Precipice [Hardcover]

Daniel Pollock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1997

Logistics expert Jane Malcolm got her training under fire literallyin the Gulf War, where movement of supplies and equipment meant the difference between life and death. Eight years later, shes running her own logistics consulting firm. But as shestands on the brink of her greatest victory, she will be swept into a new, high-stakesgame with an opponent she may not even recognizeuntil its too late.Poised to close a multi-national deal, Jane learns that a plane crash has claimed the life of her father, Royal Akers, head of a faltering superstore chain. Determined to restoreher fathers legacy, she races against time to find ways around the Akers dynastyswoes and undercover their source. For it rapidly becomes clear that these are not random mishaps, but corporate sabotage. International trading partners suffer the fallout, ratcheting the stakes even higher. Economic disaster threatens to topple a fragile govern-ment. If Jane makes one false move, it could be her last. Tense, taut, Precipice is an edge-of-the-seat thriller, creating an all-too-plausible nightmare scenario.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

One would hardly expect to see the words 'logistics' and 'thriller' in the same sentence...yet they are. -- Martha Groves, Los Angeles Times, October 1997

One would hardly expect to see the words 'logistics' and 'thriller' in the same sentence...yet they are. (Martha Groves, Los Angeles Times, October, 1997)

I found it [Precipice] to be a fascinating book with lots of intrigue and fast-paced action. I discovered that the many logistics-related problems and solutions were enjoyable and even a bit scary at times because they could happen to any of us given similar circumstances.

...Precipice is a panoramic novel with scenes set in Arabia during the Gulf War, Hawaii and central Illinois...Precipice was clearly not designed to describe any particular management principle, but rather to illustrate the importance of logistics management in the daily lives of most people...The result is a book which is a real page turner, the sort of thing which could become a television drama or even a film. (Kenneth B. Ackerman, The K. B. Ackerman Company)

It was a dark and stormy night. But fortunately, there was a logistics manager on the scene... (Anna Wilde Mathews, The Wall Street Journal)

The scope and sweep of Precipice. . .[takes] in the elements of a family drama, international intrigue, and an old-fashioned whodunit. The action is brisk and keeps the reader wanting to know what will happen next. (David L. Sparkman, Associate Editor, Transport Topics)

[Precipice] captured my interest immediately and, had I not known that it had been written specifically to highlight logistics, I would have never known that had been its purpose. Not because it didn't do a great job of showing how logistics affects so many things we take for granted, but because it didn't glaringly stand out as, 'This book is being written to show the importance of logistics and how it works.' The book had action, adventure, mystery. It was captivating; keeping me up late at night to continue reading when common sense told me I should be sleeping. In other words, I thought it was great! -- Kathleen Jerry, Schneider National

From the Publisher

Logistics is something that most people take for granted. Few individuals question how their food, clothing, medicine, and other materials get to their neighborhood stores from places around the world. Few realize the intricate connections that allow commerce to take place between companies and between countries.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 460 pages
• Publisher: Council of Logistics Management (October 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965865304
• ISBN-13: 978-0965865302
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,986,142 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Precipice: Mystery Novel or Textbook?, December 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Precipice (Hardcover)

Pollock successfully combines relevant issues of supply chain management into a book that reads more like a thriller than a textbook. While it doesn't fully accomplish either the intellectual endowment of a textbook or the heart-racing suspense of an exceptional thriller, the novel combines elements of each form in a unique manner to afford the reader an impression of both realms of literature. Whereas many other authors attempt to write one or the other, Pollock gives the reader a taste of each. While Pollock's work does have its shortcomings, he does what many novelists have yet to try. Perhaps his amalgamation of literatures will lead to a revolutionary kind of textbook, which will replace the monotonous readings students everywhere are currently facing. And, then again, maybe this is just one exhausted student's naïve desire.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for any logistics professional., November 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Precipice (Hardcover)

I really enjoyed this novel of logistics and intrigue. Taking a subject perceived to be as dry as logistics and bringing it to life in the form of Jane Akers was truly unique. I look forward to another book on such subject matters, written in the same fashion!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very fun read, April 28, 2000

By 

Elizabeth Geho (Irvine, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Precipice (Hardcover)

My professor recommended this book and I'm glad she did. This book was a very fun read. It is action-packed and highlights the role of logistics and computers in modern society in an unforced manner. What did feel forced were a couple of the "romance" scenes but these are fairly short. I'd recommend this book to anyone. It definitely reads like a good novel, not an academic book, but does make you think about the impact of computers and logistics on society.