The Ragnarok Conspiracy

August 13, 2012
Unlike most “war on terror” thrillers, Stebbins’s uneven debut inserts a plea for tolerance within the story of indomitable FBI agent John Savas’s struggle against a bizarre terror cell. Though still haunted by his son’s death in the 9/11 attacks, the brooding “Mad John” also takes inspiration from the tragedy for his work in the elite counterterrorism unit Intel 1. He’s conflicted, though, by the sneaking sympathy he feels for the conspirators behind a series of anti-Muslim assassinations and bombings. A burgeoning romance with co-worker Rebecca Cohen makes the divorced workaholic agent feel as if he’s regained a lease on life, while fearless Muslim-American agent Husaam Jordan’s addition to the team helps Savas begin to break through his prejudices. Exciting action scenes highlight Intel 1’s pursuit of a mysterious cabal that encodes Norse runes in audio transmissions, but clunky prose and unconvincing descriptions leave his message looking laudable but fatally heavy-handed. Agent: Sara Camilli, Sara Camilli Agency.

September 1, 2012

Grieving 9/11 survivors go head-to-head in this debut thriller. FBI agent John Savas, tormented in mind and body by the death of his son at the World Trade Center, seeks relief from his suffering through a deep commitment to his faith and his work against terrorism. Against him and his FBI team is a megalomaniacal businessman whose wife was killed in the same attack. Gunn and his shadowy organization are determined to destroy Islamic civilization at its roots. VERDICT Stebbins, by day a biomedical researcher at Rockefeller University, strides into fiction by invoking an ancient Norse legend of destruction. His arcane and complicated plot demonstrates Stebbins's in-depth research, and the novel showcases the hallmarks of the traditional thriller with high marks for the well-rounded characters and for the relentless pace and gore of the action. Fortify your shelf of Armageddon thrillers with this promising newcomer.--Barbara Conaty, Falls Church, VA

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2012
Terrorism strikes from within in Stebbins' first novel. Muslims around the world have targets on their backs and, regardless of their true political affiliations, are being shot and killed. FBI agent John Savas, who has experienced personal tragedy and is lucky to be back on the job, must put his personal feelings aside if he's going to stop the enemy from succeeding. This time the terrorists are former U.S. military personnel, and they know all the tricks to stay one step ahead of their pursuers. Stebbins explores the line between security and liberty while the bullets pierce skulls. The story line sometimes veers too much into a political diatribe, and some major cliches in the climax are a bit hard to swallow. That aside, it's still a worthwhile read. Fans of the Vince Flynn books will enjoy Stebbins' take on terrorism with a twist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)