Prepared for Rage

The story opens with a rapid-fire introduction of characters in settings around the world, among them Cal Schyler, a Coast Guardsman on duty in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina; Akil, a Pakistani Muslim intent on avenging the death of his sister; and Kenai Munro, an astronaut at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, who is preparing to take a wealthy Middle Easterner into space. With her crisp narration Lorelei King keeps listeners engaged with the suspense and quick switches from a Schyler-Munro love tryst to the scenes of Middle-Eastern terrorist camps. King keeps the people, places, and motivations well defined with on-target characterization, particularly in her portrayals of Akil's terrorist mindset and Kenai's frustrations with her male-dominated professional world. S.W. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Starred review from December 10, 2007
The action of Edgar-winner Stabenow’s stellar second venture into thriller territory, in contrast to 2006’s Blindfold Game
, which was set largely in the frozen waters off Alaska, centers on the warm seas of the Florida coast near the Kennedy Space Center, where the latest space shuttle launch is to take place. Stabenow harnesses the strands of her story with consummate skill: the passion that propels a rogue terrorist on a crusade to strike a blow that will shatter American pride; the efforts of U.S. intelligence to thwart a bewildering array of foes; the rising careers of Capt. Cal T. Schuyler, “the golden boy of the U.S. Coast Guard,” and astronaut Kenai Munro, whose life ambition is realized when she’s named to the shuttle crew. Stabenow proves equally adept at portraying the workings of a cutter, the complexities of a shuttle mission or the machinations of a terrorist. The result is entertainment and suspense of a high order.

February 25, 2008
Stabenow's political suspense tale is well realized by Lorelei King, who offers deeply conflicted characters despite some cheesy dialogue and a plot line that seems all too familiar nowadays. King is the bright spot in this lackluster tale, capturing a variety of tones and dialects, including an incredible Pakistani accent that doesn't sound forced or over the top. Her pace is neither too fast nor too slow, and she knows exactly how to build tension at any moment. King guides listeners through the story, keeping them interested and involved even when Stabenow seems to lose interest. It is King's well-rounded narration that will keep listeners engaged, not Stabenow's story. Simultaneous release with the St. Martin's Minotaur hardcover (Reviews, Dec. 10).