Evolution of Fear
Page 1
PRAISE FOR PAUL E. HARDISTY
‘A stormer of a thriller – vividly written, utterly topical, totally gripping’ Peter James
‘This is a remarkably well-written, sophisticated novel in which the people and places, as well as frequent scenes of violent action, all come alive on the page … This is a really excellent debut’ Literary Review
‘A page-turning adventure that grabs you from the first page and won’t let go’ Edward Wilson
‘An exceptional debut, beautifully written, blisteringly authentic, heartstoppingly tense and unusually moving. Definite award material’ Paul Johnston
‘This is an exceptional and innovative novel. And an important one. Hardisty appears to know his territory intimately and describes in mind-grabbing detail its culture, its beliefs and its hopes. I can’t praise it highly enough’ Susan Moody
‘The author’s deep knowledge of the settings never slows down the non-stop action, with distant echoes of a more-moral minded Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne. A forceful first novel by a writer not afraid of weighty issues and visibly in love with the beauty of the Yemen and desert landscapes his protagonists travel through’ Maxim Jakubowski
‘A trenchant and engaging thriller that unravels this mysterious land in cool, precise sentences’ Stav Sherez, Catholic Herald
‘I’m a sucker for genuine thrillers with powerful redemptive themes, but what spoke to me more strongly than anything was the courage, integrity and passion with which this novel is written’ Eve Seymour, Cheltenham Standard
‘Smart, gripping, superbly crafted oil-industry thriller’ Helen Giltrow
‘It’s a measure of the wonderfully descriptive style of writing that The Abrupt Physics of Dying works as well as it does. The sense of place, and the way that the climate, the landscape and the people all combine within a location very foreign to that which many of us live in is evocative’ Australian Crime
‘The Abrupt Physics of Dying has a number of interesting psychological and sociological themes. Other than corruption and greed, fear and faith/trust are juxtaposed throughout the novel … The Abrupt Physics of Dying is a tense, gritty thriller with a gripping plot and wonderful descriptive writing’ Vicky Newham
‘Wow. Just wow. The sense of place is conjured beautifully and the author’s fondness and respect for the people and the region comes across in spades. If you need a point of reference think, John Le Carre’s A Constant Gardener. The Abrupt Physics of Dying is a thriller with heart and a conscience’ Michael J. Malone, CrimeSquad
‘A thriller of the highest quality, with the potential to one day stand in the company of such luminaries as Bond and Bourne … This is intelligent writing that both entertains and challenges, and it deserves a wide audience’ Live Many Lives
‘The story rockets along, twisting and turning amid clouds of dust from the Yemeni deserts, pausing occasionally to put aside the AK 47s and take tea amid the generosity of an Islamic culture Hardisty clearly understands and admires … An exceptional debut’ Tim Marshall, The What and the Why
‘The Abrupt Physics of Dying is compelling reading and tackles subject matter not often encountered … it is both dynamic and different and I enjoyed it immensely’ Grab this Book
‘From the beginning to the end – both of which are played out at gunpoint – this novel is non-stop action. It’s thrilling, but also highly sophisticated, and offers a startling look at what developed countries will do in their hunger for resources’ Crime Fiction Lover
‘I was a big fan, in 2013, of Terry Hayes’s I Am Pilgrim and I hadn’t up to now read a conspiracy thriller which came close to it in terms of quality. But Hardisty’s book was an excellent read with a similar sweep across the politics of international money-making’ Sarah J. Ward, Crime Pieces
‘Just occasionally, a book comes along to restore your faith in a genre – and Paul Hardisty’s The Abrupt Physics of Dying does this in spades. It’s absolutely beautifully written and atmospheric – and it provides an unrivalled look at Yemen, a country few of us know much about … appreciate intelligent, quality writing’ Sharon Wheeler, Crime Review
‘This thrilling debut opens with a tense, utterly gripping roadside hijacking … Hardisty’s prose is rich, descriptive and elegant, but break-neck pace is the king … an exhilarating, white-knuckle ride’ Paddy Magrane, Crime Book Club
