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Captain Jake Mahegan #4
Direct Fire
A Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2017 selection
Direct Fire brings the war on terror to America.
A powerful banker, gunned down in cold blood. A military family, senselessly slaughtered as they sleep. A key general, kidnapped from his farm near Fort Bragg. Atrocities like these are all too common in the Middle East. But this is the United States of America . . .
Time is running out for Jake Mahegan. Terrorist cells are gathering in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Hackers are emptying the nation's banks. And their final act of vengeance will bring the whole world to its knees. For Mahegan, it's time to kill. Now.
Direct Fire brings the war on terror to America.
A powerful banker, gunned down in cold blood. A military family, senselessly slaughtered as they sleep. A key general, kidnapped from his farm near Fort Bragg. Atrocities like these are all too common in the Middle East. But this is the United States of America . . .
Time is running out for Jake Mahegan. Terrorist cells are gathering in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Hackers are emptying the nation's banks. And their final act of vengeance will bring the whole world to its knees. For Mahegan, it's time to kill. Now.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 26, 2017
252 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Anthony J. Tata
22 books345 followersTony is the bestselling author of 16 novels, including the Garrett Sinclair Series from St. Martin's Press, the Jake Mahegan series from Kensington Books, the Reaper Series from St. Martins Press, and the Threat Series from Variance Publishing. He recently signed a new contract with Kensington Books to write two Zara Sheridan air marshal thrillers. Publishers Weekly selected Besieged as a 2017 Best Book of the Year and Foreign and Domestic was a Barry Award Finalist in 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
January 13, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley for this novel.
An Islamic group is trying to decapitate the US Military, and largely succeed. Jake Mahegan, after shooting his way out of an ambush, makes his way to the rendezvous, and finds himself on the run from the law, while at the same time, trying to stop the terrorists, who have a few creative attacks in store.
I think AJ Tata hit his stride with this one.
An Islamic group is trying to decapitate the US Military, and largely succeed. Jake Mahegan, after shooting his way out of an ambush, makes his way to the rendezvous, and finds himself on the run from the law, while at the same time, trying to stop the terrorists, who have a few creative attacks in store.
I think AJ Tata hit his stride with this one.
October 4, 2017
See this review and more at www.TheRealBookSpy.com
Former brigadier general turned best-selling author A.J. Tata (Besieged, 2017) kicks off his fourth Jake Mahegan thriller with a powerful opening that introduces readers to Jackknife, a cold-blooded killer who serves as a worthy antagonist and a formidable opponent for Tata’s hero.
After slaughtering a billionaire banker and his family in the dark of the night, Jackknife turns his attention to the next name on his list–former Army paratrooper and ex-Delta Force operative, Jake Mahegan.
Meanwhile, upon receiving an urgent text from General Bob Savage over his secure Zebra communications app instructing him to meet former Delta teammates, Patch Owens and Sean O’Malley, Jake Mahegan heads to a rustic cabin in the middle of the Longleaf Pine Golf Resort located in North Carolina’s golf mecca, Moore County. There, Jake walks into a trap, which ends worse for those foolish enough to think they could trap an apex predator with nothing more than a few AR-15s.
Armed with his trusty Sig Saur Tribal, Jake flees to General Savage’s “continuation of operations protocol command center,” better known as the COOP. There, he meets up with Alexandra “Alex” Russell, a JAG attorney and colleague of Savage who’s investigating the murder case involving the banker and his family.
When Jake recognizes the murder weapon in question as the same .45 Colt Ranger special that his unit gave to Savage, he realizes there’s a deeper plot hard at work behind the scenes. Unbeknownst to Mahegan and Alex, a terrorist hellbent on exacting revenge on America is secretly assembling terrorist cells in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which is just the tip of the iceberg.
As Jake races to connect the dots and figure out the terrorists’ intended targets, Tata kicks the pacing into overdrive–making an already fun and compelling story certifiably unputdownable.
Where Tata separates himself from the competition is with his unique and terrifying attack scenarios. The all-too-real feel of panic and suspense is critical to getting lost in the story, and Tata continues to improve as a writer, making it easier for readers to believe what’s happening as he brings it to life on the page.
Likewise, Tata’s continued to develop his series protagonist, hitting all the right notes with the last two books especially. Direct Fire sees a slightly different Jake Mahegan, who finally displays the full effects of his ridiculously lethal skill set, and it’s awesome.
Mahegan, a thirty-year-old Native American with a love for the ocean flowing freely in his blood and a call to duty seemingly written into his DNA, is a walking, talking weapon. More prone to brute force than surgical strikes, Jake is no doubt one of the baddest men in the thriller genre right now. While the blazing-fast plot is tight and on point, Tata’s real treat to readers is finally unleashing his operative, who continues living up to all the hype promised in past books, like they’ve never seen before.
Evil men might be planning to bring the war on terror to America, but what they weren’t counting on is Jake Mahegan being there to greet them…
Jake Mahegan has officially arrived. Direct Fire is a relentless, action-packed thriller that screams with been-there-done-that authenticity, elevating A.J. Tata’s series to the likes of Brad Thor, Ben Coes, and Mark Greaney.
Book Details
Author: A.J. Tata
Series: Jake Mahegan #4
Pages: 464 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 1496706641
Publisher: Kensington
Release Date: December 26, 2017
Book Spy Rating: 8.5/10
Order Now: http://amzn.to/2gZRTpz
Former brigadier general turned best-selling author A.J. Tata (Besieged, 2017) kicks off his fourth Jake Mahegan thriller with a powerful opening that introduces readers to Jackknife, a cold-blooded killer who serves as a worthy antagonist and a formidable opponent for Tata’s hero.
After slaughtering a billionaire banker and his family in the dark of the night, Jackknife turns his attention to the next name on his list–former Army paratrooper and ex-Delta Force operative, Jake Mahegan.
Meanwhile, upon receiving an urgent text from General Bob Savage over his secure Zebra communications app instructing him to meet former Delta teammates, Patch Owens and Sean O’Malley, Jake Mahegan heads to a rustic cabin in the middle of the Longleaf Pine Golf Resort located in North Carolina’s golf mecca, Moore County. There, Jake walks into a trap, which ends worse for those foolish enough to think they could trap an apex predator with nothing more than a few AR-15s.
Armed with his trusty Sig Saur Tribal, Jake flees to General Savage’s “continuation of operations protocol command center,” better known as the COOP. There, he meets up with Alexandra “Alex” Russell, a JAG attorney and colleague of Savage who’s investigating the murder case involving the banker and his family.
When Jake recognizes the murder weapon in question as the same .45 Colt Ranger special that his unit gave to Savage, he realizes there’s a deeper plot hard at work behind the scenes. Unbeknownst to Mahegan and Alex, a terrorist hellbent on exacting revenge on America is secretly assembling terrorist cells in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which is just the tip of the iceberg.
As Jake races to connect the dots and figure out the terrorists’ intended targets, Tata kicks the pacing into overdrive–making an already fun and compelling story certifiably unputdownable.
Where Tata separates himself from the competition is with his unique and terrifying attack scenarios. The all-too-real feel of panic and suspense is critical to getting lost in the story, and Tata continues to improve as a writer, making it easier for readers to believe what’s happening as he brings it to life on the page.
Likewise, Tata’s continued to develop his series protagonist, hitting all the right notes with the last two books especially. Direct Fire sees a slightly different Jake Mahegan, who finally displays the full effects of his ridiculously lethal skill set, and it’s awesome.
Mahegan, a thirty-year-old Native American with a love for the ocean flowing freely in his blood and a call to duty seemingly written into his DNA, is a walking, talking weapon. More prone to brute force than surgical strikes, Jake is no doubt one of the baddest men in the thriller genre right now. While the blazing-fast plot is tight and on point, Tata’s real treat to readers is finally unleashing his operative, who continues living up to all the hype promised in past books, like they’ve never seen before.
Evil men might be planning to bring the war on terror to America, but what they weren’t counting on is Jake Mahegan being there to greet them…
Jake Mahegan has officially arrived. Direct Fire is a relentless, action-packed thriller that screams with been-there-done-that authenticity, elevating A.J. Tata’s series to the likes of Brad Thor, Ben Coes, and Mark Greaney.
Book Details
Author: A.J. Tata
Series: Jake Mahegan #4
Pages: 464 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 1496706641
Publisher: Kensington
Release Date: December 26, 2017
Book Spy Rating: 8.5/10
Order Now: http://amzn.to/2gZRTpz
August 10, 2019
If one likes action-packed books about an MC who is out saving the world, this is a book for you. Picked this book up not knowing it's part of a series, so maybe that affects how I liked it. Although the characters and situation are introduced well but maybe I would feel more emotionally attached if I read the start of the series.
Jake Mahegan is a typical action hero. After finding out he's been framed for murder amidst a series of terrorist attacks (cyber and conventional), he's looking for his boss and his teammates who were kidnapped.
Again, action-packed and fast-paced, I like that we the readers are kept in suspense as to who Jake can really trust.
Not too sure though if I like it enough to pick up the rest of the series.
Jake Mahegan is a typical action hero. After finding out he's been framed for murder amidst a series of terrorist attacks (cyber and conventional), he's looking for his boss and his teammates who were kidnapped.
Again, action-packed and fast-paced, I like that we the readers are kept in suspense as to who Jake can really trust.
Not too sure though if I like it enough to pick up the rest of the series.
January 14, 2018
Clayton Mahegan, the Hawk Wolf, is back in another thriller
Former Army paratrooper, ex-Delta Force operative and Native American from the Outer Banks of North Carolina Chayton "Jake" Mahegan is back in another thriller authored by retired Brigadier General A.J. Tata. The story takes place in North Carolina with flashbacks to a disastrous mission in Syria.
This time Jake is on the run PLUS looking for Syrian terrorists on U.S. soil. Framed for the murder of a family, Jake is doing all he can to stay away from law enforcement, the Syrians, and the military.
Acts of terrorism including murder, hindering banking and transportation are happening in the U.S. and to U.S. citizens on foreign soil, all to cloud the waters to the terrorists main objective.
Jake is helped along the way by the daughter of a general and also one of the first female graduates of the U.S. Army’s elite Ranger school.
This is a very fast-paced thriller that was a bit convoluted at times when it didn't necessarily need to be. I would have rated this with 3.5 stars if I could have but rounded up to 4 stars because it did hold my attention all the way through.
I received this book from Kensington Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read the book and leave an unbiased review.
Former Army paratrooper, ex-Delta Force operative and Native American from the Outer Banks of North Carolina Chayton "Jake" Mahegan is back in another thriller authored by retired Brigadier General A.J. Tata. The story takes place in North Carolina with flashbacks to a disastrous mission in Syria.
This time Jake is on the run PLUS looking for Syrian terrorists on U.S. soil. Framed for the murder of a family, Jake is doing all he can to stay away from law enforcement, the Syrians, and the military.
Acts of terrorism including murder, hindering banking and transportation are happening in the U.S. and to U.S. citizens on foreign soil, all to cloud the waters to the terrorists main objective.
Jake is helped along the way by the daughter of a general and also one of the first female graduates of the U.S. Army’s elite Ranger school.
This is a very fast-paced thriller that was a bit convoluted at times when it didn't necessarily need to be. I would have rated this with 3.5 stars if I could have but rounded up to 4 stars because it did hold my attention all the way through.
I received this book from Kensington Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read the book and leave an unbiased review.
April 10, 2018
This is my first A.J. Tata novel and I found it to be an excellent adventure albeit similar to many other military thrillers. The plot is great the characters are engaging and the writing is well done. I am going to go back and read the rest of the series in order
August 1, 2024
I'm all for "mass market paperback quality fiction" but this is just painful to read. Every object the characters use is mentioned specifically by brand name, which does not add to the realism and instead is just like terrible product placement that breaks the immersion. The writing is mediocre at best and should be kept in the teen-reads section of the library. Would not recommend.
June 7, 2018
Not bad. The story reminds me of Brad Taylor's books. The story is good but there are so many characters and so much going on that the plot sometimes get lost
April 16, 2024
Great action-packed series that acts as a wonderful substitute for Jack Reacher as I await the Child clan putting out the next Reacher adventure or Prime to stream their fun series with Alan Ritchson...Jake Mahegan is an ex-Delta Force operative and Native American from the Outer Banks of North Carolina who operates, in much the same way as Jack Reacher, meaning, "Take no Prisoners, direct action!"..."Direct Fire" gives us constant action as Jake Mahegan, and his fellow operatives, counter terrorists' efforts to decapitate America's Spec Ops forces as revenge for an operation gone wrong in the Sandbox...Nice subtle twists and compelling characters keep the pages turning...Good
stuff!
stuff!
February 15, 2018
Tony does it again -- he is quickl becoming as 'go to' as Lee Child, Daniel Silva, etc... A great read that makes you think about geopolitical developments in a new light...
March 7, 2018
This was AJ Tata's best book yet.
March 23, 2018
This was the first book I have read by AJ Tata and I am hooked!
I was totally invested in the characters and the author had me guessing through most of book on a couple of pieces of intrigue and it was a really fun and thrilling story that has me eager to buy the previous books of the series.
I was totally invested in the characters and the author had me guessing through most of book on a couple of pieces of intrigue and it was a really fun and thrilling story that has me eager to buy the previous books of the series.
January 10, 2018
This was the first AJ Tata book that I’ve read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the way he describes the mountain setting and Jake Mahegan is such a cool character to get to know. Some of the dialogue from the lesser characters was kind of silly and the ending could have been better but overall a fantastic book and I’ll be reading more of AJ Tata.
December 31, 2017
Not only does AJ Tata write exciting action-novels, but he shows he can also write fascinating psychological studies. His super-hero Jake Mahegan works with a female Army Ranger Cassie Bagwell, along with his former teammates and General Savage to stop a terrorist plot.
February 20, 2018
AJ Tata has is starting to become a "must read" author to me. after reading "Besieged" last year, I was looking forward to reading his latest Jake Mahegan thriller "Direct Fire".
Direct Fire did not disappoint. in fact, it makes me want to go find every other Jake Mahegan novel Tata has written. I believe this is only #4.
from the beginning, Tata keeps you hooked and this is a fast paced, turn pager, action packed thriller.
I gave a 4 star only b/c I reserve 5 for books that keep me up all night until I finish.
Direct Fire did not disappoint. in fact, it makes me want to go find every other Jake Mahegan novel Tata has written. I believe this is only #4.
from the beginning, Tata keeps you hooked and this is a fast paced, turn pager, action packed thriller.
I gave a 4 star only b/c I reserve 5 for books that keep me up all night until I finish.
June 3, 2018
Another great one by AJ Tata. Best part was when the SBI agent I so disliked throughout the book was thrown across the room, and Jake says something like “ how many of you guys wanted to do that.” Classic
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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December 20, 2017Direct Fire is a fly by the seat of your pants THRILLER!!!!
While this is only my second novel I’ve read by A J, I’m a fan of his writing. I will seek out Mr. Tata for hours of reading enjoyment.
Things are happening in America and across the globe. Are they connected? If so, what is the connection. Well it goes back to a mission from four years ago and General Savage and his band of black ops operators totally messed up and took out civilians. It happens, but someone is out to exact revenge.
Jake Mahegan is on the kill list, but must figure out what is happening in the country he loves, while also being hunted by local authorities for a crime his didn’t commit. Can Jake save his comrades and his country from evil? Purchase Direct Evil and you will be taken for a ride with many twist and turns that will leave you exhausted.
A J has many diverse characters that make Direct Fire a hit. The story is complex and tangled to keep the reader turning the page. You’ll root for some and wish evil on others, while wishing some did not make an early exit. A J has a way to throw in a little subtle humor, that makes the novel that much more enjoyable.
If your genre is Action/Thriller, then A J is the author for you.
While this is only my second novel I’ve read by A J, I’m a fan of his writing. I will seek out Mr. Tata for hours of reading enjoyment.
Things are happening in America and across the globe. Are they connected? If so, what is the connection. Well it goes back to a mission from four years ago and General Savage and his band of black ops operators totally messed up and took out civilians. It happens, but someone is out to exact revenge.
Jake Mahegan is on the kill list, but must figure out what is happening in the country he loves, while also being hunted by local authorities for a crime his didn’t commit. Can Jake save his comrades and his country from evil? Purchase Direct Evil and you will be taken for a ride with many twist and turns that will leave you exhausted.
A J has many diverse characters that make Direct Fire a hit. The story is complex and tangled to keep the reader turning the page. You’ll root for some and wish evil on others, while wishing some did not make an early exit. A J has a way to throw in a little subtle humor, that makes the novel that much more enjoyable.
If your genre is Action/Thriller, then A J is the author for you.
March 17, 2018
Unbelievable action and energy.
Entwined plots and exhausting action.
Well planned character's. Unusual but believable storylines.
Want to read next book with this team.
Entwined plots and exhausting action.
Well planned character's. Unusual but believable storylines.
Want to read next book with this team.
February 22, 2018
4.5/5.0
Awesome military thriller!
Awesome military thriller!
March 11, 2018
Fabulous. A stunning high octane on the seat of your pants read. Starts with a massive glitch of automobiles shutting down and the theft of a Mac truck carrying a nuclear war head and just doesn’t stop. Jake Mehegan is in the thick of things dealing with a rogue American military attaché who has an agenda of her own after his sister is killed on her wedding day in Syria and a female ranger trying to locate her kidnaped parents. No doubt about it, a j Tata writes a very real plausible book. My current favourite author.
April 14, 2018
Although I found this book was a little slow to,start I was glad I stayed with. Exciting story line which kept my interest
June 11, 2018
A.J. Tata's main character, Jake Mahegan, is a very impressive hero, who any reader that enjoys an action filled, non-stop thriller, will want to follow. Direct Fire brings everything that a reader would want. Constant action, incorporated in a mystery that's unnervingly possible, which keeps you turnin the pages to find out what happens next. Terrorists setting up camp in our own backyard, cyber attacks which threaten our infrastructure, and one bad ass hero, Jake Mahegan, to put a stop to it all to keep our Country safe! Author A. J. Tata is a fantastic writer! I hope he doesn't slow down in writing these novels because it's hard waiting for his next one.
April 11, 2018
Another great story by great story teller! Looking forward to the next Jake novel in the series. Keep writing General!
October 12, 2020
A decent read. We follow along with Jake Mahegan as he tries to stop a terrorist attack on American soil and free his captured comrades while trying to avoid an overtly obsessed agent hell-bent on capturing/killing him for a triple murder he was framed for. The story moves at a good pace, has a few twists and turns (though many of these are pretty telegraphed), but does have a few faults.
For one, the stretch of coincidences and chain of events really pulls thin to try holding up this story. It all centers around Alex's revenge. She just happens to be a Syrian immigrant (unsure if smuggled to the US or brought through a refugee program), daughter of a ruling family, who happens to have been separated from her sister during a coup which murdered her parents, the sister eventually happens to fall in love and absolutely has to be married in their home town despite the danger and history. At the same time Alex just happens to have climbed the military ranks, an orphan who happens to join the US military as a career choice and happens to be in the JSOC unit with Savage and Mahegan and happens to be the target validation agent on the strike against a wanted terrorist which happens to be a trick/invalid intel and so she validates the strike on what turns out to be a wedding party convoy that just happens to be her sister's wedding party, killing everyone, which triggers her revenge. It's such a thin string and I honestly am not sure if this was planned by the terrorists or not. If they knew killing her sister would unlock this split-personality crazy side that would, on her own, coordinate and plan this savage attack on the US. Not to mention, no one could figure out the coming events after the wedding party mistake. I mean, don't they perform background checks on people who are gaining access to classified info? Wouldn't they know Alex is a Syrian refugee and the history of the family? Wouldn't they know it was her sister killed in the invalid wedding party strike? Do they not follow up on details like that? Or was it a fire-and-forget mission, in a manner of speaking? I mean, wouldn't at the very least General Savage understand the psychological ramifications of Alex validating a strike that killed her last remaining family member, and thus keep a very close eye on her? It just seems like a very loooong stretch for her to be able to lead this double life in the midst of a special ops team coordinating /spearheading such an attack as this one.
And then there's the flashback exposition dumps. So many backstories are dumped on the reader to help build the character stories, and often in such jarring places in the story. Oh, while Jake is in the middle of a firefight let's take a ten minute pause to reminisce on this little memory of the Operation Groomsmen clusterfuck, or while running from a missile-laden drone attack let's take fifteen minutes to recall Cassie's tense relationship with her father and her ascension in Ranger training. It's backstory filler that comes off as info dumps, a tour through each character's history so that the current events and ties can be explained. Rather than letting such ties be made through the story, it's dropped in our lap with expositional campfire stories. I understand that sometimes it's necessary for one or two of these flashback histories, but there are so many and many come right in the middle of an action scene that it's a bit jarring.
Lastly, the overall ease at which the terrorist plot unfolds. That the terrorists could be so well-armed (a drone with a fully-automatic gun and rockets, stinger missiles, RPGs, ect.). I mean, these aren't things you can simply buy from street hustlers and gang bangers. Wouldn't the military notice a few stinger missiles missing? And the absolute ease they were able to ambush and steal a tactical nuke. The troops guarding it? No problem for this terror team. And apparently the military has no one keeping tabs on a convoy hauling a tactical nuke along US highways and thus is super-slow to react to the fact that it's gone. Yes, the terrorists launched this massive vehicle shut-down cyber attack that would obviously distract many higher-ups, but someone would still have the responsibility of tracking that nuke's progress to its destination, and the fact that it vanishes during a terrorist cyber attack would send up red flags to any competent individual. But no, a missing nuke is set aside for the bigger trouble of stalled cars. No squad of top-tier soldiers is sent to the nuke's last known location, no lockdown of the surrounding area, no urgent bulletin sent to the big-wigs (not until waaaaay later). Civilians and the transport team all gunned down in the middle of the highway? Nope, no response. I guess they assumed it must have been a bad case of road rage. Even an anti-aircraft attack of stinger missiles fired at a chopper isn't enough to prompt investigation. Nope, Jake has gotta do it himself.
Overall, the characters are interesting. Oxendine is a bit one-dimensional and over-the-top. His drive to capture/kill Jake just because both he and Jake are Native American and Jake is "making their people look bad" he has this overzealous desire to kill Jake, to the point of law-breaking and literal backstabbing. Alex's split personality seems a little bit much as well, the fact that it's so bad she has to repress it with some injected drug yet none of her closest companions detect this inner battle is mystifying. Aren't these guys trained to notice details and be acutely aware of their surrounding situations? She may be good at hiding it, but she's not CIA black ops super-spy good. And especially around people that know her personally. She's able to grant the terrorists access to the classified Zebra app, coordinates the intel on the nuke transport, arrange (I assume) the high-end weaponry - I mean, it's mostly military-grade hardware and she's the leader of this little plot, so I'm guessing that's how the terrorists got access to such goodies as stinger rockets and fully automatic weapons (including the chain gun and rockets mounted to the drone). Part of the problem with the characters is that we're not given much time to know them outside of the Alex/Jake/Cassie trio. Everyone else gets an exposition background info dump and that's it. Cassie's parents, the ones she's trying to save? I think he has maybe two lines of dialogue in one brief scene. Yves Dupree? Backstory dump and then left mostly unattended, eventually captured offscreen. Zakir, the terrorist leader? He's pretty much a cardboard cutout bad guy who has no real place aside from a terrorist face leading this attack. Gavril the superhacker terrorist? Forgotten about after the cyberattack auto shutdown. The siphoning of millions off the Bank of America banking system? Forgotten about as well. Don't know who or what happened to that since Zakir and Alex are killed and Yves is captured. Guess that money is like coins in the sofa cushions. So many little things shoved in to make the story more exciting and then left on the side of the road come climax time.
All in all, it was a decent read, but doesn't have the crisp detail and flow. Outside of the main trio, the cast was a bit one-dimensional, from the terrorists to the teammates. Details are forgotten about, like the bank account heist. The fact that Zakir was so obsessed with having enough of his A-squad terror team yet in the end did he even need any of them? He talked so much of accomplishing his mission, yet he was just a diversion that needed nothing more than bodies to complete the facade. How Alex could shoot both a secure gate guard and then a short time later shoot a soldier on a military base and all of it go unnoticed? No one heard the gunshots? No one came to the secure inner gate at the high-level inner compound, an area of high-ranking officials and covert operational gear with an access gate with only a lone guard? How a group of terrorists could hijack a nuke transport, fire anti-aircraft missiles on US soil at a government helicopter, attack using a rocket-carrying drone, and garner not an ounce of scrutiny from any authority? Guess we're all gun-toting rednecks here in America and shooting up civilians on a highway or firing AR-15s like fireworks and blasting mountainsides with missiles is just par for a typical afternoon. Yee-haw!
Overall, an interesting story. But I'm not sure if I'll sign up for any more Jake Mahegan adventures. I came under Direct Fire, and unfortunately for them they missed the mark.
For one, the stretch of coincidences and chain of events really pulls thin to try holding up this story. It all centers around Alex's revenge. She just happens to be a Syrian immigrant (unsure if smuggled to the US or brought through a refugee program), daughter of a ruling family, who happens to have been separated from her sister during a coup which murdered her parents, the sister eventually happens to fall in love and absolutely has to be married in their home town despite the danger and history. At the same time Alex just happens to have climbed the military ranks, an orphan who happens to join the US military as a career choice and happens to be in the JSOC unit with Savage and Mahegan and happens to be the target validation agent on the strike against a wanted terrorist which happens to be a trick/invalid intel and so she validates the strike on what turns out to be a wedding party convoy that just happens to be her sister's wedding party, killing everyone, which triggers her revenge. It's such a thin string and I honestly am not sure if this was planned by the terrorists or not. If they knew killing her sister would unlock this split-personality crazy side that would, on her own, coordinate and plan this savage attack on the US. Not to mention, no one could figure out the coming events after the wedding party mistake. I mean, don't they perform background checks on people who are gaining access to classified info? Wouldn't they know Alex is a Syrian refugee and the history of the family? Wouldn't they know it was her sister killed in the invalid wedding party strike? Do they not follow up on details like that? Or was it a fire-and-forget mission, in a manner of speaking? I mean, wouldn't at the very least General Savage understand the psychological ramifications of Alex validating a strike that killed her last remaining family member, and thus keep a very close eye on her? It just seems like a very loooong stretch for her to be able to lead this double life in the midst of a special ops team coordinating /spearheading such an attack as this one.
And then there's the flashback exposition dumps. So many backstories are dumped on the reader to help build the character stories, and often in such jarring places in the story. Oh, while Jake is in the middle of a firefight let's take a ten minute pause to reminisce on this little memory of the Operation Groomsmen clusterfuck, or while running from a missile-laden drone attack let's take fifteen minutes to recall Cassie's tense relationship with her father and her ascension in Ranger training. It's backstory filler that comes off as info dumps, a tour through each character's history so that the current events and ties can be explained. Rather than letting such ties be made through the story, it's dropped in our lap with expositional campfire stories. I understand that sometimes it's necessary for one or two of these flashback histories, but there are so many and many come right in the middle of an action scene that it's a bit jarring.
Lastly, the overall ease at which the terrorist plot unfolds. That the terrorists could be so well-armed (a drone with a fully-automatic gun and rockets, stinger missiles, RPGs, ect.). I mean, these aren't things you can simply buy from street hustlers and gang bangers. Wouldn't the military notice a few stinger missiles missing? And the absolute ease they were able to ambush and steal a tactical nuke. The troops guarding it? No problem for this terror team. And apparently the military has no one keeping tabs on a convoy hauling a tactical nuke along US highways and thus is super-slow to react to the fact that it's gone. Yes, the terrorists launched this massive vehicle shut-down cyber attack that would obviously distract many higher-ups, but someone would still have the responsibility of tracking that nuke's progress to its destination, and the fact that it vanishes during a terrorist cyber attack would send up red flags to any competent individual. But no, a missing nuke is set aside for the bigger trouble of stalled cars. No squad of top-tier soldiers is sent to the nuke's last known location, no lockdown of the surrounding area, no urgent bulletin sent to the big-wigs (not until waaaaay later). Civilians and the transport team all gunned down in the middle of the highway? Nope, no response. I guess they assumed it must have been a bad case of road rage. Even an anti-aircraft attack of stinger missiles fired at a chopper isn't enough to prompt investigation. Nope, Jake has gotta do it himself.
Overall, the characters are interesting. Oxendine is a bit one-dimensional and over-the-top. His drive to capture/kill Jake just because both he and Jake are Native American and Jake is "making their people look bad" he has this overzealous desire to kill Jake, to the point of law-breaking and literal backstabbing. Alex's split personality seems a little bit much as well, the fact that it's so bad she has to repress it with some injected drug yet none of her closest companions detect this inner battle is mystifying. Aren't these guys trained to notice details and be acutely aware of their surrounding situations? She may be good at hiding it, but she's not CIA black ops super-spy good. And especially around people that know her personally. She's able to grant the terrorists access to the classified Zebra app, coordinates the intel on the nuke transport, arrange (I assume) the high-end weaponry - I mean, it's mostly military-grade hardware and she's the leader of this little plot, so I'm guessing that's how the terrorists got access to such goodies as stinger rockets and fully automatic weapons (including the chain gun and rockets mounted to the drone). Part of the problem with the characters is that we're not given much time to know them outside of the Alex/Jake/Cassie trio. Everyone else gets an exposition background info dump and that's it. Cassie's parents, the ones she's trying to save? I think he has maybe two lines of dialogue in one brief scene. Yves Dupree? Backstory dump and then left mostly unattended, eventually captured offscreen. Zakir, the terrorist leader? He's pretty much a cardboard cutout bad guy who has no real place aside from a terrorist face leading this attack. Gavril the superhacker terrorist? Forgotten about after the cyberattack auto shutdown. The siphoning of millions off the Bank of America banking system? Forgotten about as well. Don't know who or what happened to that since Zakir and Alex are killed and Yves is captured. Guess that money is like coins in the sofa cushions. So many little things shoved in to make the story more exciting and then left on the side of the road come climax time.
All in all, it was a decent read, but doesn't have the crisp detail and flow. Outside of the main trio, the cast was a bit one-dimensional, from the terrorists to the teammates. Details are forgotten about, like the bank account heist. The fact that Zakir was so obsessed with having enough of his A-squad terror team yet in the end did he even need any of them? He talked so much of accomplishing his mission, yet he was just a diversion that needed nothing more than bodies to complete the facade. How Alex could shoot both a secure gate guard and then a short time later shoot a soldier on a military base and all of it go unnoticed? No one heard the gunshots? No one came to the secure inner gate at the high-level inner compound, an area of high-ranking officials and covert operational gear with an access gate with only a lone guard? How a group of terrorists could hijack a nuke transport, fire anti-aircraft missiles on US soil at a government helicopter, attack using a rocket-carrying drone, and garner not an ounce of scrutiny from any authority? Guess we're all gun-toting rednecks here in America and shooting up civilians on a highway or firing AR-15s like fireworks and blasting mountainsides with missiles is just par for a typical afternoon. Yee-haw!
Overall, an interesting story. But I'm not sure if I'll sign up for any more Jake Mahegan adventures. I came under Direct Fire, and unfortunately for them they missed the mark.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2018
A great thriller!!!
November 20, 2017
Brilliant!! A.J Tata is fast becoming one of my favourite Authors. He certainly knows how to write very clever and interesting Action Thrillers. I thoroughly enjoyed the Intensity of this story, and the detail and background he has put into the characters. Jake Mahegan fits the mould perfectly for the smart, tough guy warrior, with his background in Special Forces he’s definitely a fighting machine, and someone you want on your side.
The person calling themselves Jacknife was very confident in their ability as a killer. They fully expected the target to be asleep, and very easy to kill. However the killer wasn’t overly concerned if they came across anyone else in the house, as they could die as well. Either way it wouldn’t affect the overall mission. Jake Mahegan was used to people shooting at him, especially in his former life as an Army Paratrooper and ex-Delta Force Operative, so it’s no surprise to him when two men try to kill him. Little did America know that it was assisting the terrorist Zakir, in allowing their fighters into the country, and posing as Syrian Refugees. Jake seems to be the only person prepared to find out what’s really going on, especially when everyone else is trying to hunt him down for something he didn’t do. Luckily for Jake he’s not alone, and he has Cassie a very strong and confident female Army Ranger, to assist him in trying to get to the bottom of who’s responsible for all the terrorist activity. If you enjoy Action Thrillers then this is certainly a book worth reading. Seriously great entertainment from start to finish. Easily worth the 5 star rating.
The person calling themselves Jacknife was very confident in their ability as a killer. They fully expected the target to be asleep, and very easy to kill. However the killer wasn’t overly concerned if they came across anyone else in the house, as they could die as well. Either way it wouldn’t affect the overall mission. Jake Mahegan was used to people shooting at him, especially in his former life as an Army Paratrooper and ex-Delta Force Operative, so it’s no surprise to him when two men try to kill him. Little did America know that it was assisting the terrorist Zakir, in allowing their fighters into the country, and posing as Syrian Refugees. Jake seems to be the only person prepared to find out what’s really going on, especially when everyone else is trying to hunt him down for something he didn’t do. Luckily for Jake he’s not alone, and he has Cassie a very strong and confident female Army Ranger, to assist him in trying to get to the bottom of who’s responsible for all the terrorist activity. If you enjoy Action Thrillers then this is certainly a book worth reading. Seriously great entertainment from start to finish. Easily worth the 5 star rating.
September 12, 2017
Read more reviews at Ash Reviews
Jake Mahegan has recently been dismissed by the Army. Now, the former Paratrooper and ex-Delta Force Operative is hastily called out to a General Savages home, overlooking a golf course, for a meeting...but it's a trap.
"It's going down right now. Everything, all at once." This is the perfect mantra for this book that we see repeated over and over again, as it is so accurate.
A CEO of United Bank of America, his wife, and child have all been murdered in cold-blood by a perpetrator that only goes by the name "Jackknife."
Jake, barely escaping with his life, meets Alexandra Russell, Savage's JAG officer, who helps him weave his way through all of the hostages, cyberattacks, and murders that are rocking North Carolina.
Jake Mahegan must find "Jackknife," a Syrian refugee, now terrorist, before they can exact their revenge on Mehegan and America. With bank accounts being drained and the body count climbing, he must get to "Jackknife" before anything else can happen.
A.J. Tata introduces a brand new antagonist and villain, "Jackknife," which is arguably his best villain yet. This formidable opponent for Mahegan keeps this book going non-stop. The second you crack the cover of Direct Fire, the action begins. From there, it is a fire fight to the finish, giving you barely enough time to breath in between chapters.
Tata weaves in current, real world situations, taking into account cyber crime and cyber terrorism. His research must have been incredibly thorough, as everything he said is a possibility.
With Direct Fire, A.J. Tata has brought Jake Mahegan to a whole new level, and is Tata's best piece of work yet. This is a book that you will not want to be attempting to read on your lunch break at work, or three hours later, you'll realize you're still in the break room.
Early on in Direct Fire, A.J. Tata writes, "The AR-15 fired high wild and high, like a baseball closer losing control of his fastball." Well this book is the batter that just crushed the closer's fastball over the centerfield wall.
A.J. Tata nails Direct Fire, his best novel to date. This is a must read for fans of Ben Coes or Mark Greaney.
---------------------
Details:
Title: Direct Fire
Author: A.J. Tata
Series: Captain Jake Mahegan (#4)
Pages: 464 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 1496706641
Publisher: Kensington
Release Date: December 26, 2017
Ash Reviews Rating: 8.5/10
Ash Review Audiobook Rating: Unreleased
Read or Listen: Read
Jake Mahegan has recently been dismissed by the Army. Now, the former Paratrooper and ex-Delta Force Operative is hastily called out to a General Savages home, overlooking a golf course, for a meeting...but it's a trap.
"It's going down right now. Everything, all at once." This is the perfect mantra for this book that we see repeated over and over again, as it is so accurate.
A CEO of United Bank of America, his wife, and child have all been murdered in cold-blood by a perpetrator that only goes by the name "Jackknife."
Jake, barely escaping with his life, meets Alexandra Russell, Savage's JAG officer, who helps him weave his way through all of the hostages, cyberattacks, and murders that are rocking North Carolina.
Jake Mahegan must find "Jackknife," a Syrian refugee, now terrorist, before they can exact their revenge on Mehegan and America. With bank accounts being drained and the body count climbing, he must get to "Jackknife" before anything else can happen.
A.J. Tata introduces a brand new antagonist and villain, "Jackknife," which is arguably his best villain yet. This formidable opponent for Mahegan keeps this book going non-stop. The second you crack the cover of Direct Fire, the action begins. From there, it is a fire fight to the finish, giving you barely enough time to breath in between chapters.
Tata weaves in current, real world situations, taking into account cyber crime and cyber terrorism. His research must have been incredibly thorough, as everything he said is a possibility.
With Direct Fire, A.J. Tata has brought Jake Mahegan to a whole new level, and is Tata's best piece of work yet. This is a book that you will not want to be attempting to read on your lunch break at work, or three hours later, you'll realize you're still in the break room.
Early on in Direct Fire, A.J. Tata writes, "The AR-15 fired high wild and high, like a baseball closer losing control of his fastball." Well this book is the batter that just crushed the closer's fastball over the centerfield wall.
A.J. Tata nails Direct Fire, his best novel to date. This is a must read for fans of Ben Coes or Mark Greaney.
---------------------
Details:
Title: Direct Fire
Author: A.J. Tata
Series: Captain Jake Mahegan (#4)
Pages: 464 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 1496706641
Publisher: Kensington
Release Date: December 26, 2017
Ash Reviews Rating: 8.5/10
Ash Review Audiobook Rating: Unreleased
Read or Listen: Read
November 25, 2017
* I received a review copy of this book from the publisher for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own.
Former brigadier general turned best-selling author A.J. Tata opens his newest book in the bloodthirsty mind of Jackknife as a powerful banker is gunned down in cold blood. Jackknife is a killer with a message to send to a group of Special Forces members, just the kind of opponent to go up against Tata’s protagonist, Jake Mahegan.
Direct Fire is Tata’s fourth action packed thrilled focusing on Jake Mahegan, but the other books do not have to be read to fully enjoy the adventure. Mahegan is a former army paratrooper and ex-Delta Force operative. He has a sharp tactical mind and strong determination. Only someone like Tata, with a military history of his own, could pull off the strong details that fill this book and give it a feeling of authenticity.
Mahegan has been called out to his former commander’s home in Southern Pines, but the whole thing is a trap. There have been a variety of traps sent that night, but Mahegan manages to outwit his opponent and save his friends. At the same time, Mahegan has been framed for the murder that Jackknife committed on the other side of North Carolina.
While Mahegan fights for his freedom, he discovers that there is also a ring of terrorists wreaking havoc in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Everything somehow ties back to Operation Groomsman, a military operation in Iraq that Mahegan was involved with years earlier, that went horribly wrong when a wedding party was killed.
Tata weaves in current, real world situations, taking into account cyber crime and cyber terrorism. Scenes like all cars with GPS systems that connect to a main account being hyjacked to stop working seem eerily possible. Cyberterrorists syphoning money from people’s bank accounts is another frightening possibility.
Atrocities that might be common place in the middle east have made their way to the United States in this fast paced novel. A true page turner with multiple stories melding together to create a realistic background make this a great book for those who enjoy military thrillers. The bad guys may want to attack America, but with heroes like Jake Mahegan, they don’t stand a chance.
Former brigadier general turned best-selling author A.J. Tata opens his newest book in the bloodthirsty mind of Jackknife as a powerful banker is gunned down in cold blood. Jackknife is a killer with a message to send to a group of Special Forces members, just the kind of opponent to go up against Tata’s protagonist, Jake Mahegan.
Direct Fire is Tata’s fourth action packed thrilled focusing on Jake Mahegan, but the other books do not have to be read to fully enjoy the adventure. Mahegan is a former army paratrooper and ex-Delta Force operative. He has a sharp tactical mind and strong determination. Only someone like Tata, with a military history of his own, could pull off the strong details that fill this book and give it a feeling of authenticity.
Mahegan has been called out to his former commander’s home in Southern Pines, but the whole thing is a trap. There have been a variety of traps sent that night, but Mahegan manages to outwit his opponent and save his friends. At the same time, Mahegan has been framed for the murder that Jackknife committed on the other side of North Carolina.
While Mahegan fights for his freedom, he discovers that there is also a ring of terrorists wreaking havoc in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Everything somehow ties back to Operation Groomsman, a military operation in Iraq that Mahegan was involved with years earlier, that went horribly wrong when a wedding party was killed.
Tata weaves in current, real world situations, taking into account cyber crime and cyber terrorism. Scenes like all cars with GPS systems that connect to a main account being hyjacked to stop working seem eerily possible. Cyberterrorists syphoning money from people’s bank accounts is another frightening possibility.
Atrocities that might be common place in the middle east have made their way to the United States in this fast paced novel. A true page turner with multiple stories melding together to create a realistic background make this a great book for those who enjoy military thrillers. The bad guys may want to attack America, but with heroes like Jake Mahegan, they don’t stand a chance.
April 23, 2018
"Direct Fire" eBook was published in 2017 and was written by A. J. Tata (https://www.ajtata.com). Mr. Tata has published nine novels. This is the fourth in his "Jake Mahegan Thriller" series.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in the contemporary US. The primary character is Jake Mahegan.
Mahegan received a call to meet with General Savage. When he arrives he runs into an ambush. At essentially the same time military leaders are under attack. This is the start of a full assault by terrorist agents in the US. Mahegan outwits those sent to kill him and begins a mission to find those behind the assault.
Complicating matters, the terrorists frame him for the attack on one of the military leaders. Ducking the authorities, he pursues leads that will take him to those behind the attacks. He must overcome many obstacles to stop the terrorists before they let loose even more destruction on the US.
I enjoyed the time I spent reading the 353 page thriller. I have read other novels in this series and enjoyed them all. I like the Mahegan character Tata has created for this series. The cover art is OK but doesn't directly relate to the story. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in the contemporary US. The primary character is Jake Mahegan.
Mahegan received a call to meet with General Savage. When he arrives he runs into an ambush. At essentially the same time military leaders are under attack. This is the start of a full assault by terrorist agents in the US. Mahegan outwits those sent to kill him and begins a mission to find those behind the assault.
Complicating matters, the terrorists frame him for the attack on one of the military leaders. Ducking the authorities, he pursues leads that will take him to those behind the attacks. He must overcome many obstacles to stop the terrorists before they let loose even more destruction on the US.
I enjoyed the time I spent reading the 353 page thriller. I have read other novels in this series and enjoyed them all. I like the Mahegan character Tata has created for this series. The cover art is OK but doesn't directly relate to the story. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
February 13, 2018
Mahegan finds himself in another sticky situation when he is lured into a sticky situation under false pretenses. The people present tell him that "it's going down right now. Everything, all at once". From that moment on, Tata takes you on a thrilling ride as Mahegan tries to piece together the meaning of attacks at the highest level of the army and US financial industry, while evading the local and federal police after being framed for a number of the crimes. Mahegan Tata also introduces a new antagonist, which helps this 4th installment to be a page turner as you try and determine who it might really be and what their end goal ultimately is.
Mahegan continues to be developed as a strong character, and while the genre is full of similar protagonists, Mahegan continues to stands out amongst his peers and continues to live up to his hype.
The action is non-stop from cover to cover due to Tata's ability to develop unique and terrifying attack scenarios. The all-too-real feel of panic and suspense is critical to getting lost in the story, and Tata continues to improve as a writer, making it easier for readers to believe what’s happening as he brings it to life on the page. The story is a relentless thriller where Tata's SF experience shines through when comparing to other authors in the genre. If you enjoy Action Thrillers then this is certainly a book worth reading, as are the first 3 installments of the series.
Mahegan continues to be developed as a strong character, and while the genre is full of similar protagonists, Mahegan continues to stands out amongst his peers and continues to live up to his hype.
The action is non-stop from cover to cover due to Tata's ability to develop unique and terrifying attack scenarios. The all-too-real feel of panic and suspense is critical to getting lost in the story, and Tata continues to improve as a writer, making it easier for readers to believe what’s happening as he brings it to life on the page. The story is a relentless thriller where Tata's SF experience shines through when comparing to other authors in the genre. If you enjoy Action Thrillers then this is certainly a book worth reading, as are the first 3 installments of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2017
Another great thriller from Ret. Brigadier General, A. J. Tata. This type of military tech thriller can only be written by somebody who has the direct knowledge of the military like the author. Jake Mahegan, his continuing character, has to try and save the U.S. from potential disaster from terrorists. The technology discussed in the story is great and the action makes this book impossible to put down.
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