

Reviews of The Pacific Affair
"I love a good political thriller and enjoyed this book. The concept was fun and I could picture it on the big screen. I really enjoyed the concept in The Pacific Affair. Given the state of the environment and the seeming inability of the world's governments to tackle the issues in a timely manner, I thought the story was intriguing. I loved that the whole Langham family was involved in the story, and that Charles built an organization where so many people were able to dedicate themselves to the cause. The writing was a little stiff and while the tale is suspenseful, it was hard, at times, to believe Charles Langham's luck in always staying a step ahead of the forces working against him. I greatly appreciated the discussion about man's role in both harming and also helping to save the earth. It's great food for thought. And the attention to detail, whether in descriptions of the amazing vehicles involved in the story or the political entities involved made the whole story more believable.”
"I Loved It!! Easy to read with suspense and action, danger and murder along the way. The two main characters are Charles Langham and the President of the United States. Charles lives on a super yacht. A billionaire who dedicates him money and time for environmental issues. Deforestation, endangered animals and marine life. Feminine and other issues like the drug barons in Brazil. Charles takes on the UN, world leaders, and the president of the USA and uncovers a lot more than he expected. It’s fictional but underlying the story is true facts facing the planet at this time. How World leader can make the commitment to save the world. The first chapter really draws you and makes you want to read more. The more I read the more it was harder to put down as it takes you from one adventure to another. My only small criticism for me, is that there was a little too much dialogue between the characters in the first part of the book. But I understand that the Author was trying to set the scene. The book was well thought out and well written. I can’t wait for the next instalment of “The Atlantic Affair”. Review by Maureen Skilton.
"Charles Langham,billionaire and environmentalist, is trying to save the world from its certain extinction through climate change. Helped by a team of highly qualified eco-warriors such as himself he soon comes up against one of his greatest adversaries- the morally bankrupt President of the United States. The first novel in an ongoing series “The Pacific Affair” by Gary Paul Stephenson takes the reader through a roller coaster of adventures and touches on subjects the global community are currently faced with. Climate change, political corruption and greed are in the headlines right now but unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a real-life Charles Langham sailing the world in his superyacht to save us. Although improbable in parts this novel would translate well to film. Although it does fit in an action genre the book's hero is, in fact, suffering from multiple sclerosis so his engagement with the villains of the piece are intellectual and technological making a nice change from the usual clichéd fight scenes. A good piece of escapism.” Review by Jen Longshaw.
"This is a book I found filled with intrigue, mystery, danger and suspense whilst having a very important message linked into the book. Charles Langham lives on a yacht. He is mega rich but isn't selfish with his wealth giving lots to environmental causes. Charles tells the UN of his findings with endangered animals and marine life and deforestation but the UN fail to listen. He threatens the UN that if they don't act then he will but they retaliate by sending out a US ship to attack his yacht. Charles threatens to create two tsunamis on the US but he is now on a hitlist and has to take action before the men sent to kill him can complete their mission. He has to show the world that climate change is important and is important NOW. The author sets the scene well and although this is a novel I found he carries the topic of climate change very well as it is all too relevant in this day and age. I found this to be a really good novel and the author makes you think about the impact we all have on the world today.” Review by Jennifer Moville.
"Great fun! I liked the idea of the main protagonist having the sort of organization and technology normally reserved for a Bond villain, but he was the good guy! Instant gratification! It reads as if ready-made for the movie screen. I shall follow up with the next book shortly." Review by Mike Corbishley.
"The Pacific Affair introduces resourceful hero Charles Langham whose personal mission is to force stagnant politicians and international organizations to act over climate change, poverty, and (somewhat out of sync) the South American drug trade. After issuing the United Nations with an ultimatum of consequences for failure to change course, Langham garners the ready support of the vast majority of nations but makes an enemy of the President of the United States of America. Pitted against the arguably most powerful man on the planet, Langham and his team must uncover the President’s adversary motivations whilst also outrunning and outsmarting the US Navy and the President’s Special Ops team. The more Langham’s team discover, the murkier the waters become. Based on board Langham’s super yacht, the journey follows the Sundancer from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, spanning from Panama to the Amazon to Tonga and beyond. While Langham’s unlimited cash, expertise, and good fortune felt incredible at times, the relevance of the theme negated these simplicities, leaving a framework for a thrilling story. Adding a bittersweet charm to The Pacific Affair is the knowledge that Stephenson suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, which he shares with the novel’s hero, Charles Langham. MS affects people in different ways but can have physical effects such as poor balance, slurred speech, spasms, and fatigue, as well effects on a person’s memory, thinking, and emotions. Langham’s MS affliction gives the character a realness that is rare in hero figures, although the effects of the disease could have been amplified. Both Stephenson and Langham’s efforts are enormous feats for MS-suffers, which may help as encouragement for those living with the disease and also serves to help raise awareness about Multiple Sclerosis. In a political climate that is questioning the establishment repeatedly, demanding a new breed of politicians to act in the interests of the common people, the concept shaping The Pacific Affair is important and absorbing. While a dose of patience may be required, Stephenson’s well-intended The Pacific Affair is compelling." Review by A.Treloar.
"This book was great! A nice quick read which didn't require too much brain power but still managed to convey complex scientific ideas. I thought the main characters were well developed however there was quite an extensive cast of people that were coming and going so at times it was hard to keep track. The plot follows Charles Langham who with his family owns a large technology company which has made groundbreaking advances and are putting them to use trying to make an impact on earth's environmental problems such as global warming and Mass extinction. To do this the governments of the world must be on board, but the American president who is in the midst of some serious psychological problems will not budge and makes an enemy of Langham. Overall I thought this book was Clive Cussler-esque which is a great accomplishment! I'm looking forward to reading more in the Charles Langham series and would recommend it to anyone who loves adventure/action novels containing cutting-edge technology." Review by Rachel Sanders.
Review by Nudge books. "I found this book to be filled with danger and suspense. It is a book that details real problems facing today’s world. Charles Langham lives on a yacht. He is mega rich, but donates some of his wealth to environmental causes. He tells the UN about his findings regarding endangered animals, marine life and the problems of deforestation. He demands that the UN to take action or else he will. He threatens to cause two tsunamis off the coast of the USA, but the UN send a US navy ship to attack his yacht and kill him. Charles needs people to act fast before the Earth cannot be saved, to say nothing of the imminent threat to his life. Essentially, I found this to be a very real book. Although it is a novel, the author does well to get you involved in the politics of today by featuring very real and life-threatening events such as global warming."
"In my opinion, this book is excellent. It contains an intriguing story, while also making you think about the impact we all have on the world today."
"Political and environmental issues… sounds difficult topic to read, but this book was great! Easy to read and understand. Can’twait the next adventure of Charles Langham!"
"I really enjoyed the concept in The Pacific Affair. Given the state of the environment and the seeming inability of the world's governments to tackle the issues in a timely manner, I thought the story was intriguing. I loved that the whole Langham family was involved in the story, and that Charles built an organization where so many people were able to dedicate themselves to the cause. The writing was a little stiff and while the tale is suspenseful, it was hard, at times, to believe Charles Langham's luck in always staying a step ahead of the forces working against him. I greatly appreciated the discussion about man's role in both harming and also helping to save the earth. It's great food for thought. And the attention to detail, whether in descriptions of the amazing vehicles involved in the story or the political entities involved made the whole story more believable."
"I love a good political thriller and enjoyed this book, Sounds difficult topic to read, but this book was great."
"A thoroughly enjoyable read."
"In my opinion, this book is excellent. It contains an intriguing story, while also making you think about the impact we all have on the world today."
"This book was great! A nice quick read which didn't require too much brain power but still managed to convey complex scientific ideas."
"Stephenson’s well-intended The Pacific Affair is compelling."
"Instant gratification! It reads as if ready-made for the movie screen."
"An engaging read. The author has made great efforts, and successfully, to bring one's attention to the urgency of saving the earth and protecting and saving the livelihood of all living beings, the plot and dialogue is intriguing, effectively juxtaposing the dark side of humanity, politics and greed with compassion, camaraderie and philanthropy. The attention to detail is fascinating, Taken together they make the book ad engaging read, purposefully holding and arousing the interest and curiosity of the reader."
"Thoroughly good read, I enjoyed it from the start, kept me on edge. Looking forward to the next book. A refreshing storyline in the world we live today."
"Wow! This is a real page turning adventure, lots of good characters, lots of action and incredibly well-written scenes. The "Hit Squad" scenes were myfavorites. Can't wait for the next one to come out and will definitely get it."
"I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would highly recommend it. It's a page-turner! And can't wait for book 2."
"Very thought provoking, covering a lot of what we should be concerned about today in a very good story."
"Very good read fitting into the Clive Cussler market perfectly."
"An advocate for nature conservation, Stephenson aims to catch readers' interest as he presents this fascinating novel based on a realistic ecological situation."
"I won this book through Goodreads and that exactly what it was!! Really enjoyed it. Wish there really was a Charles Langham with all his whizz bag toys to help save the world from the environmental disaster we seem headed for. Kept me really engrossed and looking forward to the next installment."
"This book certainly made you think about the harm man is doing to the planet. Greed comes before common sense a lot of the time. Charles and Anne with Max all seemed a little too perfect for my liking though, with endless amounts of money and power. Overall a good read."
"It turns out more than I thought it would be. So many twists and turns with a good handle on the environment we are in the process of losing if we as a world don’t get our act together. I enjoyed the technology incorporated into the story making it seem entirely feasible. The plot moved along and I could not put the book down. I'll be looking forward to the next one in the series."
Reviews of The Atlantic Affair
Midwest book reviews. "An original, impressively crafted, and compelling read from beginning to end, "The Atlantic Affair" is the second title in the author Gary Paul Stephenson's 'Charles Langham Adventure' series that deftly melds Fact and Fiction together to produce a truly riveting novel from beginning to end. While unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections"
"After reading the first chapter, I was truly hooked – what an opener. You have achieved what I suspect every author yearns for – grab the reader in the first paragraph. I sort of expected a little explosion and felt proud of myself that I could second guess what’s likely to develop but WOW, I didn’t expect such an opener." Amazon review. David. Dec 2017.
"Read the first one (Pacific Affair) a while back, and now this second one (Atlantic Affair) in the series. Good action thriller, this one flows on from the first book, but can be read as standalone. Great characters well sketched, fast-paced in places that carries you along with the plot. The intro set in London is very detailed and gets you hooked in quickly. I enjoyed it. A good read." Goodreads review by KJ. Dec 2017
"Action thriller. Good story. Great characters with lots of detail. Fast action - in places - with scenes set all around the world and a storyline that got me interested, but one where you can stop at any point and pick it up again later. Interesting to have an environmentalist as the lead character. A good read over a few days. Enjoyed it". Amazon review 17th Dec 2017, by coldwintersnight.
"Another enjoyable novel by Gary Stephenson. It kept me focused throughout the complete book. If you want to read a very good book with suspense, intrigue then grab a copy and enjoy the ride." Amazon Review by Kiwisouth.