First Strike

A Thriller

By: Ben Coes

Narrated by: Peter Hermann

Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Deep within the Pentagon, a covert multibillion arms-for-influence program was created. The objective was to protect the United States and its allies from terrorist acts by secretly enabling a handpicked man to emerge as the most powerful leader in the Middle East. But the charismatic Tristan Nazir double-crosses America, twisting the program for his own violent ends to create ISIS. Now America is at great risk.

Elite operative Dewey Andreas is sent to Syria to retrieve details about the source of ISIS' funding, but his cover is blown midoperation, and chaos erupts in the streets of Damascus. Trapped and outnumbered, Dewey manages to send proof of the awful truth - unknown at even the highest levels in the government - that ISIS' munitions were indeed provided by America itself.

This information arrives in time to for the US to cut off a final arms shipment before it reaches ISIS. But the vicious Nazir is far from finished. He launches a bold strike into the heart of America, sending a terrorist cell to take over a dorm at Columbia University, capturing hundreds of college students as hostages. For every hour that the shipment of weapons is withheld, the terrorists will publicly execute one student. The potential loss of life is intolerable. A frontal assault is impossible. Releasing the shipment is unthinkable. There is nowhere to turn.

In a situation with no solutions, there remains only one option: Dewey Andreas.

©2016 Ben Coes (P)2016 Macmillan Audio

thriller adventure

Ben Coes deliver another grab your seat and hold on. I have all of his Dewey Andreas. You will not be disappointed

Coes Continues to Dominate The Thriller Game..

I've always liked this particular genre. With the unfortunate passing of Vince Flynn, I think Ben Coes is the new king of the political thriller. Brad Thor is another name with his Scot Harvath series and even though someone has taken over the Mitch Rapp series, neither can hold a reader in suspense at any given moment in a story like Ben Coes. Every new book somehow manages to bring fresh, new ideas and angles as well as completely unexpected ways of bringing the reader to the edge of their seat and keeping them there for the duration of the story. I realize that's only naming two other big names in the genre, but those are two extremely popular and longstanding thriller series (one of which a movie is being made in the case of Rapp and I wouldn't be surprised to see the same outcome with the Harvath series by Thor). And Peter Hermann is just another example of the genius of Ben Coes. I've never heard him narrate anything else, but from the very first story, where the reader meets this quiet, mysterious man who is obviously dangerous, the voice of Peter Hermann as well as the slower, more methodical application of it, has managed to embody character of Dewey Andreas perfectly. I just wish I didn't have to wait another year to read another gripping tale penned by Ben Coes. All hail the new king of the thriller, Ben Coes.

Strap on your seat belt

I have read several of Ben's books and love them all but this one's at another level. I would have to say it's one of the best books of this genre I've read in some time. Couldn't stop listening to it. started at a fever pitch and then just kept getting more intense all the way to the conclusion. Very very enjoyable read. Just make sure you have some extra time on your hands and be prepared to be a little bit terrified along the way. Excellent narration excellent story highly recommended.

An awesome story!

While the premise of how ISIS formed is possible it is highly unlikely... ISIS was formed as a way for the Sunni Baathists to cash in on Islamic terror and fight to carve out power. I agree that the leaders of the Islamic State care nothing for Islam but it's formation was much more chance than by external design.

Mr Coes - you should write a book about Kohl, I think his character is awesome and would like to see Dewey in that book as well but as supporting. I think you could make a pretty decent series around him and have both a Kohl and Dewey series!

What you think is what you get.

What did you love best about First Strike?

Delivers tense reading

Any additional comments?

Very entertaining. Good guys against terrorists but deeper into each. Not predictable.

Andreas Delivers Again

Ben Coes is fast becoming my new favorite anti-terrorism thriller author. Since the departure of Clancy and Flynn, the door is wide open and it seems that Ben Coes and Dewey Andreas threaten to blow it wide open! The characters are engaging, writing style and vocabulary usage is just right for me. The attention to detail of weapons along with character development keep us hanging, all while making Andreas very human. While other main characters are seemingly bulletproof, Dewey is not. It is a very believable story with currently relevant storylines. I can hardly wait for the next installment.

This is a book that I hated turning off!

If you like action this is a great book, twist and turns, great surprise ending!

Not bad

Overall enjoyed this book. Ending flat which is why I'm not giving it 5 stars

Great listen!

He still tasks like Batman and that can get distracting. Also I find I'm more annoyed with Dewey this book than the last, but that's his character flaw. *Batman voice* I'm Dewey Andreas and nobody can do it but me! Everyone is inexcusable garbage!

Non-stop action and suspense! A trill ride!!

What did you love best about First Strike?

From beginning to end this book was engaging and suspenseful. The storytelling is masterful and detailed and character development is extremely well done.

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

Peter Hermann becomes the characters. Every part is believable even down to the various accents. He can make a personality come alive through inflection and dialogue. This is storytelling at its best, when every part played in the book is unique and thought out.

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

When terror strikes... only one man can do the job.