Customer Reviews

Target Lock

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It would seem that Mr. Cobb has not learned that there is a time to stop a series. While I'm sure that the technical merits of the hardware involved in this book are accurate, the merits of the characters are not.

I must say that I have enjoyed the other Amanda Garret books immensely. Which is why this was such a huge dissappointment. Amanda Garret was/is tough but fair, easy to be commanded by but the sort of demanding boss that gets her troops to work well for her. Until this book that is. Now Ms. Garret is reduced to a simpering puppy-love struck school girl who just can't help but fall into bed with her adversary. The sexual scenes involving Garret, and her pal Christine Rendino, do not add to the book. In fact they read almost as if some editor looked at the manuscript and said, "hey, we need some sex in this thing".

And that is just the way it reads. The sex is an add-on which contributes nothing, the characters were doing so well up til this point. Some of the characters we'd like to know more about, but don't get the chance. These include the admiral in charge and the helicopter pilot who seems to be quite a character in his own right.

The plot contrivances are stretched so thin you can see right through them. Need a secret base? Poof, one appears as if by magic. Need to track the heroine? Poof, suddenly the National Reconnasence Office can task a satellite right where it needs to be. Need a new country to act as villian? Hey, Indonesia looks promising. And so on.

The only feeling I got from this book was that I was making a mortgage payment for the author. His heart seemed to be elsewhere, this being written only to fullfil some type of contractual agreement. There was no zest in this book. Nothing like the first in the series.

My reccommendation: Don't buy it. Save your money.

I am a tremendous fan of Cobb's earlier books in this series and was very excited at the prospect of another outing for these characters. However, I found this book to be an enormous disappointment. The relationship Amanda developed with her nemesis seemed dramatically out of character and frankly detracted from the story. I also like an earlier reviewer missed the Arkady character and the strong interaction of Garrett with her crew from earlier outings. I am not sure what direction Cobb is hoping to take the franchise in but this particular outing came across as flat.

...that Cobb had to write this [book] and ruin a great character.

Amanda Garrett may as well retire now. This book could only have been written by someone that has never worn his country's uniform.

Don't buy this book. Don't borrow it from a friend or from the library.

Once again, James H Cobb has written a winner that will keep you enthralled until the last page. He manages to pull off showcasing all of his previous characters and adding several new ones. Readers of his first two novels will enjoy the reappearance of the USS Cunningham, while fans of his last book will savor the return of the Three Little Pigs. Of course the technology is very current (Check the latest issues of Naval Proceedings if you doubt this) along with the tactics. I especially enjoyed the WW2 references and tactics (no hints - read and find out for yourself!) You may be wondering - considering all the praise I heaped so far - why only four stars? Good question. One thing that disappointed me was still no return of Vince Arkady. References are made, but the character is still absent. You almost get the feeling he is being left behind, which would disappoint me greatly. Another disappointment is the relationship with Amanda's superior officer, Admiral Macintyre. Let's just say I don't like the way it's developing. Finally, I'll confirm that she is seduced by her opposition, the charming rogue Harconan. No suprise here, the synopsis above says that. It is good character development, provides insight into both characters, and brings a more human side into play. However, being an old fashioned hero type, I would have preferred it not happen. I'm sure others will disagree. To sum up, as a big fan of Mr. Cobb's, I think the book is excellent and a worthy addition to the Amanda Garrett series. I enjoyed it and devoured it at a single seating. Enjoy!

James H. Cobb's Latest offering of the life and actions of Amanda Garrett, takes a series of S-turns with this latest installment. The central character enjoyes a flirtation with a fantasy from her childhood days and takes a dip on the other side of the line, the darkside so to speak. Explored in the pages of this book is the question of what happens when a Officer and a Lady, sperated from her crew and command, offered the taste of forbidden fruit in the guise of childhood "crush", will she accept what is offered or be true to her calling. Those that say that Cobb's latest installment couldn't have been written by someone who truely knows the armed services give them selves away to be men, not able to put themselves in the place of a woman. Nor are they able to invision what might have to be done by a woman, to survive till rescue comes.

This is a worthy effort on the part of the author. I give it a 4 our of 5 stars because I felt that there was a bit of drag in places that could have been polished out by the author. I look forward to seeing more Amanda Garrett works in the near future!

Amanda proves women have invaluable input in the military of TODAY! Strong is a word that doesn't seem to be enough to describe Amanda's diversity of abilities and still remain a woman with needs & desires. Couldn't put it down! This is an golden example of a technothriller that both men & women will enjoy. James H. Cobb has been added to my favorite authors' list; level w/Tom Clancy. Details, details, amazing and exciting. Crab's Claw was so clever! This was my 1st in the Amanda Garrett's series. Have already ordered the others. Thank you James H Cobb, keep up the fantastic writing!

Amanda Garrett gets some inadvertent shore leave with an Indonesian pirate billionaire! The characters are great fun in this installment of the series, but Cobb has unfortunately written himself into a technological corner. Or, rather, the United States Navy has. Its machines and budgetary advantages over any possible opponents are so huge that Cobb has trouble creating scenarios where the bad guys have a chance of survival, let alone a chance of victory. This takes most of the tension out of the action scenes.

Amanda's dalliance with the pirate king, on the other hand, is a absolute hoot. So is reading all the reviews talking about her being "seduced" from her duties and behaving like a "slut." Ah, if she were a male captain and her seducer an exotic Asian lady of mystery, how many of the readership would do anything but cheer the hero on? What we have here is a playboy pirate who thinks he is playing Errol Flynn's role in the story, but Amanda knows better. Her sturdy middle-class American morals and sense of duty are always with her and her "who does he think he's dealing with?" comments to herself after every romantic encounter had me laughing out loud.

Amanda Garret is a wonderful character and it is a pity that there are unlikely to be any more novels in the series. James Cobb doesn't seem like the type to have the Wizards of Ancient Atlantis or the Sinister Sea-devils From Sirius show up to challenge the USN, so I think he may have run out of foreign enemies for Amanda and her crew to battle. A civil war breaking out in the United States would level the playing field a bit, or a conspiracy involving some of the armageddon-bound religious fanatics currently troubling the military, but would Cobbs' readership be offended or enthralled by a political plot twist of that sort? We will probably never know. Amanda will become a middle-aged admiral and marry someone of her own rank, and we have to be satisfied with that.

Once again, James H Cobb has written a winner that will keep you enthralled until the last page. He manages to pull off showcasing all of his previous characters and adding several new ones. Readers of his first two novels will enjoy the reappearance of the USS Cunningham, while fans of his last book will savor the return of the Three Little Pigs. Of course the technology is very current (Check the latest issues of Naval Proceedings if you doubt this) along with the tactics. I especially enjoyed the WW2 references and tactics (no hints - read and find out for yourself!) You may be wondering - considering all the praise I heaped so far - why only four stars? Good question. One thing that disappointed me was still no return of Vince Arkady. References are made, but the character is still absent. You almost get the feeling he is being left behind, which would disappoint me greatly. Another disappointment is the relationship with Amanda's superior officer, Admiral Macintyre. Let's just say I don't like the way it's developing. Finally, I'll confirm that she is seduced by her opposition, the charming rogue Harconan. No suprise here, the synopsis above says that. It is good character development, provides insight into both characters, and brings a more human side into play. However, being an old fashioned hero type, I would have preferred it not happen. I'm sure others will disagree. To sum up, as a big fan of Mr. Cobb's, I think the book is excellent and a worthy addition to the Amanda Garrett series. I enjoyed it and devoured it at a single seating. Enjoy!

I do not, as a rule, read war or military novels, however I am happy that I read this one.

This is one of a series by the author with the same lead chracter, Commander Amanda Lee Garrett.

The plot gets to you and the characters are larger than life.

I started reading the book thinking that I probably would not like it but I did. This is a good story and a good read.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"

I have loved all of Cobb's Amanda Garrett novels.This is even better than the first three. However, I think if I read the word "chuckle" again I will scream. Everyone in his books seems to chuckle, for some reason. Perhaps Mr. Cobb needs a good thesaurus.