Time to Hunt

Rating:
Summary: Highly charged plot, predictable, yet fascintaing reading.
Review: "Time To Hunt" is the third in Hunter's Bob Swagger trilogy. It explains the cause behind Donny Fenn's death and Bob's near fatal wounding during the final days of the Viet Nam war. It is a twisting and well told tale of conspiracy in high places. Hunter is a master at maintaining a high level of suspense, I was complelled to read on right to the end. Hunter writes about shooting with a level of technical detail usually found in a Tom Clancy novel, yet it does not detract from the pace of his story. Hunter leaves enough clues for the reader to unravel things before he gets to them, but with enough twists to create a doubt that makes you read on. If you like high adventure and masterful conspiracies, you will enjoy this book. I do recommend however that you first read "Point Of Impact" and "Black Light" (parts one and two of the Swagger trilogy). Although in truth, each part stands well on its own as a separate tale. And remember, it is just a story!

Rating:
Summary: Holds your attention from start to finish.
Review: "Dirty White Boys" was my initial Stephen Hunter read. I then went back and started chronologically. By the time I got to "Point of Impact" I trusted Mr. Hunter. Therefore I did not get distressed with the arcane and detailed info on rifles, ballistics, shooting etc. that began "Point of Impact". I was rewarded with a wonderfully rich character in Bob Lee Swagger. "Time to Hunt" completes the Swagger trilogy. Again, rich characters whose flaws make them oh so real and compassionate. It is a thriller of the nth degree. As in the previous Swagger stories the true villan is in doubt until the final pages. Then you have to go back and reread the last half dozen or so pages, just to make certain you read it correctly. Mr. Hunter writes with conviction and makes you find time to drop what you should be doing and get back to his book

Rating:
Summary: Greatest Thriller, Ever
Review: Time to Hunt
By: Stephen Hunter
Reviewed by: B. Ma
Period: 1

This book was a great book overall, basically starting about a lance corporal, Donny Fenn. He is sent on a mission, and is then sent off for doing the wrong things. He was forced to go to 'nam and has to stay until he has fought enough of the soldiers. He met sergent bob lee swagger, a famous man known for his rifle. He thoroughly enjoyed being in vietnam. They were being hunted by a russian sniper, T. Solaratov. Swagger is back on his estate and he tries to piece together the puzzle, how everything is connected, and he realizes, it was under his nose this whole time..

I enjoyed this book because of all the military action, the advanced technological weapons, and all of the action and violence was what i loved about this book. This book was great because of the great way the sequence of events were placed. "The blood spurted all over the ground"

I disliked this book also because of the way the plot of charactors kept changing and the location changed from place to place, sometimes it seemed like the battle was raging in some sort of blank area where nothing was happening. In most cases I just liked the scene of the battle, but not where it was taking place. "He reached for his grease gun to fire"

My favorite part of the book was when Bob Lee Swagger was able to mend his own bad situation by looking for a better way to fix everything, he is truly a person of excellent knowledge and is capable of doing much more than he is said to do. I believe that Bob Lee "The Nailer" Swagger is more than just a fictional charactor, it felt as if i were just in that story, fighting along-side him as a soldier infantry learning from his experience

Rating:
Summary: Hunter does it again in style!!!!
Review: For Swagger fans and for first time readers, this is one of the best books you'll find. Hunter's ability to write is incredible. If you want a nice adventure, this book is the key. It is divided into 4 parts. The first part show's us how Donny was sent to the 'land of bad things'. The second is how Donny meet's Swagger, and becomes his spotter. In this part they are hunted by a master sniper from Russia. For Swagger fans, you already know what happens next. In part 3, Swagger and his wife and child come under fire from a sniper. It concludes with part 4 were Bob Lee Swagger use's his mind to find out what happened. Hunter's ability to keep you hooked is unmatched by any author I have read. As far as how it compares to Point of Impact and Black Light, it's hard to say. I liked it a lot, but it's a bit different than those two. Same basic's as the others, but it seems to be almost like a mystery novel in the last 2 parts. You will enjoy it. AN IMPORTANT NOTE: Read the prologue first. It takes you to a point where you are with the master sniper. It talks of him being on a ridge waiting for the Swaggers. He sees woman, who is Mrs. Swagger, who is soon joined by a man. He is 753 meters away. The sniper aims and "the rifle bucks, and as it comes back in a fraction of a second, he sees the tall man's chest explode as the 7mm Remington Magnum tears through it.". That did it for me. I had to find out what happened to Bob and how he survives being shot at.

Rating:
Summary: A sequel in the best sense of the word
Review: It is usually a bad idea to continue the adventures of a hero from a successful book or film. Sequels tend to be a watered-down retread that ruins the memory of the original. However, this is the second time that Stephen Hunter has pulled off a continuation of the adventures of Bob Lee Swagger, the Veitnam veteran and retired Marine sniper first introduced in the classic POINT OF IMPACT. This time, an old enemy from Swagger's past shows up to wreck the peaceful life he has built for himself with his wife, Julie (the widow of Swagger's spotter during the Veitnam War) and their now 5 year old daughter, Nikki. After opening with a nerve-jangling attempt on their lives, Hunter daringly moves the story back in time to the war to focus on the aforementioned Donny Fenn, Julie's first husband. We learn the bizarre circumstances that got Donny sent to Veitnam for a second tour that would end up taking his life. Afterwards, Hunter shifts back to the present as Swagger tries desperately to figure out who wants him and his family dead. The strength of these books is that Hunter has allowed Swagger to grow and evolve through each book. He becomes more human and likable, and even easier to identify with despite his almost supernatural abilities as a killer. Everyime you think that Hunter has hit his peak, he outdoes himself with yet another over-the-top, nailbiting, edge-of-your-seat action sequence that is still wholly credible. TIME TO HUNT is better than BLACK LIGHT, although its not quite as good as POINT OF IMPACT. But it does come awfully close. I personally can't wait for Hunter's next book, about Bob Lee Swagger or anybody else for that matter.

Rating:
Summary: One great action-packed book.
Review: Time to Hunt
By: Stephen Hunter
Reviewed by: O. Wang
Period: 5

This book was a great book overall, basically about a lance corporal, Donny Fenn - Bronze Star, who is hired by Ward Bonson he wants Donny to spy on Eddie Crowe to raise his own rank to a Sergant, one of his PFC's and while he gets information about Eddie Crowe, Donny finds out more about his job. He was to find out about Trig Cater whom the marines believe were part of Weather Underground, soon Donny gets Eddie and they are sent to judgement, Donny is asked whether he finds Eddie guilty of charge, but Crowe is let off, and Fenn, back to Vietnam. While he is packing his things, he gets married with Julie, they are given the money from a generous First Sergant who is then shipped off to Vietnam too. Donny is now in Vietnam with Sergant Bob Lee (Bob the Nailer) Swagger a man very attached to his rifle. They're squad was the snipers of Sierra Bravo Four. They set off to "Dodge City" where they will wait until evac day and keep Dodge City safe. When they get there, they encounter many "sappers" of the Vietnamese people, who serve Colonel Hu Co. They had defeated all of the sappers while getting to Dodge City, when the had reached Dodge City, they had a Russian sniper on their tail. T. Solaratov. While scouting out one day, they see Solaratov, he had tried to stakeout at Dodge City, but when Bob and Donny went on patrol, they encounter the sniper, they try to take him out, but they call in the M60's and Napalm. Miraculously Solaratov survived, his tale, untold. He was left weaponless and is forced to create a new rifle, one which would match his own unique talent for sniping. Swagger had found Solaratovs old gun, the SVD Dragnuv a Russian creation, a semi-automatic sniper rifle. He was awarded from the find. When they were 1 day away from DEROS, Swagger was to take patrol again, Fenn, foolish enough wanted to go with him, Swagger left with no choice, let him go with him. Solaratov was sniping and Fenn is now dead. It was now in the mountains of Utah which was where Swagger now is. Swagger married Julie, Fenn's widow. Swagger then faces many problems, and sets out to find out about them. Trig Carters past was discovered and how his death was only made as a coverup. Trig is then linked to many other activities of the U.S.S.R. and many other things. Swagger met with Bonson now Deputy Director of the CIA. He then goes back home with all his questions answered except one thing. Solaratov. He goes back and realized Solaratov is after his wife, he calls Bonson and is parchuted for the drop and the dramatic scene ends, but there is still the final end to come, What ever happened to the U.S.S.R.? Read this book and find out what happens.

I enjoyed this book very greatly, not only by the action, but by the excellent description on the many different items in this story. I think the plotline was excellent and as for all the rest of the story. I also enjoyed some of the violence such as "I saw the blood foaming from his mouth" and the many other great details about this story.

I also disliked the book in a way because i felt there was no point to Crowe, there shouldve only been Trig and his followers, and Fenn were to track down Trig, because Crowe had no point in this story that much. I also enjoyed the sniper events where Hunter always included how they zoomed their scopes. "He set his rifle and saw the two men 600 Meters away. Solaratov pulled the trigger." I think that Hunter's cliffhangers are awesome and very excellent.

My favorite part of the book was in the end, when Swagger ingenuously found out about the Secret Conspiracy and put an end to it, i especially enjoyed the part where he had asked the leader how he did it all, and which of his men did what kill whomever. I find it amazing to how he figured it all out, without even dying.

Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite books!
Review: This is one of my favorite books! I loved this booked and suggested it to several friends and they loved it too. The pace slows down in the middle of the book but the ending was well worth the wait!!

Rating:
Summary: Hunter's Best
Review: I have read almost all of Hunter's thrillers including all of the Bob Lee Swagger novels. This one is the BEST of them all. When that 2 man sniper team in the jungle holds the NVA battalion off from overrunning the Special Forces camp late in the war it is just incredible. Who says one man cannot make a difference?

Rating:
Summary: Never A Dull Moment
Review: In the prolog of this book, there is a very startling development. Bob Lee Swagger is shot in the chest by a sniper while out horseback riding with his wife and daughter. The reader is drawn into the following story, eager to discover what led to this devastating outcome. The story centers on the war in Vietnam and the peace demonstrations in Washington DC. Then the scene shifts to Washington DC and the post-war political intrigue. Bob Lee Swagger is looking for answers while his life is being threatened. There are several twists and surprises in this story. Just when the reader thinks he has it all figured out, the story takes a whole new direction. Things aren't settled until the very last page. A lot of edge-of-your-seat suspense and well-plotted action. Never a dull moment.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Action Story
Review: Donny Fenn, an all-American boy and Marine with a Bronze Star, is coerced by the Navy snoops to spy on Eddie Crowe in the spring of '71. Eddie, a priviledged PFC in Donny's "body squad", hands out with charismatic Trig Carter and a bunch of Peaceniks with suspected ties to the Weather Underground. When Donny refuses to testify against him, the dirtball snoop sends him back to the Land of Bad Things where Bob Lee (Bob the Nailer) Swagger, lifer on his third tour, recruits him to be his spotter.

They're a sniper team working out of "Dodge City", and in a great action sequence they hold off a North Vietnamese battalion that's about to overrun a stranded unit in the battle of AnLoc. Just as he makes the reader sympathetic to the anti-war side in the beginning, Hunter can also make you embrace the napalm attack that allows the Hueys to rescue Bob Lee and Donny from almost certain death. On his last day in Nam and on a mission he was not supposed to go on, Donny is killed by the Russian sniper Solaratov.

Bob Lee married Donny's widow Julie in the 90s, overcame a battle with booze and now lives with Julie and their daughter on a ranch in Arizona. More than a quarter century later Solaratov comes after them there.

Bob Lee finds Bonson, the Navy snoop who sent Donny back to Nam, now Deputy Director of the CIA. He presses him for the Russian connection and also figures that Trig Carter was murdered, but by whom and why? When Bob lee finally puts all the pieces together, there's some great action including a HALO into the Idaho mountains and a trek though snow in the dark to save his family.

This is right up there with "Point of Impact" as one of Hunter's best. If you like audiobooks, Beau Bridges is a great Bob the Nailer.