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The Rescue A Ghost Assassin Affair
Ghost Assassin Chet Benning, a fallen half monk-half hitman, finds himself combatting the kidnapping of the twin daughters of a Russian paid scientist. In the process he discovers a plot to change warfare as we know it, the forbidden fruit of the beautiful wife of a Russian mob boss, and the constant threat of being captured or killed.
The twins’ mother’s attempts to barter her ex-husband's secret in exchange for her family’s freedom, but finds herself in danger of never finding her daughters again. Murder and intrigue follow in Colorado, New York City, Poland and Russia. Can the twins be saved in time? Can the world be saved from this new threat? Can a Ghost Assassin find love again?
The twins’ mother’s attempts to barter her ex-husband's secret in exchange for her family’s freedom, but finds herself in danger of never finding her daughters again. Murder and intrigue follow in Colorado, New York City, Poland and Russia. Can the twins be saved in time? Can the world be saved from this new threat? Can a Ghost Assassin find love again?
427 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 31, 2018
About the author
John J. Higgins
5 books197 followersAbout the Author
John J. Higgins is an attorney and former statewide prosecutor who has had a multi-faceted career and life. He has worked on farms, performed firearm repairs, and refinished and sold antiques, all before he finished high school. In between pursuing his college studies, he supervised industrial finishing operations and assisted in developing a powder coating system. After college, he worked fulltime and attended law school at night. He also filmed rock stars and celebrities for public service announcements and produced and emceed a play that performed before audiences that totaled over 170,000. In his career as an attorney, he researched and wrote policy papers for governmental committees, drafted legislation, and revised statutes. In his role as a statewide prosecutor he was involved in some of the highest profile cases in his state, from prosecuting multiple and complex crime rings to homicides, including those committed by a serial killer. Among other things he does in his private life, he can scuba dive and pilot an airplane. An avid student of history and spiritual development, he lives in New Jersey in an old Victorian train station he converted into his residence.
He can be reached at his website: john-j-higgins.com
John J. Higgins is an attorney and former statewide prosecutor who has had a multi-faceted career and life. He has worked on farms, performed firearm repairs, and refinished and sold antiques, all before he finished high school. In between pursuing his college studies, he supervised industrial finishing operations and assisted in developing a powder coating system. After college, he worked fulltime and attended law school at night. He also filmed rock stars and celebrities for public service announcements and produced and emceed a play that performed before audiences that totaled over 170,000. In his career as an attorney, he researched and wrote policy papers for governmental committees, drafted legislation, and revised statutes. In his role as a statewide prosecutor he was involved in some of the highest profile cases in his state, from prosecuting multiple and complex crime rings to homicides, including those committed by a serial killer. Among other things he does in his private life, he can scuba dive and pilot an airplane. An avid student of history and spiritual development, he lives in New Jersey in an old Victorian train station he converted into his residence.
He can be reached at his website: john-j-higgins.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 12, 2019
The Rescue - story is what it says in the title. The story starts with a mission to rescue twins kidnapped in the beginning by a secret spy , and fastly escalates into the rescue of others too and also world in general as it also involves a chip that could change the face of warfare and ultimately the rescue of one's almost forgotten emotions and soul.
The story is fast paced , never a slow moment something or other goes on happening and the story transforms from a simple rescue mission to a complexity of moves and countermoves as body count mounts turning it into a roller coaster thriller.
Though it is very good but still it would have better if there had been fewer players and counterstories. Also there are too many twists and turns and too many kidnappings
But I would still recommend this for thrill seekers
I was recommended this book by @BookTasters and I thank the author for the ARC
The story is fast paced , never a slow moment something or other goes on happening and the story transforms from a simple rescue mission to a complexity of moves and countermoves as body count mounts turning it into a roller coaster thriller.
Though it is very good but still it would have better if there had been fewer players and counterstories. Also there are too many twists and turns and too many kidnappings
But I would still recommend this for thrill seekers
I was recommended this book by @BookTasters and I thank the author for the ARC
June 8, 2020
For disclosure - I was provided a copy of this novel for reviewing purposes by the author and BookTasters.
The Rescue is like a tasty mix of James Bond, The Da Vinci Code, Jack Ryan, Assassins' Creed, John Wick, The Executioner, The Saint, and maybe even a bit of Romancing the Stone. It sort of reminded me of alot of things, which is one of its draws. One thing that I can say about this novel is that it knows which genre it belongs in and plays to its strengths.
