A Shattered City : Earthquake in Seattle [Paperback]

Marti Talbott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2001

When Max Taylor's wife took his three small sons to a shopping center fifteen miles away, he thought nothing of it. For Private Detective Jackie Harlan, it was payday. She was about to reunite a husband with his missing wife. Then the unthinkable happened -- Seattle suffered a catastrophic EARTHQUAKE !

(This novel is dedicated to Ham Radio Operators.)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Shattered City is a populist classic - ordinary people meeting a challenge of cataclysmic proportions... this would make a great movie..." -- John Huff, Author

"A talented writer who knows how to introduce characters and elements... without burying the reader in needless technical details." -- Jim Michelinie

"Fabulous book! Absolutely could not stop reading... extremely well thought out and well written..." -- Denise Whitaker, VK4HJ, Ham Radio Operator

From the Author

Looking for the Kindle version of this book?  See Seattle Quake 9.2. Same book, different title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 395 pages
• Publisher: Brave New Books (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970928629
• ISBN-13: 978-0970928627
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,296,535 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Of Scottish and English descent, Marti Talbott lives in Seattle and has written several full length novels including Seattle Quake 9.2, The Promise, Broken Pledge and Suspects. She began writing the Highlander Series in August of 2009. The first five books are a collection of 20 short stories followed by Betrothed, The Golden Sword, Abducted, A time of Madness, Triplets and now Secrets. To be notified when new books are available, visit her website - Marti Talbott's Stories at: www.firstchapterproject.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Bit Overwrought, But Enjoyable, July 16, 2002

By 

James Tedford (Bothell, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Shattered City : Earthquake in Seattle (Paperback)

A SHATTERED CITY:EARTHQUAKE IN SEATTLE tells the story of a major earthquake hitting Seattle, Washington. A sunny Saturday afternoon in July turns horrific as a 9.1 quake destroys the city and surrounding suburbs. Disaster junkies and Seattleites should find it compelling reading, and it should serve as a wakeup call to those who live in earthquake zones to get those disaster kits together.

A SHATTERED CITY does a decent job describing the disaster and its aftermath. Character development is a bit thin, but the story moves along well, and is compelling enough that you will want to keep reading. Amateur radio operators play a major role in the recovery, so hams will find the novel enjoyable and inspiring.

The novel is a bit over-the-top, not so much in terms of the huge earthquake, but in some of the subplots. There's a "false prophet" who inadvertently predicts the earthquake, and a beautiful private detective searching for a tycoon's long-lost wife by flying around the city in a giant helicopter. All of this just distracts from the main story: how a major city copes with an overwhelming disaster.

A SHATTERED CITY also suffers from very poor editing. I'm not sure it was proofread, let alone edited. There are wild inconsistencies in spelling and capitalization throughout, and numerous instances of poor grammar and usage. While editing isn't a high priority in most mass market paperbacks, the complete lack of it here gives the book a rather amateurish feel.

If you can overlook some of the goofier plotlines and glaring editing problems, A SHATTERED CITY is well worth a read.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A real page-turner!, June 16, 2001

By 

Jan Strnad - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Shattered City : Earthquake in Seattle (Paperback)

Once you start A Shattered City, you won't want to put it down until the last page is turned. A winner!

5.0 out of 5 stars Disaster junkies, here's a treat!, July 4, 2001

By 

Wendy Jensen (Red Wing, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Shattered City : Earthquake in Seattle (Paperback)

If you've ever wondered what could happen if a massive earthquake ever struck a major city, here's your answer -- in stunningly heartwrenching detail.

You'll get to know the characters personally -- just everyday people, going about their everyday lives in Seattle... until hell breaks loose. Then you feel every tremor, every crumbling wall, every panicked heartbeat, as a modern city struggles to survive in the face of mind-numbing disaster.

As if that isn't enough, Ms. Talbott weaves in another storyline -- the search for a missing person and her background, that commences even before Seattle quivers with the first of many shock waves. And Ms. Talbott keeps you hanging, just like the window washer dangling from his safety harness or the man trapped under a tree on a cliff (read the book!) as she throws out clues that keep you turning the pages, all the time wondering: "Who is this woman? Where did she come from? Why is she hiding?"

A mind-piquing mystery set against a backdrop of unimaginable catastrophe, that Ms. Talbott brings to life with the magic of words. Earthquake survivors will sigh with relief that someone understands and can communicate the trauma, while people far from earthquake zones will learn a new appreciation of the solid ground beneath their feet.

All in all, a page-turning novel of suspense and emotion that should inspire people to fall to their knees and thank God that such a scenario hasn't happened... yet.