Pandora's Legion

Harold Coyle's Strategic Solutions, Inc. #1

by Harold Coyle, Barrett Tillman

In this explosive new series from New York Times bestseller Harold Coyle and noted military author Barrett Tillman, a new type of war is being fought by private paramilitary companies at the beck and call of the highest bidder. With the military and intelligence agencies spread thin, the US is constantly calling upon the services of these organizations--and Strategic Solutions Inc. is among the best.

Members of Al-Qaida have set in place a vicious biological attack. Men and women infected with the highly communicable and deadly Marburg virus have been sent to major cities and sensitive locations throughout the world in hopes of creating a deadly, global epidemic.

The dedicated men and women of SSI, led by former Rear Admiral Michael Derringer, are consummate professionals, nearly all ex-police or military, and are the among the best in the world at what they do. But the mastermind behind the living bio-weapons, Dr. Saeed Sharif, is more deadly than anyone could have possibly imagined. Spread throughout the globe and thwarting attacks on their home facilities the staff at SSI soon find themselves engaged in a frontline game of ground warfare. And to make matters worse, two infected Marburg carriers are heading straight for the United States. Using every resource it has, SSI launches an all-out search for the walking plague carriers before thousands more become infected and die.

Posing a frightening scenario that could become all too real in the near future, and filled with the details of the military world that have made Coyle's books bestsellers, Pandora's Legion hits the front lines of the new war against terrorism in this engrossing, high-stakes novel.

Genres: Thriller, Military Fiction, Fiction, Action, Audiobook

336 pages, Hardcover

First published February 20, 2007

About the author

Harold Coyle is an American author of historical, speculative fiction and war novels including Team Yankee, a New York Times best-seller.He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1974 and spent seventeen years on active duty with the U.S. Army.He lives in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Reviews

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best book I've read of late (I hit a whole string of mediocre books). I've liked all the books I've picked up by this author. This one isn't quite as high on my "likes list" as some of the others but we still get a credible store.

This is a somewhat more balanced view of private military companies than we often see. Mercenaries...the very word seems to cause a negative knee jerk reaction. Most people still think of the mercenaries of the 1970s..the men who answered adds in Soldier of Fortune magazine. They hired on as killers, private troops sometimes little more than terrorists. Today many if not most of these private companies exercise a bit more responsibility. They are by in large made up of former military members who wish to continue to put their training to use but get paid a better wage. The jobs are there, US troop cutbacks have left needs. The free market at work.

here we have the story of the men of one of these company caught in a situation where the government wants "plausible deniability". The plot is a good one and the threat one while you've seen it before is handled well here.

I like the book. I like the writer. The story is fast moving with only an occasional speed bump where we need to hold on and get through the yawns.

Enjoy.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of those pick-ups from "Fantastic Fiction's" "If You Like This Author; Then You Might Like This Author" section...the story of a PMC (private military contractor)called Strategi Solutions, Inc. and its efforts to combat a terrorist plot to spread a viral disease amongst us "crusaders"...just OK!!!entertaining, but no new ground broken here

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It`s only a matter of time before terrorist use viruses to kill people. The book showed the military side and the terrorist side. It was a well written military book.

[Adrian Ramos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hadnt read Harold Coyle in awhile. I enjoyed the book but a couple of technical errors stood out. You don’t “press” a trigger ! You don’t pull it either. You squeeze! For a PMC private military company they should have had the best of everything. If a PMC made that many mistakes in real life they wouldn’t have jobs. Good story nonetheless. But storyline has been used before. Bio warfare bad guys trying to start a nasty epidemic/pandemic.

[Dav Roth · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 30%. This book is terrible. You know when the author(s) use a book to preach their own politics? This is that. If you want long monologues from what I think is all the same character, this is for you.

[Barb VanderWel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.

[Robert Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, but I don’t recommend it.

[Dennis P Moore · Rating 1 out of 5]

3.

Larry's book

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good, fairly fast moving action-military story. I liked the story in spite of the number of coincidences that helped the good guys stop the bad guys in the end (oops, hope that wasn't a spoiler).

[Jay Javier · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked Coyle's earlier work. This one though almost had the right trimmings but the characters were lacking in terms of depth and affinity. Maybe it was because I had a lot of other things on my mind when I read this but it just wasnt what I had expected.

[Mark Luongo · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like Tom Clancy's work you'll like this book. Relevant to today's world situation s to what we face with bio-terror, al Qaeda,illegal immigration, covert operations and other things "that fly under the radar."

[Butrus · Rating 3 out of 5]

so far so good

[Patricrk patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually read this book twice. I love most of the stuff written by Harold Coyle but then I am a military stories nut.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found my old library records so I know when I read this.

[Geoffrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting plot, but shallow characters. If it's a series, I came out of this with too little background or empathy for the characters to want to read more.

[Dale (Aus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was not too bad, I enjoyed his other works better. I lost interest in the characters towards the end and that isn't a good sign for me.

[colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

read 07.10.07
First in a new series about a company that provides security specialists for hire.