High Value Target

by Jason Anspach, Nick Cole

You can run, but you can’t hide from U.S. Army Rangers. With the armies of the enemy smashed at the final battle for the desert port city, the Rangers return to their primary mission to do what they do: eliminate a high-value target with extreme violence of action deep inside hostile territory. Failure is not an option—even if that target is a ten-thousand-year-old undead sorcerer of incredible power surrounded by dark, deadly cabals and savage monsters of myth and fable that are all too real. Raids, infiltration, and ambush—and whatever means are necessary—bring the relentless Rangers straight into direct conflict with the dark forces of the Valley of Kings and Priests, where Sût the Undying dreams horrible nightmares of dark magic in a fantastic pyramid more fortress than eternal tomb, intent on conquering the Ruin... and with one final terrible card to play. It’s time to breach and clear for all the marbles in a high-stakes game of Hide and Go Kill. Don’t Forget Nothin’.

Genres: Fantasy

287 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 22, 2023

About the author

JASON ANSPACH is the author of Galaxy's Edge, Wayward Galaxy, Forgotten Ruin. and more.

He lives in Puyallup, WA with his wife and their seven (not a typo) children.

Reviews

[Cory · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can’t finish a book when all you want is for the one narrating the story to do, is shut the hell up.

[Becky Ballinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

RANGERS

I've read the 8 books and don't write reviews. I don't know how close to actual Ranger "Missions" training and tactical skills these books reflect. I'm mentally and emotionally blown(:)) away by the unusual story line, superb character development. It grabbed me and didn't let go. I need more, to know more about the few human civilization s left, about Talkers SON and Autumn. I'll read the SGT THOR quietly write more of THE RUIN. I'm reading this on Kindle, but I will buy the books as I can. These definitely belong in my personal Library.

[Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanna slap talk-ir

This man. I can't believe he turned down that sweet little coffee queen for an elf that'll have nothing to do with him except a quick glance for 18 years. And he barely knew her.

I like talker, but dude fucked up here.

It's a compliment to the writers that I'm having a reaction to this btw

[Andy Herzfeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talker hooks up with his Elf chick again and has to break it off with his coffee shop chick, I know right cheesy but that is in his down time when he is not running for his life in some musty tomb. This is #8 in a series with more coming one the epic battle the Rangers find themselves in against the true power of the distant future ruin the Nether Sorcerer reportedly from not earth. The Rangers find themselves in league with the Acadians who are Spartan like warriors, Dwarves and a turned Medusa general their High value target is a dangerous sorcerer named Sut the undying. To get to him they need a route through the mountains and tombs to pull a Ranger smash. Standing in their way is a former Delta operator turned mummy who has captured a ranger he is bent on sacrificing for dark sorcery. He also becomes a High Value target or HVT. Talker can track him through his new abilities and does do with the help of his zombie friend Tanner, resident wizard ranger friend. They have to kill their way through and it is a must read to find out how it goes for them as they continue to march.

[William (Mr. Bill) Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

High Value Target - you have to read it to believe it!

I always enjoy reading the Forgotten Ruin books! Rangers gonna Ranger, and I'm gonna keep reading them. If you haven't stepped in this wonder world, yet. Please join us. It's a blast - quite literally and I might add, frequently. A great group of characters that are fun to read about as the story is documented in real-time (not real, real time) by 'Talker' a coffee oficiando. By the time you reach High Value Target, book 8 in the series, all of this will make more sense. Authors Jason Anspach and Nick Cole never disappoint. If you enjoy action, look no further than the Forgotten Ruin Series! I can't wait for Book 9, Sua Sponte. -Mr.Bill

[Adam Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of cool background fill in

This one had a lot of background fill in to give us official answers to some questions that have been around since the early books. Overall a good read, but it felt like an overly long side quest instead of really moving the story forward. My other quibble is that Talker feels like his growth of power and ability is sorta on delay. Kennedy is becoming a badass Wizard, the captain is of course awesome, same for the others who’ve been Revealed. But Talker still hardly has any use or control of his abilities. We need some progression there.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

...and back to Talker, blathering about coffee for at least the first half of the book. Once things started moving and the authors stopped noodling around with Talker's rabbit-holing tangents, it was pretty good. Lots of lore in-fill and a Ranger dungeon crawl lead to a knock-down fight. But not the fight you might expect from the title.

There is a book 9 coming (with that fight, presumably), and I really hope they edit Talker or have someone else narrate it. They did that before and it worked just fine.

[Fasfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm mad if only because I thought High Value Target was our grand finale and it's not.

So, happy-sad.

These are some of my favorite books, though. Talker is the most normal narrator in the most abnormal world, and it's a beautiful mix of human emotion in the face of, "Holy shit, I should not be here right now".

I'm anxiously waiting for the next round of "Ranger Smash" and I'm giddy to think of the outcome of our favorite boys and where the battle and its aftermath take them.

[Megan K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowed again!

Much more action, same amount of coffee, lots of enemies &, best of all, US Army Rangers. Always ready to do in a bad actor, these boys had a plan, & a grand one it was.

Join Captain Knife Hand, Smaj, & Chief Rapp, the combat medic with a lot of suprises! There's coffee ...

[Franca · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic story!!

And we’re back! I have been waiting for the continuation of the forgotten ruin series. It is so good. I have never been so invested in arranging called commons!
This was a brilliant rendition of how rangers would survive in a post apocalyptic world filled with magic and monsters!! I can’t wait for the next book !

[Gigi White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this down!

The Rangers forge ahead to complete their mission. I loved all of the books so far but I loved this one the best. Talker and his friends/fellow Rangers are able to do seemingly impossible things. Well worth reading.

[Brian K. Battles · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no better military fantasy science fiction series than this.

I LIKE TALKER. I like his point of view and his coffee antics and his loyalty to his Rangers and Rangering. The settings are interesting and combat is intense.

[Samuel Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rangers meet the Mummy

If you've read the earlier books in the series, this is more of the same for better and worse. It still feels very stream of conscious and as scattered at times as buckshot but that seems to be the writing style they were going for.

[Erik W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the trolling

Coffee, coffee and more coffee. The authors trolling the coffee and “rangers gonna ranger” haters is just great but wouldn’t hold up without a great story to support it and that’s what Nick and Jason deliver yet again. Thanks guys, I’ll be back for Sua Sponte.

[Jesse Fain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still kicking Ass

A lot of series fade in quality over time, but Talkers unique voice and love for his comrades is still carrying strong. Telling a modern story with early fantasy tricks and feel is wonderful. Can't wait for the next one.

[Ivar Haakonson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great addition to the series, but I was waiting for the fight with the big bad and it never happened. That better not get skipped in the next book. Who the heck is Sut, what does he look like, how does he die. That's what this book should have been, but instead we got an entertaining side quest.

[Jim DeVinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explanations with words

Need to get a better explanation about coffee. Bitter coffee is trash. String coffee is smooth and has depth. Dark, caressing different taste buds.

[Jason Baer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

This series is for hardcore military buffs like me. They read fast and I didn't want to put it down

[Gabriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rescue behind enemy lines

The setting is great, the story interesting just hope you can follow the winding tale and the constant talk of coffee.

[Bob haran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Bring on the next chapter. 15 more words needed to finish this damn post for Amazon reviews so this is it for all love.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story, amazing narrator. Can't wait for the next one!

[Stephanie Cowart · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s was good but too short

[dennis miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

One of the better ones in a great series. I like coffee, and wonder who the CSM and Chief are based on, they seem really familiar.

[Sabion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet. Too short and still way too much coffee. The focus is on Talker and the rest of the cast gets the broad brush treatment. One step closer to the confrontation with the BBEG.

[Tyler Tarter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving this series

[Charles Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Hit

Action packed as always. Liked how this book revealed more of the history of the ruin. Looking forward to book 9.

[Ken Zydel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turns down a chick whos specializes in his drug of choice(coffee) for an elf queen he gets to be with in what like 10-20 years? jfc talker.... glad he will be a good dad though

"Chaos is my jam"