‘A great page-turner with all the elements that make a cracking thriller. There’s plenty of action, twists and turns, skulduggery and an evil oil company – what more could you want? This is one of those books that makes you want to turn to Google and find out how much is fact and how much fiction’ Novel Heights
‘At heart this is first and foremost a cracking good thriller … a lot of good stuff here not often found in a crime novel’ Crime Novel Reader
‘Fast-paced and cleverly written, this novel has bestseller written all over it’ Writing WA
‘Hardisty details Yemen, the political climate and the science with an authority that’s never questionable and with a delivery that’s polished enough to make you wonder whether he hasn’t secretly been publishing thrillers under a different name for years … as assured, gripping, well paced and finely detailed as they come’ Tony Hill, Mumbling about Music
‘The Abrupt Physics of Dying is a tense thriller, the violence and corruption is vividly portrayed, yet there is nothing in the story that shouldn’t be there … If you enjoy a story that is well-written with a plot that twists and turns, and leads you astray, then I’d recommend this. If you want a hero that is a little bit unusual, with his own issues, but is determined and so well created, then I’d recommend this. If you want a complex and intelligent thriller, then I’d really really recommend this’ Anne Cater, Random Things Through My Letterbox
‘For Abrupt Physics of Dying to be a debut novel, a brilliant debut novel, there’s surely only exciting things to come from Paul E. Hardisty, starting with next year’s sequel The Evolution of Fear. A sensational first novel’ Sophie, Reviewed the Book
‘A well-crafted, admirably constructed, and convincing tale of modern corruption, touching on topical issues, The Abrupt Physics of Dying has introduced Hardisty as a serious player in the (eco-) thriller genre, and I expect impressive things from him over the coming years’ Charley Barnes, Mad Hatter Reviews
‘An exceptional debut thriller … well-written, the prose clear and crisp, the voice clear and authentic. Tense and moving, it grabs you by the throat’ Atticus Finch
‘A knowledgeable and intelligent thriller which, despite being set two decades ago, feels fresh and thoroughly relevant to today’s geopolitical situation … We can hear the noise, feel the heat and even taste the poisoned water. Hardisty clearly knows his stuff and has created an evocative portrait of Yemen’ Louise Reviews
‘It is clear that the author’s background and experience has enabled him to write a thriller that is so rich and detailed in description that you can almost feel the searing heat and visualise the vast endless desert … a very powerful and compelling message of corporate greed and the deliberate destruction of life and land’ Karen Cocking, My Reading Corner
‘Where this book stands out is the fantastic writing, the stunning imagery … the heat, the fear, the colour, smells, and tension of each scene. The intrigue is gripping, the characters complex, the denouement satisfying’ Jackie Law, Never Imitate
‘I seriously cannot remember the last time I was this gripped by a thriller … Mr Hardisty brings Yemen to vivid, colourful life, the people and the hardships, the politics and the realities and wraps it up in a beautiful package of really exceptional storytelling, with an authentic edge which means you honestly believe every moment of it … a modern thriller with a literary edge, one that could
equally win the highest awards’ Liz Loves Books
‘In true Bond and Bourne tradition, Clay is a maverick who often operates outside the rules. The novel’s plot is fiercely gripping yet labyrinthine; each time you think you’re nearing a solution, you find instead another twist … his experience shows in the urgent authenticity of his writing. Here we have a novel, a writer to watch’ Claire Thinking
‘The sex, violence and corruption had shades of Robert Ludlum, and the relationship between Clay and Rania was reminiscent of a Bond romance (of the Daniel Craig, as opposed to Sean Connery, era). If you fancy a fast-paced thriller to brighten up this winter, this is it’ Amy Pirt, This Little Bag of Dreams
‘This epic story is a spell-binding read. Highly atmospheric, it is grounded in the Yemen landscape, with the tension of a country on the brink of civil war sparking from every page … a thought-provoking and heart-wrenching book. A real page-turner with a pulse-poundingly fast pace’ Crime Thriller Girl
‘Well-paced with plenty of action … I look forward to reading more from this author. Definitely a cracking debut’ Bleach House Library
‘A gritty, at times violent and gripping eco-thriller, life on the edge in Yemen – the clash of cultures, the oil industry and the locals’ Trip Fiction
‘International intrigue, sophisticated treatment of non-western cultures – which means neither demonised nor romanticised, abundant grey areas where there are no simple choices, and peopled with the sorts of psychopaths addicted to adrenaline. The science reminds me of Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta novels. This is a modern treatment of a centuries-old conflict between indigenous peoples and usurpers bent on exploitation, us and them’ Texas Book Lover
‘The well-written almost-poetic vivid descriptions are unusual in a book of this genre, showing how the author Paul E. Hardisty has a gift for detailed but fast-paced writing’ Victoria Goldman, Off-the-Shelf Reviews
‘Civil war, terrorism, corporate ruthlessness and corruption, and harsh global realities are examined in a thrilling action fuelled style that has enough authenticity and atmosphere to sink the reader into the story’ Crime Thriller Hound
‘Think Jack Reacher and then some. This book is adventurous and fascinatingly topical. The author brings home to us the realities of the world today with themes of global exploitation and discomfort’ Tracey Book Lover
‘Hardisty writes with incredible passion and technical precision and the reader can never be quite sure who is good and who is bad, which keeps the reader gripped to the end … an epic reading experience that will have them yearning to know what happens next’ Segnalibro Blog
‘What I thought was going to be a forgettable page turner actually turned out to be something far more thoughtful, both on a wider scale and at a more personal level as the story examines the dehumanising effect of conflict on Straker. The writing is beautifully descriptive, Yemen is vividly and evocatively brought to life yet alongside this the action is often unflinchingly and brutally violent’ Karen Cole
‘Far from being your average page-turner, Hardisty has a superb command of language, creating evocative images of land which many will be unfamiliar with. The issues covered are very contemporary with seemingly impossible battles against overbearing figures and organisations. It’s an exciting, absorbing and provocative stormer’ Kevin Freeburn
‘Think Jack Reacher and then some … adventurous and fascinatingly topical’ Tracey Walsh
‘A brilliant thriller, with so many twists and turns it will make you dizzy’ Tracy Shephard
‘At 430 pages it is a longer read than many other books I have read lately but is so beautifully written that you won’t mind it’s length one bit. In fact by the end you’ll find yourself wishing it was a little longer’ Gunnar Davíðsson
‘Hardisty portrays the milieu (its rugged topography and, in judicious glimpses, its history) so well’ Detectives Beyond Borders
‘Just a superb debut from Paul Hardisty, and an inspired reconfiguration of the genre. With all this going on, perhaps the world needed a great eco-thriller in 2015 a little more than we needed another superhero infusion. We got one’ Yusuf Toropov
‘The story is gritty, action packed and topical … prepare to be wowed by a new kid on the block’ The Library Door
The Evolution of Fear
PAUL E. HARDISTY
For Gary Pulsifer
‘There exists no limit to the blindness of interest and selfish habit’
Charles Darwin
‘Our fears do make us traitors…’
Macbeth, Act IV, Scene ii, William Shakespeare
Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Epigraph
Map
Part I
1 No Difference the Instrument
2 2.7 Seconds of Nothing
3 A Talisman of Sorts
4 The Chasm between Now and Then
5 Their Glorious Youth
6 Three-Day Head Start
7 A Hundred Hours
8 Candaules’ Queen
9 The Difference between Living and Dying
10 Just a Deep Breath Away
11 Instruments of Darkness
12 Leave Me in the Sun for the Vultures
13 Purgatory
Part II
14 The World Can Go and Fuck Itself
15 Weapons Ready, Hearts Racing
