• The Shadows of Power

  • By: James W. Huston
  • Narrated by: Tom Weiner
  • Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (102 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Shadows of Power  By  cover art

The Shadows of Power

By: James W. Huston
Narrated by: Tom Weiner
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.56

Buy for $15.56

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

A small nation that bolsters the terrorist cause is flexing its military muscle in a far corner of the world. On a mission to the now-volatile Mediterranean, F/A-18 pilot Lieutenant Ed Stovic shoots down an Algerian MiG at the climax of a dramatic, high-stakes dogfight and becomes an overnight hero in the eyes of his countrymen - and the target of a zealot's revenge. Suddenly Stovic and his loved ones have been marked for death by an enraged avenger, a pawn of powerful Islamic extremists with devastating plans for America.

But there is another player in the shadows, unseen by the hunters and the hunted alike. A specialist who moves covertly through the most secret branches of the government, a lethal tool of an ambitious NSA Director who will stop at nothing to attain the power she covets. Kent "Rat" Rathman must now devise a brilliant counterstrike, to save a friend and his country.

©2002 James W. Huston (P)2010 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

“Huston revisits Washington, D.C., with a new hero in tow. Ken (Rat) Rathman gets involved in international intrigue when his old roommate's fighter plane is challenged by Algerian aircraft." (Library Journal)

“Huston's latest military-techno thriller...introduces super-hero Kent Rathman, aka Rat, a versatile Navy SEAL doing undercover spook work for the CIA and the National Security Council...[amid] car chases, shoot outs, jet plane dogfights, secret terrorist plots and Washington, D.C., conspiracies.” (Publishers Weekly)

“James Huston is easily the hottest new writer of military thrillers to come around in quite a while...Consistently entertaining.Firmly set in the current war on terrorism...[It] will leave readers more than satisfied - not to mention a bit breathless.” (Flint Journal)

What listeners say about The Shadows of Power

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    38
  • 4 Stars
    42
  • 3 Stars
    19
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    33
  • 4 Stars
    23
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    35
  • 4 Stars
    27
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

interesting insight

As ususal huston does a good job with the aerospace type tech thriller. SOME of the characters are a bit unbelievable but good overall. Love the idea of givin it to all them islamic terrorists. Sort of like the fun you get during a 24 episode when jack bauer does some good torture. Unbelievable sequence near the ending climax. Having been a Marine sniper I know thats possible, probable and IMPOSSIBLE, and I don't mean lucky, but impossible. Knowing how the blue angels pick their aviators, at least in general, unlikely this guy would have been picked. Also, they are a VERY tight group and I suspect would be resentful of the enourmous outside interference they get. But over all, a great listen I would reccomend to the military/terrorist thriller crowd.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Good Listen

A good listen if you enjoy Huston books. It was not as exciting as most of his but was well worth the listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Terrible

So badly narrated it is impossible to describe. The story itself is pedestrian. Don’t waste a credit.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • SC
  • 11-30-16

Good and bad.

Another great book by James Huston. yet it has to be said narration is really bad.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good international scope & story

well written, kept me interested to the last pages. very well read.give it a try

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great listening,spell bidding

A wonderful story presented with factual information that was easy to follow. I loved every minute of this compelling story keeping my attention from start to finish.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved it, gripping story

Tom Weiner is the best, I enjoy all his narrations. The author does a good job with dialogue

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A nice read but not spectacular

Very predictable, the usual suspects apply, grumbling fighting politicians, Terrace, and heroes, not bad but overall kind of like a spaghetti western or a Mickey Spillane novel! Forgive me, I am using the Audible app to dictate this review, I have no site so I apologize for my errors and grammar or punctuation. Narration is good, narrator is believable and does the various accents quite well, he moves the book along nicely, I would say that a another more experienced narrator would bring more out of this book 3 and five but I stay piece… KG

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Decent plot, boring execution and sub par Narrator

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I am a huge Huston fan, in fact I think Marine One was one of the best books I've ever listened too. This was not his best effort. Slow and predictable.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The most interesting apsect was the insight into naval aviators and the Blue Angels. The least was the lack of any action.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I know its hard for a male to do female voices but this guy was the worst. I lost track of characters because all of the bad guys had tough, gravelly voices and the good guys all sounded the same.

Did The Shadows of Power inspire you to do anything?

No

Any additional comments?

I think Huston is the best when he mixes the law, the military and business in his novels. This was for me just didnt cut it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!