What do you think?
Rate this book
Harry Bauer Thriller #6
The Silent Blade
WHEN THE HUNTER BECOMES THE PREY...
USA TODAY & Amazon 2-million copy bestselling author BLAKE BANNER is back with a brand new gripping thriller series!
Harry Bauer is on the run. Suddenly the hunter is the prey. He’d been returning from St George’s Island in the Caribbean. There he’d dealt with a Serbian war criminal, and, as a free bonus, a group of Colombian Bloque Meta drug dealers. It was all in a day’s work for Harry. But when he got to Trinidad, he found that the world and his mother were out hunting for him. From Sinaloa to Alqaeda, from Bloque Meta to the Russian Mafia by way of MI6 and the Everybody wanted Harry Bauer - and in particular they wanted to know who he worked for.
But Harry was not telling. That can be a dangerous policy when the guys asking the questions are from a Colombian cartel, or the CIA. Then your options become really talk or die.
Or escape. But that option is not so easy when you’re surrounded by jungle on all sides, and your only ally is a beautiful, mysterious woman who has one hand unbuttoning your shirt, and the other holding a Sig Sauer P226 semiautomatic. A semiautomatic that happens to be yours.
USA TODAY & Amazon 2-million copy bestselling author BLAKE BANNER is back with a brand new gripping thriller series!
Harry Bauer is on the run. Suddenly the hunter is the prey. He’d been returning from St George’s Island in the Caribbean. There he’d dealt with a Serbian war criminal, and, as a free bonus, a group of Colombian Bloque Meta drug dealers. It was all in a day’s work for Harry. But when he got to Trinidad, he found that the world and his mother were out hunting for him. From Sinaloa to Alqaeda, from Bloque Meta to the Russian Mafia by way of MI6 and the Everybody wanted Harry Bauer - and in particular they wanted to know who he worked for.
But Harry was not telling. That can be a dangerous policy when the guys asking the questions are from a Colombian cartel, or the CIA. Then your options become really talk or die.
Or escape. But that option is not so easy when you’re surrounded by jungle on all sides, and your only ally is a beautiful, mysterious woman who has one hand unbuttoning your shirt, and the other holding a Sig Sauer P226 semiautomatic. A semiautomatic that happens to be yours.
- GenresThriller
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 29, 2021
1234 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
About the author
Blake Banner
153 books400 followersUSA TODAY and Amazon #1 bestselling author of the OMEGA and DEAD COLD MYSTERY series. Learn more about Blake Banner at his website: www.blakebanner.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
December 2, 2021
So disappointing. The story lacks so much and this writer is so much better than this. I put off writing the review and am torn about reading the next installment. Yikes! So much wrong with this book; gotta wonder – is this a one-off? An excellent title for this book would have been “Foolish Behavior” because the book is rife with it.
First of all, there is no plot…not really. There is a boat load of action. Tons of mayhem and bodies falling left and right. But that’s it. It’s as if Harry Bauer has exploded (his Budo master would be proud) and there are lots of gray ashes floating in the air surrounding the explosions.
OK…so Bauer arrives on Puerto Rico after ditching the yacht he stole from St. George (outlined in the previous book) in Trinidad and Tobago. Curious how he got to Puerto Rico by air taxi without any sort of ID. Since Covid-19 is referenced in the book, the action takes place in modern times and a photo ID is required by sanctioned air taxis throughout the Caribbean.
Next…Cobra has him registered as “Mr. Smith” at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan…while all the alphabet agencies and several drug cartels and terrorist groups and other nefarious bad guys remain hot on his heels. Somehow “Smith” doesn’t cut it. And…clearly Bauer’s New York funeral did not fool his large collection of enemies. Bauer is not the only elite assassin “out there” and he too could be taken out like the trash. Sadly so.
Cobra operative, Tobias, offers the catchphrase of the day; this dialog is difficult to follow because the punctuation is off. Tobias initiates the phrase but appears to answer it, too, making it seem as if Tobias wants to join himself, Tobias, at a table. It causes the reader to stop and figure out who is saying what to whom…tedious. Cobra continues with its mixed messages: the brigadier tells Harry he’s “a damned fine agent” then lambasts him for the way he does his job.
