Time of Attack

Jericho Quinn #4

by Marc Cameron

Special Agent Jericho Quinn faces off against an elite group of terrorist assassins and a strange plaque of disease outbreaks.

Special agent Jericho Quinn, hell bent on finding the sniper who attacked his family, steps into an even bigger, and deadlier, conspiracy: a secret cabal of elite assassins embedded throughout the globe. Infecting the very fabric of the free world. Exterminating targets with cold, silent precision. For Quinn, it's as insidious as the virus that claims new victims each day - and he plans to wipe it off the face of the earth...

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Military Fiction, Audiobook, Action, Spy Thriller

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 28, 2014

About the author

A native of Texas, Marc Cameron is a retired Chief Deputy US Marshal who spent nearly thirty years in law enforcement. His assignments have taken him from rural Alaska to Manhattan, from Canada to Mexico and points in between. A second degree black belt in jujitsu, he often teaches defensive tactics to other law enforcement agencies and civilian groups. Cameron lives in Alaska with his wife and BMW motorcycle.

Reviews

[Scott A. Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

That’s more like it. Cameron got it back on track with this one. Quinn and Company’s story is getting serious now. From the first page this one was fantastic. The story was written in 2014 but there were plenty points that were frighteningly close to our real life today.

Cameron wrote Japan so well that I felt like I was there. He wrote this terrorist plot so well that I was worried about it’s real life viability. The story will continue to develop in the next book. Can’t wait.

[Terence M [on a brief semi-hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook - 10:32 hours - Tom Weiner
A thrilling Jericho Quinn novel!
4.0 stars - Review to come.

[Dee Haddrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: there is a spoiler at the end of this review, so don't read it, if you don't want to know.

Another explosive thriller by Marc Cameron sees Jericho Quinn trying to track down the assassin who tried to murder his daughter, all while being chased himself for a murder that he did not commit. Thankfully, he has his trusty friends to help, whether he wants them to or not. Like the previous novels, the book could have been taken straight from the news pages, and it's scary to think of the people that may be out there, plotting these kinds of insane schemes. The book ends on a cliffhanger, making you wonder whether the good guys can prevail... But I'm sure they can.

***** SPOILER BELOW IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE ROMANCE ASPECT *****

What I really want to see though, is Jericho get over this damn hang up he has over his ex-wife. The woman is a bitch and doesn't deserve him. First she divorces him, then constantly berates him, then tells Ronnie that she plans to fight for him, then, after everything he does, tell him to get the hell out of her hospital room after he saves her. She's insane and does not deserve him. Yeah, I know I said that twice, but I feel quite strong about it. In all honesty, I feel that Jericho is working this out by the end of the book, so YAY!! Go Ronnie for the win!!!!

[David Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite of this series so far. Out for a personal vendetta - but finished with such a cliff hanger!

[SteVen Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook Review - I absolutely love Marc Cameron's Jericho Quinn character. He is a Mitch Rapp (Vince Flynn), Scot Harvath (Brad Thor), Dewey Andreas (Ben Coes)… well, you get the idea. He’s the good-guy-tough-guy, who loves motorcycles and sharp knives, that the world turns to in the event of an apocalyptic threat. Quinn and a few secondary heroes/heroine are the go-to characters for the Director of National Intelligence. The Jericho Quinn books are a myriad of unrelated events that are intermingled into a satisfactory conclusion. Each novel can stand-alone, but characters move through each book to the next, so you don't want to skip any of them. Some have a very distinct cliff-hanging ending prompting us listeners to move forward to the next book to get closure. One should pay close attention when listening to a Jericho Quinn audiobook though, because things sometimes move a little too fast and the listener sometimes has to re-wind in order to keep up. Although these stories usually bring together fast-action events, like chase scenes, basically, the books are good, well researched and very entertaining. Time of Attack lives up to the Action Thriller genre.

[Jim A · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointment to me after the first three novels by Cameron. While the first three are a series, they are tied together in a way that doesn't really leave the reader hanging at the end of each book. In Time Of Attack, that is not the case.

Also, I thought the quality of writing in Time of Attack was not up to par with the first three books, either. Not enough story, too many chases and fights. Action junkies will like this, but those who look for a little more substance in the book will find it lacking.

As always, your mileage may vary.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reader is addicted…This storyline has a few internal plots that will take your breath away..Terrorist plots, CDC quarantine, military personnel very ill, spreading virus?, China,Japan, England, sniper on a military base, our hero, Quinn is “in deep” and a few twists. True page turner. Enjoy

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,q5 stars- English Ebook

Review follows later.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Jericho Quinn action-packed adventure that was hard to put down.

