Blackquest 40

by Jeff Bond

Deb Bollinger has no time for corporate training.

Her company's top engineer at just twenty-seven, Deb has blocked off her day for the one project she truly cares about: the launch of Carebnb, an app that finds spare beds for the homeless. When she's told all employees must drop everything for some busywork exercise called Blackquest 40, it's an easy no.

Trouble is, her bosses aren't really asking.

Blackquest 40 is the mother of all corporate trainings. A near-impossible project to be completed in forty straight hours. No phones. No internet. Sleeping on cots. Nobody in, nobody out. Deb finds the whole setup creepy and authoritarian. When a Carebnb issue necessitates her leaving the office, she heads for the door. What's the worst that could happen?

Armed commandos, HVAC-duct chases, a catastrophic master plan that gets darker by the hour Blackquest 40 is a fresh take on the Die Hard formula, layering smart-drones and a modern heroine onto the classic action tale.

Stand down, Bruce. Deb's got this.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Science Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Science Fiction Fantasy

319 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2019

About the author

Jeff Bond is an American author of popular fiction. His books have earned multiple starred reviews from Kirkus and BlueInk and been featured in The New York Review of Books. His 2020 release, The Pinebox Vendetta, received a gold medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards. A Kansas native and Yale graduate, he now lives in Michigan with his wife and two daughters. (Who share his Kindle account, as you might guess from peeking at his bookshelf.)

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the very day that twenty-seven year old engineer, Deb Bollinger, is launching Carebnb, her pet project that matches homeless people with places to stay each night, the company she works for insists that all employees drop everything to participate in a corporate training exercise called Blackquest 40. Deb is a hard working free spirit and hired on to the company with the understanding that she only answers to CEO Susan (who is out of the country at the time) and otherwise is free of any other company restrictions. Deb opts out of Blackquest 40, but finds that opting out is not an option.

The employees have 40 hours to complete an impossible task, a task that requires Deb's full attention to have even a chance of getting off the ground. The "facilitators" running the training exercise resemble paramilitary members rather than corporate workers, requiring the building to be locked so no one can leave, all phones to be confiscated, and any access to the outside world cut off for the duration of the exercise, with no way to contact family or friends to tell them what is happening. Rebelling against the entire situation, Deb tries to escape and finds even more links to a military operation, possibly a foreign, unfriendly operation, than to anything that could resemble a simple company exercise.

As Deb fights against the leaders of the operation, things become more sinister and dangerous. Deb is one tough, spirited, anti-establishment rebel and she will not go down without the fight of her life. This is a fast action story with a whole lot of technical jargon thrown in that went way over my head but I was able to just trust Deb that she knew what she was doing, cheering her on in her fight against something that was clearly very wrong. Deb knows she can not trust anyone, as she uses every bit of her physical and mental resources to escape from deadly forces that are used to bring her under control.

Deb is an expert in AI, building both the hardware and software for AI bodies into which she installs her work. Part of her arsenal to fight her captors is the various AI gadgets that she has built for other projects or for fun, all with varying abilities. Deb ends up being one beat up body as she fights something that she realizes could be the end of hundreds of thousands of lives, if the oppressors get what they want from her.

Thank you to Jeff Bond and NetGalley for this ARC.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered this modern technothriller set in San Francisco through an email from Hidden Gems, and was intrigued by the premise, but dislike the unrealistically short time frame they give you for submission of your review, so was happy to see it was also available from NetGalley, who don’t pester you with follow up emails. It’s billed as Die Hard for IT nerds and there is certainly a lot of computer-talk that went completely over my head, as I am far from techno-savvy (so forgive me if I use the wrong terms in this review) but this didn’t stop me enjoying it as an exciting thriller featuring a feisty heroine reminiscent of a less violent Lisbeth Salander.

Deb Bollinger is the lead IT engineer at Codewise, a buzzy tech firm who poached her from Google due to her brilliant coding skills. She’s overcome a difficult childhood on the streets with her schizophrenic mother and enjoys her work but her main passions are her new app, Carebnb, which is designed to offer homeless (or “unhoused”) people unused beds in the city, and her gadgets, like Raven, an intelligent solar-powered drone who is part assistant, part pet.

