Customer Reviews

Sudden Threat

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Author A. J. Tata has got to have the hottest new action book out on terrorism by far! His newest book "Sudden Threat" sizzles like an over-heated barrel on a M-60 Machine Gun! There is enough action, suspense, intrigue, death, destruction and dangerous politics for four novels! This book is a winner and will be a definite hit for those who love to read books on the war on terrorism.

The book is well crafted. The plot is dynamite - totally an original way to tell a great story. The dialog is alive and moves the plot forward; but it is his portrayal of the people in the story that allows the reader to fully visualize them in their minds. This is a brilliantly crafted book that is destined to be a top seller! Buy it and read it - it is that good!

"The Military Writer's Society of America" gives this book its top award of FIVE STARS! This book is also on my short list of recommended novels to read!

Not a bad story and not a great story but an Ok story with problems. I give TaTa extra credit and star for this being his first book. Plenty of hero's in this story with Matt and brother Zach being at the top of the list. For me the whole Rolling Stones thing just did not work at all and was a waste. This is overall a nice quick read with some intrigue but I did find the whole Japanese invasion to be totally implausible, yet I think he wanted his military and his hero's to be confronted by a strong well-armed army rather than just battling the Abu Sayeef on the Phillipines. The US military beating up on the Abu's would have been a weak lightweight fight so he brings in the Japanese. An Ok first story and entertaining if you don't think too much about what is presented. First rate weapons and deployment and tactics knowledge which helps overcome a lot. Overall a really good story for a first time author if you can get by the implausibilities and uneven plotting.

SPOILERS, SPOILERS, SPOILERS, READ NO FURTHER: I had problems with the whole Japanese scenario and I found it totally implausible and impossible. Some have tried comparing this book to Clancy, but Clancy at his best, had plausible and possible nailed down. Here we drift into fantasy with Takashi and the Prime Minister who at the end are reduced to raving fools and the PM foaming at the mouth. The PM actually killing the Japanese Emperor is hard to swallow too because the whole country would have gone into mourning and not merrily embarking on a Phillipines military takeover fighting the USA. Add to that the Japanese nuclear bomb for LA and we are way into fantasy. Also, Stone, Fox and Diamond were on the weak side for heavies.

Over the years, it seems that almost ALL techno-thriller authors wish to be compared (favorably, of course) to Tom Clancy...and for good reason: it was Tom that is credited for virtually inventing the genre in the first place. I have read SCORES of novels that in one form or another have been compared to Tom Clancy, and in MY opinion, very FEW have actually lived up to it. The novel 'Torpedo' by Jeff Edwards (NOT me, btw) is one, and I submit that Mr. A.J. Tata is another.

In fact, considering what little we've heard from Tom Clancy in the last decade (and what little we have has been entirely forgettable), Both of the authors I just mentioned probably stand head & shoulders ABOVE him. 'Sudden Threat' is all at once VERY original, and almost immediately has an air of Realism that could only come from one who wrote from personal, first-hand experience. By the way, I'm not finished throwing out compliments about 'Sudden Threat'...for instance, the action is VERY Well crafted, the characters are pretty darned believable and on at least two occasions as I read, wondered how much of the story was entirely fiction and what specifically was based on Actual Events (seriously).

One of my favorite action/adventure techno-thriller authors today is Brad Thor, and I have to say, 'Sudden Threat' fares quite well in comparison--which is pretty high praise, indeed--especially if you knew how much I really enjoy Thor's stuff. I am always looking for new authors to read, and I get more than my fair share of, well, I'll just say it: Pure Drivel. Seriously, some may argue that there are many publishers who could be held liable for pollution by printing certain books (which shall go anonymous here...for the time being anyway), but the combination of action, realism and character development certainly place this story well above the norm, and side-by-side with plenty VERY well established authors, Clancy just being the most recognizeable--but let me be clear: ONLY the GOOD Clancy stuff, nothing he's written since 'Executive Orders' has been really anything other than a small step above So-So--if you ask me.

If you absolutely require a plot summary, read it above--I dislike giving too much away in my reviews, and really hate it when major twists and surprises are revealed by those who think what they're doing is smart or whatever...HATE it I tell ya! Suffice it to say that in the world of Techno-Thrillers, a new and VERY promising voice is here and hopefully, to stay. If you've been contemplating which book to read next and you like(d) Tom Clancy in his prime, Larry Bond, Brad Thor, Vince Flynn or authors quite similar, you may as well just give in now and go fetch 'Sudden Threat' today--odd's are you'll do it eventually anyway, might as well just dive in and do it sooner rather than later. Come on...you KNOW you want to. Oh, and when you do? You're welcome. That's right, I am THAT sure its THAT good...and I really don't say that too often.

I've read them all -- started decades ago with Mark Berent and Stephen Coonts -- all Vietnam all the time. The genre has taken us from SE Asia to West Europe -- Central America -- then Central Europe -- to the Sandbox -- to our own shores -- and now full circle, back to the Pacific.

So glad to have a new star writer for the genre -- you can tell AJ has been there, done that and made it out in one piece. The characters and situations are great -- and a new star is born -- Matt Garrett. Looking forward to reading more -- keep putting pen to paper AJ (sorry -- feels weird not to call you Tony -- SAO)!

I read between 3 and 4 books a week, mostly in the thriller / suspense genre. I came across this book when I was looking to see if Brad Thor had anything new out. I more or less had a tie between Brad Thor and Tom Clancy as my favorite authors, though I read many, many others. I couldn't put this book down. I decided to pick it up the day after I received it in the mail, a bit skeptical as I had never heard of A.J. Tata. I ended up finally going to bed at 3am after having read the whole book. The characters were incredible, I felt like I knew them. The story was enthralling, and with the detail being in abundance without being boring, I could see it all unfold in my mind as if I were there.

What an amazing story teller, and what an incredible individual. If you read the Author's bio page you'll know part of what I'm talking about, but I have a personal story to add to this claim. I had a question about another book and sought out the author's web page. I found the site I was seeking and was able to send an e-mail from the site. I expected a form letter or a response from some assistant of some form but incredibly received an e-mail response in less than 12 hours from A.J. Tata himself. I'm sure that as his popularity grows, he won't be able to accomplish the same with all of his e-mails, but based on the few e-mails I exchanged with him, I know he'll try his hardest to respond to them all even when he's receiving them by the thousands every day. He was incredibly polite and helpful.

I agree with the editorial reviews, Tom Clancy, Brad Thor, and other authors of the same style had better get used to see A.J. Tata's name on top of theirs in the best seller lists. A.J. Tata is my new Favorite Author, and I suspect he will be yours as well.

Are you still reading this review?! Buy the book already, you won't be sorry!!!

Dan

No doubt about it, you have to pay attention to this thriller. Tata moves several chess pieces on the board from the very beginning and you get pulled deeper into the lives of Matt Garrett, Zach Garrett, Chuck Ramsey and Abe, the Japanese auto manufacturer. Two conspiracies are afoot. One is the Rolling Stones, four power brokers who are trying to prevent the Iraq War from happening. The other is a duo called Fox and Diamond, who are trying to accelerate the 'runaway train' to Iraq. Their clash lands the Garrett brothers into deep trouble in the Philippines. This is a thoughtful thriller, perhaps a bit over the top in some cases, but when I finished, I put it down, and thought to myself, is Matt Garrett an analogy for this nation's angst over not capturing bin Laden and his cronies? Perhaps. Pros: true to life characters, excellent suspense, intelligent dialogue, and nonstop action. Cons: too many characters at the outset (though it all comes together nicely), Fox and Diamond are good characters but a bit overdone. Excellent read.

Sudden Threat was a fast moving and action packed novel. I enjoyed the surprises at the end. It makes you think about the effect of power on people and how easily groups can be manipulated. I am looking forward to reading more by A.J.TATA.

I tried this because Brad Thor, one of my favorite authors recommended AND I saw interview on Fox News. I enjoyed the book, what I call a "pager turner" with a bit different perspective in the war against terror and current events. I look forward to more books by this author. I appreciate this man served his country so many years also, including in wars.

From the very first, this book is non-stop action, written with sincere respect for each and every character. It's got everything -- plots and subplots, heroes (civilian and military), true villains and not-so-bad villains, and an amazing lack of gratuitous violence and profanity.
I can't wait for the rest of the series!

AJ Tata has written a fast paced, extremely relevant book about the war in Iraq and the fight against Islamic terrorism, but even more than that has brought a thought provoking, timely book that questions our leaders and Washington. In a time where our country is very politically divided and unscrupulous politicians are being uncovered all of the time this book takes you right into the action on the battlefield and the story of two brave, high ranking military brothers, Matt and Zachary Garrett, their fight against the elusive enemy and the political machinations that bring them to China, the Phillipines and an old Navy base near Manila. While the brothers are not stationed together they find themselves fighting the same fight and discovering very questionable practices by the military and power brokers in DC. This is the type of book that we all hope is purely fictional but we fear that it may not be. It is a compelling, thriller of bravery, patriotism and treachery.