In the twisting political thriller Predator/Nomad, a scientist and a princess are embroiled in the case of a possible murder of world-shattering proportions.

In Daniel Micko’s political thriller Predator/Nomad, a talented scientist gets involved in terrorism and violence.

Jordan is a brilliant professor and researcher who specializes in molecular genetics, especially stem cells and genetic editing, or cloning. Jordan’s greatest, most innovative creation is a drug, scopolamine, that is made from a dangerous South American plant, Devil’s Breath. With this drug, Jordan claims to have conquered all diseases. Jordan’s other program is far more dubious: she creates clone soldiers for narco-warlords and drug cartels.

Jordan’s research brings her to the attention of the Saudi royal house. Prince Faruq calls her to Riyadh, hoping to use her skills, and the scopolamine, for political purposes. But then Faruq dies. His sister, Princess Saleh Aisha, suspects that Jordan is employed by the Taliban and is responsible for his murder. Her suspicion drives the story; though Princess Saleh and Jordan have a romantic connection, the princess still investigates Jordan’s background.

The intricate plot dips into science fiction with Jordan’s research; it is also set around the time of the September 11th, 2001 terror attacks. Prince Faruq’s death is shrouded in mystery throughout, while the book’s invocations of international politics, from the dubious connections of American academics to the dark world of international terrorism in South America, Central Asia, and the Middle East, are layered. These diverse parts form a captivating whole, in which all elements are connected to Jordan.

The book’s settings, which include San Francisco and the royal palaces of Saudi Arabia, are detailed well, though the book is most concerned with the interior lives of its characters; its story is told from several of their perspectives. The most prominent voices are those of Jordan and Princess Saleh. When the focus is on Princess Saleh, her investigation leads, placing her in danger; when Jordan narrates, her voice is erratic. Her duality is apparent early on: she is compared both to Henry David Thoreau and Ted Kaczynski, and she undergoes dramatic mood changes. Tension and suspension are maintained because her true nature is kept in the shadows, leaving open the possibility that Jordan is, in fact, a dangerous criminal mastermind.

But in this engrossing book, Jordan’s true nature is only one of the major mysteries. Fun is generated from the book’s coverage of the incredible, crazy world of clone armies, weaponized illnesses, and government-backed militias and narco-terrorists. The result is an innovative tale that piques interest in the future stories of Jordan and Princess Saleh.

In the twisting political thriller Predator/Nomad, a scientist and a princess are embroiled in the case of a possible murder of world-shattering proportions.

Does the end justify the means? This philosophical question is one explored steadily in Daniel Micko’s Predator / Nomad. Dr. Jordan Roberts is a bit of a prodigy in her field of medicine, specifically genetics. An invitation to an exclusive party is her ticket into the inner circle of Saudi royalty. Jordan is offering a solution to rid the Saudi population of all disease, but her motivations and methods remain ambiguous. Quick to bed the charismatic doctor, Saleh, the Princess and security detail for her brother, Prince Faruq, must then deal with some emotional fallout. Has she actually been sleeping with the enemy? And if so, who is the enemy working for? When Saleh digs deeper, she uncovers more about Jordan’s work than anybody even knew was possible.

You can be sure you’re in for a wild ride when the author draws parallels between Henry David Thoreau’s life and musings and those of the brilliant mathematician turned domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski on the opening pages. The writing style in this futuristic novel is purposefully erratic and abrupt. The characters are frequently changing their minds, words, or actions seemingly without provocation, including a lot of random giggling coming from hardened players in the story in some of the most unsettling scenes. An endless transition from veracity to metaphor will keep readers on their toes as Micko examines the fine line separating the lunatic or psychopath from the genius! While the character development is slight, the overall story arc is imaginative and well conceived, while at the same time puzzling and provocative. Featuring a morally perplexing, yet fiendishly brilliant protagonist who specializes in human cloning, this slick novel has a few bombshells sure to take even the most thoughtful reader by surprise.

This story is set around the time of the 9/11 attacks and their clones living among us. Yes, clones. When the story opens an American scientist and underground businesswoman, Jordan Roberts, is working under a bit of suspicion. Little do some know that she's just not a scientist, but she also has what appears to be a black market network across several countries where she creates and sells clones as soldiers. A Saudi Prince commits suicide, but his sister believes that it was more to it and sets out to uncover what she believes is the truth.

Micko did a job of world-building. The attention to detail in describing the landscapes as the characters take us from San Francisco to Colombia to Saudia Arabia. He also created memorable characters in Princess Selah, who was a transwoman. I found her to be the most compelling character and is the author took us along for all the plot twists that would occur as Dr. Roberts's true business dealings were methodically revealed. There was a time or two that I was shocked to find out that someone was a clone. It was interesting to see where the line would be drawn when it came to human life vs a clone.

The prospect of cloning has been something humans have been obsessed with for some time so that makes this novel that much more intriguing to think of the possibilities. Good plot, intrigue, and interesting characters made for a pleasant read, especially when this is not my typical genre. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys scientific thrillers.

You can pre-order your copy via Amazon and be ready for its release on August 2, 2021.

Dr. Jordan Olivia Roberts is an accomplished American scientist. With a Ph.D. in human molecular genetics, she does groundbreaking work with stem cells and genetic editing. Additionally, Jordan masters the use of a mind-altering drug called scopolamine, made from a South American plant, aka Devil’s Breath. 

When the story begins, Jordan is working in Saudi Arabia, where Prince Faruq, the region’s recently-crowned emir, supposedly committed suicide. All this happened after he raised suspicions about Jordan’s work; he suspected that she was working for Taliban nationalists. Princess Saleh Aisha, Faruq’s transvestite sister, believes he was murdered and seeks revenge for her brother’s death. As the story progresses, readers find out that Jordan runs a complex operation that spans several countries and involves cloning soldiers for shady warlords and cartels. Jordan has business in the US (in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.), and she also has ties to Afghanistan, Africa, and South America.

There are several positives worth mentioning in the book. For starters, the settings are interesting and well described, and the attention to geographical details is a noteworthy positive point. I particularly enjoyed the author’s description of San Francisco. Secondly, I enjoyed the well-developed and textured characters. For instance, Princess Saleh is a very interesting character, mysterious and sexually ambiguous, but I cannot give away any spoilers here! 

Above all, I thought that the book’s strongest suit was its gripping plot. The author managed to create a mysterious atmosphere that kept me wondering what would happen next. It was amusing to follow Saleh’s endeavors as she strived to uncover the inner workings of Jordan’s cloning projects. There were several plot twists, especially involving Jordan’s clones and their true identities and loyalties. A subtle discussion of scientific ethics also gets skillfully woven into the plot, and the author provides readers not only suspense but also food for thought, which I enjoyed. One can’t help but reflect on what the limits of genetic engineering are. I felt that this rather philosophical backdrop enriched the story. It was what I liked the most.

Lastly, I rate Predator/Nomad, written by Daniel Micko, 3 out of 4 stars. Unfortunately, I found numerous editing errors in the book, which is not yet in its most polished form. It needs another round of editing, and for this reason, I am taking a star away from the rating. Otherwise, I found no noteworthy negative aspects that would be worth mentioning, and I believe it will appeal to readers who enjoy adventurous crime stories with a touch of sci-fi.