Rating: 
Summary: Black Light Sheds Light On Earl Swagger
Review: With the recent publication and release of "Hot Springs", a story about Earl Swagger in his early years of law enforcement, I thought I would reread "Black light" to reacquaint myself with him in the time leading up to his death. I'm glad I did."Black Light" is the powerful, hard-hitting story of Bob Swagger's investigation into the death of his father, Earl. As he investigates the murder of his father, Bob becomes a target himself as he uncovers the secret past of some powerful men. As I read this book with the knowledge of the specifics of why and how Earl was killed, I still was held in the grip of this action-packed, cleverly written suspense novel. I continue to be impressed with the breadth of knowledge Mr. Hunter possesses and with the writing style he uses to convey it. Especially effective is the way Earl and Bob ask themselves questions and the reader follows their thought processes until they come to a solution. Hunter also has a talent for develping real-life and believable characters that the reader develops a strong feeling for. One character I hope will move within "Hot Springs" is a younger Sam Vincent, the Polk County prosecutor who helped Bob as an absent-minded but intelligent 80 year old. I strongly endorse all of Stephen Hunter's books. He is the best kept secret of action and suspense fiction.
Rating: 
Summary: A Fine Ending to the Trilogy
Review: Black Light completes the Bob Lee Swagger trilogy which began with Point of Impact, followed by Dirty White Boys. Hunter knows his guns and his characters. The dialogue seems true to place and time, and race relations as they existed in 1955 Arkansas have been portrayed in the context of the time. This book tells the story of Bob Lee's father, Earl, and his death during a gunfight with two young fugitives. The story shifts from 1955, when Earl was shot, to the present as Bob Lee and a young writer try to ferret out the mysteries surrounding Earl's death. They are assisted by Sam, the eighty-six year old lawyer who also appeared in Point of Impact. Sam is refusing to go gently into old age, and struggles mightly with bouts of forgetfullness. I love Stephen Hunter, and had this been written by a lesser writer I would have been very impressed. Since it WAS written by Hunter, I have to say that I thought it was not quite up to the quality of the first two books in the trilogy. It seemed more hastily written and errors such as aging a character only one year in twenty-seven months were distracting to me. Dirty White Boys is still my favorite, but this is a worthy conclusion to the Swagger trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: Can you see through the Black Light
Review: Black Light by Stephen Hunter is a book that should be enjoyed by all adult audiencies. If you are the type of person whom enjoys history and learning about the social classes of the southern states in the late 50's during the segregation movement this book will really cath the readers interest. This novel will depict without any holding back the true ways of the south. This will truly show you just how blacks and whites were treated durning the 1950's and untill the 70's. The book starts off in the south on a hot summer day where you can almost smell, hear and see the first few pages of the book. The details given by Stephen Hunter will make this book jump alive and grab you out of your seat and wish there was a movie made after it because it was so darn good. After Earl Swaggart meets his other trooper(mentioning that he was late to meet) everything starts to go down hill from there. The racist Earl Swaggart seems to have himself caught in a bind. Earl Swaggart thought that being a state tropper would leave him untouched by the black minority families of the south. That was most defintaly a wrong understatment by Earl Swaggart. The story is told in a perspective that is rather interstring where it's almost like a bunch of friends sitting around a campfire telling sortires would be. This way of telling the storie keeps the readers interst. But that bind will best be left up to the reader to find out. So ya better get reading.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Story
Review: In 1955 Arkansas state trooper Earl Swagger dies in a shootout with Jimmy and Bub Pye, two armed robbers. At least for forty years that is what Bob Lee Swagger, son of Earl and decorated Marine sniper believes. Reporter Russ Pewtie's family has also been traumatized by the Pye family when Jimmy's son Lamar almost kills Russ' father who is an Oklahoma state trooper. Russ wants to write a book about the connection and talks Bob Lee into returning to Arkansas to help him research. But when they get there they find that someone is stalking them and trying to prevent them from digging into Earl Swagger's death. I've been reading Stephen Hunter novels for years and have yet to find a bad one. His characters are interesting and well drawn. And he really knows his weaponry. I've really enjoyed the Bob Lee Swagger books and would recommend all of them. To really enjoy this series it would probably be best to start with Point of Impact and then read Dirty White Boys and finally this one. However they're all good and capeable of standing on their own.
Rating:
Summary: Black Light Sheds Light On Earl Swagger
Review: With the recent publication and release of "Hot Springs", a story about Earl Swagger in his early years of law enforcement, I thought I would reread "Black light" to reacquaint myself with him in the time leading up to his death. I'm glad I did. "Black Light" is the powerful, hard-hitting story of Bob Swagger's investigation into the death of his father, Earl. As he investigates the murder of his father, Bob becomes a target himself as he uncovers the secret past of some powerful men. As I read this book with the knowledge of the specifics of why and how Earl was killed, I still was held in the grip of this action-packed, cleverly written suspense novel. I continue to be impressed with the breadth of knowledge Mr. Hunter possesses and with the writing style he uses to convey it. Especially effective is the way Earl and Bob ask themselves questions and the reader follows their thought processes until they come to a solution. Hunter also has a talent for develping real-life and believable characters that the reader develops a strong feeling for. One character I hope will move within "Hot Springs" is a younger Sam Vincent, the Polk County prosecutor who helped Bob as an absent-minded but intelligent 80 year old. I strongly endorse all of Stephen Hunter's books. He is the best kept secret of action and suspense fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Great! Whatelse can I say?!!!
Review: Just read the whole saga of Mr. Hunter's "Earl Swagger Saga" from "Point of Impact" to his latest "Pale Horse Coming", Okay? (but do not, i mean, don't pick up his latest 'havana') Otherwise, how could you claim that you're complete and content in having read all of the fantastic stories in modern literature? Yeah, you could always consider yourself classy by reading those eye-lids dropping Classic, or you could choose this great writer's thrilling saga of a great American and human being that ever created after Homer. God Bless.
Rating:
Summary: One Glaring Error
Review: Not as enjoyable as Point of Impact, although it does provide insight into the "who and why" of Bob Lee Swagger. Another Bob Lee as-mentor to young, ignorant kid tale- gets a little formulaic. The glaring error I cannot get past is the title. Warning: possible plot giveaway here. Black Light is ultraviolet; a sniperscope uses infrared. They are not the same-never have been.
Rating:
Summary: Fast Paced
Review: Stephan Hunter is at the top of his form with this book and series. The book starts off fast and just keeps going. Lots of interesting details and a good story drive the book. There is always the interesting character of the story lead for you to fall back on and become comfortable with. This is a very smart book, the pieces fit together and you never think the author is forcing the items - they work like you are being told a true story. I have always been surprised that this author has not become a bigger name. This is a quality book that you will be glad you invested the time to explore.
Rating:
Summary: Great finale!
Review: Stephen Hunter's final novel in his "Bob Swagger" series is a riveting and satisfying finale that gives the avid fan a sense of closure. It is action-packed with the added gem of a last-minute surprise. Hunter alters his writing style subtly with each series installment: "Point of Impact" is a real page-turner that hooked me on the Bob Lee Swagger character; "Black Light" was told with a few flashbacks to the past; and "Time to Hunt" has MAJOR flashbacks to the Vietnam Era that occupy hundreds of pages! At first, I thought the lengthy flashbacks disrupted the pace of "Time to Hunt", but I soon found that they provided necessary information in order to appreciate Swagger's present-day predicament, and gave this reader a hearty dose of suspenseful sniper warfare. All the flashback information doesn't take away from the action, and it helps tie everything together and doesn't leave the reader wanting more answers. A VERY satisfying ending to a great series!!
Rating:
Summary: Not your typical mystery
Review: This is the only book I have read (or rather listened to) by this author, and I loved it. It changed my opinion of murder mysteries entirely. I have read a few, from such authors as Michael Connelly, Johnathon Kellerman and Patricia Cornwell, and this was easily the best, especially in terms of believable plot twists and fast-paced action. The story takes place in a small town in Arkansas, jumping seamlessly between the 50's and the 90's, focusing on the plights of a state trooper and his son, a highly-decorated marine sniper. The characters are realistic and engrossing. The best thing Steven Hunter brings to this book are the seemingly effortless twists throughout. He frequently adds a twist to the plot not by introducing new evidence, but through a subtle change to the view on existing elements. Beau Bridges read this story, and did an excellent job supplying the wide range of voices.
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