A little better read then the previous books. More action less set up without the graphic sex. Pretty bloody but that's to be expected. Nice way of introducing the terrorists just before they are taken out. A good read. ( )

When the US and the Russians are cooperating (albeit off the books), the situation's got to be bad - and it is: the Russians have lost a scientist and some sort of WMD. They'd like the US to believe it's a nuke... maybe two, and they want the whole package recovered... quietly. As the new go-to good guy with the fire-power and know-how to get things done, they're calling the Kildar.

Mike Harmon's been in a few tight spots, and been called many things, more than a few of them unmentionable in polite company, but this time he may just regret having picked up the phone. Mission back-up is next to non-existent, winter's closing in and the target is smack in the center of one of the most rugged, well-defended pieces of Chechen real estate. And then there's the small detail of about 4,000 mad mujahideen to contend with - well, let's just say the mission's price tag isn't cheap, but the cost for recovering the package will cost the Keldara, and Mike, even more dearly.

With less sex and lots of emphasis on technical and tactical detail, at 600+ pages (pbk) this is no light afternoon's read. There are a LOT of characters to keep track of, both familiar and newly introduced. People die - lots of them. I was up into the wee hours of the morning finishing. ( )

A good read, though not one I'll likely repeat. Good story, but totally focused on the minutia and glory of killing. ( )

The main character, Mike Harmon aka Ghost, seems to be out of a military fan's dream (However the author does have military experience, being a veteran with the 82nd Airborne).

Mike Harmon is the best special force soldier in the world, a SEAL, now a mercenary/ruler of a valley near Georgia. Not only is his real name known and feared, but his main nickname 'Ghost' is equally well known. (Not like every military unit doesn't have someone with the same or a similar name.)

Ghost in a previous book was made the ruler of a valley near Georgia (former Soviet republic). Wanting to train them to be able to defend themselves, he finds out that they are superb warriors, descended from the Norse, (and still worshiping those gods) originally elite bodyguards to the Byzantine emperor. Not only that but all of the Keldara (as they are known) are beautiful and they brew the best beer in the world, and they believe and practice the 'Right of the first night'. (the mythical practice of the lord of the land bedding all his people's women before they sleep with their new husbands.) Plus he has a harem. Additionally he has enough money that the solution to many problems is to throw enough money to acquire the necessary item or person to remove the problem.

The mission of recovering missing nukes is given to 'Ghost' personally by his friend the President of the U.S. in person.

All the people in 'Ghost's' employ, and the middle third of the book are about these new employees and how they are acquired, are like that, Very good at what they do and the recipient of a detailed history of who the 'Ghost' is by another character. (This dialog between a 'new' character and a native gets to be repetitive as unlike other authors who will cover the same ground by saying something like Dick tells John about Tom's background. This author shows exactly what the native tells the old character about their boss.)

Once the actual combat starts, the author proves that he has some skills.
Combat moves fast and with some flashes of humor. While the final results were predictable the method arrived to reach the conclusion were unexpected.

Finally as hinted above, the book seems a little long, A more concise 400 pages would probably have made a better book. ( )

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