I, Sniper

Bob Lee Swagger, Book 6

By: Stephen Hunter

Narrated by: Buck Schirner

Length: 15 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Four famed '60s radicals are gunned down at long range by a sniper. Under enormous media scrutiny, the FBI quickly concludes that Marine war hero Carl Hitchcock, whose 93 kills were considered the leading body count tally among American marksman in Vietnam, was the shooter. But as the Bureau, led by Special Agent Nick Memphis, bears down, Hitchcock commits suicide.

In closing out the investigation, Nick discovers a case made in heaven: everything fits, from timeline, ballistics, and forensics to motive, means, and opportunity. But maybe it's a little too perfect?

Nick asks his friend, the retired Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger, to examine the data. Using a skill set no other man on earth possesses, Swagger soon discovers unseen anomalies and gradually begins to unravel a sophisticated conspiracy - one that would require the highest level of warcraft by the most superb special operations professionals. Swagger soon closes in, and those responsible will stop at nothing to take him out. But these heavily armed men make the mistake of thinking they are hunting Bob, when he is, in fact, hunting them. And when Swagger and the last of his antagonists finally face each other, reenacting a classic ritual of arms, it is clear that at times there's nothing more necessary than a good man with a gun and the guts to use it.

©2009 Stephen Hunter (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

All Lefties Are Evil or Suspect

The good news is that this is a new Bob Lee novel and where he is once again a sniper. In his last adventure he learned how to use a japanese sword in a couple of weeks like a ninja. This time the old man is back in familiar turf.

The bad is that the author, Stephen Hunter, decides to use this novel as a way to push his right wing ideas and politics. In much of the book he sounds like the nut Glenn Beck, says that all the news worth getting is from FOX, suggests anyone he considers a "lefty" hates America and is a nut, and of course has characters modeled after sicko Jane Fonda and Ted Turner.

If you can ignore this insult to his readers then the story is fun. Reader is awesome.

Great Book

Author went to great efforts to get the details correct on the firearms in the book. I hope it becomes a movie.

Stephen Hunter Has Never Failed to Deliver

What did you like best about I, Sniper? What did you like least?

Until now. I have to take issue with other reviewers on a couple of points. First of all, I have not observed any regression in the quality of his Swagger novels (prior to this one). Although Hunter presents a good and plausible story line, the level of meaningless detail on relatively insignificant matters almost seems like he's trying to

Would you recommend I, Sniper to your friends? Why or why not?

No, I would not, for reasons evident in my review.

What three words best describe Buck Schirner’s performance?

Schriner does well with accents.

Did I, Sniper inspire you to do anything?

I, Sniper inspired me to read a summary and some reviews of the next Hunter novel before purchasing.

Any additional comments?

No.

good story line poor delivery. to monotone.

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

No, The delivery was to monotone.

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

It hasn't. I was a sniper for 6 years.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Buck Schirner?

Steve Weber

Great book with a few let downs

Great book for the most part. I am a shooting enthusiast so appreciated the great detail the author went into regarding the weapons and how the trained used them. The "hero" was often believable though at times it was a let down when he would make catch phrase comments like something from a Arnold or Stalone movie. The ending was also a bit over the top. Still I found myself not wanting to stop listening.

I Sniper

great book lot of good detail and technically correct info. i loved the action packed storyline.

Starts a bit slow, but overall another great read

I will admit that this Book started slow. The first quarter just dragged for me. But once Bob Lee got on the trail, things heated up and this was another great addition to the Bob Lee Swagger series. I really love Bob’s character, and Buck Schirner’s voice is an excellent match. I also loved Hunter’s implicit critique of journalists. He hit the mark in his comments as closely as Bob nails his targets with his sniper rifle. There was a superb monologue in which one FBI agent is speaking to another. Here are some excepts from the conversation: “The narrative is the set of assumptions the press believes in, possibly without even knowing that it believes in them. It's so powerful because it's unconscious...it's a set of casual...assumptions about a reality they've never really experienced that's arranged in such a way as to reinforce their....importance to the system and the way they've chosen to live their lives. It arranges things a certain way that they all believe in...it permeates their whole culture.” so true. But overall, if you enjoy Stephen Hunter’s books, you’ll enjoy this one too. Stick with a somewat dry beginning and you’ll be richly rewarded.

Testosterone Central

Yup. Stephen Hunter definitely suffers from testosterone poisoning. He also appears to harbor a right-of-center mindset, meaning that he supports the military, and advocates the need for armed conflict. On the other hand, like his right-wing colleagues Clancy and Robinson, he tells a rip-roarin' good story. I, for one, have no problem ignoring the politics for the sake of the thrills. "I, Sniper" does not break Hunter's record of good stories, written well. Hunter's novels always deal with firearms and the men who wield them -- in this case his usual protagonist, Bob Lee Swagger. Swagger -- the eponymous sniper -- may be getting a little old, now, to be engaging in these heroics; but he has stayed in good shape, and he still shoots as well as ever. And, since the world seems to have an unending supply of bad guys, Swagger keeps getting called out of retirement to help put them away. He cuts a likable figure, with his modesty, his reluctance to engage in violence if he can avoid it, and his uneducated intelligence. He wants to stay home on his ranch, now, with his beloved wife and daughters; but we just keep needing him! Stephen Hunter must know everything knowable about firearms, and he puts a lot of this technical information into his novels. For gun aficionados, these details must enrich the story, adding verisimilitude. For me -- knowing nothing about guns -- the technical details go right over my head. All the same, I do not begrudge Hunter this minor indulgence, since I suspect his readership consists mostly of gun fanciers. Although I do not fancy guns at all, and wish they would go away, I can sort of understand how a person might appreciate the mechanical precision of finely made weapons. I always listen to each of Hunter's novels as they come out, and I probably will continue to do so. I docked one star, because the reader, Buck Schirner, has a peculiar, throaty voice that irritates me.

decent cookie cutter story

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

Only if they were a specific fan of gun and ex military stories.I've read some stories by Stephen hunter before especially this Swagger series and while there was a time I worshiped them before and I still find them passable they are only just. I love guns and most things military and even fancy Myself a guy who is willing to do what I have to despite public opinion, 1 Bob Lee Swagger book per every few years is about all my suspension of disbelief can take. Its like watching a Steven Segal movie where he monotonously kills all bad guys because hes the main character and despite reality hes just that good. Seriously. Everyone in these series just acts as bumbling supporting casts for the amazing Bob Lee Swagger and despite what must be Hunters generous attempt to imbue them with any semblance of intelligence even this is only to show how mighty Swagger is as he out manuevers and out thinks them using only his awe shucks mental capacity, an endless supply of ex Marines who are at his beck and call and some of the best albeit surely antiquated skills picked up from a tour in vietnam. He kills without thought and sacrifices all friends without care, preferring to honor them with revenge rather than precautionary common sense. Still Hunter is a master story teller and despite all my guffaws and irritation at the rambling facts about guns and all things which may be bolted too, shoved on or forced into whatever firearm the mighty Swagger might be using I still found it an exciting read.

If you’ve listened to books by Stephen Hunter before, how does this one compare?

Same old stephen doing the same old thing.

What about Buck Schirner’s performance did you like?

The irish accents. Hated that texas or montana or wherever that was supposed to be from counnntry draaaawl.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

I already did. It's any segal or rambo movie ever made.

A Good Bit Of Fiction

My first Bob Lee Swagger novel. A good story mixing fact with fantasy. You'll recognize many of the key characters from today's news.