Location : Cleveland, OH
Stephen Hunter has turned out some excellent novels with his character, ex-Marine sniper, Bob Lee Swagger. All of the ones that I have read, and, granted, they are mainly the early novels, were believable, well-characterized thrillers. Novels which I have not hesitated to recommend to others. It was with great anticipation that I welcomed the latest novel from Stephen Hunter, Night of Thunder.
Bob Lee Swagger's daughter, Nikki, is a reporter for a local newspaper in Bristol, Tennessee. While researching a story on the methamphetamine problems in the area, she uncovers an aspect to the story that nearly kills her. Late one evening, on her way home from interviews, she is run off the road and lies in a coma. Thankfully, her days as a go-kart racer saved her from dying, as she was able to lessen the damage to her car and herself. Bob Lee, who has his share of enemies, is the first family member to get to her bedside. He is worried that one of his enemies is attempting to get to him through his daughter, so he arrives in Bristol to flush out the perpetrator. But, he wasn't the ultimate target, that was Nikki. However, with a major NASCAR event in the coming week, the local police department is stretched thin, and Bob decides to do his own brand of investigation. This leads him on a collision course with one of the South's most ruthless organized crime families.
There is no doubt that Hunter has created a novel that requires you to read as fast as you can. It is a fast paced thriller with one of my favorite characters in fiction. Further, Hunter has created a villain, Brother Richard (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Richard Petty), that uses his muscle car to kill his targets, which isn't a common method among contract killers. However, I have some issues with this installment. First, I don't understand Bob Lee's attitude throughout the novel. What happened to the "tough as nails" character I remember from the early novels? Even though he is older and has some wounds from a recent adventure, which I did not read, Bob Lee comes across like a "Columbo" character. It's more "aw shucks" and soft than the aggressive person I remember. I would have thought that as his daughter is in trouble, he would have shook the bushes harder and removed anyone in his way. Much like NASCAR itself, where the cars and drivers are festooned with advertisements, Night of Thunder deals plenty of advertising to the reader. I am not sure why Hunter felt that would be necessary to the story. Even though NASCAR figures in the plot and the climax, I really didn't see any benefit to the amount of product placement throughout the novel. While this novel was fun and entertaining, after finishing it, you realize that Hunter has not provided you with a great addition to the Bob Lee Swagger series. If you want to read it, I recommend a trip to your local library. At least you will only lose your time, not your money.
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