After discovering a portal through space and time, Fritz helped the United States resolve a foreign crisis. Now, the president wants him to avert a nuclear threat in the Middle East.For Fritz, travel to the past is entertaining and enlightening. Saving the world is something else altogether.Racing against time, Fritz tries discover the portal’s secrets while helping the president. But does using … president. But does using the portal have long-reaching consequences he doesn’t yet understand?
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Sand Storm is the second book in the Quantum Touch series written by Michael R. Stern. I’ve read other books by the author as well we the first in this series; all are well crafted and easily pull you into the story. Time travel and history can often be difficult to incorporate into fiction, especially when you want to balance the plot and create intrigue without confusion. Stern does this explicitly well, and although I’m not a frequent reader of science-fiction, his books are a stand out for me.
Imagine you’re a history teacher, and through sheer luck, you discover a portal to the past, possibly the future. In the first book, Fritz visited General Lee during the Civil War. After working with the POTUS to save the world, he’s asked to do it again; this time, the Middle East is about to explode into war again. Fritz, his wife, several friends, and a few colleagues at his high school re-open the portal and do what they must to protect the world from itself. Lee makes another appearance, and we visit Paris and some well known authors. In the end, another situation seems to be developing, and I will definitely be reading the third novel (of a six book series).
Stern effortlessly (at least for readers, I imagine it’s a huge undertaking for him as an author) weaves Fritz’s history lessons with his students among conversations with the Secret Service and local police officers… teases of romance between supporting cast members… and charms with humorous friendships among the high school crowd. The pages and chapters flow in such a smooth fashion, I’m always shocked when I realize how quickly the book goes. It’s relatable, familiar, and comforting. I enjoy the writing style, as well as learning things I’ve forgotten since my own school days.
If you’re looking for a well-rounded, complex but direct tale set among a time-traveling crowd, you will enjoy this series. It’s just enough to push you to think about all the repercussions without getting caught up in the how-to and unknown possibilities. Stern carefully depicts the history between Christians, Jews, and Muslims to explain why everyone feels Jerusalem belongs to them, and he avoids the usually all-too-present ridicule and slander of other cultures. This is simply a story of two warring factions, a common claim, and an humongous effort to stop world war from happening a third time. Definitely worth checking out and spending your morning or afternoon with a great story.
Once again into the breach, Fritz. The President needs the portal to deal with major difficulties in the Near East. Fritz goes along with the use of the portal, reluctantly, and several battle ensue. Want more? Read the book. The characters are repetitive from the first in this series, and they are very well done with more substance added in the second in this series. This type of fantasy fiction is not my cup of tea in the main. But I have enjoyed the two books I read by this author a great deal and I think I will finish the series with book 3. A very enjoyable read.
This time the story picks up as the action through the Portal begins. Fritz, Linda, and Ashley are enjoying the start of a new school year. The students are attentive and ready for new projects; then the President calls. He has a new mission for the Portal. Once again the three friends are drawn into the intrigue of international politics. First a test run is dome to test the Portal. Ashley once again meets a new love and this time he falls hard. She is a Major and leading one set of troops into the danger zone. The trial run works and they wait for anoher night to go in and take out the nuclear information and processing plant of a hostile force. Not without a problem though. The Portal went dark for a few seconds and one team couldn’t see the Portal to return. Someone goes in to lead them out. This time bullets zap into a wall and the explosion sound much too close. The Major is wounded and taken to their field hospital at the airport. Peace briefly reigns and then the President calls again. This time and enemy force is attacking the Jewish settlers. They are holed up in a large building. If the Israelite Army is used the settlers will die. They arrange to send a large force in to fight off the attackers and bring the settlers out before returning them through the Portal. The Major returns to lead another troop in with the others. This time there is a sinister man in the background planning all the nefarious deeds, but we do not learn who he is. Ashly will risk his life to go after the major. Will her wounds keep them apart? More of the school wall is damaged, and how will they keep the secret of the Portal when the Israeli settlers have entered and left the school through. How do the keep the Prime Minister of Israel from mentioning the help the Americans have given? There are so many questions the next book will need to explain. A fun, fast paced read.