Bluzman
5.0 out of 5 stars
An amazing look at the next level of warfare
I was sent this book by the author with a request to review it. I was skeptical about the approach but decided to give it a chance. I was not disappointed. This is a well-written, original techno-thriller. The characters are well fleshed out and the plot original. I couldn’t put it down. Mr. Arquette has described a new level of warfare that is incredibly scary and very possible. It’s message is that anyone can be killed without direct physical contact. Thankfully, Marshall Hail, the protagonist, has a strong moral compass. The idea that someone with far fewer scruples could have access to this technology is very very frightening. We could all be targets and never see it coming. This is a must-read.
____________________
​
Robert Enzenauer
5.0 out of 5 stars
​
Very good Geek techno-Thriller
WOW! What a great read by a great new author. This is a truly unique look at a possible future, involving drone technology, killing terrorists. The crew are techno-geeks, and not the typical testosterone-laden former SF soldier or Navy Seal veterans. I like the plot twist of an independently wealthy scientist who loses his entire family to a terrorist attack and then has "nothing to lose" when he sets out to reduce the number of terrorists in the world. As described by another reading, this book is very hard to put down. The action moves very fast. The story is truly unique and well crafted. This is truly an action-thriller - but the action is more in line-with video-game death and destruction fought from the arm-chair of a drone-driver.
____________________
​
Meenaz Lodhi
5.0 out of 5 stars
​
STORMY TECH THRILLER!
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2017
The title says it all! I was given this book in exchange for an honest review and I’ll say I was thrown overboard (no pun intended)! A story that transcurre on one of the high tech ships own by a novel prize winner billionaire to eliminate all terrorists, for revenge, with the undesirable help of the FBI, CIA, NSA, and his whizz kids techs is a fabulous turnout and very original plot! The use of drones to fight the bad guys is terrifying and amazing at the same time. Every new drone is specifically detailed, the genius behind the works is incredible. Mr. Arquette has managed to draw strong characters, on both sides of the line with their background, an aspect I always like in a story. It’s fast-paced from the beginning, the suspense, the wait in every ops is nerve-wracking, exciting, and at the of the seat scenes! I think and sure hope there’s a series going on! It’s really is a stormy tech thriller!
____________________
​
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
​
Operation Hail Storm
​
Brett Arquette has written a techno-thriller that ingeniously integrates cutting-edge technology, politics, global concerns, and characters who are believable and relatable. The reader can believe that Marshall's wave reactor and waste bundles could actually solve the global energy crisis.
Will the US President and the CIA use Marshall and his organization for their agenda? Time will tell. This book will appeal to teen and adult readers who like the interplay of technology, action, suspense, and strong characters.
____________________
​
Steven Cooke
5.0 out of 5 stars
​
GREAT Opener for a Thinking Technical-Political Action Series!
WOW! A bit of a slow start, some initial doubts about its reality, and the introduction of a large cast of characters inferred a bit of a slog through an adventure story. I was extremely pleased to become engrossed in a “can’t put it down” technical/political thriller! The characters are all very believable, with enough mixture of personal and professional “issues” to make it work seamlessly as a plausible scenario. The plot conflicts are simultaneously worked out in personal, political, and technological arenas in a way that not only does not interfere with any other part of the narrative but builds it into a nail-biting tension that would make an excellent movie. The ending is realistic and implies further expansion into other possibilities. What do the revelations of this first book mean for the “Balance of Power” in the world? Mr. Arquette does a masterful job of pushing the boundaries of realistic science and politics into pertinent questions we should all ask, without becoming either fantastical or pedantic.. Some reviews have said that this book would appeal to fans of Tom Clancy and Lee Child. I would add John le Carre as a recommendation as well. It weaves the individual protagonist with a team of support personnel and a host of enemies – domestic and foreign – into a tale that is both interesting for its technological prognostications and its consideration of the motivations and abilities of its characters. I highly recommend this book (and check out the other novels by this author) for anyone interested in more than just “flash-bang” action.
____________________
​
Tiger
5.0 out of 5 stars
​
Great read
I must say that I am impressed! The author has done his homework on the aircraft names and makes. I don't normally like the military, but this one was so good that I had to listen to the end to find out what was going to happen. I look forward to the next book in this exciting series! I really was on the edge of my seat while listening to the audiobook. It's a great listen and the orator did a wonderful job of making each voice a touch different. I would highly recommend this book!
____________________
​
Moonshine
5.0 out of 5 stars
​
Outstanding techno-thriller
Brett Arquette’s Operation Hail Storm page-turner techno-thriller nailed the emerging drone technology. In the beginning, I worried our current North Korean reality might be too close to the plot to be interesting enough. Boy, was I wrong! The story-line is sadly, entirely plausible given the heinous terroristic acts in the world today. Great character development as we learned about motivations and personal tragedies.
Often when a writer chooses a specific technology topic like sailing or drones, they miss the technical details and tell the story in an unrealistic manner. Not so with Brett as far as I can tell — being the CEO of a drone detection service gives me a bit of technical drone insight and his technology seems spot on within a really exciting book. I look forward to the next book!!
____________________
​
​
​
Operation Hail Storm is as current as tomorrow's newspaper. The author's research is spotless and spot-on. The character development of the main characters is very good; for supporting characters not so much, but that didn't detract from the story or suspense. The book is an easy read because the author has explained advanced concepts so well (again great research). I would like to consider this a science fiction book, but it really is an expert tale of what probably can be done with current tech plus a tweak or twelve. Entertaining and more than a bit scary. It may make some engineers at our national intelligence services wonder who spilled the beans.
____________________
​
​
​
Action-adventure as good as the big box office smashes. Great characters that have appeal and texture. The technical parts rival Tom Clancy's pieces!
____________________
​
​
Can I rate it more than 5 stars?
​
Brett Arquette has written a book that grabs you from that very first paragraph and refuses to relinquish its hold on you until you have read the very last word. I found the characters, the technology, and the whole storyline to be very interesting and engaging. I felt for the characters who came together after losing people in a terrorist attack. Definitely, 5 stars, only because I can't give more than that.
____________________
​
​
Fantastic Book
Marshall Hail is a very likable but broken gazillionaire with seemingly unlimited resources. The man lost his whole family in “The Five” and is also out for some payback. Kara Ramey works for the CIA and is and out for some payback. This makes for a really interesting and lethal combination. I was told that if I liked Clive Cussler I would like Operation Hail Storm. I totally agree. Quite a surprising ending. I am looking forward to the next book in this series and maybe an explanation of the Zub-a-dub language?
___________________
​
​
I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am excited to get into the next book.
​
I have listened to dozens of military fiction books such as series written by Tom Clancy and Vince Flynn. I wasn't really sure what to expect from the story because I had never listened/read anything from this author. Boy was I surprised! I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am excited to get into the next book when it comes out. The beginning of this book was a little slow going, but to fully appreciate the storyline, you had to know a little about the technology and innovation behind the drones. It made sense to include it. There were a few points about the story that I found interesting. 1) A female president - kind of like when the tv series 24 cast a female president. 2) The methods of information extraction from Kara made me a little nervous that the book would be filled with sexual content, but other than the one encounter with the arms dealer (which I fast-forwarded through) the story was very clean and I appreciated that. 3) I liked the concept of a private company finding ways to innovate quickly and avoid all of the red tape present in the Government acquisition process. While I think the timeline of the technology maturation was a bit unlikely, I could appreciate the speed at which the technology was developed, tested, and made ready for action. This was a good story and I hope to have a chance to review any future books if this becomes a series.
​
______________________________
​
​
This book pops with action, innovation, and plot. It is a look at the warfare and buccaneering of the future with an Elon Musk-type entrepreneur who has developed a modern Captain Nemo high-tech approach to combating terrorists and their ilk outside of the limitations faced by government entities. His command of drone technology far exceeds that of any government and his use of teenage drone pilots on a sort of floating Fagin's den of societal outcasts are a match for any government or gang on the planet. To make the book an even sweeter read, the author develops a suburb dialogue between the main male and female protagonists. Lots of witty exchanges and believable barbs and belittling make it fun to follow the development of their relationship. The ending is satisfying and promises to make the sequel even better than this one.
​
______________________________
​
​
I am not normally a reader of thrillers. In fact you could count the number I've read on one hand and have fingers leftover! But when given the opportunity to read this book, I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad that I did! What an interesting, gripping book!! The beginning drew me in by the parallel to today's real-life happenings with North Korea. That was the first thing that kept me reading. The second thing was the intriguing way that the ''good guys" approached the problem of stopping N. Korea's nuclear threat to the world. Admittedly I had to just scan through some of the technical descriptions because it was quite over my head, but that didn't stop me from becoming addicted to continuing reading! I even read VERY late into many nights (I am NOT a fast reader!) just because I needed to find out what happened next! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and want to read more of Brett's books in the near future!!
