"Thunderbird"

Jack McDevitt is a former English teacher, naval officer, Philadelphia taxi driver, customs officer, and motivational trainer.

He applied the Page 69 Test to his new novel, Thunderbird, and reported the following:

Unfortunately, page 69 is at the end of a chapter and contains only six lines. Sioux Chief James Walker, who is under severe pressure, is thinking about steps he might take:

Ivy Banner had a solid reputation. Ivy and her husband lived in Fargo, where she worked for the Renko Construction Company. He didn’t remember much detail about her except that she specialized in electrical design.

Next year, he’d be up for reelection, but unless something changed radically, Walker would not run. He’d had enough.

Tomorrow, if the mission went well, he’d call Ivy and ask for her help.

They’ve discovered a stargate on the reservation he oversees. The president of the United States is uncertain whether he wants to see it dismantled. And there is considerable pressure coming in from both sides. It may provide a giant technological leap for the human race. Or it may lead to, at the very least, an economic collapse. Walker, like POTUS, is uncertain how to respond.

Learn more about the book and author at Jack McDevitt's website.

The Page 69 Test: Firebird.

--Marshal Zeringue