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Say Goodbye
America is ready for a new type of hero. John Paxton is a man who understands duty-both to his family and to his country. As a highly decorated pararescueman in the Air Force, he's risked his own life numerous times to save the lives of others. He is the epitome of the pararescue motto: These Things We Do That Others May Live. But now that he's married with two small children, he's content as an instructor at Lackland Air Force Base. Then Paxton is commanded to lead a team on a dangerous mission-supposedly to rescue the pilot of a stealth fighter shot down over Serbia. Yet, nothing is as it seems. As the mission goes from bad to worse, Paxton uncovers a deadly plot that threatens National Security. But to fight an enemy with ties to one of the most dangerous organizations on the planet, he risks not only his own life, but also the lives of the people he loves the most. -SAY GOODBYE is a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat page-turner. Don't miss it!- Michele Bardsley, national bestselling author -Finally, a thrilling true-to-life novel about America's ultra-elite but largely unsung special operations force, the Air Force Pararescuemen.- Matthew Bracken, former Navy SEAL and author of the ENEMIES FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC series.
376 pages, Paperback
First published December 14, 2010
2 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Robert Capko
4 books42 followersAward-winning author of action/adventure thrillers include the John Paxton series.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 24, 2011
I have to keep this review short, because if I go into too much detail, I might throw in a spoiler and inadvertently ruin this fantastic read for the many, many readers I know it currently has and will continue to have.
There is nothing formulaic, repetitious or trite in the first of what I hope Mr. Capko makes into a long-standing serial. I have seldom been enthralled by a military thriller as much as "Say Goodbye" managed to do from page one. There are so many questions the reader has to answer about why John Paxton (a Pararescue Jumper who plays with the idea of retirement while he teaches other servicemen in his field) is called to join a very sketchy secondary character, McMurphy, in a mission that can only be described by a brilliant new word the novel taught me: 'clusterf**k'. That word can pretty much surmise the mounting stress, foreboding, mystery and sheer thrilling entertainment that makes up the plot of "Say Goodbye".
I have always admired authors who either rely on their own expertise or research the intricacies of military equipment, strategies and history, but very few of them are able to break away from the description of a gun or an aircraft and also draw characters that are well-rounded, engaging and most of all, relatable. Mr. Capko is that rare talent who can sum up a clear depiction of a service man caught up in the pre-9/11 ethnic cleanse and brutal massacres in Yugoslavia and still wrestle with the anxiety of leaving on what might be a suicide mission without speaking to his wife and children. This is a book for a wide audience, and every page turn is rich with images and action that can easily translate into a blockbuster movie. Hollywood, give this man a producer and a director, and let him write his own script. This book is movie-ready from page one.
Robert Capko is simply a brilliant storyteller, and I can only wish him many followers and a long and truly successful writing career. He deserves it; this book is thrilling and fantastic; this is a must-read!
Conchie Fernandez, Author, "Undrawn".
There is nothing formulaic, repetitious or trite in the first of what I hope Mr. Capko makes into a long-standing serial. I have seldom been enthralled by a military thriller as much as "Say Goodbye" managed to do from page one. There are so many questions the reader has to answer about why John Paxton (a Pararescue Jumper who plays with the idea of retirement while he teaches other servicemen in his field) is called to join a very sketchy secondary character, McMurphy, in a mission that can only be described by a brilliant new word the novel taught me: 'clusterf**k'. That word can pretty much surmise the mounting stress, foreboding, mystery and sheer thrilling entertainment that makes up the plot of "Say Goodbye".
I have always admired authors who either rely on their own expertise or research the intricacies of military equipment, strategies and history, but very few of them are able to break away from the description of a gun or an aircraft and also draw characters that are well-rounded, engaging and most of all, relatable. Mr. Capko is that rare talent who can sum up a clear depiction of a service man caught up in the pre-9/11 ethnic cleanse and brutal massacres in Yugoslavia and still wrestle with the anxiety of leaving on what might be a suicide mission without speaking to his wife and children. This is a book for a wide audience, and every page turn is rich with images and action that can easily translate into a blockbuster movie. Hollywood, give this man a producer and a director, and let him write his own script. This book is movie-ready from page one.
