Incendiary

This is a great read, I throughly enjoyed it.Let’s hope there are more books to come.

It’s nearly fifty years since a platoon of soldiers in the Cambodian jungle stumbled upon a horrific scene they couldn’t begin to process. Multiple gruesome deaths…a fantasy creature spouting flames….civilians seemingly worshiping the apparition. Now Dr Mel Villiers, a researcher at a top secret facility, along with her boss Dr Harry Egerton, are waiting for the arrival of a cargo ship from America carrying that same creature. Project Horla was being moved to Britain. The head of the project, Isabelle March, is Mel’s nemesis. March bullied and belittled Mel for the four years of her post-doctoral research placement.Egerton is concerned by the lack of updates and response from the ship and daylight brings disturbing images. An elite SBS unit is sent to the ship, with no knowledge of the cargo or what they might encounter, headed by Mel’s boyfriend, Captain Steve Warren. What the investigation team find defies belief and it becomes a fight for survival as they realise the creature is loose and the only survivor is Isabel March.Incendiary is a faced paced, tension filled story from the start. An extremely well devised mixture of mythological fantasy and contemporary spy thriller with just a dash of romance. The fantasy element is written in such a way as to make it totally plausible, the notion that humans may not ultimately be the superior species on earth adds another layer to the story.Carl Rackman delivers a compelling, excellently written and researched story. Imaginative and individual as always, the narrative has several unpredictable twists and wonderfully crafted characters you’re never sure of. A thought provoking slant on the motivations and trustworthiness of secret government agencies, and indeed the government itself, is also a believable theme running through. The descriptions and details paint incredible imagery and I couldn’t hazard a guess as to how the story would pan out—or the ending….but it couldn’t have been better. There’s a very interesting author’s note at the end too which is well worth reading.

4.5 starsWhen I read that this book was a naval military type thriller that featured a fire-breathing, wingéd monster, I couldn't see how the two would work together, to the extent that when Mr Rackman first tweeted about it I thought he was joking. But he has totally pulled off the challenge with Incendiary ~ the dragonesque Horla and her species are completely plausible.The story starts with a gripping scene from the Vietnam war, then moves onto a ship with a top secret cargo ~ all the stuff of which good action horror stories are made. The novel is pacy and suspenseful, factually convincing and cleverly put together, told from the third person points of view of Dr Mel Villiers, researcher, and the man with whom she has recenty become involved, Captain Steve Warren from the elite SBS unit. Threads of governmental falsehoods, cover-ups and conspiracies run through the book as it moves from Porton Down research centre to a submarine in the Arctic ~ which is where the greatest twist of all takes place. Got me there; I love a surprise I didn't see coming, and it's one that turns the whole story on its head.The thought of a world in which the human is not the dominant species gives much food for thought, as do several passages about the way in which those in power keep hold of it; the book has a fair bit to say, as well as being a good story. It's an unusual, intelligently-written page-turner, and the Author's Note stuff about dragons at the back is worth reading, too. Tick! ✔

Every so often a novel comes along and makes you go “Woah! Where on Earth did he get THAT idea from?” Even better if you finish it going “And boy did he make it work!” The pièce de resistance is then “I want more!”Well, this is that novel for me. Rackman has managed to blend the contemporary, the topical and the mythological in a fast-paced thriller that hits the ground running, and then never stops! Brace yourself for a ride through ages, ideas, locations from the jungles of South East Asia to the Arctic wastelands, strong personalities, and with some really intelligent plot twists. My only regret about the whole experience is that it ended! I want more of this tail! Tail? Sorry, er, I mean tale.Without giving away any spoilers (ok, maybe that small one above) this is a rewarding, intelligent, highly-researched read, as we have come to expect from Rackman. One thing I’d like to see from this talented gentleman is a series; every novel so far has been stand-alone, with very well-defined characterisations and plotlines. To follow one of Rackman’s creations on an extended journey would be a very interesting voyage. Perhaps in the character of Steve Warren we have that here? Regardless, the plot of Incendiary has two things written large against it; number one is sequel! Number two is film!To summarise, another cracking read from the pen of one of the best contemporary thriller and adventure writers out there today. Enjoy!

It amazes me sometimes that just a few years ago, I wouldn’t have even considered picking up a Science Fiction Thriller novel, but thanks to the work of two self published authors, I am now hooked.Carl Rackman is one of them and has once again, taken me into a plausible, parallel world of fantasy, this time with a winged, thought reading, dragon like creature. I’m going to stop there as I don’t want to delve too much into the story by way of my review.Beautifully honed characters, a romantic interest and a struggle between the two main females, a protagonist and an antagonist with history between them, whose paths cross years later. Deception and a voyage of discovery await.I could not fathom how the story was going to end and that’s what made it an absolute page turner for me. I love books when they become a temporary addiction and this one is an absolute belter in that respect.A must read novel. I’m absolutely in awe of Carl’s imagination.