Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A swashbuckling thriller from Coonts. The Indian Ocean off the Horn of Africa sees heavy commercial traffic as ships ply their way to the Suez Canal. Given the great poverty on the continent, some men take to piracythey commandeer a cruise ship or freighter and hold cargo, passengers and crew for ransom. One such victim is the Sultan of the Seas, a luxury liner with almost 900 souls aboard. Sailing the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, it catches the attention of Muslim pirates operating out of Mogadishu, Somalia. Once they board the unarmed vessel, they kill a few infidels to frighten the rest, then issue their demand to the world: $200 million, or everyone dies. Meanwhile, passenger Mike Rosen secretly sends emails to his employer about deteriorating conditions on the ship, and his messages become worldwide news. The CIA and Navy SEALs get involved, since the U.S. thinks the pirates may intend to kill everyone onboard regardless of whether they get the ransom. Former Navy pilot Coonts expertly builds the tension as plans develop to take back the ship, conflicts brew between pirate factions, copious blood flows and an old coastal fortress turns into a potential bomb. Coonts' fans will welcome back series characters Jake Grafton and Tommy Carmellini, who see to it that readers have fun while lots of bad guys take the express route to Paradise. Meanwhile, readers considering an Indian Ocean cruise might want to pick something less adventurous. Thriller lovers will enjoy this one for its fast pace, colorful locale and satisfying conclusion. There's never a doubt as to which side will win, of course, but Coonts takes us on a heck of a good ride.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

After a decade-long absence, Coonts' first and most popular protagonist, Jake Grafton, returns to action, ably assisted by Tommy Carmellini, who in addition to costarring in a few previous Grafton novels has also top-lined a handful of books of his own. When a cruise ship is taken by Somali pirates, Jake and Tommy attack the problem on different fronts, Jake trying to broker a truce with the pirate overlord while Tommy spearheads an undercover mission to rescue the hostages. Full of action and anchored by a pair of strong protagonists (not to mention an equally strong supporting cast, most notably the captain of the cruise ship), this one will definitely appeal to Coonts' legion of fans, who have been eagerly awaiting the return of Grafton and Carmellini. Coonts is one of those writers whose name on the cover pretty much guarantees a certain level of quality, and he doesn't disappoint here. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The track record tells the story: there have been 16 New York Times best-sellers with Coonts' name on the spine.--Pitt, David Copyright 2010 Booklist

Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Jake Grafton and Tommy Carmellini team up again in this tense and action-packed thriller set in the Horn of Africa. A cruise ship is hijacked by Somali pirates demanding a ransom of $200 million for the crew and passengers. After an initial rescue attempt fails, an informant provides intel about a much more serious conspiracy connected to the piracy, and Jake, Tommy, and some Navy SEALs must save the day. Eric G. Dove's performance is spirited and expressive. He gives all of the many characters believable accents, from British and German to American and Somali. The narrative is read with an equal verve and expression. Verdict Recommended for listeners who enjoy nonstop action. ["Coonts's latest Grafton and Carmellini adventure (after The Disciple and The Traitor) is tense, timely, exciting, and totally enjoyable. Even though part of a series, the novel stands alone more than nicely," read the review of the St. Martin's hc, LJ Xpress Reviews, 4/26/13.-Ed.]-Michael T. Fein, Central Virginia Community Coll., Lynchburg (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly
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Naval aviator Jake Grafton joins forces with CIA operative Tommy Carmellini, the hero of his own series (The Disciple, etc.), in bestseller Coonts's 11th Jake Grafton thriller (after 2003's Liberty), a can't-put-it-down plunge into the fast-growing Somali pirates subgenre. A team of pirates, led by ruthless, brutal Mustafa al-Said, who works for warlord Sheikh Ragnar, seizes the 850-passenger cruise ship Sultan of the Seas after a hard chase. American forces under the command of Adm. Toad Tarkington aboard Chosin Reservoir, an amphibious assault ship, are ready to intervene, but they operate under constraints. Politicians far away control the action and may in the end pay the pirates' ransom. After the liner is taken to the port of Eyl, Somalia, and the passengers are locked up in an old fortress, Grafton and Carmellini put boots on the ground and face down the bad guys with the help of SEALs, Force Recon, and other military units. This is a stomach-clenching nail-biter that will leave readers exhausted and satisfied that justice-very rough justice-has been served. Agent: Deborah C. Grosvenor, Kneerim & Williams Literary Agency. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Modern piracy has become a major scourge, particularly in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. When an ocean liner with a thousand people on board, many of them Americans, is seized by Somali pirates in a bloody assault, the United States must decide how to save the captives without appearing to cave in to the pirates' demands. Of course there are political and diplomatic considerations restraining military efforts to rescue the crew and passengers. While Washington dithers, the pirates have no intention of honoring their part of any bargain. Instead, they plan to murder the captives after collecting a huge ransom. The job of organizing a rescue falls to Jake Grafton and his partner in arms Tommy Carmellini. Verdict Coonts's latest Grafton and Carmellini adventure (after The Disciple and The Traitor) is tense, timely, exciting, and totally enjoyable. Even though part of a series, the novel stands alone more than nicely. [See Prepub Alert, 11/12/12.]-Robert Conroy, Warren, MI (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.