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Elena Moreno
And Into the Fire
With an undeniable authority on the subject of all things nuclear, Robert Gleason brings readers' worst fears surrounding nuclear terrorism to life in this character-driven, page-turning thriller, And Into the Fire.
After allying itself with Pakistan’s intelligence services and notorious terrorist group, the Tehrik-e-Taliban-Pakistan (TTP), ISIS is ready to achieve its ultimate Forcing the US into a clash of civilizations in the Mideast. The best way to accomplish this mission is to acquire three Pakistani nukes―then set them off in three US cities.
The head of the CIA’s Pakistan desk, Elena Moreno, and an intrepid journalist, Jules Meredith, are on their trail. Unfortunately, a powerful Saudi ambassador is blackmailing a corrupt American president, and now both men will do anything to stop these two women―to the point of having them killed. All the while, a notorious Pakistani terrorist, who twenty years ago was Elena’s college lover, is leading a highly skilled, highly trained terrorist team into the US. They are armed with three Hiroshima-style nukes and are hell-bent on incinerating the three American cities.
Can the two women stop them? The clock is ticking.
After allying itself with Pakistan’s intelligence services and notorious terrorist group, the Tehrik-e-Taliban-Pakistan (TTP), ISIS is ready to achieve its ultimate Forcing the US into a clash of civilizations in the Mideast. The best way to accomplish this mission is to acquire three Pakistani nukes―then set them off in three US cities.
The head of the CIA’s Pakistan desk, Elena Moreno, and an intrepid journalist, Jules Meredith, are on their trail. Unfortunately, a powerful Saudi ambassador is blackmailing a corrupt American president, and now both men will do anything to stop these two women―to the point of having them killed. All the while, a notorious Pakistani terrorist, who twenty years ago was Elena’s college lover, is leading a highly skilled, highly trained terrorist team into the US. They are armed with three Hiroshima-style nukes and are hell-bent on incinerating the three American cities.
Can the two women stop them? The clock is ticking.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published June 6, 2017
About the author
Robert Gleason
22 books19 followersRobert Gleason was born in Michigan City, Indiana. He has an AB in English literature from Indiana University, a master’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin and he attended the Sorbonne, all of which were financed by seven hellish years in the Gary steel mills. He has worked in New York book publishing as an acquisitions editor pretty much forever. When he began, he says, he and his colleagues "chiseled books on the walls of caves." He lives in New York City
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 3, 2017
Given their prominence in recent history, it is no surprise that terrorists and terrorist acts are one of the primary plot devices of modern novels. While there are many different ways that a terrorist act can be committed, there are only two that can plausibly lead to mass deaths.
They are the bio-engineered pandemic and the use of a nuclear device. It would seem that both are extremely difficult to carry out. Engineering a deadly virus and then spreading it around the world requires a lab with extremely skilled technicians. Exploding a nuclear device requires a significant supply of fissile material and the engineering materials and knowledge to trigger the bomb.
Gleason uses the nuclear scenario to put forward his version of the apocalyptic terrorist act and it is clear that he has done the requisite due diligence to make the intelligent reader fearful of the possibility. Using plausible circumstances, Gleason puts forward a realistic chain of events where the United States suffers a significant nuclear attack, carried out within the United States and requiring no importation of the nuclear material.
Gleason also is more realistic than other novelists regarding the government of Saudi Arabia. Despite their extremely repressive internal policies and a known supporter of terrorists, there is a strong alliance between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Gleason explains the questionable value of this alliance while acknowledging the reason for it, “crude oil.”
The weakness of the novel is due to the adverse portrayal of high U. S. government officials and how they so easily violate their oaths to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” as well as to keep the citizenry safe from harm.
Novels based on an apocalyptic scenario are stronger when the event is not only plausible but has a probability of occurring that is not very close to zero. Gleason uses such a situation and explains why the probability is higher than what the non-expert would think.
They are the bio-engineered pandemic and the use of a nuclear device. It would seem that both are extremely difficult to carry out. Engineering a deadly virus and then spreading it around the world requires a lab with extremely skilled technicians. Exploding a nuclear device requires a significant supply of fissile material and the engineering materials and knowledge to trigger the bomb.
Gleason uses the nuclear scenario to put forward his version of the apocalyptic terrorist act and it is clear that he has done the requisite due diligence to make the intelligent reader fearful of the possibility. Using plausible circumstances, Gleason puts forward a realistic chain of events where the United States suffers a significant nuclear attack, carried out within the United States and requiring no importation of the nuclear material.
Gleason also is more realistic than other novelists regarding the government of Saudi Arabia. Despite their extremely repressive internal policies and a known supporter of terrorists, there is a strong alliance between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Gleason explains the questionable value of this alliance while acknowledging the reason for it, “crude oil.”
