It's the second decade of the twenty-first century, and terrorism has escalated almost beyond control. New weapons are being spawned in remote basement labs, and no one feels safe.

In North America, the FBI uses cutting-edge technology to thwart domestic terrorists. The War on Terror has reached a deadly stalemate.

The FBI has been dispatched to deal with a new menace. Like the Anthrax threat of 2001, a plague targeted to ethnic groups has the potential to wipe out entire populations. But the FBI itself is under political assault. There's a good chance that agents William Griffin, Fouad Al-Husam, and Jane Rowland will be part of the last class at Quantico. As the young agents hunt a brilliant homegrown terrorist, they join forces with veteran bio-terror expert Rebecca Rose. But the plot they uncover — and the man they chase — prove far more complex than anyone expects.

"This thought-provoking near-future thriller from bestseller Bear (Dead Lines) focuses on two young FBI agents: William Griffin, the son of a legendary FBI lawman, struggles through training; Fouad Al-Husam, who expects suspicion for his heritage and Muslim faith, finds himself instead sent on super-secret missions to the Middle East. Playing a minor supporting role is their Quantico classmate, Jane Rowland. When a quiet man with mismatched eyes starts telling certain fanatics that he can make gene-keyed anthrax to destroy their hereditary enemies, Griffin and Al-Husam form an unlikely team, headed by veteran agent Rebecca Rose, to handle the threat. Bear's near-future science is, as always, eerily plausible, and while he doesn't stint on sharp criticism of political infighting and its potential to hinder antiterrorism efforts, his would-be terrorists become surprisingly sympathetic as the complex details of their true plan are slowly (sometimes too slowly) revealed." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"This chillingly plausible story displays Bear's storytelling gifts to their fullest....His legion of fans will be lining up for this one, and the novel's cross-genre appeal should guarantee it an even wider readership than usual." Booklist

"Far from the typical FBI procedural, sci-fi author Bear's latest is a dark look at the near future....Quantico confidently delivers a mix of forensic handiwork, bureaucratic insight, and futuristic speculation." Entertainment Weekly

"Quantico is a terrifying glimpse into the nightmare of global bio-terror. Greg Bear combines real-world science, headline news, and five-minutes-from-now extrapolation into an adrenaline-amped thriller that will scare the hell out of you." Robert Crais, bestselling author of The Watchman

"One of the best thrillers I've ever read — a superb cautionary tale about the use of political and military power that confronts us in the world today." Joe Haldeman, bestselling author of The Forever War

With terrorism almost beyond control and the FBI under political assault, there's a good chance that agents William Griffin, Fouad Al-Husam, and Jane Rowland will be part of the last class at Quantico. But the terrorist plot they uncover proves far more complex than anyone expects.

Greg Bear is the author of more than thirty books of science fiction and fantasy, including Blood Music, The Forge of God, and Darwin's Radio. Awarded two Hugos and five Nebulas for his fiction, one of two authors to win a Nebula in every category, Bear has been called the "best working writer of hard science fiction" by The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Bear has served on political and scientific action committees and has advised Microsoft Corporation, the U.S. Army, the CIA, Sandia National Laboratories, Callison Architecture, Inc., and other groups and agencies. Married to Astrid Anderson Bear, he is the father of Erik and Alexandra and lives in Lynnwood, Washington.