Not the worst book ever written, but the worst book ever written by Stephen Hunter. I'm not sure what he was trying to do here, but it was a swing-and-a-miss for me. I'll hope for something better next time.

I could not agree more with most of the other low-retings readers gave this book. This is a great disapointment compared to all the other great books he wrote earlier. This book and his last ninja book were a complete bust. Hunter needs to re-read his earlier books and get a reality check. He is a de-volving author.

It is not conceivable that a great author could fall this far. This book is almost unreadable due to the ridiculous dialog, real people just don't talk like that.

The plot is unbelievable and very simplistic. Bob Lee Swagger has been made into a wimp!

Bob Lee Swagger, older and wiser, is back in Stephen Hunter's NIGHT OF THUNDER. Swagger is enjoying life on his ranch with youngest daughter Miko when his daughter Nikki is involved in a car crash, leaving her in a coma. Always paranoid, Bob goes to Tennessee to investigate the crash and to see if the hit run accident might have had something to do with his past. Bob quickly discovers with the help of a NASCAR driver sponsored by the Marines that NIkki was run off the road intentionally. Bob starts investigating what Nikki might have been involved in. His investigation leads to the Grumleys, a horrible clan of inbred criminals planning a big crime on the day of the big NASCAR race.

I've read all the Swagger novels, and this is one of my favorites. It has less violence than others. The climactic battle at the end is only 20 pages or so. The story makes NIGHT OF THUNDER compelling. Swagger comes to town with a mystery to solve. He is aided by a local detective, a computer expert and Nick Memphis from the FBI. I enjoyed how Hunter handed out information only as needed. The bad guys posed as Baptists running a children's camp, but these were downright horrible people and Hunter portrays them perfectly, or perhaps too perfectly as one character is a disgusting sexual predator.

It dawned on me why I like the Swagger books so much. Bob Lee Swagger is a modern day superhero. He goes up against incredible odds and against the most vile of villians and always comes out on top. Swagger is the ultimate avenger of justice. These books aren't realistic and not meant to be. But they are a lot of fun. I also enjoy that Hunter always manages to find unique settings or circumstances for his novels. He's gone to Hot Springs, Cuba and the deep racist south with Earl Swagger and he's gone to Japan and now NASCAR with Bob Lee Swagger. I can't wait for the next in the series.

After the last stupid Samurai novel, it was hard to have any hope. But, I did. Bob the Nailer and Earl mean a lot to mean because I feel so close to them. This latest novel isn't the best, but it's better. I haven't finished the book yet because I'm trying to pace myself. One chapter a night. Maybe that says something important. I don't want it to end. Even if it's not what I had hoped for. At least Bob has guns again.