Deadeye by Mark Greaney ( The Gray Man #4)

Dead Eye by Mark Greaney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I discovered Mark Greaney years ago when I saw an intriguing paperback titled, "The Gray Man. I read the back of the book and thought that this might be something worth reading. It turned out it was and I have been a Greaney fan ever since. I knew he had talent to tell a great story, but I guess that the late Tom Clancy thought so as well when he picked Greaney to help with the continuing story of Jack Ryan and the Campus, which has gone on to do quite well, including catapulting Greaney to #1 New York Bestseller status.

All of which left little time for Court Gentry or The Gray Man and his story. I just finished the 4th entry in the Court Gentry saga and I have to admit, it was a barnburner! Writing with Clancy has only strengthened Greaney as a writer and has moved Mr. Greaney into the forefront of the new breed of thriller writers that are a cut above the rest. Along with Ben Coes, Matthew Dunn, and others the genre is in good hands.

In Deadeye, Court is still on the run from his former handlers the CIA, really still not understanding why, but only knowing that he must stay one step ahead or else he will be killed. Deciding to wrap up a loose end and take a former patron off the board, Court is marked by the new technology that has been developed to catch bad guys. Unbeknownst to Court, he is being watched and tracked by the Townsend Group, an off the books contractor to the US government tasked with bringing the Gray Man down. Enter, Russell Whitlock aka Deadeye. For Court it is like looking in the mirror, here is a man just as deadly as he is, because he was trained by the same group and the kicker. He wants to help.

Court has lived as long as he has by not trusting anyone, but the near constant hyper vigilance has taken its toll and he wants to believe that he can trust Deadeye. Unfortunately, Deadeye has other agendas. Throw into the mix a brilliant Israeli tracker and her team and you have the makings of a great story reminiscent of The English Assassin by Daniel Silva.

Give Greaney a try.. Just a caution, he is a little rough with language, but can sure tell a story and keep the pages turning.


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Cold Barrel Zero by Matthew Quirk

Cold Barrel Zero by Matthew Quirk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book that I have read by Matthew Quirk and I really liked it. It sounds as if it is much different than his first two books in content. But, never the less, this is one good book. Quirk's writing is lean and moves with a frenetic pace. ^There are twists and turns and divided loyalties where at first you are really not sure who you should be rooting for.
The book concerns Thomas Byrne, a former combat medic who had been part of a deep cover Special Operations team led by John Hayes. Byrne, now a doctor who is trying to forget and atone for his past is recruited by a high government official to stop Hayes who is now, according to our government a rogue agent with his team bent on destroying America. Throw into the mix a dirty General, a mysterious figure from the Middle East and others and the truth is very hard to find.
I loved the character of Hayes, he is complex and noble and viscous in his own way, just as Byrne has other skills besides saving lives.
If you like well written thrillers, you will not be disappointed in this book.

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Time of Attack by Marc Cameron (Jericho Quinn #4)

Time of Attack by Marc Cameron


Marc Cameron is one of the new breed of thriller author that has emerged in the last several years along with Ben Coes, Matthew Dunn and others that give us the impression that the thriller genre is in good hands for years to come.
Cameron is very distinctive also in that you will never see an F bomb or foul language in his books or extreme sexual situations. This is very refreshing. His books are still awesome and his bad guys are still just as despicable.
In this fourth entry in the Jericho Quinn series, all of our favorites are back and needed like never before. The book starts with a bang, literally, with an assassination attempt on Quinn's little girl which actually strikes his ex-wife. Needless to say, revenge is on Quinn's mind. But, bigger things are at play. A deep cover Muslim extremist that happens to be the Governor of Oregon and a deadly plague of biblical proportions strikes our troops and communities with no end in sight. But, they are all connected unknown to Quinn.
I don't like spoliers, so if this sounds like your cup of tea, and if you haven't started this series, pick up National Security and get going. This book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger so on to book 5!!!
Also, as a side note, Marc is great at connecting with his readers. Become his friend and email him to let him know how he is doing. He is a great guy.

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Kill Switch by Jonathon Maberry (Joe Ledger #8)

Kill Switch by Jonathan Maberry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What can I say. Jonathan Maberry is really, really good. This is the eighth entry in the Joe Ledger series and it is a no holds barred romp towards what could be Armageddon, if Echo Team can't find a way to stop it.

The thing about Maberry is that even when he writes about some pretty fantastical things, zombies, vampires, etc.. It is as real as our next breath. In Kill Switch, he pulls out all the stops and has a bad guy that literally wants to destroy America in a very bad way. Picture this, what if our power grids all went down or just a few? Or if someone had the means to effectively turn off all power for a period of time and then turn it back on, just for kicks. We are talking all power, planes , cars, anything that runs on power. What would happen? It would be something that would bring us to our knees, how do we respond to a threat with no power or if someone can turn the power off ? Diabolical yes?

Now couple that with a technology that would allow the bad guys to take over your body and make you do things that you wouldn't normally do? Like turn on your fellow soldiers or your family.

These premises and more are on full display in Kill Switch, Joe Ledger's most dangerous mission yet. The whole cast is back including a few new characters that I hope stick around. We also lose some old friends to this madness. But the best part, we finally get to see another side of Mr. Church and boy is it something.

Do yourself a favor, pick up Patient Zero today and immerse yourself with the Department of Military Sciences and Joe Ledger. You will not be disappointed and just might curse me for all the sleepless nights to come.

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The City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin (The Passage Trilogy, Book 3)

The City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In 2010, I was lucky enough to read a book titled, The Passage, by Justin Cronin. It was the best book that I read that year and probably for the previous few as well. It was the story of Amy, the Girl from Nowhere and the end of our civilization due to a virus that changed those infected into "virals", a savage, killing machine that was intent on decimating and changing the population through its bite. The Passage covered over 100 years of future history and was fascinating. in it's detail of just how this madness happened. The story continued in The Twelve, which ramped up the stakes and gave us a harrowing glance at just what is at stake in the war of survival with the virals and how it affected individual lives. Cronin's characters are real. They are noble and flawed like we are, and trying to set a course for humanity's continuation at what ends up being a great cost.
Now, in The City of Mirrors, Cronin finishes his masterpiece. I cannot tell you how good this book was. How many times I had to put it down because it became a little too intense and my love for his people was that strong. How many times I would reread a passage of the book just because the writing was so beautiful that it would bring tears to your eyes. Or many times I kept hoping that it would never end. But, as with all good things and end must come, and what an end.

Great books tend to linger in our memories for years and sometimes decades. While others are what I call "popcorn fiction", satisfying while you are experiencing it, but after you are finished, no lasting contentment. These books are different. I have met many people who have told me that they just couldn't get into The Passage. Please, give it another chance. You will not be sorry. Read these three books and become filled with wonder and fear, horror and delight, and most of all, appreciation for a story well told in the hands of a great writer.

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Make Me by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #20)

Make Me by Lee Child
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I discovered Lee Child and Jack Reacher in 1997. I looked forward to every new Reacher and for the first 5 or so, I kept wondering when readers would finally discover these books in a big way. I still kick myself that I didn't buy a first edition hardcover at the time.

So, roughly 20 years later how is Reacher doing? Better than ever. It is extremely hard to keep the quality of a series and a character going for 20 years. (see Cussler, Patterson, etc..) Child really knows how to keep it fresh. Make Me is no exception.

Widow's Rest is the name of the town that Reacher leaves the train for. Just because it sounds interesting. Why is it called that? Is there a story about it? A monument to some forgotten widow?
Reacher ends up finding out a lot more than he probably bargained for with a beautiful, ex-FBI agent turned PI and another missing PI. Couple this with the townsfolk who are very tight lipped and uncharacteristically so. Something deeper is going on her than a long forgotten widow.

Reacher is who every man wants to be. Strong, practically unbeatable in a fight and the ladies kind of like him. In Make Me, Reacher and PI Michelle Chang end up crossing the country, being chased and fighting back to discover the secret of this corn growing farm town. What they find is about as evil as it gets.

If you have read Child and Reacher, you know what to expect. If you have never read a Jack Reacher book, pick up Killing Floor and get comfortable, nobody writes like Child.

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Staked by Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid #8)

Staked by Kevin Hearne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What more can I say about Kevin Hearne than I have said before. He is one of the really, undiscovered writers out there that has a following, but nowhere near the following he should have. He should be a household name in the fantasy genre. maybe after his massive,epic fantasy debuts later this year he will be.

This is the 8th novel in the Iron Druid series. It is full of action and the humor that Hearne employs to good use. Picking up where #7 left off, there is still the small matter of Atticus vs. the vampires, mainly the ancient, Theophilus, who was responsible for the massacre of most of the druids during Roman times.

In Staked, the narrative is divided between, Granuaile, Owen and Atticus. Each are pursuing their own courses and passions. For Granuaile, it is her crusade to help Gaia (Earth) by delivering a blow to her gas and oil tycoon of a stepfather, which also is very personal for her. Owen wants to begin his own grove, training a new generation of druids to swell their ranks from the current 3 to many. many more. As for Atticus, the title of the book speaks for itself. But, in the end they all get together for the final showdown which would be cinematic magic.

As with all of the Iron Druid books, there is a great amount of banter between Atticus and his wolfhound, Oberon as well as interesting looks into what we all thought was just mythology, but in reality lives right under our noses. Yes, Gods, Druids, vampires, werewolves, trolls and the fae court are all alive and well and just so much fun.

Do yourself a favor. Pick up Hounded and get going. You will not be sorry.


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