Third in the James Foster series. A madman plans to take over the U.S. Government and declare martial law. His plans come unglued when forest fires go out "by themselves."
Archer straightened.
"It's a weapon system, Jack. This bird's a high-tech delivery system for incendiary or other type devices, dropping them where they'll probably never be seen. Deliberately made to look like the bird it's based on. It can fly at a crawl, plant its little payloads with high accuracy, at night and in absolute silence, then return for other sorties. The payloads all sit wherever they're dropped, waiting possibly for months for a signal to set them off. When they get that signal… toast!"
Daniels looked dazed. "The farmer said his spread was a hilltop west of Butte. That's forest country. Why would someone be flying one of these things out his way? To start a forest fire? Why not a match?"
Archer rubbed his jaw. "Make a list of all large forested or brush areas anywhere in the country, making sure you include all those near populated areas. Toss in all the national parks and public lands, all the inaccessible wilderness areas. You'll have close to a thousand on the list without even trying hard. Probably more like ten times that number. Now plant one of these things each place, or maybe a whole bunch of them in big areas, send out the signal, and what do you have?"
"Expensive matches starting expensive fires. Dozens of them."
"Just dozens? Remember, we've had half a year of drought. The whole country's been baked dry."
"All right, hundreds?"
Archer thrust his chin forward. "Guess I didn't make my point. Look, I'm guessing this bird cost someone at least a few million bucks in development costs, plus maybe years to get it right. Nobody spends that kind of dough just to start a few fires, or just forest fires, okay? Make it your own money. You just dropped a few million into the design. Now figure a couple thousand bucks per bird, spend another hundred thou and you have maybe fifty birds. Each makes dozens of drops a month, sometimes two or three or four on a calm night. Spend more, and you double it. This yo-yo thing can be dropped anyplace, not just in the woods. How about right on top of a chlorine storage tank in the middle of some city? Or on the roof of a warehouse storing dynamite or some other hazardous materials?" Archer waggled the ruined ashtray. "Petroleum tank farm, anyone? Thermite's nasty stuff. Make the pellets twice as big and they'll burn right through a steel tank. Wouldn't take much to bring a whole city to its knees. Or the country, come to think of it."
Professional Reviews
MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
Reviewer: Mayra Calvani for The Midwest Book Review
Benjamin Howland, Secretary of the Interior, represents all that America stands for. He is gracious, knowledgeable, a war hero and true patriot. Yet he has a darker, secret side. Propelled by twisted delusions, a distorted sense of goodness and justice and blind, cold ambition, he's planned a mad conspiracy that will bring back America to its old glory. Yes, blood will flow down the streets. Thousands of men, women and children will die. But what better way to unify a country than through great tragedy?
The plan: starting with Yellowstone National Park, to ignite fires at specific locations all throughout the country, using high-tech computerized "owls."
The date: the 4th of July.
Always on the run with his beautiful wife Tricia, James Foster, known as a world-class terrorist and nicknamed the "Mudslinger," has just discovered a new facet to his "alien," unnatural gifts-he is able to "quench" fires. If he succeeds in getting back to the States on time, he might be able to help with those fires and save many lives. But will he-when the American government has put such an exorbitant prize on his head and several contracted killers are after him?
Suspense and spine-tingling, non-stop action await you. An excellent knowledge of electronics, fast-moving scenes, believable characters and sparkling dialogue combine to make this a book you won't want to put down. Like watching a 007 film, it will grab you by the throat till the end. Though the book stand fine on its own, I would recommend reading the first two books in the series, Then is the Power and The Mudslinger Sanction, if only to become more acquainted with the protagonist's struggle to understand and control his own nature.
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Reviewer: Dr. Florence B. Weinberg
Electronics and science buffs will enjoy Gerald W. Mills' precise description of the deadly owl aircraft. Add to his scientific and engineering expertise his mastery of narrative and language, of suspense, taut drama, and character creation, all of which rise to a peak of excellence in this tale of conspiracy, murder, and arson at the highest levels of government.
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An exciting tale with loads of action. The third in the series of James Foster's adventures in his search for a place to belong and understanding of his near magical power over the wind.
An ungrateful government that does not trust what they cannot control has put a price on James Foster's head and so have privately funded groups, all who see him as a near maniacal power hungry man who could and would destroy the world to get what he wants. This misunderstanding, whether deliberate or accidental, causes James and his wife to constantly be on the move as they are always hunted.
In Fire Owl, the very talented author, Gerald W. Mills, uses his considerable imagination to give the reader another great adventure where James has become aware of an extension of his ability. While James Foster is learning to use his new talent, Secretary of the Interior, wealthy Ben Howland is considering a scheme that will give him control of the government, a scheme so frighteningly real, the reader will be checking the newspapers to see if they've caught the man and his henchmen.
The question is: Will James Foster be able to learn to control his new talent before Howland puts his plan into its final stages, an action that would ravage the country from coast to coast and cost countless lives. Or will those who hunt Foster, be successful in capturing or killing him first.
Highly recommended reading for any reader searching for excitement with a difference. A book you won't want to put down and one you will want to read more than once. The balance of tension between the characters and their actions will have you biting your nails. I guarantee you will enjoy this tale. I certainly did and look forward to the next adventure by this talented author.
Reviewed by Anne K. Edwards, author of Death on Delivery.
A true page-turner, Jeff Ovall’s futurist work of fiction peers into the history of a world not yet realized, yet ominously closer than most could imagine. A time in which the past has been reborn and humankind, in all its glory and misery, has final
Book 3 continues the Commander and the Chief's adventures in political intrigue, superstition, old feuds, and the search of Nikola Tesla's missing papers in this Close Encounter of the Weird Kind.
