Midnight Black

“Softly, solemnly, he said, ‘She’s not dead.’”

In contrast to Court’s outward bluster and bravado, these lines, muttered to himself right before a deadly attack, contain mixed notes of hope and despair. The alliterated “s” sounds of “softly, solemnly” undercut the violence that Court is about to unleash, illustrating the desperation driving his actions. His comment also contributes to the theme of The Power of Love and Loyalty, as Zoya’s uncertain fate doesn’t deter Court from undergoing extreme danger to find her.

“At 12:05 a.m. headlights appeared up there on the rooftop, circling up the ramp to the parking lot, and then a black Mercedes G-Wagen followed by a dark gray BMW rolled in the direction of the men standing by the row of cars.

Vartan, the young one, turned to Iosif, the muscular one, and said a single word.

‘Nasul.’

To this, Iosif said, ‘Cacat.’

In Romanian, ‘Nasul’ means ‘the godfather,’ and ‘cacat’ means ‘Oh shit.’”

As this exchange illustrates, the novel often uses humor to enliven the plot and alleviate tense situations. Here, the humor arises from the deadpan narrative voice, dryly juxtaposing “the godfather” with “oh shit.” These lines also show how the novel often uses words from languages other than English to indicate its vast, rich global landscape. Apart from Romanian, the novel also uses many instances of Russian, enlivening the narrative.

“‘But…but how did you kill them without any of them firing back at you?’

With a shrug, he said, ‘Swift and judicious marksmanship.’”

Greaney often uses punchy, rapid-fire dialogue to enhance the edgy atmosphere of the Gray Man books, as in the case when Court explains to Balan that his silent, swift killings are simply a matter of well-judged marksmanship. Court’s words are also a menacing flex, telegraphing to the mafia boss that he, too, may find himself at the receiving end of Court’s bullets.

“Softly, and with considerable melancholy, Court said, ‘You have successfully completed stage “fuck around,” and you now are entering stage “find out.”’”

Another example of Greaney’s use of sharp dialogue, these lines are said by Court to Balan moments before he kills the godfather. The phrase “considerable melancholy” is ominous, positioning Court as an angel of death who is bound to carry out his terrible task. This is undercut, however, by his use of a recent idiom that contradicts the seriousness of what he’s about to do.

“‘Why do I get the feeling you are running a cult around here?’

Zack grinned at the woman now. ‘What can I say? My vibe attracts my tribe.’”

Zack’s easygoing and boisterous attitude often lends levity to the tense plot, as in the case when he tells Angela Lacy that the reason his guards have become his friends is his “vibe.” The scene raises the question of how one creates a sense of teamwork and connection, developing the theme of the power of love and loyalty.

“Dropping his head into his hands now, he felt the despair choking him, just like it had hours before in Bucharest. He couldn’t survive much longer with this level of wretched anguish coursing through his body.

This pain, he knew, was just simply not sustainable.

Still, he asked himself what choice he had, and he came up with no answer. He couldn’t start over. He had to try.”

When an injured Court spots the Mygan at the heavily surveilled port of Constanta, he realizes that he may not be able to get onto the ship. The ensuing despair flooding him is both emotional exhaustion and physical pain. Having pushed his body to the extreme to get this far, Court briefly ponders the possibility of changing tactics at this point. However, he also knows that his only choice is to keep going. Court’s resolve in the face of anguish illustrates the theme of The Importance of Courage and Resilience to Survival.

“‘Well, before you go off and try that bullshit plan of yours, how about you go off and try this bullshit plan of mine?’

‘You have a plan?’

‘Sort of.’

Court looked at the ship again. Said, ‘You are literally a demotivational speaker, aren’t you?’”

The warm, irreverent conversation between Hanley and Court establishes their close bond and also provides Court with a way out of his predicament at Constanta. Hanley often facilitates deus-ex-machina moments for Court, saving him in impossible spots.

“A cold rain fell in Yavas on this early November afternoon, melting last night’s snowfall as the gray, overcast day neared forty degrees, possibly for the last time until next spring. The nights had been well below freezing, however, and the strong winds down from the plains in the north made them feel even colder.”

The Russian winter is a symbol of the extreme physical and emotional pressure faced by characters in the novel. Not only is the gray, freezing weather at Yavas physically unbearable, but it also emphasizes the oppressive conditions of the penal colony, equating the physical isolation and danger with the equally oppressive environment of the prison.

“‘You were subjected to some pretty harsh special measures, but you were not tortured in the true sense.’

Zoya continued staring at the dirty wooden table as she said, ‘Mock executions, refrigerated cell, rotten rations, sleep deprivation…should I go on?’

Baronov sniffed as if what she’d said had been a joke.

‘Trust me, you got off easy.’”

The fact that Baronov thinks of a refrigerated cell as an easy punishment indicates the depths of his cruelty and depravity. His lines take on an even crueler subtext in retrospect when he reveals that Zoya did actually experience worse torture than she thinks. In this context, his sniffing, as if at a joke, takes on an ominous meaning as he mocks Zoya for what she has forgotten.

“Russia’s fighting a war with the entire West, and we’re pretending their fight is just with Ukraine.”

Hanley’s lines reflect the narrative take on Russia and the Russia-Ukraine war, wherein Europe’s largest nation is seen as a clear aggressor on the world stage. In the novel, Russia is portrayed as using its deep state to foment trouble in the rest of Europe. Further, the novel often positions Russia against the West, presenting the two as antithetical to each other. While the West, including the US and Western Europe, represents liberal democracy in the novel, Russia is depicted as a police state.

“You kill enough people, in Georgia, in Chechnya, in Syria, in Ukraine…if you kill enough people, then killing loses its taboo.”

Baronov’s lines to Zoya reflect how indiscriminate killings have hardened and numbed his soul, complicating his character development as a one-dimensional villain. Since the killing sites that he mentions are countries where Russia waged war, Baronov also acts as a metaphor for the Peskov administration. The administration has triggered conflict so many times that it has effectively lost respect for human life.

“The sniper was fixated on the fight ahead, so it came as a complete surprise to him when his spotter slammed face-first into the snow next to him. The man behind the Sako rifle looked over his shoulder into the darkness and only had time to register close-in movement before another body slammed on top of him; he was pressed into the ground by its weight, and then the body above him moved. The sniper was grabbed by his hair, his head was wrenched up, and, before he could even get his hands off the rifle and up to defend himself, he felt the cold blade of a knife against his throat. As the Hungarian sniper’s mind filled with panic, he somehow had the presence of mind to speak in English.

‘Wait. Wait!’

Court Gentry did not wait. He pitilessly slit the sniper’s throat, climbed up to his knees, and then rolled the hemorrhaging man away from the Sako TRG rifle. The wounded man gurgled and thrashed, and blood spurted, but Court ignored it all, dropped down onto the ground behind the big weapon, and peered through the scope.”

The passage, in which Court cold-bloodedly kills a GRU sniper, illustrates the novel’s use of swift, cinematic action sequences. However, it also raises questions about the ethics of Court’s actions since he does not heed the Hungarian man’s cries to spare him and “pitilessly” murders him. Court’s focus on the scope is juxtaposed against the man’s death rattle, further establishing the coldness of his actions. Though Court is on the side of the “good guys,” the narrative cannot resolve the gray areas in his operations. It is easy to think of the sniper as collateral damage, as the vocabulary of contemporary warfare suggests, but the very fact that Court’s actions are depicted as merciless indicates the text’s refusal to offer a definitive answer.

“These kids, and Court had passed dozens and dozens in both cities, shared one common trait. Angry eyes. They scanned the sidewalk around them as they worked, and more than once Court had watched a Youth Army kid challenge a passerby, asking a young man why he wasn’t at the front protecting his nation from the forces of NATO, asking a dark-skinned couple where they were from and what they were doing in Russia, and generally acting menacing towards the population.”

In this passage, Greaney uses Russia’s example to touch a universal chord: the disaffection of youth contributing to extremist movements across the globe. In the absence of opportunity and meaningful employment, the young often become easy targets for radicalizing forces, as in the case of the angry Russian youth depicted here.

“‘I want you to know that I’m not a threat to you, even though I worked for Moscow. It might seem weird seeing me show up like this. In the intelligence world, a planned approach orchestrated to look like a chance encounter is called a bump.’

‘My husband and I were pursued by spies for almost twenty years. I know what a bump is.’”

Despite the oppressive environment in which they are mired, Zoya and Nadia make a connection, with Zoya coming clean to Nadia to win her trust. The passage is also an example of Greaney’s use of well-researched, relevant terms like “bump” to add credibility to his world through technical expertise, an important trope of the espionage genre.

“The joke is, here in Russia, we do have freedom of speech. We just don’t have freedom after speech.”

Arkady’s joke is only funny in a bleakly ironic fashion. It also illustrates how modern-day dictators often subvert democracy rather than upset it altogether. People in Russia in the novel are technically free to speak their minds, just as the government is free to imprison them or worse for their exercise of freedom.

“Behind him he heard shouting, someone bellowing something into a megaphone, and then a voice came over the PA. He picked up his pace as the woman’s voice over the distorted speakers above announced that the station was closing as a security precaution, and everyone inside must wait. They were sealing the station up with everyone in it. Only in a police state, Court thought, and then he mumbled to himself, ‘Try pulling that shit in Dallas.’”

Court’s lines once again underscore his view that Russia is a police state since he believes that it is only here that an entire train station could be sealed on government order. However, the line about such an event being nearly impossible in Dallas exposes Court’s uncritical view of American democracy.

“‘Yes,’ Court said, then quickly added, ‘but air power is often one of those things that is overpromised and underdelivered. We need to operate under the assumption that we will have to do most of the fighting on our own.’

Now Vanya spoke up. ‘Absolutely. I am expecting the West to fail us in this endeavor. They’ve done so in the past.’”

As Denis’s words show, characters in the novel are often suspicious of those from other countries. However, as the plot progresses, characters do change their stance as the loyalty of those working together is proven. Denis’s words also contain an echo of the truth since the Russian partisan movement has received little global support.

“‘And no more talk of dying,’ Court said. ‘Let’s have some hope. It’s a powerful thing. It’s good for you, and it’s good for your people.’

Denis nodded at this. Said, ‘Our people.’”

Denis’s use of “our people” to Court signifies a thawing of his attitude toward the American. Warming to Court, Denis reminds him that they are both fighting the good fight and share common humanity underneath the divisions of nationality. Court’s emphasis on the power of hope shows his own improved emotional state; now that he is closer than ever to Zoya, Court knows the role that hope played in his own journey.

“Less than a minute after the jet flames from the initial barrage of missiles here at the airport disappeared in the night sky, a flight of four MiG-29s raced by the control tower, already flying at an extremely low altitude in order to confuse enemy radar. The Ukrainian jets carried anti-radar missiles, and it was their job to punch the first holes in the enemy’s ground-to-air defenses.”

These lines illustrate the narrative’s accurate depiction of military and espionage ops, for which the Gray Man series is known. By using specific details—such as the name of the aircraft and the mechanism by which they confuse the enemy radar—Greaney lends authenticity to the narrative’s set-up.

“Court said, ‘You fuckers are brave, I’ll give you that.’

‘We’re desperate,’ he corrected. ‘We can’t live in a Russia like this. Either we will die, or we will change things. There is no other choice for us.’”

Denis’s words to Court show how bravery is not a choice but a survival mechanism for the Freedom of Russia Legion. The Legion needs to risk everything in order to create a country worth living in, highlighting their awareness of The Human Cost of War and Espionage. These lines also showcase Denis’s revolutionary idealism.

“Over the roof of the cell block building of IK-17 Orzenyi, Zack Hightower was the first man to grab onto the port-side fast rope, but he wasn’t having an easy time of it. He’d fallen twice in the interior of the Osprey trying to make it down to the ramp, slamming into other operators along the way who were lining up for their turn. The pilot put his aircraft in a hover, but he was left and right, back and forth, and up and down with his movements, and Zack didn’t know if the man could keep this steady for the next minute: the time he’d allotted to get all fifteen hurriedly trained fast-ropers down two fifteen-meter-long ropes. Zack couldn’t see a damn thing below him as he began his quick slide. He hoped like hell the building roof was where it was supposed to be, but he told himself he’d only know for sure if the pilot had put them in the correct spot either when his boots hit the roof or he ran out of line and dropped three stories to the ground. But he descended through the impenetrable white of the swirling snow below the rotors and, about ten meters down, he loosened his legs for impact, saw the roof a second before he hit it, and then he dropped to his knees, letting go of the rope. He immediately got his rifle off his back and up in front of him, and then he pushed himself back to his feet with one hand and began moving across the roof.”

A high-stakes and evocative action scene, the sequence above is all the more authentic because it establishes Zack’s difficulty in reaching the roof of the prison. With a barrage of specific sensory imagery, Greaney evokes the unsteady movement of the hovering aircraft, the poor conditions in which a stumbling Zack fast-ropes down, and the challenges of multiple airborne operatives bumping into each other. The fact that Zack gets no rest after his perilous descent further emphasizes the urgency and danger of the mission.

“To Zoya, he asked, ‘How is she?’

‘Weak but ambulatory.’

Court nodded. ‘Good. And you? Are you mobile?’

‘Am I mobile? You tell me we’re leaving here, and I’m a fucking prima ballerina.’”

When they finally meet, Zoya and Court don’t have time for a proper reunion. However, they convey their mutual affection through witty, irreverent banter. Zoya’s humorous line about being excited enough to dance her way out of the prison showcases her resilience and survival spirit, developing the theme of the importance of courage and resilience to survival.

‘“Don’t let them amputate my leg, bro.’ Zoya heard this and leaned forward. ‘You’re such a drama queen. It’s not bad. Really.”

This exchange in the Osprey shows how characters use humor to deal with their dangerous reality. Zoya knows that Zack’s leg is in bad shape but cannot allow him to think so; therefore, she minimizes Zack’s situation through a joke.