What do you think?
Rate this book
Gideon Davis #2
Hard Target
From the executive producer of 24 and co-creator of Homeland, the exciting follow-up to Gideon’s War involves a harrowing attempt to stop a homegrown terrorist plot to destroy the U.S. government. Gideon Davis has settled into the quiet life of an academic and is weeks away from being married when he discovers evidence of an impending terrorist attack on U.S. soil. He brings his suspicions to his ex-girlfriend, FBI Agent Nancy Clement, but her bosses are leery of Gideon’s a meth-head informant affiliated with a white supremacist group. Both Gideon and Nancy become increasingly convinced that a serious plot exists, but their informant is murdered before they can get more details from him. So Gideon enlists his brother, Tillman—newly sprung from prison through a presidential pardon— as an undercover operative to infiltrate a group of white supremacists who may be involved. Eventually, Gideon and Tillman get on the trail of
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 3, 2012
About the author
Howard Gordon
25 books21 followersHoward Gordon was the Showrunner and Executive Producer of the hit television series, 24. A twenty-five year industry veteran, Mr. Gordon first gained national attention for his award-winning work on the groundbreaking series The X-Files, for which he won multiple Golden Globes.
His other credits include Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Beauty and the Beast, Sisters and Spenser: For Hire. He created the innovative 1999 drama Strange World and the series The Inside.
His current projects include Homeland, which he co-created, and Awake, for which he'll serve as Showrunner and Executive Producer. Gordon's first novel, Gideon's War, was published in 2011 with a sequel, Hard Target, to be released in January 2012.
Howard graduated from Princeton University, and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children. He is an active member of the Pacific Counsel on International Relations, and a current board member and former president of the Stroke Association of Southern California.
Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HowardMGordon or via his website at http://howardmgordon.com
His other credits include Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Beauty and the Beast, Sisters and Spenser: For Hire. He created the innovative 1999 drama Strange World and the series The Inside.
His current projects include Homeland, which he co-created, and Awake, for which he'll serve as Showrunner and Executive Producer. Gordon's first novel, Gideon's War, was published in 2011 with a sequel, Hard Target, to be released in January 2012.
Howard graduated from Princeton University, and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children. He is an active member of the Pacific Counsel on International Relations, and a current board member and former president of the Stroke Association of Southern California.
Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HowardMGordon or via his website at http://howardmgordon.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 7, 2012
Once again, I have to clarify: Three stars means I (ultimately) liked Hard Target. It had a tight plot with page-turning suspense, realistic situations and settings, and spare writing. Once I connected with the situation and the plight of the characters, it was not easy to put down. That should have gotten it four stars, but I have to knock off a few points.
First, a half point off because I did not immediately feel connected with the protagonist. The author used a prologue to try to get the reader into the situation and define the bad guys. While this might work for a television show (the author is a successful television writer and producer), in this case it seemed more of a distraction. When we meet up with Gideon Davis in chapter one, the reader is wondering why we are spending time with this loser on his way to work, instead of finding the fate of the poor woman in the prologue.
Another half point comes off for all the head hopping. This is the not the first time I've been assaulted by viewpoint roaming from character to character in a thriller. This may be a stylistic choice and most readers might not notice. I find it jarring and distracting when it happens within a single chapter or scene. It just chops things up too much, giving the story the feel of a badly edited movie-of-the-week.
Otherwise, this was a pretty decent read and I can recommend it for anyone looking for some hard action adventure.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review.
First, a half point off because I did not immediately feel connected with the protagonist. The author used a prologue to try to get the reader into the situation and define the bad guys. While this might work for a television show (the author is a successful television writer and producer), in this case it seemed more of a distraction. When we meet up with Gideon Davis in chapter one, the reader is wondering why we are spending time with this loser on his way to work, instead of finding the fate of the poor woman in the prologue.
Another half point comes off for all the head hopping. This is the not the first time I've been assaulted by viewpoint roaming from character to character in a thriller. This may be a stylistic choice and most readers might not notice. I find it jarring and distracting when it happens within a single chapter or scene. It just chops things up too much, giving the story the feel of a badly edited movie-of-the-week.
