Standoff, The [Paperback]

Chuck Hogan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1996

A white supremacist, barricaded with his family on an isolated Montana mountaintop, holding off the cops with assault rifles.

A brilliant hostage negotiator who has failed to come to terms with his personal demons, reluctantly taking leadership of the one case he can't afford to lose.

A virtual army of state and local cops, national guardsmen, U.S. Marshals, and the FBI's elite hostage rescue team, clawing for jurisdiction, vowing vengeance
for fallen comrades.

A growing crowd of onlookers, sympathizers, and troublemakers, some willing to turn an isolated battle into an all-out war.

A mixture as explosive and unstable as nitroglycerine...

The Standoff.  A stunning debut from a major new talent.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hogan's debut thriller concerns the nine-day confrontation between an FBI negotiator and a fugitive holed up on a Montana mountaintop with his wife and children.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Lucky Chuck Hogan. He's only 26, but he's written what's being hyped as "one of the most talked-about novels of the year"; he sold the manuscript for big bucks in a "heated auction" involving five publishers; the book is a featured selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club; and he's already adapting the story for New Line Cinema. Heady stuff for a former video store manager. But the hype is well justified. While his writing won't send the needle off the top of the highbrow-ometer, Hogan knows what it takes to write commercial fiction: a rugged but sympathetic hero (picture Clint Eastwood), a suspense-filled plot, and plenty of mile-a-minute action. At the heart of the novel is burned-out FBI agent John Banish, whose superb skills at hostage negotiation are overshadowed only by his stunning ability to drink himself into oblivion. Having lost his nerve, his family, and his job, Banish now has one last chance to show he's not a complete failure: talk white supremacist Glenn Ables off the Montana mountain where Ables is keeping his wife and kids hostage. Ables is cunning, devious, and stubborn, but then, so is Banish. In the end, it's a standoff between two men who have everything--and nothing--to lose. A completely unexpected conclusion packs the perfect final punch. Wow! Emily Melton --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Bantam (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553574469
• ISBN-13: 978-0553574463
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #591,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chuck Hogan is the New York Times bestselling author of several acclaimed novels, including THE TOWN (aka PRINCE OF THIEVES), DEVILS IN EXILE, and THE KILLING MOON. THE TOWN was awarded the Hammett Prize for excellence in crime writing, and has been made into a movie starring Ben Affleck, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall, and Blake Lively. DEVILS IN EXILE is also being developed into a feature film. He is the co-author, with Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro, of THE STRAIN and THE FALL, parts one and two of the internationally bestselling STRAIN series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hogan Humanizes Armed Conflict, May 20, 2001

By 

Tim Smith - See all my reviews

This review is from: Standoff, The (Paperback)

An absolute gem! This story of a white supremacist's confrontation with the U.S. government could be taken from the headlines but is described on several levels. Chuck Hogan, in his initial published novel, humanizes the difficult concept of armed conflict. The mesmerizing quality is found in the realism of dialogue and the differing perspectives of all the main characters representing different branches of government and law enforcement. The different points of view and agendas come into conflict with each other and are driven by their personalities, past experiences, and personal demons, especially of the chief hostage negotiator, Special Agent Banish of the FBI. He fights his own personal Hell as he attempts to secure a safe surrender while manipulating the situation so the US Marshall or Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms will be blamed if anyone is killed or if anything goes wrong.

This is fast-paced, thrilling and suspenseful with enough depth and surprises that you'll think about it well after you've put it down. As added enjoyment, I suggest you also listen to the audio tape. Stacy Keach does a yeoman's job; his voice along with the accompanying music makes this a listenning experience of the first order. Both book and audio are highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very good for Freshman outing, June 8, 2000

By 

Leslie Curtis (Mesa, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Standoff, The (Paperback)

"Standoff" takes the reader through a wild ride of hostage negotiation with all the bureaucracy that involves. From the local police, sheriff, US Marshalls, FBI agents, and every law enforcement agency in between, you really get an understanding of what must happen in these tense, unpredictable situations.

The story is told from the law's point of view throughout, and gives a good characterization of the politics of the agencies tugging and pulling for authority, attempting to work together in an explosive environment.

Hogan writes his main character, John Banish, well, although most of the supporting cast are underdeveloped. I would have liked to see him give more insight into the other side of the situation - the motivation of the hostage-taker is alluded to, but never dealt with in depth.

Overall, a suspenseful tale that kept me interested; and quite an achievement for a first time writer!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good first outing by Hogan, August 31, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Standoff, The (Paperback)

The Standoff has some great tense, suspenseful scenes. Although I found some parts a tad dragged out, I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy learning deeply about main characters. I really understood and felt for the hero in this one. And one last thing, something I can never get enough of, a good ending