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The Killer's Game [Movie Tie-in]: Now a Major Motion Picture Starring Dave Bautista
Now an action-packed blockbuster starring Dave Bautista, Ben Kingsley, Terry Crews, and Sofia Boutella!
A wild thrill ride about a legendary hit man faced with a terminal diagnosis who takes out a hit on himself, only to find that he's been misdiagnosed just when an army of talented assassins are coming for him.
Vietnam veteran Joe Flood is a professional assassin known in the business as “the Slugger.” A hard-bitten Chicago native, he’s made a career out of killing, but only those who deserve it.
Then a routine physical turns into a reckoning. Joe’s recurring stomach pain is cancer, his doctor tells him. He has six months to live.
Joe hates hospitals, so he decides to take fate into his own hands. Accessing the underground network of fellow hit men, he puts out a contract on six million dollars from a Swiss bank account to the professional who will end his suffering quickly. The money and bragging rights for putting away one of the world’s most accomplished assassins draws his colleagues from around the world. The killer’s game is on.
But then Joe gets a follow-up from his doctors. He was misdiagnosed. It’s not cancer; he should have many years to live. Except that now there’s no way to call off the hit.
Armed with only a few dollars and a credit card, Joe is on the run from a formidable lineup of talented killers. Will the Slugger have what it takes to outrun the competition? The Killer's Game is an action-packed thrill ride full of suspense and dark humor from a master of the craft.
A wild thrill ride about a legendary hit man faced with a terminal diagnosis who takes out a hit on himself, only to find that he's been misdiagnosed just when an army of talented assassins are coming for him.
Vietnam veteran Joe Flood is a professional assassin known in the business as “the Slugger.” A hard-bitten Chicago native, he’s made a career out of killing, but only those who deserve it.
Then a routine physical turns into a reckoning. Joe’s recurring stomach pain is cancer, his doctor tells him. He has six months to live.
Joe hates hospitals, so he decides to take fate into his own hands. Accessing the underground network of fellow hit men, he puts out a contract on six million dollars from a Swiss bank account to the professional who will end his suffering quickly. The money and bragging rights for putting away one of the world’s most accomplished assassins draws his colleagues from around the world. The killer’s game is on.
But then Joe gets a follow-up from his doctors. He was misdiagnosed. It’s not cancer; he should have many years to live. Except that now there’s no way to call off the hit.
Armed with only a few dollars and a credit card, Joe is on the run from a formidable lineup of talented killers. Will the Slugger have what it takes to outrun the competition? The Killer's Game is an action-packed thrill ride full of suspense and dark humor from a master of the craft.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 1997
30 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
About the author
Jay Bonansinga
111 books387 followersThe national best-selling author of ten acclaimed books – both fiction and non-fiction -- Jay Bonansinga has been called “one of the most imaginative writers of thrillers” by the Chicago Tribune.
Jay is the holder of a master's degree in film from Columbia College Chicago, and currently resides in Evanston, Illinois, with his wife and two sons. He is also a visiting professor at Northwestern University in their Creative Writing for the Media program.
Jay is the holder of a master's degree in film from Columbia College Chicago, and currently resides in Evanston, Illinois, with his wife and two sons. He is also a visiting professor at Northwestern University in their Creative Writing for the Media program.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 10, 2013
Jay Bonansinga is an incredible author, seen through his work on the WALKING DEAD novels. However, his book THE KILLER'S GAME is by far, the best of his works I have read. In this story, a murder for hire hitman, Joe T. Flood, finds out he has cancer and decides that instead of dying hard and horrible from the disease, he puts a contract out on his own head with the winner getting $6 million. He then learns that his doctor made a mistake and the records were for someone else but the "Game" is in play so he has to run for his life.
Jay's ability to develop his characters into someone you actually care about is astonishing. They are life-like and their trials and tribulations feel so real it is hard to believe they are coming from the mind of this man. My favorite character in the book, besides, Joe Flood of course, is Mickey Coogan, a child with Down's Syndrome who believes that Joe is Batman. I have worked with individuals with developmental disabilities for over 30 years and Jay got it right on the money.
The story is fluid, full of action and drama with just the right amount of violence as Joe meets the folks that are set to take his life. Jay has a wonderful sense of humor which he uses to take the edge off of his story at just the right times.
I can't recommend this book high enough because it is a thriller. Jay Bonansinga is a compassionate, talented writer and I look forward to reading more of his work in the near future.
Jay's ability to develop his characters into someone you actually care about is astonishing. They are life-like and their trials and tribulations feel so real it is hard to believe they are coming from the mind of this man. My favorite character in the book, besides, Joe Flood of course, is Mickey Coogan, a child with Down's Syndrome who believes that Joe is Batman. I have worked with individuals with developmental disabilities for over 30 years and Jay got it right on the money.
The story is fluid, full of action and drama with just the right amount of violence as Joe meets the folks that are set to take his life. Jay has a wonderful sense of humor which he uses to take the edge off of his story at just the right times.
I can't recommend this book high enough because it is a thriller. Jay Bonansinga is a compassionate, talented writer and I look forward to reading more of his work in the near future.
January 28, 2025
Non-stop action and gun play and attempted murder. Good times.