Harry Bauer is told that Bloque Meta (a drug cartel) is in Venezuela, although they speak of Columbia drug cartels, looking for the guy who pulled off the three hits on St. George. What three hits? In the previous book he killed two drug lords, a large number of their men, then staged two more killings made to look like a double murder where each man shot the other and both died.
There are two more female characters, created using a similar cardboard cutout. This writer really does not create realistic females. These women are: Alice, presumably with the CIA…maybe, and Gabriella Esteban, wife of the Bloque Meta drug lord Don Francisco Cejuda.
The scenes between Bauer and agent Alice are excruciating, almost embarrassing to read they are so unrealistic. At first I thought she must be one of the agency bad guys, her behavior was so out of line. The scenes between Gabriella and Bauer are laughable. We are invited to infer the requisite sex scenes (don’t all women fall all over Harry Bauer…eventually if not immediately?) from the absurd dialog.
The first third of the book is fast paced, but predictable. Everything Bauer did was done in order to place him deeper into trouble. The writer/puppet master behind the scenes was heavy handed and obvious. This third was almost surreal and if there were not at least four more books, I would have expected it to have been Bauer’s death knell. It was too much and way over the top. And that’s saying a lot considering how over the top Bauer’s actions always are.
In this book I felt a sense of betrayal and cannot say much more without creating a spoiler for those who have not yet read the book. Harry is seriously betrayed. He gets out of too many deadly situations this time. As mentioned initially, it is plotless, just page after page of stuff and a lot of justifications offered up by nearly everyone. It’s mind numbingly awful…no better way to describe it.
At 58% completion, there was still no plot, just a lot of hitting, killing, talking, hitting, killing, talking, wash, rinse, and repeat ad nauseam. As we all know, Harry gets out of these jams, and takes his usual beatings…and then some.
I am curious about the next book, but not looking forward to reading it. I want him to rail at his masters. I want him to rage against the betrayals. But I have a sinking suspicion that it will end up business as usual with a James Bond reference or two complete with the silly dance he and Colonel Jane are doing. We’ll see. It just better be a darn sight better than this book. I hated rating this book so low. Both the writer and his Bauer character are worth so much more.
I loved the first book in this series, it was written so well. If not for a couple glaring errors affecting the plot, it would easily have been a 5-star (I rated it 4-star, but an excellent 4-star). I’m flummoxed that this book is written by the same writer, there is just no comparison. Insert "sigh" here.
First of all, there is no plot…not really. There is a boat load of action. Tons of mayhem and bodies falling left and right. But that’s it. It’s as if Harry Bauer has exploded (his Budo master would be proud) and there are lots of gray ashes floating in the air surrounding the explosions.
OK…so Bauer arrives on Puerto Rico after ditching the yacht he stole from St. George (outlined in the previous book) in Trinidad and Tobago. Curious how he got to Puerto Rico by air taxi without any sort of ID. Since Covid-19 is referenced in the book, the action takes place in modern times and a photo ID is required by sanctioned air taxis throughout the Caribbean.
Next…Cobra has him registered as “Mr. Smith” at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan…while all the alphabet agencies and several drug cartels and terrorist groups and other nefarious bad guys remain hot on his heels. Somehow “Smith” doesn’t cut it. And…clearly Bauer’s New York funeral did not fool his large collection of enemies. Bauer is not the only elite assassin “out there” and he too could be taken out like the trash. Sadly so.
Cobra operative, Tobias, offers the catchphrase of the day; this dialog is difficult to follow because the punctuation is off. Tobias initiates the phrase but appears to answer it, too, making it seem as if Tobias wants to join himself, Tobias, at a table. It causes the reader to stop and figure out who is saying what to whom…tedious. Cobra continues with its mixed messages: the brigadier tells Harry he’s “a damned fine agent” then lambasts him for the way he does his job.
Harry Bauer is told that Bloque Meta (a drug cartel) is in Venezuela, although they speak of Columbia drug cartels, looking for the guy who pulled off the three hits on St. George. What three hits? In the previous book he killed two drug lords, a large number of their men, then staged two more killings made to look like a double murder where each man shot the other and both died.
There are two more female characters, created using a similar cardboard cutout. This writer really does not create realistic females. These women are: Alice, presumably with the CIA…maybe, and Gabriella Esteban, wife of the Bloque Meta drug lord Don Francisco Cejuda.
The scenes between Bauer and agent Alice are excruciating, almost embarrassing to read they are so unrealistic. At first I thought she must be one of the agency bad guys, her behavior was so out of line. The scenes between Gabriella and Bauer are laughable. We are invited to infer the requisite sex scenes (don’t all women fall all over Harry Bauer…eventually if not immediately?) from the absurd dialog.
The first third of the book is fast paced, but predictable. Everything Bauer did was done in order to place him deeper into trouble. The writer/puppet master behind the scenes was heavy handed and obvious. This third was almost surreal and if there were not at least four more books, I would have expected it to have been Bauer’s death knell. It was too much and way over the top. And that’s saying a lot considering how over the top Bauer’s actions always are.
In this book I felt a sense of betrayal and cannot say much more without creating a spoiler for those who have not yet read the book. Harry is seriously betrayed. He gets out of too many deadly situations this time. As mentioned initially, it is plotless, just page after page of stuff and a lot of justifications offered up by nearly everyone. It’s mind numbingly awful…no better way to describe it.
At 58% completion, there was still no plot, just a lot of hitting, killing, talking, hitting, killing, talking, wash, rinse, and repeat ad nauseam. As we all know, Harry gets out of these jams, and takes his usual beatings…and then some.
I am curious about the next book, but not looking forward to reading it. I want him to rail at his masters. I want him to rage against the betrayals. But I have a sinking suspicion that it will end up business as usual with a James Bond reference or two complete with the silly dance he and Colonel Jane are doing. We’ll see. It just better be a darn sight better than this book. I hated rating this book so low. Both the writer and his Bauer character are worth so much more.
I loved the first book in this series, it was written so well. If not for a couple glaring errors affecting the plot, it would easily have been a 5-star (I rated it 4-star, but an excellent 4-star). I’m flummoxed that this book is written by the same writer, there is just no comparison. Insert "sigh" here.
December 5, 2022
Harry Bauer is at it again. Killing people that is. After all, that's who Harry is and what Harry does. He's an assassin who kills people. He's good at it, too.
This story is the sixth instalment in the adventures of our favorite sociopath. Well, Harry isn't actually a sociopath, because he does have his own unique set of personal morals. They just aren't conventionally accepted in polite society.
The Silent Blade is a reference to how Harry's bosses wished he operated. Instead, Harry has a common practice of blowing things to bits and drawing attention--way too much attention--to himself and it's causing problems.
Silent Blade is also a direct continuation of the previous instalment, Immortal Hate. Well, all of these stories are continuations in many respects, but Immortal Hate to Silent Blade is direct.
Like the other Blake Banner books in the series, this is a real page turner. It's the first novel I've finished at one sitting in quite a while. Well, I was actually lying in bed, rather than sitting, and it kept me awake and reading until three in the morning.
These are well written stories, but they're full of violence. If that bothers you skip them. If you, like I do, recognize they're fiction written as entertainment, rather than encouraging a way of life, you'll like them, too. I've already obtained #7 in my e-reader, and I'm ready to go.
This story is the sixth instalment in the adventures of our favorite sociopath. Well, Harry isn't actually a sociopath, because he does have his own unique set of personal morals. They just aren't conventionally accepted in polite society.
The Silent Blade is a reference to how Harry's bosses wished he operated. Instead, Harry has a common practice of blowing things to bits and drawing attention--way too much attention--to himself and it's causing problems.
Silent Blade is also a direct continuation of the previous instalment, Immortal Hate. Well, all of these stories are continuations in many respects, but Immortal Hate to Silent Blade is direct.
Like the other Blake Banner books in the series, this is a real page turner. It's the first novel I've finished at one sitting in quite a while. Well, I was actually lying in bed, rather than sitting, and it kept me awake and reading until three in the morning.
These are well written stories, but they're full of violence. If that bothers you skip them. If you, like I do, recognize they're fiction written as entertainment, rather than encouraging a way of life, you'll like them, too. I've already obtained #7 in my e-reader, and I'm ready to go.
April 14, 2021
The Silent Blade Blake Banner
Harry Bauer is doing what he does best. He doesn't behave like a covert operator. He acts like a soldier. Attacks, makes a lot of noise which really annoys his employer. They prefer low key, silent as possible. More James Bond vs Rambo.This is an extremely fast paced action thriller. Harry takes out a lot of bad guys, drug dealers and other unsavory characters. Another excellent read in this series!!
Harry Bauer is doing what he does best. He doesn't behave like a covert operator. He acts like a soldier. Attacks, makes a lot of noise which really annoys his employer. They prefer low key, silent as possible. More James Bond vs Rambo.This is an extremely fast paced action thriller. Harry takes out a lot of bad guys, drug dealers and other unsavory characters. Another excellent read in this series!!
May 25, 2021
Yet again the author brings together another storyline that grabs you from the start to finish
Harry Bauer assassin supreme takes on the bad guys without any feelings of remorse about taking their lives even though he has no back up and no real plans about what he is doing it doesn't stop him taking the trash out because in Harry's world drug dealers and cartels do not deserve to breath as they murder rape and destroy peoples lives.
Harry Bauer assassin supreme takes on the bad guys without any feelings of remorse about taking their lives even though he has no back up and no real plans about what he is doing it doesn't stop him taking the trash out because in Harry's world drug dealers and cartels do not deserve to breath as they murder rape and destroy peoples lives.
March 23, 2022
Insane action from beginning to end...
Harry Bauer is one insanely good killer. If he could only keep it on the down low. But that is not his style, and his notoriety is threatening Cobra with unwanted attention. Even a fake funeral doesn't throw the CIA or Columbian drug lords off his trail. All this leads to one desperate dance with death after another and plenty of thrills to keep one reading deep into the night.
Harry Bauer is one insanely good killer. If he could only keep it on the down low. But that is not his style, and his notoriety is threatening Cobra with unwanted attention. Even a fake funeral doesn't throw the CIA or Columbian drug lords off his trail. All this leads to one desperate dance with death after another and plenty of thrills to keep one reading deep into the night.
November 28, 2023
Illogical plot, egregious violence.
I started reading this series and like it well enough. This book, though, seems to throw in violence and misogyny whenever possible, with all the macho one-liners available. The plot also had me scratching my head at how Harry consistently defies logic in trying to prove he's a killer by going after progressively bigger enemies, while bedding each and every female he comes across.
I started reading this series and like it well enough. This book, though, seems to throw in violence and misogyny whenever possible, with all the macho one-liners available. The plot also had me scratching my head at how Harry consistently defies logic in trying to prove he's a killer by going after progressively bigger enemies, while bedding each and every female he comes across.
June 15, 2021
Don't miss this one. Will be one of the best you'll read.
GSInge23@aol reviewed book It was a great, did not want end. Please continue writing your fantastic books. I loved the main character. The story line was amazing it was a page turner . You won't want to miss this one. Reviewed by Gita Sturtevant
GSInge23@aol reviewed book It was a great, did not want end. Please continue writing your fantastic books. I loved the main character. The story line was amazing it was a page turner . You won't want to miss this one. Reviewed by Gita Sturtevant
December 20, 2021
The silent blade
A very wild ride through one of the least believable tales of Harry, by most enjoyable for its fast paced action. The way COBRA goes about its business unfortunately does not exist in our wimpy society of today so we put up with the bad guys instead of taking out the trash.
A very wild ride through one of the least believable tales of Harry, by most enjoyable for its fast paced action. The way COBRA goes about its business unfortunately does not exist in our wimpy society of today so we put up with the bad guys instead of taking out the trash.
July 8, 2022
Great book
I was consistently surprised at the level of detail that the author had of the areas he was writing about, and the only inconsistency that I can think of was he showed up in Panama City in a land rover and that transformed into a BMW but other than that he was consistent.
I was consistently surprised at the level of detail that the author had of the areas he was writing about, and the only inconsistency that I can think of was he showed up in Panama City in a land rover and that transformed into a BMW but other than that he was consistent.
July 17, 2022
CC1
Another exciting chapter in Harry Bauer series. This was the best one yet. Harry proved to Cobra that he wouldn't give up the company. Not to no one. Then the last tango with Gabriella and cartele proved his worth. Eliminated the whole Columbian drug scene. So the Cobra liaison Alice saved him from the bad guys. 10 stars plus!!!! Thanks , Carl Clause
Another exciting chapter in Harry Bauer series. This was the best one yet. Harry proved to Cobra that he wouldn't give up the company. Not to no one. Then the last tango with Gabriella and cartele proved his worth. Eliminated the whole Columbian drug scene. So the Cobra liaison Alice saved him from the bad guys. 10 stars plus!!!! Thanks , Carl Clause
March 18, 2023
A lot of violence
Harry Bauer is a superman who seems to have no limit of strength, energy, and strategy. I alternately felt sympathy and awe for him. He single handedly took down 3 drug cartels in a matter of days. Too bad he is a fictional character. The plot was in genius and exhausting.
Harry Bauer is a superman who seems to have no limit of strength, energy, and strategy. I alternately felt sympathy and awe for him. He single handedly took down 3 drug cartels in a matter of days. Too bad he is a fictional character. The plot was in genius and exhausting.
July 12, 2024
A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do
Absolutely great read. Couldn't put it down. What a wonderful story. When you think you have the vision another twist throws you a curve. On top of that Harry goes through he'll thinking he's alone. But very hard to find his help. Better give yourself time when you start this book.
Absolutely great read. Couldn't put it down. What a wonderful story. When you think you have the vision another twist throws you a curve. On top of that Harry goes through he'll thinking he's alone. But very hard to find his help. Better give yourself time when you start this book.
April 2, 2021
Another 5 Stars
A great read, as usual. Non stop action and very difficult to put down. I very much look forward to the next book in this series. A big thank you to the author Blake Banner and from me a well deserved 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A great read, as usual. Non stop action and very difficult to put down. I very much look forward to the next book in this series. A big thank you to the author Blake Banner and from me a well deserved 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 10, 2021
Harry
Fantastic book a little and a lot of everything in it. A few times however Harry had me concerned that He might die. This is book was so exciting I could no put it down. You will love it a!so
Fantastic book a little and a lot of everything in it. A few times however Harry had me concerned that He might die. This is book was so exciting I could no put it down. You will love it a!so
May 2, 2021
Another 5 Star
Harry finds himself in a very dangerous situation. Drug cartels are waring and he is in the middle of the violence. He is offered huge amounts of money to go to the dark side. He seems to have no help from Cobra. This one kept me up reading late!
Harry finds himself in a very dangerous situation. Drug cartels are waring and he is in the middle of the violence. He is offered huge amounts of money to go to the dark side. He seems to have no help from Cobra. This one kept me up reading late!
May 15, 2021
Silent blade
This part of the series was good. Certainly did not anticipate the ending. Have to say, very was close to death more often than in previous books. It could have been his last assignment.
This part of the series was good. Certainly did not anticipate the ending. Have to say, very was close to death more often than in previous books. It could have been his last assignment.
July 8, 2021
Hard to put down
Started this series several days ago and now only have one book left to read and that makes me sad!!! Of course, I might get something else done once I have finished!!!
Started this series several days ago and now only have one book left to read and that makes me sad!!! Of course, I might get something else done once I have finished!!!
July 12, 2021
What is Harry Bauer doing in Columbia???
This story is all over the place.Harry leaves St George Island in the and through a bizarre number of "mishaps" finds himself weaponless, broke, pursued by henchmen of all sorts and threatened at every turn!!!
This story is all over the place.Harry leaves St George Island in the and through a bizarre number of "mishaps" finds himself weaponless, broke, pursued by henchmen of all sorts and threatened at every turn!!!
December 28, 2021
The book had its typical share of surprises and twists for Harry Bauer BUT...
Harry is supposed to deliver the punishment, not absorb so much of it. That part alone made it so much like other books of this genre that had me lower my rating. I hope the next book has the real Harry Bauer shows up!
Harry is supposed to deliver the punishment, not absorb so much of it. That part alone made it so much like other books of this genre that had me lower my rating. I hope the next book has the real Harry Bauer shows up!
March 12, 2022
insightful
Harry showed a different side of him his vengeance. I like that he is self-reflective and compassionate and loyal yet creative. He battles his demons. He seems conflicted about his only ability is to kill but his other attributes say differently. Hmmm.
Harry showed a different side of him his vengeance. I like that he is self-reflective and compassionate and loyal yet creative. He battles his demons. He seems conflicted about his only ability is to kill but his other attributes say differently. Hmmm.
March 29, 2022
very exciting book
I found this book a bit different of an adventure, however it keeps you guessing what is going to happen next. The book is well written with a lot of different adventures that he must get through to be saved.
I found this book a bit different of an adventure, however it keeps you guessing what is going to happen next. The book is well written with a lot of different adventures that he must get through to be saved.
May 14, 2022
The Silent Blade
WOW, talk about being put through the fires of Hell ! This story is so awesome that I stayed up reading until 3am!! This is an intense story that puts it's character through more hellfire and brimstone than any other book I have read and I read a LOT. Please read this book you will greatly enjoy it !
WOW, talk about being put through the fires of Hell ! This story is so awesome that I stayed up reading until 3am!! This is an intense story that puts it's character through more hellfire and brimstone than any other book I have read and I read a LOT. Please read this book you will greatly enjoy it !
May 15, 2022
The man who kills
I enjoyed reading this story it was very interesting and so suspenful and very exciting and I had a hard time putting the book down I wanted to see what was going to happen next.
I enjoyed reading this story it was very interesting and so suspenful and very exciting and I had a hard time putting the book down I wanted to see what was going to happen next.
June 14, 2022
Good read
Reacher has nothing on Bauer!! My friend and I are always saying "shoot him in the leg!" when we watch movies and the good guy is like "blah, blah, blah" and the bad guy gets the upper hand. No so with Harry.
Reacher has nothing on Bauer!! My friend and I are always saying "shoot him in the leg!" when we watch movies and the good guy is like "blah, blah, blah" and the bad guy gets the upper hand. No so with Harry.
July 11, 2022
A truly good adventure.
Harry Bauer finds himself once again at odds. Six or eight men coming for him, but little do they know he will use his training to overpower them. Harry thinks very low of drug dealers. This novel is action packed.
Harry Bauer finds himself once again at odds. Six or eight men coming for him, but little do they know he will use his training to overpower them. Harry thinks very low of drug dealers. This novel is action packed.
November 21, 2022
Just can't get enough of Harry
Once again, our boy mows the bad guys down and triumphs over evil. And he does it in his own way..with knife and gun and wit. Look forward to the next adventure!
Once again, our boy mows the bad guys down and triumphs over evil. And he does it in his own way..with knife and gun and wit. Look forward to the next adventure!
January 9, 2023
Silent Blade
Its Harry Bauer of course its good. Action packed from the beginning to the end and a great story to go along. Pull up a nice glass of wine and enjoy. Me I'm already looking forward to reading the next Harry Bauer thriller.
Its Harry Bauer of course its good. Action packed from the beginning to the end and a great story to go along. Pull up a nice glass of wine and enjoy. Me I'm already looking forward to reading the next Harry Bauer thriller.
January 27, 2023
It's the first time Harry Bauer doesn't have a mission. He just needs to return to the US after completing the mission of previous book. But the cartels and CIA are hurdle and creating all sorts of problems for him. That's the story. Not really interesting so to speak.
Read
October 18, 2023Good read but a little out there
I enjoyed reading it and it was definitely captivating. Some of the fights were too farfetched. Also, Harry's not going win any awards from women's rights organizations.
I enjoyed reading it and it was definitely captivating. Some of the fights were too farfetched. Also, Harry's not going win any awards from women's rights organizations.
August 6, 2024
I am afraid I have run out of patience with Harry Bauer and this series, the story lines and Harry's ability to kill everyone in sight, despite being badly injured, is just too much fantasy for me!
So I am afraid I will be moving on to a new author .
So I am afraid I will be moving on to a new author .
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews