The Armageddon File (Tommy Carmellini Series)

After first few chapters I became less and less enthusiastic about the book because,frankly, I am really bored with that never-ending rigged Presidential election story.
However, the plot of The Armageddon File suddenly changed into something fresh and unexpected, the story took a new turn and became a true pleasure to read.

And Tommy Carmellini wit and humour is superb as usual!

Tommy Carmellini, what can you say? In my opinion, he is right up there with Jack Reacher and Mitch Rapp. I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Coontz's take on the political problem posed by the unexpected results of the 2016 U. S. Presidential election. Searching for possible foreign interference in said election, good old Tommy opens a prime can of worms. In typical Carmellini fashion, he also brings about a very physical resolution to the problem. I have enjoyed Jake Grafton and his adventures ever since he first appeared as a naval aviator in "Flight of the Invader" Don't miss this one!

The author writes as if he is presenting one fact after another to build the story. And the tale homes right in on what many believe is the truth. Highly recommended for those who like their stories close to the headlines.

Given its total lack of literary craftsmanship, this violation of the printed page might have oozed from the mind of a drunken lowlife. Scattered and incomprehensible plot. Nothing vaguely resembling character development. And an attempt to put an obvious Trump-favoring spin on the 2016 election.
I am embarrassed that I bought it. Don't repeat my mistake.

A real page turner. Fortunately for us the premise of this story is not possible in the real world. It is based on election fraud by modifying election machines to give the wrong outcome. In the real world this is checked before each election to be sure the machines are giving the correct results based on the votes cast. Still, the story is not troubled by that fact. It is well written and I couldn't put it down.

Not remotely one of the authors best. The one previous was outstanding but this is a fictionalized Billionaire President/ election rigging gone wrong/Possible foreign meddling rehash of the garbage we see in mainstream media. I am certain that Mr. Coonts and I would agree on most things political but this his not his best work.
Now, Liberty's Last Stand was still very timely politically but much more creative and horrifying to those of us who do enjoy our liberties.

Last time we saw Cermellini and Grafton they had just defeated a left wing putsch of the US government. This book takes up after that and the 2016 election. Kind of cardboard characters but still real entertaining.

Good characters, flow and storytelling. But the heavy, and unnecessary, reliance on current politics down to the character names just became another propaganda piece. I couldn’t finish it. I’m sure Trump loves it, the rest of us are left with an eye roll.

Jake Grafton and Tommy Carmellini are absolutely believable. Having grown up with Grafton in the Day of the intruder. It is lovely to see his progression....the story is real. It is plausible....Makes you wonder.

I have read and enjoyed Stephen Coonts for years. Ever since Flight of the Intruder. This book was almost impossible to read. The premise, the not so hidden political slant,. The insult and disgusting treatment of law enforcement and the military. The story line was pure fantasy. The only similar book or story line I can compare this to is The Turner Diaries. I will not be reading this author again.

Tommy Carmellini, my favorite spy, and Jake Grafton, the worlds greatest spy master, team up for a story ripped from today’s headlines. The richest man in the world tried to fix an American election, but the wrong candidate won.

Thinly disguised from the headlines, this is a story about the last presidential election. Liberals (Progressives) won’t like this book. It hits to close to home, but if you have an open mind and a suspicious heart, you’ll love “The Armageddon File”.

Stephen Coonts has been a favorite of mine for years, having read just about everything he has written over the years, so It is very disappointing to see that he is after all a "trumper". Does this mean that he endorses serial lying by a President? Does it mean that he at heart a white supremacist? Does he really have so little respect for the foundations of our Republic that he thinks that an authoritarian, fascist oligarchy is what we need? As your apparent hero is so fond of tweeting...."SAD"
You have sold me your last book.....

A story that copies liberally from the world today. A very lazy story that was wasted on the great characters that the author has to work with. Nowhere near the quality of his previous books. A lazy beach read but little else

I have enjoyed the Jake Grafton books since The Flight of the Intruder, but will not be reading Stephen Coonts books any longer. This was a radical right-wing diatribe, way over the top. Comparing liberals to the Nazi SS? Having the villain a thinly disguised version of the liberal tycoon George Soros but adding an untrue Nazi background? A work of fiction, yes, but it certainly seems to reflect the author’s point of view. Our bitterly divided country does not need this type of incendiary rhetoric.

I was really looking forward to this book. Mr. Coonts has written incredible political thrillers like Cuba and Flight Of The Intruder which keep you on the edge of your seat from page one until the end. This book's story line, taken right from the 2016 election, looked to be another thriller that I wouldn't be able to put down. And that held true for the first couple of chapters. A great story was building. An outstanding mystery was in the works. Then Mr. Coonts abandoned the story and instead used the rest of this tome to do nothing but push his extreme right-wing opinions. Extreme right-wing opinions that are in some cases completely delusional. Such as the modern progressive movement is a product of Hitler's SS and Stalin's storm troopers. And the only thing keeping us safe are the extreme right-wing saviors who fight for truth, justice and the American way. Please, spare me.

Unfortunately, once the book goes sideways into the extreme right-wing ranting the story and plot are secondary, if not completely lost. What could have been an outstanding political thriller turns into nothing more than a couple of hundred pages of extreme right-wing blathering. If that's what I wanted, I would just watch Fox or Breitbart.

Sorry, Mr. Coonts. I don't need you to tell me what political opinions to have. I don't want you pushing your agenda on me. Just give me a good story. Give me a good mystery to enjoy. Sadly, this book fails on all counts.

The Armageddon File tells a story of election fraud… but it’s not just about election fraud. It goes so much deeper. Deep enough that murder is on the table to cover it up. So deep that the CIA isn’t even sure who funded it all.

I was really happy with the storyline and the way that this story developed. I have not read any of the other Carmellini books, but I might look into them after this. He was a combination of a lot of other thriller and mystery characters but had a couple new things going for him. His point of view was always my favorite part and when he got an idea in his head he would run with it. I liked that about him.

The character development was good. Not having read the other books in this series I still felt like I knew Carmellini as a character and that speaks to good writing on the part of Coonts. I remember seeing the cover of this and being intrigued. Then I read the synopsis and decided that I needed to read it. I’m glad that I did. It was a political thriller mixed with an old-fashioned “whodunit”.

The addition of the actual Armageddon File written by someone who was studying political science and voters history really added a real feel to it. I believe that there are people out there whose sole job is to predict how a certain city or region will vote and that people are paid a lot of money for insights like that.

Overall, The Armageddon File was a political thriller with a twist. There were almost real-life situations in here (and a lot of allusions to other real things). It was an interesting mix of “did this really happen” and “of course it didn’t happen, (right?).

"The Armageddon File" is a screaming deal of a bargain. The first six pages alone are worth the price because they provide a bare-knuckle description of the American electoral process, warts and all. In fact, the description might be termed wart-centric because it addresses the many and varied systemic faults more than the advantages that the republic's founders intended. Voter fraud, corruption, and judicial abuse all are check-list items.

But that's only the start. As he did with "Liberty's Last Stand," Steve Coonts takes a genuine situation, reshuffles the deck with recognizable players sporting noms-de-thriller, and begins flipping the cards, face down. You can almost visualize a literary card table complete with eyeshaded dealer dispensing the cards beneath a one-bulb light fixture. And then the jokers begin turning up, leavening the mix.

Fans of the Jake Grafton and Tommy Carmellini franchise will relish the latest outing, and readers new to the table will enjoy getting acquainted with the partly cynical but wholly mission-oriented CIA staffers. As you'll see, Grafton as director of central intelligence knows full well that in loosing the Carmellini team to investigate voter fraud, he's violating the agency's Prime Directive: the only legitimate operating area is outside the US. But with evidence of foreign participation in the upset election that puts an unlikely Republican in the White House, Grafton reckons he's honor bound to pursue the matter, especially when the FBI folds its hand and sits out the game.

High-tech espionage, politically-motivated assassinations, blatant violations of state and federal laws, gritty personal encounters, double-edged mind games, and the occasional shootout keep the story advancing toward a patented Coonts satisfying ending.

Of all the nightmare scenarios thriller writers have imagined for America, no one has ever come up with anything quite like Stephen Coonts has imagined in THE ARMAGEDDON FILE.

America would ultimately survive an EMP Attack, Natural Disaster, or even Nuclear Terrorism. What we wouldn’t survive is a universal loss of faith in our most basic Democratic Institution.

Did Russians or another hostile nation rig our 2016 Presidential Election? Or was it corrupted by powerful internal forces, as many Americans suspect?

In THE ARMAGEDDON FILE, the one man who can answer this question is a Computer Code writer for American ElectTech. When Junior Sikes is caught with child porn on his computer, he tries to use his first-hand knowledge of election fraud as a Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card. But only hours after making the offer, Sikes is assassinated in his jail cell, along with 3 innocent deputies.

This gets the attention of CIA Director Jake Grafton, (former A6 pilot from FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER). He puts CIA operative, Tommy Carmellini and computer whiz, Sarah Houston on the case. Tommy, who calls himself a ‘big fan of paranoia,’ will have to stay ahead of the assassins as he tries to untangle a complex web of high level corruption and deceit.

My wife pre-ordered this book for me on the store, and I'm thrilled she did. I devoured it in one sitting on a long plane flight to Hawaii. Part of Coonts' magic is that the answer to the mystery is never what you'd expect, but the feel-good ending is still deeply satisfying.

I only wish we had a real Carmellini and Grafton on the case of the 2016 Election.

The presidential election is over and America is stunned by the result: an outspoken entrepreneur who has never held elected office has handily beaten a seasoned politician. The new president-elect promises great change and his message struck a chord with the public. His victory may not be as amazing as it seems, however, when allegations arise that a foreign power may have interfered with the integrity of the voting process. CIA Director Jake Grafton tasks Tommy Carmellini with determining if there is any truth to the allegations. As the investigation progresses, Carmellini realizes it will take him far beyond America’s borders and to the heart of two of its biggest global rivals. What he finds out could very well change the American political process for decades to come.

The Armageddon File by Stephen Coonts is the 8th entry in the series spun off from the popular Jake Grafton series. Coonts’ novels are full of action that keep the reader engaged and this one is no exception. It is literally ripped from the headlines of just over a year ago, as if Coonts was able to predict with uncanny accuracy what the result of the 2016 election would be. I enjoyed this book immensely, with its larger-than-life characters and multiple twists and turns. I would definitely recommend this book to nearly everyone and give it 4/5 stars.

*A copy of this ebook was the only consideration given in exchange for this review for Edelweiss.*

Not as good as some other of Coonts' efforts. Better than the best efforts of some other authors. Tommy Carmellini is Tommy Carmellini. And Mr. Coonts stays true to that the book. Whether or not that personality is my kinda guy is irrelevant. He's the star of the show, and that is that.

As silly as it sounds, I think the ease with which Carmellini's character kills is a total turn-off. But as I said... That is as it is.

I just, At this instant, realized what impressed me so negatively about this book. I am writing this review the morning after I finished the book and I cannot remember even the basic premise of the plot. And there you have it. The main point of my review: there is nothing memorable about the book.

So it wasn't "OK." It was forgettable.

Gosh. I have loved Coonts' books starting with "Flight of The Intruder," but after starting the book prior to this one and reading a couple of chapters of "Armageddon", I am done. He lays on a thick right-wing bias early and accuses the Democrats of all kinds of conspiracies and evils. He won't give one whit if he loses me as a reader, though. Check his Facebook page where he brags about angering progressives and liberals and promotes several Hillary Clinton attack stories and ideas that Obama wanted to take over the government. What a disappointment.

Another thinly disguised alt-right propaganda piece. Like his last Liberty's Last Stand rip on "Barry Soetoro" - this is more of the same and two in a row is too much. Don't mind a dose of political vantage point expressed in fiction - Clancy Series writer Mike Maden's book 'Line of Sight' definitely tinged with right wing perspective, but still a decent book. Clancy himself made no bones on where he stood - but his books were not full-on trash pieces against the 'opposition'. Coonts has definitely gone over the edge.

I have little interest in politics and this story was like the recent election; only the names were changed and the election scam was intensified. What a waste. And Carmellini wasted so much thinking of everything but the plot. I did like the way the progressive's life ended; it's fiction but I like a positive ending! It didn't change my opinion that this was a waste of time... and I read every word of type so small my old eyes demanded a break often! After enjoying most of the author's writing, I will remove him from my reading list.

The Armaggedon File is simply a terrific book. I had never read anything by Stephen Coonts before but found his writing to be engaging and easy to read. I followed the 2016 election very closely and quickly realized this book enabled me to re-live a presidential election but this time with more excitement and more behind the scenes knowledge. Reviews should never give away the plot and this one won't but you'll find out everything you need to know in a short time once you start. It reads that quickly.

Fast moving. Love this series. I always seem to be disappointed with books that spend 300 pages developing the story and 25 pages wrapping it up. I always want as many details of the conclusion as I do the development. That is the reason for the 4 star rating here. But all in all, it was really good.

Unless you LOVED the results of the last election or if you feel anyone with even moderate political views is either a commie or fascist, then this is the book for you! I've read and number of the authors previous books and his writing chops are obvious and well honed but he's given in to the ever growing tribalism of our nation. There's enough going on in the real world to divide us that I don't need to waste my time and money in it's pursuit in fictional muses.

Once again, Carmellini battles the Washington establishment and enemies of the U.S. in a classic battle for truth, justice, and the American way! But, with classic Carmellini aplomb, he doesn’t lose his sense of humor while saving our country from the forces of evil, and gives readers another classic Carmellini finish.

Mr. Coonts shows his political views in this books so strongly that if you disagree with his viewpoint you don't want to finish it and if you do you feel revulsion. I removing all of his books (have most) from my home and will never read him again since his political views/parody/satire ruined his story.

Another great novel by Steven Coonts. I just wished all Americans could read this book and grasp the true meaning of the threats against our great republic. Freedom has a different feel to those who have risked their life to protect it.

Just finished a library copy of this book. Excellent, plausible plot. Who in their right mind doubts that George Soros would try a stunt like election fraud in his overall quest to destroy Western Civilization by conning and manipulating his lefty minions?
Only quibble: The book could have used a little better editing

Did someone try to fix the 2016 presidential election? In The Armageddon File we might be reading close to the truth. There is no doubt that there are people like the villains in this book who would do whatever they could to fix a presidential election.

Mr. Coonts keeps every novel fresh with great plots and incorporates current world affairs to add extra interest. His continuing characters are not super human, the get hurt and make mistakes. Love all of his books!

I was looking for somewhat of a military thriller and tried the Kindle sample. Just not my cup of tea. I’m a big fan of the author and really liked many of his other books. The sample showed his strong writing skills though.