Assured Response

Scott Dalton & Jackie Sullivan #2

by Joe Weber

New threats require new weapons. New villains require new heroes.The time is the near future. Osama Bin Laden has been succeeded by a generation of even deadlier terrorists who will stop at nothing in their fanatical quest to destroy the United States. Conventional security is no longer enough. Former military pilots Scott Dalton and Jackie Sullivan are the government’s newest weapons–operatives so secret that their very existence is denied by the officials who hired them. Armed with the most up-to-date technology and equipment, their mission is to prevent a plan of nuclear holocaust that will begin at the Canadian border and explode in the centers of American power.They have their work cut out for them.Foremost among their foes are Saeed Shayhidi, a billionaire Iranian “businessman” and mass murderer, far more sophisticated and sadistic than Bin Laden himself; Khaliq Farkas, a mysterious and ever-elusive terrorist, bearing a barbaric grudge; and Zheng-Yen Tsung, the powerful Chinese official who may be the mastermind behind it all.From a shocking sarin attack on a legendary ocean liner to the stalking of chemical plants and oil refineries by aircraft filled with explosives, no attack is too insidious, no symbol of strength and freedom immune. For Dalton and Sullivan, their expertise has never been more necessary–their bravery never more needed–than in a world where unrepentant evil requires an assured response.

Genres: Military Fiction, Military Thriller, Thriller, Fiction

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 30, 2003

About the author

Joe Weber is a former USMC carrier-qualified fighter pilot. His novels have appeared on the best-seller lists of the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, the Associated Press, and the Chicago Tribune.

Mr. Weber holds a Master of Science Degree in Aviation Management. He is an Airline Transport Rated pilot with over 10,500 hours of flight time in 43 different types of aircraft, ranging from aerobatic biplanes and high-performance military jets to four engine transports. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1970-1975. A carrier-qualified fighter/attack trained pilot, he graduated first in his class from advanced naval jet pilot training in Kingsville, Texas, in 1972. After his release from active duty, he flew commercially until 1989 when his first novel was published. Mr. Weber is a native of Enid, Oklahoma, and lives in Northwest Arkansas with his wife, Jeannie

Reviews

[Will · Rating 2 out of 5]

Keeps a steady-pace, but gets bogged down in minute sections that are tangents to the main storyline.

Special Ops Scott Dalton and Jackie Sullivan are tasked in finding a terrorist in the U.S., funded by a billionaire who is out to destroy the Great Satan. Lots of current day headlines, and a U.S. president who will not sit idly by and kowtow the everyone else, but go after these terrorists with an assured response.

Lots of attacks leading to major disasters in the U.S., with many players involved on the U.S. side, but no word from Russia or China. The storyline is somewhat weak and the dialogues is comic book like. Weber likes to detail all the military equipment involved, and aircraft especially, as he was a Marine aviator in the Vietnam war, but seems that this dialogue pops up too many times and detracts from the story. It was on ok read, but not much thinking needed.

Unfortunately, the book finishes with a sequel expected, but not delivered. Weber has since written another book recently but not sure if it continues where this left off. As someone else reviewed, his earlier novels dealing with the Cold War and Vietnam War were better crafted.

Also, found out that author Joe Weber passed away Aug 2019.

[Glenn O'Bannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Heroes they’re not!

They’re by the book operators whose first instinct at a sign of risk is to get the heck out of there.

As a result, they almost always fail, much to the detriment of the United States.

This book is more a disaster movie and less a thriller.

The first book was great but this one is TERRIBLE!

[Michael E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have rated it higher, but the major mechanical problems in almost all the sorties was rather depressing and unbelievable.

[Robert Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bad ending, but otherwise, a good read!

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by a great author!

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although this book started out with promise, it ultimately collapsed due to many improbabilities and unbelievable events. The American military was plagued by a series of mechanical failures that did not seem reasonable. The antagonists were blessed by many lucky escapes and the two main protagonists were just moronic. I was hoping for James Bond or Jason Bourne-style "super spies", but what we got is two whiny, incompetent dolts who spent the entire book trying to not be where the bad guys were and smashing up expensive equipment. The U.S. is suffering many horrific terrorist assaults and they spend so much time discussing how much they'd rather be on vacation and what luxury dinner they'll have that night. Losers of the first degree. The last 70-90 pages were annoying because it was becoming obvious that there was going to be a sequel. Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough of a story to warrant a sequel, never mind the utter lack of interest that the book instilled in me. Avoid this.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little over the top in his attempt to put in every detail about every weapon system from every service! Then there are the two "lead figures" who are oddly weaved thru the story yet they don't even accomplish their assigned mission before the story ends. Weber does get his military facts correct which, as a retired military guy, I appreciate. Otherwise, I felt disappointed by the end of the story. Probaly won't choose Weber again.

[Mike Klein · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's silly "popcorn" adventure. You've got an author who was a military pilot and he delights in showing off his flying knowledge on as many pages as possible, no matter what the consequences to the pacing or the plot. Other than that it is a decent, although lacking any subtlety or nuances, adventure thriller.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read, but I would have liked to see another hundred pages added with fleshed out sections for character development, situational details, and a more flowing weave of the different plot threads.
Definitely full of action!

[Tom Pintong · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt really dissatisfied after finishing the book. While I liked that America in the story really took no prisoners after waves of terrorists attacks, I found the main characters unlikeable, and the overall story stilted and disjointed.

[Bradley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed several of Weber's tales of Vietnam-era Marine attack pilot Austin, this post-Sept 11 thriller fell far, far short in both credibility and the writer's craftmanship. Skip this one.

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was probably the best in recent memory by Weber, except it left the story unresolved and he has not written a follow-up book. A disappointment to be sure.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

For any individual or nation that might wonder what might happen should they "poke the USA in the eye with a sharp stick" this work of fiction may answer the question!