The Zero Hour: A Novel

Amazon.com

A thriller of gigantic proportions, The Zero Hour focuses on villain Henrik Baumann, a suave, cold-blooded mastermind who seeks to demolish the Wall Street computer network system that is central to the world's financial markets. Not only is The Zero Hour a jolting story with plenty of memorable murders and lusty intrigue, its mix of finance, terrorism, and high technology are meticulously described and mostly accurate: such a computer network actually exists and its destruction could disable financial markets. Wow.

From the Publisher

A breathtaking escape from a maximum-security prison in South Africa. A beautiful call girl found brutally murdered in Boston. A fugitive American billionaire in Switzerland, obsessed with revenge.... So opens Joseph Finder's electrifying new suspense thriller, The Zero Hour.

When an ominous, digitally encrypted telephone call is intercepted by the NSA's spy satellites high over Switzerland, FBI Special Agent Sarah Cahill -- irreverent, outspoken, a brilliant counterterrorism expert, a divorced mother of an eight-year-old boy -- is urgently summoned to New York to investigate an imminent terrorist attack on lower Manhattan.

Her investigation immediately turns into the desperate pursuit of a highly sophisticated and charismatic terrorist operative, known only by the code name Zero. Sarah must direct an intensive, absolutely secret manhunt for an exceptionally dangerous man whose identity she doesn't know--even though he knows her intimately.

Suddenly Sarah and her young son are plunged headlong into a terrifying labyrinth of intrigue, an elaborate game of cat and mouse that imperils their lives, forcing Sarah to race to uncover a diabolically clever terrorist conspiracy... before the zero hour.

Unique in its realism and wealth of riveting insider detail, and with an explosive conclusion of almost unbearable, fasten-your-seat-belt suspense, here is a tour de force of international intrigue certain to be the page-turner of the year.

Customer Reviews:

A fun, yet dated, thriller.......2007-08-13

Joseph Finder is one of my favorite authors and I am really looking forward to reading his next corporate thriller, POWER PLAY. ZERO HOUR was written in 1996 and while reading it I saw Finder's talent but also saw how far he has progressed in writing. His novels are so much better now. ZERO HOUR is still very good.

A South African prisoner, Baumman, escapes from captivity with the help of a rich man named Malcom Dyson who wants to hire him. Dyson is living in Europe and holds an immense grudge against the United States. He hires Baumman to carry out a terrorist bombing that will destroy the financial infrastructure of the world. Sarah Cahill is a single mom and an FBI agent with bomb expertise. One of her informants is murdered and this informant has ties to a high ranking Wall Street banker. On Sarah's end, the pieces slowly fall into place that indicate a bomb attack might be coming. Baumman plans his attack very carefully, but makes a few mistakes, and because of some random events, the FBI figures out his plan. The rest of the novel is a cat and mouse game as the FBI is always seemingly one step behind Baumman.

Finder's novels have always been extensively researched, and ZERO HOUR is no exception. However, in this novel, Finder followed a pattern of introducing an subject, then explaining how it worked or its history (the research) then moved on with the story. Because of the inserted research, the story didn't flow seamlessly. I still enjoyed it however, even if it is a by the numbers spy thriller.

The FBI references previous bomb attacks a lot while trying to figure out where Baumman is going to strike next. They reference the Timothy McVeigh Oklahoma City bombing as well as the first World Trade Center bombing. While reading, it gave me a weird feeling knowing about the soon to occur events of 9/11. Finder includes this paragraph after a character asks if a certain amount of C-4 explosives can bring a building down. The character answers: "Yes, some buildings yes, some no. Not a huge building like the World Trade Center." He knew there had been four studies done on the engineering aspects of the World Trade Center complex, which determined based on vibration analysis that the World Trade Center buildings could not be brought down by an bomb short of a nuke.

I believe all Finder fans will enjoy this novel, as well fans of the genre.

terrorist thriller! great, great novel!.......2007-03-27

I personally love Joseph Finder novels - most are based around corporate business, but The Zero Hour is focused on terrorism...
This novel was written pre 9/11 though there are some passages that reflect what occured on that dreadful day...
Finder through his usual deep plot and deep character development shows that in the real world you cannot be open to strangers (even though you feel comfortable around - may not be who they think they are).
In brief, this book is about a man who wants to get even.
My favorite passage (which wraps up the novel beautifully) can be found on page 232:
"Malcolm and Alexandria Dyson's marriage had long colled, but she had given birth to Pandora, and Pandora was Malcolm Dyson's whole world, the center of his life. He loved his daughter as much as any father had ever loved a daughter. He was obsessed with his Pandora; he could not talk about her without lighting up, without a smaile or a glow.
"Malcolm Dyson was a paraplegic now who carried his anger around in his m otorized chair. Once he had lived for forturne; now he lived for revenge. I'll never walk again, he had once thundered at Lomas, but with Pandora gone, why in the world would I ever want to?"

