Customer Reviews

Certain Jeopardy

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a military thriller. The story was written in short, quick chapters from rotating point of views--and there were a fairly large number of point of view characters. At the beginning, I sometimes got confused as to how everyone was related to each other, but that didn't last long.

The prose felt a little unrefined, but that fit the character of the story.

The book was fast-paced. The author clearly explained the equipment and jargon used in the story without bogging down the pace with too many details. Every moment was full of tension and conflict, both at home with the team's families and on mission with the team. The conflict and reactions all felt realistic and plausible.

Characters were varied and engaging. Several of the characters were Christian. Their faith mattered to them and made a difference in how they reacted in difficulties, but the Christian content was never preachy.

There is no sex in this book and all the swearing is of the "he swore" variety rather than actual printed cuss words. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book as a "good, clean fun" novel.

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I was a little hesitant about this book after reading other reviews and noting the religious overtones that were called out. After reading it however, I can say that the religious aspects were well presented and fit nicely into the story line.
The book starts off quickly and keeps going. Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky do a wonderful job of developing the characters in the story.The inclusion of the character's families make them feel real.
While the characters are well developed, I feel the authors fell short in the descriptions of the world around them. I did not feel immersed in their surroundings as with other authors of this genre.
Overall, I feel this was a great book and look forward to reading other books by this author.

The writing team of Captain Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky should be congratulated for their outstanding Christian novel. The story line follows an Army Ranger Team who finds themselves in "Certain Jeopardy" on one of their missions. From the first page until the very last page, this book is riveting. I certainly hope this writing team is working on a sequel. This book is truly a 5 Star Read!

I am normally not a reader of military-themed books. However, the latest book in my `to read' list is `Certain Jeopardy' by Captain Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky.

Here is the synopsis of this amazing novel:

Six American men live behind a protective façade; their real work hidden from neighbors and friends. Different in countless ways, they are intimately the same in one; at any moment their lives can be altered with a phone call, and their actions may change the world. They are Special Ops. And one team's mission is about to hit certain jeopardy status when the discovery of an Al Qaeda base in Venezuela becomes secondary to thwarting the transport of a nuclear weapons expert from that training camp to Iran. Informed by the true combat experience on Captain Jeff Struecker and finessed by award-winning novelist Alton Gansky, Certain Jeopardy is an immersing and pulsating fictional account of what really happens at every level of a stealth engagement; the physical enemy encounter, the spiritual war fought within a soldier, and the emotional battles in families back at home.

Here are the biographies of these two authors:

Chaplain (Captain) Jeff Struecker ([...]) is a decorated member of the United States Army's most elite fighting corps whose personal experiences in Mogadishu, Somalia, were written about in the New York Times bestseller and major motion picture Black Hawk Down. In thirteen years of active duty, he also fought in Operation Just Cause in Panama and Operation Iris Gold in Kuwait. As a chaplain Jeff has done multiple tours in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He uses his personal story of survival on the battlefield to tell others how they, too, can be prepared for any circumstance life may bring.

Alton Gansky ([...]) is a Christy Award-nominated and Angel Award-winning author who writes to stimulate thinking about spiritual matters. He served as a pulpit minister for twenty years and has published nearly thirty books. Alton and his wife, Becky, have three children and five grandchildren and live in the High Desert area of Southern California.

Here is the book trailer for this action-packed novel:

[...].

The Prologue gives us an idea of what the book will provide - a little bit of humor and a lot of action. Here is a scene in Afghanistan introducing us to the six main characters:

Sgt. First Class J.J. "Colt" Bartley and Master Sgt. Richard "Shaq" Harbison were paired a dozen yards away, almost invisible in their white camouflage and hunkered in a shallow trench. A few yards beyond them were Jose Medina, the team medic, and Martin Caraway. Caraway was the cause of all of this - Caraway and the goats.
Moyer wondered at the irony of it all. Years of training, the best intelligence, the finest equipment, a score of missions under their belts, and they get upended by goats. He could see the writing on his tombstone: TRAINED BY THE ARMY. BETRAYED BY A GOAT. KILLED BY THE TALIBAN. (p. 2)

Here's another example of the humor and humanity of the men in this book. Here's an exchange during a precarious predicament:

"I don't recall reading about this in the recruitment brochure, Boss."
It's in the fine print, Caraway. You with us, Doc?"
"Shaken and stirred but still in one piece."
Relief flooded Moyer. "Injuries?"
"I could use a nurse, Boss."
"You're hurt, Caraway?"
"No, I just like nurses." (p. 10)

I really appreciated the fact that the authors focused on not only the six main characters, but their families back in the States. That made the book more appealing to me; I had more empathy for them. Here is an example of including the family in the story, as St. Major Eric Moyer thinks about his loved ones:

He saw his wife, strawberry blonde hair tickling the tops of her shoulders when she wore that yellow sundress he liked so much. Her image faded, replaced by Gina, his twelve-year old daughter. He had no free will with her. She could ask for the moon to be painted pink and Moyer would grab a ladder and have a go at it. Rob was a different matter. Sixteen years old and pushing every border and pressing every button Moyer had. They had argued just the night before, and Moyer lowered the boom. Odd, he was having trouble remembering what the argument had been about. (p. 17)

Despite that, I still am surprised how men who join the military, especially in a career Special Operations capacity, marry and have a family. The women (and men) who marry these people have to have a special constitution; it is not a situation in which I would be comfortable. I am not selfless enough to allow my husband to risk his life like that. It is a good thing Fred was in the Navy long before we met!

One of the primary characters, J.J. Bartley is a strong Christian. He has gotten a lot of grief from his colleagues for his faith. Here's a conversation between him and his commanding officer, Moyer; Moyer:

"I don't know how you do it. I couldn't do this work and be a Christian. I'd have to give up one."
The words soured J.J. "I couldn't do this without being a Christian. It's how I keep my sanity. It keeps me human." He studies Moyer's expression. "I'm talking about me and no one else, you understand."
"Yeah, I got it." After a moment, Moyer said, "You had me worried. I thought the team was going to lose you."
"Lose me? Why would you think...oh, Afghanistan."
"You looked pretty shook - no, not shook - troubled. You looked troubled at the end."
... "I won't lie to you, Boss. It bothered me. Still does. I helped kill a couple of men who did nothing more than follow their sheep into the wrong place at the wrong time. Still, we made the world a slightly better place by defeating a terrorist cell. No worries. I'm not going anyplace the Army doesn't send me."
"That's good. The Army spent a ton of money training you. I'd hate to think my hard-earned tax dollars went for nothing."
"Hey, I pay taxes too." (p. 75)

The majority of the action in this action-packed book takes place in Venezuela. The main protagonist is Antonio Santi. Here is a peek into his mindset:

Antonio Santi had headed home for the day. Although the day's activities would have tired most men, Santi felt energized. Juggling his duties as foreign minister with business dealings even President Chavez didn't know about provided him the intellectual thrill he longed for. Younger men might bungee jump, ride a kayak over churning rapids, hunt big game in the jungle or cheat with other men's wives. Santi got his adrenaline rush from working behind the scenes. The danger he faced was discovery, pure and simple. Chavez was not a man of scrupulous honesty, but he was a priest compared to his own foreign minister. (p. 177)

Fortunately, I like all different types of books; I am not strictly a `chick lit' kind of gal! This book will probably be enjoyed more by men than by women. Having said that, I really liked it! It kept me riveted throughout, and I was interested in finding out what was going to happen to these six men and the people who love them. This is the first book I have read from either of these authors. I am assuming it was a real collaboration, with Captain Struecker writing from his military experience, and Mr. Gansky tweaking the book and giving it more finesse. However it was done, they did a great job with it! Since the release of this book, there has been a second novel by these two authors, `Blaze of Glory.' I trust that that one is just as suspenseful and riveting as is this one. If you like Christian suspense and are a fan of the military, these books are right up your alley!

The book was published by B&H Publishing Group and provided by the Suspense Zone for review purposes. The copy I have is an Advance Reader's Copy; the page numbers included with the quotes in this review may not correspond with the page numbers in the final printed version.

Reviewed by Andrea Schultz - Ponderings by Andrea - [...].

A great story with outstanding characters. The right blend of action and a well-developed story line. If you enjoy this genre of book, you should thoroughly enjoy Certain Jeopardy.

Captain Jeff Struecker tells a story that makes you feel like you ARE part of the story. This first book in a series about a Spec Ops group is the introduction to a group of men who serve their country and face challenges that they can never speak of. They have families and loved ones who know nothing of what they do but stand by them through it all. This is a story that starts at slow speed and jets you into max drive all the way to the end.
Once you start reading it you will NOT want to put it down. It is military drama/suspense at its best.

