White Plague

By: James Abel

Narrated by: Ray Porter

In the frozen waters of the Arctic, Marine bioterror expert Joe Rush races to save a submarine crew from a lethal threat.

“The pleas for help stopped coming just after five in the morning, Washington time. The Pentagon staffers cleared for handling sensitive messages sat in horror for a moment and then tried other ways to reach the victims. Nothing worked so they called the Director, who phoned me.”

In the remote, frozen waters of the Arctic Ocean, the high-powered and technically advanced submarine U.S.S. Montana is in peril. Adrift and in flames, the boat—and the entire crew—could be lost. The only team close enough to get to them in time is led by Marine doctor and bioterror expert Joe Rush.

With only thirty-six hours before the surviving crew perish, Joe and his team must race to rescue the Montana and ensure that the boat doesn’t fall into enemy hands: A fast-approaching foreign submarine is already en route, and tensions may explode.

But that’s the least of their troubles. For the surviving sailors are not alone on the sub. Something is trapped with them. Something deadly. Something that plagued mankind long ago, when it devastated the entire world. And the crew of the Montana has unknowingly set it free. Now, Joe and his team must not only find a way to save the Montana and her crew, but stop a lethal horror of apocalyptic consequences from being unleashed on all humanity.

Critic reviews

“In White Plague, James Abel reworks one of the great tragedies of the early 20th Century into the material of a believable, hard-driving thriller of the modern arctic. Fast, well-written entertainment wrapped around something to think about.”—John Sandford, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Field of Prey

“White Plague will make you shiver with both cold and terror. James Abel becomes your expert guide into the Arctic—and into a frightening scenario that's all too believable.” —Tom Young, author of The Mullah's Storm

”White Plague delivers relentless action and suspense on the unforgiving terrain of the Arctic, the world's last frontier.”—Alex Berenson, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of The Secret Soldier

"The White Plague sinks its hooks into the reader on page one and never lets go. It combines the military action of Tom Clancy with the scientific adventure of Michael Crichton and places it all in the Arctic setting of classic Alistair Maclean. Joe Rush is a great new action hero: highly capable, painfully honest, acutely scarred by his past, and brilliantly engaging. I look forward to more!"—David Bell author of The Forgotten Girl

“[Abel] is a solid, cleanly efficient writer who knows how to stage an action scene and, just as important, is a master of this chilled universe…Effective flashbacks and unfolding events keep the pages turning. Joe Rush makes a strong debut against dangerous odds in the Arctic, and so does Abel.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Well-written…Abel piles plenty of trouble on Joe and his gang….The unusual Arctic location is a plus.”—Publishers Weekly

“Evoking both Michael Crichton’s medical thrillers and Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for Red October, this is a very tightly written first novel.”—Booklist

“[Abel is] an author who has the gift of creating page-turning fiction that reads like non-fiction. White Plague is so believable it feels like the author is reporting actual events. Readers will eagerly be awaiting the next adventure featuring Joe Rush.”—The Associated Press

“Akin to John Carpenter's brilliant film The Thing...A true white-knuckle race for survival set against the backdrop of the classic ticking clock. Superior storytelling in the tradition of James Rollins that's pure fun.”—Providence Journal

I don't like stupid for the sake of the story

Great storyline, great plot and I was certainly riveted. What I don't like is making the "brilliant" main character suddenly stupid and unable to understand/figure it out in parts of this story just so the plot can be extended. This was a great storyline and those moments weren't necessary.

Some plot holes a mile wide

What did you like best about White Plague? What did you like least?

I love medical thrillers, so that was the part that got me interested in this book. However, it didn't really read like much a medical thriller, as it felt like it was more about the action.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I was disappointed in this book in that there were a lot of "coincidences" and at the end the book there were conveniently open questions remaining that really just communicated plot holes. There was interesting stuff going on in the book and you are wondering "why are they doing this" "how did they do this" "where did they get this information"... and those questions are never answered. This book is a lazy weekend-on-the-beach read, so don't expect much.

Was White Plague worth the listening time?

Yeah, it was short and distracting and entertaining enough for what it was. Personally though, I wouldn't spend more than $5 on this book though.

Great narration od so, so novel

This novel would have had more suspense if the plot had been more realistic especially related to the "moral dilemma" of whether to kill actual and potential suffers of a contagious with no known cure . The most interesting aspect is the degree to which government and big businesses practice crony capitalism.

Fine Entertainment

Great details, gripping excitement, sabotage and a slippery virus = awesome arctic thrills! Two enthusiastic thumbs up.

Science and Realism

Great story line awesome narrator!! I’m ready for another suspenseful “Good Book” by James Abel