Incendiary by Carl Rackman ~ A suspenseful #thriller #BookReview @c_rackman #FridayReads

Author: Carl Rackman

Independently Published: September 2018

Category: Espionage, Mythological, Fantasy, Suspense, Thriller, Book Review

‘She’s like nothing you’ve ever seen. She is beautiful – a perfect fusion of physical and mental supremacy. And she hasn’t been free for forty years. Who knows what she’ll do?’ 

Cambodia, 1970. A US Army platoon sweeps through thick jungle searching for hidden North Vietnamese supplies. What they find instead is a terrifying creature from the darkest pages of ancient mythology. 

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.

Another anxious thought gnawed at her – the existence of Horla was so secret that the investigation team had no idea what they were facing. As far as they were told, the subject was simply a “biological” and they were to use non-lethal means of containing it. Her concern for Steve gave her anxiety a voice.

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. 

Book links ~ Amazon UK | Amazon US

About the Author

Hi! I’m Carl Rackman, a British former airline pilot turned author. I spent my working life travelling the world and this has given me a keen interest in other people and cultures. I’ve drawn on my many experiences for my writing. I write suspense thrillers with a grounded science-fiction theme. I like reading novels that feature atmospheric locales and I enjoy complex, absorbing storylines combined with rich, believable characters, so that’s the sort of fiction I write. I try to create immersive worlds for the reader to explore, and characters who are more than just vehicles for the story.

I come from a naval military background and have held a lifelong interest in military history and seafaring – all my books usually contain some of these elements!

Author links ~ Website | Facebook | Twitter