I strongly recommend this book if you like stories that keep you reading far beyond how long you planned to read!!!
​
Hail Fire (Hail 6)
​
​
Does she live?
​
Wouldn’t you like to know?
​
Prepare yourself for a pivotal book in the Hail saga that includes new DARPA drones, technological advancements the president insists on having included in the new mission. Two members from different agencies are captured and held for ransom. Who will risk their lives to save them? Is Hail’s team back together or forever shattered by recent tragic events? Your Starship awaits, so climb aboard, buckle-up tight, and get ready to blast off into another wild Hail adventure.
Hail Sting (Hail 5)
​
What do you get when you cross a drone mosquito with Polonium-210?
Answer: One deadly little prick.
Hail and his crew take minuturatoin to its limit when Hail attempts to kill the terrorist who killed his family. Bad news, the terrorist is being held in a CIA underground detention facility. Good news, Marshall Hail has a talent for making the impossible, possible. Will his quest to kill the terrorist have repercussions for Kara and Hail’s relationship? Damn straight! And the ripple effect of his actions could cost him everything he holds dear.
Hail Damage (Hail 4)
​
Welcome back all you wonderful Hailraisers! Within these pages, you will be treated to not one, but two plot lines filled with explosions, drones, guns and heavy machinery sprinkled with a little tech magic. Marshall Hail and Kara Ramey have been given a new mission that will completely change their lives. Alliances are broken when Hail discovers that people in Washington have lied to him. Twists and turns? Check. Edge of your seat thrills? Check. Will Hail and his crew take out more terrorists? Checkmate. Buckle up and get ready for another fun ride!
Hail Strike (Hail 3)
​
For those of you who have read both Hail 1 and 2, then you can think of Hail Strike as Kara's revenge. In just about every sense of the word, Kara goes ballistic! Having left Hail without warning, she tracks down the men who killed her parents, and in doing so puts herself in a no-win situation. Will she call Hail to help her or will she find a way to push through with nothing more than a cache of weapons and a truckload of guts. If you love a book that has non-stop action, then congrates - you found it. Welcome aboard the Nucleus. Your stateroom is waiting, so dig in, get comfy and prepare yourself for another healthy dose of HAIL revenge, served up with a heaping side of kick ass.
Hail Warning (Hail 2)
​
Having just stunned those in Washington with Operation Hail Storm, Marshall Hail and his crew move forward with their next mission, using assets from two ships, the Hail Nucleus and the Hail Proton. His team has been provided the latest intelligence for a new operation that seems impossible, but then, Hail has a knack for doing the impossible. Welcome to another techno-thriller filled with more espionage, twists and turns, drones, weapons, and terrorism than you can shoot a railgun at. Will Hail and Kara finally hook up? What happened to the crazy jet pilot? Will Hail kill Kornev? Who is the next unfortunate terrorist on the list? It’s all inside … now get reading before the third book, Hail Strike, hits the bookshelves!
Operation Hail Storm
Marshall Hail was a husband, a father, a Physics Nobel prize winner and industrial billionaire. But when Hail's family was killed in a terrorist attack, he became a deadly predator and redirected his vast industrial assets toward one goal, removing every person on the FBI's Top 10 Terrorist list. With the help of his MIT colleagues, Hail designed and built a devastating arsenal of attack drones of all shapes and sizes that are flown by the nation's best young gamers. The world will come to realize that Marshall Hail possesses the capability of killing anyone, anywhere, at any time, unleashing an operation so disturbing that the CIA has named it Operation Hail Storm.
"It's the new Rainbow Six for a new generation!"
