Sheepdogs, by Elliot Ackerman, was an interesting thriller with a lot going for it, but it did not quite meet its promise. Its high point is a group of very colorful characters with a lot of potential. Another strong point were its various settings. This is a good globe-trotting story with a fairly fast pace and a lot of movement.

I was disappointed in the plot, which took a very long time to unfold with a lot of backstory scattered throughout the book. The plot is worth it in the end, with a large number of twists and turns. Overall, it is worth reading, but many readers will struggle with the plot.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free review copy.

Because Sheepdogs is only eight chapters, you would think it would be a quick read, but you would be wrong.
Elliot Ackerman takes us into the world of espionage and foreign warfare, which uncovers and highlights the illicit workings and dangers of working for the unknown Sheepdog.
Moving things around covertly, where only a rare few know who the Sheepdog is.

Kept me interested the whole way. Enjoyed the characters, and they were characters. Nice mix of strategy, deception and interesting personality battles. Am going to checkout his back list.

These days, when the news globally and nationally is pretty grim, this spy romp is a welcome diversion. Featuring several quirky characters with shadowy backgrounds working for the US government and dubious skill sets, the story involves Skwerl and Cheese who are recruited by the mysterious Sheepdog to steal a jet from Kampala for a large payback. Of course, their mission goes seriously awry, and they are compelled to solicit help from their women friends as well as more misfits, moving between Colorado, Virginia, and Marseilles. And of course, no spy thriller would be complete without invaluable plates that had belonged to Marie Antoinette. The good humor, outrageous capers, and plot twists combine to make this an entertaining read.

Skwerl is ex-CIA, and is currently down on his luck. But things are looking up. He has been hired by the mysterious Sheepdog to repossess a $5 million dollar private jet. In Africa. Skwerl is not a pilot, but his buddy Cheese (also down on his luck) is an ace pilot. Things like this seldom go well.
Let the chaos begin! What does a rogue bear in Colorado have to do with Marie Antionette’s china? The author is well versed in military and CIA operations, among other things. This makes me wonder if this world wide romp doesn’t have some ring of truth to it. Can’t wait to see if Skwerl and Cheese make another appearance. Here’s hoping.

Disclosure: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. All of the above opinions are my own

Superb military and post military novel where all the characters lives are intertwined. The author makes everything so realistic you expect to hear about it on the news channels. Realistic and mesmerizing.

Sheepdogs by Elliot Ackerman is a quirky, character-driven thriller that blends military intrigue, offbeat humor, and a cast of eccentric misfits into an unconventional but entertaining story. While the heavy focus on war stories and government agencies occasionally bogged things down—especially for a reader not typically drawn to this genre—the central plot and its layered cast kept things engaging. From an exiled Amishman to a dominatrix and a former fighter pilot, everyone seems to be hiding something, which adds to the mystery and situational humor. Though the narrative sometimes felt cluttered with backstory, the action and character dynamics pulled me in, and I appreciated the mild language and surprisingly light violence. It’s not laugh-out-loud funny or pulse-pounding, but it offers a unique, slow-burning ride that grows more compelling as it unfolds. I’d be curious to see where this crew goes next.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished an engaging read. Sheepdogs by Elliot Ackerman kept me turning the pages until the very last one.

Sheepdogs by Elliot Ackerman is not my usual book, but I enjoyed it and was entertained by the story. I can absolutely envision this being turned into a movie with a big name ensemble cast.

Skwerl is an ex-CIA operative and Cheese an Afghan pilot who are engaged to repossess an airplane from Africa and that's the basis for this spy/adventure/thriller.

The characters could have been more developed and it felt like we didn't know anything below the surface as to why they did what they did, but what we were given was well written and fun.

I actually enjoyed this book and laughed through a lot of it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC. It was a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon and I recommend it. All opinions are my own.

This was quite an interesting read. I'll admit now, that this particular genre is not one I normally read, but the description sounded fun so wanted to give it a try. I also feel like this is one men, especially, would enjoy as there is a lot of talk of wars and all the government behind the scenes stuff. Though that was one of the things I didn't care for. It came mostly from the characters inner dialogs. It felt like there was a lot of unneeded details, and there were quite a few government departments mentioned and it was hard to keep track of what was what. (At least for me, a simple minded person.. others might enjoy the complexities involved.) There were a wide range of characters, and you never really knew who was friend and who was foe. I wouldn't say it was suspenseful, per se, but there were a few scenes that you wondered how it would play out. (You often knew what one character had planned, so you'd wait to see if it panned out.) The humor was not the LOL kind, but more of the situational variety. The things that happened is where most of the humor was. As far as the characters goes, there was quite the assortment. I think almost everyone one had some sort of secret they were keeping. There was a dominatrix, an exiled Amishman, a former fighter pilot and his pregnant wife and several veterans from various countries, to name a few. There was also quite a few air miles traveled. It was an interesting story with some twists. It did take me a little while to really get into the story because of all the war stories told, and I did sometimes skim through them if it looked like it was irrelevant to the actual plot/storyline. (Some of it, I understood, as it gave us the backstory of the characters.) Having said all that, I really did enjoy the actual plot and the mystery/action in it. I also really liked the characters and their behaviors. Aside from the mentions from the various wars, there was not really any violence (just one gun shot and a hit on the head.) The language is also quite mild (a few 'F' bombs.) There is some mention of that dominatrix's work, but no sexual content. So really, the war recaps would be the only thing to worry about in regards to younger readers, though the whole theme of the book is probably not something many younger readers would be able to keep up with, or be interested in anyways. You do get the POV from all the key players.

*I received a copy of the book from Netgalley.

Really wanted to enjoy this book. Tried to be a catch 22 type book but just didnt have it. It’s not a bad book but not funny or suspenseful or satirical to make it a winner.

Sheepdogs is a sharp and wild ride through the shadowy world of modern war and espionage, anchored by two down but not out antiheroes: Skwerl, a scrappy ex CIA operative with more grit than grammar skills, and Big Cheese Aziz, a legendary Afghan pilot now working the night shift at a gas station. Their mission to repossess a private jet from a remote African airfield spirals into chaos involving missing contacts, shady handlers, and an unforgettable cast that includes a dominatrix, an Amish adventurer, and a Congressman used car dealer. Ackerman blends dark humor, global intrigue, and heart in equal measure. Some plot twists border on the absurd, but in a way that makes it all the more fun. It is smart, fast paced, and full of soul a uniquely entertaining take on the human fallout of global conflict.

This was a fun story with well written characters. The author does a good job at mixing in humor throughout the book. I found myself getting into the story and the characters, but I'd like to see more - everything felt a bit surface level. I hope there will be more adventures to this crew in the future so we can learn more about the characters past and future.

Thanks to Net Galley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this ARC. #Sheepdogs #NetGalley

Definitely an action-packed thriller, but it never really went beyond that and gave me what I was looking for. Maybe I should try another one of the authors books though.

An action packed thriller, but making me want more. I thought I would enjoy it more.
Don't get me wrong, it has it's strong point. The characters are fun.
The main story not so much.
More entertaining than a Fast and Furious movie.