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Pike Logan #4
The Widow's Strike
Invented by nature but genetically manipulated by man, a mutation of a deadly virus has fallen into the wrong hands. Angered by sanctions placed against its nuclear program, a rogue state is determined to release it. Their chosen method: one of the Black Widows—female suicide terrorists of Chechen descent with a deadly reputation for slaughter that rivals any other group.
The only thing standing in the Black Widow’s way is the Taskforce, an extra-legal counterterrorism unit. Racing against time to prevent a global pandemic, Taskforce operator Pike Logan and his partner Jennifer Cahill follow the trail across Southeast Asia to the United States, only to learn that the enemy they face may not be the enemy they should fear.
The Widow’s Strike ties together government-sanctioned terrorist activities, nefarious multinational conglomerates, and frighteningly plausible science. Infused with authenticity from Brad Taylor’s decades of service as a Delta Force commander, it’s an explosive ride alongside America’s counterterrorism operators that will leave readers breathless.
The only thing standing in the Black Widow’s way is the Taskforce, an extra-legal counterterrorism unit. Racing against time to prevent a global pandemic, Taskforce operator Pike Logan and his partner Jennifer Cahill follow the trail across Southeast Asia to the United States, only to learn that the enemy they face may not be the enemy they should fear.
The Widow’s Strike ties together government-sanctioned terrorist activities, nefarious multinational conglomerates, and frighteningly plausible science. Infused with authenticity from Brad Taylor’s decades of service as a Delta Force commander, it’s an explosive ride alongside America’s counterterrorism operators that will leave readers breathless.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 16, 2013
766 people are currently reading
2133 people want to read
About the author
Brad Taylor
48 books2,538 followersBrad Taylor served for more than twenty-one years in the U.S. Army, retiring in 2010 as a Special Forces Lieutenant colonel. During that time he held numerous infantry and special operations positions, including eight years in 1st Special Forces Operations Detachment—Delta, popularly known as the Delta Force, where he commanded multiple troops and a squadron.
He has conducted operations in support of U.S. national interests in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other classified locations. His final military post was as Assistant Professor of Military Science at The Citadel. He holds a master's of science in defense analysis with a concentration in irregular warfare from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.
When not writing, Brad serves as a security consultant on asymmetric threats to various agencies. He currently lives in Charleston, SC, with his wife and two daughters.
He has conducted operations in support of U.S. national interests in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other classified locations. His final military post was as Assistant Professor of Military Science at The Citadel. He holds a master's of science in defense analysis with a concentration in irregular warfare from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.
When not writing, Brad serves as a security consultant on asymmetric threats to various agencies. He currently lives in Charleston, SC, with his wife and two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews
May 5, 2024
Another good read by Mr Taylor. It seems like there is always something stinking in the wood pile. This would be referring to the corrupt people in the administration listed here. Pike is always swimming upstream when trying to save his country. The world is about to be exposed to bioterrorism and the Bureaucracy continues to be a stumbling block at every turn. Jennifer, aka Koko, has remained as his check and balance, bringing out the best part of him. But, do not be the one that would put her in harms way and expect to remain healthy.
There is action galore, nail biting suspense and very believable characters. This series continues to be a good read. Enjoy.
June 18, 2025
Hot Zone
The son of a doctor involved in doing gain-of-function research on the Avian Flu has been kidnapped, and the doctor forced to hand over samples of his work to terrorists.
Pike Logan and his partner are on the case, trying to find the doctor before his dangerously infective samples make it to the wrong people.
Once again, Pike, Jennifer and the task force are racing around the world attempting to stop a global catastrophe.
Well written, pulse pounding stories is what former Delta Operator Brad Taylor does best, and this one is no exception. Five star star thriller.
The son of a doctor involved in doing gain-of-function research on the Avian Flu has been kidnapped, and the doctor forced to hand over samples of his work to terrorists.
Pike Logan and his partner are on the case, trying to find the doctor before his dangerously infective samples make it to the wrong people.
Once again, Pike, Jennifer and the task force are racing around the world attempting to stop a global catastrophe.
Well written, pulse pounding stories is what former Delta Operator Brad Taylor does best, and this one is no exception. Five star star thriller.
August 2, 2016
Taylor may have been earlier on the "widow" theme (see also Daniel Silva's latest), but it and sex boulevard Sukhumvit Road in Thailand (which also shows up in Nexus) were interesting "shares" between these three books.
The Widow's Strike is another great action-filled thriller from Brad Taylor in his book about how a rogue Iranian could weaponize a virus. Catnip for those of us who read Vince Flynn, Daniel Silva, Marc Cameron, Taylor Stevens, Ben Coes, Alex Berenson, Gayle Lynds, Harry Hunsicker, Sara Paretsky, etc.
The Widow's Strike is another great action-filled thriller from Brad Taylor in his book about how a rogue Iranian could weaponize a virus. Catnip for those of us who read Vince Flynn, Daniel Silva, Marc Cameron, Taylor Stevens, Ben Coes, Alex Berenson, Gayle Lynds, Harry Hunsicker, Sara Paretsky, etc.
January 20, 2021
Wow this is the 3rd operator style book I've read in the last few months that dealt with a pandemic element. The others were Mitch Rapp and Jack Ryan books. Its like they new something like 2020 would happen...
August 18, 2013
The anti-terrorist thriller genre lost a leading light with the untimely passing of Vince Flynn this year. Luckily for fans of this genre, there are still other action thriller authors who can pick up the mantle, but never replace, the great Vince Flynn.
Brad Taylor's fourth Pike Logan thriller is another fast exciting read filled with action, secret missions, guns and violence. Taylor sets up the action convincingly with a plot involving a bold terrorist general who is intent on unleashing a plague on the world. We get a bird's eye view of the presumed motivations of the general and of the recruited Chechen widow, who will be the actual instrument of attack. Taylor knows weapons and tactics and is particularly adept at describing the efforts that the team must go through to thwart a terrorist attack. The least convincing part of this book is Logan's perspective of the Widow's reasons for being a suicide bomber unleashing a plague against innocents that are not involved in the Chechen area, but he does spend a lot of time trying to provide a window into the face of evil. It's up to the reader to determine if he succeeds.
The general is operating out of Thailand, when he stumbles onto the fact that a biological factory has developed a murderous strain of the Asian flu. Motivated by his hatred for the West, the general kidnaps a scientist's kid at the mall and then threatens to kill the kid unless the scientist will provide the vials containing the disease.
Pike Logan and his partner Jennifer Cahill are members of the Taskforce, a typical secret government agency tasked with stopping terrorist attacks on America. Knuckles, one of the other members of Logan's team is captured by Thai police while on a mission trailing the general. It's up to Logan and Jennifer to find a way to free Knuckles.
Once free, the team tracks the general and during a firefight captures one of the general's team of terrorists, who reveals the general's deadly plot. Can Logan and Jennifer stop the general before he gets the virus or at any point during his deadly plan to unleash the virus on the World. Will all of America's Taskforce members standup and be counted?
This is an exciting page turner as Logan, Jennifer and his team race against time to prevent a deadly plague from being unleashed. It's a wham bang action packed thrill ride.
Brad Taylor's fourth Pike Logan thriller is another fast exciting read filled with action, secret missions, guns and violence. Taylor sets up the action convincingly with a plot involving a bold terrorist general who is intent on unleashing a plague on the world. We get a bird's eye view of the presumed motivations of the general and of the recruited Chechen widow, who will be the actual instrument of attack. Taylor knows weapons and tactics and is particularly adept at describing the efforts that the team must go through to thwart a terrorist attack. The least convincing part of this book is Logan's perspective of the Widow's reasons for being a suicide bomber unleashing a plague against innocents that are not involved in the Chechen area, but he does spend a lot of time trying to provide a window into the face of evil. It's up to the reader to determine if he succeeds.
The general is operating out of Thailand, when he stumbles onto the fact that a biological factory has developed a murderous strain of the Asian flu. Motivated by his hatred for the West, the general kidnaps a scientist's kid at the mall and then threatens to kill the kid unless the scientist will provide the vials containing the disease.
Pike Logan and his partner Jennifer Cahill are members of the Taskforce, a typical secret government agency tasked with stopping terrorist attacks on America. Knuckles, one of the other members of Logan's team is captured by Thai police while on a mission trailing the general. It's up to Logan and Jennifer to find a way to free Knuckles.
Once free, the team tracks the general and during a firefight captures one of the general's team of terrorists, who reveals the general's deadly plot. Can Logan and Jennifer stop the general before he gets the virus or at any point during his deadly plan to unleash the virus on the World. Will all of America's Taskforce members standup and be counted?
This is an exciting page turner as Logan, Jennifer and his team race against time to prevent a deadly plague from being unleashed. It's a wham bang action packed thrill ride.
September 3, 2015
Pike Logan! There should be theme music you know? Thrilling, stirring music to set the tone.
Once again the world hangs in the balance. A weapon of mass destruction is about to bring down the United States and reshuffle everything in the Middle East and the world. What shall we do? Who can save us?
Well luckily Pike and his team are still out there and in spite of short sighted politicians, superiors and other teams we can all hold to hope that Pike will succeed!
So what is about to happen? Well without spilling the beans (or petri dish) one of the Black Widows who are pledged to die for the movement (I always wonder [and I'm not really making light of this] what do female martyrs get? I mean are there 72 male virgins waiting or what? ) is set to deliver a killing blow to to The Great Satan (that's the U.S.). The book moves along at a good clip and in spite of my somewhat light opening this is actually a fairly possible scenario.
Tightly plotted with acceptable characterization I like these.
Recommended. Enjoy.
Once again the world hangs in the balance. A weapon of mass destruction is about to bring down the United States and reshuffle everything in the Middle East and the world. What shall we do? Who can save us?
Well luckily Pike and his team are still out there and in spite of short sighted politicians, superiors and other teams we can all hold to hope that Pike will succeed!
So what is about to happen? Well without spilling the beans (or petri dish) one of the Black Widows who are pledged to die for the movement (I always wonder [and I'm not really making light of this] what do female martyrs get? I mean are there 72 male virgins waiting or what? ) is set to deliver a killing blow to to The Great Satan (that's the U.S.). The book moves along at a good clip and in spite of my somewhat light opening this is actually a fairly possible scenario.
Tightly plotted with acceptable characterization I like these.
Recommended. Enjoy.
January 31, 2020
Of course I pick this one up as the Corona Virus is leading all of our newscasts. Jennifer and Pike get better with each book. This one was excellent. Tense from beginning to end. Iran. Foolish government leaders. Just like what’s happening all around us to a point. Kind of scary. Hopefully we have a Taskforce and Kurt somewhere out there.
June 16, 2015
A New Book,
A New Day
A New Threat.
But don't worry, Pike Logan and Jennifer Cahill have returned to kill off a terrorist scheme that threatens not just the USA but the world in Brad Taylor's "The Widow's Strike"
Ahh, the dreaded Sophomore slump. This is when an author, after starting strong begins to get a bit "wobbly" so to speak. Vince Flynn hit it in "The Third Option", Ian Fleming hit it in "Diamonds are Forever" and after the third brilliant Pike Logan book "Enemy Of Mine", Brad Taylor seems to have caught a minor case of it as well. That does not mean "The Widow's Strike" is a bad book, on the contrary, it's well researched, has the best setting and some fun action scenes but it is let down by a lack of gripping plot twists and character development, two things which have been the trademarks of the Pike Logan Saga and hence make it currently the weakest book in the series. Now to the review. What happens when someone messes around with the deadliest virus on earth?
The story kicks off with a workplace accident in Singapore. A scientist working for a pharmaceutical firm is infected with a mutated strain of bird flu. The incident is contained but catches the eye of the Iranian Qhuds force commander. He heads to Thailand, looking for leverage to use against one of the research team members. Back in America, Pike Logan and Jennifer Cahill our protagonists are trying to recover from the shocking events of book 3. Unfortunately, one of the members of their team who was in Thailand trying to do a black bag job is arrested and incarcerated in a Thai jail. They fly down to Asia and assist with the prison break which goes off successfully. With the team regrouped, they're informed that the Iranian is in the area and are suddenly drawn into what starts as a reconnaissance job but turns into a race to prevent a plan to silence all of Iran's critics, domestic and foreign, permanently.
Plot wise, "The Widow's Strike" is good. Taylor drags Pike and Jennifer on a fun hunt across Asia for the most intelligent foe they've faced yet someone who's far more intelligent then their previous foes. At the same time, they're still trying to sort out their relationship which through all the hell they've been through has evolved from bodyguard and damsel in distress in book 1, teacher and mentor in book 2, good friends in book 3 and in book 4 has now graduated to a romance! The action has been ramped up considerably from the previous book. From a destructive boat chase in Bangkok to a cool infiltration of a Singapore hotel room and a high-wire climax on a cruise ship off the east coast, "The Widow's Strike" has the best setting of the series and Taylor used his research trip they're very well. The technology the author broke out for this book is very impressive. From the special harness rig the team uses to drop Jennifer into the top floor hotel rooms of the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore without killing her to the cool method Pike uses to commit identity theft and break Knuckles out of jail. At the same time, the author weaves a solid cautionary tale about the medical industry, how large companies offshore their research in order to keep it away from meddlesome oversight, safeguards and by doing so leave them vulnerable for "interested parties" to take that research. The main threat of the novel, the mutation of HN51 into a lethal strain is inspired by real life events. There was a research team in Holland which successfully mutated bird flu and were on the verge of publishing their papers until the WHO begged them to keep them under lock and key, fearing rouge states would replicate the research themselves. Then there's the recent outbreak of HN51 in China which spread as far as Taiwan before getting under control. It was later discovered that in a under-equipped laboratory in China was a heavily mutated HN51 sample that had been experimented on. Research on viruses can be used for both good and evil and without proper oversight of the medical industry, the shadowy "interested parties" like North Korea or Al Quaeda may try to take advantage and wage biowarfare which is a lot more painful in the long run and easier to do than set off a nuke. The author makes this point by having the Quhds force Colonel who's utterly demented trying to do so obtain a mutated HN51 sample and spread it, knowing there's no virus. It's fiction but if it were real, we'd be wiped out.
