Interesting premise, lots if action let down by one dimensional characters, including a protagonist who overcomes every confrontation by berating others with his (undeniably) impeccable logic.

The writing comes off as well researched, with plenty of concepts and calculations to keep the engineers happy. However I found it a little hard to believe that amidst a major terrorist incident, the FBI, CIA, NSA, FEMA, Army, National Guard etc. don't get involved until almost halfway through the book - and even then the lone engineer basically gets carte blanche authority to race around the countryside, blowing up assets with impunity.

Nevertheless I enjoyed the book. I felt it could do with a bit of editing to remove unnecessary and repetitive detail and keep the story flowing. But a great first effort. ( )

363 pp., 2007 Loved it! It's got blowing up Glen Canyon damn (yeah!), near over-topping of Hoover dam (wow), the humiliation of high level bureaucrats (yeah), rescue by number crunching functionaries (yeah), clandestine activity (!), rafting! (actually very little), the Grand Canyon (yeah), sex (actually none), and water flowing to the Colorado River Delta (yeah!). This is an easy read and one I recommend for everyone who a one time or another has dreamed of Glen Canyon damn going away. Hayduke lives!!! ( )

Excellent plot and great background information, but the characters were pretty much one-dimensional. But the plot did keep me turning the pages. ( )

If your intent is to lie in bed after the late-night TV newscast and read a chapter of this book for relaxation before falling asleep, forget it! I tried that but I was still reading at 4:30AM! Now that's what I call a compelling page-turner! Wet Desert is an extraordinary accomplishment by any author, much less a first-time author as Hansen is. Well-written, this novel is quick paced, chocked full of suspense, and danger, and thoroughly enjoyable. ( )

Boy was I disappointed in "Wet Desert." This was my first Kindle ebook. It boasted great reviews and was only $.99! Did I ever get what I paid for. Flat characters. Little action (although what action there was, was repeated several times). And poor writing.

The story is about an environmentalist who wants to blow up several dams along the Colorado River and the mid-level engineer who follows his path of destruction. Along the way are two side stories that serve no purpose other than to describe what happens up river from a destroyed dam (the water gets low and rushes along in narrow spots), and down river (water rises and destroys everything in its wake). Otherwise, the main story and side stories never come together.

If you want to learn lots about dams and the lakes they create, read this book. One interesting fact was that Lake Mead would cover the state of Pennsylvania with 1 foot of water. Great. Problem is that this fact is repeated twice, and not too far from each other. It's not like two different characters mention this. This is in exposition.

Another error is when the main character gets in a helicopter for the second time that day (only a few hours previously), yet we're told, "it had been a long time since he'd flown in a helicopter, maybe ten years."

At the end, the writer, Gary Hansen, tells us how he started taking fiction writing classes in his forties. Well, Gary, go back to school. ( )