Strikeforce Syria

Echo Six: Black Ops 5

By: Eric Meyer

Narrated by: Tim Welch

Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

The war in Syria has become a massive, life or death struggle between two Islamic foes, the Syrian Army and the rebels. Each tries to outdo the other, with bigger and better weapons. Until they cross the line and start production of the deadly CX9 nerve gas. The time for the West to watch is over. Now it's time for direct action.

The Echo Six commander, Abe Talley, is ordered to lead his men into Syria, to locate and destroy the CX9, and eliminate its creators. The men of Echo Six, the elite NATO Special Forces unit, are no strangers to behind-enemy-lines operations. But this mission may be their toughest yet. They face the prospect of engaging two opposing forces in the region's most brutal civil war, and both sides are determined to kill the infidel invaders. Talley's men will have to fight an enemy that seems to anticipate their every move, and fights with untold savagery.

This is a superb thriller, a story that vividly portrays the explosive action of SpecOps missions, the men, the weapons, and the equipment. A story full of twists and turns. Echo Six: Black Ops 5 is a worthy, action-packed sequel to the previous four best-selling Echo Six - Black Ops novels.

©2013, 2015 Eric Meyer (P)2016 Swordworks Books

Strikeforce Syria: Echo Six: Black Ops 5: REVIEW

Would you consider the audio edition of Strikeforce Syria to be better than the print version?

I would consider the audio version of Strikeforce Syria to be better than the print version because it is way more engaging. It is more beneficial than just reading print because it leaves a lot of the work up to your imagination and allows you to picture the scenes in your head while fostering that image through the narration. The change in tone and pitch of the narration aids in creating a more intriguing and enjoyable experience.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Strikeforce Syria?

The most memorable moment of this audio book for me was when Muhammad went to fulfill his task at the embassy and was moving too slow and Abraham realized the young boy was faltering and he would have to use his own remote detonator. The intensity of this scene continues when a guard of the embassy spots the threat and goes to draw his weapon. Abraham comes to the realization that the bomb needs to be detonated now. Abraham then hits the button killing the guards but leaving the doors to the embassy still standing. A missile is then fired at the doors and the task becomes a success. The entirety of this scene was filled with anticipation making it most memorable.

What about Tim Welch’s performance did you like?

I though Tim Welch's delivered an excellent performance in this audio book. I especially enjoyed how at points of action he increased his pitch and spoke with excitement. This caused for the listening experience to be way more engaged and pleasurable. I also appreciated how clearly he spoke and how he annunciated his words making it easy to understand what he was saying.

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

A specific moment that moved me was when the young 15 year old boy Muhammad was being described. He was described as being tense, stiff, and sweating profusely. I think it is unfair to put a boy of such young age under so much pressure. The outfit Muhammad was wearing was also described in detail. It was said that how with wearing his jacket alone he was likely to over heat but the tightly sewn waist coast he had to wear made matters much worse. It then goes into detail of how each pocket was perfectly sized to hold a block of C4 explosives which were wired together and connected to a detonator. His task was to detonate himself to open the doors of the embassy and kill the guards. I found it upsetting how a child had to be involved in such violent acts. It saddened me that Muhammad had been exposed to these behaviors and actions and lost his life to them.

Any additional comments?

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Strikeforce Syria and would highly recommend it. I thought the plot was very well put together.

Compelling Story

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

I thought that listening to the book was time well spent. The recounts of the events really immerse you in the action. One thing that I appreciated about the audio book was that it start off right in a major action scene. Many books are slow to get into the major plot of the story, so for this one to go right into the action was refreshing. The book was also very descriptive of how the characters were feeling and their behaviors. For example, when the young boy was sent to blow up the embassy doors and he was walking slow and a bit nervous. The way the book described his walking pattern and behavior made it seem as if you were watching him in person and could feel his hesitation. These aspects of the book I enjoyed listening to. After listening to this book, it made me interested in learning more about warfare and the tactics behind it.