The Terminal List: A Thriller
[{'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2018', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'I have a relative who recently wrote, produced and directed his first movie (a real, actual movie, not a YouTube video). I recently saw it, and it was awful. I say that because I was reading this novel during the same time frame that I saw the movie, and realized that an artist\'s debut can be a big hit or miss. Jack Carr\'s first book is a hit. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone interested in revenge thrillers, but especially to people who are interested in the SEALs and Spec Ops in general. This book will also appeal to those who are part of the "gun culture" like I am. In other words, if you\'re into guns, you\'ll appreciate the author\'s attention to detail in his accurate descriptions of firearms and how they\'re handled. (You\'ll especially appreciate that accuracy in a scene in which a character does some long range target practice.)\nI never buy novels. I always check them out for free at the library. But I bought this because James Yeager recommended it, and I\'m glad I did. It was well worth the money and the time I spent reading it. I\'m now going to pass it off to my dad, and I know he\'ll enjoy it, too. I look forward to Jack Carr\'s next novel.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'As mentioned by others, Jack Carr\'s service to our country is something that should be appreciated and admired. However, this appreciation does not extend to his writing abilities. If you like a total lack of nuance, cartoonish one dimensional characters, a "hero" who savagely tortures his foes and terrorizes innocent women and children, this is the book for you. Also, if you\'re a right wing zealot who thinks all of the problems of the world are due to liberals, yeah, you\'re gonna love this one. But you also have to be gullible enough to swallow one of the most far-fetched tales of corruption that I\'ve ever read.\n\nTo use the divisive vernacular of our time, I\'m no snowflake. I grew up on a farm and starting shooting and hunting at an early age. I am a life-long Republican, although the party\'s support of an obviously amoral leader have me reassessing my political affiliation. But this kind of simplistic drivel, regardless of which party it comes from, is part of what\'s driving us further apart. We only read and listen to the B.S. coming from our tribe which then further motivates our tribal instincts and our visceral hate for the other tribes.\n\nThe author seems to think that avarice and corruption is limited to one party. Every character appears to be either a hero or a villian. If you are a conservative, law-and-order proponent who is threatened or challenged by shades of gray, don\'t worry. This book is completely devoid of complex thought and will not challenge you at all. It will fit perfectly into your confimation bias.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2018', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'This book was recommended by Brad Thor, and I can truly appreciate this suggestion while I am awaiting the next Scot Hrvath novel. This book is written by a retired US Navy SEAL, and is a truly incredible first novel by a very experienced veteran. The book is very well written, and the plot moves very quickly. Fortunately for me , I am recovering from a total knee replacement (too many parachute landing falls) and I was able to read in two days. Because it would have been virtually impossible to put down. As a physician and a military veteran, I am eerily suspicious that parts of this superbly integrated plot could be true. Jack Carr\'s Navy SEAL hero is larger-than-life, who epitomizes the SEAL motto - "the only easy day was yesterday." And the "bad guys" are truly evil. Hard to imagine any other "outcome" when evil forces take away EVERYTHING that LCDR James Reece cares about, setting in motion one of the best revenge thrillers of all time. Excellent descriptions of tactical planning and mission operation. And excellent, complicated conspiracies that connect corrupt governmental officials with corrupt senior military leaders and corrupt pharmaceutical industry agents. An excellent read for those readers who devour Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, Tim Tigner, Ben Coes, Steven Hunter, Brian Haig, and Jason Kasper. Hopefully, it won\'t take a decade for this book to make it onto the "big screen." Thus the question, who does this author envision playing James Reece.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2021', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'I don\'t normally read the Navy ex-Seal books even though I was in the Navy. The stories always seemed predictable and similar. I heard Jack Carr interviewed so thought I\'d give this one a try, and I\'m glad I did. Ten years ago I would have said "no way" this could happen...too unbelievable. But, after 5 years of watching our government and media corruption and lies I was able to totally believe this could happen at the highest levels of government. The fake Russia collusion narrative, corrupt FBI, CIA, Justice Department and the ridiculous impeachment shams made this story seem like kindergarten corruption by comparison. The only difference is that in the book the evil doers get what they deserve and in real life they get off scot free. If you\'ve had enough and want to escape for a little while to place where justice is served you\'ll really enjoy this book. Highly recommend.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2018', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'There is not much I can say that hasn\'t been said in the other comments, but I must say that, if I were not a 74 yr. old great-grandmother, I would be trying to become a SEAL. I have been grateful that Vince Flynn (I miss him so) gave us Brad Thor, and now express my gratitude to Brad Thor for giving us Jack Carr. My biggest frustration is having to wait for their next release. I enjoyed reading the "Acknowledgements " which tells me that Mr. Carr knows a lot of the right people. Such a satisfying story; love to see justice done as it should be. Thank you.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2018', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "I pre-ordered the book on James Yeager's recommendation and started reading it as soon as it arrived. I'm a little over half way though and it is excellent so far. It's well written, builds a riveting plot, and has excellent character development; I'm just getting to the point where James Reece is gearing up to unleash hell, I mean Justice, can't wait to finish it. This Hero is a true warrior but is still realistic and believable, still Human, unlike some Thrillers where the Protagonist is more a super-human figment of Hollywood's imagination. Keep the excellent books coming, Jack Carr, you have a new fan!!"}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2018', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Jack Carr has raised the bar with The Terminal List! I felt like a shadow of protagonist James Reece as he battled emotional and moral conflicts along with the ones who were responsible for his grief. Once engaged, I could not put the book down. The intensity of the action increases exponentially as the truth begins to reveal itself. The writer’s real-life experience as a SEAL become clearly evident in the details, but the character building, storyline, plot twists, and imagery are even more remarkable. The Terminal list is a must read. I hope there is a sequel in the works!'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2018', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'I am not happy with details of mayhem and murder. I am not familiar with the various weapons described, although an index provides definitions. Yet, the underlying ethical conflict over revenge versus defense versus outright terrorism leaves much to contemplate. What would I do? What would anyone do if mercenaries murdered intimate family members? What if the surviving victim had all of the skills of a Navy SEAL, skills honed in Iraq and Afghanistan? Moreover, what if I or someone else discovered that our own government disregarded protection of human subjects in developing a new medication? Since this happened in the past, a new version in fiction seems realistic. Fascinating and intense story leaves room for the main character to show up in future episodes.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'This book was amazing!!! It’s not the typical book I would read, but I heard about Jack Carr and was interested to see what he was writing about. As a former navy seal, he has many experiences & stories. He created a fictional plot in this book that was mind blowing.\n\nI could NOT put this down once I started. The plot development is amazing and there is so much information being beautifully described. I’ve never had a book literally make my heart race page to page, it kept me THAT on edge. Blood pressure up lol\n\nTW, there are some tough topics in here but book that can make me cry more than once is at least 4 stars always!!! I give this 5, and I’m excited to read more of Jacks books eventually. Couldn’t read another one right away because it’s definitely a heavy book. Would recommend to anyone who wants to switch up their reads!!!'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'I came across Jack Carr\'s, "The Terminal List" after exhausting all of the Reacher/Bosch/Haller/Colson/Rivers/etc...series and am now in limbo waiting for the next books in those series.\nI\'ve read a few of the Brad Thor books and really loved the Vince Flynn series (prior to his passing). I saw the reviews by these authors regarding this series so gave it a whirl.\nWOW!!! They aren\'t lying! This first book in the James Reece series was so packed with action that I read this book in 4 days! (Not like me!) After every chapter I was dying to get to the next.\nWithout giving this book away, think of every action movie you\'ve seen where the ending just wasn\'t brutal enough for the bad guys. Well, not here! Finally, a novel with some hard core "justice"!\nThat said, was this one of my favorite books? I\'d say it\'s up there...but definitely not as smooth-flowing(?) as, say, Jack Reacher or Harry Bosch. There\'s parts in this story where the character jumps from place to place in a relatively unbelievable amount of time. And there\'s a lot of other characters that can sometimes get confusing.\nBut what I really enjoyed was how personally attached you get to the main character in just the first few chapters. Because of this you\'re left rooting for the total destruction of every person involved. Again, without giving all of the details away this first book of the "James Reece" series is different than the others mentioned in the way that the main character seems human and real, the story line is fiction but...you cannot tell me this doesn\'t/hasn\'t really occurred in some off-shot way! (I read one review that complained this book was full of anti-liberal garbage. I say to that person, go hide in your "safe space"!)\nI just ordered the 2nd book in this series and will see if Carr can hold up to his first novel. If you like the action and high-paced type of novel that\'s full of military nomenclature then this book is for you! (For those worried, Carr provides a dictionary of meanings at the end of the book.)\nI highly suggest giving this book a read!'}]