I love that passage...And I love how Finder writes so beautifully to the point where you as a reader feel compassion for the "evil" people . . .

:) I loved this book and I know you will to! without a doubt this book deserved 5 stars!! * * * * *

Action Packed Book!.......2006-10-14

An encrypted phone call is intercepted by American aothorities.The call
reveals that an act of terrorism is going to be carried out on Wall Street.
This is the plan of billionairo Malcolm Dyson to gain revenge.He was a billionaire in America.He was put on trial and convicted of insider trading.He managed to escape the United States and move to Switzerland
where he cannot be extradited.U.S, Marshalls attempt to arrest him in
Switzerland killing his daughter and wife and crippling him.He wants to get even.
He arranges for South African intelligence agent(terrorist) Henrik Baumann to escape from a South African prison.Baumann has performed many
assassinations for pay.He is a skilled killer and operative.Dyson agrees
to pay Baumann(the Prince of Darkness $10 million to carry out a mission.
Baumann is to plant a virus in the computor system of Manhattan Bank destroying the entire system and rendering the bank insolvent.He is also
going to blow up The National Electronic Transfer Facility also known as
the Network.This is where the computor system is that transacts money transactions from all over the world.The destruction of this system would
close down all financial markets in the world.
F.B.I.agent Sarah Cahill is in charge of stopping Baumann.She has no idea what Baumann looks like.She and a task force are moving at a breakneck pace to stop Baumann before he can gain vengance for Dyson.Cahill's son even comes into play.
This is an outstanding book that you should read.

A thrilling ride to the very end!.......2006-03-26

I was looking for a story about assassins when I picked up this book. Its premise around a terrorist, sometime assassin, did not fit my interest but I could not put the book down.

In this match of wills between the terrorist, Henrik Baumann, code name "Prince of Darkness" and FBI Agent Sarah Cahill and her task force is an engaging thriller. The author invites us into the minds of Baumann and the FBI task force. Contracted by a businessman seeking revenge on the United States, Baumann, a cold blooded killer, meticulously plans and executes a devastating attack on American soil. He leaves behind him a trail of bodies of those who get in the way, and the FBI is not immune. Agent Cahill, among others, will pay a steep price during the hunt.

The author has a tendency to give information dumps to explain how things work from customs agents to bomb triggers. Sometimes those sections get cumbersome and slow down the story. Some of the "new" technology is actually dated as of this writing.

Agent Cahill and the task force use intellect and vast resources in the race to close in on Baumann. The Prince of Darkness is aptly named as he uses murder and subterfuge as formidable weapons to finish the contract, and he has always completed contracts. The end game is thrilling, heart stopping, and satisfying.

I plan to read more of this author's work.

throat closing chills.......2005-07-25

It's been some time since I've read a novel that really could give you chills. Between the hard core ways of the Prince of Darkness and the explaination of all the hi-tech happenings it kept you on the edge of your chair as you rolled through page after page. Mr. Finders novels always have been a good read and I find this one to not only follow in pattern but to be outstanding. Read it if you only have a little time, it won't take you long.

Average customer rating:

Rushed throughout the book
Perry should be ashamed
Just like playing the game
A good book!!
"Zero Hour" Timely Finish

Zero Hour (Resident Evil)
S.D. Perry
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Adventure | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0671785117

Book Description

BEFORE THE MANSION.
BEFORE THE DISASTER.
EVIL IS BORN.

Sent to investigate a series of grisly murders in Raccoon City, S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team scrambles into action. On the way to the scene, Bravo's helicopter crashes. Although everyone survives, what they discover next is gruesome: an overturned military transport truck riddled with corpses -- and that's only the beginning of their nightmare. Bravo Team is about to discover the evil that is growing all around them, and rookie member Rebecca Chambers is beginning to wonder what she's gotten herself into.

Customer Reviews:

Rushed throughout the book.......2007-08-13

I love the Resident Evil series, but the only problem I had with this book was that I felt very rushed into things. It seemed that every time a character took over the segments there was always suspense: The bat attacks. The centipede attacks. There seemed to be too much action in this book when compared to the others. The characters were always on the move and that made it boring. Sadly, I felt almost the same thing when it came to the game version (Resident Evil 0).

Perry should be ashamed.......2007-02-06

Luckily I borrowed, rather than bought, this pathetic waste of paper, hoping my son would read it after beating the game.

If you want the backstory, read an FAQ online for free. It will show more imagination, be better written and fill in more backstory than SD Perry's typing exercise. Lacklustre descriptions of what you see more imaginatively-rendered in the game, no insight into the characters, no suspense. You might as well be reading a sixth-graders essay: "What happens when U play RE0..."

There's nothing in this tedious book that shows the slightest glimmer of interest in the RE universe or writing talent on the part of the author. For example, we could have followed the experiences of one of the Umbrella management trainees as his dreams of corporate success changed into the nightmare of being an unwilling guinea pig in Marcus' experiments, ending in the tanks attached to the Church area where Rebecca gets the leech charm. We could have explored the rivalry between Wesker and Birkin, and seen something of the relationship between Spencer and Marcus, or followed Marcus' development of the virus prototypes and learned more about his symbiotic relationship with the leeches and the creation of the leech zombies.

What really happened in the jungle with Billy's unit? How did the Leech Queen come to be? Why does Marcus not know that Wesker and Birkin are in the building and send his leeches after them? After ten years, how is it that Wesker knows nothing about Marcus' research, when the notes have been lying around the training facility all this time? We will never know the answers and Perry was too lazy to think about them.
Instead, we get a boring, abbreviated rehash of the gameplay (read it if you're stuck at the animal/flame puzzle). There isn't an ounce of imagination or talent on display in this, mercifully, short grab for easy cash by SD Perry.

At least I know to stay away from anything typed by this person. Yuck...

Just like playing the game.......2006-09-26

I am a fan of the Resident Evil video games and this book was very much like watching someone else play the game. It wasn't as graphic as it could have been. The creatures weren't described in enough detail to do them justice, but the story flowed well and had a great ending.

S.T.A.R.S. Bravo team is in for a surprise when they enter Racoon City to investigate some unexplained murders. Rebecca Chambers, the youngest member of the team has her hands full when she stumbles upon Billy Coen, a military man who has been sentenced to be executed for crimes he may or may not have committed. Will Billy and Rebecca team up to survive, or will they opt to destroy one another to get out?

The story is fast paced and well developed. Sure, there are some unbelievable moments, but isn't that to be expected in Raccoon City? This was a fun, easy to read book. I will definitely read the next one.

A good book!!.......2006-02-24

This book is pretty good but not as good as The Umbrella Conspiracy or City Of The Dead which is my favorite so far. I thought it would explain in more detail about the release of the virus all I found out basically is who let it out. I didn't really like the leech story myself but I still didn't want to put it down til I had finished it. All in all a pretty good book. To me not really necessary to the Re storyline but a book to pass the time with.

"Zero Hour" Timely Finish.......2005-12-18

The seventh volume of S. D. Perry's 'Resident Evil' series is a perfectly paced adventure. A consistent style follows throughout most of the books in this collection, the only missteps appearing in 'Caliban Cove' and 'Code: Veronica', and at times being predictable and formulaic which is a common pratfall of most series. This aside, the talent Perry displays for balancing scens and character development and positioning makes this particular group of works well worth having in one's collection. It would be worth having Ms. Perry bring this cycle of work to an even ten books, hopefully giving the character Trent an opportunity to find closure to personal quest which followed through of the previous stories!

Average customer rating:

Zero Hour: Crisis in Time tpb(trade paper back or graphic novel)
it was about time
Only for DC hardcore fans !!!
Can be confusing for new readers
The Overlooked Crisis

Zero Hour: Crisis in Time
Dan Jurgens
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Superheroes | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

DC Comics | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1563891840

Customer Reviews:

Zero Hour: Crisis in Time tpb(trade paper back or graphic novel).......2007-10-11

Compelling story. Involves time travel so lots of crazy things happen. Heroes past, present, different earths and different times and dimensions. Universe ends- starts to rebuild by crazy person- then another "big bang" to recreate the original universe and timeline.

it was about time.......2007-02-07

It was about time I looked on Amazon to get this comic!!! it took 5 minutes to find this book I was looking for ages and fast delivery made it the best present ever! thanks

Only for DC hardcore fans !!!.......2006-11-10

I read this book and it is one big crossover, like, let's say X-men Inferno. You have to know the story and you have to know characters before it all happens. I can't be satisfied as occasional DC reader or rate it well.