October 16, 2022
This is a re-read. I read this book when it came out and I thought I would give it another look. This is a fun book. It's very comicbook and hyperreal so if you're into that then you'll enjoy this story.
January 6, 2025
A wonderfully fun read with no backing down once the foot hit the gas.
August 5, 2024
The Killer's Game by Jay Bonansinga is a uniquely gripping novel navigating the dangerous game of life and death when Joe "The Slugger" Flood receives a misdiagnosis turns his world upside down.
A routine physical for Joe Flood turns into a reckoning. Joe has cancer, his doctor tells him, with maybe six months to live.
Joe decides to take fate into his own hands. Accessing the underground network of fellow hit men, he puts out a contract on himself: six million dollars from a Swiss bank account to the professional who will end his suffering quickly. The money and bragging rights for putting away one of the world’s most accomplished assassins draws his colleagues from around the world. The killer’s game is on.
But then Joe gets a follow-up from his doctors. He was misdiagnosed. It’s not cancer; he should have many years to live. Except that now there’s no way to call off the hit. Armed with only a few dollars and a credit card, Joe is on the run from a formidable lineup of talented killers.
I truly believe Jay Bonansinga is a master storyteller who can bring characters to life in ways that keep me invested in the story from start to finish. In The Killer’s Game, Joe Flood is not just a ruthless assassin but a complex character with a heart. As he faces his own mortality and the consequences of his past actions, readers are taken on an emotional journey filled with twists and turns.
The Killer’s Game is filled with relentless action, keeping us on edge as we follow Joe’s desperate attempts to outwit his fellow assassins. You can really feel the action, adventure and intense showdowns on each and every page. The book is filled with adrenaline-pumping moments that will left me breathless. Bonansinga has a knack for crafting scenes that are both cinematic and gripping, making it impossible to put the book down. His ability to describe a scene allows me to easily visualize what is going on.
Bonansinga introduces a diverse cast of characters, doing so in a very unique manner. Each assassin pursuing Joe brings their own unique skills and personality to the table, adding depth and intrigue to the story. I never know what type of assassin would try and take on Joe next, allowing for a sense of mystery and suspense.
The back half of the book moved at a breakneck speed, not allowing us a chance to put it down. I found myself torn between rooting for Joe’s survival and fearing the inevitable consequences of his actions. Bonansinga expertly balances heart-pounding action with moments of introspection, creating a narrative that is both thrilling and thought-provoking.
The book felt almost cinematic at moments, which makes perfect sense as we are about to get a feature film adaptation starring Dave Bautista as Joe Flood, Sofia Boutella as Maize, Ben Kingsley as Zvi, as well as Terry Crews, Pom Klementieff , Scott Adkins and Drew McIntyre in September.
The Killer’s Game by Jay Bonansinga is a pulse-pounding thriller that delivers on many levels. The novel kept me hooked from beginning to end with well-developed characters, fast-paced plot, and unexpected twists. Fans of stories such as John Wick and other hitman-style stories should have fun with this one.
Read at capesandtights.com
A routine physical for Joe Flood turns into a reckoning. Joe has cancer, his doctor tells him, with maybe six months to live.
Joe decides to take fate into his own hands. Accessing the underground network of fellow hit men, he puts out a contract on himself: six million dollars from a Swiss bank account to the professional who will end his suffering quickly. The money and bragging rights for putting away one of the world’s most accomplished assassins draws his colleagues from around the world. The killer’s game is on.
But then Joe gets a follow-up from his doctors. He was misdiagnosed. It’s not cancer; he should have many years to live. Except that now there’s no way to call off the hit. Armed with only a few dollars and a credit card, Joe is on the run from a formidable lineup of talented killers.
I truly believe Jay Bonansinga is a master storyteller who can bring characters to life in ways that keep me invested in the story from start to finish. In The Killer’s Game, Joe Flood is not just a ruthless assassin but a complex character with a heart. As he faces his own mortality and the consequences of his past actions, readers are taken on an emotional journey filled with twists and turns.
The Killer’s Game is filled with relentless action, keeping us on edge as we follow Joe’s desperate attempts to outwit his fellow assassins. You can really feel the action, adventure and intense showdowns on each and every page. The book is filled with adrenaline-pumping moments that will left me breathless. Bonansinga has a knack for crafting scenes that are both cinematic and gripping, making it impossible to put the book down. His ability to describe a scene allows me to easily visualize what is going on.
Bonansinga introduces a diverse cast of characters, doing so in a very unique manner. Each assassin pursuing Joe brings their own unique skills and personality to the table, adding depth and intrigue to the story. I never know what type of assassin would try and take on Joe next, allowing for a sense of mystery and suspense.
The back half of the book moved at a breakneck speed, not allowing us a chance to put it down. I found myself torn between rooting for Joe’s survival and fearing the inevitable consequences of his actions. Bonansinga expertly balances heart-pounding action with moments of introspection, creating a narrative that is both thrilling and thought-provoking.
The book felt almost cinematic at moments, which makes perfect sense as we are about to get a feature film adaptation starring Dave Bautista as Joe Flood, Sofia Boutella as Maize, Ben Kingsley as Zvi, as well as Terry Crews, Pom Klementieff , Scott Adkins and Drew McIntyre in September.
The Killer’s Game by Jay Bonansinga is a pulse-pounding thriller that delivers on many levels. The novel kept me hooked from beginning to end with well-developed characters, fast-paced plot, and unexpected twists. Fans of stories such as John Wick and other hitman-style stories should have fun with this one.
Read at capesandtights.com
June 26, 2025
An intriguing premise, a legendary hitman who mistakenly puts out a contract on himself, embarking on a gauntlet of fellow killers looking to collect both the contract prize and the glory of slaying the legend. But while the premise caught my attention, for me at least it fell a bit short of the mark. For a "legend", Joe seems to stumble and bumble through most of the story, rarely showcasing any form of legendary skill or prowess worthy of such praise. And the other "professionals" on his tail feel more like B-Grade caricatures of Scooby-Doo villians, a parade of costume clowns with guns like an army circus.
Joe, a hulking mass known as "Slugger", finds out he has a terminal diagnosis and figures the best way out (since suicide is a hell-bound destiny according to his Catholic upbringing) is to use a loophole to suicide by putting out a hit contract on himself - honestly, if he were truly religiously dedicated to this degree I don't believe God would let such use of a loophole slide as if it were a courtroom technicality (just because he's not the triggerman doesn't mean intentionally setting in motion the event for your death isn't the same thing). But that could just be semantics. Anyway, the prognosis and solution are a nice way to kick off what should be an exciting action romp.
But that's where things hit a wall. The parade of jokers masquerading as pros is laughable, seriously like Saturday morning cartoons. They're all overblown personas, so immersed in their niche (not hitmen, but niche as in personality) that the fact that they're hitters feels left in the shadows. And for being a "major" payday and the shot to kill a legend, this big killer contract brings out a total of eight, if I recall correctly, hitters, all of which are more silly than sinister. Not only that, but everyone seems to know what each other looks like, as if there's some sort of hitman yearbook they all have. You'd think being a professional killer that your identity would be a hard kept secret, but I guess not in this world. There's no mystery, no clever ruse or complex obstacles to overcome by the pursuers, able to miraculously show up wherever Joe is, from a randomly purchased airline seat to a rural highway. Yes, it's revealed that there is a tracker chip of some sort implanted in him (which somehow he doesn't realize despite the constant inability to shake ANY of the killers from his tail), but still he just runs without any real idea beyond the next step. You'd think a pro could work on the fly to at least come up with some form of defensive strategy or countermoves, even in a pressure situation like this.
And on those skills and professionals. More than half are overweight clods, as if being able to move with stealth and maneuver into tight spaces for clandestine hits is contrary to their profession. Joe is heavy, the twins are heavy, the maid is heavy, Marion is heavy, the Cajun is heavy - it's like these guys are hitters of the buffet more than feared killers. Where are the former Navy Seals or KGB agents-turned-hitmen? Where are the expert snipers who can puncture a man's head from a thousand yards? No, we get the Weight Watcher brigade who embrace their signature styles in religious fervor despite the situation or reward. Joe, supposedly one of the best, seems to barely be able to outshoot, outpunch, or outluck the parade of fools. What killer skills does he have that qualifies him as legendary? He does have a formidable knowledge of firearms, but that just makes him an expert in weaponry trivia, not a skilled killer. But he rarely, if ever, shows any sort of smarts of skills worthy of a legend. Like, anyone experienced with firearms knows the FIRST thing you would do when handed a gun is to check the load so that you know if a round is chambered (simply, at the very least, to avoid an accidental discharge). He's a professional killer, checking the weapon status should be second-nature. But instead he doesn't and it leads to the "click" and fumbling fight with the Cajun - yes, two fat guys wrestling in the basement.
As for the story, there are so many things off and things that are just left... unresolved. What happened with the "Professional" (actual hitman called the Professional, not the other clowns parading under that title)? Was the Professional actually Marion? It's never said, so I'm honestly not sure. What happened with the kid, the young boy he befriended? He was brought into the story for a long stretch, so long that I'd thought he'd have an impact on Joe or the story's ending, or both. Yet no, he's left at the train bridge and vanishes into the fog, forgotten. Guess he got back to his folks okay. You'd think that finding out his girlfriend is pregnant would make that connection with the kid a bit stronger or reinforced, but no, the kid is ghosted like an unwanted online dating match.
Why don't the police believe Joe that there are killers on his tail? Despite the bomb on the aircraft (remember, they would be one person short of their manifest count after the landing, but I guess that's not important to detectives), despite a REMOTE CONTROLLED FERRARI crashing Joe and his car into the river from the train bridge, despite the body of two other killers at the boy's house (not to mention the parent's testimony to the fact of the killers showing up there), despite the fact that a rural police force was slaughtered at the station (perhaps they chalked that one up on Joe, but it's never mentioned). And with all that, do the local/state/federal authorities NOT set up roadblocks, canvas the area with helicopters and hounds, bring in a heavy force to stop this killing spree? Sure the ATF shows up at the end, but otherwise it seems like it's just the local yokel PD coming to the scenes as target practice. And what's with the prostitute barge? Like, this barge is docked in a seemingly tiny rural town, leaving the docks to sail south, and the crew is fully engaged in some sort of post Mardi Gras romp - apparently going on all the previous night - with prostitutes on board as they're on their way. Are the prostitutes actually going to sail down the Mississippi with them? Out to sea? Are they planning on getting off at the next stop as if the barge is some sort of local bus route? It just felt shoved in there for "atmosphere" and nothing more, logic be damned. And lastly, what of Joe's actual ailment? He's constantly complaining about his stomach - after all, the story did open up with him going to the doctor - yet despite his misdiagnosis he is still suffering from... something (or else he's just a fragile "tough" guy who crumbles at a bit of stress).
