I'm another Stephen Hunter fan who was deeply disappointed by this one -- my guess is that Hunter wrote it on autopilot, as an exercise in self-indulgence. It's predictable, plays on a silly "seven against Thebes" allusion, and even has an uneducated Mississipi black guy say, "I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy." If you're new to Hunter, try POINT OF IMPACT, which would be a strong candidate, for me, to be ranked the best thriller ever written.