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Publisher’s Weekly said of Liberty:
A Jake Grafton Novel, “Coonts's latest gripping espionage thriller (after America, Hong Kong and Cuba)
continues the adventures of Adm. Jack Grafton as he pursues major malefactors. This time, a rogue Russian general has sold
nuclear warheads to a Mideastern anti-American terrorist best known for "hacking some tourists to death with a machete"
in Egypt. Grafton must identify and locate the terrorist and his cronies before he detonates the weapons in the U.S. The action
moves from central Russia and Suez to the American east coast. Readers familiar with the series know that while Grafton's
methods trample on the law, the FBI and, especially, the CIA, he will be supported by persons at the highest level of government.
Coonts's naval background and his legal education bring considerable authority to the story, and the narrative is loaded
with detailed information about terrorist networks, modern weaponry and international intrigue. The plot is so intricate and
involves so many characters that readers might lose track of who's who, though Coonts delineates the major players skillfully.
The best character is a computer hacker whom Grafton gets released from prison so that she can invade the databases of law
enforcement agencies in Washington. The action is slam-bang, and shifts in point of view accelerate the tension. The climax,
played out in the recently renovated interior of the Statue of Liberty, is made for the movies. By the novel's end, Grafton
is so detested by law enforcement that the only thing for him to do is retire. Readers will hope it's only temporary.”
AudioFile said of The Traitor,
“Tommy Carmellini, former cat burglar, is tied to the straight and narrow by a simple commitment to the CIA: Serve or
go to jail. Carmellini is assigned to Paris, where he works with his old boss. Their job is to find the connection between
the director of the French intelligence service and his secret Al Qaeda agent. Dennis Boutsikaris packs his presentation with
a dazzling variety of accents and characters of both genders. However, he is at his best as Carmellini. Boutsikaris provides
a unique vocal identity with an expression and tempo that match Tommy's wiseacre attitude. With just a little imagination,
listeners get the feeling they are sharing a beer with Carmellini while he tells his fascinating story. It doesn't get
much better than this.”
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Stephen Coonts majored in political
science at West Virginia University, graduating in 1968 with an A.B. degree. Upon graduation he was commissioned an Ensign
in the U.S. Navy and began flight training in Pensacola, Florida. Stephen Coonts received his Navy wings in August, 1969. After completion of fleet replacement training
in the A-6 Intruder aircraft, Mr. Coonts reported to Attack Squadron 196 at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. He made two combat
cruises aboard USS Enterprise during the final years of the Vietnam War as a member of this squadron. After the war he served
as a flight instructor on A-6 aircraft for two years, then did a tour as an assistant catapult and arresting gear officer
aboard USS Nimitz. He left active duty in 1977 and moved to Colorado. After short stints as a taxi driver and police officer,
he entered the University of Colorado School of Law in the fall of 1977. Stephen Coonts received his law degree in December, 1979, and moved to West Virginia to practice.
He returned to Colorado in 1981 as a staff attorney specializing in oil and gas law for a large independent oil company.
Stephen Coonts is the author of Flight of the Intruder; Final Flight; Under Siege; The Intruders; Fortunes
of War; The Assassin: A Novel; The Minotaur; The Traitor; Saucer; Saucer: The Conquest; The Cannibal Queen An Aerial Odyssey
Across America; Garden of Eden; Hong Kong: A Jake Grafton Novel; Cuba: A Jake Grafton Novel; Liberty: A Jake Grafton Novel;
America: A Jake Grafton Novel; Liars and Thieves; War in the Air; Victory; and, Red Horseman. Stephen Coonts is also the co-author of Deep
Black: Arctic Gold; Deep Black: Conspiracy; Deep Black: Payback; Deep Black: Jihad; Deep Black Biowar; and, Deep Black: Dark
Zone.
Publisher’s Weekly said of Flight
of the Intruder, “With this well-crafted first novel, the publishers of The Hunt for Red October again
demonstrate a sure eye for picking winners in the thriller genre. Jake Grafton is an A-6 Intruder pilot during the Vietnam
War who flies his bomber on sorties past enemy flak and SAM missiles, and then must maneuver his plane, often at night, onto
the relatively small deck of an aircraft carrier. Former Navy flyer Coonts gives an excellent sense of the complexities of
modern air raids and how nerve-wracking it is, even for the best airmen, to technically solve sudden problems over and over,
knowing that even a twist of fatea peasant wildly firing a rifle from a fieldcould wipe out the crew. Grafton alternates between
remorse over the fate of his unseen Vietnamese victims on the ground and a gung-ho "let's win this war" sentiment
that lashes at both policymakers who select less-than-important targets for the dangerous missions and advocates for peace
back in the States. The action, though, is realistically detailed and absorbing.”
According to the book description of
Final Flight, “The most daring -- and deadly -- terrorist plot of all time is about to unfold
aboard the supercarrier USS United States. If it succeeds, the balance of nuclear power will tilt in favor of a remorseless
Arab leader. And it looks as if no one can stop it - except navy "jet jock" Jake Grafton. "Cag " Grafton
is one helluva pilot. His F-14 Tomcat is one helluva plane. But some of Jake's crewmates have already vanished. A woman
reporter who boarded the ship in Tangiers may not be who she claims to be. And Jake may have to disobey a direct order from
the President himself for one spine-tingling, hair-raising Final Flight.”
The Library School Journal said of
Under Siege, “Several story lines intertwine to produce a contemporary, fast-paced political
thriller. Jake Grafton, seen in Coonts's previous three novels, returns as a staff member for the chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff. He is joined by Jack Yocke, a Washington Post journalist, and Harrison R. Ford, an undercover agent, and
the threesome assists the administration in rescuing Washington, D. C. from chaotic and horrifying circumstances that result
when a Colombian drug lord and his gunmen arrive in this country for trial. While these events are unfolding, a hired assassin
carries out an intricate plan to kill President Bush and several top officials. Coonts has readers' complete attention
throughout this incredible, yet strangely believable, tale. There are many well-drawn characters in the sprawling story, and
he does an excellent job of weaving together plot and participants.”
AudioFile said of The Assassin:
A Novel, “Stephen Coonts returns with his most compelling novel to date. All the the elements of the espionage
thriller are in place: angry terrorists, Russian dissidents, a captivating secret agent, and, yes, the mysterious woman he
falls for, who may have connections with the enemy. Only a gifted performer could bring such an incredible story to life and,
equally important, make it believable. Dennis Boutsikaris is the right man for the job. He provides realistic accents for
the colorful characters that abound. Furthermore, he knows exactly when to ratchet up the tension and bring listeners to the
edge of their seats. Ultimately, Boutsikaris makes the unbelievable seem like breaking news.
According to the book description
of Deep Black: Conspiracy, “A Secret Service agent is dead, an apparent suicide. A presidential
candidate narrowly escapes an assassin’s bullet. And Desk Three, a convert branch of the NSA, is searching for a chilling
connection deep inside The Republic of Vietnam. Once, Charlie Dean was a Marine sniper in Quang Nam Province. Today he’s
a Deep Black operator, returning to Vietnam to find the source of some threatening e-mails. Instead, he comes face to face
with a man he had once hunted down…and thought he had killed. Back in the U.S., Deep Black agent Lia DeFrancesca has uncovered the trail of a killer in Dean’s
path. Now, with every asset, weapon, bug and high-tech magic wand Desk Three can wave, the agents enter a terrifying global
race against time. Because ghosts of the past have risen to life…to strike a death blow into the heart of the U.S.A.”
Publisher’s Weekly said of Deep
Black: Payback, “This master of the techno-thriller spins a bone-chilling worst-case scenario involving
international spies, military heroics, conniving politicians, devious agencies, a hijacked nuclear sub, lethal computer hackers,
currency speculators, maniac moguls and greedy mercenaries that rivals Clancy for fiction-as-realism and Cussler for spirited
action. . . . [Coonts] never lets up with heart-racing jet/missile combat, suspenseful submarine maneuvers and doomsday scenarios
that feel only too real, providing real food for thought in his dramatization of the missile-shield debate.”
AudioFile said of Deep
Black: Jihad, “the white hats of the West square off against Al Qaeda. Deep Black operatives use an elaborate
scheme to infiltrate Al Qaeda by planting a listening device inside a terrorist's skull. From an operations center called
The Art Room, technicians track the target and direct the action of watcher teams. The chase is on to learn what the terrorist
and Al Qaeda are planning and how it can be stopped. J. Charles presents JIHAD in his usual crisp, clear, well-paced style.
Character differentiation is challenging with so many people involved in the operation. But Charles's solid efforts manage
to bring energy to this otherwise run-of-the-mill thriller.”
Publishers Weekly said of Saucer,
“A flight of fancy and a departure from Coonts's bestselling techno-thrillers (Flight of the Intruder, etc.) pits
an eager young grad student against seasoned military, government and corporate raider types for control of an ancient flying
saucer dug out of a sandstone outcrop in the Sahara. Rip Cantrell is acting as gofer for a seismic survey when a glint of
metal in the sand catches his eye. Aided by archeologists from a nearby dig, he unearths the ship, but the U.S. Air Force
UFO team shows up followed shortly by armed thugs sent by Australian mogul Roger Hedrick. When the Libyan army appears on
the scene as well, Rip and test pilot Capt. Charlotte (Charley) Pine manage to hijack the controls of the saucer, evading
all their pursuers and flying to the Missouri farm of Rip's Uncle Egg, "inventor, wizard, mechanic extraordinaire."
Egg cues Charley and Rip to the saucer's advanced flight capabilities, and they make decoy runs to mask their real location.
But Hedrick tracks them down, and Charley is forced by a Hedrick operative to fly the saucer to the mogul's Australian
ranch. Rip heads Down Under with rescue in mind when the UFO team (previously in Libyan captivity) are set free and tell all
on TV, forcing Hedrick to change plans. He puts the saucer up for sale to one lucky nation, but has a sinister plan that Charley
vows to disrupt. The moves get more deadly as the bidding begins, and Rip comes on the scene for a predictably spectacular
ending. More Cussler than Clancy, this cartoonish slice of escapism is also more hokey than suspenseful ("But saucers
do exist. There one is!"); still, it's tough to put down.”
The School Library Journal said of
Fortunes of War, “YA-A modern military thriller. U.S. Colonel Cassidy and Jiro Kimura, a Japanese
fighter pilot, friends since they met at the Air Force Academy, find themselves on opposing sides of a highly charged political
situation. Japanese radicals have taken over their country and hope to seize Siberian oil fields to help the failing Japanese
economy. Sent to help the Russians, Cassidy and his team of American pilots try to avert a nuclear holocaust. Meanwhile, a
Russian submarine inflicts damage on the Japanese coast. The stealthy events leading to the beheading of the Japanese emperor
in the opening chapter grab readers' attention. Intense action and the use of short sentences and fragments heighten the
dramatic urgency and speed the plot along. There are numerous military details; however, it is possible to skim through them
and still get to know the characters and follow the story. This fast read is a good introduction to adult military novels
for teens, who will also learn something of Japanese and Russian history from the cultural details woven into the story.”
Publisher’s Weekly said of America:
A Jake Grafton Novel, “What could possibly go wrong if Congress manages to approve the ICBM missile
defense shield being pushed by the White House? This master of the techno-thriller spins a bone-chilling worst-case scenario
involving international spies, military heroics, conniving politicians, devious agencies, a hijacked nuclear sub, lethal computer
hackers, currency speculators, maniac moguls and greedy mercenaries that rivals Clancy for fiction-as-realism and Cussler
for spirited action. Rear Adm. Jake Grafton is shocked, as are his fellow Russian and European observers, when a satellite
for the SuperAegis missile shield goes out of launch mode and is lost in seconds. Moments later, the state-of-the-art nuclear
submarine America is hijacked on her maiden voyage. The sub is armed with Tomahawk missiles with "Flashlight" warheads
capable of frying all unprotected electronics within miles of detonation, crippling target cities. Jake suspects Janos Ilin
and his Russian bosses, and forms a shaky "alliance" to test Ilin while digging for info. Meanwhile, Tommy Carmellini,
a convicted felon with a talent for burglary that got him "recruited" by the CIA, tumbles onto a dastardly agency
plot and secretly cues Jake. When American Tomahawks launched on Washington paralyze the city the whole East Coast lapses
into chaos, the dollar plunges, and Jake's team, led by streetsmart black marine Gen. "Flap" LeBeau, goes into
overdrive. Perennial bestseller Coonts (Hong Kong; Flight of the Intruder) never lets up with heart-racing jet/missile combat,
suspenseful submarine maneuvers and doomsday scenarios that feel only too real, providing real food for thought in his dramatization
of the missile-shield debate.
Publishers Weekly said of The
Minotaur, “Navy Captain Jake Grafton develops an aircraft known as the Minotaur using Stealth technology
and deals with a Defense Department information leak in this techno-thriller. PW commented, "Coonts is most compelling
when he focuses on the politics of design and procurement; his comparisons of Navy and Air Force procedures are admirably
sharp-edged.”
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