The ending is alright, with Maize helping stage the death of Joe, but it feels a little shallow. Like, the Chamber is left to continue their shenanigans even after screwing Joe over in this game. The lawyer is left to go write his book and be the contract liaison for the Chamber, despite his clumsy handling of the ordeal and also screwing Joe over. The Professional vanishes without mention (unless it was Marion, but the two seemed to be quite different personas). The clearing of the board, so to speak, of all these so-called pro hitters has no real effect on things, other than resetting the Chamber for their next round of nefarious deeds - and that's also something uncertain as Joe talked about how his hits were clearing away the bad flakes of society, yet this cadre of clowns seem willing to kill anything that breathes. So was Joe just the professional of killing bad men only? Is the Chamber out to help the world or just killing what needs to be killed to further themselves? And what happened in the fallout of all the dead bodies? I mean, the rural police were killed, a squad of ATF troops, multiple hitmen, and many many innocents (the barge crew, the wanna-be kid/spotter, ect.), so surely there would be some news of some sort about it at least in epilogue. Did they just drop the entire investigation believing that Marion's charred corpse was the body of the fugitive? And if so, wouldn't the Chamber be suspicious that the body was found burned on the church's steps and not in the gravel out in the lot where the lawyer had his Blazer parked? Are they not interested in small details such as that? Following up on legendary killers who would likely be carrying a huge grudge against them? No? Not at all?
In the end, it was an intriguing story that could've been much more exciting. The overdose of caricatures rather than formidable foes made it weak, more like a Scooby-Doo episode than a thrilling chase. The plotholes and outright ignorance of the authorities pulled the tension into the swampy quagmire, making me shake my head more than putting me on the edge of my seat. Joe bumbles through most of it taking more shots about his pains and stomach issues than actual bullets, becoming like a car ride with that relative no one likes who does nothing but complain. The levels of professionalism in both the killers and our "hero" are so low it's more like a group of improv artists thrown into the story rather than actual pros. The Killer's Game sadly, for me, felt more like a killer's Game Show on some obscure cable network.
Joe, a hulking mass known as "Slugger", finds out he has a terminal diagnosis and figures the best way out (since suicide is a hell-bound destiny according to his Catholic upbringing) is to use a loophole to suicide by putting out a hit contract on himself - honestly, if he were truly religiously dedicated to this degree I don't believe God would let such use of a loophole slide as if it were a courtroom technicality (just because he's not the triggerman doesn't mean intentionally setting in motion the event for your death isn't the same thing). But that could just be semantics. Anyway, the prognosis and solution are a nice way to kick off what should be an exciting action romp.
But that's where things hit a wall. The parade of jokers masquerading as pros is laughable, seriously like Saturday morning cartoons. They're all overblown personas, so immersed in their niche (not hitmen, but niche as in personality) that the fact that they're hitters feels left in the shadows. And for being a "major" payday and the shot to kill a legend, this big killer contract brings out a total of eight, if I recall correctly, hitters, all of which are more silly than sinister. Not only that, but everyone seems to know what each other looks like, as if there's some sort of hitman yearbook they all have. You'd think being a professional killer that your identity would be a hard kept secret, but I guess not in this world. There's no mystery, no clever ruse or complex obstacles to overcome by the pursuers, able to miraculously show up wherever Joe is, from a randomly purchased airline seat to a rural highway. Yes, it's revealed that there is a tracker chip of some sort implanted in him (which somehow he doesn't realize despite the constant inability to shake ANY of the killers from his tail), but still he just runs without any real idea beyond the next step. You'd think a pro could work on the fly to at least come up with some form of defensive strategy or countermoves, even in a pressure situation like this.
And on those skills and professionals. More than half are overweight clods, as if being able to move with stealth and maneuver into tight spaces for clandestine hits is contrary to their profession. Joe is heavy, the twins are heavy, the maid is heavy, Marion is heavy, the Cajun is heavy - it's like these guys are hitters of the buffet more than feared killers. Where are the former Navy Seals or KGB agents-turned-hitmen? Where are the expert snipers who can puncture a man's head from a thousand yards? No, we get the Weight Watcher brigade who embrace their signature styles in religious fervor despite the situation or reward. Joe, supposedly one of the best, seems to barely be able to outshoot, outpunch, or outluck the parade of fools. What killer skills does he have that qualifies him as legendary? He does have a formidable knowledge of firearms, but that just makes him an expert in weaponry trivia, not a skilled killer. But he rarely, if ever, shows any sort of smarts of skills worthy of a legend. Like, anyone experienced with firearms knows the FIRST thing you would do when handed a gun is to check the load so that you know if a round is chambered (simply, at the very least, to avoid an accidental discharge). He's a professional killer, checking the weapon status should be second-nature. But instead he doesn't and it leads to the "click" and fumbling fight with the Cajun - yes, two fat guys wrestling in the basement.
As for the story, there are so many things off and things that are just left... unresolved. What happened with the "Professional" (actual hitman called the Professional, not the other clowns parading under that title)? Was the Professional actually Marion? It's never said, so I'm honestly not sure. What happened with the kid, the young boy he befriended? He was brought into the story for a long stretch, so long that I'd thought he'd have an impact on Joe or the story's ending, or both. Yet no, he's left at the train bridge and vanishes into the fog, forgotten. Guess he got back to his folks okay. You'd think that finding out his girlfriend is pregnant would make that connection with the kid a bit stronger or reinforced, but no, the kid is ghosted like an unwanted online dating match.
Why don't the police believe Joe that there are killers on his tail? Despite the bomb on the aircraft (remember, they would be one person short of their manifest count after the landing, but I guess that's not important to detectives), despite a REMOTE CONTROLLED FERRARI crashing Joe and his car into the river from the train bridge, despite the body of two other killers at the boy's house (not to mention the parent's testimony to the fact of the killers showing up there), despite the fact that a rural police force was slaughtered at the station (perhaps they chalked that one up on Joe, but it's never mentioned). And with all that, do the local/state/federal authorities NOT set up roadblocks, canvas the area with helicopters and hounds, bring in a heavy force to stop this killing spree? Sure the ATF shows up at the end, but otherwise it seems like it's just the local yokel PD coming to the scenes as target practice. And what's with the prostitute barge? Like, this barge is docked in a seemingly tiny rural town, leaving the docks to sail south, and the crew is fully engaged in some sort of post Mardi Gras romp - apparently going on all the previous night - with prostitutes on board as they're on their way. Are the prostitutes actually going to sail down the Mississippi with them? Out to sea? Are they planning on getting off at the next stop as if the barge is some sort of local bus route? It just felt shoved in there for "atmosphere" and nothing more, logic be damned. And lastly, what of Joe's actual ailment? He's constantly complaining about his stomach - after all, the story did open up with him going to the doctor - yet despite his misdiagnosis he is still suffering from... something (or else he's just a fragile "tough" guy who crumbles at a bit of stress).
The ending is alright, with Maize helping stage the death of Joe, but it feels a little shallow. Like, the Chamber is left to continue their shenanigans even after screwing Joe over in this game. The lawyer is left to go write his book and be the contract liaison for the Chamber, despite his clumsy handling of the ordeal and also screwing Joe over. The Professional vanishes without mention (unless it was Marion, but the two seemed to be quite different personas). The clearing of the board, so to speak, of all these so-called pro hitters has no real effect on things, other than resetting the Chamber for their next round of nefarious deeds - and that's also something uncertain as Joe talked about how his hits were clearing away the bad flakes of society, yet this cadre of clowns seem willing to kill anything that breathes. So was Joe just the professional of killing bad men only? Is the Chamber out to help the world or just killing what needs to be killed to further themselves? And what happened in the fallout of all the dead bodies? I mean, the rural police were killed, a squad of ATF troops, multiple hitmen, and many many innocents (the barge crew, the wanna-be kid/spotter, ect.), so surely there would be some news of some sort about it at least in epilogue. Did they just drop the entire investigation believing that Marion's charred corpse was the body of the fugitive? And if so, wouldn't the Chamber be suspicious that the body was found burned on the church's steps and not in the gravel out in the lot where the lawyer had his Blazer parked? Are they not interested in small details such as that? Following up on legendary killers who would likely be carrying a huge grudge against them? No? Not at all?
In the end, it was an intriguing story that could've been much more exciting. The overdose of caricatures rather than formidable foes made it weak, more like a Scooby-Doo episode than a thrilling chase. The plotholes and outright ignorance of the authorities pulled the tension into the swampy quagmire, making me shake my head more than putting me on the edge of my seat. Joe bumbles through most of it taking more shots about his pains and stomach issues than actual bullets, becoming like a car ride with that relative no one likes who does nothing but complain. The levels of professionalism in both the killers and our "hero" are so low it's more like a group of improv artists thrown into the story rather than actual pros. The Killer's Game sadly, for me, felt more like a killer's Game Show on some obscure cable network.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2025
Ирландский киллер Джо Флад - настоящая легенда в преступном мире Чикаго. Тридцать лет в профессии, безупречная репутация. Решив на 50-летний юбилей провериться у врача, «Слаггер» Флад узнает, что у него лейкемия. Смерть будет мучительной, неприятной и быстрой. Решив умереть красиво и от руки самого удачного профи, киллер назначает награду за свою голову - шесть миллионов тому, кто пристрелит его первым.
За пять минут до того, как заявленный контракт вступает в силу, Фладд выясняет, что диагноз был ошибочным. Отменить контракт - нельзя, поэтому единственный выход - бежать. Бежать через всю страну, не оглядываясь, потому что за шесть миллионов баксов бывшие коллеги готовы порвать задницу. И тебе, и твоим близким, и любому человеку, который встретится на их пути.
Уже примерно на 70-й странице бомбист из Белфаста пытается взорвать с Фладом целый «боинг», а ведь это лишь самое начало маршрута. Колоритных психопатов в романе будет около десятка. Волосатый каджун с мачете по имени Солти Хант, «Бешеный Кот» Маламбри - дед с ледорубом, ветеран чикагской Murder Inc. Жирные сицилийские братья Сабитини. Двухметровый негр в лиловом Крейтон Лавдел, всю жизнь косящий под Шафта. Румыны, японцы, Брунетта Джонс.
Роман Бонансинги - это Mortal Kombat в формате road movie, написанный почему-то кем-то олдскульным, словно из поколения Микки Спиллейна.
Права на экранизацию книги Голливуд купил еще за год до её выхода - где-то в 1995 году. С тех пор неоднократно готовился запустить проект в производство, пытаясь привлечь в режиссеры Джона Ву, Алекса Проайса, Вольфганга Петерсена, Рене Харлина и Питофа. Роль Флада обсуждали Николас Кейдж, Майкл Китон, Уэсли Снайпс, Айс Кьюб и Джейсон Стэйтэм.
В 2025 году (то бишь тридцать лет спустя) экранизация наконец вышла.
Ну… прочитайте лучше книгу.
За пять минут до того, как заявленный контракт вступает в силу, Фладд выясняет, что диагноз был ошибочным. Отменить контракт - нельзя, поэтому единственный выход - бежать. Бежать через всю страну, не оглядываясь, потому что за шесть миллионов баксов бывшие коллеги готовы порвать задницу. И тебе, и твоим близким, и любому человеку, который встретится на их пути.
Уже примерно на 70-й странице бомбист из Белфаста пытается взорвать с Фладом целый «боинг», а ведь это лишь самое начало маршрута. Колоритных психопатов в романе будет около десятка. Волосатый каджун с мачете по имени Солти Хант, «Бешеный Кот» Маламбри - дед с ледорубом, ветеран чикагской Murder Inc. Жирные сицилийские братья Сабитини. Двухметровый негр в лиловом Крейтон Лавдел, всю жизнь косящий под Шафта. Румыны, японцы, Брунетта Джонс.
Роман Бонансинги - это Mortal Kombat в формате road movie, написанный почему-то кем-то олдскульным, словно из поколения Микки Спиллейна.
Права на экранизацию книги Голливуд купил еще за год до её выхода - где-то в 1995 году. С тех пор неоднократно готовился запустить проект в производство, пытаясь привлечь в режиссеры Джона Ву, Алекса Проайса, Вольфганга Петерсена, Рене Харлина и Питофа. Роль Флада обсуждали Николас Кейдж, Майкл Китон, Уэсли Снайпс, Айс Кьюб и Джейсон Стэйтэм.
В 2025 году (то бишь тридцать лет спустя) экранизация наконец вышла.
Ну… прочитайте лучше книгу.
October 29, 2024
Missed the movie in the theater. But I will stream it online.
Enjoyed the book, plenty of action.
Enjoyed the book, plenty of action.
July 26, 2024
3.5 stars
The premise of this book is so good. And the creativity in introducing each of the hitmen was fun and unexpected, leaving me going “now who’s this new player?” when a new assassin was introduced. And the ending was not what I was expecting in a good kind of way (can’t say more without spoilers).
Unfortunately, the book did not entirely live up to my expectations/hopes, though. There were two flaws in particular that diminished my experience with the story. 1) The main character was very one-sided. He kills people and is good at it (and partially is just very lucky as the main character mentions multiple times). The only thing that gives him another dimension is the love interest, if you want to call her that. The problem there is, we were never really shown why he loves her and more importantly, why she loves him. There is a plot twist in the third act regarding their relationship that left me asking “Really? That came out of nowhere and is cliche.” 2) The author’s writing style. It took me forever to understand why the book felt a bit like a slog when I was enjoying the action-packed, fast-paced nature of the story and wanting to know what happens next. After considering it for a long time, I’ve realized that the writing style did not mesh well with me. I sometimes found myself confused about what a phrase/paragraph was describing and just went “oh well” and moved on to the next sentence. The author mentions things (ie gun types) assuming the reader already has a deeper understanding, which can leave a non-versed reader like myself confused. And the author is constantly changing POV mid-chapter and yet will call a character fat when in their POV or will tell the name of some side character while in the main character POV even though the main character had not met them yet. Inconsistencies and conveniences in story-writing made it difficult to make it through.
Bonus lesson: If you’re going to hold a gun towards someone with the intention to kill, do not monologue or delay because they want to say/ask one more thing. It WILL cause the tides to turn.
Again, the story is very intriguing and I’m glad I’ve read the book, but it felt like a debut novel of a writer that was still perfecting his craft.
The premise of this book is so good. And the creativity in introducing each of the hitmen was fun and unexpected, leaving me going “now who’s this new player?” when a new assassin was introduced. And the ending was not what I was expecting in a good kind of way (can’t say more without spoilers).
