Book Review: Flight of the Raptor

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Flight of the Raptor     Amazon US TPB Amazon Canada TPB
Cord Harper
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Political Intrigue   Thriller
Writers Club. Dec 2000, $15.95, 310 pp.

In 2008 Libya, Russian Nobel Prize winning virologist Dr. Leonid Andropov completes his work on developing a deadly virus and a vaccine. He and his benefactor plan to unleash the deadly bug on an unsuspecting world. Years ago, the egomaniacal Leonid faked his death and moved to this North African country where President Ahmed Al-Almohad has made him welcome. A staunch communist believer, Leonid expects six billion to die for the cause.

Ahmed supports his effort because the oil economy of his desert nation will soon dry up, leaving them with nothing. After a near death experience during a hold-up in which he froze in fear while a thug murdered the clerk, pharmaceutical sales representative Gavin Alexander is a traumatic wreck. He attends a seminar sponsored by his firm Draco on the East Coast where he meets his friend, researcher Cherokee Dr. Ross Hawke, who also works for Draco but in North Carolina. However, neither one realizes that they will soon be a team trying to stop Leonid and Ahmed from unleashing Raptor while seeking a cure for the deadly virus.

FLIGHT OF THE RAPTOR is a quality political thriller that seems like a real possibility of occurring in a world where biological-chemical weapons exist. The story line is fast-paced and filled with cleverly developed action that provides the audience with a wonderful ride. The characters are fully developed, especially the heroes and obvious villains so that the reader understands the varying motivations of each one. Having Florida being a key state in presidential election politics demonstrates talented author Cord Harper's ability to read the future. Hopefully, he is inaccurate on the future of a Raptor-like virus.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner