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Joe Pickett #16
Off the Grid
The Red Desert of Wyoming is a beautiful and punishing place for anybody, even for game warden Joe Pickett and his friend Nate Romanowski in this #1 New York Times bestselling thriller...
Nate is off the grid, recuperating from wounds and trying to deal with past crimes, when he is suddenly surrounded by a small team of elite professional special operators. They’re not there to threaten him, but to make a deal. They need help destroying a domestic terror cell in Wyoming’s Red Desert, and in return they’ll make Nate’s criminal record disappear.
But they are not what they seem, as Nate’s friend Joe Pickett discovers. They have a much different plan in mind, and it just might be something that takes them all down—including Nate and Joe.
Nate is off the grid, recuperating from wounds and trying to deal with past crimes, when he is suddenly surrounded by a small team of elite professional special operators. They’re not there to threaten him, but to make a deal. They need help destroying a domestic terror cell in Wyoming’s Red Desert, and in return they’ll make Nate’s criminal record disappear.
But they are not what they seem, as Nate’s friend Joe Pickett discovers. They have a much different plan in mind, and it just might be something that takes them all down—including Nate and Joe.
381 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2016
3855 people are currently reading
5327 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Box
110 books7,101 followersC. J. Box is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 24 novels including the Joe Pickett series. He won the Edgar Alan Poe Award for Best Novel (Blue Heaven, 2009) as well as the Anthony Award, Prix Calibre 38 (France), the Macavity Award, the Gumshoe Award, two Barry Awards, and the 2010 Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Award for fiction. He was recently awarded the 2016 Western Heritage Award for Literature by the National Cowboy Museum as well as the Spur Award for Best Contemporary Novel by the Western Writers of America in 2017. The novels have been translated into 27 languages.
Box is a Wyoming native and has worked as a ranch hand, surveyor, fishing guide, a small town newspaper reporter and editor, and he co-owns an international tourism marketing firm with his wife Laurie. They have three daughters. An avid outdoorsman, Box has hunted, fished, hiked, ridden, and skied throughout Wyoming and the Mountain West. He served on the Board of Directors for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Box lives in Wyoming.
--from the author's website
Series:
* Joe Pickett
http://us.macmillan.com/author/cjbox
Box is a Wyoming native and has worked as a ranch hand, surveyor, fishing guide, a small town newspaper reporter and editor, and he co-owns an international tourism marketing firm with his wife Laurie. They have three daughters. An avid outdoorsman, Box has hunted, fished, hiked, ridden, and skied throughout Wyoming and the Mountain West. He served on the Board of Directors for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Box lives in Wyoming.
--from the author's website
Series:
* Joe Pickett
http://us.macmillan.com/author/cjbox
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,489 reviews
April 15, 2018
Box just gets better and better!
The good guys are so good and badass and the bad guys are so shady. I found myself cheering out loud as I read. I love that this is a series and I know there is already a book after this because I just don't want to stop reading!
While I have enjoyed Box from the very first book, he has really hit his stride with the last 4 or 5 books. The settings, the characters, the action - all of it perfect. And, since this book is pretty far into the series I can't really talk about it much without spoilers. Just know this, you should read this! Read the whole series! It's awesome.
The good guys are so good and badass and the bad guys are so shady. I found myself cheering out loud as I read. I love that this is a series and I know there is already a book after this because I just don't want to stop reading!
While I have enjoyed Box from the very first book, he has really hit his stride with the last 4 or 5 books. The settings, the characters, the action - all of it perfect. And, since this book is pretty far into the series I can't really talk about it much without spoilers. Just know this, you should read this! Read the whole series! It's awesome.
March 27, 2016
I love this series for its outdoor Wyoming setting for the action and its game warden hero, Joe Pickett, who is a wholesome family man with a quirky sense of humor. Though he is a bit of bore with his Boy Scout morality, he is subject to human lust, frustrations with bureaucracy, and bending regulations when needed to achieve justice for his adversaries. As Spenser has his Hawk, Robicheaux his Clete, and Elvis Cole his Joe Pike, Pickett has Nate Romanowski to keep his hands clean when illegal actions to fight evil are required.
We start this one with Nate living well “off the grid” as part of a deal to avoid federal prosecution for using his special-ops skills to kill bad guys in past episodes. Some shadowy feds find him and dragoon him into investigating a Saudi royal scion hiding out suspiciously in the Red Desert. Nate’s tradition of falconry is a perfect angle to get close to this charismatic prince (he keeps a variety of hawks, but hawking doesn’t seem the right word). Meanwhile Governor Rulon dragoons Pickett to check out possible terrorist plans afoot in the desert, as signaled by some unusual hijackings of trucks and equipment. Pickett is to use a real case of a killer bear on the run as a ruse similar to past exploits:
“Look”, Rulon said, “remember when I sent you up to Medicine Wheel County to poke around for me? How we figured a game warden wouldn’t be suspicious in a county filled with paranoid lunatics who didn’t have the sense to vote for me either time I ran? Well, we know it didn’t work worth shit, but you still got the job done in the end. You possess special skills. Your talent for bumbling around until the situation explodes into a bloodbath or a debacle is uncanny. I don’t know how you manage it.
Me either, Joe said, flushing red.
“I need you to do it again”.
The terrorist plot they end up trying to foil is fairly plausible, and generalized Arab bashing is thankfully avoided. As usual, one of Pickett’s daughters ends up in the dangerous mix, in this case 20-year old Sheridan, who is drawn against her better judgment into working as a volunteer with “trust-fund anarchists” concerned with defense of the Fourth Amendment. That is my only clue to avoid spoilers. Country boys (and girls) can survive. And save the day without blowing everything up. But always Pickett gets his truck destroyed, forever getting him in trouble with the bean counters and bosses who have little clue about his undercover work.
More of my Goodreads friends should try the series out, as they are missing some special fun. A handful tried the first couple, which even for me were 3-star reads. I recommend jumping in the middle somewhere, when Box got his game (e.g. #5 “Out of Range” or #7 “Free Fire).
We start this one with Nate living well “off the grid” as part of a deal to avoid federal prosecution for using his special-ops skills to kill bad guys in past episodes. Some shadowy feds find him and dragoon him into investigating a Saudi royal scion hiding out suspiciously in the Red Desert. Nate’s tradition of falconry is a perfect angle to get close to this charismatic prince (he keeps a variety of hawks, but hawking doesn’t seem the right word). Meanwhile Governor Rulon dragoons Pickett to check out possible terrorist plans afoot in the desert, as signaled by some unusual hijackings of trucks and equipment. Pickett is to use a real case of a killer bear on the run as a ruse similar to past exploits:
“Look”, Rulon said, “remember when I sent you up to Medicine Wheel County to poke around for me? How we figured a game warden wouldn’t be suspicious in a county filled with paranoid lunatics who didn’t have the sense to vote for me either time I ran? Well, we know it didn’t work worth shit, but you still got the job done in the end. You possess special skills. Your talent for bumbling around until the situation explodes into a bloodbath or a debacle is uncanny. I don’t know how you manage it.
Me either, Joe said, flushing red.
