natedog
Member
I would highly reccomend books by Stephen Hunter, especially "Time to Hunt", "Point of Impact", and "Hot Springs".
Stephen Hunter writes great fiction
- Thread starter natedog
- Start date
- Status
Unisaw
Member
I have read all of his books and liked all of them. It's nice to read an author who gets the gun stuff right.
Jason Demond
Member
I have read all his books, and I can't wait for the next.
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
He's a pretty good writer most of the time, but I thought Pale Horse Coming was a dud. It was an interesting dud, to be sure, but a dud.
dfariswheel
Member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2002
- Messages
- 6,657
From an older post:
The Master Sniper--a WWII fanatic German sniper on a secret mission at the war's end, armed with the "Vampir" sight.
The Second Saladin--An Arab infiltrates the US/Mexican border to attack America. So-so.
A Tapestry of Spy's--A Spanish Civil war spy story. So-so.
The Day Before Midnight--A take-over of an impregnable missile site, a key, an impervious multi-ton block of titanium, a kidnapped master metal cutting expert, and two Vietnam era tunnel experts; one an American tunnel-rat, the other a Viet Cong woman.
Point of Impact-- Retired Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger is framed for attempting to assassinate the President. The plotter's mistake.....failing make SURE Swagger is DEAD.
Be sure to catch the Safety Deposit Box "hook" at the end.
Black Light..Bob Lee goes home to Arkansas to find out just how it was his hero State Trooper father came to die in a corn field with two punks. There were only three guns at the site, a .357, a 44 Special, and a rare .38 Super. So how come Earl died with a 110 grain .30 bullet in his heart?
Somebody doesn't want him to find out...BIG mistake.
Time To Hunt--The Russian sniper responsible for wounding Bob Lee and killing his Vietnam spotter comes after Swagger years later. Two statements to remember...."Daddy's Home" and "Front Toward Enemy".
Dirty White boys--Three escaped Oklahoma convicts go on a murderous crime spree, and the State Trooper who pursues them.
Hot Springs...1940's Hot Springs Arkansas, the gambling capital of America. Earl Swagger, retired Marine Medal of Honor winner decides to clean up the town. The town doesn't want to be cleaned up. Swagger takes out the trash.
Pale Horse Coming--Earl Swagger is asked to look into odd events at a notorious Southern Prison farm.
People don't like him sticking his nose into their business and do something about it.
As is common with the Swagger family, they sorely regret not making SURE he's DEAD.
Earl goes back to "settle up", taking along the most famous and deadly American gunmen in history. Among them, a young, baby-faced Medal of Honor winning Army vet-turned actor, who just happens to have brought something called a "MP-44" home.
The Master Sniper--a WWII fanatic German sniper on a secret mission at the war's end, armed with the "Vampir" sight.
The Second Saladin--An Arab infiltrates the US/Mexican border to attack America. So-so.
A Tapestry of Spy's--A Spanish Civil war spy story. So-so.
The Day Before Midnight--A take-over of an impregnable missile site, a key, an impervious multi-ton block of titanium, a kidnapped master metal cutting expert, and two Vietnam era tunnel experts; one an American tunnel-rat, the other a Viet Cong woman.
Point of Impact-- Retired Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger is framed for attempting to assassinate the President. The plotter's mistake.....failing make SURE Swagger is DEAD.
Be sure to catch the Safety Deposit Box "hook" at the end.
Black Light..Bob Lee goes home to Arkansas to find out just how it was his hero State Trooper father came to die in a corn field with two punks. There were only three guns at the site, a .357, a 44 Special, and a rare .38 Super. So how come Earl died with a 110 grain .30 bullet in his heart?
Somebody doesn't want him to find out...BIG mistake.
Time To Hunt--The Russian sniper responsible for wounding Bob Lee and killing his Vietnam spotter comes after Swagger years later. Two statements to remember...."Daddy's Home" and "Front Toward Enemy".
Dirty White boys--Three escaped Oklahoma convicts go on a murderous crime spree, and the State Trooper who pursues them.
Hot Springs...1940's Hot Springs Arkansas, the gambling capital of America. Earl Swagger, retired Marine Medal of Honor winner decides to clean up the town. The town doesn't want to be cleaned up. Swagger takes out the trash.
Pale Horse Coming--Earl Swagger is asked to look into odd events at a notorious Southern Prison farm.
People don't like him sticking his nose into their business and do something about it.
As is common with the Swagger family, they sorely regret not making SURE he's DEAD.
Earl goes back to "settle up", taking along the most famous and deadly American gunmen in history. Among them, a young, baby-faced Medal of Honor winning Army vet-turned actor, who just happens to have brought something called a "MP-44" home.
KP95DAO
member
Hot Springs.
dfariswheel,
While you described the plot, the heart of the story dealt with the demons in his father's life. These drove his father and thereby had an impact on what Earl became. It is amazing what people will do while running to or from their personal demons.
I like his books because of the few technical mistakes and his use of those same technical details which most would not understand or appreciate. The firing pin in the Rem 700 for instance. And he is able to weave a story that is also personally compelling.
dfariswheel,
While you described the plot, the heart of the story dealt with the demons in his father's life. These drove his father and thereby had an impact on what Earl became. It is amazing what people will do while running to or from their personal demons.
I like his books because of the few technical mistakes and his use of those same technical details which most would not understand or appreciate. The firing pin in the Rem 700 for instance. And he is able to weave a story that is also personally compelling.
Joe Gunns
Member
I purdee love it when I can get ahold of one or more of Stephen Hunter's titles, they usually sell as soon as I post the listing, particularly Point of Impact and the other Bob the Nailer stories. I don't handle much fiction, but of the various thriller, shooter, and mystery writers Hunter consistently sells the best for me.
Hunter has adopted the L'amour trick of creating a fictional family and taking them through the years. Sorta like a hard-edged version of the Sacketts, without the moralizing.
Hunter has adopted the L'amour trick of creating a fictional family and taking them through the years. Sorta like a hard-edged version of the Sacketts, without the moralizing.
Stevie-Ray
Member
Read all but The Second Saladin, and Tapestry of Spies. Enjoyed them all. The Master Sniper was definitely the least of his stories though. My biggest problem with Hunter's stories is the substitution of fictitious names with those of the famous, i.e. Carl Hitchcock for Carlos Hathcock. This is almost laughable in his latest entry. But this is small potatoes in an otherwise fine and very entertaining book.
Bruce in West Oz
Member
"Point of Impact" was very enjoyable.
Can I suggest you also beg, borrow, buy or steal a copy of "Holding the Zero" by Gerald Seymour. A Pommy book, but a good read -- especially in the light of what's currently happening in Iraq.
Synopsis:
Champion target shooter (civilian) is drawn to Iraq and to a sniper-to-sniper confrontation between himself and an Iraqi master sniper. From memory (I don't have the book here at work), the good guy uses an AWM in .338 Lapua Magnum.
Bruce
Can I suggest you also beg, borrow, buy or steal a copy of "Holding the Zero" by Gerald Seymour. A Pommy book, but a good read -- especially in the light of what's currently happening in Iraq.
Synopsis:
Champion target shooter (civilian) is drawn to Iraq and to a sniper-to-sniper confrontation between himself and an Iraqi master sniper. From memory (I don't have the book here at work), the good guy uses an AWM in .338 Lapua Magnum.
Bruce
- Status
