Black Site

Delta Force #1

by Dalton Fury

From former Delta Force commander and New York Times bestselling author of Kill Bin Laden comes the first novel in an explosive new series.

After September 11, 2001, Delta Force troop commander Dalton Fury was given the secret mission to hunt down and kill the most wanted man in the world, the details of which were recounted in his extraordinary New York Times bestseller Kill Bin Laden. Now, Fury draws upon his hard-won combat experience ”and his gift for true-to-life storytelling” to offer a brand-new series of thrillers that are as close to reality as readers can get.

Meet Kolt Raynor. A Delta Force operator and one-time American hero, he is still trying to make sense of his life ”and duty” after a secret mission gone bad. Three years ago, in the mountains of Pakistan, Raynor made a split-second decision to disobey orders ”one that got some of his teammates killed and the rest captured. Now he's been given a second chance to do right by his country, his men, and himself. But Raynor's shot at redemption comes at a price.

A shadowy group of former colleagues has asked Raynor to return, alone, to Pakistan's badlands. His assignment seems clear: find his missing men and bring them home. What Raynor never expected was to uncover a sinister al Qaeda plot to capture a Black Site--a secret U.S. prison--and destabilize the region. Meanwhile, a ruthless, unknown enemy is on his trail…and he will stop at nothing to make sure that Raynor's mission is not accomplished.

An intense, gritty work of edge-of-your-seat suspense, Black Site is the first of what promises to be one of the most exciting fiction series of the new millennium.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Military Fiction, Audiobook, Action, Espionage, War

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 31, 2012

About the author

Thomas Greer, the former special operations commander who wrote a series of books under the pen name "Dalton Fury" and exposed the American public firsthand to the modern exploits of the military's most secretive units, died October 21, 2016 from cancer.

Starting as an enlisted soldier and instructor in the elite Army Rangers in the mid-1980s before becoming an officer, Greer later joining U.S. Army Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta, more commonly known as "Delta Force," the Army's version of SEAL Team Six. He published "Kill Bin Laden" in 2008, recounting his participation in the unsuccessful 2001 mission to capture elusive terrorist leader Osama bin Laden when he was holed up in the Tora Bora mountains of Afghanistan. He went on to write a series of other books, including a fictionalized account of special forces operations.

Greer, 52, was perhaps the first in what has become a long series of shadowy warriors-turned-authors who traded their rifles for pens to meet the public's growing enthusiasm for details on the government's most classified missions. Civilian leaders and military planners increasingly rely on these elite commandos to accomplish secret missions in modern war zones, creating tension between those willing to tell the story and others who choose to uphold their pledge to secrecy.

"Every one of us was dubbed persona non grata by our former organization," Greer told U.S. News in 2015. "To some, that doesn't mean squat. To others, it can be pretty painful as you lose a lot of close friends."

He spoke shortly after Matt Bissonnette, one of the SEALs who contributed to the 2011 mission that killed bin Laden, came under formal Pentagon inquiry for writing his own book, "No Easy Day," as did Robert O'Neill, another of the SEALs on that mission, who revealed himself on Fox News and claimed he fired the shot that killed the al-Qaida leader.

Their actions prompted top SEAL leaders to write a letter to those within their ranks, admonishing those who break from what they described as the "critical tenet of our ethos," to not advertise the nature of their work or seek recognition for it.

"We do not abide willful or selfish disregard for our core values in return for public notoriety or financial gain," Navy Rear Adm. Brian Losey and Force Master Chief Michael Magaraci wrote at the time.

Both Bissonnette and O'Neill claimed they chose to tell their stories for the sake of the American public.

"It was UBL, the biggest target of our generation," Greer explained at the time, using the military's prefered acronym for bin Laden, and referencing the fact that the White House confirmed reports the SEAL unit had conducted the assault. "Once the gates were opened by the Obama administration, I believe both Biss and Rob decided to make their claim to history while it was still marketable."

The greatest source of criticism for the former commandos centered on their decision not to seek approval through established channels at the Department of Defense for discussing classified information. Greer submitted copies of his proposed books for review, as most others like him do, and any information the Pentagon deemed sensitive was either changed or stricken.

Others who knew Greer say he was at least in part inspired to write his own book by a perceived barrier between the general public and the less than 1 percent of them who fought the seemingly never-ending wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"It brings a lot of pride to the American people, especially in times that are needed," says Jim Reese, founder of security consulting firm TigerSwan who served with Greer in both the Rangers and Delta as a fellow officer. "You've got this organization that is in the shadows, and part of it should be. But this is the New York Yankees. What Tom was able to do with both his books and his fiction books was to bring the reality to Middle America, to let Americans be proud of this small element of Americans.

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I almost missed out on this one! I borrowed Black Site two weeks ago. After listening to it the first time, I couldn't connect with the story/character so I stopped about an hour into it. I was about to return the audiobook with 3 days left, but thought I'll give it another go. For whatever reason, I enjoyed it the second time around. Yes!!!

The main character, Kolt Raynor is a flawed hero with an operation gone wrong that left his team killed/captured in Afghanistan. Kolt was the only person who made it out and lives with guilt ever since. He's now back in the game after a call from his former commander. Kolt, along with great supporting characters; Americans and Pashtuns made this a solid military action fiction. 💖

Unfortunately, there's only five books in this series since the author Thomas Greer (Dalton Fury) passed away in 2016. He's a true hero.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay....good book if you like military action. There are some flaws, there are some cliches but over all a good read, as you can probably tell from the "4 star" rating.

Kolt is the quintessential "think for yourself" leader in Delta. Sadly he makes a decision that leads to a disaster (not really his fault, but definitely his responsibility) and it gets him cashiered from "the unit".

He then basically destructs, he crawls into a bottle. He can't hold a job, he stays in the trailer he and his best friend (who was part of the disaster) used to share.

Then he's contacted by a former commander who's now in the private sector and needs someone...for what's probably a suicide mission.

This book had many, many opportunities to bog down, but it never did. There isn't any touchy feely story line. There isn't a love story. There isn't a look at the deep inner motivations of each participant to find their "reality". There is a story, a plot with actual characters. You will get to know the participants you will be able to care and you will get involved...at least if you like action novels.

This book steps into the role of good action/techno-thriller type reads and I've already sent for the next in the writer's series.

Recommended.

[Freda Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

The introduction to this novel and washed out Delta Force Operator, Kolt Raynor (Racer) needs no further intel for the reader, or else it would ruin the intrigue. What I can say is that I enjoyed the almost minute-by-minute play of the suicide mission Racer is inserted into, to rescue his Delta Elite pals who were captured, three years prior, while trying to rescue Racer and his unit on a different mission. The red herrings and strategic plans of the mission goes beyond a rescue. It was brilliant and fun to watch it all unfold.

The writer, Dalton Fury, would be what I would call an 'easy' writer, not a pro. Keeping it simple, the story and dialogue was slow going throughout and then picked up speed as the ending drew near, only to make me feel like I had dropped off a cliff and nothing happened. I'm not sure I liked the cliffhanger the author left for us. It seemed like an awful place to mark it with a 'to be continued', though it does feel interesting enough to wonder about the second novel in this series and I'll be picking that up sometime soon.

It is unfortunate that the writer is dead now and I'm hoping he was able to close up the Delta Force series with a great ending. Thank you for your service and thank you for your stories.

[Veronica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this over the weekend and wasn't terribly impressed. The main character is bland and the story is just so-so.

[SteVen Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review - Black Site - Dalton Fury
I have read a lot of military thrillers but "Black Site" attracted me due its author, Dalton Fury(decease), a former Delta Force commander. The book grabbed me on page one and did not let me go until I finished it after a wild breathtaking ride behind the scenes in "The Unit" and in the wilds of Pakistan and Afghanistan. It truly is a page turner that seems to ratchet up the tension with each succeeding chapter. Black Site is a novel of personal redemption as much as it is a story of the tactical bravery of our Delta Force teams. The main character, Kolt ‘Racer’ Raynor is a flawed character, but he is also a man who reflects the best of personal bravery, loyalty and commitment to his men and to his country. I found myself breathless at times with the break neck pacing of the book and I highly recommend it to fans of the action thriller genre. RIP Dalton Fury, I miss your story telling immensely!

