The Last Sword Maker is a thriller that encompasses medicine, military, and politics. It looks as how emerging and innovative technologies have the potential to be weaponized in a fictional environment.

The book has a complex plot and cast of characters. It feels very modern, like a dilemma we could face in our society today. However, as exciting and action-packed as some portions of the novel are, it requires the reader to get through all the preamble to start the book. I almost put it down several times because I found the beginning to drag on. About halfway through the pace picks up and carries the reader to the end.

The ending is tense and a tad graphic, but the reader is given a satisfying conclusion.

The Last Sword Maker was entertaining.  It had some pacing issues, I believe because the tech talk went a little deep and took away from the action.  The characters are likable, and I appreciated the hero making strides in personal growth through the story. It's the first in a series, and perhaps suffers a bit from the time spent setting the scene and introducing the various scenarios and characters. I was caught up in the very real possibilities woven in by Brian nelson, and could see this book as a discussion selection.  I would read more from Mr Nelson. 
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

People have died in Tibet due to a terrible virus that seems to kill in minutes. The world is in danger and a group of the highest notched scientists are tasked to undertake and find out why these people are dead.

Is it a disease or is it something else, a mass genocide placed upon the Tibetans by the Chinese. A battle begins as the scientists become involved in the world of nanotechnology racing to beat China in a process call the Replication. Lives are lost and the US must beat China at this game or else the power will be held by the ruthless Chinese bent on world domination.

This book had at its core an interesting premise as the world of nanotechnology is one that is being currently explored with diligence. It is also a world where extreme dangers lies as perhaps the machines we create will one day prove to be a danger beyond belief.

While I liked the story, it tended to be on the long side, with many instances that made the book somewhat dull and boring. However, those who enjoy a good spy thriller with global overtones would probably like this one.

Brian Nelson has written a great techno-thriller that I really enjoyed!  A race for world domination between America and China is taking place - and even though this is a work of fiction, the fact that it could really happen in the (maybe near) future is the real fright of this story.
Thank you to Brian Nelson, Blackstone Publishers and NetGalley for the ARC of this book,

People have died in Tibet due to a terrible virus that seems to kill in minutes. The world is in danger and a group of the highest notched scientists are tasked to undertake and find out why these people are dead.

Is it a disease or is it something else, a mass genocide placed upon the Tibetans by the Chinese. A battle begins as the scientists become involved in the world of nanotechnology racing to beat China in a process call the Replication. Lives are lost and the US must beat China at this game or else the power will be held by the ruthless Chinese bent on world domination.

This book had at its core an interesting premise as the world of nanotechnology is one that is being currently explored with diligence. It is also a world where extreme dangers lies as perhaps the machines we create will one day prove to be a danger beyond belief.

While I liked the story, it tended to be on the long side, with many instances that made the book somewhat dull and boring. However, those who enjoy a good spy thriller with global overtones would probably like this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

	A very intriguing and scary book set in the near future.

This is a story of scary new technology including self-replicating nanobots and germ warfare. It is a story about technology being developed for the "greater good" that is the perverted and contorted by competitive governments. It is about a race to beat someone else to the technology---this time, the US vs. the Chinese. It is also about how things never really work out exactly the way that you might think it will. 

It is a compelling, very readable read. I have one complaint-----I still do not understand the meaning of the epilogue. It is not important to the story, but I still don't understand it. 

Other than that-----a great read!

I tried and tried and tried to find my footing with this book but struggled to do so. In this case, the third time was not the charm. While, I almost got about a third of the way into the book. To some, this may not be enough to really judge a book but it is as the first several chapters of a book are important. If these first couple of chapters do no grab the reader's attention, then you have lost them for the rest of the story. For me, the story was moving really slowly to build up to the main concept. Additionally, I don't remember any of the characters; their voices blended together.

It’s 2025 and U.S.-Chinese tensions are at an all-time high as the battle for worldwide supremacy continues.  Sound familiar?  Are we sure this is 2025 and not 2018?

In The Last Sword Maker, the U.S. and China are not competing to build the biggest and baddest weapons, but rather the smallest and most complex.  An epidemic that seems to wipe out thousands of Tibetans in the span of a few hours is no more than a weapons test for the Chinese.  Technology has been developed to kill based on genetic traits. 

In response, the U.S. pulls together a scientific dream team and throws recent graduate whiz kid, Eric Hill, into the center of the action.  The Americans must beat the Chinese to the final process of this genetic technology – replication.  This would allow a country (or a rogue individual) the ability to code cells to reproduce and develop in ways never seen before.  The implication of this advancement could cure cancer, create bulletproof skin, or develop weapons beyond current comprehension. 

The Last Sword Maker found a way to feel futuristic yet realistic given current geopolitical tensions along with the rapid acceleration of medical and technological advancements. While the topic may appear nerdy, this was also one of the most violent books I have read recently.  I was engrossed in the science, the violence and the moral conscience of the major players.

Definitely pick up this techno-thriller this fall!

Brian Nelson has written a foreboding thriller that uses technology to create deadly, unstoppable weapons.  Combining genetics, AI and nanotechnology, the United States finds itself in a race against China to create a weapon that kills individuals based on their DNA.

