After five years on the run Court Gentry is back on the inside at the CIA. But his first mission makes him wish he had stayed on the outs when a pair of Chinese agents try to take him down in Hong Kong. Normally the Chinese prefer to stay eyes-only on foreign agents. So why are they on such high alert?

Court’s high stakes hunt for answers takes him across Southeast Asia and leads
to his old friend, Donald Fitzroy, who is being held hostage by the Chinese. Fitzroy was contracted to find Fan Jiang, a former member of an ultra-secret computer warfare unit responsible for testing China’s own security systems. And it seems Fan may have been too good at his job—because China wants him dead.

The first two kill teams Fitzroy sent to find Fan have disappeared and the Chinese have decided to “supervise” the next operation. What they don't know is that Gentry’s mission is to find Fan first and get whatever intel he has to the US. After that, all he has to do is get out alive...

This was my introduction to Greaney's Gray Man series, and I'll definitely be back for more. Recommended.

Like the other gray man books, Gunmetal Gray was a thrilling, fast moving read. I enjoyed it a lot. Thank you.

Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Gunmetal Gray. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Courtland Gentry is back working for the CIA, on a mission to locate his given target, get intel, and report back to his handler Suzanne Brewer. From the moment he lands in Hong Kong, however, complications arise that place Gentry in grave danger. Refusing to compromise his morals, despite the tenuous situation, will Gentry be able to accomplish his mission without loss of life? As the search takes Gentry away from Hong Kong, will his wealth of knowledge and his instincts save him?

Gunmetal Gray contains nonstop action and thrilling moments, but very little by way of character development. As this is the 6th book in the Gray Man series, the lack of background into Courtland Gentry is understandable, but I was expecting more. Readers who are new to the series will have no trouble following along, but will be missing the nuances of Gentry's character. Having not read the previous novels myself, I was pleasantly surprised to not feel lost at any point during the novel. That being said, I did not feel fully invested in the character and do not think I would go back and read the first 5 novels. I had trouble, in particular, with Suzanne Brewer's character, as it did not seem believable that she would compromise Court's safety or the mission as much as she did. Her ambitions and personal feelings did not have a place in this novel and it would have been a much better book without all of the politics in this particular plot line. Overall, Gunmetal Gray had a good flow and the thrilling pace reminded me of a successful spy movie. Those who are fans of the genre will enjoy the novel because of this, so I would recommend Gunmetal Gray those readers.

Fans of the writing style and subject matter of Tom Clancy or Vince Flynn should be excited the read this latest offering in the Gray Man series from author Mark Greaney. Court Gentry, the world’s deadliest assassin,(think a combination of Mitch Rapp, Jason Bourne and Ethan Hunt – on steroids) is back in the employ of the CIA after five years of freelancing as a professional “gun for hire”. Removed from their “burn list” and welcomed back into the fold by his former employer, Gentry’s current CIA assignment is to capture a rogue hacker named Fan Jiang who had been working for the Chinese military before he bolted for parts unknown.

GUNMETAL GRAY is, among other things, a mini tour of Eastern Asia with our chief protagonist ping-ponging between China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand as he outruns everyone from Chinese and Russian agents to Vietnamese gangsters while chalking up an impressive body count. Of course, as with every against-all-odds super warrior with a moral code, there must be a love interest (this time in the person of Zoya Zakharova, the Russian operative whose prowess in all things adversarial is reminiscent of the exploits of Lara Croft)

If you like your plot lines edgy, graphic and addictively readable, this could very well be the book you’ve been looking for.

I attempted to read a book outside of my normal reading and was not able to finish it. The book did not draw me in like I expected and was disappointed that I couldn't get into the storyline.