[Steven Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

More accurately, I would give it a 3.5. Three is too low and four is too high. It had an amazingly compelling plot, but the characters left much to be desired in terms of personality. The action scenes bore the mark of an expert of violence.

Admittedly, this is Fury's second foray into writing and his first into fiction, and by his own admission, he is not a writer by trade. But he has potential, and if he continues to practice the tips of the trade, I can easily see him ranking with Flynn and Thor in the modern action thriller genre.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written by a former member of the Unit, who was one of the masterminds behind the attack which took out Bin Ladin. So he knows the subject matter very well.

A bit slow and disjointed early in the book, but l'll give him a pass since this was his first novel. After the rough start Fury gets the flow right and has a very good SF story.

Colt Raynor, a major in the Unit is bounced from his command after a mission that failed miserably through none of his own fault. For 3 years he wallows in an alcoholic haze.

Then the story takes off. Raynor is picked to take on a mission behind the lines, exactly because he's dispensible.

[Ms.pegasus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kolt Raynor (“Racer”), a former Delta forces Major, now an alcoholic security guard assigned to a passive role sailing the shipping lanes off the Somalia coast, seizes upon an opportunity for redemption. Three years prior, he led a failed mission in Afghanistan which cost not only the lives of his entire team, but the apparent loss of a rescue team headed by his best friend, Lieutenant Col. Josh Timble (“T.J.”). Raynor is particularly suited to the netherworld of special operations where CIA operatives, special forces, military drones, and civilian quasi-military agencies overlap in the gathering of intelligence, planning operations, and executing defined strategic objectives. His strength is also his weakness – taking the initiative – seizing a chance opportunity, even if it means stretching or even contravening his original orders.

The attraction of this action thriller, of course, is that it is authored by a former Delta Forces operator who participated in the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. It is impossible to read this book without recognizing that Kolt Raynor is the author's alter ego. When he chafes at his restrictive orders, the cautious actions of his superiors, or the ponderous movement across channels of red tape, we recognize that it is the author, inveighing against the U.S. conduct of real-world warfare in Afghanistan. Verisimilitude is maintained by the measured tone of the 3rd person narrative, a narrative permeated with acronyms (AQ-Al Qaeda, HVT-high value targets, HAHO-high altitude high-opening jump), and of course specific weaponry.

The problem is the author's limitations in creating compelling characters. He makes a good start with Pamela Archer, an unmanned aerial vehicle operator, and Bob Kopelman, the shadowy ex-CIA officer. This in turn creates a problem in maintaining the momentum of the story. We know that “Racer” won't be killed, so the dramatic tension is dependent solely on such mainstays as chase scenes, and imminent danger. It is not until the final action sequence, that the story grips our interest. In all fairness, this is not my usual type of genre. The book was given to me as a Christmas present.

It will be interesting to see if Fury is able to channel his experiences while growing as a writer. In particular, the contrast between the civilian and military environments and their effects on particular types of personalities would make an interesting exploration. We sense that even without the guilt and alcohol, Kolt Raynor would find adapting to a civilian life a total impossibility.

[Tom Tischler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kolt Raynor a Delta Force Major is still trying to recover from a
secret mission gone bad. Three years before Raynor made a split second
decision in Pakistan that got some of his teammates killed and the rest
captured. Now he has been given a second chance at redemption but at a
price. He must return to Pakistan to find his captured men and bring
them home. He is heading for a black site a secret US prison but what
he does'nt know is that al Queda is headed in the same direction. This
is the first in a series by a former Delta Force member and it's a
page turner with a lot of action. I hope he can continue along this line.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Move over Brad Taylor, Brad Thor and others.. Dalton Fury has move into the area and he is taking over.. What an outstanding book and story. Fury is former Delta himself and was involved in the operation to stop Osama Bin Laden. He wrote a book about that, which was his first published piece. In it he gives the details of the operation.

Black Site is his first foray into the fiction side of publishing and has done an outstanding job. Cannot wait for the next episode.

[Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first in a series. Very well laid out and I am sure that Dalton Fury will have a winner in this book series. Goes into some detail to show us his knowledge of covert operations and I believe he has laid a pretty good foundation for a series. I recommend reading this first one before going to pick up any of the Delta Force series.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars really....why isnt there an option for half stars?

Good action and good pacing in thus book. The plot was good as well. I loved the epilog.

[Nannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haven’t read this other, but this was a great story. Ranks up there with Brad Thor, Lee Child and CJ Box, as far as story telling goes. I liked his style and will definitely be looking for more of his books.

[Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked this book out for my 15 year old son who is into nonfiction stories of modern soldiering. I wanted to get him to read some fiction, and thought to stick with the things he's interested in - mostly shooting and fighting. Black Site is a solid action story, and induced compulsive reading behavior in me, which is a certain kind of measure of literary worth. It's just about right for everyone's inner 15 year old boy. Dalton Fury peppers his tale with believable details about weapons, tactics, attitudes, Pashtun culture, the look and smell of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the camaraderie between brothers in arms. You sense that he's lived soldiering, and recently. Unfortunately, when the story steps into the world of CIA operations, super-spy heroics, evil bad-guy al-Qaeda masterminds, one man take downs of eight team terror squads and the like, the world he imagines begins to seem more like a comic book. In other words, it's just too difficult to believe that events would ever go down the way he describes. I read through it quickly and enjoyed the adventure, but the verisimilitude promised by the early soldiering details and narratives is ultimately replaced by a wham bam thank you ma'am comic book adventure that's lots of fun, but just couldn't ever have happened quite like this. If you were watching the made-for-TV movie that this seems designed to become, you'd probably just wander off for potato chips at some point and forget to come back, or find yourself muttering "oh, like that would ever happen!" But books have a way of being more compelling than video and all and all, I say, this one was not a bad way to while away a day. If my 15 year old ends up reading it, I'll rate it as brilliant, because it helped a boy on his reading journey. If he doesn't, well then, there's really not much here to talk about.

Post Script: My 15 year old son read it, beginning to end, and more than once. I therefore rate this novel as "brilliant" and "a tour de force."

[Sherri Vigil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Dalton Fury book. As I scanned through previews prior to reading it, I noticed that a female reader of this type of genre was almost nil. That being said, I was kept intrigued with this one. Fury acknowledges that he wasn't interested in learning anything in his English classes in school, which I found amusing because I truly enjoyed his writing. As far as the subject, in this time of the world, it is realistic no matter what political or ethical or religious views a reader has. I will be reading the next in this series.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flawed, former Delta operator, seeking redemption and all the other clichés one would expect, but thoroughly entertaining in a "intense, gritty work of edge-of-your-seat" way...what makes this one unique is that its written by a former "real" operator who was involved in the Bin Laden takedown...will follow this series as well

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when a washed-up (due to bad judgment and lack of discipline) former Delta operator gets a second chance on what looks like a suicide mission? A lot of technically-informed action happens. Of its kind, the book is top shelf.

[Toby Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say about Dalton Fury's BLACK SITE is - wow. I'm a huge fan of Vince Flynn and Brad Thor, and this absolutely blew me away. Gritty and realistic, written by a guy who has actually been there and done that, it's a ride to hell and back that I won't soon forget. Now to read TIER ONE WILD!

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where there's a will, there's a way. Thanks DF.

[Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Serviceable action thriller if you have read all of the Mitch Rapp and Scot Harvath books and are looking for something new.

[Matt Odom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what all military action books should be like!

Tons of fast paced action from the first page to the last

Would highly recommend.

[C Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I admit there were times when my attention waned but this deserves a review and I hope I give justice to it.

The suspense didn't let up, there were lots of gunfire, death, military black ops stuff that would give a fanboy a hard on.

This one is open-ended given that this is the first in the series. I'm definitely going to go over the next books when I'm in the mood for some action and plot twists.

[Scott A. Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice start from Fury. Racer is going to be another good thriller character. This was a story of failure, redemption and victory. The story didn’t end here. Looking forward to the next. Definitely worth a read.

[Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this book, and the entire 5 book series on my self for a few years. Why did I wait so long to read it. This the first book in the series was excellent! Looking forward to the next in the series!