Nelson’s account follows the two teams – American and Chinese – as they work to be the first to develop this incredible weapon.  A third component is the story of one individual who escaped the first beta test of the weapon against a Tibetan resistance group by the Chinese.  While the story is solid the detail of the science often dampens the suspense. 

Overall this is a thought-provoking fiction raising issues that suggest serious debate is needed to limit the potential abuse in the application of technology.

Once in a while you read a book that raises the standard in its genre and leaves you breathless. The plot was complex and I enjoyed the real science woven into the story which didnt skimp on the human aspects. The story is about several people, depicted in their full human frailties and strengths as they are confronted with almost impossible challenges. The story leads us to consider a future which is terrifying both in its wondrous possibilities and horrifying abuses. The result is a book of wide scope and luscious human landscapes.
     Highly recommended!

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book, however, this is my honest opinion.

This was an exciting thriller that read like an adapted screenplay. It was fun reading it, once I got past the trope-based characterization and the plot-device throwaway characters.

Concerns are raised in the United States when a village in Tibet becomes the site of a huge death toll.  China isn’t saying much but rumors claim a weapon which can target certain genetic traits; if true, it would make China virtually unstoppable.   The science behind it utilizes nanotechnology and can be used to craft nearly an infinite number of weapons with almost limitless potential for harm. When 3 of the key American scientists who are working to achieve “Replication” are abducted by the Chinese, the  American military knows that it’s “game over” if the Chinese beat them to the key benchmark of “Replication.” An ambitious rescue operation is launched and only through the help of a Chinese dissident and the stall tactics of the captured scientists can all-out war be avoided.

“The Last Sword Maker” by Brian Nelson is a riveting novel centering around a technology that, while now very commonplace today, may well be as common as cars in this not-so-distant future: nanotechnology. While Nelson has earned accolades for his non-fiction work, this book is his debut fiction novel and for a first book, I’d say he has done a good job. I will admit I’m a little stumped as to the meaning of the title but thoroughly enjoyed the plot. However, the flow is a little disjointed at times and some of the terminology used regarding nanotechnology will be far beyond most readers, including myself. In addition, I believe the book would be better if there was more background given so that the reader would better understand how the story has reached the point it has at the beginning of the book.
That said, I would still recommend this book and give it 3/5 stars.

*A copy of the ebook is the only consideration received in exchange for this review.*

Nelson has crafted a fine and entertaining page turner of a thriller! High marks for a well-done plot!!

A series of events and people woven into a captivating thriller.  A race for world dominance between China and the United States.  A devastating programmed virus  strikes Tibet independence separatists. 2 facilities racing to complete a virus that could decimate your enemy.  Fascinating tale that could come true.  Evil, heroes, turncoats, and possible world destruction.

I don’t read a great deal of technothrillers these days, but the storyline seemed intriguing, so I picked up the book. The taut, nonstop thriller was a bit graphic in parts, but was compelling to the end. The story read like a Jack Ryan novel with Michael Crichton level of detail when it came to the nanotechnology. One of the underlying tensions in the book is the battle between brain and brawn and some might suggest the hubris of people like Oppenheimer to think that his weapon will end all war (helpfully, this is referenced in the book) is the core message of this book. 

If you can handle a good deal of science with your action (and thankfully the technical aspects often are explained for those of us who earned Cs in the “hard” sciences), then you probably will enjoy The Last Swordmaker.

This novel has a complex plot and characters. The author does a great job of developing each main character and providing ample backstory. The main themes in this book are dangers of emerging technologies, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and biological weaponsat times I found this book hard to read due to the scientific and technical terminology and foreign settings. 

The book starts off slow, almost dragging, but this is necessary to include all the logistics of the plot. The action picks up about halfway through and the suspense accelerates incrementally until the end. 

This story takes place seven years in the future, in 2025, after numerous incidences of civil unrest and wars. Technology has advanced at a rapid rate, and nanotechnology has opened doors to a whole new opportunity for countries to defend themselves. International espionage comes into play as the Chinese government has a traitor that is feeding intelligence to the United States. The Chinese launch an attack on the Naval Research Lab in hopes of crippling the United State's progress. Kidnapping and more spy vs. spy carries the plot at a feverish pace until the satisfying conclusion, full of lots of tense and graphic action scenes. 

I would recommend this book to fans of techno thrillers, espionage, and suspense. I received this as a free ARC from Blackstone Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The galley was so badly formatted and such an unpleasant jumble on my screen that I gave up even trying to read it after a few pages. The publisher should be ashamed of sending a mess like this to readers...

Good techno-thriller. Author obviously knows his stuff, as the science was impressive and confusing. Not above average, though, and not interesting enough for a second read.

At first, I struggled to read this book. While the language was not overly technical, it did focus on the technical side of nanobots and the science behind them. It took awhile, but once I got into the book it was very good.

I generally don't enjoy books that veer into science fiction and innovations theoretical in nature but this book was very well written. It is a fast paced book that has the United States and China racing towards developing a weaponized form of a nanovirus that can target people on a cellular level. It is full of suspense and was a definite page turner that I highly recommend. 
Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.