Otherwise, this was a pretty decent read and I can recommend it for anyone looking for some hard action adventure.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review.
September 20, 2016
An elaborate terrorist plot to attack a high-value target and the quest to stop it should build to a roiling crescendo, with hard-charging heroes desperately searching out the seemingly unconquerable villains. In "Hard Target," the elaborate plot is there, but the resolution is protracted and anticlimactic. As brothers Gideon and Tillman Davis try to stop Dale Wilmot and his villain cohorts from an attack on the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol, a sense of apathy overshadows a once promising plot. The characters' rich back stories dominated the book's first half and had the book on track to becoming an all-time favorite. Something changed in the second half. Once all the personal strife was hashed out, there was little left except for play-by-play of the attempted attack and intervention. At that point, it became typical superficial action-thriller, with little to thrill. The back half of the book lacked depth, spirit and purpose other than finding out how Gideon and Tillman stop the bad guys.
Initially, Gideon appeared to be the protagonist, but focus shifted to his brother as the action unwound, leaving the book without a clear purpose and the reader feeling apathy toward both brothers.
This book seemed like it would build to a conflagration but instead dudded out. Fortunately, its quick not overwrought prose won't leave the reader languishing.
Little more than a beach read.
Initially, Gideon appeared to be the protagonist, but focus shifted to his brother as the action unwound, leaving the book without a clear purpose and the reader feeling apathy toward both brothers.
This book seemed like it would build to a conflagration but instead dudded out. Fortunately, its quick not overwrought prose won't leave the reader languishing.
Little more than a beach read.
February 6, 2016
The interesting plot in this thriller is marred a bit by suspect editing (In some conversations, it's not clear which character is speaking. And would a firearms expert talk about "pressing" a trigger, as one does in Hard Target? The more apt expression is "pulling" a trigger.) Howard Gordon also traffics too gleefully in stereotypes about right-wing militias. But beyond those unfortunate impediments, and what I thought was a plot hole involving architectural prep in the setup for a terrorist attack, the novel is entertaining.
Gordon makes good use of the "one inside and one outside" trope that thriller writers sometimes use for those times when the hero needs help from a sympathetic member of the bureaucracy. I also liked the author's cursory but promising exploration of the bond between brothers Gideon and Tillman, who are not as different as they at first think they might be, given their respective career choices.
Gordon makes good use of the "one inside and one outside" trope that thriller writers sometimes use for those times when the hero needs help from a sympathetic member of the bureaucracy. I also liked the author's cursory but promising exploration of the bond between brothers Gideon and Tillman, who are not as different as they at first think they might be, given their respective career choices.
March 7, 2019
The sequel to Gideon's War, a real page turner!
October 17, 2023
A very good old fashioned troubled good guys defeat the bad guys in a nick of time and finding redemption story. All done without so much of the usual crap that prevades todays stories.
June 18, 2025
Simple easy read that moved along at a good pace.
January 25, 2012
Riding high on the success of his recent Golden Globes win for Best Television Drama with the show he penned, HOMELAND, Howard Gordon once again revisits the world of print fiction with the second novel in the Gideon Davis series --- HARD TARGET.
This time around, Gideon is facing a threat to our nation that exists at the very heart of it. Home-grown terrorists with a serious chip on their shoulder towards the U.S. and their government are planning an attack on the Capitol that will literally cripple the entire governmental system. Planned for the night of the President’s State of the Union Address, this band of fanatics have their sights set on taking out the government in one fell swoop.
The only thing standing between the terrorists and their target is Gideon Davis and his brother, Tillman. In GIDEON’S WAR, Gideon Davis and his brother Tillman were pitted against each other --- or so we thought. Now joined together and with the help of Gideon’s ex-girlfriend and FBI Agent, Nancy Clement, they represent a small band of patriots with a large task to handle.
Tillman does his part by going undercover and joining the ranks of the conspirators while Gideon and Nancy try to enlist support from the rest of the FBI and anyone who will listen to guard the nation’s Capitol. Nancy’s boss, Director Dahlgren, has serious reservations about trusting Tillman Davis and his meth-head informant within the white supremacist group planning the attack. Additionally, the FBI does not want to overreact against a bunch of hicks and create another Waco.
The Davis brothers realize they are mixed up with some really bad people who have an anti-government agenda that is quite alarming. When two of the leaders of the rebel group, Jim Verhoven and his sadistic wife, Lorene, take Tillman into their circle of trust they share with him their deadly intent to decapitate the entire top tier of the US government. Even though they know about the group’s plans, the Davis’ are in a race against time to stop them since no one takes the threat seriously and many of the players involved have their own hidden agendas.
HARD TARGET is far more dramatic and slower-paced than the high-turbo action of the previous novel, GIDEON’S WAR. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Howard Gordon uses his knowledge of the U.S. government’s inner workings coupled with the twists and turns that make his series HOMELAND such a treat and pushes them to the extreme. The most frightening reality within HARD TARGET is the fact that those who are capable of causing the most damage to our nation may be currently living safely within it. A solid, suspenseful read!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader
This time around, Gideon is facing a threat to our nation that exists at the very heart of it. Home-grown terrorists with a serious chip on their shoulder towards the U.S. and their government are planning an attack on the Capitol that will literally cripple the entire governmental system. Planned for the night of the President’s State of the Union Address, this band of fanatics have their sights set on taking out the government in one fell swoop.
The only thing standing between the terrorists and their target is Gideon Davis and his brother, Tillman. In GIDEON’S WAR, Gideon Davis and his brother Tillman were pitted against each other --- or so we thought. Now joined together and with the help of Gideon’s ex-girlfriend and FBI Agent, Nancy Clement, they represent a small band of patriots with a large task to handle.
Tillman does his part by going undercover and joining the ranks of the conspirators while Gideon and Nancy try to enlist support from the rest of the FBI and anyone who will listen to guard the nation’s Capitol. Nancy’s boss, Director Dahlgren, has serious reservations about trusting Tillman Davis and his meth-head informant within the white supremacist group planning the attack. Additionally, the FBI does not want to overreact against a bunch of hicks and create another Waco.
The Davis brothers realize they are mixed up with some really bad people who have an anti-government agenda that is quite alarming. When two of the leaders of the rebel group, Jim Verhoven and his sadistic wife, Lorene, take Tillman into their circle of trust they share with him their deadly intent to decapitate the entire top tier of the US government. Even though they know about the group’s plans, the Davis’ are in a race against time to stop them since no one takes the threat seriously and many of the players involved have their own hidden agendas.
HARD TARGET is far more dramatic and slower-paced than the high-turbo action of the previous novel, GIDEON’S WAR. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Howard Gordon uses his knowledge of the U.S. government’s inner workings coupled with the twists and turns that make his series HOMELAND such a treat and pushes them to the extreme. The most frightening reality within HARD TARGET is the fact that those who are capable of causing the most damage to our nation may be currently living safely within it. A solid, suspenseful read!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader
January 28, 2012
Hard Target
By Howard Gordon
The Davis brothers are back in a thrilling page-turner. Howard Gordon’s skill with the written word is a windfall for readers. His dialogue is first-rate. He keeps the reader on the edge with a suspenseful plot and it’s diversions. I especially like, his creation of two brothers as protagonists, fighting along side each other.
Hard Target is an electrifying follow-up to Gideon’s War. It follows Gideon and Tillman in their efforts to stop a plot to destroy the U.S. government by U.S. citizens.
Gideon Davis is trying to settle into the quiet life of an academic when he is approached by a sordid, meth junkie, who claims to have information of an imminent terrorist attack on U.S soil. Gideon asks his former girlfriend, a FBI agent, Nancy Clement to relate his suspicions of her superiors. Because the source of the information is a meth-head informant affiliated with a white supremacist group, and because Davis is on the outs with the President, they refused to take action. As Gideon and Nancy become more convinced that a dangerous plot exists, their informant is murdered.