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! This is the first book by this author that I’ve read but I will read all his other books.

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Book source ~ Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kolt Raynor, code name Racer, was at the top of his game as a Delta Force Commander when one bad decision on a covert operation plunged him into the abyss. After being kicked out of Delta Force and the military completely, for three years he took odd jobs to get by and drank his life away. Then one day there was a knock at his crappy trailer door and he was offered the chance to get back into the game, but as a civilian. The job was very risky, as in not-come-back-alive risky, but it was worth it for Kolt to do it and do it well. He had three weeks to train and it wasn’t going to be a piece of cake. If he survived the training then he would be able to start the job. After that, he just needed to survive it. Is Kolt too broken to get his head and body together? Or will he do whatever it takes to complete the mission?

I have a special thing for military thrillers probably because my husband and my son are both Marines. If the writing and the plot can keep me engaged then there isn’t much that will put me off the book. This story is not only one that kept me engaged from beginning to the end, but kept me on the edge of my seat. So many anxious moments when things could go wrong and at times did go wrong, but I was drawn right along and raring to keep going. Black Site is real enough to stave off disbelief of some of the situations and the descriptions and actions are just right, not too much and not too little. The varying POVs are something I particularly enjoy, so it was nice to get the story from the angle of other characters.

Since I listened to the audio of this book I have to comment on the narrator, Ari Fliakos. What a sexy voice that man has! Nice inflection and a variety of tones means I wasn’t bored listening to him. In fact, I enjoyed his narration so much I’m going to pick up other books he’s done and hope he continues to narrate audiobooks for some time to come.

All-in-all an awesome military/thriller/action book with lots of peril, weapons, bad guys, good guys and, for once, a woman riding to the rescue (at least in one instance). *wink*

[Ru · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Black Site" is an action-packed debut novel from former Delta Force Commander, Dalton Fury. Fury introduces the character of Kolt Raynor (whom he has stated for the record is not based on himself), a former Delta Force team member who has fallen from grace, and is brought back into the fold when new intel discovers information on a situation very close to him. This is a very entertaining book from cover to cover that feels genuine and clearly based on Fury's experience, if not himself, directly.

Raynor, as a character, is very quickly established as a likeable protagonist through his personal struggles. The book opens up with a tremendous crisis and Raynor is put to the test early. It gives the reader a chance to see him for his faults, but also for his merits, which are more instinctual than even he realizes. From there, once his backstory is revealed, he becomes even more of sympathetic figure to the reader. It's a great introduction that cements just who this man is and what his limits are, ahead of his next mission.

Raynor's mission is torrid and full of apparent danger, essentially facing off against Al-Qaeda operatives abroad. The manner in which Fury sets up the briefing and mission goals is terrific, and some of the personality conflicts between officers keeps things feeling realistic. Another nice touch is the lightness of politics in this book; the goal is to complete the mission, not become embroiled in foreign policy. Even though the title reveals what it is Raynor discovers is going on, the focus is squarely on the objective.

Elements of this book reminded me of Brad Thor's "The Apostle", which is only meant as complimentary. Fury clearly knows what his strengths are in writing his first military thriller and sticks to them. At no point does the dialogue in this book feel theatric or unnecessary, nor does Raynor become "Rambo" or a comic book superhero. As such, this is a very good debut from Fury, and I look forward to the next book in the series, "Tier One Wild".

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly good techno-thriller by a former member of Delta Force.

An ex-soldier with the usual tragic backstory so many authors seem to feel necessary is rehabilitated and sent to Pakistan to learn whether the bad guys are keeping American POWs as human soldiers. This first half of the novel is almost like a Rambo: First Blood Part 2 only set in Pakistan.

Then the second half starts, as our hero tries to stop a plot to raid a black site prison in Pakistan with an American Taliban type leader. This half of the book is fine, but a bit disjointed.

A good fiction debut, but not quite in the league of Vince Flynn or Brad Thor.

[Subnormal · Rating 5 out of 5]

When your a chapter in and you find yourself puchasing the rest of an authors work you know your onto a winner.
Black site had me hooked from page 1.

[Mike Worley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 solid stars, first Fury book I've read, makes me want to read more books by Dalton Fury.