EnviroLink Forum

Since everyone is concerned about our environment and global warming, a new subgenre in thriller novels has surfaced. It’s been called environmental, enviro or eco thrillers. Going green and bioterrorism are at odds with each other in the action filled environmental thriller – Green Power. Signed copies available on amazon.com from GP_AUTHOR. More info on book at: http://www.freewebs.com/vrooman

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Charles Vrooman:

This sub-genre was started by Clive Cussler back with White Death and Polar Shift to Plague Ship and others.....nothing new. Clive Cussler "Environmental thrillers": Fire Ice is about the environmental disaster of someone using the sensitivity of ocean methane hydrate deposits for huge explosions, Polar shift is about environmental disaster with pole reversal, White death is about escaped genetically modified voracious fish, Shock Wave is about using long range oceanic pulses to kill areas, Sahara is about released toxins causing an epidemic disease, Fllod Tide is about the environmental disaster of blowing dikes in the Mississippi lowlands, Plague ship is about a human engineered disease to be used to stop overpopulation, Black Wind is about bad guys finding and using a WWII toxin, Medusa is about a deadly virus and the race for the antidote, and Arctic Drift is about a breakthrough discovery that can reverse global warming.
You've been advertising your book all over the net, which is a good way to sell more books. I suppose the only way to find out if it measures even close to Cussler is to read it.
After reading the synopsis and excerpts, I will not read it(but I changed my mind and it is a good book). The stereotyping of combat veterans is disgusting (and not knowing the purpose of stopping the spread of communism). Replacing the power of a downed nuclear reactor with cow dung methane digesters is absurd because of the power differential. (actually it was about the shut down of the bad nuclear reactor in the days of 3 Mile Island and Chernobyl being a fresh memory--in the 1990s new safe reactor tech was developed)
Well, maybe the excerpts don't show the "good vets"(actually there is one) or the other green power sources to replace the nuclear reactor. I do remember it reading that it took place in 1989, and that kind of got me as being not too contemporary(back before the two week wait to get into Yosemite or the outnumbering of Americans by invaders and the huge debt and red ink they have incurred). Maybe that was just part of the book(actually the two page last chapter brings the reader up to the late 1990s), but having "bad vets" at 60+ years old running around shooting at the good guys is a stretch for 2009(the book took place in 1989, with a Van Halen concert and romance and tear jerking mom reunion).
I may read it when it goes down in price, or on the used book market. I bought the signed edition direct. About the stereotyping of the militia, most militias are for the purpose of upholding the US Constitution, and even with this one, only three of the group were bad guys, pushed over the edge by unemployment they saw caused by the good guy who was not so good at first. It was part medical thriller, a small part environmental thriller, part action and part romance novel. Really mostly historical because of the 1989 time frame and a little miss leading now that safe nuclear power is part of green power, along with solar and wind, and a small part the methane capture plants.

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"With every decision, think seven generations ahead of the consequences of your actions" Ute rule of life.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”― Chief Seattle
“Those Who Have the Privilege to Know Have the Duty to Act”…Albert Einstein

I’m sorry if someone felt that I stereotyped Viet Nam vets. It’s true that my antagonist was a Viet Nam vet. But I try to point out in his characterization that he and his type are exceptions. As an author one must create conflict between the main characters. That’s why my protagonist is portrayed as a hippy who lead demonstrations against the Viet Nam war, while my antagonist was an officer carrying out search and destroy missions like the Melai incident.
Also, in my novel, I never implied that methane digesters would replace nuclear power plants. These were projects that my protagonist was working on to give power to dairies.
To be fair to my book, I’m attaching a synopsis below for those who haven’t visited my website (http://www.freewebs.com/vrooman). I welcome any comments.
Synopsis:
After the renowned Microbiologist Dr. Ray Pendleton leads a demonstration to close down Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Plant, Ray is assaulted by two of Dirk Hendrickson’s fellow Delta Valley Militiamen. Ray survives the beating and is changed not only outwardly but it gives him the incentive to set up Methane Digesters as an alternative source of electrical power for Lodi dairies.
Dirk’s continued attacks on the professor and his projects results in a death threatening epidemic pointing to one of Ray’s methane lagoons as the cause. The infected patients are admitted to UC Davis Medical Center. Linda McCord, a lab tech at the hospital and former student of Dr. Pendleton, works with Ray to prove that the methane power source is not the cause of this spreading disease. Both Ray and Linda develop a romantic relationship while working together. Linda is devastated when Ray develops a serious infection from the bacterium causing the epidemic.

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Charles Vrooman:

Charles-

Welcome! While we normally don't allow the promotion of people's businesses here, I think it's great to have an author that actively responds to comments. We're glad to have you!

Don't mind some of the grumpier types we seem to have hanging out here lately.

-josh

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TANG SOO!

Come on, Josh. Ante's ok, whenever he gets down off his soapbox.

Hey everyone... I just read Charles' book and I liked it! A good story and well paced. I read it in less than 48 hours and was compelled to keep turning the pages and not put it down much. The book appears to be self published and it states in the beginning that it has not been edited by the company that printed it, which is kind of apparent. Other than recommending some more editing to help some of the dialogue flow more smoothly, I liked it.

BTW... it's absurd for people to claim that the author stereotypes vets, as there are both good guy and bad guy vets in this story. Another example of people (Johnny!) rushing to judgment before getting the facts.

Is another one coming, Charles?

-josh

John,

I am pleased that you enjoyed reading my novel - Green Power. It was published my Publish America, which is, as they say, a “print on demand” publisher. I had to order a certain number of books to get a discount, which I am more than glad to pass on to anyone interested in reading my book.

As an avid reader of medical thrillers and a scientist concerned about our environment, I was able to come up with the idea for this thriller. I will be the first to admit that I’m not a literary writer. It seems that someone mentioned Clive Cussler as one who wrote an environmental thriller. Well, Clive has a writer’s stable who write his books. It’s hard to compete against someone like him.

You asked if I’m working on another book. The answer is yes. But I’m just starting it. So it will be some time before it’s available. It will be a techno/medical; thriller entitled (at present), “The True Virus”.

Thanks again for your positive comments on my book.

Charles

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Charles Vrooman:

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I use red, not because of anger but to define my posts to catch rebuttals latter and it makes the quote feature redundent for me. The rest of you pick your own color.

Life is a time capsule we strive to fill with precious memories.

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I use red, not because of anger but to define my posts to catch rebuttals latter and it makes the quote feature redundent for me. The rest of you pick your own color.

Life is a time capsule we strive to fill with precious memories.

Group hug?

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TANG SOO!