On the day of Carebnb’s launch, the bosses at Codewise announce a mandatory corporate training exercise for all staff, called BlackQuest 40, which includes a comms blackout and enforced on-site presence for forty hours. A natural rebel, Deb tries to escape but is brutally returned to the sinister “Facilitators”, who are running the exercise with threats ranging from loss of staff stock options to forced injections of speed. Suspicious that this must be more than an exercise, Deb will use all her skills and toys to subvert their plan and free her colleagues, but with the clock ticking on more than just their jobs, will this pint-sized John McLane beat the baddies?

While I did find this a bit long, and don’t like first person present narration, I didn’t have a problem with the geek-speak (my husband is an IT professional and even after 17 years I still don’t understand much of it) as the story was well written with fluent dialogue and well described action sequences, so I could just let the computer stuff wash over me as it didn’t interfere with the plot. Knowing this was an homage to Die Hard (and it is even referenced, with plenty of fun Easter eggs) helped me understand where this was going, and forgive the implausible scenario to just enjoy the ride.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review. BlackQuest 40 is available now.

[Lori Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character is simply EXHAUSTING to be around. I would quit if I found myself working for her. Also annoying: how many times she mentions her sandals and her spiky hair.. (sandal sandal sandal sandal sandal... how about shoe, foot, feet, or not making them unnecessarily prominent?). And as a SJW, the main character flogged ideals to death, whether it made sense to the story or not.

And she just grates my last nerve with her ego.

Oh, and if you don't have working knowledge about coding, tech scripts, and computer language, you're likely to become even more annoyed and exhausted.

[Shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book as part of the Goodreads giveaway for my honest opinion.
This is my first book by this author. I am the complete opposite of tech savvy and thought it would take me forever to finish this book let along understand it. I was wrong, and I loved every page of it. It was fast paced, with twist and turns. The main character is highly annoying and reminds me more of a pre-tween, than an almost 30-year-old. She gave the book an interesting feel, with her disobedience but also willingness to care and help people less fortunate than herself. I do wish they would limit the amount of times they reference her poor sandals. Great read, and would love to read another one with this similar vibe.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the main character is a smug & arrogant principal engineer at a software company, she grew on me. What if your dreadful team “bonding” experience required by HR/management was actually a hostage situation in disguise? Surprisingly entertaining, with crawling thru ducts and remote piloting drones.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A corporate training exercise is a deadly coverup for something much more sinister in this fast-paced, high octane thriller with a kick-ass heroine.

Deb Bollinger is a crack coder with a mentally ill mother and a passion for getting homeless off the streets (being that she and her mom were once homeless).

Her work at the firm is just an excuse to launch her pet project, Carebnb, which pairs guest hosts with homeless for a night.

While I profess to know little about coding, the author obviously understand the technical details and describes them in a way that never gets boring. It really is edge of the seat exciting how the formulas, calculations, and analytics are just flowing through the character likes she’s a computer.

On top of that, Deb’s suspicions and attempts to evade the inevitable, never stops her from being brash and sarcastic much to the consternation of the trainers and her colleagues, and to delight of readers. I laughed out loud so many times, admiring the scrappy, fierce and loyal heroine who, literally, saves the day!

[Jakky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will be a hit with anyone who is in the least technologically inclined - which I am not. I love technology when it works; when it doesn’t, I call on the nearest 12-year old for help. So this is why this book doesn’t get a 5-star review from me. The premise of the story is cool, albeit with a few niggling holes in the plot that I was able to set aside. Think “toxic work environment” to the Nth degree meets OTT rebellious employee whose problem-solving skills are reminiscent of someone who trained with the Navy Seals. It was a fun read, but I skipped over all the technology - didn’t understand a word of it.

