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Deckard #3
Direct Action
From New York Times Bestselling author, and Special Operations veteran, Jack Murphy comes a new military thriller about what happens when America's best go bad. The right man in the wrong place. They call themselves Liquid Sky. A group of rogue SEAL Team Six operators turned soldiers of fortune. They’ve got the training and combat experience to pull off the impossible as their client hires them to stoke the flames of the Arab Spring in certain Middle Eastern countries…and suppress it in others. Deckard faces the most challenging mission of his career when he comes across intel that puts him hot on the trail of Liquid Sky’s latest assassination in Pakistan, a mission that targets a pro-democracy advocate. Failing to stop the rogue cell, Deckard shoots from the hip and drops his name in the running to be Liquid Sky’s newest member, replacing the one he just killed. It is a mission unlike any other that Deckard has ever faced. As they strike their targets in the Philippines, Afghanistan, Egypt, and beyond, Deckard has to maintain his cover while sabotaging their operations. If he can hold out just a little longer, he might be able to find out who Liquid Sky is taking their marching orders from. But the missions are only getting dirtier, and Deckard’s hands are far from clean. When the time comes, not even Deckard knows if he will be able to do all that is necessary to take down Liquid Sky.
- GenresActionMilitary Fiction
376 pages, Paperback
First published February 12, 2014
18 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 8, 2021
There are some books that you read through, set it down, say, "That was good," then continue about your life. There are some books that you put down near the beginning because they're so poorly written and/or boring that it would be pulling teeth to push forward. Then, there are some books that you slow down reading it near the end because you don't want the book to end, and when it does end, all you can do is let out a deep sigh and reflect for a moment.
Jack Murphy's DIRECT ACTION is one of the third category, and the first in a very long time that elicited that sigh upon its completion. Through two books, Deckard has taken things to the limit, tackling a cabal of shadowy policy makers bent on an apocalyptic "prophecy," squaring off against a Mexican drug cartel, and then taking on an American front corporation that was training terrorists to stir up unrest in the Middle East. This time, the enemy is familiar: a group of rogue former special operators known as Liquid Sky. Their standard operating procedure is brutal to the point of war criminal, eviscerating and desecrating the bodies of enemies and killing whomever they're told to kill so long as the money is right. After narrowly missing them after a hit in Pakistan, Deckard floats his name in the pot and manages to get picked up for the team. It becomes a balancing act between maintaining his cover and doing the right thing, and for the first time, we can see the mission has taken a mental effect on Deckard. He has seen strange and gruesome things throughout the books, but Liquid Sky takes the cake and hits home.
There were minor grammatical errors throughout and some stylistic issues that could have been tackled differently…and they do not take away from how hard-hitting DIRECT ACTION is. The sad part is knowing that Murphy takes Deckard's adventures from things he has experienced personally as well as things he has confirmed in his position as a member of the SOF community. Hopefully, the allegations raised by Murphy spur those in a position of power to address the issue, rather than continue to cover it up.
There's really not much else to say without giving away the plot. It's one of those things that you have to experience for yourself. Jack Murphy does it again.
Jack Murphy's DIRECT ACTION is one of the third category, and the first in a very long time that elicited that sigh upon its completion. Through two books, Deckard has taken things to the limit, tackling a cabal of shadowy policy makers bent on an apocalyptic "prophecy," squaring off against a Mexican drug cartel, and then taking on an American front corporation that was training terrorists to stir up unrest in the Middle East. This time, the enemy is familiar: a group of rogue former special operators known as Liquid Sky. Their standard operating procedure is brutal to the point of war criminal, eviscerating and desecrating the bodies of enemies and killing whomever they're told to kill so long as the money is right. After narrowly missing them after a hit in Pakistan, Deckard floats his name in the pot and manages to get picked up for the team. It becomes a balancing act between maintaining his cover and doing the right thing, and for the first time, we can see the mission has taken a mental effect on Deckard. He has seen strange and gruesome things throughout the books, but Liquid Sky takes the cake and hits home.
There were minor grammatical errors throughout and some stylistic issues that could have been tackled differently…and they do not take away from how hard-hitting DIRECT ACTION is. The sad part is knowing that Murphy takes Deckard's adventures from things he has experienced personally as well as things he has confirmed in his position as a member of the SOF community. Hopefully, the allegations raised by Murphy spur those in a position of power to address the issue, rather than continue to cover it up.
There's really not much else to say without giving away the plot. It's one of those things that you have to experience for yourself. Jack Murphy does it again.
February 25, 2017
MORALITY IS A LIMITING THING.
“I don't want to hear another word about my attitude. I don't want anyone looking over my shoulder, and I sure as hell don't want anyone second-guessing what I do."- Mitch Rapp.
"Friends...justice...doesn't it all just disgust you?"- Goro Akechi.
“If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.”
― Niccolò Machiavelli.
Warfare is a brutal business. This is something the world has learned and forgotten time and again over the course of history. Notions, such as honour, chivalry and decency have shot been full of holes, hacked to pieces and then patched up and rebuilt just in time for the next conflicts. Much of the public, when they think about war, still believe in an idealized version, pushed forward by those WW2 war films starring John Wayne, rather than the stark Generation Kill like reality. While the reasons to go to war always change, one thing that has stayed the same, is the need for heroes. In the Post 9/11 world, this role is fulfilled by the elite Special Operations teams in various Western Armed Services. They are today's Legendary Warriors, worshiped and held in the highest regard possible. The new demigods who go out and slay monsters in the dark corners of the globe.
The jewel in the crown which has captured the public imagination more than any other unit in the post 9/11 World is DEVGRU. From giving Usama Bin Laden eye surgery to working miracles in Somalian counter - piracy, everyone scrambles to kiss the ground where the Virginia Beach Boys walk. However, recently the aura surrounding Team Six has darkened with a growing string of alleged abuses occurring on their watch, some which may have been bloody. One of the people covering these stories is a Veteran of the US Army 5th Special Forces Group turned journalist Jack Murphy, one of the founders of the reputable SOFREP website. Mr Murphy is also an indie thriller novelist whose creation is the Deckard military thriller franchise. He has integrated his reporting on the alleged abuses by DEVGRU into his third novel "Direct Action", while weaving a powerful question into the narrative that forces readers to consider something that other, braver men ask themselves day by day. Now to the review. Is there any place for morality in modern warfare?
We begin the story in Afghanistan 2005, up in the snowy Hindu Kush. A DEVGRU operator is seconds away from dying, lung shot by Chechen jihadists. The jihadist come, strip his corpse and then defile his body as life leaks out of him. Minutes later, a second team of SEALS arrive on site, gun down the Jihadists and are enraged by what they see. The team leader, a man named Bill, then pledges on the spot to burn the proverbial rule book and break the chains he had once been restrained by. We then cut to the present day where we are introduced to the main character having a nightmare. Mr Deckard then wakes up secure in a Las Vegas safe house with his associates. They're reviewing the intel captured from a previous job. An item captures Deckard's interest, the existence of an off the books paramilitary team designated “Liquid Sky”, that is set to perform an assassination in Pakistan leads to him and his Company flying off to the sprawling urban jungle of Karachi to begin hunting the most dangerous game.
Things don’t quite go to plan however. The prey he’s after is in fact a predator, determined, alert and adaptable, demonstrating these qualities quiet violently by successfully assaulting a hospital, assassinating a dissident who took part in the Arab Spring protests and fleeing Pakistan by Zodiac inflatable. While failing to wipe out the soldiers of fortune, One of Deckard’s subordinates managed to kill a member of the rival mercenary team, which plants the seed of an idea in the head of his boss. A few days later, Deckard is in Washington for a job interview like no other. Playing the role of the slightly nutty, amoral hired gun (which he somewhat still is), Deckard intends to become the newest member of Liquid Sky and after a short jaunt to Afghanistan where he’s tasked with surviving the world’s most murderous job interview. Upon completion, he lands a spot on the team.
As he gradually gets sucked into the dark, morally compromised world of Liquid Sky, a group of soldiers who smash the boundaries that hold mere mortals back, Deckard is pushed to the limits. From Afghanistan, to Egypt and the Philippines, soon, as the end draws near and Deckard begins preparing to break cover, only one question remains. How far will you fall when nothing holds you back from the abyss?
In terms of plot, Direct Action is a masterstroke. Many military thrillers, mainstream and indie published, do touch upon the nature of morality in the war on terror. Gone are the days where the genre had been infected by a gung – ho wish fulfilment where invulnerable super humans shot Islamofacists by the truckload. However, Direct Action examines this question in far greater detail than many NYT bestsellers and pointedly asks whether there’s a place for moral boundaries and constraints in contemporary counter – terrorism and warfare. It does this by utilizing what allegedly may be a real case of an elite military unit that long ago broke its shackles and became drunk on the arrogance and hubris that led to the downfall of their demi – god equivalents in antiquity.
Laced in with this complex morality tale is a gloriously vivid look at modern paramilitary operations that the United States utilizes to keep the barbarians from capsizing the ship of state in an age where people are increasingly war weary and apathetic at the extremists that seek to kill as many non-believers as they can. It’s this mix of morally grey realism that makes Murphy’s writing shine and propels Direct Action from being merely a well written, dynamic indie published thriller, into a truly relevant tour de force that looks into places that other thrillers writers are terrified of writing about.
Action and setting? Despite being at heart, a character study of how good people go beyond bad and into the realm of evil, the author, having served in the elder statesman of the Special Operations community and travelled to many conflict hot spots brings the usual authenticity to the narrative, and then quadruples it. From the chilling opening in the Afghan snows, the author takes us on a wild ride. A gun battle through one of the Philippines most exclusive penthouse apartments. A hellish journey through riot ravaged Bahrain. A covert infiltration of a beachside suburb on a remote island in the Indian ocean. A fiery ending in the heart of war ravaged Syria fit for an epic blockbuster movie. Direct Action is almost in a class of its own when it comes to providing the bloody mayhem all thriller readers salivate after. It can be said the action in Mr Murphy’s books, doesn’t just pass the bar, but instead breaks it and replaces it with one of his own.
