Black October (Hardcover)

~ Ralph L. Cates (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

BLACK OCTOBER Coming May 1: Price to be revised World leaders are worried about the impending shortage of the worlds oil supplies, the Peak Oil phenomenon. Black October is a thriller incorporating Peak Oil that will stun readers. Policymakers, intelligence analysts and military leaders worldwide will intensify their efforts to protect oil facilities. One of the finest thriller writers, Ralph Cates has woven experiences from his time in the Middle East into a novel. A former Texas businessman, Lionel Hunt, flees the United States to await the expiration of the Statute of Limitations on his convictions. He winds up selling self-distilled whiskey to Saudi royal family members. Among his business contacts, he is introduced to the Saudi Arabian Minister of Intelligence, Prince Mohammad al Rashid. After the September Eleventh attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Hunt finds himself in an Arab prison near one of the worlds harshest deserts. At the same time in Afghanistan, former CIA Non-official Combatant (NOC), Kurt Valdez, hunts Al Qaeda leaders. After 9-11, he is assigned to find Osama bin Laden and his co-conspirators, including Saudi royal family members and Pakistani intelligence service (ISI) officers. Valdez eventually crosses paths with a former Russian general turned arms dealer. He suspects General Antonov, Rhino, sold nuclear weapons to terrorists. Filled with breathtaking turns of plot, Valdez joins forces with Prince al Rashid, Lionel Hunt (pardoned because of his invaluable expertise in the oil industry), and SEALS to stop al Qaeda. The terrorists intend to destroy the Saudis prolific eastern oil facilities, the jugular and lifeblood of the worlds economies. The final mind-bending sequences will leave readers aghast. Not only is the work timely and informative, it illuminates the most daunting challenges for political, intelligence, and military leaders in the post Peak Oil era.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 736 pages
• Publisher: Mystic Publishers; 1 edition (January 16, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934051241
• ISBN-13: 978-1934051245
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,835,134 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars James-Bond Style Thriller, May 3, 2008

By	Wilma K. Mussen (Kay Mussen "lover of books") - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Excellent page turner covering current day concerns and events - a must read for all Americans - written in an intellectual mode. A sexy, smart and exciting read. I felt like I gained a world of knowledge about the Middle East and the heirarchy of the Saudi Royal family, Middle Eastern laws and customs. The immensity of the port operations and oil supplies in that part of the world make us all vulnerable. It covers actual events from prior 9/11 through October of 2008, demonstrating just how catastrophic events might possibly occur. Mr. Cates lived in the Middle East for several years.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the stuff of block-buster movies and nightmares about weapons of mass destruction., July 9, 2008

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Although a work of fiction, with names, characters, and incidents created by the author's imagination, "Black October" is a political, financial, thriller novel whose content could well be the stuff of near-future headlines. A political action adventure, "Black October" showcases author Ralph L. Cates' ability to craft drama laced with the complexity and originality of a master storyteller at the peak of his craft. Set against international political tensions, the struggle for domination of oil supplies, global terrorism, and the ruthlessness of the ideologically driven, "Black October" is a gripping, 736-page read that is unusually enhanced with the addition of a glossary of Arabic terms and names. This is the stuff of block-buster movies and nightmares about weapons of mass destruction.

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Tom Clancy?, August 31, 2009

By	Linda S. Thompson "Host of AuthorsWebTV.com" (Phoenix Arizona) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ralph Cates reminds me of Tom Clancy, one of my favorite authors. His work is very significant in today's world and it will leave every reader wondering about the U.S. dependency on foreign oil. In Black October, Mr. Cates has written a very powerful story, and although a work of fiction, there's much to be absorbed in its relevancy to today. I can see a movie in Mr. Cates future. I was sorry to have it come to an end. It is fast paced, with lots of action and you care about the characters. A job well done!