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Legoland Trilogy #2
Games Traitors Play
Re-inventing the spy story for the 21st Century.John Le Carre meets Jason Bourne!Salim Dhar is the world's most wanted terrorist. The CIA is under pressure to hunt him down, after he narrowly failed to kill the US president. The borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan are the target of relentless drone strikes. Echelon, the West's intelligence analysis network, is in meltdown, monitoring all channels for the faintest trace of Dhar. But no one can find him. Only Daniel Marchant, renegade MI6 officer, knows where he is.Marchant has been living in Marrakech, listening to the traditional Berber storytellers as they enthral tourists with tales from The Arabian Nights. Marchant believes that Dhar has shunned technology, retreating to old messages for Dhar are being embedded in ancient narratives.When a man flees from the square, Marchant pursues him up into the Atlas Mountains, where he sees an unmarked military helicopter take off and head east. Is someone shielding Dhar to perpetrate an act of proxy terrorism on the West? Or is the CIA right when it claims to have killed him?To discover the truth, Marchant must be recruited by Moscow. But Marcus Fielding, erudite Chief of MI6, doubts that his young intelligence officer has the mental strength to be a double agent. It's a role that will require him to believe his late father was a traitor, an allegation that Marchant fought long and hard to dispel. Now he must rekindle those rumours and confront dark truths about his own loyalties. He must also work with Lakshmi Meena, the CIA's beautiful new liaison officer in London. Can he ever trust a woman-or an American-again after being betrayed by her predecessor?As Britain braces itself for an airborne terrorist attack, Marchant survives torture in Morocco and India in his bid to find and stop Dhar. Will family ties ultimately prove more binding than ideology? In an absorbing thriller that combines the nuances of Cold War Le Carre with the ejector-seat excitement of Top Gun, Marchant discovers that treachery is the greatest game of all.
372 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 12, 2021
When I was younger, I was broke. I wanted to be able to wear the bling that all my friends had, but there was absolutely no way I could afford it. Thank God for China Town. If I wanted a Movado watch, Tommy Hilfiger clothes, or... whatever. All I needed to do was take a trip down to Lower Manhattan. On the outside, that watch looks just like the $500 real thing, but here it only costs you $20. That bottle might look like it is CK1 cologne, just don't ever spray and use that bottle you shelled out $15 for. Nobody will know the difference if you keep using Preferred Stock and let your friends all think it is the real deal.
This book is the Chinatown knockoff of a good spy novel. On the cover, it looks like the real thing. I mean, we are told, "The perfect post-Bond spy...Move over, Jason Bourne." That's funny.
The problem is, 20 minutes later, the watch is broken and I'm out twenty bucks. In the same way, 20 pages in I realize that I'm not reading a spy novel but rather a train wreck. And just like a train wreck, I know I should look away and move on but I just can't help myself. The only reason I finished this book was because I simply couldn't believe that it could ever possibly get any worse... and yet it kept getting worse. The characters aren't believable. The plot isn't plausible. The author's bias is blatant. The romantic relationships are ridiculous. And the twists are all telegraphed. My cousin's son could write a better thriller than this... and he still thinks Paw Patrol is the best show on TV.
This book is the Chinatown knockoff of a good spy novel. On the cover, it looks like the real thing. I mean, we are told, "The perfect post-Bond spy...Move over, Jason Bourne." That's funny.
The problem is, 20 minutes later, the watch is broken and I'm out twenty bucks. In the same way, 20 pages in I realize that I'm not reading a spy novel but rather a train wreck. And just like a train wreck, I know I should look away and move on but I just can't help myself. The only reason I finished this book was because I simply couldn't believe that it could ever possibly get any worse... and yet it kept getting worse. The characters aren't believable. The plot isn't plausible. The author's bias is blatant. The romantic relationships are ridiculous. And the twists are all telegraphed. My cousin's son could write a better thriller than this... and he still thinks Paw Patrol is the best show on TV.
