Project Cyclops
Public-domain ebook
Project Cyclops
Language: en6,747 downloads on Project Gutenberg
Subjects
In: Crime, Thrillers and Mystery·Adventure·Novels
Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #34319.
About this book
Project Cyclops is a high‑octane techno‑thriller that launches its narrative amid the glittering Aegean Sea, where former operative Michael Vance pilots a handcrafted replica of Ulysses’ legendary ship. The opening scene thrusts him into a sudden assault by a Russian Hind gunship crewed by Arab terrorists intent on seizing a U.S. laser‑launch facility on a tiny island. The attackers swiftly overrun the site, converting a launch vehicle into a ballistic missile capable of delivering a stolen thermonuclear warhead to any American city. Vance survives the wreck of his sailcraft, washes ashore on the occupied island, and is positioned as the sole hope to thwart the looming catastrophe.
The novel’s voice is brisk and cinematic, blending detailed military jargon with vivid, almost mythic descriptions of the sea and modern weaponry. Written in the early 1990s, its prose reflects the era’s fascination with post‑Cold‑War espionage and emerging laser technology. Readers who enjoy tightly plotted suspense, intricate geopolitical intrigue, and the clash of ancient myth with cutting‑edge warfare will find this opening compelling.
Characters in Project Cyclops
- Michael VanceMid‑30s rugged ex‑agent, short dark hair, stubble, weather‑worn skin, navy‑blue flight jacket, leather gloves, intense eyes
The opening · free to read
Thomas Hoover
"A high-tech launch site, a missing nuke, and Arab terrorists with nothing to lose . . ."
In the sun-dappled waters of the Aegean, ex-agent Michael Vance pilots the Odyssey II, a handmade replica of the sailcraft of the ancient hero Ulysses. Out of nowhere, a Russian Hind gunship with Arab terrorists at the helm fires upon the tiny ship below. The terrorists' destination is a tiny Aegean island where a U.S. aerospace corporation carefully guards the Cyclops 20-megawatt laser launch facility. But the company security force is no match for the firepower of the Arab invasion and the launch site is quickly overrun. With helpless horror, the executives can only watch as renegade technicians convert the launch vehicle into a ballistic missile that can deliver their stolen thermonuclear warhead to any city in the U.S.
Left for dead amid the smoking ruins of Odyssey II, Michael Vance washes up on the occupied island - and becomes America's only hope.
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