This book grabbed me right from the beginning but then it lost me about a third of the way thru. There were too many topics and characters that I got confused and missed the main points of thf book. I did enjoy that the author did make you aware of the bad choices that are being made for our environment and that we need to do better for planet earth.

The book was ok in my opinion. Thank you for the copy.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. The plot of this book will drive the reader to love or hate it, there is no in-between. The eco-trerrorist, the Green Man, is presented with a moral high ground and is very likeable. Thos who believe in global warming as a manmade construct will trully cheer the Green Man on. He is wrong but even I felt some sympathy for his actions. The action was not exactly heart stopping but it was enough to keep the reader interested. Here, both sides are right and both sides are wrong.

Although I didn't really think I would enjoy this book, I read it right through to the end in 2 sittings - never quite sure what would happen. Klass' writing made the very heavy treatise on the environment and how badly we are treating it, readable! So not only do you get a good standalone FBI thriller, but you also learn a tremendous amount about how we can save our world.

An Elusive Eco-terrorist

The Green Man, an Eco-terrorist who has phenomenal technical skills has blown up six sites generating major news stories and terrifying people. The latest is his successful demolition of the Boon Dam on the Snake River killing a dozen people. The Green Man justifies his actions because he believes the wold must be alerted to the severity of the ecological crisis.

The Green Man is the at the top of the FBI’s most wanted list and a major manhunt is underway. Time is of the essence. No one knows where he will strike again and how soon.

Tom Smith, a young agent, sympathizes with the ideals of the Green Man, but he knows he must be stopped before more people are killed. He’s unique as an agent because he’s a computer whiz from Stanford and could be making more money outside the agency. However, Tom’s father was an agent and he feels he should follow in his father’s footsteps. Tom thinks he has insight into what the Green Man is planning, and he’s given the go-ahead to try to ferret out the next target.

This is a fast paced techno-thriller that will keep you turning pages. The story is told from the view points of Tom and the Green Man. This is particularly effective because of the complex backgrounds and personal relationships of the main characters.

I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of devices used by the terrorist to achieve his aims. It’s very well done. However, this can be a difficult book unless you share some of the ideals of the main characters. It can seem repugnant to readers who see the destruction of human life as abhorrent.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

Out of Time started off strong with a intriguing premise but started to lose its way about half way through. I felt that perhaps the author tried to bring too much into it - too many characters that felt very one dimensional and stiff. The story would stray off on tangents but then gloss over critical plot aspects.
#NetGalley #OutOfTime

I'm obviously in the minority here, but after giving this book nearly 170 pages, I'm throwing in the towel. Everything in the description screamed that this was a book I should love and should be able to burn through in no time. Sadly, the exact opposite is true. The 44% of the book I read dragged. Every situation that should have been filled with tension, that should have had me on the edge of my seat, breathlessly flipping pages to see what happened next, fell flat. Character backstories felt like emotionally manipulative attempts to build a "relatable" character, and only succeeded in making characters that felt even more like cardboard cut-outs, dull and lifeless.

I really tried to force my way through, because I hate bailing on NetGalley ARCs, but it's not worth sending myself into a reading slump for this. However, I think I read enough to be justified in leaving feedback. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Published by Dutton on July 7, 2020

Out of Time tells a story that, in most respects, thriller fans have encountered many times before. A bright young man, living in the shadow of his celebrated law enforcement father but never meeting the father’s standards, decides to show his dad he’s got the right stuff by joining the FBI. He defies orders issued by his less competent, publicity-seeking superiors and follows his instincts to catch the bad guy. He manages to do this by thinking like the criminal he’s chasing, which of course he does with a nearly telepathic ability. The bright young man is chivalrous (he has reservations about sleeping with a married woman but agrees to be seduced when he learns that her husband is a cheating cad). He is dedicated but feels a conflict between his need to bring the killer to justice and his support for the killer’s cause. The bright young man has a boring name (Tom Smith), an appropriate moniker for a character so dull and predictable that the book, although an unchallenging summer read, is difficult to finish.