Can be confusing for new readers.......2006-07-19

After Crisis on Infinite Earths the history of the DC Universe had to be blended into one continuity, but not all of that history had been mapped out in advance and some of the continuity was a bit fuzzy. With Crisis almost a decade behind and hindsight being 20/20, Zero Hour was intended to tie up the few remaining continuity errors.

I originally read this story when it came out in monthly installments and I liked it. The events here bled into other books and all kinds of time anomalies occured, like the Superboy of appeared after the death of Superman running into the young Kal-El Superboy, and a Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) from a time period before she was paralyzed showed up and joined the fight.

The crossover tried to promote new characters like Damage and dealt with major shake-ups like what was happening with Guy Gardner, which is what a crossover should do. A regular Superman reader picks it up to see what happens to him and becomes interested in what's happening to Hawkman, so the reader starts buying Hawkman as well. Cross promotion of characters is the general idea here. But Guy Gardner is back to being a Green Lantern and Damage no longer has his own book, and a lot of the other things this crossover tries to promote are no longer relevant. In order to really enjoy this you would need to go and get the back issues, since most of what was happening at this time isn't collected in trades.

A personal critique is that the characters who seem important in the beginning aren't the ones who seem important in the end which is just poor storytelling. Somewhere in the attempt to put in as many characters as possible, the story ends up a bit unfocused.

But, as I said, I did enjoy it, and I still do. It was a story on a huge scale, time burning itself out on both ends. There were twists and turns. There were some very intriguiging paradoxes in the battle between Extant and Waverider. We understand why Parallax is doing what he's doing but at the same time we know he has to be stopped. The artwork is good, and lots of characters make cameos (not quite as many as in Crisis but still a lot).

Keep in mind this was written before everything DC published got collected into trades. You do have to take it in context. And I highly recommend going to you local comic store and picking up the Zero Hour crossover issues of Superman, Batman, etc. They're definately worth reading.

The Overlooked Crisis.......2005-10-18

With all the hooplah around DC Comics right now - they are bringing all their DC Universe titles together for the "Infinite Crisis" crossover that is supposed to change everything (!!) - I am surprised more attention isn't paid to this mid-90s event: Zero Hour: Crisis in Time.

Time was unravelling at both ends, heroes were dying, their efforts for naught against the onrushing entropy that consumed everything. But, as always, the late 20th Century heroes decide to take action to right this wrong, a wrong perpetrated by one of their own. The story was not too bloated (downright brisk, next to the sprawling crossovers today), moved like a good summer blockbuster movie should, and left a lasting mark on the DC Universe. That, and it boasted Dan Jurgens artwork, he also being an overlooked gem in the modern comic artwork field.

Based around the idea that Parallax (former Green Lantern/now hugely powerful Hal Jordan, then a bit nuts after seeing his home city wiped out and having assaulted and bested his former masters, the Guardians of the Galaxy) wishes to redo time to save all his friends and family - and those of his cohorts, Zero Hour follows several dozen heroes as they race to save time or die trying. Along the way, that latter part is certainly fulfilled, as numerous heroes - and some villains - fall to the entropy effect Parallax is unleashing on the timeline.

The original superteam, the JSA, bring the fight to Extant, a former hero-turned-megalomaniac who is aiding Parallax and reveling in the chaos unleashed. These geriatric heroes do not find an easy victory, with the whole team being changed forever. Their story here in fact laid the groundwork for James Robinson and Geoff Johns to reinvent that whole generation of heroes and identities, creating the stellar Starman and the current ongoing JSA, respectively.