Author Lois Duncan
​
Philip Bailey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping
A fascinating futuristic view mixed with some current technology. So much futuristic that an aircraft carrier, that as far as I know was struggling to make sea trials is on location in Asian seas. The story revolves around drone technology, some may already exist or at least are in the works. The whole plot rocks and I for one am a big supporter of the concept. Some observations: the nuclear reactors are a new concept for me, as I went through the US Navy Nuclear Power program and then on to serve aboard two different nuclear submarines. I am a fan of PWR (pressurized water reactors), but certainly open to newer and cheaper technology after someone proves it to me. I have been aboard new USNS Sealift Command ships and while they are impressive, including the Captain’s stateroom they are nothing like the opulence described in this story. Drones have been in use for a good while, although nothing on the scale described. And finally, a woman POTUS. A story that grabs you with an iron grip, unfortunately, the proofreading was sloppy but not to the point of distracting from the story. The extraordinary use of the drones minus the boring details of their construction allows the story to flow easily, captivating the imagination. To think a drone can be used to slip into a country, poison a terrorist thug and slip out all unseen should have military contractors scrambling. I have heard there are currently drones the size of flies that are in use as spies. More complex than just a story about drones the characters involved are themselves an interesting tale, plotters, schemers, politicians, military leaders, and the lives of conglomeration personnel from varying backgrounds, many with a tragic past. Finally, I think the idea of using sneaky devious little machines to slip in and destroy a supply of weapons of mass destruction, all unobserved, and leaving no fingers of accusation to be pointed is genius as opposed to at least one allied country using fighter bombers to just flat out unapologetically fly in and destroy the weapons that would destroy them. I anxiously await the second installment. Every bit of five stars.
____________________
D. Dobler
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good story!
I found the whole idea of a ship-born, highly intelligent, "family" oriented group doing what they do fascinating. I enjoyed the writing style with a few small suggestions that I'll try and contact the author about. I recommend this book for anyone liking paramilitary action stories with good interpersonal situations.
​
____________________
Michael R. Slezak
5.0 out of 5 stars
Silent death has arrived and its name is Hail!
Arquette is a master storyteller with his release of Operation Hail Storm. The action is non-stop and the plot is one of the most creative and cutting-edge to come out since Tom Clancy was at his peak!. It can easily be concluded that Brett Arquette is every bit equal to Clancy or Cussler when it comes to cutting-edge action-adventure. His utilization of the latest in drone technology should give everyone a wake-up call because anyone can buy a drone these days!!!
____________________
Martin Shain
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great story, perfectly presented for an edge-of-the-seat Mil-thrill read!
I received this book as a pre-release from the author. My interest in posting a review was purely optional. This being said, Hail Storm is an OUTSTANDING read (or listen for Audible users).
Arquette has created strong, memorable characters, whom you come to care about, each a meaningful part of an excellent technical/poli-military thriller. The descriptive technical details are both well researched and perfectly presented.
All in., A great story, well presented for an edge-of-the-seat Mil-thrill read. The excellent narrator also supports the story and gives the listener a flawless performance. Ready for more from Mr. Arquette.
____________________
​
John Stults
5.0 out of 5 stars
Borrow it, rent it buy it, or steal it but definitely read this book.
I did not buy the book but was selected to read it based on reading and previewing Heinlein books, This story is a great read and frankly hard to put down. It does touch on some issues (gov politics -- DOD vs Intel community. PTSD, gov afraid to strike back, gov prejudice against "success" , that are very interesting). I am reminded of some of Poul Anderson's work in reading this book.
The only item I might disagree with the author is (based on my near 30 years in the military) is I don't think the CIA is near as competent as he depicts them in the book. I tend to go with the LBJ opinion of the CIA. I also read the non-classroom edition of the book. This might be a spoiler so if you don't want to read further that is ok. The author does leave a cliffhanger in the book as a setup for the sequel, numerous characters and events have open items.
I highly recommend this novel and very much look forward to the next one in the series.
____________________
A. Swain
5.0 out of 5 stars
Future - Tense
What a page-turner! A remarkable and well-presented story of the future. But not the distant future - a real and quite believable near future where technology has advanced to a remarkable degree. Or has it happened already? We're well versed in the technology and capabilities of drones and the resulting changes in modern warfare today. What we don't know is what advances have been made in micro-drone technology. (Or perhaps we haven't been made aware of it?) Brett Arquette has woven a remarkable tale of a wealthy rogue citizen who has embarked on a mission to eliminate those who were responsible for killing his wife and children, using his team's advanced technology to do the job governments, particularly the US government, can't ... or won't. It is a great read, one that may indeed include technology that already exists - we may simply be unaware of it!
Grab this book and take a peek into the future ... or the present we're simply unaware of.
____________________
Lindsey Gandhi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Operation Hail Storm
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Holy futuristic drones Batman!!! This book takes warfare to a whole new level. Just imagine for a second if we (the USA and our military) had the capabilities to kill anyone, anywhere, anytime and leave little to no trace that we were ever there. That's exactly the roller coaster ride this book explores. Marshall Hail's family (wife and two daughters) were killed in a terrorist attack called The Five, very similar to our real day 9/11. Kara is a CIA spy whose parents were killed in the same attack. They both have the same goal - to get revenge and make the terrorists pay for what they did. In an expected way, these two get forced to team up for the ultimate mission. The author clearly did his research on drone technology, military warfare, and the international landscape. But more importantly, he did a great job with character development and making this a fun, fast-paced story to read versus feeling like I was reading an MIT thesis paper. There is a little bit of a cliffhanger at the end which I am hoping will lead to a sequel. Excellent, action-packed read! And also a scary insight into what our military and CIA branches could be capable of.
____________________
Copwriter
5.0 out of 5 stars
A techno-thriller in the Tom Clancy tradition
Hail Storm is a techno-thriller in the Tom Clancy tradition. Marshall Hail is a Nobel laureate in Physics who has developed a clean, safe nuclear reactor that brings cheap energy to millions of people, and at the same time reduces the world's stockpile of nuclear waste materials. He becomes a billionaire and creates a world-wide organization of power plants, manufacturing facilities, and cargo ships to further his company's goals. At the same time, he recruits bright but disaffected young people who have had families die in "The Five," a larger-scale terrorist attack similar to the one from 9/1/11. They crew his ships and aircraft, help build his massive fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles, and assist him in killing terrorists using all these assets.
Not unexpectedly, his activities create something of a love/hate relationship between him and the United States Government, which covertly endorses his counter-terrorism activities. They like it, but they desire more control and knowledge of it. Their conduit in the attempt to do this is a femme fatale CIA operative who is driven by the same motives as Hail and his crew.
The technology is extensive, but only a little fanciful, and mostly believable. The story enjoys good pacing and not so many characters that you have to keep a roster to track them all. This is a good read, and I expect we will hear more from Marshall; Hail as he continues his crusade.
____________________
Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
​
My Best Read this year!
I was given this e-book (Not a Classroom Ed) because I had written some good reviews on Robert Dugoni's books read, which I rated as 4 to 5 stars. I rarely write reviews since I see so many reviews that I don't agree with. My reviews just state how well I liked and enjoyed the book/story, avoid trying to be a critic, and I can truthfully say that I enjoyed Hail Storm more than any other book I've read this year- 5 STARS-for sure. It is a believable technical story of getting even with the terrorists that are making so much news today. Marshall Hail is an MIT grad who became a 'gabillionair' (word from the book) doing safely away with nuclear waste while producing electricity cheaply. His family -wife and twin daughters - were killed in one of 5 simultaneous attacks on planes around the world 2 years prior to today making him vengeful. He now has the ability to strike back at the terrorists. He owns many container transport ships he has modified and has developed a group of young men and women who now fly and make his force of drones - standard size down to micro that can 'reach out and touch someone' unnoticed. The story moves quickly but not so fast you don't feel you are right there in the action and wondering how he is going to pull this off. After a very successful first mission deep in N. Korea who is purchasing ICBMs from a Russian arms dealer to carry their nukes to guess where Hail meets with the President to ask for help in tracking down some of the top 10 on the FBI's bad boy list. We see again the non-cooperation between the FBI and CIA as they fight to outdo one another, then the CIA demands to plant an agent- would you believe a beautiful lady spy - on Hail's Command Ship to feed them his secrets. Even after giving Hail the job, the U.S. government goes back on its agreement and plans a backup mission that could have really messed up everything. The book will be followed by a sequel soon, thank goodness, and yes I'll be one of the first in line!
____________________
Paolo Pignatelli
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable and Satisfying Read.
As someone in the general business of intelligence gathering and computing (contract linguist), the author kindly sent me a preview of the book. Slightly curious about the invitation, I downloaded the book and opened it on my Kindle. What a pleasant surprise! Brett Arquette's sharp sense of humor pervades the taut narration of a plausible modern-day event. Fast-paced storytelling and well-developed characters make the various plots and subplots seem real, satisfying, and entertaining.
Want a fun book without moralizing and preachiness? Operation Hail Storm is for you.
84 people found this helpful