[Dan Banana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable action, suspense, knives, swords and guns.
Enjoyable characters. Bit over the top sometimes but, it is what it is, entertainment.

[Boomer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another solid Jericho Quinn story. I'm a fan of this series so I have no plans on stopping even though the quality has declined since the brilliant debut novel. There's some great story in this one. It's set largely in the US and Japan, and reveals the back story of one of the most interesting characters in the series - Emoki Miyagi. She's always been a mystery, so it's great to finally see the events that led to her working with Quinn and company.

Unfortunately there are some issues here, some minor, some major. Personally I'm about done with the constant motorcycle scenes. The author is clearly an enthusiast, because in every novel you can guarantee there will be at least two major scenes involving a motorcycle race, chase, shootout, etc. This inevitably leads to descriptions of the bike specs, speeds, and all manner of detail. I'll never be a bike guy, so it's all mindless filler to me. Some people will love it, but I wish we could go just one book with no bikes.

The huge issue here is that for the second book in a row, there's no ending. No doubt some of you reading this will be saying "well what do you expect? it's a series!". All well and good, but even a series entry can still bring some closure, especially after almost 450 pages. There's two main plots here, Quinn's search for a sniper that attacked his family, and a terrorist plot to launch a plague on the US and give the bad guys powerful positions in the government. Neither one of these is resolved - minor spoilers ahead - at the end of the book, the sniper is still running free and the villains have gained a footing in the White House. It's frustrating to not have any closure to anything this book presented. It feels like it's the first half of a larger novel that the author decided to split in half.

A very entertaining read, but until the author starts actually putting an ending in to his books, I'm never going to rate them above three stars. I'm starting book 5 with some trepidation now. Here's hoping for an ending

[Vicki Elia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook Review
3 Stars

Super Secret Special Agent Jericho Quinn is back in a two-pronged story. First, a member of his family is shot, and Quinn is out for vengeance. He leaves a bloody trail in his wake, from Colorado to Japan. Much of the story is centered around his relationship with his mentor and sensie, resulting in an inordinate amount of sword fighting and another bloody trail in Japan.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch in the US, grimy politicians are trying to manipulate the balance of power by introducing a bio-toxin into the returning US military. This 'plague' is felling people in clusters all over the US, and nothing can save them.

There is an intersection of the stories, but it comes late in the game. If you want to read a bloody kill'em book that leaves bio-terrorism to incubate by itself, then this is it. I think that Cameron did a lame job of interweaving the stories. They seemed like two totally independent story lines, with the terrorism aspect left to moulder. The writing focus is on the swordplay.

I like the Jericho Quinn character of old, and hope that Cameron's next book (totally set up at the end of this one) is more focused.

[Malcolm Gregoire · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was one of the worst books written about foreign intrigue I have ever read. The plot dragged along with way too much detail about clothing, area descriptions, and empty narratives and backgrounds that were unnecessary. If you shaved about one hundred pages of drivel from this book it still wouldn't rate a stronger rating. The ending turned out to be a cliffhanger, and judging by the writing style of the author, I was not about to waste my time on the next book in the series.

[L.A. Starks · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like books by Vince Flynn or Barry Eisler, Ben Coes or Taylor Stevens, you'll like Marc Cameron's Time of Attack. Well-researched with great action.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty meh.

It's an odd concept that a 'thriller' should be so padded and uneven, but this is one such great example. It starts off quick, with a promise of biological terror that was eerily reminiscent of COVID despite being published before that point in time, and overlaps with the ending of the previous book in a creative and clever way to tie events together. Quinn's relationships and standing are established, the problem presents itself early and the tension amps up...

And then things drag, on and on, as we see the problem from other perspectives. Victims, civilians, soldiers, all show their own sides of the problem to suggest the scale of this catastrophe. The problem with this is two-fold, though. One, we never see these people more than a few times, sometimes even just once, so we can't really sympathize with them or care what they go through. Second, this happens well into the end of the book. The last hundred pages and less has new characters popping up just to show differing perspectives of events, and rather than ramp things up and keep the adrenaline high, all that does is pad things out.

Speaking of padding, there's more of it here than at Wonderbra warehouse. First, there's a LOT of weebery going on here. Japanese culture was huge and cool back in the day, but since everyone and their cat is doing it, the best I can manage for interest is halfhearted at best. And it drags on and on and on here, with side stories and descriptions galore like the author wanted to take a tour of the place and used the research for this book as an excuse to write off the travel expenses. We see a lot, meet some people and most of them die. It could have been cut and little of value would have been lost.

Second, characters spout descriptive dialogue and offer their stories unsolicited and without even a clear reason for doing so, using up whole chapters where a few pages would have done, and it's all in the service of... actually, damned if I know, because I wasn't engaged or amped up. Those sections just let me down to an idle, and that's not good for a 'thriller.' Worse, some parts were utterly unnecessary, with new characters popping up just to be there and extend the page count while other threads were left hanging. And that ending? A quick turnaround from a character I forgot and didn't care about, and a twist that I was utterly indifferent to thanks to the pointless melodrama up to that point.

And all this really sucks because there's parts of a good story here. The tension between Quinn and his ex, the ties among him and the other agents, the larger threat spreading across the world, shadow ops and spy stuff is all the bread and butter of fiction. There are some great characters here that could really make their mark on the series if they were allowed to branch out and breathe. But rather than making good on that, we get a book that consists of 'Quinn gets attacked, gets a lead, and leaves to follow it. People fight and die. The end.' And this takes almost 450 pages to pull off. Thrilling, truly.

Could have been a hundred pages shorter and it might still be mediocre, but at least then it would have taken less time to get through. 3/5.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was just looking for a mindless read – a story that didn’t require a lot of concentration, just action. Marc Cameron’s 4th in the Jericho Quinn series fit the bill. Actually, I got more than I bargained for. (I didn’t remember that Cameron was such a good writer.)

There are two or three plot lines going on simultaneously. Terrorists from Pakistan, with help on North Korea, introduce a plague in the US – and not only a single attack, but further methods to spread the virus. (Yikes! Stories of biological attacks are SCARY! Sometimes I fear that authors give terrorists ideas.) At the same time, other ‘bad guys’ are after Quinn’s family. And to top it off, the ’villain’ from a prior novel, is a government official … a kind-of Manchurian Candidate. Cameron also finally provides background on a series regular, the mysterious teacher/sensei, Miyagi. In doing so, the author introduces yet another plot component, including the Japanese Yakuza which allow him to inject Japanese culture, traditions, martial arts, swords, knives, tattoos, etc. … Cool stuff. The bottom-line is that as Quinn tries to save the day, the entire US is after him! (He was framed, of course.)

The Quinn character remains a bite of a superhero, but the book is still very entertaining. And while there is an ‘ending’ to the story, there’s DEFINITELY more to the story … and I immediately bought the next book in the series.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting , fast moving, violent...and prescient.
Written in 2014, “ Time of Attack” stars super-secret- agent Jericho Quinn in a quest for revenge that takes him, and the reader, to Japan. It begins when Quinn, his wife and daughter attend a ceremony at the Air Force Academy. Also there, a rifle shot away, is an assassin, whose shot hits not Quinn, but his wife, who is badly wounded .
Meanwhile, the nation’s enemies have unleashed a pestilence on the US. A horrible, highly infectious disease has spread across the country. From sixteen years ago, we read something much like recent days ( 2020-21). The two plot threads eventually merge into quite a tale.
Note that I had not read the previous books in Mr. Cameron’s Jericho Quinn series, which may be tied to this book, but that did not impair my enjoyment of “ Time of Attack” . But I do plan on going back to the beginning of the series to catch up.
“ Time of Attack” is contained s scenes of violent combat which may upset people of delicate sensibility. Also, as is common to books in this genre, the hero is able to overcome a lot of damage that would cripple most people, and overcome.
Summary: good , enjoyable reading for fans of the genre.

[Jaume Ayala · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a "different" book in Jericho's Quinn series.
You will still found some action with their mates (especially at the end) and will read Jericho dealing with a hard situation against a large gang of bad guys and will check how Jericho bleeds as everybody and he is not superhuman but, what makes this one "different" is the scenario.
This book is mainly allocated in Japan where Jericho is alone (withouth his friends) with no too many weapons and that makes the book being not similar to previous ones (in fact, this book reminded me "Black Rain" film with Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia, where you can "discover" a totally different culture there in Japan).
Reason to score this one with 3 stars (all previous books in the series were scored 4 stars) it's not that "Japan's difference" but the end of the story; it's clear this is a fiction book and no reality but the way the story ends raises a new paradigma for the following books...

[John Reis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soldiers returning to the US from Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan are getting sick. In the meantime, Jericho Quinn’s ex-wife, Kim, is shot and gravely injured. Maybe it was his daughter who was the target.

Quinn learns who the shooter is, a Japanese woman who works for a crime boss. and sets out to kill her and her boss. He fails in his task and the US is now in worse shape than when he left.

This is the first modern thriller I have read. The last would have been a Jack Reacher book, which I did not like for being long-winded and slow. This is certainly fast-paced, and the writing is clean. Cameron provides lots of details when it comes to weaponry, just a Tom Clancy did in his day. But events in earlier books drive Quinn's action, so reading this out of sequence was not smart.

[Don Gorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2 1/2). This is the third book I have read in this series and it was the weakest one. There is a little too much of “same old, same old” here, and definitely not enough of the best wingman ever, Jacques Thibodaux. I did like the fact that this is not your same old fairytale and that there is still real evil in the world. Jericho is still an interesting superhuman sort of protagonist and Cameron must be a real motorcycle enthusiast because his descriptions of some of Jericho’s exploits on bikes are very, very cool. I will certainly read one or two more in the series before I make a decision about continuing. Reasonable stuff.

[wally · Rating 4 out of 5]

finished yesterday 10th february 22 good read four stars really liked it kindle owned have read a few from cameron this one is #4 have read the other three and i imagine a #5 must be in the works as this one had a few loose threads but maybe i wasn't paying attention...loose, or thin, like who all spread the disease? we get some of it, but... didn't like the loose end with the political big-wigs. what can you do? post angry words on social media? go outside and chop wood? be loud, be somebody? wait for the snowplow to pass.

[Bob Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jericho Quinn is at it again. Very enjoyable thriller from the author who has ghost-written several recent Tom Clancy novels. His hero is a near invincible Air Force intelligence officer who, with his crew of equally invincible supporting cast, is out to save the world, one bad guy at a time. Cameron know whereof he speaks, having been in law enforcement for 26 years. He does his research and with impeccable sources, crafts a thrillers that keep you up way too late!

[Andrew Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking storyline.

Again the author brings his characters to life and delivers another great storyline with lots of twists and turns that captivates the imagination and creates a storyline although fictional that could be in the world today. This storyline mirrors in some way what is happening today with the Corona virus, and unfortunately the possibilities for the spread of such a potent weapon in the hands of people who are engaged in acts of terrorism.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three cheers and a great read. This series must be read in order so you can know who the players are and how they intertwine. You can see a building to a climax. I listen to the audiobooks, but the reader keeps changing which is annoying, but I like the series stories enough I put up with it.
This one takes Quinn to Japan to escape a bum murder wrap.

[John Schechter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non-stop excitement and action. Unresolved plot leaves you ready and waiting for the next book. Likeable characters. Highly recommended for those who like action novels.

Non-stop excitement and action. Unresolved plot leaves you ready and waiting for the next book in the series. Likeable characters.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy Marc Cameron and his main protagonist, Jericho Quinn. This book picks up where the 2 left off with an assassination attempt on a member of Quinn's group. Get ready for some non-stop action as Quinn eventually ends up in Japan fighting with Japanese mafia. However, that may be the least of his problems as a new leader comes into power. Can't wait to read the next one.

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is interesting to note that when this book was written Marc Cameron used the terms - pandemic, social distancing and self-isolation. All these terms are being used now as we contend with a virus world wide - the story varies as to the signs of the infection and where it originated - the current pandemic has had no effects on any political officials in the US resulting in deaths.

[George Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Jericho Quinn cliffhanger

Again Cameron has written a story so hard to put down. I kept reading to see what would happen next. The characters were believable and seem like old friends or devious villains. Just when you think you know what will happen next Cameron shoots off in a new direction. Keeps you guessing to the end, if it really is the end.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am enjoying the style of Marc Cameron.
While keeping the main character front and center, I really enjoyed how some of the "lesser" minor characters are brought forward in unveiling this "chapter" of the series as well as introducing new characters into the storyline. By the end of this one, you'll be certain there is a much larger connection weaving throughout all of the books so far ...

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Another excellent installment in the Jericho Quinn series. I loved the setting in Fukuoka, where my husband lived for a couple of years and I have visited. This one felt a lot more violent than some of his previous novels (maybe just because I read the end out loud to my husband and whoa!), hence the 3.5 star rating.