I like international espionage novels pitting a super hero against a nearly indestructible organization out to control the world. This novel is a close fit. Tacoma, something like a CIA agent, is pitted against the Russian mob in America.

While this is something like the ninth novel Coes has written, it is the first of his I've read. I liked it. I liked the superhero Tacoma. He can beat up any thug who comes against him. He can kill every enemy before they even have a chance to point their weapon at him. He can sneak through impenetrable razor wire fences. Well, you get the idea. And he is supported by amazing tech people who can use satellites to warn Tacoma about the armed guy coming up on his left.

In addition to over the top suspense is a bit of information about the Russian mafia. The break-up of the Soviet Union provided a huge opportunity for powerful men to control drug trade. In this novel, the Russian mafia is looking to increase their control in America. Only Tacoma can stop them.

This is a good novel for readers who like a high body count and an indestructible hero. Yes, I noticed some odd and inconsistent aspects to the plot, but all in all, a good novel with which to escape daily chores.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

The Russian is the first novel in the Rob Tacoma series. I believe this is the first Ben Coes novel I have read. Ben Coes is well established in this genre and he gives us a solid entry in the spy novel game. I actually really like the character of Rob Tacoma and look forward to seeing him in future novels. In an era of real life Russian interference and aggression, it is refreshing to have a story where it is a clear cut story of the finest spies the US has to offer fighting the Russian mob. The ending definitely leaves a desire for more of the story, but as this is a continuing storyline, it makes sense for it to end the way that it does.

Great action novel., and a superb way to introduce a new character. Rob Tacoma may be under 30, but he's scarred, and with plenty of baggage, still he's the ultimate man of action for the 21st century.

A splendid novel about the Russian Mafia in the U.S. The president asked former Navy Seal, Rob Tacoma, to investigate and destroy the threat. I had never read a Ben Coes novel before but I will definitely watch for more books in the future.

I love reading a good story. If there’s a mystery or bit of action going on it’s a plus. Developed characters are a must. This book hit them all. The author presents an interesting twist on what could have easily become a run of the mill plot. I look forward to reading more by this author. The book was one I reached for every chance I had to race to see what came next. Definitely worth the investment of my time.

This book is kind of a Jack Reacher/spy/mob/law enforcement read.
Plot is okay.
Action is pretty good.
overall, I feel like it could have been fleshed out a bit more to explain some of the turns the plot makes.
It is entertaining if you like a character that is a little Jack Reacher, a little 007

The Russian is the first book I have read by author Ben Coes. I was thoroughly entertained by the exploits of Rob Tacoma and his compatriots. Were there some outlandish sequences? Yes, but that's one of the reasons I like action thrillers. The characters in The Russian are a little less layered than I would have liked, but I chalk that up to it being the first in a series, and the balance being more toward setting the scene and introducing the players. I hope to see the characters become more complex as the series grows. All in all, I found The Russian fast paced and enjoyable. I will likely continue the series.
3.5
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

I’ve never read anything else by this author but, since this book is the beginning of a new series featuring Rob Tacoma, it is ok to begin here. The previous series is about a character named Dewey Andreas, who makes a cameo appearance in this book. The 29 year old Tacoma is an ex-Navy Seal who is now working in the private sector. He is brought back to work for the government, as part of a 2-man kill team, after the Russian mafia kills 2 American politicians. Soon the team is reduced to just Tacoma.

This book is entertaining in a mindless, action movie sort of way. Tacoma is a superhero, so you can never really worry that he won’t triumph. The plot held my interest in this extremely violent testosterone-fest, full of vicious and treacherous men and beautiful women (some of whom are also vicious and treacherous). Tacoma single-handedly kills a lot of mobsters. There is also a very bloody fight club factor in the book. If you suspend disbelief and buy into the “gunfight in an airport followed by a daring escape” sort of vibe you will probably like this book.

I almost abandoned the book at the beginning because the writing wasn’t really very good. The author uses too many adjectives. I don’t care about the brand of car, gun, motorcycle, shoe, etc. Sometimes things were described 2 or more times. If you tell me that a dead man’s eyes were “badly bruised”, a few paragraphs later you don’t need to tell me that his face was “badly beaten”. Why tell me repeatedly that Tacoma has dirty-blond hair? (I was glad when he finally shaved his head.) If you describe a woman as gorgeous (aren’t they all?) do you then have to tell me she has a very pretty face? I don’t care that a getaway car is a black Ferrari 458, let alone that its engine was designed by Michael Schumacher. Most of the sentences are short, until the author comes to descriptions, and then he simply gushes. “Down a gravel walkway that led from the terrace, he walked through a sweeping garden of perfectly manicured boxwoods and wild bluffs of lavender, now at the seasonal apex of their purple-colored beauty.” Nevertheless, I’d be willing to try the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Incredible story! The Russian peels back layers of intrigue at a rollercoaster rate. Once you start the book, you can't put it down ... there's no point at which something is not actively happening! The book may be about the Russian mafia in the U.S., but the star of the story is Rob Tacoma (who is like a government-sanctioned Jack Reacher!). This is my first book by this author, but it won't be my last! And I'm definitely a fan of Rob Tacoma!!

Having heard from allot of friends about his first "thriller" series starring Dewey Andreas, I looked forward to reading this new series from the beginning and as it enfolds over the next few novels. Unfortunately, I was to be disappointed. The main character is a cross between the Terminator and Jackie Chan, in that he is unkillable, and a killing machine to boot.

The problem for me was that it was like reading the script of a B-Movie with as much mayhem and bloody encounters as possible. In one encounter with the bad guys, he kills five trained operatives in a span of ten minutes in an airport. Every bullet entry is described in gory detail while people waiting to board their planes run helter-skelter from the bullets. The bad guys are Eastern Europeans with bad accents and worse dialog.

Woman love him and men are impressed by his physical abilities and impossible skills with a gun. All in all pretty undramatic. It seems that Coes just typed his way through this like an actor doing the same part too many times (i.e. Arnold or Van Damme). Very disappointing.

Ben Coes, author of “The Russian,” is a best-selling novelist whose international political thrillers have wide readership. This book, the first in a series, is domestic in nature, and features the Russian Mafia as big players in the American crime scene.

A group within the Russian mob assassinates two high-powered America politicians within seconds of each other, prompting an angry response by the US President who issues a top-secret kill order for the perpetrators. The details of the order are an important piece of the story and I’ll ignore them in telling you that the two top secret agents assigned the task of finding and killing the assassins are the best available. One gets exposed and murdered right off the bat, indicating a mole in the President’s top aides.

The other, Rob Tacoma, is also immediately targeted but outwits all attempts at taking him down as he moves forward, killing foreign agents right and left, into the world of the kingpin known as The Russian. Coes is a wonderful writer who knows how to get his readers enmeshed in a world of violence featuring knives, guns, and explosives. Tacoma is a fear-nothing operative of both cunning and out-front violence. He relies on his skill both with his fists and with his weapons, and no kill team is his match.

There is gunplay here, featuring every gun known to man, alond with torture, betrayal, big bangs, and subterfuge. Tacoma is up to the challenges, however, even getting into a dockside brawl in front of crowd of rowdies against the roughest of them all. Surprisingly, he lost the fight but with a purpose in mind. Painful but necessary in his estimation.

I’ve become somewhat jaded by all the novels of this type on the market these days. Authors using this format are rampant. But Coes has some special writing and storytelling skills that place him at the forefront of other writers. I’m confident that readers of this book will enjoy a renaissance of a theme that they have enjoyed in the past. The ending makes it plain that more is to come featuring Rob Tacoma and The Russian. I can’t wait.

The Russian by Ben Coes was the best introduction for this new author ( to me). I loved the action and the story telling. The characters are very engaging and fast moving. After reading this book, I can't wait for the next one, and see what is next for Mr. Tacoma

As the battle to stop the Russian Mafia and their influence in the United States, two men are drafted to clear the mafia designates from DC. One man will soon find himself tackling the job alone since his partner was killed. The story seemed to have a touch of Bond movies to me, it added an effect to the story that was not needed. Ben Coes did an excellent job of moving his characters into and out of troubled places, using resources at hand, well mostly at hand. The book was well written, the story flowed smoothly, if a little on the wild side a few times. Its a very good read. I had not read any of Coes' books before so now I have to go check them out. Happy reading everyone!

Book Review: The Russian (Rob Tacoma #1) by Ben Coes

In 1991, when they broke up the Soviet Union for good, every thug, gangster and scumbag in what had been the USSR came to the US. We destroyed the Soviet Union but in doing so, we created the Russian mafia ...

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Signed by the Founding Fathers, hidden in the Oval Office and unbeknownst to the American people, a secret codicil authorizes the President and a select committee of Senate members to enact secret emergency laws in times of crisis ...

The codicil was invoked four times in history - the last by FDR in 1941.

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Rob Tacoma, Book 1.

Following the assassinations of a US senator and a State governor who were key figures in the war against the Russian mafia, the CIA is authorized to create an infiltration "kill team" with full lethal protocol on US soil and with preemptive presidential pardon.

Enter Rob Tacoma, former Navy Seal and CIA operative. A Russian speaker whose own parents were killed by the same Russian mob. A little youngish at 29 years old, a bit of a rogue, and more than a shade self-assured and insubordinate.

"I shouldn't have asked you to do this. You're too immature." said his boss, the CIA director.

But his boss' confidence was rewarded. Tacoma manages to hunt down and trap the mastermind, "The Russian", and he in turn stares down the barrel of a gun - in his final moments...

A fine introduction of his new protagonist by Ben Coes!

Review based on an advance reading copy provided by NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author.

The Russian was an exciting fast moving read. I look forward to more in the series. That said, I really liked the Dewey Andreas books even more and miss Dewey.

3.5 stars. I didn't round up because there wasn't much character development, which I don't find essential for this type of book, but would have given it that boost. Anyway, this was an exciting, action-packed (and somewhat gory) spy thriller. I thought it needed a bit more editing: for example, some of the changes from one chapter to another seemed awkward. In another example, a character descends from a helicopter, crosses a lawn and enters a house. In the next paragraph, he gets out of the helicopter again. Additionally, there were several implausibilities that could have been dealt with better. Even I, far from a CIA field agent, know that (view spoiler)! But, as I said before, it was exciting and action-packed, so an enjoyable read.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC for review purposes.

Ben Coes' series about Dewey Andreas has long been on my To Read-list, but the first book in his new series about Rob Tacoma (in which Dewey Andreas drops by and makes a cameo appearance) arrived on my Kindle first.
The pace of the book is breathtaking, so the reader is taken on a thrilling tour de force of high-tech weaponry, hacking and fighting techniques from cover to cover. The bad guys are never hard to spot in books like this, but Coes doesn't make it too easy all the time for the good guys, which is a clear plus in my book. There are, however, certain elements in the plot that I found a little too unrealistic for my taste, which ended up costing the 5th star in my rating of the book.
Fans of Vince Flynn, Brad Thor and John Gilstrap will definitely like this new series as did I. Now I really need to check out Coes' Dewey Andreas books!

Ben Coes thriller, The Russian, is about the Russian Mafiya in the United States.

As a thriller writer myself (DS Kane, author of the Spies Lies series), I have intimate familiarity with the Russian Mafiya. Coes' portrayal is accurate enough to make for a decent ride. His protagonist is almost totally operational, having little interest in battle tactics or strategy., but that actually makes for a better read. If you're looking for a fast-paced thriller, this could be your next read.

Thanks to a Netgalley, St. Martins Press and Ben Coes for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first book by this author and even though I enjoyed it and it was quite good, I found there were so many characters that I had to try and keep track of, and it seemed that there was a lot of narrative and it took almost 2/3 of the book or more to finally get to the whodunit part. And this is my f I found away so many characters that I had to try and keep track of, I did read other peoples reviews and it seems that they enjoyed his other books with Dewey as the main character. So it seems like I’m going to go back and read one of those starting with the first. I really did enjoy this book, but I want to see if there is more of a point to the story at the beginning as a post to the end.

Interesting book that fails at the beginning and makes up at the end.
All in all ,after the first third of the book,it becomes extremely interesting.
Not the best book by the author but worth reading.