Official Review: Civil Terror: Waterborne

[Erin Dydek]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Civil Terror: Waterborne" by J. Luke Bennecke.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Genius engineer Jake Bendel is at it again. After designing self-driving car technology to improve the highway system in California, he has moved on to solve the drought problem that has been plaguing the state. His new desalination plants use advanced technology that will create safe, healthy water sources while remaining environmentally friendly. Government officials and environmentalists alike are eager to see the project succeed, but not everyone is happy about the technology shift.

Several months behind schedule, the pressure is on. But an attack on the operational plants leaves the water contaminated with an unknown, modified virus. What is the motivation behind the attack? And why has the virus only targeted the male population? With the CDC threatening to go public, the highly anticipated water relief may turn into a state-wide disaster. Can Jake solve the problem and shut down the attacker in time?

Civil Terror: Waterborne, by J. Luke Bennecke, is the second book in the Civil Terror series. This novel picks up two years after the events of book one, Civil Terror: Gridlock, and centers around a bioterror attack on California’s vital water system.

Although I had not read the first book, I was able to enjoy this one immensely. Bennecke did a great job of incorporating the highlights of the previous book into the plot to make it easy to jump right into the story. He also created a unique hero in Jake Bendel. Unlike the tall, dark and handsome Jason Bourne-type character in many suspenseful thrill novels, Jake is a civil engineer in his 50’s. Balding and with no secret agent training, he uses his mind to solve the problems presented by the enemy. Jake is also compassionate about his family and friends despite the anxiety that plagues him from the events of the first novel.

There were a few moments where Jake tended to be a bit dramatic, but he won me over with his determination and his dedication to protecting the things he held dear. As Jake and his companions worked together, Bennecke was able to create a suspenseful story that was driven by an action-packed plot. Because the book was plot-driven, I did not see a lot of character development, but that lack may also have been because I didn’t read the first book.

Waterborne was overall well-edited, but I did find just under ten errors. A few repetitive bits of information made me consider taking a star off the rating, but the book pulled me in and left me eager for the next installment. I, therefore, give Civil Terror: Waterborne a 4 out of 4. Strong language throughout the book, violent scenes, and some graphic violence make this book inappropriate for younger audiences and sensitive readers. I recommend reading book one if you enjoy reading a series in order, but you can still enjoy this one on its own.

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Civil Terror: Waterborne
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[derialist]

I'm not sure if Jake makes for an interesting protagonist or not. I guess I'll have to find out. Great review!

[Erin Dydek]

I'm not sure if Jake makes for an interesting protagonist or not. I guess I'll have to find out. Great review!

Jake may not be everyone’s favorite protagonist but he does get to face his fair share of action throughout the book. Thanks for your comment!

[Tomah]

I'm intrigued by the protagonist, who definitely doesn't seem like the type of main character you'd expect from this sort of story. The premise is also exciting, so I could give this one a try. Thanks for the review!

[kandscreeley]

Nice! Jake sounds determined, and I'm curious about the virus as well as why it targeted only the male population. Great review. I'm definitely interested. Thanks.

[AvidBibliophile]

Self-driving cars and desalination plants... Definitely the way of the future! It's nice to know you could jump right in without having to have read the 1st one in the series. Helpful review, thanks!

[Aniza Butt]

You wrote a nice review. I agree that protagonists like Jake are more relatable.
Thanks a lot for a nice review ☺.

[Nylaaa]

This is good. I'd totally read it now your review gives a helpful thought to it. Jake sounds like an interesting character .

[kdstrack]

I love these kind of plots that are fictional but close enough to reality to make you think it could really happen. This sounds like a good author to know and to follow. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Erin Dydek]

@Tomah
@kandscreeley
@Aniza Butt
@Nylaaa

Jake was definitely a unique but relatable character with strengths and weaknesses. Thanks for the comments!

[Erin Dydek]

Self-driving cars and desalination plants... Definitely the way of the future! It's nice to know you could jump right in without having to have read the 1st one in the series. Helpful review, thanks!

Yes, sometimes it’s nice to be able to jump right into a series without having to play catch-up. Thanks for the comment!

[Erin Dydek]

I love these kind of plots that are fictional but close enough to reality to make you think it could really happen. This sounds like a good author to know and to follow. Thanks for the recommendation!

I enjoy the realistic fiction genre too! It’s cool to see technology just out of our reach in action and this book had quite a few exciting scenes to keep the plot moving along.

[Nisha Ward]

My first reaction was gratitude to the author for not making the virus create zombies. It's not a unique take on bio-terrorism, but a virus that targets specific chromosomes is something so rarely used that it's kind of refreshing. I do wonder what happened in the first book, though.