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The Gray Man (Court Gentry #1)

by Mark Greaney (Goodreads Author)

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 974 ratings · 115 reviews

Court Gentry is known as The Gray Man — a legend in the covert realm, moving silently from job to job, accomplishing the impossible, and then fading away. And he always hits his target. But there are forces more lethal than Gentry in the world. And in their eyes, Gentry has just outlived his usefulness.

Now, he is going to prove that for him, there's no gray area between k...more

Paperback, 464 pages

Published September 29th 2009 by Jove (first published August 29th 2009)

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May 07, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action

Are you a Jane Austen fan? Are you looking for a calm introspective book that will be like a peaceful walk by a gentle stream, maybe a literary novel beloved of the critics?

Then move on and have some tea with the other sissies. Men and women who like action here only.

Yes, I gave this 5 stars. Why? Because I like it. While at times I like a deep thoughtful novel or a philosophical exploration of life I also enjoy a good page turner full of gunfire, explosions, daring do and heroics (though the h...more Are you a Jane Austen fan? Are you looking for a calm introspective book that will be like a peaceful walk by a gentle stream, maybe a literary novel beloved of the critics?

Then move on and have some tea with the other sissies. Men and women who like action here only.

Yes, I gave this 5 stars. Why? Because I like it. While at times I like a deep thoughtful novel or a philosophical exploration of life I also enjoy a good page turner full of gunfire, explosions, daring do and heroics (though the heroics here are of the very violent type).

I finished this a couple of nights ago (and the next day I went to Audible and downloaded the second of this series). I was so involved in it I hated to stop so I stayed up late with Court Gentry (The Gray Man) to complete his mission. The only downside to this? It took me hours the next morning to get the smell of gunpowder, sweat and blood out of the house. The clothes I had on still smell of cordite.

Court Gentry is the Gray Man, possibly the most able assassin in the world. He's an independent operator. He works through a "handler" a "contractor" and he only takes contracts that he approves of. He only kills those whom he believes need killing. The name Gray Man has made it into underworld mythology, his name is whispered and comes up every time a difficult of seemingly impossible hit takes place.

And only a few people in the world know that "The Gray Man" is also Court Gentry. Gentry is an American, he was with the CIA. But he was "burned" and then an "SOS" (Shoot On Sight) order was issued. He's now a man who can't go home, can't rest in any one place too long.

And he doesn't know why.

Since then he's used his talents and training to make a living and "contribute to a better world" the only way he knows how.

So, what's Court gentry like...who is he? Think Jack Ryan's Patriotism and sense of honor meets the talents and abilities of Mitch Rapp... You a graphic novel/comics fan? Think Captain America meets The Punisher.

This thing is a page turning thrill ride of mature brain candy... I like it.

The novel sets up the character of Gentry and we begin to get to know him. No the story isn't deep and some will not enjoy it for it's very simplicity but now and then a straight forward tale of action and adventure is something I like. For what it is this is top of the line and if it's what you're looking for then I think you'll not only like it but be tempted to read it from first page to last in a single sitting. I have both novel 2 (which I'm 3/4 through now) and novel 3 waiting. If the action stays true I'll most likely snatch up each of Mark Greaney's novels as they come out.

5 page turning action adventure brain candy mental junk food stars. (less)

16 likes · like · see review

Nov 05, 2012 Zoe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: assassin-mercenary

I liked it. It's interesting, the hero is not uber-cool and the characters are engaging, slimey, and pitiable as appropriate. The pace is good, with twists and turns, treachery and nobility.

The Gray's Man's reputation precedes him. His enemies underestimate him and his acquaintances think he's the shit. He's got a small army after him and the body count just rises as he fights his way across Europe.

Court's a practical killer. A lot of his surviving seems to be luck. Sure he's a ruthless and sk...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Brian Casey rated it 3 of 5 stars

I just finished The Gray Man by Mark Greaney. Interesting plot, some good action, but also a few annoyances along the way.

I picked up this book because someone on the Quiller mailing list recommended Greaney as someone with a style similar to Adam Hall's. There are some similarities, but reading Greaney made me appreciate the brilliance of Adam Hall even more. I noticed a few things that annoyed me somewhat while reading this book:

Throughout the book, the protagonist is referred to by three dif...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 29, 2011 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars

I had been on a teenage secret agent book bender for a few weeks. Prior to that I was on an urban fantasy kick for possibly a year or more straight with breaks in between for mystery/thriller releases in series that I like. I was looking for something different and exciting to read. I read a 2nd in a series with a female assassin and really liked it and decided to see what else was out there. I did a search and found the Mark Greaney series, The Gray Man. I started reading it about 15 minutes be...more

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Nov 02, 2010 Kemper rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bad-guys-rule, spy-vs-spy, thriller

From the author’s bio: “Mark Greaney has a degree in international relations and political science and is pursuing his masters in intelligence studies with a concentration in criminal intelligence. He speaks Spanish and German. In researching, The Gray Man he trained extensively alongside military and law enforcement personnel in the use of firearms, battlefield medicine and close-range combative tactics.”

Two possibilities spring to mind after reading that. Either Greaney is the biggest liar and...more From the author’s bio: “Mark Greaney has a degree in international relations and political science and is pursuing his masters in intelligence studies with a concentration in criminal intelligence. He speaks Spanish and German. In researching, The Gray Man he trained extensively alongside military and law enforcement personnel in the use of firearms, battlefield medicine and close-range combative tactics.”

Two possibilities spring to mind after reading that. Either Greaney is the biggest liar and fraud since James Frey, or he is fully capable of tracking down and killing anyone who gives his book a bad review. I’m going to play it safe and give this one a thumbs up.

If Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s characters in Mr. & Mrs. Smith had a baby boy, and his godfathers were Rambo and Jason Bourne, I’m pretty sure that he would have grown up to be Courtland Gentry. Gentry is a hit man/ mercenary known as the Gray Man in intelligence circles who only targets the worst of international criminals if the price is right. A former CIA operative who was burned, he now does dirty jobs for Sir Donald Fitzroy’s private security firm.

Gentry has just pulled off a hit in the Mid-East and is in the midst of escaping through Iraq when Fitzroy is approached by a lawyer named Lloyd who represents a powerful international corporation. It turns out that the Gray Man’s latest target was the brother of an African despot that Lloyd’s corporation needs to complete a deal worth billions, but the dictator’s price is the death of the Gentry. Fitzroy’s family is threatened, and he’s blackmailed into betraying the Gray Man.

But Gentry is remarkably hard to kill and Lloyd’s corporation brings in their own security expert to flush him out. Exhausted and injured, Gentry is hounded and herded across Europe by numerous international hit teams brought in with the promise of a giant payday for whoever finally kills the Gray Man.

This obviously isn’t going to be winning a National Book Award, but if you’re in the mood for a fast-paced action-adventure story with a stone cold bad-ass fighting his way across the Mid-East and Europe, then there’s a lot of fun to be had with this book. Greaney manages to bring an arsenal’s worth of modern weapons into the story without letting it devolve into gun pornography. There’s a lot of action clichés here, but the story has enough momentum to make you forgive them.

There’s your good review. Please don’t kill me, Mr. Greaney… (less)

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May 20, 2013 Rob Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2013

'The Gray Man' by Mark Mark Greaney is very well written, though the plotting leaves a lot to be desired. It's basically a chase book. I found it like a Matthew Reilly book, but better written.

The hero is well defined as are many of the supporting characters. I wish there was more about the bad guys. I kept expecting a bit more of a plot to be revealed as reasoning for keeping them loosely drawn. Locations are very well written. The author has an opening acknowledgement pages telling of his tra...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Jeff rated it 3 of 5 stars

Court Gentry is a fascinating character in his present form. His actions and abilities allow the mind to be thrilled by how he would look in a movie. I just wish the author would build him out a little more and give him a little more depth.

Spoiler: I also thought that the ending of this book was a little weak. Court goes through so much in the first 3/4 of the book and the end kinda fizzles a bit. Sure, it would have been highly improbable for him to defeat the 30-50 guys in the castle, but tha...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Yvonne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-suspense

I don't know where to start with this one, I feel like I'm still trying to catch my breath!

The Gray Man was one of the best action-suspense-assasin books I've read. As the action was moving along and Gentry was mowing down TEAMS of top tier assassins; I kept playing the BadAss VS BadAss game in my head. Court Gentry VS Jack Bauer or Court Gentry VS Jason Bourne - sweet lord, Gentry never ripped a guy's jugular out with his teeth ala Jack but jeez louise I think he might kick both the Bs' asses!...more

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Sep 19, 2010 BJ rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a fun read, but it would be a better movie. Action-thriller is my favorite kind of movie, but it is not my favorite literary genre. Seeing all the action is way more fun than reading about it.

Court Gentry is an assassin with scruples; he doesn't kill good guys. After carrying out an assassination, a price is put on his head. Literally. He faces hit squads from all over the world while trying to save a family.

This is not a political-thriller, not a mystery-thriller, and not a romantic thr...more

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May 26, 2010 Giovanni Gelati rated it 5 of 5 stars

We are going to double things up here and include an incredible Guest Post by Mark Greaney and then include our original post on The Gray Man novel Afterwards , Enjoy. My first indication that The Gray Man might have life as a film came during lunch with my agent in June of ‘08. The manuscript had just sold to Tom Colgan at Penguin a few weeks earlier, and a one-line blurb appeared in Publisher’s Weekly announcing the sale and giving a general plot line. My agent mentioned he’d received some cal...more

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Oct 12, 2009 Wayne Wilson rated it 3 of 5 stars

A fun read on the Jason Bourne type of read. Not nearly the protagonist Tedd Bell has created in Alex Hawk but a flawed hero with a heart. If you like Bourne or other type of killers who kill only the bad guys you will like The Gray Man.

The idea behind a hit man with a heart is a great idea for a book. When I read the first couple of chapters I thought I had found a rare gem, but this is a book of only action and death with very little else to give the book depth. I still feel like I hardly know...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Jon rated it 3 of 5 stars

An interesting if somewhat uninspired espionage tale. While the story kept me going (you really want to find out how the protagonist makes it in the end), the path along the way is riddled with some real improbabilities and the author tries too hard at a sense of gravitas about the plight of the solo assassin. Unless you're really jonesing for yet another ex-CIA hired killer out to right wrongs and kill the bad guys, I'd suggest some John le Carre or Martin Cruz Smith.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 05, 2012 Jarrod rated it 5 of 5 stars

An excellent book with non-stop action cover to cover. Many authors today spend too many pages wastefully developing character backgrounds of people that are just going to die anyway and aren't otherwise important to the theme or plot of the story. This is not that type of book. The action is fast and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. This is Bourne meets Jack Reacher. The story rises fast and although the beginning story isn't really a part of the plot, it gives you enough background of th...more

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Oct 01, 2009 Bridget rated it 5 of 5 stars

Gentry is known as The Gray Man because of the stealth and sleekness of a trained assassin. When he's on the job, he's invisible. The victims are dead before they know what hit them. Gentry is a good soldier, he only kills people who deserve to die.

He only has one real friend, Fitzroy who knows everything about Gentry. When he almost dies after a job, he finds out that he is alone in this world and has no one to turn to. Will his skills keep him alive or will an even more skilled killer be sent...more

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 14, 2013 Gordon Shumway rated it 1 of 5 stars

As the star rating indicates, I did not like this book. But you might. I'll try to explain why...

The story is pretty much your run-of-the-mill work of action escapism - full of holes but you're probably not going to be looking too closely. As I understand it, the author went to some trouble to ensure accuracy about weapons and battlefield medicine and I had no issues with that aspect of the book.

Unfortunately, while I expect (and enjoy) a certain level of "cheese" in action movies, I look for an...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Gus rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely loved this book. I became an instant fan on the first chapter and have not been disappointed since. The Gray Man is the ultimate bad-ass, but not without some serious human flaws and internal conflicts which time and again almost get him killed. This book is a thrillride and does not slow down for even a second. The author's knowledge of weaponry and geography bring a lot of believability to an already intense story.

