Terminal


Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
376 Pages
Reviewed on 07/28/2018
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Author Biography

John is an accomplished fiction author – writing thrillers that draw upon his experiences with key governmental agencies and scientists, including serving on a presidential panel led by former national security advisor, Brent Scowcroft. His Commander John Hart thriller trilogy begins with Terminal, a heart-pounding tale of bioterrorism, followed by, 8 Seconds to Midnight, involving nuclear espionage. The third book in the series will be released winter 2018.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Richard L DeMoss for Readers' Favorite

Terminal is the first book of a trilogy by John Leifer and deals with bio-terrorism. The book opens at George Mason University at a conference on bio-terrorism attended by 200 people. The two featured speakers, Commander John Hart - a CIA operator officially working through DARPA - and Dr. Elizabeth Wilkens - a senior scientist at the CDC Biosafety Lab - give presentations on genetically modified smallpox and the threat by the United Islamic State of using it as a weapon against the United States. In another part of the world, Leifer introduces us to Ibrahim Almasi al-Bakr, the founder and leader of the UIS, his protege Ahmed Al Hameed, who has formulated a plan to disperse a bio-weapon against the United States, and Beibut Valikhanov, a brilliant Russian scientist who has developed a lethal form of a genetically modified smallpox virus. Disillusioned by the new watered-down stance of Russia, Valikhanov is spirited away and joins Al Hameed in Faisalabad, Pakistan to start putting the plan in action. Over the next year, a bio-weapons lab is set up and made operational to produce the virus and 50 million doses of a vaccine that can be given to the 'Chosen Ones', those who will be determined to be worthy of surviving the global pandemic event.

John Leifer gives a brilliant and detailed account of an event that some day could become a reality. Leifer paints a vivid picture of the attack, the attempts of the United States to contain the virus, and the hunting down and destruction of those who perpetrated the atrocity. He has evidently done a lot of research on Terminal, and the story rings true due the amount of detail he includes in the narrative. It is well documented, and each character is well developed with background detail. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the way Leifer presented it. His narrative is straightforward and easy to follow. One can readily relate to the people who perpetrate the attack, those who try to stop it, and the victims of the attack. Terminal comes to a solid conclusion, but hints that there is more to come. I definitely will get the next book in the series, 8 Seconds to Midnight, and look forward to seeing what comes next.

Divine Zape

Terminal by John Leifer is a terrorist thriller of the finest example, a sequel to 8 Seconds to Midnight. Four jihadists are out to use a cutting edge technology to orchestrate the most devastating terrorist attack on American soil. They are not armed with bombs and grenades, but a weapon that kills without spilling blood, and now they are at the busiest airports in the country, armed only with a briefcase and a pen. But they carry a virus able to create a wide scale pandemic and advance the cause of the United Islamic State. Only one man can stop them — Commander John Hart — but does he have the resources he needs and can he stop them in time to prevent Armageddon?

This is a well-crafted novel and the author makes sure that readers hate the villains as much as they love the heroes, a highly imaginative achievement. Character development is impeccable and the author allows readers powerful insights into the characters, including interesting backgrounds that best situate them in the roles they play. For instance: “Ahmed Al Hameed was tall and pale —his ghostly pallor the result of a small error in a single gene. The mistake of nature, an indelible defect, impacted far more than just the pigment of his skin. In many ways, it defined him.” The plot is skillfully executed, and the author demonstrates expertise in wielding different literary techniques to enhance the story with suspense. Terminal also has hints of science fiction and dystopia, but what caught my attention and had me turning the pages is the realism infused into the story and the powerful conflict. John Leifer just became one of the writers I will be keeping an eye on.

Amanda Rofe

Terminal by John Leifer is the prequel to 8 Seconds to Midnight and charts the story of a devastating terrorist attack on America by zealous Islamic jihadists. Enemies of the infidels of the West, their aim is to bring America to its knees and install a Holy Caliphate. Armed with nothing more than a briefcase and a pen, four of the extremists saunter through airports, spraying a lethal dose of a virulent biological weapon upon unsuspecting members of the public. By creating a deadly global pandemic, they intend to wipe out all but the Chosen Ones. The task of stopping them is laid at the door of Commander John Hart and he has a race against time to thwart a devastating tragedy from unfolding.

I was completely captivated with the story line from the very first chapter. John Leifer writes effortlessly and eloquently. The narrative was current, coherent and absorbing. I immediately warmed to the main protagonist and former Navy SEAL, John Hart. Perfectly cast as the man to save the day, he was ably assisted by bio-safety expert, and love interest, Liz Wilkins. I was swept along in the plot line with a few 'edge of the seat' moments. Would Sayad, the undercover agent, make it out alive and would the jihadists succeed? The zealousness of Hart's adversaries was vividly portrayed and provided an interesting insight into the lives and mindset of Islamic extremists. Terminal contains all the components of a blockbuster movie. This is a well-researched book which held my attention throughout. I highly recommend it.