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Pete Maddox #1
The Asset
The Asset is a high-octane CIA thriller set in Venezuela during the period leading up to the 2002 coup d'état attempt against Hugo Chavez.
Pete Maddox is the new Station Chief in Caracas, Venezuela at a time when tensions are already high between the United States and Venezuela.
The discovery of a joint Venezuelan-Libyan terrorist training camp in the Amazon jungles of Venezuela sets off a chain of events that will force Maddox to choose between loyalties to an organization that made him who he is, or the woman who makes him who he wants to be.
Once the CIA has deemed her as an expendable asset, Pete Maddox is in a fight against time and anyone who stands in his way to find her before the ruthless head of the secret police, known as "The Sadist of El Helicoide".
Pete Maddox is the new Station Chief in Caracas, Venezuela at a time when tensions are already high between the United States and Venezuela.
The discovery of a joint Venezuelan-Libyan terrorist training camp in the Amazon jungles of Venezuela sets off a chain of events that will force Maddox to choose between loyalties to an organization that made him who he is, or the woman who makes him who he wants to be.
Once the CIA has deemed her as an expendable asset, Pete Maddox is in a fight against time and anyone who stands in his way to find her before the ruthless head of the secret police, known as "The Sadist of El Helicoide".
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
25 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Alan Petersen
9 books19 followersI was born in San Jose, Costa Rica, and I grew up there and in Caracas, Venezuela. I write thrillers and interview writers for my podcast, MEET THE THRILLER AUTHOR.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 3, 2015
The author, Petersen, has clearly done his homework on the 2002 coup d'etat attempt in Venezuela, the CIA and general information about the area at the time. Unfortunately he wants you to know he has done his homework by cramming every single little detail of information into his narrative, to the point in which is slows to a sluggish pace. This book did not feel like it was an 8.5 hour book. It felt much, much longer.
Similarly he has built in depth profiles for every single one of his character and includes every single bit of that information at their introduction. when a character is introduced (even some minor ones who appear for a chapter or two) we get an in-depth discussion on who they are and what they have been doing for the last 10 years to get them to this point in the CIA/government/real estate. Do I need to know that the main lady's grandparents moved here and did x,y and z or that she is currently using a part of her house as an office (especially when the next time it is discussed business is booming and she has a new office)? No, not at all. But it is there, slowing the story down.Or not slowing it down, because it moves in time very quickly, but rather taking the place of actual character interactions.
One thing I hear a million times about books and movies is "show, don't tell". But this book is mostly telling and not showing. The main character, Maddox, meets someone and rather than having the dialogue we are told about it in a basic overview of the conversation. We are told of a girl he meets and falls for. After 2 years of fighting the attraction they finally get together. But are we shown any of this 2 years? no. we get maybe 3 lines of dialogue from them directly. we are given a description of her - smart, funny etc - but non of these characteristics are ever actually shown.
It gets better a bit later, but by then the damage is done. And even late in the book Petersen still slips in and out of the style and the "too much info" problem, which slows the book when it should be hitting its climax.
I listened to the audiobook version. The narration by Cooper is also fairly flat. Some (not all) characters are givens distinctive voices, but for many there is no distinction from the narration. And then there is no variation within that narration. It is clinically dry, not engaging in any of the possible wit, or emotion, of events. It gives the same space and emphasis to every word. Even is normal speech this is not the case, with people spending less time on unimportant words. Cooper doesn't do this, he keeps a constant pace for all words meaning that nothing is make clear to be important or emphasized.
Similarly he has built in depth profiles for every single one of his character and includes every single bit of that information at their introduction. when a character is introduced (even some minor ones who appear for a chapter or two) we get an in-depth discussion on who they are and what they have been doing for the last 10 years to get them to this point in the CIA/government/real estate. Do I need to know that the main lady's grandparents moved here and did x,y and z or that she is currently using a part of her house as an office (especially when the next time it is discussed business is booming and she has a new office)? No, not at all. But it is there, slowing the story down.Or not slowing it down, because it moves in time very quickly, but rather taking the place of actual character interactions.
One thing I hear a million times about books and movies is "show, don't tell". But this book is mostly telling and not showing. The main character, Maddox, meets someone and rather than having the dialogue we are told about it in a basic overview of the conversation. We are told of a girl he meets and falls for. After 2 years of fighting the attraction they finally get together. But are we shown any of this 2 years? no. we get maybe 3 lines of dialogue from them directly. we are given a description of her - smart, funny etc - but non of these characteristics are ever actually shown.
It gets better a bit later, but by then the damage is done. And even late in the book Petersen still slips in and out of the style and the "too much info" problem, which slows the book when it should be hitting its climax.
I listened to the audiobook version. The narration by Cooper is also fairly flat. Some (not all) characters are givens distinctive voices, but for many there is no distinction from the narration. And then there is no variation within that narration. It is clinically dry, not engaging in any of the possible wit, or emotion, of events. It gives the same space and emphasis to every word. Even is normal speech this is not the case, with people spending less time on unimportant words. Cooper doesn't do this, he keeps a constant pace for all words meaning that nothing is make clear to be important or emphasized.
May 7, 2013
I met Alan Petersen at a “meetup” group in San Francisco designed to help authors make the most of Amazon and other book-marketing tools. He ran a great meeting, so naturally I decided to head straight for his thriller, The Asset, which is selling quite well. After reading it, I say it deserves those sales and more.
Pete Maddox is a special ops vet with a bright CIA career ahead of him. The book opens with an exciting Colombian anti-terrorist operation which Maddox heads up and which goes without a hitch. Next thing, he’s named station chief in Venezuela just as Hugo Chavez comes into power. Petersen was raised in Central and South America, and it shows in his knowledge of the geography right down to the highways and back-alley byways of Caracas as well as the integration of Spanish into the narrative and dialogue,
In the course of building his organization in, Maddox runs across a sexy real estate agent whom he makes responsible for locating and renting houses for embassy personnel as well as safe-houses for various operators. She becomes a very useful CIA “asset,” and Maddox does the forbidden–falls in love with her. A fine romantic step, but not the best career move.
A plot to overthrow Chavez develops, an operation the CIA can no longer support in the same way it could during the good old Allende days of Chile, but something they’d like to see succeed. Maddox and his colleagues give what support they can and develop a parallel operation to squelch an incipient Libyan training camp to which Chavez has provided clandestine support.
Petersen handles complex details of plot and firearms and explosives smoothly, and the suspense is taut from one end of the story to the other. Except for what I thought was a slightly uneven ending and some abrupt POV shifts, I thought The Asset belongs right up there with the Patterson and Childs works. New one coming out soon. Don’t miss it.
Pete Maddox is a special ops vet with a bright CIA career ahead of him. The book opens with an exciting Colombian anti-terrorist operation which Maddox heads up and which goes without a hitch. Next thing, he’s named station chief in Venezuela just as Hugo Chavez comes into power. Petersen was raised in Central and South America, and it shows in his knowledge of the geography right down to the highways and back-alley byways of Caracas as well as the integration of Spanish into the narrative and dialogue,
In the course of building his organization in, Maddox runs across a sexy real estate agent whom he makes responsible for locating and renting houses for embassy personnel as well as safe-houses for various operators. She becomes a very useful CIA “asset,” and Maddox does the forbidden–falls in love with her. A fine romantic step, but not the best career move.
A plot to overthrow Chavez develops, an operation the CIA can no longer support in the same way it could during the good old Allende days of Chile, but something they’d like to see succeed. Maddox and his colleagues give what support they can and develop a parallel operation to squelch an incipient Libyan training camp to which Chavez has provided clandestine support.
Petersen handles complex details of plot and firearms and explosives smoothly, and the suspense is taut from one end of the story to the other. Except for what I thought was a slightly uneven ending and some abrupt POV shifts, I thought The Asset belongs right up there with the Patterson and Childs works. New one coming out soon. Don’t miss it.
June 22, 2013
I didn't know what to expect from this read but I was pleasantly surprised. I think I have found a new author to place in my goto bag. The Asset was fast paced in all of the correct spots and detailed when it needed to be. It took me a chapter or two to get used to the writing style but after that I was off to the races. With myself being a writer my mind went crazy with a million different ideas for Pete Maddox and a million different endings. I am glad to see that this has turned into a series and I myself will gladly purchase every one. Folks if your looking for a nice guilty pleasure that will keep you entertained, give this author a shot....I promise you won't be disappointed! Until next time "stay thirsty my friends"
June 11, 2016
Outstanding read
Over the years I have read thousands of books. I love a book that I can really get into, that will hold my attention until the very last page. The Asset just did that. The story line was totally believable. Having worked for the government myself in a law enforcement capacity I have experienced the politics that goes on when an assignment goes sideways. Mr. Petersen obviously researched his work very thoroughly and produced a great read. Thank you sir! I am looking forward to reading more of your works.
Over the years I have read thousands of books. I love a book that I can really get into, that will hold my attention until the very last page. The Asset just did that. The story line was totally believable. Having worked for the government myself in a law enforcement capacity I have experienced the politics that goes on when an assignment goes sideways. Mr. Petersen obviously researched his work very thoroughly and produced a great read. Thank you sir! I am looking forward to reading more of your works.
August 26, 2016
I received a free e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. It is very apparent that the author is very familiar with the political climate in South America, especially the reign of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and the CIA. The characters and plot are well developed and this is a well-written political spy thriller. I found the book a little slow to start but once the story got going it was full of twists, turns, secrets, surprises, evil characters, and excitement. Looking forward to reading more about Pete Maddox in the future.
May 27, 2016
The story was good, the characters pretty lively and a bit of romance got into it too !
The reason for 2 stars was the way of writing, no emotions, suspense only in your own imagination. It was written like a grocery list or a to do list ...... honestly, that is how i felt about it. It was like the author wanted to be done, point by point writing it down and to be done with it. Good story, boring to read !
The reason for 2 stars was the way of writing, no emotions, suspense only in your own imagination. It was written like a grocery list or a to do list ...... honestly, that is how i felt about it. It was like the author wanted to be done, point by point writing it down and to be done with it. Good story, boring to read !
March 22, 2013
Take out the terrorist. Sounds easy enough for bad ass Pete Maddox until the organization he's working for messes with his woman. To make things worse, the hellish secret police, The Sadist, are closing in. Grab a copy and hang on. The action is fast and tight.
May 11, 2013
gee golly, hope this is a series.
July 12, 2013
First time that I have read anything by this author and in my opinion it is OK. If he writes more, I will probably read it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews