Out of the frying pan and into the fire
4.5 out of 5 stars
Join the team after they have survived the attacks that the “hell holes” have brought upon the oil fields of Alaska. Follow along as they try to escape with their lives, but they will soon find out that they are out of the frying pan and into the fire.
First things first, take a look at that awesome cover. Really gives the read a feeling that they are going to be going for a ride when they pick this book out.
In “crossover” books like this (it’s fantasy and real-world) it’s easy to get caught up in the details. Trying to explain why someone has magical powers or where a character came from can really bog down a good story. Firesmith is able to skip these mundane details but still write a story that feels full and detail oriented. I love the fact that I don’t normally like books with fantasy elements in them, but the Hell Holes series has allowed me to enjoy a sprinkle of fantasy with my thrillers.
The fantasy elements (in case you’re curious) involve different demons: gargoyles, imps, and hell hounds. Along with a witch or curatrix as she is called in these books. There is also a secret society of people who have been keeping these demons at bay for centuries. Now, sprinkle these elements in with an extremely well thought out thriller and I’m intrigued.
Overall, Hell Holes: Demons on the Dalton was a wonderfully written book that had my heart pounding from beginning to end. A thriller through and through.
The length was really nice for me too. Sometimes I enjoy reading a novella or a shorter novel. Especially when you pack as much into them as Firesmith has with Demons on the Dalton.
I was given an early copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
When huge holes mysteriously formed in Alaska’s North Slope, a research team went to discover their cause. But when an army of invading demons erupted out of these hell holes, only two scientists and Aileen, the team’s secretive photographer, survived. Now in this exciting second book in the Hell Holes series, they must flee south along 350 miles of the Dalton Highway, one of the world’s most treacherous roads. Aileen, a member of an ancient order charged with defending humanity from Hell, must save the two scientists, but who will save her?
Donald Firesmith is an ACM Distinguished Engineer who works at the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), where he helps the United States Military and other Governmental Agencies acquire large and complex software-reliant systems. He has 34 years of experience in both commercial and governmental software and systems development in numerous application domains that range from software applications and management information systems to embedded aviation and space systems. His primary areas of expertise include requirements engineering, system and software architecture engineering, object-oriented development, testing, quality engineering, and process improvement including situational method engineering.
Donald Firesmith has published dozens of technical articles, spoken at numerous international conferences, and has been the program chair or on the program committee of multiple conferences and workshops. He has taught several hundred courses in industry and numerous tutorials at conferences. These articles, presentations, and conference papers can be downloaded from his personal website. He is the developer of the OPEN Process Framework (OPF) Repository, the world’s largest free open-source website documenting over 1,100 reusable system/software development method components.
To relax, he writes fantasy and science fiction books and crafts magical wands as a hobby.
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