For its positives, this novel was extremely easy to read – fast-paced and action-packed as I expected from a techno-thriller. It also has a fair sprinkling of romance, espionage, etc. It was competently written, and aside from a few hiccups which I can mention later, professionally formatted and organized. My impression was that the author understood what he was attempting and demonstrated confidence and a grasp of the material.
The novel is set in a world like ours, but with a secretive organization that’s like a mix between a secret society and an elite paramilitary group. Ghosts are cloistered into this church-affiliated fraternity and trained extensively in a variety of skills from small arms to espionage techniques from an early age. The main character, Chet Benning, is one of these ghost assassins – sworn to protect the world from despots and tyrants. This was a very cool concept and I appreciated the background and lore. There is a fictional history to them going all the way back to the time of Emperor Caligula and the Roman gladiators. It’s these ghosts – few in numbers as they are – that protect the world from the very worst while remaining hidden in the shadows. They even have cool passwords and very organized and well-equipped operational cells where they can exchange information and resources –although apparently they prefer to work alone when in the field. We get a bit of Chet’s backstory, but he and the organization are still a bit opaque to me. As a reader, I was given some expository backstory, but I’m not clear on exactly how they function and only get glimpses of Chet’s deeper motivations and desires. The core of the story involves a revolutionary McGuffin…I mean, an advanced chip which is used to control nearly-indestructible military robots (MARS – Mobile Automated Robotic System). The engineer’s daughters have been kidnapped as leverage by the Russians (either FSB or mob – the Russians in this novel are a bit amorphous – it's established that they’re dangerous and very bad). A mysterious email gets Chett assigned to the case.
The story starts out fairly straightforward and linear. However (and this becomes more apparent as the novel goes on) it sometimes works against itself. The story has alot of potential that gets a bit muddy with an embarrassment of riches: multiple side plots, multiple characters with their own dedicated POV chapters, two potential romantic subplots, bad guy POVs. It took a standard, easy-to-follow plot and made it unnecessarily complicated. It at times felt like two or more different stories.
The romance between Chet and the character Cleo (a romance author married to one of the bad guys) seemed a bit odd. I get that the author was going for romance, and that Chet was tempted to settle down and find love again after losing his ex and living a life of dedication to this shadowy organization. The execution was a bit off – they seemed mutually attracted and infatuated. They get on like horny teenagers and would grin and make these lewd jokes at each other. At times it got to be comical. If they ever had free time and no one was around (sometimes when people WERE around) they would exchange some raunchy lines and try to find a way to sneak away and squeeze in a quickie. That gets to another peculiarity of the novel which is the inconsistency of tone. We go one moment from scenes of incredible violence and danger to plucky lines and playful banter that just feel wrong. This novel also at times feels dated. The women are usually objectified and are often characterized by how pretty they are. At one point, the bag guys laugh about a running bet they have about who will be the first to…'have' one of the women. This is part of the universe that the story takes place in and embraces some of the tropes of the genre reminiscent of the old-timey serials and pulps. Every (attention-gettingly titled chapter) is packed with action and ends on an ominous note. Real men are real men, real women are real women. And ambiguously-aged girls whose only purpose is to be abducted by bad guys and then later rescued by the good guys can get yanked across a villain’s knee for a quick spanking as punishment for mouthing off.
Yes. Spanking.
This is not to say that the novel doesn’t have high points and surprises – it has a few with not many dull moments. I was concerned that the villains would just be these one-dimensional, mustache-twirling bad guys like from some pulp serial. The Janusz chip which controls these MARS robots – it is made clear several times – cannot fall into the wrong hands. Ostensibly, it seemed like Russians = bad and Americans = good, which is unfortunately a rather common generalization that I often come across in these kind of stories. I have noticed a disturbing trend in pop culture that I characterize as Cold War nostalgia and Russia seemed like some kind of suitable jingoistic boogeyman for the story. But no – the ghosts are skeptical of all governments – including the US one. And big bad corporations and eccentric rich assholes who would use it to make their own private armies of robot super soldiers. The description of New York felt informed (as a New Yorker it felt detailed and authentic). When it came to Colorado, Poland etc. the setting details – not just the physical details but also the cultural/social setting cues – started to get a bit vague. I’m also a bit curious about the fictional geopolitics of this world where companies roll out armies of killer robots. I rather enjoyed the scenes with Jack. His dialogue felt organic and his charisma with Sophia felt more genuine than Chet’s with Cleo. I actually found his arc with Sophia more compelling – and technically he felt like a more competent and effective ‘ghost’ agent.
I guess the best way to sum up my criticisms is with a question: whose novel is this, and what is the primary focus? I thought that this would primarily be a story about Chet with a secondary plot involving Cleo. But then we also have the characters Sophia and Jack, two abducted girls, the engineer who made the Janusz chip – as well as the chip itself and a robot army. A seemingly never-ending constellation of bad guys with bosses and their middling officers. The FBI also gets involved and they throw their weight around as well. It starts to become hard to assimilate as we switch POVs and shift gears. If I had to take a quiz on who everybody was and what they wanted (which informs their motivations and actions) I would probably fail. And while the internal clock was pretty good, the scene/chapter arrangements of internal/external plot/character conflicts do start to get a bit muddy with all of the intrigue and convoluted interpersonal dynamics (and also quite a bit of jet-setting and globetrotting as well). And for all of the setting up of the bad guys, our heroes are able to get through the story with relatively few real obstacles and challenges. They often shoot their way through ranks of goons while barely breaking a sweat.
The author has a pretty good sense of timing and pacing and generally does a good job of keeping the story moving. The novel is good about not having huge info-dumps, but there were a few places where the story did stop to explain itself; once about the ghosts and once about the MARS robots. The exposition robbed the story of momentum and felt thrown-in, and tragically weren’t really needed. The end did feel a bit rushed. It didn’t give itself much time to resolve all of the floating plot points and obstacles and Chet ends up shooting his way through the bad guys relatively quickly and easily. I can’t fault the author too much because I feel like he might have been just looking for a way to end the damn thing after talking up how dangerous these Russians and robots were. And from personal experience writing action scenes can be super technical and tiring. Also, there is a rather big reveal at the end that felt almost tacked on. There’s a reason why they teach screenwriting students about set up and pay off – the big bombshell revelation felt like it came from nowhere without any setting up. A cut the author some slack when it comes to the resolution because I sense that there’s more story being paved for future installments.
I would recommend this to fans of techno-thrillers, thrillers, spy novels, etc. Anyone who likes Dan Brown and Tom Clancy novels for sure. It does lean into tropes and at times approaches cliché, but it knows exactly what it is and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I appreciate that it is exactly what it presents itself to be and I like reading genre. It was kind of refreshing to read this kind of story for a change. It was a cool premise and was well-made except for a few grammatical issues. Sometimes ARCs and review copies have these ticks and I’m not big on harping on this unless it’s really glaring or distracting. Some of the typesetting and spacing looked off but this could be software-related because digital seems very unforgiving when it comes to formatting. Either that or an editor might have missed them, but I’m not going to slam the author for that because that’s what editors and proofreaders are for. The story is set in a universe with lots of promise for future stories. I do hope that Chet, Cleo, Jack, and Sophia all find peace and that the ghosts continue to keep the world safe from tyrants across the globe.
The Rescue is like a tasty mix of James Bond, The Da Vinci Code, Jack Ryan, Assassins' Creed, John Wick, The Executioner, The Saint, and maybe even a bit of Romancing the Stone. It sort of reminded me of alot of things, which is one of its draws. One thing that I can say about this novel is that it knows which genre it belongs in and plays to its strengths.
For its positives, this novel was extremely easy to read – fast-paced and action-packed as I expected from a techno-thriller. It also has a fair sprinkling of romance, espionage, etc. It was competently written, and aside from a few hiccups which I can mention later, professionally formatted and organized. My impression was that the author understood what he was attempting and demonstrated confidence and a grasp of the material.
