Point and Shoot (A Charlie Hardie) [Paperback]

Duane Swierczynski (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 30, 2013 | Series: A Charlie Hardie

FUN & GAMES AND HELL & GONE COME FULL CIRCLE IN THE HARDIE SERIES' ASTONISHING CONCLUSION.

Charlie Hardie finds himself in a steel box, tubes and wires attached to his body, trapped inside a satellite parked in orbit 500 miles above the Earth. He's got a year's supply of food, air, water, and no communication back to Earth, and must complete his 12 months' duty or his wife and son will have an "accident."

But when someone all-too-familiar docks on the satellite, informs Hardie he's sitting in a veritable zero-G vault containing the world's most dangerous secrets, and forces a crash-landing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Hardie must decide whether he's come face-to-face with the partner he needs to save his family--or with his nemesis. After years of exile, Hardie's arming up....and heading home.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Frenetic prose...Readers are in for a wild and immensely enjoyable ride." (Publishers Weekly)

"The action sequences are killer. I could esily see these books as a major summer blockbuster." (Wired.com)

"A much-needed breath of fresh air in the book world." (Michael Connelly)

About the Author

Duane Swierczynski is the author of several crime thrillers and also writes the X-Men spinoff CABLE and IMMORTAL IRON FIST for Marvel Comics. His latest novels include EXPIRATION DATE; LEVEL 26, cowritten with CSI creator Anthony E,. Zuicker; and SEVERANCE PACKAGE, which has been optioned by Lionsgate films. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Mulholland Books; Original edition (April 30, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316133302
• ISBN-13: 978-0316133302
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Duane Swierczynski is the author of several crime thrillers, including the Edgar-nominated and Anthony Award-winning Expiration Date, as well the Charlie Hardie series (Fun & Games, Hell & Gone, Point & Shoot), which has been nominated for Anthony, Shamus, Macavity and Barry awards and optioned for TV. He currently writes Birds of Prey for DC Comics, Godzilla and the forthcoming Judge Dredd for IDW Comics, Bloodshot for Valiant Comics, and has written about the Punisher, Cable, the Immortal Iron Fist, Werewolf By Night, Black Widow and Deadpool for Marvel Comics. Duane has also collaborated with CSI creator Anthony E. Zuiker on a series of bestselling "digi-novel" thrillers which include Level 26: Dark Origins, Dark Prophecy and Dark Revelations. In a previous life, he worked as an editor and writer for Details, Men's Health and Philadelphia magazines, and was the editor-in-chief of the Philadelphia City Paper. He lives in Philly. You can say "yo" to him at www.secretdead.com or twitter.com/swierczy.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Duane Swierczynski Does It Again May 2, 2013

By Erik Smith VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Unputdownable. It's not a literal term. Otherwise we would be walking around covered in books, which would make it kinda difficult to eat, sleep, and, well, do just about anything.

But...

Figuratively speaking, Duane Swierczynski's Point & Shoot definitely fits the bill.

Picking up exactly where Hell & Gone left off, the latest Charlie Hardie adventure is a rocketing thrill ride of non-stop craziness.

Fun & Games (the first Charlie Hardie book) was a fast paced thriller.

Hell & Gone (book number two) was an action packed mind game.

Point & Shoot...well, Point & Shoot is a bizarro, buddy road tripping, action adventuring, identity swapping, serial killering, conspiracy filled masterpiece.

As always, Swierczynski's writing is as sharp as a scalpel. With just a few words, he is able to bring each character to life. The dialogue crackles, and the action bursts from the page in a cloud of gun powder and blood. (Again, I'm speaking figuratively. Literally, well, that would be rather gross.)