“I need you to do it again”.
The terrorist plot they end up trying to foil is fairly plausible, and generalized Arab bashing is thankfully avoided. As usual, one of Pickett’s daughters ends up in the dangerous mix, in this case 20-year old Sheridan, who is drawn against her better judgment into working as a volunteer with “trust-fund anarchists” concerned with defense of the Fourth Amendment. That is my only clue to avoid spoilers. Country boys (and girls) can survive. And save the day without blowing everything up. But always Pickett gets his truck destroyed, forever getting him in trouble with the bean counters and bosses who have little clue about his undercover work.
More of my Goodreads friends should try the series out, as they are missing some special fun. A handful tried the first couple, which even for me were 3-star reads. I recommend jumping in the middle somewhere, when Box got his game (e.g. #5 “Out of Range” or #7 “Free Fire).
March 11, 2016
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
I enjoyed this one. This was actually the first book by C.J. West that I have read. I have no idea why I decided to jump into book #16 of a series. Sometimes that kind of decision works in my favor and sometimes it blows up in my face. This series seems to be one that readers can successfully enjoy this book without reading the previous books int he series although there were a few times in the story that I think I would have enjoyed it more if I knew the characters history.
This book had a lot of exciting moments. One thing that I really liked was that even during the most action filled moment the story was still able to feel authentic. I could completely see everything that happens in this book happening in real life. I hope it doesn't but I didn't think it was impossible. It is really rare to find a book that can really feel so real throughout the story.
I really liked Joe Pickett. After meeting Joe and his family in this book, I definitely want to go back and read the previous book in this series. Joe was just such a likable character and a genuinely good guy. He deals with very stressful situations well and is able to remain calm when everyone else is panicking. My favorite parts of the book were the parts that came from Joe's point of view.
Nate felt like more of a mystery to me. I really did wish that I had the background from the previous books to learn his story. Nate just didn't feel as interesting to me as Joe. He some really neat skills and I loved his work in falconry. I didn't like the parts of the book from Nate's perspective nearly as much. The secondary characters were all very interesting and added a lot to the overall story.
I enjoyed the style of writing. The pacing in this book was expertly done. I liked that there were lots of different things happening during the story to really keep the excitement level high. The characters were all wonderfully detailed and each had a distinctive personality that really came across in the story. I thought that the descriptions in the book were fantastic. I almost felt like I was there during some scenes in the book especially the one with the bear.
I would recommend this book to others. Anyone who is already a fan of the Joe Pickett series will definitely want to get their hands on this book as soon as possible. New readers will also find a lot to enjoy in this story. I plan to read a lot more C.J. Box in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin Publishing Group - G.P. Putnam's Sons via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book once I really got into it. This is the first book that I have read in the series. While I think it reads okay as a stand alone, I did feel like I was a missing a few things and found the book hard to get into. I liked the parts of the book that came from Joe's point of view much better than any other characters.
I enjoyed this one. This was actually the first book by C.J. West that I have read. I have no idea why I decided to jump into book #16 of a series. Sometimes that kind of decision works in my favor and sometimes it blows up in my face. This series seems to be one that readers can successfully enjoy this book without reading the previous books int he series although there were a few times in the story that I think I would have enjoyed it more if I knew the characters history.
This book had a lot of exciting moments. One thing that I really liked was that even during the most action filled moment the story was still able to feel authentic. I could completely see everything that happens in this book happening in real life. I hope it doesn't but I didn't think it was impossible. It is really rare to find a book that can really feel so real throughout the story.
I really liked Joe Pickett. After meeting Joe and his family in this book, I definitely want to go back and read the previous book in this series. Joe was just such a likable character and a genuinely good guy. He deals with very stressful situations well and is able to remain calm when everyone else is panicking. My favorite parts of the book were the parts that came from Joe's point of view.
Nate felt like more of a mystery to me. I really did wish that I had the background from the previous books to learn his story. Nate just didn't feel as interesting to me as Joe. He some really neat skills and I loved his work in falconry. I didn't like the parts of the book from Nate's perspective nearly as much. The secondary characters were all very interesting and added a lot to the overall story.
I enjoyed the style of writing. The pacing in this book was expertly done. I liked that there were lots of different things happening during the story to really keep the excitement level high. The characters were all wonderfully detailed and each had a distinctive personality that really came across in the story. I thought that the descriptions in the book were fantastic. I almost felt like I was there during some scenes in the book especially the one with the bear.
I would recommend this book to others. Anyone who is already a fan of the Joe Pickett series will definitely want to get their hands on this book as soon as possible. New readers will also find a lot to enjoy in this story. I plan to read a lot more C.J. Box in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin Publishing Group - G.P. Putnam's Sons via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book once I really got into it. This is the first book that I have read in the series. While I think it reads okay as a stand alone, I did feel like I was a missing a few things and found the book hard to get into. I liked the parts of the book that came from Joe's point of view much better than any other characters.
September 9, 2020
The opening premise is better than this story and it does not get flushed out well. There is a gratuitous amount of blood and death leading to nowhere. 4 of 10 stars
December 4, 2022
"Your talent for bumbling around until the situation explodes into a bloodbath or a debacle is uncanny. I don't know how you manage to do it."
― C.J. Box, Off the Grid
That was Governor Rulon speaking to Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett. Rulon has one more "request" he needs from Joe before he leaves office. There are three different story lines here that will converge in a showdown in the Red Desert section of Wyoming.
Nate Romanowski has been off the grid recuperating from wounds he suffered in Endangered but now he has been found by some government men. They are elite professional special operators but they are not there to arrest him. They are there to offer him a deal. They can make his criminal record and all of the charges against him disappear.
Governor Rulon shows up in Saddlestring. He tells Joe that one of his donors, a ranch owner, has been sheltering Nate when the Feds showed up. They ordered the ranch owner and his wife to leave the room so they could have a private talk with Nate. If you have read any of the previous Joe Pickett books you know how Rulon feels about the Feds showing up in his state. He doesn't know where Nate is now but he has a general idea where he headed. It is an area where there have been the thefts of eighteen wheelers and heavy equipment. Rulon wants Joe to investigate. No one would suspect a game warden. One last roundup.
Joe's daughter, Sheridan, is a senior at the University of Wyoming and lives off campus. One of her roomates, Kira, is from the Bay Area. She is lost when it comes to anything related to Wyoming. She is active on social media and wants to recruit Sheridan to go camping. She has some internet friends who are looking for volunteers to help out on a project.
It seems that there are terrorists who are plotting there next act in the middle of the Red Desert in Wyoming and only Joe and Nate can prevent another attack that could be bigger than 9/11. Entertaining story. Not the best in the series. Of course Joe loses another truck in the process. Not sure how many this is now. This one doesn't get buried in snow on top of a mountain.
― C.J. Box, Off the Grid
That was Governor Rulon speaking to Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett. Rulon has one more "request" he needs from Joe before he leaves office. There are three different story lines here that will converge in a showdown in the Red Desert section of Wyoming.