[Heather W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced, full of suspense and twists, this book makes for a great read! The characters are well-developed and the storyline is very tight and well-written. This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from Hidden Gems.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deb Bollinger is an IT engineer at Codewise. Although her coding skills are amazing, her pet project is an app that finds unoccupied places for homeless people to stay. On the day of the release of her app the company decides to have all the employees to partake in this mandatory training exercise. Deb is not one to follow the rules and specifically agreed to work for the firm if she didn’t have to do any of these menial tasks.

When Deb tries to leave she learns that there is more to this exercise than what you first see and it bothers her how militaristic it is. She starts to worry and decides that she is going to get the other employees and herself out of this team exercise no matter what she has to do.

This book has so much computer slang in it that I have to admit I understood some of it but most probably went over my head. But that didn’t change this book. It actually made it feel more real to me. Deb has a history regarding living on the streets and with someone that has mental problems. I loved how she wanted to change this situation for others. I also loved how she was tough, not going to take no for an answer, and was determined to beat this exercise.

I do see where this is a nod to Die Hard and I loved that. I think I’m going to have to go back and watch this movie again to see all the Easter Eggs I missed. This is a great story and one that any thriller lover will enjoy. Jeff Bond did a great job with this book and I can’t wait to check out his other books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

[Alicia Huxtable · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

Really good read. Well written with characters that fit the story perfectly. It was well placed too. Definitely worth the read

[Cy Wyss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started Blackquest 40 before work one morning, expecting to get through maybe 50 pages. Instead, two and a half hours later, I’d read the whole thing and was late. I can’t rave enough about this book. I’d give it six stars out of five if I could.

For the spirit animal, I chose a raven. Those birds are canny, clever, and compelling, just like this gem of a book. A “raven” does play a part in the book in an unexpected way, but you’ll have to read it to find out how.

I loved every aspect of Blackquest 40. The characters are well-developed without being overdone. The plot is a winner and has just enough action to keep you turning page after page without being frenetic. Mr. Bond’s prose is highly readable without being condescendingly simple and the book is flawlessly edited.

The main character, Deb, reminded me of Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, albeit less scarred. She also reminded me of Tank Girl, which probably dates me, but hey – it’s true. I loved Deb and couldn’t get enough of her.

If there are flaws in a book, especially gross ones, it is easier to talk about at length. There were no such problems here, and I find myself at a loss for words to describe how mesmerizing and perfect this book is. Run, don’t walk, and get your copy today! Probably make sure you sit down to read it when you actually have a few hours, though, otherwise you’ll be late to your next appointment. Five-plus stars!

[Gwen Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Robot Wars! Five Stars for Geeks Everywhere!

Who the heck knew that one day my obsession with ROBOT WARS and my love of DIE HARD would collide in a magical mystical kumbayah woke feed-the-homeless kind of way? And it took a book written by Jeff Bond to cause the collision and knock me unconscious and wondering if I really read what I think I read or whether I need to stop living in my parent’s basement. But enough about me ….

Well, actually it is still about me because, luckily, I’m one of the devoted geeks who sat there watching ROBOT WARS while making side bets with my little brother and cat, Mixer, over which radio-controlled terminator would demolish the competition and win. (P.S. Mixer always won.) It was this insight that gave me the Rosetta stone to deciphering what the heck BLACKQUEST 40’s central character “Deb” was thinking … and “thinking” might be overstating what that chick was doing most of the time. While I’m not absolutely sure of everything else going on between these pages, I am sure of that. But Deb’s mental aberrations that I’ve lovingly dubbed “hiccups” are part of the charm of this imaginative farce … and part of understanding that this here thriller is splendid cutting-edge satire written with acid on the tips of author Jeff Bond’s tapping fingers. What other than perfect mockery would have produced this anti-DIE HARD page-turner? It’s the flipside of everything that went down one night in December. I mean, in the original, you have John McClane, the cop who only wanted to reunite with his wife on Christmas and instead got caught up in a terrorist takeover of Nakatomi Plaza. John had no choice but to go it alone and be a hero in order to figure out a way to outsmart the bad guys. But in BLACKQUEST 40, we have the polar opposite. Instead of the shoeless cop (and why do terrorists have such small feet?), we have an anti-prettymuchanythingthatisntsoyandthatincludesbeingahero kind of gal who had a choice to end the “training session” within the first hour of the tribulation. Oh, but she’s a special kind of crazy, and ending the takeover would have entailed her calling the SFPD and she doesn’t trust the SFPD, but evidently she trusts herself to handle a situation involving guns? Yeah, “hiccup.” Of course, her decision-making abilities are further warped by the absolute faith she’s put in her “cult leader”, SUSAN, the corporate goddess she believes the personification of goodness and invincibility. But when has anyone in God’s Green Earth ever met a corporate leader that fits that description of being an avenging angel? Case dismissed and like I said, it’s the mental aberrations *hiccups* again hitting hard against the cranium that’s supposed to be working but never is. Yeah, that strange idolization is very creepy. Sure, Deb, SUSAN will fix everything so there’s no need to alert authorities TRAINED to handle volatile situations because, of course, the woman who hired you will know the intricacies of heading off a different kind of hostile takeover. Not!

