Books like The Hard Line
Looking for a book like The Hard Line?
Try Terminal Rage by A.M. Khalifa. In Mark Greaney’s The Hard Line, the Gray Man becomes the hunted, and the threat is personal. Terminal Rage is personal from the first page: the man who seized a Manhattan tower will talk only to Alexander Blackwell, and Blackwell has no idea why.
What they share
It’s personal
Whetstone’s vendetta targets Court Gentry and everyone he has loved. The hostage-taker in Terminal Rage seems to know Blackwell’s past better than Blackwell does.
The past comes back
Court’s father, unseen for twenty years, is part of the story. Blackwell is still carrying the hostage case that ended his career.
A story that won’t stay in one place
The Hard Line runs from Tunis to Nicaragua to Virginia. Terminal Rage travels from New York to Los Angeles, Sydney, Cairo, Rome, Naples and Anguilla.
Where they differ
Court Gentry is an assassin, and Greaney’s books are wall-to-wall action. Blackwell is a negotiator, so the tension builds through talk before the action breaks loose.
A.M. Khalifa is an Egyptian writer based in Rome, raised in a diplomatic corps family across more than fifteen countries, and the only Egyptian writing commercial espionage fiction in English. More on that.
Terminal Rage received a starred review from Booklist, has sold more than 500,000 copies, and is narrated on audio by Scott Brick. It contains violence and sexual content, and is meant for adult readers.
More books like The Hard Line
- Terminal Rage by A.M. Khalifa: a retired negotiator and a hostage-taker who knows his past.
- The Gray Man by Mark Greaney: the first Court Gentry novel.
- Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz: a former government assassin who now helps people in trouble.
- The Terminal List by Jack Carr: a Navy SEAL hunts the people who betrayed his team.
Questions
What books are like The Hard Line?
Terminal Rage by A.M. Khalifa: a hero with a past, an enemy who makes it personal, and a story that crosses the world. Gray Man readers also enjoy Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X and Jack Carr’s Terminal List books.
Is Terminal Rage like the Gray Man books?
In spirit: a lone professional, a past that won’t stay buried and a conspiracy in high places. Its hero is a former FBI hostage negotiator.
What should I read after The Hard Line?
Try Terminal Rage by A.M. Khalifa, the first book in a series.
Is there an audiobook?
Yes. Scott Brick narrates the unabridged audiobook of Terminal Rage, about 10.5 hours long.
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