Action and intelligence at the cutting edge of politics, terrorism, extortion and technology realism.
Off the Algo is a classic action thriller interweaving a rich assortment of personalities at the cutting edge of politics, terrorism, extortion and technology realism.
John Gabriel has - for now - outmaneuvered the politicians trying to stop his enigmatic drone fleet, but a quandary arises when a love interest from his distant past re-enters his life in parallel with the appearance of an alluring operative trying to recruit him to prevent a war. John navigates the very personal dilemma while assembling an unconventional commando team that battles intractable thugs and psychopaths who are beyond the reach of governments. The fates of ocean pirates, fanatical terrorists, arms dealers and a wealthy egomaniacal racketeer all collide with John Gabriel's network.
A novel for intelligent people. Rogue drones and legacy Soviet WMDs. A multi-faceted female intelligence operative. The world's greatest wines. A beguiling aviation regulator. An international mule disguised as a church organ repairman. A New Orleans convention. Weaponized weather balloons. Somalian pirates. Corrupt non-profit fronts. Dark web live shooter auctions. Druze. Jets with kill switches. False flag attacks and bomber camps. Cognitive dissonance. Preening politicians, hacks, fixers and hatchet women. Ginger and Mary Ann. Beautiful eyes. Los Angeles gang bangers. Bermuda as the center of the world. The real Soviet coup. Mermaids. The greatest restaurant on the planet. Pistols in a coffee shop. Miles Davis, Pachelbel and Beethoven. Mantiques and slave collars. Ambushes and traps. Seed bombing. Rockets. Intellectual dark web. Catapults, centrifugals and trebuchets. Cry Bastion and the New Castle Protocol. A wicked afterparty in Paris. The best man-cave barge in existence. Lloyds of London collapse. Retrocession of risk. Apollo, Soyuz and Skylab. Pelicans and frigatebirds. Gumdrop and Spider. Vintage port. Submarine warfare. Reagan. Star wars. Andropov, Chernenko and Gorbachev. Hellfire missiles. F-35s, F-15s and F-16s. Analog lie detection. Apache helicopters and 50 caliber guns. Radioactive rain. Secret restaurants hiding in plain sight. Night of the Gliders. Intifada. Patsies. An unsanctioned commando squad. Recruiting bombers among discarded street urchins. Friends with benefits. An unlikely and accidental operative connects it all together, undetected by any algorithm.
Barnes, Michael W.: - Michael W. Barnes is a first time novelist. He resides in New Orleans and Los Angeles, which serve as the sets for "Off The Algo." Born in Iowa as one of seven children, he was raised in a happy family of dynamic equilibrium that seems almost impossible by today's standards. State university-schooled and then off to Stanford Law School in California, he has been a transactional lawyer for decades. In the meantime, he found time to run a vineyard and winery, own a few bars and a farm/ranch, and provide a happy life to some dogs and people. He also dons scuba gear with his family and keeps a pilot's license in the drawer, and he wrote and directed an award-winning documentary film.
