Terminal Rage

Terminal Rage was well written and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book. There were a few curve balls that I was not expecting which got me so intrigued that I was not able to go to sleep when I was supposed to be sleeping for work in the am. I can genuinely say that I am impressed. You captured and reeled me in with the first paragraph.

This certainly is a book of intrigue but for me it had way to much detail. if you like to read how software works and lots of electronic devices then you will appreciate this. it does have graphic sexual situations. it is also a very sad and violent story.

A good premise and a riveting first part spoilt by a disjointed and rambling finish. The retrospect is obvious and predictable, the process of discovery of the "villain's" identity puzzling to say the least. So the FBI and everybody else lost interest in the case after the denouement? No mention of an ongoing investigation? It's as if the story actually ends in the middle of the book, and the author spends the rest of the time explaining what we have already read, albeit in a completely unconvincing manner, Alex's presence in the second part of the book (after the denouement in New York) is superfluous, and the insistence on having him as a negotiator in the first place is not convincingly explained. Could have been much better.

This is a good story that could perhaps be better with better editing. I found the sex scenes unneeded and not part of the story line. The primary question of connectedness of two main characters is not answered, which I found unsatisfactory.

The idea isn't bad, but the execution could be improved. So many words, so much description, so much unnecessary information, so many unnecessary details to make it seem "real." Read, if you will The Gadfly by E L Voynich. She does in 180 pages what a modern author would do in 600. If three quarters of this book were eliminated, it would read much better. Anyone who wants to read a thousand pages of real revenge should opt for The Count of Monte Christo.

Mr. Khalifa's new book will engross all cosmopolitan modern nomads - who will find reflections of themselves, fragments of familiar settings and reminiscences of recent geopolitics at every page. It reads so well I could not put down the book once I had started.The build up of the two main characters Blackwell and Sam is done artfully and captivates both the mind and the heart. Mr Khalifa's writing is also very visual. The plot unfolds like a movie, with grandiose scenery as well as unnerving close ups. I can not wait for the sequel!

A first-time author for my reading pleasure. Slow to start, as characters are introduced, but then it became intriguing. By mid-point in the book, it was hard to put down, as the twists and turns in plot were spellbinding, going in directions I'd not expected. I'd love to read another of A.M. Khalifa's books.

It's not every day that one gets the chance to read a work of fiction that is so reflective and pertinent to real life. Terminal Rage is that type of read. As a person who usually devours books like candy, I found it to hit too close to home at certain moments. It took much longer to masticate than what I expected, and at the end of the day that's what real readers really want, right? Something to chew on.

Not everyone can become a great author. This killed some time, but was not worth the time spent reading it. None of the dates mentioned added up and the plot line did not make sense. Glad it was free.

Thoroughly enjoyed Terminal Rage - great read! From the very beginning until the very end, there were wonderfully laced twists and turns. Nothing was expected and therefore kept my interest throughout the entire book. Things aren't always what they seem and assumptions should never be made. Brilliantly written and laced with multiple stories which were skillfully tied together in the end. Riveting. The main character, Seth Blackwell, a former FBI negotiator, is a complex, but so likeable character. Can't wait to read what his next adventure might entail. Would love to see this made into a movie too!

It's hard to understand how this book received any favorable reviews. It is perhaps one of the worst written books I have bought in years. Cliche-ridden, very weird metaphors and similes, almost no character development, gaping holes in the plot and bad grammar. Pass this one up.

What a page turner.
I was simply unable to put this book down. I challenge you to do the same. From the very first sentence the book grips you and does not let you go. This is a compelling and beautiful story about love, loyalty, and the determination of the human spirit. All this is captured in a fast paced dialogue packed with such interesting information about the work of security agencies as well as the four continents on which the story unfolds. I will most certainly be there to see the movie whenever it is made and will keep a close eye at this author's future work.

Great character development and powerful emotion drive the action. The story plays play out in exciting, unexpected fashion. Multiple surprising yet well-grounded twists held me hostage throughout. There is nothing formulaic about this story!
I am eagerly looking forward to the next in the series.

Great character development and powerful emotion drive the action. The story plays play out in exciting, unexpected fashion. Multiple surprising yet well-grounded twists held me hostage throughout. There is nothing formulaic about this story!
I am eagerly looking forward to the next in the series.

