The Breach

The Breach refers to an interesting phenomenon that was discovered when a physics experiment went differently than expected. Oh, don't worry, it is a fictional thing but it leads an interesting background idea to this fascinating thriller. Actually, we do not learn of what the Breach is, or why it is important until we are almost one third of the way into this book. It starts by telling us of our hero, Travis Chase, and his decision making process which involves a trek through the Alaskan wilderness. It appears that Mr. Chase has a decision to make. After one year of living in Alaska, he must decide whether to return to his family in Minnesota, or stay in Alaska forever. The reason this decision is a bit difficult is that Mr. Chase was released from prison a year ago, and while in Alaska no one knows or cares, the family ties are strong. On the other hand, the folks in Minnesota know about his 15 year incarceration. While engaged in his trek, he comes across a very recently crashed 747 and finds out that almost all the occupants have been shot in the head - executed in fact. Thus we launch on a merry ride that has us following his exploits as he ultimately saves the world. I do not want to describe more of the plot as it would give away too much. The book is very well written and very tightly paced. It seems that we move from one moment of supreme to another one almost effortlessly and the tension remains. This is the kind of book that is actually very hard to put down as you are always looking for what happens next. In addition, the author does not reveal the plot in a linear fashion. Just like learning about Chase's past - in the early chapters we find out about his need to make a decision - but not why. Then, slowly but surely, we find out about his prison stay, then why, then really why, then really, really why. There are many twists to the story, and each time we think we gathered what is going on, we hit upon a new twist which changes the way we look at the whole story. This also takes place in the main storyline. All the way to the last chapter of the book, so do not assume that you understand what is going on until you put it down. I really enjoyed reading this and trying to figure out what was going on. I was successful in some small parts but will admit that the final plot twists were well beyond me and I did not see them coming. I devoured this book in a couple of nights - staying up way too late because it captured my attention so completely - and can only hope that this is the beginning of a series of offerings by the author of similar caliber.

Patrick Lee's "The Breach" is delightful read, but a hard novel to characterize, combining elements of terrorism, special operations, and "X-Files" type mysteries. However one characterizes it, Lee keeps you on edge as it rips through an intricate plot peopled with characters of genuine complexity. Travis Chase is a former crooked-cop and ex-con. He has turned his back on his former life, and seeks a new one in Alaska, going off into the Alaskan Bush for a summer hike. While camping about 30 miles from the nearest settlement, he hears an unusual sound during a thunderstorm. Further on in his hike, he discovers a crashed unmarked 747. To his amazement, nobody is on the scene after 3 days, which he cannot fathom. Investigating the fuselage leads him to a murdered crew and dead passengers including the First Lady of the United States, who has left a note informing him that hostages have been taken and are being tortured nearby to secure a device of great national import which was on the plane. The note says for him to kill the hostiles and kill the survivors and call a number for help. Satellite phones have been destroyed, so Chase has to improvise, locating the people who caused the crash nearby. He observes a woman and a man being tortured. While the man is executed before he can intervene, Chase has contrived a plausible and clever plan to kill the hostiles, managing to save the woman, who has been severely injured. He knows the hostiles have other reinforcements and a helicopter nearby, but must strike out on a all-terrain vehicle for the nearest settlement with the injured girl. Eluding a helicopter, he manages to reach the village and call in assistance, but is unaware a deadly and literally invisible assassin has been launched to intercept and terminate him and the girl. Chase proves himself a clever and resourceful foil for the assassins, and is taken prisoner by the organization Tangent after saving the girl. He is taken to a remote and secret base in the Wyoming wilderness where he is made aware of the unbelievable source of amazing technologies such as the invisibility suit. After undergoing a thorough interrogation, he is apprised of the true danger to the globe threatened by a traitor accessing alien technology, who always seems one step ahead of Tangent. Lee tantalizes us with glimpses of Chase's past, while he becomes romantically involved with Paige, the woman he rescued, as he tries to save the world. Lee expertly weaves the various subplots to an exciting conclusion, which keeps one thinking "what-ifs" long after reading the last page. This is a very plausible and satisfying thriller, and I hope there will be a sequel, because Chase is an excellent protagonist. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

I've tried reading thrillers before, but they never really thrilled me. Ticking clock, world's going to end, bulky hero with unlimited martial prowess. Boring. Then I read The Breach and my concept of thriller was turned on its head. By page 8, Travis Chase stumbles across a downed plane with the First Lady on board. From then on the tension does not stop. There is no dreary exposition, drawn out descriptions, or useless subplots. Places to rest end up being the exact opposite. At times, I put the book down to just think about how amazing it was. There are scenes I had to process bits at a time so that I was sure to savor every line. And the action. Thrillers I've read before (and maybe I've just been unlucky, I've only read a few) have basic action. He shot the gun, he dove under the table, etc. The action is this book is so crisp, so visual, it's disturbing. Sometimes very disturbing. All the high tension cards stack up until the end, when they're blown down in one big twist that will leave you shaking your head and smiling and wishing book 1 would morph into book 2 in your hands.

This book is suspenseful and exciting, an action novel with a bit of mystery and science fiction thrown in. Travis Chase finds a plane in pieces in a remote Alaskan countryside. I was immediately drawn into the story as Travis first tries to find out what happened and is then drawn into the situation, trying to discern who is good and bad and what is good and bad...not an easy task, a task that only gets more difficult as the story unfolds. Through many twists and surprises, the story unfolds, the excitement builds until the last surprise at the end. This was a fun book to read, hard to put down, and impossible to predict. I was a little ambivalent about the ending, but I enjoyed it thoroughly anyway. I would recommend this book as a good read that is hard to put down.