While I’d like to give it 4 stars, I can’t in good faith do that from the action alone. 

The positives:
The story is good, the plot is well structured, and I like how all of the plot threads held together. Joe Ledger is a compelling protagonist and Echo Team were fun to read about. Rudy was a highlight, and I liked that the men cried. 

The negatives:
This book is very 2009. Also very pro-government-pro-America/propaganda-y. It’s very macho, and very uhhhhhh maybe not racist but it borderlines it. Things like Doctor Hu (name aside) being this callous asshole while all the white guys are Stern and Serious. Idk it just doesn’t sit well with me. 

As much as I like Joe, he was very good at his job. Too good. He’s got this split personality thing going on which is very cringy, but also he’s ridiculously strong and can kill people with no effort. Unrealistic and ruins his personality which I actually like.

Also the treatment of women. Grace Courtland is super cool, but she’s reduced to Church’s right hand woman and later Joe’s love interest. There was no chemistry between them. I did like that her character development didn’t come from sexual assault. But I felt she was wasted, especially since she’s made out to be this amazing fighter. It would have been cool to see more of her perspective and possibly even a novel where she’s the main character.

Also I didn’t like how she’s this stuck up bitch until Joe “wins her over” and suddenly they’re fucking lmfao. 

Also Joe’s ex girlfriend being raped and killing herself for Joe’s character development. Ew. 

Not a bad book, I’ll be picking up the sequel at somepoint but it has some very obvious flaws.