Act of War

A Thriller

By: Brad Thor

Narrated by: Armand Schultz

Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Number-one New York Times best-selling author Brad Thor delivers his most frightening and pulse-pounding thriller ever!

After a CIA agent mysteriously dies overseas, his top asset surfaces with a startling and terrifying claim. There’s just one problem - no one knows if she can be trusted.

But when six exchange students go missing, two airplane passengers trade places, and one political-asylum seeker is arrested, a deadly chain of events is set in motion.

With the United States facing an imminent and devastating attack, America's new president must turn to covert counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath to help carry out two of the most dangerous operations in the country’s history.

Code-named "Gold Dust" and "Blackbird", they are shrouded in absolute secrecy as either of them, if discovered, will constitute an act of war.

©2014 Brad Thor. All rights reserved. (P)2014 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

another great one!

love brad thor novels. great read! it was definitely one of thw more exciting of the recent novels.

It's So All To Real

On my 3rd listen since book was published & every listen I hear new revelations missed in the previous sessions. Every American should take the time to read/listen, so much is put into perspective & prioritized what is important & what each of us can look out for... On par with Clancy (RIP) & V.Flynn (RIP) for reality & political truths.

Exciting to the end

A typically good storyline from Thor. Only complaint was how quickly it came to an ending. He had spoiled me with more unexpected story lines in the past.

Tension!

Brad Thor keeps a the interest and adds twists to a plausible story. At times, I had to remind myself it was only a story, when the intensity soared.

good bopk

a very real possibility. that foreign county will succeed.. America is not prepared. I hope it never happens.

Not quite up to par

Been a long time fan of Scott Harvath and Brad Thor but this story didn't quite add up. It looks like Thor has picked up on the EMP post apocalyptic genre (which I love if done well) that has become so popular and tried to work it into a state sponsored Act of War that Harvath has to figure out before it's too late. The story line just didn't connect the dots the way Thor usually does and I could see everything coming. It's not that plausible to start with. Why would China, our and their largest trading partner want to wipe us out and then try to colonize us with still millions of Americans running around with semi automatic rifles and millions of rounds of ammo taking pot shots at the new "settlers"?

Some good scenes from time to time but Armand Schultz is a little too matter of fact with a lot of his characters. When they should be showing emotion they don't and when they shouldn't they do. The North Korea thing was over the top. Can not imagine a SEAL team inserted in the DPRK and being anything but dead serious and operating with anything other than robotic precision. A CIA operator as 4th team member arguing with the team leader while trying to maintain covert status near a close held secret installation is too much. I would have shot him.

Hoep your next one is better Brad. I'm a big fan but this one was a bit of a let down. I give it 3.5 stars across the board. Not bad but short of excellent. Please don't give me the evil eye if I run into you at a book signing!

Right-wing drivel

Would you try another book from Brad Thor and/or Armand Schultz?

I will never buy another book by Brad Thor. His dedication to the simple-minded right-wing notions of how the world works ruined this story for me. I couldn't finish it because I couldn't take the propaganda. If you love unsophisticated, foolish fiction in which the Tea Party mindset is always honorable and admirable, then you might enjoy this drivel. If not, I suggest you spend your money and time elsewhere. This was awful.

Would you ever listen to anything by Brad Thor again?

Never.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

I was not ready for all the propaganda or the shallowness with which Brad Thor addressed complex issues like torture or the role of government in a complex society.

Wow, Armand Schultz is just the worst narrator.

What did you like best about Act of War? What did you like least?

I tried and tried and tried to get past the horrible narration of this book, but gave up about 1/3 through it. I'm a huge fan of Brad Thor and I love this series. Please go back to George Guidel. Schultz' flat mono-tone voice will remind you of that history professor whose class you always fell asleep in.

How could the performance have been better?

With a different narrator! Seriously, I'd rather listen to lobsters screaming in a steam pot for days, while I just keep slapping myself in the face repeatedly!

I am shocked and appalled

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

When did it become absolutely fine to promote racial hatred in our country? And is this not noticed by us American's anymore? Am I the only one who hurts when he hears such flagrant promotion of racial hatred and divide? Is my Middle Eastern racial background the reason why I am incensed by what I am hearing the narrator say here in this book, on behalf of the author, and the way Arabs are being portrayed in such a disgustingly hateful image.

Mr. Thor, how can I explain to my children the fact that a beautiful highly sophisticated source of education such as letterature have fallen into the hands of authors who have such poisonous feelings and ideas in their hearts and minds, yet feel so comfortable sharing it with us, completely unconcerned about even the mere possibility of criticism. How can I talk to them about the values America stands for in light of what they may read in this book defiling such values so nonchalantly, then to add insult to injury it becomes acceptable by their fellow countrymen and women.

The slander would have been acceptable if the author directed his hateful words towards the characters in his novel identified as terrorists, but this was not the case as he made it clear once and again. It is Islam that is being attacked, not muslim terrorists. It is the Arabs and their culture that are the subject of scorn not Arab Terrorists. The examples in the book are countless and so obvious I find unnecessary to point them out.

If this is not hate speech, what is?

I pray for you who may come to read my words to stop and think about them. About the dangerous influence of allowing such rhetoric to go unnoticed and unpunished. Please speak out your opinion, with or against what I am saying here.

What do you think your next listen will be?

A book written by a person with an intention for good not evil.

What didn’t you like about Armand Schultz’s performance?

I didn't like that fact that the narrator, surely being a well educated person, was able to read the whole book with theatrical performance even stressing Mr. Thor's racist attitudes without stopping to think for a minute "This is wrong. I heard this radric before against Jews, Blacks and others. It was not fair or healthy for the world then and I don't think it will be any different now."

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The story could have been a good one and I may have enjoyed the book thoroughly if I was not so appalled by the racially hateful rhetoric.

Any additional comments?

Art, and specially literature, is another school one attends in his life to learn. At times it is even more influential and much more enduring type of education. Perhaps the fact that we are enjoying while we are learning through art that makes this fact true. It is however, a great privilege that artists have to be the educators of a nation and the shapers of it's culture. It is however, our responsibility as citizens in a free country to weed out the unhealthy and the poor of taste from having unimpeded access to us and specially to our children.

Seemed rush

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, I enjoy the series overall, but this particular one is lacking compared the others in the series.

What was most disappointing about Brad Thor’s story?

The wrap up towards the end felt like it was rushed. The book could have gone into some more detail.

What does Armand Schultz bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The accents and voices feel right.

Was Act of War worth the listening time?

Yes, I would/will listen to it again.

Any additional comments?

When I finished this one I was left with the feeling that the publisher either edited out a LARGE portion or rushed Brad Thor to finish it. I actually checked after I was through listening to ensure that I hadn't bought an abridged version by accident.