My 4th time reading this exciting novel! It's the kind of story one does not get tired of reading. This page-turning, action-packed novel was an inspiration for me to write THE SANDMAN, my first novel. The whole story takes place in a single day, with realistic action scenes, tongue-in-cheek writing, and characters that leave you cheering, and jeering. I read this book in three days! And have since read it twice. Definitely one of Stephen Hunter's best!Set during the Cold War, a renegade Russian...

This is "just an airport novel" only in the sense that Die Hard (the first one) was "just another action movie." In other words, you have here a familiar genre and set-up (here, the "countdown to Armageddon") being taken to a peak level by expert craftsmanship.A large part of the book's success is that it's a fascinating, deeply-researched book that refuses to settle on just technical jargon... or even get by on its tightly-woven, brilliant plotting or technicolor-vivid prose. Instead, Hunter co...

For several years leading up to The Day Before Midnight Stephen Hunter had written some fair, but not outstanding novels. The one constant throughout the early novels was an attention to detail when it came to firearms. However to me the earlier novels felt like Hunter was trying too hard. That he wanted to be "literary" instead of just a novelist of entertaining thrillers. The Day Before Midnight changed all that. I read it when it was released as a paperback in the late eighties and it blew me...

THE DAY BEFORE MIDNIGHT If you like stuff like Die Hard and Olympus Has Fallen, chances are good you'll like this one. The South Mountain missile site in suburban Maryland, complete with a nuclear missile, is taken over by an unknown elite paramilitary assault team. The good guys have only one day, till midnight, to stop the launch. Nonstop action from the first page, the military and a good variety of citizens really put all they have into stopping the impending disaster. A lot of tension and e...

Picked up this book to reread for the 100th time. This book hooked me on to the author who also has a series on bob lee swagger (sniper) whose character is now on TV in the series Shooter. The day before midnight is unique that it has a host of characters from the average joes to the elite military team that are all somehow central to the conclusion of the theme.

This 25 year old '89 Hunter story is typical of the post cold war time period that saw the Soviets finish second. More sacrifices than necessary were made. 4 of 10 stars

OutstandingEveryone writes about "a book you can't put down." This is the novel that defines that phrase. Great plot, great characters, great writing.

Should be a movie.

This is an old school Stephen Hunter thriller that grabs you from the opening pages and takes you on a frenetic race that never lets up until it reaches a tense, dramatic conclusion.A family is taken hostage and the father – a welder – is coerced into doing a treacherous job; a professor stumbles through a lecture as he tries to find some semblance of order in his life after a messy break-up with his wife; a Vietnam veteran is now imprisoned in solitary confinement; and a bungling Soviet spy who...

Stephen Hunter needs to sue somebody's ass. What we have here is a prototype for the TV show "24" (tho this is more like "17," and someone forgot 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. in all the excitement). Each chapter is an hour, and the clock is ticking while the heroes race to avert global catastrophe. In this case, terrorist commandos have taken over a nuclear missile silo in rural Maryland, and a band of scientists, feds, Delta badasses, Vietnam vets and clutzy National Guardsmen try to prevent World War II...

I couldn't stop reading this book. My experience with Stephen Hunter before this was limited to his Bob Lee Swagger series, so I wasn't sure what to expect from a book without good ole' Gunny. But whatever expectations I had, Hunter blew them away. The story was masterfully woven together from the different characters' points of view, and all of those stories contributed perfectly to the whole. The characters were likable, the pace was good... I just can't say enough good things about this book....

Awesome. Perfect beach reading: Brilliant plotting, effortless characterization, and possibly the most head-spinning use of parallel narrative ever deployed. There are times when I suspect there's really nothing better than very, very good genre fiction, and Hunter's book strongly suggest that's true.

first rate, Hunter's finest book. This has to be one of the most well paced and well written "white-knuckle" books I have ever read. The break neck story gallops along with well drawn characters, riveting twists and clearly well researched.

Hunter at his finest.

Another non stop action thriller by Mr. Hunter! You will not want to put this one down!

Spoiler in this.Just a short review on this. I have read several of Mr. Hunters books, enjoyed them to varying degrees. This one was good until the last 15 pages or so. When one of the heroes and main characters gets killed while a traitor lives, with her grief and that is all, I sort of loose interest. She was a traitor who gave up security plans to a nuclear weapons facility to another country and her only excuses are; they are our allies (They weren't), she was angry at him, lonely, and her h...

Outstanding nuclear thrillerHunter’s had only a couple misses, but of all the books I consider his hits, this is at or near the very top. There are no breaks, no fall-back-and-regroup chapters, just drive ahead as quick as possible, as if our lives depended on it (and in the book, they do). Yes, there are technical areas we can point out as inaccurate ( mostly in hindsight, since we’re all “experts” now), but they never caused the book to become mired in unbelievability. Plenty of Brains to go w...

It is a good book but Hunter puts in some extra stuff that I feel isn’t needed.My other criticism is I think he plays down our military capabilities and the Delta guys. Add in like a C-130 had to refuel, what did they start with a quarter tank full, you’ve got to be kidding me? Then when we talk about medical needs saying it was better in Nam? Come on now, this is the USA for crying out loud! Move em! Way short on authenticity or not enough knowledge by Hunter, I don’t like these big guffaws. Hu...

This was just okay, in the military-thriller Tom Clancy genre. Set in the late 1980s, a group of Soviet fanatics take over a nuclear missile installation in the US and plan to start World War III by launching the missiles and their Russian targets. Some smart American guys need to figure out what's going on and break into the silo to stop them. There's a little bit of spy-versus-spy, overly-specific weapon descriptions, and some period racism and sexism.My copy was the audiobook, so it was also

Hunter's books never fail to entertain, inform, provide insights into human behavior and deliver suspense and thrills.But this one sweeps the table. Situations carefully crafted and artfully introduced. Narrative clear while retaining essential mystery. Clues, portents, emotional contortions and, of course, weapons, action, death and desperation.Had to read it again to enjoy thoroughly. Who cares that the scenario is out of date and implausible? Each character participates and you believe you're...

Very intense storyline keeps you nail biting from start to finish. Almost every character, except Jack the welder and his hostaged family, seem a little bit more misfit than mainstream normal but still manage to come together in time to stop the launching of a nuclear device that would destroy millions. A very good book, well written and character developed but all in all, a little frightening to think how close to true case scenario this just could be.

Fractured and freneticI will always be a Stephen Hunter fan, but this work was not my favorite. Hunter tried to weave too many separate stories into one book, and it ended up seeming quite disjointed to this reader. Yes, the book was action-packed and kept me turning the pages, but I found myself skimming the less interesting parts in an effort to get to the finish. Give me Earl or Bob Lee Swagger stories any day!

Three and a half stars. Now that I am caught up on the Bob Lee Swagger books, I am trying to read Hunter's stand alone novels. This felt like a throwback to a sixties-style movie. Like Guns of Navarone or the Dirty Dozen. The book starts off great, like most Hunter books do. There are several characters and several different plot points that lead to the conclusion. I had to do a little skimming (too war-y for me). But I enjoyed it overall.

Breathtaking.Another of Hunter’s special kind of story. Excitement from page one to the end. Although, I got a little exasperated at the detail to which he gave some of the governmental background. Had to skim through most of that. Surprised that so many of the “heroes” didn’t make it, but that’s ok. Highly recommend.

Different but goodWhile different than his usual style, little about guns and shooting details, Mr. Hunter provides a well written, almost edge of your seat thriller. The characters are drawn well and the premise of the book is quite intriguing. The story moves along at a brisk pace. An enjoyable and engaging read

Action-packed thriller and a page-turner. This book was written a few decades ago, but I guess it's just like watching Die Hard movies, it's timeless. ;-)"The choice isn’t between peace and war, it’s between losing and winning an already inevitable war." Are we all marching towards an inevitable world war?

they have been burning through a titanium alloy block (melting point of 6500 degrees) for hours and hours and as soon as the hole is big enough the general puts his hand through? did the alloy go back to room temperature as soon as he took the flame away??

Terrible audio production: overly dramatized musical score, narration, an out-dated overall presentation which detracts from likely a very well-written military/political thriller. I wish I had read the book myself.

Still packs quite a wallop, even if it is very much a Hollywood-style thriller, with bombs defused in last seconds, events conveniently coming to a culmination all at once, and the very unfortuitously named Dick Puller.

Not Hunter's best book and not particularly memorable in any way. Ask me 5 years from now and I won't recall a single interesting moment.