Nate Romanowski has been off the grid recuperating from wounds he suffered in Endangered but now he has been found by some government men. They are elite professional special operators but they are not there to arrest him. They are there to offer him a deal. They can make his criminal record and all of the charges against him disappear.
Governor Rulon shows up in Saddlestring. He tells Joe that one of his donors, a ranch owner, has been sheltering Nate when the Feds showed up. They ordered the ranch owner and his wife to leave the room so they could have a private talk with Nate. If you have read any of the previous Joe Pickett books you know how Rulon feels about the Feds showing up in his state. He doesn't know where Nate is now but he has a general idea where he headed. It is an area where there have been the thefts of eighteen wheelers and heavy equipment. Rulon wants Joe to investigate. No one would suspect a game warden. One last roundup.
Joe's daughter, Sheridan, is a senior at the University of Wyoming and lives off campus. One of her roomates, Kira, is from the Bay Area. She is lost when it comes to anything related to Wyoming. She is active on social media and wants to recruit Sheridan to go camping. She has some internet friends who are looking for volunteers to help out on a project.
It seems that there are terrorists who are plotting there next act in the middle of the Red Desert in Wyoming and only Joe and Nate can prevent another attack that could be bigger than 9/11. Entertaining story. Not the best in the series. Of course Joe loses another truck in the process. Not sure how many this is now. This one doesn't get buried in snow on top of a mountain.
March 25, 2016
From the beginning - when I first learned of this series featuring Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett - I was hooked. Pickett, after all, is my maiden name; and while it's really not all that uncommon, it provided me with a link I simply couldn't resist. Add to that an interesting character, plots set in remote areas of Wyoming and surrounding parts, and when I finish one I eagerly await publication of the next.
This is the 16th, I believe, and yes, it's every bit as good as its predecessors - despite the fact that the topic is less than appealing to me. With all that's going on in the world today, the absolute last thing I want to read about - even if it's fiction and the good guys and gals win - is anything even remotely connected to terrorism. This one dives into those waters with both feet, with a terrorist cell that ultimately threatens the lives of Joe, his "off the grid" falconer friend Nate Romanowski and at least one person very close to Joe (not to mention the United States as a whole).
Nate, it seems, has been on the lam for some time, trying to avoid capture by a government that would love to see him back in jail. Unfortunately for him, a couple of special operators finally catch up with him. But rather than put him in chains, they make an offer: Help us destroy a terrorist cell that's taken up operations in Wyoming, and we'll wipe out any hint of your criminal record.
With little choice but to agree, Nate reluctantly sets out to infiltrate the cell. When he meets the leader and learns the agenda, though, he has second thoughts about his mission. The goal is to destroy a government activity that threatens the freedom of this country's citizens - not the citizens themselves - and the activist in Nate finds it hard not to sympathize. But true to his word, Nate puts his personal feelings aside and sticks to the task at hand.
Meanwhile, outgoing state Governor Rulon (with whom Joe has a special working relationship) calls Joe in to request a last favor before he leaves office: Follow Nate into the Red Desert and find out what he's up to. Somewhat reluctantly, Joe agrees. But as if all this weren't enough, a giant and vicious grizzly bear has gone rogue and developed an affinity for human meat; and Joe's daughter Sheridan's college roommate cajoles her into joining a group of students out to save the world by helping with a clandestine "project" somewhere in - you guessed it - the Red Desert.
As with all the other books, this one stands alone just fine; but I will emphasize that to get the most out of it, it's best to start somewhere closer to the first in the series. A big part of the interest, at least for me, is watching Joe's family grow up over the years. With the first book, Joe became one of my all-time favorite book "heroes" - and he's earned his place on that list with every installment since. This may not be my favorite of the series, but it's well worth reading.
This is the 16th, I believe, and yes, it's every bit as good as its predecessors - despite the fact that the topic is less than appealing to me. With all that's going on in the world today, the absolute last thing I want to read about - even if it's fiction and the good guys and gals win - is anything even remotely connected to terrorism. This one dives into those waters with both feet, with a terrorist cell that ultimately threatens the lives of Joe, his "off the grid" falconer friend Nate Romanowski and at least one person very close to Joe (not to mention the United States as a whole).
Nate, it seems, has been on the lam for some time, trying to avoid capture by a government that would love to see him back in jail. Unfortunately for him, a couple of special operators finally catch up with him. But rather than put him in chains, they make an offer: Help us destroy a terrorist cell that's taken up operations in Wyoming, and we'll wipe out any hint of your criminal record.
With little choice but to agree, Nate reluctantly sets out to infiltrate the cell. When he meets the leader and learns the agenda, though, he has second thoughts about his mission. The goal is to destroy a government activity that threatens the freedom of this country's citizens - not the citizens themselves - and the activist in Nate finds it hard not to sympathize. But true to his word, Nate puts his personal feelings aside and sticks to the task at hand.
Meanwhile, outgoing state Governor Rulon (with whom Joe has a special working relationship) calls Joe in to request a last favor before he leaves office: Follow Nate into the Red Desert and find out what he's up to. Somewhat reluctantly, Joe agrees. But as if all this weren't enough, a giant and vicious grizzly bear has gone rogue and developed an affinity for human meat; and Joe's daughter Sheridan's college roommate cajoles her into joining a group of students out to save the world by helping with a clandestine "project" somewhere in - you guessed it - the Red Desert.
As with all the other books, this one stands alone just fine; but I will emphasize that to get the most out of it, it's best to start somewhere closer to the first in the series. A big part of the interest, at least for me, is watching Joe's family grow up over the years. With the first book, Joe became one of my all-time favorite book "heroes" - and he's earned his place on that list with every installment since. This may not be my favorite of the series, but it's well worth reading.
August 28, 2016
3.0 STARS
C. J. Box has truly gone off the grid with this installment of the Joe Pickett series. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Box and adore game warden Joe Pickett and his family but this one was a huge leap from the usual Pickett adventure. I wasn’t thrilled with this departure from the tales of the Pickett family and their life in Saddlestring, WY to Islamic terror, international political intrigue, the National Security Agency and domestic terrorism.
Like the entire Pickett series, this story was packed with unrelenting action and chair gripping tension, all taking place within the natural beauty of Wyoming. But it felt overwhelmed by so many ethical and political issues, law enforcement actions and violent encounters that nothing was thoughtfully explored with any depth or intensity. It all felt very superficially active like a summer action movie. Lots of action and adventure? Oh yes. Any deep exploration of the issues and morality of the actions of the characters? Not so much.
Nate Romanowski, longtime friend of Pickett family who went off the grid to avoid any contact with law enforcement over past crimes, is begrudgingly dragged back onto the grid by an unrecognized, shadow US government agency dedicated to national security. Unbeknownst to government officials, prominent members of the Wolverines are embedded in the NSA, DOJ, Pentagon, FBI, even the presidential cabinet. Wolverine operatives make Nate a deal – travel to the Red Desert Basin in southern WY near the Colorado border to gain intelligence on a suspected domestic terrorist cell operating in a long abandoned ranch and Romanowski’s transgressions against the law would be expunged from his record forever. Nate is a falconer. So is Muhammad Ibraaheem. Perfect pretext to connect with the suspected leader of a curious collection of scientists, communication specialists and college aged volunteers recruited online to work on the ranch.
Joe Pickett is busy tracking GB-53, a grizzly bear under the watchful eye of Jessica White and her team of large carnivore researchers. The team is studying unprovoked bear attacks and a hunter has been mauled and cached by the 550-pound male grizzly bear that had wandered into the Bighorns from Grand Teton National Park the summer before.
Over the years Joe has embarked on many special projects for WY Governor Rulon, developing a close, friendly relationship. It seems federal agents have been snooping around the state capitol gathering intelligence about Nate Romanowski. Federal intrusion is not very welcomed in this fiercely independent state and Rulon wants him to find out what is of such great interest in the Red Desert. Tracking the bear is the perfect cover for Pickett to execute the search!
These many interests and motivations violently collide in the Red Desert!
Box adeptly pulls in current national conversations and ethical dilemmas of terrorism, radical Islam and fourth amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure. The NSA’s mass metadata surveillance activity is at the heart of the Red Desert confrontations and surfaces questions about citizen actions. Is non-lethal domestic terrorism justified when the government violates the Unites States Constitution and Bill of Rights in the name of national security? Given the politics of the 2016 Presidential campaign this book is extraordinarily timely.
The action is fast and furious. The Machiavellian idea of ends justifying the means is on full display and illegal government intrusion into our private lives in the name of national security is prominently featured. I came away feeling moderately satisfied – I’m thrilled to have Nate Romanowski back in the series but with the inclusion of so many international and domestic political issues, I felt a deeper exploration of these issues was warranted.
I was intrigued by EMP - electromagnetic pulse. Who knew?
Welcome back Nate!
August 10, 2024
5 Stars for Off The Grid: Joe Pickett, Book 16 (audiobook) by C.J. Box read by David Chandler.
Joe Pickett is on his last special assignment for the Governor to investigate some suspicious activities. And Nate Romanowski has been recruited into a special government agency to infiltrate a domestic terror cell. Things start to go sideways as a foreign group takes over the cell and has their own plans for the weapons.
Joe Pickett is on his last special assignment for the Governor to investigate some suspicious activities. And Nate Romanowski has been recruited into a special government agency to infiltrate a domestic terror cell. Things start to go sideways as a foreign group takes over the cell and has their own plans for the weapons.
August 26, 2021
I believe Box is a very good writer/storyteller and I've thoroughly enjoyed reading him. This story seemed contrived to me like there was a discussion that started with "we need to have jihadists chopping off heads. Everyone else is writing about head chopping middle easterners we need you to get them to Wyoming."
It was an okay read but had I not been a fan of Box and thoroughly enjoy Romanowski and ultimately think he would pull the story out I would have quit at page 75. I finished it but in the end, it was a letdown.
A bit harsh in my initial review upon my second read I found it better! C'est la vie.
It was an okay read but had I not been a fan of Box and thoroughly enjoy Romanowski and ultimately think he would pull the story out I would have quit at page 75. I finished it but in the end, it was a letdown.
A bit harsh in my initial review upon my second read I found it better! C'est la vie.
June 4, 2018
I know all the reviews are great and again I'm the Lone Ranger on this one. I read this title because my husband was reading it, and we thought it would be fun to read something together. First off the political undertones were off-putting to me. This became more pronounced toward the end of the book. The full description of the hero came at the end, which was weird. I had in my mind what he looked like only to be surprised how off base I was in the end.
I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but there is also underlying racism in this novel. You can hate me for being a liberal, but I won't be reading anything else from this Wyoming Author. That's just me.
I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but there is also underlying racism in this novel. You can hate me for being a liberal, but I won't be reading anything else from this Wyoming Author. That's just me.
April 9, 2024
The Blood of Patriots
This was a Joe Pickett story that left me scratching my head about what was really right and who was really in the wrong. Some of it seemed obvious until it didn’t.
Nate Romanowski had some really strange characters from the governmen, but who aren’t exactly the government make him a deal he couldn’t refuse. They put their boot on the life if the young woman Nate has gone into business with as the stick, and as the carrot they offered to expunge Nate’s criminal record if he does a mission for them in the Red Dessert.
Joe Pickett has one last mission to do for Governor Rulon, and he’s sure going to miss those special assignments. Funny thing is that Joe heard through the grapevine that Nate might even be in the area Joe is going. He hates to leave his district in the lurch with Grizzly Bear #53 just having killed a hunter, but the bear’s collar last pinged heading toward the Red Dessert.
Nate knows what kind of people he will be dealing with, but Joe has no idea what he’s getting himself into this time and it’s really bad. The worst part is that Sheridan inadvertently stumbled right into the middle of the whole mess.
Can C. J. Box keep putting out great stories like this? Joe is getting old, so I know it’s going to end someday, but I sure am going to miss these people. Five stars.
This was a Joe Pickett story that left me scratching my head about what was really right and who was really in the wrong. Some of it seemed obvious until it didn’t.
Nate Romanowski had some really strange characters from the governmen, but who aren’t exactly the government make him a deal he couldn’t refuse. They put their boot on the life if the young woman Nate has gone into business with as the stick, and as the carrot they offered to expunge Nate’s criminal record if he does a mission for them in the Red Dessert.
Joe Pickett has one last mission to do for Governor Rulon, and he’s sure going to miss those special assignments. Funny thing is that Joe heard through the grapevine that Nate might even be in the area Joe is going. He hates to leave his district in the lurch with Grizzly Bear #53 just having killed a hunter, but the bear’s collar last pinged heading toward the Red Dessert.
Nate knows what kind of people he will be dealing with, but Joe has no idea what he’s getting himself into this time and it’s really bad. The worst part is that Sheridan inadvertently stumbled right into the middle of the whole mess.
Can C. J. Box keep putting out great stories like this? Joe is getting old, so I know it’s going to end someday, but I sure am going to miss these people. Five stars.
May 4, 2016
This book is an example of why reviews on the Internet cannot be trusted. It is probably the worst book I've ever paid for and read, but in the days of "give me five stars and I'll give you five," Al Gore's Interwebs easily mislead.
The book was just, plain bad. Poorly written, very poorly researched, but at least there was no plot and no effort made in character development.
Constant referral to some mythological "special operations," ridiculous choice of weapons for an alleged special operator engaged in combat against a large force, calibers in production firearms that don't exist, ridiculous levels of blind trust among allegedly super-intelligent conspirators. Ugh. I only finished it because I'd paid for it and I couldn't wait to write this review.
It was clearly written for today's tin-foil domed anti-Big Brother crowd, but hey, even they deserve an author who at least makes some effort.
The book was just, plain bad. Poorly written, very poorly researched, but at least there was no plot and no effort made in character development.
Constant referral to some mythological "special operations," ridiculous choice of weapons for an alleged special operator engaged in combat against a large force, calibers in production firearms that don't exist, ridiculous levels of blind trust among allegedly super-intelligent conspirators. Ugh. I only finished it because I'd paid for it and I couldn't wait to write this review.
