The Gray Man

By: Mark Greaney

Narrated by: Jay Snyder

Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Now a Netflix film starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas

The first Gray Man novel from number one New York Times best-selling author Mark Greaney.

To those who lurk in the shadows, he’s known as the Gray Man. He is a legend in the covert realm, moving silently from job to job, accomplishing the impossible and then fading away. And he always hits his target. Always.

But there are forces more lethal than Gentry in the world. Forces like money. And power. And there are men who hold these as the only currency worth fighting for. In their eyes, Gentry has just outlived his usefulness.

But Court Gentry is going to prove that, for him, there’s no gray area between killing for a living and killing to stay alive....

Get ready for white-knuckled listening. Greaney's debut novel introduces the enigmatic and elusive Court Gentry, a former CIA operative and a legendary hired gun. With a terrifying ability to vaporize targets and a strict moral code, he stalks the gray margins of the world, moving silently from job to job, accomplishing the impossible, then fading away. When his government and former employers turn on him, there is no safehouse to run to, no way to lie low. In a constant state of escape and pursuit, Gentry tears through the Middle East and Europe in a riveting life-or-death race against time.

©2009 Mark Greaney (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Through the carnage, Gentry remains an intriguing protagonist with his own moral code. Comparisons will be made to Jason Bourne, but the Gray Man is his own character. The ending screams for a sequel, but it will be difficult to maintain the intensity level of this impressive debut." (Booklist)

"Hard, fast, and unflinching – exactly what a thriller should be." (Lee Child)

"Bourne for the new millennium." (James Rollins)

Exceptional, Great Suspence

a gripping story full of suspense and intrigue through to the very end a fantastic book

Simple, but good

Not the book with the most depth or fleshed out characters, but I really enjoyed it.
I'd recommend it just to men who like the movie The Expendables.

Fun Listen - A Little Far Fetched

A little far fetched compared to other spy/assassin type books such as Tom Clancy etc., but a fun and adventurous listen!

Sometimes Too Much of a Good Thing

Court Gentry is an interesting character as is the premise of his back story. The book is enjoyable but lacks the subtle character development of a Robert Ludlum and some of the key scenes are either either contrived or over the top. It is a bit like a chain restaurant: decent fare but lacking in the nuances of a great meal.

Little too far fetched

With all the injuries and blood loss was a little unbelievable. Was still entertaining and I will go for next book.

Amazing

Would you consider the audio edition of The Gray Man to be better than the print version?

The action just flows

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

The action is very well written.

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

He does a good job writing the action

Surprisingly Good

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

I have never heard of the author, but it popped up as a recommendation, so I thought I would try. To my surprise, the performance was up there and the story was not bad at all. It was almost like Tom Wood series of a lonely spy story. If you like them, you will like this.

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

The recurring theme of trying to beat the impossible kept the story going.

Mission Impossible

A fun read but certainly no surprises. After the first two of many encounters it becomes obvious how’s the book going to end. A good blood & guts “shoot ‘me up” but not realistic for even an experienced Tier One operator.

Better than it sounds

If you could sum up The Gray Man in three words, what would they be?

Surprisingly gripping stuff

What other book might you compare The Gray Man to and why?

Probably Dan Brown`s Deception Point, but this is much better. I don't normally read this kind of book, but I was impressed. Action, but not ridiculous. And plausible, death defying yet believable stuff, which for me is a huge plus. Deception point is packed with ridiculous exploits, but doesn't ever make you feel like it could happen, which the grey man does nicely.

Which scene was your favorite?

The final rescue mission is pretty excellent.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Being everyone's target aint easy

Any additional comments?

Better, much better, than it sounds. Pleasantly surprised.

Always in the shadows

What made the experience of listening to The Gray Man the most enjoyable?

Good storyline with good character development which engages the reader/listener. The tempo made the listening easy going and easy to follow. The nature of the action and background flowed really well and the backstory was just as intriguing as the current plot line.

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

Yes even though I knew or thought I knew the ultimate outcome of this book because I knew there were more books with the same character published. The action was fact paced and concise in area in which it needed to be and when there was an area in which the author could spend his time creating a overall "battle" scene it is was a good listen.

Which scene was your favorite?

Are you a good guy Jim? I am good guy who was taught how to do bad things to bad guys.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I spent several hours just sitting and listening to this book and look forward to the next book in the series.