Shadow Catcher

Nick Baron #1

by James R. Hannibal, Luke Daniels (Narrator)

Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins

Over ten years ago, Air Force major Nick Baron was part of a failed special ops mission that left a B-2 stealth bomber at the bottom of the Persian Gulf. Now, leading his men—the Triple Seven Chase team—Baron must find the bomber and dispose of it for good before any unfriendly nation can steal the onboard technology for its own purposes. But as the team embarks on its mission, there are greater dangers waiting.

When the CIA intercepts a call signal from an operative in China long thought dead, the Triple Seven Chase team is given the perilous task of retrieving the lone soldier from deep within the Chinese wilderness. There is only one plane for such a dangerous mission: the Shadow Catcher, a plane with capabilities beyond anything that has ever flown.

What Baron and his men don’t know is that the enemy is already among them—and that the Shadow Catcher itself may be the ultimate prize.

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

Audible Audio

First published October 1, 2013

About the author

James R. Hannibal an award-winning author of kids fiction, spy and military thrillers, and young adult fantasy. As a former stealth bomber pilot and drone pilot James is no stranger to action or secrets. He has been shot at, locked up by a surface to air missile system, and aided the capture of High Value Targets.

Reviews

[Paul Weiss · Rating 2 out of 5]

“They were not supposed to be there.”

“Nick and Quinn were about to take an untested aircraft into the heavily defended airspace of a sovereign country, a country that the United States at least pretended to be friends with.” “There would be no rescue if the mission suddenly went pear-shaped.” Well, no reader fond of techno-thrillers and geo-political potboilers could deny that Hannibal conceived of a plot scenario that contained a world of possibilities. A compromised stealth jet mission into Chinese territory to rescue an American prisoner captured during a previously failed espionage mission falls afoul of a megalomaniacal rogue Chinese general with world dominance in mind starting with a unilateral re-establishment of Chinese dominance over Taiwan! Intriguing, don’t you think?

That’s where the quality of SHADOW CATCHER started and, sadly, that’s also where it ended.

The dialogue is stilted, the characters are cartoonish and stereotypical in the extreme, and the action sequences are so beyond realistic that they would undoubtedly embarrass Rambo screenplay writers whose segments got rejected because they were too absurd. Hannibal even shoehorned in an opportunity to give the American gods praise for the existence of the 2nd Amendment. Puhleez! Did you really have to do that?

When I first found SHADOW CATCHER and read that plot outline, I had high hopes that I had found a sequence of novels I could add to my groaning TBR shelves. But, that isn’t going to happen and my copy of SHADOW CATCHER is on its way to the nearest Little Free Library box to find the next unsuspecting victim. Larry Bond and Dale Brown still rule.

Not recommended.

Paul Weiss

[Kristina Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Characters: This the fourth book I’ve read by James Hannibal, and I always end up really liking his characters. Shadow Catcher is no exception! Nick was a realistic, flawed character, and I enjoyed his interactions with his teammates—Drake and Quinn. Drake had quite the personality!

Language: Clean.

Moral: A couple of the themes in this book included family and facing your fears. Note—this book wasn’t published by a Christian publisher, but the author is a Christian. The characters mention God and prayer, but I didn’t pick up on any obvious Christian themes.

Plot: Wow, this plot was intense! Plenty of action, suspense, fighting (with the villains and between the good guys) kept the plot moving.

Random comments: This book had some violent parts, but I wouldn’t say it ever reached the graphic level. It just described what happened and moved on (I still could've done with fewer details at times). There were a couple of scenes involving torture, but those didn’t get too dark thanks to Nick’s smart-aleck comments to his captors.

Romance: Clean. A couple of kisses.

Writing: James Hannibal has a great writing style. He never allows what could be really confusing topics to get overly technical, and he doesn’t get bogged down in needless details.

Overall: Shadow Catcher was an exciting read. I’d recommend it to readers of clean fiction, military fiction, thrillers, suspense, and action/adventure.

[Jayna Baas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a regular reader of military thrillers, so the constant violence in this one was just too much for me. To be fair, I should have known that going into it, so feel free to add a star to my rating if this is your normal fare.

Aside from that, it was a good read. I've read some books of this genre where the characters essentially served as props for the military gadgetry, giving me the sense that the author would have been better off writing military nonfiction. Not so with James R. Hannibal and Shadow Catcher. While still very much plot-driven, the story had enough character development to really feel like a story. (Admittedly, I found the villains a bit theatrical.) The plethora of high-tech equipment was woven into the story in a way that this average reader could understand (and I didn't even need a glossary!). I really appreciated the total absence of profanity—it's rare for me to find a thriller so clean in that respect. James Hannibal is not only a good combat pilot; he's a good writer. Just not for those of us who don't like a lot of blood. Still, if I ever get in the mood for this genre again, I'll be giving Hannibal another go.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This is our foxhole, and in foxholes, sometimes faith is all you've got."

"Shadow Catcher" is an exciting military techno thriller. It was plot-driven rather than character-based but aren't most military thrillers?

Some military thrillers I just can't get into because of an overabundance of military jargon and acronyms but this one had a nice balance of military and personal drama and author Hannibal explained the military subject matter in a way that was easy to understand. He was also able to do this without foul language and extraneous sex scenes.

A B-2 stealth bomber sitting on the bottom of the Persian Gulf, the Triple Seven Case team, a POW missing since 1988, the Shadow Catcher, Nick Baron and all his team including a frustrating newbie, espionage, a deadly mole burrowed in, plus much more are tied together in this rollicking but dangerous tale of rescue and intrigue.

I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for more tales by author Hannibal.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly good read. I really enjoyed Shadow Catcher. The characters are more interesting than what you usually find in military fiction, and their relationships, or lack thereof, work well. Mr. Hannibal does a nice job with each character's backstory, so when the payoffs come, they are believable. Shadow Catcher is no The Hunt for Red October, but then again what is? Honestly, this book reminds me more of a vintage Clive Cussler story than the grittier thrillers we see today. It rolls at a break-neck pace, and while predictable, give the reader more than his money's worth. Once it started rolling toward its conclusion, I found it VERY hard to put down. Four stars. Recommended.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting and thought-provoking! This is not your run-of-the-mill techno-thriller. Hannibal knows his topic from real-world experience as a stealth pilot, and he definitely makes the tech a character in the story. But there is much more to be found here than gee-whiz gadgets. Shadow Catcher is a mystery, a spy-vs-spy hunt for a mole that we can't be sure even exists. It is also psychological, following Nick Baron's struggle to come to grips with the PTSD that is fueling is self-doubt and paranoia and driving a wedge between him and his wife. Fun and literary at the same time - this book is the whole package.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good military thriller. The story was well-paced; it kept me turning pages if when i needed to stop reading and go to bed. There was some interesting, gee-whiz military technology involved which was thankfully kept in the background. Sometimes authors go into too much detail about the tech (Tom Clancy, I'm looking at you). I prefer to see authors putting more effort to develop the characters than the tech. I'll be on the look out for more books by Hannibal.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The storyline of the main characters is interesting, giving you a background for what is happening. You get to know the characters and care about them throughout the story, laughing at their jokes and crying when they are in danger. Once the mission started it was non-stop, edge of your seat action. I read the 2nd half of the book in one sitting, shushing everyone who interrupted me. My kids kept asking what was going on in the book and I couldn't stop reading to tell them. Loved it!

[Leonard Romney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will be short. This is a thriller of the Tom Clancy ilk. Had trouble putting it down. Creative, nicely written.

[Florence Witt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this author. He has exciting clean reads.
The narrator is superb.

Violence: Moderate. This book contains more violence than I usually like. It is a military thriller. So it was borderline for me. However, the author is neither overly gory nor descriptive.
Sex: None
Language: None

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read. It is nice to read a book of this type that is not Christian, yet has no cursing or inappropriate content. I loved the characters, especially Nick and Quinn. The plot was great, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Looking forward to reading book 2

[Haley Annabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like military thrillers and special op novels, this is the book for you. But if you don't know much about airplanes or special ops, the story will get lost in all the details.
Not much character development either.
It still was an interesting story and I wouldn't necessarily not recommend ;)

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been a fan of the military techno thriller since Tom Clancy made that genre popular in mid-1980s. I am therefore often on the lookout for authors who craft engaging stories in that genre. James Hannibal was my most recent hope.

I dove into "Shadow Catcher" with high hopes. Hannibal did his best to employ a layered story telling approach as he unfolded his story, but I have to admit that after about the first 1/4 of the book I was experiencing something akin to mental whiplash as the book jumped from one time period to another, including flashbacks and dreams, and I had a hard time figuring out where the author was going. At times it didn't feel like he knew. The book's storyline started to settle into a more settled rhythm about halfway through. The end, though, was completely melodramatic. It felt like one of those 1950s cowboy movies...you know, when the narrator ties everything up in a nice tight little bundle, there is cheering, and adoration from the saved town folk.

Unsurprisingly, this book is entirely plot-driven. There is precious little character development, only enough to keep the plot rolling. The plot did not drag, and for that I am grateful.

So, what's in the book? Oh, a high-tech black ops team that seems able to do everything from marine salvage to ground ops to piloting ultra-secret aircraft, etc. There are also assassins, a kidnapper, at least one sociopath, and a plan that could bring the world to the brink of a world war. Did I leave anything out?

This was a fun read once I finally managed to clear the first 1/4 of the book, but in the end was only OK.

As Amazon's rating system indicates, 3 stars means that "It's okay". That's what it was to me...okay.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author was new to me when I found _Shadow Catcher_ sitting on the shelf in the thrillers section of the bookstore. It has a B-2 on the cover, the author flew B-2's & A-10's (my favorite plane), so I thought this would be something along the lines of a Dale Brown type of book. Oh, so wrong.

The primary good guy characters are B-2 pilots who act like SEALs. Most of the book centers around them on the ground. Any flying is mundane, even when they have to enter super contested airspace of China to land a super secret STOL plane. Nope, just fly in, land and then talk about the weather.

All of the characters exhibit one trait. The author attempts to lead the reader with red herrings, but isn't smooth. The dialogue either was wrong or playing to cliche. I almost stopped reading when one of the characters praises the Second Amendment for allowing him/her to have a gun in their house to defend themselves. Really.

I always cringe when non-computer types attempt to use technical language to impress. It usually ends in groans. No programmer would be showing the images being scanned through, as that would eat cycles. It is what I'd expect to see on TV. Also clip != mag.

In the end, it wasn't very good. Early Dale Brown or Larry Bond knew how to tell stories, have solid characters and also get the technical jargon correct (all things I look for). This book just came off as pilots wanting to be special operators.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I have Mr. James R. Hannibal to thank for a heck of a book hangover. I started reading this book and couldn’t put it down.

James R. Hannibal is a veteran combat pilot with Top Secret clearance from the U.S. government and he writes what he knows and he does it really well. The thing I really appreciated was this story is written for people like me and the military jargon was kept to a minimum. My husband enjoys Tom Clancy but his stories sometimes read like a military handbook and fail to keep my interest. That is not the case at all with Shadow Catcher. The author had me from page one and held on tight to the very last word.

The book starts out with a prologue from 1988 and then goes into the story in 2013 so you know these things are going to connect and with some very clever twists that is exactly what happens.

Hannibal has created some very engaging characters. Their back stories are meshed into the plot effortlessly. This reader came to care about them very quickly.

The story moves at a breakneck speed so don’t pick it up thinking you are going to read just a chapter or two at a time. It just won’t happen.

[Jenny Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Baron is fighting an emotional and mental demon of which he isn't completely aware. Married with a newborn son, Baron travels around the world on missions he can't talk about.

On the other side of the world, Chinese General Zheng schemes to become the next minister and apprehend the latest and greatest war time technology.

Airforce pilot David Novak went down and was captured by the Chinese over ten years ago. When he finally escapes, he finds a forgotten refuge and contacts a world that has forgotten him. Some even believe him dead.

Baron thinks Novak really does exist and is still alive. As he races to rescue the forgotten pilot, Baron finds himself up against General Zheng in an effort to get both Novak and his stealth plane off enemy soil and safely back to America.

Time and again Hannibal proves you don't need copious bloody and gory scenes to write an edge of your seat thrill ride. The blood is minimal but the excitement is not. I always have a hard time putting his books and, and this one is no exception.

[Kaylah Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I never expected anything half this good. I had picked it based on it's title and didn't expect much, in fact I almost had dropped it after the first few chapters. I'm glad I didn't.
The characters felt genuine, their baggage was reasonable, and their interactions with each other felt real. Nick was a great hero, he was neither perfect or crass like other characters in thrillers.
This is the first book in a while (especially from a thriller) where I couldn't put it down, I was sympathetic and even sad towards some of the characters, and where my heart was literally beating out of my chest and I couldn't read the words fast enough.
Overall I'm very impressed by the author. I'll admit the ending was pretty cheesy, but I'll let it slide. I'm defiitely going to read more books by him.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent thriller of a story. It is so well written, that it will keep you guessing. Things aren't always as what they seem to be. Moment to moment, second to second, you will not want to stop turning the pages as this draws you into the excitement and surprises that only a covert military intelligence operation can present. A "Must read!"

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I won this book from Goodreads.

I should have known, when an American pilot was shot down in the prologue, the characters would be in danger. I never expected they would be in that much peril. This book contained plenty of harrowing moments, but it included some comedy to relieve the pressure. I enjoyed the story and would read the continuing adventures of Triple Seven Chase.

[Valerie Strand · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this on Goodreads and have just finished the book so am writing a review. Although I am not typically a reader of military type fiction, the story line intrigued me about a USAF pilot held captive in China for years. I don't want to give away the story, let's just say that good triumphs over evil with a large does of good ole US patriotism.

[Bill Donhiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received my first James Hannibal as a Goodreads giveaway and have been hooked ever since. These are tightly written page turning military thrillers. They are in the same genre as Dale Brown, Stephen Coonts, Tom Clancy etc. Great plot and a very good read. I look forward to seeing more from this author.

[Carol Wilcox · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adult military/spy thriller. One I picked up at the library because I thought the cover looked like something my boys might look at (hey, a gal can try, right?). I was surprised how much I enjoyed it- totally plot based, but a page turner and a fun read.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling. Keeps your interest peeked until the very end.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

hope we get more of these

[Pamela Liljeberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

James R. Hannibal’s novel Shadow Catcher reaches back to the Cold War to include China, spy planes and lost pilots, pulling the past into the present. When a CIA pilot – long thought dead – escapes from a secret Chinese prison and makes contact, a new technologically advanced plane is the only option to rescue the downed pilot. While the original mission into China is shrouded in mystery and classification, it becomes clear that the mission was compromised as were several later missions.

Hannibal‘s military experience as a stealth pilot provides unique insight into the creation of missions and the input required by engineers, flight crews, and pilots. It soon becomes clear the plane is a target during the dangerous rescue of the CIA pilot and exposes a critical Chinese military plot.

Characters are well-developed and the technical descriptions are informative without overwhelming the reader and serve to move the story forward. Themes of forgiveness, second chances, and the forces of good over evil make this espionage thriller a compelling choice. Intrigue, mystery, and suspense fill the pages until the end.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, but not great. It took a while to get going. I didn't care a lot about the characters, they didn't seem fully three dimensional. The character development comes in one paragraph: Nick B has an epiphany. Lots of action, and it's all about the plot. At the end it felt like "3 guys defeat Chinese military" in an action scene that might have taken 15 minutes. Very clear lines of good vs. evil, therefore it's hard not to cheer for the good guys. I did finish the book, but I will think long and hard before reading another by this author. Sorry, but it wasn't my "cup of tea."

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reading

A very good book with problems. Nick knows more about what happened at home while he was on a mission than he should. He also escapes many bullets and torture without it seeming to effect him or would be humanly possible. Ditto for his young sidekick. However, it is fiction... Lots of excitement.

[Elianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. Exciting and intricate plot, interesting characters, and incredible military action scenes. I love the way Hannibal develops the main characters. Easily one of my top favorite books and authors.

[Richard New]

Military Thriller

Interesting at the beginning then action slowed down until it ramped up at the end. Not as gritty and real feeling as early and original Tom Clancy novels.

Clean read with no swearing or sex scenes. Recommended.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I quit reading Shadow Catcher after 100 plus pages. It was too gruesome and disorganized.