SSG: Spy/Spec-Ops Group discussion

I'd love to see this group get more active. Here's my favorites, some I don't like as well, and a few I'm wanting to read based on recommendations or other sources.

FAVORITES (somewhat in order):

Vince Flynn
Nelson DeMille
Ben Coes (this guy is coming up fast, I think he'll be the "next big thing.")
Brad Thor
Brad Taylor
Greg Iles (most of his books are mystery, but The Black Cross and Spandau Phoenix are spy/spec ops, and are great books. The Black Cross is top 10.)
Daniel Silva
Barry Eisler (would be higher if he focuses on the Ben Treven books)
Alex Berenson
Allan Folsom
Lee Child (sort of this genre right?)
Robert Harris
Kyle Mills (Fade was incredible, the rest are good, but not up to Fade)
Robert Littell

THESE 3 ARE PILLARS OF THE GENRE, AND I ENJOYED ALL, BUT I PREFER THE ABOVE:

Ken Follet
Fredrick Forsyth
Robert Ludlum

OVERRATED, in my opinion:

Tom Clancy (Gets bogged down in details. But I loved Without Remorse, a favorite)
John LeCarre
Marc Cameron

WANT TO READ:

Preston & Child
Olen Steinhauer
Brian Haig
David Ignatius
Patrick Robinson
Will Thomas
Michael Wallace
Glenn Meade
Harry Hunsicker
Alan L. Lee
Steve Hamilton
Larry Bond
Jeff Abbott

*not sure all these are in the genre, a few may be more detective/mystery

Anyway, thought I'd share this. Love to hear more.

Would love to hear thoughts on all. Particularly "Want to read," and any other recommendations based on my favorites.

Beyond that, what are your favorites?

I added a description to another thread of Tom Clancy's "Without Remorse". Thought I'd share it here. It might make your mouth water ;).

"Imagine that Tom Clancy wrote a Jack Reacher book."

Yeah, love Vince Flynn. He was a local guy here so I got to meet him several times at signings and once at a special invite only event.

Too bad what happened to him, really sad. Seemed like a really great guy and writer.

Also love Thor, Silva, and Barry Eisler (who isn't on your list).

I think there are 4 pillars, Forsyth, Follet, Ludlum, and LeCarre. I sometimes think of Clancy that way but he's not quite there, IMO.

Check again Michael....Eisler is there. Even a comment on how he'd be higher if he focuses on Ben Treven. Fault Line is my favorite.

I just couldn't get into LeCarre...I loved the movie Tinker, Tailor, but I read "Absolute Friends," and it was a chore to finish. I read a review that called it one of his best and one of the "best spy books," in general. I was very disappointed, and it turned me off reading more.

And if you've not read Ben Coes...go get Power Down this instant. Like don't even stop at a stop sign, proceed immediately to the nearest bookstore!

Or download it if you use an e-reader as I do.

The 4 Coes books, starring Dewey Andreas, blew my mind. I don't think any of them took me more than 48 hours to read. He stands out in the genre amongst the potential replacements to carry the Vince Flynn mantle. Obviously you can't replace Vince, but Ben Coes I believe, will soon be a big deal and have that sort of reputation.

Matt wrote: "Check again Michael....Eisler is there. Even a comment on how he'd be higher if he focuses on Ben Treven. Fault Line is my favorite.

I just couldn't get into LeCarre...I loved the movie Tinker,..."

Sorry, missed him on your list.

Matt wrote: "And if you've not read Ben Coes...go get Power Down this instant. Like don't even stop at a stop sign, proceed immediately to the nearest bookstore!

Or download it if you use an e-reader as I d..."

I have the first two Coes books in my TBR list. They look good.

They are great! I could go on and on...

You'll learn. Books are one of my favorite topics! I could talk about them for hours. I have a lot of favorites and I read a ton. I was at over 60 books in 2014 in June, but I've been busy and slowed up.

Not the same genre, except for The Black Cross and Spandau, but if you're into mystery/thriller types, I can't recommend Greg Iles enough. Particularly the Penn Cage series. His latest came out in May titled "Natchez Burning." It was awesome, and the fourth in a 6 part series. "The Bone Tree," will be released in April 2015. They are really good. And The Black Cross is one of the best historical fiction books from WW2 that I've ever read. I was skeptical because 95% of his books take place in the southern US, but he totally nailed TBC.

There are a lot of books that can be included in this group. Anything people thinks counts as spy/espionage/Spec Ops counts in my book. No hard rules on what counts or not.

