Hunters [Hardcover]

This is the 3rd book in the Griffin series that centers around Homeland Security. The only problem with this new WEB Griffin book is that I could not put in down. AT 2:30AM, I finally had to stop for sleep, even though I was only a little more than half done. Mr. Griffin's new book is full speed ahead, from beginning to end, continuing where The Hostage finished, but it seems to move at an even faster pace, which I enjoy.

Carlos Castillo continues to build his team with the best people he can find, from the various intelligence agencies, as well as the military. I love this aspect of his books, because it is so much like true life, where people progress in their careers, or die, and new people join the team.

The hunt for the bad guys crosses many international boundaries, proving that today's intelligence operatives need to be multi-lingual and very intelligent. An agent who only speaks English is no longer an effective agent against international terrorists. Hungarian, Russian, German, Spanish and English were the languages of choice for most of this operation. You have to read to the end, to find out who all the good guys and bad guys really are. Carlos Castillo and his growing band of experts move from country to country, progressing through firefights that reveal bad guys at the highest levels.

As with any Griffin book, the winners are the people who have both the intellignece to analyze complex data, and the strength of character to act on it. In addition to people with military and intelligence skills , Castillo's team now has: a financial analyst (with the financial and computer expertise to track billions of dollars through the labyrinth of secret international bank accounts); a newspaperman (with the instincts and contacts to uncover bad guys at the highest levels); and Max (who can actually smell bad guys).

For me, this book was as exciting and fast moving as Mr. Griffin's books on WWII, Korea and Vietnam, with so much action that you feel like you are in the middle of a declared war.

This new series continues to highlight Griffin's contacts with, and knowledge of, the modern military and intelligence communities. Although he points out some infighting between government agencies, he also points out that there are good people in every agency, and if they work together, they can stop the bad guys. The book deals with heroes from Homeland Security, the Diplomatic Corps, the FBI, the CIA, Special Forces, and other US military units, as well as like-minded patriots in Argentina, Germany and Uruguay.

WEB Griffin is truly the dean of American military story tellers, and this book reveals his understanding of the complex relationship that exists between varous intelligence organizations, as well as the military.

W.E.B. Griffin released a book last year called "The Saboteurs," which was co-authored with his son. It was horrible. Having read and enjoyed all of Griffin's other books, except for his police series, it was a major disappointment and the first time I had ever given a negative review of a Griffin book.

Happily, Griffin's name alone appears on "The Hunters" and the story has many Griffin trademarks.

Charley Castillo is made chief of the Office of Organizational Analysis, which is created by a Presidential Finding; a secret order from the President. With a few handpicked colleagues - and quite a collection they are - Castillo tries to solve the murder of an American consular official, the attempted murder of an old family friend, a newspaper publisher in Europe and unravel the secrets of the Oil-for-Food scandal.

This is classic Griffin. Characters whizzing in and out. There's Aleksandr Pevsner, a shadowy Russian ex-patriate. A bunch of folks from the FBI, Secret Service, NSA, Special Forces, Delta Team play out their roles, as well as Castillo's grandmother and cousin.

The action flies fast and furious on every page as Castillo makes up his own rules, ignores the law, does battle with the National Director of Intelligence. On his side, of course, he has the President.

I'm not about to spoil the pleasure of a Griffin novel by discussing the plot line. Aone of the pleasures of reading Griffin is that every page delivers a new twist - and I am not about to ruin anything.

Griffin does tend to talk too much in this novel; many points are repeated over and over without purpose. A small criticism. Maybe they changed editors on him or something.

In any event, if you like Griffin, then you want to read "The Hunters". Be prepared to set an evening or two aside because once you start, you aren't going to want to put it down until you are finished.

Jerry

I just completed W.E.B. Griffin's latest book in his Presidential Agent series and man it is long! The Hunters begins where the last book, The Hostage ended. Charley and company are tracking down the baddies involved in the Iraqi oil-for-food scandal. An interesting idea that does not realize its full potential. The characters of Charley Castillo, Col Jake Torine, and others are well drawn. But the various meetings and travel detail were at the expense of far less action scenes than there could have been. If there had been more action, it would have been a better book.

I enjoyed the first Presidential Agent book, By Order of the President. I have become a fan of Griffin's excellent Badge of Honor series in the past few years as well. However, the only reason I finished The Hunters was my own stubborness. I will think twice before spending (wasting?) the time to read the next adventure of Charley and company.