Unfortunately, the book did not entirely live up to my expectations/hopes, though. There were two flaws in particular that diminished my experience with the story. 1) The main character was very one-sided. He kills people and is good at it (and partially is just very lucky as the main character mentions multiple times). The only thing that gives him another dimension is the love interest, if you want to call her that. The problem there is, we were never really shown why he loves her and more importantly, why she loves him. There is a plot twist in the third act regarding their relationship that left me asking “Really? That came out of nowhere and is cliche.” 2) The author’s writing style. It took me forever to understand why the book felt a bit like a slog when I was enjoying the action-packed, fast-paced nature of the story and wanting to know what happens next. After considering it for a long time, I’ve realized that the writing style did not mesh well with me. I sometimes found myself confused about what a phrase/paragraph was describing and just went “oh well” and moved on to the next sentence. The author mentions things (ie gun types) assuming the reader already has a deeper understanding, which can leave a non-versed reader like myself confused. And the author is constantly changing POV mid-chapter and yet will call a character fat when in their POV or will tell the name of some side character while in the main character POV even though the main character had not met them yet. Inconsistencies and conveniences in story-writing made it difficult to make it through.
Bonus lesson: If you’re going to hold a gun towards someone with the intention to kill, do not monologue or delay because they want to say/ask one more thing. It WILL cause the tides to turn.
Again, the story is very intriguing and I’m glad I’ve read the book, but it felt like a debut novel of a writer that was still perfecting his craft.
October 25, 2024
Joey the elite hit man receives a terminal diagnosis and decides to take out a hit on himself instead of dying a slow death from disease. But it turns out the deadly diagnosis was a mistake! And now Joey has the world's best assassins out to take down a legend (himself) and earn a big payday. Can he take them out before they get to him?
This was made into a fun movie that was in theaters in 2024 with Dave Bautista as Joey. In the book, his girlfriend is a horror and special effects makeup artist and in the movie, she is a dancer. There's a lot in the book that was left out for the movie, which is to be expected, but I wish they had included the subplot with Joey rescuing a developmentally disabled boy from a pack of bullies. The boy is then convinced that Joey is actually the Batman. Also, the part where Joey rescues a plane full of people was exciting and not in the movie. Overall, it was a fast and fun ride, the copy I had was dated 1997. At one point Traveller's Checks were mentioned and I was like when was this book published? LOL. But I do remember when Traveller's checks were a thing. It's just been a while!
This was made into a fun movie that was in theaters in 2024 with Dave Bautista as Joey. In the book, his girlfriend is a horror and special effects makeup artist and in the movie, she is a dancer. There's a lot in the book that was left out for the movie, which is to be expected, but I wish they had included the subplot with Joey rescuing a developmentally disabled boy from a pack of bullies. The boy is then convinced that Joey is actually the Batman. Also, the part where Joey rescues a plane full of people was exciting and not in the movie. Overall, it was a fast and fun ride, the copy I had was dated 1997. At one point Traveller's Checks were mentioned and I was like when was this book published? LOL. But I do remember when Traveller's checks were a thing. It's just been a while!
October 16, 2024
I thought this book was pretty good. There was a ton of action throughout the book. The book is pretty graphic. There’s quite a bit of colorful obscenities throughout the book. I don’t mind reading it here and there, but there were some times I was just thinking “does this need to really be in here?”. (Maybe spoiler but not really) My favorite section had to be with the young boy Mickey and how Joe Flood was his ideal real life version of Batman. That whole part showed that Joe wasn’t just a brutal killer, but that he had a heart and cared for the innocent.
I really only read this book because I wanted to see how it would compare to the movie. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I’m sure there’s added and subtracted things to make it more “Hollywood”. Overall a great book. Not quite sure if I would claim this book as a future “re-read” so 4/5 stars.
I really only read this book because I wanted to see how it would compare to the movie. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I’m sure there’s added and subtracted things to make it more “Hollywood”. Overall a great book. Not quite sure if I would claim this book as a future “re-read” so 4/5 stars.
July 12, 2024
The obvious comparison to this book would be John Wick as a hitman who offers a bounty to anyone who can kill him, after hearing he has little time left from a terminal illness a then has to kill of them when he has made a mistake as it was a wrong diagnosis
Some of the language dates the book a lot, but it a great page turner and sure will make a great film
Some of the language dates the book a lot, but it a great page turner and sure will make a great film
June 27, 2018
Скоростта на действието може да се сравни със скоростта на реактивен самолет.
December 15, 2018
Love it must read
The story has everything to keep reader engaged. I loved reading it i really got pulled into the story. Waiting the next twisty or turn.
The story has everything to keep reader engaged. I loved reading it i really got pulled into the story. Waiting the next twisty or turn.
December 4, 2021
Не ми допадна от първо четене,но не я оставих до края.
June 18, 2023
Audio book. This was ok, not terrible, but glad it was an audio book so I could get through it quickly.
abandoned-2023
November 5, 2023Really trashy, with way too many illogical and contradictory bits. Some cool sentences, the plot is basic but could be interesting, but the style really underdelivers.
February 2, 2024
A fun novel.
September 27, 2024
FAST AND ACTION PACKED I Loved how fast paced this book was, just like a thriller should be!
Read
February 3, 2025I thought this was a John Wick rip-off. And then saw that it was published in the 90s.
It was a good holiday book. Pulpy. Fun. Forgettable.
It was a good holiday book. Pulpy. Fun. Forgettable.
February 13, 2025
Fast-paced novel about a hitman who mistakingly takes out a contract on his own life.
April 6, 2025
Fun story with an unserious tone. Sort of John Wick like but less of a body count and a more of a realistic story. I liked the Chicago setting.
August 16, 2025
Such an amazing book!!! Jam packed with drama and suspense couldn’t put it down!!
August 18, 2025
Aggressively stupid. So many plot holes, bad dialogue, and just bad writing. Only reason I finished it was because my kid picked it out for me. I felt obligated.
January 25, 2025
Most irritating girlfriend I've ever encountered. If she's the same in the movie, I won't see it.
June 8, 2011
The premise of this book sounded interesting but the execution was very rough. Offensive language (ginny, nigger, cunt, balls, nuts, gonads, etc) not just once but every other page. This book was definitely written by a man for a male audience. I usually don't mind the violence or the language but this book didn't have anything else. It was just rough language, rough characters and one violent situation after another. So not my kind of book. The only reason I even finished it was because I was listening to it in my car and not actually reading it at all. Reading it I would have skipped at this stuff and missed half the story.
Assassin Joe Flood gets a surprise diagnosis of leukemia and puts a contract out on himself. Then when the doctors reveals the mis-diagnosis, Joe tries to rescind the contract. Of course, that is out of the question. Joe spends the rest of the book trying to survive assassin after assassin coming after him. I was surprised that these are the best of the best (including Joe) and they couldn't shoot for shit. And if they did get a hit, they didn't make sure the target was dead. I know it makes for a better story if the protagonist comes out of nowhere to save the say but it makes for a really stupid and unbelievable story.
The only characters I really liked were Mickey, the Down's syndrome boy and his parents. They had real heart and did their best to help Joe. I don't particularly like Jay Bonansinga writing style so won't be reading anymore of this books.
Assassin Joe Flood gets a surprise diagnosis of leukemia and puts a contract out on himself. Then when the doctors reveals the mis-diagnosis, Joe tries to rescind the contract. Of course, that is out of the question. Joe spends the rest of the book trying to survive assassin after assassin coming after him. I was surprised that these are the best of the best (including Joe) and they couldn't shoot for shit. And if they did get a hit, they didn't make sure the target was dead. I know it makes for a better story if the protagonist comes out of nowhere to save the say but it makes for a really stupid and unbelievable story.
The only characters I really liked were Mickey, the Down's syndrome boy and his parents. They had real heart and did their best to help Joe. I don't particularly like Jay Bonansinga writing style so won't be reading anymore of this books.
October 17, 2013
PROTAGONIST: Joe Flood, assassin
RATING: 2.75
WHY: Joe Flood is a professional hitman who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He decides death would be quicker if he got himself killed, so he sets up a contract on his own life with a huge payout of $6 million. Soon assassins from around the world are after him. When he discovers the diagnosis was a mistake, he also finds that he can't cancel the contract. He's on the run. The premise was interesting, but the execution awful. The assassins that are after him are quite incompetent, and there are only half a dozen of them - with the size of the contract it would seem every hitter in the universe would be after him. He's over 50 and grievously injured over and over again, but always manages to survive. He's like an Energizer Bunny with a triple charge battery pack. Only finished the book because I didn't have a second with me while away from home.
RATING: 2.75
WHY: Joe Flood is a professional hitman who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He decides death would be quicker if he got himself killed, so he sets up a contract on his own life with a huge payout of $6 million. Soon assassins from around the world are after him. When he discovers the diagnosis was a mistake, he also finds that he can't cancel the contract. He's on the run. The premise was interesting, but the execution awful. The assassins that are after him are quite incompetent, and there are only half a dozen of them - with the size of the contract it would seem every hitter in the universe would be after him. He's over 50 and grievously injured over and over again, but always manages to survive. He's like an Energizer Bunny with a triple charge battery pack. Only finished the book because I didn't have a second with me while away from home.
April 16, 2011
Wow, haven't read one of his books in a long time, but this one reminds me why I like his stuff! Makes me want to get all his other books! I love the way he describes things, with unique metaphors & similes, very entertaining. And even though this story was all about mafia assassins & contract killings, I was hooked & on the edge of my seat the whole time. Usually, I'm not into that type of thing. This plot was very interesting, something completely different from what I was expecting. And what a twist to the ending! If you love a good crime thriller, then go read this book!! :)
March 17, 2016
Bonansinga has written another great thriller. A hitman learns he is dying of leukemia and takes out a contract on himself. As he has a reputation for being the best, many other assassins come after him, even from Europe. The killer's game is on...
February 4, 2012
Jeux de massacre
Éditions France Loisirs
ISBN: 2744120286
Traduit par Hubert Tézenas
Dépôt légale: novembre 1998
370 pages
Éditions France Loisirs
ISBN: 2744120286
Traduit par Hubert Tézenas
Dépôt légale: novembre 1998
370 pages
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews