DECOY ZERO is book #8 in the #1 bestselling AGENT ZERO series, which begins with AGENT ZERO (Book #1), a free download with nearly 200 five-star reviews.
A new, high-tech railgun is invented, with a capability of firing an indefensible missile, seven times the speed of sound—and the fate of America is at risk. Who or what is the target? And who will be behind its launch?
In a mad race against time, Agent Zero must use all of his skills to track down the source of this unstoppable weapon and figure out its destination before it is too late.
Yet at the same time, Zero learns of a shocking new development in his mental condition, one that might sideline him for good. Can he save the world—and can he save himself?
DECOY ZERO (Book #8) is an un-putdownable espionage thriller that will keep you turning pages late into the night.
Jack Mars is author of the bestselling LUKE STONE thriller series, which include the suspense thrillers ANY MEANS NECESSARY (book #1), OATH OF OFFICE (book #2) and SITUATION ROOM (book #3).
In the realm of espionage thrillers, Jack Mars' "Decoy Zero" stands out as a beacon of high-stakes tension and relentless action. The eighth installment in the Agent Zero series, narrated by Brian Callanan, is not just an audiobook; it's an auditory experience that encapsulates the essence of a genre that thrives on the edge of the seat.
The story revolves around a newly invented railgun, a weapon of devastating power capable of firing a missile at speeds seven times that of sound. The fate of America hangs in the balance as Agent Zero races against time to uncover the source and intended target of this unstoppable force. But as the plot thickens, Zero is faced with a personal crisis that threatens to derail his mission and his very existence.
Brian Callanan's narration brings a new dimension to the character of Agent Zero. His voice captures the nuances of a man who is more than just a spy; he's a father, a friend, and a human being grappling with the complexities of his life and career. Callanan's performance is particularly noteworthy for its ability to convey the emotional depth of the characters without detracting from the fast-paced nature of the story.
The audiobook format of "Decoy Zero" is particularly effective in immersing the listener in the world that Mars has created. The sound of Callanan's voice, combined with the listener's imagination, transforms the experience into something akin to a movie theater with surround sound and 3D visuals. It's a testament to the power of audio storytelling and its ability to engage the senses in a way that is both intimate and expansive.
One of the most compelling aspects of "Decoy Zero" is the development of Agent Zero's character. As the series progresses, we see him becoming increasingly humanized. He's a father who loves his daughters, a professional with a love-hate relationship with his job, and a man who is fiercely loyal to his friends. This book delves deeper into his psyche, revealing his struggles with loss, failure, and the disintegration of his life on more than one occasion.
The action in "Decoy Zero" is relentless, with Mars masterfully weaving multiple plot threads that keep the listener guessing until the very end. The stakes are high, and the tension is palpable, making it impossible to pause the audiobook. The pacing is impeccable, with each chapter propelling the story forward and tightening the grip on the listener's attention.
In conclusion, "Decoy Zero" is a book that Jack Mars has crafted into a thriller that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant, while Brian Callanan's narration elevates the material to new heights as an audiobook. It's a must-listen for fans of the genre. The only downside? You might find yourself staying up late into the night, unable to stop listening until the final word is spoken.
I really, really like this series. As the series progresses, it seems to me that Zero is becoming more human. We are seeing a side to him that wasn't as obvious in the earlier books. I think that as time progresses and he is having to deal with everything that has been thrown at him, we get to see him just be. He is a dad who loves his daughters, has a love/hate relationship with his job and is steadfastly loyal to his friends. He has had to deal with loss, failure and having his entire life blow up - more than once. He still has a problem with keeping things to himself. I mean, why in the world can't he understand that his daughters love him to death and would WANT to know the issues that he is dealing with concerning his brain and his memory? But no....he insists on being Mr. Toughguy and trying to deal with this on his own. Okay. Sorry. End rant :)
I alternated between reading and listening to this book and enjoyed the narrator - he has read the last several books and he does a good job with the characters. This book was a fast moving action packed read that gave us snippets of the plot but doesn't tie it all together until the end. It was full of action - on all fronts - as we see both Maya and Sara also dealing with issues in Zero's absence.
Zero, along with Maria and Alan (and introducing Dr. Penny Leon who is a complete firecracker!) are reluctantly sent out to again save the world. There are lots of nail biting scenes and somehow they seem to be right in the middle of the action. I enjoyed this book and most of all I liked seeing President Rutledge back them up and place all of his confidence in Zero. Do we have to suspend belief a little bit with this story? Yep. Is it worth it? Yep. Does it leave the reader with a good feeling at the end? Definitely.
We are now 8 books into this series and it seems as if there is still a lot more of Zero for us to enjoy. Things seem to be looking up for Agent Zero, which means....there must be some trouble on the horizon. Can't wait:)
The bad guys have the big gun. The good guys know it. Now, if they only knew who the bad guys were, where they were, and what their intentions were . . . this mission would be so much easier. Fortunately, the good guys have Agent Zero.
Agent Zero is the CIA's enigmatic superstar; a lethal operative with a secret that could put his career and life in jeopardy. Zero is losing his mind! No, he's not a candidate for the asylum. He is suffering brief cognitive lapses, a precursor to a very uncertain future (read Agent Zero--Book #1). It's a personal problem that Zero is trying to hide from his teenage daughters as well as his fellow operatives: Maria, Mitch, and Todd.
That's a problem . . . and a problem compounded when an international terrorist secures a high tech railgun, capable of massive destruction. Zero and his team must secure the weapon. That sounds easy enough, but the gun is attached to a ship almost as illusive as some of the memories in Zero's mind.
Jack Mars delivers a quick-paced story that weaves threads of family and loyalty, secrecy and mystery, action and thrills into a series now twelve books long. Kent Steele, aka Reid Lawson, aka Agent Zero is the avowed-disavowed-avowed again CIA operative with a very good friend in the White House. That's a good thing because Zero's career is like riding a motorcycle over whoop-de-dos. His reputation is the stuff of legend . . . but not his home. Lawson struggles at times to raise his teenage daughters, especially after their mom and Lawson's wife was killed by the CIA.
Yeah, it's complicated, but so is life. Lawson is infuriatingly frustrating at times. Lies and cover-up -- even to "protect" his loved ones -- have a way of coming back to haunt him. Can't he see that?! His MO is becoming theirs, but as in the field, he refuses to give up. It's part of what makes him a great agent and, despite his failures, a good dad too.
About reading Decoy Zero:
Mars hooked me from the start. Decoy Zero is entertaining and mostly believable. There were a few "What the heck?" moments. Doors expand in the heat, not the cold. A Skylark is not a sports car. And certainly the gates at the CIA have video monitoring. Okay, with that little rant out of my system, I really liked this book. His cast of characters. are "real" -- and fun. His writing is crisp. His plot is plausible . . . okay mostly plausible. And now that I have read books 1-8, I am starting book 9.
My recommendation: If you are looking for an enjoyable read and a superhero who is often neither super nor hero, but exceptionally good at what he does, pick up this book. I suspect you won't want to put it down. Kudos to Jack Mars for delivering once again.
I hated it every time I had to put this book down but I finally finished it and am ready to read more Agent Zero stories. I have neglected this series as I have so many books to read but I am sorry I did and now I'm back!
Agent Zero and his crew must find a railgun that was developed by the South Koreans and now is in the hands of someone else who wants to show their power. No one knows who the real target is but they believe it is along the east coast of the United States. The gun was on a boat but it has disappeared and reappeared much closer to its target. Suddenly Zero, who has begun to experience difficulties with his memory implant is on his own and the gun is locking on to its target.
Meanwhile, while Zero is occupied, his daughters, Maya and Sara get themselves into some bad situations that Zero doesn't learn about until he gets home.
Superbly written, fast paced action packed story in the Agent Zero series. Jack Mars continues the story of Agent Zero’s battles with his country’s foes while battling his inner demons relating to his memory. The account is well paced starting at intense, when a highly secret and powerful weapon is stolen and the search to find and neutralise the threat is skilfully developed throughout whilst continuing to develop the other characters within their subplots. A real page turner that you don’t want to put down. I very much look forward to the next book.
The action just does not stop for either Zero or his daughters. Whilst Zero is trying to avert a war, his eldest is trying to find the one other person who has had the memory inhibitor. His youngest is trying to find her way in life but this is not an easy road. Just superb in the way all these plots run alongside eachother and make it a superb series.
Just when you think you know where, why, when the story is headed, Jack Mars throws a huge curveball and you are left mouth agape and unable to put book down. Great character development and enjoying esp. Matt's progression. She has followed in her dad's shoes. Sara not as fleshed out. Cannot wait for next 3 📚.
★★★★★ Great book! Can’t wait to read it again (and I will). ★★★★☆ Good book. I am glad I read this. ★★★☆☆ OK book. Nothing special but not bad. ★★☆☆☆ Not good. Why did I waste my time? ★☆☆☆☆ Lousy. I didn’t finish.
If for whatever reason, I go back and reread a good book, I will change the rating to five-star because I read it again.
Technology so advanced that it could only lead to world shaking danger. A brittle but resilient misfit hero leads his unorthodox team into battle, while his daughters face peril at home.
Loved every minute of this fantastic novel! Jack Mars did a terrific job with Agent Zero, once again. I just read another book with a sequel that you might like, False Assurances.
This one was better than the last. Just 3 more left in the series so at this point I am committed to finishing off the series and conuding the character arc.
So far in this series we have learned about many different weapons, many different types of terror plots, as well as a bunch of other things, but a new weapon is introduced that is so devastating, that I slipped right into the story and couldn't find many breaks within the story where I was comfortable putting the book down to pick it up another session. As always Jack seems to have pulled me into yet another story about Agent Zero!