Countdown (McGarvey) [Mass Market Paperback]

David Hagberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 1991 | Series: McGarvey

When a U.S. submarine vanishes and a Pershing missile is hijacked, the CIA calls in Kirk McGarvey, who faces his toughest foe in a Russian agent bent on destroying glasnost. Reissue. PW.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this follow-up to Without Honor, Hagberg reintroduces CIA assassin Kirk McGarvey to unravel a complex puzzle that begins with Soviet agents infiltrating a nuclear center in Israel and hijacking a Pershing missile in Germany. KGB chief Valentin Baranov and his bloodthirsty field man Arkady Kurshin plan to reactivate the Cold War by destroying Israel's nuclear capacity and bringing down Gorbachev. McGarvey's heroics--ranging from Washington to Berlin--foil the scheme. Hagburg, an experienced adventure novelist, borrows from the best: his characters are reminiscent of Ian Fleming; his atmosphere of betrayal and disillusion owes much to John le Carre; and his novel's most exciting episode involves a submarine subplot worthy of Tom Clancy. Though Countdown offers few surprises, it is also a well-crafted secret-agent thriller that will not disappoint fans of the genre.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

In this sequel to Without Honor (Tor Bks., 1989), a paperback original, Kirk McGarvey, ex-CIA assassin, is called into service again as his old enemy, Valentin Baranov, now head of the KGB, begins a move toward the annihilation of Israel and the destruction of Soviet-American relations. Baranov's goal is to bring down Gorbachev and take his place. He has sent Colonel Kurshin to steal a nuclear cruise missile and launch it at En Gedi, where Israel's secret nuclear weapons are stored. Foiled by McGarvey, Kurshin next kidnaps the nuclear submarine Indianapolis . As the tale rolls to a violent conclusion, the author deftly leads McGarvey toward the identity of a Russian mole entrenched in the CIA. Hagberg, who also writes as Sean Flannery, turns glasnost into a springboard for a new crop of espionage tales. This is a nonstop thriller, packed with suspense and action.
- Jo Ann Vicarel, Cleveland Heights - University Heights P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (May 15, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812509641
• ISBN-13: 978-0812509649
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #414,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

DAVID HAGBERG is a former Air Force cryptographer who has traveled extensively in Europe, the Arctic, and the Caribbean and has spoken at CIA functions. He has published more than twenty novels of suspense, including the bestselling Joshua's Hammer, Soldier of God, and Allah's Scorpion. He makes his home in Sarasota, Florida.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Book!, March 12, 2001

By 

Melvin Hunt (Cleveland,, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Countdown (McGarvey) (Mass Market Paperback)

This was another good book featuring our hero Kirk McGarvey. This book brought about the introduction of the KGB killing machine Arkady Kurshin. Coupled with McGarvey's other nemesis Baranov this pair was extremely deadly. McGarvey stays in a dead run trying to prevent the Russians from launching first a Pershing missile and then a Tomahawk missile. This book gives you any type of action scenario that you could ask for. McGarvey and Kurshin battle each other in the sea and on dry land. Baranov is of couse trying to depose Gorbachev. This book is action packed with an excellent plot as well as outstanding characters. This is another great book from Hagberg.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars James Bond is OUT. Kirk McGarvey is IN !!!, October 7, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Tulsa, OK, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Countdown (McGarvey) (Mass Market Paperback)

Countdown is a great read and one that makes one wonder if guys like Kirk McGarvey and Arkady Kurshin can actually accomplish what they do. So much suspense and mystery. Steal a submarine? Impossible? No, not the way David Hagberg writes it. A great book for James Bond readers, and one that Bond himself should read. He might learn something.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the reasons why I began reading for fun..., January 7, 2009

By 

Jeff Edwards "RadioJeff" (Twin Falls, Idaho) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Countdown (Hardcover)

Countdown was I believe my 2nd David Hagberg novel, which I picked up shortly after finishing Critical Mass (another winner btw). One of the things I like most about Hagberg's writing is it reminds me of early Clancy--before he slipped into a world of endless pages describing all but the plot of the story he meant to be telling. Think of it as all the thrills without all of the unnecessary crap.

Kirk McGarvey continues to be my all-time favorite spy in fictional print. While Kirk has had quite a career that has taken him to places I doubt anyone could have forseen this early on, he always remains true to himself and ideals...and one of my favorite things about him is that despite his obvious talent for killing people, he is almost constantly haunted by all the death he has caused. He is a deeply flawed, but principled man who WANTS to do the right thing, even if it means sometimes hurting those he loves most.

One of my favorite parts of Countdown HAS to be the addition of the submarine. Hagberg excels in this particular area proving he has what it takes to write a slam-bang Submarine techno-thriller with the best of them--something he proved years later with 'By Dawn's Early Light' easily one of my all-time favorite submarine novels. While I wish he would write more of them, I'll be just as happy finding out whatever Kirk is up to as long as he continues to write--in fact whether Kirk is involved or not, I'm a fan for life. Hagberg ROCKS!