5 comments about Tremor.

1. Even though Dirgo's first book, "The Einstein Papers," wasn't that great, I knew Clive Cussler couldn't be wrong about him, and in "Tremor" it showed. The writing is more practiced, the editing tighter (though the copyediting was nonexistent), and the characters more alive. Dirgo is still going with a conglomerate cast rather than focusing on a single protagonist, but his characters are distinct enough to tell them apart, so it works.
   
   Special Agent John Taft of the secret National Intelligence Agency is sent to Serbia to investigate some surges on the European power grid. Upon his arrival in Belgrade, as he checks out the security at the Nikola Tesla museum, he also checks out its curator, Nadia Slavja, and gets invited to her apartment for a night of passion. While she sleeps, he copies her keys, but he makes a mistake that turns his advantageous one-night stand into something more. When Nadia became suspicious of his motives, she spoke to her brother, a Serbian agent, and Taft winds up coming clean to the brother and sister and involving them in his scheme to save the world.
   
   When the NIA ties the European power surges to earthquake activity, and it looks as if it's all made possible by a device invented by Nikola Tesla, a plan is devised to root out the perpetrator. The Americans make off with Tesla's papers, leaving a set of decoys planted with locator chips so when they are stolen they can be followed to the bad guys' lair.
   
   Meanwhile, Taft's partner, Larry Martinez, teams up with a thriller author who fills in a lot of blanks on the capabilities of the Tesla device, while the evil perpetrator, Galadin Ratzovik, plays the stock market and prods his captive scientist into finishing his work on the device to effect his grand finale. Mid-mission, Taft gets called back to the States to work more closely with his partner and the author while the military takes over the search for the perp in Serbia. With the clock ticking and the Netherlands releasing a Serbian war criminal to protect themselves from a demonstration of the Tesla device, Taft and his cronies finally figure out what Ratzovik's plan really is, but will they get there in time to stop it?
   
   This book began as a spy tale, following John Taft on his mission in Serbia, then deftly branched out into a full-blown, multiple-agency, across-the-globe mission with several teams following a multitude of leads, tightening their net as they go, until the conclusion explodes onto the pages. Going back to the multi-angle, intricate format of his "Oregon" Files novels, Dirgo delivers a page-turning adventure.



2. I have to start off by saying that the action series is not my normal genre. I usually stick to fantasy/sci-fi, with an occasional foray into action with murphy and sapir's "Destroyer" series. With that said, I really enjoyed this book. From start-to-finish I was able to envision the whole thing in my mind, as if it were a movie being played out in my imagination. Unlike a previous reviewer, who obviously seemed not to have noticed the book is a work of fiction, I found the story to be really interesting. I've always been interested in Tesla-related stories. I'll be looking forward to the next book in the series...



3. Since I am a HUGE Clive Cussler fan, I was thrilled to hear about 'The Einstein Papers' some years back. It turned out to be pretty good Brain Candy--nothing intellectual, but then again, neither is most of the Bond movies--but it was fun and a nice way to fill the gap waiting for the next Dirk Pitt tale. When Dirgo teamed with Clive to begin the Oregon Files novels, I was equally excited. Unfortunately the first two books were just horrible. They had a TON of promise, but nearly zero payoff. Cussler wisely picked up on this, and hired Jack DuBrul to write the last two Oregon Files books, and they have been excellent (thankfully)...
   
   ...so after two abysmal books with Cussler, I was more than a bit skeptical about buying another book written by Dirgo. I went ahead and took the gamble and I gotta tell you it paid off. This sequel to 'The Eienstein Papers' was just as fun and a great escape while I waited for the next Dirk Pitt or Kurt Austin adventure. Again, nothing earth shattering, but just plain FUN. Sometimes readers fault an author because of bad editing or publishing errors, and by and large the author has little (if any) control over these things. I would prefer it we just judged the book based on the STORY alone. Based upon that, I'd say that while nobody will be comparing Tremor to Clancy anytime soon, if you know what you are in for before you start it, I think it is well worth the effort to buy and read.
   
   I have ONE minor, almost insignificant problem...I felt that the overall plot of Tremor was slightly too close to Cussler's most recent Pitt novel with his son, 'Treasure of Khan'. The idea of using an electrical device to induce damage is also the focal point of that story as well. I have to admit however, that Dirgo goes into MUCH more detail, especially regarding the origin with Tesla, but it kinda spoiled the storyline a little. Seeing as I read Khan first, every now and then I kept having this feeling I had read this before. Again, a minor complaint, but one that was (for me at least) impossible to ignore--especially since Dirgo and Cussler have worked so closely together in the past.
   
