Deadfall: A John Hutchinson Novel

"Deadfall" is the third thriller novel published by Robert Liparulo. It's a tale about the human nature, both when given a seemingly absolute power and when put in a position to simply survive. If you read the sample chapter at www.robertliparulo.com; the first thing that happens is a guy in a Subaru is running for his life from a guy who's "pointing a thing at him" and trying to kill him. Wherever this guy points, the place he points to blows up. The bad guy catches the guy in the Subaru and fries him in his car. What makes this story good is that it's simply so much *more* than a story about a guy with a super weapon frying people in their cars. Instead, it's about people. Me. You. Real people. Declan, the owner of a video game production company, and his teenage band of misfit mercenaries, have helped develop a satellite based super laser that's as easy to use a working a remote control. Point and click. Really. The thing that Liparulo drives home here for us is that Declan is a guy - me, or you, who's got everything - money, good looks, talent, and power. Almost absolute power. And it drives him insane. It corrupts him. And you have to ask, could you handle being handed such an awesome power? Then you've got the guys out on a camping trip - they all have baggage, lots of baggage. Baggage like me. And you. And they just stumble into Declan and his super weapon. And the race is on. Armed with basically just a bow and arrow - they're stuck out in the deep woods of Northern Canada (Saskatchewan to be exact) with more than a week before *anyone* comes to look for them. With the fate of not only themselves, but a small boy, his mother and an entire town hanging in the balance, they have to ask themselves, what can they do. And the point Liparulo so expertly drives home here is: What would *you* do? What *could* you do? What will Declan and his gang do? This book is slower than "Comes a Horseman" and "Germ", but that's not a bad thing. This is a character book, its entire story centers on its players and how you relate to them. Liparulo proves that he's more than up to the challenge here. By the end of this book you will *know* these people. You will hope for them, and cry with them, and you will fear for them. Bad guys, good guys, all of them. They come alive on the pages here. This is why this book is a five stars. To say that Liparulo is on par with Ted Dekker and David Morrell is only partly fair - in so many ways he's surpassed these guys. In a lot of ways he's left them sitting in the dust. This is a story about people. Me. You. Real People. This is a story about choices; doing what's right; power. This is a story about the human will to survive. This is Deadfall. What would you do?

Walk into a computer store, check out the software department, and what do you find? Shelf upon shelf of computer games. And it's not just computer stores. With PlayStation, Xbox, and a range of other devices, gaming has become a huge part of today's culture. Browse the shelves long enough and you will find games aimed at pre-school age right through to adults. If you think gaming is regulated to a form of entertainment, you'd be mistaken. The US Military view life-like games and simulators vital in the training of new recruits and also regard video games as a way to interest teenagers into enlisting. With some video games also being attributed to the increase in teen violence, it stands to reason a novel would soon surface looking at the reach of today's gaming. Deadfall, Robert Liparulo's latest release, is a fast paced, action thriller which combines gaming and military technology into a storyline that will have readers enthralled from start to finish. Fiddler Falls, population 242, is about as remote as towns get. Situated in the Canadian far north, the town has no mobile phone service, landlines, cable or satellite television, or Internet. Satellite phones provide the only form of communication to the outside world. During Fall, rain makes roads impassable and isolates the town, making it the ideal spot for those who simply want to get away from it all--and those looking for a place to test a top secret weapon. Lead by Declan Page, six visitors arrive in Fiddler Falls, bringing with them a terror unlike any the town has seen before. Intent on proving that the future of warfare lies in the technology of video games, Declan brings with him "Slacker" (SLCR), a control unit for a top secret weapon created by his father's company. Declan and his group, largely made up of teens, use the town and surrounding area to test SLCR's capabilities, as well as shot real life footage for a new video game set to take gaming to the next level. Declan only has one rule. Leave no witnesses. When John Hutchison, known as Hutch, and his three closest friends needed a vacation, Hutch planned a hunting trip in the Canadian wilderness. Four men, nature, and ten days of seclusion to decompress. On the first morning, keen to hunt caribou and bring back meat for his friends, Hutch sets out. Soon the hunter becomes the hunted. A deadly game of cat and mouse begins as Hutch races to save innocent lives and remain out of the sight of an eye in the sky. An explosive read, Deadfall will blast holes in any action fanatics sleep pattern. Intent on only reading a chapter or two each night, I often found myself struggling to keep my eyes open many hours and many chapters later. Although more tightly written, Deadfall lacks the storyline complexity Robert's previous two releases contained. Reader enjoyment is carried throughout the story by hard and fast action and well developed characters. Robert also refrains from using gory descriptions as he did in

