Customer Reviews

Rogue Warrior: Seize the Day (Rogue Warrior (Forge Hardcover))

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read the first "Rogue Warrior" book (the actual autobiography) when I was in college and after the fictional series kicked off I continued to read the books with interest. One of the things that I enjoyed about was Mr. Marcinko's attention to the details on how things were accomplished. If you read many of the early books the plot may have seemed to have been drawn from your average action movie but what set a lot of them apart for me was their attention to helping the reader get how the actual operation was done.

Now I understand that certain specifics can't and shouldn't be released as they could comporomise actual operators in the field but there was just enough that the average reader could understand (and gain an appreciation) of just what elite warriors like Marcinko's Navy SEALs actually do. A lot of his earlier books included those details which helped bring a sense of "this could happen" to the stories but as the series has progressed the details have dwindled and the "this couldn't happen" factors have increased.

I'm not spoiling anything by stating that one of the main plots in the book involves the fact that Marcinko bears an uncanny resemblence to Fidel Castro and what can happen when CIA attempts to use that to their advantage. Now if you'll note, I did say "plots" which means there are a few others but unlike in some of the earlier books Marcinko doesn't delve into too many details on his team. I think part of it is that by now he must know (or ASSume) that his readers are familiar enough with his style of writing and his usual cast of characters not to require any sort of background and though I profess to being one of those readers who doesn't need all the details, it still wouldn't hurt as it's been a while since I read his last adventure.

And speaking of adventures, although the main plot is not all that far fetched, it still lends itself to being picked apart simply because of what I mentioned earlier; a lack of details. Although part of the story occurs in Cuba there aren't really enough details (which Marcinko and his co-authors have been good at providing in the past) and more focus on moving from one action scene to the next. I think that Marcinko can write some decent adventure books and has plenty more stories to tell us but I think he needs to pick up the pace just a bit after his last few outings. So if you're looking for details on how to infiltrate a hospital or how to outfit a team ready to take down a bunker, don't look here. At least not for the details.

This is the fourteenth installment in the "fictional" "Rogue Warrior" series by former Seal Richard Marcinko. This episode is built around the CIA making the astute observation that Demo Dick looks almost exactly like Cuban dictator Fidel Castro... minus a few years. The CIA comes up with the brainchild of having a video made of Dick after hair and makeup adjustments to film a speech of Marcinko/Castro making a last will and testament. Dick goes through the physical manifestations and then the CIA's technical gurus will integrate the speech. Marcinko isn't real cool on the idea... especially when the CIA also wants the author to go to Cuba to make the handoff of the bogus DVD to an agent who supposedly will swap the fake DVD for the real one(s) at fortified locations within Cuba. But... lo and behold the barber the CIA has at the filming is an elderly Cuban Roberto Traba who before fleeing Cuba cut Castro's hair. Traba tells all of the personal trauma he and his family had gone through in Cuba before they exiled... and then sadly tells Marcinko and his team that his brother is still stuck in Cuba. Traba's story steals the heart of Marcinko's crew and that along with the CIA saying they'll make sure Marcinko is paid for a prior mission that's been held up in government red tape if he accepts the job... how could our cuddly trained killer... the one and only *ROGUE WARRIOR* say no to that?

Dick introduces-re-introduces his motley crew and we're on the way to Cuba. The crew member who gets the most entertaining role is "Shotgun" who is six-feet-eight-inches-tall and at least three-hundred-pounds. The world can be coming to an end and Shotgun will be laughing and eating innumerable species of junk food... especially Twinkies. After a harrowing (what other kind does the Rogue Warrior ever encounter) flight to Cuba that is overflowing with FUBAR... MR. MURPHY... GOAT-SEX ANALOGIES... and unlimited words of descriptive military "terms of endearment"... we have double agents... exploding cars... killed double agents... and alligator attacks. All of this is in the normal Rogue Warrior tongue in cheek manner. But since the DVD handoff goes awry... and this is where the book loses its five star rating... the team on its own has to break into multiple Castro secure locations. Including but not limited to: his bunker... his homes... political headquarters... hospitals... etc. Even in a fun fiction book the ease of this and the portrayal of terrible "Keystone-Cop-Like" Cuban security at every twist and turn... takes the luster off after awhile.

While all this is going on... Dick gets forced by the same CIA to go to Panama and assist in putting a halt to a Venezuelan/Chinese criminal endeavor involving a submarine at the Panama Canal... OR... (believe me this is not a spoiler) they won't assist the *ROGUE WARRIOR* in extricating a team member "left-behind".

If you're a *ROGUE WARRIOR* fan this is an enjoyable book... but even the truest longtime hardcore admirer will want to say "please give me credit for some common sense" re: the difficulties of going to a foreign country and being able to break in to any building regardless of the situation.

I've read every book in the series and this book would be rated the lowest. If you've previously read several of Marcinko's books, you might get some enjoyment from this, as you know the characters and presumably like Marcinko's style. If this is your first Marcinko book, you probably won't like it very much.

In the last book, I was willing to believe that Marcinko could operate successfully in North Korea, even if the premise seemed far-fetched. But breaking into Castro's lairs all over Cuba is even less credible.

For many years comments have been made about the resemblance of our favorite rogue hero to ole' Fidel. It was really fun to see a whole story built around that coincidence. I thought the story was well executed, and quite believable. I appreciated the dents and dings he's suffered over the years have slowed him down a bit, something that was acknowledged and taken into account.

It was fun to see Doc Trembley back, and while I like the new team of shoot and looters I do wish some of the other old timers would return. It would make sense some of his crew from the SEAL Team 6 or Red Cell days might come into his employ. (Boomerang was always one of my favorites.)

One of the best books in the series, highly recommended.

Can you imagine Fidel reading this book?, which I am sure he has. Not to mention the state security aparatchki running around to cover up all of their real or fictional flaws. Sieze the Day however seems to be moving from fiction to science fiction. Dick and his team move from one fubar situation to the next with acrobatic ease and a minimum of injury. Incredible, as in not-credible, Demo Dick can speak Spanish just like a Cuban? I don't think so. Raul did not recognize his own brother, come on.

Good historical perspective on the revolution and current conditions on the island and Panama Canal. Could have mentioned that the CIA took out Che but really not central to the plot.

This book could use a map of Cuba for the reader to follow the plot and a pic of handsome Marcinko san would help also. The dialog could be spiced up with some local names for things like huts, (bohio), rum drinks,(cuba libre or mojitos), food, (Lechon, congri, arroz con pollo). A bus in Cuba btw is called a gua-gua. I like the reference to Cuban women smoking cigars which they for sure do.

The ending was a fizzle even if biological warfare was averted. What happened to Fidel? What happened to his Last Will and Testament?, (courtesy of our hero). I guess we will be back to Cuba.

I enjoyed the book.

Once again, Demo Dick shows he hasn't lost it in either writing or blowing up the bad guys. Don't start this book unless you have the time to finish it as you won't want to put it down. Besides Trace and many of the "usual suspects", a newbie character is introduced, who should factor in frequently in future books.

I was hoping Marcinko would return to write like the first books, were the action seemed real and he dealt with terrorist and anti terrorist tactics. But unfortunately I don't think that will happen unless he collaborates again with John Weisman.
This book, as the last four ones, reads more like a good adventure book, similar to those from Clive Cussler or Brad Thor. Dick keeps trying to be a international star, in a book he befriended the Las Vegas Major, in the last one, Koreas Kim Jong Il, here Fidel Castro. Why no go back to the realism of small anti terrorist units tactics of the origins? Besides what is the point to mix real world relatives with the story (Matthew Loring real world son and fictional one).
All things considered, this is so far the best "Marcinko adventure" to date, if you consider only those written with Jim DeFelice.

Mission gets complicated with Murphy along part of the way. Great reading with plot transverse travel and little help officially, what we have come to expect. Good interplay between characters especilly Richard and Junior. Waiting on the next expectantly.

I like a fast paced special ops read. Mr. Marcincko does it for me. I own all his books and they are on display in my library. this last one was just as good as the first. To bad there aren't pictures to see how close DICK resembles Fidel castro......?

What a great book. Marcinko does it again with a great thriller. Well worth the price to read.