   If you HAVEN'T read Khan, I say this book will be exactly what will fill your void of action/adventure and will certainly fill the gap you may be experiencing during any dry-spell...but if you HAVE read Khan, just be aware that you MAY have a feeling of Deja Vu. I personally look forward to the next book in this series.



4. This is no Clive Cussler. The writing seemed amateurish and the plot implausible. Yes it was fast paced and exciting at times. But I have to say that teen readers, whom this should be targeted at, would probably love it. Needed work on the editing also.



5. I won't take much of your time here with a lengthy review that the book does not need. Two things. First, the story is amateurish and ill conceived/presented. Second, the editing is completely abysmal. Either English isn't the editors first language or they understood how bad the book was and said why bother. Either way, the spelling and grammar errors are outrageous.

2 comments about Preparing for Terrorism: An Emergency Services Guide.

1. Dr. Buck covers the subject very thoroughly. Terrorism, just like any other hazard requires thoughtful planning when an incident occurs. Planning for disasters is not new and this guide provides the reader with a step-by-step method to prepare for such an event. Many existing plans for other hazards already give jurisdictions a substantial capability to meet the challenges of a terrorism incident. This book is a must for anyone who is tasked to prepare for a terrorist incident.



2. I found the book very useful for my MSc course. It is well written except for one part that I disagree with, pp27-28, where terrorists were described as "not very intelligent" and operated without a "coherent plan of action."

   Terrorists are as normal as you can get [see Hendrick, C. (ed)(1987) Group Processes and Intergrouop Relations: Social Psychology of Terrorist Groups, Sage, Newbury Park, pp234-235]: everything about them is average. The fact that they have been able to carry out so many missions and have been successful in killing so many people tells us something. While risk managers may fear them or choose not to fear them, the greater fear is if we underestimate their potential.

No comments about Terror, Violence and the Impulse to Destroy.

5 comments about Beyond Stone and Steel: A Memorial to the September 11, 2001 Victims.

1. "Beyond Stone and Steel" by Brian W. Vaszily recounts a personal passage from one mental state to another far better one, describes the slow, step-by-step trudge often required by events much larger than ourselves.
   
   That event might be death.
   That event might be the loss of a job.
   That event might be rejection.
   That event might be bankruptcy.
   Or the event might be national loss.

   For this author, all of these experiences played a part in his transformation. Right from the first chapter, Vaszily makes no secret of the result; what he discovered on his path down misfortune's lane is that he is "a lucky man" in spite of the hardships he has suffered.
   
   This slim volume may be difficult to take, depending on the reader's status with recovery from the events of 9/11. Regardless of one's recovery status, though, it may be just what the doctor ordered.
   Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of "This is the Place"




2. "Beyond Stone and Steel" by Brian W. Vaszily recounts a personal passage from one mental state to another far better one, describes the slow, step-by-step trudge often required by events much larger than ourselves.
   
   That event might be death.
   That event might be the loss of a job.
   That event might be rejection.
   That event might be bankruptcy.
   Or the event might be national loss.

   For this author, all of these experiences played a part in his transformation. Right from the first chapter, Vaszily makes no secret of the result; what he discovered on his path down misfortune's lane is that he is "a lucky man" in spite of the hardships he has suffered.
   
   This slim volume may be difficult to take, depending on the reader's status with recovery from the events of 9/11. Regardless of one's recovery status, though, it may be just what the doctor ordered.
   Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of "This is the Place"




3. This book was like none other I have ever read... the author seemed to digest this tradegy and somehow turned it into something beautiful. It has reminded me of all that I have, how easily it could be gone and to cherish every moment we are here. It has truly changed the way I see my life. I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it to everyone.



4. This slim volume greatly humanizes the lives, hopes, fear and dreams of those about to die. It is fiction...no real names are used. It reminds us that of the thousands who died, every one of them was a living, breathing person, just like us. This is a small masterpiece and deserving of your attention.



5. I've had this book a long time. I've read it many times. Each time I experience an expanded and enhanced spiritual and psychic understanding of an event I thought I'd come to terms with long ago. Probably because he doesn't journalistically report exactly what happened; probably because he presents the psychic reality of his personal experience: that experience enlarges our own. I was watching a local Spanish station at the time because, of course, the antenna for regular major news media broadcasting was destroyed. At the time I worked in an international on-line network. I remember being physically discomfited by others, elsewhere in the country/world, speaking as though they had some inherent legitimate authority to tell me what was happening less than 3 miles away (by flying crow). But that fortuitous allegation reminded me that the unthinkable event had happened to the "World" Trade Center - not the "New York" Trade Center. I remembered that New York Harbor was a major trading center, a stock exchange in physical goods dating back to the 1600s and housed in the Custom House which is still there. The traders were Dutchmen. I, too, have a semi-tangible psychic reality about the entire 400-year time line. We live in a spiritual world and there is still much that we really don't understand but we do get glimpses of it along the way.

5 comments about The Survival Guide: What to Do in a Biological, Chemical, or Nuclear Emergency.

1. Given the current state of affairs, I would advise everyone to buy this book or something similar.

   It effectively outlines procedures that we should all be aware of in the case of specific attacks such as:

   Botox Attacks, Anthrax Concerts, Chicken Pox Weapons, and Weapons of Mass Distraction.

   I for one will be sealing up my windows with velvet, destroying my microwave, and covering my children with maple syrup.




2. This book is a good start...but it didn't cover all of the ground I thought it should. More details would have helped. An O.K. investment...but still need more info to be really useful I think.



3. I can't tell you how much better I feel having this book in my house. I hope I won't ever need it for emergency purposes, but I've appreciated looking up certain chemicals and biological agents that I hear about in Iraq. This is fascinating, no-nonsense, stripped-down just-the-facts information.

   Thank you, Dr. Acquista.




4. Disappointed! There is nothing new in this book that I haven't seen on T.V. or elsewhere. Warmed over advice.



5. Dr. Acquista's book on Emergency Prep for bio, chem or nuke attack is through enough to be useful, however a lot of the material repeats itself. Reference use only.

5 comments about The Road to Terror: Stalin and the Self-Destruction of the Bolsheviks, 1932-1939 (Annals of Communism Series).

1. Unlike other mass murderers, the Bolsheviks left a paper trail detailing their horrific criminal deeds. Naturally, dictator Josef Stalin is prominently cited in the formerly top secret transcripts of the Soviet's Central Committee. Others, however, like his nomenklatura henchmen; Lazar Kaganovich, a Jew and rabid Christian hater; Vyacheslav Molotov; Lavrenti Beria; and Genrikh Yagoda, were just as complicit as him. The historian, H. R. Trevor-Roper put it well, "Great massacres may be commanded by tyrants, but they are imposed by people." The authors conservatively estimate that "1.5 million" Communist Party members were killed during the "Great Terror" purges of the 1930s. The majority were shot to death, others died in the GULAG camps, originally established by the fanatical Bolshevik thug, Vladimir I. Lenin. This riveting story opens by telling the sad tale of one Alexander Yulevich Tivel. It is typical of what happened to many of Marxism's true believers. A hack propagandist for Pravda, Tivel was shot as an "enemy of the people" on March 7, 1937, in Moscow, after a perfunctory trial. He was also a Zionist, who had made the fatal mistake of knowing Grigory Zinoviev and Karl Radek. Like Tivel, they were all Jews, who were suspected by the Kremlin elite of plotting with its arch rival, the exiled zealot, Lew Davinovich Bronstein, a/k/a Leon Trotsky. The Tivel drama didn't end there. His wife was sent to Siberia and she wasn't freed until 1953. Their young son was placed in an orphanage for being a "member of the family of a traitor of the Motherland." In this book, too, surprisedly, you will find the modern seeds of the dubious "Hate Crime" concept, championed by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY). Stalin, in a rant about the putative enemies of his Communist hell hole, is quoted in October, 1937, as saying, "Anyone who by his actions and thoughts-yes, his thoughts-encroaches on the unity of the socialist state, we will destroy them and their kin." I'm sure Schumer, a pompous windbag, will deny the alien-based connection to his legislative scheme. This is an authoritative book that exposes the unspeakable crimes of Stalin's Bolshevik gang against its own party faithful. It should be a sobering lesson to anyone who tends to believe in extremist solutions.

   William Hughes, J.D. Baltimore, MD. (Published in the journal of the Social Justice Review, July-August, 2000 issue.)




