Title:	The Athena Project
	Author:	Brad Thor
	Published:	2010, Pocket Star Books
	No. of Pages:	396
	Cover Price:	$15.99 Paperback, $9.99 Kindle US

---

Brad Thor has taken a break from his popular character, Scot Harvath, in The Athena Project. Although Scot is mentioned in the book, and plays a backstage role, a team of four gorgeous women who take their orders from the Pentagon are the main focus, and because of their looks, are able to accomplish feats that men could not (They are actually highly trained agents with almost supernatural skills). The women are able to kidnap a powerful and rich arms dealer while posing as party guests at his home, as well as gain entrance to highly secured apartments and other venues. The Russian Mafia has hired people to further the research on a project started in the 40's, involving quantum teleportation. Horribly mutilated bodies are found partially embedded in walls in a South American jungle, and the team of women is trying to get to the bottom of it. Meanwhile, an undercover FBI agent is working with another extremely attractive Russian spy to wreak havoc under the Denver airport.

Brad Thor is a great storyteller, and his writing style is one that is appealing and understandable to most readers. His novels featuring Scot Harvath are fascinating and hard to put down. However, The Athena Project doesn't generate the excitement and believable scenarios that are in Thor's other books; the team of gorgeous women seems more like the author's secret fantasy and not a group that can carry out dangerous, clandestine operations for the government. While the scientific premise of the story is mildly interesting, the combination of the different scenarios leading to the dénouement falls flat. There are too many aspects that are totally farfetched, even for fiction, and it's easy to lose interest.

While the women seem to be in danger during most of the novel, it's apparent that they are somehow superhuman, always coming out unscathed while the enemies suffer. There are some surprises along the way, and the ending is unexpected. The Athena Project is definitely not one of Thor's best novels (no one can be at the top of his game 100% of the time), and most readers will probably want to stick with Brad Thor's novels where Scot Harvath is the main character.

This book was purchased with personal funds and no promotion of the book was solicited by the author or publisher.

This book may be purchased at Amazon:
The Athena Project: A Thriller - Paperback
The Athena Project: A Thriller - Kindle