While I loved everything about the book, for me, the real moments of magic in this novel are the “coding” moments. Lord love a duck, Jeff Bond knocked it out of the park when writing those passages! They are so EXACTLY SUPERBLY and EXPERTLY written that primordial binary ooze squeezed out of my pituitary glands in triumph and marinated the anterior and posterior lobes triggering hormones to barrage my hypothalamus in a “Go big or go home” kind of attitudinal way before the leakage trickled down to my fallopian tubes where the ice floe of creativity hopped a sled on which sat a bearded man whistling before shouting “Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!” simultaneously as the idea of the coding miracle performed came to life by Iditaroding out my birth canal. And if you don’t understand what I just said then you REALLY need to read this book and get onboard with the epiphany fostered in with the new norm. But speaking of attitude (which I wasn’t) and reiterating the fact Deb could have ended the drama before it began, let me just state here that The Coder’s fellow employees (some of which Deb manages) were about as passive as you can find without them being a half-eaten discarded Gummy bear. They seem to have forgotten that “no” is such a lovely underused word, and that when asked to perform functions you don’t want to do while being held hostage, it’s entirely appropriate to make your feelings known by uttering firmly and distinctly blasting, “NO!” But perhaps the reluctance was due to something the author took aim at with tongue firmly prodding into his cheek. It’s that in today’s climate, it’s the words you choose to name a function or action that are more important than the actual function. Therefore, what we used to call “stealing” has now been replaced with using the term “borrowing” … or “moving.” So the “borrowing” or “moving” money from someone’s pocket without permission into your pocket is no longer a crime even though it fits the description of theft which used to be a felony. So applying the new rules in the case of this hostage situation, it wasn’t a “hostage situation” where all employees were deprived of freedom and their constitutional rights, it was “an approved training session” because the naming convention made it all right. Correction: the naming convention plus the free all-you-can-eat food. Sweet!

This book is absolutely hilarious. I couldn’t stop laughing and I enjoyed every minute of it. Brilliantly written, Bond has his finger on the pulse of hypocrites everywhere. Most especially on Deb the do-gooder who does no good. She’s the one who lashes at everyone who doesn’t put to use their “wasted” square footage which begs the question of how much is allotted for humans to own or rent before it’s considered “wasted”? Deb alone decides. And she has that an army of robots to enforce her rules. But the army is also her saving grace for it’s her crafting robotics that fly, rescue, spy, and escape from boxes to do her bidding that encapsulate the true genius Deb has residing somewhere inside her because I guarantee genius is not evident in establishing winning business ideas.

I highly recommend BLACKQUEST 40 to anyone and everyone with a sense of humor that wants to read something unique, well-written, and fiendishly clever. The story also says a heck of a lot about society and the direction that we’re heading … as well as how we’ve changed … but forget all that. Just read it for FUN! Yeah, remember that concept? As for me … yes, back to me … I am waiting for someone just like Deb to show up at my doorstep with tape in hand, wanting to measure my existing rental space and inform me that I could fit another person near the flat-screen if I only got rid of my couch. I know that day is coming and when it does, I’ll swallow and gulp while using that glorious word, “NO!” while I still can and hope Deb scurries away into some venting system where she’ll stay forever. It’s five stars from me. 

[Brian's Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Interesting Technothriller

Blackquest 40 has that perfect technothriller vibe that I love. It takes things that you’re used to in your world today and turns them against you. In the case with this book – it was a company (similar to Google) is taking part in a training exercise – but it’s not your ordinary team building experience.

Bond did a really nice job creating a character that was likable and, from the start, we understood that she was a bit of a rebel. This comes into play nicely later in the story – but it was set up without feeling too “set-up-like” if that makes any sense.

Right away Bond dives into the story – within a few chapters we’ve already met most of the main players in the story – and we’re thrown into the thrilling parts of the story within a few minutes. I wasn’t sure just how far the story or the characters would go but I knew I wanted to find out what happened.

Overall, I thought that Blackquest 40 was a unique and interesting take in a genre that I love. Bond was able to create a memorable experience without it feeling overdone or done before.

One of the complaints that I had while reading was that he continued to use the word “repository”. I work as a product manager for a tech company – I understand code to some extent and what a repository is. What I don’t ever hear is the full word repository. Everyone I’ve ever worked with has called it a “repo”. I think that Bond could have used the full word once and then switched over. I guess technically someone could argue that the group of “trainers” might not know that, but from other scenes (trying not to spoil anything) they’ve worked with tech companies before. It’s small and probably wouldn’t bother the average person – but it was in the book enough times that it got to me personally.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

* I have volunteered to share my review and all the opinions are 100% my own *

This is the story of Deb Bollinger, a twenty-seven year old engineer, obsessed with a project she cares about she has no time for corporate training. But unfortunately this training is mandatory, and to drop everything to work on an exercise called Blackquest 40.
Deb’s passion has been working on the Carebnb and when she is told she has to attend this Blackquest 40 training she is not interested and needs to check on her project, but her bosses are insistent, but when an issue arises with her Carebnb she decides to walk out and that is when all the drama starts.
This is a brilliant take on Die Hard and with so much action and suspense, this is such a fast-paced storyline, with lots of twists and turns.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Balckquest 40 by Jeff Bond is a absolutely thrilling great read with twists and turns.

Description: Big Tech meets Die Hard in this techno-thriller Kirkus Reviews calls "a clever, spirited tale with a brainy, nimble heroine at the helm." Deb Bollinger has no time for corporate training. Her company's top engineer at just twenty-seven, Deb has blocked off her day for the one project she truly cares about: the launch of Carebnb, an app that finds spare beds for the homeless. When she's told all employees must drop everything for some busywork exercise called Blackquest 40, it's an easy no. Trouble is, her bosses aren't really asking. Blackquest 40 is the mother of all corporate trainings. A near-impossible project to be completed in forty straight hours. No phones. No internet. Sleeping on cots. Nobody in, nobody out.
Deb finds the whole setup creepy and authoritarian. When a Carebnb issue necessitates her leaving the office, she heads for the door. What's the worst that could happen? Armed commandos, HVAC-duct chases, a catastrophic master plan that gets darker by the hour — Blackquest 40 is a fresh take on the Die Hard formula, layering smart-drones and a modern heroine onto the classic action tale.

"I am in the middle of solving homelessness when my boss raps his knuckles on my cubicle border." You know from the first sentence in the book it is definitely going to life up to it's description. I was definitely not disappointed. Deb is told by Paul that there is a meeting regarding Blackquest 40, a training exercise and it is mandatory for every employee in the company. Unable to excuse herself she goes as instructed and joins the team. Her pet project Carebnb designed to help homeless people is put on hold.

In the training, employees are instructed they must complete an impossible task within 40 hours. They are instructed to turn-in their phones, they are locked away in a building with no access to the outside world until their task is completed.

Does Deb finish the task? Does she escape? Will her pet project get off the ground?
Well you have to read the book to find out, but let me tell you it is worth your time to purchase this book. Excellent read!!

