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filmcanman's review against another edition
1.0
I finally gave up reading this book on page 270. Which honestly was hard for me to do because I've never given up on a book before. Well, I gave up reading FAST FOOD NATION but that was different. Anyway, reading this book was an uphill battle only because Hollywood had recently turned it into a movie --a bad movie and although I never saw it, the mere thought of it shied me away from reading it. However, I decided to put my best foot forward and read the book and then see the movie and then draw my own conclusion as to what went wrong. But you see, in the very beginning of the book, I already had problems with the initial setup. Basically, Mr. Hunter paints himself into a corner because the character he creates of "Bob Lee 'The Nailer' Swagger"is so supremely almighty powerful and awesome that it's impossible for the reader to buy for one second that the bad guys would be able to convince Bob to work for them. Absolutely impossible. So, I overlooked this, thinking that Mr. Hunter's writing would carry me through the holes and blemishes and bestow upon me a sense of genuine enjoyment as I discovered how Bob exacts his revenge but alas, I just couldn't ignore my instincts, which were: this premise/characters are full of shit. And when the clay feet crack --the statue comes down next.
agentnk_'s review against another edition
5.0
one of the best story I have read recently ! watched the movie too can't wait to read rest of the series
rlisaacs's review against another edition
5.0
I really just have to say, I love Bob Lee Swagger. The way his mind worked. The way everyone thinks they have him right where they want him, and then he pulls something else out from under his sleeve. This is a great book. I watched the movie first and loved it. Still do. But the book, as it usually is, was so much better!
herphoenixloves's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty good book. I expected it to be closer to the movie, but it's not necessarily a bad thing that it's not the same.
billymac1962's review against another edition
3.0
This one was pretty good, about a Vietnam vet sniper hired to prevent an assassination.
This would make a terrific movie. I've read about his next books and they're supposed to be better than this one, so I'll definitely check out [b:Dirty White Boys|868486|Dirty White Boys|Stephen Hunter|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1179042826s/868486.jpg|3874] one of these days.
This would make a terrific movie. I've read about his next books and they're supposed to be better than this one, so I'll definitely check out [b:Dirty White Boys|868486|Dirty White Boys|Stephen Hunter|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1179042826s/868486.jpg|3874] one of these days.
papidoc's review against another edition
4.0
Unlike authors of most fiction involving guns and shooting, Hunter knows and understsnds firearms, shooting, reloading, and all things associated. It's a pleasure to read someething where I don't find myself groaning about mistakes and confusion on the topic.
sisimka's review against another edition
3.5
Loved the setup and the analytical points of view, but I didn't really connect with any of the characters. Not deeply. Their voices felt immature. Hate to say it, but I think the movie is actually better? Or at least more concise.
renegade1's review against another edition
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Top five best action books of all time, for me anyway!
nrphoto's review against another edition
2.0
I picked this up for a nice pulpy, summer read. I assumed it would be pretty entertaining, since that Marky Mark movie Shooter that derived from this book is so fun. Awful. But fun.
There's a pretty good thriller in this book. It's a shame that it's trapped inside so many unnecessary words. Hunter suffers from the delusion that he is a gifted writer, and clearly thinks that going into unimaginable amounts of detail is the sign of inspiration. It isn't. He drones on and on about some of the most mundane detail you can imagine. The conversations between characters are the worst. They were so repetitive that at times that I had to check to make sure I wasn't accidentally re-reading the same page.
I would also like to applaud Hunter on his courageous use of the word 'banal.' If I were a writer, i think I wouldn't have the gumption to use a word as contrived as banal more than once or twice in a given opus. But Mr. Hunter fearlessly and relentlessly invokes the word so often that the use of the word 'banal' actually becomes banal. It is one of the greatest uses of irony I've ever seen in a modern work of fiction.
There was a brief moment at the end of the book, when it got very exciting and it looked as though dredging through the mire of the first 490 pages was going to pay off in the last act. It didn't.
Do yourself a favor and skip this book and just watch the movie Shooter. No, it isn't any less contrived than the novel, but at least then you've only wasted two hours of your life, and, hey...Marky Mark.
There's a pretty good thriller in this book. It's a shame that it's trapped inside so many unnecessary words. Hunter suffers from the delusion that he is a gifted writer, and clearly thinks that going into unimaginable amounts of detail is the sign of inspiration. It isn't. He drones on and on about some of the most mundane detail you can imagine. The conversations between characters are the worst. They were so repetitive that at times that I had to check to make sure I wasn't accidentally re-reading the same page.
I would also like to applaud Hunter on his courageous use of the word 'banal.' If I were a writer, i think I wouldn't have the gumption to use a word as contrived as banal more than once or twice in a given opus. But Mr. Hunter fearlessly and relentlessly invokes the word so often that the use of the word 'banal' actually becomes banal. It is one of the greatest uses of irony I've ever seen in a modern work of fiction.
There was a brief moment at the end of the book, when it got very exciting and it looked as though dredging through the mire of the first 490 pages was going to pay off in the last act. It didn't.
Do yourself a favor and skip this book and just watch the movie Shooter. No, it isn't any less contrived than the novel, but at least then you've only wasted two hours of your life, and, hey...Marky Mark.
captain_trips's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
3.5/5
A pretty solid and enjoyable action-thriller/mystery.
The main reason I picked this book up and even heard about it was via a recommendation from video game director Hideo Kojima. Allegedly, Stephen Hunter's books helped influence Kojima's work on some of the Metal Gear Solid games (which I love). After finishing Point Of Impact, I can definitely see how some of its DNA influenced MGS: Sniper battles, HALO jumps, killing-machine war vet, and shadowy government agencies.
Aside from the MGS connection, I did enjoy the story. The action is well done and the mystery was engaging. I think I enjoyed the detective work and FBI drama a bit more than the battles. Swagger is essentially Superman with a gun (He's the best around!!!), so it was a bit over the top at times. But that's okay, it was usually fun.
Hunter definitely knows his guns. A lot of rifle-nitty-gritty info went right over my head (I'm not into guns), but it wasn't distracting and never went too far into gun-porn territory. Much of the gun details are very pertinent to the story
The characters were decent. Swagger is like a combination of Rambo and Dirty Harry but with a Southern drawl. I couldn't help but imagine Foghorn Leghorn in some instances of dialogue. It felt cartoony at times. The FBI agent, Nick, was the more nuanced and relatable character I felt.
The ending was satisfying and I wouldn't be opposed to picking up another Bob Lee Swagger book in the future if the mood strikes.
A pretty solid and enjoyable action-thriller/mystery.
The main reason I picked this book up and even heard about it was via a recommendation from video game director Hideo Kojima. Allegedly, Stephen Hunter's books helped influence Kojima's work on some of the Metal Gear Solid games (which I love). After finishing Point Of Impact, I can definitely see how some of its DNA influenced MGS: Sniper battles, HALO jumps, killing-machine war vet, and shadowy government agencies.
Aside from the MGS connection, I did enjoy the story. The action is well done and the mystery was engaging. I think I enjoyed the detective work and FBI drama a bit more than the battles. Swagger is essentially Superman with a gun (He's the best around!!!), so it was a bit over the top at times. But that's okay, it was usually fun.
Hunter definitely knows his guns. A lot of rifle-nitty-gritty info went right over my head (I'm not into guns), but it wasn't distracting and never went too far into gun-porn territory. Much of the gun details are very pertinent to the story
The characters were decent. Swagger is like a combination of Rambo and Dirty Harry but with a Southern drawl. I couldn't help but imagine Foghorn Leghorn in some instances of dialogue. It felt cartoony at times. The FBI agent, Nick, was the more nuanced and relatable character I felt.
The ending was satisfying and I wouldn't be opposed to picking up another Bob Lee Swagger book in the future if the mood strikes.