John and Philippa Gaunt, two twelve-year-old not-very-identical twins, live a privileged life on the Upper East of Manhattan with their wealthy parents and two curiously-mannered Rottweilers named Alan and Neil. The twins realize there's something amiss with their world when a string of strange things begin to happen after their wisdom teeth are extracted--they dream the same dreams, become stronger, their zits clear up, and wishes wished in their presence inexplicably come true. And, when their estranged Uncle Nimrod asks them to come to England for the summer during one such shared dream, the discovery of their destiny is set in motion.
John and Phillippa discover that they are descended from a long line of Djinn, have great inherent powers. They must call on these powers a lot sooner than they anticipated, though, because the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten is not as dead as history has so far declared and his legion of seventy magical djinn could tip the balance of power in the magical realm and affect the whole world order.
P.B. Kerr, under his given name Philip Kerr, is the author of several bestselling thrillers for adult readers. His debut novel for children is a slick, zeitgeisty fantasy adventure that is sure to win him a new raft of fans. The Blue Djinn of Babylon is next up for those who get hooked. (Age 10 and over) --John McLay
]]>Earth has been irrevocably altered by global climatic changes and a worldwide plague of P2 -- a slow-acting, insidious virus. The Moon, now populated by penal colonies and sex hotels, also protects mankind's most sought-after and vital commodity -- virus-free blood -- in the most impregnable high-security installation ever engineered.
The First National Blood Bank is the brainchild of security firm Terotech's chief designer, Dana Dallas. But after Dallas' P2-infected daughter is denied uncontaminated blood, he is considered a security risk -- and expendable. With his life on the line, and his family caught in the cross fire, Dallas swears revenge on the elitist system and his own creation. Enlisting an eclectic crew of rebels, he devises a daring plan to infiltrate the lunar fortress -- one that will jeopardize everyone involved, and hinges on a very strange and unforeseen ally.
In The Second Angel, acclaimed novelist Philip Kerr convincingly mixes prophecy and science in a dark, dystopian, high-velocity thriller that rockets toward its explosive conclusion.
]]>The Shot.
Tom Jefferson has a job he does very well. He kills for a living. Fresh off the takedown of a Nazi in Buenos Aires, Tom is poised for his next "assignment" -- the assassination of Fidel Castro. The mob -- led by Sam Giancana -- the CIA, and presidential candidate Jack Kennedy are all in on the plan. Together, they can take Castro out of the picture, put Jack in office, and get Giancana back in the Cuban casino business. And JFK can't say no, because Giancana possesses some very incriminating tapes documenting the politician's sexual escapades. But just as Tom sets his sights on Cuba, he is suddenly exposed to some explosive information that alters his course. Now, the perfect hit is turning into the perfect nightmare for everyone involved, because the word is out: Cool killer Tom is no longer targeting Castro...he's gunning for Kennedy.
From celebrated novelist Philip Kerr comes The Shot, a brilliant pseudo-historical what-if ride through the cultural, political, and social landscape of the 1960s.
]]>G-forces collide with government secrets as Scott races to prepare for his journey to the moon. Brimming with nonstop action and adventure, this is the story of a courageous young man who dares to follow his dream.
]]>Auch auf der anderen Seite gibt es ein Geflecht aus unterschiedlichen Interessen und Begehrlichkeiten: Als bekannt wird, dass der „Maschinenraum des Kapitalismus“ in der Hand von Kriminellen ist, stürzen die Aktienkurse ab -- und davon ist Polizeichef Zander genauso betroffen wie die Fernsehreporterin Milliano, die bereits an einem Buch über den Fall arbeitet.
Kerr baut diese Konstellationen in aller Ruhe auf, lässt die Figuren ausführlich über „Marktfundamentalismus“ reden und darüber, dass „Geld zu haben ein Fulltimejob“ ist. Eve mutiert von der Durchschnittsfrau zu einem weiblichen James Bond, der sich aus jeder Zwickmühle mit irgendeinem Trick 17 befreit -- beeindruckend und leider etwas berechenbar.
Ein routiniert geschriebener Roman mit ein paar merkwürdigen Aussetzern beim Übersetzer („Sie retirierte langsam flurabwärts.“). Kein Buch für Leute, die bei „Bullenmarkt“ an eine Viehschau denken. Kaufempfehlung für Krimi-Freunde, denen ein gepflegter Plot und zeitkritische Beigaben über Action und Suspense gehen. --Patrick Fischer
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