In Michael Ray Ewing's Lightning, we see the unethical genetic experiments at Biodosius Labs, where a process for healing trauma creates "Nightmares” or genetically altered, violent, monstrous hostiles instead. Four characters intersect through this biological crisis. The first is Adam Barnett, who, after being struck by lightning, unknowingly becomes a key player when he befriends Mop, a highly valuable research dog that escaped the lab. Adam's survival instincts and accidental exposure to the lab's experimental drugs allow him to combat the Nightmares. Next is the veteran Ranger Major Blain Jacobson, initially a military observer until he discovers a high-level cover-up. Jacobson joins Adam's group to gather evidence and expose the conspiracy after surviving an assassination attempt. Then there's Monica, a brilliant geneticist at Biodosius, who triggers the hunt for the whistleblowers when she flees with the elixir that fuels the Nightmares and the frozen embryos that are used to make it. The fourth is Victoria, a rancher who has a mysterious mental link with the monsters after being treated in the lab when she survived an attack. Her fighting skills and her familiarity with the lab's secrets make her indispensable.

As the whistleblowers flee from both human and superhuman assailants, the story's dark atmosphere and fast-paced events never slow down. Lightning is a sci-fi thriller that mixes medical horror with military action. The plot is gripping, unpredictable, and explosive, and starts with a frightening lightning strike. The language is straightforward, understandable, descriptive, and detailed. Michael Ray Ewing uses character switching to enable readers to experience different mental states and personal challenges that the characters undergo during times of challenging situations and changes. The story explores bravery, loyalty, morality, and the dangerous use of science, how power destroys people, and scientific research where facts are concealed. Exciting and suspenseful for readers who enjoy stories that mix science with action and survival challenges. It will appeal to both adult and young adult readers.

Adam Barnett, a custom mountain bike designer from Defiance, Arizona, was out in the desert on one of his usual rides, testing his recent prototype bike, when lightning struck him. He awakens in an old mine with a sore body, a huge dog beside him, and no recollection of how he got there. Little does he know that his life and more than a dozen others are in danger, and it has everything to do with Biodosius, a government scientific facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, and a botched biological project. Powerful entities, including a high-ranking military officer and the Nightmares, savage creatures, believe Adam has something they want, and they’re coming after it. Wherever they go, they leave a trail of bloodshed. As Adam joins forces with a seasoned army ranger, a scientist on the run, his brother, and the dog, will he survive what is coming his way? Find out in Lightning by Michael Ray Ewing.

Lightning by Michael Ray Ewing is a must-read for lovers of mystery and conspiracy thrillers flavored with drama, sci-fi, bio-horror, crime, high-octane action, edge-of-the-seat suspense, and jaw-dropping plot twists. Ewing hooked me right from the start with an introduction that immediately set the intriguing plot in
motion. The prose moves at a dynamic pace, alternating moments of reflection, tension, and bursts of action. Ewing has a knack for capturing the settings with incredible clarity, from the bloody, corpse-ridden corridors of Biodosius to the dark, quiet tunnels of the old mine. I enjoyed the nuanced character-driven conversations, which shifted from witty to clipped, and the realistic, insightful details about the characters’ weaponry and technology. This page-turner is a visceral, spine-chilling read that will keep you holding your breath as you brace for the worst, and exhaling in relief after the cast maneuvers their way out of utterly dangerous situations. I loved it.

Lightning by Michael Ray Ewing is an action-packed thriller. After being struck by lightning, Adam Barnett's memory isn't the same. While mountain biking on the desert trails above Arizona, Adam suddenly finds himself caught in a storm and chased by a "Nightmare." Under General O'Dell's orders, veteran Army Ranger Major Blain Jacobson accompanies an elite team to investigate the secret research facility at Biodosius in North Scottsdale, Pinnacale Peak. However, their mission turns deadly when they encounter enemies unlike any other. Victoria Stewart's life hasn't been the same since the cartel. Now, she can't stop hearing the voice of a killer she calls Dark talking about his next victims. As Adam and his extraordinary dog Mop get chased by nightmares, his friends and family intervene, putting their own lives in grave peril.

Author Michael Ray Ewing has written an absorbing tale, seamlessly blending thriller, mystery, and sci-fi elements to keep your eyes glued to the pages all the way through. The narrative is layered with action, suspense, and intrigue. Whether you're a fan of thrilling action sequences or tantalizing sci-fi mysteries, Lightning features both in equal measure. Ewing spins an intricate yarn with a large cast of characters. I was impressed by how everything came together in the end, like the pieces of a perfectly assembled jigsaw. Every featured character has agency and a distinct personality. Adam, Victoria, Jacobson, and Monica all have their own motivations and separate storylines that intersect somewhere down the halfway point of the book. The ending leaves room for a sequel, and personally, I would love to read it. Highly recommended.

Adam Barnett cannot remember exactly how he ended up passed out on a bike trail, except that at some point in his journey, lightning struck him. The only evidence of this strange phenomenon is the scars on his body and the presence of a big, friendly dog who refuses to leave his side. He takes the dog, whom he names Mop, back home to face the drudgery of navigating what remains of his life as a recently divorced custom bike builder. Adam does not know that his canine companion has a deadly secret, one that has destroyed a top-secret government research center and cost several lives. That secret is about to unravel Adam’s quiet life spectacularly in Michael Ray Ewing’s Lightning.

Michael Ray Ewing balances drama with breathtaking action in Lightning. He uses flashbacks and moments of introspection from Adam’s perspective to immerse readers in Adam’s origin story as they piece together the reason for all the open hostility between him and his ex-wife’s family. The author complements this drama-heavy subplot with dialogue that goes from curious to outright comedic, especially when Adam has to deal with former family members. Readers will enjoy getting caught up in the suspense that builds with each discovery as government agents attempt to secure the facility. The author spreads out the clues throughout the narrative, encouraging perceptive readers to solve each mini-mystery in a particular sequence as they figure out Mop’s origins. Ewing weaves these elements together with a descriptive narrative style and a breakneck pace that mystery and action genre enthusiasts will love.