I was provided this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. I definitely give this a 5 Star

[Richard Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blackquest 40 is a frenzied, edge-of-your-seat, techno-thriller by Jeff Bond. I found the book impossible to put down and ripped through the 345 pages in a day and a half—lightning speed for me!

Set in the high-tech canyons of San Francisco, the premier software development company, Codewise, has hired a consulting firm, Elite, to conduct an intensive training exercise to reveal flaws in processes and management. The goal of the exercise is to develop a murky software product under high-stress condition and an impossible 24-hour deadline—deadline has some real meaning here. As the book’s cover teases; nobody in; nobody out. Elite locks exits, collects all personal devices, and jams all electronic paths from the building. Total isolation, total control. Worse yet, Elite’s marauding trainers only believe in adverse incentives. Failure will not be tolerated. Miss a goal, lose your job, or worse.

Enter Deb Bollinger, a brilliant, spike-haired software engineer with enough attitude to fill the Grand Canyon, begins to doubt the exercise. Armed with her menagerie of micro-drones, she begins to ferret Elite’s true purpose, or thinks she has but Bond (I love saying that name) amps the stakes at each reveal. And Deb, continuously confronted by treachery and deceit, can trust no one. It wouldn’t be fair to give much more, just strap in a fast ride along a torturous path. You will not be disappointed.

Bond’s knowledge of software programming is exemplary but more importantly, it isn’t dense and actually quite lively as he guides you through codes—aren’t books supposed to teach? The technical narrative never slows the pace or disturbs the plot or characters. Think Crichton or Clancy.

It’s five stars from me!

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the cover and concept for this one - both caught my attention straight away and promised a dark tale of corporate greed. The book went a little farther than I thought it would, and while I must admit that I rolled my eyes once or twice and had to suspend disbelief more than a few times, the tale on the whole was an entertaining and enjoyable ride.

What starts as a corporate training exercise quickly devolves into a radically insane race against time - but to do what, really, and for whom? Resolving those questions becomes an obsessive mission for Deb Bollinger, a software prodigy with some personality quirks that waver between believable and not-so-much so... Her character, thrust into an unbelievable situation, proceeds to shift between bad-ass and hesitant a couple of times in ways that didn't feel quite believable; fortunately those shifts were short-lived and the tough-as-nails personality carried most of the story. Without that personality things would have been a lot less interesting and even more unbelievable. Her travails were darkly humorous, starkly dangerous, and quirkily entertaining throughout, and even though she was a difficult character for me to relate to, she made the story for me. I loved her perspective (for the most part, except for the odd couple of meltdowns mentioned already) and I think her outrageousness held the tale together.

It was a quick read, well paced and characterized. The plot occasionally felt a little overly dramatic, but it worked with the writing style and personalities involved. I enjoyed this one, and would read the author again.

I received an advance review copy for free through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Scot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was well written. Smart as well. Set in San Francisco at a cutting edge software start-up, it begins with a boring bureaucratic team-building exercise run by some outside consultant company, and the central figure, a brilliant but rebellious programmer brought in from an esteemed slot at Google, wants to have nothing to do with it. Her name is Deb. She is a petite but ferocious lesbian with a Mohawk, a true queen of snark, but also empathetic and supportive of all underdogs (her pet project is an app to help homeless find nearby shelter as needed) such that you quickly identify with and support her. (Well, I suspect Trump fans might not, but I also suspect they might not have picked up this book to read in the first place,)

The azuthor is a master at building tension. Others have compared this to the classic film Die Hard, and that's a good analogy, for she is up against an evil corporation and is on her own, trapped on the inside as things go on. Excellent use of computer language and tech references without bothering to dumb down, which I appreciated--I'm no wizard at it by any means, but could learn from context and keep up. Plus the 21st century #MeToo sensibility and awareness of both Silicon Valley corporate culture and San Francisco neighborhood geography were both spot on, making the story more real for me. Great book!

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second novels are tricky. A lot of times the premise holds great promise but ultimately fails to deliver. Other times a reader has high expectations and the novel doesn't quite satisfy. And then there's what occasionally happens, as it did with BLACKQUEST 40. I read the premise, liked it well enough to request a copy based on how much I liked THE WINNER MAKER, and attempted to keep my expectations low. I needn't have worried.