If you are a fan of fast paced, political action thrillers you will love Terminal Rage by AM Khalifa. The book kept me engaged from start to finish and Khalifa's story telling approach held my excitement to read each new chapter. One of the things I enjoyed most was the authors style, which made for a very fun read while developing the characters constantly throughout as the plot builds. I highly recommend this book to fans of thriller/mystery/action novels. Well Done Mr. Khalifa.

Your Friend,

James

Terminal Rage is one of those books that grabs you from the first scene and doesn't let go. The verbiage, the action, the characters and flashbacks culminate in a plot and twisty logic that keep you guessing. If thrillers and modern political intrigue is your bag, read it. If you like a nice cup of tea and a who-dun-it, I promise heart palpitations within a few chapters. I could see it in my head.

Terminal Rage will give you terminal pleasure! This breathtaking story will take you from one twist to another and will literally leave you unsettled. For a first novel Khalifa can already count on a spot next to Murakami or DeMille. Hopefully, you'll enjoy it as much as I did. Spoiler alert it is great!

It took awhile to warm up to this book. I found the constant flashbacks uncomfortable, although I came to understand the reason for them. I did enjoy the unexpected plot twists. The main characters are intriguing. Hoping for a sequel to resolve some loose ends.

I could not put this book down. It is a compelling and well-crafted story that sucks you in completely and then leads you in an entirely unexpected direction. My only quibble is that it left me with one rather huge question. I'm hopeful that AM Khalifa will answer it in a sequel soon.

From the complexity of the story to the depth of the chracters, Mr. Khalifa managed to create a novel that keeps you on the edge and makes you want to keep reading. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a movie adaptation in the near future. A real triumph.

First time I have ever thrown a book in the trash. Sorry but just really poor writing and plot. Too be fair I just finished reading Dune and then I turned to this novel - perhaps I was expecting too much from it.

What an enjoyable book. It was hard to put down and I have on a number of occasions almost missed my train stop!! My favourite chapter was all around the Egyptian Army officers..... great writing and not to forget the great sound track.
The gripping dialogue, the human determination and the twists all kept coming!
I believe we have upon us a truly talented up-and-coming author. I look froward to reading more from AM Khalifa.

Pretty good book. Kept me interested. Only a few errors:

"How does that relate to you and I"... (

"....15 minutes shy of 2:00 pm on Sunday morning..."

The use of "podium" instead of "lecturn."

Finally recovering from the mental toll of his disastrous last case, Alex Blackwell, once the FBI's top hostage negotiator, is pulled back into action at the request of a man posing as an Arab prince who has taken over a skyscraper in midtown Manhattan. Besides the hostages in the building, the man threatens to kill children at daycare centers -- knowing this is the one thing he could say that will convince Blackwell to forsake his self-imposed exile.

So begins Terminal Rage by A.M. Khalifa (@amkwriter), a layered thrill ride of a novel that moves seamlessly from inside a nerve-wracking hostage situation to far-flung locations across the United States and the world including Italy, Egypt, England and Australia. Who the mysterious man is and what his motivations are will be revealed in due time, as the reader and Alex uncover and fit together the pieces of large and complicated puzzle.

I've spent some time thinking about how to write this review, because I don't want to reveal too much of the plot and spoil the fun for future readers. Terminal Rage is a multi-layered story that is topical and yet also timeless, with a real emotional edge underpinning it. The well-conceived plot twists along the way had me nodding my head in admiration of the author's imagination and storytelling ability, which I would compare favorably to the best of Robert Ludlum, Frederick Forsyth or Ken Follett.

So writing this review is a bit like encouraging someone who hasn't seen the movie The Sixth Sense to watch it without telling them Bruce Willis is dead; you want people to know how great it is but you don't want to rob them of those "oh, wow" moments. For me as a reader, those times when well-crafted pieces of a plot puzzle finally fit together and the logic of the author's intentions become clear are very satisfying.

I highly recommend this well-crafted novel, and look forward to more from Mr. Khalifa. To learn more about the author and his writing, visit his website amkhalifa.com.

A very, very good book.

Initially, I wasn’t looking forward to reading this, I don’t know why, but I absolutely loved it. There are so many twists that it’s hard to give an honest review without throwing spoilers in, which I have no intention of doing.

The story jumps all over the globe, but wherever Khalifa takes us we’re straight into the action. This is a book that holds your attention and I thoroughly recommend it because the reader won’t second guess how this story pans out. All is not as it seems.

So why only a 4 Star? Because it jumps around chronologically and that’s a bit confusing. This shouldn’t put a prospective reader off but it is annoying. Khalifa starts each chapter with the date, but this isn’t helpful at all because the reader can’t remember the date from the previous chapter, or the one before that, and especially the one before that.

