Breakpoint

By: Richard A. Clarke

Narrated by: Robertson Dean

Against All Enemies warned about how we were conducting the war against terror. The Scorpion's Gate demonstrated what could happen. And now America's preeminent counterterrorism expert and #1 bestselling author shows us all . . .hat might come next.

The global village-an intricately intertwined network of technology that binds together the world's economies, governments, and communication systems. So large, so vital-and so fragile. Now a sophisticated group is seeking to "disconnect the globe"-destroying computer grids, communications satellites, Internet cable centers, biotech firms. Hard to do? If only that were so.

Quickly, a dedicated team of men and women assembles to try to track the group down, searching through right-wing militias and Russian organized crime, Jihadist terrorists and enemy nation-states. But the attacks are coming more swiftly now, and growing in destructiveness. Soon, they will reach the breakpoint- and then there may be nothing anybody can do.

Reviewers everywhere praised the suspense and pace of The Scorpion's Gate, the vivid depictions of war, espionage, and bureaucracy, but most of all they hailed its authenticity. "Unlike most novelists, the man has been there and done that," said The New York Times Book Review. "Some of us," added The Washington Post, "have learned to listen when Richard A. Clarke has something to say." And we'd better hope they're listening now.©2007 RAC Enterprises, Inc.; (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., and Books on Tape. All rights reserved.

Breakpoint

The book is very well written, and a pleasure to read!
Richard A Clarke is very well versed in the subject matter!

To Much of a Political Statement

Narrator was good. Story was okay. Writer makes his political opinion heroic and demonize others ideas. Enjoyed other books but returning this one.

SciFi Thriller

I could smell movie all over this. The epilogue of notes should come first, because it really fleshes out some of the SF stuff in the complex story. Richard Clarke has written a better novel than his first thriller. The characters are cookie cutter but the plot pulls on all the sort of things he did as a top DC official: terrorism, military stuff, computer and internet security, etc. A great audio book for a long drive. The narration was very good. Made me want to look into the concepts Clarke weaves thru the story.

Disappointing, flabby writing

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would not recommend this book to someone interested in espionage literature. The premise of cyber-war is intriguing, perhaps even possible, but the plot of this is weak and the characters colourless.

Would you ever listen to anything by Richard A. Clarke again?

No

Did Breakpoint inspire you to do anything?

Stop reading the book. Change my online passwords.

An Excellent Techno Triller

Would you listen to Breakpoint again? Why?

This novel is intended to be fiction, but in reality is far closer to the state of current affairs and technologies then most people knew till recently. If you are in the cyber-security field, I recommend you make your CIO or CEO read this book and then come discuss it with you. The content in this book provides a prediction into the next phase of asymmetric war - cyber war and covers a realistic scenario of what we might expect to see play out in the next few years. The prolog of the book cross-walks the reader through the technologies addressed in the story. While most will perceive many of these technologies to be pure scifi, you will learn many of these technologies are deployed, in testing, or in development currently. For those not in the know, I guarantee this will be an eye opener.

What about Robertson Dean’s performance did you like?

Dean's reading of the book was excellent. His differentiation of each character through voice and texture of language made the book come to life.