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Jake Grafton #6
The Red Horseman
As the USSR collapses, thousands of nuclear warheads may end up in the wrong hands in this thriller from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Art of War. Jake Grafton has been promoted to deputy director of a new US intelligence agency—and the stakes of his commission are higher than ever before. With the Soviet Union on the brink of dissolution, a vast nuclear arsenal is suddenly ripe for the taking by mercenaries, rogue nations, and insane Russian nationalists. Grafton must stop them, and he may have to do it alone—because not everyone supposedly on his side wants him to succeed. From the “masterful storyteller” whose blockbuster tales of international suspense include Flight of the Intruder and Liars & Thieves, The Red Horseman is a startling vision of the apocalyptic danger that emerged at the end of the Cold War, a threat that still exists wherever weapons of mass destruction remain poorly secured.This ebook features an illustrated biography of Stephen Coonts, including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1990
568 people are currently reading
821 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Coonts
181 books757 followersStephen Coonts (born July 19, 1946) is an American thriller and suspense novelist.
Coonts grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a small coal-mining town and earned an B.A. degree in political science at West Virginia University in 1968. He entered the Navy the following year and flew an A-6 Intruder medium attack plane during the Vietnam War, where he served on two combat cruises aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). He accumulated 1600 hours in the A-6 Intruder and earned a number of Navy commendations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he served as a flight instructor on A-6 aircraft for two years, then did a tour as an assistant catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68). His navigator-bombardier was LTjg Stanley W. Bryant who later became a Rear Admiral and deputy commander-in-chief of the US naval forces in Europe.
After being honorably discharged from duty as a lieutenant in 1977, Coonts pursued a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the University of Colorado, graduating in 1979. He then worked as an oil and gas lawyer for several companies, entertaining his writing interests in his free time.
He published short stories in a number of publications before writing Flight of the Intruder in 1986 (made into a movie in 1991). Intruder, based in part on his experiences as a bomber pilot, spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover and launched his career as a novelist. From there he continued writing adventure-mysteries using the character from his first book, Jake Grafton. He has written several other series and stand-alone novels since then, but is most notable for the Grafton books.
Today Coonts continues to write, having had seventeen New York Times bestsellers (out of 20 books), and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and son.
Taken from Wikipedia
Learn more about Stephen Coonts on the Macmillan website.
Coonts grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a small coal-mining town and earned an B.A. degree in political science at West Virginia University in 1968. He entered the Navy the following year and flew an A-6 Intruder medium attack plane during the Vietnam War, where he served on two combat cruises aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). He accumulated 1600 hours in the A-6 Intruder and earned a number of Navy commendations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he served as a flight instructor on A-6 aircraft for two years, then did a tour as an assistant catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68). His navigator-bombardier was LTjg Stanley W. Bryant who later became a Rear Admiral and deputy commander-in-chief of the US naval forces in Europe.
After being honorably discharged from duty as a lieutenant in 1977, Coonts pursued a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the University of Colorado, graduating in 1979. He then worked as an oil and gas lawyer for several companies, entertaining his writing interests in his free time.
He published short stories in a number of publications before writing Flight of the Intruder in 1986 (made into a movie in 1991). Intruder, based in part on his experiences as a bomber pilot, spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover and launched his career as a novelist. From there he continued writing adventure-mysteries using the character from his first book, Jake Grafton. He has written several other series and stand-alone novels since then, but is most notable for the Grafton books.
Today Coonts continues to write, having had seventeen New York Times bestsellers (out of 20 books), and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and son.
Taken from Wikipedia
Learn more about Stephen Coonts on the Macmillan website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
October 16, 2020
Terrific story. Jake Grafton does it all with the help of sidekick Toad-man. Rita helps them both as they save the world.
November 11, 2008
I enjoyed this one. After reading The Charm School by Nelson DeMille, which occurred during the Cold War, it was interesting to read this book, which occurred after the break up of the Soviet Union. Of course this book is non-fiction, however it is loosely based on what was going on in the world at that time. It was also interesting to see Saddam Hussein as a character, post Desert Storm/Pre-Iraqi Freedom. I wonder if Stephen Coonts, while writing this, ever thought that Saddam would eventually be executed....
