Praise for Timothy S. Johnston

The Furnace

“ . . . a Crichtonesque thriller . . . ”—Kirkus Reviews

“The action was tense, the mystery convoluted and interesting and the gore properly gruesome. Johnston held no punches while delivering his tale . . . ”—SFcrowsnest

The Freezer

“The exciting tale will keep readers rapt, desperate to find out what happens next.”—4 stars from RT Book Reviews

The Void

“This engrossing and exciting SF thriller is Johnston’s third Tanner Sequence adventure (after The Freezer), but it stands well on its own . . . SF and mystery fans will be impressed with Johnston’s tightly written deep-space whodunit.”—Publishers Weekly Starred Review

The War Beneath

“If you’re looking for a techno-thriller combining Ian Fleming, Tom Clancy and John Le Carré, The War Beneath will satisfy . . . I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s what I call a ripping good yarn, a genuine page-turner. If you like action spy thrillers with lots of high tech in a science fiction setting this book will definitely please. It’s loads of fun. And fast-paced. Did I mention fast-paced? ‘Cause it is.”—Amazing Stories

“The War Beneath is a thrill ride from beginning to end, with several heart-stopping scenes that clearly illustrate the boundaries of underwater living and warfare . . . Sometimes I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as I waited for Mac and his team to figure out how to live through their next quandary. The environment is well-described to the point where I nearly had to hold my breath for the entire book, something I find myself doing in underwater scenes in movies. The politics are sharp and twisty. What I really enjoyed about the story, though, was the evolution of Mac, himself. The plot challenges his past, present and future and he has to decide not only who he is, but who he wants to be. He has to balance his wish for a safe future for his city against the future of all the underwater cities and he has the legacy of his father and his relationship with his sister to consider as well. All in all, I really enjoyed The War Beneath. This novel is everything I’ve come to expect from Timothy S. Johnston and a promising start to a new series and one I look forward to following.”—SFcrowsnest

“… sit back, start reading and enjoy a deep sea dive into the future . . . One very riveting, intelligent read!”—Five Stars at Readers’ Favorite

The Savage Deeps

“The Savage Deeps delivers on every level. The action is perilous, but not an exact repeat of what we’ve seen before. New technology abounds, all detailed with exhaustive research. Once again, Mac is the star of the production, a wonderfully complicated character written with delicacy. There is a point when you can push a character too far. Mac is nudged up against the edge and held there until you think he might break. These scenes, for me, are just as thrilling as watching Mac perform daring underwater maneuvers. The emotional impact of this book is just as compelling as in the first one.”—SFcrowsnest

“The Savage Deeps is like a futuristic Das Boot with a lot of intense action and some interesting technology . . . I give The Savage Deeps a five star rating.”—A-Thrill-A-Week

“Reading The Savage Deeps is like watching a movie. The visual imagery of folks living and working in enclosed domes beneath the oceans, of zipping through the deep waters to visit other colonies using high-tech, high-speed subs is mesmerizing . . . In no time, the savage deeps explode with war. Torpedoes, mines, imploded subs, and bodies litter the ocean floor. With spies and traitors everywhere, will McClusky survive? Will Trieste realize independence? Twists, turns and the unexpected carry the exciting plot to its conclusion. You close the book and re-enter your own real world, feeling anything but certain that what you just read could never really happen . . . Johnston is an author skilled in bringing life to his characters through dialogue, engaging readers’ emotions by their behaviors and thinking, and creating brilliant settings, all of which play out like scenes in a movie. Thinking of that, dare I suggest these two books are just ripe for becoming the next blockbuster movie? Food for thought!”—Five Stars at Readers’ Favorite

Fatal Depth

“Timothy S. Johnston has the knack of getting the genre formula absolutely right in terms of balance. No one aspect hinders the others in any way. Plot, action, characterization, tech info, and originality are combined seamlessly into a tale that flows as rapidly as a river in flood. Some books are impossible to finish reading. This book is impossible to put down . . .

In particular, the Rise of Oceania series by Timothy S. Johnston is sparklingly addictive, stimulating, entertaining, and truly “the pause that refreshes.” In other words, a pleasant and exciting way to ignore your mundane real world problems. Escapist literature? You bet! In the best possible way. Action adventure techno-thriller done exactly right. Perfection, I’d say. Doesn’t get better than this.”—Amazing Stories

“The excitement factor in ‘Fatal Depth’ is no joke. You could almost compare it to a tsunami plow. The threads in the story culminate in an almighty push that will carry you all the way to the end in a dizzying rush. I read the second half of the book in one sitting . . . ”—SFcrowsnest

“… heart-stopping action! Timothy S. Johnston is an incredible writer, word perfect, and so imaginatively creative one has to read his books to truly experience the cinematic aspects of his beloved underwater world. He builds tension with every chapter as his plot twists and turns throughout, and even the last page jolts us with an unexpected shock. Yet, somehow in the midst of all the dangerous excitement, his readers find themselves caught up in the emotional pasts and presents of his characters, but never at the loss of momentum or suspense. There’s a reason Johnston was the winner of the 2018 Global Thriller Award. Discover that reason for yourself when you read his entire Rise of Oceania series of books.”—Five Stars at Readers’ Favorite

“Fatal Depth: The Rise of Oceania is nautical thriller cli-fi reading at its best, and joins two others in navigating a flooded, collapsed world in the 2100s in which political clashes take place at sea . . .Exquisite in its combination of futuristic vision, military maneuvering on all sides, conundrums facing survivors who keep encountering new situations, and political struggles that affect all communities above and below the tides of change, Fatal Depth: The Rise of Oceania is both a powerful addition to the series and a fine stand-alone read accessible to newcomers who may not have prior experience with this setting. Maps, a timeline, and succinct description paint all the background necessary to thoroughly enjoy this thriller, which should be on the shelves of any library strong in nautical cli-fi or science fiction powered by political and military clashes.”—Midwest Book Review, D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer

An Island of Light

“From one of the most talented authors I’ve discovered in the past 2 years, Timothy S. Johnston, comes the fourth book in his series about the new world beneath our oceans, An Island of Light. I’ve had the pleasure of reading all three of Johnston’s previous novels about Trieste City and the hair-raising challenges faced by its gutsy mayor, Truman McClusky. Johnston has consistently dazzled me with his cinematic descriptions of this world in the deeps, a world created and populated in the hopes of surviving the ravages of climate change on our planet’s surface . . . The result is a most satisfying and substantial read, especially for me, as who we are is significantly more important than what we do. While the technology and science behind this undersea world are fascinating, as is the ever-evolving and twisty plot, in the end, it’s the characters who bring the story home. In conclusion, I have to say that of the four books in the series, An Island of Light is my favorite. That’s because this time the emphasis is more on what makes people tick than on what is ticking inside the subs, the SCAVs, and the bombs. Readers are as riveted, maybe even more so, by what people say and do than by the ongoing battles for underwater supremacy. Is this a new direction that Johnston will pursue in his stories about Trieste and the underwater colonies? I look forward to finding out. Brilliant, stylistically flawless writing again, Mr. Johnston. It’s a pleasure to read your books for so many different reasons!”—Five Stars at Readers’ Favorite

“Readers of Timothy S. Johnston’s The Rise of Oceania series will find plenty to appreciate here. Indeed, Johnston achieves the remarkable, not only exceeding the action and suspense of his previous books, but maintaining a pace that keeps the pages turning and the heart pounding, start to finish. Combine this with Johnston’s command of leading-edge science and technology, and you’ve got one of the finest thriller writers working today. Prepare to be blown away, literally and figuratively.”—Michael Libling, author of Hollywood North: A Novel in Six Reels

“Take a murder mystery, combine it with a futuristic setting, and add elements of psychological and social reflection for a sense of the action and focus of An Island of Light, which requires no prior familiarity with its predecessors in order to prove thoroughly engrossing on many different levels.

“Thriller, sci-fi and mystery audiences alike will find it crosses these genres with high-octane action and appeal.”—Midwest Book Review, D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer

“An Island Of Light, the fourth book in Timothy S. Johnston’s The Rise Of Oceania series, is perhaps the darkest chapter in the saga yet . . . Megan did it, no question. She also didn’t have a plan beyond simple revenge, so when the USSF comes looking for their missing admiral, Mac and the rest of the team scramble to hide the evidence, to no avail. When the USSF leaves Trieste with Megan and Mac’s chief of security in their custody, Mac has to gather the shreds of his current plans and tie them off to the dangling threads of what comes next: rescue his sister while interrupting the USSF occupation of a neighbouring colony . . .

“As author Johnston explores the morality of torture, murder, and retribution, he manages to keep Mac’s moral compass pointing north but only just. It’s this aspect of the book that will stay with the reader. Mac has always been a very real character. One the reader can empathise with and one we’re willing to follow into the depths. So it’s very fitting that he should struggle so mightily before pulling off the most inventive and daring rescue yet.

“An Island Of Light is a worthy instalment in the Rise Of Oceania series and I look forward to the next book.”—SFcrowsnest