Customer Reviews

Time to Hunt

5 star:		(100)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

In TIME TO HUNT, Stephen Hunter further embellishes the legend of master sniper Bob Lee Swagger. Known as "Bob the Nailer" in professional circles, Swagger is cunning, resourceful, and a remarkable marksman, skills he developed in his youth and honed during several memorable tours of duty in Vietnam. Because of these talents, Swagger is often drawn into scenarios that erupt into nightmarish violence, as depicted in POINT OF IMPACT and BLACK LIGHT, the first two books to feature this character.

Although the prologue and final third of the novel occur today, the backbone of the book is set in Washington, DC and Vietnam circa 1970. The story focuses on a marine named Donny Fenn, serving in Washington after completing a tour of duty in Vietnam. Fenn, forced to spy on a fellow marine with ties to the peace movement, fails to carry out the wishes of his superiors and is summarily cycled back to the 'Nam. There, he links up with Swagger, the deadliest sniper in the Corps. Their subsequent heroics (set forth in violent detail by Hunter in some of his most gripping writing to date), add to the myth surrounding Swagger. Bona fide heroes, they are days away from returning home when they are attacked by their nemesis, the Russian sniper Soloratov. Swagger is wounded, and Fenn is killed. Although Swagger has no way of knowing it at that time, this attack holds the key to the mystery of why Soloratov has returned to threaten Swagger's wife and daughter three decades later.

Hunter, like Swagger, is in a league by himself -- compulsively readable, he plunges readers into a world where conspiracies are the norm and sudden death is commonplace. From its explosive prologue to its gripping finale, TIME TO HUNT is certain to be one of the best pure suspense novels you'll ever have the pleasure of reading.

"Time To Hunt" is the third in Hunter's Bob Swagger trilogy. It explains the cause behind Donny Fenn's death and Bob's near fatal wounding during the final days of the Viet Nam war. It is a twisting and well told tale of conspiracy in high places. Hunter is a master at maintaining a high level of suspense, I was complelled to read on right to the end. Hunter writes about shooting with a level of technical detail usually found in a Tom Clancy novel, yet it does not detract from the pace of his story. Hunter leaves enough clues for the reader to unravel things before he gets to them, but with enough twists to create a doubt that makes you read on. If you like high adventure and masterful conspiracies, you will enjoy this book. I do recommend however that you first read "Point Of Impact" and "Black Light" (parts one and two of the Swagger trilogy). Although in truth, each part stands well on its own as a separate tale. And remember, it is just a story!

First off I should let it be known that I am a fan of the Bob Lee Swagger novels and I also thought that Dirty White Boys was a good read. Stephen Hunter's first novels showed promise but they were awkward. They came across as trying to be works of literature. But with Point Of Impact Hunter found his stride. For those who are involved with the "gun culture" this series is superb. The technical details are dead on. But in Time To hunt Swagger comes full circle. The great American war hero finally finds peace with himself and has a re-match with his nemisis. This novel is more then just a suspense/thriller. In Time To Hunt Hunter finally achieves a level of literature and the best part of it is he isn't trying. Slow moving? No it trys to capture the pacing of real life. Rest assured though when the action happens it happens in buckets. Being from Idaho I especially enjoyed the sequence in the Sawtooths. If I have any complaint and it is minor is the fact that there are two hospitals in Boise. There is no Boise General Hospital.

An engaging yarn- you will burn through this one in no time at all.

One negative, Hunter's use of family (and women in general) is fine for what it is- a motivating factor for Swagger's actions- but the character development and dialogue of those who are not "military" or even, dare I say it, not "male" are tough to swallow at times- as is Swagger's interaction with them.

Take it for what it is, an engaging story about one kick-ass dude on a wild ride and leave the lovey dovey alone.

I've never been a big fan of prologues, in fact, I'm the one one person in America who hasn't seen the new Star Wars. Typically, prologues only fill in wholes in the original story. Not here. "Time to Hunt" answers questions, of course, but it actually makes me want to re-read the entire series of books. We always knew that Bob Lee was a BMF (see Pulp Fiction, wink), but we never really knew how Bad he was. We never really given an explanation for the awkwardness he feels in the 'world' or the awkwardness of his relationship with Julie Fenn. For those reasons, and many more, this book works with me. I whole-heartedly recommend the Swagger series to any and all (but frankly, start at the beginning, not here)

Now this brings us to the next problem, will there be a fifth in the series? The rousing adventures of Nikki Swagger? (Nah!) A meeting between Swagger and Pewtie (from DWB)? (That'd work). Any way Hunter does it...I'll be there!

Hunter has another smash bestseller featuring Bob Lee " The Nailer" Swagger. Be sure you have a lot of free time when you start Time To Hunt book because once you do you'll be hooked. Time To Hunt has it all--great plot, interesting characters, lots of action and surprises, etc., etc., etc. One of the most interesting aspects of this book is how Bob Lee became "The Nailer" in Vietnam. Just when you think Bob Lee has suffered enough and deserves to enjoy the rest of his life in peace, Hunter comes up with another traumatic adventure for him. While I don't know what, if anything, Hunter has in store for Swagger, I can't wait to read it. Now, do yourself a favor--buy a copy of Time To Hunt as soon as it comes out, cancel all plans and prepare yourself for a real reading pleasure.

I actually bought this book upon the recommendation of Henry Winkler(Fonzie) in an entertainment magazine. I needed something to read while on vacation in Jamaica. Unfortunately, I missed much of Jamaica because I could not put this down. Stephen Hunter does an excellent tapestry of historical and fictional events. The references to events from "Black Light" and "Point of Impact' almost had me buying both of those at the airport. I've told all my friends about Bob the Nailer and he is my new hero.

This is the 4th novel I've read by this author and I haven't read a bad one yet.

Time to Hunt tells more of the beginnings of Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger and his sidekick spotter, Donny Fenn. Where the first novel - Point of Impact - glossed over this time period, Time To Hunt tells it all from way back from the late 60's to modern day. A fantastic, character driven story that never lets up in action and suspence.

Once again, Bob Lee Swagger proves he is much more than a hick sniper. Part detective, part Special Forces, but all tough-as-nails, Bob Lee investigates his dead buddy's past, which brings an old Soviet enemy from his distant past to come hunt his present wife, Fenn's widow.

Hunter writes with aplomb, giving readers twists and turns unexpected, chock full of action and adventure along the way. It is too bad Hollywood cannot capture the true essence of Bob Lee Swagger by a great actor, along with a three-hour screenplay that could do it justice.

Stephen Hunter is a Best Selling author because he knows how to write in balance. Balance a novel with action, adventure, characters that grow, suspenceful and high octane enough to drive the prose into the stratosphere. This isn't pulp action fiction. This is memorable stuff.

One of my friends referred me to Stephen Hunter after I told him about my interest in thriller/spy novels. And Mr Hunter did not dissapoint with Time to Hunt. I just wish I would have read his other novels Point of Impact and Black Light, where he introduced Bob "The Nailer" Swagger. It was a very exciting story, that was not too much out of the realm of reality. And everytime I read a sniper story, I want to go the shooting range and try out my luck.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys spy thrillers.

This one has everything: a look into the past of Donny Fenn, who was wounded in 'Nam, returned to CLUSA and assigned to Eighth and I in Washington, D.C., for funeral ceremonies and riot control duty (controlling peaceniks on the rampage); Donny and Bob Lee on sniper duty when he (Donny) is sent back for another tour, as Bob Lee's spotter, and the results are great adventure; and then we are brought up to date with the current adventure with the past in the background to give it context.

There are actually at least two stories here, that overlap and are connected. The plotting is superb and complex, as is usual for Stephen Hunter. Also as usual, the research effort shows in the final product. One of Hunter's strong points is his encyclopedic knowledge of modern firearms and ballistics, all very accurate--unusual in a novelist, most of whom don't know the receiver of a rifle from the butt plate.

Hunter is also wonderful at breathing life into his characters. One female critic complained because his protagonist, Bob Lee Swagger, always comes out on top. But, how would SHE write the story? Have the author kill his hero in the first chapter, thereby reducing a 600 page novel to a 50 page short story?

Critics!

This is a writer who knows how to tell an adventure story, keeping his audience in suspense all the way, and making a satisfactory ending. The kind I like.

I've ordered four more of his other titles.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre, USN (Ret)
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books