The Art of War by Stephen Coonts; A Review

“The Chinese dragon is flexing its muscles. As its military begins to prey on neighbors in the South China Sea, attacking fishing vessels and scheming to seize natural resources, the US goes on high alert. But a far more ominous danger lurks closer to home: a Chinese sleeper cell has planted a nuclear weapon in the harbor at Norfolk, Virginia, the biggest naval base on the planet. The target: a secret rendezvous of the Atlantic Fleet aircraft carriers and their battle groups. When the CIA director is assassinated and Jake Grafton is appointed to take his place, he gets wind of the conspiracy, but has no idea when or where the attack will occur. In the meantime, a series of assassinations, including an attempt on the life of the President, shake the country and deliberately mask a far more sinister objective. Can Jake Grafton and his right hand man, Tommy Carmellini, stop the plot to destroy the US Navy?”  – The Art of War by Stephen Coonts

This is most diffidently written for a guy, but it book was so freaking good! I have only read a small selection of military, thriller, fiction novels like this one so my knowledge of such books is pretty small but I have to admit that this book was a pleasant surprise! If you are someone who reads a lot of James Patterson or Daniel Silva, then Stephen’s book is right up your alley. This is an action packed, sitting at the edge of your seat read that will get your adrenaline pumping! Stephen’s writing is informative and knowledgeable and even thought I had a hard time grasping some of the concepts and military terminology, the story was easy to follow along. Even thought there were things I couldn’t understand, Stephen still has a talent to keep, even the most novice of readers, engaged in his story from the very beginning. His writing style is adventurous and compelling, and felt like I was on a roller coaster as I zipped and zoomed through out the Pacific Sky. The Art of War is a ride I would happily go on over and over again. This was the just the novel that would get me back into reading after reading another book that just left me in a total slump. It was the kick in the butt that got me excited to read again. There were twists and turns to keep the reader’s attention but not so many that a reader would feel lost. It wasn’t so much a political thriller like a James Patterson novel or so much about International Spy novel like Daniel Silva, but a whole different voice bringing the thriller genre in with a little twist of military strategy and history. Stephen’s book tackles many of the modern themes and conflicts in our world, which make Stephen a writer to keep on your radar and look out for his next books to come into print. With ties between the U.S. and China becoming more tense as the years progress, Stephen is able to take those themes and bring about a remarkable story to entertain and enlighten readers of our world. Books are a way to shed light on dangerous topics, and Stephen has brought the struggle of the two great super powers to the forefront of the fiction world.

I enjoyed all the research that went into a book like this and it is evident that Stephen did his homework. It also helps that he has a background of serving in the Navy which gives him a unique approach and view of the themes surrounding this book. I may have googled Stephen out of curiosity, just saying. Now all the pieces are beginning to fall into place, and I was a little late to understanding how he knew so much, hello. I am not a huge fan of thriller, or suspense novels but I do enjoy picking up the random one here and there when I need to clean my literary palette. Stephen’s book was just the thing I needed to jump start my reading again and clean out the cluttered book palette. Sometimes there is such a thing as too much contemporary literature. If suspense novels are your go to genre, or you need something to get you back into the reading game then pick up The Art of War by Stephen Coonts, not only will it surprise you but it will break any reading rut! Add it to your TBR list for 2016! Worth the read!

Buy it on Amazon: The Art of War: A Novel

Disclaimer: I was sent The Art of War for free from St. Martin’s Press for an honest review. This review is of my own work, and I did not copy or refer to any other reviewers/writers/bloggers for this post. All content provided on “A Comfy Chair” is for informational purposes only. I make no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. I will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. I will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.

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