A good read is a good read after all.

Dewey Andres is the next big thing in this. Ben Coes is excellent

Indeed! Mention whatever.

But I'm excited to hear people's favorites. I met a guy on GR named Tim and we email a lot and recommend to each other. The authors I mentioned above as my favorites, I've read all their books. So I'm always on the hunt for a new author, and particularly a new series to start. I really enjoy Mitch Rapp, Pike Logan, Dewey Andreas, Scott Harvath, John Rain and Ben Treven, John Well, Gabriel Allon, John Corey, etc. I know some don't like the repeated character, but I love it if he's interesting.

Some of the books I get confused due to similarities. Particularly Brad Thor, Brad Taylor, Vince Flynn and Ben Coes. When I reflect on them, I'll often confuse a scene being Pike Logan when it was actually Dewey Andreas, etc. That's why I have those near the type. I love them all, but Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Brad Taylor and Ben Coes...they all write about a lead character that is very similar. One is a former Seal, one a Delta, one a Secret Service...but they all create the same guy. And I can't get enough!

How about Joel C. Rosenberg? Last Jihad Series is pretty good.

Never read it, I'll check it ojt

Michael, I checked those out and they look really intriguing. Only about 300 reviews on average, but rating is over 4, which is really good on GR.

The snippets I read sound great! I added them to my priority shelf. I may just have to read The Last Jihad next. I've been working on Act of War, Thor's latest offering for a couple weeks. Hasn't grabbed me like previous work.

I've got some Ignatius, Haig, Steinhauer, Harry Hunsicker and Richard North Patterson up next. I discovered Patterson wrote a 3rd book in the Kerry Kilcannon series, and I loved the first two. Not a huge courtroom guy, and I don't care that much for Grisham. But I like Patterson a lot, followed by Margolin, in that genre.

Tim rec'd quite a few I really want to dive into. He leaves great, detailed reviews. I'm sure he'll join this group when he see's my invite.

What does Last Jihad compare closest to? Of the authors I listed? Eisler, Thor, Flynn, Taylor, DeMille, etc?

Is there anybody that really enjoyed the Marc Cameron books? I wanted to. But I got about 100 pages into the first Jericho Quinn book and gave it up.

I would say that it is sort of a mix of Thor, Flynn and Clancy. I think the style might be closer to Flynn both in plot and writing style. It has the whole Clancy formula as well. There is a conservative, christian feel to the book as well so not sure if that would bother you or not.

Thanks Michael! I kind of got that impression based on some of his non-fiction books. I don't think I'll mind, as long as he doesn't ram his opinions down my throat. I find most of them Thor and Flynn at least, are pretty conservative. You can find interviews with both from Fox News, etc.

And I don't mean to slight Clancy. I enjoy his plots, but he gets so bogged down in detail and descriptions. I think he wants to make sure his readers with a background in high-tech military and such know that he's done his research an understands what he's talking about and referencing. But for the layman like me, it's like "get on with it!"

Like with my mom, she likes to talk, when I ask her what time it is...she'll explain to me how the clock works! Clancy has a bit of that in him...;)

Yeah, Flynn is definitely conservative. I know that because he went to the same Catholic Church as me and also have read the interviews. From what I understand he was a very orthodox Catholic.

You can see some of that in his books and also in Thor's books. I think Rosenberg is a little more outfront with it than they are but it isn't over the top considering the plot/story.

Check out John Gilstrap and Jack Coughlin!!!

Thanks Steven, they look good! Especially Gilstrap

Just joined the group a couple days ago. Already appreciate some great recommendations as I've read through some of the threads.

Quick question: curious as to the fact that no one has mentioned Stephen Hunter and the Bob Lee Swagger series. I have yet to read Hunter (though I intend to and know a couple of friends who have and speak really highly of the series), however my impression is that he is one of those continuing to rise.

Maybe he doesn't fit into the genre as neatly as some of the other authors, but I don't know where else he would probably fall.

Anyways, just something to throw out there for discussion.

Thanks for the recommendations!

I think teh early Swagger books are definitely in the Spec Ops/Spy genre. The more recent ones are more mysteries/thrills/detective novels.

So, you could certainly say the books fit this group but the earlier ones a lot more than the more recent ones.

I've read Hot Springs. And Hunter is on my list to continue. I added all the Swagger books, both Earl and Bob Lee...

Good thought Josh! I'm busy now but will try to share thoughts later. I loved Hot Springs!