Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. I find it so hard to connect to the characters and when there's so much action, I get bored reading it. The writing was good, this just wasn't for me.

Chasing the Lion by Anthony Tata kicks off with a gripping premise—the swearing-in of the country’s first female president triggers a terrorist plot to unleash bioweapons during the inauguration. As with many thrillers, it requires a slight suspension of disbelief, but the fast-paced action and high stakes make for an exciting read.

Packed with suspense, well-developed characters, and plenty of twists, this book delivers on the thrills. As the first in a trilogy (so far), it sets the stage for an adrenaline-fueled series. I found it to be a fun and engaging read, and I’m looking forward to the sequels!

Very focused on military raids, Iranian hostiles, government coverups it is action packed. The main character Garrett Sinclair is assigned to stop the terrorism, and the recently discovered biochemical weapon. The story takes place mainly in the Middle East, Europe, and the U.S.. A.J. Tata is a good writer, he knows what he writes about but this book didn't really do it for me. If you like military thrillers with a lot of action you should try this one.

Great writing just not my preferred reading.

Thank You to NetGalley, Author Anthony J. Tata, and St. Martin's Press

I had a tough time remembering that Chasing the Lion was fiction.

This story has everything a reader looking for suspense, thrilling situations, and well-written characters could want in a book.

General Garrett Sinclair is a hero we can all root for. He’s searching for truth and justice in a world gone mad. While trying to come to grips with his wife’s death, he also deals with missions to catch and stop the Lion of Tabas from destroying America.

At times the story seemed far-fetched. Unless you follow real-life news, then it’s all too real. Whether it’s the battle for a mind-controlling nerve agent or uncovering treasonous Americans in high places, Sinclair needs his crew to survive and end the threats.

The pacing is breathtaking and intense. Chasing the Lion is not a book to read a chapter or two before bed; plan on binging through the night. Military thrillers are not my usual genre, but I found this one to be riveting.

I received a digital copy of the book from the author or publisher via NetGalley. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Sorry to say that I did not finish this book. It seems to be well written but has errors of fact that, to a reader with a military background, are hard to get past. Would a Lieutenant General really go on an actual combat operation in Iran? A challenge coin from a military officer of Iran? Hate to think of what else I will come accross later in the book. Very annoying.

Chasing the Lion by AJ Tata

346 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: June 1, 2021

Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Terrorism

Terrorist Dariush Parizad, known as the Lion of Tabas, has his sights on America. He has developed a biochemical weapon called Demon Rain. After people are “treated” with the drug, people are triggered and become violent. Lt. General Garrett Sinclair knows Parizad from one of his tours in the Middle East. During the investigations, questions come up when a video is found of Sinclair’s dead wife. Was his wife Melissa really kidnapped while she was at the hospital and did she really die of cancer or something else?

The story was fast paced, the characters were developed, and it was written in the first-person point of view. It was full of action and adventure. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure where the story was going. If you like action and intrigue, you will enjoy this book.

Chasing the Lion is a classic techno-black ops thriller set in the modern era. It pits a special forces leader, Garrett Sinclair, against a sophisticated Iranian regime bent on bringing the United States to its knees through a multi-pronged attack that includes use of the CIA’s Ultra MK mind-control experiments now turned into a technological mind-control marvel operated by the use of smartphones, the use of Sarin gas, terrorist attacks by sleeper cells, and nuclear powered submarine attacks on American oil refineries. It shows that the attack was developed by longstanding sleeper cells and monies freed by the reinstatement of portions of the JCPOA and an America asleep at the switch and preoccupied with internal strife and political bickering rather than sharp and alert to outside threats.

As with many of these black ops thrillers, Sinclair is isolated throughout much of the story and operates much on his own, never knowing who to trust or who to turn to. Although the beginning of the novel is a bit clunky in its setup and the worldwide crisis at times seems a bit farfetched, the novel does pick up as the action proceeds through the middle of the novel.

This book was full of action from beginning to end. General Garrett Sinclair and his team uncover a chemical weapon that poisons and can possibly mind-control large groups of people. As they chase the terrorist organization that created it, they uncover even larger conspiracies'.

The technology and story seem very current, and the pacing is fast. There are great chases and battles. I'd recommend this to people who enjoy military thrillers.

Note: I both listened to and read this book, depending on my situation at the time. I thought the audio book was very well done.

I enjoyed this book, but the storyline is like so many other thrillers out today: a terrorist threat against the US and our hero with his (because it's never a woman) own personal demons to deal with and they end up saving the world. I wish it was just more original. It was like reading an action movie. Enjoyable but forgettable.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the advance ARC for my honest review.

Did like it although, there were some parts during my read that I found it unbelievable or plausible at times but the writing, escaping into the pages, the fast pace, mix in the tension, the suspense, the overload of action, good versus evil, builds to a great conclusion and glad that I read this one.

With 'Chasing the Lion', you get a multi-layered storyline, the author A.J. Tata kept them all straight but check reality at the door Right away you will notice how Tata has brought the vast knowledge and personal experience he has into this book. As a retired General he knows better than most the inside workings of combat and military strategy and that brings this story a level of realism in the details that will keep readers engrossed from the start.
To give you a bit of back ground on the main character. Lieutenant General Garrett Sinclair is the United State’s Army’s top special forces commander. He is unique in that he participates in operations with his personal Joint Special Operations Command team, a team that he put together with the best of the best. Iran remains high in his list of enemies to the United States, whose leadership remain a constant threat. This is beyond well written and very detailed I just had a hard time connecting with it so I can’t give it more then three stars. The pacing is spot on.

this was a great mystery novel, I really enjoyed the storyline and getting to know the characters. It was so well done and I look forward to more from the series.

An extreme terrorist organization wants to unleash their newest weapon in D.C. on Inauguration Day. Can Army Lieutenant General Garrett Sinclair and his team stop this from happening?

I absolutely loved this book
It a new author to me so now I have to go back and read other books
I especially liked the all over the place action
I have read a few a military based stories not of this level though
I’m excited I can’t wait to start another

I hope this novel becomes a series of books. Garrett Sinclair is a combination of Jason Bourne and Jack Bauer from 24.
He has a recently departed wife and two grown children and still he is out saving the world through sheer guts and determination along with his trusty crew.
Pirizad is a terrorist that hates America and has planned a very complex scheme that will either kill people outright or cause them to kill one another.
If that is not enough, it appears there may be people in the US government that are helping the terrorist , indeed may have had something to do with Sinclair’s wife’s death.
It is fast paced and very detailed.
Very very good
I recommend

Thanks to net galley.com and St. Martin Press for the advance ARC for my honest review.

Did like it although, found it unbelievable or plausible at times but the writing, escaping into the pages, the fast pace, mix in the tension, the suspense, the overload of action, good verses evil , builds to a great conclusion and glad that I read this one.

With 'Chasing the Lion', you get a multi-layered storylines, the author A.J. Tata kept them all straight but check reality at the door, since I felt this one would have been better as a Jake Mahegan thriller with a 3 Star General Garrett Sinclair with his Joint Special Operations Command team in support, still keep most of the storyline, although make the "West Pointer's", the first US female President, along with President Davidison bait, trap and eliminate the "Lion of Tabas".

By thinking they let him due a minimal strike on US soil, set up a war with Iran but the author laid it on a little too thick with how bad Dariush Parizad was, yet numerous times he could have taken out General Sinclair, yet he never does and the only flaw to this one at times, just insert Jake Mahegan and not the Generals.

Looking for a softer version of the military thriller? Tata gives enough detail to let the reader know what is going on without the suspense that makes you uncomfortable. There is plenty of military lingo to keep it exciting, but it is contextually explained for those non-military readers as well.

This is a great example of why former operators make amazing authors, the action and details are always spot on! General Tata gets everything right in this book, which is not the easiest thing to accomplish, but he makes it look easy. Tata introduces us to Dagger, a JSOC team led by Lt. General Garrett Sinclair, a Ranger in command of a special team of hunters whose mission is to kill or capture the worst terrorists in the world. He's recently lost his beloved wife to cancer and suffers that devistating loss constantly. Sinclair is tasked with tracking down Dariush Parizad, an Iranian Quds Force general planning a nerve agent attack, and the Dagger team goes all out to stop him. This is 21st century combat at its finest, when Sinclair and his team are drawn into the shadows of not only an attack on the homeland but also a conspiracy possibly reaching all the way to the presidency. Since General Tata has been in the fight his writing has an authentic feel, almost like he's writing an after action report. I hope this is only the first of many books bringing us the missions of Dagger team, I look forward to seeing what the future holds for them. If you enjoy the work of Brad Taylor or Jack Carr you will definitely find a place for General Tata, you can tell the warriors who know what they are talking about.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So this story wasn't exactly what I was hoping for or expecting.
The story begins with the discovery of a cave full of people holding their phones to the sky, clutched in their dead hands with a question as to how and what they died from. From here General Garrett Sinclair and his team are tasked with discovered what the biological compound is, who is responsible and just what is their plan for this chemical.
The storyline is fast moving, full of action and deceptions but is, for me, told in a very dry monotone type of narrative, even when Garrett is talking about the death of his wife. I was looking for more background and story built around Demon Rain which is the chemical to be used in an attack on the USA. The story had a very jarring quality in the delivery and felt somewhat rushed at times.
Although this wasn't a complete hit with me it was still an entertaining read sure to be enjoyed by many.

I really enjoyed this political thriller. This typically isnt a genre I read often but it kept my interest.. It was action packed although at times a bit over the top. I flew through it. I kept picturing this as an action movie while reading it because it's definitely written like that. If you enjoy military and political thrillers, check this one out!

Being a Army wife for 23 years (retired) I thought I would branch out of my normal comfort zone. The author definitely knows what he is writing about and it is easy to follow the development of the storyline. However, this story is not for someone who is unfamiliar with military operations.
Garrett Sinclair is a Army Lieutenant General and was out of the country when his wife died of cancer. He uncovers a plot by a extremist group run by a ruthless man, Parizad. He will kill anyone in his way and plans to kill millions for revenge and money. Garrett finds out the conspiracy goes all the way up the chain clear to the Presidency. Then he uncovers that his wife may have died not from cancer, but a drug they plan to unleash on the world.

This is a well designed book and if you know the military jargon and I think that you will enjoy this book. I plan to get this book for my husband who is a retired Army Veteran.

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.