16 Constantinople Electric
17 It Could Have Been Any of Them
18 Likelihood and Consequence
19 Maybe It Had Never Been There at All
20 Things You Do Not Know
21 It Can’t Hurt You
22 English as a Foreign Language
23 Wanted Dead
24 A Few Miles from Deep Water
Part III
25 F=GMm/r2
26 Dead Reckoning
27 Extinction
28 The Killing Gene
29 Looking Down Through Blood
30 Tears for Wool
31 This, You Were Given
32 Twelve Years of Silence
33 Honoris Crux
34 Altruism
35 Thirty Weeks and a Hundred Years
36 Backwards from Being
37 Everything They Shared
Part IV
38 Trust
39 Natural Selection
40 The Ladder of Divine Ascent
41 As Good as Anything Else
42 Playing House
43 The Illusion of Mercy
44 The Only Thing That Mattered
45 A Question of Faith
46 A Hell of a Thing
47 Hurt
48 Each Minute Has a Price
49 Dark Wells of Gravity
50 The Blind and Ruthless Levers
51 Violence Having Been Done
Part V
52 Should Have Been Twenty
53 The Future Spread out before Them
54 The Price You Paid
55 Death Comes Soon Enough
56 Life
57 Her Dark Insanity
58 What You Had To Forsake
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Copyright
Part I
1
No Difference the Instrument
30th October 1994: North coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom
It was a good place to hide. From almost any vantage the cottage was invisible. Notched into a wooded draw at the top of the bluff, accessible only on foot, the place looked as cold and dead as the Devonian slate and mudstone cliffs from which it was made. Forty minutes now he’d been watching the place, as dusk faded and night came, but he’d seen no one, nothing to suggest danger. Just the crash of the waves on the shingle beach below, the whip of wind through the trees.
Claymore Straker shivered, pulled up his collar and watched the storm come in off the Irish Sea. Rain clouds scuttled overhead, low and fast, moving inland over the gorse and the stunted, wind-bent trees. The f
irst drops touched his face, the cold fingertips of a tenhour corpse. Winter was coming, and he was a fugitive.
Eight and a half weeks he’d been here, anchored into the cliffside, staring out at the grey solitude of the sea, watching the depressions deepen. Fifty-nine days, one thousand, four hundred and twenty-two hours not knowing where she was, not knowing if she was alive or dead, uncertainty burning away the very fibre of him. And today he’d cracked. He’d succumbed to worry and fear and he’d walked all the way to Crackington Haven, fifteen miles across the national park. Defying Crowbar’s orders, he’d gone into the village, found a public phone, and he’d made a call. Just one. And now he was more worried than ever.
Clay hefted his bug-out bag onto his shoulders and started towards the cottage. The path tunnelled down through a tangle of wind-shaped scrub, the branches closing over him as he went. Hands reached out from the darkness, snatched at his clothes. A thorn caught his cheek, nicked open the skin under his left eye. He cursed, bent low and followed the track as it swung back towards the cliffs. By the time he emerged from the thicket, the rain was coming hard and flat, squalling over the bluffs. He raised the stump of his left forearm over his eyes, trying to shield his face from the icy darts. There was the dark outline of the slate roof, the chimney pot just visible, the low stone wall that enclosed the small courtyard.
He had just moved into open ground when the clouds broke. Moonlight bathed the cliffline like a parachute flare. And there, just outside the cottage door, the back-lit silhouettes of two men.
Clay stopped dead. A gust raked through the scrub, a loud tearing as a sheet of rain whipped over the bluff. The men were only metres away, blurs in the slanting rain. They were looking straight at him. Seconds passed, slowed to the tick of insect wings in a childhood dream, then stalled completely in chrome-white illumination.
Surely they’d seen him.
One of the men shifted, shook the rain from his coat. A voice rose above the wind. Clay couldn’t make out the words, but the tone was calm, unhurried. As if commenting on the weather. Or the football scores. And in that moment, as the realisation came to him that perhaps these men were simply lost, walkers strayed from the park, he thought how powerful are the doubts we carry inside, how strong these prisons we make for ourselves.