From the marvellous 1st Bob Lee Swagger book Point Of Impact to this lacklustre effort that reads like a first (unedited) proof?One would have thought that after the strange fish-out-of-water exercise that was the 47th Samurai (that saw seasoned sniper and series regular Bob Lee Swagger stripped of his guns and plonked right in the heart of Japan for a climactic swordfight), Swagger's 5th outing that sees him back on familiar turf would be a return to form.Sadly, no.Awash with Southern stereotypes (fire and brimstone preachers, in-bred country boys, moonshine and Nascar), this Swagger entry misses the bull's eye by a wide margin For background to Stephen Hunter's books, see my review of "Point of Impact."Like The 47th Samurai, this #5 in the Bob Lee Swagger series is one of the weakest, though I still found it worthwhile. Bob’s daughter Nikki has become a fledgling reporter for a backwoods Tennessee television station; her current investigation is of the methamphetamine trade in the county. She is forced off of a mountain road and spends a long time in a coma, but survives.Bob arrives to see her and to get to the bottom of the murder attempt, if that’s what it is. Into the mix is thrown the Gumley family, the result of generations of breeding and inbreeding designed to enhance criminality and minimize intellect in the service of continuing the long history of violent Grumley behavior; in the Grumley group nobody knows if their brother is their cousin! The patriarch of the family is the Reverend Alto Grumley, Baptist minister and chief criminal. Now the Grumley’s are planning a caper well above their IQ level,Bob encounters a complex miasma of family loyalties, poverty and addiction, and murder as he gets deeper into the mystery of the attempt on Nikki’s life. Baptists southerners—and NASCAR fans—might take offense at their portrayal as trailer trash, but Bob announces "I am trailer trash and proud of it;" so no offense intended. And, in the words of the Sinnerman, f**k you if you can’t take a joke!" :) Reviewed Books by Stephen Hunter Earl Swagger Series Hot Springs Pale Horse Coming Havana Bob Lee Swagger Series Point of Impact Black Light Time to Hunt The 47th Samurai Night of Thunder I, Sniper Dead Zero The Third BulletRay Cruz Series Soft Target
What do You think about Night Of Thunder (2008)?
Stephen Hunter does NASCAR. I could almost hear the soundtrack of revving and explosions.
—Nickyy17
Enjoyable read. Not the best of the series, but still good.
—linz
I little tiresome towards the end, but otherwise okay.
—yuanyuank
