I, Sniper (Bob Lee Swagger, #6) in SSG: Spy/Spec-Ops Group

Mar 31, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, action

Yes, you're seeing that right. I'm giving this book 5 big stars. This is unabashed brain candy. This is a mental big mac with a large side of fries, an extra large Coke and the meal includes your favorite pie smothered in ice cream. This is the sixth Bob Lee Swagger novel and it's my favorite so far.

This one goes back to the roots of the Bob Lee story, back to the Sniper story. The book has a cast of characters "who are completely fictional and if they bear any resemblance to any actual person Yes, you're seeing that right. I'm giving this book 5 big stars. This is unabashed brain candy. This is a mental big mac with a large side of fries, an extra large Coke and the meal includes your favorite pie smothered in ice cream. This is the sixth Bob Lee Swagger novel and it's my favorite so far.

This one goes back to the roots of the Bob Lee story, back to the Sniper story. The book has a cast of characters "who are completely fictional and if they bear any resemblance to any actual person living or dead" it's completely coincidental...really...completely coincidental...no doubt.

Anyway, as the book opens several people are killed by a sniper. The FBI has a plethora of evidence that leads them to one man. That man is "Carl Hitchcock" legendary sniper from Vietnam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_H... (I had a military reference here but they changed where the link led so I replaced it with a Wiki link). The case seems open and closed, air tight, iron clad...except when Bob Lee looks into it, things don't hold up.

There is also a sort of inside joke that runs through this book that older readers (Vietnam era readers) and many country music fans will get. I found myself laughing out loud a few times. I'll say more about that under a spoiler tag later.

So, if you like a good action read I believe you'll like this one. If you're a gun enthusiast I think you'll like it (some humor here to). Anyone who's a shooter target or whatever has seen the "looks" and dealt with the attitude that "you must be just a bit off" if you..."like guns". You know...you're a, "gun nut". Right? Mr Hunter gets some humor from that. The action here picks up as Bob looks into things and then gives us one of those slam bang page turning rides that the best action books manage.

There is a bit of...sliding close to the edge of the "suspension of disbelief" precipice here. But it didn't push me over (as he, Mr. Hunter did a bit in The 47th Samurai). I can enthusiastically recommend this one. Enjoy.

Now...are you one who picked up the slightly inside joke? If your are you might enjoy what I put under the spoiler tag. If you've read the book but don't know what I'm talking about or have just an idea...here:

(view spoiler) ...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Mark rated it really liked it

Shelves: police-pi-mystery, tech-thriller, military, political-thriller, spy-thriller

I love ALL of Stephen Hunter's story lines whether its Ray Cruz, Bob Lee or Earl Swagger...wonderful twists & masterful characters...in this one Bob Lee intervenes in a FBI case that seems open & shut against a Vietnam Era sniper charged with the deaths of 60's era radicals...GREAT FUN!!! ...more

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