2. Dr Getty's study of the Terror is among the most groundbreaking and insightful of the last decade. I believe it is the best book on the Terror yet written. What began as a moderate attempt to clean up the Party in 1933 through controled means turned into violent chaos in mid-1937. The Yezhov years are covered deeply with a great reliance on archives avalible. For the first time the documents themselves can be viewed by the reader. Getty clearly defines the periods of the Terror according to their severity. In 1933 people were purged from the Party but it only ment dismissal and a chance for readdmition. In 1936 things began to get bloody but it was still controled by the elites. The explosion of 1937 with the liquidation of top Soviet Marshals signaled the coming of a full blown bloodbath. This period lasted from the last half of 1937 to the first half of 1938. This was largely directed by the NKVD under Yezhov but Getty stresses Yezhov was ordered by Stalin and the Politburo to conduct arrest and executions of party elites in both the Center and provinces along with mass shootings of social marginals. The Terror was horrible yet more conservative numbers of deaths are given. Elites were the primary victims. Getty's statistics appear to be correct. Millions were not executed but social trama of the Terror was horrid. This work shreds Robert Conquest to pieces...



3. before buy it, use amazon.com look inside at In Denial: Historians, Communism, & Espionage - John Earl Haynes; Hardcover



4. This review refers to the hardcover edition of the book. I have always been one of those who prefer primary source material, as opposed to second hand material. Not that the latter is without merit, however, with the primary documents one gets a better look into history. And without a doubt the history of Soviet Russia under Stalin was truly a road to terror. The books material has been culled and translated from primary source documents from the archives of the former Soviet regime. These documents were preserved at three major archives in Moscow, and provide invaluable primary source material for those wishing to delve into the mindset of the criminals whose actions against the Russian people are there for all to see.
   
   The purges by Stalin in the 1930s have been well documented, however, these latest documents add further to those whose research into Stalin's crimes, also implicate many of his cronies, who without their support, Stalin would not have been able to carry out his heinous crimes. The documents in the book are also accompanied by commentary by the authors. I remember talking with Dr. Arch Getty many years ago at UCLA, and was fascinated when he discussed how he had always been more interested in those in lower positions of power who carry out the crimes of their leaders, than by those that are in positions of power. For without the willing executioners, those in power cannot carry out their twisted and appalling crimes.
   
   Dr. Getty's discussion was very enlightening. [As were his seminars and lectures]. The fact that the terror was not planned in the begining, but consisted of haphazard steps until Stalin took charge in 1937, leading to his crushing of ALL resistance in the Communist Party is a very fascinating look into Stalin's reign of terror. And as one of the other reviewers noted, until a diary is discovered with Stalin's own reasons for his actions, we will never know fully why Stalin did what he did. However, these docuements are insightful into the terror of the purges which took place under Stalin in the 1930s, and in a sense act as a sort of diary. The book is highly recommended as a supplement to your history library.



5. 
   I'm probably the only person in continental North America to have not only read this book, but feels it is important to understanding President George W Bush's administration.
   
   Researchers Getty and Naumov have gone through previously closed archives of Soviet documents, and have put together an invaluable survey of the history of the Stalin era purges of the Soviet Communist Party. What is wholly amazing is that the highest levels of the Party, in secret and closed sessions, used EXACTLY the same language denouncing each other as 'Trotskites,' 'Wreckers,' 'Rightwing Opportunists,' et al--the same ridiculous charges applied to the victims of the notorious 'Show Trials.'
   
   The universal use of this language, as pointed out by Getty and Naumov, shows two things. First, the long held belief in the west of a potential 'liberal' opposition to the Stalinist purges (of Kirov, et al) is just wishful thinking: Not only is there NO evidence of any opposition to the idea that the 1930s Soviet Union was a awash in wild conspiracies, even those ACCUSED of being part of the 'conspiracy' agree that the imposible conspiracies existed. And second, as silly as it appears from the viewpoint of 21st century Americans (my viewpoint, because that is who I am), the Soviet leadership GENUINELY believed their own impossible rhetoric.
   
   What does that have to do with President Bush? The old argument of 'no one can be THAT dumb' is not true, because (in the final analysis) they really ARE that dumb. When Alberto Gonzales was FINALLY forced from the office of US Attorney General, after a reign universally condemned as both grossly corrupt and incompetent, George Bush strongly defended his friend, saying a 'good man' had been unfairly hounded from office--------a stance that can only be charitably described as 'delusional,' if only after the fierce hearings with Senators Schumer and Spector.
   
   Or what about the prison camp in Guantanamo, where 774 'enemy combatants' who were the 'worst of the worst' have been housed? These men were supposedly so bad, they could only be flown bound, gagged, blind folded, and ear muffs preventing them from hearing anything. The Bush administration insisted these unrepentant 'terrorists' if given the chance, would chew through wiring in an effort to crash the plane they were on....Seven years later, over 400 havge been released with no charges, and what? TWO have been actually convicted of anything.
   
