Hong Kong

This novel's plot may have seemed plausible to Coonts when it was published in 2000 but it seems ridiculous today. Unfortunately Coonts relies on a stereotypical portrayal of Chinese culture which does an injustice to Hong Kong, both then and now. The action is ok and the main characters live up to their reputations but history has left this novel looking for a dustbin.

Fairly run of the mill thriller, set, obviously, in Hong Kong. Eighth in the Jake Grafton series of adventures, faring much better than his obvious famous role model Jack Ryan by Clancy there is little chance of Jake making President, which means the stories can focus on what Coonts is good at. Overall it's not anywhere near as Tom Clancy's best works, but it is far far better than Tom's worst.

Disturbing rumours hve reached the US government about the possibility of the US consol in Hong Kong using government facilties to aid revolutionaries overthrowing the Communist reigime (set in 2000, 3 years after the English returned the colony to Chinese rule). The send over the now Admiral Jake Grafton and his wife Callie who is fortunetly show more fluent in Chinese. At the ambassedor's party one of Jakes staffers CIA agent Tommy, discovers the local FixItMan Bob China shot dead in his office - Tommy removes the secret surveillance tape, none the wiser as o who killed him. Meanwhile Jake discovers that the Consol in question is his old Bombadier from the Vietnamese days Vigil 'Tiger' Cole.

Initally it's much better than the ending, there's a certain amound of creeping around buildings, and unlikely snooping plus the usual setting the scene - which for Hong Kong is fairly well done, unlike the characterisations of the Chinese people themselves. One quickly suspects that Coonts has never been to mainland china or even talked to anyone who lives there. For 2000 the communist ruling dictate is also very badly overdone, but in these enlightened times it must be hard for thriller writers to cme up with a convincing political enemy.

Events hot up and Jake realises he and his wife may be caught up in something much deeper than either of them expected. Unfortunetly this is where the plot starts coming unravelled. The import of high tech fanciful american military hardwarre stretches the credulity, and while initially entertaining it quickly bogs down into farce. Any sense of suspense that is supposed to be entertained is quickly lost as things become ludicrous.

Initially quite good, especially the descriptions of Hong Kong, it's let down by a very poor ending.

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An action-packed but also interesting book. With the current situation in Hong Kong it is quite topical, although this easily readable book does not resemble reality at all.
The main characters have won the battle, while the war still needs to be faught. This book is not about that, it has an open end. And that's a good thing (although I normally like tied off storylines more). In this case, that means the book is more realistic than it would otherwise have been.

Americans, including our hero Jake Grafton, in Hong Kong at the time of China's revolution. This book is full of twisty turns that keep one's interest. I've never been to Hong Kong and never wanted to go, but the book is a good read/listen because the interaction of really, really bad dudes who eventually get their due. Show me the next Grafton novel.

I tossed this one on the 'Never Again!' pile by page 28. Coonts's depiction of Hong Kong, even in the book's brief opening sequence, is so riddled with inaccuracies and ignorance that's it's painful to read.

Another winner for a favorite author. Keep writing Mr. Coonts.

FROM AMAZON: Jake Grafton takes his wife, Callie, along when the U.S. government sends him to Hong Kong to find out how deeply the U.S. consul-general is embedded in a political money-raising scandal. And why not? Jake and Callie met and fell in love in Hong Kong during the Vietnam War, and the consul-general is an old friend from those days, Tiger Cole.

The Graftons quickly discover that Hong Kong is a powder keg ready to explode. A political murder and the closure of a foreign bank by the communist government are the sparks that light the fuse . . . and Tiger Cole is right in the middle of the action.

When Callie is kidnapped by a rebel faction, Jake finds himself drawn into show more the vortex of a high-tech civil war. Drawing on the skills of CIA operative Tommy Carmellini, in order to save his wife Jake Grafton must figure out who he can trust-both among the Western factions vying for control of the volatile situation, and among the Chinese patriots fighting for their nation's future-and make sure the right side wins. show less

I read this in 2021. It didn't age well. 6 terminators are not going to defeat the PLA...