With "Comes a Horseman," Liparulo established himself as a top-notch thriller writer. He showed an ability to mix great characters, villains, and conspiracy details into a pulse-pounding novel. "Germ" continued the trend, with modern technology on the forefront of another conspiracy, and another cast of memorable characters. I heard good ol' Bob had a new book on the way. The book would pit four friends on a wilderness week-long escape against a band of modern psychopaths, bent on testing out their new technology in the frigid wastelands of Canada. I started frothing for a chance to sink my teeth into it. And then...Publishers Weekly gave it this scathing review. I wonder if the reviewer is even old enough to have read James Dickey's original "Deliverance," to which he/she compared Liparulo's latest. Plots are a dime a dozen. The basic scenarios of most novels, especially thrillers, have been done many times before. What sets a particular thriller apart--and what sets each of Liparulo's books apart--is the attention to character and detail. How do the characters interact with the plot's elements? It's this human element which allows some thrillers to rise above, and Liparulo is a stellar example of that trait. Whereas the PW reviewer seems to be getting it all wrong, Liparulo here is getting it all right. He dovetails action and character development with ease. He proves he is a master storyteller with many great stories to tell.

I read 100-120 Thrillers per year, and when Robert's books come out, I put down whatever I'm reading and start his book. I read Deadfall's 450 pages in two nights - and with good reason. For me, the hook here was the concept of a Star Wars-like technology (the Reagan era Star Wars) that's been hijacked for what turns out to be an incredibly "sinister" reason. Robert does a great job of making multiple characters very real each with his/her own set of weaknesses, and positions them in situations that propelled me through the story. If you haven't read Comes a Horseman or Germ, that's ok, Deadfall is a Thriller in its own rite - and you'll want to know the ending! But after reading Deadfall, pick up Comes a Horseman, Robert mixes all the Thriller elements in one fast read.

John Hutchinson (aka "Hutch") and his three closest friends are looking forward to a few days of hunting, fishing, and camping in the remote Canadian wilderness. Each one needs a break from the daily grind, and getting away from it all is the perfect solution. Meanwhile, the nearby town of Fiddler Falls finds itself in mortal danger as a madman named Declan and his gang of reckless teenagers has taken the town hostage. At their disposal is an advanced satellite weapon that has the power to incinerate any target from space. As they wreak havoc on the citizens of Fiddler Falls, they film every moment hoping to capture enough footage for a new video game they are creating. Hutch and his buddies soon stumble across the carnage happening in Fiddler Falls and realize they are the town's only hope. Armed with only a bow, Hutch leads the way in a battle for survival and justice as they take on the killers and their deadly new technology. Robert Liparulo has quickly established himself as one of the preeminent thriller writers around. This latest installment only proves what so many have already discovered: This guy has some serious talent. In Deadfall, Liparulo takes us on an intense thrill ride that is full of suspense, action, and heart. This is a classic good vs. evil tale where both sides are equally fascinating, building up to a climactic battle of intellect and arms that more than pays off. Liparulo is known for incorporating innovative technology in his novels, and the Slacker (Satellite Laser Cannon) is his most cunning and lethal creation yet. Not only does it bring an extra level of raw tension to the story, its real life potential makes the story that much more frightening. As usual Liparulo has created deep and intriguing characters that effortlessly pull the narrative along. Declan and his teen cronies are unlikely villains in that they are so young and reveal no obvious threats upon first glance. However, Liparulo reminds us that true darkness abides within, and when evil rears its head it is ugly indeed. Hutch may just be Liparulo's best character to date. His heroic heart and spirit are infectious, and readers will love to root for him. His personal struggles and triumphs as a father make his character stronger and more human. The truths and realizations he experiences throughout the story will warm readers' hearts and inspire them. Deadfall is Liparulo at his absolute best. Very rarely does a writer come along who can entertain at the highest level while exploring human character so effectively. With titles like Comes a Horseman, Germ, and now Deadfall under his belt, Liparulo is proving that he is an author who demands to be noticed.