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Lost Conscience: A Ben Baker Sniper Novel
After a tragic school shooting, former army sniper, turned attorney, Ben Baker must decide between what’s legal and what’s right. Together with long-time friend, and former sniper buddy, Frank Senich, the two seek justice against a child trafficking ring. The pair must draw on their military sniping skills and their expertise in hand-to-hand combat to see their mission to its end. A mission that includes meth addicts breaking into Baker’s house; long range sniping; confrontations with the County Attorney and Attorney General; and battles with a former SEAL sniper, truck stop thugs, child abductors, and a pair of giants, one of whom was kicked out of professional wrestling for injuring too many wrestlers. Along the way, in order to succeed, and more importantly survive, Ben Baker must lose his conscience.
434 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2012
2 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Alain Burrese
20 books49 followersAlain Burrese is a leading expert on Active Shooter Response. His book, Survive A Shooting, along with his classes focus on teaching people what they can do to survive these terrible events. Alain empowers people with the fact that they don't have to be victims, but rather they can form a plan and enjoy life safely. He doesn't teach paranoia, he teaches preparedness. Alain appeared in the PBS Documentary "Active Shooter: Are Montana Colleges Ready?" He's also been interviewed on radio stations all over the country on responding to active killers and terrorist threats.
Also, Alain Burrese, like his character Ben Baker, is a former Army sniper, attorney, and father of a beautiful little girl. He lives in Montana with his wife and daughter, where he speaks and writes about safety, self-defense and effective communication. Alain lived and trained in Japan and Korea and holds a 5th degree black belt in Hapkido, a Korean martial art with an emphasis on self-defense. He has starred in eleven self-defense and martial art instructional DVDs, written nine books including a books on self-defense, the Tough Guy Wisdom movie quote and trivia series, and Lost Conscience, his first novel.
Also, Alain Burrese, like his character Ben Baker, is a former Army sniper, attorney, and father of a beautiful little girl. He lives in Montana with his wife and daughter, where he speaks and writes about safety, self-defense and effective communication. Alain lived and trained in Japan and Korea and holds a 5th degree black belt in Hapkido, a Korean martial art with an emphasis on self-defense. He has starred in eleven self-defense and martial art instructional DVDs, written nine books including a books on self-defense, the Tough Guy Wisdom movie quote and trivia series, and Lost Conscience, his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 3, 2012
Well, I wrote the book before reading it several times... So naturally I like it. :-)
August 6, 2013
*** Note: In talking to the author, it looks like I grabbed this eBook quickly. So quickly, in fact, I got a version before he cleaned up a lot of the errors. I have since gotten a corrected version of the eBook, and since it reads much better, I am adjusting this to 5 stars. Just wanted to keep the original review ***
I have to confess the first thing that crossed my mind as I got into the first couple chapters of this book was: Does Burrese own a Dodge dealership? Right off the bat, we had two Grand Caravans and a Durango. Fortunately, there were plenty of other makes and models later in the book to offset that anomaly.
That said, I really enjoyed the story. Being acquainted with Burrese through various circles, I was already aware of the parallels between the author and his protagonist. The close proximity to his character's trains of thought really shows through in the scenes involving martial arts, military topics and even the law.
However, it does read as a first novel when it comes to scene setting that is outside the author's wheelhouse. Not to say it's bad; that's absolutely not the case. You can just see where his comfort level lies and where there is room for improvement. As a career martial artist, I'm sure Burrese is constantly striving for perfection, and I have no doubt he will reach it as he continues to produce fiction.
The story is very well-paced, not too fast, but also not dragging at any point. Being a martial artist myself, I really enjoyed the detailed level of those aspects of the book, and that gave the book a real edge I could appreciate. The characters are believable, but I would like to see more depth developed with Frank Senich, and as I hope there will be future Ben Baker novels, this could be accomplished over time. The same applies to Tanya and Coral, Ben's wife and daughter, respectively.
