Dangerous Journey is an action-adventure thriller by Clark Selby. Best friends Chance Taylor and Charles Brow are ready to compete in an adrenaline-pumping road race from Moscow to Beijing in Chance's vintage Corvette. Apart from being car aficionados, Chance and Charles also happen to be nuclear scientists working at the Sandia National Laboratory. However, on their way to Moscow, Chance and Charles' ship is attacked, and the two of them, with five other people, are kidnapped by members belonging to Al-Qaeda, who want to procure nuclear weapons to detonate on American soil. Ignoring his supervisor's wishes, CIA analyst Hank Sollenberger follows his hunch and sets out in pursuit of the scientists. As evidence of their kidnapping is discovered, CIA agents Tom Parker and Rick Byrd join the mission. With time running out, can Chance and his fellow Americans stop the terrorist plot?

Dangerous Journey is a high-octane action thriller you don't want to miss. Filled with suspense, action, and romance, Clark Selby's novel wouldn't look out of place as the screenplay for a Hollywood blockbuster. The pulsating tension and intrigue seeping out of the pages may remind readers of the Bourne series of novels. The plot moves at a relentless pace, and there are a couple of twists that will take you by surprise. Every character has their own motives that give agency to their actions. This is a multiple-POV narrative, and it feels like there are no main characters. Chance and Hank stand out amongst the rest, having the most page time. If you're looking for an entertaining, fast-paced thriller, Dangerous Journey might just be the book for you.

Dangerous Journey (Book One) by Clark Selby is the first installment in a series. Nuclear scientists Dr. Chance Taylor and Dr. Charles Brown have been friends since college and work at Sandia National Laboratory, specializing in America’s atomic weapon systems. Chance, the proud owner of a Corvette, convinces Charles to take two months off from work to be his co-pilot in the Moscow to Beijing Road Race for classic sports cars from the 1950s. This comes to the attention of al-Qaeda operative al-Sadr and what follows is a fast-paced adventure that threatens the lives of millions of Americans. Meanwhile, CIA analyst Hank Sollenberger discovers the terrorist plot. However, his reputation at the agency is marred by numerous verbal warnings for unauthorized trips, with his immediate superior Beverly Jenkins just waiting for the chance to fire him. Can he convince the agency that this terrorist threat is real?

Clark Selby’s Dangerous Journey (Book One) is a chilling story of how a group of men with a frightening mix of delusion and calculation plot a catastrophic assault on the United States and how another group of men tries desperately to stop it. The narrative is fast-paced and action-packed, with numerous twists and turns that make it a gripping read. I found the characters of the unlikely heroes in the novel to be likable. Chance Taylor, Charles Brown, and the eccentric Hank Sollenberger are certainly not your typical heroes, making the plot unpredictable. The book is credible and set in the appropriate time, place, and environment. It reminds the reader that international terrorists are still a threat to the lives of millions of people worldwide and that we owe our freedom to the men and women dedicated to thwarting them.

Dangerous Journey (Book One) by Clark Selby sees Dr. Chance Taylor and Dr. Charles Brown, two American nuclear physicists, embarking on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to enter the Moscow to Beijing road race for classic cars. Unbeknown to them, this becomes the trigger for Al-Qaeda to initiate their deadly plans for an attack on America and its citizens, with a ruthlessly devised plot to cause massive damage across numerous locations within the U.S.A. Only Hank Sollenberger, a quirky CIA analyst, has any suspicions about what is truly unfolding in this fast-paced race to head off the devastation that may claim millions of innocent lives. With stakes as high as this, there will be casualties, and only the thrilling climax will reveal who survives this journey.

In its current format, Clark Selby’s Dangerous Journey is somewhat raw but contains a story worthy of attention. Told primarily from the viewpoint of Taylor and Brown, I found the characters suitably varied and their relationships to be quite good. There were also elements left unresolved, which will lead nicely into the next book in the series. Undoubtedly the hunt for Dr. Abu al-Sadr will be the primary focus. The plot was nicely developed; however, there were some elements I found to be a little too convenient to the ultimate resolution, with the acquisition of vehicles by Al-Qaeda being one, where I believed that these would have been obtained using more subtle means and better hidden from the authorities. If you are interested in action and adventure on a global scale, this may be the book for you.