By Jon Brooks
“Reece was coming. Death was coming for them all.” — "The Terminal List"
I promised myself at the end of last year that I would read more books in 2018. I typically consume several mysteries and thrillers on an annual basis, but the past couple years I devoted less time to the hobby I love.
Former Navy SEAL sniper Jack Carr mentions in the “Acknowledgements” section of his novel “The Terminal List” that his mom instilled in him a passion for reading at a young age.
That passion was evident as I flipped the pages of “The Terminal List” — a ballsy debut thriller from the newest operator in the genre.
“The Terminal List” follows the exploits of Lieutenant Commander James Reece — a U.S. Navy SEAL, husband, father, and noble warrior. Early on in the novel, we find Reece and his men on an ill-fated mission in Afghanistan — the SEAL troop is ambushed; the team is decimated by the enemy.
Adding insult to injury, a doctor soon discovers that Reece (along with two other men tested in his unit) has a malignant brain tumor — an oligodendroglioma. Two percent of all brain tumors are this type. Rare and deadly.
In addition, higher ups in the Navy appear to be setting up Reece as the “fall guy” for the deaths of the SEALs under his command in Afghanistan.
Furthermore, when the battle-weary Reece returns home from his final mission to Coronado, CA, one of his compatriots in the Teams (Boozer) is found dead in his apartment (a suspected suicide). Making matters worse, Reece’s wife Lauren and daughter Lucy have been found gunned down at home in what authorities deem to be a random act of gang violence.
But none of these disparate events are a mere coincidence. There is a vast conspiracy that runs through the highest corridors of power in the federal government...and Lieutenant Commander James Reece is in the middle of the maelstrom.
Somewhere, somehow, someone is going to pay.
Carr’s novel is a strong cocktail.
“The Terminal List” combines a shot of Vince Flynn’s “Term Limits” with a dash of Stephen Hunter’s “Point of Impact,” tosses in a sprinkle of the movie “The Fugitive,” and mixes it all together with the visceral vengeance of David Morrell’s “First Blood.”
The result is a story that stings the throat and clears the sinuses — bold, brutal, and unwavering.
I found “The Terminal List” to be a fast read, and a very intriguing story. Revenge tales tend to make terrific page turners, and Carr’s novel is no exception to that rule.
What makes “The Terminal List” so compelling is the character of James Reece. He isn’t some vanilla, tough-guy character with superhero-like abilities. Reece is drawn with more subtlety and nuance. You truly feel for him as he grieves the death of his wife and daughter, and his fallen SEAL Team comrades. This is a man who has lost everything, and his entire being is threatened by a deadly brain tumor.
Reece has an affinity for Toyota Land Cruisers, loves coffee, and dislikes sandwich condiments.
Reece is aided in his mission of vengeance by Kate Buranek (an investigative reporter), Ben Edwards (a womanizing intel spook), Liz Riley (a helicopter jockey Reece rescued during a mission overseas), and Marco del Toro (Reece’s “Mexican benefactor”).
Because of the security clearances Carr held when he was a Navy SEAL, he had to submit a manuscript of "The Terminal List" to the DOD Office of Prepublication and Security Review. Certain "redacted" passages are blacked out in the novel. The author could have revised or reworked those instances in the novel, but he left them "as is" (which, in a way, adds to the authenticity of the novel):
Because of the security clearances Carr held when he was a Navy SEAL, he had to submit a manuscript of "The Terminal List" to the DOD Office of Prepublication and Security Review. Certain "redacted" passages are blacked out in the novel. The author could have revised or reworked those instances in the novel, but he left them "as is" (which, in a way, adds to the authenticity of the novel):
Readers are treated to various tools of the trade (a time-honored tradition in this genre), and I am thankful that they decided to include a “Glossary of Terms” in the back of the book (something I enjoyed as a reference in novels of this type back in the 1980s).
Carr recently did an interview with Guns & Ammo magazine about the authenticity of the weaponry used in “The Terminal List.” The former special operator knows his stuff, and you can get a glimpse of Carr using some of these tools in this bad ass promotional video on his official YouTube channel:
“The Terminal List” isn’t a novel for the timid, but it is a well-drawn debut thriller for Jack Carr. I look forward to reading more...
“In Judges, Gideon asks God how to choose his men for battle. The Lord told Gideon to take his men down to the river and drink. The men who flopped down on their bellies and drank like dogs were no good to him. Gideon watched as some of his men knelt down and drank with their heads watching the horizon, spears in hand. Though they were few, they were the men he needed. You’ve always been one of the few, James. Keep watching the horizon.” — “The Terminal List”
>> If you enjoyed my review of Jack Carr’s “The Terminal List,” be sure to follow me on Twitter/X – @TheJonCrunch
>> If you enjoyed my review of Jack Carr’s “The Terminal List,” be sure to follow me on Twitter/X – @TheJonCrunch
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Great review. Thorough.
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