THE FIRST GRAY MAN NOVEL FROM #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR MARK GREANEY—Soon to Be a Netflix Original Film Starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans“Hard, fast, and unflinching—exactly what a thriller should be.”—Lee ChildTo those who lurk in the shadows, he’s known as the Gray Man. He is a legend in the covert realm, moving silently from job to job, accomplishing the impossible and then … accomplishing the impossible and then fading away. And he always hits his target. Always.
But there are forces more lethal than Gentry in the world. Forces like money. And power. And there are men who hold these as the only currency worth fighting for. And in their eyes, Gentry has just outlived his usefulness.
But Court Gentry is going to prove that, for him, there’s no gray area between killing for a living and killing to stay alive…
more
The tag line is “Bourne for the new millennium” and that’s just what you’ll get—a thrilling ride. Court Gentry is a Superman assassin, the ultimate Byronic hero, and Greaney knows his stuff. Excellent thriller!
A great start to the series. I’m glad I finally made time to read it! I want more Gray Man!!
Another solid thriller series and this is the book to start with. Mark Greaney cut his teeth writing Tom Clancy books so you know what to expect.
One hell of an action packed debut by Mark Greaney. Never a dull moment in this thriller. If you’re after an adrenaline fueled read, this book is it.
Hard too put this book down!
This book was,so good I’ve told 3people about it
Intense!!
I’ll be buying the series, this book rocked.
Great book
Couldn’t stop at just one. I just finished book five and can’t wait to start book six. Well-written, just enough humor, exciting, captivating. Definitely worth your time.
If you haven’t read any of Mark Greaney’s Gray Man books, start with the first book in his seven book series (Book 8, MISSION CRITICAL, will be out Feb. 19th, 2019). Court Gentry was betrayed by the CIA and now makes his living killing people as a master assassin. Packed with fast-moving action, you won’t be disappointed. I predict his first book in the series won’t be your last.
Mark Greaney has certain skills. (1) He writes wonderfully detailed and gripping action scenes—a lot of them! His Gray Man is an assassin that everyone wants to kill, so the novels are a series of exciting battles for the hero’s survival. (2) Greaney concocts plots that are chock full of surprises albeit somewhat unbelievable. Court Gentry, the Gray Man, soldiers on despite wounds that would cripple or kill mere humans. (3) Greaney apparently knows his firearms since the guns in the story is named and described at length. If you like guns, you’ll love this series although the elaborate descriptions occasionally made me laugh. They’re like the fixation on clothes in some chick lit or the paeans to biceps in romance novels, a blatant appeal to readers’ fetishes.
Still, the first book in the series is quite good, and Greaney’s skills were enough to keep me reading another two books of the series. But now I’m done.
In the end it was one simple gesture that ended my Gray Man run—the shrug. In Back Blast, characters are constantly shrugging in response to another character’s comment. Even when they’re tied up or in mortal danger or in the midst of hair raising action, they shrug. They shrug so often that I started grinding my teeth every time it happened.
All the shrugging might seem like a minor issue, just one of the author’s annoying mannerisms. But it’s indicative of larger issues: poverty of invention and lack of interest in characterization. I’ve wasted enough time on the adventures of the ciphers masquerading as characters in Mark Greaney’s fiction.
Courtland “Court” Gentry is the Gray Man. An assassin. A killer of men. Only bad men, only “just” kills. He is called the Gray Man because no one knows who he is. He’s the best at what he does.
Former CIA, he now works for a private security firm based in London headed by Sir Donald Fitzroy, ex-MI-5.
Having assassinated, in Syria, Dr. Issac Abubaker, the Nigerian Minister of Energy and brother of Nigerian President Julius Abubaker, Court’s on the run across Iraq. He will soon run into many complications and many dangerous situations…to say the least.
The Laurent Group is a ruthless multinational corporation that is on the verge of signing a multi-billion oil and natural gas deal with President Abubaker.
Now, there’s a hitch. He will not sign the agreement unless he’s brought the Gray Man’s head, literally, by 8 A.M. Sunday morning. It’s Tuesday!
The Group takes Sir Donald hostage, along with his son, Phillip and daughter-in-law and his 8-year-old twin granddaughters. They are moved to Chateau Laurent outside Paris.
They are being used to lure-in the Gray Man.
Soon, Court Gentry will have 12 hit teams from around the world, top specialists, after his ass. With 100+ “watchers” along his suspected travel routes and even the CIA has shoot-on-sight policy out on him.
Good luck stopping him!
Unbelievable hard and fast action, intricate plotting, 3D characters, attention to detail and smooth writing make this book a winner.
One more thing, young Claire Fitzroy is a wonderfully endearing character. Intelligent and resourceful. I really liked her.
Gray Man kicks ass! (less)
Kept me engaged until the end, I really enjoyed it.
I have read this entire series and can’t wait for more. I usually HATE assassin books, but the Gray Man is super, duper compelling.
Love gray man series
Just finished The Gray Man and enjoyed the plot twists and non-stop action. Does have some language.
Who is The Gray Man? He is a modern day Jason Bourne but better. He is government trained, battle hardened and bad ass. I found the book to be a quick read and the same goes with the rest of the series. In the first book you start to discover who the Gray Man is and what his code is. You see how he has a plan but also is quick on his feet. I feel Mark Greaney has created the next generation of Jason Bourne and feel that when the time comes for this type of character to move on to the next generation they will compare him to Court Gentry.
The first book in a series, The Gray Man introduces the reader to the titular character, Court. He is a free-lance assassin, having left the employ of the CIA under less-than-favorable terms. (The CIA tried to have him killed, and they would still like to terminate him, if given a chance.) Court now takes jobs through a wealthy benefactor.
Unfortunately, Court has a value system that does not allow him to pass by while some terrorists torture some American service members. He intervenes, jeopardizing his most recent mission, and no good deed goes unpunished. The most recent target has friends in low places who pressure Court’s former allies to turn on him. With enemies coming from all sides, the Gray Man must utilize all his skills to survive, never knowing who to trust.
The book was well-written. Court is a character that the reader can easily root for. Mark Greaney keeps the action flowing. He is accurate in his description and depiction of weapons systems (a pet peeve of mine – e.g., “his 9mm revolver …” Ugh! No such goofs by Mr. Greaney.) The Gray Man is not invincible; injuries sustained limit his capabilities. He makes mistakes and misjudgments that have consequences. He has a moral compass (of sorts, given his occupation). The Gray Man forms a refreshing contrast to some of the other characters in this genre who always seem to know more than their veteran handlers; who never miss a shot; who push through any grievous injury as though it were a mere annoyance. There is a realism to this escapist literature, making it plausible that there could really be a Gray Man-type operator out there.
I have sampled a wide array of books in this genre. The Gray Man series is one of only two that I continue to read.
The Gray Man is a series that moves along at breakneck speed. Things just keep getting worse, but he never gives up. I like that in my story heroes. A hero that keeps going, no matter how bad, is what I like to see.