April 5, 2015
This is the sequel to Dead Spy Running, the story of MI6 agent Daniel Marchant who is forced on the run when he is suspected of being a terrorist. If you have not read that book, you'll spend most of this one playing catch up, like a new kid at school who doesn't know the rules. It's very much a sequel, not a standalone thriller.
In this outing, Daniel is still on the hunt for his half brother Salim Dhar: a quest that will take him from Morocco to Sardinia to England and onto India and that will have him teaming up with former enemies and doubting former allies. However, as the book's title suggests, the focus is really on the conflicting agendas and double cross moves between the Russians, the Americans and the English, who all have different uses for Marchant. The result is a tedious and confusing plot which contains too much conversation and when the action comes, it's over too quickly. The details about how the various agencies may be realistic, but none of the characters are even remotely believable and I found the book's ending particularly hard to swallow.
The ending sets the book up for a sequel, but I'm unlikely to be reading it.
In this outing, Daniel is still on the hunt for his half brother Salim Dhar: a quest that will take him from Morocco to Sardinia to England and onto India and that will have him teaming up with former enemies and doubting former allies. However, as the book's title suggests, the focus is really on the conflicting agendas and double cross moves between the Russians, the Americans and the English, who all have different uses for Marchant. The result is a tedious and confusing plot which contains too much conversation and when the action comes, it's over too quickly. The details about how the various agencies may be realistic, but none of the characters are even remotely believable and I found the book's ending particularly hard to swallow.
The ending sets the book up for a sequel, but I'm unlikely to be reading it.
December 29, 2012
Phew! This is a good one.
I would suggest (again) that John le Carré defined the British spy novel - and even the names and terms of the (real) world of espionage in many people's understanding of such things. More than James Bond - at least until recently. But, le Carré's classics, whilst still being classics, are a bit old-school, aren't they? He's good, but all a bit last century? But because the world le Carré created is quite probably the world that many readers think actually exists, it must be difficult to try to move into 'his territory' and write a 21st Century spy novel. Difficult to say things are/were different and sound convincing.
Unless, it seems, you're Jon Stock. His 'Games Traitors Play' is the first of his novels I have read - but it will absolutely not be the last.
'Games Traitors Play' plunges immediately headlong into a thoroughly believable and satisfyingly confusing, switch-back story of cross-, double-cross - and I wouldn't be at all surprised if I didn't miss a triple cross somewhere along the line. Talk about not being able to put it down, I couldn't. Didn't dare. It was glued to my hands. Didn't dare feel like I'd missed something, misinterpreted someone somewhere double crossing someone somewhere else. You can't take your eyes off this one for a moment. I love a book where you really need to pay attention.
So, he seems to have effortlessly and immediately created a believable - background history and all - spy world. Gone of course, is the Cold War. But the tensions and aftershocks are still being felt. International terrorism is the 'new Russia', of course, but the old Russia is still alive and kicking. And part of the fall-out from the Cold War, is new tension based on old rivalries, between the UK and US spy and counter-spy cultures. No matter how satisfying it is, as a British reader, to see the Yank intelligence people get their comeuppance from time to time, you do have to remind yourself sometimes that we're supposed to be on the same side here! And who is on the other side? Who knows! A thoroughly confusing, shifting, shapeless world of terrorists cells, individuals and Jihadists, each using each other and their allegiances to each other and no one, to create an unidentifiable moving target for today's secret agents to try and aim at. In the good old days, you knew that everyone on this side of the Iron Curtain was on your side, everyone on the other side, wasn't, didn't you? Everyone on both sides, knew which rules to play by; they'd all been to the same English Public Schools after all! That's all changed. I don't envy today's spies, that's for sure.
The book rushes round the espionage world at a satisfyingly controlled breakneck pace, taking in amongst other places, Morocco and the Atlas Mountains, Sardinia and deepest, darkest Russia. But it is mainly centred on Britain, British spies now and then and London and MI6's headquarters. No longer of course 'The Circus', but the much more modern 'Legoland' (if you've seen the latest James Bond 'Skyfall', you'll know why). Also and a first in my reading experience, the genteel town of Cheltenham and it's GCHQ 'doughnut' get some well-deserved recognition.
In the end, 'Games Traitors Play' is a book all about relationships. Uneasy, troubled, but necessary relationships. Between MI5 and MI6, between the UK and the US and especially their respective ways of doing things. Between family, father and son, brothers and of course, the past and the present, between old-school and new-school spying.
As i said, I couldn't put it down. Even when I'd finished. Kept hoping there was more. There are more, so Amazon will be getting an order as soon as my pocket money arrives in the new year.
"Little does she know that I know that she knows that I know she's two-timing me...."
Remember that song?
Suppose you need to be of a certain age.
I would suggest (again) that John le Carré defined the British spy novel - and even the names and terms of the (real) world of espionage in many people's understanding of such things. More than James Bond - at least until recently. But, le Carré's classics, whilst still being classics, are a bit old-school, aren't they? He's good, but all a bit last century? But because the world le Carré created is quite probably the world that many readers think actually exists, it must be difficult to try to move into 'his territory' and write a 21st Century spy novel. Difficult to say things are/were different and sound convincing.
Unless, it seems, you're Jon Stock. His 'Games Traitors Play' is the first of his novels I have read - but it will absolutely not be the last.
'Games Traitors Play' plunges immediately headlong into a thoroughly believable and satisfyingly confusing, switch-back story of cross-, double-cross - and I wouldn't be at all surprised if I didn't miss a triple cross somewhere along the line. Talk about not being able to put it down, I couldn't. Didn't dare. It was glued to my hands. Didn't dare feel like I'd missed something, misinterpreted someone somewhere double crossing someone somewhere else. You can't take your eyes off this one for a moment. I love a book where you really need to pay attention.
So, he seems to have effortlessly and immediately created a believable - background history and all - spy world. Gone of course, is the Cold War. But the tensions and aftershocks are still being felt. International terrorism is the 'new Russia', of course, but the old Russia is still alive and kicking. And part of the fall-out from the Cold War, is new tension based on old rivalries, between the UK and US spy and counter-spy cultures. No matter how satisfying it is, as a British reader, to see the Yank intelligence people get their comeuppance from time to time, you do have to remind yourself sometimes that we're supposed to be on the same side here! And who is on the other side? Who knows! A thoroughly confusing, shifting, shapeless world of terrorists cells, individuals and Jihadists, each using each other and their allegiances to each other and no one, to create an unidentifiable moving target for today's secret agents to try and aim at. In the good old days, you knew that everyone on this side of the Iron Curtain was on your side, everyone on the other side, wasn't, didn't you? Everyone on both sides, knew which rules to play by; they'd all been to the same English Public Schools after all! That's all changed. I don't envy today's spies, that's for sure.
The book rushes round the espionage world at a satisfyingly controlled breakneck pace, taking in amongst other places, Morocco and the Atlas Mountains, Sardinia and deepest, darkest Russia. But it is mainly centred on Britain, British spies now and then and London and MI6's headquarters. No longer of course 'The Circus', but the much more modern 'Legoland' (if you've seen the latest James Bond 'Skyfall', you'll know why). Also and a first in my reading experience, the genteel town of Cheltenham and it's GCHQ 'doughnut' get some well-deserved recognition.
In the end, 'Games Traitors Play' is a book all about relationships. Uneasy, troubled, but necessary relationships. Between MI5 and MI6, between the UK and the US and especially their respective ways of doing things. Between family, father and son, brothers and of course, the past and the present, between old-school and new-school spying.
As i said, I couldn't put it down. Even when I'd finished. Kept hoping there was more. There are more, so Amazon will be getting an order as soon as my pocket money arrives in the new year.
"Little does she know that I know that she knows that I know she's two-timing me...."
Remember that song?
Suppose you need to be of a certain age.
February 28, 2017
This is the second book of the trilogy and it's very good. Not a typical spy story, read the first book and you will want to read them all. I'm not giving an spoilers here. It's a spy novel for the 21st century, hints of Spooks, and old school Deighton and Le Carre and I hope the author keeps writing them.
After finishing this one I downloaded the third, which continues straight on from this. Do yourself a favour and check them out.
After finishing this one I downloaded the third, which continues straight on from this. Do yourself a favour and check them out.
March 25, 2012
I received an advance reading copy from St. Martin's press through the Good Reads First Reads giveaway. (Thanks!) It took me a bit to get into the book, but then I became engrossed in the many layers of deception throughout the book. The concept of two half-brothers - one a jihadist, the other an agent for MI6 - was within the realm of possibilty, but the thought that one could turn the other to his side was a stretch. The author keeps you guessing throughout as to who was a traitor and who wasn't. I liked the short chapters; it gives you a sense of really moving through the book. Altogether, a pretty good read.
April 24, 2011
The war on terror meets remnants of the cold war in this fast-paced espionage thriller. Stock’s writing combines the energy of Fredrick Forsyth with the hard-edged spy craft of le Carre. The result is a gripping, believable tale that keeps you turning the pages as characters are drawn together in a gripping climax.
This was my first encounter with a Jon Stock novel and I’ll definitely be looking out for his work in future.
This was my first encounter with a Jon Stock novel and I’ll definitely be looking out for his work in future.
September 9, 2016
It was a enjoyable spy book. Though I don't read many books in this genre I really thought this was well written. The book is about Salim Dhar is the world's most wanted terrorist. After he narrowly failed to kill the U.S. president, the CIA is under pressure to hunt him down. Echelon, the West's intelligence analysis network, is in meltdown, monitoring all channels for the faintest trace of Dhar. But no one can find him. Only Daniel Marchant, renegade MI6 officer, knows where he is.
September 8, 2012
Good author
January 17, 2022
When I started reading it took me a while to get into the book, trying to get up to speed on the various character, admittedly its a trilogy and I just pickup up the one...
The story is a little all over the place and cheekily describes itself as the next James Bond spy novel (self described on the cover ha ha ) The characters aren't believable. The plot isn't plausible. The author's bias is blatant. The romantic relationships are ridiculous. look; this is the 1st novel that I have read from J.S. Monroe. I'll read one or two more of his novels before I make any judgements.
The story is a little all over the place and cheekily describes itself as the next James Bond spy novel (self described on the cover ha ha ) The characters aren't believable. The plot isn't plausible. The author's bias is blatant. The romantic relationships are ridiculous. look; this is the 1st novel that I have read from J.S. Monroe. I'll read one or two more of his novels before I make any judgements.
June 8, 2024
I enjoyed this novel but it really takes a long time for it to get into high gear. The character development is first rate though so I'll be looking forward to reading the final book of this trilogy.
May 8, 2015
The cover got my attention with "the perfect post-Bond spy...move over, Jason Bourne" along with some reviews comparing this to John le Carré's style.
Daniel Marchant is undercover in Marrakesh to get a lead on Salim Dhar, who is the world's most wanted terrorist since he narrowly missed killing the U.S. president. the CIA is under pressure to hunt Salim down and they don't like Marchant on the case. Daniel Marchant, is a half brother of Salim and has the best chance of connecting with him, and maybe recruiting him to work for British intelligence.
It seems that Salim has partnering with Soviet intelligence to strike a blow against the West. In order to discover the truth, Marchant must allow himself to be recruited by Moscow with a promise of getting time with Salim. It's a role that will require him to play up his late father as traitor, an allegation that he fought long and hard to contradict. But now he must revive those old rumors and play a game of double or even triple crosses.
