Rating: 
Summary: Not the best from a fine author.
Review: I found this book to be slow moving and somewhat boring. Morrell is a great author, but he seemed lost in this work. He didn't develop the background of Cavanuagh(the main character) or his company nearly enough. Not only that, but the dialogue seemed stilted and cobbled together.His other works are much much better.
Rating: 
Summary: Morrell's Worst Book!
Review: I have read absolutely everything that Morrell has put out, and without a doubt this is his worst book.However, if you pick up a copy and read it, not having read Morrell before, this is a pretty decent book. This is the only one of his books, where I've been able to predict what's going to happen next, a few times throughout the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Another success.
Review: I picked up this novel wanting a sharp, intense thriller, and got what I expected. Morrell's fiction is especially augmented by his very detailed research - it is interesting learning his debunking of fictional fallacies - such as the fact that a bullet shot into a gas tank will NOT cause an explosion. My only disappointment with this book lies with its publisher - I considered that too much of the plot was given away in the liner notes. I have a habit of never reading them in regard to an author I know I will read - King, Koontz, Morrell, etc., and in this case I was glad. The inside cover blurb gave away something that was a significant revelation to me reading the book without preamble.
Rating: 
Summary: Easy to Rate - 5 Stars Plus
Review: I won't waste a lot of time on describing the plot. It is riveting - fast paced - plausable and one that carries through to the ending. Morrell is an exellent author and this is right up there with his best.
Rating:
Summary: Adrenalized Protector !
Review: Imagine an addictive secret substance, unleashed on the protector of its source, causing that victim's reactions to contradict his normal sense of confident control. Cavanaugh, former Delta Force ranger, now security specialist, finds himself in this state of stunning confusion as he and his wife pursue the biochemist who not only has the adrenaline/fear-producing drug but also carries its precious antidote. The chemical rush felt in Cavanaugh's body is exemplified through David Morrell's writing, as the reader is jolted between the deceptive guises of hunter and hunted in an energy-bound thriller. The Protector has some of the flavor of Morrell's First Blood. The complexity of the plot will transport you with virtually no ability to predict which corridor of the puzzle leads to safety. Prepare yourself for twists and turns and all-out action as you begin a novel you won't want to put down.
Rating:
Summary: An Almost Nonstop Action Thriller with Great Tradecraft
Review: IMPORTANT: Many reviews of this book and the bookjacket notes by the publisher provide unnecessary spoilers regarding the storyline. (I strongly suggest that you refrain from reading them if you have not already done so, as I believe this will increase the impact of the story as it unfolds.) While these details did not destroy my great enjoyment of the book, they did detract from some of the surprises wonderfully plotted by the author. My desire to not detract further from the pleasure of any potential reader is the reason that my description of the plot is very general. However, I have attempted to offset this aspect of the review by a detailed discussion of the reasons for my five star recommendation.
Cavanaugh (perhaps not his real name) is a former Delta Force operative still hooked on the adrenaline rush provided only by action invoving great peril and whose avoidance demands great skill. He is now utilizing his weapons training, analytical talents, extreme self confidence and physical conditioning as a member of an elite team of individuals working for Global Protective Services. Their corporate mission is to employ all means necessary (weapons. forged documents, relocation and the creation of new identities, etc.) to maintain the safety of their clients in the face of any legitimate threat. Cavanagh's job as a PROTECTOR has involved the safety of witnesses in high profile criminal cases (one of whom is now his wife), high level corporate executives, and on occasion even top government officials in instances when the federal law enforcement agencies may have been compromised. Global has just been contacted by Daniel Prescott, a biochemist who fears for his life as a result of the chain of events put in motion by a powerful new mind altering drug that his lab has created under government contract and for which he alone knows the formula.
Since Global often rejects potential clients due to concerns regarding the nature of their activities, Cavanaugh is assigned to meet with Prescott in order to assess his truthfulness and suitability as a client. However, despite the extreme precautions insisted upon by Prescott, who clearly is incredibly paranoid (maybe deservedly so), the meeting itself unexpectedly creates a situation which threatens the lives of both Cavanaugh and Prescott. Only Cavanaugh's thorough training allow them to escape; thus, their fates seem inextricably bound together and a Global team is detailed to protect Prescott while they arrange a failsafe new identity for him as the only way to elude his pursuers. However, an unforeseen violent tragedy separates Canvanaugh from both Prescott and the rest of his Global team and places him in the most dangerous and terrifying situation of his career.
As is the case with the best plotted thrillers, once the reader accepts the initial premise of this story, the nonstop action all logically follows in a convincing and heartstopping manner. I found the book hard to put down, both because of the intensity of the drama and also because the meticulously researched details add elements of both realism and a "gee whiz, I didn't know that" reponse from the reader. I have never read a book of this genre with as many details regarding tradecraft (including a lifesaving use of duct tape) and weaponry, and yet they naturally flow from the actions of Cavanaugh and his asociates and are not included as superfluous add-ons. The structure of the book is also well thought out. After a brief and initially somewhat inexplicable but later crucial prologue, it is divided into seven very aptly titled sections beginning with Threat Assessment, through Threat Avoidance and followed by Threat Identification, Threat Confrontation, Threat Escalation, Threat Reprisal and finally Threat Elimination.
I also enjoyed the character development, this is not just a plot with characters thrown in as necessary to complete the story. Indeed, this is in many ways the story of how Cavanaugh (and also his relationship with his wife Jamie) will be changed forever by this assignment. He increasingly realizes that, "you want the high of action, you pay the price ..... he often thought of adrenaline withdrawal as a preparation for rebirth, and birth couldn't happen without pain".
Reviewers who I respect have frequently mentioned David Morrell as writing outstanding action/suspense novels, but given the great number of books in this genre I had never before read any of his works. (Of course, I have seen the movies adapted from his books, most notably FIRST BLOOD, which not only created such success for Stallone but made Rambo a descriptive term in our everyday language.) This book was immensely enjoyable, I strongly recommend it and definitely plan to read some of the author's earlier works.
Tucker Andersen
Rating:
Summary: A protector learns the meaning of fear.
Review: In David Morrell's new novel, "The Protector," the hero is Cavanaugh (one name only), who used to be an operative in Delta Force. He is trained to handle threats with professionalism and expertise. As an employee of Global Protective Services, Cavanaugh has been assigned to guard a scientist named Daniel Prescott. Cavanaugh plans to help Prescott escape his pursuers permanently by providing him with a brand new identity. What Cavanaugh does not know is that Prescott is hiding some deadly secrets. Cavanaugh soon realizes that keeping Prescott alive will prove to be a difficult and costly task. Not only does the scientist have many enemies who will do anything to catch him, but he is a dangerous and paranoid man who trusts no one. Cavanaugh and his wife, Jamie, soon find themselves in a desperate struggle to survive, as the protector becomes a potential victim. There are enough gun battles, fires, explosions and general mayhem in this book to satisfy the most bloodthirsty readers. The action is non-stop, and although the book is not particularly realistic, it is exciting and engrossing. Cavanaugh is a smart and well-trained operative, but he is also fallible and vulnerable, which is refreshing in an action-adventure novel. Cavanaugh's wife, Jamie, is a strong and capable fighter, and she and her husband make an effective team. If you like terse dialogue, danger and adrenaline-fueled battles to the death, then "The Protector" is the novel for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your time
Review: It's difficult to believe that this is the same David Morrell who wrote "The League of Night & Fog" or "The Brotherhood of The Rose." This is a very poor effort from an author proven to be a worthwhile read. I can only describe reading this as though it were a storyboard for a video-game version of a bad McGyver episode. Read anything else by Morrell, but do yourself a favor and skip this.
Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time
Review: It's difficult to believe that this is the same David Morrell who wrote "The League of Night & Fog" or "The Brotherhood of The Rose." This is a very poor effort from an author proven to be a worthwhile read. I can only describe reading this as though it were a storyboard for a video-game version of a bad McGyver episode. Read anything else by Morrell, but do yourself a favor and skip this.
Rating:
Summary: No one does action and suspense better than David Morrell.
Review: It's hard to believe that books like "First Blood" (inspiration for Rambo) and "Brotherhood of the Rose" were written twenty years ago or more, with "Brotherhood" written in 1984. It's even harder to believe that David Morrell has kept up the frantic pace of his novels for this many years without slowing down or missing a beat. The main character of THE PROTECTOR is essentially a super-bodyguard in the same mold of the main character of Morrell's best-selling novel ever, THE FIFTH PROFESSION (whose protagonist, Savage, is an 'executive protector'). Like most of Morrell's books, THE PROTECTOR gets off to a fast start and absolutely flies by. As technology has progressed over the years, so has Morrell's writing material, always incorporating the newest trends in electronic gadgets and spy tradecraft into his storylines and his characters. An early twist will securely lock you into the plot, and will keep you from putting the book down for very long. With one action scene after another, this has motion picture written all over it. The years haven't affected David Morrell's writing. He's as good as ever, and THE PROTECTOR is proof positive.
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