I can not say enough good things about this book and about Mark Grean...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Yoshi marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: others-thriller-ya

Assassin!

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Oct 02, 2012 Margaret rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was Mark Greaney's debut novel with protagonist Court Gentry, who is known as "The Gray Man."

This book defiantly lived up to its name, as by end of read you know very little about this guy. He is a former CIA agent who has spent the past four years as a privately hired assassin, only taking contracts where the individuals deserved execution. The CIA have a shoot-on-sight order out on him. In covert operations, Gentry is lethal and the best at what he does - sounds all too familiar but for...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Dipanjan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Gray Man is definitely a racy book moving at a hell-on-wheels breakneck speed. This is a must for all the action lovers. In this book, you enter the world of Court Gentry. Court is an ex CIA agent, who has been burnt by his own people, disappeared only to surface as the best assassin in the world. He is somewhat of a legend in the covert realms. He generally works for free-lance ops moving silently from one job to another. This man has the uncanny ability to simply fade into the background....more The Gray Man is definitely a racy book moving at a hell-on-wheels breakneck speed. This is a must for all the action lovers. In this book, you enter the world of Court Gentry. Court is an ex CIA agent, who has been burnt by his own people, disappeared only to surface as the best assassin in the world. He is somewhat of a legend in the covert realms. He generally works for free-lance ops moving silently from one job to another. This man has the uncanny ability to simply fade into the background. His targets never see him coming and the investigations afterward never find any connection to anyone.

In this first instalment of the Gray Man series, we confront the fact that to some of his employers and allies, he has just outlived his usefulness. And therefore, the Gray Man needs to be eliminated. What follows is an incredibly exciting journey from Iraq to a chateau in Normandy with danger, destruction, and death all along the route. A bounty has been put on The Gray Man's head and paid assassins have been invited to join in the hunt to see who can deliver him, dead or alive, to the chateau before the time limit runs out. The Gray Man is all about the chase, the hunt. The hunter becomes the hunted.

The plot moves intelligently and moves fast. Though Court may seem a formidable action hero who is “hard-to-kill”, he is also the loneliest man on earth. He has no one to care for, no one who cares for him. He cannot be compromised. He don’t care and he don’t scare.

Welcome to the world of Court Gentry. He is a man marked to be killed, but he is the Gray Man. And there is nothing Gray about what he can do to you if you cross the line with him.

For all of you who love racy action adventures, this is definitely one you can pick up. It’s a crazy roller coaster ride where you go up, up and up all the way to the end. The plotting for this book is outstanding. The pace started out with an exciting episode and just never let up.

Anyone looking for an action thriller hero need look no further than here, to Court Gentry.

(less)

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Apr 11, 2012 Andrew rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is book number one in the Gray Man series. Court Gentry, the Gray Man of the title, is a former CIA operative who left them and went freelance as a private assassin. The book opens with Court on his way to an extraction point after a successful mission, but he is interrupted when he witnesses the crash of a Chinook helicopter. He breaks the rules by not ignoring the survivors, but instead sends several Al Qaeda to a well deserved early grave. He manages to save one American from their clutc...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Robert Bidinotto rated it 5 of 5 stars

I won't repeat what others have said in describing the hero or the story. Let's just say that The Gray Man is the best debut thriller that I've had the pleasure to read since Lee Child's Killing Floor.

It's The Bourne Identity . . . without any slow spots! The characterizations are varied and memorable; the special-ops tradecraft and tactics are detailed and credible; the colorful European locales are rendered with vivid, you-are-there authenticity; the pace is driving and relentless. It's a tale...more

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Apr 29, 2012 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Reacher, Pike, and Schofield

Recommended to Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress by: A/A April Group Read

Shelves: assassin, antihero, action-adventure, thriller-suspense, owned-copy, 2012-sky-s-the-limit-club, yearly-reading-challenge, tough-as-nails-heroes, covert-ops-soldier, fugitive, favorites, action-adventure-aficionados-2012-c, dangerous-hero-2012-general-reading, hot-heroes-kicking-butt, couldn-t-put-this-book-down, hero-or-heroine-gravely-ill, hero-or-heroine-in-jeopardy

The Gray Man is an action-packed, suspenseful ride that I didn't want to put down. Court Gentry is the kind of hero I am always looking for. He is resourceful, driven to get the job down, and a stone cold survivor. As I read this book, I was thinking, "Really? Did that just happen? I'd be so dead now!" Of course, I wouldn't want a wimpy heroine like myself in Court's shoes. Which is why I read these books, because I love seeing a tough character get himself out of some highly sticky situations t...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Jim Minteer rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Gray Man was an incredible book that I couldn't put down. Court Gentry, the Gray Man, has to rescue his employer's family. He is racing against the clock to get to them while having to make his way through a gauntlet across Europe of hired hitmen from several nations around the world. The action was seriously intense and the plotting was fast and unforgiving. I branched out on this book to try the action thriller genre that wasn't about treasure hunting of some sort and I have to say this wa...more

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Jan 22, 2012 David rated it 3 of 5 stars

Greaney has written a book that ties together a non-stop collection of impossible escapes as the Gray Man, a freelance assassin who is also a good guy, avoids hundreds of the world’s best killers to reach his secured target. On the plus side, if you’re looking for a book that is action packed this has it all. On the down side, there is only the most basic of plots and dialogue. To me it seemed like watching a kid play a first person shooter video game with infinite lives turned on. It wasn’t my...more

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Jan 07, 2011 Marti rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book has a high profile contract hit man as the main character and we have to believe that he is someone to care about, as he attempts to complete his mission while dodging a dozen teams of assassins who have been hired to kill him, as he moves around Europe. He wants, especially, to save twin girls whom he knows from an earlier assignment. It is amazing to see how much trauma a person can endure. This is a very inventive and exciting book.

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Aug 16, 2012 Adam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Highly engaging action thriller. This book doesn't even attempt to be realistic and that is a very good thing. Instead, we get a positively gripping action packed race against time from the middle east to Europe featuring some excellent action scenes.*

The ending sags a little, which is too bad, since the rest of it was so good. Still, I eagerly await Court Gentry #2.

* The zero gravity shootout in the plummeting plane is a highlight.

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Jul 18, 2012 Greg Seward rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: spec-ops

This book definitely creates the "Wow" factor when it comes to new story lines & new characters. I could not put this book down & was thrilled to find out that by the time I purchased this book that the sequel was already on the shelf. Court Gentry obtains "high-ranking" when it comes to "Kick-Butt" sentinels who don't quit. Can't wait to follow the story line of how the "Shoot-on-Site" order came about & how/if he can get it rescinded. Court's a pro's pro.

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Jul 21, 2012 Maggard rated it 1 of 5 stars

A blog I read pretty regularly trumpeted this book, which is the first in a trilogy. The blog author said he was going to read the next two books and was pumped(!) I didn't like this book at all - I found the prose stilted and the dialogue hokey, and this super spy kept getting tripped up by the stupidest of character. Then I went back to the blog and learned that the blog author read the next two books and thought they were way worse. So this series ends at book one for me, notwithstanding that...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Grimnir rated it 4 of 5 stars

A good solid book. Full of action and a decent story as well. That the hero is deemed almost super human by his protagonists but seems so vulnerable and human shows a subtle blend of writing that is inspiring. There were a few niggles for me, minor complaints about the ending and end battle that pulled this from being a full fledged five out of five, but over all I think everyone would enjoy this book.

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Dec 18, 2012 Nancy Hildebrandt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Let's be honest here. This is an action movie set in book form--a goal with impossible impediments that the hero manages to work through. Good guys and bad guys. But the narrator of the audio edition was excellent (Jay Snyder), and the gray man was likable (an honorable professional assassin) so it was a very entertaining listen that made time melt away during some long drives.

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About Mark Greaney

Mark Greaney has a degree in International Relations and Political Science. In researching The Gray Man series he traveled to ten countries and trained extensively in the use of firearms, battlefield medicine, and close range combative tactics.

Learn more at MARKGREANEYBOOKS.COM

Email Mark at MarkGreaneyBooks@gmail.com

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