Burrese takes a harsh topic, trafficking of women and children, as well as the associated pornography and sexual misconduct, and makes a believable story out of it. You find yourself hating the antagonists and pulling for the protagonists, which is what an author should set out to do. In that, Burrese succeeds magnificently.
My only real beef with the book is that it really needed more thorough editing. Simple things that should not creep into a book, keeping it from flowing smoothly in a sharp, professional manner. At various times, I would encounter "scarred" instead of "scared", "were" instead of "where" and even, on subsequent pages, different spellings of the name of Baker's wife ("Tanya" / "Tonya"). While this doesn't detract from the quality of the story, it causes some re-reading of sentences and paragraphs to discern the meaning, disrupting the flow of the story.
Overall, I wish I could give 4.5 stars, but I'll go with 4. I look forward to future books about Ben Baker, seeing where Burrese takes these characters.
*** Updated 08/06/2013: Added this to my book review blog:
http://kickinbooks.wordpress.com/2013...
I have to confess the first thing that crossed my mind as I got into the first couple chapters of this book was: Does Burrese own a Dodge dealership? Right off the bat, we had two Grand Caravans and a Durango. Fortunately, there were plenty of other makes and models later in the book to offset that anomaly.
That said, I really enjoyed the story. Being acquainted with Burrese through various circles, I was already aware of the parallels between the author and his protagonist. The close proximity to his character's trains of thought really shows through in the scenes involving martial arts, military topics and even the law.
However, it does read as a first novel when it comes to scene setting that is outside the author's wheelhouse. Not to say it's bad; that's absolutely not the case. You can just see where his comfort level lies and where there is room for improvement. As a career martial artist, I'm sure Burrese is constantly striving for perfection, and I have no doubt he will reach it as he continues to produce fiction.
The story is very well-paced, not too fast, but also not dragging at any point. Being a martial artist myself, I really enjoyed the detailed level of those aspects of the book, and that gave the book a real edge I could appreciate. The characters are believable, but I would like to see more depth developed with Frank Senich, and as I hope there will be future Ben Baker novels, this could be accomplished over time. The same applies to Tanya and Coral, Ben's wife and daughter, respectively.
Burrese takes a harsh topic, trafficking of women and children, as well as the associated pornography and sexual misconduct, and makes a believable story out of it. You find yourself hating the antagonists and pulling for the protagonists, which is what an author should set out to do. In that, Burrese succeeds magnificently.
My only real beef with the book is that it really needed more thorough editing. Simple things that should not creep into a book, keeping it from flowing smoothly in a sharp, professional manner. At various times, I would encounter "scarred" instead of "scared", "were" instead of "where" and even, on subsequent pages, different spellings of the name of Baker's wife ("Tanya" / "Tonya"). While this doesn't detract from the quality of the story, it causes some re-reading of sentences and paragraphs to discern the meaning, disrupting the flow of the story.
Overall, I wish I could give 4.5 stars, but I'll go with 4. I look forward to future books about Ben Baker, seeing where Burrese takes these characters.
*** Updated 08/06/2013: Added this to my book review blog:
http://kickinbooks.wordpress.com/2013...
September 11, 2012
4 of 5 stars...
The ‘aha moment when you realize this story is special is when you try to reject the premise of the main character. You refuse to swallow that an Army sniper, martial arts expert, attorney, philosopher, and family man exist in the same character. You claim that the author has cheated by concocting Ben Baker because he’'s too perfect for playing a high stakes game of mortal danger. Throw in that Baker has a conscience, and you're in for a tale of man-versus-self conflict, on top of the good guys-versus-bad guys challenges. Too dynamic a character to believe – until you check him against the author's credentials, raise your eyebrows in belief, and dive into an engrossing tale where you get to cheer for a unique and complex hero as he stomps on scum you love to hate.
The story is tight and consistent (i.e. no wasted tangents, no contradictions). I thought the balance of action and supporting narrative was good, and I was surprised for a first novel how complete the development was for primary and even secondary characters without interrupting the pace.
Of course, the violent conflicts are written with the authority you expect from an expert in killing. In fact, the detail in the violence may be too much for some readers, but the author arranged the scenes so that you can skim over a paragraph of joint-locking or pistol-disarming detail and return to the story without missing a step in the plot.
The author also risks showing a tender side and writing from the perspective of a young girl in certain scenes. It was a bold move, but it paid off by adding to the ire you feel for the bad guys who like to abuse children.
The novel fell short of its fifth star on style points. There are the rough edges of word choice, economy of words, and sentence structure that most first-time novelists create, and the author faced a unique challenge of having to unlearn any habits picked up while writing legal documents and martial arts instruction books. Even with the hiccups in style, I found myself racing through scenes with a hunger to see what happened next.
The main character sets the stage for tons of intriguing conflict, and Mr. Burrese squeezed every ounce out of Ben Baker. I hope Baker gets some rest and finds new guys to stomp in a sequel.
The ‘aha moment when you realize this story is special is when you try to reject the premise of the main character. You refuse to swallow that an Army sniper, martial arts expert, attorney, philosopher, and family man exist in the same character. You claim that the author has cheated by concocting Ben Baker because he’'s too perfect for playing a high stakes game of mortal danger. Throw in that Baker has a conscience, and you're in for a tale of man-versus-self conflict, on top of the good guys-versus-bad guys challenges. Too dynamic a character to believe – until you check him against the author's credentials, raise your eyebrows in belief, and dive into an engrossing tale where you get to cheer for a unique and complex hero as he stomps on scum you love to hate.
The story is tight and consistent (i.e. no wasted tangents, no contradictions). I thought the balance of action and supporting narrative was good, and I was surprised for a first novel how complete the development was for primary and even secondary characters without interrupting the pace.
Of course, the violent conflicts are written with the authority you expect from an expert in killing. In fact, the detail in the violence may be too much for some readers, but the author arranged the scenes so that you can skim over a paragraph of joint-locking or pistol-disarming detail and return to the story without missing a step in the plot.
The author also risks showing a tender side and writing from the perspective of a young girl in certain scenes. It was a bold move, but it paid off by adding to the ire you feel for the bad guys who like to abuse children.
The novel fell short of its fifth star on style points. There are the rough edges of word choice, economy of words, and sentence structure that most first-time novelists create, and the author faced a unique challenge of having to unlearn any habits picked up while writing legal documents and martial arts instruction books. Even with the hiccups in style, I found myself racing through scenes with a hunger to see what happened next.
The main character sets the stage for tons of intriguing conflict, and Mr. Burrese squeezed every ounce out of Ben Baker. I hope Baker gets some rest and finds new guys to stomp in a sequel.
September 27, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. It raises the old philosophical question: "Does the end justify the means?" what about vigilante justice? There is a lot of intense action & you find yourself rooting for this trained sniper/assassin turned prosecutor to "finish" the job...even at the cost of his conscience. A good, thought-provoking read.
February 8, 2013
With all that is happening across the country with assaults on our children, this book was an eye opener. They story line of Ben Baker, deputy county attorney, in Montana and his best friend and Army buddy, Frank Senich, a truck driver, will keep you reading to the last line. Ben and Frank's pursuit to eliminate child molesters, porno kings, corrupt politicians, the vigilante way, using all the sniper skills they learned when they were younger, carefree, and wilder as scout snipers in the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea. Ben is married with a young daughter, but Frank is not attached to anyone and still loves a good fight. The morality of what they are doing affects Ben greatly, more than Frank, and the interchange between them on this subject is deep, thoughtful, and very current in society. The author is quick to show how the aftermath of killing even affects trained professionals. The discussions on guns, ammo, scouting the area, and the fight scenes are realistic and very powerful. I highly recommend reading this book, even if, like me, you don't have a background in guns and fighting, the story will draw you in. Well done. Hope there is a sequel.
October 14, 2012
I received this book free through Goodreads First Reads.
This book was a challenge for me. I really had to force myself to keep reading it until I got through the first third of the story. There was, for this reader, entirely too much detail on types of weapons, types of ammunition, and martial arts moves. It detracted from the story for me. Also, how many times can one person use the term "sniper buddy" in one book?? It was used at least 3 or 4 times in the first few pages. I can't get it out of my head now. All of that aside, once I got to the last 2/3 of the book, it was a much different (and better) experience. There was a lot of good action, some great humor, and I was really rooting for Ben and his "sniper buddy" to kick some ass. Yes, I said it. "Sniper buddy."
This book was a challenge for me. I really had to force myself to keep reading it until I got through the first third of the story. There was, for this reader, entirely too much detail on types of weapons, types of ammunition, and martial arts moves. It detracted from the story for me. Also, how many times can one person use the term "sniper buddy" in one book?? It was used at least 3 or 4 times in the first few pages. I can't get it out of my head now. All of that aside, once I got to the last 2/3 of the book, it was a much different (and better) experience. There was a lot of good action, some great humor, and I was really rooting for Ben and his "sniper buddy" to kick some ass. Yes, I said it. "Sniper buddy."
September 14, 2012
If you want to read about high adventure with lots of adversity, this is the book for you. This is a tale of army snipers that must do whatever is necessary to break up a child trafficking ring. The details read very realistically, since the author is also a former Army sniper. It is fascinating to learn about all the adversaries the main character and his friend must battle. It is a story about the choice to do what's right, even if it is difficult. This is a great read!
May 16, 2023
Authentic sniper tactics
Alain weaves the mindset of a former Army sniper team into this novel about one of the most troubling social issues of our time, human trafficking, and specifically the exploitation of children. The insights into Hapkido by a 4th degree black belt set this novel apart. I look forward to seeing where Ben and Frank ply their craft next.
Alain weaves the mindset of a former Army sniper team into this novel about one of the most troubling social issues of our time, human trafficking, and specifically the exploitation of children. The insights into Hapkido by a 4th degree black belt set this novel apart. I look forward to seeing where Ben and Frank ply their craft next.
August 16, 2020
Good technical knowledge. Plot is simple but powerful. A story that casts a realistic spell with solid resea
I recommend this book to those who
like stories that are realistic and take you away for a short time.
rily routines.
I recommend this book to those who
like stories that are realistic and take you away for a short time.
rily routines.
February 6, 2015
I almost stopped reading...
...this book; the child abuse scenarios were too disturbing. But I kept going, and I'm glad I did. First, although I am no trained sniper, I have spent years trying to become proficient in long range, high-power, target shooting. I have also done some amount pistol shooting, and built my own rifles, pistols and ammo. Everything in this book is dead-on accurate, as far as I know; no surprise there. Further, my father was a career Army JAG officer, and I know something about the law. Again, dead-on accurate.
So, how could I not love this book? I confess I did. The only quibble I have is that it could have been proofed better, seemed to get worse as the book went on. However, as a first novel, I am quite impressed.
...this book; the child abuse scenarios were too disturbing. But I kept going, and I'm glad I did. First, although I am no trained sniper, I have spent years trying to become proficient in long range, high-power, target shooting. I have also done some amount pistol shooting, and built my own rifles, pistols and ammo. Everything in this book is dead-on accurate, as far as I know; no surprise there. Further, my father was a career Army JAG officer, and I know something about the law. Again, dead-on accurate.
So, how could I not love this book? I confess I did. The only quibble I have is that it could have been proofed better, seemed to get worse as the book went on. However, as a first novel, I am quite impressed.
February 18, 2015
great and quick read!
Good details, good story line and just a fun read. You can't go wrong! Good details provided regarding equipment but not so much that you get bogged down in technicalities. Good stuff!
Good details, good story line and just a fun read. You can't go wrong! Good details provided regarding equipment but not so much that you get bogged down in technicalities. Good stuff!
April 17, 2015
Would like a sequel.
I like the fact that someone actually takes action, instead of waiting for someone else to do it. Hope the author can come up with a second story with the same good guys.
I like the fact that someone actually takes action, instead of waiting for someone else to do it. Hope the author can come up with a second story with the same good guys.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews