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Threat #1
Sudden Threat
CIA paramilitary operative Matt Garrett is mysteriously yanked from the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan as he closes in for the kill of al Qaeda senior leadership. With unfinished business in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the nation suddenly on a bullett train to combat in Iraq, Matt is abruptly given an obscure assignment in China and the Phillipines. As he sifts through the wreckage of a destroyed C-130 aircraft in the Phillipine jungle, he finds a dead U.S. Special Forces paratrooper and begins to question the path that placed him on the periphery of the Global War on Terror. Pursued by a militia of Muslim insurgents, Matt stumbles upon a weapons factory guarded by Japanese soldiers in the uncharted rain forests of Mindanao. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Matt, his brother, U.S. Army Captain Zachary Garrett, is rapidly deployed with his infantry company to guard an ammunition stockpile in an old US Navy base near Manila. As the insurgency swarms across the island nation, the two brothers fight an elusive, but potent enemy while a powerful group in Washington D.C. called The Rolling Stones pursues their goal of keeping the country focused on the fight against Islamic extremism...at all costs. "Mick Jagger" and his band duel with the Washington DC beltway against others that are equally driven toward war in Iraq. As the Garrett brothers face mortal combat, the beltway histrionics continue, and take an unexpected lethal turn when one of the Rolling Stones decides to go solo.
402 pages, Hardcover
First published November 25, 2008
246 people are currently reading
555 people want to read
About the author
Anthony J. Tata
22 books345 followersTony is the bestselling author of 16 novels, including the Garrett Sinclair Series from St. Martin's Press, the Jake Mahegan series from Kensington Books, the Reaper Series from St. Martins Press, and the Threat Series from Variance Publishing. He recently signed a new contract with Kensington Books to write two Zara Sheridan air marshal thrillers. Publishers Weekly selected Besieged as a 2017 Best Book of the Year and Foreign and Domestic was a Barry Award Finalist in 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
March 20, 2009
Sudden Threat
By A. J. Tata
Variance Publishing
ISBN: 9781935142034
402 Pages
When a professional in any field is also an excellent writer, the result is an outstanding novel! Sudden Threat by Army Brigadier General A. J. Tata is evidence of that statement and certainly, in my opinion, a must-read for thriller fans!
Sudden Threat presents an alternative history story with timely relevance. “Prime Minister Mizuzawa had chosen the proper course for his native land...Japan could not let a few radical Muslims divert the world’s attention away from what really mattered...it was a matter of national survival!” (p. 18, 23) Takishi was his choice to help him rule a new Japan; and as a major partner in “The Rolling Stones,” they were in the best position to take advantage of the 9-11 window of opportunity!
Fortunately, Takishi had friends in major positions in the United States government who did not agree that an attack against Saddam Hussein, his country and other surrounding countries was the right direction for America. The solution: create a “sudden threat” against America from an entirely different direction—somewhere where a small war could be encouraged which would force a delay for action
Matt Garrett and his brother Zachary are the two main characters. While Zachary served in the service, Matt had been the CIA designated “hunter” for Osama bin Laden. Matt had already become suspicious, wondering why, when he was close to capturing one or more Al Qaeda members, he would suddenly be transferred somewhere else, on some pretext that his new assignment was much more important. Fortunately, he began to document his concerns, for when he is captured, his records become a major contribution in the later spunky and informative briefing presented to the president by Meredith Morris, the primary female character and the major person to research, analyze, and effectively present what apparently was happening.
The addictive hunger for power, found in every country, every nation, nearly always results in tragic events. Tata shows it better than any other author I’ve read! Nobody can trust these individuals, not lovers, not authorities, not entire populations! Tata takes us directly into the throes of a group of these evil men, who call themselves, The Rolling Stones” as they strive for “satisfaction,” individual power, no matter the cost!
Tata also brings a far more realistic approach to war scenes as well, sharing not only the action, but also the personal feelings of the individuals. One particular man, a good and honorable Japanese man who came to fight along with the Americans is one of the excellent scenarios that illustrates different race issues are really not the cause for wars, without someone, somewhere, thirsting for individual power!
As if you needed another reason to buy and read Sudden Threat, consider the fact that BG Tata is donating all of the proceeds to the USO Metro DC Hospital Services Fund for Wounded Warriors! Cool, right?
Needless to say, I think Sudden Threat is a fantastic read. Additionally, I have been fortunate to have already read Rogue Threat, Tata’s next book, so I can assure you that you need to add General A. J. Tata to your must-read author list! “Hooah!”
