As an elite agent of the JIA- Joint Intelligence Agency- he is the best of the best
588399
This third book in the Enemy series brings everything to a head, as Carl Logan is on the run with his sometime-girlfriend Angela Grainger. As an elite agent of the JIA- Joint Intelligence Agency- he is the best of the best. But now it seems everyone is out to get him- the CIA, the Russian FSB, even his own agency seems to have double-crossed him. They have taken everything from him.

But Carl Logan is the best for a reason, and he is determined to get at the truth. But he doesn't know who to trust. He has saved Angela Grainger's life multiple times, but she still can't decide if she loves him or wants to kill him. His boss, Peter Winter of the JIA, can't decide if Carl is a rogue agent or a hero, and had abandoned him to the torture chamber in Russia. Fellow boss Jay Lindegaard of the CIA has already double-crossed Carl once, and is out to get him again. Lena Belenov, his torturer, is back on his trail and out for blood.

To top it off, Carl Logan still loves Angela Grainger. Before this, he was always a cold killing-machine, trained from his youth. It's all he knows. Will his naive nature be his undoing? Will allowing himself to feel human compromise him as a spy and get him killed? As Carl Logan unravels the truth behind many of the missions he's been sent on, he has to decide what is true and what has been a lie, and if there is anyone he can trust.

As Carl Logan is finding out, no one in his world is without sin, and those he makes alliances with may turn out to be worse than his enemies.

This has been a great series, and I hope there is more to come.
2372977
Strong Darkness is best-selling Jon Land at his triumphal best! It is at the zenith of his remarkable story-telling skill. Unforgettable characters locked in battle with a Chinese monster deceiving our supposed defender, U.S. Homeland Security intent on controlling our elections, to open the U.S. communications network to Chinese zealots with their own object -- establishing a means of killing tens of millions American cell phone users with a key click.

Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong is on her game. The son of her fellow-traveler Cort Wesley is seduced by a beautiful Chinese porn star, bred to be an irresistible sex machine, with an agenda of her own. Cort Wesley responds with the assistance of Caitlins avenging angel Guilliermo Paz, another killing machine relentlessly seeking his own salvation.

You will not put this one down until you reach the finale in an avalanche of evil creatures.

Jon Land writes remarkable thrillers. Aside from clever context and engaging characters, he treats readers to an understanding of the emotions of these heroes as they confront evil and their own reality. He also connects Caitlins current Texas Ranger missions to those of her grandfather in the times of range warfare.

When you turn the last page, you will smile with expectation of a continuing saga of Caitlin, Cort Wesley, Guillermo and the boys, which Jon reports is on its way.
4223425
The extraordinary true story of a German official at the Foreign Minster during the Third Rich offering intelligence of high quality to the Americans is fantastic. The suspense is present up to the last pages. Kolbe's sacrifice is indescribable. If I knew the address of his next of kin I would feel honoured to write a few lines since they have paid a huge price as well. As always, decent loyal people as Kolbe paid the price while others have made a career out of it. Moreover, the intelligence given by the man who faced dangerous consequences was not fully accepted and used because of politics, ego wars, narrow mindness, stupidity of Generals. Many many people could have been saved. The book is a glimpse into the darkest and finest time in history and proves once more that moral principles and common decent sense may overcome terror and dictatorship. It is an inspiration and readers will have to search in their hearts about their own opinions, behaviour, values
736163
John spoke to the Deer Valley Tea Party (Phoenix AZ) on February 14 2014, and I read all three of his novels before his appearance.  (God's House, Privacy Wars, Soft Target).

Although relatively new as an author of action novels, I would consider him one of the best in the business, in a class with Tom Clancy, Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, Clive Cussler, etc.  He has a unique ability to blend world geopolitical situations into his plots, giving them a sense of reality not usually seen in this genre.  Also, because of his technical education and experience, he imparts a sense of realism to his stories matched only by Tom Clancy.  If you enjoy action novels and have not read Johns, I strongly recommend that you not delay in treating yourself.  Also, although not necessary, I recommend reading them in order.  There is a thread of plot that carries over through the first three (and I am assuming through the fourth) that adds a sense of depth to the characters.
4890070
Excellent it really confirms the hand of a intelligence designer.
1195281
Alex Berenson is an incredibly gifted writer and in John Wells he has created a protagonist that is both complex and compelling. I honestly don't think Berenson gets enough credit for the literary quality of his writing -- I absolutely loved THE FAITHFUL SPY and have read every book in the series precisely because Berenson blew me away with his ability to write a literary thriller. I highly recommend this book and the entire series: 5/5 stars.
1120219
Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Governor ) proves in this high action drama that he is capable of protecting the state of terrorists. I on the other hand will protect your investment by advising you that this is a superb dvd for your action collection. Aronld's character John Kruger a U.S Marshal battles his tutor in a quest to prevent super weapons from getting in the wrong hands. This has got to be one of the best action movies I've seen.......I'ts a classic!
906601
He is a great slicker in Korea. Maybe Hell be imprisoned for bribe.
That will be a proof of Right will prevail in the end.
212851
Jonathan Hunter is an employee of the CIA who has not seen his family for years due to assignments in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and other mid eastern hot spots.  Out of the blue he gets a call from his brother Kevin to rush home to help him.  In spite of being estranged for 15 years Jonathan goes AWOL from his duty station and rushes home.  Unfortunately it is just in time to meet Kevin dying by a lake that both brothers are familiar with and hear his last words, "Khalifah  not them, Maya"

  Kevin has obviously been murdered and  Jonathan in spite of not seeing him for so long vows to find and execute his killer.  With the violence of the killing beginning the novel it is a safe bet that the remainder of the book will feature more of the same.  And that is certainly  what happens.  While going after the killer or killers Jonathan meets his brother's widow, his adopted son and has his CIA supervisor find him up and okay the search.  Oh yes, seems like Kevin's death is tied into a plot by extremists to cause a mass killing of Americans in several areas and the forcing of action against the perpetrators by the U.S. government.  Also Kevin's  widow  develops an attraction for Jonathan, and she also has an adopted son that is somehow tied into Islamic terrorists.

  Mr. O'Connor vividly portrays the hierarchy of the CIA to which Jonathan is attached.  His direct supervisor, Oscar LaRue shows up in time to tie  many other side factors to the murder and orders Jonathan to investigate these while he is working on his brother's case.  Tall order, but our hero is certainly able to do so in spite of all the factors working against him.  He gets involved with a female FBI agent who starts out  very antagonistic but does develop a liking for him, and a local police officer that is  so certain  that Jonathan is guilty of something that he becomes a tormentor to him.

  The ending leaves enough clues to make it almost a certainty that there will be future books featuring Jonathan Hunter, his supervisor and others who are front and center in "The Consultant".  I look forward to these for the promise of steady action in those novels.
1131605
I plot move from one direction to the the next at wrap speed. Each one flowing seamlessly to another. His greatest gift is ability to see what is morally right in a world of spy's and stone cold killers that have no moral at all
2302235
While the book is about special forces, I find that the takeways can be applied to almost everyone wishing to achieve excellence in life and work. From Mr. Owen's account, one learns that in order to be the best of what you do, you have to:

1. Really like what you do and enjoy every moment of it;
2. Train, exercise, rehearse a lot (really really a lot);
3. Work with the best;
4. Have lots of planning;
4. Have lots of backup planning;
5. Have patience & tenacity;
6. Focus on the task at hand & stop worrying;
7. Be prepared to make plenty of personal sacrfices.

I also like the fact that he does not care too much about the public praisals of his accomplishments, but rather values the experience of being there and executing the missions; and above all else, the brotherhood with his fellow seals. Someone once said the meaning of life is in 'love & work', this could not be more true in this wonderful book.