This is very frustrating. It doesn’t spoil the story, but I hope Khalifa won’t use this technique in future books.

Being an action adventure story addict, I was not sure about Terminal Rage but it sounded like a good read. It was better than a good read, it was an excellent story. Masterful plot with good characters, facts based on recent events in the last couple of years and a very cool ending. Our hero Blackwell, damaged beyond repair in his eyes, is called back to duty as hostage negotiator by the terrorist running his show. From there the plot gets more interesting. Blackwell and Sam our bad guy or is he? The plot theme is a common one but author A.M. Khalifa's handling of it is far from common. That said, I recommend this as a solid action read.

Well done. The idea that got me hooked was the hostage situation, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. A revenge story and a pretty darn good one. To me, we readers really did not need the FBI to be the focal point in the beginning. They could have been just a minor plot point. The whole story about the revenge factor....that was the story! I was thinking maybe a little bit Die-Hard plot in the beginning, but I was way off.

Loved my first read by A.M. Khalifa! Terminal Rage hooks you from the first page and never lets go. There is a whole backstory that Khalifa takes his time revealing in a very clever manner which ends up surprising you. Expect action, great character development, plot twists and turns but also a strong theme of love for family which I never expected from the book's title. Great to listen to it on Audible as well. The narrator is perfect! Definitely put this on your must read list!

This was a good book that could have been great. The main characters are very likable and I felt myself wanting to know more and more about them. The action scenes were thrilling (requiring only a mild suspension of disbelief). At times, I could visualize the characters cast in a Jason Bourne or Mission Impossible movie scene.

Having said that, it fell short in little ways. Some of his dialog was really great- quotable and well written. A few times, though, it came across as cheesy and unbelievable. The author's storyline seemed too jumbled and sometimes overcomplicated. It was as if he felt that even more twists and turns would be better than less. Instead, some parts felt contrived and lacked a payoff worthy of their complexity.

I would recommend it as a fun read, but with managed overall expectations.

This book grabbed my attention from the beginning and never let go. I found it well written and well edited. The book moved quick enough to keep the story going without dragging or moving too fast to keep up. The attention to detail isn't seen often and it was a wonderful aspect of this book. I will look for more books by this author

I enjoyed this book. It was pretty well written and I mostly liked the concept. Not to give too much away, the misdirection was enjoyable, although parts of the narrative were just a little too far fetched. To me, the true measure of a book is how fast I reach for other titles by the same author. In this case, I will certainly sample more of the author's work, but he is not at the top of my "to read" list.

I love a book with twists, turns, and surprises. Terminal Rage certainly offered that! Once I had started reading it was a challenge NOT to stay up all night in order to finish. With a world of greed, terrorism, revenge, and broken families it is hard to comprehend any type of positive result occurring. But, it does! (No spoiler here, you will have to read for yourself) I also enjoyed that two unlikely characters were linked together by the theme of their obvious love for their children. I was blessed to receive this book along with a personal message from the author (which in itself was a pleasant surprise). I highly recommend Terminal Rage for anyone who enjoys a good political thriller, those who may want a reprieve from our current politics, media, or ones in need of a positive distraction from all the negativity we are exposed to.

If you are a fan of thrillers, I would definitely recommend this book. This typically isn't my genre of choice--I tend to gravitate towards historical fiction--so it took reading a few chapters for me to acclimate to a different style. But, the combination of suspense, plot twists and multiple story lines weaved throughout the book make this a very engaging read. This is the type of story I could envision being the next political thriller to hit the big screen!

Enjoyable read, but too many unanswered/ unexplained things throughout. Frustrating to finish and slowly realize all of the problems. I felt like the author struggled to resolve some of the logistics of a very intricate plot, and as a result tried to lean on inference far to much to bring the book to conclusion.
I don’t want a smile and a wink for closure, which is quite ironic given how driven by logic, justice and the truth, as the main characters are.

This book kept me up two nights in a row because I just couldn't put it down. The pace of this thriller is fast. The top-notch writing keeps the reader thoroughly engaged. The story crosses international borders and cultures and offers a privileged peek into the world of the FBI and the secret workings of global investigations. The characters of both protagonists develop gradually and take surprising twists. You get to know them well, the layers peeling away at every turn. You won't forget these people - they will stay with you long after the book ends. You will start to revisit scenes from the book and certain details will slowly come to mind. It is that kind of a book. I personally am hoping for a sequel. I want to read more of author Khalifa’s creative mind.

This book had me intrigued from the start. The first half of the book takes some focus to keep all of the various characters and sub-plots straight, while wondering how it all ties together. But, once I got to the second half of the book I could not put it down! Very interesting to see how all of the characters tie together, with plot twists that kept me guessing until the very end! Most of the story lines tied together very nearly at the end, with only a couple small things left open for maybe a sequel? Over all an excellent read, highly recommended!

Overall, I found the tale to be clever and clear. It wasn’t over muddled with too many plot elements, but also not so simplistic as to be intellectually unsatisfying. On a superficial note I really liked the font size in the printing as well as the spacing of the text, as it made for an easier read. The cover art was also aesthetically pleasing.It is very well paced and kept me turning pages with enough enthusiasm to finish the text in the course of about three days, and for someone with very young children, school, and a demanding job, that is really fast. Highly recommended!!!

First part of the book is full of Homeland security agencies, FBI and the other agencies. In the name of protecting rich influence citizens and their families. What they can do, how they exchange and their relationship with the other governments. Love of family, grief and separation. But keep reading, you'll have some understanding of those agents. You'll love the ending.

This book is a real turn-pager. Right from the start I was trying to connect the plot, as it evolved, to the first scene in the book. This was tantalizingly enjoyable - while reading I was trying to continuously figure out who this cold calculated meticulous killer was, what was his motive and how was he linked to first scene in the book - which kept flashing back at me. Very clever Khalifa - this is a tremendously clever plot which you really don't see coming at you. Another favourite aspect of this book was the vivid descriptions of places, from smells, colours, temperatures, and textures which made me want to be there - Australia; the Caribbean, Rome - apart from the high security jail, isolated in the Egyptian dessert.... All the way through I was thinking how much I would love to see it on the big screen - this thriller would make a nail-biting film.

Do you like Brad Thor, Vince Flynn and writers like them ? Do you like fast paced, high tech thrillers ? Do you like strong character development. Well folks, there's a new Sheriff in town. His name is AM KHALIFA and he's the real deal. Get ready for an edge of your seat page turner. You won't be sorry and you'll happily add another author to your "Must Read" list.

Terminal Rage is a fast-paced, action-packed political thriller that you will find hard to put down. The flashbacks and timeline initially confused me (I kept having to go back and check the timeline of the last chapter to see if I was in the past or present with the new chapter), but it was still an amazing read that I finished in less than a day.

Terminal Rage is not your typical thriller. Although the international plot line and the political intrigue is fantastic, as are the fine details of how government agencies and diplomats work, the thing that stood out the most for me was the characters. Terminal Rage is a heartrending voyage into human nature and how far you would go to deliver justice for the ones that you love. It explores this from two different perspectives and for two men who may not be as different as they believe they are.

The ending of Terminal Rage left me wanting more and gives a hint that this story is far from over. I so do hope that a sequel is in the offing, as I will most definitely be buying it! Mr Khalifa, you have earned yourself another fan!

Just ordered a kindle version, 8 minutes into the 1st chapter and I'm head-over-heel for it.

I like the straight-to-business entry, you could almost picture the movie plot as you read through! Here's a thought Sir, "Why don't you seek to make it into a movie?"

This is just a snappy quick review, will update as I go along reading this tension-filled catchy book!

I love a good thriller & this did not disappoint. I was attached from the beginning, but about halfway through, I could not put it down. There are so many details and twists throughout the book, that you want to go back and read it twice to make sure you didn't miss anything.

Terminal Rage is a fast-paced, action-packed political thriller that you will find hard to put down. The flashbacks and timeline initially confused me (I kept having to go back and check the timeline of the last chapter to see if I was in the past or present with the new chapter), but it was still an amazing read that I finished in less than a day.

Terminal Rage is not your typical thriller. Although the international plot line and the political intrigue is fantastic, as are the fine details of how government agencies and diplomats work, the thing that stood out the most for me was the characters. Terminal Rage is a heartrending voyage into human nature and how far you would go to deliver justice for the ones that you love. It explores this from two different perspectives and for two men who may not be as different as they believe they are.

The ending of Terminal Rage left me wanting more and gives a hint that this story is far from over. I so do hope that a sequel is in the offing, as I will most definitely be buying it! Mr Khalifa, you have earned yourself another fan!

Just ordered a kindle version, 8 minutes into the 1st chapter and I'm head-over-heel for it.

