Date first published	30 Sept. 1999
ISBN Number	BCA
Page Count	281 h/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

Storyline

The catastrophic power of a giant hurricane can raise coastal waves thirty feet high and blow through houses at speeds far above those of tennis balls served by champions.

Perry Stuart, TV meteorologist working routinely before cameras, chiefly predicts periods of English drizzle, with bursts of heavier rain and sunshine to follow. His life calm and ordered, his face familiar to every British household, Stuarts profound weather knowledge and accuracy have given him high status among forecasters, but no physical baptism by storm.

Not that is, until a fellow forecaster offers him a Caribbean hurricane-chasing ride in a small aeroplane as a holiday diversion. By frightening accident, Stuart learns more secrets - and back home in England he faces threats and danger as deadly as anything that nature can evolve.

Review

This was the authors 40th novel. What an achievement. Unfortunately for me it was not a book that i enjoyed, and I'm not sure why, however it didn't grip me as his novels usually do and I struggled to finish it. Now this is a rare beast, and perhaps the only book written by Francis that I haven't enjoyed. So one out of 44 stories is not a bad record.

Why I should not enjoy the book is strange, after all it follows the authors usual formula, of the hero being connected to or part of the racing industry, suddenly finding himself in danger due to the discovery of knowledge which could prove dangerous to someone.

So lets take a closer look at the basics. The first is the central character - Perry Stuart -weatherman. This aspect of the story is fine, and backed with the usual attention to detail, and a good cast of supporting characters, and love interest.

The next part is perhaps the part of the story that doesn't work for me, and thats the arms dealers, as a loose conglomerate, and the shady dealings going on with Trox Island. I think this part is overly convoluted, with the Unified Traders, being infiltrated by a government department, I think it just to much. Also the fact that Perry can work out that the leader of the traders is actually a spy pushes the boundary just that bit too far.

So thats the negative out of the way, the next bit is the positives - the action in the eye of the storm is well written, along with the period on trox where Perry survives on cows milk.

The other bits involving the flying are also well done, and his friend and colleague Kris, is a more detailed character than we normally get, but I suppose it does all add up to the mistake that is made which ultimately leads to the crash in the hurricane.

The parts written in America, don't seem to gel quite as well, and the incident with Perry going for a late night walk is rather over the top, although again it could be argued that it sets up an escape route for later in the book.

So what is the final conclusion - it is not a bad book, it's just a story that for one reason or another didn't get me really excited, and as said earlier i think it's the only one from his 44 novels its not a bad ratio. So give the book a try you may well enjoy it.

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