Daniel Marchant is an anti-hero who is conflicted with his family legacy. Although his father was Chief of MI6, he was widely suspected of being a KGB spy, and Daniel's recently discovered muslim half-brother from his father's affair is a terrorist. As a main character I had a hard time relating to him on even a basic level. For a spy he seemed to be stumbling through the entire story and I just didn't like him much. Daniel's boss is MI6 chief Marcus Fielding, a cold and calculating puppet-master trying to put Britain on top of the spy game at any cost. James Spiro, CIA Head of Clandestine Operations in Europe is a grade "A" donkey's behind and at times the U.S. has a less than pristine reputation because of Spiro. Apparently, Spiro was behind a kidnapping and water-boarding of Daniel in the previous book. One of Spiro's agents, Lakshmi Meena, is sent to Marrakesh to follow Daniel. Lakshmi could have been a great character but ended up just being a pawn of the men in charge. Her sole existence in the story is to be said pawn and doesn't seem to really have any meaning of her own.
The best setting descriptions are in Marrakesh and the surrounding Atlas Mountains. The low tech method of communication Salim Dhar uses is the Berber storytellers, and this really helped in also bringing the location to life. Even the Atlas Mountains seemed rich, but the British locales seemed flat in comparison.
The plot is not too far of a reach, but I would not classify it as a thriller (intrigue and suspense maybe). It relies heavily on the unknown. Was Daniel's father really a KGB spy rather than a strategic conduit for low level intel in exchange for a fat-cat KGB spy feeding Britain intel? Can Daniel turn Salim Dhar, or will Salim turn Daniel in the end? It was slow in several spots and it wasn't until the last third of the book that things started to keep my attention.
The climax had some tense moments making it suspenseful. The wrap-up was a bit abrupt but paves the way for more spy games with Daniel and his half brother still in the game. And as I have stated, Lakshmi is a convenient pawn, even in the wrap-up.
It is a good suspenseful espionage novel that utilizes the rivalry between British and American intelligence agencies well, but I don't agree with the comparisons to Jason Bourne or John le Carré's style.
Ratings: Good - A fun read with some flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.
Join me at Mysteries and My Musings book blog
http://www.mysterysuspence.blogspot.com
Daniel Marchant is undercover in Marrakesh to get a lead on Salim Dhar, who is the world's most wanted terrorist since he narrowly missed killing the U.S. president. the CIA is under pressure to hunt Salim down and they don't like Marchant on the case. Daniel Marchant, is a half brother of Salim and has the best chance of connecting with him, and maybe recruiting him to work for British intelligence.
It seems that Salim has partnering with Soviet intelligence to strike a blow against the West. In order to discover the truth, Marchant must allow himself to be recruited by Moscow with a promise of getting time with Salim. It's a role that will require him to play up his late father as traitor, an allegation that he fought long and hard to contradict. But now he must revive those old rumors and play a game of double or even triple crosses.
Daniel Marchant is an anti-hero who is conflicted with his family legacy. Although his father was Chief of MI6, he was widely suspected of being a KGB spy, and Daniel's recently discovered muslim half-brother from his father's affair is a terrorist. As a main character I had a hard time relating to him on even a basic level. For a spy he seemed to be stumbling through the entire story and I just didn't like him much. Daniel's boss is MI6 chief Marcus Fielding, a cold and calculating puppet-master trying to put Britain on top of the spy game at any cost. James Spiro, CIA Head of Clandestine Operations in Europe is a grade "A" donkey's behind and at times the U.S. has a less than pristine reputation because of Spiro. Apparently, Spiro was behind a kidnapping and water-boarding of Daniel in the previous book. One of Spiro's agents, Lakshmi Meena, is sent to Marrakesh to follow Daniel. Lakshmi could have been a great character but ended up just being a pawn of the men in charge. Her sole existence in the story is to be said pawn and doesn't seem to really have any meaning of her own.
The best setting descriptions are in Marrakesh and the surrounding Atlas Mountains. The low tech method of communication Salim Dhar uses is the Berber storytellers, and this really helped in also bringing the location to life. Even the Atlas Mountains seemed rich, but the British locales seemed flat in comparison.
The plot is not too far of a reach, but I would not classify it as a thriller (intrigue and suspense maybe). It relies heavily on the unknown. Was Daniel's father really a KGB spy rather than a strategic conduit for low level intel in exchange for a fat-cat KGB spy feeding Britain intel? Can Daniel turn Salim Dhar, or will Salim turn Daniel in the end? It was slow in several spots and it wasn't until the last third of the book that things started to keep my attention.
The climax had some tense moments making it suspenseful. The wrap-up was a bit abrupt but paves the way for more spy games with Daniel and his half brother still in the game. And as I have stated, Lakshmi is a convenient pawn, even in the wrap-up.
It is a good suspenseful espionage novel that utilizes the rivalry between British and American intelligence agencies well, but I don't agree with the comparisons to Jason Bourne or John le Carré's style.
Ratings: Good - A fun read with some flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.
Join me at Mysteries and My Musings book blog
http://www.mysterysuspence.blogspot.com
June 4, 2012
We'll start with the parts of this book that I really enjoyed. First of all, the writing is excellent. The book flows really well, and it's a fairly quick read. If you have a couple hours to spare, you could easily finish it in one sitting. It's fast-paced, and the chapters are short enough that you're always looking forward to the next one. The characters have a fair amount of depth (although, they could certainly use a little more). Overall, it's just a very well written book.
Unfortunately, the story itself leaves a lot to be desired. It just failed to grab my attention or intrigue me in anyway. The story keeps building towards an event that you can see coming from 3 chapters away and is fairly anti-climactic when it does happen. The back-story of the book is constantly threatening to come back and haunt the characters, but for some reason, it never does.
I also found it very annoying that in a book filled with British spies, Russian double-agents, Jihadists, and Moroccan torturers, the only people that were really bad were the Americans. Somehow, everyone else's actions were completely justified no matter how horrifying they were, but everything the Americans did was immediately evil. At first, it was just slightly annoying, but by the end of the book, it had become pretty insulting.
This author is a terrific writer, but the story left a lot to be desired. If you have a couple hours and love spy novels, you'll probably enjoy this book. If you're not completely in love with spy books, then you probably shouldn't waste your time with it.
I received this book in a Goodreads Firstreads Giveaway.
Unfortunately, the story itself leaves a lot to be desired. It just failed to grab my attention or intrigue me in anyway. The story keeps building towards an event that you can see coming from 3 chapters away and is fairly anti-climactic when it does happen. The back-story of the book is constantly threatening to come back and haunt the characters, but for some reason, it never does.
I also found it very annoying that in a book filled with British spies, Russian double-agents, Jihadists, and Moroccan torturers, the only people that were really bad were the Americans. Somehow, everyone else's actions were completely justified no matter how horrifying they were, but everything the Americans did was immediately evil. At first, it was just slightly annoying, but by the end of the book, it had become pretty insulting.
This author is a terrific writer, but the story left a lot to be desired. If you have a couple hours and love spy novels, you'll probably enjoy this book. If you're not completely in love with spy books, then you probably shouldn't waste your time with it.
I received this book in a Goodreads Firstreads Giveaway.
August 6, 2012
This is a book in a series. I didn't realize when I started, but some things were familiar.... and then more things became familiar. It was an okay book and I read the whole thing. I suppose it is true that spies are endlessly paranoid [with reason] never trust anyone and if they do, will find themselves with broken hearts, betrayed from every side. Liking a hero is a big mistake. When he is betrayed and tortured, my mind wonders if he could have avoided these things. The description of the dental torture was exceptionally vivid and nauseating. If there is another book in the series, I imagine that I will read it... and not like it very much.
March 23, 2016
I agree with the other reviewers who commented that this book was difficult to get into them, mainly because it presumes knowledge (or, in my case, memory) of the first book in the series. Like many sequels, if you come to it after a gap of two or three years, this is a recipe for confusion. It improves steadily as it progresses combining old Cold War espionage with modern anti-jihadi moves. The "hero", Daniel Marchant is a interesting complex character and I look forward to book 3, but I will ensure that I read it within a few months to maximise retention of this one and thus gain a smoother start to it. By the way I guessed the final twist well before it was revealed.
July 13, 2013
Not my usual kind of thing, however a relatively pacey story with lots of twists and turns. I had some difficulty in reconciling the fact that Danie Marchant is a top agent who seems unable to stay out of bother. The female character in the book Lakshima Meena was a bit of a cardboard cut out. She only seemed to be present so Marchant could think back to the love interest in the previous book.
Certainly not of teh quality of Le Carre but a reasonable thriller.
Certainly not of teh quality of Le Carre but a reasonable thriller.
July 25, 2016
Second of a trioligy and far too much given away of book 1 to make the first worth reading. For this book a very overt spy book clearly influenced by its time with post cold war Russians and Al Queada type terriorism. A good adventure read but highly implausible. The level of public killing etc was just not likely nor the premise of C bringing the two protagonists together. Well set up for the third book in the series by the revelation Promakov made in his post death letter..
March 20, 2012
Slow, dull and boring. This book was not really what I was expecting, and it was hard to get into. It had elements of fast-paced action, but it could have used more. It was predictable, and the description on the back of the book was misleading in the sense that it was not as action-packed as it suggested.
*I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
*I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
January 25, 2014
Another gripping read from Jon Stock. Almost read it in a single session it was so compelling - just sleep and work getting in the way! Really enjoyed the characters continuing from the first novel and the plot. The addition of the theme of traitors to the base spy theme makes the whole book really full of suspense and very enjoyable. Can't wait to get on to the third novel.
October 6, 2016
I loved this book and the characters, it was of a charming spy, who gets battered and his heart broken and action moves from Marrakesh to Russia to London.
Matthew advised me to avoid the torture scenes on the plane, which I did, but it was compelling and lived up to the hype of "as strong as Bourne as clever as Bond!"
Will try to read more from Jon Stock about Daniel Marchant
Matthew advised me to avoid the torture scenes on the plane, which I did, but it was compelling and lived up to the hype of "as strong as Bourne as clever as Bond!"
Will try to read more from Jon Stock about Daniel Marchant
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2012
The cover on this novel proclaims, "The perfect post-Bond spy…Move over Jason Bourne." It didn't quite match up to that for me. It is a slow moving, convoluted plot and after reading half of it I was worn out and quit.
January 29, 2014
A good read, thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns within this. Gone are the days of east vs west or Russia vs amerIca. Now it is factions within splinter groups on both sides that threaten to destabilise normality for the majority.
July 3, 2016
MI5, MI6, the CIA, the SVR, they are all here. A delve into the world of spies and traitors. At times I struggled to figure out who were the good guys. So many twists confused the mind.
Paul Panting's narration was easy on the ear and kept the interest alive.
Read as part of my Library challenge.
Paul Panting's narration was easy on the ear and kept the interest alive.
Read as part of my Library challenge.
October 3, 2011
He seems such a bad spy, gets himself into ridiculous scrapes, but always somehow manages to escape. Poor writing with poor plot made this a final try for this author.
November 17, 2011
Good spy thriller although plot is ludicrous.
January 10, 2012
Not as good as first book. DEAD SPY RUNNING.
Want to read
September 9, 2016I won this book from First Reads Giveaway. Waiting to read it when I receive it. Thanks.
May 28, 2012
Pretty good story although the ending was rushed.
Currently reading
August 20, 2012Good read.
December 24, 2012
Really well written. Will look for more from this author.
February 22, 2014
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Fast, twists and turns on each page.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews