I'm actually very annoyed with myself right now. I'm not entirely sure why I kept moving this book down my TBR pile, but I really wish I hadn't. I absolutely ate it up, reading it in a single afternoon and evening. It's one of those fast paced, high stakes kind of stories that's part thriller, part stark reminder of the damage we are doing to our planet on a daily basis. I've been reading a number of environmental thrillers of late, more by default than perhaps design, but if these books being out there can help to raise awareness of how quickly the planet is being changed and damaged beyond the point of no return, then perhaps we need more still.

This book is a couple of years now and the premise - domestic/eco terrorist targeting high polluting industry in the USA to raise awareness of the plight of the planet - is perhaps more important and relevant now than it was even then. The warning signs have been there for a while and yet, here we are, still facing the same discussions on fossil fuels and oil fields, and still facing the same devastating decline in the coral reefs that forms part of this very telling thriller by David Klass. Out of Time follows the FBI, and more specifically rookier agent, Tom Smith, as they try to apprehend the media monikered eco-terrorist, Green Man. They have no idea who this person, no clues and no evidence to lead them to their target, but he is good. Too good. A home-grown terrorist with an amazing understanding of engineering and how to strike targets in just the right way to cause maximum damage. Unfortunately it also results in a few innocent lives being lost, but in his mind, that is a price that has to be paid in order to save the lives of billions with the rapid decline of the environment and its impact on the planet.

I was sucked into this story from the very start, the author cleverly placing us front and centre on Green Man's sixth attack, a man made dam which is having negative impact on the native salmon population. Now that might not seem the greatest of crimes against nature, but it is one a many perceived violations the US Government stands accused of committing, and part of a much larger crusade by the unsub. It seems harsh to call him an antagonist as, at the end of the day, a terrorist is a terrorist, no matter how noble they believe their cause. It's a clever poly by the author, gaining sympathy from a large swathe of the population who understand his message, as well as readers. I couldn't completely condemn him, and the author goes to great pains to show us the other side of his character, to humanise him, which makes it a real cat and mouse chase where I really wasn't sure I wanted the mouse to be caught.

The same can be said of Agent Tom Smith. I really liked him as character, liked the way in which he was conflicted between the need to do the right thing in terms of stopping a dangerous terrorist from escalating, but also understanding why he was taking action, and sympathising with his cause if not his methods. He was a really astute agent, spotting patterns where other agents missed them, and having a real understanding of what was driving Green Man and how he might react in certain circumstances. It never really felt unrealistic and because Smith was an easy character to be around, unlike some of his colleagues, it made the story flow and kept me completely invested in the outcome.

The pacing is spot on, with moments of frustration when the target seems to just slip through their fingers, and also moments of real tension and jeopardy, when you know the stakes are high and the action really could go either way. There are also moments of real poignancy, and scenes where we are forced to confront the damage we are all doing to the planet, in spite of some of our best intentions. I was actually surprised at times by the pace at which I flew through the pages, and was almost sad to come to the end. It was a fitting end - a last man standing set up where I don't think there was a possibility of a real winner.

We have are repugnant politicians who could easily have been ripped from the headlines, ambitious, if incompetent, government officials you want to see fail and, surprisingly, two heroes, both of whom you want to see succeed, even if that is ultimately impossible. If you like a pacy, tense, thought provoking thriller, with two central characters whose fierce intelligence make it a real battle of wits and a race against time, then this is a book I'd really recommend.

OUT OF TIME is an exciting eco-thriller (I think?) focusing on the pursuit of an anonymous vigilante who is staging large-scale destructive events that draw attention to the perils of climate change. It's an interesting twist on this new (0r what feels fairly new) category of thrillers that focus on the very real threats and irreversibilities when it comes to the state of our planet, and that's what felt fresh to me. Green Man, as he is called, is an anti-hero, someone you can understand and even agree with despite his methods, and that's something that's focused on throughout the story. We follow a chief activist, a fledgling FBI agent-in-the-field, and the family of Green Man himself as the repercussions of his work create ripples across the world. How do they react to what he's doing? How does the public react to what he's doing? What about the governments, the leaders who failed to act when they were warned? And what about the younger generations, those left to grow up in a world that's already burning? This book takes a look at all of that in turn, and at times I wasn't even sure what sort of ending I wanted, which felt refreshing. My thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

Absolutely gripping and I couldn't put it down. Can't wait to read more from the author in the future.

Thank you for providing me with an advance review copy of this book. Enjoyed reading, would recommend....

Struggled with this book. Really sorry. Felt quite far fetched. I just couldn’t keep going with this naive and morally confused fairytale - told with classically American lack of subtlety and overwhelming sentimentality

The hero isn't a hero and the bad guy saves the day... That's about it, sorry to spoil it.