Maybe President Bush read this one before he went on a hunt for weapons of mass destruction, and mistook it for an actual intelligence report....... :)
Maybe President Bush read this one before he went on a hunt for weapons of mass destruction, and mistook it for an actual intelligence report....... :)
April 10, 2023
This book is by one of my favourite authors of military / battle books. I don’t know when this book was written. It is set in the 1990’s when the cold war is newly cold and the USA and Russia are friendly. Yeltsin is desperately trying to hold onto power and the USA is trying to help him financially and with destroying many of Russia’s obsolete but still dangerous nukes. All of this without looking like they are helping. Jake Grafton. a naval airman and Coonts regular is now an Admiral and head of the Defense Intelligence Establishment.
A loose nuke is exploded in an obsolete Russian Air Force base killing everybody present including the Colonel triggering the bomb. The bomb is very dirty and hundreds, maybe thousands of square miles are contaminated and will remain contaminated for thousands of years. This Includes a second air force base where many of the bombs scheduled for dismantling are stored and are in various states of disassembly. Grafton and his Aide Toad Tarkington are dispatched to Moscow to get a handle on what is really going on. Grafton has to be careful as the KGB generally supports a group of dissatisfied Russian politicians trying to oust Yeltsin. Before leaving for Russia, Grafton hires a former computer hacker who nobody else will hire because of his criminal record. Grafton has heard rumors that a group in the middle east is spending a ton of money to purchase black market nukes. Grafton knows this would cost billions of dollars and he wants his hacker to find what he knows would be a “river of money.”
When he gets to Moscow, Grafton takes a team of experts and a civil aviation craft to personally visit the site of the explosion and the site of the bomb disassembly. He needs to gather information and analyse the situation in detail. The explosion site is totally destroyed and little can be done; there is no safe exposure period. The disassembly site is highly contaminated and there are numerous bodies scattered throughout. While they stay for only a brief visit, it is apparent that bombs have been shipped out recently; the remainder are protected only by the radiation. Grafton’s team determines that even the best anti-radiation suits will only protect for an hour or so. They conclude the shipping crew are lied to regarding their personal risk and exposure.
The river of money is found and leads to Iraq. Grafton and his team put together a plan to stop the shipping of the bombs and to destroy the Iraq end as well any bombs that have already been delivered. Several special, air and infantry teams are quickly gathered and deployed.
This story was very good. The plot was interesting, and the air and ground battle scenes were exciting. The characters were authentic, exposing real-life behavior and attitudes. I tore though this story in only a few hours, reading at every chance I got. Four and a half stars.
A loose nuke is exploded in an obsolete Russian Air Force base killing everybody present including the Colonel triggering the bomb. The bomb is very dirty and hundreds, maybe thousands of square miles are contaminated and will remain contaminated for thousands of years. This Includes a second air force base where many of the bombs scheduled for dismantling are stored and are in various states of disassembly. Grafton and his Aide Toad Tarkington are dispatched to Moscow to get a handle on what is really going on. Grafton has to be careful as the KGB generally supports a group of dissatisfied Russian politicians trying to oust Yeltsin. Before leaving for Russia, Grafton hires a former computer hacker who nobody else will hire because of his criminal record. Grafton has heard rumors that a group in the middle east is spending a ton of money to purchase black market nukes. Grafton knows this would cost billions of dollars and he wants his hacker to find what he knows would be a “river of money.”
When he gets to Moscow, Grafton takes a team of experts and a civil aviation craft to personally visit the site of the explosion and the site of the bomb disassembly. He needs to gather information and analyse the situation in detail. The explosion site is totally destroyed and little can be done; there is no safe exposure period. The disassembly site is highly contaminated and there are numerous bodies scattered throughout. While they stay for only a brief visit, it is apparent that bombs have been shipped out recently; the remainder are protected only by the radiation. Grafton’s team determines that even the best anti-radiation suits will only protect for an hour or so. They conclude the shipping crew are lied to regarding their personal risk and exposure.
The river of money is found and leads to Iraq. Grafton and his team put together a plan to stop the shipping of the bombs and to destroy the Iraq end as well any bombs that have already been delivered. Several special, air and infantry teams are quickly gathered and deployed.
This story was very good. The plot was interesting, and the air and ground battle scenes were exciting. The characters were authentic, exposing real-life behavior and attitudes. I tore though this story in only a few hours, reading at every chance I got. Four and a half stars.
July 22, 2022
I rate this book at 3.5 stars.
I hadn't thought about Boris Yeltsin in a long time. I did notice recently that we celebrated the 31st anniversary of Boris Yeltsin's first inauguration. He was the first popularly elected president in Russia's 1,000-year history. This book gave some alternative events that could have occurred around the fall of the Soviet Union. This fiction explores the attempts by the Russian federation to survive in the power vacuum that developed as the Soviet Union faded into history...a transition that happened so quickly and unbelievably so. What would happen to Russia's nuclear weapons when the country was struggling to feed its people? How does Russia transition from communism to democracy? I remember noticing so much hope and optimism surrounding the radical changes that happened under the rule of the last Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Yeltsin. It was clear from this book that no one had a certain picture of the future of Russia and the other members of the former Soviet Union. Additionally, consider that this book was written between "Desert Storm" and the end of Saddam Hussein's Iraqi dominion. What was the world like before 9/11?
I'm sure you could point out plot failures and happenings that beggar belief. However, the unique perspectives allowed from writing fiction in the early 90's was well worth the read for me. The rapid-fire story line was engaging and entertaining as Jake Grafton made the necessary tough calls. However, I appreciated his desperate need for much assistance from his small, loyal and exceptionally qualified team.
I'm certain I will read more of this series... if for no other reason than that it is unique from other fiction that I have been reading lately.
I hadn't thought about Boris Yeltsin in a long time. I did notice recently that we celebrated the 31st anniversary of Boris Yeltsin's first inauguration. He was the first popularly elected president in Russia's 1,000-year history. This book gave some alternative events that could have occurred around the fall of the Soviet Union. This fiction explores the attempts by the Russian federation to survive in the power vacuum that developed as the Soviet Union faded into history...a transition that happened so quickly and unbelievably so. What would happen to Russia's nuclear weapons when the country was struggling to feed its people? How does Russia transition from communism to democracy? I remember noticing so much hope and optimism surrounding the radical changes that happened under the rule of the last Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Yeltsin. It was clear from this book that no one had a certain picture of the future of Russia and the other members of the former Soviet Union. Additionally, consider that this book was written between "Desert Storm" and the end of Saddam Hussein's Iraqi dominion. What was the world like before 9/11?
I'm sure you could point out plot failures and happenings that beggar belief. However, the unique perspectives allowed from writing fiction in the early 90's was well worth the read for me. The rapid-fire story line was engaging and entertaining as Jake Grafton made the necessary tough calls. However, I appreciated his desperate need for much assistance from his small, loyal and exceptionally qualified team.
I'm certain I will read more of this series... if for no other reason than that it is unique from other fiction that I have been reading lately.
September 8, 2020
As this series progresses, Jake Grafton becomes more and more crystallized to the readers in terms of who he is and what he stands for. In early novels, he was someone who was willing to go out his own to pursue "right" even if it didn't align perfectly with orders. As his career has advanced, he's still willing to go on his own to pursue what's right (even though he's more likely to be issuing orders than taking them at this point). We had a few pages return to flying for Grafton (a nice change after the previous couple of books left out the flying all together).
In this book, Grafton, Toad, Rita, and Jack Locke (introduced in the last book) are all tied up in a plot which involved the fall of the Soviet Union, corruption within the ranks of the CIA, and a Saddam Hussein power play in the Middle East. It unfolds with Grafton unsure of who is at the center of it and without certainty as to who he can trust outside those listed above. It's explosive, tense, and gratifying.
In this book, Grafton, Toad, Rita, and Jack Locke (introduced in the last book) are all tied up in a plot which involved the fall of the Soviet Union, corruption within the ranks of the CIA, and a Saddam Hussein power play in the Middle East. It unfolds with Grafton unsure of who is at the center of it and without certainty as to who he can trust outside those listed above. It's explosive, tense, and gratifying.
May 17, 2021
The Red Horseman bukan sahaja merupakan perubahan atau transisi genre semata-mata. Tetapi,turut menyaksikan evolusi watak utama siri novel ini,Jake Grafton. Dari seorang pegawai Tentera Laut Amerika Syarikat yang berpangkat Leftenan kepada Commander Air Group (CAG) kemudian kepada Timbalan Pengarah DIA (Defence Intelligence Agency). Dari genre yang berunsurkan thriller ketenteraan kepada thriller espionage, walaupun masih wujud elemen yang pertama.
Novel ini asalnya diterbitkan pada tahun 1993. Apa yang menarik,10 tahun selepas itu,pada tahun 2003,Iraq diserang dan berlakulah pendudukan tentera ke atas negara tersebut atas alasan Iraq memiliki apa yang dipanggil Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Di dalam novel ini,Saddam Hussein ditangkap dan diembak mati kerana memiliki senjata nuklear dari Rusia. Manakala,di dalam dunia sebenar, beberapa tahun selepas Iraq dijajah,Saddam Hussein dihukum gantung sehingga mati. WMD pula langsung tidak dijumpai. Kebetulan yang sangat ironik?
Novel ini asalnya diterbitkan pada tahun 1993. Apa yang menarik,10 tahun selepas itu,pada tahun 2003,Iraq diserang dan berlakulah pendudukan tentera ke atas negara tersebut atas alasan Iraq memiliki apa yang dipanggil Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Di dalam novel ini,Saddam Hussein ditangkap dan diembak mati kerana memiliki senjata nuklear dari Rusia. Manakala,di dalam dunia sebenar, beberapa tahun selepas Iraq dijajah,Saddam Hussein dihukum gantung sehingga mati. WMD pula langsung tidak dijumpai. Kebetulan yang sangat ironik?
July 29, 2021
3.5***Despite writing about serious, international events, Stephen Coonts novels are most enjoyable reads. This, his 5th novel written in 1993, is chock-full of suspense, while, at the same time, high-lighting the personal lives of Jake Grafton, Toad Tarkington, Washington Post investigative reporter, Jack Yorke along with their wives (girlfriends).
The Red Horseman takes place primarily in Russia and Iraq during the early 1990s. The Soviet Union is in turmoil with Boris Yeltsin at the helm but opposed by many of the staunch Communists. Infighting involves Russian Generals destroying a plutonium laboratory and confiscating nuclear missiles and getting them to Saddam Hussein in Iraq. At the same time, rogue CIA agents appear to be working against those Americans supporting Yeltsin.
Full of Coonts' humor along with his version of intriguing events that occurred only in his imagination, The Red Horseman is an interesting and exciting read.
The Red Horseman takes place primarily in Russia and Iraq during the early 1990s. The Soviet Union is in turmoil with Boris Yeltsin at the helm but opposed by many of the staunch Communists. Infighting involves Russian Generals destroying a plutonium laboratory and confiscating nuclear missiles and getting them to Saddam Hussein in Iraq. At the same time, rogue CIA agents appear to be working against those Americans supporting Yeltsin.
Full of Coonts' humor along with his version of intriguing events that occurred only in his imagination, The Red Horseman is an interesting and exciting read.
August 28, 2024
finished 27th august 2024 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner jake grafton #5 have read other stories from coonts...i believe, have a coonts shelf...but don't recall any nor if there are multiple coonts-es writing stories. entertaining story. difficult to imagine someone jumping at 30,000 feet who has never existed a plane before. yeah, let's do it! i've read some stories from some brit whose characterizations have folk on the "same side" battling each other and that's present here, too...turf wars gone extreme. par for the course in our world i take it. be like some "allie" taking out eisenhower for his choice of beaches. or using the american legal system to stem the flow of the other side or even one's own side to keep them off the mountain.
July 4, 2019
Written in 1993, this military tale combines the history of Russia's collapse and Saddam Hussein's quest for nuclear power. The same characters of Jake Grafton and Toad Tarkington, both now in the Pentagon, are charged with dealing with the issue of missing nukes and a nuclear explosion inside the USSR. The story engaged me but Coonts is still making writing mistakes for which I was criticized during my writing of Baden-Powell's Beads. He shifts point of view, sometimes within the same paragraph, and involves real historical figures in events the reader knows didn't occur. Technical points which really didn't detract from my enjoyment of the read.
July 19, 2019
This came across as a little more implausible than usual from Stephen Coonts, especially in light of the actual history. This includes a world altering explosion of a nuclear power plant and the death of Saddam Hussein. Given the subsequent actual killing of Saddam it just highlights that it is not real.
Other than that it is an okay read with the usual action and slightly wooden Coonts characters.
Other than that it is an okay read with the usual action and slightly wooden Coonts characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2019
It was a good story.
I don't think it was as good as some of his other works. As a stand alone, this would be a 4 star, but knowing what this author is capable of it is a 3.
That being said, very few books I have read have the level of character development that Stephen Coonts puts into this book. These people seem so real, they are all unique and completely believable.
I don't think it was as good as some of his other works. As a stand alone, this would be a 4 star, but knowing what this author is capable of it is a 3.
That being said, very few books I have read have the level of character development that Stephen Coonts puts into this book. These people seem so real, they are all unique and completely believable.
July 20, 2019
What a silly book when you read it in times when a racist president, elected with a minority vote, occupies the White House, while praising the president of Russia to further his business interests. The books builds on stereotypes that of the good democratic America and the evil Russia.This book is totally outdated and not worth spending your time on.
April 11, 2020
I read some reviews prior to reading this book. The tricky part is reading a book based in the 90's can seem odd, but if you try to put yourself back in those days it puts the book in a better perspective. I would say of the 6 books I have read this falls 5th or 6th. Probably a 3.5 stars. It is still a good yarn with some factual based things.
May 11, 2022
Really good book. Intrigue, spies, foreign policy AND lots of loose NUKES. Make for a great story. Unfortunately I just read this and it was written in 1993. So spoiler alert Saddam has been killed, just not the way it was in this story. So read with the understanding that this was written BEFORE many of these problems were in the news.
December 20, 2024
If you have ever been on the military this book will remind you of what terrible leaders can cause and who are so willing to sacrifice human lives to get ahead. If you weren't in the military. This book will show you what military leaders are capable of and how the fine line between good and bad are well traveled
June 19, 2025
This book is very well written. The author incorporated some of the defense that were carrying the world at the time the book was written. The book addresses the infrastructure of the Soviet Union collapsing. Rear Admiral Jake Grafton is dispatched to Moscow, and he is assigned to ensure that the weapons are destroyed.
November 25, 2017
Okay
Misspellings galore- censors instead of sensors. The story is moderately plausible. Jake doing a HALO jump for the first time with 80 lbs of gear is not plausible. What the heck, I like Jake.
Misspellings galore- censors instead of sensors. The story is moderately plausible. Jake doing a HALO jump for the first time with 80 lbs of gear is not plausible. What the heck, I like Jake.
December 8, 2018
Among the best Authors of this time
Simply one of my favorite authors, great stories, great story telling. The drama that unfolds along with the characters, the descriptions of the locations, and everything that brings the story to life, masterfully done by Mr Coonts.
Simply one of my favorite authors, great stories, great story telling. The drama that unfolds along with the characters, the descriptions of the locations, and everything that brings the story to life, masterfully done by Mr Coonts.
October 6, 2020
Jake Grafton saving the world again
Some international intrigue with the former Soviet Union, dirty CIA cells and a local reporter who doesn’t know how deep he is in it. Jake and Toad are both all in and this story makes you wonder how safe the world might be
Some international intrigue with the former Soviet Union, dirty CIA cells and a local reporter who doesn’t know how deep he is in it. Jake and Toad are both all in and this story makes you wonder how safe the world might be
July 31, 2021
Overall a good read. Somewhat interesting take on death of Saddam Hussein. At times a little too much detail about some of the weapons and aircraft but definitely better than the previous book in this series.
November 8, 2021
Another great book. Very interesting considering this was written in the early 90’s and what actually transpired in real life in the coming decades! I loved the one question poses to Sadam about being celebrated or dragged through the streets.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2017
Easy to read, fast-paced spy thriller, with plenty of thrills and intrigue. Put it in your holiday bag.
March 25, 2018
One of the mid series Jake Grafton novels. Good character development including Grafton, Toad Tarkington and his wife Rita Moravia. A great read.
Read
July 6, 2019Jake Grafton in Russia with nuclear weapons
December 19, 2019
Great read
February 22, 2020
344 pages
June 14, 2020
Fast reading
Since COVID 19 I have been reading a couple books a week and this was one I did not want to put down.
It was action packed and interesting:
Since COVID 19 I have been reading a couple books a week and this was one I did not want to put down.
It was action packed and interesting:
July 1, 2020
Great as always!
July 9, 2020
I've always enjoyed Coonts books. The tales of Grafton and Toad are always enjoyable.
April 20, 2021
I don’t know what it is about these books but I just love them. I like how parts are realistic and other parts are crazy fiction.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews