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Bird of Prey
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Plot Summary of Bird of Prey
"

Pocket, March 2004, 6.99, 354 pp.
ISBN 0743453262

The Chinese launch the Shenzou 7 spaceship with a private corporation paying them to launch a commercial satellite into orbit. C.J. Skye of Skye Aerospace destroys the spaceship using a laser beam that is on the Zeus 1 satellite that she launched years ago. C.J. wants to be the one who gets the jobs of launching commercial satellites into orbit and she will not hesitate to kill the competition with her star wars weapon.

When NASA wins the bid to launch a satellite into space, the Liberty is to do the job before rendezvousing with the international ISS space station. C.J. uses the laser to destroy the satellite that was an espionage weapon. When the Liberty goes to retrieve what is left of it she destroys the spaceship too.   An astronaut survives and Kelsey Neaton on the ISS retrieves him. He has proof that the destructions of the Liberty and the satellite was deliberate. Kelsey emails the evidence to her fiancé scientist Nolan Kilkenny. With governmental approval, KilKenny investigates the incidents unaware that C.J. will kill to stop him.

Commercial espionage can be just as deadly as government intrigue as the hero finds out as he survives one attempt on his life after another. BIRD OF PREY is an action packed thriller that moves at light speed but does not stint on characterizations. The cooperation of nations as they try to figure out this international problem is believable and the characters' actions realistic. Though C.J. seems cartoonish in her zeal, BIRD OF PREY is the ultimate cat and mouse thriller with the stakes being the freedom and safety of outer space.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Bird of Prey
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%




Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
Spying/Terrorism Thriller Yes
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Who's the terrorist enemy here? - evil corporation/billionaire
Search for technology? - special war tech.

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - spy
Age: - 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use? - just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Southeast - Hawaii
Asia/Pacific Yes
Asian country: - Russia
The Americas (not US): Yes
The Americas: - South

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 8 or more
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Bird of Prey
Dead of Night by Randy Wayne White
The Negotiator by Frederick Forsyth
Trojan Odyssey by Clive Cussler
Fatal Harvest by Catherine Palmer
Mandrake by Paul Eddy


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