Well written, good and interesting story. Though there's something nagging in my head that I can not put a finger on, is it the narrative person?

Thrilling, fast paced and thought provoking as well as being a damned good read. Late in reading the book but so glad I did. Well written, informative and bang up to date

Omg......... this book was amazing I flew threw the pages with Olympic speed I was hooked from the very first page. I found it full of twists and turns threw out and it kept me on the edge of my seat all the way threw  I would defiantly recommend this book if you like a good book to keep you reading threw the night hopefully you enjoy it as much as I did

I read this novel whilst watching coverage of the Cop 26 summit on tv. An interesting environmental thriller, part manhunt.

I’ve just finished this book, less than 24 hours to read it, including working all day and sleeping! I loved it and really got behind the main characters. I could see this as a Netflix series or a film!
Thank you to Netgalley and David Klass for the opportunity to review this book.

I was looking forward to reading Out of Time by David Klass. Unfortunately, I made a poor choice as I’d have much preferred it to have been a straightforward manhunt. I found the emphasis on the end justifying the means to be uncomfortable reading. Of course this very focus would most likely be attractive to many readers just not my preference.

My thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK for the opportunity to read this book.

Can saving the world for the future justify actions that will bring about the deaths of many innocent people? ‘Out of Time’ repeatedly raises this issue for the reader as the main protagonist takes it upon himself to do precisely this. Klass’ main characters successfully take the reader back and forth in this struggle as each have their own convincing doubts despite their personal overriding beliefs. Perhaps it is this balance of arguments that makes this a more credible read than some books with similar plots that I have read.
If you want a novel that combines the thrill of the chase with the raising of climate change issues then this is for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph (Penguin Random House) for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

A thriller with a difference. The Green Man is a self styled eco-terrorist whose mission is to highlight how we should be protecting our planet - and any lives lost are regrettable but collateral damage.
The FBI haven’t a clue how to stop him, it’s like he has inside knowledge and is always one step ahead.
Then comes along rookie analyst Tom Smith, he isn’t afraid to speak his mind and his ideas might just track The Green Man down.
I enjoyed this book, not quite my usual read but excellent all the same.

I thought this book was well written and interesting, however I am fed up with reading books about the imminent death of our planet - it seems that although I try to chose different books, the last six books I have read have all had this as a subtext. I also didn't like the justification for the activities of the Green Man, and fear that impressionable readers may think this is acceptable behaviour. In all, this damaged my enjoyment of the book, unfortunately, and reduced it from the 4 stars I was going to give for a decent thriller to 3 for annoyance.

In this intense thriller, an inexperienced, intuitive FBI agent purses a clever eco-terrorist. This is a dual perspective,well-written police procedural style novel. The antagonist has a just cause, but his methods cause innocent deaths, which engenders conflicting emotions in his pursuer.

Fast-paced, intricate and suspenseful, this is an addictive read.

I received a copy of this book from Penguin UK-Michael Joseph via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is one of those books you just can't put down! The 'Green Man' causes destruction and kills people - but in his own mind he's justified in doing this because he's saving the environment. Tom Smith is clever young computer programmer who works for the FBI, and who has some sympathy for what the Green Man is trying to achieve. Because of his family background and his outspokenness Tom is put on the the team to track the Green Man down - and despite the fact that others have been trying to do so for years, without any success, manages to work out who he is. It's unusual to find the villain in a novel so likeable but both the Green Man and Tom are likeable and the reader can identify with both of them.
I thought this was a clever novel, it's an adventure novel, it's a thriller and is a very good read.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the e-copy in return for an honest review.

I very much enjoyed this book, with an eco-terrorist as an anti-hero on the one hand, and a maverick FBI agent on the other. It read very much like a ‘David and Goliath’ storyline, with the young, inexperienced FBI man up against the veteran and seasoned eco-terrorist.

As a story, I found it compelling, fast-paced, entertaining, and I read it over a few short days.

The storyline is also provocative, and I applaud Klass for his choice for a brilliant first novel.

Exciting and professional thriller .. all the right tropes are set out .. the errant Sinn of an old pro with eccentric ideas and a brilliant conflicted domestic terrorist who eludes the top people to the very end .. ingenious gimmicks of craft by professionals too in all their technical glory .. absolutely fits the bill for top class thriller ..

The doomsday clock is ticking down to a point where the planet is beyond repair from the destruction of humans.

The FBI are hunting an eco-terrorist named the Green Man who is solely responsible for several previous attacks that has caused the deaths of innocent people. They are running out of time to catch him and young FBI agent Tom Smith inadvertently assists in their investigations to catch up with the murderer.

I quite enjoyed the eco, save the planet aspect to this story. A terrorist who believed in a greater good that was to save the planet from the destruction caused by humans.