Featured Title- I, Sniper
Author- Stephen Hunter
Stephen Hunter’s fictional character Bob Lee Swagger embodies legendary heroism as a decorated Marine sniper operating during the Vietnam conflict.
Swagger is a complex and a relatable character that only an author the caliber of Hunter can describe through the lens of a gun ballistics expert. And Bob Lee can shoot. (Hunter’s novel “Shooter” was adapted into a movie starring Mark Wahlberg)
Hunter’s portrayal of Swagger throughout the entertaining literary series appeals to a broad audience, as patriotism and justice are celebrated, while bureaucracy and moral ambiguity are addressed. The caveat to Hunter’s excellence in weaving a narrative which spans 6 decades through 12 novels, is the inclusion of the physics and the artform of shooting within the plot. His assessment of armed incidents will appeal to individuals who know guns and introduces the general reader of how firearms are an effective tool for self-defense.
The addition of firearm ballistics tied in the ongoing plot of the series is a gratifying aspect of Swagger’s encounters that the character endures. Coupled with the Swagger’s challenges against formidable enemies, Hunter provides a reasonable commentary of the geopolitical environment influenced by the Peace Movement, the Cold War, and the modern era. The novels parallel fact.
The brilliance of the Bob Lee Swagger Novels series is that books do not have to be read in order of publication dates, as the storylines are intertwined. Hunter is adept in introducing the fundamental themes in each of his novels and gives the reader the flexibility to focus on specific points within the Swagger timeline.
Without playing the spoiler, thegunmag.com readers are encouraged to start out their journey with Bob Lee Swagger through the title “I, Sniper” authored in 1999.
In “I, Sniper” Hunter paints an intense and chilling picture of hypothetical assassinations of high-profile Americans. Armed with legendary combat experience and a knack for forensic investigation, as hysteria spreads throughout the nation like wildfire, Swagger is tasked with solving a wave of shooting incidents involving the death of public figures and finding and neutralizing the killer or killers. The subplots alone make the reading experience intriguing if not reflective of the past and the present. Swagger’s crusade for justice takes him to shoot-outs from coast to coast and border to border, where emotions and the cold hard details of guns and bullets collide.
Bob “The Nailer” Swagger may or may not hunt and stalk his prey without discretion. At least readers are protected from this fury, as he is contained within the pages of a book.