I bought this book for my 15 year old grandson. He called me three days after I had given it to him to tell me he had finished this book and it was "Awsome". I am so pleased to find something that he will read and finds terribly interesting

Captain Jeff Struecker is a very interesting guy. If you haven't read Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down (you should), or seen the movie (you should), Jeff Struecker was one of those Army Rangers stuck neck-deep in that intense, and now legendary firefight in Mogadishu. I urge you to check out his website and read his impressive bio. He did a lot more than fight in Somalia, A LOT more, including writing a pretty engaging military thriller called Certain Jeopardy.

It starts as six Special Ops soldiers are plucked from their lives and families by an ominous cell phone call and sent on a recon mission to observe a suspected terrorist training operation in Venezuela. Six guys, traveling in pairs, leaving at serpate times to regroup in unfriendly territory. Right away we have the makings of a great military thriller reminiscent of the old Tom Clancy novels (remember those books? the one he wrote before he got so rich and famous he could hire someone else to do his writing for him?) Unlike Clancy, Struecker is writing what he knows, from firsthand experience, with credibility that is never in question.

I was immediately engaged by the stories of the soldiers' wives and families, whose struggles were just as compelling as the high-stakes international mission. With parallel stories of men sent on their secret deeds while their families are left behind to hope is speckled with some familiar cliches, but it works quite well. There is a kidnapped wife of a nuclear scientist, a mom with a rogue teenage son who won't listen and doesn't care, and a Special Ops wife confronting a miscarriage, then a possible abortion. And it also has terrorists and machine guns and helicopters!

Yes, there is a lot of compelling story packed into this book, and at times there are so many characters that it's easy to get confused but it unfolds quite nicely, with sharp writing that is crisp and engaging. Tense is some places, with a captivating, action-packed finale that moves so fast you'll finish in one sitting. For the guys, there's plenty of shooting, lots of blood, and enough military hardware to make you wish you could pop the movie version of this book into the DVD player. The female characters are strong and resourceful and while they yearn for their husbands, they are not hopeless without them. We know they will find a way to go on, and we admire them for that.

The dialogue, at times, is exactly what you'd expect. How many military/cop stories have a character (probably played by Keanu Reeves) proclaiming the following:

I didn't choose the Army for the money. I didn't choose it for the excitement. I enlisted because I'm an idealist. I believe I can make a difference in the world. I hate to see the little guy get kicked around, especially when I can do something about it. I can't change the world, and I can't save everyone; but I can save a few along the way. It's why I wear the uniform. It's why I'm here.

Other than that the dialogue sharp, with lots of witty, light-hearted banter between the soldiers. The abortion storyline feels a little contrived, as if it was inserted more to make a cheap political statement than to move the story along. It almost becomes a non-issue and leaves itself disappointingly unresolved. But this books is patriotic without being patronizing. Classified as Christian, its religious characters are reverent, never preaching, and seemingly at peace amid unimaginable circumstances. I commend Cpt. Struecker for handling these sensitive issues in a way that will satisfy both the faithful and the secular reader.

The ending is a solemn reminder that there are men and women who guard us while we sleep, and who do incredible things - and make unthinkable sacrifices - to keep us safe. I thank them for that.

Please remember to check out Cpt. Struecker's website. He frequently makes appearances and is probably worth checking out. You can bet he has a lot of amazing (and true!) stories to tell.

Mark McGinty is the author of "Elvis and the Blue Moon Conspiracy" and "The Cigar Maker"

"In Certain Jeopardy, Captain Jeff Strucecker delivers an intense, full-throated and credible Special Operations thriller that includes the often ignored personal relationship challenges inherent in every soldier's life--health, family, faith--and he does so with a light touch that delivers a succession of potent, powerful punches. To understand the mind and heart of the men who serve in this elite force, this book is a must read. Don't miss it!"
--Vicki Hinze, Author of Forget Me Not

Having read Struecker's "The Road to Unafraid," I snapped up this book the first time I saw it. Wasn't disappointed at all. It was great to read a "military thriller" with a spiritual aspect for a change. It was great to read a book showing the family side of special ops soldiers. But c'mon, do you read military thrillers for their character development? :-) No! You want action, with spent brass a-flyin'! A word of caution: this book takes a while to get there. But don't put it down, because when the action does arrive--I don't know how else to say this--it arrives on full auto!