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Covert Action
Target Viper
CIA gun for hire Avery returns to face off against his deadliest enemy yet in this second action-packed thriller that explores the dark nexus between transnational crime and terrorism.
In the aftermath of a cross-border military raid in Venezuela, a new threat quickly emerges. A highly placed intel source has revealed that a rogue international terrorist called the Viper has acquired a cache of man-portable surface-to-air missiles and has set out to target civilian airliners across the United States.
Following the Viper's trail will take Avery to the darkest corners of Colombia's ongoing insurgency and force him to question his own sense of morality and justice.
Accompanied by DEA agents, NSA cyber-trackers, and Colombian special ops troops, Avery will pursue his quarry from terrorist camps hidden deep inside the tropical rain forest, to the luxury hotels of Panama City, to Colombia’s most brutal prison, through the slums of gang-infested cities, and to the covert drug smuggling routes beneath the US-Mexican border for a final, violent confrontation with the Viper.
In the aftermath of a cross-border military raid in Venezuela, a new threat quickly emerges. A highly placed intel source has revealed that a rogue international terrorist called the Viper has acquired a cache of man-portable surface-to-air missiles and has set out to target civilian airliners across the United States.
Following the Viper's trail will take Avery to the darkest corners of Colombia's ongoing insurgency and force him to question his own sense of morality and justice.
Accompanied by DEA agents, NSA cyber-trackers, and Colombian special ops troops, Avery will pursue his quarry from terrorist camps hidden deep inside the tropical rain forest, to the luxury hotels of Panama City, to Colombia’s most brutal prison, through the slums of gang-infested cities, and to the covert drug smuggling routes beneath the US-Mexican border for a final, violent confrontation with the Viper.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 13, 2015
118 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 28, 2019
Viper is a nail biting action thriller by author Ross Sidor. His protagonist, CIA contractor Avery, is a no-nonsense American hero who’ll stop at nothing to strike back against America’s enemies. Ross Sidor is well versed in the intricacies of both intelligence and military operations. The author paints a realistic picture of the necessary intelligence preparation required to hunt down a terrorist mastermind.
Deep inside the jungles of South America, Avery leads an attack that destroys a FARC terrorist camp. One of the men killed in the attack, Aaron, was the brother of FARC’s most vicious assassin, the Viper. Consumed with hatred, the Viper vows revenge against Avery and the Americans for her brother’s death. No longer bound by loyalty to FARC, the Viper is transformed into a rogue agent with only one mission in life. Along the way, she receives assistance from the IRGC Qods Force and international mercenaries in her quest to rain destruction upon the United States. The climactic final scene transports the reader to the Tijuana-California border. It is here where Ross Sidor paints a chilling minute-by-minute picture of the Viper’s demise at the hands of Avery.
From the first page to the last, Ross Sidor will suck you into this page turning thriller with his descriptive prose. Every book in this series is full of action and adventure.
Deep inside the jungles of South America, Avery leads an attack that destroys a FARC terrorist camp. One of the men killed in the attack, Aaron, was the brother of FARC’s most vicious assassin, the Viper. Consumed with hatred, the Viper vows revenge against Avery and the Americans for her brother’s death. No longer bound by loyalty to FARC, the Viper is transformed into a rogue agent with only one mission in life. Along the way, she receives assistance from the IRGC Qods Force and international mercenaries in her quest to rain destruction upon the United States. The climactic final scene transports the reader to the Tijuana-California border. It is here where Ross Sidor paints a chilling minute-by-minute picture of the Viper’s demise at the hands of Avery.
From the first page to the last, Ross Sidor will suck you into this page turning thriller with his descriptive prose. Every book in this series is full of action and adventure.
July 31, 2020
An epic journey with a fresh setting!
Ross Sidor excels in his second outing. Taking readers on a gut-wrenching, adrenaline-fueled chase through South America. The action is top-notch, the characters highly believable and the story defys expectations and subverts tropes. What more to wish for? Don't sit this one out!
Ross Sidor excels in his second outing. Taking readers on a gut-wrenching, adrenaline-fueled chase through South America. The action is top-notch, the characters highly believable and the story defys expectations and subverts tropes. What more to wish for? Don't sit this one out!
March 19, 2019
Ross Sidor's CIA paramilitary contractor, Avery, returns in VIPER, his sophomore entry in his Scorpion series. This time, the action shifts to South America, where Avery's target is the Viper. A rogue FARC operative that is one part Carlos the Jackal and one part Cersei Lannister, the Viper has a personal stake in both striking at the United States and in killing Avery.
VIPER navigates the drug war, the conflict between FARC and the Colombian government, and Iranian proxy wars in a tightly plotted narrative that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.
I'll start off with the improves: there is the occasional typo and grammatical mistake, though they're not as grievous as some books I've read. Sidor's writing style also tends to lend towards telling rather than showing in certain parts where I felt he could afford to better round out the action. I also felt the novel ended a bit suddenly, and could have benefited from a final chapter detailing the aftermath.
With those improves established, it should be noted that these barely detract from Sidor's sheer readability, his deftness in plotting, and the way he crafts an action scene. It's a cliché to say that an action thriller blurs the lines between fiction and reality, but in the case of Ross Sidor, you can't stop but wonder if something similar has happened with real life. His writing feels incredibly authentic to the reality of covert operations. His pros far outweigh his cons and kept me turning the page with anticipation of what would follow.
I definitely look forward to moving onto the next entry in the Scorpion series and hope to see Avery rank amongst the great literary thriller heroes such as Jason Bourne, John Clark, Mitch Rapp, and Scot Harvath. Definitely recommended to fans of the genre.
VIPER navigates the drug war, the conflict between FARC and the Colombian government, and Iranian proxy wars in a tightly plotted narrative that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.
I'll start off with the improves: there is the occasional typo and grammatical mistake, though they're not as grievous as some books I've read. Sidor's writing style also tends to lend towards telling rather than showing in certain parts where I felt he could afford to better round out the action. I also felt the novel ended a bit suddenly, and could have benefited from a final chapter detailing the aftermath.
With those improves established, it should be noted that these barely detract from Sidor's sheer readability, his deftness in plotting, and the way he crafts an action scene. It's a cliché to say that an action thriller blurs the lines between fiction and reality, but in the case of Ross Sidor, you can't stop but wonder if something similar has happened with real life. His writing feels incredibly authentic to the reality of covert operations. His pros far outweigh his cons and kept me turning the page with anticipation of what would follow.
I definitely look forward to moving onto the next entry in the Scorpion series and hope to see Avery rank amongst the great literary thriller heroes such as Jason Bourne, John Clark, Mitch Rapp, and Scot Harvath. Definitely recommended to fans of the genre.
November 2, 2015
CLICK THE BUY NOW BUTTON NOW!!!!!!!!!!
What a great read! Entertaining as he'll. Well thought out, action packed and it screams authenticity. Not sure what the author did before this, but he's either one hello of a researcher or he has been there, done that in another life. Fans of Thor, Flynn, Clancy and Jack Murphy will love this guy. Make sure you go back and read the first book as well. Notebooks are FANTASTIC! Well done sir, well done!
What a great read! Entertaining as he'll. Well thought out, action packed and it screams authenticity. Not sure what the author did before this, but he's either one hello of a researcher or he has been there, done that in another life. Fans of Thor, Flynn, Clancy and Jack Murphy will love this guy. Make sure you go back and read the first book as well. Notebooks are FANTASTIC! Well done sir, well done!
April 9, 2022
Sidor’s second action thriller takes his contract tactical operator Avery to Latin America in a fast, brutal, detailed, and gut-wrenching thrill ride against a FARC terrorist named the Viper. Avery, a one-word named protagonist, is a sociopathic, smart, logical, ruthless, and determined operator who’s a former Ranger and a CIA contractor under the GRS(Global Response Staff) unit. His mind and actions aren’t normally heroic, but Avery goes through a series of horrors and screwed-up situations in this thriller that shake the character’s cold personality.
The story begins with a DEA aided operation, where Avery is assisting a Columbian Spec ops unit in a mission against FARC and kills a dangerous criminal in the process. His target’s sister, the Viper, who’s another FARC terrorist, is out for Avery’s blood in a spree of revenge. Things escalate when the Viper obtains a set of hand-held surface-to-air missiles and begins to target commercial planes in her vengeful reign of terror, sending Avery on a collision course with her in a kill or be killed journey into darkness. Adding to the plot are many forces including Iranian spies, a former IRA terrorist, Latin American drug cartels and militant groups on all sides of the political extremes, bumbling CIA bureaucrats worried about their own career, a Columbian black ops spymaster with many personal demons, political negotiations with FARC who are also against the Viper, the DEA, and the Columbian special forces who all have their own agendas.
Target Viper isn’t an easy read but it’s loaded with real-world details about many militant groups, political histories, technical expertise that make it an educational read as well as a brutally hard-hitting action thriller that’s more blood-soaked than most of the mainstream thrillers out today. Though the narrative can slow down in moments of educative info dumps, most of the characters are weirdly fleshed out with their richly layered backstories and strong motivations for what they do. The action moves fast and unflinching, in no holds barred, chaotic and gory sequences that are written well to make them believable and shocking. It’s not a book with any romance or drama or fun, as the action thriller element goes on full throttle, loaded with many serious real world details and excessively dark scenarios in the narrative, making it definitely not for the faint of heart.
Sidor’s plotting constantly escalates the tension, amping up the stakes with each complication and devastation that occurs. The story moves from Columbia to Panama, and back to Columbia, and finally to Mexico, where in a climatic action-packed chase through underground tunnels Avery almost comes close to dying in a brutally intense confrontation between him and the Viper. None of the characters in this tale are safe, as this book can be read as a proper standalone thriller and there’s no point rooting for any of the characters who are all flawed and grim as they get, with all the incidents in this thriller going beyond the dark side while many serious thrillers try to focus on the moral gray.
Avery is a unique protagonist in this genre, as he’s not exactly heroic, but he’s not evil either, as a certain disturbing scene in this book shows his limits and humanizes him as a character. Shows like Narcos appear to be light-hearted when compared to Sidor’s Target Viper which goes more grimdark than most thrillers can dare to, while still humanizing the messed up situation in Latin American conflicts with an in-depth dive into the region’s situations that are written without any political angle or bias, and yet a painfully chaotic portrayal to consume. Thrillers like these aren’t an easy or a fun read, but there are more educative and gritty than most in the genre. Though Sidor’s prose and narration has room for improvement, the level of research and detail present in it mixed with the weaponized razor-sharp action sequences makes it a must-read for hardcore fans of the action-thriller genre who can handle such levels of darkness in their reading.
For more long-form book reviews, check out - www.kronosananthsimha.com/book-blog/
The story begins with a DEA aided operation, where Avery is assisting a Columbian Spec ops unit in a mission against FARC and kills a dangerous criminal in the process. His target’s sister, the Viper, who’s another FARC terrorist, is out for Avery’s blood in a spree of revenge. Things escalate when the Viper obtains a set of hand-held surface-to-air missiles and begins to target commercial planes in her vengeful reign of terror, sending Avery on a collision course with her in a kill or be killed journey into darkness. Adding to the plot are many forces including Iranian spies, a former IRA terrorist, Latin American drug cartels and militant groups on all sides of the political extremes, bumbling CIA bureaucrats worried about their own career, a Columbian black ops spymaster with many personal demons, political negotiations with FARC who are also against the Viper, the DEA, and the Columbian special forces who all have their own agendas.
Target Viper isn’t an easy read but it’s loaded with real-world details about many militant groups, political histories, technical expertise that make it an educational read as well as a brutally hard-hitting action thriller that’s more blood-soaked than most of the mainstream thrillers out today. Though the narrative can slow down in moments of educative info dumps, most of the characters are weirdly fleshed out with their richly layered backstories and strong motivations for what they do. The action moves fast and unflinching, in no holds barred, chaotic and gory sequences that are written well to make them believable and shocking. It’s not a book with any romance or drama or fun, as the action thriller element goes on full throttle, loaded with many serious real world details and excessively dark scenarios in the narrative, making it definitely not for the faint of heart.
Sidor’s plotting constantly escalates the tension, amping up the stakes with each complication and devastation that occurs. The story moves from Columbia to Panama, and back to Columbia, and finally to Mexico, where in a climatic action-packed chase through underground tunnels Avery almost comes close to dying in a brutally intense confrontation between him and the Viper. None of the characters in this tale are safe, as this book can be read as a proper standalone thriller and there’s no point rooting for any of the characters who are all flawed and grim as they get, with all the incidents in this thriller going beyond the dark side while many serious thrillers try to focus on the moral gray.
Avery is a unique protagonist in this genre, as he’s not exactly heroic, but he’s not evil either, as a certain disturbing scene in this book shows his limits and humanizes him as a character. Shows like Narcos appear to be light-hearted when compared to Sidor’s Target Viper which goes more grimdark than most thrillers can dare to, while still humanizing the messed up situation in Latin American conflicts with an in-depth dive into the region’s situations that are written without any political angle or bias, and yet a painfully chaotic portrayal to consume. Thrillers like these aren’t an easy or a fun read, but there are more educative and gritty than most in the genre. Though Sidor’s prose and narration has room for improvement, the level of research and detail present in it mixed with the weaponized razor-sharp action sequences makes it a must-read for hardcore fans of the action-thriller genre who can handle such levels of darkness in their reading.
For more long-form book reviews, check out - www.kronosananthsimha.com/book-blog/
November 22, 2019
SNAKES AND LADDERS
“Everyone has a price, the important thing is to find out what it is.”
― Pablo Escobar
Ah the Republic of Colombia. Located in Northeastern South America, Colombia became famous in the 1980s for running the international drug trade. The richest, most powerful criminals on earth lived, killed and died in a war that consumed one of South America's few weak democracies. But there's another side of Colombia which few outsiders are familiar with. From the 1950s, all the way to the 21st century, Colombia was a major battleground in the Latin American theater of the Cold War. Psychotic right wing death squads hunted for murderous Communist Guerrillas, chief among which was the FARC organization. One of the most competent insurgencies in world history, FARC by the 21st century had become a proxy of Iran and Venezuela in their efforts to make Colombia crash and burn. It's this proxy warfare love triangle that is the focus of Ross Sidor's second book, VIPER. The story centers around a FARC terrorist acquiring a weapon that is feared by counter - terrorism organizations worldwide and heading up to the Colossus El Norte to do some damage. Hunting her are the Colombian police and an enigmatic American gun for hire who will do what it takes to terminate the threat with extreme prejudice. Now to the review. What happens when the unexpected terrorist threat is closer than you realize?
The novel begins the rainforest on the Venezuelan border. Avery, the gun for hire is looking over a FARC camp occupied by the 10th Front Eastern Bloc unit. His mission is to kill a man named Reyes, a FARC cadre who works with what remains of Colombia's illegal narcotics industry to finance his militant activities which have killed several Colombian officials. Working with Colombia's Lanceros Special Forces brigade, Avery launches a dramatic raid on the camp. Successfully wiping out the target, Avery catches sight of another target, Moreno, one of FARC's best assassins. He proceeds to pursue and kill Moreno with his M4 carbine before the man can flee. A few days later, Moreno's sister, Ariana receives the news of her brother's killing. She herself is a master terrorist of some repute and out for revenge. She proceeds to negotiate a severance package with her handler to cut her loose from FARC, and provide her access and a means to smuggle MANPADS into the United States of America. This decision sets of a chain of events. Chatter is received, orders are sent out and Avery is sent to hunt down one of the most gifted non - Islamist terrorists of their generation. From Colombia's slums to the glittering Panama City, predator and prey dance towards a shattering climax South of the border only one question remains. How many lines are there left to cross in the spying game?
In terms of plot VIPER is a fascinating journey into the world of insurgencies, contemporary asymmetric warfare and the complex business of tracking elusive targets. Modern intelligence gathering, despite increasing numbers of computers, cameras, satellites and billions of dollars thrown at it, getting the facts required to track the movements of a fugitive is still one of the hardest things to do. The author captures this difficulty and the brutal realities of espionage in Latin America. Life is cheap, rules and regulations are broken by the good guys to get ahead and the margin for error is unforgiving. The author creates an atmosphere of danger that is just as harrowing as a spy novel set in the Middle East, one where no one can trust that they haven't made a mistake that is going to kill them in the next chapter.
Action and setting. Quite a lot of action in this story. From gun battles in Colombia's jungles and slums to a violent sniper ambush in Panama, VIPER puts the 'war' in 'covert war'. One of the most impressive set pieces is a raid on a Colombian slum which Avery and his allies assault spectacularly with helicopters. The settings are also well developed, taking us deep into the highlights and landmarks of the Latin American criminal underworld. From ports and airfields on the Central American coast to luxury hotels in Panama city, to the tunnels maintained by the Mexican Drug Cartels, VIPER shows us a criminal underworld that has radically changed since the days of Pablo Escobar.
Research? Phenomenal as usual. Sidor loves his real world details and he uses them to great effect in this story. Most people won't know anything about FARC and even more would know less about the Colombian Military and intelligence services that go to war against them. In this book, Sidor meticulously but concisely gives an overview of both sides of the conflict. The weapons, the tactics, the capabilities and kit both sides can bring to bear and just how ferocious they can be. FARC is not a hapless band of bandits who get shot to pieces by superior firepower and the Colombians are no longer an impotent state which can't defend itself worth a damn. Whether it be the nasty murder of assets targeting FARC or the human rights abuses the Colombian intelligence services get their associates in the right wing anti - FARC criminal groups to commit, the author gives an insight into one of the most brutal insurgencies in the history of the Americas. VIPER also gives us a look at other things, whether it be the ramifications of MANPADS or the complex internal politics of running proxy warfare. All in all it's a very well researched spy novel that backs up the violence and brutality with a fascinating authenticity.
Characters? I'll focus on two, Avery and Anna. First, Avery. Avery is a gun for hire who works for the CIA's Global Response Staff. Whether it be body-guarding, intelligence work or killing, Avery is quite the all purpose jack of all trades. He's not an out and out assassin but he is a covert warrior of sorts. Sent to hunt down the very person who wants to kill him, Avery finds himself shooting down a lot of false leads, red herrings and a massive knot of conflicting connections and alliances to untangle. A consummate professional who is skilled with a gun and has nerves of steel, Avery is also very realistic in how the stresses of his profession have a negative effect on him. He not a heartless iron - man like Mitch Rapp can be at his very worst. At one point in the story, he shows his humanity by dealing with a morally dubious situation where standing aside would allow him to benefit but interferes because it offends his morality.
Secondly, we have Anna. Anna is a FARC militant who in the macho, patriarchal society she lives in, has killed and maimed her way to a position of respect and authority in the FARC. A strong woman and a fanatical communist who is one of the most gifted terrorists ever to make her mark on Latin America, she's driven by love and rage throughout much of the story. A very cunning player who soaked up the best things from those who taught her how to kill and destroy, Anna is a very tough antagonist who will not let anyone get in her way whether it be her own handlers betraying her, Colombian Soldiers and law enforcement agents or even the very tough American whose will to survive is equal to her own.
Overall, VIPER is an excellent thriller novel that sheds light on one of the most important wars in the history of contemporary Latin America. With its plot full of twists and turns, impressively research that is utilized with skill and precision and a cast of characters whose dance of plot, counterplot, ambush and counter - attack is an engrossing spectacle, the author has created a fine contemporary thriller novel series where the best is yet to come.
“Everyone has a price, the important thing is to find out what it is.”
― Pablo Escobar
Ah the Republic of Colombia. Located in Northeastern South America, Colombia became famous in the 1980s for running the international drug trade. The richest, most powerful criminals on earth lived, killed and died in a war that consumed one of South America's few weak democracies. But there's another side of Colombia which few outsiders are familiar with. From the 1950s, all the way to the 21st century, Colombia was a major battleground in the Latin American theater of the Cold War. Psychotic right wing death squads hunted for murderous Communist Guerrillas, chief among which was the FARC organization. One of the most competent insurgencies in world history, FARC by the 21st century had become a proxy of Iran and Venezuela in their efforts to make Colombia crash and burn. It's this proxy warfare love triangle that is the focus of Ross Sidor's second book, VIPER. The story centers around a FARC terrorist acquiring a weapon that is feared by counter - terrorism organizations worldwide and heading up to the Colossus El Norte to do some damage. Hunting her are the Colombian police and an enigmatic American gun for hire who will do what it takes to terminate the threat with extreme prejudice. Now to the review. What happens when the unexpected terrorist threat is closer than you realize?
The novel begins the rainforest on the Venezuelan border. Avery, the gun for hire is looking over a FARC camp occupied by the 10th Front Eastern Bloc unit. His mission is to kill a man named Reyes, a FARC cadre who works with what remains of Colombia's illegal narcotics industry to finance his militant activities which have killed several Colombian officials. Working with Colombia's Lanceros Special Forces brigade, Avery launches a dramatic raid on the camp. Successfully wiping out the target, Avery catches sight of another target, Moreno, one of FARC's best assassins. He proceeds to pursue and kill Moreno with his M4 carbine before the man can flee. A few days later, Moreno's sister, Ariana receives the news of her brother's killing. She herself is a master terrorist of some repute and out for revenge. She proceeds to negotiate a severance package with her handler to cut her loose from FARC, and provide her access and a means to smuggle MANPADS into the United States of America. This decision sets of a chain of events. Chatter is received, orders are sent out and Avery is sent to hunt down one of the most gifted non - Islamist terrorists of their generation. From Colombia's slums to the glittering Panama City, predator and prey dance towards a shattering climax South of the border only one question remains. How many lines are there left to cross in the spying game?
In terms of plot VIPER is a fascinating journey into the world of insurgencies, contemporary asymmetric warfare and the complex business of tracking elusive targets. Modern intelligence gathering, despite increasing numbers of computers, cameras, satellites and billions of dollars thrown at it, getting the facts required to track the movements of a fugitive is still one of the hardest things to do. The author captures this difficulty and the brutal realities of espionage in Latin America. Life is cheap, rules and regulations are broken by the good guys to get ahead and the margin for error is unforgiving. The author creates an atmosphere of danger that is just as harrowing as a spy novel set in the Middle East, one where no one can trust that they haven't made a mistake that is going to kill them in the next chapter.
Action and setting. Quite a lot of action in this story. From gun battles in Colombia's jungles and slums to a violent sniper ambush in Panama, VIPER puts the 'war' in 'covert war'. One of the most impressive set pieces is a raid on a Colombian slum which Avery and his allies assault spectacularly with helicopters. The settings are also well developed, taking us deep into the highlights and landmarks of the Latin American criminal underworld. From ports and airfields on the Central American coast to luxury hotels in Panama city, to the tunnels maintained by the Mexican Drug Cartels, VIPER shows us a criminal underworld that has radically changed since the days of Pablo Escobar.
Research? Phenomenal as usual. Sidor loves his real world details and he uses them to great effect in this story. Most people won't know anything about FARC and even more would know less about the Colombian Military and intelligence services that go to war against them. In this book, Sidor meticulously but concisely gives an overview of both sides of the conflict. The weapons, the tactics, the capabilities and kit both sides can bring to bear and just how ferocious they can be. FARC is not a hapless band of bandits who get shot to pieces by superior firepower and the Colombians are no longer an impotent state which can't defend itself worth a damn. Whether it be the nasty murder of assets targeting FARC or the human rights abuses the Colombian intelligence services get their associates in the right wing anti - FARC criminal groups to commit, the author gives an insight into one of the most brutal insurgencies in the history of the Americas. VIPER also gives us a look at other things, whether it be the ramifications of MANPADS or the complex internal politics of running proxy warfare. All in all it's a very well researched spy novel that backs up the violence and brutality with a fascinating authenticity.
Characters? I'll focus on two, Avery and Anna. First, Avery. Avery is a gun for hire who works for the CIA's Global Response Staff. Whether it be body-guarding, intelligence work or killing, Avery is quite the all purpose jack of all trades. He's not an out and out assassin but he is a covert warrior of sorts. Sent to hunt down the very person who wants to kill him, Avery finds himself shooting down a lot of false leads, red herrings and a massive knot of conflicting connections and alliances to untangle. A consummate professional who is skilled with a gun and has nerves of steel, Avery is also very realistic in how the stresses of his profession have a negative effect on him. He not a heartless iron - man like Mitch Rapp can be at his very worst. At one point in the story, he shows his humanity by dealing with a morally dubious situation where standing aside would allow him to benefit but interferes because it offends his morality.
Secondly, we have Anna. Anna is a FARC militant who in the macho, patriarchal society she lives in, has killed and maimed her way to a position of respect and authority in the FARC. A strong woman and a fanatical communist who is one of the most gifted terrorists ever to make her mark on Latin America, she's driven by love and rage throughout much of the story. A very cunning player who soaked up the best things from those who taught her how to kill and destroy, Anna is a very tough antagonist who will not let anyone get in her way whether it be her own handlers betraying her, Colombian Soldiers and law enforcement agents or even the very tough American whose will to survive is equal to her own.
Overall, VIPER is an excellent thriller novel that sheds light on one of the most important wars in the history of contemporary Latin America. With its plot full of twists and turns, impressively research that is utilized with skill and precision and a cast of characters whose dance of plot, counterplot, ambush and counter - attack is an engrossing spectacle, the author has created a fine contemporary thriller novel series where the best is yet to come.
December 10, 2023
This review was previously posted on another edition of this novel, on 19 March 2019.
Ross Sidor's CIA paramilitary contractor, Avery, returns in Target Viper, his sophomore entry in his Scorpion series. This time, the action shifts to South America, where Avery's target is the Viper. A rogue FARC operative that is one part Carlos the Jackal and one part Cersei Lannister, the Viper has a personal stake in both striking at the United States and in killing Avery.
TARGET VIPER navigates the drug war, the conflict between FARC and the Colombian government, and Iranian proxy wars in a tightly plotted narrative that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.
I'll start off with the improves: there is the occasional typo and grammatical mistake, though they're not as grievous as some books I've read. Sidor's writing style also tends to lend towards telling rather than showing in certain parts where I felt he could afford to better round out the action. I also felt the novel ended a bit suddenly, and could have benefited from a final chapter detailing the aftermath.
With those improves established, it should be noted that these barely detract from Sidor's sheer readability, his deftness in plotting, and the way he crafts an action scene. It's a cliché to say that an action thriller blurs the lines between fiction and reality, but in the case of Ross Sidor, you can't stop but wonder if something similar has happened with real life. His writing feels incredibly authentic to the reality of covert operations. His pros far outweigh his cons and kept me turning the page with anticipation of what would follow.
I definitely look forward to moving onto the next entry in the Scorpion series and hope to see Avery rank amongst the great literary thriller heroes such as Jason Bourne, John Clark, Mitch Rapp, and Scot Harvath. Definitely recommended to fans of the genre.
Ross Sidor's CIA paramilitary contractor, Avery, returns in Target Viper, his sophomore entry in his Scorpion series. This time, the action shifts to South America, where Avery's target is the Viper. A rogue FARC operative that is one part Carlos the Jackal and one part Cersei Lannister, the Viper has a personal stake in both striking at the United States and in killing Avery.
TARGET VIPER navigates the drug war, the conflict between FARC and the Colombian government, and Iranian proxy wars in a tightly plotted narrative that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.
I'll start off with the improves: there is the occasional typo and grammatical mistake, though they're not as grievous as some books I've read. Sidor's writing style also tends to lend towards telling rather than showing in certain parts where I felt he could afford to better round out the action. I also felt the novel ended a bit suddenly, and could have benefited from a final chapter detailing the aftermath.
With those improves established, it should be noted that these barely detract from Sidor's sheer readability, his deftness in plotting, and the way he crafts an action scene. It's a cliché to say that an action thriller blurs the lines between fiction and reality, but in the case of Ross Sidor, you can't stop but wonder if something similar has happened with real life. His writing feels incredibly authentic to the reality of covert operations. His pros far outweigh his cons and kept me turning the page with anticipation of what would follow.
I definitely look forward to moving onto the next entry in the Scorpion series and hope to see Avery rank amongst the great literary thriller heroes such as Jason Bourne, John Clark, Mitch Rapp, and Scot Harvath. Definitely recommended to fans of the genre.
January 16, 2021
Target Viper is an action packed thrill ride that is hard to put down once the action begins!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Target Viper and highly recommend it to anyone who loves reading excellent covert action thrillers. It is highly engrossing with tons of edge of your seat action and terrific characters. Once you start reading you will find it most difficult to put down.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Target Viper and highly recommend it to anyone who loves reading excellent covert action thrillers. It is highly engrossing with tons of edge of your seat action and terrific characters. Once you start reading you will find it most difficult to put down.
September 28, 2023
aGreat read
It was exciting, the book kept my attention through out. Can’t wait to read read
The next iteration, what a great author
It was exciting, the book kept my attention through out. Can’t wait to read read
The next iteration, what a great author
July 12, 2022
A good but different read
Hard hitting and difficult in places, but a good storyline where there is failure and success on both sides as you would expect.
Hard hitting and difficult in places, but a good storyline where there is failure and success on both sides as you would expect.
February 7, 2022
.
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Contains the MANDATORY powerful woman, who seems to be bullet proof, knife proof, fist proof, and able to beat up any ten men at once.
“…Arianna Moreno was one of the rare exceptions because she was anything but weak, and most men recognized this fact immediately… That sergeant who assaulted Arianna had his scrotum ripped from his body….”
“…Arianna barged into the general’s hut without knocking, without caring whether she interrupted something of importance or a private moment….
“…Informally, within the Central High Command, Major General Andrés Flores’s colleagues referred to him as the snake charmer, because Arianna Moreno was known as the Viper.….
Also, SHE (all caps) is probably the MOST BEAUTIFUL AND greatest shot and pilot and computer expert in the entire Galaxy.
“… ‘If I can bring the weapons into the United States, just as the Americans arrogantly violate the borders and sovereignty of other nations with impunity, I can devastate their entire country….’”
“‘…you have no one better than me to do the job…Stop wasting time. If you cross me, I promise I will slice your throat. Do what I ask and you will never have to deal with me again….’”
“‘She’s Aarón Moreno’s younger sibling, and she is a dozen times more lethal.’”
“…she’s the most dangerous terrorist in Latin America….”
“… The Viper was aware that the lecherous heterosexual male eye deemed her attractive, was eager to appraise her body, and that alone made her stand out in a crowd. Trained by female Cuban DGI officers….”
“Most men, in fact, disgusted her just for being male…”
GADS! I WISH I WERE A WOMAN, instead of just a dumm, stoopid, ol’ weakling, dumm and stoopid ol’, ineffectional, Caveman male!!!!
OPINION: she is an invention of TeeVee, Hollywood, Honor Blackman, Diana Rig, and Others. A made-up invention and clumsy literary device.
It goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on about who is what in Columbia, Venezuela, Cuba, Russia, USA, and much more.
I just skipped over about 100 pages and it did not seem to matter.
Book stinks.
.
.
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Contains the MANDATORY powerful woman, who seems to be bullet proof, knife proof, fist proof, and able to beat up any ten men at once.
“…Arianna Moreno was one of the rare exceptions because she was anything but weak, and most men recognized this fact immediately… That sergeant who assaulted Arianna had his scrotum ripped from his body….”
“…Arianna barged into the general’s hut without knocking, without caring whether she interrupted something of importance or a private moment….
“…Informally, within the Central High Command, Major General Andrés Flores’s colleagues referred to him as the snake charmer, because Arianna Moreno was known as the Viper.….
Also, SHE (all caps) is probably the MOST BEAUTIFUL AND greatest shot and pilot and computer expert in the entire Galaxy.
“… ‘If I can bring the weapons into the United States, just as the Americans arrogantly violate the borders and sovereignty of other nations with impunity, I can devastate their entire country….’”
“‘…you have no one better than me to do the job…Stop wasting time. If you cross me, I promise I will slice your throat. Do what I ask and you will never have to deal with me again….’”
“‘She’s Aarón Moreno’s younger sibling, and she is a dozen times more lethal.’”
“…she’s the most dangerous terrorist in Latin America….”
“… The Viper was aware that the lecherous heterosexual male eye deemed her attractive, was eager to appraise her body, and that alone made her stand out in a crowd. Trained by female Cuban DGI officers….”
“Most men, in fact, disgusted her just for being male…”
GADS! I WISH I WERE A WOMAN, instead of just a dumm, stoopid, ol’ weakling, dumm and stoopid ol’, ineffectional, Caveman male!!!!
OPINION: she is an invention of TeeVee, Hollywood, Honor Blackman, Diana Rig, and Others. A made-up invention and clumsy literary device.
It goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on about who is what in Columbia, Venezuela, Cuba, Russia, USA, and much more.
I just skipped over about 100 pages and it did not seem to matter.
Book stinks.
.
.
March 31, 2024
Target Viper is the best illustration of the crime terror nexus that I have read. It includes lots of details about Narco organisations and operations in South America and the different relationships between the groups which fans of Narcos will enjoy. The novel is very fast paced and does not go on longer than a sentence more than it needed to. The writing style is a bit like early Forsyth which prioritises reporting details in a matter of fact manner over drama. Sort of the writing equivalent of how the first Texas chainsaw Massacre film was shot like a documentary. This works well to not make the subject matter come across as sensationalist, although I think the later Avery novels strike a better balance with the prose.
Many and varied action scenes. The standout action scene was a siege reminiscent of one in Mark Greaney's Command Authority although, I think it was better done here. Even if you don't have a particular interest in the South American geopolitics or setting, the action scenes are enough to sell the book on their own.
No one really has any character development but this works fine for Avery as a pov character. Some of the supporting cast were a little hard to distinguish from each other and might have benefited from being fleshed out gradually, instead of in an info dump in the first paragraph where we meet them. Then again that might have slowed the pacing down. Like most of the Avery novels, there is a villain that really stands out. The titular 'Viper' might be the best in the series due a mix of being quirky, ruthless and driven.
One of the standout books in the series and surprisingly only the second one the author wrote.
Many and varied action scenes. The standout action scene was a siege reminiscent of one in Mark Greaney's Command Authority although, I think it was better done here. Even if you don't have a particular interest in the South American geopolitics or setting, the action scenes are enough to sell the book on their own.
No one really has any character development but this works fine for Avery as a pov character. Some of the supporting cast were a little hard to distinguish from each other and might have benefited from being fleshed out gradually, instead of in an info dump in the first paragraph where we meet them. Then again that might have slowed the pacing down. Like most of the Avery novels, there is a villain that really stands out. The titular 'Viper' might be the best in the series due a mix of being quirky, ruthless and driven.
One of the standout books in the series and surprisingly only the second one the author wrote.
October 24, 2020
Action but much more
Not your usual .99 action novel. Plenty of action of course but it's the attention to detail that elevates it. There's enough weapon details for the gear heads but it's the historical / political background that sells it for me. Bought it for the action, stayed for the characters and current affairs.
Not your usual .99 action novel. Plenty of action of course but it's the attention to detail that elevates it. There's enough weapon details for the gear heads but it's the historical / political background that sells it for me. Bought it for the action, stayed for the characters and current affairs.
June 22, 2022
A good read, not great
This is the second book in the series and although I liked the book it is not near as good as the first one.
The villain is a problem as it is a stereotypical, one dimensional psychopath.
The other problem is with the lead character Avery. He is really not in charge of the case, he is mostly just tagging along with other agencies in this book.
This is the second book in the series and although I liked the book it is not near as good as the first one.
The villain is a problem as it is a stereotypical, one dimensional psychopath.
The other problem is with the lead character Avery. He is really not in charge of the case, he is mostly just tagging along with other agencies in this book.
March 25, 2024
Fantastic, Unbelievably, Completely Kick-Ass!
The main man is back in action. Non-stop thriller action and once again; highly competent writing for a tense and detailed story.
These are top grade stories and up there with the very best available on the market! The author delivers with every single book.
The main man is back in action. Non-stop thriller action and once again; highly competent writing for a tense and detailed story.
These are top grade stories and up there with the very best available on the market! The author delivers with every single book.
December 5, 2020
Having read the previous book in this series, I found this one disappointing. I gave up half way through. I am elderly and I thought "I can find better books than this to read in what time I have left". Sorry
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2021
Better as writer moves along
Writer was to worde for me in first book. I don't need A dialog on what weapons were used, or the laundry list of the alphabet agencies so and so worked for.
Writer was to worde for me in first book. I don't need A dialog on what weapons were used, or the laundry list of the alphabet agencies so and so worked for.
July 7, 2019
A very good book
I really enjoyed reading this book it was better then the first one I really liked they were after a woman
I really enjoyed reading this book it was better then the first one I really liked they were after a woman
March 25, 2021
Another great action read
This was another great story in this series. It has the same great main character as the first book. This series has been awesome so far.
This was another great story in this series. It has the same great main character as the first book. This series has been awesome so far.
March 25, 2021
great
great book. awesome story with well developed characters and background. lots of action and easy to read . on to the next book
great book. awesome story with well developed characters and background. lots of action and easy to read . on to the next book
April 8, 2021
Heavy on the narrative parts
A lot of narrative and little on dialog. The parts with action or storyline were far and few but still good.
A lot of narrative and little on dialog. The parts with action or storyline were far and few but still good.
August 12, 2021
Good book
Like the last book by Mr. Didn't,this was good. We need to know if Avery made it. Wonder what is next?
Like the last book by Mr. Didn't,this was good. We need to know if Avery made it. Wonder what is next?
October 31, 2021
Good read
It was a good read from start to finish. He acted like an operative and not a super hero. Well done.
It was a good read from start to finish. He acted like an operative and not a super hero. Well done.
January 20, 2025
Viper
Viper is a legend and tries her best to kill Avery. They fight all over South America and finally in California. Does Avery survive?
Viper is a legend and tries her best to kill Avery. They fight all over South America and finally in California. Does Avery survive?
July 22, 2024
Really enjoyed this book and have downloaded the follow up for reading on holiday!
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