By Dawn's Early Light

By David Hagberg

Book Overview

From the "USA Today" bestselling author of "Joshua's Hammer "and "High Flight" On the Bay of Bengal a civilian research vessel witnesses a submarine fire a laser into the sky. Before they can process what they see, the sub blasts them out of the water and captures the lone survivor. Immediately, one of the United States spy satellites becomes inoperative, and seemingly disappears. With the United States blind, Pakistan plans to announce their presence as a nuclear threat with an attack on India that would leave millions dead.The only witnesses to the plan, and the only ones to know that the bomb is small enough to be dropped from an aircraft, are a CIA insertion team, headed by the President's own brother, former Navy SEAL lieutenant Scott Hanson. Their knowledge may prevent a nuclear holocaust, but they've been captured and tortured. Thrust into the action is Commander Frank Dillon, Jr., commanding officer on the American nuclear sub "Seawolf," together with a team of SEALs. Their mission is to get them back safely. But with the world on the brink of war, getting out may be the greatest challenge of all.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765304546
• ISBN13: 9780765304544
• Release Date: August 2003
• Publisher: Forge Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.2" x 6.4"

Customer Reviews

A great read, I am hoping for more like this one!

I really enjoyed this book a great deal more than anything I have read from the Kirk McGarvey series. At the risk of offending McGarvey fans; much of what I have read of the McGarvey series seems a bit stale, perhaps lacking energy. But this book, By Dawn's Early Light, is a real keeper. To me, this book seems to focus a bit more on the technical and military aspects, without becoming overly bogged down in techno-babble. There are enough plot twists to keep the reader guessing; while the villians and their plans are more or less believable. It leaves me wanting to read more about Scott Hanson. I am not holding my breath of course, but I hope he does at leat a few more of these; especially since not everything is resolved by the end of this novel.

Action Packed Book!

There is a civilian research team doing studies in the Bay of Bengal.They see a submarine fire a laser into the sky.Before they can report the laser blast the submarine blasts them out of the water and capture the lone survivor. The blast that was witnessed has disabled an Americab spy satellite.With the satellite gone Pakistan is planning a nuclear attack on India.A CIA team headed up by the President's brother,and three other are on an observation mission in Pakistan.They witness the explosion of a thermo nuclear bomb. They are captured by Pakistani Rangers and are being held prisoner. Captain Frank Dillon Jr. is placed in charge of recovering the CIA agents.He winds up getting into several battles with submarines from other countries who are also involved in this plot to attack India.The American forces also have to contend with a spy in the Pentagon who is keeping Pakistan informed of America's every move. This is a very good action story that you will enjoy reading. The finsh is also very entertaining.Buy this book.You will enjoy it.

By Dawns Early Light

Hagberg at his best. I could not put the book down. The short chapters keep you interested through the entire story. All action, every chapter was like the way it should be for our fighting forces. The ending has me wanting the next book immediately.

The new STANDARD for all future Sub techno-thrillers

I've been a long-time fan of Mr. Hagberg and I've been patiently waiting for him to give us another fast-paced submarine thriller, mostly because he just does them so well, and my patience has finally paid off with the grand slam 'By Dawn's Early Light'. Although not bogged down with a virtual encyclopedia of unnecessary techno-babble which you can find in basically all of Clancy's novels, this story is told on several different fronts -- and believe me it M-O-V-E-S. Things begin in the Bay of Bengal when a scientific research ship spots a submarine firing a green light towards space. Unfortunately spotting this suddenly makes them an endangered species as the sub immediately opens fire on them killing all aboard but one, who is taken hostage to Pakistan. This green light turns out to be a sophisticated laser which knocks out the optics in an American Jupiter Satellite -- the third such incident, forcing the military to accept one cold hard fact: this was NOT an accident. What is happening in that part of the world that someone doesn't want to be seen? At the same time a small group of Navy SEALs have infiltrated a test ground inside Pakistan, where they witness first hand the test-firing of their newest little toy: a city busting thermonuclear explosion. Suddenly the tiny fuse which threatens to detonate all of the middle east becomes even shorter still. Also we learn of a well-placed spy in the highest levels of the American Military who seems to be indiscriminately selling off VERY valuable info to the highest bidder, who at the moment seems to be Pakistan. Before long the group of SEALs are betrayed and captured and eventually tortured in unspeakable ways. The Navy's newest, quietest and deadliest sub, the Seawolf is called back on assignment even before it truly begins to assist in a mission to rescue the captured SEALs, and while the Shuttle is in orbit preparing to repair the Jupiter Satellite, run cover and stop the rogue submarine from causing further damage. One thing the Pakistani's do NOT know is that among the captured SEALs is the Presidents own brother. Nothing is held back in the attempt to rescue the soldiers -- but that nasty spy is handing over critical information which makes any kind of a rescue a virtual death sentence on the SEALs. All the while the Pakistani's are planning on deploying their new Hydrogen bombs on their Indian neighbors thus throwing a match into the powder-keg that is the middle east. The relations between India & Pakistan have never been all that good, but lately they get along about as good as Israel and the rest of the Arab world. All either of them are looking for is an excuse to do something drastic, and with the threat of thermonuclear destruction, India just might be frightened enough to jump the gun with a perilous atomic first strike on Pakistan. The United States cannot allow this to happen, but de-fusing this situation is neither simple, nor even necessarily possible due to the

A new light dawn's for David Hagberg-Techno thrillers!

An old fan of Hagberg's, I left him a scathing remark on his last book "Kill Zone". Obviously he read it, and other reviews because this book is MUCH BETTER! Centered around Pakistan developing the Hydrogen bomb, and making aggressive moves against her long term enemy, India, this book moves at a swift pace. The technical terminology is accurate, from a layman's point of view, and not over done, to the point of boredom, like Clancy. Hagberg, an Air Force Cryptologist, obviously knows his stuff, and writes it in an entertaining manner. When he gets away from his formula writing, he is one of the best espionage writers out there, and "By Dawn's Early Light" is the result. His best book since "Kilo Option", written under the name of Sean Flannery.