When the thriller protagonist is dull and predictable, a reader might hope that the villain will be interesting. Unfortunately, the villain — known for much of the novel as the Green Man — is so unbelievable that asking a reader to be concerned about any threat he might pose to society is asking too much. He is an eco-terrorist, a creature that exists largely in the imaginations of lobbyist and public relations firms that work for environmentally destructive industries. The Green Man starts the novel by blowing up a dam, drowning some children in the process. He has committed several other vaguely described crimes that also killed children. Had David Klass spent more effort detailing those crimes, explaining exactly how they were accomplished, he might have added a spicy dash of credibility to a bland and unbelievable plot.

The Green Man supposedly feels conflicted that he is killing innocent kids to call attention to climate change and other vaguely described environmental perils, but he ultimately feels justified because his cause is noble. He is egged on in that regard by his wife and a couple of other people, none of whom struck me as the type of folk who believe that killing children is a smart way to gain followers to a cause. The notion that collateral damage to human lives will win support for an environmental cause rather than hardening existing opposition is hopelessly naïve. That Green Man (or his wife or his other high IQ supporters) would hold that belief is inconsistent with Klass’ portrayal of the Green Man as a rational, well-educated individual. The Green Man is presented as a conflicted fanatic with a skewed moral compass, but the absence of conflict defines a fanatic. The character simply doesn’t ring true. His “God forgive me for killing innocents” prayers are entirely artificial. The Green Man and his co-conspirators are so superficial that only superficial readers are likely to accept them as people who could exist in the real world. Additional efforts at characterization, particularly giving the Green Man a plucky daughter he meets for the first time in the novel, are too trite and manipulative to make the reader care about the man.

Tom Smith is supposed to be complex but really, he’s pointlessly confused. He supports the Green Man’s cause but not his methods, although he seems to hope that the methods will wake up the world, as if blowing up dams and tanks filled with the waste from fracking is going to win hearts and minds. I thought Tom should crap or get off the pot, but he stays pretty constipated until the end, when he more or less cops out by making the easy choice that Klass hands him.

By the novel’s end, it’s not clear if the reader is meant to like the Green Man or to despise him. Since Klass didn’t make me care about him or believe the story, I saw little reason to like or dislike him. Instead, I was looking forward to forgetting about him and moving on to a better book.

On rare occasions, a novel might succeed despite its unconvincing characters by telling a captivating story. Klass doesn’t do that in Out of Time. The story generates no suspense. The final chapters, in which characters attempt to reconcile their emotions, fail to ring true. I will give Klass credit for writing an unpredictable ending, but that wasn’t enough to save the novel.

NOT RECOMMENDED

This story follows two people really. The first is the environmentalist terrorist named “Green Man”. The book opens with you the reader being at his next target a Dam. You will find out later who the person is and the person's back story which the author does a good job in bringing that part of his life altogether, which has a few surprises for you the reader.
You are then taken to the next person that you will be following which is a young FBI agent Tom Smith and yes that is his real name. he is following in the family’s business of catching bad guys, his words. He is at a bar speaking with his father and you are shown their relationship which is not a good one and has never been. With the degrees he has and from the schools, he graduated from he should be working for a tech company in the Silicone Valley, not the FBI.
Next, you find that he is at the task force and is sure that his father called in a favor the one thing he asked him not to do. At the meeting, though he can not keep his mouth shut and tells the director that their profile of the “Green Man” is wrong and then backs it up. You will find out through this story just who much that character has to be pushed to finally get his true thoughts to be express.
You find out that the “Green Man” is working off a clock in Switzerland as to when the World will be killed environmentally, there will be no turning back form it at that point. This adds to the level of suspense in where and when the next target will be.
What you have is an excellent book with suspense very good characters all of them. A look politically at the way government wants to handle n investigation and if a mistake is made someone has to fall on the sword even if that is not the person who made the mistake. You also have the environmental issues which everyone wants to debate but it still makes you think about the destruction of the rain forests and all of the insects. Overall a well thought out book that will keep you going from the first page to the last. A very good book.

