The Mercenary Option [Mass Market Paperback]

Dick Couch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2003

After losing his son in the September 11 attacks, wealthy industrialist Joseph Simpson forms the Intervention Force (IFOR) -- a surgical strike team led by former Navy SEAL Garrett Walker. Officially, the group is a rogue operation with no government affiliation. But when the impossible becomes absolutely necessary, IFOR is...

THE MERCENARY OPTION

Shortly after the terror attacks on America, the American president announces the construction of an oil pipeline across Afghanistan. To stop this, and deter further Western encroachment in Central Asia, a vindictive Saudi prince retains ex-KGB terror broker Pavel Zelinkow -- a prime mover behind al Qaeda's 9/11 attack. Zelinkow plans to steal two nuclear weapons, detonating one of them among the pipeline construction crews and their military guardians, while the target of the second bomb is a mystery. U.S. special operations forces cannot be used against the terrorists hiding in Iran, so IFOR is called into action for the first time on a mission that will test them to their limits: take out the terrorists, recover the nukes, and get Zelinkow -- dead or alive.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The New York Times Couch can tell a story! -- Review

About the Author

Dick Couch is a 1967 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, serving aboard ship and with the Navy UDT and SEAL Teams. While a platoon commander with SEAL Team One in 1970, he led one of the only successful POW rescue operations of the Vietnam War. On release from active duty in 1972, he served with the Central Intelligence Agency as a case officer, retiring from the Naval Reserve in 1997 as the senior reserve SEAL officer with the rank of captain. He has written four previous novels, SEAL Team One, Pressure Point, Silent Descent, and Rising Wind, and a nonfiction work, The Warrior Elite. He lives with his wife, Julia, in Ketchum, Idaho.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743464249
• ISBN-13: 978-0743464246
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #576,469 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

DICK COUCH is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy who has served as a Navy SEAL and as a CIA case officer. He has written six novels and the nonfiction works Down Range, The Finishing School, and The Warrior Elite. He lives in central Idaho.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written and enjoyable!, July 31, 2004

By 

Cliff Hollenbeck (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mercenary Option (Mass Market Paperback)

IÕve been a fan of Dick Couch since the beginning. His books are well written, with interesting concepts that are accurate portrayals of what itÕs really like when Special Warfare Warriors are provoked. The Mercenary Option is another excellent example, adapted to current events.

Readers looking for an engaging tale of conquering terrorism, the way it should be done, will enjoy this book. And, they will appreciate the authenticity with it has been written. Dick Couch is one of the few who writes from his experiences in similar situations... and does so in a credible and enjoyable manner.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific summer read., July 31, 2004

By 

C. Gerhardt (Hailey, ID) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mercenary Option (Mass Market Paperback)

Couch has written a terrific summer read, whether you are by the pool, on the beach or in an airplane headed for vacation---this is a great first book in what promises to be a series. Couch writes with authority having been a Navy SEAL and one who stays in touch with both his old team contacts, as well as the current crop of spec ops warriors. In the Mercenary Option, he out-Clancys Clancy--this is a tight, fast paced book full of believeable action and details. We could only hope such an option exists when it comes to dealing with our current crop of enemies. I recommend this book as well as Couch's non-fiction books to those who want to understand the special operations team mindset, methods and commitment.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A winner from Couch!, August 12, 2004

By 

A Pro Who Knows (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mercenary Option (Mass Market Paperback)

The one thing we know about the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and the other countries in the region is how much we DON'T know. One of the most fascinating things that we don't know is the extent to which private armies, private militias, private security firms are acting both for and against our interests. In THE MERCENARY OPTION, Dick Couch has shown just how far this may be going. His background--both as a Navy SEAL and a CIA operator--makes him eminently qualified to slip us the story behind the headlines. And, the action here--with its sly buildup to a bangup finish--is superb. This is a thinking man's thriller and should be considered a great leap forward from his earlier novels SEAL TEAM ONE, PRESSURE POINT, RISING WIND and SILENT DESCENT. Plus, as the author of WARRIOR ELITE and FINISHING SCHOOL, the two definitive books about Navy SEAL training, the reader can look at this as a short course in unconventional warfare tactics and strategies. A great book.