Intensity is the price of excellence, my friends.
2351406
Casey is probably the most controversial person to ever lead the CIA. Persico does a fantastic job on this biography, building up from the various parts of his life that made him the man he was. He covers everything from college sports, to OSS service, to his financial brilliance.

Casey was a devoted public servant and incredibly smart. While he had a rough demeanor, he was still able to get Ronald Reagan elected president and later lead the CIA (since he couldn't get the State Dept). His view of intelligence was shaped partly by his days in the OSS, when covert action was king. Casey wanted to reverse the trend started by his predecessors to rely on technology instead of humans. He also wanted to use covert action to force US policy abroad.

What remains most fascinating about Casey was his premature death sealed a certain mystique about his role in the Iran-Contra affair. To this day, no one knows what Casey really knew about it. Without question he was the true mastermind and must have known more about the dirty deal than anyone else, even Oliver North. And there are without question secrets that he took to the grave.

This book tells the tale of a flawed patriot, a fierce believer in the American Way and in the role of espionage in the modern world. Casey may have had little regard for the rule of law, but he brought US intelligence to a new level. He was such a unique person; this book is a great read.
324607
The amazing true story of Jay J. Armes, the private ibnvestigator who, ironically, lost his
hands in an explosion when he was a kid.  He made up for the loss like gangbusters with a
high-tech, extremely physical lifestyle, right up there in Chuck Norris territory.  I first read
this book back in the day after seeing Armes portraying an assassin targeting Steve McGarret
on Hawaii Five-Oh.  One thing I recall from my first reading was how Armes creatively advertised
an agency competing with a dozen others in El Paso on radio, offering to find burglars and other
crooks which overtaxed police treated in a perfuntory fashion.  Anyone who has been a victim
realizes that catching the perpetrator is worth any cost, something police can't do.

The book is filled with accounts of Armes' activities, including the rescue of Marlon Brando's
kidnapped son from Baja California.

Nolan inserts bridge notes between most chapters discussing Armes' daily schedule which
starts with 400 pushups straight out of bed, an hour of physical training, and an hour on his
in-home shooting range.  He also discusses gadgets, such as the cosmetic human arms that
Armes can slip on so he can blend with others when on surveillance and the built-in gun
in one arm.  There's a description of Armes' square block homesite, complete with private
zoo, the story of his involvement with the Patty Hearst kidnapping, and even ElPaso's
violent past.

The Armes philosophy is simple: solve the case fast so you can get on with the next job
and earn more money.

According to Wikipedia, Armes appears these days to have switched his market to domestic
government and foreign cases.

Great book, very inspiring.  If you come across it, pick it up.
4297573
FBI agent Tom Grant one of the agency's best agents possibly their best undercover agent . There wasn't anything  he would or  wouldn't do for his country.  There was no doubt he was one of the best in undercover agents  and emphasize was since he met a girl named Sabrina. His assignments  often involved him to use women and I need nit explain that term . It was over seas on a mission he met Sabrina, she was young and beautiful and he almost destroyed her. Oh she recovered to an extent but Tom would never forgot what he had done to her  nor the countless others  . Oh he was still the same Tom with women flocking to him and the envy of the other agents , there was just something inside of him that wasn't there ,it was as if a part of him died  with that assignment with Sabrina . He was no longer the Romeo he once was.
 But fate had a way of changing ones life course and it happened in the blink of an eye that day Salomea walked into the bar and his life. She was beautiful , why to say she was a goddess could not really describe her beauty. There wasn't a men in the room that wasn't captivated by her beauty and their eyes followed her as she walked by each of  them .Of course there was the small detail of eliminating her boyfriend and his boys , which Tom had no problem taking care of . Removing some drug dealers was doing the town a favor in his mind. He knew Beauty deserved better the. What she had and he was going to make sure she got it. There was something about this woman that excited him and he began to have those feelings he thought were gone forever. I was also surprised to find there is a story under all the erotica and it is a good story. Ms. St. John managed  to conceal a story  with an interesting plot that could be torn from the pages of the newspapers today.
 We also find out a bit more on Beauty and how she was raised by her uncle who did occasional work for the  agency and taught her a few things. One  begins to realize she's no mere young woman thrown into the world of undercover and now with the coaching if one of the best they carry out an assignment that if not careful will coast them their lives.
I feel the reader will find the story a page turner and one they will enjoy. Excellent story
49760
This is the ninth entry in Martin Limon's excellent series featuring U. S. Army CID agents, George Sueno and Ernie Bascom. The series is set in the Korea of the 1970s, and the crimes that the two investigate often involve both U.S. Army personnel and Korean citizens. In consequence, Sueno and Bascom often find themselves locking horns with both the South Korean military and civilian authorities and with their own superior officers.

Such is the case here when a Korean man bluffs his way onto a U.S. base in Seoul and, using a small iron sickle that he has concealed beneath his coat, viciously murders the officer who is in charge of the 8th United States Army Claims Office. The office handles claims for damages done to South Korean citizens and their property by the U.S. Army. These claims run the gamut from the relatively small, say in the case of a farmer's field damaged by Army maneuvers, to the relatively large, say in the case of a Korean who is injured or killed being run over by an Army jeep.

The logical assumption would be that the killer might be someone who was disgruntled by the rejection of a claim against the Army. But both the U.S. and South Korean authorities do not appear at all anxious to dig very deeply into the case for fear that it might damage relations between the two countries. This is often an overriding consideration while things like truth and justice are deemed to be less important. Accordingly, those in command, both in the Army and in South Korea, insist that the attacker must be a mentally deranged person or perhaps a North Korean agent attempting to stir up trouble. In either case, the Power That Be would prefer that the killer be found ASAP and preferably killed while resisting arrest.

As usual, Sueno and Bascom refuse to take the easy way out and are not at all opposed to ignoring orders. They're determined to get to the truth of the matter no matter whose feelings might be hurt or whose interests might be damaged. They pursue a number of avenues that other investigators, both American and Korean, are ignoring, and the urgency of the investigation is heightened when the killer strikes again.

The investigation takes Sueno and Bascom out of Seoul and into the South Korean countryside and, as always, the real appeal of these novels lies in Limon's descriptions of the South Korean people, the countryside, and the relations between the Americans and South Koreans. Limon served for twenty years in the Army and was stationed in South Korea for ten of those years, so he knows the setting very well. The tension mounts rapidly as the story proceeds, and the climax is one of Limon's best yet. This is another excellent addition to a wonderful series.
4939212
The Time Between Dog and Wolf is the twilight hour when it becomes difficult to distinguish between good and evil, or friend from foe.
This series is a wise guy spy thriller of the first order. The script is tight and fast paced, the acting superb, and the photography is most excellent. Actor Lee Joon Ki's (Le Grand Chef, Sweet Spy) portrayal of the conflicted NIS (National Intelligence Service) agent Suhyun/Kay, a spy who finds himself accepted as a son by his gangland Triad boss is one to be remembered. This show is well populated with a host of very memorable and well developed characters. On location filming in Thailand and Korea adds considerably to the gritty underworld reality of the film. Directed by Jin Min Kim. The very good English subtitle work by David Bannon makes this film very watchable for the non Korean speaking viewer. This series is so good that I unreservedly recommended it most highly. If you enjoy superior quality viewing entertainment then this belongs in your collection.
4965816
His excellency brings Me closer to a point in which I acknowledge that he acknowledges his imperial baggage though carrying a superb diplomatic case!

Soft power compliments hard power and it is not a mere substitution for it: boots on the ground and ebooks in device....keeping peace!!

Yet, the book in hand is a handbook for future Diplomats, state-men and public servants.

A question his excellency can think the answer for....why does UK have two embassies????