Customer Reviews

Dead Shot

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In the sequel to last year's exciting "Kill Zone", former US Marine master sniper Kyle Swanson has recovered from his injuries and now functions as the President's secret weapon in the war against America's enemies, in this case a psychotic Islamic assassin and former sniper code-named Juba.

Juba's a formidable foe, as he's undergone the same training as Swanson, and is bent on unleashing a new and terrifying chemical WMD against the Western world to enrich himself while assuaging his own psychotic obsessions. To defeat him, Swanson must penetrate the defenses of radical Islam, in Iran and Europe, as well as in the United States itself.

Fast-paced, tightly plotted, with engaging and memorable characters, authors Coughlin and Davis prove that "Kill Zone" was no flash in the pan. Kyle Swanson's a hero for the 21st Century in the mold of Mitch Rapp and Bob Lee Swagger.

This is a terrific novel. I eagerly await the next installment.

If the co-author Jack Coughlin sounds familiar to you he should. He is a retired USMC sniper whose autobiography "SHOOTER" was a New York Times bestseller. He followed that up with the novel "KILL ZONE" which was the first of what I hoped would be many installments of the "A SNIPER NOVEL" series. The latest episode of this action packed military thriller series... "DEAD SHOT" takes off right where "KILL ZONE" left off.

*NOTE:* This review may contain a minor "spoiler" for anyone who hasn't read "KILL ZONE"... any of the author's existing loyal readers will have no such problem. The author's alter ego... "deceased" infamous former USMC sniper Kyle Swanson... "has had a million aliases but no real name at all because he was officially dead." Kyle is part of a "TOP-TOP-SECRET" organization... that is so "TOP-TOP-SECRET"... that it doesn't exist. Kyle reports directly to General Bradley Middleton... whose life he saved in "KILL ZONE"... and Middleton reports directly to the President. As Kyle's deep "black-op's" group battles global terrorism... nothing is out of bounds... including Presidential directed assassination. The non-stop covert action scenarios could easily have been ripped directly from today's actual headlines. In fact any terrorist plots depicted by the author... that weren't ripped from the headlines... were probably deemed not appropriate for public consumption by the governmental powers that be.

This pulse-pounding novel is riveting in its international intrigue that knows no boundaries. The reader is transported from illicit entry into Iran in search of Saddam Hussein's WMD's which were allegedly hidden in a "Palace Of Death" in Iran... to a poisonous gas... which had its lethal effectiveness proven to the world... in a deadly demonstration in London... to the Iraqi army United States Battalion Unit 999... "Saddam's elite terrorism force... the unit was charged with developing what the Iraqi leader called "special ammunition for special circumstances", meaning terrible weapons of mass destruction." And through it all... a worldwide deadly "chess-game" between two meticulous master snipers. In addition to battling the terrorists... Kyle and his "dark-dark-black-op's" group... has to battle the FBI... CIA... NSA... and Homeland Security. When America's top spy organizations hinder Middleton's squad... the General has to go to a secure safe... and get a "non-existing" signed Presidential letter of authorization. The reader will reflexively worry about our real-life security... as long existing imbedded terrorists in America and abroad... come into play... as well as terrorists traveling across the Mexican border into America.

Along with the familiar characters that make the transition from "KILL ZONE" to "DEAD SHOT"... the author introduces new characters such as David Hunt of the FBI and Carolyn Walker with the Department of Homeland Security... who among other attributes... demonstrate some of America's torture techniques'... including... but not limited to "water-boarding". Readers will be on the edge of their seats... as the good guys try to stop the terrorists next attack. I'm also happy to say that the author has left the gate wide open... for entry into another "A SNIPER NOVEL" installment... and I can't wait!

A by the numbers but perfectly acceptable thriller.

Black ops sniper Kyle Swanson comes up against terrorists who have a WOMD and are prepared to use it. One of the lead terrorists is a British Muslim who is also a top sniper. Cue some scampering around the world, some Special Forces action, some heavy duty sniping and some terrorist carnage.

The writing is fine, the characters slightly underdeveloped and it does seem to make an effort to tick all the boxes required of this kind of thriller, sometimes a bit too obviously. Despite the main bad guy being a Brit, the author is otherwise pretty positive towards Britain which made a refreshing change. There are some flaws (some underused characters and a few plot/logic holes) but with this kind of book you have moderate expectations, you don't expect mind blowing literature - you expect a read and forget thriller and in that regard this ticks all those boxes well enough.

On page 23 a sentence reads "Master Gunnery Sergeant O.O. Dawkins, one of only forty-five men in the Marine Corps to hold that highest enlisted rank,...........". Wrong. The highest enlisted rank in the Marine Corps is Sergeant Major. No Marine could have written this or left it uncorrected. Therefore I have to conclude that Davis wrote the book and is using Coughlin's name for credibility. It shows. I found the book mediocre and boring. Pretty much a formula hack job.

It also seems a little strange for a sniper book that the author repeatedly engages in long descriptions of designer clothing worn by the male characters. Just a bit odd.

Can't say much, but overall the characters (except for Juba :) seemed of rather low quality. The author's glorification of "our people" willing to "bend the rules" even if it could kill one of their own - especially considering there was no emergency pushing to do that - didn't resonate well with me either. I finished the book (the action script reads fairly well) but am sorry I spent money on it.

Dead Shot
By: Gunnery Sgt. Jack Coughlin with Donald A. Davis

This book is for anyone who likes action and war stories. In the story there are two professionally trained snipers that are on completely different sides. Kyle Swanson a Marine in Special Ops has to find a chemical weapon that the other British trained sniper, Juba has in his possession. Before Juba uses it on civilians in the US of A. Jack Coughlin is very good at creating detail in his settings and characters. He can go in between the two characters very well. The only complaint I have is that they travel to many different locations which at some points makes it hard to follow. Over all it's a very suspenseful BA story about 2 hardcore snipers battling it out.

First time reading this author. Very much enjoyed it. It kept my attention from start to finish.

While looking for something to read in between Vince Flynn and Brad Thor's lastest. I decided to give Dead Shot a try, after it was recommeded to me on my Kindle. It was a pleasant surprise. Dead Shot is full of action, suspense, drama and became hard to put down. I look foward to reading Mr. Coughlin's other books in the series.

ok this is very good,i order the stander shipping and it said it would be here in 4 to 14 days it took 4 so thats good the book is in new shape and there is nothing i can say thats bad about this book

This book was well worth the wait. I have been anticipating a new novel by these authors. The "Gunny" gives authenticity to the book and Donald Davis makes this a novel that even a tyro can follow. I was grabbed from the start and didn't put it down until I finished it. I eagerly await the next novel.