BLACKQUEST 40 starts out strong -- and, more importantly, finishes strong -- as Codewise undergoes a mandatory companywide training exercise that causes Deb Bollinger, the books protagonist, to rebel and attempt to escape in order to take care of her schizophrenic mother and to debug her pet project, a way to help house the homeless using a wristband app

Deb's gut tells her that there is more to the training provided by Elite Development than meets the eye and, even as an unwilling participant, keeps trying to figure out what is going on.

BLACKQUEST 40 is full of suspense, an unexpected twist or two, and is sure to keep readers turning pages. I found it hard to put down once I started reading.

Highly recommended!

I received a copy from the author through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Texas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blackquest 40 – This is my first book by this author and I was deeply immersed in the story until… a statement was made that I felt had no business existing. If I want to hear the stupidity that is rampant for the past two years, I will buy a TV and watch the excrement that is passed as off as news. When I read a book, I do not want snide political remarks contaminating my entertainment. So I will act like a democrat and show intolerance and prejudice against that statement and not read the rest of the story. No, I am not a Republican or another label, except American and Texan. Keep political remarks out unless the book is of a political genre.

I do have a question that I have asked my gay friends, why is it so important to keep announcing “I’m gay.”? None of my gay friends (male and female) have ever acted this way and I have lived overseas, too.

I did enjoy this story about a dysfunctional, but brilliant computer engineer refusing to work on the company’s “training”, since she’s allowed to work on her own choices, and finds the truth behind the “company” requesting the training. The characters started well as did the storylines but I had only gotten through part of chapter 14 before the snide remark. I found this book on Hidden Gems. 3*

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book for tech savvy lovers of suspense. Readers are immediately immersed in the world of coding and elite programming. This senior citizen was lost in a menagerie of terms and actions unfamiliar to me and I am not sure I ever caught up. There was plenty of suspense, however, and it kept me reading. The heroine, super smart coding whiz Deb, is a gutsy woman. She attempts to use all of her technological expertise and her amazing tech gizmos to thwart her foes. People are not who she thought, even those with whom she closely worked. And the corporate training exercise is only a facade for a much more serious and nefarious attack on, well, you'll just have to read the book with its twist near the end.

Bond's writing style sets a fast pace for the plot. I would have liked more background information for the tech world into which we plunge. I was lost at times in the coding language references and the dialogue about it. Younger readers might feel right at home there. I did enjoy the intense action and building suspense.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this fast-paced thriller.

I took a little while to get into this one and had a hard time suspending my disbelief about many things, but once I let go, I found myself engrossed in the nightmarish scene Deb has found herself.

I thought the pacing was excellent, the tech talk unpretentious and interesting, and the story, while a bit far-fetched at time, engrossing.

Throughout this novel, there were many twists and turns and Bond managed to keep the turns tight. I never felt bogged down in details or the slow middle that can often happen in thrillers. Each chapter offered a new danger.

There was a bit of tech talk. I am not a tech-y person in general, but I found the jargon interesting. And, of course, I liked Deb's side projects and found the things she could make fascinating.

The storyline felt fresh. Sure there may be a little 80s Cold War vibe happening, but for the most part, I didn't feel like I had read this story before.

It appears this is Mr. Bond's second novel; I will be seeking out his earlier work, as well as watching for new titles.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free ebook ARC.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.

A clever, entertaining and suspenseful story. I was pulled in from the very beginning and was so interested in the plot that I ended up listening to this book in one day. I loved the main character, Deb, who is feisty and opinionated. She is an asset to her company and she takes advantage of that status. Her moniker of a fellow employee who frequents McDonalds as "Sausage McGriddle Man" made me chuckle and quickly conveys Deb's character. I completely bought into her character and while there were a couple of times I thought the story stretched the believeability factor - but, the story quickly got back on track and I was willing to overlook those moments. I loved that throughout the story as new characters were introduced, you were never sure whether or not they could be trusted - which keeps you guessing until the end.

