One Rough Man by Brad Taylor

The first Pike Logan novel from New York Times bestselling author Brad Taylor. They call it the Taskforce. Commissioned at the highest level of the U.S. government. Protected from the prying eyes of Congress and the media. Designed to operate outside the bounds of U.S. law. Trained to exist on the ragged edge of human capability. Pike Logan was the most successful operator on the Taskforce, his instincts and talents unrivaled--until personal tragedy permanently altered his outlook on the world. Pike knows what the rest of the country might not want to admit: The real threat isn't from any nation, any government, any terrorist group. The real threat is one or two men, controlled by ideology, operating independently, in possession of a powerful weapon. Buried in a stack of intercepted chatter is evidence of two such men. The transcripts are scheduled for analysis in three months. The attack is mere days away. It is their bad luck that they're about to cross paths with Pike Logan. Because Pike Logan has nothing left to lose. Editorial Reviews Praise for One Rough Man An auspicious, adrenaline-soaked rocket ship of a debut novel. Taylor's protagonist, Pike Logan, is one rough man who is one bad dude--as a superhero, Pike ranks right up there with Jason Bourne, Jack Reacher, and Jack Bauer.--John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author Brad Taylor has created a feisty, devil-may-care hero in Pike Logan...A coiling plot, crisp writing, and constant braids of suspense make One Rough Man one exciting read.--Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author A fast and furious tale with a boots-on-the-ground realism....Pike Logan is a tough, appealing hero.--Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author The deadly duel between Pike and the terrorists is both cerebral and graphically violent...[Taylor] brings such incredible realism and authenticity that readers feel like they are looking over the shoulders of a real antiterrorist operation.--Library Journal More Praise for Brad Taylor and the Pike Logan series Fresh plot, great action and Taylor clearly knows what he is writing about....When it comes to tactics and hardware he is spot on.--Vince Flynn, #1 New York Times bestselling author Taylor has become one of the very best writers of thrillers with a military and special-ops background...Comparisons to Vince Flynn and Brad Thor are expected and not inaccurate, but Taylor is now in a class by himself.--Booklist Slick, exciting action and credible complexity are the hallmarks of Taylor's high-caliber thrillers.--Library Journal Few authors write about espionage,terrorism and clandestine hit squads as well as Taylor does.--Houston Press Action packed....Those who prize authentic military action will be rewarded.--Publishers Weekly - From the Publisher Taylor's debut flows like the best of Vince Flynn and Brad Thor. An intense and intriguing character, Logan is definitely an action hero to watch. - Booklist This series debut introduces Pike Logan and his clandestine band of counterterrorist government agents called the Taskforce. Operating outside the law, they don't make the headlines because they officially don't exist. Following a personal tragedy in which his wife and child are murdered, Pike is on his own, using just his wits and deadly skills against an Islamic terrorist faction that stumbles upon a deadly new bioweapon. While these are recurring themes in current action fiction, the author adds a worthy female protagonist and unique twists to the usual secret agency-versus-the-bad-guys scenario. The deadly duel between Pike and the terrorists is both cerebral and graphically violent, with a high body count.Verdict Taylor, a former Delta Force commander, brings such incredible realism and authenticity that readers feel like they are looking over the shoulders of a real antiterrorist operation. This will appeal to Brad Thor and Vince Flynn fans. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/10.]--Michael Schau, Seminole State Coll. Lib., Sanford, FL - Library Journal The latest Pike Logan thriller is a hodgepodge of clichs and themes. But thanks to an exciting narration by JD Jackson as Pike Logan and Neil Kaplan as the other numerous characters, the implausible story still captivates. The story involves an alleged ancient weapon of mass destruction that is being sought by a ruthless Latin smuggler, Arab terrorists, a U.S. black-ops team, and a traitor at the highest level of the U.S. government. Jackson steals the show with the irrepressible Logan. When Logan is enraged, watch out! Kaplan's versatile portrayals of the bulk of characters are well done. Men and women are accurately depicted. Though the low-key climax is a bit disappointing, both the narrators keep the listener engaged. A.L.H. AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine - JUNE 2011 - AudioFile A fallen-from-grace former antiterrorist operative and his lady friend chase terrorists armed with a horrifying weapon halfway around the world. As a member of a clandestine group called the Taskforce, set up to eliminate terrorist threats before they materialize, Pike Logan was used to being where he needed to be to save the day...until the time he was away on an operation when his wife and daughter were murdered. He started making mistakes in the field, and before long he was unemployed, living on a sailboat, drinking too much and picking fights at dive bars. It is after such a drunken brawl that Pike meets Jennifer Cahill, a college student whose uncle, unbeknownst to her, has been kidnapped and killed in Guatemala by a smuggler named El Machete while looking for a lost Mayan temple fabled to house an ancient secret weapon. After he saves her from a few of the smuggler's flunkies, Jennifer convinces Pike to head down to Guatemala with her to clear things up. Meanwhile, two al-Qaeda operatives making arrangements with El Machete overhear some loose talk and hatch a plan to get their hands on the Mayan superweapon. After settling things with El Machete, Pike and Jennifer find clues pointing to the Islamist's intentions, and set out on a global chase to stop them. All the while, a rogue official has sent a team to hunt Pike and Jennifer around the world as part of his plan to spin the aftermath of the terrorist attack to serve his own ends. While first-time novelist Taylor certainly isn't breaking any new ground here, the quality of his writing is just a tick above the median for other books in the genre. On the other hand, the outlandish nature of a near escape or two and some pretty lucky deductive leaps on Logan's part, not to mention the fact that the WMD is ancient and Mayan, put this book's level of believability just a touch south of average. In the end, though, everything balances out to a satisfyingly average read. Capably written, with occasional flashes of something better. - Kirkus Reviews