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Liberty : A Jake Grafton Novel

Liberty : A Jake Grafton Novel

List Price: $7.99
Your Price: $7.19
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Timely and thought-provoking
Review: Admiral Jake Grafton is a very credible character with many human qualities and personal concerns, who makes us look at ourselves.

Without spilling the details, novel describes a potential and very timely threat. In addressing the problem, Admiral Grafton makes some ethical decisions that weigh security versus ethical issues.

This page-turner gave made me think about the behind-the-scenes issues our country may face today. It also made me think about the potential abuse of power or information by either well-meaning patriots or untrustworthy people.

As a society, when does public protection take precedence over personal privacy? The answer is not so simple for me anymore.

Very nicely done, Mr. Coonts.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Coonts Best book ever
Review: After reading Coonts so-so efforts over the years after The Flight of The Intruder I was begining to wonder if he would ever write another good book. Liberty is that book. This is a very good book worth taking the time to read. If you like Clancy and W.E.B. Griffin you will enjoy this book.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: The Ends Don¿t Justify Any Means
Review: Author Stephen Coonts has written a dozen books with, "Liberty", the 8th that feature the character of Jake Grafton. The last book I read by Mr. Coonts was by no means exceptional, but this book is just poorly done. Whether misquoting one of the best-known figures of the 20th Century, Sir Winston Spencer Churchill, or just letting generalities slide by when detail is critical, this book is just badly executed. The plot winds around itself and actually shows some promise as you get past the first 90%, the problem, even then, is that the book still has not decided what story it is trying to tell.

One of the reasons is that the book is so opportunistic, cliché, and appears to have been rushed as it was inspired by events of September 11, 2001. This book is fiction, but fiction does not mean that any sense of balance should be tossed for dramatic effect. This book is littered with stereotypes of the worst sort, and absolute disrespect for non-Christian religions. The black hats this time are designated by the fantastically weak name of, "The Sword Of Islam", is that the best the author could invent for the opposition in this book? I was completely unimpressed and disappointed that these persons were repeatedly described as billions of ignorant, uneducated mud hut dwellers, and other names that are unprintable here, and should be beneath a writer of Mr. Coonts' track record. Islam is not the problem the World faces, certain individuals that distort Islam, just as others distort Christianity to justify the murder of people they do not like are the issue, not the religion that is mentioned.

Another theme the author tries to sell is the ends justify any means when dealing with terrorism, and he tries to buttress his case by comparing the issue of terrorism with the Civil War and the Civil Liberties that then President Abraham Lincoln suspended, and other constitutional laws he stepped through or around. The threat is not the same; this is an international not a national issue, so I find the author's reasoning/logic/story justification flawed, and very weak.

Anyone who has read a handful of books in this genre is well acquainted with certain acronyms, FBI, CIA, and yes Mr. Coonts the NSA. The writer mentioned the NSA repeatedly throughout the book, so why does he need to tell readers on page 414 of 420 pages that NSA means National Security Agency? Give your readers a bit more credit.

The ending of the book is as unsatisfying as it is contrived and familiar. There were at least three good books that are hiding in this mélange of almosts and false starts. But when collected under one title they are unworthy of your time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Deserves a movie, but that would probably ruin it
Review: Considering that movies rarely touch the quality of the book, much less exceed it, script writers should stay away from this. Other than general knowledge, I can't comment on technical stuff, but the general stuff was in good order. There certainly was a large number of characters who held some significance, but between paying attention and having read Coonts' previous novels, they weren't hard to keep track of. Coonts made good use of plots and subplots, and as another reader/reviewer put it, tied everything together in the "Fifth Act" (shakespeare style) to finish the story.

All the platitudes fit -nerve-wracker, pulse pounder, two thumbs, blah blah blah. Just read it. It's worth the time and if these sorts of novels are your taste, it will distract you from the rest of the world like no other.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Ragged Around the Edges
Review: Coonts comes close to overcoming the two biggest hurdles for a successful senior sequel. The first is crafting a plot that avoids the cookie cutter formula with the same plot, different locations. The second is keeping the aging hero's role real.

Unlike his past stories where the good guy ' bad guy lineup was clear throughout, Liberty hides it well. The plot resembles a spy story or murder mystery. The conspiracy unfolds with multiple villains concocting multiple plots all of which are serviced by the same actions. It's an interesting read for those who have tired of the same old Jake the Stud punching out missiles to vanquish the enemy.

Grafton's expected macho bravado does not disappear but is redirected away from the cockpit and into the labyrinth of government bureaucracy. His maneuvering against self serving government staffers features the old Jake flavor without having to ignore his age or flag rank.

Coonts seems to have run out of literary steam four fifths of the way through and some of the edge comes off. His loyalty to his heroes costs him credibility. Perhaps Toad, Rita and Carmellini should not have been written into the final action scenes.

On the plus side, Liberty is a solid read. If you like uncompromising heroes without personal guile, you'll always like any Jake Grafton story. If you like an action scenario with believability you'll always like Coonts.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Another Good Read
Review: Coonts delivers another good read with Liberty. With the times the way they are, I don't see how some reviewers are coining Liberty's plot as stereotyping. All-in-all Liberty is another Coonts book worthy of reading.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Liberty - Another Coonts Masterpiece
Review: Coonts has done it again. Jake Grafton is back, this time as Rear Admiral Grafton working in Anti-terrorism. Coonts, as always, never fails to keep you enthralled in action as he gracefully switches back and forth between the multiple story-line threads. This book is thrilling and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Just as before, Grafton seems to find a way to get out of a few pretty sticky situations. An awesome book and a great addition to the Jake Grafton Novel Series. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Way to Go Coonts, keep 'em coming please!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: America beware!
Review: Coonts is a surprising novelist who can sometimes strike out with a storyline, and yet other times his books hit a grand slam. I'm happy to say that Coonts "hit it out of the park" with his latest offering "Liberty" If this story doesn't scare the living BeeJesus out of you, nothing will. What makes it so frightening is that this could really happen the way he wrote it only without the happy ending.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Ending by Remo Williams
Review: For a while this one has a good hook. Then about 3/5's of the way thru, it seems a great deal of detail disappears and we get conclusions rather than detection. The ending appears tacked on only for the action potential. Damn, it had me for a time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Coonts does it again
Review: I have been a Coonts fan for many years. This is yet another big winner for the author. There are numerous twists and turns and the plot is full of surprises.

If you like a book full of action, I can highly recommend this one. While numerous books have been written dealing with Islamic terrorist scenarios, Liberty is unusually detailed and Coonts develops the plot really well.


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