For anyone looking for a well written, thrilling, breathtaking story, I highly recommend Point & Shoot. I do suggest you read the first two books. Not just to get the whole story, but because they are all fantastic fiction.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars More craziness May 6, 2013

By Noirguy

Format:Kindle Edition

A satisfying close to the Charlie Hardie series, the most unpredictable trilogy I've ever read. This one is no different. It goes places you'd never expect and the pace never lets up. It wraps nearly everything up nicely and true to the series. A slightly vague ending could lead to more books, and if that is the case I'll be first in line to read whatever comes next.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Killer finale May 4, 2013

By Michael Oliveri

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

A fast-paced thriller and worthy finale to the series. I held back a star for a beef with Charlie and the climax (no spoilers), but I enjoyed the hell out of Swierczynski's prose and the different characters' voices.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful finish May 1, 2013

By Edmund Burke

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Ever since the week I devoured the first 2 Hardies I've been waiting for this. Absolutely nails it. thanks Duane

4.0 out of 5 stars close to excellent finale of the trilogy June 17, 2013

By Ray Garraty

Format:Paperback

I should immediately warn you: Point and Shoot should be read only after if you are familiar with the previous two books of the trilogy. This third book about Charlie Hardie does not really work as a stand alone novel, which, if read in isolation from the previous books of the series, will not have much sense.

For the same reason, write a review on Point and Shoot is pretty hard: a reviewer every time is risking to step on the minefield of spoilers. Those who have read the first and second books already know what happened to Charlie Hardie before he, at the beginning of the third book, found himself on the Earth's orbit. Those who have not read previous books, you'd better run and get Fun and Games and Hell and Gone as soon as possible.

The first novel of the series was not for me not just one of the best thrillers of 2011, but one of the best thrillers ever written. Duane Swierczynski's imagination knocks you down, and the novel could justly be called the King of the Pageturners. Hell and Gone had a very different pace: the novel was important as part of the whole story, but on its own was a disappointing read. The author went too far with the melodrama, and the book smelled of cardboard and stupidity.

The third book was to be decisive: Will Swierczynski be on the level of the first book, or will fail, as in the case of the second? Point and Shoot is a worthy conclusion of the trilogy, but still not up to the level of Fun and Games. In the first two books Swierczynski used so many unexpected twists that it seemed there'd not left any for the third. Certainly not. In Point and Shoot imagination is bursting, so there will be enough surprises for a few more books.... Having started the book on the orbit of the Earth, Unkillable Chuck as a meteorite will rush to Earth to save his family.

Disappointing point in the novel is only that a sense of fatalism disappeared, which was plenty in the first book. The plot wobbles, twists surprise, Charlie is striking in its indestructibility, but from the very first pages it becomes clear how the book will end.

And hard to read lines like these with a straight face:

«Hardie decided he wanted a beer. Like, yeah, right now. It was the morning in Philadelphia, but it was afternoon here in space. He should have insisted that they install a cooler in this damned thing, maybe arrange for monthly shipments of quarter-kegs or even a couple of six-packs. Beer is packed with nutrients, right? If you're going to stick a guy in a tin can, at least give him a couple of cans to open every now and again.
But no. The satellite was too small for such an extravagance as a beer. »

However, the trilogy is complete. BOOM! It's your own fault, if you haven't read it yet. Read more ›

5.0 out of 5 stars Great May 31, 2013

By Jeremy Spaulding

Format:Paperback

This is a fast action book that fits into the pace of the series very well. Everyone returns, and gets what is coming to them. I would like another book with Charlie Hardie.

4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet! May 30, 2013

By Nittacci

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

There's something about Swierczynski's writing that just seems to short-circuit my literary taste and just shoots straight to the pleasure center of my brain.

Plus, I love the fact that he's not a bit worried about plausibility. He'll just go where the story takes him, even to outer space.

Swierczynski is one of those writers that I just wish would work a little faster because I need more!

It's not perfect, but man, is it delicious.

5.0 out of 5 stars 3rd series May 29, 2013

By Deborah paff

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

re read the 1st 2 books to begin reading this one, he just has a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, all the same people from the other 2 books, which made the reading even better, loved it, hope there is a 4th book, just gotta love the bad guys as well