Review: ROTTEN GODS, Greg Barron

• published by Harper Collins Australia in 2012
• ISBN 978-0-7322-9434-2
• 470 pages
• Read an extract
• available for Kindle (free?) 

Synopsis (Publisher)

A new wave of terror threatens a world torn by inequality, conflict, economic disaster and environmental chaos.

Heads of state gather in Dubai in an attempt to bring society back from the brink of global catastrophe. But when extremists hijack the conference centre, the clock starts ticking: seven days until certain death for presidents and prime ministers alike, unless the terrorists′ radical demands are met.

A treasonous British diplomat, an Australian intelligence officer, an airline pilot searching for his missing daughters, a mysterious Somali agent, and a disillusioned UN official are all forced to examine their motives, faith and beliefs as they attempt to stave off disaster, hurtling towards the deadline and a shattering climax.

Rotten Gods is both an imaginative tour de force and a dire warning, holding the reader spellbound until the last breathtaking page.

Blurb from Amazon Kindle

It took seven days to create the world ... now they have seven days to save it.
Extremists hijack the conference centre where heads of state have gathered in an attempt to bring society back from the brink of global environmental catastrophe, and the clock starts ticking: seven days until certain death for presidents and prime ministers alike, unless the terrorists′ radical demands are met.
Marika, an Australian intelligence officer, Isabella, a treasonous British diplomat, Simon, an airline pilot searching for his missing daughters, and Madoowbe, a mysterious Somali agent, are all forced to examine their motives, faith and beliefs as they attempt to stave off disaster, hurtling towards the deadline and a shattering climax.

My Take

ROTTEN GODS is not a quick read, but don't let that put you off - it is well worth your attention and signals the arrival another Australian author to put on your "look for" list. There is nothing about this book to indicate it is a debut title. The plotting is well executed and the writing is tight, with plenty of detail and plenty of depth.

The fact that the action is on a 7 day deadline heightens the tension. There are four main plot arenas and the story moves easily from one to the other. What doesn't sit so easily for the Western reader is the account of the damage their lifestyle has done, and continues to do, to the global environment. So this becomes a book with a message as well. It also highlights the attractiveness of extremist action for those who feel that the world, or at least those responsible for environmental policy, is not listening.

My rating: 4.8

I was reminded of the plot of THE LORDS' DAY by Michael Dobbs in which the Queen is taken hostage by terrorists at the opening of Parliament in the House of Lords. ROTTEN GODS however is far more global in its theme.

Other reviews to consider

• Bernadette @ FairDinkumCrime
• Karen@AustCrime

About the author

Greg Barron has lived in both North America and Australia, and studied International Terrorism at Scotland’s prestigious St Andrew’s University. He has visited five of the world’s seven continents, once canoed down a flooded tropical river, and crossed Arnhem Land on foot. Greg’s writing reflects his interests in political, social and environmental change. He lives on a small farm in Eastern Australia’s coastal hinterland with his wife and two sons.

His website.

A second title, SAVAGE TIDE, is already available.

9 June 2013, On the doorstep, waiting to be read

Currently I have many more books in the "waiting to be read" pile than I really have any hope of reading in the near future. Several of them seem to arrive each week at present, and sit on the shelves making me feel guilty. See the history of this occasional post. I'd like to also stress that there is no rhyme or reason to my selections. Please note that this listing is in no way a recommendation for you to read a title, simply a chance for you to assess for yourself whether you would like to read it. I will also try to discover whether the book is available on Kindle, particularly for Australian authors which are not necessarily available overseas.

You might have noticed that I haven't made a lot of progress in trimming this huge pile, but still the books arrive: some from publishers in hope of a review, and some that I have requested from the library, because I have seen a good review, or even a mention of it, somewhere.

THE FROZEN SHROUD, Martin Edwards

This is a library book, requested because I saw a mention of it on Crime and mystery fiction Friend Feed.

Synopsis (Poisoned Pen Press)

Death has come twice to Ravenbank, a remote community in England’s Lake District, each time on Hallowe’en. Just before the First World War, a young woman’s corpse was found, with a makeshift shroud frozen to her battered face. Her ghost – the Faceless Woman – is said to walk through Ravenbank on Hallowe-en. Five years ago, another woman, Katya Moss, was murdered, and again her face was covered to hide her injuries.

Daniel Kind, a specialist in the history of murder, becomes fascinated by the old cases, and wonders whether the obvious suspects really did commit the crimes. He spends Hallowe’en at a party in Ravenbank – only to find death returning to this beautiful but isolated spot. Once more, the victim is a woman, once more her damaged face is shrouded from view.

The latest horrifying murder presents DCI Hannah Scarlett, head of the Cold Case Review Team, with the toughest challenge of her career. Is the case linked to the two earlier killings, and if so, what is the connection? Hannah has never had such a huge personal stake in solving a case, and it comes at a time when her private life is thrown into turmoil.

Hannah and Daniel join forces as they try to discover who killed the Faceless Women. But before the shocking puzzle is solved, both of them must confront ghosts from their own past, as well as the ghosts of lonely and mysterious Ravenbank.

GOOD AS GONE, Douglas Corleone
This is an ARC forwarded to me by Pan Macmillan Australia. The book is not due for release in Australia until September 2013 and there is an Amazon Kindle version available for pre-order.

The paper blurb that accompanied the book says that it is a "lightning fast abduction thriller that races through the streets of Europe in a style reminiscent of the Jason Bourne and Taken films."

Pan Macmillan Australia have Corleone's debut title ONE MAN'S PARADISE listed. It won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of American First Crime Novel Competition

THE HANGING, Lotte and Soren Hammer

This is a review copy sent to me by Bloomsbury Publishing
The authors are a sister and brother from Denmark, and the book is marketed as "the first in an exciting new six-part crime series."
The book was published this month.

Publisher's blurb
On a cold Monday morning before school begins, two children make a gruesome discovery. Hanging from the roof of the school gymnasium are the bodies of five naked and heavily disfigured men. Detective Chief Superintendent Konrad Simonsen and his team from the Murder Squad in Copenhagen are called in to investigate this horrific case - the men hanging in a geometric pattern; the scene so closely resembling a public execution. When the identities of the five victims and the disturbing link between them is leaked to the press, the sinister motivation behind the killings quickly becomes apparent to the police. Up against a building internet campaign and even members of his own team, Simonsen finds that he must battle public opinion and vigilante groups in his mission to catch the killers.

A nerve-wrenching look at justice and retribution, The Hanging is a spectacular crime tale straight from the heart of Scandinavia.

I'm also reading/ or planning to read these novels by Aussie authors
ROTTEN GODS by Greg Barron
THE MIDNIGHT PROMISE by Zane Lovitt
and an ARC of WATCHING YOU by Michael Robotham