Robert Capko is simply a brilliant storyteller, and I can only wish him many followers and a long and truly successful writing career. He deserves it; this book is thrilling and fantastic; this is a must-read!
Conchie Fernandez, Author, "Undrawn".
December 7, 2012
Military men are a breed of their own. Honorable to a fault for when Senior Master Sergeant John Paxton was given an order he obeyed even when he didn't fully understand the mission.
John Paxton was a Pararescue Jumper and now a Pararescue Jumper Instructor. His adventure began and his life could change forever the moment General Reed and Colonel Ward walked into his office. Given absolutely no time to call family or let his wife and children know he was leaving, John was ordered to go on a somewhat sketchy rescue mission in Yugoslovia.
Everything about this mission was questionable including the man he was to be traveling with, McMurphy. The basis of the mission is to fly into Yugoslovia find and rescue the Stealth Fighter pilot. Oh and don't ask too many questions because he certainly won't get many answers. Everything started going awry and becoming more and more questionable from the moment he accepted the mission.
It is one mishap and adventure after another. Every turn leads to another suspense. Jump in and hold on for a crazy ride.
**Robert did an excellent job with character development. The story line was well thought of but at times I did have to flip back and forth to stay with parts of the story. There were several situations going on at the same time in different parts of the world.
All in all the book was very interesting and it is not my typical genre that I read. I also do not have an understanding of many things military but was able to follow what was going on.
It is suspense and leaves the reader wanting more!!!!
John Paxton was a Pararescue Jumper and now a Pararescue Jumper Instructor. His adventure began and his life could change forever the moment General Reed and Colonel Ward walked into his office. Given absolutely no time to call family or let his wife and children know he was leaving, John was ordered to go on a somewhat sketchy rescue mission in Yugoslovia.
Everything about this mission was questionable including the man he was to be traveling with, McMurphy. The basis of the mission is to fly into Yugoslovia find and rescue the Stealth Fighter pilot. Oh and don't ask too many questions because he certainly won't get many answers. Everything started going awry and becoming more and more questionable from the moment he accepted the mission.
It is one mishap and adventure after another. Every turn leads to another suspense. Jump in and hold on for a crazy ride.
**Robert did an excellent job with character development. The story line was well thought of but at times I did have to flip back and forth to stay with parts of the story. There were several situations going on at the same time in different parts of the world.
All in all the book was very interesting and it is not my typical genre that I read. I also do not have an understanding of many things military but was able to follow what was going on.
It is suspense and leaves the reader wanting more!!!!
July 18, 2011
Say Goodbye by Robert Capko is a novel that starts with the word, “Crazy!” and that is what I thought I was for reading it. Only because it is not the usual storyline that I would choose. Since I usually don’t read military-type stories, I appreciated that Mr. Capko educated me along the way. He wouldn’t put acronyms in as if everyone understood what they meant, he would instead efficiently explain them. Not far into the story I was hooked. Hooked by the twists and turns that kept me wanting to know more about how the main character, John Paxton, was going to overcome every obstacle thrown in his path. Hooked by the genuine dilemma he was placed in, love of country versus love of family. The importance of saying, “Goodbye,” to those you love as an underlying turmoil had a personal connection for me. Capko’s use of life’s humor, vivid descriptions and images (“He had salt and pepper hair, cut in the style of a Marine, and piercing blue eyes.”) made Say Goodbye believable, relatable and enjoyable. I caught myself thinking about the characters and their situations, even when I wasn’t reading. Because the further I read the harder it was to put down, I have recommended Say Goodbye to friends and family. Even once I completed Say Goodbye, I felt a connection to the characters and the John Paxton story. Congratulations Mr. Capko on a story well told. I look forward to your character Paxton’s next adventures in, The Long Road Home.
June 12, 2011
This is a good military thriller. It is not so detailed to make it hard to follow if you aren't military minded but has a good story and likeable charactors. I plan on reading the next one in the series John Paxton is a patriot with a good set of values.
September 8, 2012
Say Goodbye was an excellent military suspense/thriller that keeps you hooked throughout the story. The storyline is well put together and leaves you wanting more. This is must have for fans of Military style writing.
August 6, 2011
Solid read. A lot of action, good characters. I would read future books in this series.
January 24, 2015
Great book in the political thriller genre! Well written and well researched. Non stop action!
November 30, 2014
As a military author myself, I participated in a Veteran's Day Charity event with Mr. Capko and joined 40 other military veteran authors, who pledged the royalties for all book sales made on that day to a charity of our choice. I saw "Say Goodbye" on the list of books offered and was intrigued by the book description - ultimately, purchasing it and a couple of others that looked interesting.
"Say Goodbye" by Robert Capko is an intense and captivating read. John Paxton is a Pararescue Jumper Trainer who is contemplating retirement and spending more time with his wife and two children. Suddenly, he and a team of PJ's are ordered to Serbia - a Stealth Bomber was shot down and the team must rescue the downed pilot. Time is not their friend and it is imperative that they leave immediately for this top secret mission. There is no time to call the family, in fact, the brass confiscate John's cell phone and then orders the pilot of the C-17 aircraft to disallow any of the team members access to the radio for personal calls. A lone civilian, McMurphy, joins the team on this flight, but keeps to himself; he is extremely secretive and informs John Paxton that he has a mission of his own and will not join the team on the ground. Once in the air, the team is stripped of their clothing and identities then ordered to wear green fatigues similar to those worn by the Serbian Rebels. Since there is no evidence that they are American Soldiers, if caught on the ground, they will be treated as spies and probably shot.
John Paxton begins to question the mission - everything just doesn't add up. Who is McMurphy? What's his mission? U.S. PJ's are stationed in Italy and could have responded to the downed aircraft immediately, why fly this group there from Texas? Why is the team dressed like Serb Rebels to rescue a downed pilot? Are they being set-up? Are they pawns in a much larger mission?
The action starts right away and it will be difficult to set the book down to see what happens next. There are many twists and turns which keep readers on the edge of their seat, feverishly turning pages and hoping to solve the mystery. Are there spies and traitors among us? Who is the real enemy? Pick up this book and see how it plays out!
The story is great and highly recommended. I've already downloaded the next book in the series and plan to start after completing this review. Note that I would have given "Say Goodbye" five stars, if not for the typos and other errors encountered - a proof reader should have caught them.
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
"Say Goodbye" by Robert Capko is an intense and captivating read. John Paxton is a Pararescue Jumper Trainer who is contemplating retirement and spending more time with his wife and two children. Suddenly, he and a team of PJ's are ordered to Serbia - a Stealth Bomber was shot down and the team must rescue the downed pilot. Time is not their friend and it is imperative that they leave immediately for this top secret mission. There is no time to call the family, in fact, the brass confiscate John's cell phone and then orders the pilot of the C-17 aircraft to disallow any of the team members access to the radio for personal calls. A lone civilian, McMurphy, joins the team on this flight, but keeps to himself; he is extremely secretive and informs John Paxton that he has a mission of his own and will not join the team on the ground. Once in the air, the team is stripped of their clothing and identities then ordered to wear green fatigues similar to those worn by the Serbian Rebels. Since there is no evidence that they are American Soldiers, if caught on the ground, they will be treated as spies and probably shot.
John Paxton begins to question the mission - everything just doesn't add up. Who is McMurphy? What's his mission? U.S. PJ's are stationed in Italy and could have responded to the downed aircraft immediately, why fly this group there from Texas? Why is the team dressed like Serb Rebels to rescue a downed pilot? Are they being set-up? Are they pawns in a much larger mission?
The action starts right away and it will be difficult to set the book down to see what happens next. There are many twists and turns which keep readers on the edge of their seat, feverishly turning pages and hoping to solve the mystery. Are there spies and traitors among us? Who is the real enemy? Pick up this book and see how it plays out!
The story is great and highly recommended. I've already downloaded the next book in the series and plan to start after completing this review. Note that I would have given "Say Goodbye" five stars, if not for the typos and other errors encountered - a proof reader should have caught them.
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
May 20, 2015
Non-stop action! The author obviously has a lot of knowledge about military operations and weapons systems, but his story doesn't read like a textbook. It's a suspense/thriller that gets the facts right. I can't wait for the movie!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews