“THE GRAY MAN” by Mark Greaney

After I saw the movie, I bought the book. And I liked the book as well as the movie!!!
What surprised me the most when I read the book was not the plot, which was almost entirely different from the movie, but the meticulous writing for all the fights. After I read his book, I understood that Mark Greaney “traveled to more than fifteen countries and trained alongside military and law enforcement in the use of firearms, battlefield medicine, and close range competitive tactics.” And his degree was in “international relations and political science.”
That was, for me, brilliant.

“Now Gentry stood between two living assassins, both armed, each less than ten feet from him.

Behind Court was the armed man on the ground. Surely by now he was rolling around to get a shot off. 

And in from of Court was the standing man, now shoving his blood-spewing partner out of his way to resight his weapon on his target.

Court flicked his knife so that he was holding the blade and quickly threw it overhand at the standing gunman. The blade struck perfectly, buried itself in the man’s left eye socket. Blood erupted, and the operator dropped his gun to bring both hands to the knife. He fell to his knees.

Gentry did not look to the threat behind him. Instead, he dove forward, both arms outstretched, desperate to get his hands on a firearm. Just before he hit the ground, another gunshot cracked through the passage. He did not feel an impact, assumed the operator behind had aimed at his back but missed due to his leap to the ground.

Court slammed into the cold tile floor, slid forward, and lifted the third gunman’s pistol. The man with the knife in his eye was on his knees now, dying but not yet dead, screaming bloody murder. Gentry rolled onto his back next to him and turned to fire back at the last enemy still in the fight. This man had a half chance to shoot but hesitated; Court was alongside his partner. The Gray Man, however, did not hesitate. From his prone position he poured round after round between his splayed legs into the armed man and watched him spin and die.

When Court was certain the only man alive was the hit man next to him with the knife in his eye, he placed the barrel of the gun to the wounded man’s temple and pulled the trigger without hesitation.”

Yes, SIX is Courtland Gentry.

Kindle, 2022