Back Blast

Excellent next step in this series.

I've loved this series from the first one to the last. No wonder the Clancy people picked this author up.

19 of 20 people found this review helpful

For me, the most satisfying Gray Man novel to-date

Who was your favorite character and why?

Court Gentry. A most compelling character who works through some personal challenges while being a total bad a@#. All of Mark's books, both Gray Man and Tom Clancy series, include rich character development, complex plots, and obvious deep research on weapons and geography.

What about Jay Snyder’s performance did you like?

Jay Snider must remain the narrator for the Gray Man series, as he has defined and expanded each character within each novel.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Neither. It makes me impressed by the author's storytelling skills and the narrator's range of believable character voices.

Any additional comments?

Mark, keep 'em coming! You are my favorite action series author. My wife and I live near Richmond, VA, so hearing you navigate Court through our neck of the woods was very gratifying.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Excellent GRAY MAN book - I can't wait for more...

Any additional comments?

To begin with Jay Snyder did a fantastic job as always. I won't restate the synopsis since you don't need a review for that. I thought this book was Excellent. I wasn't sure if Mark Greaney would be able to top his last book "Dead Eye" but this one is just as good if not better. I read someone's review on Amazon and was so surprised to see they had written that some of the stunts were unrealistic and out there. Well, the stunts in this book are pretty wild but if you are a fan of this series, think back to the first book when he is given a blood transfusion while driving a car, beats 4 men in hand to hand and goes on to save the day and while laying on the driveway bleeding out he's offered a job! This book has some out there moments but that goes to making it more exciting. As the story goes, there were some touching moments, Court sees his father for the first time in 20 years. They don't get to speak but I can see this developed in future books. Also, Court's background and teen years are filled in some. There were some real surprises also. Lots of twists, deciet and back stabbing. But some friendships are renewed. I think Court ends up on top in this book and Murphy takes a shot at others. The biggest shock is finally learning the truth about why this is a Shoot on Sight order. I was very impressed with this book and can't wait for the next.
Please don't make us wait 3 more years!
Highly Recommended!
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85 of 95 people found this review helpful

Okay, not a disappointment, but...

The book was well written and the narration was nice. The story just did not keep me engaged like the really good mystery/thrillers I've read have done. I found myself distracted multiple times and would have to back up and re-listen to parts when I had missed what was going on. Really good books do not allow you to lose your focus. I think it's worth a listen but if you are like me, don't expect to be blown away or riveted by the story.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Wow! When's the movie?

It has been a while since the last Gray Man book, but this was worth the wait. Just fantastic. Court Gentry doesn't know why the term order was given on him, so he has been running for more than 5 years. He wants answers, he doesn't want to hurt anyone, but the bodies keep piling up. And most of them? He didn't kill them. Who is killing the people he needs to talk to? Who is after him?

We are allowed to know part of the story right from the start, but not all of it. There are crosses, double crosses, and triple crosses! Surprise after surprise, you can't guess it all. And action? If this were a movie, I would have been out of my seat cheering and jumping up and down. This book makes me want to run and leap, and yell.

There are several characters to hug, and some to slap, or as Gentry does, let others kill. It is sad to me that these highly-trained men who often get into this business because of patriotism, then work together as brothers can then turn on and kill each other just because they have orders. I hope that part isn't true.

Gentry finally does get it all sorted out, yet still gets the shaft. but if he retired to a farm in Virginia, there would be no more Sierra 6. I am happy that there will be room for a few more Gray Man books.

Jay Snyder does a wonderful job reading this book. Congratulations to Mark Greaney!

Maybe most of this is unrealistic, but Bruce Willis and James Bond seem to keep us believing, so I am willing to go with the Gray Man. And Court Gentry is a really good guy.

20 of 22 people found this review helpful

WOW! Just WOW!!

Back Blast solidifies Mark Greaney's position is the best writer of espionage thrillers living today! The competition is strong from Brad Thor, Ben Coes, Brad Taylor, Daniel Silva, Brett Battles, Dalton Fury, Nelson DeMille, Tom Wood, Alex Berenson, and others. I first noticed Greaney when he started co-authoring Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series and the quality of Clancy's books improved. The Gray Man/Court Gentry novels and Greaney's continuing to write the Jack Ryan series after Clancy's death have been consistently outstanding. In my opinion Greaney is at the level of Vince Flynn who tragically died in 2013.

In Back Blast Court Gentry after 5 years is tired of running from the the CIA kill order that he does not understand, so he goes to Washington DC to find the reason. The novel unfolds from there. There is constant suspense and action. The audio novel is 18 hours long but as the end approached I found I wanted it to continue.

Jay Snyder narrates. He is one of the best and he does not disappoint.

33 of 37 people found this review helpful

good book

enjoyed resding this author and listening to the audio
action was consistent and never ending
several stories within the main context and kept me reading and guessing

12 of 13 people found this review helpful

Forget about Jason Bourne, The Gray Man is here

Would you consider the audio edition of Back Blast to be better than the print version?

Absolutely

What did you like best about this story?

Many insights into Gentry's life

What does Jay Snyder bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Intensity, vividness, brings all the characters to life

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I held my breath many times. It was awesome!

Any additional comments?

Mark Greaney is the number one New York Times Best-selling coauthor of the Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series and he just released book number 5 of his critically acclaimed Gray Man novels.

Let me say this from the start, I’ve listened to all the audio versions of the books written by Mr. Greaney and I enjoyed them all, and my review for the latest Jack Ryan Novel, Tom Clancy Commander-in-Chief, which was released in December, 2015, can be found on my blog.

The Gray Man novels follow Court Gentry, a Black Ops, paramilitary officer that previously worked for the Central Inteligence Agency and now he finds himself hunted all over the world with a Kill on Sight sanction on his head. You should definitely read the first four books in this series, because each and every one of them is very entertaining and that way you can find out more about our hero, but long story short, in Back Blast, Court is back in the United States to get some answers, to clear his name and to dish out some well deserved punishment to those responsible for the manhunt, and you know what the kicker is? It seems that Court Gentry doesn’t have a clue why everybody wants him dead.

Back Blast opens on full throttle, with one of the main characters, Denney Carmichael, the Director of the National Clandestine Service, being whisked away with much heist to the CIA headquarters by his protective detail, on the clear and present danger that the Gray Man is coming for him. Court Gentry a.k.a the Gray Man, codename Violator has just arrived in Washington D.C, after 5 years outside the Continental United States and although he is gunning for Carmichael, at this point he has no weapons or the necessary resources to mount that kind of operation. First he has to find himself a gun and some cash… and from that moment on forward all Hell breaks lose and there’s non stop action the entire 18 and a half hours of the audiobook.

I’m really glad to see author Mark Greaney developing such deep, captivating and interesting characters for the latest Gray Man book. Back Blast answers many questions, delivers on many expectations and puts Gentry in the US, in his country, in the place he loves most and shows a Gray Man stormed by conflicted emotions and disturbing thoughts. Absolutely all the characters are very well written. Gentry is one of the most dangerous man alive, but has some solid moral rules, Denney Carmichael is ruthless in his wish to kill Violator and to rule the CIA and I was impressed to find a very interesting woman reporter by the name of Catherine King for witch I’ve grown a significant appreciation… I wish more journalist were like that…

Back Blast is the best book from Mark Greaney and that’s saying something because all his previous works are great! Filled with over the top action and scenarios, espionage, covert operations, double and triple crosses, moral dilemmas, betrayals and incredible gun fights, all driven by a solid narrative and vivid lifelike characters this is a book all Thriller fans should experience for themselves.

The audiobook version of Back Blast is performed by Jay Snyder, just like all the other books in this awesome series. He is the perfect narrator to give life to Court Gentry. Jay fills the listener with a sense of urgency and keeps him glued to the earbuds for hours at an end. If you choose the audiobook, you will find yourself immersed in Courts adventures, ignoring phone calls, people talking around and with you and forgetting that you still had some work scheduled, at least that was what happened to me in these last 4 days.

Jay Snyder handles accents very well, he gives different voices to the characters and keeps it easy for the listener to differentiate between them. You can feel the intensity of the action and you’ll hold your breath many times during the performance.

Great job, Jay! Thank you for the entertainment!

Forget about Jason Bourne! The Gray Man is here! Trust me when I say that once you start Back Blast, you will not be able to put it down until it ends and after that, you’ll want more books from Mark Greaney. If you like Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, Nelson Demille and others like them, you’ll love Back Blast!

I will adapt a quote from the old Tom Clancy books covers because it fits perfectly for Back Blast: This is Greaney at his best and there is none better!

11 of 12 people found this review helpful

Best Gray Man Yet!

If you are a Gray Man fan, this book will not disappoint. Starts fast and never slows down.

10 of 11 people found this review helpful

suspenseful

The narrator is good . I like he handled the narration. There was too many killings and it seems unreal, but the story flows quite well . The bomb is who handles who. Even the best can be hoodwinked with lies.

15 of 17 people found this review helpful