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SEAL Team Six #5
Hunt the Fox
Book #5 from the series: A Thomas Crocker Thriller or SEAL Team Six
🎧Run Time = 9 hours and 23 minutes
The heroes of Don Mann and Ralph Pezzullo's acclaimed, hyper-realistic SEAL Team Six series are called to defuse an explosive situation in Syria.
🎧Run Time = 9 hours and 23 minutes
An Earphones Award–winning narrator performs this explosive listen from two New York Times bestselling authors! Chief Warrant Officer Thomas Crocker is out for revenge after members of his team were killed in Istanbul, while also trying to defuse a terrorist group’s scheme in war-torn Syria. “The pace is relentless… For action fans, Crocker continues to deliver” (Booklist).
The heroes of Don Mann and Ralph Pezzullo's acclaimed, hyper-realistic SEAL Team Six series are called to defuse an explosive situation in Syria.
On his way to a meeting with a CIA source in Istanbul, Captain Thomas Crocker notices he's being tailed. He suspects the men tracking his movements are members of Syria's intelligence agency, the Mulhabarat--their presence a sign of the region's increasing volatility.
Syria's government is unraveling, with the alliances between rebel groups increasingly complex, and ISIS dangerously in the mix. Farid al-Kazaz, aka the Fox, leads the most threatening of the ISIS factions. The Fox believes Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered the murder of the Fox's brother and has vowed revenge, planning a Sarin gas attack that would wreak havoc across not just Syria, but the entire Middle East.
Against almost impossible odds, it's up to Crocker and the rest of SEAL Team Six to stop a ruthless killer and keep an explosive plot from detonating. Once again, the fate of millions rests on the shoulders of these fearless and ferociously loyal men.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 2015
85 people are currently reading
427 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Pezzullo
43 books28 followersRalph Pezzullo is a New York Times bestselling author, and award-winning playwright and screenwriter.
Born in New York City, he grew up in Mexico, Vietnam, Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Uruguay and Nicaragua. After receiving a Master's Degree in international affairs he worked on Capitol Hill and later as a correspondent for Associated Press covering assignments in Latin America.
His books have been published in over twenty languages and include Jawbreaker (with CIA operative Gary Berntsen), Inside SEAL Team Six (with Don Mann), The Walk-In, At the Fall of Somoza, Plunging Into Haiti (winner of the 2006 Douglas Dillon Prize for American Diplomacy), The Chopin Manuscript (winner of the 2008 Audio Book of the Year), Eve Missing, Blood of My Blood, Most Evil (with Steve Hodel), The Navy SEAL Survival Handbook (also with Don Mann), Zero Footprint, Left of Boom, Full Battle Rattle, and the SEAL Team Six thrillers Hunt the Wolf, Hunt the Scorpion, Hunt the Falcon, Hunt the Jackal, Hunt the Fox, Hunt the Dragon and Hunt the Viper.
He has also written for television and film, writing screenplays for all the major film studies and working with directors Oliver Stone, Antoine Fuqua, George Gallo, Roger Donaldson, and others. His screenplay, An Unacceptable Person, was the recipient a Writer’s Guild East Foundation New Screenplay Award. And his radio drama series, The Life and Times of the Swamp Fox, was funded by the National Endowment of the Humanities, broadcast on PBS and the BBC, and nominated for a Peabody Award.
His plays, all of which have been produced in New York City, include Dear Friends, On That Day, Eating the Shadow, The Education of One Miss February, From Behind the Moon, Ghosts in the Dining Room, Bad Moon Rising, Gauguin’s Parrot, Asylum, Hide Mother in My Heart, Spain, and Okeechobee Split. They have also been performed in London, Mexico City, Copenhagen, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Seattle. Tail of the Tiger was honored by the Kesselring Committee of the National Arts Club, and Wilderness of Mirrors was Winner of the Center Theater International Play Contest. He has been the recipient of six Jerome Foundation playwriting fellowships. His latest play The American Wife opened at The Park Theatre in London in September 2016.
Ralph is a member of the Writer’s Guild, Author’s League of America, Mystery Writer’s Association, International Thriller Writers, and PEN USA; and is listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World.
He lives in Los Angeles.
Born in New York City, he grew up in Mexico, Vietnam, Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Uruguay and Nicaragua. After receiving a Master's Degree in international affairs he worked on Capitol Hill and later as a correspondent for Associated Press covering assignments in Latin America.
His books have been published in over twenty languages and include Jawbreaker (with CIA operative Gary Berntsen), Inside SEAL Team Six (with Don Mann), The Walk-In, At the Fall of Somoza, Plunging Into Haiti (winner of the 2006 Douglas Dillon Prize for American Diplomacy), The Chopin Manuscript (winner of the 2008 Audio Book of the Year), Eve Missing, Blood of My Blood, Most Evil (with Steve Hodel), The Navy SEAL Survival Handbook (also with Don Mann), Zero Footprint, Left of Boom, Full Battle Rattle, and the SEAL Team Six thrillers Hunt the Wolf, Hunt the Scorpion, Hunt the Falcon, Hunt the Jackal, Hunt the Fox, Hunt the Dragon and Hunt the Viper.