As it happens Tillman is out of prison and living in the area of the white supremacist group involved. Gideon enlists his aid to infiltrate the group as an undercover operative. With only Nancy’s support, Gideon and Tillman track down the real conspirators and succeed in thwarting their attack, averting a government meltdown.
There are an abundant of nasty and spine-chilling characters all who in Mr. Gordon’s hands get their just desserts. The crazed villains are, a voluptuous blonde with an angelic face and a sadistic mind, her husband who thinks the destruction of the US government will make them eternal heroes, a psychopath looking for adoration and the father figure who wants revenge.
The reader can assume that the catastrophe will be stopped. The question of how is what keeps you turning pages as events for the heroes go astray. Hard Target has nonstop action and keeps building suspense with each chapter.
I look forward to more novels from Howard Gordon. His incredible characters deserve more books written about their adventures.
By Howard Gordon
The Davis brothers are back in a thrilling page-turner. Howard Gordon’s skill with the written word is a windfall for readers. His dialogue is first-rate. He keeps the reader on the edge with a suspenseful plot and it’s diversions. I especially like, his creation of two brothers as protagonists, fighting along side each other.
Hard Target is an electrifying follow-up to Gideon’s War. It follows Gideon and Tillman in their efforts to stop a plot to destroy the U.S. government by U.S. citizens.
Gideon Davis is trying to settle into the quiet life of an academic when he is approached by a sordid, meth junkie, who claims to have information of an imminent terrorist attack on U.S soil. Gideon asks his former girlfriend, a FBI agent, Nancy Clement to relate his suspicions of her superiors. Because the source of the information is a meth-head informant affiliated with a white supremacist group, and because Davis is on the outs with the President, they refused to take action. As Gideon and Nancy become more convinced that a dangerous plot exists, their informant is murdered.
As it happens Tillman is out of prison and living in the area of the white supremacist group involved. Gideon enlists his aid to infiltrate the group as an undercover operative. With only Nancy’s support, Gideon and Tillman track down the real conspirators and succeed in thwarting their attack, averting a government meltdown.
There are an abundant of nasty and spine-chilling characters all who in Mr. Gordon’s hands get their just desserts. The crazed villains are, a voluptuous blonde with an angelic face and a sadistic mind, her husband who thinks the destruction of the US government will make them eternal heroes, a psychopath looking for adoration and the father figure who wants revenge.
The reader can assume that the catastrophe will be stopped. The question of how is what keeps you turning pages as events for the heroes go astray. Hard Target has nonstop action and keeps building suspense with each chapter.
I look forward to more novels from Howard Gordon. His incredible characters deserve more books written about their adventures.
March 6, 2012
When a meth-mouthed white-supremacist passes on information to US Diplomat, Gideon Davis that he has insider knowledge on a homegrown terrorist plot to take place against a ‘high-value target’, the information is passed on by the FBI as just another nut-job threat. That is, until the informant disappears within twenty-four hours of failing to give additional details to Davis’ inside-FBI contact.
Using his brother Tillman—a former CIA-operative—Davis uses the little information he gained to help infiltrate the organization to see if there was any truth to the situation since the FBI bosses have now ignored, and put on suspension, his FBI source. Now they cannot officially monitor the alleged threat.
The Idaho-trained supremacists and their meth-making boss are soon hunted to their base, and the threat is over with until the real head of the organization—a former military commander with a chip on his shoulder because of his amputee son’s treatment by the government—and his right-hand man are discovered going ahead with the final plan, using poison gas to take out all the attendees of the State of the Union address.
The Davis brothers lead the chase to get to the president before disaster can happen as Gordon, in this sequel to “Gideon’s War,” let’s them go rogue to stop the government from annihilation. A literal ticking time bomb of a thriller that keeps you guessing until the final second. Gordon uses his skills as executive producer and writer of the smash TV hits 24 and The X-Files to keep you turning the pages of this thriller for the ages.
Using his brother Tillman—a former CIA-operative—Davis uses the little information he gained to help infiltrate the organization to see if there was any truth to the situation since the FBI bosses have now ignored, and put on suspension, his FBI source. Now they cannot officially monitor the alleged threat.
The Idaho-trained supremacists and their meth-making boss are soon hunted to their base, and the threat is over with until the real head of the organization—a former military commander with a chip on his shoulder because of his amputee son’s treatment by the government—and his right-hand man are discovered going ahead with the final plan, using poison gas to take out all the attendees of the State of the Union address.
The Davis brothers lead the chase to get to the president before disaster can happen as Gordon, in this sequel to “Gideon’s War,” let’s them go rogue to stop the government from annihilation. A literal ticking time bomb of a thriller that keeps you guessing until the final second. Gordon uses his skills as executive producer and writer of the smash TV hits 24 and The X-Files to keep you turning the pages of this thriller for the ages.
August 17, 2016
Hard Target by Howard Gordon. Gordon is a television producer, mostly action shows like 24, which he produced for many years. He understands constant action, and the book moves along pretty fast. He's written a few novels, this is the second in a series, and I hadn't read the first, so it took a while for me to fully understand the main characters, many of which carry over from the first book. In brief, a billionaire's son gets blown to bits in Afghanistan, his body now a burned shell, and the father wants to take revenge on the US government for what they did to his son. All the characters, both good and bad, are fairly one dimensional, not complex at all, which is not a bad thing, you don't read books like this for nuance. The protagonists are very likable, which to me is important, I'm tired of having the hero be so flawed that he's no longer fun to be around. If I'm going to spend 20-30 hours with a book, I've got to like the main characters. (Example: I can no longer read Patricia Cornwell novels, the protagonists are so flawed I just don't like them, I feel like I have to take a shower after reading her books, although the plots are great). I liked how the book follows two threads, one determining what the attack will be, and the other determining where the attack will be. Only a few pages before the end do the two threads merge so the heroes can save the day. I enjoyed the book, but I do have one major beef: Idaho geography, which is completely wrong.
September 22, 2013
Hard Target
By Howard Gordon
Howard Gordon’s first book, Gideon’s War was good, but I found his second Gideon Davis thriller, Hard Target, to be even better. In the start of the sequel, Gideon is about to get married and have a regular job, in other words, to settle down. But that simply isn’t going to happen.
From the opening scene where a group of African women have been “imported” to work in an Idaho cassava factory, I was hooked. And I didn’t even know what a cassava was.
Gideon gets hooked into the mysteries of Hard Target a bit later, when he runs into a meth-head informant who knows some really nasty people with some dangerous ideas. These nasty folk know other nasty ones. Put all these evildoers together and the U.S. government could crumble. Unfortunately, Gideon can’t get anyone to listen to him, except an ex-girlfriend, who is an FBI agent, and his disenfranchised brother.
Gordon combines complex, even sympathetic, villains, strong women characters, determined heroes, and a plot against the government that is so genuine it is considered to be one of the biggest threats in Washington D.C. in real life. As the book gets closer and closer to the end, the chapters shorten and the tension heightens. For readers who can hold their breath long enough to race through those final pages, I highly recommend Hard Target.
By Howard Gordon
Howard Gordon’s first book, Gideon’s War was good, but I found his second Gideon Davis thriller, Hard Target, to be even better. In the start of the sequel, Gideon is about to get married and have a regular job, in other words, to settle down. But that simply isn’t going to happen.
From the opening scene where a group of African women have been “imported” to work in an Idaho cassava factory, I was hooked. And I didn’t even know what a cassava was.
Gideon gets hooked into the mysteries of Hard Target a bit later, when he runs into a meth-head informant who knows some really nasty people with some dangerous ideas. These nasty folk know other nasty ones. Put all these evildoers together and the U.S. government could crumble. Unfortunately, Gideon can’t get anyone to listen to him, except an ex-girlfriend, who is an FBI agent, and his disenfranchised brother.
Gordon combines complex, even sympathetic, villains, strong women characters, determined heroes, and a plot against the government that is so genuine it is considered to be one of the biggest threats in Washington D.C. in real life. As the book gets closer and closer to the end, the chapters shorten and the tension heightens. For readers who can hold their breath long enough to race through those final pages, I highly recommend Hard Target.
January 6, 2012
Hard Target by Howard Gordon is his second novel. Among his many accomplishments, Gordon was the exective producer and writer for The X-Files and is an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning writer who has done a great deal of work in Hollywood.
His vast experience shines through the pages of this novel, which is also the second involving his hero Gideon Davis, an ex-diplomat and presidential advisor.
Gideon is also an adventurer and one tough hombre. The plot of the novel involves his team-up with his brother Tillman, whom Gideon had rescued from a prison term in Gordon's first novel, Gideon's War.
The other characters include a couple of love interests, a very sympathatic young war hero, and two crazed villains -- the terrorists -- who believe that the destruction of the US government will make them eternal heroes.
The characters here are well drawn and the dialogue is excellent. The plot is cleverly contrived and suspenseful as Gideon and Tillman work together to stop a domestic terrorist plot to destroy all the most important members of the American government by attacking the Capitol building with a cyanide gas leak during the State of the Union address.
Read the whole review at: http://www.examiner.com/book-in-natio...
His vast experience shines through the pages of this novel, which is also the second involving his hero Gideon Davis, an ex-diplomat and presidential advisor.
Gideon is also an adventurer and one tough hombre. The plot of the novel involves his team-up with his brother Tillman, whom Gideon had rescued from a prison term in Gordon's first novel, Gideon's War.
The other characters include a couple of love interests, a very sympathatic young war hero, and two crazed villains -- the terrorists -- who believe that the destruction of the US government will make them eternal heroes.
The characters here are well drawn and the dialogue is excellent. The plot is cleverly contrived and suspenseful as Gideon and Tillman work together to stop a domestic terrorist plot to destroy all the most important members of the American government by attacking the Capitol building with a cyanide gas leak during the State of the Union address.
Read the whole review at: http://www.examiner.com/book-in-natio...
February 5, 2012
Howard Gardner producer of 24 and The X-Files and co-creator of the new (and fabulous) Showtime series Homeland, is back with a second thriller involving the former diplomat and so-called "Man of Peace" Gideon Davis.
This time the action takes place on American soil as Gideon gets a tip about a home-grown terrorist attack that the FBI won't take seriously. Gideon's brother Tillman is out of prison where he was a scapegoat for the government and Gideon enlists him to infiltrate a militia group involved in the plot. Gideon and Tillman, along with Gideon's old girlfriend and FBI agent Nancy Clement have work against the bureaucracy of the FBI and federal government to take out the threat--and it's a big one involving mass high-level government casualties at the State of the Union address.
I'll be reviewing the book next week on the blog in more detail, but it is another well-written action-packed and suspenseful page-turner that kept me up late to finish. With this and episodes of Homeland, I miss my favorite 24, just a little bit less. ;-)
This time the action takes place on American soil as Gideon gets a tip about a home-grown terrorist attack that the FBI won't take seriously. Gideon's brother Tillman is out of prison where he was a scapegoat for the government and Gideon enlists him to infiltrate a militia group involved in the plot. Gideon and Tillman, along with Gideon's old girlfriend and FBI agent Nancy Clement have work against the bureaucracy of the FBI and federal government to take out the threat--and it's a big one involving mass high-level government casualties at the State of the Union address.
I'll be reviewing the book next week on the blog in more detail, but it is another well-written action-packed and suspenseful page-turner that kept me up late to finish. With this and episodes of Homeland, I miss my favorite 24, just a little bit less. ;-)
November 3, 2014
Gideon Davis and his recently pardoned brother discover a plot to take down the top tier of the US government. Unfortunately, the authorities aren't listening. Fortunately, Gideon and Tillman possess the kind of skills one would need to take down a terrorist plot all on their own.
The does have some original aspects and the story is fast-paced and interesting. Gordon is co-creator of the show HOMELAND and executive producer on the upcoming show AWAKE and 24, points that drew me to the book. HARD TARGET essentially reads like an episode of a 24-like drama/thriller.
The does have some original aspects and the story is fast-paced and interesting. Gordon is co-creator of the show HOMELAND and executive producer on the upcoming show AWAKE and 24, points that drew me to the book. HARD TARGET essentially reads like an episode of a 24-like drama/thriller.
January 7, 2012
Gideon Davis learns of a possible attack on the US government by a militia group and with the assistance of his brother and fiancé, they try to convince the powers that be. Thwarted by the FBI and others, the two brothers go on their own to stop the impending attack.
This action packed suspense is slowed down by lengthy narratives and the climax is somewhat predictable. It is what it is; reads like a television movie plot.
This action packed suspense is slowed down by lengthy narratives and the climax is somewhat predictable. It is what it is; reads like a television movie plot.
September 11, 2013
Actor Kiefer Sutherland summed up this book up as "a rip-roaring thriller". Well who am I are to argue with Jack Bauer? But then he was praising a book by his buddy - the creator of TV's '24'. Nonetheless, I tend to agree. It's a book not without its holes but it's fast, edge-of-the-seat stuff... and will go down well if you like thrillers in the '24' vein.
May 22, 2014
The best thing about reading this is it reads so easily, you start to pick up the pace with the characters.
My only criticism is both stories are of a champion negotiator who would rather fight than talk. Yet he doesn't have much inner-turmoil over it. If that kind of character non-devlopment doesn't bother you, you're going to love this book.
My only criticism is both stories are of a champion negotiator who would rather fight than talk. Yet he doesn't have much inner-turmoil over it. If that kind of character non-devlopment doesn't bother you, you're going to love this book.
March 27, 2012
I sort of liked his first book because it had "24" type action. Gordon wrote this book with a high school drop-out vocabulary and he wrote it to the lowest common denominator of readers. Fortunately I am a fast reader so the book did not waste much of my time.
February 28, 2012
The story started in a way I had expected but it quickly switched to become a very fast paced action adventure that just me coming back for more.
The heroes (and heroines) were comic book, can't put a foot wrong types and so the story was fun, fun fun and I enjoyed it immensely.
The heroes (and heroines) were comic book, can't put a foot wrong types and so the story was fun, fun fun and I enjoyed it immensely.
Want to Read
February 28, 2012Recommended in an interview by Goodreads author, James Rollins.
Read the interview at http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
Read the interview at http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
April 19, 2012
Gideon, former diplomat, and his brother Tillman, former spec-op specialist, are caught up in efforts to thwart a terrorist attack targeting the State of The Union Address by a right-wing militia type...decent suspense and intersting characters...quick, enjoyable read
November 21, 2013
First book I've read by this author, and it was pretty darn good. The action jumped around to different locations and different characters, but it was easy enough to follow and gratifying when it all comes together by the end.
January 25, 2012
Fast read! Love the story! If you are "24" fan, must read!
March 31, 2012
a QUICK PACED- EXCITING READ- NOTHING ORIGINAL- BUT NOT A BAD WAY TO SPEND A FEW HOURS READING
July 25, 2012
Great second book in the Series by one of the writers of 24. I highly recommend Howard Gideon's War and Hard Target if you have not read them.
May 23, 2012
Great political thriller for lovers of Vince Flynn and Brad Meltzer. This is a sequel to Gideon's War, and hopefully won't be the last of the series.
November 30, 2012
Better than his first book, but stil light on developing the characters.
April 23, 2013
a gripping read...unable to put it down start to finish. fully immersed all the way through.
September 23, 2014
I liked Gordon's first book better.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews