Zero Option

Geordie Sharp #2

by Chris Ryan

SAS Sergeant Geordie Sharp is required to undertake two top-secret missions, in the full knowledge that, if things go wrong, the authorities will deny all involvement. In the first mission he is to serve as a commander of a hit team on a Black, or 100 per cent non-attributable operation assigned to the SAW, the Regiment's ultra-secret Subversive Action Wing. His target is an Iraqi who defected to Libya after the Gulf War. The aim is to kill him and leave no clue to the identity or origin of the assassins. Returning to base, Sharp finds he must also carry out a high-level political assassination on mainland Britain. If he fails, his four-year-old son will die at the hands of the IRA. Trapped between opposing forces in a fight to the death, he twists and turns through a nightmare maze, desperately seeking some way of averting tragedy. Who will be hit the hardest — Geordie Sharp or the British government?

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Military Fiction, War, Action

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Colin Armstrong (b. 1961), usually known by the pen-name Chris Ryan, is a British author, television presenter, security consultant and former Special Air Service sergeant.
After the publication of fellow patrol member Andy McNab's Bravo Two Zero in 1993, Ryan published his own account of his experiences during the Bravo Two Zero mission in 1995, entitled The One That Got Away. Since retiring from the British Army Ryan has published several fiction and non-fiction books, including Strike Back, which was subsequently adapted into a television series for Sky 1, and co-created the ITV action series Ultimate Force. He has also presented or appeared in numerous television documentaries connected to the military or law enforcement.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read a couple of Chris Ryan books before this one, including the first in the Geordie Sharp series. Because of this, I actually feel like I've read Zero Option before. Certain scenes are even lifted from other books from this author, with just a couple of minor alterations.

In Zero Option, Sharp's four-year-old son and pregnant girlfriend are kidnapped by the IRA and they later use this leverage to make Sharp assassinate the British Prime Minister. If you're son/daughter/pregnant wife/girlfriend got kidnapped you'd be absolutely distraught and wouldn't be able to function beyond the bare basics. However, Sharp goes on an SAS mission to the Middle East. The author explains it away by saying that Sharp's commanders wouldn't give him an option and that Sharp himself thinks it could end up being a good idea because it'll take his mind off things. It's completely unbelievable. He's so completely nonchalant, you'd think his cat had died.

I also felt no sense of desperation about him getting his family back. It could've been just any other mission. You can't really explain it by saying that that's the way Sharp is approaching it, so he keeps things professional, because you don't get that sense and surely you wouldn't be able to when it is so personal.

The book is perfectly readable, but don't expect too much believability. The star rating is simply for it's readability.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second in Chris Ryan’s Geordie Sharp series takes a little while to get started for real. There’s a ton of exposition, tying up the strands from the end of Stand By, Stand By. Lots of dialogue and an encounter with a sex-crazed female employee don’t really go anywhere – the latter element seems to have been included purely for the purpose of titillating the reader.

However, once the action moves to Libya, and the boys go in on a gung-ho adventure, riding Quad bikes across the desert, things pick up and Ryan is once more in his element. Accounts of the various operations and procedures are painstakingly detailed and really get the adrenaline pumping, with highlights including the super-rifle assassination at the end and the hit on the armoured prison van.

Ryan’s prose is chock full of expletives and machismo, which is fine for this reader, and the action scenes are expertly staged. If there are any criticisms, it’s that Ryan’s plotline is sometimes contrived, bordering on the point of ludicrous, and there are one too many coincidences in the plot for it to ring 100% true. Favourite bit? It’s gotta be the joyriders, who end up biting off more than they can chew…

[Daniel Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books of all time. Carried on from the last book brilliantly. I was dissapointed with the next book in the series but I haven't finsihed the Geordie Sharp series yet so I may be a bit forthcoming with my complaints.

Definately read. Series starts with Stand by, Stand by.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, more so than the first one. It picked up directly where the first one left off and the conclusion was fast paced and exciting. If you like Chris Ryan then you'll like this.

[L.M. Mountford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, great read very entertaining and informative. Another great book!

[mr leslie thomason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bringing the facts of the unseen armed forces

I've given the story 5 star rating as I can relate to a story so similar, also how the story keeps on track giving a day by day coverage of how many persons are vulnerable, to anyone if certain information is available no matter how safe you think your family is. how much you would do to save your family? If you found yourself in a position were you where forced to save your family? I really enjoyed the story from start to finish Chris Ryan has researched for a good while to get all the facts necessary to bring together a captivating story.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was my beach book that I don’t think I read at the beach. Great size and well worn in, purchased from Q’s books in Hamilton (will be going back for another beach book). Cool story line, have described it to a few people as ‘macho guns grr’. Showcases bits of toxic masculinity within defence force culture and unsure if it was written to highlight this issue or if the author shares these values and it has just come to light in his writing (it feels more like the latter). Won’t read another one but the book has kept me company over the last week

[Peter Messenger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found the book unengaging. I struggled to connect to characters and their struggles or find the plot that interesting, especially with one of the main plot twists 2/3's through the book, being mentioned on the front cover. The military descriptions were good and there was the odd thing that would come up that would intrigue me enough to continue reading.

[Azim Azidin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is great that it makes me do a bit research about Nothern Ireland relations with the UK. The IRA. PIRA. Gulf War.

It requires me to always check the dictionary to read this book as it uses British slang words.

Overall, it's interesting.

[Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barely plausible plot, more a series of vignettes than a cohesive story. What I liked best was the operational detail and ending that is more realistic than usual. Bottom line: it was worth my time and appealing enough that I will be reading at least one more book by Chris Ryan.

[Andrew Herbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

s'okay. Far fetched. The action is good, but the inconsistencies in the main character are a distraction.

[Ben Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a Chris Ryan fan, then you'll love Zero Option! Chris Ryan continues to publish action packed thrillers that transport you to the scene of the battle as if you were there. Loved it!

[Phillip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty much the same storyline as the first Geordie Sharp book.

[Joanna Calder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great action, realistic dialogue but flat pacing and insufficient character development for the reader to develop a true empathy with the main character. The gung-ho will love it - things blow up.

[Scott Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book

This was a great follow up to the first book and I hope the third is just as good
Can't wait to read it

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have read before , good read.

[LC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book and detailed, as ever, but didn't have the page-turning, furious pace as I would expect from Ryan.

[Mr Roy Davidson · Rating 2 out of 5]

307 pages

[MR SC GALLOWAY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Excellent read thrilling from start to finish
Would recommend to all crime thriller fans not just military fiction readers !

[Myra McCulloch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. A story about a character in the British Special Forces and the dilemmas he faces in life.
Entertaining, exciting, nail biting....everything you want in a book.

[andrew knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zero Option

Zero Option by Chris Ryan great storyline and a great read can't wait to get around to read his next book

[hemlet kiai · Rating 4 out of 5]

fantastic!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book!

[Kelly Hine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling !

[Ron Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, couldn't put it down.

[Stephen Hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.5 stars rounded up to 3)

[Mark Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read great action and excitement.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

geordiehuntingirishdissedents

[Pat M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bookmark the glossary at the front of this book-you are going to need it. An OK drama.

[D C Puddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wat a book some of it seems a bit far fetched but wat the heck its its about 5 stories in one brilliant reading reading start to finishwell worthy of 5 stars