He has also written for television and film, writing screenplays for all the major film studies and working with directors Oliver Stone, Antoine Fuqua, George Gallo, Roger Donaldson, and others. His screenplay, An Unacceptable Person, was the recipient a Writer’s Guild East Foundation New Screenplay Award. And his radio drama series, The Life and Times of the Swamp Fox, was funded by the National Endowment of the Humanities, broadcast on PBS and the BBC, and nominated for a Peabody Award.
His plays, all of which have been produced in New York City, include Dear Friends, On That Day, Eating the Shadow, The Education of One Miss February, From Behind the Moon, Ghosts in the Dining Room, Bad Moon Rising, Gauguin’s Parrot, Asylum, Hide Mother in My Heart, Spain, and Okeechobee Split. They have also been performed in London, Mexico City, Copenhagen, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Seattle. Tail of the Tiger was honored by the Kesselring Committee of the National Arts Club, and Wilderness of Mirrors was Winner of the Center Theater International Play Contest. He has been the recipient of six Jerome Foundation playwriting fellowships. His latest play The American Wife opened at The Park Theatre in London in September 2016.
Ralph is a member of the Writer’s Guild, Author’s League of America, Mystery Writer’s Association, International Thriller Writers, and PEN USA; and is listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World.
He lives in Los Angeles.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 3, 2019
I wonder the same thing as Jared, wondering about our motivation for our interactions with other countries…is it all about what they have that benefits us? Crocker felt it best not to question it so he could do his job as leader of Black Cell.
Seal Team Six has all I expected from a Seal and his ‘friends.’ Action packed. Suspenseful. Makes me ponder the sacrifices and danger real soldiers face so we are free.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Seal Team Six: Hunt The Fox by Don Mann & Ralph Pezullo.
See more at fundinmental
Seal Team Six has all I expected from a Seal and his ‘friends.’ Action packed. Suspenseful. Makes me ponder the sacrifices and danger real soldiers face so we are free.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Seal Team Six: Hunt The Fox by Don Mann & Ralph Pezullo.
See more at fundinmental
September 11, 2022
#5 in the SEAL Team Six adventure series
Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've only read the first book in this series, and I found it brutal and intense. This one was a lot less so, in a good way (for me). This time we get to see Crocker in a more personal aspect as he remembers his marriage counseling with his wife and his relationship with his teenaged daughter. But now he's on a mission in Syria, sent to recapture some gas cannisters that have possibly been targeted for chemical warfare by terrorists. His team works well, overcoming obstacles, only to have a major problem at the end, which places their mission and thousands of civilians in danger. The end is a typical SEAL rescue (I suppose), full of danger and excitement. There was the typical male banter among the team, as well as lots of military-speak, describing the weapons, the ops, etc., using acronyms that were explained but only slowed the story down for me. Very well narrated by Peter Ganim who has a low, terse, but melodic voice that suited the story. I enjoyed this book, but I don't think I'll be going back to review the episodes I missed since this is not a comfortable genre for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've only read the first book in this series, and I found it brutal and intense. This one was a lot less so, in a good way (for me). This time we get to see Crocker in a more personal aspect as he remembers his marriage counseling with his wife and his relationship with his teenaged daughter. But now he's on a mission in Syria, sent to recapture some gas cannisters that have possibly been targeted for chemical warfare by terrorists. His team works well, overcoming obstacles, only to have a major problem at the end, which places their mission and thousands of civilians in danger. The end is a typical SEAL rescue (I suppose), full of danger and excitement. There was the typical male banter among the team, as well as lots of military-speak, describing the weapons, the ops, etc., using acronyms that were explained but only slowed the story down for me. Very well narrated by Peter Ganim who has a low, terse, but melodic voice that suited the story. I enjoyed this book, but I don't think I'll be going back to review the episodes I missed since this is not a comfortable genre for me.
March 8, 2018
A lean and fast paced actioner that's a smooth and easy read. All the familiar 'special forces thriller' beats are here but what elevates this book above the others is the depiction of the soldiers as real people not superheroes. They are human and they foul up and get hurt and they also display a healthy disdain for the higher ups. Also the banter between team members has an authentic ring to it that adds to the realism of the story. Refreshingly un-pc and why not? Real soldiers talk like this and this is a modern soldiers adventure written for the entertainment of men. Thumbs up then from me.
March 27, 2015
First of all I would like to thank Net Galley and Mulholland Books for making a review copy of this book available to me in exchange for an honest review.
In this ongoing series of books about Seal Team Six and their missions we find the team facing a highly classified as well as a highly dangerous mission, well, what else is new for Seal Team Six.
Chief Warrant Officer Crocker and his team will be tasked with enter Syria in the height of the civil war there to infiltrate a Syrian Air Force Base and retrieve eight cans of Sarin Gas that if released could kill thousands of innocent people.
Not only will they face dangerous odds while traveling through Syria, but they will also face the danger of being betrayed by those tasked to help them and those that they believe have their best interest at heart.
Some of the betrayal may even be from their own government which doesn’t appear to always understand the operational hazards that they face and the split second decisions and changes that they need to make.
Crocker also will be faced with some medical challenges during the course of the operation that will push his medic skills to the edge. But like a true Navy Seal he will perform flawlessly and with great patience and kindness as well as with great warrior skills.
All of this on top of having lost a good friend and team member just a few short months ago. Also on top of having his wife threatening to leave him because she can’t take the pressure anymore of being married to a Navy Seal. She feels that he cares more about his team and the thrill of the action than he cares about her.
Don Mann does a great job of building the character traits of Crocker as well as helping us to understand his thinking and decision making processes. He will also give us a good tour of the mind set of a heroic warrior who does his best despite the odds and knowing that he will never receive any recognition for a job well done.
The action is good, the details of the operations are good, the threat is realistic to our world today and thus all of this adds up to a good read.
Enjoy!
In this ongoing series of books about Seal Team Six and their missions we find the team facing a highly classified as well as a highly dangerous mission, well, what else is new for Seal Team Six.
Chief Warrant Officer Crocker and his team will be tasked with enter Syria in the height of the civil war there to infiltrate a Syrian Air Force Base and retrieve eight cans of Sarin Gas that if released could kill thousands of innocent people.
Not only will they face dangerous odds while traveling through Syria, but they will also face the danger of being betrayed by those tasked to help them and those that they believe have their best interest at heart.
Some of the betrayal may even be from their own government which doesn’t appear to always understand the operational hazards that they face and the split second decisions and changes that they need to make.
Crocker also will be faced with some medical challenges during the course of the operation that will push his medic skills to the edge. But like a true Navy Seal he will perform flawlessly and with great patience and kindness as well as with great warrior skills.
All of this on top of having lost a good friend and team member just a few short months ago. Also on top of having his wife threatening to leave him because she can’t take the pressure anymore of being married to a Navy Seal. She feels that he cares more about his team and the thrill of the action than he cares about her.
Don Mann does a great job of building the character traits of Crocker as well as helping us to understand his thinking and decision making processes. He will also give us a good tour of the mind set of a heroic warrior who does his best despite the odds and knowing that he will never receive any recognition for a job well done.
The action is good, the details of the operations are good, the threat is realistic to our world today and thus all of this adds up to a good read.
Enjoy!
May 26, 2015
ARC REVIEW
Book Five of Seal Team Six. Thomas Crocker is back and in a race against time and the terrorist known as the Fox. Unlike the other books this one wasn't as high intensity and edge of your seat. Was it good? Hell yes, just not quite as good as the last book. Don Mann and Ralph Pezzullo as always bring you into the SEAL Team Six team takes you on a wild ride with the emotional side that humanizes the soldiers and gives an insight on to why Tom makes the decisions he does.
Months after the incident in Mexico, Tom and the rest of his team are ready to jump back in and get back to work. Their first mission is a doozy. They have received pictures of sarin canisters being kept in Syria they must now extract without the knowledge of ISIS or the FSA. But it all goes a little too smoothly aside from having to take a detour and taking on extra passengers, refugees from the Syrian civil war and Tom having to help a woman give birth. Once they get to safety the sarin goes missing along with the contact who leads them to the sarin. Not willing to walk away from the FUBAR situation Tom and his team help the local government try and track down the sarin but it soon pops up as the terrorist hijacked a Disney cruise liner.
All the while Tom deals with saving the day with his team he tries to deal with personal problems of his wife being fed up with being married to a Navy SEAL. During the whole book Tom goes back and remembers time with his wife the first time they met and when he fell in love to more recent ones of them meeting with a therapist, and in the end he knows what he should do. He is also still dealing with the traumatic last mission.
This is a must read for followers of the series it's not to be missed. It's not good as the last book but by no means bad, it was riveting and intense it's what I expect from a SEAL Team Six series.
Book Five of Seal Team Six. Thomas Crocker is back and in a race against time and the terrorist known as the Fox. Unlike the other books this one wasn't as high intensity and edge of your seat. Was it good? Hell yes, just not quite as good as the last book. Don Mann and Ralph Pezzullo as always bring you into the SEAL Team Six team takes you on a wild ride with the emotional side that humanizes the soldiers and gives an insight on to why Tom makes the decisions he does.
Months after the incident in Mexico, Tom and the rest of his team are ready to jump back in and get back to work. Their first mission is a doozy. They have received pictures of sarin canisters being kept in Syria they must now extract without the knowledge of ISIS or the FSA. But it all goes a little too smoothly aside from having to take a detour and taking on extra passengers, refugees from the Syrian civil war and Tom having to help a woman give birth. Once they get to safety the sarin goes missing along with the contact who leads them to the sarin. Not willing to walk away from the FUBAR situation Tom and his team help the local government try and track down the sarin but it soon pops up as the terrorist hijacked a Disney cruise liner.
All the while Tom deals with saving the day with his team he tries to deal with personal problems of his wife being fed up with being married to a Navy SEAL. During the whole book Tom goes back and remembers time with his wife the first time they met and when he fell in love to more recent ones of them meeting with a therapist, and in the end he knows what he should do. He is also still dealing with the traumatic last mission.
This is a must read for followers of the series it's not to be missed. It's not good as the last book but by no means bad, it was riveting and intense it's what I expect from a SEAL Team Six series.
July 7, 2015
Hunt the Fox
by Don Mann
I have loved seeing Tom Crocker develop over the series; the reality that his job in the military has real and immediate cost is eye opening. Crocker is an awesome character, his heroic nature and dedication exemplify the nature of the Armed forces especially the SEAL team service. This book was another tick in the right direction to showing the humanity, and strength of the military ideology and bravo. I was drawn into the story of the three missions elaborated within the pages. I found myself struggling with Crocker through his loss of a close college in the last book. His difficulty in his marriage, and home life while he is drawn again out of country to save Americans and the world from some of the most difficult and deadly situations. The author’s use in the book of modern problems, radical groups, and violence to elaborate the problems that the government faces in protecting the American Public in this complicated and dynamic world. This series is one of the few you can place your hand on and say, see it’s not all fun and games. It will remind the public of the Sacrifice that the Military personal are asked to serve their country.
by Don Mann
I have loved seeing Tom Crocker develop over the series; the reality that his job in the military has real and immediate cost is eye opening. Crocker is an awesome character, his heroic nature and dedication exemplify the nature of the Armed forces especially the SEAL team service. This book was another tick in the right direction to showing the humanity, and strength of the military ideology and bravo. I was drawn into the story of the three missions elaborated within the pages. I found myself struggling with Crocker through his loss of a close college in the last book. His difficulty in his marriage, and home life while he is drawn again out of country to save Americans and the world from some of the most difficult and deadly situations. The author’s use in the book of modern problems, radical groups, and violence to elaborate the problems that the government faces in protecting the American Public in this complicated and dynamic world. This series is one of the few you can place your hand on and say, see it’s not all fun and games. It will remind the public of the Sacrifice that the Military personal are asked to serve their country.
May 3, 2015
I find each book in this series to be exciting as well written. The only problem I have with this series is putting the book down. The authors give you action, thrills and exciting tells of danger that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The authors give you a read that could have been taken out of today’s headlines. This is a very believable with characters you can relate to they are the true hero’s as they seek justice in this action pack series.
These character feel real, you care about them as they go through their mission which takes a toll on them and all those around them. They go in extract weapons of mass destruction as they fight for control as they are force to fight rebel groups. It is a very fast pace read that is full of action. The author writes in a style that you feel you are there with them. If you are looking for an outstanding military read this is the book for you.
These character feel real, you care about them as they go through their mission which takes a toll on them and all those around them. They go in extract weapons of mass destruction as they fight for control as they are force to fight rebel groups. It is a very fast pace read that is full of action. The author writes in a style that you feel you are there with them. If you are looking for an outstanding military read this is the book for you.
October 31, 2015
If you like adventure and intrigue, this book, and probably this series is for you. Seal Team Six, Hunt the Fox takes Thomas Crocker to Turkey and Syria to recover stolen sarin gas canisters before they can be used by terrorists. It is obvious while reading this book that Mann speaks with considerable authority as he is a former Seal.
Although the book starts off a little slow, it picks up speed to the point that you can't wait to see what is happening next. The level of intrigue and deception throughout this story keeps you guessing to the very end.
There are more books in this series, and I intend to peruse them also.
I might add, that with everything that is going on in Syria right now, this is very timely.
Bruce
Although the book starts off a little slow, it picks up speed to the point that you can't wait to see what is happening next. The level of intrigue and deception throughout this story keeps you guessing to the very end.
There are more books in this series, and I intend to peruse them also.
I might add, that with everything that is going on in Syria right now, this is very timely.
Bruce
May 5, 2015
Each new ST6 book is as fresh and thrilling as the first. CWO Crocker is torn between the need for love and family and his duty to lead black operations wherever necessary. This time the job is in Syria, where alliances are shifting and friends are hard to tell from enemies. The action is non-stop, and the story builds to a gut-wrenching climax. The narrative is clear and direct, and never gets in front of the action. Even after knowing the ending, I read it a second time and was just as emotionally involved.
April 4, 2016
First of the Seal Team Six books I have read. Lots going on with the team going from Turkey to Syria to retrieve sarin gas that the Fox will try to use if given the chance. Crocker and the Black Cell working with the CIA are going to try to get it out to Turkey while they think they know where it is. Who is the enemy and who can they depend on to help. Crocker and his team get it out without much trouble but then it disappears from right under their noses soon as they get it to Turkey. The next thing they know the Sarin is on a cruise ship in the Med. Be sure to read.
April 16, 2015
This book was okay. Definitely not up to the standards of the previous books in this series. The title is misleading since honestly, I don't think they really hunted "The Fox". Sure, there was a guy who called himself The Fox but it wasn't focused on him.
The writing fell a little flat during the climax scenes near the end as well. Could have used some editing/polishing.
The writing fell a little flat during the climax scenes near the end as well. Could have used some editing/polishing.
April 17, 2016
This is probably the best of the seal team six novels. Events seem to be more realistic. I got a chuckle when I checked out the cobra light armored vehicle that was mentioned. The description in the novel was almost word for word the same as the first search result. This was a really fast read.
June 25, 2016
Great series! "Hunt the Fox" is the fifth in the series with more of the good guys stopping the bad guys. This one mainly takes place in Syria. The good guys might get knocked down but they always get back up. The action is non-stop. If you read one of these books you'll read them all!
August 13, 2015
Another good Seal Team Six Novel well written and action packed I have enjoyed every book in this series
Read
May 29, 2015Fifth in the SEAL Team Six military thriller series and revolving around a team of SEALs. The action is focused on Syria. This ARC was provided by NetGalley and Mulholland Books in exchange for an honest review.
My Take
If you're looking for black ops action and prefer a straight forward approach without an emotional pull, Hunt the Fox will suit you to a T. All the reviews I've peeked in on claim that the SEAL Team Six series is a very realistic military operation, and it does indeed read that way.
Unfortunately, it needs more than info dumps and tell to become a good story. I only got a quarter of the way through Hunt the Fox because Mann/Pezzullo drove me nuts with all the tell. It reads more like a screenplay with directions for the characters. I want emotions. I want to feel the fear, taste the air, the food. I want to feel as though I'm there, and Hunt the Fox is too detached to pull me in.
No, it's not that I don't like military stories. I do. I love 'em. But I also want to "be there".
Jared makes a good point, wondering if the military are really "mercenaries hired to protect the interests of Wall Street and the corporations". I know I agree with this.
The Story
A ruthless terrorist intends revenge and has an explosive plan that will tear across the Middle East. It's up to SEAL Team Six to stop them.
The Characters
I have only noted the characters mentioned in the first 25% of the story.
SEAL Team Six includes…
…assigned to the CIA and subject to agency protocol. Chief Warrant Officer Tom Crocker is the leader of Black Cell, a special unit of SEAL Team Six, a.k.a., DEVGRU). His alias at the moment is as John Wallace, a security consultant. Joe "Manny" Mancini is Crocker's right-hand man and the weapons, logistics, and tech expert. John Davis is the comms expert with an unexpected interest in aliens. Suarez is the explosives specialist. Cal is their sniper. Captain Sutter is the commander of SEAL Team Six. Akil is a colleague with Egyptian language skills.
Holly Crocker is Tom's contradictory wife threatening to leave him. She works as a security threat analyst for the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Jenny is his daughter; Brian is her son. Lena is a colleague and rowing partner in Washington D.C. Randi is the blonde who was with Akil.
Dr. Stephanie Mathews is the couples therapist the Crockers were seeing. She was recommended by Dr. Petrovia the ST-6 psychologist. Leslie Ames was the friend of Crocker's daughter and Joe's brother, Paul, who were killed in Hunt the Jackal , 4.
Turkey
CIA
Jared Olafsen, a.k.a., Mr. Munoz, is a young CIA operative who speaks fluent Arabic, Urdu, and Persian. Jim Anders is Deputy Director of Operations and Grissom's boss. Janice Bloom is a targeter and analyst for the Syrian account. Scorpions are CIA private security personnel. Taylor Grissom is a station chief in Ankara. Katie works for Grissom. Hassan is a twenty-two-year-old Syrian engineering student.
John J. Smith is the alias for a CIA officer on Skhin Firebase on the Afghan-Pakistani border. He's now running a private executive protection and recovery company.
Manshir Talab is a source for the CIA and an old schoolmate of President Bashir al-Assad; Fatima is his secretary. Hamid was Talab's younger brother.
Turkish government
Colonel Ozgun "Oz" Ozmert is a section leader with Turkish Military Intelligence. Inspector Evren is one of his assistants. Mr. Asami is the director of Intelligence for Idlib province. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the current prime minister, an Islamist intent on restoring a religious government.
Syria
The Assad family is said to be mentally ill. Don't cross them! Fawwaz is the president's cousin and founded the Shabiha, death squads. The Mukhabarat is military intelligence. Major General Qassem Suleimani leads the Quds Force.
The Quwat al-Difa al-Watani was…
…formed of Assad loyalists in 2012 with massive defections from military forces.
Terrorists
The Fox leads an ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) faction and wants to raise their profile.
The Cover and Title
The background for the cover is a radiating gradation of yellow to a brownish orange with a very realistic soldier aiming his weapon and fully loaded for war. The series name is large, centered, and in white. The title is a medium gray in a smaller font with the authors' names in yellow at the bottom of the cover.
The title is the action plan for the team: Hunt the Fox and prevent him from blowing up the world.
My Take
If you're looking for black ops action and prefer a straight forward approach without an emotional pull, Hunt the Fox will suit you to a T. All the reviews I've peeked in on claim that the SEAL Team Six series is a very realistic military operation, and it does indeed read that way.
Unfortunately, it needs more than info dumps and tell to become a good story. I only got a quarter of the way through Hunt the Fox because Mann/Pezzullo drove me nuts with all the tell. It reads more like a screenplay with directions for the characters. I want emotions. I want to feel the fear, taste the air, the food. I want to feel as though I'm there, and Hunt the Fox is too detached to pull me in.
No, it's not that I don't like military stories. I do. I love 'em. But I also want to "be there".
This is as emotional as it gets, and I'm sorry, this isn't good enough. It could be that Mann/Pezzullo's intended audience is strictly male who aren't interested in the emotional pull I want to fall into, and that's fine. It's just not for me.One wooden-sounding example:
"Anders shook his head as if he couldn't quite comprehend. 'What the hell are you saying? This is awful. Who attacked him?'"
Jared makes a good point, wondering if the military are really "mercenaries hired to protect the interests of Wall Street and the corporations". I know I agree with this.
The Story
A ruthless terrorist intends revenge and has an explosive plan that will tear across the Middle East. It's up to SEAL Team Six to stop them.
The Characters
I have only noted the characters mentioned in the first 25% of the story.
SEAL Team Six includes…
…assigned to the CIA and subject to agency protocol. Chief Warrant Officer Tom Crocker is the leader of Black Cell, a special unit of SEAL Team Six, a.k.a., DEVGRU). His alias at the moment is as John Wallace, a security consultant. Joe "Manny" Mancini is Crocker's right-hand man and the weapons, logistics, and tech expert. John Davis is the comms expert with an unexpected interest in aliens. Suarez is the explosives specialist. Cal is their sniper. Captain Sutter is the commander of SEAL Team Six. Akil is a colleague with Egyptian language skills.
Holly Crocker is Tom's contradictory wife threatening to leave him. She works as a security threat analyst for the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Jenny is his daughter; Brian is her son. Lena is a colleague and rowing partner in Washington D.C. Randi is the blonde who was with Akil.
Dr. Stephanie Mathews is the couples therapist the Crockers were seeing. She was recommended by Dr. Petrovia the ST-6 psychologist. Leslie Ames was the friend of Crocker's daughter and Joe's brother, Paul, who were killed in Hunt the Jackal , 4.
Turkey
CIA
Jared Olafsen, a.k.a., Mr. Munoz, is a young CIA operative who speaks fluent Arabic, Urdu, and Persian. Jim Anders is Deputy Director of Operations and Grissom's boss. Janice Bloom is a targeter and analyst for the Syrian account. Scorpions are CIA private security personnel. Taylor Grissom is a station chief in Ankara. Katie works for Grissom. Hassan is a twenty-two-year-old Syrian engineering student.
John J. Smith is the alias for a CIA officer on Skhin Firebase on the Afghan-Pakistani border. He's now running a private executive protection and recovery company.
Manshir Talab is a source for the CIA and an old schoolmate of President Bashir al-Assad; Fatima is his secretary. Hamid was Talab's younger brother.
Turkish government
Colonel Ozgun "Oz" Ozmert is a section leader with Turkish Military Intelligence. Inspector Evren is one of his assistants. Mr. Asami is the director of Intelligence for Idlib province. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the current prime minister, an Islamist intent on restoring a religious government.
Syria
The Assad family is said to be mentally ill. Don't cross them! Fawwaz is the president's cousin and founded the Shabiha, death squads. The Mukhabarat is military intelligence. Major General Qassem Suleimani leads the Quds Force.
The Quwat al-Difa al-Watani was…
…formed of Assad loyalists in 2012 with massive defections from military forces.
Terrorists
The Fox leads an ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) faction and wants to raise their profile.
The Cover and Title
The background for the cover is a radiating gradation of yellow to a brownish orange with a very realistic soldier aiming his weapon and fully loaded for war. The series name is large, centered, and in white. The title is a medium gray in a smaller font with the authors' names in yellow at the bottom of the cover.
The title is the action plan for the team: Hunt the Fox and prevent him from blowing up the world.
December 14, 2017
Another action-packed adventure for the Seal Team Six elite as Crocker goes into action in the first few pages of Chapter 1 when his partner Jared, a CIA Operative is killed. During an operation in Istanbul, all action is transpiring at a brisk pace. I was beginning Chapter 3 within five minutes (I have never taken a speed-reading course).
Mancini, Suarez, Davis, and Akil are back to join forces with Crocker in saving the day by locating Weapons of Mass Destruction before they are used by the enemy.
This is the fifth novel in the Seal Team Six series and I cannot wait for the next installment. The great action and camaraderie of the team is what a good action-packed novel needs. I recommend to persons who like action, CIA Operative, and combat novels with a bang.
Happy reading!
I received this book from Mulholland Books through the Net Galley Book Reviewer Program in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.
Mancini, Suarez, Davis, and Akil are back to join forces with Crocker in saving the day by locating Weapons of Mass Destruction before they are used by the enemy.
This is the fifth novel in the Seal Team Six series and I cannot wait for the next installment. The great action and camaraderie of the team is what a good action-packed novel needs. I recommend to persons who like action, CIA Operative, and combat novels with a bang.
Happy reading!
I received this book from Mulholland Books through the Net Galley Book Reviewer Program in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.
April 3, 2022
This is my first Seal Team Six book. It was a mildly interesting read, and I will definitely continue reading the series; however, it kept leaving me wanting more, like eating a perfectly adequate meal but not being left completely satisfied so you end up raiding the fridge for something to close the gap. The technical detail almost filled the bill. The plot almost filled the bill. The characters almost filled the bill. Well, you get the idea. I am going to reserve further judgement until I read the next book in the series. Until then, I like Crocker and am curious to see how he develops going forward.
June 14, 2017
3.5 stars
For those who are fans of the series, they will like this offering. A fast paced action novel with betrayal as well. The team gets sent into Syria to recover cans of Sarin gas. The get it back to Turkey and then it gets stolen from under their nose. They then have to track and recover it before it gets used by hostile forces. You could read this as a standalone and you will not be lost. There are a few things in the book relating to members that are recovering from wounds that relate to the previous book which people reading this as a one off.
For those who are fans of the series, they will like this offering. A fast paced action novel with betrayal as well. The team gets sent into Syria to recover cans of Sarin gas. The get it back to Turkey and then it gets stolen from under their nose. They then have to track and recover it before it gets used by hostile forces. You could read this as a standalone and you will not be lost. There are a few things in the book relating to members that are recovering from wounds that relate to the previous book which people reading this as a one off.
December 28, 2020
Na začátku jsem se do toho trochu dostával, ale pak už to byl zase tradiční page-turner. Když kousek za polovinou došlo ke zvratu, myslel jsem si, že autor zase vrchol odpálil předčasně, ale tentokrát to graduje na konci. Jinak jsem dostal znovu to co vždycky - nenáročný thriller v Rambo stylu, ale zároveň v uvěřitelném aranžmá. Spokojenost!
February 21, 2025
Real Live Action!
A phenomenal action thriller that you won't be able to put down until the end of the book.
Characters, locations, plot, suspense, and dialogue are all outstanding.
We are lucky to have brave men like these on our side fighting anytime and anywhere against our enemies!
A phenomenal action thriller that you won't be able to put down until the end of the book.
Characters, locations, plot, suspense, and dialogue are all outstanding.
We are lucky to have brave men like these on our side fighting anytime and anywhere against our enemies!
October 9, 2021
Military service book gives me more respect to the service people. Things they do for this country is honorable. How they march into danger with enemies who are disgusting people to save innocent people is really a show of there strength.
February 13, 2023
Relative to the previous Tom Crocker books, this one was good but not great. Seemed rushed with some ex machina elements thrown in to make a hasty plot resolution. Glad I read it, but I'm looking forward to hunting the dragon next.
January 25, 2025
It's a good book. I enjoyed reading it. Though. I do feel like it goes through normally for the first part of the book but the end of it just feels rushed. Rushed to finish the book and tie up loose ends
August 17, 2017
Quick read, good fiction
July 3, 2019
Another great book to a new found trilogy.
April 7, 2020
CIA based story. Lots of action. But soooo good.
December 20, 2021
Not written smoothly, a slow developing plot
October 8, 2022
Hunt the Fox Seal Team Six Book 5 by Don Mann
321 Pages
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Release Date: May 12, 2015
Fiction (Adult), Military, Action, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller, Terrorism
Tom Crocker is back with his seal team. This time they are in Syria hunting Mohammad al-Kazaz known as the Fox. Crocker comes across a family of four and tries to help them, especially their young daughter with an infected foot. There are cannisters of sarin gas that must be located and removed from the terrorists. Action really heats up once the cannisters are found aboard the cruise ship, Disney Magic.
The story is fast paced, and action packed. The characters are developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. Even though I didn’t read the fourth book in the series, I was able to follow along without feeling that I missed any pertinent information. If you like action books, you will enjoy reading this book along with the rest of the series.
321 Pages
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Release Date: May 12, 2015
Fiction (Adult), Military, Action, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller, Terrorism
Tom Crocker is back with his seal team. This time they are in Syria hunting Mohammad al-Kazaz known as the Fox. Crocker comes across a family of four and tries to help them, especially their young daughter with an infected foot. There are cannisters of sarin gas that must be located and removed from the terrorists. Action really heats up once the cannisters are found aboard the cruise ship, Disney Magic.
The story is fast paced, and action packed. The characters are developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. Even though I didn’t read the fourth book in the series, I was able to follow along without feeling that I missed any pertinent information. If you like action books, you will enjoy reading this book along with the rest of the series.
April 11, 2015
The SEAL Team Six are called to extract canisters of WMDs (weapons of mass destruction) from a Syrian air base as surrounding forces fight each other for the control over Syria. Rebel groups are rallying with different factions forming alliances—there's the armed resistance of FSA (Free Syrian Army) and ISIS on the sides against the dictatorial administration of the Syrian leader, Assad with his elite forces. The clock is ticking and it is up to Captain Thomas Crocker and his team to secure the canisters of sarin before they fall in the wrong hands.
Reviewed on: Zirev
I'm having another reading slump that I just found myself pulled in towards thrilling stories, mostly centered on anything military. Because of this, I just click the request button via netgalley of any book with a cover that commands attention (looks professional in its design) with regards to that aspect. And so, I have come to this book, SEAL Team Six: Hunt the Fox, not knowing what it was all about because I didn't read the synopsis, not to mention I was smitten by the cover at first sight, and that it was the fifth book, deep in the series.
Despite starting somewhat at the bottom of the series, it did not impede my understanding of the story as it is just like most modern warfare films. In this manner, there's no need for the readers to know the characters at a personal level, rather to know them with their idiosyncrasies (as comic relief) with an understanding that as special ops, they're good at their jobs (likewise for the higher ups). So the focus is on the plot and how the characters deal with their adversaries.
With this approach, I find the shifting of timeline with regards to Crocker's character (memories with his wife flashes) an obstruction in the story. I'm so used to this with other books involving special ops that I just have to roll my eyes. I understand the humanizing aspect and that military men think about their loved ones too. Still, nothing can stop me from groaning and rolling my eyes.
I was also very lucky not to have read the synopsis of the story in either netgalley or goodreads prior to reading the book (eARC) because if this synopsis' intention was a way of misdirection to arrive at a plot twist, it was not effective. Since I didn't have prior knowledge of what the book was all about, I find it awesome as the story unfolds all on its own without a hitch. Perhaps, you should do the same.
This is the first time I've encountered a fictional military material where the team leader is a medic, which I find unusual at first. But Crocker's role as a medic was perfect as he get to do his role in difficult situations without blowing up his cover.
The subtitle is Hunt the Fox (just for consistency in the series) and yet, our group here is not hunting the fox. Their job is always about securing canisters of sarin that you could substitute it with Secure the Canisters.
The introduction jumps straight to action but because the initial part of the story keeps flashing back to Crocker's memories with his marital problems, I find the story so slow and off-putting that it took me two weeks before that barrier has been broken. And once I got to the real action in the story, there's no stopping. Putting down the book finally as it ended, I find the story too short, as if only little happens. It was due to the pacing.
If you just skip that stalling part where Crocker thinks about his wife, you will find yourself not catching your breath as Crocker and his team operate with precision and cunning improvisation in doing their jobs. Go straight into action and you'll bask with adrenaline rush.
I really enjoyed this book that I'm now considering reading the first four books as well despite the small problems encountered. With my experience of this book, I conclude that each book of the series is a standalone so there's no problem reading a single book or two or reading the books at random.
Reviewed on: Zirev
I'm having another reading slump that I just found myself pulled in towards thrilling stories, mostly centered on anything military. Because of this, I just click the request button via netgalley of any book with a cover that commands attention (looks professional in its design) with regards to that aspect. And so, I have come to this book, SEAL Team Six: Hunt the Fox, not knowing what it was all about because I didn't read the synopsis, not to mention I was smitten by the cover at first sight, and that it was the fifth book, deep in the series.
Despite starting somewhat at the bottom of the series, it did not impede my understanding of the story as it is just like most modern warfare films. In this manner, there's no need for the readers to know the characters at a personal level, rather to know them with their idiosyncrasies (as comic relief) with an understanding that as special ops, they're good at their jobs (likewise for the higher ups). So the focus is on the plot and how the characters deal with their adversaries.
With this approach, I find the shifting of timeline with regards to Crocker's character (memories with his wife flashes) an obstruction in the story. I'm so used to this with other books involving special ops that I just have to roll my eyes. I understand the humanizing aspect and that military men think about their loved ones too. Still, nothing can stop me from groaning and rolling my eyes.
I was also very lucky not to have read the synopsis of the story in either netgalley or goodreads prior to reading the book (eARC) because if this synopsis' intention was a way of misdirection to arrive at a plot twist, it was not effective. Since I didn't have prior knowledge of what the book was all about, I find it awesome as the story unfolds all on its own without a hitch. Perhaps, you should do the same.
This is the first time I've encountered a fictional military material where the team leader is a medic, which I find unusual at first. But Crocker's role as a medic was perfect as he get to do his role in difficult situations without blowing up his cover.
The subtitle is Hunt the Fox (just for consistency in the series) and yet, our group here is not hunting the fox. Their job is always about securing canisters of sarin that you could substitute it with Secure the Canisters.
The introduction jumps straight to action but because the initial part of the story keeps flashing back to Crocker's memories with his marital problems, I find the story so slow and off-putting that it took me two weeks before that barrier has been broken. And once I got to the real action in the story, there's no stopping. Putting down the book finally as it ended, I find the story too short, as if only little happens. It was due to the pacing.
If you just skip that stalling part where Crocker thinks about his wife, you will find yourself not catching your breath as Crocker and his team operate with precision and cunning improvisation in doing their jobs. Go straight into action and you'll bask with adrenaline rush.
I really enjoyed this book that I'm now considering reading the first four books as well despite the small problems encountered. With my experience of this book, I conclude that each book of the series is a standalone so there's no problem reading a single book or two or reading the books at random.
February 27, 2017
boring book
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