Customer Reviews

Delta Force #1: Operation Michael's Sword

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The opening chapters of this book deal as much with the main character's tangled affairs of the heart as with the subject of terrorism, and for a while, I thought this was going to be another book I would put down without finishing. I persevered, however, and was rewarded with a 'Men in Training' novel with lots of action and many well-drawn characters. The mission at the end of the training was absorbing enough to make me read through my stop on the train ride home from work.

The cover says that this is the first of a series. I'll be looking forward to the next one.

Compared to other reviewers, it looks like I'm the FNG (funny new guy) in regard to Mr. Harriman's books but, I just finished Michael's Sword after almost not moving from my chair...well, there were times, you know. I was incredibly impressed with the level of research, the detail and the reality of it all. I was even starting to have sympathy pains for Baker! The dialogue was very well written and plausable and, the early character development gave me insight into what the thought process was like for the protagonists in different situations. It's obvious that Mr. Harriman is an experienced and seasoned soldier focusing on the real players; the ones who fight and often die...their courage, their dedication and their resolve to serve their country. I for one will be waiting for the next Delta Force book!!!

As a retired Army Officer I find this book to be one that is more than just facts about organizations and how they work. It deals with decisions that might have to be made if we are to defeat an enemy that will not and never will operate by what is considered norms for even the society from which they come. It comes down to do we play the same way they do in order to accomplish the mission. It's a sit down and don't stop reading it until you are done.

This book is very thought provoking as to "Could This Happen?"
The book is well written, it flows well and keeps the reader intrested. Hard to put down. I would recommend reading Eric L. Haney's book, "Inside Delta Force" If you want to know more about how the D-boys have really operate.

My good friend, the former reviewer by the name of Goodwin here, turned me on to this novel.

And what a explosive and excellent debut novel!!

Never boring, and edge-of-your-seat reading throughout. And this is coming from somebody who never takes the time to write a book review.

There better be a 3rd installment.

The story opens on the morning of September 11, 2001, with Army officer Connor Tyler on a flight departing New York, looking out the window by his seat--- and watching the first hijacked aircraft smash into the World Trade Center. At the Pentagon that morning after a third aircraft smashes into the outside ring, Tylers' boss, Major Spangler, is the man on his feet and on the spot with a long-prepared, deep-laid plan to take the war to the terrorists... and thereby hangs the rest of the book. It is the first of a projected series, so the story arc is a little more taken up with establishing the characters, the situation and the ground rules than with the title mission itself... which is to go after Bin Laden and Al Quada with a specially selected and trained counter-terrorist force. Spangler has the go-ahead from the highest level to tap whatever resources he needs, and build a unit which will take America's war with terrorists where it needs to go. Spangler recruits, among others, Gunnery Sgt. Robert Night Runner from the Marine Recon Force, and Capt. Ramsey Baker out of Delta Force and Connor Tyler himself. In a way, this is the kind of story which was told in the war movies of the 2nd World War, telling is what the war was about, what was happening at the front, what we would have to do, who our heroes were, and what we valued. This story, written by an Army veteran goes a little farther than those movies, or other military genre adventures do. It touches not on just the physical risks and dangers of a life lived at full-throttle at the tip of America's military sword,but the very real risk of slipping over the line and becoming the terrorist yourself. Baker, a fluent Arabic linguist---of whom it can be said if it weren't for bad luck he would have no luck at all--- is sent by an elaborate scheme to the camp of an Afghan warlord who may---or may not be a Bin Laden ally. It is Baker's advantage in this war, and his misfortune, as well, that he does not look in the least like what he really is. Meanwhile, Tyler screens and trains the teams that will go into Afghanistan and hunt down Bin Laden, training that so rigorous and realistic that it is only a hair less hazardous than the actual mission will eventually be.
Mr. Harriman writes a gripping and credible yarn, drawing on many years of military service, with an acute ear for the way that soldiers, and military commanders talk, to each other and to the troops.

This new book series - # 1: Delta Force: Operation Michael's Sword - is awesome to say the least.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that one of my all-time favorite characters, Sgt. Robert Night Runner, from the excellent 6-book series of Force Recon, was in this novel.

This automatically told me that author James V. Smith, jr, of the fabulous Force Recon series is now writing this new series, under the alias of John Harriman.

And as much as I liked Force Recon, I have to say that this author brilliantly changed course slightly here - and for the better! - writing the finest and largest case scenario novel to date about the tragic 911 date.

This novel will instantly grab you, and shock you physically and mentally, leaving you gasping for more. Here, love and war are looked at, and not always in a pretty light.

That was the greatness of it.

If only Hollywood would make movies like this!

Simply put, this new book is much more than it appears. I am just so glad that this highly intelligent author chose to listen to his reading audience fans of force recon, and found a way to keep his older characters from his other series in this new one.

Even though Night Runner is not the main focal point, nor lead character, he still manages to steal each scene he is in. I am very much looking forward to Book # 2 in this magnificent new series.

For you people who liked this - you really need to get your mittens on the Force Recon novels, written under this author's other seudonym, James V. Smith, jr.

A must read.

I thought the book was good, but me being a high school student I really didn't like the language. Once I was able to get around that it wasn't all too bad. I really liked how it was based on real time and it had the dates that corresponded with the events. It was really awesome when it started out talking about 911 and I couldn't put it down. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more into military operations. I personally dont read much this is a book that I could get into and focus on.

Once started I didn't put this book down, read it cover to cover. Mr. Harriman creates interesting characters that you want to follow. His story is topical, chilling, and of so thought provokiing; with each crisis leading to that final climax that builds and builds. He obviously knows his military, I know I learned a lot, and he knows how to write. Looking forward to his next on Delta Force.

Once I started reading this novel, I couldn't put it down. Being a former Marine who served in Vietnam, I found that the brutality of war never changes over time--just the participants. I was also intrigued with how warfare has been technologically changed from that which I had been trained for. While I'm not a fan of reading these types of novels, because of my prior expierences, I am looking forward to the next novel by Mr. Harriman. If one is looking for a novel that strikes back at the terrorists of 9/11, this book is for you!