In this explosive new series from New York Times bestseller Harold Coyle and noted military author Barrett Tillman, a new type of war is being fought by private paramilitary companies at the beck and call of the highest bidder. With the military and intelligence agencies spread thin, the US is constantly calling upon the services of these organizations--and Strategic Solutions, Inc. is among the best.
Members of Al-Qaida have set in place a vicious biological attack. Men and women infected with the highly communicable and deadly Marburg virus have been sent to major cities and sensitive locations throughout the world in hopes of creating a deadly, global epidemic. The dedicated men and women of SSI, led by former Rear Admiral Michael Derringer, are consummate professionals, nearly all ex-police or military, and are the among the best in the world at what they do. But the mastermind behind the living bio-weapons, Dr. Saeed Sharif, is more deadly than anyone could have possibly imagined. Spread throughout the globe and thwarting attacks on their home facilities, the staff at SSI soon find themselves engaged in a frontline game of ground warfare. And to make matters worse, two infected Marburg carriers are heading straight for the United States. Using every resource it has, SSI launches an all-out search for the walking plague carriers before thousands more become infected and die. Posing a frightening scenario that could become all too real in the near future, and filled with the details of the military world that have made Coyle's books bestsellers, Pandora's Legion hits the front lines of the new war against terrorism in this engrossing, high-stakes novel.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Good entertainment, but shallow:
The concept of a private security outfit is great and fitting our times, but here both the story and the too positive characterisation of the heros are just too un-realistic. Good entertainment, but the good are too good and too lucky for the novel to appeal to grown-ups.
A story with several messages:
There is more to this story than a thriller. But, before getting into this, I commend the authors for accuracy. Spreading biological agents into a Western population is difficult. Pandemics only occur when environmental conditions are right. Most bio-agents have a very short life once released into the atmosphere. Anthrax is the exception to this rule. I especially enjoyed the story because it is factual. The real bio-agent threat is crop diseases: wheat and rice rust. Hoof and mouth disease for cattle is... more info
Strangely flat:
This tale of bioterrorism and cloak and dagger conflict begins well enough, and establishes the scene and the dangers competently enough, but then falls on a couple of logical inconsistencies. The terrorist network is just too competent to be believable, and there is no reason to use SSI operatives once the action leaves Pakistan. The mercenary company SSI is hired to investigate and kick in doors in Pakistan to find the terrorists during a period of tension between the US and Pakistan governments. A... more info
Intelligent writing; realistic story:
I haven't read Coyle before, but I've read several of Tillman's aviation books. His trademark is meticulous research to get the technical stuff right. There is no nonsense about silencers and safeties on revolvers, no foolishness about medical procedures. If Tillman writes that this is the way a Hind helicopter works, then that's how it works. If he says this is how Marburg disease is spread, you can trust him. As a former drum corps player, I can verify that he even got that little part right! Admirable... more info