The weakness of the novel is due to the adverse portrayal of high U. S. government officials and how they so easily violate their oaths to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” as well as to keep the citizenry safe from harm.
Novels based on an apocalyptic scenario are stronger when the event is not only plausible but has a probability of occurring that is not very close to zero. Gleason uses such a situation and explains why the probability is higher than what the non-expert would think.
July 14, 2017
I was hoping for an exciting thriller like Showtime's "Homeland," however, the characters in this novel were virtual superheroes and in my view, simply not believable. The dialog was of a similar style and I just wasn't drawn into the story - considered shelving it unfinished, but soldiered on.
It's clear the author has a passion for the subject matter and consequently tried to weave a moral story around his beliefs. The most interesting portion of the book was the Afterword, where Mr. Gleason lists numerous historic events from post WWII to present, that should lend credence to the story. I found some of the events to be quite fantastic, and shame on us if indeed they are true and have never been covered by the media..... then again, while I truly believe some of the events described are accurate, in this day and age I don't feel it's wise to believe everything you read without some degree of fact checking.
At the end of the day, the subject matter is certainly of interest, but this novel failed to excite.
It's clear the author has a passion for the subject matter and consequently tried to weave a moral story around his beliefs. The most interesting portion of the book was the Afterword, where Mr. Gleason lists numerous historic events from post WWII to present, that should lend credence to the story. I found some of the events to be quite fantastic, and shame on us if indeed they are true and have never been covered by the media..... then again, while I truly believe some of the events described are accurate, in this day and age I don't feel it's wise to believe everything you read without some degree of fact checking.
At the end of the day, the subject matter is certainly of interest, but this novel failed to excite.
July 18, 2017
Fairly easy read...apolitical. No heroes in this one. The author is NOT a nuclear physicist, but does include an afterword that includes listing by actual nuclear events that have occurred in the past couple decades that have been ignored (no, not the idle threats of the Kim regime). The author also touches on the very cozy relationship the US govt continues to have with Saudi Arabia. Ok, "cozy" is an understatement. Make this a beach read...then realize, like clean coal, there's no such thing as safe & secure nuclear energy.
July 28, 2017
AND INTO THE FIRE is one of those tales where you keep checking the news to make sure it's not really happening...and then you read/see/hear reports that make you realize that if it was, we wouldn't even know. This is the kind of terror Robert Gleason instills with his highly researched, unnervingly authentic nuclear apocalyptic thriller. Intricately plotted and fast paced. You won't want to put it down. But you'll be afraid of where it leads.
October 11, 2018
Graphic ending. Crap on that. It was an insane ending with all going to hell and then a step by humans to end proliferation of nuclear power. Crock. That dream will never come. The war machine, humans, will never happen.Blowing things up, civilians, is not ever going to stop. The novel was a four star and almost a five for me. Good pace and easy to digest. Read and enjoy if it is your thing. Recommended.
July 18, 2017
This book is not entertaining. The dialogue is amateurish. Gleason tells you most of the book. There is no 'theater of the mind' possible. The characters are void of personality and richness.
I'm not angry with Robert Gleason, he just did not write this book very well. Unfortunately, I will not risk reading another one.
I'm not angry with Robert Gleason, he just did not write this book very well. Unfortunately, I will not risk reading another one.
December 21, 2020
Started out good but seemed to repeat itself again and again.
Scary premise but I found myself “speed reading” when the author gave the same facts over and over.
And some of the dialogue between the characters sounded more like kids in their conversations.
Could have been a very good read maybe if the book edited about a 100 pages.
Scary premise but I found myself “speed reading” when the author gave the same facts over and over.
And some of the dialogue between the characters sounded more like kids in their conversations.
Could have been a very good read maybe if the book edited about a 100 pages.
February 23, 2020
This book was so bad I finally just gave up reading it.
It never really got interesting. Just a compilation of news facts or observations. Some parts felt like it was taken from a tour book. Thanks for wasting my time
It never really got interesting. Just a compilation of news facts or observations. Some parts felt like it was taken from a tour book. Thanks for wasting my time
September 17, 2020
Pretty standard thriller. Unbelievably beautiful, sexy women no man can resist. Nuclear Power is evil. And building nuclear power plants is a huge mistake.
Hasad quotes Shakespeare regarding the lesson 'as ye sow, so shall ye reap' overlooking the fact that Shakespeare was quoting the Bible
Hasad quotes Shakespeare regarding the lesson 'as ye sow, so shall ye reap' overlooking the fact that Shakespeare was quoting the Bible
September 30, 2017
Nuclear terrorism and corrupt US President!
January 30, 2023
Plain and simple horror on a cultural and indidividual level
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May 4, 2024I read this book in seventh grade and I think the use of the work "fuck" surprised me. And I don't really remember more about it. I think it was okay.
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July 28, 2017Booklist
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August 24, 2017Scary thought.........................good read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews