Act of War: A Novel (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Just twenty precious minutes more-and the global war for freedom from death and tyranny would enter the next level..." (more)
Key Phrases: electronic visor, entrapment area, watch stander, United States, Air Force, Kristen Skyy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Clancy's got serious company.' New York Daily News 'When a former pilot with years of experience turns his hand to writing thrillers you can take their authenticity for granted. His writing is exceptional and the dialogue, plots and characters are first-class! far too good to be missed.' Sunday Mirror 'Brown puts us into the cockpits of wonderful machines and gives us quite a ride. His flying sequences are terrific ! authentic and gripping.' New York Times Book Review 'The best military adventure writer in the country.' Clive Cussler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

From the corridors of power in Washington to the frontlines of the war on terror, Dale Brown takes you to the heart of the action and introduces his most exhilarating character to date

In Act of War, Dale Brown goes beyond anything he's done before, taking readers deep into the new world of intelligence-focused warfare, and introducing a cutting-edge new hero: thirty-two-year-old Army Major Jason Richter, designer of a whole array of futuristic infantry weapons and devices created to hunt down a new breed of enemy with unmatched speed and lethality. With all the thrilling battle scenes and expert military maneuvers that have become the hallmark of this New York Times bestselling author, this is an intense, action-packed spectacle that combines geopolitics, terrorism, and warfare.

Near Houston, Texas, an oil refinery belonging to one of the world's largest multinational energy companies is destroyed by a "backpack" nuclear device. This is just one of many attacks being perpetrated against the company around the world by a group whose mission is to stop global corporations and government organizations from plundering the world's natural resources in the name of profit.

Before this group strikes again, Jason Richter is called in with his top-secret high-tech military unit, code-named Task Force TALON, a special joint military and FBI unit set up by the national security advisor to track down and defeat terrorists around the world. Richter believes there is only one strategy in which to snare his opponents -- find, pursue, engage, and kill. And the only way to do this is to play them at their own game: Be unconventional and swift, hit-and-run and brutal enough to strike fear into the heart of the most dedicated terrorist. Richter must also lead the way through a series of unexpected turns that eventually uncovers a mole high up within the government who is in pursuit of his own personal revenge.

If Richter fails, it won't be just the lives of his team that are lost, but America itself.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; First Edition edition (May 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060752998
• ISBN-13: 978-0060752996
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #309,390 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars ok at best, September 22, 2005

By	C. Butler "Uber Geek wannabe" (Baltimore, MD, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

OK - we've got battlesuits instead of robot planes I guess so we can have people be put in harms way.

Pretty much this was blah and boring.

And it's got a stupid sex scene in it - Dale Brown's characters tend to be on the iffy side anyway but he should just NEVER write about sex.

Stick to airplanes!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars HORRIBLE cartoon. Insult to readers, October 10, 2005

By	GForse - See all my reviews

Been a long time Brown reader, but after this disater of a story, I think I'll give up. The only thing missing is the illustrations for this cartoon story that isn't even interesting or exciting on a fantasy level. I rolled my eyes and found myself wondering if Brown meant this as a comedy. When it was clear he intended it as a techno thriller I just felt sad for his lost art. It reminded me of a 6th graders creative story writing project. Sad sad sad.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Brown declares "War" on his fans..., September 21, 2005

By	B. A. Stover "Stoveman in SoCal" (South Bay, L.A.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Act of War? How about "Act of Prostitution"?!

As I understand it, women, as a group, are much bigger purchasers of books these days than men. Falling into the latter category, that's bad news for me if I don't happen to be in the mood to read about crime solving cats or unfulfilling relationships that take place in picturesque settings somewhere in the foggy English countryside. Consequently, when my library does purchase an audio book with a male friendly theme, the occasion is not taken lightly. Double then, is my disappointment in this work.

What is it about technological thrillers and the people who inhabit them? Is it so hard to create compelling characters to go alongside the fantastic devices and events that propel such works? While the theme of this book holds promise, the execution is disastrous. Brown's characters are the worst kind of boring stereotypes... trite and dimensionless, you get the feeling they were drawn-up with a crayon on the back of a cocktail napkin. (An affliction that also seems to have fatally struck Clive Cussler in the similarly infantile Lost City) These shortcomings are never more plain than when any of them open their mouths. The inane platitudes and by-the-numbers cliché statements that are intended to pass for military jargon had me rolling my eyes and wondering how this guy ever got a book deal in the first place.

Taken in this context, the haphazard plotting and improbable technologies pale as problems. Do yourselves a favor and insist on investing your time reading something better. In the meantime, perhaps we can convince Mr. Brown to get to work on an "Act of Contrition" ...for foisting this mess upon us!