Scan barcode
jillyrabb101's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting
Was wondering how an operation would go if they were rescuing little kids. was something a little different and refreshing.
Was wondering how an operation would go if they were rescuing little kids. was something a little different and refreshing.
abibliofob's review against another edition
4.0
I've read Final Target by John Gilstrap. This is another great book in this series, I feel like I'm repeating myself but there is only two more to go then I'm up to date on the Scorpion tales. This had as usual a good story although it is often drugs and bad politicians. That's also true in real life. Still these are exciting and action filled and wonderfully humorous.
avid_read's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
usbsticky's review against another edition
3.0
Adventure action novel of a couple of private security guys/mercs dropped off in Mexico to recover an American who's been captured by a drug gang.
Spoilers below:
The writing is easy to read and follow and I got into the story right away. The plot is that the mission goes wrong, a extraction team has to be sent in and the home team has to figure out what went wrong.
The big problem for me was the way the book split into the different narratives: the initial rescue team, the extraction team and the home team. The transition between the narratives was too abrupt and it was annoying to follow the story of one team and then have to start from scratch into another story and then again into the third. I understand that that is the plot but there just wasn't enough meat in each story to make them so separate and it wasn't written in a way that the 3 narratives could be segued naturally into each other.
In the end, I thought the first narrative of the rescue mission was the most interesting and I liked the action at the end of this narrative. The extraction narrative was too detailed and could have been cut short without losing the story, in fact I thought this whole part was unnecessary and took away from the book. The home team narrative was ok as it explained the story. The way it was written, each of the narratives could have been read as a novella itself.
So overall, it was a good plot but poorly choreographed. I liked the book but if others in the series are all like this, I wouldn't read them; there are plenty of other better books.
I got this book as a free ARC.
Spoilers below:
The writing is easy to read and follow and I got into the story right away. The plot is that the mission goes wrong, a extraction team has to be sent in and the home team has to figure out what went wrong.
The big problem for me was the way the book split into the different narratives: the initial rescue team, the extraction team and the home team. The transition between the narratives was too abrupt and it was annoying to follow the story of one team and then have to start from scratch into another story and then again into the third. I understand that that is the plot but there just wasn't enough meat in each story to make them so separate and it wasn't written in a way that the 3 narratives could be segued naturally into each other.
In the end, I thought the first narrative of the rescue mission was the most interesting and I liked the action at the end of this narrative. The extraction narrative was too detailed and could have been cut short without losing the story, in fact I thought this whole part was unnecessary and took away from the book. The home team narrative was ok as it explained the story. The way it was written, each of the narratives could have been read as a novella itself.
So overall, it was a good plot but poorly choreographed. I liked the book but if others in the series are all like this, I wouldn't read them; there are plenty of other better books.
I got this book as a free ARC.
awk55's review against another edition
3.0
simplistic plot and characters, but continuous action makes it readable
scott_a_miller's review against another edition
5.0
The band was back together for this one with great result. Certainly one of my favorite Digger Grave books. Gilstrap really developed the secondary characters well, especially the primary kids. It was also cool that one story pivoted due to incredible circumstances on the ground.
Gilstrap also kept it real. Gunslinger came back a little to the dark side. She has been missed. Scorpion lost a little of his cool in places and acted on it appropriately in my opinion. I love this series! Can’t wait for the next one.
Gilstrap also kept it real. Gunslinger came back a little to the dark side. She has been missed. Scorpion lost a little of his cool in places and acted on it appropriately in my opinion. I love this series! Can’t wait for the next one.
sunny76's review against another edition
5.0
Another hit by Mr. Gilstrap. A Digger and Boxers rescue PC tale. Oh, the twists and turns this one takes. I can't wait to see which of the new characters return in the next novel!
eitan743's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
booksmy's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Entertaining, but much of the story was predictable. The ending was very abrupt, and then very little wrap up. Bang - bang - boom - the end. It would make a good movie, but as a book it would be nice if the ending had felt more "finished".
The author makes it clear that he hates liberals, Mexico, and immigrants, even as he works to smuggle undocumented Mexican orphans into the US. Not sure how that all works out, but I guess that was discussed in the ending to the book that we didn't get.
This series seems to have a pattern of an entertaining action-packed 85%, followed by an abrupt disappointing end. 4 stars, marked down for the ending and the political attacks.
The author makes it clear that he hates liberals, Mexico, and immigrants, even as he works to smuggle undocumented Mexican orphans into the US. Not sure how that all works out, but I guess that was discussed in the ending to the book that we didn't get.
This series seems to have a pattern of an entertaining action-packed 85%, followed by an abrupt disappointing end. 4 stars, marked down for the ending and the political attacks.
brettt's review
3.0
Jonathan Grave succeeds at his hostage rescue missions because he doesn't let anything else get in the way of the goal of getting the PC ("Precious Cargo") away from danger and back to safety. Other people, other issues are not his concern, no matter what he may feel about their situations. So even though something's gone wrong with the mission to rescue a kidnapped federal agent in Final Target, he's got backup plans and he and his partner "Boxers" won't have any great trouble getting out of the mess they're in.
Until he runs into the orphanage with a bunch of kids and Grave realizes he's the only chance they have of escaping torture and death at the hands of the local drug lord pursuing Grave, Boxers and their rescued hostage. If the kids don't go with him, they'll all die. But if they do, then they might still die, only they'll bring the three men down with them.
In this 9th Grave novel, Gilstrap has a good handle on the roles his characters play in their adventures. Grave and Boxers quip and snipe at each other, Boxers sees an uncomplicated black-and-white world where anything he doesn't think is his problem isn't his problem, Grave often doubts himself over the lines he's crossed and violence he's committed in the names of his various missions. The action set pieces hold their tension and keep the novel's pace nice and quick, and the plot hangs together through the required suspense thriller twists.
Target is more or less an extended chase scene, with some interludes back in Washington, D.C. as Grave's other team members try to unravel the mystery of the snafus that started this mess. Although sometimes the physical goals and the different groups involved get a little fuzzy, the presence of the orphans offers a new wrinkle that makes Target a stronger than average entry in the Grave series.
Original available here.
Until he runs into the orphanage with a bunch of kids and Grave realizes he's the only chance they have of escaping torture and death at the hands of the local drug lord pursuing Grave, Boxers and their rescued hostage. If the kids don't go with him, they'll all die. But if they do, then they might still die, only they'll bring the three men down with them.
In this 9th Grave novel, Gilstrap has a good handle on the roles his characters play in their adventures. Grave and Boxers quip and snipe at each other, Boxers sees an uncomplicated black-and-white world where anything he doesn't think is his problem isn't his problem, Grave often doubts himself over the lines he's crossed and violence he's committed in the names of his various missions. The action set pieces hold their tension and keep the novel's pace nice and quick, and the plot hangs together through the required suspense thriller twists.
Target is more or less an extended chase scene, with some interludes back in Washington, D.C. as Grave's other team members try to unravel the mystery of the snafus that started this mess. Although sometimes the physical goals and the different groups involved get a little fuzzy, the presence of the orphans offers a new wrinkle that makes Target a stronger than average entry in the Grave series.
Original available here.
More...