Covert Warriors

Presidential Agent Series, Book 7

By: W.E.B. Griffin, William E. Butterworth IV

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

At a Mexican roadblock, a U.S. Embassy SUV is stopped at gunpoint, three of its passengers murdered, and a fourth kidnapped. Everything points to the drug cartels, especially when the kidnappers say they will return the hostage if a cartel kingpin is released from U.S. federal prison.

But when word gets to Charley Castillo and his group of “retired” spies and special operators, they have their doubts. Fresh from having enraged the Kremlin by staging a covert raid in Venezuela that nabbed not only high-value Russian agents but also a highly prized secret Russian aircraft, they start connecting the dots. They believe that it’s a diversion. That the murders and kidnapping were ordered by none other than Vladimir Putin himself to lure Castillo and company to their deaths. And the thing of it is, even knowing that may not save them. Powerful forces in the U.S. government are arrayed against them as well, and if one side doesn’t get them... the other side will.

Filled with Griffin’s trademark rich characters and cutting-edge drama, this is another exceptional novel in an exceptional series.

Prolong the suspense: listen to another Presidential Agent thriller.

©2011 W.E.B. Griffin, William Butterworth IV (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Always Great Stuff

Where does Covert Warriors rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I've listened to about 400 books in the last 3 years. This whole series of the Presidential Agent is at least in the top two books in a series. Every booki in this series is relevant and the characters have developed so well since the beginning book. I love every one of them.

What other book might you compare Covert Warriors to and why?

I listen to too many books to make a comparison against one. Well developed characters and great suspense and action and story lines. I already await the next one.

Which character – as performed by Dick Hill – was your favorite?

Dick Hill is one of the best and particularly well suited to this series. Love his portral of all of the main characters but Charlie and Fernando are probably my favorites. The previous book in this series was not read by Dick Hill and it totally killed it for me and many others. Dick Hill

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

Lots of suspense and there is always some sarcastic humor in this series. Love every minute of it.

Any additional comments?

I just hate waiting for a year or more for the next one. Griffin is involved in so many series, which are all good, but this series has always been my favorite

Glad Hill is narrating again

This is better than The Outlaws, both in terms of story and narrator. Although you can really hear the influence of Griffin's son Butterworth. He is just not as good a writer. Some of Hill's voices changed but that is to be expected by the 7th book in the series. But, previously unknown character relationships, i.e. the mutual dislike of McNabb and Naylor, are disturbing and not necessary for story development.

All in all worth the listen and I hope that the next in the series, almost certainly written mostly by the son will be more in the style of a younger WEB Griffin. You get the impression Butterworth needs to read his dad's books more carefully in the future before writing a sequel.

Dick Hill reads again

So glad Dick Hill was back to read this one. Great job. So good a job, in fact, that one really comes to like the characters that are the good guys and dislike the ones that are bad or in this book just plain insane.

Still fun, but lost the magic.

What did you like best about Covert Warriors? What did you like least?

W E B's characters are still amusing and entertaining. But his plot and character development takes too long, and lacks the former snappy pace. And like many successful authors who have hit upon a successful formula, he follows the formula, until realizes his going he's behind schedule and then rushes to an unsatisfactory ending, not conclusion.

Was Covert Warriors worth the listening time?

yes, but should hsve been shorter.

Please let there be more!

I love series books and characters. Hope there will be more to come. The story line of this series gets you sucked in and wishing cor more. Start from book one.

Why

Thus is the 6th book Dick Hill has done in this series. Did Griffin and Butterworth and Dick Hill forget Alexander Pezner speaks almost fluent English?

This is my 3rd time listening to the series from begging to end. The inconsistencies are really starting to annoy me. As well as being a disappointment to the director and editors.

It must be the price one pays for listening to the books instead of reading them.

Disappointed

As an avid Charlie Castillo fan, I couldn't wait to get my hands (ears?) on this new book. Another reviewer called it ragged and I have to agree. The authors' styles didn't mesh very well... and whoever was in charge of crafting the ending-- well, I hope he does a better job on the next one. Even with a sequel in mind, too many loose ends stayed unravelled to call this book enjoyable. Sure, it left me wanting more- but not in a good way... much like dropping the last, best bite of your jelly donut on the floor. The good news: narrator-extraordinaire, Dick Hill NEVER disappoints.

Can't wait for the next one!

Would you consider the audio edition of Covert Warriors to be better than the print version?

Yes

Who was your favorite character and why?

Castillo... wish he was more like the one in the early books of the series, but always like the lead character

Which character ??? as performed by Dick Hill ??? was your favorite?

Not sure I had one. wasn't his best performance.

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

Storyline was easy to figure out. I laughed a couple times.

Any additional comments?

Ready for the next book. Wish this one ended differently. seemed to rush the ending. There was more time spent reviewing the history of some of the other books and how it ties in here and less time spent on the final few chapters. A little reminder to the past is fine, but this was done like he had a page count in mind and cut parts short to stay within it.

Great Story, But a Rather Abrupt Ending

Would you consider the audio edition of Covert Warriors to be better than the print version?

I am unable to find time to spend reading a novel, but I do a lot of driving and the audio book makes the miles go by quickly.

What did you like best about this story?

Continuing saga of Castillo.

Any additional comments?

I always enjoy WEB Griffin and the escapades of Castillo. While he is a little long winded in his books, they are pretty good stories. He could have cut out a little of the background story and extended the ending. I was a little disappointed that the ending was so abrupt not explaining some of the critical details. That was the only disappointment. Good book.

Not what I'm used to from W.E.B.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I listen every day going and coming from work. I also listen every morning while walking the dog. I was not entertained, but captured. If the idea of the book was to get someone pizzed off, it worked!!

Has Covert Warriors turned you off from other books in this genre?

I think I will wait to see what others have to say like I should have on this one. Griffin is one of my favorite authors and I have read EVERY BOOK OF EVERY SERIES of his books.

Which character – as performed by Dick Hill – was your favorite?

Dick Hill is one of my absolute favorite readers and if not for him, I would have stopped this book and listened to my wife instead!! Although the main character is Castillo, and you might think he would stand out; just the opposite, he kind of lurks in the background and the others aren't much better. If I had to choose one, I'd say Max the dog as he never said anything, but was a great character.

Could you see Covert Warriors being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Definitely not!!

Any additional comments?

The ending was terrible; the book kind of stopped. I can see a sequel because the President is such an A-hole. No one stood up to him, including his Cabinet or DOD. If I were in his cabinet, I'd have told him to stick it where the sun don't shine and resigned.