I like the straight-to-business entry, you could almost picture the movie plot as you read through! Here's a thought Sir, "Why don't you seek to make it into a movie?"

This is just a snappy quick review, will update as I go along reading this tension-filled catchy book!

I love a good thriller & this did not disappoint. I was attached from the beginning, but about halfway through, I could not put it down. There are so many details and twists throughout the book, that you want to go back and read it twice to make sure you didn't miss anything.

This is an amazing read. One that you cannot put down. The characters are so real that all portraits, images and scenes are vivid and realistic. I am not a big fan of political thrillers, but the plot here is so intriguing that I was glad someone recommended this book to me. It is very difficult to create suspense, the good one, the one that really makes you wonder and that isn't in any way predictable...and this book does just that. It will make you crave for more pages until you know more and then, just when you think you know something, some more suspense comes our way!! It's incredible. The writing is very fresh and yet, it doesn't leave any detail to chance; it is accurate and lively. Bravo to the author. Keep them coming!

This novel was not an easy read but it was well worth the effort. Khalifa did an amazing job luring me into a false sense of security prior to every twist (and there were many!) I loved that he kept his characters complex enough that I couldn't label them but presented them with such care that I felt like I could see their hearts. I can't wait for the follow-up novel!

Terminal Rage kept my attention and interest. I didn't see some of the twists coming. Additionally, the motives of the characters weren't always clear and that added to the suspense. This novel was an enjoyable to discuss during a Recent Book Club.

I'm mystified by positive reviews of this book. It's ridiculously overwritten, and the only fun I had with the 40 pages I read involved reading horrible sentences out loud to my wife. Seriously, this is so poorly written no one should subject themselves to trying to read it.

An extremely written book and fantastic read! This book is a page-turner that has you hooked from page one. Its intriguing plot, and impressive description of the characters and events keep you in suspense, making you keen to see how it ends. Highly recommend this book.

Really great plot/mystery with intriguing main characters. The writing can get carriers away in over intricate descriptions, but it's not enough to distract from what is a very well inscribed thriller

One of the things that made this book so exceptional is that is was written from two different character's points of view. The plot was not predictable and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this thriller.

Terminal Rage Review

Mister Khalifa, this book is a breath of fresh air, filled with your brand of literary magic which has made me a lifelong reader. But, because over the years my standards have logically risen, it makes it very difficult to impress me.

Well sir, what a pleasant surprise indeed with Terminal Rage, as I could hardly put it down. Your global travels and understanding of languages sews this tale together as few fictional accounts seem able on our contemporary scene.

Now of course, I am on the edge of my seat wondering when your sequel will be available, so I might follow the razor sharp mind of former FBI hostage negotiator Alexander Blackwell, as he faces off with the complex criminal minds you have so eloquently created.

What a super fiction-writing find you are A.M. Khalifa, and I for one have little time for the also-rans, or pulp producers, so it was an even sweeter experience to realize that you are also at the very beginning of what promises to be a long and inspired career writing for the huge audience you so richly deserve.

I can only imagine what the icons of this genre would say about your debut work, but of one thing I am sure. Terminal Rage now sits on my shelf next to Umberto Eco, Andrea Camilleri, and Dashiell Hammett.

Write on Mister Khalifa!

Khalifa catches the reader up in the middle of a plausible crisis situation with lots of unknown elements. It's fresh and exciting and finally we have a writer delivering original plot lines that haven't been beaten to death by others. There were twists that really caught me by surprise; although I knew I was being given clues, I couldn't figure them out until I looked back. In addition to being original and well constructed, it's well-written. This is a classic page-turning suspense novel full of believable and flawed characters with lots of behind-the-scene details which can only come from first-hand experience with the real-life counterparts. I've already shared my copy and recommended it to other mystery readers who like political thrillers.

I started Terminal Rage and couldn't put it down. The beginning has you thinking it's a stereotypical story of a Middle Eastern terrorist causing havoc in the West, but the plot twists and turns and takes you around the world with fascinating characters and story lines within story lines. A great acheivement for a first novel and a great read for all readers, but particularly those who enjoy a bit of action and suspense.

Although this is not my favorite genre, I really liked the book. I found myself looking forward to getting to the end of my day, putting my child to bed, checking my email, etc., and arriving at the moment when I could curl up on the sofa with Terminal Rage. It is fast paced and almost cinematic in many ways, yet the writing is stylish, too. I've read a couple of books by Vince Flynn and I would say that if you like Vince Flynn, you will like A.M. Khalifa.