But really, all heroes are affected here. The build-up took place over every single issue in the DC Universe, as time shifts began to appear, characters from eras long gone or yet to come started to pop up and unexpected visitors refused to leave after arriving (current Kid Flash, then just Bart Allen, appeared in the pages of the Flash during Zero Hour's build-up). Numerous new heroes were introduced, some of whom are still around (though for how much longer...). While many hardcore fans objected to the use of Parallax/Hal Jordan as the villain - an objection taken shamefully to heart as the deceased hero has been returned to his mythic stature as a Green Lanter - for those of us who had recently started reading DC's stable of titles, the use worked very well. I thought his tragic turn fit well, but that's just me (his home city was wiped from existence, and people expected him to shrug and forget it?). His reasoning fit for what had happened

Over the course of the mini-series the whole wild story came together and in my mind, fulfilled its promise of a new DC universe, changed from what came before. It took a little time for all the ramifications to be felt - James Robinson/David S Goyer/Geoff Johns' JSA wouldn't launch for another four years and change, for example - and many of the new titles disappeared into obscurity. But that's all right. How many people remember Alexander Luthor? Who? Exactly. Created, used and forgotten in a year, as were most "Crisis on Infinite Earths" - the father of all these damned DC Crisis epics - created characters. Granted, not all lived, but you don't have to live to be remembered in comics. Look at Jason Todd, or Bucky...er...

We see long-term fans feel the bitter weight of all these epic tales as they press on the stories today, constantly forcing judgments that are too harsh. Zero Hour came out ten years after Crisis on Infinite Earths (eh, more like nine), and was inevitably compared. The two series, however, are hard to line up. The former was a brief reboot of several titles and characters, and it did a fine job and was over in several months; the latter, the big Crisis, spanned a year and literally restarted the entire DC Universe line of titles. The newest incarnation, Infinite Crisis, is more comparable, as it had dozens of lead-in issues, on top of the 7-issue mini.

Zero Hour itself covered five issues, and was entirely self-contained in those five. All I read at the time was Superman, and I didn't feel out of the loop at all . In fact, I thought it pretty crazy to see all the heroes and villains come out of the woodwork, like the JSA. Parallax came from left field, as did the deaths.

It wasn't perfect, but I look back on it fondly. Few stories are really so good to earn five stars. This is a solid four star story, with great art and a terrific yarn of a plot that will satisfy many. You just have to let the story tell itself, have to let understand that not all characters can act as you want them in your fan fiction, and sometimes the greastest of heroes can become the most tragic villains. Give it a shot; you won't be disappointed.

New Music, New Allies: American Experimental Music in West Germany from the Zero Hour to Reunification (California Studies in Twentieth-Century Music)

Average customer rating:

New Music, New Allies: American Experimental Music in West Germany from the Zero Hour to Reunification (California Studies in Twentieth-Century Music)
Amy C. Beal
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Music and Ideology in Cold War Europe (Music in the Twentieth Century)

ASIN: 0520247558

Book Description

New Music, New Allies documents how American experimental music and its practitioners came to prominence in the West German cultural landscape between the end of the Second World War in 1945 and the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990. Beginning with the reeducation programs implemented by American military officers during the postwar occupation of West Germany and continuing through the cultural policies of the Cold War era, this broad history chronicles German views on American music, American composers' pursuit of professional opportunities abroad, and the unprecedented dissemination and support their music enjoyed through West German state-subsidized radio stations, new music festivals, and international exchange programs.
Framing the biographies of prominent American composer-performers within the aesthetic and ideological contexts of the second half of the twentieth century, Amy C. Beal follows the international careers of John Cage, Henry Cowell, Earle Brown, Morton Feldman, David Tudor, Frederic Rzewski, Christian Wolff, Steve Reich, Pauline Oliveros, Conlon Nancarrow, and many others to Donaueschingen, Darmstadt, Cologne, Bremen, Berlin, and Munich.

German Literary Culture at the Zero Hour (Studies in German Literature Linguistics and Culture)

Average customer rating:

German Literary Culture at the Zero Hour (Studies in German Literature Linguistics and Culture)
Stephen Brockmann
Manufacturer: Camden House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1571132988

Book Description

In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, German intellectuals and writers were forced to confront perhaps the most difficult complex of problems ever faced by modern intellectuals in the western world: the complete defeat and devastation of their country, the crimes of the Hitler dictatorship, the onset of the Cold War, and ultimately the political division of the nation. To a large extent these debates took place in literature and literary discourse, and they continue to have pressing relevance for Germany today, when the country is rediscovering and exploring this previously neglected period in literature and film. Yet the period has been neglected in scholarship, and is little understood; for the first time in English, this book offers a systematic overview of the hotly contested intellectual debates of this period: the problem of German guilt, the question of the return of literary and political émigrés such as Thomas Mann, the relevance of the cultural tradition of German humanism for the postwar period, the threat of nihilism, the politicization of literature, and the status of German young people who had been indoctrinated by the Nazis. Stephen Brockmann challenges the received wisdom that the immediate postwar period in Germany was intellectually barren, characterized primarily by silence on the major issues of the day; he reveals, in addition to attempts to obfuscate those issues, a German intellectual--and literary--world characterized by an often high level of dialogue and debate. Stephen Brockmann is associate professor of German at Carnegie Mellon University.

Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)

Average customer rating:

Good but could be better
Very good

Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)
Steve Honeywell
Manufacturer: Prima Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Operating Systems | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Video & Electronic Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0761543554
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Book Description

Can you defeat the greatest military minds in modern warfare?
·Walkthrough and maps of all 15 new Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour missions, plus the original Command & Conquer: Generals missions
·Info on new units and structures for American, Chinese, and GLA forces
·Coves all new upgrades and General abilities
·How to build structures at the right time and place
·How to get the most out of your units
·Tactics to defeat every General
·Complete multiplayer strategies

Customer Reviews:

Good but could be better.......2004-04-28

Typical of Prima's guides this book contains all the "how to" suggestions of completing the game. Part I of the book focusses on the original "Generals" which gives good hints including an overall map of each mission. This section would be a 5 out of 5.

Part II is where it seems to fall apart. Part II has a nice guide on new abilities but as far as a guide for each of the fifteen missions, it divides the mission with a step by step of how to go through the mission with little windows into what you can expect to see along the way. The one large omission is that it doesn't have an overall map for each mission or any mission in "Zero Hour" which I've found is probably the biggest help in these guide books. With the overall map, the reader/player can get an overall perspective of where the dangers lie and how best to avoid them. This is especially helpful if you want to attempt to complete the mission by a different method. Why this was included for the Part I "Generals" missions but not the Part II "Zero Hour" missions is a mystery.

For a book on the original "Generals" this is a 5 out of 5. For a guide on "Zero Hour" it would probably be more of a 3 out of 5. Frankly I'm disappointed with this supposed "Zero Hour" guide for the reason above.

Very good.......2004-03-22

This guide does exactly what a strategy guide should do: It tells you how to play the game. Of course, the game is somewhat open ended within each mission. I often found myself going different routes than the guide suggests, but even then, the suggestions made by the book are valuable.

Note that this covers both the base game and the expansion, which makes it a good value. Unless you already had the book for the base game... ;-)

Average customer rating:

A extremely detaited account of how and why the SAS was formed

A Well Done History that Complements his other books

Sas Zero Hour: The Secret Origins of the Special Air Service
Tim Jones
Manufacturer: US Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Aviation | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Strategy | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Killer Elite: The Inside Story of America's Most Secret Special Operations Team

The Night Stalkers

SAS: The First Secret Wars: The Unknown Years of Combat and Counter-Insurgency

Roughneck Nine-One: The Extraordinary Story of a Special Forces A-team at War

Up Close And Personal: The Reality of Close-quarter Fighting in World War II

ASIN: 1591148057

Book Description

The SAS, Britain's elite Special Air Service Regiment, is one of the most revered and feared special-operations units in the world. Its high profile operations include the hunt for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan's Tora Bora caves following 9/11 and the storming of the Iranian Embassy in London in 1980. But until now the SAS's precise origins were unknown. Most thought the renowned regiment was the brainchild of just one man, David Stirling, but in this book, Tim Jones identifies other major factors that played a part in shaping the concept of the SAS.

Jones's investigation draws extensively on primary sources and a close examination of recent regiment histories. While not dismissing Stirling's considerable contributions, Jones takes into account the influence of such notables as Dudley Clarke and Archibald Wavell on the formation of the regiment. Written in a style that will appeal to the general and academic reader alike, this book offers a compelling and provocative look at how the formidable group came into being.

Customer Reviews:

A extremely detaited account of how and why the SAS was formed.......2007-01-08

During World War II the British formed a large number of special operations forces such as SOE, Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), Lovat's Scouts, Special Night Squads, and many more. Several traditional raiding forces, such as the Royal Marines and the Commandoes grew is size and capability.

The most famous of these units was the Special Air Service (SAS), which is one of the few organizations to survive into modern times. The author, who has written several books on the SAS, is obviously extremely knowledgeable on the subject. The level of detail is staggering. The author mentions the names of hundreds of early members of the SAS and how they started their military careers in special operations.

The book is not an action packed story of daring raids and special missions, instead it is a painstakingly detailed account of how and why the SAS came to be. Due mainly to Winston Churchill's fascination with special forces and the dedication of several officers and NCOs the SAS was born. The majority of the book is an account of the personalities and bureaucratic dealings that led Britain to form the SAS, despite already having a number of other special operations units. The analysis of the family and school connections of the upper class officers who were drawn to form special operations units was particularly well done.

I found it interesting that Churchill continued to believe in special forces, despite very few early successes. The book details several early pre-SAS operations that were either failures or minimal successes.

To the serious student of special operations military history, the book is a treasure. The author's detailed use of original sources and deep research should be commended. Those looking for a fast-paced military action adventure may want to look elsewhere.

A Well Done History that Complements his other books.......2006-07-09

As the sub-title says, this is the story of the beginnings of the SAS, the foremost British special operations unit. While there have been persistent stories that the SAS was the brainchild of one man, David Sterling, there were a lot of individuals involved.

In most wars there have been such small elite units being formed. In America, even before the Revolutionary war Rogers Rangers were formed to participate in the French and Indian War. In World War I Laurence of Arabia led a similar organization behing Turkish lines. In World War II there were many such organizations: the Commandos, Merrill's Marauders, Ord Wingate's Chindits and so on.

During this time the SAS was formed, and alone of these organizations remains not only a viable, but a well known, well respected, and very active organization. This is a beautifully written story about how the SAS came to be. While it stands alone as a history, it fits in very well with the same authors other books on the SAS.

Zero Hour (Tom Clancy's Power Plays Series, Book 7)

Average customer rating:

Power Plays!!!!
Why did i want to read this book?
Zero Hour...Zero Score
Zero Hour
The book I read Part II

Zero Hour (Tom Clancy's Power Plays Series, Book 7)
Tom Clancy
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

War | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Technothrillers | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0425192911
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Book Description

Created by Tom Clancy and Martin Greenberg, written by Jerome Preisler.

Customer Reviews:

Power Plays!!!!.......2007-01-10

Tom Clancy spins another great tale in Zero Hour; if your a Clancy fan you will be kept on the edge of your seat with this one.
As always this book is great reading from cover to cover. I found this book hard to put down; I wanted to read it cover to cover!

Why did i want to read this book?.......2005-04-17

This is my first Tom Clancy Novel I have ever read, and possibly the last one I will ever read. In my eyes as a reader, there was hardly and action in this novel or possibly non what so ever. I sometimes even wanted to stop reading at times because I became very bored with it even after reading three pages of this novel. There are even some times when a character is described but is totally irrelevant to the main story. This was a terrible waste of paper due to this and it was a total waste of my time. There are a lot more book that I would probably have more interest in a lot more books than reading this shallow novel . I don't think I've been so upset at a novel in my life before but like they say there's a first time for everything and this is definitely a first time for me. This was an utter disappointment I recommend this to...nobody, that's right nobody.

Zero Hour...Zero Score.......2004-04-30

What a dissapointment. I guess I picked this one up because of the Clancy name, but after Power Plays 6, "Cutting Edge" I guess I should have known better. I only read about 40 books a year, and I'm really sorry I wasted my time on this one. This is truly one of the worst books I have ever read. Imagine 4 pages dedicated to describing a man entering a building and walking to the elevator. Or how about 5 pages describing a mother walking to her car. If this appeals to you, then by all means, invest your time in this 330 page disgrace of a novel. Tom Clancy should be embarrassed to have his name associated with such poor writing and imagination.

Zero Hour.......2004-04-14

Zero Hour is one of the worst books that I have read in recent memory. I can't imagine Tom Clancy linking his name to book. There is next to no action. There are too many characters that have dead ends. The Pakistan characters add nothing to the book except to provide some graphic violence. The Roger Cordian presence and the rock wall sequence is nearly pointless. The climax was so ho hum. The villain has been shot in a previous scene and simply dies of blood loss before triggering the laser. The whole notion that a stockpile of chemicals in New York in this day and age that could be so easily targeted seemed unlikely. The book ended with the murder of the Pakistan character left me speechless- what was the point. The main villain was dead. What was the point of the main villain's photo sensitive disease - surely the author could have developed at a least a death scene for him related to that illness rather than an octopus bite. I kept expecting something imaginative to happen but it didn't.
This book seems to be a clever attempt to use Clancy's name as a selling point. This type of marketing is doomed to failure.

The book I read Part II.......2004-02-01

To the anonymous reader from California:

You crossed out all those sentences, huh? Must have lotsa time on your hands. But waitaminnit . . . wait just a gol-durn minute here! I see now that your "review" was of the AUDIO CD version of the novel. Wow, there's a really neat trick, crossing out those words on a CD, I mean! You'll have to patent that technique; bet it'll earn you a fortune. Also, I've never heard of nonessential (or "not essential", as you put it) characterization. Couldja explain the concept to us sometime? 'Cause I was kinda made to feel sorry for that woman you mentioned (whose murder -- as well as the fact that she had a kid in playschool -- was key to the plot in about a dozen ways).

Yee-ee-eesh.

Average customer rating:
The Zero Hour, Rose, A Place for Kathy, The Judge (Reader's Digest Condensed Books, Vol 5-1996)
Joseph Finder , Martin Cruz Smith , Henry Denker , and Steve Martini
Manufacturer: Readers' Digest Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ERCQG0

Average customer rating:

A good techno thriller

Full of science and thrills!

Is anybody reading this? You should!

One of the most exciting books I've ever read!

Zero Hour
Benjamin E. Miller
Manufacturer: Onyx
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Technothrillers | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Deep Current

Silent Assault

Ghost Force

Black Order: A Sigma Novel (Sigma Force Novels)

Dark Pacific

ASIN: 0451410009
Release Date: 2003-01-07

Book Description

Antarctica. Deep below the frozen surface of the Ross Sea, a sub-glacial volcano erupts. Above it, a geothermal power plant faces certain destruction. Heading the disaster-relief team is USAF Colonel Tom Reed, who must use every technological tool at his disposal to keep environmental conditions under control. But as the waters heat up, a global disaster of apocalyptic proportions is brewing-a hurricane that could literally tear the earth apart. Between technology and nature, it's war. For Colonel Reed and his crew, it's a suicide mission.

Customer Reviews:

A good techno thriller.......2003-06-08

I liked this book and the non-stop action reminds one of the style of Matt Reilly. It is the type of story that keeps you reading, just to discover if the characters escape from their latest life threatning situation. This is a somewhat technical book, with theories that seem plausible but a bit far out. The characters seemed a bit wooden and two dimensional but the action is non stop. And beware, you have to put your imagination into overdrive to believe that the characters could survive any of the circumstances they are thrown into. For those who like the more outlandish techo-thrillers, this will fill the bill.

Full of science and thrills!.......2003-02-24

I loved the heavy dose of science Benjamin E. Miller brings to the art of the novel. Like Michael Crichton, he has the background to understand the reach and limitations of science and the storytellers instinct to illuminate matters to a mass audience. His story runs full speed from beginning to end. I promise you'll enjoy the ride.

Is anybody reading this? You should!.......2003-02-12

This is the best potboiler I have read in recent years. It grabs you with evocative descriptions of braving the extremes of weather in the antartic. But better than that, it explores the issue of "unexpected consequences" that society must grapple with as we become more dependent on technology.

It begins at the scene of the seemingly appropriate use of non-polluting geothermal energy. A project like this could not possibly create a hurricane! You could not possibly have a hurricane in the Antartic. And the hurricane could not possibly endanger life on earth.

The unique and unusual series of circumstances and events that the author credibly describes make me wonder how many other unexpected consequences we are creating with technology today--or have already started.

One of the most exciting books I've ever read!.......2003-02-05

OK, I just finished reading "Saucer" by Stephen Coonts right before I read "Zero Hour," and first-time author Benjamin E. Miller blows him away. This book has more thrills and chills than any ten other books -- and it's all perfectly orchestrated with hard science background. (The book could have been marketed as near-future science fiction, but that would have probably put off all the techno-thriller fans.) Miller is an environmental engineer and his grasp of multiple fields is astounding. And the action is nonstop; the writing style is almost flawless; the characters are well-drawn (including two very tough women); and the suspense will have you panting and running for your blood pressure medication. I had to put the book aside occasionally just to catch my breath and calm down. Michael Crichton, might as well retire now. You can't top Benjamin Miller! (As a literary editor and agent, I sure wish I'd discovered this guy.) -- Steve Murray, Oso Books Literary Agency

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books