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Jake Grafton #7
Cuba
Castro is dying and the people of Cuba face an uncertain future. Hector Sedeno, a priest and outspoken opponent of Castro's regime, looks forward to a future free of dictatorship. He is prepared to call on his people to take control as soon as Castro dies. But the Minister of Security, Alejo Vargas, has very different ideas - he want to rule Cuba after Castro. The ace up his sleeve is a battery of Scud missiles left behind by the Soviets, missiles now armed with biological warheads and aimed at American cities. Then Castro dies. And Vargas steals a shipload of biological weapons. As Havana goes critical, it is up to Rear Admiral Jake Grafton and CIA agent William Henry Chance to try to prevent the launch of the missiles - and the destruction of Cuba's hopes and dreams.
496 pages, Paperback
First published August 5, 1999
249 people are currently reading
773 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Coonts
180 books755 followersStephen Coonts (born July 19, 1946) is an American thriller and suspense novelist.
Coonts grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a small coal-mining town and earned an B.A. degree in political science at West Virginia University in 1968. He entered the Navy the following year and flew an A-6 Intruder medium attack plane during the Vietnam War, where he served on two combat cruises aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). He accumulated 1600 hours in the A-6 Intruder and earned a number of Navy commendations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he served as a flight instructor on A-6 aircraft for two years, then did a tour as an assistant catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68). His navigator-bombardier was LTjg Stanley W. Bryant who later became a Rear Admiral and deputy commander-in-chief of the US naval forces in Europe.
After being honorably discharged from duty as a lieutenant in 1977, Coonts pursued a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the University of Colorado, graduating in 1979. He then worked as an oil and gas lawyer for several companies, entertaining his writing interests in his free time.
He published short stories in a number of publications before writing Flight of the Intruder in 1986 (made into a movie in 1991). Intruder, based in part on his experiences as a bomber pilot, spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover and launched his career as a novelist. From there he continued writing adventure-mysteries using the character from his first book, Jake Grafton. He has written several other series and stand-alone novels since then, but is most notable for the Grafton books.
Today Coonts continues to write, having had seventeen New York Times bestsellers (out of 20 books), and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and son.
Taken from Wikipedia
Learn more about Stephen Coonts on the Macmillan website.
Coonts grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a small coal-mining town and earned an B.A. degree in political science at West Virginia University in 1968. He entered the Navy the following year and flew an A-6 Intruder medium attack plane during the Vietnam War, where he served on two combat cruises aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). He accumulated 1600 hours in the A-6 Intruder and earned a number of Navy commendations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he served as a flight instructor on A-6 aircraft for two years, then did a tour as an assistant catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68). His navigator-bombardier was LTjg Stanley W. Bryant who later became a Rear Admiral and deputy commander-in-chief of the US naval forces in Europe.
After being honorably discharged from duty as a lieutenant in 1977, Coonts pursued a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the University of Colorado, graduating in 1979. He then worked as an oil and gas lawyer for several companies, entertaining his writing interests in his free time.
He published short stories in a number of publications before writing Flight of the Intruder in 1986 (made into a movie in 1991). Intruder, based in part on his experiences as a bomber pilot, spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover and launched his career as a novelist. From there he continued writing adventure-mysteries using the character from his first book, Jake Grafton. He has written several other series and stand-alone novels since then, but is most notable for the Grafton books.
Today Coonts continues to write, having had seventeen New York Times bestsellers (out of 20 books), and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and son.
Taken from Wikipedia
Learn more about Stephen Coonts on the Macmillan website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
June 7, 2019
I've really enjoyed some of the books in Stephen Coonts' Jake Grafton series. This is not one of them.
Sometimes you have the benefit of hindsight but I want to believe a younger me would also have seen through all the macho jingoism talk in this book from 2000. Talking about the Iraq war as a proof that only military power can prevent weapons of mass destruction is now cringe-worthy.
The author clearly had not understood how asymmetric warfare works. That it is not about grinding down armies, especially when the enemy welcomes American bombs. Indiscriminate American bombs becomes the best recruitment argument the enemy can get. So instead of realizing that he’s doing the enemy’s job, Coonts proudly lets characters talk about how many (civilians) to kill if any American dies.
Is it possible that the author intentionally inserted these fallacies to provoke the reader? Not very. Remember that this book was written just as America reached for George W. Bush and was about to enter 2 wars where civilians keep dying without America ”winning”. The total death count is around half a million, 1% of those being American military.
I think most will agree that the original plans for the real life wars were unrealistic, and with that hindsight it is easy to say the same about the views in this book.
Even without the political weirdness, the book is not that enjoyable. Grafton has been stuck in some kind of position that strangely both allows him to command a carrier group and fly around for hours on end in an F-14 and personally execute special ops. Either carrier group commanders have nothing to do, or he’s a very incompetent commander. If Coonts can’t change the story from military action, it would have been better if he had not kept promoting Grafton in every book. Or he could have done what Clancy did, insert new action characters.
An example from the book (loosely quoted):
Side character #1: Do you think Jake Grafton is big enough for this?
Side character #2: He’s big enough.
If a book needs to add such parts to prop up the hero, then it is not very good.
Did I mention the constant need to bash politicians (while everything military is God sent)?
Sometimes you have the benefit of hindsight but I want to believe a younger me would also have seen through all the macho jingoism talk in this book from 2000. Talking about the Iraq war as a proof that only military power can prevent weapons of mass destruction is now cringe-worthy.
The author clearly had not understood how asymmetric warfare works. That it is not about grinding down armies, especially when the enemy welcomes American bombs. Indiscriminate American bombs becomes the best recruitment argument the enemy can get. So instead of realizing that he’s doing the enemy’s job, Coonts proudly lets characters talk about how many (civilians) to kill if any American dies.
Is it possible that the author intentionally inserted these fallacies to provoke the reader? Not very. Remember that this book was written just as America reached for George W. Bush and was about to enter 2 wars where civilians keep dying without America ”winning”. The total death count is around half a million, 1% of those being American military.
I think most will agree that the original plans for the real life wars were unrealistic, and with that hindsight it is easy to say the same about the views in this book.
Even without the political weirdness, the book is not that enjoyable. Grafton has been stuck in some kind of position that strangely both allows him to command a carrier group and fly around for hours on end in an F-14 and personally execute special ops. Either carrier group commanders have nothing to do, or he’s a very incompetent commander. If Coonts can’t change the story from military action, it would have been better if he had not kept promoting Grafton in every book. Or he could have done what Clancy did, insert new action characters.
An example from the book (loosely quoted):
Side character #1: Do you think Jake Grafton is big enough for this?
Side character #2: He’s big enough.
If a book needs to add such parts to prop up the hero, then it is not very good.
Did I mention the constant need to bash politicians (while everything military is God sent)?
September 20, 2018
Fidel Castro, the president of Cuba, chooses his successor on his deathbed, but other people have different plans in mind. In the book Cuba by Steven Coonts, America and Cuba are on the brink of war, with a collapsing communist government and the reign of power up for grabs. The book is geared towards readers that are interested in a thrilling, military fiction type of story. People who like adventure and conflicts would enjoy reading this book. I say this because there are many struggles within the story, including political conflict and bio-warfare. Also those whom like series should read Cuba along with the other Jack Grafton novels. Grafton is Rear Admiral in the United States Navy who conquers many fictional challenges. I would rate this novel in the medium difficulty level, due to the detailed military descriptions and the historical references. The style of the book is realistic, as the story is basically a second Cuban Missile Crisis with the death of long time leader Castro set on the island of Cuba. Many references throughout the book to Guantanamo Bay, the military base and detention camp. The location of Cuba, only ninety miles from the southern part of Florida, makes for some intense moments and possible ramifications to Americans. The theme of the book is a political downfall of communist Cuba with the removal of biological weapons located in Cuba. The weapons were from the Soviet Russia before the communist party fell. My first impression of the book was this will be an interesting political and military story. The way Coonts writes the story, and side stories, you see the different views through the eyes of multiple characters. He details both the American and Cuban sides. I look forward to reading other novels by Coonts with the character Admiral Grafton.
January 30, 2021
Someone had biological weapons stored at Guantanimo. Castro is dieing. Vargas, the evil head of the secret police wants to be the new leader. He will do anything to accomplish this. Tony Carmenelli accompanies a profesional CIA man. He desn't even wish to carry a gun. Jake Grafton is the Admiral in charge of the operation. There are eight ancient Soviet missles and Vargas plan is to send a variant of the polio virus to the United States. Gtrafton and crew must stop him. The action is nonstop and it is my favorite Coonts book since Intruder.
July 23, 2023
I was swayed yet again by the characters. It's the introduction of another mainstay in the series, complete with backstory and all, which I appreciate. Can't rate this one five stars because a) Cuba's a rare subject I enjoy on its own, and b) not enough Jake Grafton. Four is fine.
September 8, 2009
This Coonts novel is in the Jake Grafton series, but takes place before the Grafton/Oregon Files series. It gives us the back story on the characters from the Oregon Files and is a typical Coonts military thriller. I enjoyed the fast-paced story and learned a lot about the history of Cuba under Fidel Castro in the process. My one complaint is that it's not very easy to separate fact from fiction in his books. While that does make for a realistic story, it can be somewhat confusing. This book is a fictional account of the death of Castro, events leading up to it, and the hypothetical effects on the U.S. I must give Stephen Coons props as I never would have thought that I would be reading military thrillers, especially with all the technical details of nuclear weapons and fighter planes.
June 3, 2018
I thought it jumped around too much from story to story.
June 10, 2012
Good beach read.
September 28, 2025
Jake Grafton received orders to see to the removal of chemical and biological weapons from a warehouse in Guantanamo Bay. This was not an exercise conceived by the Pentagon; no, this order had come directly from the White House.
At the same time, Fidel Castro was nearing the end of his time on earth. Several interested parties were watching to see if Fidel would transfer power to his brother or someone else.
Fidel Castro has cancer, and the main topic among the Cubans was guessing how long Fidel was expected to live. The best guess was just a few more weeks.
Stephen Coonts has created a tightly built story about the plots to succeed Fidel Castro amid the threat of chemical and biological bombs from Cuba.
Three members of the Sedano family are featured in this image.
Hector, Mercedes, and Ocho. Hector is a priest who is active in the resistance. Mercedes is Fidel’s mistress, and Ocho is a popular baseball star.
This is a story about Cuba, a communist country that views the United States as a bully and a threat to its existence.
In turn, the United States views Cuba with suspicion and concern over threats to attack the United States. Two agents, one from the CIA and one from the FBI, are inserted into Cuba to investigate whether Cuba has chemical or biological weapons.
They find evidence of Chemical and Biological weapons, and the United States makes plans to destroy these weapons before Cuba can attack the United States.
Stephen Coonts has written a novel that reminds the reader of a Tom Clancy novel. The writing is tight and suspenseful. The characters are crisp and colorfully described. The plots are engaging, making the reader feel as though they are right there.
At the same time, Fidel Castro was nearing the end of his time on earth. Several interested parties were watching to see if Fidel would transfer power to his brother or someone else.
Fidel Castro has cancer, and the main topic among the Cubans was guessing how long Fidel was expected to live. The best guess was just a few more weeks.
Stephen Coonts has created a tightly built story about the plots to succeed Fidel Castro amid the threat of chemical and biological bombs from Cuba.
Three members of the Sedano family are featured in this image.
Hector, Mercedes, and Ocho. Hector is a priest who is active in the resistance. Mercedes is Fidel’s mistress, and Ocho is a popular baseball star.
This is a story about Cuba, a communist country that views the United States as a bully and a threat to its existence.
In turn, the United States views Cuba with suspicion and concern over threats to attack the United States. Two agents, one from the CIA and one from the FBI, are inserted into Cuba to investigate whether Cuba has chemical or biological weapons.
They find evidence of Chemical and Biological weapons, and the United States makes plans to destroy these weapons before Cuba can attack the United States.
Stephen Coonts has written a novel that reminds the reader of a Tom Clancy novel. The writing is tight and suspenseful. The characters are crisp and colorfully described. The plots are engaging, making the reader feel as though they are right there.
December 18, 2021
Very entertaining to read as the tension started slowly and built through to the final pages of this book. What started as a book focused on a lone A-6 pilot and his personal struggles with the war in Vietnam has evolved into a series focused on the same man, but now grown into additional responsibilities. This book sees him, Jake Grafton, on assignment as a naval group commander stationed off shore of Cuba right as Fidel Castro is breathing his last breaths and the power struggle to rule Cuba starts to heat up.
I really enjoyed the micro stores as well as the macro story, Mr. Coonts' ability to tell both stories simultaneously is a real testament to his skill. While there wasn't anything earth shattering or revolutionary about the way the story was told, there's real craft to the way Coonts applies his craft to the story and how he maneuvers the reader into emotional position to make the story have maximum impact.
I wouldn't pick this up and read it as an introductory book in the Grafton/Carmellini universe. I think the impact of the series really hits at the beginning of the Grafton novels and Carmellini arrival seems a logical growth to Grafton's world.
I really enjoyed the micro stores as well as the macro story, Mr. Coonts' ability to tell both stories simultaneously is a real testament to his skill. While there wasn't anything earth shattering or revolutionary about the way the story was told, there's real craft to the way Coonts applies his craft to the story and how he maneuvers the reader into emotional position to make the story have maximum impact.
I wouldn't pick this up and read it as an introductory book in the Grafton/Carmellini universe. I think the impact of the series really hits at the beginning of the Grafton novels and Carmellini arrival seems a logical growth to Grafton's world.
December 2, 2018
CUBA is Stephen Coonts fictional account of the final days of Fidel Castro and the struggle among his inner circle for control of Cuba after Castro's death. Woven into this intrigue is Jake Grafton, Tommy Carmellini (introduced to readers in this novel) and the US Government's attempt to stop Cuba from sending missiles carrying deadly bacterial agents from reaching the US.
Wonderfully written, entertaining, and exciting, CUBA draws on drama, humor, and human interest, creating a most satisfying novel.
Wonderfully written, entertaining, and exciting, CUBA draws on drama, humor, and human interest, creating a most satisfying novel.
January 25, 2019
No updates while I was reading this as the story was in an edition of three of which I could find no example on this site.
The tale I found quite absorbing within the confines of a thriller. Some of the exploits suffered from the general gung-ho trait of invincibility especially nearer the end. Licence was taken with quite a few of the facts pertaining to the setting but the operations from ALL sides were set out in a satisfying manner. All in all a rollicking good read and a necessary bit of escapism that is sorely needed these days. Four stars.
The tale I found quite absorbing within the confines of a thriller. Some of the exploits suffered from the general gung-ho trait of invincibility especially nearer the end. Licence was taken with quite a few of the facts pertaining to the setting but the operations from ALL sides were set out in a satisfying manner. All in all a rollicking good read and a necessary bit of escapism that is sorely needed these days. Four stars.
February 13, 2022
3.5 Stars (bc I wasn't bored and it's entertaining and that is worth a lot). Airport, beach read. Fun easy book to read with accurate military name dropping (equipment, planes, branches etc to make it fun for bros to read). Plot creative license but still within the realm of possibility making it interesting. Not a high brow book but these books are fun to read, if books like these were so bad then why do you read them so quickly - bc they are fun and fast pace. Suspend some disbelief and enjoy.
May 6, 2017
A solid techno thriller. Just in hindsight, it also can be classed as alternative history. As with many of the books in the series, the author takes current events and spins a well thought out yarn that follows one "possibility". Castro's death did not result in events similar to the story line, but at the time written it was a possibility. Still if you like the genre, it's worth the read. Personally, I like the way the key characters have evolved throughout the series.
May 12, 2020
Military thriller that deals with the transfer of power in Cuba after Fidel Castro’s death, with the US invading the rid the island of biological weapons and to help install a leader that is friendly towards the States. In my view, the author gets too bogged down at times with the details of the military operations.
October 9, 2024
Another Coonts masterpiece.
Stephen Coonts is one of my favorite authors. It's always interesting how he inserts Troad Tarkington into the storyline. I'm always impressed how Mr. Coconuts weaves several concurrent story lines together. I would recommend this book to anyone who's interested in Cuba and to what it could have become.
Stephen Coonts is one of my favorite authors. It's always interesting how he inserts Troad Tarkington into the storyline. I'm always impressed how Mr. Coconuts weaves several concurrent story lines together. I would recommend this book to anyone who's interested in Cuba and to what it could have become.
April 9, 2018
Military is not my usual genre but I was drawn in and intrigued from the first page. Although, towards the end, the military descriptions got a bit much for me, I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. An interesting interpretation on Cuba's "future"
May 24, 2019
Great drama and interesting plot and location
An interesting plot and significant cast of interesting characters. Was good to have different story other than the typical jihadist genre. Realistic people with realistic goals and motivation.
An interesting plot and significant cast of interesting characters. Was good to have different story other than the typical jihadist genre. Realistic people with realistic goals and motivation.
August 9, 2019
Admiral Jake Grafton now heads up an effort to prevent Cuba from using biologic weapons aimed at the USA. Another good story putting a different spin on the events in Cuba as they might have been with the death of Castro.
August 17, 2021
Another outstanding book in this series. Also realized this book introduced the main character in another series from Stephen Coonts that I'm getting ready to start. Lots of action and intrigue, I would highly recommend this book.
April 10, 2025
Great Military Book
Very well written. Book was partly fact and partly naive American bias... but it was a terrific read. If you like military thrillers, you won't be disappointed.
Very well written. Book was partly fact and partly naive American bias... but it was a terrific read. If you like military thrillers, you won't be disappointed.
January 26, 2017
Definitely a believable back story of politics in Cuba, and hero's and anti-hero's for which to root. Some excitement as the story builds.
June 19, 2017
enjoyed this book
March 31, 2018
Another enjoyable Jake Grafton with more character development for Toad, Rita and Tommy.
November 17, 2019
Fast paced military action, spies, etc. But, hard to get to care about the characters with too many sub-plots.
November 19, 2019
thoroughly enjoyable
February 24, 2020
Stephen Coonts at his best! A fascinating, page-turning international thriller that will keep any reader who enjoys this genre up at nights wanting to read more. He creates numerous subplots, each of which are equally interesting and important to the outcome of the story. He is truly a literary mastermind with a vivid imagination.
As the title suggests, the action centers around developments in Cuba. As it turns out, Cuba has six missiles left over from the 1962 Missile Crisis they weren't supposed to have and have remained undetected by the United States - until now, that is. Furthermore, the United States had been storing biological weapons at Guantanamo we were not supposed to and the new American presidential administration wanted them removed undetected. But the best laid plans of mice and men go afoul and an American ship containing some of these weapons goes missing. Guess who acquires them? Things get worse.
I don't want to reveal too many spoilers but let me just say that Fidel Castro dies, an rabidly anti-American takes over, and Cuba now has biological weapons and missiles. Also, as it is revealed, the technology and manufacturing facilities to produce more. Cuban Missile Crisis #2.
What to do. What do we do?
As the title suggests, the action centers around developments in Cuba. As it turns out, Cuba has six missiles left over from the 1962 Missile Crisis they weren't supposed to have and have remained undetected by the United States - until now, that is. Furthermore, the United States had been storing biological weapons at Guantanamo we were not supposed to and the new American presidential administration wanted them removed undetected. But the best laid plans of mice and men go afoul and an American ship containing some of these weapons goes missing. Guess who acquires them? Things get worse.
I don't want to reveal too many spoilers but let me just say that Fidel Castro dies, an rabidly anti-American takes over, and Cuba now has biological weapons and missiles. Also, as it is revealed, the technology and manufacturing facilities to produce more. Cuban Missile Crisis #2.
What to do. What do we do?
June 23, 2020
Half way through this book I wanted to put it away, but after a few more pages I could not put it down.
July 3, 2020
Great as always!
August 5, 2020
Very slow to start but time flies once things start kicking off.
April 26, 2021
Ummmm I thought Stephen Coonts killed off Fidel in one of his previous books. At any rate this was good. I like Jake Grafton.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews