Minutes to Burn

Hurwitz does it once again, but this time he does it even better. After reading his brilliantly terrifying psychological serial-killler thriller, The Tower, I didn't know what to expect with his next book; but it's clear, he's the next Crichton. Hurwitz switches gears and takes us on a terrifying trip to the Galapagos, where scientists and Navy SEALs find themselves stranded on an island, fighting to survive an evolutionary nightmare. What unfolds will leave your heart racing until the book's breathtaking end. While the book's premise may seem unlikely, even far-fetched, Hurwitz clearly did his homework; he has such a firm grasp of so many fields of study--from entomology to virology to ecology to biology--he's able to create the illusion that such a scenario could possibly happen. Hurwitz more than delivers. His brilliant plotting and deft characterizations, not to mention the language he uses place him among the very best writers today. I can't wait to see what in the world he comes up with next.

Minutes To Burn is the second book I've read by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz and I am thouroughly impressed. There are a lot of authors out there who stick to the same themes in their books, but not this one. Hurwitz's first book The Tower was a psychological thriller and he has now jumped to a science thriller involving Navy Seals and a phenomenon none of us could imagine encountering. The characters in this book are fascinating, funny and at times brutal. This book is smart and fast paced. You won't want to put this one down.

Gregg Andrew Hurwitz's Minutes to Burn is a fantastic sophmore effort. From the first pages, he grabs you by the seat of the pants and takes you on a thrilling ride through the Galapagos Islands. With rounder and more complex characters than his debut effort The Tower, Minutes to Burn shows the maturing of a fantastic up and coming author. Each word hits like a body blow, leaving you gasping for air, but reaching to turn the next page. Set a few years in the future, on the archipelego that Darwin made famous, Minutes to Burn details a story of hunters becoming hunted. Evoking a terror similar to The Most Dangerous Game, a crew of Navy SEALS and scientists encounter Jurassic Park type monsters caused by a runaway virus. Stripped of weapons, the teams are left to fend for themselves. The suspenseful finish proves Darwin right; only the fittest survive.If you are a suspense/thriller fan, this is a book, and author, worth burning a few minutes on.

Minutes to Burn is a fast-paced, intelligent glimpse into the near future. Somtimes frightening, sometimes humorous with a biting edge, Hurwitz clearly has a gift for spinning a good scientific adventure tale. From the opening description of a cow being killed by a mysterious creature, I was hooked. The group of Navy SEALS are well developed and even the women characters are well written. The book was obvioulsy thoroughly researched and covers a broad range of topics...making it appealing for a wide range of readers. The frenetic pace, set against the altered ecosystem makes for an exciting read. This work can be compared to that of Crichton, particularly to Jurassic Park. As in his last book, Hurwitz is a very visual writer, and you can just imagine the story unfolding on the big screen.