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Kyle Swanson Sniper #1
Kill Zone
An American general is captured in the Middle East by terrorists who threaten to behead him. But moments before he is rendered unconscious, the general notices that his captors speak American English. What’s going on? Gunnery-Sergeant Kyle Swanson is vacationing in the Mediterranean when he receives orders to mount a top-secret mission to rescue the general. But as the Marines prepare to land in the desert, they fall victim to a terrible accident. Swanson, the only survivor, then discovers they were flying into a deliberate ambush. But how could the enemy have details of a mission known only to a few top US government officials? Swanson takes off alone to locate the captured general and realizes he is fighting a particularly ruthless enemy: American mercenaries working for a very high-level group within the White House, whose hidden goal is total control of the US military. The fate of the captured general and that of the nation now rest solely in Swanson’s hands. 'Stunning action, excellent tradecraft, insider politics, and the ring of truth. Just about perfect' Lee Child
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 13, 2007
309 people are currently reading
2848 people want to read
About the author
Jack Coughlin
17 books281 followersGunnery Sgt. Jack Coughlin’s autobiography, Shooter, describes his experiences as the top-ranked marine sniper in the Iraq War.
Coughlin is also the author, with Donald A. Davis, of the Kyle Swanson Sniper Novels: Kill Zone, Dead Shot, Clean Kill, and An Act of Treason.
Coughlin grew up in Waltham, Massachusetts, and joined the Marines when he was 19. He served with the Marines during the drive to Baghdad and has operated on a wide range of assignments in hot spots around the world.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/jackco...
Coughlin is also the author, with Donald A. Davis, of the Kyle Swanson Sniper Novels: Kill Zone, Dead Shot, Clean Kill, and An Act of Treason.
Coughlin grew up in Waltham, Massachusetts, and joined the Marines when he was 19. He served with the Marines during the drive to Baghdad and has operated on a wide range of assignments in hot spots around the world.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/jackco...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
November 28, 2014
Ok, this might be dumb, but I just have to take major issue with Kill Zone. I expect better research and realism when a “renowned sniper” is the coauthor of an action novel set in a military environment. I expect accuracy…the authors should fire every editor they used. And they should make major mea culpas as well. For starters, here is an early excerpt where the national security advisor and the US senator, co-conspirators both, are insulting each other as the plot begins:
Unspoken was the barb that Reed was also just one senator of fifty. Only one-fiftieth of one-half of one-third of the United States government. They were even.
Excuse me? I took civics a long time ago but I do remember that there are fifty states, each with 2 senators. If my math is correct (and it usually wasn’t my strong suit), that would make one senator 1/100th of one-half of one-third of the USG….?
Okay, the plot is that an evil industrialist (are there any other kind?) wants to deploy “private security company” or PSC soldiers to take over military missions worldwide. The evil industrialist, senator and nat’l security advisor need to create a crisis, so they can take that famous “ballet dancer’s” (former chief of staff to the president) advice to never let a crisis go to waste. There is a draft piece of legislation just waiting for the right moment and the moment is being helped along. Except for a plucky, very competent Marine sniper who is out to save the day, and a kidnapped Marine general from nasty “jihadists”—who are really just PSC guys. The action in the book is not bad and it moves along decently. But the depiction of military guys (other than Marines) is just so bad, I consider this book as “axe-to-grind” fiction…someone brought an extra agenda to the story.
There are too many mistakes on military operations and equipment, silly mistakes easily corrected. For example:
Colonel Ralph Sims, commander of the 33rd Marine Expeditionary Unit, chewed a fingernail. “Get the Harriers in there to take a look,” he ordered, and the pair of fighter jets broke out of their orbit over Israel, heeled over from 40,000 feet, dropped to the ground, and sped into Syrian airspace riding their afterburners. Nearing the scene, they saw the fire, cut their speed, coasted over the wreckage, banked into a sharp turn, and ran past it again.
Harriers do not have afterburners!
Here is another even sillier mistake:
“I got a call too,” said Dillon. “Bit of personal history first. I was flying an Air Force F-16 several years ago somewhere that we weren’t supposed to be and the bad guys got lucky with a missile. My radar intercept officer was killed, but I got out with just some broken bones. A Marine Special Ops team came in and fetched me home, along with the body of my RIO.” He helped Sims zip up. “After rehab, I couldn’t fly military anymore, so I got another gig. I owe Force Recon boys big-time, and I always pay my debts”
Ummm, the F-16 does not have a “radar intercept officer”, never did. It is a single seat jet, except for the few 2 seat versions used for training. And the USAF never had “RIO’s”, that is a Navy designation used for F-14 backseaters. The USAF has WSO’s, weapon system operators, in the rear seat of the F-15E (and in the old F-4).
Ok, enough. I won’t even go into the employment of a “silenced” .50 cal sniper rifle. Maybe it is feasible but I thought it was a stretch to the plot. I could give the book 3 Stars for a interesting idea but have to take one away for all the erroneous info.
2 Stars If you want excellent sniper novels, then for Stephen Hunter’s books. So much better.
Unspoken was the barb that Reed was also just one senator of fifty. Only one-fiftieth of one-half of one-third of the United States government. They were even.
Excuse me? I took civics a long time ago but I do remember that there are fifty states, each with 2 senators. If my math is correct (and it usually wasn’t my strong suit), that would make one senator 1/100th of one-half of one-third of the USG….?
Okay, the plot is that an evil industrialist (are there any other kind?) wants to deploy “private security company” or PSC soldiers to take over military missions worldwide. The evil industrialist, senator and nat’l security advisor need to create a crisis, so they can take that famous “ballet dancer’s” (former chief of staff to the president) advice to never let a crisis go to waste. There is a draft piece of legislation just waiting for the right moment and the moment is being helped along. Except for a plucky, very competent Marine sniper who is out to save the day, and a kidnapped Marine general from nasty “jihadists”—who are really just PSC guys. The action in the book is not bad and it moves along decently. But the depiction of military guys (other than Marines) is just so bad, I consider this book as “axe-to-grind” fiction…someone brought an extra agenda to the story.
There are too many mistakes on military operations and equipment, silly mistakes easily corrected. For example:
Colonel Ralph Sims, commander of the 33rd Marine Expeditionary Unit, chewed a fingernail. “Get the Harriers in there to take a look,” he ordered, and the pair of fighter jets broke out of their orbit over Israel, heeled over from 40,000 feet, dropped to the ground, and sped into Syrian airspace riding their afterburners. Nearing the scene, they saw the fire, cut their speed, coasted over the wreckage, banked into a sharp turn, and ran past it again.
Harriers do not have afterburners!
Here is another even sillier mistake:
“I got a call too,” said Dillon. “Bit of personal history first. I was flying an Air Force F-16 several years ago somewhere that we weren’t supposed to be and the bad guys got lucky with a missile. My radar intercept officer was killed, but I got out with just some broken bones. A Marine Special Ops team came in and fetched me home, along with the body of my RIO.” He helped Sims zip up. “After rehab, I couldn’t fly military anymore, so I got another gig. I owe Force Recon boys big-time, and I always pay my debts”
Ummm, the F-16 does not have a “radar intercept officer”, never did. It is a single seat jet, except for the few 2 seat versions used for training. And the USAF never had “RIO’s”, that is a Navy designation used for F-14 backseaters. The USAF has WSO’s, weapon system operators, in the rear seat of the F-15E (and in the old F-4).
Ok, enough. I won’t even go into the employment of a “silenced” .50 cal sniper rifle. Maybe it is feasible but I thought it was a stretch to the plot. I could give the book 3 Stars for a interesting idea but have to take one away for all the erroneous info.
2 Stars If you want excellent sniper novels, then for Stephen Hunter’s books. So much better.
April 17, 2017
I have been planning to get to this one a long time and even asked the library to get it....I may need to apologize for that. I am about half way through and I've finally laid it aside.
There is some promise here when we begin I suppose. It's nothing outstanding but it could have been a good solid action read but the author just can't help but express (at great length) his own political views and prejudices. I hung on through the first few but then we got to one where the "political antagonist" m(see no spoiler) got rolling and went on-and on-and on I had to skip ahead to save my own sanity. I was about to explode from boredom and frustration at the idea of this simplistic diatribe taking anyone in (though I'm probably being optimistic...idiotic diatribes take people in all the time).
I finally got to my limit of..."solid waste" and lay the book aside. I'm sorry I can't recommend this one and I don't plan to follow the series. Does it recover and get better in the second half? I don't know and probably won't find out as I plan for this to go back to the loving embrace of the library and not to finish it.
I'm always looking for a good action read and had high hopes for this one. Too bad. If you enjoy or enjoyed it I'm happy for you but I found it elementary and annoying. So...hope I have better luck next time.
There is some promise here when we begin I suppose. It's nothing outstanding but it could have been a good solid action read but the author just can't help but express (at great length) his own political views and prejudices. I hung on through the first few but then we got to one where the "political antagonist" m(see no spoiler) got rolling and went on-and on-and on I had to skip ahead to save my own sanity. I was about to explode from boredom and frustration at the idea of this simplistic diatribe taking anyone in (though I'm probably being optimistic...idiotic diatribes take people in all the time).
I finally got to my limit of..."solid waste" and lay the book aside. I'm sorry I can't recommend this one and I don't plan to follow the series. Does it recover and get better in the second half? I don't know and probably won't find out as I plan for this to go back to the loving embrace of the library and not to finish it.
I'm always looking for a good action read and had high hopes for this one. Too bad. If you enjoy or enjoyed it I'm happy for you but I found it elementary and annoying. So...hope I have better luck next time.
April 16, 2017
This one didn't do it for me. There were too many characters to begin with. And for some reason I had a problem with the language which is usually never a problem with me. It was actually my second language. Its overuse was a little annoying. It was used to determine a type of rough venacular. As an example, in Harry Potter, I didn't find that type of writing to determine accent and venacular, off putting because I wasn't familiar with that kind of speech. So it worked. But here, who isn't familiar with bad language? So its constant overuse was an annoyance and it was distracting me from the story. TBH, I often thought, "Get a vocabulary," which again, took me out of the story. There were also some fact problems, as was pointed out in other reviews. I got to the half way point and put it down. I'm not going back. So this is my second DNF of the year.
December 10, 2013
I have found a new author in Jack Coughlin. Having read all of Vince Flynn's books and saddened by his early death due to prostate cancer I started into reading Ben Coes and Stephen Hunter. Having read their books I have now turned to Jack Coughlin and find his first book of Marine sniper Kyle Swanson to be very good. This Marine found himself in a clandestine plot to turn the U.S Military into a private security force. This would of course be to the financial advantage of some ruthless characters with the help of wicked insiders in the U.S. government situated right there in the White House. This book was an exciting adventure of the effort to foil this plot and do so without loosing his life and that of new friend Major General Bradley Middleton who in the past held a dim view of Gunnery Sargent Kyle Swanson. This is an entertaining and exciting read. I recommend it for any adult.
January 23, 2018
Longer than necessary and narrator Donald Davis adds little, save boredom. 3 of 10 stars
March 25, 2009
This gets four stars because even though I thought there were problems with it, I couldn't stop reading it. And, by the end, I realized I'd liked it a lot.
Part of the problem, I think, was reader interference. Whenever you have a book that deals with politics, even tangentially like this one does, I can't help but try and decipher the unwritten (and probably unintentioned) messages. Does this author have a political bias? Do they lean in one direction or the other? What does it mean if they DO have a bias? The fact that I had to ask meant that it was pretty well hidden.
The other criticism I have is that there were some missing descriptions in the book. What did these people look like? Some of them were described pretty well. Others, I'm still not sure. I actually went back to where one character was first introduced because I thought I had missed the description. Turns out, it wasn't there (other than he was bald.) WTF does he look like, though? Maybe the authors don't feel it is important, but, trust me, it is.
Some of the conversation seemed stilted in a few places, but that can happen to even the best writers. It certainly wasn't an issue throughout the book. It just seemed like the authors weren't together and the gap showed in the conversation between two characters at that point. It always got back on track.
The action sequences were EXTREMELY good in this book. If I were writing a book and I needed to know how to handle things of an action nature (using contemporary weapons and techniques) I would use this book as a reference. Not a call to plagiarize, of course, but to see how things are done. Obviously, authors involved know what they're talking about and it shows. But, it is done in a way that is less "education" and more entertainment. Main characters are likeable, secondary characters are decent. Villains are.....villainous? And there are even some characters that are in between. It almost reads like an action movie, which can be good or bad. Your choice.
Part of the problem, I think, was reader interference. Whenever you have a book that deals with politics, even tangentially like this one does, I can't help but try and decipher the unwritten (and probably unintentioned) messages. Does this author have a political bias? Do they lean in one direction or the other? What does it mean if they DO have a bias? The fact that I had to ask meant that it was pretty well hidden.
The other criticism I have is that there were some missing descriptions in the book. What did these people look like? Some of them were described pretty well. Others, I'm still not sure. I actually went back to where one character was first introduced because I thought I had missed the description. Turns out, it wasn't there (other than he was bald.) WTF does he look like, though? Maybe the authors don't feel it is important, but, trust me, it is.
Some of the conversation seemed stilted in a few places, but that can happen to even the best writers. It certainly wasn't an issue throughout the book. It just seemed like the authors weren't together and the gap showed in the conversation between two characters at that point. It always got back on track.
The action sequences were EXTREMELY good in this book. If I were writing a book and I needed to know how to handle things of an action nature (using contemporary weapons and techniques) I would use this book as a reference. Not a call to plagiarize, of course, but to see how things are done. Obviously, authors involved know what they're talking about and it shows. But, it is done in a way that is less "education" and more entertainment. Main characters are likeable, secondary characters are decent. Villains are.....villainous? And there are even some characters that are in between. It almost reads like an action movie, which can be good or bad. Your choice.
June 28, 2017
First book in the Kyle Swanson series is pretty decent. A Marine general is kidnapped by the usual terrorists, but it's all part of the plan of a deep state coup. Swanson ends up having to rescue the general alone, of course.
Pretty good, even if it does occasionally bow to PC, unlike a lot of books in this genre.
Pretty good, even if it does occasionally bow to PC, unlike a lot of books in this genre.
March 31, 2009
Decent yarn about a sniper's rescue of a kidnapped general held by American terrorists planning a plot to bring down the government, The authors, one a former Marine sniper and the other a professional writer, know the military equipment and put together a decent novel.
April 4, 2014
If you liked "Point of Impact" by Stephen Hunter, you will like this book. There are a lot of parallels between Bob Lee Swagger and Kyle Swanson. Very worth the read.
September 17, 2015
Het verhaal gaat over Kyle Swanson, de beste sluipschutter van het Korps Mariniers van de Verenigde Staten. Tijdens een vakantie in de Middellandse zee komt er een opdracht binnen. Hij moet een in het Midden Oosten ontvoerde generaal in veiligheid brengen. Een makkelijke opdracht zou je zeggen, maar niets is minder waar. Tijdens de landing in Syrië lopen ze in een hinderlaag. Hoe kan het dat de operatie uitgelekt is? Maar enkele officiers weten ervan…
Kyle is de enige overlevende van zijn missie, Hij laat zich niet kennen en is vastbesloten om zelf de generaal te gaan bevrijden. Maar dan stuit hij op de vijand, dat zijn niet de Syriërs of de Arabieren, maar zijn eigen landgenoten…Speciale troepen die blijkbaar een heel andere missie hebben. Het lot van de generaal ligt in Kyle’s handen.
Het boek leest lekker, de hoofdstukken zijn kort. In het begin moet je even wennen aan het lettertype dat aan de kleine kant is maar dat went snel.
De karakters worden door de schrijver goed en realistisch beschreven. Je kan je goed inleven in het karakter van Kyle, waardoor het allemaal levensecht is en je jezelf sluipschutter voelt. Ook de andere karakters komen goed naar voren.
Het is een spannende thriller met actie, spanning, geweld en de nodige humor. Soms zitten er stukjes in die behoorlijk gewelddadig zijn maar dat hoort wel bij de context van het verhaal en zijn dus niet weg te laten.
De opbouw naar het plot is goed, hoewel het redelijk voorspelbaar is, is het toch net anders dan ik van te voren bedacht had.
Op de voorkant van het boek zit een sticker met de tekst “meer boek voor mannen”, daar ben ik het niet mee eens. Ook voor vrouwen die van actie en spanning houden is het een aanrader.
Ik kijk uit naar deel twee, Onder schot.
5 sterren
Kyle is de enige overlevende van zijn missie, Hij laat zich niet kennen en is vastbesloten om zelf de generaal te gaan bevrijden. Maar dan stuit hij op de vijand, dat zijn niet de Syriërs of de Arabieren, maar zijn eigen landgenoten…Speciale troepen die blijkbaar een heel andere missie hebben. Het lot van de generaal ligt in Kyle’s handen.
Het boek leest lekker, de hoofdstukken zijn kort. In het begin moet je even wennen aan het lettertype dat aan de kleine kant is maar dat went snel.
De karakters worden door de schrijver goed en realistisch beschreven. Je kan je goed inleven in het karakter van Kyle, waardoor het allemaal levensecht is en je jezelf sluipschutter voelt. Ook de andere karakters komen goed naar voren.
Het is een spannende thriller met actie, spanning, geweld en de nodige humor. Soms zitten er stukjes in die behoorlijk gewelddadig zijn maar dat hoort wel bij de context van het verhaal en zijn dus niet weg te laten.
De opbouw naar het plot is goed, hoewel het redelijk voorspelbaar is, is het toch net anders dan ik van te voren bedacht had.
Op de voorkant van het boek zit een sticker met de tekst “meer boek voor mannen”, daar ben ik het niet mee eens. Ook voor vrouwen die van actie en spanning houden is het een aanrader.
Ik kijk uit naar deel twee, Onder schot.
5 sterren
August 4, 2012
I read Gunnery Sgt. Jack Coughlin's autobiography, "Shooter" when it first came out and enjoyed it. Now, I've finally read the first of Coughlin's sniper novels, "Kill Zone," written with Donald A. Davis. I really enjoyed it. It's probably a given, being that I am a former Army sniper, that I'm going to enjoy a novel about a sniper, written by a former Marine sniper. So yes, I enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to reading the next ones.
The hero, Gunnery Sgt. Kyle Swanson, a top Marine sniper, is someone I can relate to. I enjoyed this fast paced action yarn that had great actions, tactics, strategy, and a few twists here and there to keep readers wondering what will happen next and turning pages. Now, if one wanted to pick the book apart, you can find some of the tactics, military details, and equipment/gadgets, that are not 100% accurate. I don't know if this was an over site, or if done because the authors didn't want to be 100% accurate with some details. It doesn't really matter to me. I enjoyed the story. I also enjoyed the Rambo movies, and they sure weren't accurate. This is a novel after all, not a how to or technical manual. So when I read something that I'm not sure if it is accurate or not, or if I believe it to not be accurate from my experiences, I just gloss over it and continue with the story. I read novels for escapism and fun, and this novel was enjoyable and fun to read.
The hero, Gunnery Sgt. Kyle Swanson, a top Marine sniper, is someone I can relate to. I enjoyed this fast paced action yarn that had great actions, tactics, strategy, and a few twists here and there to keep readers wondering what will happen next and turning pages. Now, if one wanted to pick the book apart, you can find some of the tactics, military details, and equipment/gadgets, that are not 100% accurate. I don't know if this was an over site, or if done because the authors didn't want to be 100% accurate with some details. It doesn't really matter to me. I enjoyed the story. I also enjoyed the Rambo movies, and they sure weren't accurate. This is a novel after all, not a how to or technical manual. So when I read something that I'm not sure if it is accurate or not, or if I believe it to not be accurate from my experiences, I just gloss over it and continue with the story. I read novels for escapism and fun, and this novel was enjoyable and fun to read.
January 21, 2018
I was a little hesitant getting this book to start with as a sniper novel, to me, was a lot of boring stuff until the shot was fired. WOW, was I wrong. This was interesting and involving and intense. I really enjoyed the detail and the logic behind the events and the methodology employed. He is not one of those impossible guys, but he knows his trade craft which makes everything enjoyable. I have already ordered Sniper #2.
August 18, 2013
Great start to a great series
February 4, 2021
It's Awesome
August 10, 2015
ABR's original Kill Zone audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
I love a book that starts out with a bang and keeps getting better. This one does that and more.
In the Middle East an American General has been kidnapped and his personnel have been murdered. General Middleton realizes that the kidnappers are speaking American English. They are not Arabs! Then he is knocked out with an injection of drugs. This starts a series of events that bring the general and Gunnery Sgt. Kyle Swanson back together.
Kyle Swanson is on vacation in the Mediterranean with friends aboard a yacht. He is testing a new type of sniper rifle and spending time with his girlfriend. Kyle is one of the highest scoring snipers in the Marines. When word gets out that a General has been snatched, Kyle is ordered to join up with an elite team of Marines for a rescue mission.
The rescue fails leaving Kyle as the only survivor. Now it is up to Kyle to rescue General Middleton. Middleton considers Kyle a mental case and has serious doubts about Kyle’s abilities.
At the same time in Washington the plot thickens. A billionaire, Gordon Gates IV is bankrolling an attempt to take over the military. His man in power is National Security Adviser, Gerald Buchanan. Buchanan keeps the mercenaries informed about the actions of the military and Kyle.
There is a little romance involved but that has an unhappy ending. The characters are well done. This is one really great read. Loved the way Kyle problem solved and saved the day. The interaction between the two men was interesting. Kyle had the experience to keep them alive and Middleton thought he knew best. Ha.
The cover is right on. The sniper and the background of desert is reflective of the harsh and lonely environment.
Read by Luke Daniels and he did a superb job. His voices were perfect for the characters. I especially like the way he voiced Kyle. Sort of a gravely growl. It was great. I listened to it almost non-stop.
There were no production issues – the quality was good and flawless.
Audiobook purchased for review by ABR.
I love a book that starts out with a bang and keeps getting better. This one does that and more.
In the Middle East an American General has been kidnapped and his personnel have been murdered. General Middleton realizes that the kidnappers are speaking American English. They are not Arabs! Then he is knocked out with an injection of drugs. This starts a series of events that bring the general and Gunnery Sgt. Kyle Swanson back together.
Kyle Swanson is on vacation in the Mediterranean with friends aboard a yacht. He is testing a new type of sniper rifle and spending time with his girlfriend. Kyle is one of the highest scoring snipers in the Marines. When word gets out that a General has been snatched, Kyle is ordered to join up with an elite team of Marines for a rescue mission.
The rescue fails leaving Kyle as the only survivor. Now it is up to Kyle to rescue General Middleton. Middleton considers Kyle a mental case and has serious doubts about Kyle’s abilities.
At the same time in Washington the plot thickens. A billionaire, Gordon Gates IV is bankrolling an attempt to take over the military. His man in power is National Security Adviser, Gerald Buchanan. Buchanan keeps the mercenaries informed about the actions of the military and Kyle.
There is a little romance involved but that has an unhappy ending. The characters are well done. This is one really great read. Loved the way Kyle problem solved and saved the day. The interaction between the two men was interesting. Kyle had the experience to keep them alive and Middleton thought he knew best. Ha.
The cover is right on. The sniper and the background of desert is reflective of the harsh and lonely environment.
Read by Luke Daniels and he did a superb job. His voices were perfect for the characters. I especially like the way he voiced Kyle. Sort of a gravely growl. It was great. I listened to it almost non-stop.
There were no production issues – the quality was good and flawless.
Audiobook purchased for review by ABR.
January 25, 2013
Probably one of the best military books I've read. Not only does it bring about the purpose, motive and aftereffects of war but it hi-lights individual contribution.
The main character is portrayed as a hero to some and a villain to others. You get sucked in into Kyle's experiences and become obsessed with his action, thoughts and words. Every time he holds his breath to stabilize his weapon, focus his mind and wait on his target, the bullet of suspense is unleashed and a satisfactory result is always obtained.
It is devastating to have to read the last pages of the book but invigorating when you read the first few pages of Dead Shot.
I'd recommend this book for any military fanatic.
The main character is portrayed as a hero to some and a villain to others. You get sucked in into Kyle's experiences and become obsessed with his action, thoughts and words. Every time he holds his breath to stabilize his weapon, focus his mind and wait on his target, the bullet of suspense is unleashed and a satisfactory result is always obtained.
It is devastating to have to read the last pages of the book but invigorating when you read the first few pages of Dead Shot.
I'd recommend this book for any military fanatic.
July 16, 2014
Jack Coughlin is a master plotsmith!
I am so used to authors who can only sustain tension in a plot by having the characters behave in a foolish and unbelievable way, that I found myself astonished as, page after page, the characters communicated important information and generally behaved realistically - and yet the plot tension was maintained as the story unfolded. The initial premise is actually pretty preposterous but at least we get sensible believable characters. I will definitely read more of Jack Coughlin's books.
I am so used to authors who can only sustain tension in a plot by having the characters behave in a foolish and unbelievable way, that I found myself astonished as, page after page, the characters communicated important information and generally behaved realistically - and yet the plot tension was maintained as the story unfolded. The initial premise is actually pretty preposterous but at least we get sensible believable characters. I will definitely read more of Jack Coughlin's books.
November 30, 2011
Another good one for Kyle Swanson. I like the fact that he has to wrestle with what he has done, even though he is committed to doing the right thing, which sometimes works out that someone has to die by his hand. I think of my two nephews in the Marines, both with sniper training; one came home with PTSD because he couldn't integrate the killing into his worldview, and the other still in the field, doing his job. I hope when he comes home he can learn to live happily once more.
June 26, 2014
Enjoyed the book about a sniper playing both sniper and "special forces" to extract a kidnapped General. Fun and not too technical as far as the weapons and artillery. Just enough to get a good sense if it for us novices. My weapon technical friends recommended the book so I was surprised by the good balance.
I will read more if not all of the rest if the series. I have a new author to read - very excited!!
I will read more if not all of the rest if the series. I have a new author to read - very excited!!
September 19, 2015
A highly successful military/political thriller set in today's world, Kill Zone is hard to put down---in fact, I read it in a day: couldn't stop reading. Just the right amount of military background, political intrigue, action, and characterization. Well worth reading. It also shows some strong feelings that I know are common in the military regarding the increasing use of unregulated and legally immune mercenaries. A great read.
March 26, 2012
Yea! A new author to ravage! I don't know how I came across this author but I would put him above Vince Flynn and Daniel Silva and all of the other wonderful action thriller writers I enjoy. And he has about 5 more books out there for me to read. Can't wait! Fast action, gripping, exciting, surprising, fun, full of adventure and suspense and drama. Just perfect!
February 19, 2017
Fantastic. A bad-ass SpecOps warrior on a mission compromised by shadowy Washington D.C. types, a Marine Corps general's life on the line, the Syrians, American mercenaries. It's all happening om 'Kill Zone', which is quite a way to introduce Kyle Swanson. Loved every single page. There isn't a dull moment!
September 24, 2013
The Kill Zone started out kind of slow. It took me a while to get into it. Then all of a sudden it took off and I could not put it down. I am add all of Jack Coughlin books to my want-to-read list.
March 3, 2009
Pretty terrible writing. Unlikable narrator. I was hoping for something technical and psychological, but I didn't really get either.
A total Meh of a book.
A total Meh of a book.
January 15, 2017
Excellent read.
August 31, 2015
This book is really difficult for me to rate. I liked the action in the book, but the basic premise, to me, is absolutely out somewhere in left field. Mercenary's? Really?
All you have to do is to look to your history. Any high functioning governments who started using merc's as their main force for their military immediately tipped over and crashed. Merc's just can't take the place of citizens who are protecting their country. A large number of people will point to the high cost of training soldiers. Well, that price is paid over and over again as you pay merc's, and you still can't be sure they won't turn around and fight you for the other side if they offer more money.
Even draftee's are citizens who will fight to protect their families friends and way of life. When they receive the same amount of training as a merc, they are more motivated.
My family have been citizen soldiers since at least WWI. My Grandfather fought for our country and saw combat in Europe; my Dad spent about six years in the Army, serving both with Patton's Army in Europe, then he was reactivated for Korea. I spent 8 years, active and reserve, and spent 13 months in Vietnam commanding two different company sized units; my younger brother saw combat in Nicaragua and Iraq (he's the only one who made a career of the military - but he was a Marine); my oldest son spent six years in the Reserves and on Active duty - he saw combat in Gulf War I. Neither my family nor my friends with the same kind of experiences would be at all comfortable with a mercenary unit on either flank.
The other thing that makes me wonder is that how a book co-authored by a Marine sniper could even hint of a silenced sniper rifle. You just can't screw with the laws of physics. Maybe if you're writing science fiction and you have a completely different propulsion system, but not any time in the next ten years. Well, maybe if it came out of Area 51.
A Brigadier General moving in such a small convoy with no air cover? Not in any combat zone I've ever heard about.
OK, I don't have much confidence in our federal level elected officials, but using the traitorous senator is so cheesey as to be impossible. Actually, one Senator is 1/100th of 1/2 of 1/3 of our government. 1/600th of our goverment combined with with the CEO of ONE of the PSC company's, even with the help of the National Securiy Advisor couldn't pull this off. Our nation has been conditioned to think of mercenaries as close to the scum of the earth.
The action scenes in the book were mostly believable, with the exceptions I've already mentioned, though some Really were a stretch.
I really wanted to be able to rate this book higher, but 2 stars, rounded up from me personal belief it was only worth 1 1/2 star, is the best I can do.
My retired Marine brother might have thrown this book through his big screen TV and gone hunting for this ignorant Marine (?) sniper.
All you have to do is to look to your history. Any high functioning governments who started using merc's as their main force for their military immediately tipped over and crashed. Merc's just can't take the place of citizens who are protecting their country. A large number of people will point to the high cost of training soldiers. Well, that price is paid over and over again as you pay merc's, and you still can't be sure they won't turn around and fight you for the other side if they offer more money.
Even draftee's are citizens who will fight to protect their families friends and way of life. When they receive the same amount of training as a merc, they are more motivated.
My family have been citizen soldiers since at least WWI. My Grandfather fought for our country and saw combat in Europe; my Dad spent about six years in the Army, serving both with Patton's Army in Europe, then he was reactivated for Korea. I spent 8 years, active and reserve, and spent 13 months in Vietnam commanding two different company sized units; my younger brother saw combat in Nicaragua and Iraq (he's the only one who made a career of the military - but he was a Marine); my oldest son spent six years in the Reserves and on Active duty - he saw combat in Gulf War I. Neither my family nor my friends with the same kind of experiences would be at all comfortable with a mercenary unit on either flank.
The other thing that makes me wonder is that how a book co-authored by a Marine sniper could even hint of a silenced sniper rifle. You just can't screw with the laws of physics. Maybe if you're writing science fiction and you have a completely different propulsion system, but not any time in the next ten years. Well, maybe if it came out of Area 51.
A Brigadier General moving in such a small convoy with no air cover? Not in any combat zone I've ever heard about.
OK, I don't have much confidence in our federal level elected officials, but using the traitorous senator is so cheesey as to be impossible. Actually, one Senator is 1/100th of 1/2 of 1/3 of our government. 1/600th of our goverment combined with with the CEO of ONE of the PSC company's, even with the help of the National Securiy Advisor couldn't pull this off. Our nation has been conditioned to think of mercenaries as close to the scum of the earth.
The action scenes in the book were mostly believable, with the exceptions I've already mentioned, though some Really were a stretch.
I really wanted to be able to rate this book higher, but 2 stars, rounded up from me personal belief it was only worth 1 1/2 star, is the best I can do.
My retired Marine brother might have thrown this book through his big screen TV and gone hunting for this ignorant Marine (?) sniper.
August 30, 2014
This book could have been a solid three stars. It had an interesting, if far-fetched premise, and the promise of a glimpse into the world of a fictional sniper, written by someone who knew all about that world.
Unfortunately, he (or his co-author or their editor) didn't know and didn't bother to verify numerous details that were incorrect and detracted from the story. When I read a "military" novel I expect those details to be correct because unlike most of the people in the world, they are familiar with the nuances. The problem with this book is that mistakes were made in factual areas that could have been corrected with a quick Google search. For example:
- The CODS aircraft is a C-2A, not a "C-1A"
- The acronmym GPS was incorrectly said to stand for "geopositioning satellite"
- It's a UH-1N helicopter, not a "UN-1H"
- The acronym for TRAP was incorrectly said to mean "Tactical Recovery of Air Personnel"
- An AV-8B Harrier doesn't have two engines or movable wings
- F-16s don't have RIOs. No USAF planes do.
- The USAF doesn't have CSMs, they have Chief Master Sergeants
- During the test, the sniper rifle the main character uses measures distances in meters, but when he uses the same exact rifle later in the book for real, distances are in yards.
A better editor and/or some better editing are needed to make this novel read better than a teenager's military sniper fantasy. I won't be bothering with the rest of the series.(less)
0 minutes ago
Unfortunately, he (or his co-author or their editor) didn't know and didn't bother to verify numerous details that were incorrect and detracted from the story. When I read a "military" novel I expect those details to be correct because unlike most of the people in the world, they are familiar with the nuances. The problem with this book is that mistakes were made in factual areas that could have been corrected with a quick Google search. For example:
- The CODS aircraft is a C-2A, not a "C-1A"
- The acronmym GPS was incorrectly said to stand for "geopositioning satellite"
- It's a UH-1N helicopter, not a "UN-1H"
- The acronym for TRAP was incorrectly said to mean "Tactical Recovery of Air Personnel"
- An AV-8B Harrier doesn't have two engines or movable wings
- F-16s don't have RIOs. No USAF planes do.
- The USAF doesn't have CSMs, they have Chief Master Sergeants
- During the test, the sniper rifle the main character uses measures distances in meters, but when he uses the same exact rifle later in the book for real, distances are in yards.
A better editor and/or some better editing are needed to make this novel read better than a teenager's military sniper fantasy. I won't be bothering with the rest of the series.(less)
0 minutes ago
January 9, 2022
Book Review - "Kill Zone, A Sniper’s Novel" is a story that has lots of action and is filled with terrific details that only a real-life sniper would be able to convey. The descriptions were vivid and I felt like I was really there. The book itself works well but I think it might be a bit disjointed at times, and I would view the end as being a little bit too rushed. It was more like tying up loose ends than a natural finish to the plot. I really liked the characters - the primal ruthlessness of men under extreme survival conditions. The webs of deception were well planned by both the villains and the good guys. Also I appreciated having the authors, Gunnery Sgt. Jack Coughlin and Donald A. Davis, make the point that more often than not, we would like to admit the mistakes about our government, but don’t! The right hand doesn't have a clue what the left hand is doing and this story does a great job exposing that. All in all, by the end of the story, it doesn't have you riding off into a glorious sunset and that’s okay because “War is Hell” and “Killing Ain’t Easy”...! Also, keep your eyes open for the female Marine staff sergeant, you'll get a kick out of her, she is pure entertainment.
February 3, 2014
I had some problems rating this book. Parts were quite good, but I had a number of problems.
On the positive side, the story has lots of action and is filled with terrific detail that only a real-life sniper would be able to add. The descriptions were vivid and you felt like you were really there. The writing style was okay.
However, on the down side, while the author knows a lot about military action, the book runs amuck when it comes to the political side. I didn't believe the basic para-military premise at all. The whole chain-of-command thing really got to me, and towards the end I thought that the story just fell apart and became totally chaotic.
There was absolutely no character development. I didn't feel I knew anything about Kyle. While there were backgrounds of the bad-guys, the MC was left a total blank. Perhaps this was intentional, however I didn't work for me. There were way too many side stories and diversions that just got in the way and created far too many interruptions.
If the plot had held together I would have rated it a 4. But it just got bogged down into being totally unbelieveable with too many diversions and undeveloped characters.
On the positive side, the story has lots of action and is filled with terrific detail that only a real-life sniper would be able to add. The descriptions were vivid and you felt like you were really there. The writing style was okay.
However, on the down side, while the author knows a lot about military action, the book runs amuck when it comes to the political side. I didn't believe the basic para-military premise at all. The whole chain-of-command thing really got to me, and towards the end I thought that the story just fell apart and became totally chaotic.
There was absolutely no character development. I didn't feel I knew anything about Kyle. While there were backgrounds of the bad-guys, the MC was left a total blank. Perhaps this was intentional, however I didn't work for me. There were way too many side stories and diversions that just got in the way and created far too many interruptions.
If the plot had held together I would have rated it a 4. But it just got bogged down into being totally unbelieveable with too many diversions and undeveloped characters.
July 18, 2014
After the first unnecessary brutal and casual murder, of a woman military officer, I decided to give the book one more chance to redeem itself.
Then the invectives started getting to me. Since I have been in the military, I am familiar with the talk and not bothered by a reasonable amount, but this was just too much. That much offensive talk by empty headed studs is unacceptable in civilian life.
Then came the 1960s style chest puffing talk of characters to their accompanying females, which went well with the bully characters themselves and the filthy talk. I recognized a cheap military tome in the making.
Before I even reached page 50, there was the second unnecessary and gory scene. I stopped right there - couldn't take any more of it.
I was hoping this book would not be one glorifying snipers and their work. But it is. Apparently that is all that Jack Coughlin knows, he is high on it, and thinks others want to be in vicariously with empty headed, tough guys who run around disfiguring and killing others.
Don't bother reading this one - it is shallow, bloodthirsty, and celebrates the wrong type of men - those who certainly do not belong in civilian life.
Then the invectives started getting to me. Since I have been in the military, I am familiar with the talk and not bothered by a reasonable amount, but this was just too much. That much offensive talk by empty headed studs is unacceptable in civilian life.
Then came the 1960s style chest puffing talk of characters to their accompanying females, which went well with the bully characters themselves and the filthy talk. I recognized a cheap military tome in the making.
Before I even reached page 50, there was the second unnecessary and gory scene. I stopped right there - couldn't take any more of it.
I was hoping this book would not be one glorifying snipers and their work. But it is. Apparently that is all that Jack Coughlin knows, he is high on it, and thinks others want to be in vicariously with empty headed, tough guys who run around disfiguring and killing others.
Don't bother reading this one - it is shallow, bloodthirsty, and celebrates the wrong type of men - those who certainly do not belong in civilian life.
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