. I loved it. I highly recommend this book and the entire series.