Zero Hour

by Benjamin E. Miller

Antarctica. Deep below the frozen surface of the Ross Sea, a sub-glacial volcano erupts. Above it, a geothermal power plant faces certain destruction. Heading the disaster-relief team is USAF Colonel Tom Reed, who must use every technological tool at his disposal to keep environmental conditions under control. But as the waters heat up, a global disaster of apocalyptic proportions is brewing-a hurricane that could literally tear the earth apart. Between technology and nature, it's war. For Colonel Reed and his crew, it's a suicide mission.

Genres: Thriller, Action, Fiction

372 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 7, 2003

Reviews

[Halley]

One of my guilty pleasures is disaster movies—meteors, volcanoes, earthquakes; I can’t get enough. 🌋

I enjoy disaster books too, but NEVER have I read one like Zero Hour by Benjamin E. Miller. This book starts out intense, cranks it up to 11, and never lets up. ⚡️

It takes place in Antarctica, where a sub-glacial volcano erupts, kickstarting a chain of events culminating in a hypercane—a hurricane of epic proportions with winds exceeding 700 mph. ⛈🌪🌨

Colonel Reed is going to try and stop it before it goes critical, with the only option left: the nuclear option. ☢️

This book is absolutely insane, and I loved it. I was in a reading slump and this definitely got me out of it!

Fun fact: apparently the theory of a hypercane is real, based on computer simulations and published in scientific journals. 🌩

I love a little science in my disaster. 😁

[Troy Stoneberg]

It was almost good, which is why I finished it. Parts of it are so impossible that it wasn’t fun to read. A rescue from an A-10 flying next to a sliding ice chunk. Come on man. Good characters, interesting premise, the hypercane theory is interesting, but everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I got this book for free at an exchange library at a resort in Mexico.

[Ajitabh Pandey]

A thriller that keeps you going and wants to finish this early. A lot of things are happening at Anratctica which started impacting the world climate and brought the world closer to Ice Age. With so many fast-moving events, it is bound to look like chaotic action, but such scenarios will bring chaos, so I feel it is justified.

[Eric Shaffer]

There was lots of action, lots of chaos, and they came together into chaotic action, confusing and frustrating. What I wanted described--the weather, the cyclone--was not really clear; what I didn't want described--awful, emotional, uninteresting minor details--was there. All in all, this was a good book to read before bed, very mildly interesting and soporific. In addition, the book was a paperback and didn't wake me when I dropped it as I fell asleep; thus, the book was worth the $1.00 I paid at the used bookstore. Onward to something else.

[Kristin Lundgren]

An interesting thriller, set in Antarica, about a new hurricane theory - one on hurricanes developing over superheated water. Such hurricanes, called supercanes, could theoretically destroy life. Some well done characters, a great location, and lots of nail-biting suspense and action, this is a good, fun read. Although there are parts that do stretch the credibility line, all in all, it is good. And who am I to question whether some of the stuff could happen, as it is related to science?

[Rustin]

This is my favorite book. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys plenty of twists and turns. It is totally gripping and hard to put down.

[Jamie]

Awesome. One word - "Hypercane!!"

[Karla]

Thriller - Antartica - Ice "Quake" - lots of action - descriptive technical detail - skinned alot.

[Andrew]

An early predictor of the effects of global warming. Suspenseful, and gripping. A good read.

[Michael crage]

It is an adventure book and I was not disappointed. Lots of fighting, and enough pseudo-science to almost put it into the science fiction category.

[Bebe Four]

2+

[Kristine Sprunger]

It had everything, it was good ... but, somehow, it was a near miss.

[Shelley Krueger]

Disaster,romance,end of world scenario. A good quick read.