Customer Reviews

A Deeper Blue (Paladin of Shadows, Book 5)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Plunge back in to the guilty pleasure of ultra-adventure with the Kildar and his merry band of Georgian warriors and their beer-brewing clans. It's Ultra-Code action across the entire Carribbean as jihadists persist in trying to deliver WMDs to America. Mike's been gutted by the combat death of his personal Valkyrie, but his team tries to carry on without him. Unfortunately, Ghost has some experience and skills which they do not, and the enemy is better prepared this time, so some key members of the Keldara wind up with sucking chest wounds in pretty short order. So let me ask you: What's worse than a heartbroken Kildar drinking his life away in his mountain fortress? A grim and vengeful Kildar on a full roll with nothing left to lose. The action won't stop, and never lets up. In fact, it's so frantic and intense that I thought about knocking off a half-star because I had to take a break to process everything - and that never happens. Then I realized that it's not necessarily a bad thing, dove back in to the book and finished it in one evening. I think you will too. Enjoy!

I pre-ordered this book in Feb, and I seldom pre-order books. In fact, I seldom pay full price for books (sorry Authors). This story is exactly what I expected and it better never have events in it that are perfectly plausible. That is not what I am paying for. I have gratefully bought everything by John Ringo that I could find, at full price, and will continue to do so. After all, it's probably not his fault he wasn't in the 101st.

If you have ever read and enjoyed the Destroyer books you'll definitely like this. If you have read any of Ringo's other works, you'll probably like this. Is it high art? Probably not. Realistic? Hell no, but then if I wanted realistic, I wouldn't be reading a fiction book written by a successful fiction author. What it is, is a great read, I finished it the day I got it (reading long into the early morning). John has taken a lot of flak for this series, and all I've got to say is "Lighten up Francis!". There is not nearly as much bondage etc as in the Gor books, and people seem to overlook that the vast majority of the female characters are strong and successful.

Keep 'em coming John, there's still a lot of life in the Keldara!

A Deeper Blue (2007) is the fifth novel in the Ghost series, following Unto the Breech. In the previous volume, the Keldara Mountain Tigers run into more than 4000 Chechens, some blocking the pass back to their valley. After the Keldara rout the enemy, they cross the pass, bringing both the dead and the living back home. They bury fifteen men and six women, including Gretchen Mahona and Kiril Devlich.

In this novel, Mike Harmon is heartsick because of Gretchen's death. Of course, he is also sad for the other KIAs, but he had fallen in love with Gretchen. Since every able bodied Keldara in the valley had participated in the rescue, including the women, he has sworn off the Rite of Kardane. He just doesn't bed his military subordinates and now the Keldara women are all his soldiers.

When Pierson calls about another mission to protect the USA against WMDs, the Kildar just keeps on drinking. Nielson gathers up a team to send to America, but the Kildar just wishes them good luck. Then Adams and Vanner are badly wounded in an ambush at a motel in southern Florida and the Kildar rejoins the world.

When Mike reaches Florida, he first visits his casualties. Then he starts leaning on people. First, he gets a female intel specialist to replace Vanner. She turns out to be Bambi, one of his helpers in the defense of the Syrian bunker. Now Britney Harder is a Lieutenant in Army Intelligence.

In this story, the terrorists slip a load of VX into US territorial waters. They hide the nerve gas under the sea. Mike uses Naval assets to track the small boats operating in the area.

Mike has some Keldara trained in small boats and scuba diving. The Mountain Tigers have never had a SEAL unit before, but now they need one. None of the troopers have any experience with boats and only a few know how to swim, but Mike outsources their training to some very knowledgeable guys.

Lieutenant Harder is the subject of gossip among the Keldara intel specialists, especially since she obviously knows the Kildar. Still, she knows the area very well and soon blends into the intel section. After one excursion to a druglord's yacht, the women grow to respect and trust her.

Ghost returns to the Bahamas in this novel. He contacts old friends and makes new ones. The Keldara have a beach party, then they go to war.

The helicopter pilots get a workout supporting the small boats. So do the sniper teams. But most the work is done with the boats.

This story contains explicit violence and sex. Readers with weak stomachs or sexual phobias should avoid these works.

Highly recommended for Ringo fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of close combat, technological gimmicks, and sexual exploits.

-Bill Jordin

A Deeper Blue (2007)

VX is nasty stuff. That's nerve agent for those of you who haven't been through he U. S. Army's Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) Warfare School. One small drop will kill you in an instant.

When Terrorists bring VX in via the Bahamas using SCUBA divers the President asks for everyone, including the Kildar, Mark Harmon. Unfortunately Mark is heart sick over the loss of his one true love and some Keldara (see Unto the Breach) so he refuses to go personally. Something about putting it where the sun doesn't shine or some such..

Sometimes it takes a really bad man to get the job done and Mike can be a really bad man when he wants to be.

The Bahamas, SCUBA diving, terrorists, all deductible from Ringo's tax return, need I say more? I'm jealous!

Let's hope that Ringo keeps this series alive for a long time.

Gunner July, 2,007

Nothing new jumped out at me, though there were some mild surprises.
For me the book was about average for the series, which means it's
compared to the others in the series only. I found it worth buying.
It left me wanting the next installment, and that's a good thing.

John, you have done it again, another great read. Yes it has some parts that you will need to be able to give the benefit to John I believe this was done so that John was able to tell his story. But a great read never less.

I just found John Ringo by accident. After reading Kildar, I bought all of his books I could find. I really enjoyed this and the earlier books. Great read, fun and lots of action.

If you're looking for bunnies to kiss and trees to hug, this book and the series as a whole most definitely ain't gonna meet your warm and fuzzy needs. I've read some complaints that this book is too 'right wing'. Well, heck, that's what many of us are looking for ... 'right wing' writing. The entire series is action packed, gritty, dark and, yes, conservative in slant. As a former Marine, it's tough sometimes to find books that really speak to the way I think politically and these do it. Not to mention that Ringo writes spot on, kick butt and take names military action sequences that are hard to find elsewhere. Bottom line, if you want hardcore action with no holds barred, this series is tough to beat! I recommend it wholeheartedly!

The Kildar series has gotten better with each book and this book is the best. The action is fast and furious. Overall it was a fun read and one I could not put down. If you have read any of the other books this one will not disappoint you.