New Stephen Hunter Book

Thanks for the tip. I have read most of Hunter's books up through 2008. I think the last Bob Lee book I read was set around Bristol Motor Speedway. They are generally good reads but they seem to be a little more "hokey" compared to the first few back in the late 80's - early 90's.

I do want to check out his non fiction work on the attempted attack on Harry Truman. supposed to be good.

regards,

Part of the reason I like Hunter so much is he avoids falling into plot ruts. While Ray is IMHO not the compelling character Earl or Bob Lee is they all are great reads. How can you not like to read about an Arkansas state trooper, who received the Medal of Honor for his service on Iwo Jima, carries a 1911 in 38 Super because it is faster for follow up shots, holds more ammo, and penetrates better than a .45 acp.
Imagin assembling a rescue team of gunman to save captives which consists of: Elmer Keith, Ed Mcgivern, Jack Conner, Audie Murphy,Bill Jordan!
If you like firearms, suspenseful stories , and lots of gunfights give Hunter a read.
BTW I like the early books featuring Earl Swagger the best.

tactikel said:

Part of the reason I like Hunter so much is he avoids falling into plot ruts. While Ray is IMHO not the compelling character Earl or Bob Lee is they all are great reads. How can you not like to read about an Arkansas state trooper, who received the Medal of Honor for his service on Iwo Jima, carries a 1911 in 38 Super because it is faster for follow up shots, holds more ammo, and penetrates better than a .45 acp.

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Yep!

Imagin assembling a rescue team of gunman to save captives which consists of: Elmer Keith, Ed Mcgivern, Jack Conner, Audie Murphy,Bill Jordan!
If you like firearms, suspenseful stories , and lots of gunfights give Hunter a read.

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I love the way Hunter incorporates fictionalized versions of "actual personalities," living and dead, in his narratives. Who doesn't take a perverse delight in seeing caricatures of Jane Fonda and Bill Ayers taking literary sniper slugs through the forehead?

BTW I like the early books featuring Earl Swagger the best.

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I tend to agree...Although my single favorite Hunter book is still probably Dirty White Boys, which didn't feature any Swaggers (though it followed the chronological timeline Hunter set up for his mythic universe).


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Actually, it did feature a Swagger - Lamar Pye (main bad guy) was Earl Swagger's illegimate son, Bob Lee's half-brother. Revealed at the end of BLACKLIGHT.

Kind of been turned off since Night of Thunder...

45_auto said:

Actually, it did feature a Swagger - Lamar Pye (main bad guy) was Earl Swagger's illegimate son, Bob Lee's half-brother. Revealed at the end of BLACKLIGHT.

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Thanks!

I knew there was a chronological and character connection, but I totally forgot that it was a familial connection...Man -- Mr. Hunter's character flowchart must have the complexity of a FedGov tax diagram...


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I have been wanting to pick up a Hunter book, but honestly do not know a lot about his work. What book would be a good starting point?

What book would be a good starting point?

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Point of Impact. This was the book that the movie "Shooter" was based off of. The book is IMMENSELY better.

When you finish that one, follow it up with Black Light, then Time To Hunt. The three books constitute a trilogy that tie up an intricate plot line.

Tom488 said:

Point of Impact. This was the book that the movie "Shooter" was based off of. The book is IMMENSELY better.

When you finish that one, follow it up with Black Light, then Time To Hunt. The three books constitute a trilogy that tie up an intricate plot line.

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Thanks!

Some people got really turned off by Night of Thunder and The 47th Samurai, but I enjoyed them a lot. Realistic? No, not at all, but they weren't meant to be straight-up thrillers the way that Point of Impact, Black Light, and Time to Hunt were. Hunter used movie metanarratives to drive the plot for both of them, you can tell that he's a movie critic.

Dirty White Boys and Hot Springs were hands-down my two favorites. Hunter is brilliant with setting a book's mood and tone.

Hunter's imagination has slipped as he has aged. I really enjoyed his books until Night Of Thunder came out and his plots have gone down hill more since then.

He is not the only author this has happened to. James Lee Burke has tapered off in the interesting plot department and I quit readin James Patterson quite awhile ago. Stuart Woods is hanging in pretty well though.