Next comes the characters. Apart from Pike and Jennifer's relationship being upgraded to a romance, there's less emphasis on the character development in this book. Pike's unit has settled in nicely and is now working like a well-oiled machine much to the disappointment of the Quhds force soldiers who get severely trounced from Bangkok to Hong Kong. We get to meet more of the Oversight Council, the leaders of the Taskforce and due to the fatal flaws of one of their members who screwed up in a big way, panic and promptly go mad for one chapter and get sent on a wild goose chase. At the end of the book, you'd be thinking they needed some rest and relaxation...on a cruise ship. But that character that caught my eye the most and stole the show from the protagonists and Jennifer was the main villain, General Malak, commander of Iran's Qhuds Force, a cynic who doesn't give two shits worth about being an Islamist unlike other villains in the genre and by far is the best opponent to face off against the Taskforce....and he damn near wins. Even though he hasn't got the awesome surveillance and weaponry the Taskforce has, he gets the better of them throughout most of the book and if it wasn't for the sheer bloody incompetence of his operatives he would have won the day. He's also got a excellent sense of humour, using a stack of illegally pirated ARGO DVD's in a creative trap to delay the Taskforce and at one point, gets to have a gleefully fun conversation with Pike and live to tell the tale.
Finally, to the constructive criticism. The portrayal of the Qhuds Force is rather...lopsided. Yes, recently from Thailand to Bulgaria they've been utterly incapable of blowing something up except their own limbs and failed to kill multiple Israeli diplomats this year. However, with only General Malak being a serious opposition to Pike and company, the Taskforce had a rather too easy time killing off the opposition like Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp. To put it bluntly, they were a joke. The series has had a great number of villains who can give the protagonists a serious run for their money and in "The Polaris Protocol" to be released in 2014, I hope Mr Taylor readdresses the balance. Lastly, there were very few plot twists. I may be nitpicking here but what made "Enemy Of Mine" so brilliant were the brave and shocking places the author threw his character into in order to show the reader what they were made off. "The Widow's Strike" in contrast seemed to be another day in the park for Pike and Jennifer rather then a challenge.
Nonetheless, with most good authors, the Sophomore slump is temporary and I'm sure the same thing will happen here with a full recovery in the next book. Overall, Brad Taylor has written an excellent and educational cautionary tale for the current decade. With it's compelling action set pieces and always meticulously accurate research, "The Widow's Strike" may not be as good as its predecessor novel but is still better written than many competing thrillers out there.
QUITE RECOMMENDED
A New Day
A New Threat.
But don't worry, Pike Logan and Jennifer Cahill have returned to kill off a terrorist scheme that threatens not just the USA but the world in Brad Taylor's "The Widow's Strike"
Ahh, the dreaded Sophomore slump. This is when an author, after starting strong begins to get a bit "wobbly" so to speak. Vince Flynn hit it in "The Third Option", Ian Fleming hit it in "Diamonds are Forever" and after the third brilliant Pike Logan book "Enemy Of Mine", Brad Taylor seems to have caught a minor case of it as well. That does not mean "The Widow's Strike" is a bad book, on the contrary, it's well researched, has the best setting and some fun action scenes but it is let down by a lack of gripping plot twists and character development, two things which have been the trademarks of the Pike Logan Saga and hence make it currently the weakest book in the series. Now to the review. What happens when someone messes around with the deadliest virus on earth?
