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Joe Ledger #7
Predator One
On opening day of the new baseball season a small model-kit airplane flies down from the stands and buzzes the mound, where a decorated veteran pilot is about to throw out the first ball. The toy plane is the exact replica of the one flown by the war hero. Everyone laughs, thinking it’s a prank or a publicity stunt. Until it explodes, killing dozens.
Seconds later a swarm of killer drones descend upon the picnicked crowd, each one carrying a powerful bomb. All across the country artificial intelligence drive systems in cars, commuter trains and even fighter planes go out of control. The death toll soars as the machines we depend upon every day are turned into engines of destruction.
Joe Ledger and the Department of Military Sciences go on the hunt for whoever is controlling these machines, but the every step of the way they are met with traps and shocks that strike to the very heart of the DMS. No one is safe. Nowhere is safe. Enemies old and new rise as America burns.
Joe Ledger and his team begin a desperate search for the secret to this new technology and the madmen behind it. But before they can close in the enemy virus infects Air Force One. The president is trapped aboard as the jet heads toward the heart of New York City. It has become PREDATOR ONEp
448 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2015
124 people are currently reading
2240 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Maberry
517 books7,726 followersJONATHAN MABERRY is a New York Times best-seller and Audible #1 bestseller, five-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, anthology editor, comic book writer, executive producer, magazine feature writer, playwright, and writing teacher/lecturer. He is the editor of WEIRD TALES Magazine and president of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers. He is the recipient of the Inkpot Award, three Scribe Awards, and was named one of the Today’s Top Ten Horror Writers. His books have been sold to more than thirty countries. He writes in several genres including thriller, horror, science fiction, epic fantasy, and mystery; and he writes for adults, middle grade, and young adult.
Jonathan is the creator, editor and co-author of V-WARS, a shared-world vampire anthology from IDW Publishing that was adapted into a NETFLIX series starring Ian Somerhalder (LOST, VAMPIRE DIARIES).
His young adult fiction includes ROT & RUIN (2011; was named in Booklist’s Ten Best Horror Novels for Young Adults, an American Library Association Top Pick, a Bram Stoker and Pennsylvania Keystone to Reading winner; winner of several state Teen Book Awards including the Cricket, Nutmeg and MASL; winner of the Cybils Award, the Eva Perry Mock Printz medal, Dead Letter Best Novel Award, and four Melinda Awards); DUST & DECAY (winner of the 2011 Bram Stoker Award; FLESH & BONE (winner of the Bram Stoker Award; 2012; and FIRE & ASH (August 2013). BROKEN LANDS, the first of a new spin-off series, debuted in 2018 and was followed by LOST ROADS in fall 2020. ROT & RUIN is in development for film by ALCON ENTERTAINMENT and was adapted as a WEBTOON (a serialized comic formatted for cell phones), becoming their #1 horror comic.
His novels include the enormously popular Joe Ledger series from St. Martin’s Griffin (PATIENT ZERO, 2009, winner of the Black Quill and a Bram Stoker Award finalist for Best Novel) and eleven other volumes, most recently RELENTLESS. His middle grade novel, THE NIGHTSIDERS BOOK 1: THE ORPHAN ARMY (Simon & Schuster) was named one the 100 Best Books for Children 2015. His standalone novels include MARS ONE, GLIMPSE, INK, GHOSTWALKERS (based on the DEADLANDS role-playing game), X-FILES ORIGINS: DEVIL’S ADVOCATE, and THE WOLFMAN --winner of the Scribe Award for Best Movie Adaptation
His horror novels include The Pine Deep Trilogy from Pinnacle Books (GHOST ROAD BLUES, 2006, winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel and named one of the 25 Best Horror Novels of the New Millennium; DEAD MAN’S SONG, 2007; and BAD MOON RISING, 2008; as well as DEAD OF NIGHT, and its sequels, FALL OF NIGHT, DARK OF NIGHT, and STILL OF NIGHT.
His epic fantasy series, KAGEN THE DAMNED debuts in May 2022. And he just signed to co-author (with Weston Ochse) a new series of military science fiction novels that launches the SLEEPERS series. Jonathan will also be launching a new series of science fiction horror novels for the newly established Weird Tales Presents imprint of Blackstone Publishing.
He is also the editor of three THE X-FILES anthologies; the dark fantasy anthology series, OUT OF TUNE; SCARY OUT THERE, an anthology of horror for teens; and the anthologies ALIENS: BUG HUNT, NIGHTS OF THE LIVING DEAD (with George Romero), JOE LEDGER UNSTOPPABLE (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt); two volumes of mysteries: ALTERNATE SHERLOCKS and THE GAME’S AFOOT (with Michael Ventrella); and ALIENS V PREDATOR: ULTIMATE PREY (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt). He is also the editor of DON’T TURN OUT THE LIGHTS, the official tribute to SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK. His next anthology will be ALIENS VS PREDATOR: ULTIMATE PREY (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt), debuting in spring 2022.
Jonathan was an expert on the History Channel documentary series, ZOMBIES: A Living History and TRUE MONSTERS. And he was participated in the commentary track for NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: REANIMATED.
His many nonfiction works include VAMPIRE UNIVERSE (Citadel Press, 2006); THE CRYPTOPED
Jonathan is the creator, editor and co-author of V-WARS, a shared-world vampire anthology from IDW Publishing that was adapted into a NETFLIX series starring Ian Somerhalder (LOST, VAMPIRE DIARIES).
His young adult fiction includes ROT & RUIN (2011; was named in Booklist’s Ten Best Horror Novels for Young Adults, an American Library Association Top Pick, a Bram Stoker and Pennsylvania Keystone to Reading winner; winner of several state Teen Book Awards including the Cricket, Nutmeg and MASL; winner of the Cybils Award, the Eva Perry Mock Printz medal, Dead Letter Best Novel Award, and four Melinda Awards); DUST & DECAY (winner of the 2011 Bram Stoker Award; FLESH & BONE (winner of the Bram Stoker Award; 2012; and FIRE & ASH (August 2013). BROKEN LANDS, the first of a new spin-off series, debuted in 2018 and was followed by LOST ROADS in fall 2020. ROT & RUIN is in development for film by ALCON ENTERTAINMENT and was adapted as a WEBTOON (a serialized comic formatted for cell phones), becoming their #1 horror comic.
His novels include the enormously popular Joe Ledger series from St. Martin’s Griffin (PATIENT ZERO, 2009, winner of the Black Quill and a Bram Stoker Award finalist for Best Novel) and eleven other volumes, most recently RELENTLESS. His middle grade novel, THE NIGHTSIDERS BOOK 1: THE ORPHAN ARMY (Simon & Schuster) was named one the 100 Best Books for Children 2015. His standalone novels include MARS ONE, GLIMPSE, INK, GHOSTWALKERS (based on the DEADLANDS role-playing game), X-FILES ORIGINS: DEVIL’S ADVOCATE, and THE WOLFMAN --winner of the Scribe Award for Best Movie Adaptation
His horror novels include The Pine Deep Trilogy from Pinnacle Books (GHOST ROAD BLUES, 2006, winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel and named one of the 25 Best Horror Novels of the New Millennium; DEAD MAN’S SONG, 2007; and BAD MOON RISING, 2008; as well as DEAD OF NIGHT, and its sequels, FALL OF NIGHT, DARK OF NIGHT, and STILL OF NIGHT.
His epic fantasy series, KAGEN THE DAMNED debuts in May 2022. And he just signed to co-author (with Weston Ochse) a new series of military science fiction novels that launches the SLEEPERS series. Jonathan will also be launching a new series of science fiction horror novels for the newly established Weird Tales Presents imprint of Blackstone Publishing.
He is also the editor of three THE X-FILES anthologies; the dark fantasy anthology series, OUT OF TUNE; SCARY OUT THERE, an anthology of horror for teens; and the anthologies ALIENS: BUG HUNT, NIGHTS OF THE LIVING DEAD (with George Romero), JOE LEDGER UNSTOPPABLE (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt); two volumes of mysteries: ALTERNATE SHERLOCKS and THE GAME’S AFOOT (with Michael Ventrella); and ALIENS V PREDATOR: ULTIMATE PREY (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt). He is also the editor of DON’T TURN OUT THE LIGHTS, the official tribute to SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK. His next anthology will be ALIENS VS PREDATOR: ULTIMATE PREY (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt), debuting in spring 2022.
Jonathan was an expert on the History Channel documentary series, ZOMBIES: A Living History and TRUE MONSTERS. And he was participated in the commentary track for NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: REANIMATED.
His many nonfiction works include VAMPIRE UNIVERSE (Citadel Press, 2006); THE CRYPTOPED
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 344 reviews
November 6, 2019
This was another action packed thriller from the team of Jonathan Maberry, the author, and Ray Porter, the narrator.
There was a bit of down time in this one, while Joe was out of the picture for a bit, but wow! Towards the end things accelerated so quickly I could barely catch my breath.
I am looking forward to continuing on to the next volume in the series. I found the audio at my library and there's only 1 person waiting for it, so I requested a hold and by the time I'm done with the audio I'm currently reading, I'll be back with my beloved Joe again.
Recommended!
There was a bit of down time in this one, while Joe was out of the picture for a bit, but wow! Towards the end things accelerated so quickly I could barely catch my breath.
I am looking forward to continuing on to the next volume in the series. I found the audio at my library and there's only 1 person waiting for it, so I requested a hold and by the time I'm done with the audio I'm currently reading, I'll be back with my beloved Joe again.
Recommended!
March 2, 2015
REVIEW SUMMARY: Seven books in and Maberry's Joe Ledger series is still going strong.
MY RATING: 4.5 stars
MY REVIEW
PROS: The most realistic and terrifying threat the Department of Military Sciences has faced; none of the characters feel safe; fast paced and gripping.
CONS: The protagonists are inactive for much of the novel; not enough Ledger time; if the villain reveal at the end is supposed to be a surprise it isn't.
BOTTOM LINE: Maberry continues to raise the stakes, pushing Ledger and the DMS to the breaking point.
Nothing in life is certain except death, taxes, and the next Joe Ledger Novel. Maberry's series of techno thrillers has remained a constant comfort in my life since Patient Zero released way back in 2009. Through dedication Maberry has produced a new Joe Ledger Novel annually and despite this intense schedule the series has only continued to grow stronger. Over the years Ledger and the Department of Military Sciences have battled zombies, super soldiers, chimeras, biblical plagues, vampires, zombies again, and now Skynet! Predator One sees the team facing off against drone terrorism.
Drone warfare has made plenty of headlines over the past couple of years. The commercialization of drones seemed to be one of the bigger stories of 2014. Maberry takes all of this and creates a frighteningly plausible terror scenario. The Seven Kings are back -- or at least one of them is anyway. The Gentleman, lone survivor of the secret group, is on his death bed but before he passes from this world he wishes to exact revenge on the agency that has continually foiled his plans. Now I'm not 100% positive whether or not the Gentleman's identity is supposed to be a secret. His real name isn't revealed until the end but there are enough blatant "clues" that I started to suspect it all might be a red herring (it's not). I'll admit that I was happy to see the character reappear.
The Seven Kings felt a little cartoony to me when they first entered the picture way back in book three, The King of Plagues, but that is no longer the case with Predator One. There may only be one "King" left but the threat he poses to the world is far greater than anything we've yet experienced in a Maberry novel. As Alfred says in The Dark Knight, "Some men just want to watch the world burn" and the Gentleman certainly falls under this category. Predator One is, without exaggeration, the most brutal Joe Ledger Novel to date.
Readers of this series have likely grown comfortable. Not since book two, The Dragon Factory, has one of the primary good guys died. There's been a high degree of civilian casualties (especially in the last book, Code Zero) and the DMS redshirts that get stuck on Ledger's team have a high mortality rate but no matter how dastardly the villains, no matter how terrible the evil scheme, Joe Ledger always saves the day. Predator One goes a long way toward rebuilding the diminished horror aspect of the series. I felt as though the characters were in actual danger. The terror attack at the baseball game is harrowing and heart wrenching -- it's the sort of iconic attack that would leave America reeling for years to come. Every component of the the Gentleman's plan raises the stakes and the death toll. Predator One does for commercial drones what Jaws did for sharks. Terrorism is all about fear and Maberry does not hesitate to embrace that in his writing. I hope that Maberry shows the fallout of Predator One in the next book because after all that transpired America should never be the same.
Likewise I don't suspect the characters will ever be the same after the events of Predator One. Except for Ledger. Joe Ledger never really changes, and honestly who would want him to? The Gentleman goes for the DMS's throat, targeting not just the agents but their families as well. Somehow Maberry even manages to accomplish the impossible -- he made me care about Rudy Sanchez. That's the nature of Predator One, it cuts so deep that I was able to set aside my loathing of Ledger's best friend. I've even come around to liking former baddie Alexander "Toys" Chismer, despite myself. All the other favorites are present and accounted for from Top and Bunny to Bug and Church (seriously, when the hell is he going to get his own damn spinoff/prequel novel) and Junie Flynn, who I have come to adore. Even Violin (I'd also settle for a Violin spinoff novel) makes an all too brief appearance.
My biggest complaint about Predator One is that the good guys seem to remain static for the majority of the novel, acted upon by the Gentleman rather than acting of their own volition. Ledger spends a lot of time at a hospital recovering from the baseball game attack. Junie, Toys, and Rudy spend a good deal of time at another hospital with the comatose Circe O'Tree. And then Ledger and Rudy head to a third hospital to investigate a peculiar drone attack. A lot is happening but our protagonists feel slightly impotent in the midst of it all. And perhaps, to give Maberry credit, that's where the heavier degree of tension and horror comes from.
The book moves at a blistering pace and Maberry's short chapters will keep you turning the pages well after you resolved to put the book down. The perspective jumps around from Ledger's first person narrative to the third person perspective of his allies, the villains, and some of the victims of the attacks. This gives readers both a personal and a broader view of events as they happen. Because of the scale of the Gentleman's plan I was expecting/hoping that the plot of Predator One might carry into the next book, Kill Switch. Relatively late into the book the Department of Military Sciences is still in the dark as to the nature of the threat and I was unsure Maberry could wrap it up in a hundred pages or so . Thus far each book has been "standalone" to a degree but I was salivating at the idea of a larger arc. Unfortunately that turned out not to be the case but the finale is still fulfilling and felt far from rushed.
As far as I am aware all of the Joe Ledger Novels are upwards of 400 pages and yet I've still managed to breeze through each in a weekend or so. Assassin's Code remains my favorite of the series (it'll be difficult to top) but Predator One displays a continued improvement while providing fans with everything they love so much about Joe Ledger and the Department of Military Sciences.
Nick Sharps
SF Signal
MY RATING: 4.5 stars
MY REVIEW
PROS: The most realistic and terrifying threat the Department of Military Sciences has faced; none of the characters feel safe; fast paced and gripping.
CONS: The protagonists are inactive for much of the novel; not enough Ledger time; if the villain reveal at the end is supposed to be a surprise it isn't.
BOTTOM LINE: Maberry continues to raise the stakes, pushing Ledger and the DMS to the breaking point.
Nothing in life is certain except death, taxes, and the next Joe Ledger Novel. Maberry's series of techno thrillers has remained a constant comfort in my life since Patient Zero released way back in 2009. Through dedication Maberry has produced a new Joe Ledger Novel annually and despite this intense schedule the series has only continued to grow stronger. Over the years Ledger and the Department of Military Sciences have battled zombies, super soldiers, chimeras, biblical plagues, vampires, zombies again, and now Skynet! Predator One sees the team facing off against drone terrorism.
Drone warfare has made plenty of headlines over the past couple of years. The commercialization of drones seemed to be one of the bigger stories of 2014. Maberry takes all of this and creates a frighteningly plausible terror scenario. The Seven Kings are back -- or at least one of them is anyway. The Gentleman, lone survivor of the secret group, is on his death bed but before he passes from this world he wishes to exact revenge on the agency that has continually foiled his plans. Now I'm not 100% positive whether or not the Gentleman's identity is supposed to be a secret. His real name isn't revealed until the end but there are enough blatant "clues" that I started to suspect it all might be a red herring (it's not). I'll admit that I was happy to see the character reappear.
The Seven Kings felt a little cartoony to me when they first entered the picture way back in book three, The King of Plagues, but that is no longer the case with Predator One. There may only be one "King" left but the threat he poses to the world is far greater than anything we've yet experienced in a Maberry novel. As Alfred says in The Dark Knight, "Some men just want to watch the world burn" and the Gentleman certainly falls under this category. Predator One is, without exaggeration, the most brutal Joe Ledger Novel to date.
Readers of this series have likely grown comfortable. Not since book two, The Dragon Factory, has one of the primary good guys died. There's been a high degree of civilian casualties (especially in the last book, Code Zero) and the DMS redshirts that get stuck on Ledger's team have a high mortality rate but no matter how dastardly the villains, no matter how terrible the evil scheme, Joe Ledger always saves the day. Predator One goes a long way toward rebuilding the diminished horror aspect of the series. I felt as though the characters were in actual danger. The terror attack at the baseball game is harrowing and heart wrenching -- it's the sort of iconic attack that would leave America reeling for years to come. Every component of the the Gentleman's plan raises the stakes and the death toll. Predator One does for commercial drones what Jaws did for sharks. Terrorism is all about fear and Maberry does not hesitate to embrace that in his writing. I hope that Maberry shows the fallout of Predator One in the next book because after all that transpired America should never be the same.
Likewise I don't suspect the characters will ever be the same after the events of Predator One. Except for Ledger. Joe Ledger never really changes, and honestly who would want him to? The Gentleman goes for the DMS's throat, targeting not just the agents but their families as well. Somehow Maberry even manages to accomplish the impossible -- he made me care about Rudy Sanchez. That's the nature of Predator One, it cuts so deep that I was able to set aside my loathing of Ledger's best friend. I've even come around to liking former baddie Alexander "Toys" Chismer, despite myself. All the other favorites are present and accounted for from Top and Bunny to Bug and Church (seriously, when the hell is he going to get his own damn spinoff/prequel novel) and Junie Flynn, who I have come to adore. Even Violin (I'd also settle for a Violin spinoff novel) makes an all too brief appearance.
My biggest complaint about Predator One is that the good guys seem to remain static for the majority of the novel, acted upon by the Gentleman rather than acting of their own volition. Ledger spends a lot of time at a hospital recovering from the baseball game attack. Junie, Toys, and Rudy spend a good deal of time at another hospital with the comatose Circe O'Tree. And then Ledger and Rudy head to a third hospital to investigate a peculiar drone attack. A lot is happening but our protagonists feel slightly impotent in the midst of it all. And perhaps, to give Maberry credit, that's where the heavier degree of tension and horror comes from.
The book moves at a blistering pace and Maberry's short chapters will keep you turning the pages well after you resolved to put the book down. The perspective jumps around from Ledger's first person narrative to the third person perspective of his allies, the villains, and some of the victims of the attacks. This gives readers both a personal and a broader view of events as they happen. Because of the scale of the Gentleman's plan I was expecting/hoping that the plot of Predator One might carry into the next book, Kill Switch. Relatively late into the book the Department of Military Sciences is still in the dark as to the nature of the threat and I was unsure Maberry could wrap it up in a hundred pages or so . Thus far each book has been "standalone" to a degree but I was salivating at the idea of a larger arc. Unfortunately that turned out not to be the case but the finale is still fulfilling and felt far from rushed.
As far as I am aware all of the Joe Ledger Novels are upwards of 400 pages and yet I've still managed to breeze through each in a weekend or so. Assassin's Code remains my favorite of the series (it'll be difficult to top) but Predator One displays a continued improvement while providing fans with everything they love so much about Joe Ledger and the Department of Military Sciences.
Nick Sharps
SF Signal
September 6, 2018
If you want asinine in your story, this is for you. Not for me. 0 of 10 stars
May 13, 2025
Just a fantastic series and it has been so long since I read one. I saw a friend review a later book in this series and I thought why has it been so long? I was on book 7 and I went to my shelves to see that there were none there which is why I haven't read any. It was out of sight out of mind. I quickly ordered the next two and here I gladly am.
Just a refresher, Joe Ledger is the leader of the Department of Military Science black ops division and he is one bad ass who because of his personal life has no qualms about much including or especially killing bad guys. The DMS has a super computer called Mindreader which infiltrates the web and all other computers searching out if anything bad will be forthcoming re harm to the States. Just a note, does or can such a computer already exist? Well in my review of Patient Zero in this series (the first in the series) I get into a personal story of dealing with Homeland Security and that experience leads me to believe this supercomputer already exists. Feel free to look at that review but be forewarned it is lengthy.
So in the last few books of this series we are dealing with an outfit who really likes to go crazy and stir the pot and make the markets really really move so they can become richer and richer. World wide plagues and things like that are what they specialize in. They are known as the Seven Kings and DMS thought they had wiped them right out. One of the Kings associates known as Toys is now part of DMS but many within DMS despise him. I loved him throughout this series and his foray into to the good side is pretty cool.
This book opens with Ledgers team trying to get at Osama bin Laden who is not dead and is being held in an offshore prison in South America. The rescue goes bad and it somehow goes viral which is not a good thing at all for the US govt.
We then go to an opening day baseball game where Joe and his best friend Rudy are watching the Phillies opener. Things get really messy here with a drone attack at the game where hundreds are killed and Joe was to be one of those deaths but of course our hero survives. Maberry does such a great job writing these type of scenes building up to a crescendo that is just oh so cool.
Joe's dog Ghost (a white shephard) is there and he is one hell of a killer too and due to an injury his jaw has been replaced with a titanium one, titanium teeth too, yikes! Joe and Ghost do as best they can given the situation they are in. I should point out that this book really delves into and sells this relationship between Joe and Ghost unlike anything up to this point. Kind of cool.
Then personal and family members of those associated to the DMS start falling. Who is orchestrating this all?
And of course the kicker. Many many freaky things start happening computer wise from cars self driving when they shouldn't be and military ships and planes being over taken by the very systems that should be keeping things safe. The leader of the DMS Mr. Church starts thinking their may be a computer out there that Mindreader cannot detect and is in a way smarter. Could this be?
Such cool characters too. The last member of the group of 7 is a mere shadow of himself and is on his death bed. He basically has been burned alive and amputated in quite a few spots all due to basically Joe Ledger. Dr Pharos is his doctor and confidant but only because this last member is worth trillions and Pharos wants those account numbers. Pharos daughter Boy, yes boy, is a girl he rescued from prostitution as a child and is quite a skilled fighter/killer herself. This novel is just stoked with awesome characters.
Also note for that the first time we get introduced to the fact that Father Nicodemus (very bad person on the bad side of things) as well as Mr. Church himself may be more than mere humans but people who have somehow existed for hundreds of years. Hinted at strongly and has me anticipating more on this theme. Just so cool.
I have to also mention Banshee a mystical Irish Wolfhound with hints of being not of this world. I don't know if you've ever encountered an Irish Wolfhound but I remember once walking the beat with my partner and coming across a couple walking a pair. They were the hugest dogs I have ever encountered. We talked at length with their owners but moved from our original location which was next to a tourist horse and wagon stop as the dogs were spooking the horse. I think that says it all, lol. Together they weighed 400lbs. Just mystical really.......
So I think I laid out quite a bit re plot and characters. This series as well as Hurwitz Orphan X series are my go to when I need a break from all the horror and thrillers I read. They are fantastic and tbh they are not really like a break from what I read but are now a mainstay in my repertoire and yes I know I got away from this series somehow.
The one dislike I have concerns style. They are long which is a negative in my mind and the chapters are broken within chapters meaning there are very few breaks while reading which makes them even longer and yet having said all that at the end I am quite disappointed in that it all ended, lol. An easy five stars for one heck of a great ride series! Enjoy!!!
Just a refresher, Joe Ledger is the leader of the Department of Military Science black ops division and he is one bad ass who because of his personal life has no qualms about much including or especially killing bad guys. The DMS has a super computer called Mindreader which infiltrates the web and all other computers searching out if anything bad will be forthcoming re harm to the States. Just a note, does or can such a computer already exist? Well in my review of Patient Zero in this series (the first in the series) I get into a personal story of dealing with Homeland Security and that experience leads me to believe this supercomputer already exists. Feel free to look at that review but be forewarned it is lengthy.
So in the last few books of this series we are dealing with an outfit who really likes to go crazy and stir the pot and make the markets really really move so they can become richer and richer. World wide plagues and things like that are what they specialize in. They are known as the Seven Kings and DMS thought they had wiped them right out. One of the Kings associates known as Toys is now part of DMS but many within DMS despise him. I loved him throughout this series and his foray into to the good side is pretty cool.
This book opens with Ledgers team trying to get at Osama bin Laden who is not dead and is being held in an offshore prison in South America. The rescue goes bad and it somehow goes viral which is not a good thing at all for the US govt.
We then go to an opening day baseball game where Joe and his best friend Rudy are watching the Phillies opener. Things get really messy here with a drone attack at the game where hundreds are killed and Joe was to be one of those deaths but of course our hero survives. Maberry does such a great job writing these type of scenes building up to a crescendo that is just oh so cool.
Joe's dog Ghost (a white shephard) is there and he is one hell of a killer too and due to an injury his jaw has been replaced with a titanium one, titanium teeth too, yikes! Joe and Ghost do as best they can given the situation they are in. I should point out that this book really delves into and sells this relationship between Joe and Ghost unlike anything up to this point. Kind of cool.
Then personal and family members of those associated to the DMS start falling. Who is orchestrating this all?
And of course the kicker. Many many freaky things start happening computer wise from cars self driving when they shouldn't be and military ships and planes being over taken by the very systems that should be keeping things safe. The leader of the DMS Mr. Church starts thinking their may be a computer out there that Mindreader cannot detect and is in a way smarter. Could this be?
Such cool characters too. The last member of the group of 7 is a mere shadow of himself and is on his death bed. He basically has been burned alive and amputated in quite a few spots all due to basically Joe Ledger. Dr Pharos is his doctor and confidant but only because this last member is worth trillions and Pharos wants those account numbers. Pharos daughter Boy, yes boy, is a girl he rescued from prostitution as a child and is quite a skilled fighter/killer herself. This novel is just stoked with awesome characters.
Also note for that the first time we get introduced to the fact that Father Nicodemus (very bad person on the bad side of things) as well as Mr. Church himself may be more than mere humans but people who have somehow existed for hundreds of years. Hinted at strongly and has me anticipating more on this theme. Just so cool.
I have to also mention Banshee a mystical Irish Wolfhound with hints of being not of this world. I don't know if you've ever encountered an Irish Wolfhound but I remember once walking the beat with my partner and coming across a couple walking a pair. They were the hugest dogs I have ever encountered. We talked at length with their owners but moved from our original location which was next to a tourist horse and wagon stop as the dogs were spooking the horse. I think that says it all, lol. Together they weighed 400lbs. Just mystical really.......
So I think I laid out quite a bit re plot and characters. This series as well as Hurwitz Orphan X series are my go to when I need a break from all the horror and thrillers I read. They are fantastic and tbh they are not really like a break from what I read but are now a mainstay in my repertoire and yes I know I got away from this series somehow.
The one dislike I have concerns style. They are long which is a negative in my mind and the chapters are broken within chapters meaning there are very few breaks while reading which makes them even longer and yet having said all that at the end I am quite disappointed in that it all ended, lol. An easy five stars for one heck of a great ride series! Enjoy!!!
August 29, 2023
Overall Rating : B+
"Our new Logo's pretty much, 'The DMS: We Don't Know Shit'"
More like don't know shit until the last possible f*cking moment. Joe Ledger can never seem to catch a goddamn break with people trying to destroy Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness (cliche I know but it works with the story).
This wasn't one of my favorite stories of this series, but it held its own and was very disturbing in its own right. Old, new and deranged villains return to wreak havoc and kill as many people as possible. And old, new and unstoppable friends join the case to stop them.
With 3 more books left in the series, I'm really afraid of what the ending is going to entail. But as long as Joe and Rudy survive, I guess I can live with the outcome.
"Our new Logo's pretty much, 'The DMS: We Don't Know Shit'"
More like don't know shit until the last possible f*cking moment. Joe Ledger can never seem to catch a goddamn break with people trying to destroy Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness (cliche I know but it works with the story).
This wasn't one of my favorite stories of this series, but it held its own and was very disturbing in its own right. Old, new and deranged villains return to wreak havoc and kill as many people as possible. And old, new and unstoppable friends join the case to stop them.
With 3 more books left in the series, I'm really afraid of what the ending is going to entail. But as long as Joe and Rudy survive, I guess I can live with the outcome.
May 6, 2015
Holy freaking hell.
Jonathan Maberry has done it again.
He's once again kept me at the edge of my seat, while reading a frightening realistic scenario that will forever change my views on certain up-and-coming technology. I loved every second of this novel. It scared the hell out of me, but I still loved every second of this.
Joe, the Echo Team, the DMS, and Mr. Church never seemed to catch a break this time around. The bad guys were too good, and they knew Mr. Church and the DMS too well. They knew what made them tick, and the bad guys knew exactly how to hurt them.
This was easily my favorite book of the series so far. While I wish there was more Joe and the good guys, I love that I was able to see into the dark, disturbing minds of the big bad bastards for a lot of this. Some of the big bads were new to the game, but the biggest bad bastard was someone the readers have met before, and when I realized who it was (pretty earlier on, it's not like it was a secret), there was profanity. It was a major WTF moment for me.
Every time I review these books, I feel like I have to end with recommending the series. It's an action-packed, techno-thriller series that I think a lot of people would love. Try it out, because the books just seem to be getting better and better!
Jonathan Maberry has done it again.
He's once again kept me at the edge of my seat, while reading a frightening realistic scenario that will forever change my views on certain up-and-coming technology. I loved every second of this novel. It scared the hell out of me, but I still loved every second of this.
Joe, the Echo Team, the DMS, and Mr. Church never seemed to catch a break this time around. The bad guys were too good, and they knew Mr. Church and the DMS too well. They knew what made them tick, and the bad guys knew exactly how to hurt them.
This was easily my favorite book of the series so far. While I wish there was more Joe and the good guys, I love that I was able to see into the dark, disturbing minds of the big bad bastards for a lot of this. Some of the big bads were new to the game, but the biggest bad bastard was someone the readers have met before, and when I realized who it was (pretty earlier on, it's not like it was a secret), there was profanity. It was a major WTF moment for me.
Every time I review these books, I feel like I have to end with recommending the series. It's an action-packed, techno-thriller series that I think a lot of people would love. Try it out, because the books just seem to be getting better and better!
June 4, 2020
This book just grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go! I've loved all of the books in this series, but this one was almost impossible to put down. I also love that Maberry stays true to the world he created. Reading a Joe Ledger book is not like watching an episode of "Law and Order," where everything wraps up neatly at the end and each episode is a contained unit. People reappear in these books, and so many events and plotlines are connected to those in other books. These connections flow seamlessly and seem authentic, never forced. No man is an island, and neither are the villains in the Joe Ledger universe!
I'd also like to say that Ray Porter seems born to read these books. I wouldn't even consider switching from audio to text because I'd lose Ray, and he has really brought Joe Ledger to life for me!
Highly recommended if you love action, military thrillers, or horror tropes presented in a realistic manner!
I'd also like to say that Ray Porter seems born to read these books. I wouldn't even consider switching from audio to text because I'd lose Ray, and he has really brought Joe Ledger to life for me!
Highly recommended if you love action, military thrillers, or horror tropes presented in a realistic manner!
May 25, 2021
10/22/2020 Notes:
Technically, I should love this book because it makes you react in an emotional & mental manner, but I don't. This is one of the harder stories to read in the series because it's more bleak than not. Yet, I cannot deny that it makes me react. In that, the books gets A++.
08/07/2017 Review:
The whole world is in danger. That idea is so large and abstract that it can be pushed away to a manageable distance. Your family is in danger. Your friends are wounded and dying. That is personal and those thoughts are much harder to wrangle into order. Nightmares worse than what's happening will careen around in your thoughts as emotions rail to overcome any sense of order.
That's the story. Predator One is all about the whole world being in danger and those close to the key members of the Department of Military Sciences have been targeted. It's a game of attack, misdirection, taunt, misdirection, feed some info, misdirection and a whole lot of explosions and gunfire. No one is safe and everyone gets hurt.
Drones are used in intricate plots of destruction, mayhem and death. The how and why of it is describe in minute details throughout the book. Everyone knows that government contracts are put to an auction of sorts and the lowest estimated bid for results within a certain perimeter wins the right to work on the project/s. It's not like the idea doesn't have some promise. If a company can produce excellent results for lower costs, that's great. Except people are flawed and companies are run by more than one person. Lower costs does not equate to excellent work ethics and sound results. The story brings up points about how technology advances in leaps and bounds. That it's a migraine of a task to upgrade all tech up to the latest software and hardware. There isn't a codified program that works well between the range of tech. Who wouldn't leap at the idea of a program that would bridge over the differences and make disparate programs work together? Let's put aside the fact that it's a very good hacking system that invades, inserts and restructures in order to make it all work. The idea is that this will be controlled by those who want to protect rather than attack. It would never fall into shady hands.
Right.
The story is a mix of internet buzz, experimental tech, otherworldly dangers & allies, and key figures that were present from the start of the series. It's hard to believe the crap the DMS encounters, defends from, attacks with ferocity and somehow manages to prevail against though the losses are high.
Joe Ledger is an ass. He knows that. He doesn't defend himself on that count, but he is loyal to a fault and will defend what he holds sacred until death drags him screaming bloody murder into hell and beyond. That's admirable. I can't help but root for that guy.
Ray Porter did a great job with the book! I enjoyed listening to him weave the story out with his unique take on the story.
Technically, I should love this book because it makes you react in an emotional & mental manner, but I don't. This is one of the harder stories to read in the series because it's more bleak than not. Yet, I cannot deny that it makes me react. In that, the books gets A++.
08/07/2017 Review:
The whole world is in danger. That idea is so large and abstract that it can be pushed away to a manageable distance. Your family is in danger. Your friends are wounded and dying. That is personal and those thoughts are much harder to wrangle into order. Nightmares worse than what's happening will careen around in your thoughts as emotions rail to overcome any sense of order.
That's the story. Predator One is all about the whole world being in danger and those close to the key members of the Department of Military Sciences have been targeted. It's a game of attack, misdirection, taunt, misdirection, feed some info, misdirection and a whole lot of explosions and gunfire. No one is safe and everyone gets hurt.
Drones are used in intricate plots of destruction, mayhem and death. The how and why of it is describe in minute details throughout the book. Everyone knows that government contracts are put to an auction of sorts and the lowest estimated bid for results within a certain perimeter wins the right to work on the project/s. It's not like the idea doesn't have some promise. If a company can produce excellent results for lower costs, that's great. Except people are flawed and companies are run by more than one person. Lower costs does not equate to excellent work ethics and sound results. The story brings up points about how technology advances in leaps and bounds. That it's a migraine of a task to upgrade all tech up to the latest software and hardware. There isn't a codified program that works well between the range of tech. Who wouldn't leap at the idea of a program that would bridge over the differences and make disparate programs work together? Let's put aside the fact that it's a very good hacking system that invades, inserts and restructures in order to make it all work. The idea is that this will be controlled by those who want to protect rather than attack. It would never fall into shady hands.
Right.
The story is a mix of internet buzz, experimental tech, otherworldly dangers & allies, and key figures that were present from the start of the series. It's hard to believe the crap the DMS encounters, defends from, attacks with ferocity and somehow manages to prevail against though the losses are high.
Joe Ledger is an ass. He knows that. He doesn't defend himself on that count, but he is loyal to a fault and will defend what he holds sacred until death drags him screaming bloody murder into hell and beyond. That's admirable. I can't help but root for that guy.
Ray Porter did a great job with the book! I enjoyed listening to him weave the story out with his unique take on the story.
March 16, 2017
More awesomeness from Maberry. The last sixty pages is some of the best stuff he's written.
April 5, 2025
Can't get enough of Joe and Ghost. Love that dog!❤️
February 26, 2016
Predator one is book #7 in the Joe Ledger series. Wow Maberry did it again! I have to say that I think these books have just gotten better and better as I read them. I am so glad that I was introduced to the fantastic writing of Jonathan Maberry.
Now since these are different cases for the DMS to solve I decided to share the synopsis of this book.
Synopsis
--
On opening day of the new baseball season a small model-kit airplane flies down from the stands and buzzes the mound, where a decorated veteran pilot is about to throw out the first ball. The toy plane is the exact replica of the one flown by the war hero. Everyone laughs, thinking it’s a prank or a publicity stunt. Until it explodes, killing dozens.
Seconds later a swarm of killer drones descend upon the picnicked crowd, each one carrying a powerful bomb. All across the country artificial intelligence drive systems in cars, commuter trains and even fighter planes go out of control. The death toll soars as the machines we depend upon every day are turned into engines of destruction.
Joe Ledger and the Department of Military Sciences go on the hunt for whoever is controlling these machines, but the every step of the way they are met with traps and shocks that strike to the very heart of the DMS. No one is safe. Nowhere is safe. Enemies old and new rise as America burns.
Joe Ledger and his team begin a desperate search for the secret to this new technology and the madmen behind it. But before they can close in the enemy virus infects Air Force One. The president is trapped aboard as the jet heads toward the heart of New York City. It has become PREDATOR ONE.
--
I really loved the plotline to this book and the whole series, even though it is on terrorism. I never thought I would enjoy anything about this but there is always so much action and excitement it is sure to soothe anyone's need for some adrenalin rushing adventure, and this book was no different. The action and excitement never let up for a second. I was glued to the pages, and so very engaged I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the story while sitting there on the edge of my seat, literally.
The characters of course are always my favorite part of this series and really any of Maberry's writing in general. The characters just develop so well throughout the series that they are always a joy to read about. Readers get introduced to some pretty gritty, malevolent characters as well, the ones you love to hate the most. Of course Joe and the Echo team are among my favorites, and this does include Ghost, Joe's dog. They are all so realistic to me that I feel like I am apart of their family since starting this series back in 2014. It has been awesome knowing them all.
I do find this series pretty equally plot and character driven. It is such an exciting adventure that I recommend it to just about anyone. It is truly a treat to read. I look forward to the final book in the series Kill Switch Scheduled to be released in April this year.
Now since these are different cases for the DMS to solve I decided to share the synopsis of this book.
Synopsis
--
On opening day of the new baseball season a small model-kit airplane flies down from the stands and buzzes the mound, where a decorated veteran pilot is about to throw out the first ball. The toy plane is the exact replica of the one flown by the war hero. Everyone laughs, thinking it’s a prank or a publicity stunt. Until it explodes, killing dozens.
Seconds later a swarm of killer drones descend upon the picnicked crowd, each one carrying a powerful bomb. All across the country artificial intelligence drive systems in cars, commuter trains and even fighter planes go out of control. The death toll soars as the machines we depend upon every day are turned into engines of destruction.
Joe Ledger and the Department of Military Sciences go on the hunt for whoever is controlling these machines, but the every step of the way they are met with traps and shocks that strike to the very heart of the DMS. No one is safe. Nowhere is safe. Enemies old and new rise as America burns.
Joe Ledger and his team begin a desperate search for the secret to this new technology and the madmen behind it. But before they can close in the enemy virus infects Air Force One. The president is trapped aboard as the jet heads toward the heart of New York City. It has become PREDATOR ONE.
--
I really loved the plotline to this book and the whole series, even though it is on terrorism. I never thought I would enjoy anything about this but there is always so much action and excitement it is sure to soothe anyone's need for some adrenalin rushing adventure, and this book was no different. The action and excitement never let up for a second. I was glued to the pages, and so very engaged I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the story while sitting there on the edge of my seat, literally.
The characters of course are always my favorite part of this series and really any of Maberry's writing in general. The characters just develop so well throughout the series that they are always a joy to read about. Readers get introduced to some pretty gritty, malevolent characters as well, the ones you love to hate the most. Of course Joe and the Echo team are among my favorites, and this does include Ghost, Joe's dog. They are all so realistic to me that I feel like I am apart of their family since starting this series back in 2014. It has been awesome knowing them all.
I do find this series pretty equally plot and character driven. It is such an exciting adventure that I recommend it to just about anyone. It is truly a treat to read. I look forward to the final book in the series Kill Switch Scheduled to be released in April this year.
July 10, 2023
The problem with the Joe Ledger series is that every time a new one comes out, I feel an uncontrollable urge to reread the entire series leading up the latest installment. Yes, I just did that and yes, I had as much fun this time around as I have every other time I read these books. They are definitely brain candy, but there's enough philosophical meat here that you can actually do a bit of deep thinking as you go along. And then you get to see the good guys kick the bad guys' patooteys. Fun!
The science in this particular iteration of Ledger is actually more frightening than any of the previous ones because it seems so very possible. For those of us (all of us?) who find the idea of driverless cars and ubiquitous drones a bit scary, this nightmare is far too close to reality.
The action is standard Ledger--nonstop, bloody, occasionally disturbing, and always with a point. Ledger continues to grow as a character, becoming more human and even more likable as he goes, but never losing the dark, irreverent humor that makes him so much fun.
Side note: If you are a fan of audio books, Ray Porter makes a *fantastic* Joe Ledger. Never a false note. I usually prefer printed books over the audio version because the narrator's voice so rarely matches the way I hear the characters. In this case, the books are great in both formats.
The science in this particular iteration of Ledger is actually more frightening than any of the previous ones because it seems so very possible. For those of us (all of us?) who find the idea of driverless cars and ubiquitous drones a bit scary, this nightmare is far too close to reality.
The action is standard Ledger--nonstop, bloody, occasionally disturbing, and always with a point. Ledger continues to grow as a character, becoming more human and even more likable as he goes, but never losing the dark, irreverent humor that makes him so much fun.
Side note: If you are a fan of audio books, Ray Porter makes a *fantastic* Joe Ledger. Never a false note. I usually prefer printed books over the audio version because the narrator's voice so rarely matches the way I hear the characters. In this case, the books are great in both formats.
May 10, 2020
This is another good story for people who like this series. You get your money's worth in these audiobooks (especially when free from the library!).
The more of these I read, the more it strikes me how off the covers and titles are. You would never think from the surface that this book would have, for example, a discussion on the nature of evil that is more coherent than the Great Courses audiobook on the same topic. Kudos to the author for figuring out how to turn that heavy material into entertainment.
Kudos also for better grammar (lay as the past of lie, e.g.) than most novels; although "rate of speed" appeared a lot in this one and this is an annoying redundancy. Plot-wise, I think the idea of hacking automated cars and such is a good one; having grown up with routinely crashing computers, I can't fathom how people believe nothing could go wrong with self-driving everything.
The more of these I read, the more it strikes me how off the covers and titles are. You would never think from the surface that this book would have, for example, a discussion on the nature of evil that is more coherent than the Great Courses audiobook on the same topic. Kudos to the author for figuring out how to turn that heavy material into entertainment.
Kudos also for better grammar (lay as the past of lie, e.g.) than most novels; although "rate of speed" appeared a lot in this one and this is an annoying redundancy. Plot-wise, I think the idea of hacking automated cars and such is a good one; having grown up with routinely crashing computers, I can't fathom how people believe nothing could go wrong with self-driving everything.
January 8, 2022
This is my first read in Joe Ledger January 2022 addition!
Predator One is the 7th book is the Joe Ledger series. Teammates and allies have come and gone, but in this book in the series, old enemies reappear and the United Sates is thrown into turmoil. When I was reading this book, I was never so happy to own a car that is 10 years old and does not have all the computerized bells and whistles. Heck it does not even have a back-up camera!
I'm not sure it is is possible, but I thinks these books are getting better as the series continue.
Predator One is the 7th book is the Joe Ledger series. Teammates and allies have come and gone, but in this book in the series, old enemies reappear and the United Sates is thrown into turmoil. When I was reading this book, I was never so happy to own a car that is 10 years old and does not have all the computerized bells and whistles. Heck it does not even have a back-up camera!
I'm not sure it is is possible, but I thinks these books are getting better as the series continue.
April 7, 2016
Once again, Joe Ledger and his DMS team are tasked with stopping a global threat that is bent on bringing the United States to its knees. Only this time, a deadly shadowy terrorist organization, once thought to be destroyed, has kidnapped a brilliant computer genius and coerced him into developing a program that takes control of our most advanced weapons systems...and turns them against us.
If you haven't read this series, I'd recommend starting with first novel, PATIENT ZERO. But these white-knuckle thrillride novels are incredibly enjoyable...and damn highly recommended!
If you haven't read this series, I'd recommend starting with first novel, PATIENT ZERO. But these white-knuckle thrillride novels are incredibly enjoyable...and damn highly recommended!
April 12, 2015
Just keeps getting better!
Every time a new Joe Ledger book comes out I think okay this one is my favorite.... Mr. Mayberry has done it again! Do yourself a favor and read this series from the beginning.
Every time a new Joe Ledger book comes out I think okay this one is my favorite.... Mr. Mayberry has done it again! Do yourself a favor and read this series from the beginning.
October 29, 2019
My review of PREDATOR ONE can be found at High Fever Books.
After seven books into Jonathan Maberry’s highly propulsive Joe Ledger series, I’ve become convinced there’s no such thing as a bad Joe Ledger book. That said, it does take some time for Predator One to really pick up a good head of steam and kick into high gear, presenting some unique frustrations along the way.
Over the course of this series we’ve seen zombies, vampires, alien technology, secret cults of villains that would put SPECTRE to shame, and killer diseases genetically modified to become even more potent and horrifying. In Predator One, the big terror is drones and autonomous vehicles — seemingly perfect fodder for the genre mishmash this series has become known for, twisting together horror, science fiction, and military action for a highly kinetic and engaging read.
Don’t get me wrong — Predator One has some seriously wicked action scenes, to be sure, and the threat levels keep getting more and more elevated. Unfortunately, it’s also got some serious lag time as various pieces get moved around and put into place. The inciting incident involving a drone attack on a baseball stadium during opening day is exciting and terrifying in equal measure, but it takes a few odd hours for Maberry to actually get to. It’s also a sequence that puts Ledger out of action for quite a while as he sustains a number of injuries that put in him in the hospital for a long stretch. If a Joe Ledger book with its central protagonist confined to a bed for hours and hours of audiobook story-time sound thrilling to you, well, hey, hats off to you.
There’s also a wholly unnecessary mystery involving the mastermind behind all these drone attacks who, for damn near 16 entire hours of this book, is referred to as the burned man. If you’re a Ledger fan and have been with this series since book one, you’ll have little trouble figuring out who this mystery man is. If you’re brand-new to this series, the big reveal isn’t going to have much impact on you and might even leave you scratching your head thinking, “That’s it? Really? Who?” Hell, even though I figured out who the villain was from the outset and can usually spot a red herring a mile away in these types of books, I was still left scratching my head thinking, “That’s it? Really?” It’s the type of non-twist that has no real reason for being, and if Maberry had just given us the burned man’s name right at the opening, it would have had exactly the same impact as it being denied to us. I kind of suspect the only reason it was kept so hush-hush was simply to annoy the readers…
And I admit, I was kind of annoyed with this book for the first half, particularly as Maberry spent so much time in Interlude Land to try and keep things exciting and action-filled while Ledger was MIA, front-loading this book with all the historical plot points we need to know for the present-day stuff to make sense. Predator One does eventually recover — not completely, but sufficiently enough to leave me satisfied. I’ve compared the Ledger books to 24 in past reviews, and if you’re a Jack Bauer fan you might recall season three, which begins with Bauer stuck in a Mexican telenovela before shifting gears at the half-way mark to deliver one hell of a grand-slam climax. That’s kind of where Predator One is. It takes a long, long, long time for this book to find its footing, but once it does the pieces fall into place nicely, Maberry raises the stakes in ways that both entertain and frustrate, and mostly in a good way! Ledger trying to get the information that will save the day, only to be stymied by bad guys, is always awesome and action packed. Ledger having to talk to an asocial computer guru Yoda, though, is frustrating in a bad way! But, it still has some comedic value, so it’s not a total loss.
And then there’s Ray freaking Porter. Goddamn, can this guy narrate the hell out of a book! It’s cliche, but no kidding, I’d listen to him narrate the freaking phone book just to see how he’d pull that off. In fact, I might even sign all those a-many Internet petitions demanding the release of The Snyder Cut of Justice League just to experience Porter inhabiting the role of Darkseid, because goddamn if that alone won’t be worth it. Hell, it might be the only saving grace that Justice League flick could ever have!
Anyway. Predator One gets a thumbs up, even if it’s not as enthusiastic a thumbs up as past installments have earned. I would not, however, recommend this book as a starting point for the newly initiated. It is book seven, after all, and even though Maberry does try to make each book an easy entry point for newcomers, there is a lot of background you’d be better of knowing before diving headlong into this book. If you haven’t read Ledger yet, you’ll want to go back to the very beginning and get yourself a copy of Patient Zero, then work your way through the rest. You’ll get to this book in short order soon enough, I promise.
After seven books into Jonathan Maberry’s highly propulsive Joe Ledger series, I’ve become convinced there’s no such thing as a bad Joe Ledger book. That said, it does take some time for Predator One to really pick up a good head of steam and kick into high gear, presenting some unique frustrations along the way.
Over the course of this series we’ve seen zombies, vampires, alien technology, secret cults of villains that would put SPECTRE to shame, and killer diseases genetically modified to become even more potent and horrifying. In Predator One, the big terror is drones and autonomous vehicles — seemingly perfect fodder for the genre mishmash this series has become known for, twisting together horror, science fiction, and military action for a highly kinetic and engaging read.
Don’t get me wrong — Predator One has some seriously wicked action scenes, to be sure, and the threat levels keep getting more and more elevated. Unfortunately, it’s also got some serious lag time as various pieces get moved around and put into place. The inciting incident involving a drone attack on a baseball stadium during opening day is exciting and terrifying in equal measure, but it takes a few odd hours for Maberry to actually get to. It’s also a sequence that puts Ledger out of action for quite a while as he sustains a number of injuries that put in him in the hospital for a long stretch. If a Joe Ledger book with its central protagonist confined to a bed for hours and hours of audiobook story-time sound thrilling to you, well, hey, hats off to you.
There’s also a wholly unnecessary mystery involving the mastermind behind all these drone attacks who, for damn near 16 entire hours of this book, is referred to as the burned man. If you’re a Ledger fan and have been with this series since book one, you’ll have little trouble figuring out who this mystery man is. If you’re brand-new to this series, the big reveal isn’t going to have much impact on you and might even leave you scratching your head thinking, “That’s it? Really? Who?” Hell, even though I figured out who the villain was from the outset and can usually spot a red herring a mile away in these types of books, I was still left scratching my head thinking, “That’s it? Really?” It’s the type of non-twist that has no real reason for being, and if Maberry had just given us the burned man’s name right at the opening, it would have had exactly the same impact as it being denied to us. I kind of suspect the only reason it was kept so hush-hush was simply to annoy the readers…
And I admit, I was kind of annoyed with this book for the first half, particularly as Maberry spent so much time in Interlude Land to try and keep things exciting and action-filled while Ledger was MIA, front-loading this book with all the historical plot points we need to know for the present-day stuff to make sense. Predator One does eventually recover — not completely, but sufficiently enough to leave me satisfied. I’ve compared the Ledger books to 24 in past reviews, and if you’re a Jack Bauer fan you might recall season three, which begins with Bauer stuck in a Mexican telenovela before shifting gears at the half-way mark to deliver one hell of a grand-slam climax. That’s kind of where Predator One is. It takes a long, long, long time for this book to find its footing, but once it does the pieces fall into place nicely, Maberry raises the stakes in ways that both entertain and frustrate, and mostly in a good way! Ledger trying to get the information that will save the day, only to be stymied by bad guys, is always awesome and action packed. Ledger having to talk to an asocial computer guru Yoda, though, is frustrating in a bad way! But, it still has some comedic value, so it’s not a total loss.
And then there’s Ray freaking Porter. Goddamn, can this guy narrate the hell out of a book! It’s cliche, but no kidding, I’d listen to him narrate the freaking phone book just to see how he’d pull that off. In fact, I might even sign all those a-many Internet petitions demanding the release of The Snyder Cut of Justice League just to experience Porter inhabiting the role of Darkseid, because goddamn if that alone won’t be worth it. Hell, it might be the only saving grace that Justice League flick could ever have!
Anyway. Predator One gets a thumbs up, even if it’s not as enthusiastic a thumbs up as past installments have earned. I would not, however, recommend this book as a starting point for the newly initiated. It is book seven, after all, and even though Maberry does try to make each book an easy entry point for newcomers, there is a lot of background you’d be better of knowing before diving headlong into this book. If you haven’t read Ledger yet, you’ll want to go back to the very beginning and get yourself a copy of Patient Zero, then work your way through the rest. You’ll get to this book in short order soon enough, I promise.
February 7, 2022
Action, some dark humor...more action, then some intense last minute action to finish up the story. That is about the pace of a Joe Ledger book. You just don't slow down once the first page is turned. Great series overall and this book is just another in the series reach out and slap you with it's plot. Very recommended
August 3, 2015
Every Joe Ledger book is centred on a fairly basic idea. This is what if terrorists could hack into all the automated drones and vehicles. The answer: chaos.
One of the Seven Kings is still alive, just. He plans his last act in this world to be the destruction of America. By kidnapping the Einstein of computing and forcing him to do the Seven Kings bidding, the Kings now have control of all the drones and military vehicles in the country. And boy are they going to use them.
It feels like Maberry suddenly realised that is writing books rather than films and doesn't need to worry about budget. The scale of this book is bigger than anything that has come before it. From drones attacking on the opening day of the baseball season to Air Force One being controlled, this is the DMS' biggest challenge yet. What's worse is that all the main players in the DMS are targeted in one form or another. Mr. Church's phone just keeps ringing with more bad news.
One of the most interesting ideas of the book was Toys getting more involved with the DMS. He has been a villain in the past, working with the Seven Kings, and is now an ally of the DMS. When it's the Seven Kings behind the atrocities it's Toys who has vital information. It's the notion that a person can change for the better, something these types of novels regularly ignore.
It's a neat idea to bring many people's fears about automated technology come true in this novel. It brings a real fear and sense of danger because you don't know where the next attack will be nor where it will come from in most cases.
Although it certainly ramps up the tension and danger, there are some problems with the basic plot. There's lots of speculation about futuristic computing which shows there was some proper technology research involved in this book. The trouble is it relies on the idea that all automated drones and vehicles use the same software. I'm sorry but I just don't buy that. Plus there's the fact the final solution to the whole book is mind-bogglingly simplistic.
The other problem is that this is a technology-based fight, not a soldier-based fight. Therefore Joe Ledger himself doesn't actually do much in the book- a soldier can't find a plane after all. There's one of Ledger's best ever moments right at the end of the book but the rest of the book is far from the best of the character- he's either in hospital or on a plane for most of it.
I really enjoyed the book, mainly for the thrill of what could happen. This book is more about the Seven Kings attacks that it is about the DMS doing anything about it. It's good stuff but I want Ledger more involved in the next book.
One of the Seven Kings is still alive, just. He plans his last act in this world to be the destruction of America. By kidnapping the Einstein of computing and forcing him to do the Seven Kings bidding, the Kings now have control of all the drones and military vehicles in the country. And boy are they going to use them.
It feels like Maberry suddenly realised that is writing books rather than films and doesn't need to worry about budget. The scale of this book is bigger than anything that has come before it. From drones attacking on the opening day of the baseball season to Air Force One being controlled, this is the DMS' biggest challenge yet. What's worse is that all the main players in the DMS are targeted in one form or another. Mr. Church's phone just keeps ringing with more bad news.
One of the most interesting ideas of the book was Toys getting more involved with the DMS. He has been a villain in the past, working with the Seven Kings, and is now an ally of the DMS. When it's the Seven Kings behind the atrocities it's Toys who has vital information. It's the notion that a person can change for the better, something these types of novels regularly ignore.
It's a neat idea to bring many people's fears about automated technology come true in this novel. It brings a real fear and sense of danger because you don't know where the next attack will be nor where it will come from in most cases.
Although it certainly ramps up the tension and danger, there are some problems with the basic plot. There's lots of speculation about futuristic computing which shows there was some proper technology research involved in this book. The trouble is it relies on the idea that all automated drones and vehicles use the same software. I'm sorry but I just don't buy that. Plus there's the fact the final solution to the whole book is mind-bogglingly simplistic.
The other problem is that this is a technology-based fight, not a soldier-based fight. Therefore Joe Ledger himself doesn't actually do much in the book- a soldier can't find a plane after all. There's one of Ledger's best ever moments right at the end of the book but the rest of the book is far from the best of the character- he's either in hospital or on a plane for most of it.
I really enjoyed the book, mainly for the thrill of what could happen. This book is more about the Seven Kings attacks that it is about the DMS doing anything about it. It's good stuff but I want Ledger more involved in the next book.
April 9, 2015
Predator One
What a book! I always wait with anticipation for the next Jonathan Maberry novel. Always. This time was no exception. I have re-listened to every Ledger book over the last few months in preparation. Timing it just right, I finished Code Zero Monday on my way home from work. Tuesday morning I set in for an adventure. I was not disappointed.
It was going to be a good day. Joe and Rudy were at opening day in Baltimore. They were going to watch a true American Hero throw out the first pitch and shake hands with Joe's all time hero, his father. Junie, Circe, and Lydia were in San Francisco house hunting. Then, out of nowhere, Circe faints. Meanwhile in Baltimore, a small remote airplane flies over the field, doing tricks and dives. The crowd was loving it! In the blink of an eye. BOOM! A good day went very, very bad. A quick series of events involving timers, guns, and...pigeons? WTF?...sends Church and the entirety of the D.M.S. into a battle they are ill prepared for, and a name they thought they'd never hear again. This time though, it's all personal. A computer program developed by a man who puts even the D.M.S.'s top expert, Bug, to shame, can take control of virtually any military equipment with a CPU. It wreaks chaos, sending Captain Ledger and the rest of the Echo team on a mission they thought was completed years ago. While Echo team tries to find the bastard behind this, unknown to them as The Gentleman; Church is stranded on Air Force One, a plane no longer under their control, and Rudy Sanchez is battling his own demons. Oh yeah, and a nice little glimpse of where Joe Ledger gets his tenacity.
I devoured this audiobook in 2 days. Ray Porter delivered an absolutely incredible performance. I've listened to a lot of audiobooks narrated by Mr. Porter and he is easily my favorite narrator, so I will obviously show no bias. He is Joe Ledger. I'm sure you've seen that before, so have I. It's just fact. The man adds so much to this story with his intensity. Every character has his or her own voice and they all get their own special touch of character from Ray Porter. You can hear the passion he has for these characters in every word.
This is a must read and a must listen. It's one of the best Ledger books yet. It adds depth to a lot of characters and is packed with adrenaline.
What a book! I always wait with anticipation for the next Jonathan Maberry novel. Always. This time was no exception. I have re-listened to every Ledger book over the last few months in preparation. Timing it just right, I finished Code Zero Monday on my way home from work. Tuesday morning I set in for an adventure. I was not disappointed.
It was going to be a good day. Joe and Rudy were at opening day in Baltimore. They were going to watch a true American Hero throw out the first pitch and shake hands with Joe's all time hero, his father. Junie, Circe, and Lydia were in San Francisco house hunting. Then, out of nowhere, Circe faints. Meanwhile in Baltimore, a small remote airplane flies over the field, doing tricks and dives. The crowd was loving it! In the blink of an eye. BOOM! A good day went very, very bad. A quick series of events involving timers, guns, and...pigeons? WTF?...sends Church and the entirety of the D.M.S. into a battle they are ill prepared for, and a name they thought they'd never hear again. This time though, it's all personal. A computer program developed by a man who puts even the D.M.S.'s top expert, Bug, to shame, can take control of virtually any military equipment with a CPU. It wreaks chaos, sending Captain Ledger and the rest of the Echo team on a mission they thought was completed years ago. While Echo team tries to find the bastard behind this, unknown to them as The Gentleman; Church is stranded on Air Force One, a plane no longer under their control, and Rudy Sanchez is battling his own demons. Oh yeah, and a nice little glimpse of where Joe Ledger gets his tenacity.
I devoured this audiobook in 2 days. Ray Porter delivered an absolutely incredible performance. I've listened to a lot of audiobooks narrated by Mr. Porter and he is easily my favorite narrator, so I will obviously show no bias. He is Joe Ledger. I'm sure you've seen that before, so have I. It's just fact. The man adds so much to this story with his intensity. Every character has his or her own voice and they all get their own special touch of character from Ray Porter. You can hear the passion he has for these characters in every word.
This is a must read and a must listen. It's one of the best Ledger books yet. It adds depth to a lot of characters and is packed with adrenaline.
December 30, 2014
Over 320 companies use, make or sell drones. More & more companies are creating autonomous vehicles. But what happens when these two technologies are used in terrorist attacks? Drones used as bombs in a public venue or used to deliver food that includes a highly toxic poison? You're using the self parking feature on your car when suddenly it puts the car into drive & floors the peddle into oncoming traffic.
Nobody is safe from the Seven King's newest attacks. The DMS & their family members are being attacked and it's up to Joe & his crew to stop them. Definitely an all nighter!!
Nobody is safe from the Seven King's newest attacks. The DMS & their family members are being attacked and it's up to Joe & his crew to stop them. Definitely an all nighter!!
April 15, 2015
All of the ledger books are outstanding and this one is no different. A fast paced edge of the seat ride with over the top characters and story. The only slight let down.......it was obvious who the "burned man/gentleman" was and maybe the "boy" character was underused. But awesome and can't wait for the next one.
August 10, 2020
Damn! What a novel. Adrenaline from start to finish. Literally hair-raising at times. There were three or four times that every hair on my body stood straight up! Somehow Maberry makes everything seem plausible (if you don’t think too hard about it). Suspension of disbelief is easy, and that says a lot about his talent with this subject matter.
If you’re interested (which you should be if you like horror, sci-fi, military, conspiracy, and adventure all mashed together in a way that works), start with the first in the series and hang on!
If you’re interested (which you should be if you like horror, sci-fi, military, conspiracy, and adventure all mashed together in a way that works), start with the first in the series and hang on!
April 13, 2015
Best Ledger yet! I just love the way this man writes action sequences which, along with love scenes, I usually skip. The big action scenes are in first person, which I generally dislike. Not here; Ledger's voice is perfect for telling what he is doing and what is being done to him.
I get so nervous, though, when the dogs fight.
I get so nervous, though, when the dogs fight.
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July 7, 2015Just when you think it's safe to live your life
Think again. Maberry gives us the long awaited next chapter in our Joe Ledger series. It was worth the wait. Grab a beer or three, settle in with Joe, Ghost, the Echo team and their extended family on the wildest ride yet.
Think again. Maberry gives us the long awaited next chapter in our Joe Ledger series. It was worth the wait. Grab a beer or three, settle in with Joe, Ghost, the Echo team and their extended family on the wildest ride yet.
June 17, 2015
Never has a threatened apocalypse been so much fun to read about.
December 21, 2021
I think I liked it more than the last one. Character progression felt good at parts. Specially some characters got to go live action, keeping Joe Ledger aside. That's a win for me of course.
But, there is old reference, and old bad guys, etc. Some sprinkle of real fantasy as well. And the thread felt real enough.
So, 3.5 stars from me.
But, there is old reference, and old bad guys, etc. Some sprinkle of real fantasy as well. And the thread felt real enough.
So, 3.5 stars from me.
September 26, 2018
This instalment of the Ledger series is a hard slog. It’s nowhere near as engaging in characters or plot. Mayberry’s habit of switching between narrative viewpoints hits an all-time high, especially as a device to increase tension near the novel’s climax. Didn’t work for me, however.
January 30, 2025
This was the most streamlined and grounded book in the series thus far. Also, pleasantly this story also had less preachy dialogue which was a welcome change.
July 22, 2020
Ohhhh. This got good again. I know I didn't care for 5 and 6 wasn't much better but this one was engaging from the start, really enjoyable with a lot of crazy shit happening. I expected a little more death and fallout at the end, but it was still really enjoyable. Hated the last of the epilogues, but again, just me. Really enjoyable.
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