Research? World class. Apart from his extensive experience as a US Army Special Forces veteran, Murphy is more than diligent with the real-world details he integrates into the narrative, to a level that borders on hyper – authenticity. As usual, there’s enough gleaming top of the line kit that will make gear heads drool, such as the SIG – Sauer MPX submachine gun and the Heckler and Koch 417 Battle Rifle. But rather than obsess over some ridiculously customized La Rue M4 Carbine like some authors do, Murphy avoids the classic writer mistake of obsessing over the gear. From pointing out the fact that most deniable operations utilize non-American made kit like the unglamorous but ever so practical Kalashnikov, to tactics such as making improvised wrist daggers with duct tape, cardboard and steak knives, the combat, kit and tactics featured in Direct Action are on point and at times throw in a few interesting tricks that other writers haven’t featured yet.
But it’s not just the killing that gets to shine, but other details in the shadow realm. From a in depth look at the modern mercenary business and how a group of “deniable assets” would operate in a world that’s increasingly monitored, recorded and indexed, to the internal office politics of the US JSOC, Murphy also has fun playing with real world events like the Arab Spring and twisting them in delightful, interesting ways. A good thriller may be ripped from the headlines, but it doesn’t mean to follow them down to the letter. The author understands this and paints a convincing behind the scenes portrayal of contemporary Middle Easter power plays that might have happened in real life.
One thing that makes Direct Action truly special is the aforementioned moral question that it discusses. Specifically, whether there’s a place for morality in modern warfare. As many modern-day warriors, would agree, Post 9/11 counter – terrorism is not like one of those WW2 propaganda movies John Wayne acted in. There are no contemporary knights in shining armour and the enemy has neither signed the Geneva Convention, nor gives a damn about human rights and common decency. But as the author points out, that doesn’t mean there is no place for restraints. Murphy takes a different approach to the Scott Harvath series where a book would pontificate about balance, but then proceed to have the hero half drown a terrorist scumbag. Instead, he clearly illustrates that the rules are there for a reason, to prevent the legends who do battle on our behalf from going off the deep end.
He does this by showing us a dysfunctional group of warriors who were ultimately broken by their profession, forgot the difference between right and wrong, and decided to bathe in the blood of their casualties. Liquid Sky are basically a group of anti – heroes who morphed into full blown card carrying villains that attempt to mask the true horror of their work behind a nightmarish self-righteousness. The author also points out that restraint doesn’t mean turning everyone into a boy scout. It’s about finding the strength to hit balance, or the right level of professionalism, that allows one to survive in modern soldiering without going insane from the real-life heart of darkness that soldiers journey through.
Characters? Many standouts but I’ll focus on three for brevity’s sake. Deckard, Nadeesha and Bill. First, Deckard. The owner of a boutique PMC, Deckard is an enigmatic American soldier of fortune who shares some of his creator’s military background, but may or may have not once been a CIA special Activities Division officer who once tried to drop a mortar round on the head of a pen pushing Company man. Now his own boss, Deckard runs Samruk international, a PMC that under his sound leadership has gone from strength to strength. But don’t be fooled. Deckard is not a desk jockey, but a cynical, highly professional soldier who is suddenly face to face with the dubious morality of his work. Infiltrating a group of people who have let themselves fall into the swirling moral abyss and are beyond caring about who they destroy, whether guilty or innocent, Deckard soon is forced to ask questions about how much he’s willing to tolerate in his line of work before drawing a line. He’s a badass, but an intelligently characterized one who encounters things few mainstream published thriller characters could hope to survive.
Next we have Nadeesha. Nadeesha is a former ISA operator who after witnessing the collapse of her subsection in The Activity, decided to go into the world of private wars in order to reclaim her sanity and begin accumulating a retirement fund of some kind. When Deckard meets her she’s long since become disgruntled with the place in life she’s ended up in and seeks to break free. Nadeesha is a slightly tragic character in many ways. She knows what she and Liquid Sky do for a living is morally wrong, but after working in the depressing, nightmarish slog of counter – terrorism is now beyond caring about any niceties or chances of redemption. But as the story goes on and Deckard forms a rapport with her, she finds the small sparks of hope and light on the horizon and ends her plotline in what for all intents and purposes is a pretty good place.
Finally we have Bill. Bill is a former DEVGRU operator who now runs the Liquid Sky mercenary team. Once the golden boy of the most celebrated Special Operations team on earth, Bill is now a man who has fully embraced the darkness and depravity he has experienced over a distinguished military career. He acts as the perfect foil to Deckard, a true, dark mirror image of the man our protagonist could have become had he decided he was beyond caring about any professionalism or restraint. Both run their own teams of mercenaries, are good at their jobs with years of experience and are famed for lateral thinking and highly creative solutions in destroying whoever gets in their way. Bill however, unlike Deckard was an anti – hero who turned into a full-blown villain. The job broke him and he decided to play God, indulging in murderously immature displays of power and death. As a villain, Bill is a competent, dangerous operator who upon catching on to Deckard’s deceptions does not mess around and immediately begins hunting his enemy within.
Constructive criticism? Some editing issues here and there. It’s common for most indie publishing books to have them, due to the absence of a high paid team of editors from a multi – billion-dollar mainstream publishing house. But they are so few and far between and the narrative so compelling that I barely noticed any of them in the wild ride Direct Action took me on. Only thing I can say to the author is double or triple check your manuscripts now and then. Apart from that, Direct Action was a home run.
Direct Action is one of the finest thriller novels I have ever read. An engaging, fast paced story that focuses on a major issue that few writers would possess the cojones or skill to try cover, Jack Murphy is undeniably one of the titans of modern indie thriller publishing and if more people who refuse to submit to the hegemony of the publishing houses took inspiration from his style of brutal authenticity, well written true to life prose and excellent research, the military thriller genre, which has been suffering from a creative lethargy, will be saved from completely rotting away from the deluge of formulaic race against time plots. Murphy’s book takes most of the entries on the NYT bestseller list, riddles them with bullets, throws them into a shallow grave and then proceeds to call in a mortar strike to finish the job. His work, is fresh, dynamic and highly entertaining, and as Deckard flies away from war torn Syria on a Samruk International C27J transport aircraft, the man who created him is only just getting started.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
“I don't want to hear another word about my attitude. I don't want anyone looking over my shoulder, and I sure as hell don't want anyone second-guessing what I do."- Mitch Rapp.
"Friends...justice...doesn't it all just disgust you?"- Goro Akechi.
“If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.”
― Niccolò Machiavelli.
Warfare is a brutal business. This is something the world has learned and forgotten time and again over the course of history. Notions, such as honour, chivalry and decency have shot been full of holes, hacked to pieces and then patched up and rebuilt just in time for the next conflicts. Much of the public, when they think about war, still believe in an idealized version, pushed forward by those WW2 war films starring John Wayne, rather than the stark Generation Kill like reality. While the reasons to go to war always change, one thing that has stayed the same, is the need for heroes. In the Post 9/11 world, this role is fulfilled by the elite Special Operations teams in various Western Armed Services. They are today's Legendary Warriors, worshiped and held in the highest regard possible. The new demigods who go out and slay monsters in the dark corners of the globe.
The jewel in the crown which has captured the public imagination more than any other unit in the post 9/11 World is DEVGRU. From giving Usama Bin Laden eye surgery to working miracles in Somalian counter - piracy, everyone scrambles to kiss the ground where the Virginia Beach Boys walk. However, recently the aura surrounding Team Six has darkened with a growing string of alleged abuses occurring on their watch, some which may have been bloody. One of the people covering these stories is a Veteran of the US Army 5th Special Forces Group turned journalist Jack Murphy, one of the founders of the reputable SOFREP website. Mr Murphy is also an indie thriller novelist whose creation is the Deckard military thriller franchise. He has integrated his reporting on the alleged abuses by DEVGRU into his third novel "Direct Action", while weaving a powerful question into the narrative that forces readers to consider something that other, braver men ask themselves day by day. Now to the review. Is there any place for morality in modern warfare?
We begin the story in Afghanistan 2005, up in the snowy Hindu Kush. A DEVGRU operator is seconds away from dying, lung shot by Chechen jihadists. The jihadist come, strip his corpse and then defile his body as life leaks out of him. Minutes later, a second team of SEALS arrive on site, gun down the Jihadists and are enraged by what they see. The team leader, a man named Bill, then pledges on the spot to burn the proverbial rule book and break the chains he had once been restrained by. We then cut to the present day where we are introduced to the main character having a nightmare. Mr Deckard then wakes up secure in a Las Vegas safe house with his associates. They're reviewing the intel captured from a previous job. An item captures Deckard's interest, the existence of an off the books paramilitary team designated “Liquid Sky”, that is set to perform an assassination in Pakistan leads to him and his Company flying off to the sprawling urban jungle of Karachi to begin hunting the most dangerous game.
Things don’t quite go to plan however. The prey he’s after is in fact a predator, determined, alert and adaptable, demonstrating these qualities quiet violently by successfully assaulting a hospital, assassinating a dissident who took part in the Arab Spring protests and fleeing Pakistan by Zodiac inflatable. While failing to wipe out the soldiers of fortune, One of Deckard’s subordinates managed to kill a member of the rival mercenary team, which plants the seed of an idea in the head of his boss. A few days later, Deckard is in Washington for a job interview like no other. Playing the role of the slightly nutty, amoral hired gun (which he somewhat still is), Deckard intends to become the newest member of Liquid Sky and after a short jaunt to Afghanistan where he’s tasked with surviving the world’s most murderous job interview. Upon completion, he lands a spot on the team.
As he gradually gets sucked into the dark, morally compromised world of Liquid Sky, a group of soldiers who smash the boundaries that hold mere mortals back, Deckard is pushed to the limits. From Afghanistan, to Egypt and the Philippines, soon, as the end draws near and Deckard begins preparing to break cover, only one question remains. How far will you fall when nothing holds you back from the abyss?
In terms of plot, Direct Action is a masterstroke. Many military thrillers, mainstream and indie published, do touch upon the nature of morality in the war on terror. Gone are the days where the genre had been infected by a gung – ho wish fulfilment where invulnerable super humans shot Islamofacists by the truckload. However, Direct Action examines this question in far greater detail than many NYT bestsellers and pointedly asks whether there’s a place for moral boundaries and constraints in contemporary counter – terrorism and warfare. It does this by utilizing what allegedly may be a real case of an elite military unit that long ago broke its shackles and became drunk on the arrogance and hubris that led to the downfall of their demi – god equivalents in antiquity.
Laced in with this complex morality tale is a gloriously vivid look at modern paramilitary operations that the United States utilizes to keep the barbarians from capsizing the ship of state in an age where people are increasingly war weary and apathetic at the extremists that seek to kill as many non-believers as they can. It’s this mix of morally grey realism that makes Murphy’s writing shine and propels Direct Action from being merely a well written, dynamic indie published thriller, into a truly relevant tour de force that looks into places that other thrillers writers are terrified of writing about.
Action and setting? Despite being at heart, a character study of how good people go beyond bad and into the realm of evil, the author, having served in the elder statesman of the Special Operations community and travelled to many conflict hot spots brings the usual authenticity to the narrative, and then quadruples it. From the chilling opening in the Afghan snows, the author takes us on a wild ride. A gun battle through one of the Philippines most exclusive penthouse apartments. A hellish journey through riot ravaged Bahrain. A covert infiltration of a beachside suburb on a remote island in the Indian ocean. A fiery ending in the heart of war ravaged Syria fit for an epic blockbuster movie. Direct Action is almost in a class of its own when it comes to providing the bloody mayhem all thriller readers salivate after. It can be said the action in Mr Murphy’s books, doesn’t just pass the bar, but instead breaks it and replaces it with one of his own.
Research? World class. Apart from his extensive experience as a US Army Special Forces veteran, Murphy is more than diligent with the real-world details he integrates into the narrative, to a level that borders on hyper – authenticity. As usual, there’s enough gleaming top of the line kit that will make gear heads drool, such as the SIG – Sauer MPX submachine gun and the Heckler and Koch 417 Battle Rifle. But rather than obsess over some ridiculously customized La Rue M4 Carbine like some authors do, Murphy avoids the classic writer mistake of obsessing over the gear. From pointing out the fact that most deniable operations utilize non-American made kit like the unglamorous but ever so practical Kalashnikov, to tactics such as making improvised wrist daggers with duct tape, cardboard and steak knives, the combat, kit and tactics featured in Direct Action are on point and at times throw in a few interesting tricks that other writers haven’t featured yet.
But it’s not just the killing that gets to shine, but other details in the shadow realm. From a in depth look at the modern mercenary business and how a group of “deniable assets” would operate in a world that’s increasingly monitored, recorded and indexed, to the internal office politics of the US JSOC, Murphy also has fun playing with real world events like the Arab Spring and twisting them in delightful, interesting ways. A good thriller may be ripped from the headlines, but it doesn’t mean to follow them down to the letter. The author understands this and paints a convincing behind the scenes portrayal of contemporary Middle Easter power plays that might have happened in real life.
One thing that makes Direct Action truly special is the aforementioned moral question that it discusses. Specifically, whether there’s a place for morality in modern warfare. As many modern-day warriors, would agree, Post 9/11 counter – terrorism is not like one of those WW2 propaganda movies John Wayne acted in. There are no contemporary knights in shining armour and the enemy has neither signed the Geneva Convention, nor gives a damn about human rights and common decency. But as the author points out, that doesn’t mean there is no place for restraints. Murphy takes a different approach to the Scott Harvath series where a book would pontificate about balance, but then proceed to have the hero half drown a terrorist scumbag. Instead, he clearly illustrates that the rules are there for a reason, to prevent the legends who do battle on our behalf from going off the deep end.
He does this by showing us a dysfunctional group of warriors who were ultimately broken by their profession, forgot the difference between right and wrong, and decided to bathe in the blood of their casualties. Liquid Sky are basically a group of anti – heroes who morphed into full blown card carrying villains that attempt to mask the true horror of their work behind a nightmarish self-righteousness. The author also points out that restraint doesn’t mean turning everyone into a boy scout. It’s about finding the strength to hit balance, or the right level of professionalism, that allows one to survive in modern soldiering without going insane from the real-life heart of darkness that soldiers journey through.
Characters? Many standouts but I’ll focus on three for brevity’s sake. Deckard, Nadeesha and Bill. First, Deckard. The owner of a boutique PMC, Deckard is an enigmatic American soldier of fortune who shares some of his creator’s military background, but may or may have not once been a CIA special Activities Division officer who once tried to drop a mortar round on the head of a pen pushing Company man. Now his own boss, Deckard runs Samruk international, a PMC that under his sound leadership has gone from strength to strength. But don’t be fooled. Deckard is not a desk jockey, but a cynical, highly professional soldier who is suddenly face to face with the dubious morality of his work. Infiltrating a group of people who have let themselves fall into the swirling moral abyss and are beyond caring about who they destroy, whether guilty or innocent, Deckard soon is forced to ask questions about how much he’s willing to tolerate in his line of work before drawing a line. He’s a badass, but an intelligently characterized one who encounters things few mainstream published thriller characters could hope to survive.
Next we have Nadeesha. Nadeesha is a former ISA operator who after witnessing the collapse of her subsection in The Activity, decided to go into the world of private wars in order to reclaim her sanity and begin accumulating a retirement fund of some kind. When Deckard meets her she’s long since become disgruntled with the place in life she’s ended up in and seeks to break free. Nadeesha is a slightly tragic character in many ways. She knows what she and Liquid Sky do for a living is morally wrong, but after working in the depressing, nightmarish slog of counter – terrorism is now beyond caring about any niceties or chances of redemption. But as the story goes on and Deckard forms a rapport with her, she finds the small sparks of hope and light on the horizon and ends her plotline in what for all intents and purposes is a pretty good place.
Finally we have Bill. Bill is a former DEVGRU operator who now runs the Liquid Sky mercenary team. Once the golden boy of the most celebrated Special Operations team on earth, Bill is now a man who has fully embraced the darkness and depravity he has experienced over a distinguished military career. He acts as the perfect foil to Deckard, a true, dark mirror image of the man our protagonist could have become had he decided he was beyond caring about any professionalism or restraint. Both run their own teams of mercenaries, are good at their jobs with years of experience and are famed for lateral thinking and highly creative solutions in destroying whoever gets in their way. Bill however, unlike Deckard was an anti – hero who turned into a full-blown villain. The job broke him and he decided to play God, indulging in murderously immature displays of power and death. As a villain, Bill is a competent, dangerous operator who upon catching on to Deckard’s deceptions does not mess around and immediately begins hunting his enemy within.
Constructive criticism? Some editing issues here and there. It’s common for most indie publishing books to have them, due to the absence of a high paid team of editors from a multi – billion-dollar mainstream publishing house. But they are so few and far between and the narrative so compelling that I barely noticed any of them in the wild ride Direct Action took me on. Only thing I can say to the author is double or triple check your manuscripts now and then. Apart from that, Direct Action was a home run.
Direct Action is one of the finest thriller novels I have ever read. An engaging, fast paced story that focuses on a major issue that few writers would possess the cojones or skill to try cover, Jack Murphy is undeniably one of the titans of modern indie thriller publishing and if more people who refuse to submit to the hegemony of the publishing houses took inspiration from his style of brutal authenticity, well written true to life prose and excellent research, the military thriller genre, which has been suffering from a creative lethargy, will be saved from completely rotting away from the deluge of formulaic race against time plots. Murphy’s book takes most of the entries on the NYT bestseller list, riddles them with bullets, throws them into a shallow grave and then proceeds to call in a mortar strike to finish the job. His work, is fresh, dynamic and highly entertaining, and as Deckard flies away from war torn Syria on a Samruk International C27J transport aircraft, the man who created him is only just getting started.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
September 20, 2023
This is the third book about Deckard and Samruk International, and it's not bad, but also not great either.
After book two, Samruk are looking for the people responsible for what happened, and so they start investigating. They discover that a mercenary unit called Liquid Sky, a bunch of American ex-SEALs are trying to inflame the Middle East. After killing one of the mercs in Pakistan, Deckard goes undercover as a replacement, infiltrating the group, and trying to discover their employers.
While the Samruk soldiers do get deployed, in reality, most of the action is with just Deckard on his own, or the Liquid Sky members. After several attacks here and there, Liquid Sky gets tasked with setting off a Mustard Gas attack in the middle of Damascus, in one of the holiest Mosques for Islam.
Deckard decides they have to be stopped once and for all, and after trying to sabotage them, he shoots one of the team, and runs. He manages to take out 3 more of the team and stop the attack just in time, with only Nadeesha, the one female on the team managing to escape.
I would have liked to have seen a little more action between the Samruk and Liquid Sky forces, with them wondering just who these Samruk guys were all the time. I also would have liked Deckard to have made more of an attempt to try and locate Nadeesha, especially as he had been having sex with her while they were together, and she seemed to have liked him just as much. Maybe she'll show up in the next (and last) book.
Overall, the action was great, and the characters were all well written, but it just needed a little more..
After book two, Samruk are looking for the people responsible for what happened, and so they start investigating. They discover that a mercenary unit called Liquid Sky, a bunch of American ex-SEALs are trying to inflame the Middle East. After killing one of the mercs in Pakistan, Deckard goes undercover as a replacement, infiltrating the group, and trying to discover their employers.
While the Samruk soldiers do get deployed, in reality, most of the action is with just Deckard on his own, or the Liquid Sky members. After several attacks here and there, Liquid Sky gets tasked with setting off a Mustard Gas attack in the middle of Damascus, in one of the holiest Mosques for Islam.
Deckard decides they have to be stopped once and for all, and after trying to sabotage them, he shoots one of the team, and runs. He manages to take out 3 more of the team and stop the attack just in time, with only Nadeesha, the one female on the team managing to escape.
I would have liked to have seen a little more action between the Samruk and Liquid Sky forces, with them wondering just who these Samruk guys were all the time. I also would have liked Deckard to have made more of an attempt to try and locate Nadeesha, especially as he had been having sex with her while they were together, and she seemed to have liked him just as much. Maybe she'll show up in the next (and last) book.
Overall, the action was great, and the characters were all well written, but it just needed a little more..
May 15, 2020
For his third Deckard novel, Jack Murphy explores a phenomenon which really shouldn't be as controversial as it is. What I'm talking about of course is the common family dinner topic of Navy SEAL war crimes. How we have got to a point in human history where people will flip out if you suggest special forces soldiers don't need to be hatcheting peoples scalps off, I don't know but here we are.
Whenever the topic comes up you'll hear all sorts of weak excuses which often take the angle that if the SEALS don't commit war crimes then they'll be unable to protect themselves as they go about their jobs. Murphy takes a clear stance but doesn't preach. Murphy has been to a lot of these places, he's talked to people who have been involved and he knows the subject inside out. Leveraging this knowledge, the author places the reader alongside Deckard effectively giving them a glimpse of the context and the consequences of these actions. Speaking of context, this novel is packed with information about all sorts of things but it's always well integrated. I'd like to see more thrillers manage their infodumps the way Direct Action does.
Some might find the subject matter confrontational but Direct Action does have some nuance. The antagonists are people at the end of the day, broken terrible people but people with realistic motivations nonetheless. You get the impression the author respects his characters enough to at least let them make the nooses they use to hang themselves instead of making them caricatures.
I'd be remiss not to mention the action scenes. They're all completely different. They all make sense. They help propel the narrative instead of stalling. it. Some of them are really inventive but I can't tell you about them here without spoiling them for you. I honestly think that Jack Murphy is the best author out there when it comes to writing small unit action scenes. He knows when to be tactical and when he can get away with some John Woo tricks.
I really can't think of any way this novel could be any better. There are a few sex scenes that are kind of juvenile but hey, maybe somebody appreciates their inclusion.
When deciding how many stars to give a novel, I usually think how well does it achieve what it sets out to do. By this stage in his writing career, Murphy has established a solid vision and knows how to translate it into print. Five stars, highly recommended.
Whenever the topic comes up you'll hear all sorts of weak excuses which often take the angle that if the SEALS don't commit war crimes then they'll be unable to protect themselves as they go about their jobs. Murphy takes a clear stance but doesn't preach. Murphy has been to a lot of these places, he's talked to people who have been involved and he knows the subject inside out. Leveraging this knowledge, the author places the reader alongside Deckard effectively giving them a glimpse of the context and the consequences of these actions. Speaking of context, this novel is packed with information about all sorts of things but it's always well integrated. I'd like to see more thrillers manage their infodumps the way Direct Action does.
Some might find the subject matter confrontational but Direct Action does have some nuance. The antagonists are people at the end of the day, broken terrible people but people with realistic motivations nonetheless. You get the impression the author respects his characters enough to at least let them make the nooses they use to hang themselves instead of making them caricatures.
I'd be remiss not to mention the action scenes. They're all completely different. They all make sense. They help propel the narrative instead of stalling. it. Some of them are really inventive but I can't tell you about them here without spoiling them for you. I honestly think that Jack Murphy is the best author out there when it comes to writing small unit action scenes. He knows when to be tactical and when he can get away with some John Woo tricks.
I really can't think of any way this novel could be any better. There are a few sex scenes that are kind of juvenile but hey, maybe somebody appreciates their inclusion.
When deciding how many stars to give a novel, I usually think how well does it achieve what it sets out to do. By this stage in his writing career, Murphy has established a solid vision and knows how to translate it into print. Five stars, highly recommended.
January 5, 2016
Jack Murphy has continued to impress me with his obvious development as a skilled author. Though I enjoyed Reflexive Fire for its action and insight into the skills and modus operandi of the Special Operations community, this is an entirely different animal. You can tell that Murphy reached into a deeply intimate place to write Direct Action; it's not only beautifully crafted from a structural perspective, it conveys raw emotion that surpasses simple excitement or suspense, transcending the genre's tropes and making for a truly awe-inspiring read. Buy this one. Buy it, read it, and buy another copy for a friend.
April 25, 2014
Never have a read a book with a more accurate title. Jack knows the war, the guys, the gear, and the world they operate in. I started reading the sample, figuring I'd check that out and then order later when I had time. Read that, promptly ordered the book, read through dinner, read through my workout time, read until I finally had to bag it about 0100 with a heavy day looming, finished it the following evening.
This book is not only a terrific non-stop action thriller it is on a topic that should be heavily debated in the Spec Ops community, and in the larger military community. Jack is doing a real service by putting this book out there to spark controversy. He's also putting himself on the line, like that was a new thing. I've recommended other Deckard novels for fun. I recommend this one for thought.
This book is not only a terrific non-stop action thriller it is on a topic that should be heavily debated in the Spec Ops community, and in the larger military community. Jack is doing a real service by putting this book out there to spark controversy. He's also putting himself on the line, like that was a new thing. I've recommended other Deckard novels for fun. I recommend this one for thought.
March 1, 2014
Gonna lay it out there… I love Jack Murphy’s work. It’s gritty, it’s fast paced, it’s got more bang than a breaching charge and it's balls to the wall from cover to cover. Murphy’s latest, Direct Action, is all of this with a very healthy slab of contemporary world events thrown in for good measure. Yeah sure it’s a little controversial in parts but hey, it’s fiction, so it’s not necessary real...or is it? It’s the blending of fact and fiction that makes this book such a great read. If you’re interested in the murky world of SOF and the even darker world of contracting then this is the book for you. Another great read by Murphy that comes highly recommended.
Jack Silkstone
Author of the PRIMAL Series
Jack Silkstone
Author of the PRIMAL Series
December 11, 2016
Wow! I really like this young "new" author. The author is himself a military veteran, and really knows how to write exciting, engaging military fiction. And the protagonist of this series - Decker keeps getting better and better. This is almost like "A Wonderful Life" with Decker working with evil mercs, who could have been him in a different life without guardian angel - Clarence. Murphy is really able to combine good journalism education with what has to have been some interesting life experience. In contrast to some other critics, I can totally care less about "grammatical and spelling errors". The plot move quickly, and the action is awesome in detail and execution. My only regret is that I finished third Volume 3, and Volume 4 isn't available IMMEDIATELY. Strong work, Jack Murphy.
September 8, 2024
Wow, what an amazing military thriller and Jack Murphy is da man!! From beginning to end, the book can be overwhelming, but in a good way. I Freaking Loved This Book and will definitely buy the follow up and maybe even the first 2 books. If you like military thrillers, Buy It Now!
It's a fact/fiction based thriller with so much action...Totally Recommend!!
It's a fact/fiction based thriller with so much action...Totally Recommend!!
October 9, 2022
Manifest for a new generation
Whatever you may think about the plot and the writing, it is clear this is aimed at the culture of at least one of the tribes. It is also an interesting peak behind some curtains… overall entertaining and thought provoking.
Whatever you may think about the plot and the writing, it is clear this is aimed at the culture of at least one of the tribes. It is also an interesting peak behind some curtains… overall entertaining and thought provoking.
October 12, 2014
I have really enjoyed most of the novels in this kind- of genre, some get a bit technical, others take a long time to set up and the few that the authors take a platform to voice their own political opinion's and maneuver the novel around such idea's... these are not in my interest.
Jack Murphy's direct action novel is a third in a series of military action of a MC Deckard' and I am looking forward to backing up to read the first 2 novel's.
The "set-up" for this novel sounded just too much fun too pass up.
I follow the various ... disruptions around the world and am sure that atrocities are an everyday thing and not just by what is considered the "bad-guy's", this novel takes a page from the (point break) movie with the skydivers action junkies and bank robber's and the FBI agent out too find and shut them down.
Deckard has a run in with a black op's group off the reservation working for clients that PAY $$$, not really caring of world wide repercussions and fight terror with terror, There are some lines drawn in the sand here that get washed around a bit but for the story itself it works really well and by no means a far stretch from what is most likely truly happening every day.
Mercenary by the very definition is where this story get's started, morality is fuzzy on many subjects and from war Any war there is created a eye for an eye tooth ...ect. We have all heard many thing's in the Vietnam war and acts have not been more civilized, but I think media is a bit more controlled.
Sry got off the novel'
Deckard infiltrates a group of mercenary's that follow a leader that has the planning and backing and is a thrill ride from the very start. Good read! like the MC and will follow him in further novel's.
One more notice to the part's that are read in-between the line's, as well as a brief comment from the author that this novel is pointed at a few men in some groups around the world... but again such a thin line between what makes a hero and what actions make a "war" crime. the pen, the sword or... the hatchet'
Jack Murphy's direct action novel is a third in a series of military action of a MC Deckard' and I am looking forward to backing up to read the first 2 novel's.
The "set-up" for this novel sounded just too much fun too pass up.
I follow the various ... disruptions around the world and am sure that atrocities are an everyday thing and not just by what is considered the "bad-guy's", this novel takes a page from the (point break) movie with the skydivers action junkies and bank robber's and the FBI agent out too find and shut them down.
Deckard has a run in with a black op's group off the reservation working for clients that PAY $$$, not really caring of world wide repercussions and fight terror with terror, There are some lines drawn in the sand here that get washed around a bit but for the story itself it works really well and by no means a far stretch from what is most likely truly happening every day.
Mercenary by the very definition is where this story get's started, morality is fuzzy on many subjects and from war Any war there is created a eye for an eye tooth ...ect. We have all heard many thing's in the Vietnam war and acts have not been more civilized, but I think media is a bit more controlled.
Sry got off the novel'
Deckard infiltrates a group of mercenary's that follow a leader that has the planning and backing and is a thrill ride from the very start. Good read! like the MC and will follow him in further novel's.
One more notice to the part's that are read in-between the line's, as well as a brief comment from the author that this novel is pointed at a few men in some groups around the world... but again such a thin line between what makes a hero and what actions make a "war" crime. the pen, the sword or... the hatchet'
March 11, 2014
Love it. Too bad I ended up reading them out of order but I discovered this great author and was really impressed by his military and PMC knowledge, not surprising at all to find out he's a firmer Ranger The Direct Action Giveaway is a great idea for fan who like myself are former military and an inspiration for those for military are turning to the power of the written word to tell their stories, be it fiction or non. I have a lot of respect for this guy. Some of the rumors within the military community are completely true and never touched upon. So that shows a measure of bravery in his writing that he really deserves to be noted for. His character development is well founded. The plot is interesting and leaves you guessing and ready for more. It's well written, perfect grammar and a great novel for anyone who enjoys military thrillers that could actually be genuine. Everyone dreams of being a bad ass operator for a day. Live vicariously through one of Jack Murphy's novels. And with his giveaway he is promoting a business owned by former Rangers, Blackside Concepts, that has not gained enough attention for their work and limit and beautiful artwork. Great books written by what seems to be a great guy. Thank you!
January 16, 2017
Great story and a real page Turner
Talk about sucking you and taking you on a ride! Another amazing book by Jack Murphy. Can't wait to read the next book!
Talk about sucking you and taking you on a ride! Another amazing book by Jack Murphy. Can't wait to read the next book!
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