G. A. Bixler
By A. J. Tata
Variance Publishing
ISBN: 9781935142034
402 Pages
When a professional in any field is also an excellent writer, the result is an outstanding novel! Sudden Threat by Army Brigadier General A. J. Tata is evidence of that statement and certainly, in my opinion, a must-read for thriller fans!
Sudden Threat presents an alternative history story with timely relevance. “Prime Minister Mizuzawa had chosen the proper course for his native land...Japan could not let a few radical Muslims divert the world’s attention away from what really mattered...it was a matter of national survival!” (p. 18, 23) Takishi was his choice to help him rule a new Japan; and as a major partner in “The Rolling Stones,” they were in the best position to take advantage of the 9-11 window of opportunity!
Fortunately, Takishi had friends in major positions in the United States government who did not agree that an attack against Saddam Hussein, his country and other surrounding countries was the right direction for America. The solution: create a “sudden threat” against America from an entirely different direction—somewhere where a small war could be encouraged which would force a delay for action
Matt Garrett and his brother Zachary are the two main characters. While Zachary served in the service, Matt had been the CIA designated “hunter” for Osama bin Laden. Matt had already become suspicious, wondering why, when he was close to capturing one or more Al Qaeda members, he would suddenly be transferred somewhere else, on some pretext that his new assignment was much more important. Fortunately, he began to document his concerns, for when he is captured, his records become a major contribution in the later spunky and informative briefing presented to the president by Meredith Morris, the primary female character and the major person to research, analyze, and effectively present what apparently was happening.
The addictive hunger for power, found in every country, every nation, nearly always results in tragic events. Tata shows it better than any other author I’ve read! Nobody can trust these individuals, not lovers, not authorities, not entire populations! Tata takes us directly into the throes of a group of these evil men, who call themselves, The Rolling Stones” as they strive for “satisfaction,” individual power, no matter the cost!
Tata also brings a far more realistic approach to war scenes as well, sharing not only the action, but also the personal feelings of the individuals. One particular man, a good and honorable Japanese man who came to fight along with the Americans is one of the excellent scenarios that illustrates different race issues are really not the cause for wars, without someone, somewhere, thirsting for individual power!
As if you needed another reason to buy and read Sudden Threat, consider the fact that BG Tata is donating all of the proceeds to the USO Metro DC Hospital Services Fund for Wounded Warriors! Cool, right?
Needless to say, I think Sudden Threat is a fantastic read. Additionally, I have been fortunate to have already read Rogue Threat, Tata’s next book, so I can assure you that you need to add General A. J. Tata to your must-read author list! “Hooah!”
G. A. Bixler
January 30, 2009
Have you ever wondered what it's like to be in battle - to see what our troops see? Sudden Threat will give you first hand experience! Written by active duty Brigadier General AJ Tata, you can't help but get pulled into the book's three storylines, each hit more intriguing than the last. Being compared to Tom Clancy (in some cases better than!), Tata's writing is sure to please any military fanatic out there!
To see an interview with AJ Tata from Fox and Friends, visit the Sudden Threat book page. All proceeds from the book goes to the USO Wounded Warrior Fund! He is an upstanding gent and it's an honor to be his publisher!
To see an interview with AJ Tata from Fox and Friends, visit the Sudden Threat book page. All proceeds from the book goes to the USO Wounded Warrior Fund! He is an upstanding gent and it's an honor to be his publisher!
July 5, 2017
Tata is a retired Army General, that has also done well in civilian life in the public school system in NC and I believe Secretary of Transportation for NC. His stories are authentic, probably based on his military career, but also fun to read, with lot's of action. This book has it all, intrigue, political double talk, (probably more military experience) a rising global threat and covert options.
May 8, 2017
Could this really happen
Very good read and hard to put down the scenarios in this book are so realistic and thought provoking that with everything going on in our world today could these things come to be.
Very good read and hard to put down the scenarios in this book are so realistic and thought provoking that with everything going on in our world today could these things come to be.
August 24, 2018
Pretty good military thriller. Lots of action for those military action junkies. Enough twists to keep the story interesting as it moves along.
Several high ranking U.S. officials conspire to shift the emphasis away from Iraq post 9/11. They decide the way to do that is to create a hotspot in the Philippines involving an Al Qaeda offshoot (Abu Sayyaf). But the Japanese involved have their own agenda. They want to right the wrongs against their country since the end of WW II.
The downside is it's the first of a series so end game suspense just isn't the same as it would have been had I read it when it was first released.
Several high ranking U.S. officials conspire to shift the emphasis away from Iraq post 9/11. They decide the way to do that is to create a hotspot in the Philippines involving an Al Qaeda offshoot (Abu Sayyaf). But the Japanese involved have their own agenda. They want to right the wrongs against their country since the end of WW II.
