The Mercenary

by Dan Hampton

From the New York Times bestselling author of Viper Pilot and USAF F-16 legend Dan Hampton, The Mercenary follows the rogue American gun-for-hire known only as the Sandman. A former military officer haunted by a personal tragedy in his past, the Sandman embarks on a quest for revenge that pits him against friend and country and leads him straight to the heart of the American military establishment.

Genres: Aviation, Military Fiction, Thriller, Fiction

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 19, 2013

About the author

U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Dan Hampton flew more than 150 combat missions during his twenty years (1986–2006) as a Wild Weasel fighter pilot. For his service in the Iraq War, Kosovo conflict, first Gulf War, and elsewhere, Colonel Hampton received four Distinguished Flying Crosses with Valor, a Purple Heart, eight Air Medals with Valor, five Meritorious Service Medals, and numerous other citations. He is a graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, USN Top Gun School (TOGS), and USAF Special Operations School. A recipient of several awards for tactical innovation, Hampton pioneered air-combat tactics that are now standard, and he was named his squadron's Instructor Pilot of the Year six times. Hampton served on the Air Combat Command staff in Langley, Virginia, during the 1999 Kosovo War and designed the NATO campaign that destroyed the Yugoslav army's air defenses around Sarajevo. A graduate of Texas A&M University, he has published articles in The Journal of Electronic Defense, Air Force Magazine, and Airpower magazine, as well as several classified tactical works for the USAF Fighter Weapons Review.

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fascinated by this book and could only put it down when I was too tired to keep my eyes open. Without ever flown a fighter jet myself, Mr. Hampton seemed to explain the reality so well I could imagine what it might feel like.

The plot was unusual, to say the least: at first the mercenary seemed heroic, then a short bridge where he became a suave, debonair, spy in the Middle East. Last was disturbing to me while he was stalking and murdering the five people he judged had killed his wife and daughter.

I agree with Mr. Hampton’s assessment of the modern military as voiced by the Axe character and I was surprised to feel good about The Mercenary’s escape into the sunrise with the hope I would see his character again.

More! More!

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleaning up my lists

[george w. shorago m.d. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a terrific, exciting book! As an aviation enthusiast, i love Dan Hampton’s detailed description of flying,and to add an exciting plot to this read isa wonderful bonus. More, Dan,please!!!

[James Widmark · Rating 2 out of 5]

a

A b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p a r s t

[Ravzie Ravzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mercenary by Dan Hampton is a great read! This page-turner is a gripping thriller that brings you into the story immediately and doesn’t let you go. This is the kind of book I usually finish in one day. I had to force myself to read only a few chapters at a time and savor the experience. Each day, I thought about the story, wondered what would happen next, and anxiously, happily jumped back in each evening.

The book is a “who done it and how do we catch him” in a military setting. But don’t be afraid if you are not a military buff. The story is not overloaded with tech or confusing terms. The Mercenary is really a detective story, but mostly without detectives.

Dan Hampton’s story-telling is real, unrelenting, honest and easy to follow. Dan pulls from his own true life combat background as a decorated USAF F-16 Viper pilot to finely craft this novel. He succeeds brilliantly.

Lt Col Doug “Axe” Truax is a fighter pilot, but he’s stuck with a dull assignment doing paperwork. He is drawn into solving a mystery, a mystery that keeps getting bigger and bigger! Axe uses his knowledge and experience to help a team find out the identity of the elusive Mercenary and attempt to stop him from completing his deadly agenda.

Don’t read too many reviews and spoil it! People want to tell you too much, I want to tell you too much. Get this book right now and start your journey into the shadowy world and the cold & calculating mind of The Mercenary. You won’t be sorry!!!

[Vojtech · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mercenary is a nice and fast paced book, no qualms there. But the author's own agenda is too obvious. Being a former fighter pilot, he clearly dislikes rear echelon "warfighters", UAVs, F-22 and F-35 and any number of other things. I feel like the book isn't so much about Sandman getting his revenge, but Mr. Hampton getting his say about the Air Force. If ever he can distance himself from his personal involvement in the army, I think he is capable of writing much better books than this one. Still, if you want to understand what it is like to fly a fox sixteen in a theatre of war, Hampton knows his stuff.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book where you want to root for the bad guy, once you find out why he is targeting certain people for death. While he was on a mission, his seven month pregnant wife and daughter set off for a distant hospital, when she was experiencing problems, only to have the car hit, and them landing in the water, dying. It is probably not a good idea to kill others, but these people deserved it. He is presumed dead, having faked his death before. THere is a lot of action--

[Julian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dan Hampton's works that I have read I remember as insightful and inspiring. Well at least this one's insightful. It started off beautifully then suddenly became a drag to read after the prologue. It's as if the author had the most wonderful idea but decided to vent off his frustrations with the military instead of writing a good story. He could have done both of those things. I had a lot of hope in the book from reading the prologue, but then the rest of the book just threw those hopes away.

[Ben Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really outstanding thriller where the audience only ever knows as much as the characters and the military side of things is pretty accurately portrayed.

4.75/5

[Otavio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lot's of fun with inside details

Some gaping holes in the plot, BUT still lots of fun and let's see (spoiler alert!)..... Could there be a sequenced continuing plot? (Wink wink!). But if you want to READ about flying F-16s Dan's your man. I met someone who flew F-16s, and had a high opinion of him. If you want to FLY an F-16, get a computer game!

[G.E. Nolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book! Great character development, and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent read. I could hardly put it down. I very much enjoyed reading this novel and will read more by this author.

[Scott Loftesness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, a wonderful military thriller! I enjoyed Dan Hampton's Viper Pilot - this one is even better!

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow Great book!!!

A suspenseful book on every page. Great details of the areas of action. I could recognise where characters were since I have lived in these areas .

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm looking forward to more books from this author.