Rating: 
Summary: Good To See Mr. Coonts back on track
Review: After the slight dissapointment of The Minotaur, I was glad to read Under Siege (and no, there's no relation to the movie of the same title), which had a firmly land-based plot
taking place in Washington, D.C. I like the creative way Coonts did the attacks on the U.S. government, the terrorists using tactics that just keep surprising you. After a while, I was thinking "Now there's an appropriate title for once!". The capital truly was under siege. Still not quite Coonts' best, but still a truly outstanding novel!!!
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT STORY, WELL TOLD, BUT FIZZLES SOME AT THE END
Review: As a Tom Clancy fan, I was captivated by the story all the way through up to (almost) the end. It is a monumental and very believable story, with even some kindness for Dan Quale. (I wonder how the writer feels about our current C in C?) The events are riveting, and as far as I know, true to life, if but a slightly bit graphic on the violence. The story is well woven and crafted. I do feel, however, that it may be stretching credulity that a seasoned and naturally skillful hunter could know all the minute details involved in operating in beautiful (?) downtown Washington, D.C., and leaving almost no trail, paper or otherwise. I also find it hard to believe that a person who has operated in total cold calculation for several hundred pages would suddenly take a "pot shot" at someone who had annoyed him, and then after eluding troups in an outdoor setting, get bottled up in an empty sports stadium. Oh well, s___ does happen. And it all is believable and very entertaining for most of the book. I guess that I feel that the writer had a tremendous story going, and somehow did not 'cash in' on the ending with all the potential he had carefully and artfully developed. I racked my brain for ideas as to how I would end it, and felt that the book would have needed several more chapters (on an already long work) to properly wind it up. We could have had the U.S. invading Columbia, and the Columbians retaliating by smuggling in a "made in Russia" nuke, and blasting Washington D.C. in a grand final bang Holocost, after which the rank and file citizens mount and win a tremendous war of revenge against that country. Or, we could have our hunter make an apparent clean escape to Columbia, only to be betrayed and murdered by the very people he was "servicing". Anyway, because they don't let me give it a 4.5 star rating, I give it a 4. Good book. Well worth the money. Could be better.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT STORY, WELL TOLD, BUT FIZZLES SOME AT THE END
Review: As a Tom Clancy fan, I was captivated by the story all the way through up to (almost) the end. It is a monumental and very believable story, with even some kindness for Dan Quale. (I wonder how the writer feels about our current C in C?) The events are riveting, and as far as I know, true to life, if but a slightly bit graphic on the violence. The story is well woven and crafted. I do feel, however, that it may be stretching credulity that a seasoned and naturally skillful hunter could know all the minute details involved in operating in beautiful (?) downtown Washington, D.C., and leaving almost no trail, paper or otherwise. I also find it hard to believe that a person who has operated in total cold calculation for several hundred pages would suddenly take a "pot shot" at someone who had annoyed him, and then after eluding troups in an outdoor setting, get bottled up in an empty sports stadium. Oh well, s___ does happen. And it all is believable and very entertaining for most of the book. I guess that I feel that the writer had a tremendous story going, and somehow did not 'cash in' on the ending with all the potential he had carefully and artfully developed. I racked my brain for ideas as to how I would end it, and felt that the book would have needed several more chapters (on an already long work) to properly wind it up. We could have had the U.S. invading Columbia, and the Columbians retaliating by smuggling in a "made in Russia" nuke, and blasting Washington D.C. in a grand final bang Holocost, after which the rank and file citizens mount and win a tremendous war of revenge against that country. Or, we could have our hunter make an apparent clean escape to Columbia, only to be betrayed and murdered by the very people he was "servicing". Anyway, because they don't let me give it a 4.5 star rating, I give it a 4. Good book. Well worth the money. Could be better.
Rating: 
Summary: A great begining!
Review: From the start Coonts gets your attention. The US Govt. brings a drug lord to America to stand trial. He uses Columbian tactics to be released. Everything from commando teams to an assassin to take out the President. The book starts to flow when the assassin wounds President Bush. The story is great. Well developed...until the end. I would have given this book 4 stars if the ending would have lived up to the rest of the interesting story line. With what we have learned in the book about the assassin, it is hard to believe he would act as he does after being so meticulous.
Rating: 
Summary: A LOUSY COONTS
Review: I have read most of Coonts' books but if I had read this one first I would have stopped completely. This story is so unrealistic is doesn't even merit fantasy. The characters are stilted and unbelievable including their names. The beginning is poor, the plot line is terrible and the ending is totally devoid of any semblance of literary know how. I have great praise for most of Coonts' other works but would recommend this one for use as a door stop only or perhaps in a writing class on how not to do it.
Rating:
Summary: A LOUSY COONTS
Review: I have read most of Coonts' books but if I had read this one first I would have stopped completely. This story is so unrealistic is doesn't even merit fantasy. The characters are stilted and unbelievable including their names. The beginning is poor, the plot line is terrible and the ending is totally devoid of any semblance of literary know how. I have great praise for most of Coonts' other works but would recommend this one for use as a door stop only or perhaps in a writing class on how not to do it.
Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant Story of War in D.C.
Review: In this brilliant story a man is murdered, and there are no suspects. Then a druglord leader of a major Colombian cartel is captured and brought to the U.S. Then the first strike is struck as a chopper carrying major U.S. officials, including President Bush, is shot down, killing some and putting Bush in critical condition. Dan Quayle is forced to become temporary president. Then terrorists enter the capital and cause much destruction. Quayle declares martial law and people are put in prison camps as the havoc is wrought. Talk of invading Colombia goes around. Then an FBI agent investigating a suspected cocaine dealer finds himself in a tight spot as the dealer and his men close the noose on him, figuring out who he is. Bloodbath ensues. Then an assassin begins sniping important U.S. officials in the time of crisis. Anyway, Jake Grafton and several other military people are put in charge of finding and killing the assassin, the same man who shot down Bush's plane. A final confrontation ensues between Grafton and the assassin in a stadium. The rest is yours.
Rating:
Summary: Very feasible
Review: In this gripping story, Colombian drug barons hire suicide commando squads and a trained assassin to take out President Bush. He is hospitalised after his helicopter is shot down, and Dan Quayle steps in to solve the growing problem . . . is that a worse nightmare than drug barons?! The leaders may be out of date now, but considering when this was written one can let Coonts get away with it. The action scenes, including the terrorists causing massacres in the Capitol and on the Washington Metro are first rate; there is always something interesting happening. Add to that political fumblings in the White House as Quayle can't cope(very true to life for its time) and a corrupt lawyer subplot, and you have a tale to rival the very similar 'Clear and Present Danger' by Tom Clancy. Only this one has less technobabble and Coonts once again relies on pacing and readability. Worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Under Siege, like the movie? NO! THIS ONE'S WAY BETTER!
Review: It's better than the movie and it's a nice pickup after the slowdown in The Minotaur. If you like action, THIS ONE'S A NON-STOP SLAM-BANG THAT DOESN'T QUIT WITH THE ACTION OR THE SUSPENSE!They shoot down the President's helicopter and basically declare a war on the leading politicians in DC. READ IT
Rating:
Summary: Its very good
Review: One of the best books of this type Ive ever read. Everyone at HAII said they enjoyed it.
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