Gunmetal Gray

Gray Man #6

by Mark Greaney

Mark Greaney, the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novels, delivers another breakneck thriller following the world's deadliest assassin the Gray Man.

After five years on the run Court Gentry is back on the inside at the CIA. But his first mission makes him wish he had stayed on the outs when a pair of Chinese agents try to take him down in Hong Kong. Normally the Chinese prefer to stay eyes-only on foreign agents. So why are they on such high alert?

Court's high stakes hunt for answers takes him across Southeast Asia and leads to his old friend, Donald Fitzroy, who is being held hostage by the Chinese. Fitzroy was contracted to find Fan Jiang, a former member of an ultra-secret computer warfare unit responsible for testing China's own security systems. And it seems Fan may have been too good at his job because China wants him dead.

The first two kill teams Fitzroy sent to find Fan have disappeared and the Chinese have decided to supervise the next operation. What they don't know is that Gentry's mission is to find Fan first and get whatever intel he has to the US.

After that, all he has to do is get out alive...

“I Love the Gray Man.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child

“Bourne for the new millenium.”—New York Times bestselling author James Rollins

“Mark Greaney reigns as one of the recognized masters of action and adventure. Back Blast is no exception.”—New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author Steve Berry

“Fast-paced [and] tightly written...A great ride.”—New York Times bestselling author Larry Bond

“Punches with bone-busting power…Flesh-and-blood priceless.”—New York Times bestselling author Stephen Templin

“Greaney’s unraveling of the Back Blast mystery is masterly, but it’s the Gray Man’s ability to outthink and outgun...that will keep readers glued to the pages.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“[A] high-energy thriller...Clancy fans will have a blast.”—Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Action, Espionage, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

502 pages, Paperback

First published February 14, 2017

About the author

Mark Greaney has a degree in International Relations and Political Science. In researching The Gray Man series he traveled to ten countries and trained extensively in the use of firearms, battlefield medicine, and close range combative tactics.

Learn more at MARKGREANEYBOOKS.COM

Email Mark at MarkGreaneyBooks@gmail.com

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid story of the Gray Man from Mr. Greaney. 8 of 10 stars

[Andrew Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Court Gentry is the Grey Man - a former CIA operative turned hired gun. This is the sixth book in the series but my personal entry point. I needn’t have worried that I’d missed the first five books as this one works well as a standalone. Yes, there are some broad references to past deeds but Gentry is by nature and occupation a mysterious man who’s led a largely secret life, and it seems that he carries little baggage with him. And I’d also met a couple of guys like him before, in Barry Eisler’s John Rain and Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp. These men stumble from one killing spree to the next with barely a glance over their shoulder.

In this adventure, Gentry is once again linked up with the CIA – though he’s displaying distinctly maverick tendencies, much to the annoyance of his CIA handler, Suzanne Brewer. The Grey Man is in Hong Kong on the hunt for Fan Jiang a Chinese cyber intrusion specialist who has done a runner from his home base and whose knowledge and skills are much coveted by the Americans (not to mention the Russians, the British and just about everyone else) and as Fan desperately tries to evade capture the action flits around much of South East Asia.

There are a lot of action scenes in this book, all described in great detail, and if this is your thing then there’s really no need to look any further. It’s well done, but for me it was all a little too much. I can’t recall an action thriller with a higher body count. That said, there’s never a dull moment here and as the tale draws to its conclusion Greaney ratchets up the suspense nicely. My favourite bits, though, were the exchanges between Gentry and the female members of the cast - Brewer and a Russian agent Gentry bumps into along the way – as there’s a touch of humour here and it allows a glimpse of who the Grey Man is behind his hard man shield.

Overall, an accomplished action kill-fest with maybe just enough of a hook to bring me back for a second helping.

[Terence M [Quot libros, quam breve tempus!] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars out of 5.0 – "I really Liked It"

Gray Man #6, "Gunmetal Gray" - Author: Mark Greaney
Audiobook 16:54 Hours - Narrated by: Jay Snyder
(Previously listened to in September 2018)

I decided to re-listen to "Gunmetal Gray" because (a) I had dnf'd the book in September 2018, and (b) in October 2020 I received my pre-ordered copy of "Gray Man #10, Relentless" and I was not comfortable with reading the latest effort by a favourite author when there was a probably unjustified dnf in his list of books.

Second time around I still think the book was a bit too long, but I really liked it nonetheless. This time I was able to get involved in the story line and the on-going action involving multiple plots and multiple bad guys in multiple countries. The bonus was Russian operative, Zoya Zahkarova - at last a possible love interest for The Gray Man. However, Zoya is as tough, as fast and as talented as Court Gentry - could they make a wonderful team? We will see ...

Excellent narration from Jay Snyder really put the icing on the cake. He produced a variety of vocal characterisations that were maintained throughout his story telling and added very positively to another enthralling Gray Man adventure.









Previous review - 12 September 2018
Audiobook - 16:55 hours - Narrator: Jay Snyder
3.0 stars out of 5.0 "I Liked It".
I struggled with this book and I hate it when this happens with a book by a favourite author. Because it was written by Mark Greaney, I tried to persevere to the bitter end, but if it had been written by an author less familiar to me, I would have DNF'd it at about 35%. The story line seemed to be here, there and everywhere else and it seemed padded out to boot. 17:00 hours is long for an audiobook and if it's interesting and enjoyable, that's fine; if it's boring, it's not!
Because my lack of concentration may have contributed to my non-liking and dnf'ing of this book, I will award 2.5 stars, rounded to 3.0 - so there!

[Kathi Defranc · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exciting adventure with politics and political 'correctness' taking the lead when Court Gentry, an ex-CIA agent; is asked to help with a case of a missing computer hacker. This the first Gray Man book I have read, I just had not got to the series yet, but after winning this book on Goodreads I jumped right in and now will definitely be reading them all!!
The action and intrigue take you through China and several other countries, as Court becomes 'involved' with the Chinese to aid in his search for Fan. They hold a man very dear to Court as he saved his life before, so Court is trying to keep two 'masters' happy while leading his original purpose, to bring Fan to America. As happens many times when dealing with those that have to make people feel always that their nation is safe, Court finds there is much more going on in this mission than he has been told.
There are some great characters that we meet, one being Zoya, a woman Russian special agent, who is fit and able to kick-ass herself. The story keeps you turning pages to keep up with all the action!
This is an awesome thriller,several small plots weaved seamlessly in with the the main plot, with enough romance,intrigue and action to keep all readers more than happy!

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, terrific, whoa! I have found another great character that I love - Court Gentry. Yes he is a sometimes CIA operative. But also he is freelance: with what is mentioned as a "weird" morality code. (His strong sense if what is right and integrity. Yes these characteristics do sometimes cause him difficulty in the field).
Terrific writing and plotting. I can see why Lee Child is a fan. Unputdownable

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book six in the Gray Man series. It is important to read these books in order. Courtland Gentry is a CIA agent turned freelancer. The CIA send Gentry to Hong Kong. He is to find and bring out a Chinese Defector, Fan Jiang. Fan Jiang is a cyber warfare specialist for the Chinese Government. His parents just died in an auto accident. Now that he has no family, the cyber-unit is out to terminate him because they no longer have leverage control over him. Fan wants to go to Taiwan, but the CIA wants him, as do the Chinese, the Russians and a Vietnamese gang.

The book is well written. Greaney co-wrote several of the Tom Clancy novels. Greaney creates an intricate plot. The story weaves in the exotic scenery of the orient. The action, excitement and tension is never ending. If you enjoy none stop action this is a book for you.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is about seventeen hours long. Jay Snyder does an excellent job narrating the series. Snyder is a voice over artist and an award-winning audiobook narrator.

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a big fan of the character and the series but sadly, this newest addition left me disappointed. After everything our hero went through, why is he back with the CIA and why is he in the middle of this mess? And in this long book, the plot is a very circuitous mess. I kept wondering if the mess accomplished anything. Did it approximate real world flavor or add thrills to the story? I found it boring and predictable rather than taut and exciting. For a book about cyberskills, it's amazing that so few were used. Perhaps the next installment will redeem the series. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the story opens, Court Gentry (alias The Gray Man ) arrives in Hong Kong.
Traveling solo on his latest mission , he poses as an American businessman.
Sensing a trap, he calmly enters his hotel room and is quickly taken prisoner
by two semi-professional Chinese operatives who suspect he is CIA. He
assesses the situation calmly : ONLY two "dudes", OBVIOUSLY armed with
pistols which they CARELESSLY leave in plain sight. Stainless steel handcuffs
behind his back and thoughts of the COUNTLESS times he's practiced ESCAPING
same. Calm mental CALCULATIONS of DISTANCE to guns and POSITIONS of baddies
while he outwardly whines and pleads for his life.
Then one gunman produces two small items, one of which is a surgical mask.
The chapter ends with calm, cool and collected Gentry's situation-summary :
"Uh-oh."

Mark Greaney outdoes his previous novels of international espionage.
The CIA, Chinese Intelligence agents, Russian paramilitary, Thai river pirates,
MI-6, an old friend/private contractor from England, corrupt officials and police
all over Asia and even a brief guest appearance by The Italian Mafia. Add all these
threats and throw Gentry ino the mix with his simple task : locate a young Chinese
computer hacker and help him defect to America. Stir in liberal amounts of lies,
half-truths and indifference from his own CIA handler and an unwilling defector.
The recipe in your hands ?
GUNMETAL GRAY. Volume 6 in the Gray Man series.

Did I forget to mention the romantic interest for Gentry ?
How about the fact that the defector doesn't really want to defect ?
And the emotional ending ?

Uh-oh.........

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure where I’ve been lately in the black ops new releases but I definitely missed this author. Gunmetal Gray is book six in the Gray Man series and I am definitely going to correct that oversight immediately.

Set mainly in Hong Kong and China, this book is the story of a CIA operative, known as Gray Man, and a job he undertakes. We get to tag along on a journey through many twists and heart pounding moments as the story evolves.

The author knows how to pour on the tension and build up the anticipation so that you become part of the action. A complex story that involves plenty of fast paced exchanges, mounting body count issues, along with never knowing who to trust, other than no one.

I was really happy that this is a standalone read as I love not missing anything. But be that as it may, I am definitely excited to experience this awesome author. I love knowing there is someone who can tell a great story that I can sink my teeth into for a day or two and get a thrilling, captivating story that leaves you plenty of anticipation for the next one to come and the ones I have missed!

This author is going to be on my must-read list for my black ops addiction. You need to check this book and Mark Greaney out if you like spy thrillers!

full review http://amidlifewife.com/gunmetal-gray...

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

GUNMETAL GRAY MORALITY

“Hong Kong is a wonderful, mixed-up town where you've got great food and adventure. First and foremost, it's a great place to experience China in a relatively accessible way”. - Anthony Bourdian.

“It was my view then, and still is, that you don't make war without knowing why. Knowledge of course, is always imperfect, but it seemed to me that when a nation goes to war it must have reasonable confidence in the justice and imperative of its cause. You can't fix your mistakes. Once people are dead, you can't make them undead.”- Tim O’Brien.

“I hope you can take some constructive criticism.” “Sure.” “It sounds like you are trying to make too many people happy.”- Gunmetal Gray, Chapter 52.

Mark Greaney is currently one of the new titans in mainstream published thriller fiction. Formerly the creator of The Gray Man series, Greaney got a lucky break by landing a job as one of the late Tom Clancy’s collaborative writers. Unlike his predecessors however, Greaney lasted on the job till the late geopolitical fiction titan died and continued the Jack Ryan series with four well received continuation novels. Over the course of his highly productive writing career, Mark has gone from strength to strength, and has recently decided to return to his first love, The Gray Man series. These are six spy thrillers that concern the life and times of Courtland Gentry, a former CIA Assassin who was part of a special project run by the Special Activities Division to produce covert warriors with no equal. Previous, he had been burned and hunted by Langley due to the machinations of a Company man who sought to cover up an inconvenience. But in book 6, having settled accounts with that fellow once and for all, Gentry finds himself back on Langley’s payroll as the Agency’s deniable paramilitary capability. In Gunmetal Gray, killing under the stars and stripes once more, The Gray Man enters an assignment that, as par the course in his line of work, disintegrates into complete and utter chaos. Now to the review. Is there any place in the world of espionage for good guys?

The novel begins in Guangdong Province, China. A member of the PLA’s world renowned cyberwarfare unit gets his minders drunk on whisky and proceeds to make a break for Hong Kong. We then cut to 10 days later where two Intelligence officers from the PRC MSS are conducting surveillance of the cities Private Jet terminal. A Dassault Falcon Seven X touches down and out pops their target. Unfortunately for them, their target is Courtland Gentry. Following Gentry as the American’s hired Mercedes heads to Kowloon, the MSS officers tail the assassin to the Peninsula. They continue their surveillance, watch Gentry eat dinner, then decide to rough him up and send him on his way. Unfortunately, when they make their attempt, barging into Gentry’s suite, things do not go to plan. Gentry shoots the first MSS man dead and drowns the second in a suite’s toilet. He then calls his handler Brewer. We learn that Gentry has been assigned to track down the rogue PLA hacker who wishes to defect and that Courtland is attempting to run down a lead. The lead in question is a former handler, an ex - SIS officer by the name of Donald Fitzroy whom was hired by the PLA to manage the manhunt. Courtland heads out into Kowloon and begins making himself known. Soon, he finds himself face to face with the man leading the manhunt, Dai Longhai director of counter – intelligence for the PLA third directorate. Dai decides to contract Gentry to find his missing hacker and Courtland begins a journey that takes him from the outlying islands of Hong Kong, to Vietnam and then Thailand. Dodging South East Asia’s criminals, a surprise appearance by the Russian SVR Zaslon unit and the increasing impatience of his trigger-happy client, as the bullets hit their targets, Gentry finds that there was more to the job than he was told and is forced to ask a question. Can a knight in shining armour survive a world that’s not black and white, but gunmetal Gray?

In terms of plot, Gunmetal Gray is Mark Greaney at the top of his game, fully demonstrating all the skill and experience befitting a battle tested pro. The story is a glorious work of contemporary spy fiction, set in quite possibly the most important geopolitical hot spot that still doesn’t quite get the attention it deserves, the Asia Pacific. Packed with enough action to fill at least two decent sized Hollywood screenplays and enough plot twists to keep you looking away from the oncoming sting in the tail, Gunmetal Gray is packed with everything readers want in a 21st century spy novel and so much more. Guns, geopolitics, intrigue and covert wars that we can only hope to bear witness to now and then in our wildest fantasies, it’s the full package.

Action and setting? Well, after a dozen books and counting, letting the hollow – points fly is old hat for the author, and barring any unforeseen releases, Gunmetal Gray is going to be one of the five most action packed spy thrillers released in 2017. From the opening violent altercation in Asia’s most famous hotel, to an assault by Russian paramilitary officers on a cargo ship, to a hellish run through a Vietnamese rice field and a spectacular, awe inspiring gun battle through Bangkok’s biggest nightclub, the author goes out of his way to prove that Courtland Gentry is made of sterner stuff, by putting him inches away from the swinging Grim Reaper’s scythe. What makes the action particularly special is that it’s backed up by the author’s extensive firearms and tactical training. No over the top dual wielding shenanigans in Greaney’s books. Instead, the killers here do things like how actual real life assassins and soldiers perform on the job. The backdrops where this violence takes place also deserves a mention. The author takes after Frederick Forsyth and tries to travel to the locations where the story takes place. The Gray Man books, as a result are like travelogues. A lot of fascinating local colour that helps enhance the narrative and increase the level of immersion.

Research? The author has always been known for doing his homework but in Gunmetal Gray, he takes it to the next level. There’s the usual guns and kit but there’s also other highlights that prevent the novel from turning into an ordinance catalogue, a distressing issue in 21st century spy fiction that still hasn’t been rectified. From an in depth look at China’s cyberwarfare initiatives and the lengths the present day Chinese intelligence community could go to drive a defector to an early grave, Greaney also gives a portrayal of the tradecraft and other tactics intelligence services use in a world that’s recorded, filed and indexed. Beginning with the intricate smuggling procedures a paramilitary kill squad uses to transport an armoury across Asia covertly, to the recon and surveillance tactics used to plan for building assaults, Greaney also introduces readers to the SVR Zaslon unit. This is the little known Russian counterpart to the American Special Activities Division. Recently being deployed to Syria, they are the tip of Putin’s sword and in this book Greaney gives them an approximate, portrayal of their tactics and capabilities.

Characters? Quite a few good ones, but for brevity’s sake, I’ll focus on three. Gentry, Zoya and Suzanne Brewer.

First, Courtland Gentry. Having gotten a new lease of life by getting his old masters off his back, everything seems to be going swimmingly in his world, right? Wrong. Now working for an intelligence service once again, Gentry is forced to come to terms with the rising level of moral ambiguity his new role as a contract employee entails. This does not sit well for the man’s character and goes against his what he believes in. Behind the bitter, cynical mask Gentry is a full-blown idealist. The Dudley Do Right of shooting bad people in the face, in spite of his best efforts, Courtland is unable to hide his honour and decency when it would save him a lot of trouble. Only problem is, he’s working in a world where everyone around him lacks those two qualities. What makes the Gray Man series compelling in my view is seeing the covert ops boy scout that is the Gray Man, go up against smug, ruthless monsters, make small men out of them, and ultimately keeping his ideals intact in the process. While there are quite a few moments where he will make the reader swear with rage by screwing up big time due to not being willing to take the most practical approach, Gentry, is a badass incarnate and thus can afford to get banged up to a far higher degree than say, Scott Harvath of Jack Ryan Jr. A prime example of his skill as a killer is when without any weapons, he manages to infiltrate and fight to the top of Bangkok’s biggest nightclub while the entire building is burning down around him.

Secondly, Zoya Zakharova. A SVR officer, Zoya is the secondary protagonist of the story. A talented spy and intelligence gatherer, unlike most of her associates, she possesses significant paramilitary training allowing her to kill her way out of a tough spot whenever necessary. A zealous professional motivated by duty to the job and results, Zakharova has the misfortune of working for a country that is sexist to the extreme. As a result, during the story, she suffers increasing humiliation from her inferiors who are able to get away with it solely due to their gender. Eventually, this causes her to snap and throw her lot in with Gentry. Zoya is a very likable character and at times, manages to steal the show whenever she pops up. She and Gentry play off against one another very well and their banter provides much of the comedy in an otherwise serious story. She can also kill her way through a small army with similar efficiency to the Gray Man, and she gets to demonstrate her talents when going up against a team of Italian mercenaries on a Yacht in southern Thailand.

Finally, Suzanne Brewer. Introduced in the previous book, Brewer was assigned as Gentry’s new handler at the CIA. A ruthless careerist, albeit an intelligent one who knows what they’re doing, Brewer encapsulates the divide that always results between operatives in the field and managers behind the desk. Fully immersed in the Gunmetal Gray Morality of her profession, Brewer is the perfect foil to the Gray Man who desperately wishes to see the world in black and White. Some of the best parts in Gunmetal Gray aren’t the killing, but the wrangling and manipulation Brewer uses to make the independent minded Courtland Gentry do what she wants. While she isn’t likable by any stretch of the imagination, Brewer acts as a mostly effective control valve for the CIA’s prodigal son and ensures that he doesn’t go completely off the rails once again.

Now constructive criticism. One detail which I found jarring was when some characters referred to the SVR’s headquarters as located in the Lubyanaka building. That is where the FSB is based. To the best of my knowledge, the SVR is still located in the Yasenovo district in South Moscow. While there have been announcements that the SVR and FSB will soon merge into one intelligence service and may soon be operating out of the Lubyanka building, the move hasn’t taken place and as such, said error was quite out of place in a novel that was impeccably researched. That being said, this is a small detail and the only bugbear I had with this novel. Once passed, it did not affect my overall verdict or positive feelings about the story.

So, Gunmetal Gray, my verdict is this. This spy novel is the final step in Mark Greaney’s unstoppable rise to the top of American thriller fiction. Boasting a big, sweeping plot, action worthy of a feature length blockbuster film, a well-researched narrative that will take readers to the shadowy parts of the Asia pacific that the Lonely Planet Tour Guides will never mention and a cast of character who will win your loyalty and affection, Gunmetal Gray will be one of the outstanding spy novels of 2017 that few will be able to match. Having survived his first weeks on the job, we can be sure of two things when it comes to Courtland Gentry. One, he’s not going to die anytime soon. Secondly, he won’t become a gray blur and fade away. Mark Greaney has created a new fixture of espionage fiction who is going to be around for a very long time.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great novel in the series. Court had the Aaron Rodgers of football problem and I am a Vikings fan! People expect you to get things DONE without any support. I hope we see more of Court's friends now that he finally has some :)

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw the Netflix movie and it certainly entertained and found this book unread among my collection, so I decide it was a good moment to read.
Court, the Gray Man, is once again in the good graces of the CIA who send him to save his friend Donald Fitzroy and to capture a Chinese computer expert. Which is being chased by the major intelligence services after his defection. The Gray man will be chasing this man through Asia with some bloody battles before Court Gentry decides that enough is enough.
The computer expert is a Hitchcock like Mcguffin, nothing more actually. The book while at times exciting is mostly a bit flat. A long read about an essentialy boring chase with an expected ending, this is hopefully not the best of the series.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definition of "unputdownable", I blew off many planned activities (like sleep) to read and finish this awesome, sixth Gray Man novel. The US, UK, Russian and Chinese spy and direct action units are all after a Chinese cyber warfare specialist. Add in a bunch of criminal organizations either in concert or independent of the spies. Action-packed from start to finish. A great new character teams up with the Gray Man. 5 Stars

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Greaney's Court Gentry of the Grey Man series, is in trouble on page one of "Gunmetal Grey" (Berkley 2017). In this case, he's dispatched to Hong Kong by his CIA handler (after five years of running, the CIA has finally forgiven--or just decided to ignore--his transgressions) to rescue Fan Jiang, a Chinese hacker they hope holds the secret to stopping the invincible Chinese hackers. Even as Gentry steps off the plane, he is targetted, chased, and almost killed by Chinese spies. If you've been reading the Court Gentry series, there's no need to tell you he escaped and a few of the chasers didn't. As he continued the hunt for this hacker, he slowly realized that many other groups were also looking for him, and none seemed interested in keeping him alive. The plan devised by his CIA partners was that Court would pretend to work with an Asian gangster group (because they were hunting to kill, it added a layer of complicity and danger that challenged even Gentry, gave his CIA handler ulcers, and created a convoluted web of problems and intrigue no human could be expected to survive.

But Gentry isn't human. He's the Gray Man. He does what must be done to achieve his goal.

"Being the Gray Man didn’t mean being in control at all times. Sometimes it meant relinquishing all control, playing the game, and dealing with fucking bullshit like some asshole standing on the back of your head."

"For the time being, anyhow, Court Gentry was Colonel Dai’s bitch."

“Are you equipped to infiltrate a compound of armed gangsters?” “I have a folding knife and some night vision and infrared equipment, and by the time I get to the compound, I’ll have a very foul attitude. That’s going to have to be enough.”

"Yes, there was a decent security posture in place to warn of or even repel an attack up the road, but apparently the Wild Tigers here had no major concerns that a lone man [Court Gentry] just might splash, swim, and stagger overland through the slop for hours to get here in foot. Not that it had been a cakewalk [for Gentry, but he'd do it without question]."

"...say you are a Paladin. That you possess some odd moral code that only you understand, but a code that demands you do what you think right." “Bollocks, Court. That’s not you. With you it’s about doing the right thing, come what may. You’ll do it with an ally, you’ll do it with an enemy, or you’ll do it alone. You’ll die before you go against what you believe in. It makes you the one good man in all this.”

Mark Greaney, author of several Tom Clancy Jack Ryan novels, is one of the top authors in this genre. As usual with Gray Man books, this one is fast-moving, filled with clever defensive moves and always the feeling that Gentry can handle anything. What is unusual from earlier books is that Gentry is no longer running from the American government, trying to figure out why he's being chased. Trying to prove his innocence. Now he's back in the fold using his massive skills to benefit the CIA rather than avoid them. It's clear that's not always a pleasant experience.

[Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always look forward to the next entry in the Gray Man series since it is currently my favorite spy thriller series going right now. Court Gentry is maybe the best protagonist in the genre, and Greany's books are more well written than those of a lot of his peers.

That being said I think this was probably my least favorite Gray Man book to date. It felt like maybe after wrapping up a 5 book arc in the awesomeness that was Back Blast there was a little bit of a struggle to feel out how to move the series forward. The result is a book with what I think is the weakest plot so far and fairly low stakes. It amounts to basically a "chase the macguffin" story with said macguffin being a person. While I appreciate that Greany likes to go in new directions with each story to keep the books from feeling formulaic this plot was neither original or all that interesting.

That said there was still a lot to like here. Even my least favorite book with the Gray Man is goingvto be pretty good. The book really picks up after the 50 percent mark. The action scenes are incredible and written like only Greany can. We get some more character development for Court as we see how his own personal morals butt up against the wishes of his CIA handlers. Also, and most surprising of all, is we get a great new character in the female SVR operative, Serena, who is not only supremely capable as an operator but actual is a great love interest for Court. Usually any love or romance type storylines in these types of books is super cringe as it relates or sex scenes or generally poorly developed. Not here. We actually see the characters get to know each other slowly and realize they have chemistry. I'm looking forward to seeing more of her in future books.

Overall I'm excited to continue this series as I'm sure the future entries will improve as Greany gets used to writing with Court being back in the CIA fold. I already have the next book on hardcover that I bought on sale for 7 bucks.

[Tish · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Action-packed spy thriller. I like a nice meaty, complex plot, which this certainly had. In fact, it was perhaps a little too complex. Just too much going on. Greaney also goes into too much detail for my taste in describing, for example, someone scaling the side of a building. I really don't need to be told of every twist of the torso and every stretch of the arm. Some detail is needed to make the action seem real, but too much becomes a little tedious.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gray Man series appears to be moving more into the espionage genre as Gentry becomes less tactical and more secret agent. He's less of a lone wolf as he builds alliances. It could be an evolutionary shift in the series, or it could just be a divergence from a plot perspective. We'll have to see what direction the next book takes. While the book didn't go in the directions I expected, it was enjoyable.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

In some ways the main protagonist in Gunmetal Gray is the ultimate outsider, given that he has few real friends, but in other ways as an undercover CIA hit man using stealth and surprise based on insider knowledge he's very much on the inside. He's still not sure he can trust and rely on his new handler which is a detriment as he faces lots of su prizes from his current targets.

On his current mission he's tasked with finding and rescuing a Chinese computer expert so the US Can gain the expert's knowledge but also deprive China of his potential computer advantages. It's exciting to read about the exotic locales Gray is hunting in and the shoot outs he's involved with but there are so many of them hey lose some of heir excitement. I know I was the author's intent but Gray is so isolated from sincere human contact the story becomes depressing. Having said this I think there ar many who would enjoy this page turner.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance reader's copy.

[Syd (deertales) · Rating 4 out of 5]

so.

i really like how greaney has incorporated some bigger reveals in the last two of his books, BUT i think he held onto this one a bit too long. i dont want to say i was bored while i was listening, but there were definite stretches of "meh."

with that being said, i was all about zoya. hell yes, this series needed some likeable female characters because suzanne brewer is a pain in my ass.

overall, i like the gray man. he isnt the most alpha in the pack of other bad ass assassins in this genre, but he is entertaining.

[Judy Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley Penguin Random House for an ARC of this novel.

Buckle up your seatbelt readers because once again Court Gentry performs six impossible things before breakfast! If you like thrills, chills, and intrigue.....and who doesn't?.....then this book #6 in The Gray Man series is just what you are looking for. But be warned, Court has run into someone who seems to be coming pretty close to being as good as he is at the espionage tradecraft.

Having been an ardent fan of Court Gentry since I read The Gray Man I can tell you these stories of spies and criminals and various other really bad guys are addictive. As soon as I finish reading one I begin to wonder how long before author Mark Greaney will be able to get my next fix to me. Court is a complex character and this book shows that aspect to great advantage. An author has to be very talented to spend hundreds of pages explaining how his main character manages to kill in multiple complicated ways and yet have the reader think so well of the morality of that main character. The Gray Man is a good person, he just happens to do some bad things to accomplish his mission. In this case, Court is now working as an agent of the CIA (and yet not an employee of the CIA) on a mission to pick up an asset who would be invaluable to the intelligence community of the United States. Naturally this computer whiz asset has extreme value to his Chinese handlers who want him back and to the Russians who want him to do just a tiny bit of computer hacking for them too, but who would have guessed that all the criminal gang organizations would go to such extremes to get their hands on funky monkey? All Court has to do is fight everybody, including the reluctant hacker himself, in order to get him to safety.

This was another exciting, thrilling adventure for the Gray Man. This book is longer than the others and it took me a little time to get the players all straight in my mind, but once the story took off it didn't stop. It is definitely a stand alone book, but if you are new to the series, do yourself a favor and be prepared to read them all. I read a lot of thrillers and I can honestly say this is the series I wait impatiently for each time.

[Gareth Otton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm starting to wonder if Mark Greany is actually a pseudonym for two writers who take turns writing these books. I say this because it feels like we always get one good book, then one bad book; one kickass version of The Gray man where he is a force of nature and fascinating to read about, then one other version where he is so unbelievably stupid and naive there's no way he's the same character.

Sadly, this book falls into the second version. This book picks up right where Back Blast left off, and I was initially chuffed about that. The last book offered a change of direction for this series and I had high hopes for something new. Instead, we got more of the same with the same moral questions, the same conflicts and the same story beats. Worse, we got a Court Gentry who was willing to trust people he knows damn well he shouldn't be trusting, act in ways that are contrary to his character for the sake of the plot, and seem to lose all the skills and abilities that have made him The Gray Man through most of this series.

One of the interesting side stories in this book was the introduction of a new Russian asset. The trouble was that she is basically Court Gentry with breasts, and to give her the introduction she needed to set her up properly, they had to dumb Court down a little. It's the same problem you get in comic book team-ups. Rather than forcing all the team members to raise their game to the level of the most powerful superhero, the writers instead reduce the most powerful hero to the level of weaker ones to make the weaker ones more relevant.

It's a tricky scenario to be sure, but with some creativity, it can be accomplished. There had to be a way to stay true to the character of Court Gentry without sacrificing the new character.

For the first 2 thirds of this book, I was pretty bored if I'm honest. However, the final third was close to being enough for me to award a third star to this review. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the ending, didn't think it stayed true to the characters or properly served the story, so this review stays at a 2.

The Gray Man series is a tricky one for me. Every even number book makes me feel like I'm done with the series, only to have it rescued by the next book. With any luck, the next novel will stay true to pattern and perform better than this one.

So it's 2-stars and a disappointed sigh.

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

The Gray Man #6 book proves to be interesting. Court has a few hurtles to go over and seems a little daunting at first. Greaney uses a bit of magic as he brings up some interesting items and makes this an interesting look into some thrilling action.We go into a few countries and begin learning about some of the way life operates. Court reminisces a bit about his dad (we learned a lot about his dad in previous books). This book has him working for the CIA and if you are wondering how that happened, you can not skip to this book, you need to read at least Back Blast. I would even venture that you should start at the beginning. these are not easy books to put down. Greaney has nurtured his style well and it has developed into something that assimilates the reader get right in there with our heart pumping and our fingers flipping pages as fast as we can absorb and read.
A passage I liked ""with you it's about doing the right thing, com what may, You'll do it with an ally, you'll do it with an enemy, or you'll do it alone. You'll die before you go against what you believe in. It makes you the one good man in all this." It is something that we could all hold high from this book: don't compromise yourself.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC received courtesy of Goodreads.com First Reads Giveaway

A new favorite for me! "The Gray Man" is right on par with Jack Reacher. Greaney's books will move to the top of my "must-reads".

Court Gentry is an ex-CIA operative working as a freelancer. He's called in to find a Chinese soldier who works for their secret computer/technology division. Fan Jiang has disappeared and paramilitary groups from all over the world are trying to find him. Court must fight the Chinese military, Thai mafia, Russian paramilitary and others to find Jiang and keep him alive. Part of the way into his assignment, he realizes that the CIA hasn't given him all of the facts of the mission. Court, with his own code of morality and ethics must save Fan. He doesn't want to work for an unethical organization, so he must decide what to do with Fan and then, what to do after the mission is over.

If you haven't read any of "The Gray Man" books, I highly recommend them. This is the #6 in the series and I'll try to go back and read the others but the story made sense without having read the others.

[Pamela Small · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy the Gray Man series. It has all the ingredients: espionage, suspense, action, and a dynamic protagonist. However, this particular book in the series is my least favorite. The plot, while interesting, bogged down and became repetitive. The complex story line held my interest, but the protracted events did not. Very good denouement. I received a copy of this book through netgalley.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, Court is the baddest ass in the business. Although Reacher is cool, calm and collective, he lacks the razor sharp edge that Gentry personifies. Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt is the thinking man's protagonist and Baldacci's Amos Decker is a close second.
All in all, the Gray Man stands alone, #1 ass kicking, terrorist annihilating & general shit-head busting terminator!

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Court Gentry, AKA The Gray Man, is now working as a contract agent for the CIA. His mission is to find and secure Fan Jiang, a Chinese super-secret computer warfare specialist who is part of a unit responsible for testing China's security systems. The man is on the run, pursued by other interested parties including the Russians and the Chinese, who want him dead. Court goes undercover for the Chinese as a contract assassin, a role he is eminently qualified for. Just to add to the difficulty factor, Court’s old friend and ally, Don Fitzroy, an MI-6 operative is being held captive by the same Chinese.

I’ve been a little worried that the Gray Man series would start to drift once the events of book five concluded. With Court no longer on the run from the CIA, would this series turn into simply another run-of-the-mill action thriller series? Thankfully, at least so far, the answer is no. Court still has plenty of problems with the way the CIA handles things and even as a contract agent, he is consistent in his choice to do what he feels is right, in spite of his mission and directives.

This novel was, as expected, a roller coaster of action and drama, a fun read all the way through. Those readers who tire of too much gun battle action sequences will not enjoy this as much. A little too many for my taste as well and the only reason I am docking it one star. Court’s relationship with his new handler, Brewer is complex to say the least, and a number of morality issues are raised in the novel, especially with how Fan is treated by all those parties that are after him, including the US. A real added bonus is the character of Zoya Zahkarova, a Russian operative who is also trying to get to Fan and return him to Russia. Her skills absolutely rival the Gray Man’s and surpass them in some ways. Rivalry turns to mutual respect and even friendship. Pretty cool.

So, all is well in the land of the Gray Man. Onward!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sixth book in the Gray Man series. I'm not sure what more I can say about these that I haven't said already. I have enjoyed this series. I like that these books can take my mind off of life. There are so many pluses. And in this one, Gentry gets a girl....yay for him. So 4 steady stars for this one.

[John of Canada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy, if you can't trust the people and agencies who send you on a suicidal mission in countries where you can't speak the language, and could never pass as a local, well who can you trust? Chinese, Russians, Thais, Vietnamese, Court Gentry is an equal opportunity assassin. I like the new(love?) interest in Zoya. It's nice that Court found someone he can trust. Too bad it wasn't someone he was working with.

[Matt Persson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 6th book in The Gray Man Series, and Mark Greaney keeps one upping himself and gets better with each book. Pound for pound the most action you will find per chapter in any book of any genre. I don't know how he does it. The books keep getting longer but they also keep my attention even longer. I never want to put these books down!! A must read.

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being the Gray Man didn’t mean being in control all the time. Sometimes it meant relinquishing all control, playing the game, and dealing with f****** bull****, like some asshole standing on the back of your head.

To those who lurk in the shadows, he’s known as the Gray Man. He is a legend in the covert realm, moving silently from job to job, accomplishing the impossible and then fading away. And he always hits his target. Always.

Court Gentry is an awesome character. I love an assassin and he is one of the best I have ever come across. He has his own set of ethics and works outside the law. The only complaint I have about him is…why I have I not read the first five books in the series. I LOVE HIM. He is a perfect fit for me.

The nonstop action had me rapidly flipping pages. I won the book some time ago and it is 494 pages of nonstop action. It’s a good thing I knew he couldn’t die, because Mark Greaney puts him through H*** and I found it hard to look away.

I’ll definitely be reading more of the Gray Man’s books.

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