The Terminal List: A Thriller

After viewing the Amazon Prime adaptation of this novel starring Chris Pratt as the protagonist, Navy SEAL LCDR James Reece, I was intrigued enough to order the book and give it a try. From what I can recall of the show, it seems to have followed the book pretty closely. This story is focused on the primary plot; a unit of the US Navy SEAL’s unwittingly has been used as guinea pigs in a test of an experimental drug that would preemptively block the effects of PTSD. Facilitated by the greedy Secretary of Defense and her Senator husband along with the corrupt admiral in charge of the SEAL’s and a few morally bankrupt big pharma business types when it is discovered the drug causes fatal brain tumors drastic measures are called for. LCDR Reece and his team are sent on a mission where they are set up to be killed covering up the evidence of the botched drug trial. Reece survives however and returns home where he is blamed for the mission failure. While undergoing a medical exam for his increasingly debilitating headaches his home is invaded and his wife and young daughter are murdered. Reeling from his recent tragedies Reece soon enough figures out what’s going on and embarks on an epic journey to avenge his SEAL brothers and his family taking out everyone responsible on his “terminal list” while dodging a nationwide manhunt. If you like revenge tales then “The Terminal List” will likely satisfy you. Author Jack Carr who is a retired SEAL, brings legit authenticity to his narrative with accurate weapon descriptions and tactical savvy which often eludes other authors of this genre who are not military veterans. I do agree with his dislike of the former standard issue Beretta 92F 9mm pistol and his favoring the Glock 19 over the current Sig Sauer which is Reece’s ‘go-to’ sidearm. Personally I thought he got a little carried away with some of the gruesome and creative ways he dreamed up for Reece to dispatch some of the bad guys. Two things were troubling for me reading this book; the first is that Carr cannot restrain himself from wearing his political heart on his sleeve. Multiple times he indulges in mini-rants about the evil Democrats, liberal leaning admirals, “hard-left” Democratic presidents, government overreach, and “failed liberal policies promoting an entitlement culture” and so on. When I read a novel I want to be entertained and escape reality, if I want political commentary (and I don’t) I can always go online or watch the news. The other thing is the heavy product placement for everything from Echols Legend rifles (that run $15K), Gatorz sunglasses, EOTech and Trijicon gunsights, Arc’teryx jackets, Dynamis Razorback knives, etc. I suppose Carr wanted to promote brands he used when on the teams as a thank you, but after a while it feels more like advertising than part of the story. There are also 9 pages of acknowledgements; they say it takes a village…but wow, that’s a lot of folks to thank for one book. For a debut novel Jack Carr does a pretty impressive job with “The Terminal List”. The pacing is good, the plot is engaging and the author stays on target with it and doesn’t get mired in trying to spin other subplots. Carr has a good ear for dialog and the characters sound like real people and not like some AI chatbot. The fact that his very first book was optioned by Amazon Prime and turned into a hit series with a Hollywood A-list star speaks volumes. Carr has written four more books in the James Reece saga and Amazon Prime has greenlit a second season based on book #2, “True Believer” that will probably air in 2024. I’ve got “True Believer” on my shelf; hopefully Carr dials back some of the politics and does a little less advertising for his favorite brands. There are many, many writers out there with military pedigree who write similar stories and Jack Carr is among the better ones with the potential to grow and improve.

On his last combat deployment as a Navy SEAL, Lieutenant Commander James Reece’s entire team was killed in a catastrophic ambush that also claimed the lives of the aircrew sent to rescue them. But when those dearest to him are murdered on the day of his homecoming, Reece discovers that this was not an act of war by a foreign enemy but a conspiracy that runs to the highest levels of his own government. They have taken everything from him. Now it’s his turn. With nothing left to loose, Reece applies lessons learned in more than a decade of constant warfare toward avenging the deaths of his family and teammates. In a thriller told with breathless pacing and relentless suspense, Reece ruthlessly targets his enemies in Washington’s upper echelons without regard for the laws of combat or the rule of law. Crackerjack plotting, vivid characters, and a page-turning pace, Carr has written a spellbinding thriller, worthy of five stars.

I didn’t expect this book to draw me in like it did. I’ve read forensic thrillers, tons of murder mysteries, and a lot of the classics. The Terminal List takes off quickly and keeps you entertained throughout. Sometimes in a jaw-dropping fashion! I will make my way through the books and watch the Amazon Prime Series with open eyes now that I know the way it begins. Highly recommend this book, but caution the feint of heart. There is some graphic violence.

This book was a gift to my guy, and he said it was terrific. The thrills and chills never stopped for the hero. A bit gory, but the writing was solid. The glossary at the back of the book was helpful. He said he'd like to read more of Mr. Carr's excellent story telling. Highly recommended from a retired AF guy.

I definitely enjoyed The Terminal List by Jack Carr. The good stuff first, and then I’ll list my small complaints. This is just a page turning, exciting story to read, written with smarts. I love that the author is a tough as nails ex-Navy SEAL and draws on his extensive experience to create this highly original and well plotted novel. It would have been nice to have more scenes with interactions between certain fun characters and I think the author should consider adding more story meat and depth to his future novels. No other complaints. I recommend this novel to anybody with a strong stomach who likes military related suspense/action novels.

Great read with an awesome twist at the end! Big fan of Jack Carr, am planning on reading more of his books!

Great story. Fun read. We need more hero’s and patriots to be role models. I had John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. We need a new Hollywood in Florida to make more of these movies.

Watched the Netflix movie first and read the book expecting it to be different and better. No disappointment. Do both!

I like Jack carrs style of writing. You can literally imagine the characters and what they are thinking. This is a solid and easy to read book. If you like army related drama, this is great

Me ha parecido muy entretenido

Started reading this book in preparation for the mini-series that is coming out but was pleasantly surprised by what I have read so far. I am halfway done and started taking my time to enjoy the story being told with pretty good accuracy and reflection on real-world aspects (from the author's background). I look forward to the next books in the series.

Es un libro bien escrito, interesante, en el que puedes ponerte en los zapatos del protagonista sin problemas. Como dice la primera frase del libro, "este es un libro sobre una venganza". Si no te gusta eso, no lo leas. Lo recomiendo al 100%. Muy entretenido. Ya me he comprado el siguiente

I needed a break from my normal non-fiction reading diet, and this was the prefect remedy! A fast-paced and entertaining read. Jack Carr's special forces background gives it a lot of authenticity.