It was clearly written for today's tin-foil domed anti-Big Brother crowd, but hey, even they deserve an author who at least makes some effort.
June 10, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Really good plot about a domestic terrorism ring but it was not as clear cut as it sounds. The story had some complexity to it and had an awesome pace. A great installment in the Joe Pickett series. Loving this series!
Really good plot about a domestic terrorism ring but it was not as clear cut as it sounds. The story had some complexity to it and had an awesome pace. A great installment in the Joe Pickett series. Loving this series!
March 30, 2016
The Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Prix Calibre 38 (France), Macavity Award, Gumshoe Award, and the Barry Award. How many writers have won them all? I don’t know. But C. J. Box has. And, having read all of his books, I understand why. You can count on him to deliver credible mystery, taut suspense, just the right humor, and unabashed faith in traditional American values. This is the latest such piece from him.
It starts with Nate Romanowski – falconer, former special operator, and loner who carries a .500 Wyoming Express in a shoulder holster – being offered a special assignment that he has to take in order to get out from under the feds’ thumb. By the time things come to a head, Nate, Joe Picket (the main character of Box’s series), and Joe’s daughter are all in the crosshairs. If you don’t know, Joe Pickett is a Wyoming game warden who knows what he’s doing even if other people don’t see it that way, in spite of the fact that the over-under on how long his state vehicle will last is four months.
As usual, what’s captivating is how spot on the scenes are. In one non-spoiler example, Governor Spencer Rulon ends a meeting with federal officials telling them, “So why don’t you folks go out and wander around town and target some people to fine and regulate. There should be some honest, hardworking citizens you can find to shake down. Maybe someone has an oversized toilet tank or they’re using the wrong kind of dishwasher soap. That’s what you do, right?”
If you are already a fan, you know what to expect and you’ll find it here. Do tell some friends about it. If you’re not a fan yet, there’s a good chance you will be after this.
It starts with Nate Romanowski – falconer, former special operator, and loner who carries a .500 Wyoming Express in a shoulder holster – being offered a special assignment that he has to take in order to get out from under the feds’ thumb. By the time things come to a head, Nate, Joe Picket (the main character of Box’s series), and Joe’s daughter are all in the crosshairs. If you don’t know, Joe Pickett is a Wyoming game warden who knows what he’s doing even if other people don’t see it that way, in spite of the fact that the over-under on how long his state vehicle will last is four months.
As usual, what’s captivating is how spot on the scenes are. In one non-spoiler example, Governor Spencer Rulon ends a meeting with federal officials telling them, “So why don’t you folks go out and wander around town and target some people to fine and regulate. There should be some honest, hardworking citizens you can find to shake down. Maybe someone has an oversized toilet tank or they’re using the wrong kind of dishwasher soap. That’s what you do, right?”
If you are already a fan, you know what to expect and you’ll find it here. Do tell some friends about it. If you’re not a fan yet, there’s a good chance you will be after this.
January 4, 2016
Another winner on the C.J. Box bestseller list
I have been a C.J. Box fan from the very beginning and have read all of his books - the Joe Pickett series and his standalone books. He's one of the authors whose books I'll buy sight unseen. In this case I got an Advanced Reading Copy and felt very lucky.
OFF THE GRID is #16 in the Pickett series and turned out to be one of my favorites.
I was glad to see Nate Romanowski back in this book in force. He's a favorite character of mine.
Nate is approached/threatened by two "government" stooges and told that he can have his past offenses expunged from government records if, and only if, he takes on a risky project taking him and his falcons to the Red Desert in Wyoming.
And then Wyoming Governor Rulon calls upon his "range rider" Joe Pickett to follow Nate into the Red Desert and keep the Governor apprised of his activities.
A grizzly bear adds to the tension and a random camping trip by Joe's daughter, Sheridan, causes problems of its own.
I like that we, the readers, are able to keep up-to-date on Joe's family. I like that Joe loves Wyoming and its wildlife because I do too. I spent many of my younger years in Wyoming and carry forward many fond memories of the people and countryside.
You could probably read this as a standalone tale but why do that? Do yourself a favor and read the series in order of publication. It's well worth it.
I have been a C.J. Box fan from the very beginning and have read all of his books - the Joe Pickett series and his standalone books. He's one of the authors whose books I'll buy sight unseen. In this case I got an Advanced Reading Copy and felt very lucky.
OFF THE GRID is #16 in the Pickett series and turned out to be one of my favorites.
I was glad to see Nate Romanowski back in this book in force. He's a favorite character of mine.
Nate is approached/threatened by two "government" stooges and told that he can have his past offenses expunged from government records if, and only if, he takes on a risky project taking him and his falcons to the Red Desert in Wyoming.
And then Wyoming Governor Rulon calls upon his "range rider" Joe Pickett to follow Nate into the Red Desert and keep the Governor apprised of his activities.
A grizzly bear adds to the tension and a random camping trip by Joe's daughter, Sheridan, causes problems of its own.
I like that we, the readers, are able to keep up-to-date on Joe's family. I like that Joe loves Wyoming and its wildlife because I do too. I spent many of my younger years in Wyoming and carry forward many fond memories of the people and countryside.
You could probably read this as a standalone tale but why do that? Do yourself a favor and read the series in order of publication. It's well worth it.
April 6, 2017
Not my favourite book of the series, I think the plot which puts Joe Pickett, his old friend Nate Romanovski and his daughter Sheridan at a remote location at the same time seems very contrived. For sure, an exciting book with a tumultuous end but very little to do with being a game warden.
January 14, 2025
In “Off the Grid” C.J. Box’s sixteenth Joe Pickett novel, the game warden in the county of Twelve Sleep, Wyoming, starts off with two parallel plotlines, one with Joe and the other with his best friend and protector, Nate Romanowski.
Nate has been laying low, off the grid, recuperating from his near life ending wounds with his new girlfriend, Liv Brannan. When she has to go visit her ailing mother in New Orleans, Nate is left to himself, but not for long. A group of four men show up and want to talk. Not just any men. Nate is immediately on alert, aware that that they are most likely members of an off-the-books agency running their own undercover operations.
They make him an offer that, much like the mafia, he cannot refuse. Since he’s wanted by the government for previous crimes, and needs to keep Liv safe from prosecution, he’s pretty much forced to accept the deal, which includes the potential to have his criminal record expunged. But the tradeoff is full of life-threatening risk. They need Nate to investigate a likely terrorist cell working on something big and dangerous in the barren Red Desert of Wyoming. And the reason it must be Nate is because the cell leader is also a falconer, which provides Romanowski a supposed way in.
Not far behind is Nate. Wyoming Governor Rulon is in his last few months few months before leaving office, and through his high government network connections, finds out that Nate is being forced into some kind of secret mission. Rulon can’t stand being left out of the know, sending Joe to Red Desert under the guise of hunting down a wild bear that killed a hunter in Joe’s district and escaped in that direction. As usual, Joe has no idea of what he’s getting himself into.
To make matters worse, Sheridan, Joe’s oldest daughter and junior at the University of Wyoming, has a rebel roommate that wants Sheridan to join her on a camping trip. Not just any casual campout. She’s connected with a group that is wanting students to help work on a special project that will help bring about social change and make a difference. She begs Sheridan to join her, and off they head to its location in Red Desert…
Joe and Nate have faced dangerous situations before, but never one on this scale. Not only are they fighting for their individual survival, but they also cannot protect Sheridan, and they find themselves in the impossible situation of not being able to protect Sheridan…
One of the things that I have thoroughly enjoyed about reading C.J. box is that each of his books have been different. Box uses multiple approaches to his storytelling, and although he is a mystery writer, he finds creative ways to bring his adventures to life. Although he’s written sixteen books in this series, he still consistently finds creative ways to deliver a thrill-ride adventure. His elements have included murder mysteries, small town politics, corrupt law enforcement, anti-government groups, various typers of villains, government conspiracies, and even a crazy psycho family (more of this one to come in future books), and that’s just to name a few.
And this book in particular serves to move Nate’s ongoing fight with the U.S. Government towards an emotional payoff and culmination of events that has built over several (actually many) books. One that is well worth the climax and opens the door to change and new opportunities for him. At the same time, I appreciated Sheridan and Joe’s storylines, which built on their strong father-daughter foundation that made me reflect on my own relationships with my grown daughters and how far I would go to protect them at my own risk. I need to be careful to not say much more, so as not to spoil anyone else’s reading experiences.
I was also impressed with how masterfully Box laid out his three parallel storylines, demanding the reader’s attention from the first page on, and built them up with lots of twists and turns over the first 60% of the book where they converged together in a dramatic delivery. Then, the last 40% was a sky-high roller-coaster ride that ended in a well-conceived set of conclusions that delivered a thrilling reading experience.
Overall, this was one of my favorite books in the series. A strong 4.5 out of 5-stars rating for me. And the amazing thing is that after sixteen books, not only are they still new and fresh, but I am pretty sure that I haven’t given any of the books less than a 4-star rating, which is really incredible. That says a lot about the quality of Box’s characters, plotting, settings, and storytelling ability.
As I keep saying, this series just keeps on getting better with each book. Maybe if I repeat it enough, you’ll give the series a try yourself…
Nate has been laying low, off the grid, recuperating from his near life ending wounds with his new girlfriend, Liv Brannan. When she has to go visit her ailing mother in New Orleans, Nate is left to himself, but not for long. A group of four men show up and want to talk. Not just any men. Nate is immediately on alert, aware that that they are most likely members of an off-the-books agency running their own undercover operations.
They make him an offer that, much like the mafia, he cannot refuse. Since he’s wanted by the government for previous crimes, and needs to keep Liv safe from prosecution, he’s pretty much forced to accept the deal, which includes the potential to have his criminal record expunged. But the tradeoff is full of life-threatening risk. They need Nate to investigate a likely terrorist cell working on something big and dangerous in the barren Red Desert of Wyoming. And the reason it must be Nate is because the cell leader is also a falconer, which provides Romanowski a supposed way in.
Not far behind is Nate. Wyoming Governor Rulon is in his last few months few months before leaving office, and through his high government network connections, finds out that Nate is being forced into some kind of secret mission. Rulon can’t stand being left out of the know, sending Joe to Red Desert under the guise of hunting down a wild bear that killed a hunter in Joe’s district and escaped in that direction. As usual, Joe has no idea of what he’s getting himself into.
To make matters worse, Sheridan, Joe’s oldest daughter and junior at the University of Wyoming, has a rebel roommate that wants Sheridan to join her on a camping trip. Not just any casual campout. She’s connected with a group that is wanting students to help work on a special project that will help bring about social change and make a difference. She begs Sheridan to join her, and off they head to its location in Red Desert…
Joe and Nate have faced dangerous situations before, but never one on this scale. Not only are they fighting for their individual survival, but they also cannot protect Sheridan, and they find themselves in the impossible situation of not being able to protect Sheridan…
One of the things that I have thoroughly enjoyed about reading C.J. box is that each of his books have been different. Box uses multiple approaches to his storytelling, and although he is a mystery writer, he finds creative ways to bring his adventures to life. Although he’s written sixteen books in this series, he still consistently finds creative ways to deliver a thrill-ride adventure. His elements have included murder mysteries, small town politics, corrupt law enforcement, anti-government groups, various typers of villains, government conspiracies, and even a crazy psycho family (more of this one to come in future books), and that’s just to name a few.
And this book in particular serves to move Nate’s ongoing fight with the U.S. Government towards an emotional payoff and culmination of events that has built over several (actually many) books. One that is well worth the climax and opens the door to change and new opportunities for him. At the same time, I appreciated Sheridan and Joe’s storylines, which built on their strong father-daughter foundation that made me reflect on my own relationships with my grown daughters and how far I would go to protect them at my own risk. I need to be careful to not say much more, so as not to spoil anyone else’s reading experiences.
I was also impressed with how masterfully Box laid out his three parallel storylines, demanding the reader’s attention from the first page on, and built them up with lots of twists and turns over the first 60% of the book where they converged together in a dramatic delivery. Then, the last 40% was a sky-high roller-coaster ride that ended in a well-conceived set of conclusions that delivered a thrilling reading experience.
Overall, this was one of my favorite books in the series. A strong 4.5 out of 5-stars rating for me. And the amazing thing is that after sixteen books, not only are they still new and fresh, but I am pretty sure that I haven’t given any of the books less than a 4-star rating, which is really incredible. That says a lot about the quality of Box’s characters, plotting, settings, and storytelling ability.
As I keep saying, this series just keeps on getting better with each book. Maybe if I repeat it enough, you’ll give the series a try yourself…
March 31, 2016
If you are looking for a fun book to lose yourself in for a few hours...this is it. Off The Grid moves at lightning speed, the characters are extremely realistic and the premise is contemporary. This was my first "Joe Pickett" novel, but I may go back and read the entire series. The book is set in Wyoming, an area not often utilized in novels. So...If you have a long flight coming up...pick this one up and you won't even be bothered by the seat hogger who snores after eating the smelliest food from the airport food court sitting next to you!
May 4, 2016
First Sentence: Nate Romanoswki knew trouble was on the way when he saw the falcon’s wings suddenly flare in the distance.
Nate Romanoswki’s lover is being watched, and Nate put in a position where he must work for a covert agency of the government to destroy a terrorist cell in the United States. In return, his record will be cleared so that he and Liz can finally live without threat of Nate being imprisoned. Joe Pickett’s boss, Governor Rulon, is about to leave office but has one last assignment for Joe. Find Nate. But will they both survive?
It is a very good writer who can paint a mental picture of a scene that is both harsh and beautiful—“It was the best time of day, he thought: the anticipatory moment before the morning light lifted the curtain on the landscape to reveal the reds, pinks, orange, and beiges of the striations in the bone-dry rock formations, and revealed the rugged broken terrain.”—and C.J. Box is one of the best.
The information on the different types of predatory birds is fascinating, and later, we learn that “Not all hawks are falcons, but all falcons are hawks.” Box skillfully builds the tension and excitement very early in the story, and then throws the reader an excellent twist. It is safe to say that, at this point, we, as readers, aren’t putting this book down from here until the last page so cancel your plans, and forget about sleep.
Having the story begin with Nate and his lover, Liz, is an interesting change. Box doesn’t spend a lot of time on Nate’s, Liz’s, Pickett’s, and later Governor Rulon’s back story, yet the writing is skillful enough that, through the story, you have a very strong sense of who these people are and how they became connected. However, one of the things at which Box truly excels is creating a situation in which there is an immediate threat.
An incident with a grizzly bear is horrific, exciting and a good reminder of what can happen when man encroaches on nature. One small geographical error was rather amusing. In describing the route of Interstate 80, he had it starting in Sacramento, going to Oakland, and then back East across the country. I-80 actually begins in San Francisco, progressing East to Oakland, Sacramento, and on from there. It’s not something that would stop a reader, but it did make this reader smile.
The story does have just a touch of the paranormal in the form of premonitory dreams and mental links with animals. Rather than seeming unrealistic, these things work well within the story when one considers the characters and the location.
There are some nice moments of mild humor between Joe and his dog, Daisy, which offsets the ever-increase suspense. However, there are a couple coincidences one might have preferred not to have been, but which were necessary to make the plot work as effectively as it does.
Box is very good at raising environmental and political issues without preaching. It is more that he wants you to stop and seriously consider the issues and their impact on man and our world. He raises the point that for everyone who creates or does something for what they perceive to be the greater good, someone is looks at that same thing as an opportunity for power, profit, or destruction.
“Off the Grid" is one hell of a book. Yes, it’s exciting and suspenseful to the very last page, but it is much more than that. It is about power and government, and the people, good and bad, behind it all. And it is about how little we, the people actually know.
OFF THE GRID (Lic Invest-Joe Pickett/Nate Romanowski-Wyoming-Cont) – VG+
Box, C.J.
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2016
Nate Romanoswki’s lover is being watched, and Nate put in a position where he must work for a covert agency of the government to destroy a terrorist cell in the United States. In return, his record will be cleared so that he and Liz can finally live without threat of Nate being imprisoned. Joe Pickett’s boss, Governor Rulon, is about to leave office but has one last assignment for Joe. Find Nate. But will they both survive?
It is a very good writer who can paint a mental picture of a scene that is both harsh and beautiful—“It was the best time of day, he thought: the anticipatory moment before the morning light lifted the curtain on the landscape to reveal the reds, pinks, orange, and beiges of the striations in the bone-dry rock formations, and revealed the rugged broken terrain.”—and C.J. Box is one of the best.
The information on the different types of predatory birds is fascinating, and later, we learn that “Not all hawks are falcons, but all falcons are hawks.” Box skillfully builds the tension and excitement very early in the story, and then throws the reader an excellent twist. It is safe to say that, at this point, we, as readers, aren’t putting this book down from here until the last page so cancel your plans, and forget about sleep.
Having the story begin with Nate and his lover, Liz, is an interesting change. Box doesn’t spend a lot of time on Nate’s, Liz’s, Pickett’s, and later Governor Rulon’s back story, yet the writing is skillful enough that, through the story, you have a very strong sense of who these people are and how they became connected. However, one of the things at which Box truly excels is creating a situation in which there is an immediate threat.
An incident with a grizzly bear is horrific, exciting and a good reminder of what can happen when man encroaches on nature. One small geographical error was rather amusing. In describing the route of Interstate 80, he had it starting in Sacramento, going to Oakland, and then back East across the country. I-80 actually begins in San Francisco, progressing East to Oakland, Sacramento, and on from there. It’s not something that would stop a reader, but it did make this reader smile.
The story does have just a touch of the paranormal in the form of premonitory dreams and mental links with animals. Rather than seeming unrealistic, these things work well within the story when one considers the characters and the location.
There are some nice moments of mild humor between Joe and his dog, Daisy, which offsets the ever-increase suspense. However, there are a couple coincidences one might have preferred not to have been, but which were necessary to make the plot work as effectively as it does.
Box is very good at raising environmental and political issues without preaching. It is more that he wants you to stop and seriously consider the issues and their impact on man and our world. He raises the point that for everyone who creates or does something for what they perceive to be the greater good, someone is looks at that same thing as an opportunity for power, profit, or destruction.
“Off the Grid" is one hell of a book. Yes, it’s exciting and suspenseful to the very last page, but it is much more than that. It is about power and government, and the people, good and bad, behind it all. And it is about how little we, the people actually know.
OFF THE GRID (Lic Invest-Joe Pickett/Nate Romanowski-Wyoming-Cont) – VG+
Box, C.J.
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2016
March 24, 2024
Another fantastic book in the Joe Pickett series! C.J. Box has clearly hit his sweet spot in this series as they just keep getting better and better. There's no doubt he's well acquainted with the characters like Joe and Nate and understands what makes them tick. I'm enjoying the audios narrated by David Chandler, and he has become the voice of Joe, Nate and others for me. Off The Grid is intense, emotional and action packed from beginning to end. Highly recommended.
May 29, 2016
I once had a writing teacher who had a theory that each author who is insecure with his manuscript has a "tell." And the "tell" is to let his insecurities be reflected in something said/thought by one of the characters about whom he's writing.
The "tell" in this book screamed out when a hostage thinks, "It all looked like a bad cartoon, but it wasn't."
Sorry, I beg to differ. It WAS.
I have to admit that this is the only C.J. Box novel I've read. I understand that this is the 16th(!) in his series featuring Joe Pickett. Maybe his earlier novels were better. I am suspicious that any author can stay fresh after the 16th novel in a series. But I had heard something good about this book, and I was looking for a pass-the-time thriller, but this was sorely disappointing.
First of all, the villains were all cookie-cutter "types." All good thrillers are distinguished by great villains. Otherwise, they just become cardboard targets in a shooting gallery.
And I can't say the other characterizations are much better. Perhaps the author counts on his readers having read other books in the series to know what flesh to hang on their skeletons, but Joe Pickett was impossibly incorruptible--John Wayne playing a fish and game warden--and his friend Nate was Dirty Harry with a bit of a softer heart.
Real human psychology is neither present in this book. An idealistic activist has built a device to sock it to a government data-collection facility by means of electromagnetic pulse, just to teach a lesson, and thinks the use of the device could be constrained just that one usage. What could possibly go wrong? Even though he has an obviously menacing sidekick, he sees no threat in him. His followers believe him to be a charismatic visionary. They're obviously idiots, and so is he.
Further, when a bunch of those followers are taken hostage by gunmen, and after hostages witness the violence their captors are willing to visit upon them by a couple of grisly deaths, no one seems particularly traumatized. A couple of them are even wise-cracking under their breaths. Indeed, it's here where the one hostage thinks, "It all looked like a bad cartoon . . ." REALLY? A leader is beheaded before them and a fellow hostage summarily shot in the head, and these actions to the witness seems a bad cartoon?
It's the book that's a bad cartoon. If C.J. Box's earlier books were better, I'll never know. Because this one has discouraged me from finding out.
[P.S. There was one good scene: tracking an errant grizzly bear. In his telling of that episode, Mr. Box showed he certainly has talent. I just wish the rest of the book were up to that caliber.]
The "tell" in this book screamed out when a hostage thinks, "It all looked like a bad cartoon, but it wasn't."
Sorry, I beg to differ. It WAS.
I have to admit that this is the only C.J. Box novel I've read. I understand that this is the 16th(!) in his series featuring Joe Pickett. Maybe his earlier novels were better. I am suspicious that any author can stay fresh after the 16th novel in a series. But I had heard something good about this book, and I was looking for a pass-the-time thriller, but this was sorely disappointing.
First of all, the villains were all cookie-cutter "types." All good thrillers are distinguished by great villains. Otherwise, they just become cardboard targets in a shooting gallery.
And I can't say the other characterizations are much better. Perhaps the author counts on his readers having read other books in the series to know what flesh to hang on their skeletons, but Joe Pickett was impossibly incorruptible--John Wayne playing a fish and game warden--and his friend Nate was Dirty Harry with a bit of a softer heart.
Real human psychology is neither present in this book. An idealistic activist has built a device to sock it to a government data-collection facility by means of electromagnetic pulse, just to teach a lesson, and thinks the use of the device could be constrained just that one usage. What could possibly go wrong? Even though he has an obviously menacing sidekick, he sees no threat in him. His followers believe him to be a charismatic visionary. They're obviously idiots, and so is he.
Further, when a bunch of those followers are taken hostage by gunmen, and after hostages witness the violence their captors are willing to visit upon them by a couple of grisly deaths, no one seems particularly traumatized. A couple of them are even wise-cracking under their breaths. Indeed, it's here where the one hostage thinks, "It all looked like a bad cartoon . . ." REALLY? A leader is beheaded before them and a fellow hostage summarily shot in the head, and these actions to the witness seems a bad cartoon?
It's the book that's a bad cartoon. If C.J. Box's earlier books were better, I'll never know. Because this one has discouraged me from finding out.
[P.S. There was one good scene: tracking an errant grizzly bear. In his telling of that episode, Mr. Box showed he certainly has talent. I just wish the rest of the book were up to that caliber.]
April 2, 2018
I love the characters, and pleased to see more of Nate Romanowski, but wtf?
What was even the point of the woo-woo stuff? The book opens with Nate having a prophetic bad dream. It turns out Joe Pickett's wife, MaryBeth has the same dream. It serves no useful purpose to the novel, so why do it?
Box has a bad habit of writing stuff that he thinks sounds good without checking out the science. In a previous Pickett novel, I'd complained about his lack of understanding of the mechanics of white-water rafting, but here it's much worse because the story focuses on Nate Romanowski, a falconer, and he doesn't seem to have researched falconry very well.
At one point, Nate stoops to lecturing, and says his birds are "...falcons. All falcons are hawks, but not all hawks are falcons." I don't know, maybe that's just a colloquial Americanism of the kind that calls Vultures "buzzards", when a buzzard is really a kind of hawk, but the fact is all falcons (and hawks) are raptors. But falcons are not hawks. In at least two places it says one of his birds, a "red tail" is a falcon, but a red-tail is actually a hawk. The sport is known as "falconry", whether the birds are hawks or falcons: but it's also known as "hawking".
In another place, Joe misnames the Grizzly Bear as "Ursus horribilis" and the scientist studying the bears says "We don't use that name..." Now, I suspect that Box might know the proper name for a grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) but that would ruin his dig at scientists who can look at an animal as some sort of free-of-original-sin creation, without ever thinking about their impact on people. As Joe puts it "If you don't say it out loud, it can't mean 'horrible bear.'" But that's not the scientist's point. They don't call it Ursus horribilis because the taxonomists have now decided that all Brown bears across Europe, Asia, and North America are one species—Ursus arctos—and the Grizzly is just one subspecies.
And finally, the whole basis of the book is a plot to destroy an American data center with an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) weapon. That part would probably work. Actually disabling cars is considered remotely possible—destroying your laptop and cell-phone is pretty much impossible. It turns out that for an EMP to work the electronics need a long antenna. The national electrical grid is one huge antenna, which makes it vulnerable even to solar flares. Your phone doesn't contain enough wiring to work as an antenna for the EMP.
Just very sloppy.
March 29, 2016
I usually enjoy the Joe Pickett series, but this was a major disappointment. It felt more like a Clive Cussler book with Joe & Nate as action heroes & a ridiculously unbelievable plot than a good, solid mystery. The best part was the ending as I hope it means getting back more to the roots of the series and what made it a good read. One of the greatest joys of C.J.'s books are the characters and I'm sorry, the ones in this story were superficial.
December 21, 2017
Off the Grid is a solid suspense/thriller read. C. J. Box does not dissapoint!
June 25, 2019
This one was a really exciting storyline and I love when Nate is a main part of the storyline as he is one of my favorite characters in this series.
March 22, 2016
(3 1/2). It almost always follows true to form anymore, the more Nate Romanowski we get in a Joe Pickett book, the better it is. Mind you, there have been a couple of really good books without Nate, but he is such a wonderful character that his involvement always takes things to a higher level. So when the first 50 pages of this story were all about Nate, I was all in. This is a wild and crazy plot, scarily fairly believable, and it moves really fast. I could not put it down for the last 200 pages or so. C.J. Box is one of my must read authors and he has reinforced his position on that list with this one.
September 5, 2016
Not the best
I was very disappointed in this storyline having read all the previous Joe Pickett books. I found myself skimming pages and didn't really care about the ending except to know if all would end well with Joe and Nate. If I wanted to pursue the subject of terrorism I could turn on the TV and watch the news. This was not an enjoyable book.
I was very disappointed in this storyline having read all the previous Joe Pickett books. I found myself skimming pages and didn't really care about the ending except to know if all would end well with Joe and Nate. If I wanted to pursue the subject of terrorism I could turn on the TV and watch the news. This was not an enjoyable book.
December 15, 2021
Another exciting Joe Pickett novel. Joe and Nate team up (unexpectedly) to go against a group that has developed a EMP device to destroy a facility that can spy on each and every citizen in the country. Daughter Sheridan gets involved in it also. Biggest enemy in Joe's career. A great shootout at the end.
The Joe Pickett novel always satisfy.
The Joe Pickett novel always satisfy.
March 16, 2016
Of course I love Joe Pickett, I'm married to Joe Pickett :)
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2016 Staff Reading Challenge - Book by an author you love.
26 Books in 2016 Challenge - New York Times Bestseller.
Extreme Book Nerd Challenge - Book from a series with a continuing character.
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2016 Staff Reading Challenge - Book by an author you love.
26 Books in 2016 Challenge - New York Times Bestseller.
Extreme Book Nerd Challenge - Book from a series with a continuing character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2017
Off The Grid is a book that should be read by everyone who is afraid of their government as well as those who are not afraid of their government. Off The Grid was a well written and well thought out story.
David Chandler was not the right voice for the telling of the story.
David Chandler was not the right voice for the telling of the story.
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