The story kicks off with a workplace accident in Singapore. A scientist working for a pharmaceutical firm is infected with a mutated strain of bird flu. The incident is contained but catches the eye of the Iranian Qhuds force commander. He heads to Thailand, looking for leverage to use against one of the research team members. Back in America, Pike Logan and Jennifer Cahill our protagonists are trying to recover from the shocking events of book 3. Unfortunately, one of the members of their team who was in Thailand trying to do a black bag job is arrested and incarcerated in a Thai jail. They fly down to Asia and assist with the prison break which goes off successfully. With the team regrouped, they're informed that the Iranian is in the area and are suddenly drawn into what starts as a reconnaissance job but turns into a race to prevent a plan to silence all of Iran's critics, domestic and foreign, permanently.
Plot wise, "The Widow's Strike" is good. Taylor drags Pike and Jennifer on a fun hunt across Asia for the most intelligent foe they've faced yet someone who's far more intelligent then their previous foes. At the same time, they're still trying to sort out their relationship which through all the hell they've been through has evolved from bodyguard and damsel in distress in book 1, teacher and mentor in book 2, good friends in book 3 and in book 4 has now graduated to a romance! The action has been ramped up considerably from the previous book. From a destructive boat chase in Bangkok to a cool infiltration of a Singapore hotel room and a high-wire climax on a cruise ship off the east coast, "The Widow's Strike" has the best setting of the series and Taylor used his research trip they're very well. The technology the author broke out for this book is very impressive. From the special harness rig the team uses to drop Jennifer into the top floor hotel rooms of the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore without killing her to the cool method Pike uses to commit identity theft and break Knuckles out of jail. At the same time, the author weaves a solid cautionary tale about the medical industry, how large companies offshore their research in order to keep it away from meddlesome oversight, safeguards and by doing so leave them vulnerable for "interested parties" to take that research. The main threat of the novel, the mutation of HN51 into a lethal strain is inspired by real life events. There was a research team in Holland which successfully mutated bird flu and were on the verge of publishing their papers until the WHO begged them to keep them under lock and key, fearing rouge states would replicate the research themselves. Then there's the recent outbreak of HN51 in China which spread as far as Taiwan before getting under control. It was later discovered that in a under-equipped laboratory in China was a heavily mutated HN51 sample that had been experimented on. Research on viruses can be used for both good and evil and without proper oversight of the medical industry, the shadowy "interested parties" like North Korea or Al Quaeda may try to take advantage and wage biowarfare which is a lot more painful in the long run and easier to do than set off a nuke. The author makes this point by having the Quhds force Colonel who's utterly demented trying to do so obtain a mutated HN51 sample and spread it, knowing there's no virus. It's fiction but if it were real, we'd be wiped out.
Next comes the characters. Apart from Pike and Jennifer's relationship being upgraded to a romance, there's less emphasis on the character development in this book. Pike's unit has settled in nicely and is now working like a well-oiled machine much to the disappointment of the Quhds force soldiers who get severely trounced from Bangkok to Hong Kong. We get to meet more of the Oversight Council, the leaders of the Taskforce and due to the fatal flaws of one of their members who screwed up in a big way, panic and promptly go mad for one chapter and get sent on a wild goose chase. At the end of the book, you'd be thinking they needed some rest and relaxation...on a cruise ship. But that character that caught my eye the most and stole the show from the protagonists and Jennifer was the main villain, General Malak, commander of Iran's Qhuds Force, a cynic who doesn't give two shits worth about being an Islamist unlike other villains in the genre and by far is the best opponent to face off against the Taskforce....and he damn near wins. Even though he hasn't got the awesome surveillance and weaponry the Taskforce has, he gets the better of them throughout most of the book and if it wasn't for the sheer bloody incompetence of his operatives he would have won the day. He's also got a excellent sense of humour, using a stack of illegally pirated ARGO DVD's in a creative trap to delay the Taskforce and at one point, gets to have a gleefully fun conversation with Pike and live to tell the tale.
Finally, to the constructive criticism. The portrayal of the Qhuds Force is rather...lopsided. Yes, recently from Thailand to Bulgaria they've been utterly incapable of blowing something up except their own limbs and failed to kill multiple Israeli diplomats this year. However, with only General Malak being a serious opposition to Pike and company, the Taskforce had a rather too easy time killing off the opposition like Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp. To put it bluntly, they were a joke. The series has had a great number of villains who can give the protagonists a serious run for their money and in "The Polaris Protocol" to be released in 2014, I hope Mr Taylor readdresses the balance. Lastly, there were very few plot twists. I may be nitpicking here but what made "Enemy Of Mine" so brilliant were the brave and shocking places the author threw his character into in order to show the reader what they were made off. "The Widow's Strike" in contrast seemed to be another day in the park for Pike and Jennifer rather then a challenge.
Nonetheless, with most good authors, the Sophomore slump is temporary and I'm sure the same thing will happen here with a full recovery in the next book. Overall, Brad Taylor has written an excellent and educational cautionary tale for the current decade. With it's compelling action set pieces and always meticulously accurate research, "The Widow's Strike" may not be as good as its predecessor novel but is still better written than many competing thrillers out there.
QUITE RECOMMENDED
February 25, 2019
A very basic writting...I am not really a fan of Brad Taylor's Pike Logan Series, but I enjoy a good story. As far as this one goes, anyone who has been or knows of people in elite units understand that we don't all act as they do/did. Some actions were a little off the chart and super emotional. Will I read book #5 ...well, there are other authors who have crept up and are now vying for my attention...
May 15, 2019
Wow! Intense, and action packed. A great read.
August 17, 2021
Probably my favorite Pike Logan entry out of the first 4 books. The plot had really high stakes, and was less convoluted this time. I also appreciate some of the research that clearly when into this volume. I also appreciate the way Mr. Taylor writes the villains in his stories. There is one particular antagonist here that was much more layered and complex in their motivations than what you typically see in the genre. The other villain may have had more typical motivations, but was a very smart and adequate adversary.
I can see Brad Taylor improving as a writer as I read through this series which I really like. However, each book still seems to have some of the same nagging problems. The action could be slightly better, and I always want to see Pike do more. A lot of times it seems like he's reacting to what Jennifer and others are doing instead of taking part himself. And finally the trope of Pike gettimg an order and immediately defying it and the boss getting mad but saying it was the right call is getting old.
I can see Brad Taylor improving as a writer as I read through this series which I really like. However, each book still seems to have some of the same nagging problems. The action could be slightly better, and I always want to see Pike do more. A lot of times it seems like he's reacting to what Jennifer and others are doing instead of taking part himself. And finally the trope of Pike gettimg an order and immediately defying it and the boss getting mad but saying it was the right call is getting old.
February 19, 2021
It seems like every other book I read lately is about someone wanting to release a deadly virus and create a world pandemic. The weird thing is, they were written way before the current situation. Anyway, this one is well written with good believable characters and action. I know that the off budget, black ops type team has been done before, but so what, it's fun.
February 17, 2023
Fantastic
Another Brad Taylor winner! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and like many of his other books, and had a fast-moving plot with fantastic characters.
I Halloween recommend.
Another Brad Taylor winner! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and like many of his other books, and had a fast-moving plot with fantastic characters.
I Halloween recommend.
April 21, 2024
Published 7 years before covid-19 when US government responded with absurd panic just as in this book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2014
Brad Taylor has quickly risen to the top of the thriller genre, along with Lee Child, Brad Thor, and Vince Flynn. In this most recent installment featuring Pike Logan, the action is, once again, non-stop. Interesting backdrops abound as the story of a terror plot involving a deadly virus unfolds throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States. The main characters, Pike Logan and Jennifer Cahill, are now familiar. Their professional relationship has become more personal, providing the sexual tension missing from more one dimensional works in this genre. While I enjoyed the read, it is my opinion this is the weakest of the Pike Logan novels. From a negative perspective, I found the Logan/Cahill relationship clumsy, the action slightly contrived, and the inept antagonists difficult to believe. Though not Taylor's best work, The Widow's Strike is still a good, recommended read. A 3.5 (4 rounded) out of 5 stars.
November 2, 2013
This was a random pickup at the library, and it was just okay. The prose was a bit stilted, especially Pike's first person narration, and the constant switches in viewpoint felt very awkward, but I could have gotten past that if the plot had been a little more realistic.
I won't actively look for more of these, but I won't avoid them either.
I won't actively look for more of these, but I won't avoid them either.
June 11, 2016
A series I have been enjoying but this was easily the weakest to date. Much of the book felt as if it had been regurgitated from previous ones and had far too many similarities. Again we have a dastardly plot against the US from extremists, again we have Pike Logan and the Taskforce going off and doing their thing against orders, again we have issues with the oversight committee. I just felt I had read it before many times and kind of sleepwalked through reading it just as the author appears to have sleepwalked through writing it. Hopefully the series will get back on track as it has great potential.
March 17, 2019
Honestly I keep giving these five stars, but they are genuienly that good. OK, they're not going to win the Booker prize but if you want a fast 'holiday' read then these fit the bill tremendously well.
Yes, its all a bit macho, although the presence of Logan's parter (ish) Jennifer leavens that a bit, and Taylor has even started to 'three-dimensionalise' his villains.
Genuinely nothing not to like!
Yes, its all a bit macho, although the presence of Logan's parter (ish) Jennifer leavens that a bit, and Taylor has even started to 'three-dimensionalise' his villains.
Genuinely nothing not to like!
October 1, 2021
The Taskforce with Pike Logan & Jennifer Cahill have to confront a serious biological attack on the US...In spite of the "soap opera" personal relationship issues, Taylor has placed himself in the class of Tom Clancy & Vince Flynn with a real page-turner...fun Spring Break read!!!
November 12, 2021
I can’t help but wonder if the story line of the book mirrors Covid-19’s outbreak. I won’t speculate but the book was published in 2013. If Mr Taylor could author such a story from his experience it makes since. Very good and informative novel.
March 30, 2019
Amazing as usual!
November 23, 2023
Surprisingly original and yet somehow predictable. Brad Taylor could have been writing about the Coronavirus pandemic that raged across the world in 2020, except Widow's Strike was published in 2013. The story felt eerily familiar—the use of a virus, even more virulent than Covid 19, as a weapon to be used against the great Satan (the United States of course). Maybe the coronavirus was not intended as a weapon; or maybe it was. I doubt we'll ever know the truth.
Most of Pike's villains are from the middle east and in Widow's Strike the lead bad guy is a rogue general from Iran who is hellbent on inflicting unimaginable harm and massive casualties on the United States. It doesn't seem to matter to the general that once this virus is unleashed it can not be contained and in time could decimate seventy percent of the world's population. He's betting his life on a vaccine to inoculate his own country from the virus, only there is no viable vaccine, and he knows it.
It's a tiresome theme to be sure. Relentless hatred of America by the Muslim world. Recruitment of damaged people and turning them into martyrs for the cause. Yet Taylor manages to turn out one compelling story after another featuring his terrorist hunter extraordinaire, Pike Logan, and his now indispensable business partner and only female terrorist hunter working with the Task Force, Jennifer Cahill. More interesting and more compelling, for me anyway, is the transformation of Jennifer from a bright, serious college student into a bright, serious and lethal member of Pike's team.
For Jennifer, participating in Pike's world has been nothing less than an eye-opening, soul searching series of near death experiences. As she is drawn deeper and deeper into Pike's world the person she was when she first met him is slowly morphing into someone else. The constant stress of facing life and death scenarios, of having to confront the limits of morality and decency require a strength that has always been in her, but is now being hardened in the fire of having to make instant life/death decisions. Living in a fast paced world of hunting other human beings is taking its toll.
Taylor also blurs the lines of morality and decency on a broader, national scale. The government, with all its national security apparatus and secrets operates in a world of deception and misdirection. The Task Force, monitored by an oversight committee, is our last line of defense with a clear mission objective of not operating within the United States and never implicating the government when operating on foreign soil. Yet bad guys don't stay put and Pike is relentless in his pursuit. It's a great idea to limit terrorist hunting to off-shore, but impossible to enforce despite the efforts of the Oversight Committee.
As for Pike Logan he is no longer the same man who was introduced in the series opener, One Rough Man. There has been some aging, some slowing down. A barely perceptible softening and heart opening as he and Jennifer continue to be drawn into one conflict after another and deepen their personal connection. It's not just the bad guys that Pike has to contend with, it's a disbelieving oversight committee that is worried more about staying secret than accomplishing whatever mission they have authorized. Just as Jennifer and Pike must continually confront their own inner boundaries and humanity, so must the committee. And so must Col. Kurt Hale, Pike's biggest supporter and Task Force commander.
Taylor's world is fictional. Or is it? Technology may have forever changed the playing field, but not the players. The world will always be driven by the desire for wealth and power, those capable of committing acts of atrocity, and those who choose to stand against them. For Pike there is no middle ground.
Most of Pike's villains are from the middle east and in Widow's Strike the lead bad guy is a rogue general from Iran who is hellbent on inflicting unimaginable harm and massive casualties on the United States. It doesn't seem to matter to the general that once this virus is unleashed it can not be contained and in time could decimate seventy percent of the world's population. He's betting his life on a vaccine to inoculate his own country from the virus, only there is no viable vaccine, and he knows it.
It's a tiresome theme to be sure. Relentless hatred of America by the Muslim world. Recruitment of damaged people and turning them into martyrs for the cause. Yet Taylor manages to turn out one compelling story after another featuring his terrorist hunter extraordinaire, Pike Logan, and his now indispensable business partner and only female terrorist hunter working with the Task Force, Jennifer Cahill. More interesting and more compelling, for me anyway, is the transformation of Jennifer from a bright, serious college student into a bright, serious and lethal member of Pike's team.
For Jennifer, participating in Pike's world has been nothing less than an eye-opening, soul searching series of near death experiences. As she is drawn deeper and deeper into Pike's world the person she was when she first met him is slowly morphing into someone else. The constant stress of facing life and death scenarios, of having to confront the limits of morality and decency require a strength that has always been in her, but is now being hardened in the fire of having to make instant life/death decisions. Living in a fast paced world of hunting other human beings is taking its toll.
Taylor also blurs the lines of morality and decency on a broader, national scale. The government, with all its national security apparatus and secrets operates in a world of deception and misdirection. The Task Force, monitored by an oversight committee, is our last line of defense with a clear mission objective of not operating within the United States and never implicating the government when operating on foreign soil. Yet bad guys don't stay put and Pike is relentless in his pursuit. It's a great idea to limit terrorist hunting to off-shore, but impossible to enforce despite the efforts of the Oversight Committee.
As for Pike Logan he is no longer the same man who was introduced in the series opener, One Rough Man. There has been some aging, some slowing down. A barely perceptible softening and heart opening as he and Jennifer continue to be drawn into one conflict after another and deepen their personal connection. It's not just the bad guys that Pike has to contend with, it's a disbelieving oversight committee that is worried more about staying secret than accomplishing whatever mission they have authorized. Just as Jennifer and Pike must continually confront their own inner boundaries and humanity, so must the committee. And so must Col. Kurt Hale, Pike's biggest supporter and Task Force commander.
Taylor's world is fictional. Or is it? Technology may have forever changed the playing field, but not the players. The world will always be driven by the desire for wealth and power, those capable of committing acts of atrocity, and those who choose to stand against them. For Pike there is no middle ground.
March 1, 2021
Another fast paced thriller in the fourth installment of the Pike Logan series. Taylor continues to entertain with his expertise in the SOG world.
An Iranian general comes up with a virus that he plans to use against the US. Pike, Jennifer and all are on the hunt
An Iranian general comes up with a virus that he plans to use against the US. Pike, Jennifer and all are on the hunt
February 26, 2021
Another action packed thriller. The Taskforce, Pike and Jennifer travel the globe to unravel the mysteries and crimes planned against the evil empire of the West.
November 22, 2015
I don't know how thriller authors come up with their story ideas but Mr. Taylor came up with a doozy for this one. I almost felt like I was there with the way he writes the details of the given circumstances. This one had terrorist going to from Singapore to Hong Kong to Macau to New York and finally off the coast of Florida on a cruise ship. The Taskforce has a huge shake up and members are forced to show their true loyalty. Even the President has to deal with all the actions swirling around him while dealing with the a bad case of the flu. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, more than I have any other in a long time. Fantastic story, great suspense and just plain hard to put down. Keep it up Brad!
May 4, 2013
I had the privilege of receiving an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Widow's Strike. Has a slightly different flair than the first three, but an extremely, highly entertaining story-line. Characters are developed out more in this edition than its predecessors. And Mr. Taylor throws in some definate plot changes that you will not see coming. I will be reading this one again and if you are looking for a great read, this will not leave you disappointed! Great job again Brad!
December 29, 2015
I love books about viruses threatening mankind's extinction... combine that with a tough, badass, ex-Army guy who runs a team of tough, badass guys and girl (yes, singular), who do what needs to be done to save the world - well, that's just a massive winner in my book. If you love characters like Scot Harvath (Brad Thor), Mitch Rapp (Vince Flynn) and John Wells (Alex Berenson), try this book series - it's awesome!!!
Originally read 12 Feb 2014; listened to via Audible 29 Dec 2015
Originally read 12 Feb 2014; listened to via Audible 29 Dec 2015
November 11, 2014
Very entertaining action thriller. Although this book was formulaic and predictable, it was fun to read about an off-the-books special forces team going after a terrorist threat involving the release of a deadly virus. This was an easy, light read which offered no challenges or deep thinking, but I would be receptive to reading more by Brad Taylor.
December 11, 2023
Another great entry in the series. Brad is getting better and better with each new book. This time The Taskforce is chasing Iranians in the Far East, get tangled up with the Bird Flu and end up with danger on the home front! Very exciting fight/chase scenes! I love how we're getting to know more and more about the different team members. I highly recommend this series!
October 7, 2015
This excellent novel moves well throughout its plots and provides readers and listeners with thoughtful and exciting operations for the teams involved. Well done. 9 of 10 stars
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