Here is the ending of my blog review. The entire can be read at off-centerviews.blogspot.com

If you like action that makes James Bond seem like an old fart feeding pigeons in the park, this novel is for you–but enjoying it requires that you turn off anything resembling logic faculties. Before this one is done, you will land in China, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, and Singapore. There will be explosions, shootouts, arson, paratrooper clashes, rice paddy wading, jungle treks, perilous cliff climbs, high-tech spy gadgetry, and clandestine ship boarding. There will be more double crosses than you'd see at an Eastern Orthodox keychain shop and more hair's breath escapes than a Harry Houdini highlight reel. Along the way, Gentry will best or confound the Chinese military, sections of MI6, a Russian elite unit, the CIA, Vietnamese and Thai organized crime syndicates, and the Italian Mafia! The bad guys in this novel are essentially humanized orcs in that it only takes one Gentry to wipe out scores of them. There is even a scene in Hong Kong in which a cornered Gentry manages to best around fifty people trying to kill him. He also manages to find some time to do a single noble deed and a bit of romancing. I mean, c'mon! Nobody's that good. And if he is, the book's ending makes no sense.

No matter—not much of this book does. It's Rambo-like in its absurdities and its flowing testosterone, and an answered prayer for those who think all we need to do is look out for #1–trust, morality, help, and conscience be damned. I won't deny that this is a thriller in the truest sense, but it's kitchen sink slop as literature. First I was intrigued. Then my heart raced. But the moment my brain engaged, "Ooo. Ahh," gave way to "You've got to be kidding!"

This is apparently the sixth book in the series but the first one I am reading. Court Gentry is with the CIA and he is in China after a man who is an expert in cyber, computer systems of China. Many people are after him and people are also after Gentry. The book opens up with action and intrigue and does not stop until the end. Court is not only wanting to get Fan but also an old friend who saved his life at one time named Fitzroy, the problem being doing all of this without being killed himself. I found this to be well written and gives you the perspective from Fan, Gentry, and even his handler with the CIA and the person who gave the go ahead for the operation and why he would even put the women in charge of Court just so he could have something over her head in a future date. There a many things going on with this story but it all works for a very interesting and fast paced story. a very good book. The characters are good as well.

Fantastic book! Hooked me from the first chapter. Loved it! (Amazon reviewed)

“Gunmetal Gray” eBook was published in 2017 and was written by Mark Greaney (http://markgreaneybooks.com). Mr. Greaney has published six novels on his own in the Gray Man series, and seven more with Tom Clancy.

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set in China, Vietnam and Thailand. The primary character is Court Gentry, the Gray Man.

Gentry has taken on an assignment for the CIA. A Chinese cyber warfare specialist, Fan Jiang, is on the run and it is trying to get out of China. The Chinese want to kill him, while the US and Russia want to help his escape and find out all he knows about China’s cyber warfare capabilities.

Things get complicated after Jiang gets involved with asian gangs in his attempt to make it to Taiwan. Gentry and the Russians keep bumping heads as they both try to extract Jiang from the gangsters who have taken him. Gentry also finds himself with a little dangerous romance. But all is not what it seems and Gentry soon finds that he has not been told the full story.

I enjoyed the nearly 13 hours I spent with his spy novel. I thought that the plot was interesting and this was a pretty typical spy thriller. I would certainly read another in the series. The cover art is OK, but does not convey much about the story. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

I always enjoy the Gray Man. Followed this author over from the Tom Clancy books.

Mark Greaney is an extremely talented writer. This is a great thriller, the plot is brilliant, the action heart - pumping realistic and the characterisations superb. His work just keeps getting better. A must read for adrenaline junkies.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

When I started Gunmetal Gray, I didn't realize it was the sixth book in a series about intrepid, spy/assassin Court Gentry, nicknamed the "Gray Man". Although it might have been helpful to know the Gray Man's backstory, it was not essential. In fact, the outsider with a moral code of his own was rather familiar territory in the spy adventure genre.

Court is hired to find a brilliant Chinese defector, Fan, whose unique skill set as a computer hacker makes him a valuable commodity for multiple nations. Throughout this fast paced novel, the nations seeking the young man view him as a prize that must be theirs. Court is involved in the escapade to save a sort-of friend, but he quickly determines that Fan should be allowed to do what he wants.

Throw in a lovely and highly skilled Russian operative, Zoya, and there is lots of action and adventure to go around. This novel would appeal to James Rollins' fans, but Court is strictly a loner.

I have been reading Mark Greaney's Gray Man series since the first book, and this is without a doubt the best one yet. Having honed his craft in the Tom Clancyverse in addition to his own series, Mark is really hitting his stride as a writer and it shows. I didn't want to put Gunmetal Gray down!

Spy who works alone. Meets lady spy who also works alone. High adventure..

Published by Berkley on February 14, 2017

I typically roll my eyes at thrillers that require the hero to defeat dozens of highly trained fighters, as if he were a superhero. I make an exception with Gray Man novels because rolling my eyes would divert my attention from the fun, fast-moving story. Besides, Gunmetal Gray strikes me as being more credible than most action thrillers, simply because it illustrates how badly intelligence agencies foul things up when they try to meddle with the rest of the world.

Having resolved his little misunderstanding with the CIA, Courtland Gentry accepts a contract to carry out its latest scheme. Fan Jiang, the best hacker working for the Chinese government, has bolted, making his way to Hong Kong with a head full of secrets. When Gentry arrives in Hong Kong to look for him, a Chinese colonel offer him a contract to kill Jiang. The person offering the contract is someone who doesn’t mess around, but neither does the Gray Man.

An elderly British assassin, a female Russian spy, and Triad gangsters all enter the plot before a hundred pages have passed. And that’s only the beginning of the criminal and intelligence organizations that step on each other’s toes as they try to use or kill Fan. The difference between the spies and the gangsters is often negligible, but Gentry tries to rise above it all to carry out a mission of his own — one that departs from the expectations of both the CIA and the Chinese colonel.

To recover Fan, Gentry frequently finds himself caught between paramilitary operations run by the Chinese and Russians, not to mention the Triad, the Vietnamese army, heavily armed Cambodian and Thai thugs, and the Mafia. All in a day’s work for the Gray Man.

Of course, there are things Gentry doesn’t know about the full scope of the CIA’s plan, because the CIA worries that he’ll go off reservation — again — if he learns the truth. And, of course, the CIA is right about that. The truth matters to Gentry, and being told to be a good little patriot and do what he's told doesn't sit well with him. There’s plenty of action in Gunmetal Gray, but also a fair amount of intrigue.

Readers who are familiar with the series know what to expect from Gentry, but Gunmetal Gray introduces a female SVR agent who is a worthy adversary, or ally, depending on her mood. Gentry and the Russian don’t know what to make of each other for much of the novel. And while Gentry works alone by preference, he finds himself admiring the Russian’s skills (and curves). That adds a bit of spice to the story.

The plot takes the usual twists and turns that a reader expects from Mark Greaney. He’s a clever writer who doesn’t view the world through the narrow lens that impairs most action/thriller writers who focus on international intrigue. The plot is reasonably complex and, as I noted, it is driven by the unerring ability of intelligence agencies to make a mess of things. But political intrigue aside, most of the novel is about the Gray Man doing his thing, and it delivers action in large helpings.

Notwithstanding that this is an action novel, the ending reveals truths about powerful governments that, regardless of ideology, place a higher value on winning their games than they place on moral behavior. The Gray Man is driven by a moral code and is inevitably disappointed that the CIA is not. A nation’s values mean nothing when they are sacrificed for the illusion of security. I loved the way that lesson is revealed in the novel’s ending.

RECOMMENDED

3.5 stars. Action-packed spy thriller. I like a nice meaty, complex plot, which this certainly had. In fact, it was perhaps a little too complex. Just too much going on. Greaney also goes into too much detail for my taste in describing, for example, someone scaling the side of a building. I really don't need to be told of every twist of the torso and every stretch of the arm. Some detail is needed to make the action seem real, but too much becomes a little tedious.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book.

I tend to avoid covert operation style books. I find that there is a stereotype protagonist. Generally their tall, athletic, goodlooking, able to overcome any obstacle, and invincible. Gunmetal Gray falls into that category..

Court Gentry is The Gray Man. The best at what he does, killing people. But he has a conscience, a moral compass that guides his actions. There seems to be a contradiction in that statement. He kills but only the bad guys even though he doesn't make the determination of who are the bad guys. No matter how impossible the situation he has the ability to overcome what ever is presented. A case in point, a large gun fight is raging around him with multiple players involved. Russians shooting at Thai thugs and Chinese special forces. The Chinese shooting at the Thai Thugs and the Russians. The Thai thugs shooting anything that moves. Yet Court is able to rescue 5 women, one at a time, through this hail of bullets. Without a scratch. One of the reasons I struggle with this particular genre. characters die when they need to die. They live if they're needed to live. A formula that seems to pervade this style of book.

I have not read any of the previous Gray Man books so I'm making an assumption that they all follow this same formula with variations of locale, threat, challenges, or personnel.

What I can say on the positive side is that Mark Greaney is a superb writer/storyteller within this genre. Great pacing throughout. His characters stay true to the flesh he gives them. Regardless of the plot holes, impossible situations, and ease of resolution Mr Greaney has a very clear voice. That in and of itself should recommend this book to lovers of this genre.

I received my copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley.

Gunmetal Gray is the 6th book in The Gray Man series. I have not read any of the other books. While it may have been interesting in having more backstory regarding The Gray Man, I do not feel like I was at a disadvantage by not reading the other books. However, at some point, I may consider reading the other books just because I was really blown away by this one.

Courtland “Court” Gentry is The Gray Man. He is an assassin for hire who is currently working for the C.I.A. Although he is a hitman, he also has a moral compass that influences how he goes about carrying out his jobs. That particular trait makes him an admirable man regardless of his profession. For this job, Court is tasked with locating a Chinese asset that would be able to provide game-changing cyber intelligence to the United States. This job is far from easy. Court ends up playing catch and release several times on his journey throughout Asia. In addition, he deals with some heavily armed and capable killers from other countries along the way. Anyone else would have easily turned tail and ran but Court/The Gray Man is literally a legend. He succeeds no matter the opposition. His skills and determination are on a Jason Bourne level.

Everything about Gunmetal Gray plays out like a big budget action movie. There are plenty of people who die from gun-inflicted lead poisoning. I lost count of how many times Court somehow made it on the other side of a shoot out without dying. He never finds a situation where he is truly overmatched even though he isn’t cocky. His unyielding battle skills and experience almost makes you forget that he would be considered a bad guy to most people. I had no trouble rooting for him and was immediately sucked into his world. Gunmetal Gray was an homage to all of the good spy movies that I’ve seen. I will gladly read another one.

This is #6 in the Gray Man series and it definitely reads as a standalone with little necessity for the back story since in this book Court Gentry is moving into a new phase of his life as a contractor with the CIA. The book is yet again way too long and while there is a lot of action and interesting plot twists, reading becomes ponderous because it just takes so long to happen. I did not feel compelled to keep reading until I reached the 60% point in the book. And yet, I will probably read the next one. The characters are interesting and, in truth, I want to see where things go after this book especially since a new love interest for Court has been introduced.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read the first 5 books of this series but I may go back because Greaney's Gray Man has intrigued me. He is a CIA op who the CIA turned against became a free agent and is now back as a CIA consultant.

Set mostly in Hong Kong, Cambodia and Thailand this book lets you take a ride with one of the best covert op men in the business. The problem the CIA has with him become very apparent toward the end of the book when you realize that Court Gentry has a code of honor that does not always mesh well with the CIA. He may be a covert op turned assassin turned consultant but he doesn't betray his own morals or values. He fights for what he thinks is right. Think of him as a modern day James Bond.

This book had great pacing, great action, lots of twists, a touch of romance, and enough political power plays to make your head spin. Even without reading the previous books I didn't feel lost or overwhelmed by past plots that were necessary to this story. I think the author did a good job of filling in the blanks to make this a stand alone even though it is part of a series.