1998 – Time To Hunt
The third Bob Lee Swagger book
During the latter days of the Vietnam War, deep in-country, a young idealistic Marine named Donny Fenn was cut down by a sniper’s bullet as he set out on patrol with Swagger, who himself received a grievous wound. Years later Swagger married Donny’s widow, Julie, and together they raise their daughter, Nikki, on a ranch in the isolated Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. Although he struggles with the painful legacy of Vietnam, Swagger’s greatest wish–to leave his violent past behind and live quietly with his family–seems to have come true.Then one idyllic day, a man, a woman, and a girl set out from the ranch on horseback. High on a ridge above a mountain pass, a thousand yards distant, a calm, cold-eyed shooter, one of the world’s greatest marksmen, peers through a telescopic sight at the three approaching figures.
Out of his tortured past, a mortal enemy has once again found Bob the Nailer. Time to Hunt proves anew why so many consider Stephen Hunter to be our best living thriller writer. With a plot that sweeps from the killing fields of Vietnam to the corridors of power in Washington to the shadowy plots of the new world order, Hunter delivers all the complex, stay-up-all-night action his fans demand in a masterful tale of family heartbreak and international intrigue–and shows why, for Bob Lee Swagger, it’s once again time to hunt.
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November 29th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
This is the one that started it all for me. I had no idea what kind of trouble i had gtoten myself into i could not find Mr. hunter’s books fast enough, and since I just finished night of thunder the wait begins again. I wonder if we are going to see nikki getting into some of the old swagger trouble? Great books from a fan as long as you write them.
April 27th, 2009 at 3:33 am
Question. In Time to Hunt, Mr Hunter brings a large question of why Solaratov used an M1 to get the hit against Donny and Bob Lee rather than the M70. Unless I missed something , that question wasn't answered. Why the Garand? Help me out here please.. Thanks, Ron
June 18th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
quite honestly the big vietnam gunfight was the most riveting story i have ever read.i read this and point of impact about 2 times a year,i prefer bob lee to earl but they are both superb characters.
August 20th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
I believe the point of the Garand was to get the second shot away almost immediately. The first shot which struck Bob was meant to draw Donny into the open, as Donny was the real target. The shooter wouldn't have been able to make the shot on Donny if he had to manipulate the bolt action.
July 20th, 2010 at 9:45 am
Hadn’t read any of Hunter’s books for quite a while since I thought I’d exhausted the supply in my library, but just found another one that I hadn’t read. Even though I don’t shoot, was not in the military (in fact, am a Quaker) I am reminded how much I liked all of his books… and how well he uses the English language, which is a plus for me.
August 10th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Just a cracking, great, epic novel, ambitious in scope and living up to its promise. Thriller writing at its best.
September 8th, 2010 at 9:53 am
Oh wow was this book amazing or what? I haven’t seen anybody get guns down as good as Hunter. And not pistols. I’m talking about rifles, loads, bullets, stocks, barrels, scopes. Boy it’s amazing!
October 25th, 2010 at 1:43 am
Question for the military rifle experts: Is the M-1 Garand an accurate enough rifle to make the shot? While I totally agree with Patton that it is “the finest battle rifle ever made”, I’ve never read much about it being “sniper accurate”.
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:00 pm
If it was a good match or sniper grade M1, the chance of a 1400 yard shot is decent. The big thing was that the scope wouldn’t have enough windage adjustment either. They used them open sights for service rifle competitions out to 1000 yards(!)If the right ammunition and a top tier shooter (like Solaratov) were in the equation a hit on a man sized target is possible. Try this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34RqMoyMZmI
I know it’s not quite 1400, but it proves what a good rifle can do.
January 28th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
“Daddy’s Home.” The greatest climactic line in middlebrow fiction. This would work great in a movie.
November 22nd, 2011 at 6:28 pm
This one in my opinion is the best. No other book has ever dumped that much of my adrenaline into my system. I just couldn’t will myself to put it down.