This is a well-written story, but unless you’re ultra-sympathetic to environmental causes and vehemently opposed to the current political administration, I suspect you won’t be thrilled with it. Personally, climate change, carbon footprints, the dangers of fracking and such are issues that need to be addressed yesterday – and I admit to spitting out my mouthful of coffee to guffaw at the description of the U.S. President (no names, of course) as a “belligerent, bumbling egomaniac with the brains of a cabbage.”

The FBI has launched a manhunt for a terrorist known as Green Man; most recently, he used a drone to blow a hole in a large dam in Idaho – killing a dozen or so innocent people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This is his sixth act of violence; reactions range from that of the FBI – he’s a murderer who must be apprehended at all costs – to environmental activist groups who consider him a savior and justify the deaths as casualties of a necessary war to save the world from extinction.

Enter computer wizard and FBI agent Tom Smith, a mid-20-something guy who’s been tapped to join the team charged with capturing Green Man dead or alive (and the sooner the better). Tom’s own attitude falls somewhere in the middle; he’s a staunch environmentalist, but he doesn’t fully believe that the end always justifies the means. Still, he’s committed to the investigation, which involves one of the activist groups whose leader loves Green Man’s mindset but not his tactics and her teenage daughter, who favors promoting the cause no matter what.

Complicated personal backgrounds and relationships are a big part of the story, none of which I can describe more fully without giving away too much (same with the ending, of course, which for some reason is reminiscent of “Goldfinger,” one of my favorite James Bond movies in which the long arm of the FBI reaches out to disarm the nuclear bomb with just (wait for it!) 007 seconds left on the timer).

Even though there’s a little too much “preaching” going on here, I thoroughly enjoyed the book (with the caution, once again, that it helps to be close to the same mind as the author). Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review it.

In this highly charged novel we find two protagonists, one is the Green Man, an eco-terrorist who has blown up six news worthy targets and on the top of the FBI's most wanted list, the second is Tom Smith, a rookie agent following in his father's footsteps who just might have the analytical expertise to find and stop the Green Man. I consider them both protagonists because even though they are opposing characters I found myself pulling for both of them to succeed at their individual missions. The Green Man's mission is to bring attention to the very real threat of a global environmental catastrophe and to get his followers to take the actions needed to save the planet before it's too late. Tom's mission is to catch him before he blows something else up, taking innocent lives with it.
Written from the POV's of the two men, the tension builds as their objectives race to an explosive collision that I didn't quite anticipate. Very well written, I found myself totally invested from start to finish. Although it maintains a fast pace I still couldn't flip the pages fast enough the more I got pulled into the story.
I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it to all you eco-friendly readers who like a good story about two people on opposite sides of the law but you don't know who to root for.

An eco-terrorist known as the Green Man is on the FBI's most-wanted list. The Green Man says he is tired of talking about the effects of climate change on the planet. He is responsible for bombing six high profile sites. Innocent lives have been lost, but the Green Man is focused on the big picture. He wants news coverage. lots of coverage and he is sure that these bombings will make people take notice and do something.
Tom is a new FBI agent who thinks he can identify the Green Man. Alas, what is life without politics and bureaucracy and he might never get the chance to follow his leads. With time running out you can probably guess what he does next. Yep, if you thought, rogue agent, you are a winner!
It is a definite page-turner that explored a timely topic. The ending caught me by surprise and the author deserves kudos for not letting my spidey sleuth sense figure this one out. A good choice for a fast-paced outdoor backyard read or for the lucky ones, a beach read.

Thanks for this copy. I loved the beginning and found it interesting. I also loved the two different point of views. However please don’t judge my comment, I don’t think environmental thrillers are my thing, I had a hard time picking this up after a bit because of the genre. But overall the story was good.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of Out of Time!
I started off really enjoying this book, it caught my attention and the writing style was easy. However I just got bored with the environmental agenda and plot. If you are into environmental activism then this book would be perfect for you!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I haven't read a thriller in a while, and this was the perfect book to get back into that genre. It is not your typical 'whodunit,' but exciting nonetheless. It brings to light political and environmental issues that any reader will enjoy, regardless of whether or not you are an activist or have zero knowledge of the topic. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick, engaging read!

Thank you, Dutton and NetGalley for this arc.

I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. A story about Green Man, a skillful serial bomber that pushes the FBI to conduct an extensive search against him. Green man believes that his actions are to shred light to people about the environment. Then there’s Tom, a computer programmer and also a young agent who figured how Green Man thinks and wants to help catch him.

I am seriously out of words about this novel. It is inspiring, breath-taking, and brilliant. It talks about a significant subject - the environment and how people are destroying our planet. It is unfortunate that to be able to have people see and listen, and brutal actions must be made. Characters and researches are all amazing, plot and sequences are great and full of suspense.

A chilling thriller a book that drew me in from the first pages.so tense so multilayered .David Klass is a new author for me will be grabbing up all his books.Already recommending.to lovers of wel written thrillers.#netgaaley#duttonbooks

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is fast-paced and extremely relevant to our current climate dilemma. The story was exciting and very well written. Additionally, the ending is not extremely obvious which I appreciate from thrillers. I feel like a story is well written when you end up rooting for the "villain". I would definitely recommend this to folks that really enjoy thrillers, especially political thrillers.

This is probably my first environmental thriller. Just reading about Green man around Earth day made it even more relevant. Green man definitely felt a flawed character and made it interesting as it creates conflicting opinions on each action of his. First half goes at good pace but felt it slower towards the end. I liked Tom as a brilliant data analyst with some personal baggage. The way he anticipates Green man's plans is too eerie but impressive.

Refreshing plot! A good read!

Out of Time is a provocative environmental thriller. Eco-terrorism has a new hero and he's outwitting the FBI.

With Earth's doomsday clock at the 11th hour and the US government not taking climate change seriously a new terrorist is born. Dubbed the Green Man by the media, he is an elusive serial bomber that just struck his sixth target, the Boon Dam in Idaho.

His precision and ability to outwit the FBI is gaining media fame and he quickly becomes the center of the largest manhunt in FBI history. Innocent people have died in his attacks, he is sparking public outcry and becoming a poster child for environmental change. He need to be stopped immediately. Trouble is he seems to be smarter than every FBI agent. He doesn't make mistakes, he doesn't leave behind evidence, there is no trail to follow.

A young agent, Tom Smith, joins the task-force. He is not a traditional agent but rather an analyst with a computer science background. His uniqueness may be the task force's best bet of finding a lead on Green Man.

Tom comes to the force with a unique set of skill but also a fresh outlook, he shares Green Man's ideologies. He wants to save the planet as much as this terrorist but innocent people are dying. Tom struggles between two worlds and morals in his hunt to uncover who is Green Man.

Out of Time is a gripping thriller that sucked me in with the real life narratives around environmentalism and climate change. The novel is narrated from multiple perspectives including Green Man and Tom. The multiple perspectives make David Klass' book easy to read but is also why I struggled toward the end. The characters are flawed which adds suspense and thrill but at times it is difficult to empathize or understand their actions.

I'm a tree hugger. I'm concerned about the way we're treating earth, and I'm concerned about our future. So this book really resonated with me. If that's not your thing, I could see how this may not be for you.

I can tell a lot of environmental research went into this book. The statistics and information provided was all correct and deeply disturbing in my opinion.

Aside from all the tree hugging, nature loving stuff, I really liked this one! It was very well written and an exciting read. That ending too! I never saw it coming. I really liked Tom, the FBI agent. Overall a good read!