NOTES: My eyes are fried and my hands are shaking. Started eight hours ago. I have no idea if it's any good. I'll leave the judgement up to you guys. Enjoy the finale. I'm going to have a drink... (CAUTION: The following contains unedited material that may be unsuitable for the grammatically inclined. Keep in mind that I don’t review what I write until after the first draft of the whole novel is done, so please keep your spelling and grammar fixes until the Beta Reader rounds.) Content Removed For Publishing THE END
38 Comments
Marsha
1/31/2015 10:19:22 am
It's good, Cooper.
Reply
Neill Woodward Sr
1/31/2015 10:26:34 am
An almost perfect way to end this book. However with McKnight not being found out does that mean he is to be the bad guy in another book? Time will tell. All in all a great read and i wouldn't have missed it for the world. Thank you for your wonderful storytelling CGC!!!!
Reply
Judy Stone
1/31/2015 10:54:13 am
As Nero Wolfe was fond of saying when the dust settled, "Satisfactory." You did it Carlos! Bravo!
Reply
Mark
1/31/2015 11:08:52 am
You made and kept to your schedule and tied it all together, great ending and might I say very patriotic at the end. I liked the use of high tech gear at the end, very 21st century. And then there is McKnight, looks like we will be hearing from him again. This has been a fun ride, looking forward to the next book, you just keep getting better and better!!
Reply
Laura
1/31/2015 11:24:07 am
Bravo Cooper. You did a great job bringing it all to an end even knowing that we will have to wait to see McKnight come to his horrible end in another book. Have a drink on me as your have most definately earned it. Looking forward to adding the completed book to my collection and seeing what journey you take us on next.
Reply
Sandy K
1/31/2015 11:31:49 am
Superb book with a great ending. I agree with Mr Woodward, I see the Congressman will be back and bad in the next book. Keep them coming....each one has improved above the one before. Thank you for allowing us the insights and chance to help.
Reply
Don Hoffman
1/31/2015 11:32:24 am
Carlos, You have hit this one not only out of the ballpark, but far into the next county. You played the insertion perfectly, with Cal taking the unorthodox step of splitting his small unit into three two-man teams, each team perfectly matching the strengths and weaknesses of its members. Snipers like Daniel have a sixth, or even a seventh sense of awareness. Couple that with Daniel's metaphysical approach and ability to unleash his hidden demon; there is not much that could get past him. Karl pegged it completely when he called him a "water walker". Trent and Gaucho were more than a match for the North Carolina hillbilly, who found that hunting men wasn't quite as much fun this time. Cal and Vince would have fallen to the high tech weapon, but for Diane and Neil's intel, coupled with quick action by Gen. Winfield and the cooperation of the other Service Chiefs. I loved that the bad guy's high tech toy was trumped by the good guys' higher tech toy. I knew we were due for a tragic loss in this book, but it occurred in the best traditions of Warriors everywhere, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13. Gen. Winfield and SMMC Sharp died as they had lived, in the truest sense of the Marine Corps Motto "Semper Fidelis". What is left unsaid in the motto is also notable. The phrase is "Always faithful." It isn't "Sometimes Faithful." Nor is it "Usually Faithful," but always. It is not negotiable. It is not relative, but absolute. They died, as leaders often do, in the protection of their men. It was good to see that those who cowardly ambushed our Marines were rounded up, but there are a few too many loose ends that could be addressed in the epilogue. The way you phrased the paragraph where Winfield grabs the "betty" to his chest makes it unclear as to who Sharp was behind. If Sharp was behind Winfield and they smothered the "betty" between them, fine, but what happened to Mason? Mason was sitting at the desk watching and the next sentence says "Mason just sat there, unblinking, watching the show. He felt a presence behind him and realized at the last possible moment that it was Harley Sharp, his old friend, his trusted advisor, with him until the end." We know Sharp was Winfield's friend and advisor not Mason's. If the blast was smothered between Winfield and Sharp, letting Cal survive, what happened to Mason? I know we are not supposed to nit pick, but this is not a nit, it is a gnat and it flew in my eye. Please change this one paragraph, cause I know it is in you. I realize you are saving McKnight for some future book, but there is enough involvement with OrionTech to have said something about Whitworth, at least some glimmer of leads to be followed. We already have Diane wondering about OrionTech's involvement...just a quick peek over the ridge line to see the lay of the land???? One last thought, if you are basing the character of Zimmer on someone you know, could you please ask him to run for President in 2016? We could really use a patriot of his caliber running the show. I see my comment is almost as long as some of your chapters, so I'll call it a night. ONE LAST THING: Vin---I told you so!
Reply
Vin
1/31/2015 12:59:16 pm
Yes you did Don, and well said it was. BZ! But you've got to admit that Cal and Vince probably would have been lost if it hadn't been for the timely EMP. Once the new technology was out of the way I am sure they would have overcome. Cal maintained his honor but would have lost his life if not for the timely intervention.
Reply
Kathryn Andresen
2/1/2015 08:04:15 pm
Don,
Reply
Don Hoffman
2/1/2015 10:19:57 pm
Bouncing Betty is a small anti-personnel mine, developed by the Germans in WW II, that we in Vietnam did not like at all. When triggered, it would spring up from the ground to approximately waist to shoulder height and then explode in a 3-4 meter radius, thus eviscerating the victim. That is why Winfield and Sharp were able to smother the explosion. I am sure that your name has not been sullied by this grammatical error, there was too much linking Sharp to General Winfield. Besides that, if Sharp was behind Mason and Mason was seated at the desk, how could Sharp have wrapped his arms around Winfield? If Cal survived, then there is a possibility that Mason also survived. I am sure Carlos will clean this one up; if not, the Beta patrol will.
Alex Howard
2/2/2015 12:47:53 am
Having never had the pleasure of making acquaintance with Ms. Bouncing Betty ... my understanding is that once it pops up to lethal height, if the General pulled it to his chest, it would change the trajectory of the lethality, from horizontal to vertical. It would then fire up and down in a circular pattern, but not horizontally in a backwards trajectory to Cal or the others.
G. Younger
1/31/2015 11:38:08 am
Oh it is more than good, Mr. Cooper, it is fabulous. I reread the previous chapters this afternoon, and I think you have ended this novel well. Of course, it was sad about Gen. Whitfield. But he was the symbol of all Marines that have given their lives for their brothers. Also, in a perfect world Glen Whitworth would have been dropped in a barrel and tossed into the ocean. Then, McKnight would have been ousted/ shamed and committed suicide. However, I dare say, we will come across these two servants of satan again one day.
Reply
Rebecca
1/31/2015 11:39:59 am
Bravo! Awesome ending! Hated that such great Marines had to die but glad that they bad guys got what was coming to them! Just wish that McKnight would have been found out too! Can't wait to read the next book!
Reply
Alex Howard
1/31/2015 12:00:42 pm
Wow!
Reply
Kathryn Andresen
1/31/2015 12:13:22 pm
Carlos,
Reply
Kathryn Andresen
2/1/2015 07:50:31 pm
Carlos,
Reply
Don Hoffman
2/2/2015 01:07:59 am
I am sure Carlos meant his comment about a "slap in the face" in a good way. It just the thing we sometimes need to get our attention. If my Drill Sergeant hadn't "slapped" a few things into my thick skull, I would not have made it back from Vietnam. Your comment about inter-service cooperation was right on the money. It is fine to have rivalry between the services, that build morale; but when the chips are down, as they were in this case, we all work for the same boss and will pull together to reach our common goal. I am glad I'm not the only one anxious to read Benjamin Dragon's next adventure.
CGC
2/2/2015 03:24:31 am
Ditto what Don said. Face slap = Good :) 1/31/2015 12:44:38 pm
Was as fantastic as ever. The fact that this goes on behind the scenes daily is finally being shown to the every day American. Thank you for hopefully making American's think. God Bless and waiting for your next book.
Reply
Steve
1/31/2015 12:54:02 pm
Omg this is why I buy !! Every one of your books your just so Damon goo d thanks for all your preview s
Reply
Jerry Lovett
1/31/2015 01:15:11 pm
Really great ending. Can't wait for next book! Keep up mama walton great job and if you ever decide to run for President let me know
Reply
Vin
1/31/2015 10:22:37 pm
Two final comments...
Reply
CGC
2/1/2015 12:05:16 am
I hear you loud and clear. One of the reasons I'm jumping back into Benjamin Dragon is so I don't burn out. Plus, you guys are always around to smack me back in line. Lord knows I need it. Thanks for all your comments, Vin.
Reply
CGC
2/1/2015 12:15:28 am
Totally agree with your Clancy assessment too. Maybe the "study time" got too cumbersome. The level of detail alone would make me crazy. Imagine trying to do that time and time again. No thanks.
Reply
Alex Howard
2/1/2015 12:49:10 am
Just remember, it's quality, not quantity, that will gain readership and help make your stories worth everybody's time.
sue conger
1/31/2015 11:33:24 pm
I missed a few chapters as I'm now in S Africa and had no internet the first 8 days. This is your best ending yet and maybe the best book yet. I can't wait to proof the final version.S
Reply
Susan
2/1/2015 02:40:35 am
Wow what N ending! I wasn't sure how you were going to bring it together but you did. I do wish McKnight had been caught. But it will be interesting to see what else he has up his sleeve. Can't wait to re-read this!
Reply
Matt
2/1/2015 05:35:05 am
Great ending! I think everything else has been said. I cannot wait for the next book of Benjamin Dragon.
Reply
Ronnie
2/1/2015 08:02:02 am
One word WOW!! Best book yet. Looking forward to the next adventure.
Reply
Cheryl Hopton
2/2/2015 01:06:28 am
Just finished reading - better late than never, they tell us. All that comes to mind is superlatives and each one is better than the last. But the best seems to be catharsis: I chuckled (when appropriate, of course - but I loved it so much when MSgt Trent grabbed Gaucho that I couldn't help but share the passage with my son. He might actually start reading again if I keep reading him passages like that! Thank you! I was completely intrigued by the new technology, and the use of electronics by the "bad guys" just reinforced their lack of honor. But there are still wet spots on my face because we lost friends and we gained a vision of the bulk of those who still care. As a sailor, here's a Bravo Zulu - outstanding effort and gift to us.
Reply
2/2/2015 04:32:38 am
Great story, great ending! The door's wide open for Cal's tracking down the nefarious plotters.
Reply
CGC
2/2/2015 04:59:48 am
Regarding the Catholic priest blurb: it was something I couldn't find a better word for when I was speed writing. Drink like a fish sounded dumb in my head. I'm happy to take recommendations for alternatives
Reply
Vin
2/2/2015 09:34:29 am
I'm surprised you didn't use, "Cussed and drink like a sailor." The DoD may not be as accepting as it once was but it is an old and accepted saying and I doubt any sailor would take offense. In my younger days I had been known to do both with extreme efficiency.
Kathryn Andresen
2/2/2015 04:36:13 am
Thanks guys for the explanations of Bouncing Betty. I love how much I learn every time I read one of Carlos' books. Even though I am a Marine's wife and I ask Gary tons of questions, it is not the same thing as having personal experience and also each service is different in some ways. I look up lots of things while I read too so I get quite an education. I also enjoy reading everyone's comments and find that I could just keep saying ditto in agreement. Love the interaction and hope sometime that we can all meet.
Reply
Don Hoffman
2/2/2015 10:51:06 am
Great call Vin, I do remember hearing that said about sailors. I was not qualified to comment on that particular area, as we in the Army were not allowed to drink or cuss. ;-)
Reply
Alex Howard
2/2/2015 11:08:22 am
I seem to recall a chant which was used by those based in Norfolk, VA.
Reply
Don Hoffman
2/2/2015 11:19:30 am
"We don't drink
Sonya
2/7/2015 11:45:33 am
Excellent! A busy week so I just managed to get this finished off.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
NOVELS LIVE
Join me as I write a new novel LIVE with your input. Tell me what you like, what you don't like. This is a joint mission to write a kickass novel. Categories
All
Archives
February 2017
|