No Mercy

A Jonathan Grave Thriller, Book 1

By: John Gilstrap

Narrated by: Basil Sands

Length: 14 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

When those inside the corridors of power need help outside the law, they know who to call. Jonathan Grave, covert rescue specialist, always gets results. No names. No feds. No trace evidence.

When an Indiana college student is abducted, Jonathan and his team of ace operatives unravel a deadly scheme the government wants ignored. Someone wants to control a devastating secret. Someone rich, powerful, and willing to kill anyone to get it. Even the people Jonathan loves most.

©2009 John Gilstrap, Inc. (P)2021 Tantor

I almost finished it

I really tried to like this! It had potential, but was just too cheesy. Getting ready for the battle of a lifetime? Stop and tell cheesy one-liners for a bit, and then go back to fearing for your life. A few characters were fleshed out and interesting, but I didn't think that the main character was one of them. What the story lacked was made up for by extreme violence and terrible language (being sarcastic here), which apparently sells these days.
The narrator didn't help at all. I am sure that it's really hard to both write and narrate a story, but the characters sounded extremely whiny...except for two main characters, who were over-the-top super manly sounding. Ugh.
It's saying something that I quit with 20 minutes to go.

Basil Sands' narration makes this story...

“No Mercy” was my first John Gilstrap novel and certainly not my last. Because I prefer reading hardcovers, most, not all of Gilstrap’s Jonathan Grave series has been listened to via audiobooks via voice actor Basil Sands. This thriller was extremely well written and plotted with such thoughtfulness that I was utterly transfixed from the first chapter. The characters are given a depth and sense of presence that make them truly stand out and force you to care about them and their plight. I was particularly impressed with the subtle flaws of the main character, Jonathan “Digger” Grave, a former Delta Force operator, now hostage rescue specialist. He understands and even admits to his own flaws but doesn't necessarily try to correct them. He's a unique and fascinating character and the true driving force behind the series. You get the sense that he does what he does not just because he's good at it, but because at his core he's got a very firm belief in right and wrong. He's a chameleon in life, and only his closest friends and associates are privy to his secrets, but even they are kept at arm’s length when pain and death are visited upon him. He is the perfect hero, he’s also sort of an egotistical jerk - but in a mostly likable way, but in a very believable one. No Mercy reads like a really good action flick. The dialogue flows beautifully and the action scenes are realistic and plausible. A good thriller rides on its protagonist and “Digger” Grave is a good ride! I can’t say enough good about the character development of Jonathan Grave. He is the real deal! This story is nonstop action that's graphic enough to put the listener in the middle of it all but doesn't fall into the lazy writer's habit of using excessive gore for shock effect. No Mercy audiobook is an excellent ‘re-read’ by Basil Sands who does a wonderful job narrating. An earlier and previous narration was so bad, it ‘had’ to be re-read! And Sands was the voice to re-do it. His narration makes it the success that it is! Gilstrap’s Jonathan Grave’s series is one of my top favorite series. Well worth a read or listen…

Action packed thriller!

I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book. scorpion is awesome! great!

Too long!

Too much detail made it too long! Never figured out who hired him. Good story.

Poor narration

I may have enjoyed this story but for narrator , made me irritated listening. Change narrator

Good story but

the narrator was unpleasant. Found it helpful to speed up reading to 1.4 to make the experience tolerable

Wonderful New Hero

I enjoyed reading about Tigger and boxers and the rest of the team. Looking forward to reading book number two. I loved the narration.

Fun read

I liked this book but not the whiney female characters. The story was good and the male characters were interesting.

Great book

One of my favorite series. I’m listening to the series for a second time. One

Hard to get use to this narrator

Took nearly the entire book for me to become comfortable with this narrator. Book is good though.