The PaxAm Solution [Paperback]

Steven R. Bartman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 22, 2000

THE SOLUTION. Created from a deactivated Ft. Bragg, NC, PaxAm is a sprawling, revolutionary prision camp for savage convicts--guarded by deadly machines and run as a world independent of America. Its embittered warden, former Marine Colonel Dwight Renfro, metes out brutal justice as he struggles to rebuild his own shattered life. THE PROBLEM. Into this cruel environment comes ruthless international arms dealer Gunther Zeiss, bent on revenge against the United States... and with billions of dollars to bend a huge inmate army to his will. THE CRISIS. In a night of horrifying conflict the nation's worst nightmare is realized. As the storm gathers, Renfro, the timy Marine Corps Reaction Force, and the FBI must all face the unthinkable... an all-out assault on American soil.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steve Bartman is a former naval officer and Fortune 500 marketing manager. He holds a B.A. in History from the University of Virginia and a M.B.A. from Duke University. His naval service included six strategic deterrent patrols in USS Stonewall Jackson SSBN 634 (G). He and his wife make their home in Minneapolis.

Product Details

• Paperback: 684 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (August 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595129358
• ISBN-13: 978-0595129355
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,762,645 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing, well-crafted, exciting., January 5, 2001

By 

Jeff Jacoby (San Mateo, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The PaxAm Solution (Paperback)

I'll preface my remarks by noting that I do "know" the author via discussions on Usenet.

I greatly enjoyed this book (does staying up till 4 in the morning count as "gripping"?). The basic plot is this: Renfro, about to become an ex-marine, has his life completely shattered by an encounter with an extremely violent crime, one in which the perpetrator gets off scott-free. He is able re-focus and re-build his life when he gets a chance to design and run a unique kind of prison (PaxAm). PaxAm is designed to contain the worst criminals in the system, one which *completely* isolates them from the rest of society using high-tech methods. Now add in an extremely intelligent and charismatic terrorist (Zeiss), one who will stop at nothing to hit back at the US, and you're in for a great read!

Like other techno-thrillers, this book has plenty of high-tech wizardry, intense military action, and a good dose of politics (but without endless political/philosophical monologues and sermons). The pacing has some of the same feel as Clancy's _Red Storm Rising_, with separate yet tightly integrated sub-plots. A whole range of characters and views are presented, with few obvious easy answers, and it strongly encourages you to do your own thinking about how we should deal with criminals and their punishment.

So no book is perfect and this one does have some problems. The biggest one is the price. If you enjoy reading Clancy, and you're able to indulge your reading habit, then I encourage you to get it anyway. If you accept the basic premise, then problems become rather nit-picky. A few of the characters are a bit pat and cliche, and it's sometimes hard to believe Zeiss could be as good as he is.

To summarize, I really liked it, and think you will too.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced with interesting characters, April 13, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The PaxAm Solution (Paperback)

For fans of the techno-thrillers - those big, character-packed, action-filled and wrenching stories of good guys, bad guys and military hardware - this is a great book.

First-time author Steve Bartman poured his passion into this book, and it shows. Like many people I dislike techno-thrillers because the female characters are cardboard and the plots often too gory. This story has strong characters including women and a driving finish that will keep you reading. Support a new author and read it!