   And the now infamous 935 'lies' that the Bush administration is to have told, all in an effort to market the invasion of Iraq to the American people. There can be no dispute that evey one of those 935 statements were objectively incorrect. However, was the President 'lying'? Getty and Naumov's exhastive work on the self-delusional nature of Stalin's Soviet Union strongly suggests that the truth behind George W. Bush is even worse than he 'lied.' In the immortal words of Seinfeld's George Costanza: 'It's not a lie, if you believe it.'
   
   America would be a better and stronger nation today, if only George W. Bush was a liar. Unfortunately, the President--along with Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Robert Gates, John Ashcroft, Alberto Gonzales, Michael Mukasey THE BEAT GOES ON--are wholly able to go on fooling themselves. Much like Josef Stalin and his apparchnikis, President Bush is on a mission from god (to coin a phrase), where the ends justify the means--and eventually, be it a bastardized version of Marx's motion of history or a twisted neo-Old Testament version of Judeo-Christian spiritualism--everything will come out in the wash...and our eyes will be opened, and we the people will discover they were in fact right all along!
   
   Any day now...Some day....Just you wait....Hold on, it's coming.....

No comments about Subversion and Insurgency (Rand Couterinsurgency Study).

No comments about Conspiracy, Revolution and Terrorism from Victorian Fiction to the Modern Novel (Literary Criticism and Cultural Theory).

5 comments about The Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity.

1. I haven't read this book (yet), but the Library Journal review is outrageously stupid. Every one of the "undocumented howlers" the reviewer cites is a well-known fact. That kind of smug liberal dismissal only makes me cherish Ali's strident anti-imperialism even more. People like Holmes are far more interested in policing the left than opposing the right, and that's why they're utterly useless.



2. I'm sorry but I am not a Socialist as I do not share their aversion to religion and their view that religion is the opiate of the masses.
   
   But those of you who are Socialists and anti-Imperialists (so the USSR was not an Imperialist power?),this is an interesting and thoughtful book written by a declared `unbelieving Muslim'. He identifies himself with Muslims but is an Atheist.
   
   The title of the book is probably a reply to Samuel Huntigton's book, `A Clash of Civilisations'. He does very well to support the cause his Socialist ideology by highlighting the alleged inherent weaknesses of the Capitalist/Western system who believe in human rights as long as it supports the cause of the Western/Capitalist system. He talks a little about the Neocon influence in the world how it is damaging world politics and causing terrorist groups to form. The underlying argument presented (with furnishing of examples) is that Western Govts. Have been responsible for the problems in the world, including the recent threats from terrorist groups.
   
   Every chapter has its value and contains a wealth of information starting from the Israel/Palestine crisis through to the crises in Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. The chapter entitled, `Short Course History of US Imperialism' is very interesting and in my view is a reply to Samuel Huntingon's thesis, `Clash of Civilisation', and Francis Fukayama's, `End of History'. The Socialist response to the Capitalist scholars is short and to the point, but I don't believe it challenges the theses of both of these scholars.
   
   The Socialist and anti-religion thread of the book is obvious. Socialists would love it. Muslims may be ambivalent. The Fukayama students and Capitalists in general may loathe this book. From an objective point of view, I give it a reasonable rating.
   
   Hasan Ali Imam
   (Ex-Parliamentary Candidate, Conservative Party)
   London
   UK



3. I have owned this book for several years and find myself continuing to go back to it. I think it is imperative that any US citizen who is interested in geo-politics should include in their readings authors who are not of US origin. The perspective gained by such a study is invaluable. I have several Tariq Ali books and would recommend any of his works highly.



4. Initially I picked up this book because I wanted some deeper understanding of the views of Tariq Ali, of the man behind the 'Islam Quintet'
   
   What I found was a very articulate and thoughtful body of writing which provides considerable food for thought. My particular regional interest is South Asia, and while much of what Tariq Ali writes reinforces reading already undertaken his thoughtful perspectives add new dimensions.
   
   I do not agree with all of the views expressed, but my own views will be better informed for having read them. I would also particularly recommend the interview with Isaac Deutscher in June 1967 that is reproduced as an appendix to this book.
   
   'Moral outrage has some therapeutic value, but as a political strategy it is useless.'
   
   Highly recommended.
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith



5. just one word for this book : marvelous.
   anyone wanting to get a historical handle on the relation between the west and the middle east has to read this book end to end.

No comments about Islamist Militancy in Bangladesh: A Complex Web (Routledge Contemporary South Asia).