The novel is set in a world like ours, but with a secretive organization that’s like a mix between a secret society and an elite paramilitary group. Ghosts are cloistered into this church-affiliated fraternity and trained extensively in a variety of skills from small arms to espionage techniques from an early age. The main character, Chet Benning, is one of these ghost assassins – sworn to protect the world from despots and tyrants. This was a very cool concept and I appreciated the background and lore. There is a fictional history to them going all the way back to the time of Emperor Caligula and the Roman gladiators. It’s these ghosts – few in numbers as they are – that protect the world from the very worst while remaining hidden in the shadows. They even have cool passwords and very organized and well-equipped operational cells where they can exchange information and resources –although apparently they prefer to work alone when in the field. We get a bit of Chet’s backstory, but he and the organization are still a bit opaque to me. As a reader, I was given some expository backstory, but I’m not clear on exactly how they function and only get glimpses of Chet’s deeper motivations and desires. The core of the story involves a revolutionary McGuffin…I mean, an advanced chip which is used to control nearly-indestructible military robots (MARS – Mobile Automated Robotic System). The engineer’s daughters have been kidnapped as leverage by the Russians (either FSB or mob – the Russians in this novel are a bit amorphous – it's established that they’re dangerous and very bad). A mysterious email gets Chett assigned to the case.
The story starts out fairly straightforward and linear. However (and this becomes more apparent as the novel goes on) it sometimes works against itself. The story has alot of potential that gets a bit muddy with an embarrassment of riches: multiple side plots, multiple characters with their own dedicated POV chapters, two potential romantic subplots, bad guy POVs. It took a standard, easy-to-follow plot and made it unnecessarily complicated. It at times felt like two or more different stories.
The romance between Chet and the character Cleo (a romance author married to one of the bad guys) seemed a bit odd. I get that the author was going for romance, and that Chet was tempted to settle down and find love again after losing his ex and living a life of dedication to this shadowy organization. The execution was a bit off – they seemed mutually attracted and infatuated. They get on like horny teenagers and would grin and make these lewd jokes at each other. At times it got to be comical. If they ever had free time and no one was around (sometimes when people WERE around) they would exchange some raunchy lines and try to find a way to sneak away and squeeze in a quickie. That gets to another peculiarity of the novel which is the inconsistency of tone. We go one moment from scenes of incredible violence and danger to plucky lines and playful banter that just feel wrong. This novel also at times feels dated. The women are usually objectified and are often characterized by how pretty they are. At one point, the bag guys laugh about a running bet they have about who will be the first to…'have' one of the women. This is part of the universe that the story takes place in and embraces some of the tropes of the genre reminiscent of the old-timey serials and pulps. Every (attention-gettingly titled chapter) is packed with action and ends on an ominous note. Real men are real men, real women are real women. And ambiguously-aged girls whose only purpose is to be abducted by bad guys and then later rescued by the good guys can get yanked across a villain’s knee for a quick spanking as punishment for mouthing off.
Yes. Spanking.
This is not to say that the novel doesn’t have high points and surprises – it has a few with not many dull moments. I was concerned that the villains would just be these one-dimensional, mustache-twirling bad guys like from some pulp serial. The Janusz chip which controls these MARS robots – it is made clear several times – cannot fall into the wrong hands. Ostensibly, it seemed like Russians = bad and Americans = good, which is unfortunately a rather common generalization that I often come across in these kind of stories. I have noticed a disturbing trend in pop culture that I characterize as Cold War nostalgia and Russia seemed like some kind of suitable jingoistic boogeyman for the story. But no – the ghosts are skeptical of all governments – including the US one. And big bad corporations and eccentric rich assholes who would use it to make their own private armies of robot super soldiers. The description of New York felt informed (as a New Yorker it felt detailed and authentic). When it came to Colorado, Poland etc. the setting details – not just the physical details but also the cultural/social setting cues – started to get a bit vague. I’m also a bit curious about the fictional geopolitics of this world where companies roll out armies of killer robots. I rather enjoyed the scenes with Jack. His dialogue felt organic and his charisma with Sophia felt more genuine than Chet’s with Cleo. I actually found his arc with Sophia more compelling – and technically he felt like a more competent and effective ‘ghost’ agent.
I guess the best way to sum up my criticisms is with a question: whose novel is this, and what is the primary focus? I thought that this would primarily be a story about Chet with a secondary plot involving Cleo. But then we also have the characters Sophia and Jack, two abducted girls, the engineer who made the Janusz chip – as well as the chip itself and a robot army. A seemingly never-ending constellation of bad guys with bosses and their middling officers. The FBI also gets involved and they throw their weight around as well. It starts to become hard to assimilate as we switch POVs and shift gears. If I had to take a quiz on who everybody was and what they wanted (which informs their motivations and actions) I would probably fail. And while the internal clock was pretty good, the scene/chapter arrangements of internal/external plot/character conflicts do start to get a bit muddy with all of the intrigue and convoluted interpersonal dynamics (and also quite a bit of jet-setting and globetrotting as well). And for all of the setting up of the bad guys, our heroes are able to get through the story with relatively few real obstacles and challenges. They often shoot their way through ranks of goons while barely breaking a sweat.