The narrator, Natalie Duke, had the perfect tone for Deb [as the story is from her POV] - at times snarky, brash, likeable and smart.

[JJ Cope · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was WAAAAY outside my genre comfort zone, but I enjoyed it immensely! Reviewers liken the story to the Bruce Willis Die Hard movies but with a female version of John McClane. I agree with that description.
Deb Bollinger is a programming genius with a soft spot for the homeless, her animated tech inventions, and pretty much nothing else. She's hard-edged and full of attitude, but her insane computer skills make that personality flaw "easy" for her supervisors to overlook. Her skills aren't enough, however, to keep the company afloat. So what are the corporate founders to do? Call in the Russians, of course. Under the guise of an extreme training exercise, all employees are on a 40-hour lockdown. With a recent layoff on everyone's mind, being uncooperative was not optional, hence the need for an over-the-top heroine with a smart mouth. Unrealistic, yes, but it makes a good story.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blackquest 40 is a clever, entertaining and suspenseful, tech lovers dream. I enjoyed it immensely and had trouble putting it down.

The plot is action-filled, and the pace had me flipping the pages. This is my first read by Jeff Bond, and it won’t be my last. I really love his writing style. It’s readable and immersive.

The only downside of this book is the reference to coding and other technology. It’s a bit difficult to understand in the beginning, but I got it eventually. It just took some powering through and after I understood everything, the book was really fun.

The characters are well developed. Deb was a fantastic main character and added to the imersiveness of Blackquest 40!

I highly recommend Blackquest 40!

*I received a copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Partners in Crime Tours. All opinions are my own.*

[Jeff Cochrane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blackquest 40

It was OK. Didn’t really care about any of the characters. Tech stuff was interesting and I enjoyed that. The main character was basically annoying. The first thing she says when she meets anyone is that she is a lesbian. So what. That info didn’t move the story forward. And she kept disappearing while everyone else is on lockdown. If I was the bad guy I would have shot her the second time she did it. Then she shows up and no one says anything. It also takes more than a couple of minutes to boot up a Cray that has just been sitting in the corner for several months. And the only thing in common with Die Hard was the bad guys took over the building. Not recommended.

[LiA · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thriller, full of suspense, which even the lack of logic here and there, and the author‘s love of - sometimes too many - details or side stories cannot kill. I caught myself reading on, in spite of the loose threads or occasional lack of coherence. After all, it‘s fiction. The choice of the Russians as „bad guys“ seems a bit old-fashioned, however. The colds wars of our times, after all, are different ones. Yet this might be my European perspective. Powerful female characters - good and bad women - is a nice option. All in all I enjoyed the read. Thanks to Net Galley, who made this book available for a review.

[AndiReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

DIehard for IT!
Deb Bollinger, is about to launch her pet project Carebnb that matches homeless people with beds when she is informed that she must participate in a corporate training exercise called Blackquest 40. Deb tries to ignore the order and finds that opting out is not an option.

The employees find out that they have 40 hours to complete a task. The instructors coordinating the activities resemble paramilitary and lock down the building, including confiscating all phones and communication lines.

I wasn't a fan of the heroine, thus I was not sucked in the drama. But I do admire her drive and her rebellious spirit. Some tech knowledge would help in when reading this book.

[Martin Pingree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deb is an extremely young, clever and extremely talented programmer. She does things her way no matter the consequences, which in this case almost turns out to be her death. Her pet project is helping the homeless to find sleeping quarters with host homes. On her go live day she finds out she can’t leave her building because of some corporate training. This of course turns out to be a ruse but that is when this book really catches fire. Great cast of characters, pretty much non stop action in a variety of ways and an excellent story makes a far done to put down. Very good read.

[Patrick Calfee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Read

Having come from a background in IT, the setting for the story was interesting and something I could relate to. I don't usually read books written in the first person so I am surprised that I enjoyed it so much. The story has great twists and turns. And if you have ever had to go through any corporate team building activities you will appreciate how much this one runs off the rails!