4 out of 4 stars
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Wanted, dead or alive! We read those words with hardly a thought, but if you had the government pursuing you, this sentence would strike terror into your soul. Cyber Dead or Alive by RL Blaisdell is thrilling from page one. The prologue introduces you to Anika Vinke, a teenaged hacker genius. The first chapter introduces you to both the President of the United States as well as to Blaze Heaton, government employee and cyber expert. You are thrown somewhat off balance when the President announces his response to the recent cyberattack in Amsterdam. Essentially declaring open season on citizens of the United States, the President declares that any hacker causing a certain level of damage would automatically join a national hit list. After the arguments against this plan were rejected by the President, Blaze Heaton resigns as government employee. The President reacts by declaring Blaze number one on the newly created hit list, and Blaze goes on the run. Eventually, the fates of both Anika and Blaze intertwine into one compelling "follow the money" adventure. Two innocent people are caught in a web of deceit; their very lives are at stake. Can Blaze put together the clues and bring forward the truth before he is killed? Can he manage to save the other innocents?
To lay it all out, this book includes international intrigue, a high-stakes search for answers, romance, life-threatening danger, narrow escapes, and much more. The story was so compelling that I was hooked from page one. While the characters were not overly developed, they had enough of a backstory to make them believable. The pace was fast enough to keep my heart racing, but not so fast that I could not follow along. Additionally, the author was kind enough to explain succinctly the intricacies of relationships between countries, families, friends, and enemies. In short, I loved this book!
This book could be read on one of two levels. On the surface, it is "just another" action book, although on a higher level than most. If you take it deeper, this book could be a commentary on the depth of political corruption that takes place not only nationally, but also globally. Just how much does Russia care about what happens in the United States? While the "Cold War" is officially over, are Russia and the United States really friends? What about the countries in the Middle East? Are European countries really somewhat isolationist, or are they also meddling in global affairs? These are intriguing questions that you may find yourself asking when you read this book.
I recommend this book to any soul who is intrigued by conspiracy theories. I also recommend it to any person who loves mysteries, adventures, or other fast-paced stories. The romance is light enough that I have no hesitation in recommending this to young adults or older. The language is overall clean. There were a few swear words sprinkled when a character was under severe duress.
Not only did the author spin a feasible story, but also he went the distance in having the book professionally edited. I found only a very few minor errors that were missed in the process. Because I loved this book, because it was easy to read, and because there was nothing that I could come up with that would take away any stars, I am very pleased to rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
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Cyber Dead or Alive
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