BRAD THOR is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-five thrillers, including EDGE OF HONOR, SHADOW OF DOUBT, BLACK ICE (ThrillerFix Best Thriller of the Year), NEAR DARK (one of Suspense Magazine’s Best Books of the Year), BACKLASH (nominated for the Barry Award for Best Thriller of the Year), SPYMASTER (“One of the all-time best thriller novels” —The Washington Times), THE LAST PATRIOT (nominated Best Thriller of the Year by the International Thriller Writers Association), and BLOWBACK (one of the “Top 100 Killer Thrillers of All Time” —NPR).
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This really is a prelude rather than a short story as it does not reach a conclusion. Well written as expected but of little interest unless you plan to buy the book.
Warning: This is only about fifteen minutes of reading followed by a preview for another book. I wouldn't mind if that had been clearly stated in the blurb.
Read this as part of the house cup. This short story was great. Maybe because Thor can change up the writing style because of this format. It was action-packed, fresh, and had me going from beginning to end. It's short so there is not much else needed.
ebook Review - Free Fall Short Story - Brad Thor Brad Thor’s “Free Fall” is a prelude ‘teaser’ to his 11th thriller entitled, “Hidden Order.” Scot Harvath parachutes onto a supertanker taken over by Somali pirates to rescue hostages. Extremely vivid writing by Thor on this heroically intense scene. Surprisingly very exciting and well paced for a very short story. Free Fall is a fast moving, decisive, no holds barred by Scot Harvath on his mission and on his game quick read. Like an appetizer prior to a great meal, Free Fall is a must read before reading the full novel Hidden Order. Brad Thor can't write a bad book, even if it's very short. This is a “Wow” short story…
http://books.simonandschuster.com/Fre...# Scot Harvath parachutes onto supertanker Sienna Star taken over by Somali pirates "skinners". Momentum slows for slang and background - "sit rep" for situation report really needs definition? The company of Reed Carlton, former CIA anti-terrorist expert, needs this contract. Better back to action. First man down injured, sneak-by, slug-fast, shoot-down. If the captain needs to be rescued, this is one scary mission.
Free Fall is a single chapter from another book you have to buy...so it's basically a ripoff if you think you're getting a complete book free. I buy many Kindle books but not this one.
Brad Thor is a jerk! A fast and intense short 20 page story that ends with a cliffhanger from hell. Now I have to get Hidden Order to find out what happens next.
Reed Carlton, the former Central Intelligence Agency operative who created that organization’s counterterrorism center, now heads The Carlton Group, a private intelligence and counterterrorism organization. And, thanks to a disastrous previous mission, he now finds himself in need of business. So he agrees to a mission to rescue the crew of the supertanker “Sierra Star,” currently being held hostage by a group of Somali pirates.
On a moonless night, Scot Harvath, Matt Sanchez, Pat Kass, and John Dean parachute onto the deck of the “Sienna Star” to rescue the crew. All proceeds relatively smoothly until they discover that the pirates have separated the crew . . . and they must recover the entire crew.
Will they succeed in their mission?
First, readers should be aware that this is a prequel, a short but action-packed introduction to the characters and the evolving story of “Hidden Order.” It’s no secret that “Free Fall” is neither a complete book nor a complete story. It says so, right in the title.
Following “Free Fall,” readers will find the prologue and the first three chapters of “Hidden Order” in which Claire Marcourt becomes a victim in some as-yet-unnamed operation while case officer Lydia Ryan finds herself in a troubling position. And the story of Scot Harvath and the rescue team continues as they work to complete their mission.