The downside is it's the first of a series so end game suspense just isn't the same as it would have been had I read it when it was first released.
March 22, 2024
I’ve just read a few of the A.J. Tata series, and I’m a fan…”Sudden Threat” is the 1st in his “Threat Series,” involving a CIA field officer, Matt Garrett…”Sudden Threat” involves a growing conflict between Japan and the US in the Philippines, that has Garrett and his brother at the tip of the spear…Tata, in “Sudden Threat,” creates sort of an atmosphere of class warfare, as those down range seem to be just pawns, in a game directed by the connected political elite, not unlike my present beliefs…Not a Clancy “Debt of Honor,” but thoroughly entertaining!!!
December 19, 2008
This timely military thriller is an easy read in that it moves quickly and the plot has many twists and turns. Brothers, Zachary Garrett, a US Army captain and Matt Garrett, a CIA paramilitary operative are on assignments separately, in the fight against Islamic terrorism but end up being in the same part of the world as Matt is pulled from his assignment in Pakistan as he is very close to making a kill of al Queda senior leadership and is given an assignment in China and the Philliipines, while Zachary is deployed to an old Navy base near Manila. As the two brothers fight the elusive war on terrorism they are unaware of treachery in Washington, DC, that is trying to keep the country focused on the fight against Islamic terrorism so that their own plot and motives will go undiscovered. This fight against terrorism takes an unexpected turn as the fight moves forward with a question of who is the real enemy.
December 19, 2008
AJ Tata has written a fast paced, extremely relevant book about the war in Iraq and the fight against Islamic terrorism, but even more than that has brought a thought provoking, timely book that questions our leaders and Washington. In a time where our country is very politically divided and unscrupulous politicians are being uncovered all of the time this book takes you right into the action on the battlefield and the story of two brave, high ranking military brothers, Matt and Zachary Garrett, their fight against the elusive enemy and the political machinations that bring them to China, the Phillipines and an old Navy base near Manila. While the brothers are not stationed together they find themselves fighting the same fight and discovering very questionable practices by the military and power brokers in DC. This is the type of book that we all hope is purely fictional but we fear that it may not be. It is a compelling, thriller of bravery, patriotism and treachery.
Currently reading
January 14, 2011This is a military thriller that is so exciting. This book has so many characters and you get to see their point of view on what is happening in the story. Its right after the 9/11 attack and the U.S. is sending troops to Iraq and are trying to find Osama Bin Ladin in Afghanistan. Most of the book so far has taken place in the pacific islands especially the Philipines because the is a terrorist cell on the islands. There was a U.S. helicopter that crash and there were some Special Forces soldiers on it and one of them died. A CIA paramilitary operative agent who is the main character is sent to try and find some of the survivors thinking they are Flipino Rangers. Instead as you already know he finds an American Special Forces soldier. Now he is trying to find the survivors and trying to figure out why they are on the island.
December 9, 2016
This book is a page turner, an outstanding first novel. Tata could use a more attentive editor. At one point the author details the colors of the SILK shirts worn by two characters. At a later point while detailing a combat situation, he identifies Alpha, Charlie, and Delta Companies and then "B" Company.
June 24, 2015
This particular book has plenty of action that sometimes gets bogged down with too much detail. I guess this comes from an author that really knows his subject. The characters are believable and the plot is taken out of the headlines from the world's current situation.
August 11, 2010
Liked the book on a whole. Good detail of how a battle happens. Hard to lose so many primary characters, but it is war.
February 29, 2016
Mini Clancy. Plausible scenario, good characters, obviously knows the military.
September 10, 2016
Excellent read, I've ordered the next book of this series.
April 12, 2017
A Great Read!
I've never read A J Tata before and I'm the one who has missed out! He is good as any of the authors I have read, better than most.
I'll now read all of his books!
I've never read A J Tata before and I'm the one who has missed out! He is good as any of the authors I have read, better than most.
I'll now read all of his books!
June 24, 2018
Excellent Read!
Tata did an excellent job keeping numerous lines going that you wonder who else was in the circle. Matt’s brother will be missed!
Tata did an excellent job keeping numerous lines going that you wonder who else was in the circle. Matt’s brother will be missed!
March 22, 2019
AJ Tata is an excellent Military Thriller write. His experience in the Army shows through in his writing and it is an excellent result. Highly recommended good read
June 18, 2019
Every spy thriller has at least one hero, but few show those high up in government pulling the strings.
Incredible book.
Incredible book.
June 7, 2021
Good Read
Exciting story line. Action packed; for the most part authentic military action. Some parts a little far fetched, but overall good.
Exciting story line. Action packed; for the most part authentic military action. Some parts a little far fetched, but overall good.
April 30, 2023
Military Thriller “Sudden Threat” opens with CIA paramilitary operative Matt Garrett being pulled from a secret mission to Pakistan and sent to the Philippines where he finds a downed C-130 plane with a dead U.S. Special Forces paratrooper. Unbeknownst to Matt, his brother U.S. Army Captain Zachary Garrett has been sent with his infantry company to guard an ammunition stockpile in an old Navy Base in Manila. Tension and suspense mounts not only with the brothers fight against terrorism but as a political group in Washington, DC hatches their own nefarious plot.
With treachery, bravery and patriotism key ingredients in a thriller where the action never slows you are held fast to the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Realistic, and mesmerizing with a cast of compelling and multifaceted characters the plot is further heightened with Japanese involvement, and when a member of the American conspirators decides to take control. Intriguing, all too quickly this military thriller moves seamlessly to an unexpected ending.
Well-developed and enthralling I thoroughly enjoyed “Sudden Threat” and intend to read other books in this exciting series.
With treachery, bravery and patriotism key ingredients in a thriller where the action never slows you are held fast to the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Realistic, and mesmerizing with a cast of compelling and multifaceted characters the plot is further heightened with Japanese involvement, and when a member of the American conspirators decides to take control. Intriguing, all too quickly this military thriller moves seamlessly to an unexpected ending.
Well-developed and enthralling I thoroughly enjoyed “Sudden Threat” and intend to read other books in this exciting series.
June 22, 2020
Life is too short to read lousy fiction.
This book started out as SOF porn with typically stilted dialogue. It only cost $4.99, so I figured I'd stick with it, but I draw the line when the author can’t keep his characters on point. How hard is it to remember from one page to the next that the bad guys are drinking Merlot, not Syrah? How can a guy go to bed just before five for four hours of sleep, then set his alarm for 0630? The first time is sloppy, the second is a crime that made me quit.
Oh, and a final complaint. If Mr. Tata is going to write a book that takes place after the real-world events of 9/11, he CANNOT have a major character who is the Secretary of Defense who is NOT Rumsfeld. Nope. Can’t do it.
Mr. Tata may have been a good general and commentator, but I will never read his fiction again. Even if it's free.
This book started out as SOF porn with typically stilted dialogue. It only cost $4.99, so I figured I'd stick with it, but I draw the line when the author can’t keep his characters on point. How hard is it to remember from one page to the next that the bad guys are drinking Merlot, not Syrah? How can a guy go to bed just before five for four hours of sleep, then set his alarm for 0630? The first time is sloppy, the second is a crime that made me quit.
Oh, and a final complaint. If Mr. Tata is going to write a book that takes place after the real-world events of 9/11, he CANNOT have a major character who is the Secretary of Defense who is NOT Rumsfeld. Nope. Can’t do it.
Mr. Tata may have been a good general and commentator, but I will never read his fiction again. Even if it's free.
January 6, 2022
Slow start mediocre finish
It tries to be an early Clancy novel, lots of moving parts, that all come together at the end. It fails to this, but still manages to be an OK story
It seemed forever to get going, bit thankfully it does after about a third of the book. The main character Matt seems to fade in and out of the story, so struggles to be more than a bit player until the last quarter
The action scenes are well described and fast paced, the political intrigue less so
Overall an OK book, I won't be rushing to buy the next though
It tries to be an early Clancy novel, lots of moving parts, that all come together at the end. It fails to this, but still manages to be an OK story
It seemed forever to get going, bit thankfully it does after about a third of the book. The main character Matt seems to fade in and out of the story, so struggles to be more than a bit player until the last quarter
The action scenes are well described and fast paced, the political intrigue less so
Overall an OK book, I won't be rushing to buy the next though
May 12, 2023
well written
This series is going to be great. The characters are well written and the interplay is great. The possibilities of what bureaucrats are capable of doing to Americans and our fighting men are unforgivable even if this is fiction.
It may be closer to the truth than we think!
This series is going to be great. The characters are well written and the interplay is great. The possibilities of what bureaucrats are capable of doing to Americans and our fighting men are unforgivable even if this is fiction.
It may be closer to the truth than we think!
July 11, 2018
Picks up steam after awhile
The writing is turgid for the first third, but picks up steam after awhile. The plot been used by several authors previously. Ultimately it is a good read not great.
The writing is turgid for the first third, but picks up steam after awhile. The plot been used by several authors previously. Ultimately it is a good read not great.
September 1, 2024
Reading the back list, and this is a solid first foray. It was filled with action and well plotted. The pieces that hung me up were the language pieces, but that has evolved with the current works!
February 22, 2018
3.5/4.0
A bit disjointed and hard to keep track of but the overall story was very good.
A bit disjointed and hard to keep track of but the overall story was very good.
March 27, 2024
I really enjoyed the book and all the waves of emotion and subterfuge that was involved.
Starting book 2 of Threat series
Starting book 2 of Threat series
October 9, 2025
Book 1 (new when read)
July 24, 2025
Well I read Sudden Threat by Anthony J Tata awhile back ago I wrote down my review on paper and now catching up on a lot of the reviews I didn't do awhile back ago and I gotta say this one got me all spun around in a good way
It starts off with this feller Matt Garrett who works for the CIA doin all them hush hush jobs overseas and just when he about to take down some big al Qaeda folks in Pakistan they snatch him out and ship him off to China then the Philippines like it aint no big deal
Now I aint no fancy government man but even I can tell somethin fishy goin on
Matt winds up in the jungle pokin around a busted up airplane and finds a dead American soldier layin there which gets him thinkin maybe this aint just some simple clean up job
Next thing you know he got Muslim fighters chasin him and he stumbles on this whole dang weapons factory guarded by Japanese soldiers way out in the middle of nowhere
Meanwhile his brother Zach over in the Army gets sent to guard some ammo dump in Manila and I dont wanna spoil nothin but they both end up fightin like hell on that island while folks in Washington DC play puppet master tryin to stir up a war and keep the folks back home focused on the wrong stuff
There this group called the Rolling Stones and no they aint the band even though that part kinda made me smile they up to all kinds of backdoor dealin and one of em even turns on the others like it a spy movie inside a spy movie
This book got shootouts double crossin jungle runnin and some real brotherly grit and I liked that part best
It aint always easy to follow who doin what and why but once it starts movin it dont let up
Mr Tata knows his military stuff and you can tell he seen some things
If you like action with a brain and a little bit of twistin and turnin you gon like this one
I give it five outta five catfish
It starts off with this feller Matt Garrett who works for the CIA doin all them hush hush jobs overseas and just when he about to take down some big al Qaeda folks in Pakistan they snatch him out and ship him off to China then the Philippines like it aint no big deal
Now I aint no fancy government man but even I can tell somethin fishy goin on
Matt winds up in the jungle pokin around a busted up airplane and finds a dead American soldier layin there which gets him thinkin maybe this aint just some simple clean up job
Next thing you know he got Muslim fighters chasin him and he stumbles on this whole dang weapons factory guarded by Japanese soldiers way out in the middle of nowhere
Meanwhile his brother Zach over in the Army gets sent to guard some ammo dump in Manila and I dont wanna spoil nothin but they both end up fightin like hell on that island while folks in Washington DC play puppet master tryin to stir up a war and keep the folks back home focused on the wrong stuff
There this group called the Rolling Stones and no they aint the band even though that part kinda made me smile they up to all kinds of backdoor dealin and one of em even turns on the others like it a spy movie inside a spy movie
This book got shootouts double crossin jungle runnin and some real brotherly grit and I liked that part best
It aint always easy to follow who doin what and why but once it starts movin it dont let up
Mr Tata knows his military stuff and you can tell he seen some things
If you like action with a brain and a little bit of twistin and turnin you gon like this one
I give it five outta five catfish
April 10, 2017
In the end, I didn't really like this one. It had an interesting premise, but just didn't work on some level for me. I didn't think a lot of the conspiracies made sense, which in turn lead to a lot of the twists falling flat for me.
A lot of named characters die in this book. I didn't care about a single one. Usually when a character died I was too busy rolling my eyes to care because, in this book, chances are that character's final words were "Kill them all, sir," or something to that effect. Seriously. At least two characters die in the arms of another character, and their final words are "Kill those *expletive of choice here*." There are two characters with the same last name. One dies, the other does not. I read the funeral scene, as one brother arrives to bury the other, and it took me a second to remember which one was which. Maybe this is on me for not paying attention, but I don't think so
So, yeah...pretty disappointed in this one. Will not seek out the rest of the series.
A lot of named characters die in this book. I didn't care about a single one. Usually when a character died I was too busy rolling my eyes to care because, in this book, chances are that character's final words were "Kill them all, sir," or something to that effect. Seriously. At least two characters die in the arms of another character, and their final words are "Kill those *expletive of choice here*." There are two characters with the same last name. One dies, the other does not. I read the funeral scene, as one brother arrives to bury the other, and it took me a second to remember which one was which. Maybe this is on me for not paying attention, but I don't think so
So, yeah...pretty disappointed in this one. Will not seek out the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews