Customer Reviews

The Lion's Den

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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This book is riveting! It was hard to put down. I had to - the book is simply too long for me to read in one night - 385 pages of virtually non-stop action. This book is a fictionalized account of the workings of a suburban police SWAT team. I believe the professional critics would call it a "Police Procedural".

There are a lot of well written works about infantry tactics, mostly designed for circumstances where there are no innocent non-combatants and where everyone not in the same uniform is an enemy in a free fire zone. SWAT teams operate in a very different climate - typically, an urban or suburban setting with innocent and unarmed citizens all around and a few baddies, who must be presumed to be quite willing to kill anyone in their way. Clearly, the tactical problems a Police SWAT team must deal with are far different from traditional infanty combat.

This work fascinates in covering the planning and real craftsmenship a well trained SWAT team uses in pursuit of their goal - neutralization with minimal force of the baddie and most certainly with minimum danger to lives and property. Tactics are carefully developed and practiced to reduce risk to the team and to innocent bystanders to the absolute minimum while leaving the baddy no options for escape or the opportunity to inflict further damage.

The novel deftly develops, setting the stage by giving the reader an insite into the regular training the team goes through, exploring the politics of a suburban police department in a city always looking for ways to cut costs, and with a police department member intent on sabotaging the SWAT team for his personal gain. The last third of the novel plays out a desperate confrontation with an enraged ex-Marine who has nothing to lose and is intent on avenging himself on society with the largest possible bang. And to his credit the author gives us considerable insite into the mind of the villain, and in doing so we gain understanding, sympathy and respect for the baddy as well.

In sum this is a remarkable first novel. The polish and development, while not perfect, leave the reader with much satisfaction, and a very real hope that the police or sheriff in his or her area are as well trained and prepared for emergencies. The novel ends well, with all loose ends neatly tied. This is a most satisfying book.

A last note: our military might do very well to consider engaging Mr. Skaehill as an advisor for developing similar teams for duty in Iraq.

I have read a lot of military books that cover infantry and Spec-Ops but I have found few that deal with the in and outs of a city level police SWAT team. I found the book to be exciting to read and interesting to see the inner workings of a SWAT team. I liked the team spirit portrayed as well as the day to day politics of every day police work. In this day and age risk of street level terrorism, has thrown the local police SWAT team from a necessary evil that police administrators hate to have, to a front line defense that is truly needed and wanted by every citizen and every level of law enforcement. I am hoping that Jon Skaehill is going to pleasure us with another book soon! A MUST READ.

The Lion's Den is a well written book that steadily improves in its readability throughout the story. Mr. Skaehill's knowledge of police department politics, the criminal element of our society, and modern SWAT team operations is both apparent and interesting. The book provides, not only a solid story line with good characters that are interesting and believable, but also a unique look into the professional hazards faced by police officers in a midsize to large sized police department.

Hopefully, Mr. Skaehill will continue to develop these characters and provide more insight into police/SWAT operations with future books. It would also be interesting to hear from this author in stories written from the prospective of a Patrol Sgt., a Detective, or even an Internal Affairs Investigator.

A Cop

Sgt. Skaehill proves that he knows his business. The "Lion" roams about, seeking whom he may devour....Jon Skaehill has assaulted the lion's lair, and continues to do so to this day. I believe it was George Orwell who said <paraphrase> "People can sleep soundly in their beds at night only because of rough men who are willing to do violence on their part." Jon Skaehill is one of these men to whom we owe our peace and tranquility. He takes you into the lion's den as only one can when he's actually tasked to do it himself. Skaehill takes you to a place that few ever see. May I quote again? Blaise Pascal said, "Law...without force...is impotent."
The characters are well developed, and one can't help but "get to know them", as the book progresses. Not only does Skaehill score center-mass hits in his depiction of SWAT training and operations. He also realistically nails the petty internal politics of a Police Department's few "rear eschelon bean counters". The book's accounts of SWAT raids are indeed riveting--most especially the last third of the book. I look forward to his next work.
Sgt. Skaehill has "BTDT", and it shows....

The Lions Den is a well written novel about the work of a SWAT unit in Brookside, TX, a fictitious suburb of Dallas. The author blends together SWAT raids, the personal lives of the officers, and police department politics to give the reader genuine insight into SWAT work.

The very first page of the book will capture your attention with the adrenalin rush of a SWAT raid by vividly describing the stacks entry into a drug dealers apartment. From that point on you will be hooked and unable to put the book down. Several other SWAT raids, car pursuits, foot pursuits, and training exercises are described in enough detail to make you feel like you are part of the SWAT team. The storyline builds to the last 1/3 of the book which is devoted to a major situation involving a very dangerous criminal.

The characters on the SWAT team are well developed in the book. Brookside SWAT has mature married officers, an engaged officer, a playboy officer or two, a female officer, and some neophyte officers. After several chapters you will feel as though you know them all personally. The book also gives you a good look into the scary minds of several criminals.

True to life, police department politics plays a large part in the story. Every department seems to have a career climber who has little regard for the citizens he serves or the other members of the police department and the Brookside PD is no exception. It is interesting to watch the interaction among the chief, senior staff, and supervisors as the political jockeying develops.

The entire book is presented through the eyes of someone whos been there, done that, and has the SWAT shirts to prove it. According to his bio, the author has a BS degree in Criminal Justice Administration and over 12 years of law enforcement experience. He is currently assigned as a patrol sergeant and SWAT team leader.

I really got into this book, as my husband is a SWAT officer, and could really relate to some of the political and personal issues that Mr. Skaehill points out in his book. But more than that, I felt like I was behind closed doors. I felt like I got a VIP pass to be with the SWAT team to see what they really go through. I really enjoyed it from beginning to end!

Captures the heart and soul of these guys and the political crap they endure with their administration weasels...Bob :)

The author uses his real world experience as a SWAT Operator and Patrol Supervisor to accurately depict the life of a SWAT team in a mid-size city police department. This book is packed with action and drama. It shows the good and bad of departmental politics and delves into the dangerous world of tactical operations.

I LOVED IT!