Ballistic

A Gray Man Novel

By: Mark Greaney

Narrated by: Jay Snyder

Length: 14 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Ex-CIA assassin Court Gentry thought he could find refuge living in the Amazon rain forest. But his bloody past finds him when a vengeful Russian crime lord forces him to go on the run once again. Court makes his way to one of the only men in the world he can trust - and arrives too late. His friend is dead and buried.

Years before, Eddie Gamboa had saved Court's life. Now, Eddie has been murdered by the notorious Mexican drug cartel he fought to take down. And Court soon finds himself drawn into a war he never wanted. But in this war, there are no sides - only survivors....

Listen to another Gray Man novel.

©2011 Mark Strode Greaney (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Bourne for the new millennium." (James Rollins, New York Times best-selling author)

"The story is so propulsive, the murders so explosive, that flipping the pages feels like playing the ultimate video game." ( The New York Times)

Great story, horrible Spanish pronunciation.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I really enjoyed the comedic relief added to the story when Laura told Gentry that she had decided to become a nun, which Gentry was not expecting.

Any additional comments?

I don't speak Russian, so I cannot say if Mr. Snyder mispronounces any of the Russian used in the other books, but the Spanish pronunciation in this book is pretty horrid. In the book, Gentry speaks perfect Spanish, but sadly, Mr. Snyder does not. The horrible Spanish had me cringing any time it came up during narration. Other than that, I really enjoyed the pacing Mr. Snyder had all throughout the duration of the book. I look forward to the next Grey man novel.

Non-Stop Action

The action never stopped. This was a really layered story. This was the first book of 3 that I read. I enjoyed the references to prior books which were woven nicely. The narrator added distinct personality to each of the characters.

I really enjoyed the end of the book. A nice clean ending with no dangling plots or unanswered questions. I will definitely read the first two books.

The Gray Man takes on Mexican Drug Cartels

Once again the Gray Man finds himself in a fight that is not his. Mark Greaney let this one drag a little bit in places, but for the most part it held my attention.

There is lots of action and a bit of graphic violence. Not one for tender ears, but I enjoyed it.

Ballistic will make the miles go by fast.

Excelent

Would you listen to Ballistic again? Why?

This is a book that you dont delete. There is plenty of action and great story line

What was one of the most memorable moments of Ballistic?

This is a book with plemty of action so to say there was a moment would be difficult. I enjoy action books so for me this was a perfect choice

Have you listened to any of Jay Snyder’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first experience of Jay and I am very happy with his performance of delivery.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I didnt laugh or cry but I could not turn it off. I try to extend the listening time of books but it was difficult to turn this one off.You know you are enjoying it when you sit in the driveway and listen to more.

Fast Paced Thrill Ride

What did you love best about Ballistic?

A fast paced thrill ride, that started fast and never quit until the final scene. The action was extremely detailed and still faced paced. The countless action scenes were so well written and narrated that it was like watching a movie.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Court Gentry(The Grey Man) a great bad ass with a heart. OK that is too easy he's the starring character. The antagonist Daniel Alonzo de la Rocha (aka DLR) was one of those characters you love to hate. A cold blooded psychopath that made a great opponent, for Court.

Fast, high octane, thriller

What did you love best about Ballistic?

The evolution of the Grey Man as a character.
Another layer of international and political espionage. The locations are great.

What other book might you compare Ballistic to and why?

The Grey Man & Target, both by Mark Greaney

Which character – as performed by Jay Snyder – was your favorite?

Jay Snyder is outstanding as a voice performer. All of the accents are wonderful. His voice portrays all of the emotions as well as being a perfect narrator of the Gray Man series to date. Easy listening, comedic timing, depth and raw grunt! loved them all.

Any additional comments?

Scrap Brad Pitt as the possible lead. He's hot, but way too old for the energy in these stories.

Too liberal with the “F” bomb

The story held my attention all the way to the end!!! Great twist for those who root for the Grey Man. My wife enjoys an excellently crafted story in the car on long trips. This one was raw in a number of places. In the same way the use of the “F” bomb was over the top. On the lighter side, I can now swear a blue streak in Spanish. Definitely rated “R” for L & V.

Not too bad.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Maybe. It was a little too unrealistic, even for this genre.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Not really.

Have you listened to any of Jay Snyder’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He does a great job.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No.

Any additional comments?

I could have done without the love scene.

Fun, fun, fun

I had not stumbled across the Gray Man series before but am looking forward to reading or listening to the rest of the series.
This is a good yarn with loads of action. Like all action hero stories, you suspend belief and roll along on the tide of excitement.
The story is topical, set in the nightmare that is Mexico's drug wars. While it certainly would not feature on the Mexican Tourist Board's series of recommended reading, it did evoke a nice picture of parts of the country.
Villains were plentiful and were not simply stereotyped by ethnicity. There was no moralisation or sense that we were being preached at by the author.
The reader was excellent and did a great job.
All in all this was very entertaining and well worth a listen. The reason I did not give it 5 stars is because, as I write, a week after finishing the book, it is already fading fast.

Ultimately satisfying

Fun listen, and Jay is excellent reading this book. The gray man becomes more 'real' with each book.

Mexico comes alive and is a central character in this book.