Shaiton's Fire (Chapter 16: Waging War on Terror, Book 1)

Shaiton's Fire, the first book in the techno-thriller series Chapter 16, propels you into the world of domestic counter-terrorism. The bombing of a subway train is only the beginning of a master plan that Steve Alstead--tactical operations specialist--and the rest of the team have to stop . . . before it's too late.

Terrorism is the theme of this inspirational suspense novel, which was completed before September 11 but updated afterwards to include plenty of references to the attacks in New York and Washington. A subway train in San Francisco is blown up in the first strike by Shaiton's Fire, a small, radical group of terrorists planning to destroy one of California's largest nuclear energy plants. It's up to Chapter 16, an interagency counterterrorism unit, to stop them. Family man Steve Alstead is on the team and desperately juggles his desire to keep his country safe while mending the rift that has developed between him and his family over his extended absences. It's not long before his home and work life collide when his son is kidnapped and events move toward a climax. The novel has some troubles-the characters are not fully developed, and Thoene often tells rather than shows. Overdescription, tasteless humor, inconsistencies such as a character's eye color being alternately green and brown, and a showy use of military acronyms and technical jargon slow down the pacing. Thoene also liberally sprinkles cliched and cutesy subheadings throughout the chapters. But with suspense novels garnering some attention in the CBA and terrorism in the headlines, this could find an audience.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Coauthor with brother Luke of the "Portraits of Destiny" series and the "Baker Street" mysteries, the son of best-selling authors Brock and Bodie Thoene strikes out on his own with a timely thriller about terrorism in America, completed before the September 11 attacks but updated to include references to them. When a San Francisco BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) subway station is bombed a day after the anniversaries of Waco and Ruby Ridge, the President calls for assistance from "Chapter 16," an interagency counterterrorism unit. The team follows several false leads while the terrorists, a cell of Islamic fundamentalists, move to their ultimate goal, a meltdown at California's largest nuclear power plant. At the same time, Steve Alstead, the team's FBI tactical commander, struggles with tensions at home. Steve feels that he is doing God's work keeping the world safe from terrorism, but his wife, who unfortunately comes off as shrill and annoying, is intolerant of Steve's work schedule and demands. This first title in a new technothriller series offers a rip-roaring adventure that will appeal to male readers who might not normally read Christian fiction. Recommended for most collections where both generations of Theones are popular.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.