Kill Zone: A Sniper Novel

This is the first book in this series and I’m ready for book 2. Exciting, action packed and well thought out. A must read for action and military fiction fans.

Not long ago I read amazon reviewer, Brian Baker’s helpful opinion on Long Shot: A Sniper Novel (Kyle Swanson Sniper Novels). While he says that that book could be read as a standalone, he recommended that I start with the first novel in this series.I took Brian’s advice and read Kill Zone first. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered the second in the series, Dead Shot today.Jack Coughlin and Donald Davis are talented writers who know how to grab readers’ attention and keep them intrigued from beginning to end.In this suspenseful action packed read, the main character, Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Kyle Swanson finds himself on an ironic mission. His clandestine assignment is issued by a senior official on the president’s staff. He is to rescue a Marine Corps General who was kidnapped and being held in Syria. Should the rescue fail, Swanson was to kill the General—a mission he will accept, but does not intend to kill the General who just happens to be the same one who tried to end his military career some years in the past.As the story and characters are developed, the reader learns that a powerful and technologically advanced security company that provides private armies of mercenary soldiers to the highest bidder is secretly working in conjunction with power seeking governmental forces who intend to rise to power in exchange for lucrative government contracts.Those who get in the way are dropping dead like flies as are those who underestimate the ingenuity and destructive force that Swanson is capable of raining down on their parade.I recommend this book without reservation for those who enjoy this type of genre.Enjoy!

I have a great respect for the Army and military so any fiction written by an Army man - like Kill Zone by Jack Coughlin - deserves high praises in my view.The story is about an American general kidnapped by mercenaries and saved by sniper Kyle Swanson. That is the plot in a nutshell. Plus a lot of rather incredible adventures - anti-Army plot, failed rescue mission with crashed helicopters etc - which are fun to read!What I found interesting is a lot of details about snipers training and the way those soldiers operate. That is the first book about snipers I read and those people are fascinating and deadly in their skills.I heard from some Army people that snipers are most feared and hated type of soldiers and after reading Kill Zone I can understand why.Since I never was in the Army I don't really care about some discrepancies other readers found in the book, like wrong placement of seats in military planes or some incorrect shape of bullets, that is a fiction book not a manual for soldiers!My only disagreement with the author Jack Coughlin is about the role of private military contractors/companies which he described in the book as rather evil and whose purpose is to take all power from the professional Army - in my view such companies do more good than bad and employ highly skilled ex-Army men and women.So, in general, the book is a good read!

I had some problems rating this book. Parts were quite good, but I had a number of problems.On the positive side, the story has lots of action and is filled with terrific detail that only a real-life sniper would be able to add. The descriptions were vivid and you felt like you were really there. The writing style was okay.However, on the down side, while the author knows a lot about military action, the book runs amuck when it comes to the political side. I didn't believe the basic para-military premise at all. The whole chain-of-command thing really got to me, and towards the end I thought that the story just fell apart and became totally chaotic.There was absolutely no character development. I didn't feel I knew anything about Kyle. While there were backgrounds of the bad-guys, the MC was left a total blank. Perhaps this was intentional, however I didn't work for me. There were way too many side stories and diversions that just got in the way and created far too many interruptions.If the plot had held together I would have rated it a 4. But it just got bogged down into being totally unbelieveable with too many diversions and undeveloped characters.

I never know who to praise when I read a book with co-authors. I know that Jack Coughlin was a top Marine sniper, so I am sure that the authenticity that prevails throughout the book can be attributed to him and that Davis has written a number of books, so I suspect he is the wordsmith. No matter. This is one terrific read if you are into the Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Tom Clancy type of novel.Gunnery Sgt. Kyle Swanson reminds me of Mitch Rapp before he started to go a little soft in Flynn's later books. Trust me, you do not want to be interrogated by Swanson if you are a bad guy with important info and he is short on time. Arlen Specter would have a fainting spell.There really is nothing not to like about this one. The plot is interesting, believeable and scary. The characters are well drawn. The pace of the book is page turning. I am delighted it is the first of several books featuring Swanson and will be looking forward to the next one.

Excellent characters, plenty of action, excellent twists, and a surprise ending deliver a page turner. Good understanding of weapons and clandestine warfare. Well worth the time.

Highly recommended, just started re reading while I'm stuck at work.Fiction that reads with elements of truth, really is amazing the amount if detail these guys have given us.Many thanks

These novels have good descriptions of the action and storyline which make for a fast reading experience. The main Character, Kyle Swanson appears to lead a James Bond existence, but still tied to the military by a linkage to an 'off the books' black operations group.As a Marine-trained sniper, he has a lucky association with a wealthy British military hardware businessman, which furnishes him with the James Bond lifestyle between harrowing missions. When compared to Mr. Bob Lee Swagger, Kyle Swanson is depicted as a combat superman, without too many flaws, who lays waste to all the bad guys he encounters during the course of the missions. That said, Kyle is haunted by recurring nightmares related to his career as a special black op sniper.-One peculiar annoyance common to this genre is the continual torrent of F-bombs during the run of the plot. I fully understand the military culture is not given to clean language, especially while under fire or in extreme danger, but I feel that the reader shouldn't have his nose rubbed in it. My prejudice toward this issue may be showing, but I was raised in a culture of creative cursers. F-bombing was considered 'lazy swearing', with stern admonitions to be more 'creative' in later outbursts. I'm not a prude with respect to this issue, and really enjoy a good 'curse-up', but there are other oaths which can be laid to hand rather than the 'same old-same old'.-The F-bomb issue in this writing genre became an annoyance not unlike rain on a tarp while camping, or mosquitos in your ear during a good hike .An odd distraction to be sure. With that item aside, the book was an exciting, fast read which fulfilled the requirements of a good military thriller.

A most enjoyable read.i really enjoy Jack coughing I will continue to read his works

It deserves a 5 star rating because of the continuous fast pace and action that continues to build up to the closing pages of thebook. The characters are very well done and I have found them to be believable. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of fast action books, especially snipping thrillers!

I am repeating myself but Jack Coughlin is one good writer