In the remote Pacific, working onboard the Deep Metal Explorer One, Neal Caldwell sees a flash of early morning sunlight from vessels swiftly advancing from the horizon. Betrayed by his closest friend, he encounters a sinister world as North Korean naval ships, acting as proxies for the Chinese, forcibly abduct him, along with two other crewmembers.Caldwell's meticulously guarded secret is exposed: a singular ability coupling his congenital chromesthesia-where he sees colors and patterns when hearing sounds-with sonar expertise. He is the world's foremost authority in identifying undersea vessels. His gift also enables him to precisely pinpoint nodules of rare metals on the seabed of the abyssal plain, earning the company he works for, the TransOceanic Mining Corporation, millions of dollars.The Chinese don't want rare metals. Nor do they want money. What they do want is the capability to locate US submarines. Such prowess would cause a tectonic shift in the alignment of the world's strategic nuclear powers. Neal Caldwell is the only person on the planet who can accomplish such a task. Concurrently, Neal's young son is kidnapped in San Diego. He serves as collateral to compel Neal's cooperation, forcing him to potentially become the most notorious traitor the world has known.THE COLOR OF SOUND is a 92,000-word standalone adult thriller told in first and third-person POVs. This fast-paced novel combines elements of international intrigue, espionage, military confrontations, romance, and the resilience of the human spirit as Caldwell endures the most extreme adversities. Fans of Eye of the Needle, The Bourne Identity, and The Hunt for Red October will enjoy The Color of Sound. R. Alan Gilmore is a physician (MD) who retired after twenty-seven years in the US Navy and another fourteen years with the US Veterans Health Administration. Through the courtesy of the US Navy, he has spent twelve years visiting the world's oceans and other associated "activities."He is a 1976 graduate of Emory University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and an MD from the Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University. He and his wife celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary in 2023. They reside in Western North Carolina, offering a splendid view of the southern Appalachians. Their three adult sons are scattered throughout the country. Now, their home is currently inhabited by five rescue and stray cats and two Bernese Mountain dogs. They all seem to think they're the sole occupants unless it's time to be fed.He has two other recent novels: Intermission and its sequel, The Domain. They are both dystopian SF novels with unique scientific elements. But with happy endings.