“Free Fall” begins with a tension-filled opening and never lets up. The undercurrent of tension running throughout the telling of the tale serves to keep the reader on edge as the unfolding action-filled story races along. A strong sense of place and believable, nuanced characters draw the reader into the narrative while surprises and plot twists continue to ramp up the suspense. It’s a power-packed introduction to an electrifying thriller.
short stories! aaaaggghhh!!! writers of America, hear me please. I am hereby the unofficial spokeswoman of all whole ebook lovers. short stories might be a popular marketing ploy, but they're sort of like watching the first fifteen seconds of a potentially great movie, only to have the credits show up where the next chapter should be...! yuck! I don't care how good you are at your craft; it's your fans you're shortsheeting. your Scott Horvath and his wing man, sanchez, might be one kick butt team of mercenaries, but short stories, not even complete short stories yet with the requisite parts all stories should have, as in a beginning, middle and end, instead have only the first three chapters and then right about b the time the coaster car reaches the top of the first hill, the whole superstructure simply disappears and the reader is left wondering what he or she did to piss the author off! please, please, please find another gimmick to tickle your fan fancies with. I have read 335 James Patterson books, more than 150 of Clive cussler's, and tons more of grisham, child, koontz, peretti, herzog, etc. and they were longer than 52 pages! I came back time and again because they convinced me they could write books worth letting the dishes pile up and the laundry basket overflow or even missing perfectly good sleep time just to binge on the sheer pleasure and treasure of a well written tale. capiche? oh, and while I'm barnstorming, please also avoid that other publisher's tomfoolery and leave the co-authors to learn how to write their own good books. we out here in Fanland read you because we like YOU, and we don't need another cook to spoil your broth!
A very short prelude to Hidden Order, Free Fall is a fast moving, decisive, no holds barred Scot Horvath on his mission and on his game.
My Thor reading has been all over the place since I actually started with Foreign Influence (Horvath #9) 12 years ago. Since then. I've been catching up the previous books while reading new books as they've been released. I think #16, Use of Force is the only one left. Consequently, I read Hidden Order before its prelude, Free Fall. Never the less, I enjoyed it as I enjoyed all the Horvath books. Someday I may even read them again . . . in order.
What an exciting little read! It was my first time reading a book from Brad Thor, and I loved the subject matter. Who wouldn't enjoy an espionage thriller with Somali pirates? I know I did, and it also made me want to read more from the author. I even may start this series right, since this novella is #11.5 in the series, but I didn't know that when I sat to read it. I don't think it mattered anyway. I don't feel like I missed out on anything previously so it's all good.
Free Fall is a short, adrenaline-fueled installment in the Scott Harvath universe that packs a punch despite its brief length. Thor masterfully delivers fast-paced action, high-stakes tension, and a glimpse into Harvath’s deadly efficiency. Though short, it doesn’t compromise on suspense or intensity, offering a thrilling experience for fans of the series. It’s a perfect quick read for those wanting a dose of classic Harvath action in a condensed format.
Consolidated review for The Scot Harvath Series by Brad Thor (Books 1-21 + 3 short Stories + The Athena Project) available at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Way too short to be worthwhile. Good action, no insight into character or plot. Appears to be a marketing ploy more than a real story. Excerpts for follow on book longer than the short. Very disappointed for cost of book.
I rated this 2 stars only because I wanted more. It was a nice way for me to get a feel of how Brad Thor writes. So I did go right out and download his first book The Lions of Lucerne. Will let you know how that turns out once I’ve finished it.
I am not the biggest fan of the short stories in these prelude, I just feel they might as well put it in the book. In saying that, I’ve read every book in this series and I did not read this prelude yet and it was a quick interesting read.
ALL these damned exciting books end abruptly without a closure!!! I don’t understand!!! Maybe I should find an author that knows how to complete a book!!! NoshirHooty.
Ex navy seals contacted to overthrow Somali pirates that took over a ship. The owner given a win-win solution to his problem. If the seals don't succeed, he doesn't have to pay them. This prequel, while short, has a lot of action.
I suspected this was going to be another ACTION novel, with no attention paid to plot. I was right; it just didn't spin up to a believable story. I made it only a small percentage into it before I had to give up.
The book had action and suspense but a bit too much killing for me. I realize this is a prelude to a book and the author needed to hook the reader but it's too much for me.
An interesting concept to write a short prequel to a novel and then offer it for free. I was planning on reading the book itself, so this short was a good introduction.