The author has a pretty good sense of timing and pacing and generally does a good job of keeping the story moving. The novel is good about not having huge info-dumps, but there were a few places where the story did stop to explain itself; once about the ghosts and once about the MARS robots. The exposition robbed the story of momentum and felt thrown-in, and tragically weren’t really needed. The end did feel a bit rushed. It didn’t give itself much time to resolve all of the floating plot points and obstacles and Chet ends up shooting his way through the bad guys relatively quickly and easily. I can’t fault the author too much because I feel like he might have been just looking for a way to end the damn thing after talking up how dangerous these Russians and robots were. And from personal experience writing action scenes can be super technical and tiring. Also, there is a rather big reveal at the end that felt almost tacked on. There’s a reason why they teach screenwriting students about set up and pay off – the big bombshell revelation felt like it came from nowhere without any setting up. A cut the author some slack when it comes to the resolution because I sense that there’s more story being paved for future installments.
I would recommend this to fans of techno-thrillers, thrillers, spy novels, etc. Anyone who likes Dan Brown and Tom Clancy novels for sure. It does lean into tropes and at times approaches cliché, but it knows exactly what it is and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I appreciate that it is exactly what it presents itself to be and I like reading genre. It was kind of refreshing to read this kind of story for a change. It was a cool premise and was well-made except for a few grammatical issues. Sometimes ARCs and review copies have these ticks and I’m not big on harping on this unless it’s really glaring or distracting. Some of the typesetting and spacing looked off but this could be software-related because digital seems very unforgiving when it comes to formatting. Either that or an editor might have missed them, but I’m not going to slam the author for that because that’s what editors and proofreaders are for. The story is set in a universe with lots of promise for future stories. I do hope that Chet, Cleo, Jack, and Sophia all find peace and that the ghosts continue to keep the world safe from tyrants across the globe.
June 10, 2019
Coming into this book, I did not have a clue what a ghost assassin was and to be honest, assassin is never thought of it a positive light. However, once I started, not only do you root for Benning but respect him for sacrificing so much in the race to save humanity and finally getting his happily ever after or as close to it considering the situation.
Note: I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review
Note: I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review
December 18, 2018
Chet Benning is one of the Ghost Assassin that on his mission to rescue a scientist twins that being kidnapped for an exchange of Janusz the chips that can change the modern warfare and bring the grave danger if fell in the wrong hands.
From the first chapter, the element of thriller playing a big key in this story and it is escalated by every chapter. And emotional part of Chet Benning remembering and saddened about his girlfriend death is also captivating because it is showing the soft side of him. The fate of his meeting with Cleo Penn, the wife of Stanley Penn caught her attention and the spark of romance that develop between them giving us a perspective that he is ready to let go his past.
The search for the twins by their mother, Sophia is also the major highlight especially when she met Jack the homeless man that have an impressive skills that make her feel secure to tell about the chips that in her posession. And the feelings that developed within them is something that reader is itching to know what would happen.
Overall, the storyline is being represent excellently. It is gripping and fast paced that make you cannot stop reading it especially if you are the reader of thriller.
From the first chapter, the element of thriller playing a big key in this story and it is escalated by every chapter. And emotional part of Chet Benning remembering and saddened about his girlfriend death is also captivating because it is showing the soft side of him. The fate of his meeting with Cleo Penn, the wife of Stanley Penn caught her attention and the spark of romance that develop between them giving us a perspective that he is ready to let go his past.
The search for the twins by their mother, Sophia is also the major highlight especially when she met Jack the homeless man that have an impressive skills that make her feel secure to tell about the chips that in her posession. And the feelings that developed within them is something that reader is itching to know what would happen.
Overall, the storyline is being represent excellently. It is gripping and fast paced that make you cannot stop reading it especially if you are the reader of thriller.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2019
I was given a copy of this book courtesy of Booktasters and John J. Higgins for an honest review. The Rescue A Ghost Assassin Affair is an intense, action-packed, nailbiter from the first chapter to the final chapter. We begin with Chet Benning, an agent haunted by the death of his first love, on a mission to rescue twins kidnapped in a plot to obtain a chip that would militarize robots to be efficient killing machines in warfare. The plot takes you from Poland to New York as Sophia, the ex-wife of Professor Hodes, who invented the chip, seeks to make a deal for the safe return of her kidnapped daughters from brutal and ruthless Russian killers. She meets a homeless man named Jack who comes to her rescue more than once that has you wondering just who is Jack. On Chet's end, he meets and has an immediate attraction to Cleo Penn, a romance author, and wife of Stanley Penn, one of the men that Chet is tracking. The danger doesn't let up for a second. When you think you have a reprieve, something unexpected happens to keep you on your toes. An easy five stars I enjoyed this story very much and recommend adding it to your collection.
January 16, 2019
I have to say that during the time I was reading this book, there were many moments I just had to see where the story was going, I couldn’t put it down. The world of the Assassins is filled with action and the story of both the main character and the mission he is on is intriguing.
Benning is an orphan and had lost the only person he ever cared about. He joined the Assassins at a young age and his past has characteristics that people can easily sympathize with. He seems cold at the beginning, but later I was so glad I was wrong. He fell in love again with a special someone who can understand him and his job requirements.
The Ghost Assassins Organization is described with both its positive and negative aspects, but none the less I would want to be part of something this big. It’s a very different world full of secrets and was created for a noble cause.
I would totally recommend this story to everyone who looks for action (especially in the end), crime, a little romance and a smooth plot with many realistic elements.
Benning is an orphan and had lost the only person he ever cared about. He joined the Assassins at a young age and his past has characteristics that people can easily sympathize with. He seems cold at the beginning, but later I was so glad I was wrong. He fell in love again with a special someone who can understand him and his job requirements.
The Ghost Assassins Organization is described with both its positive and negative aspects, but none the less I would want to be part of something this big. It’s a very different world full of secrets and was created for a noble cause.
I would totally recommend this story to everyone who looks for action (especially in the end), crime, a little romance and a smooth plot with many realistic elements.
August 22, 2019
The opening sentence hooked me right in. I love it when a foreign language is incorporated in a story because that's usually an indication that extensive research was done and the fact that the author used as practically dead a language as Latin is just downright impressive.
The story jumps right into the rescue mission without much a background as to its context whatsoever but every minute detail was perfectly executed so there was never a dull moment. Despite the fast pacing, there were flashes of each character's backstory so we get to know where they're coming from and what drives them. I won't say much so as not to blow away the exciting plot twist but one aspect in this narrative that I really enjoyed was the internal monologues. The occasional cynicism and humor in them made the story even more compelling to read.
The story jumps right into the rescue mission without much a background as to its context whatsoever but every minute detail was perfectly executed so there was never a dull moment. Despite the fast pacing, there were flashes of each character's backstory so we get to know where they're coming from and what drives them. I won't say much so as not to blow away the exciting plot twist but one aspect in this narrative that I really enjoyed was the internal monologues. The occasional cynicism and humor in them made the story even more compelling to read.
October 9, 2019
This book is brilliant! I have to say it was an attention-grabbing and compelling read, I was not disappointed. It is well-written with multifaceted characters, and a plot that keeps you constantly guessing what is going to happen next. I actually did not have a clue what a ghost assassin was all about to be honest, nonetheless, once I started I was fascinated, I could not put the book down because there was never a dull moment and I also wanted to see how the story will unfold. I would totally recommend this story to everyone who looks for action, crime, mystery and of course a little romance.
July 19, 2019
The Rescue: A Ghost Assassin Affair is a well-written, hard-to-put-down book with complex characters, and a plot that keeps you constantly guessing what's going to happen. The main character takes a risk going against instructions from his faceless mentor. Going with his instinct, he uncovers far more than he originally anticipated in his search for answers.
February 15, 2021
‘The Rescue’ has a great opener: for one scene at least, we are rooting for Chet even though he’s an assassin/hired gun. We also get an intriguing glimpse of his origins, and the history of the organisation he works for.
But we get ALL THE CLICHES - ‘instant’ romantic interest for the hero, ‘sacrificed’ past love as his motivation, and Russian villains (one of whom even uses the title ‘Comrade’). As if that’s not enough, all the women are stunning-looking - and described in great detail, unlike the men (we’re only at page 16 when we get the first ‘her breasts’). The main character’s love interest (well, bed interest) is a Romance author: anyone who writes - or reads - Romance knows that (wink) we women look, too. Give us something to look at! And he’s blond, not blonde: the latter is a descriptor for a female.
Staying on that subject, the ‘homeless guy’s musings about Sophie in the closing scenes, considering what we learn about him in the end, make no logical sense.
The book’s best feature is the interweaving of scenes, alternating the action which creates and maintains tension, with the main character’s ingenious use of weapons, and resourcefulness in tight corners making us want to root for him because he’s on his own in this, and the underdog.
What ruins it is everything that happens in between: the dialogue is flat, with all the characters - even though they range in background from an engineering professor through a ‘homeless bum’ to a bunch of hired guns, all speaking with pretty-much the same ‘voice’. This includes characters who, the situation tells us, are speaking in languages other than English. At the very least couldn’t some phrases or idioms from Russian or Polish have been dropped in, to add realism and character? The last Russian hired gun saying ‘I am it’ is particularly stiff: this isn't a phrase in Russian.
In addition, we get very little in the way of proper reactions by any of the characters to their sudden changes in fortune (I’ll not say more because Spoilers) - just terse phrases like ‘she was relieved’ or ‘Vadim was pleased’. Often their ‘inner dialogue’ over-compensates for this: ‘he did not like the sound of Vadim ‘taking care’ of them. He isn’t kidnapping them. He intends to kill them,’ when that’s already evident from the situation.
This makes the main characters a bit flat; but the villains are positively one-dimensional. The FSB wanting at one point to kill everybody involved; the constant references to ‘the Mob’ or ‘Mob connections’ - nobody with genuine organised crime connections would refer to it that way: if they mentioned it at all it would be ‘associates’ or ‘business,’ and if talking about rivals they’d be ‘hooligans’ or similar.
Vadim is obviously pure evil, but this would work far better if any of the other villains/Russians were brought out as characters - even if this were only one scene of them drinking together, for example.
Their dialogue is riddled with ‘as you know, Bob...’-type exposition. Similarly, the French representative describing the deficiencies of his own country’s project is blatantly unrealistic.
Chet doesn’t seem to understand their language, referring to it as ‘Russian dialect’: an agent who speaks Russian would either name the accent or dialect, e.g. “heavily-accented Russian - Chechen” (or wherever), or just think ‘Russian’.
And considering what he’s supposed to have been taught, and who he’s operating for, his attitude (‘Never sure how drugs affect the Russians: sometimes they become more agreeable ... other times they become more belligerent and attack, feeling even less pain.’) towards them as almost sub-human jars somewhat. We’re supposed to like the guy - or at least identify with his aims.
Coupled with this, his mentor’s assessment of the way the world situation would evolve is woefully inadequate - considering the USSR as the only source of villains. Didn’t they consider China? Or the Middle East, the Heroin trade, or indeed their own country’s excesses?
If you like a well-woven plot, with plenty of action, ingenuity and international intrigue, with villains who are just plain evil and resourceful good guys who have the world’s best interest at heart, then this is for you. If, though, you also want believable characters who speak and react like real people, and a tale not riddled with clichés and prejudices, then a 1960s James Bond film probably has more to offer on that score.
But we get ALL THE CLICHES - ‘instant’ romantic interest for the hero, ‘sacrificed’ past love as his motivation, and Russian villains (one of whom even uses the title ‘Comrade’). As if that’s not enough, all the women are stunning-looking - and described in great detail, unlike the men (we’re only at page 16 when we get the first ‘her breasts’). The main character’s love interest (well, bed interest) is a Romance author: anyone who writes - or reads - Romance knows that (wink) we women look, too. Give us something to look at! And he’s blond, not blonde: the latter is a descriptor for a female.
Staying on that subject, the ‘homeless guy’s musings about Sophie in the closing scenes, considering what we learn about him in the end, make no logical sense.
The book’s best feature is the interweaving of scenes, alternating the action which creates and maintains tension, with the main character’s ingenious use of weapons, and resourcefulness in tight corners making us want to root for him because he’s on his own in this, and the underdog.
What ruins it is everything that happens in between: the dialogue is flat, with all the characters - even though they range in background from an engineering professor through a ‘homeless bum’ to a bunch of hired guns, all speaking with pretty-much the same ‘voice’. This includes characters who, the situation tells us, are speaking in languages other than English. At the very least couldn’t some phrases or idioms from Russian or Polish have been dropped in, to add realism and character? The last Russian hired gun saying ‘I am it’ is particularly stiff: this isn't a phrase in Russian.
In addition, we get very little in the way of proper reactions by any of the characters to their sudden changes in fortune (I’ll not say more because Spoilers) - just terse phrases like ‘she was relieved’ or ‘Vadim was pleased’. Often their ‘inner dialogue’ over-compensates for this: ‘he did not like the sound of Vadim ‘taking care’ of them. He isn’t kidnapping them. He intends to kill them,’ when that’s already evident from the situation.
This makes the main characters a bit flat; but the villains are positively one-dimensional. The FSB wanting at one point to kill everybody involved; the constant references to ‘the Mob’ or ‘Mob connections’ - nobody with genuine organised crime connections would refer to it that way: if they mentioned it at all it would be ‘associates’ or ‘business,’ and if talking about rivals they’d be ‘hooligans’ or similar.
Vadim is obviously pure evil, but this would work far better if any of the other villains/Russians were brought out as characters - even if this were only one scene of them drinking together, for example.
Their dialogue is riddled with ‘as you know, Bob...’-type exposition. Similarly, the French representative describing the deficiencies of his own country’s project is blatantly unrealistic.
Chet doesn’t seem to understand their language, referring to it as ‘Russian dialect’: an agent who speaks Russian would either name the accent or dialect, e.g. “heavily-accented Russian - Chechen” (or wherever), or just think ‘Russian’.
And considering what he’s supposed to have been taught, and who he’s operating for, his attitude (‘Never sure how drugs affect the Russians: sometimes they become more agreeable ... other times they become more belligerent and attack, feeling even less pain.’) towards them as almost sub-human jars somewhat. We’re supposed to like the guy - or at least identify with his aims.
Coupled with this, his mentor’s assessment of the way the world situation would evolve is woefully inadequate - considering the USSR as the only source of villains. Didn’t they consider China? Or the Middle East, the Heroin trade, or indeed their own country’s excesses?
If you like a well-woven plot, with plenty of action, ingenuity and international intrigue, with villains who are just plain evil and resourceful good guys who have the world’s best interest at heart, then this is for you. If, though, you also want believable characters who speak and react like real people, and a tale not riddled with clichés and prejudices, then a 1960s James Bond film probably has more to offer on that score.
June 29, 2021
After reading, I was glad that I chose this book to read. I loved the storyline and writing style. Situations are well written and characters' reactions and responses are easily relatable "if I were in that particular situation, what would I do like". I don't wanna reveal the storyline but I would definitely talk about characters in the book.
Chet Benning, tough, smart, good in fighting, quick thinker, and so on, you just name it and he has that quality and skill. In the starting, I thought it's gonna be about him and his life but it is not like that there are few flashbacks and glimpses of his life such as how he was chosen in GHOST Organization, a little bit of training period, life lesson and morals, his love life, how he met her and lost her, how he became more emotionally stronger after he let go the guilty that he couldn't save his lover's life.
It is easily visible how quick and witty he is, some of the time glimpses of a good sense of humor can be seen. Good at fighting, better combination of strength and brain, he uses accordingly after sensing the situation.
Cleo Penn, pretty brunette, smart, knows how to use weapons, giddy, supportive, and understanding. I like her character she was strong throughout the story and excited about every situation doesn't matter it is good or bad. Bends with the situation after analyzing it. Tried to help Chet and the kidnapped girls. I thought she was just a wife and writer throughout the story but the truth is revealed at the end of the story.
Mr. Jann Hodes, creator of Januz Chip, scientist. He is the man who created the chip after creating it he got to know that people who were funding the project are not good, can destroy humanity with help of the chip and MARS, and the entire situation created. In most situations, I find him helpless and being puppet due to certain reasons.
Sophia, a mother of twins named Wyktoria and Zuzanna, whose daughters were kidnapped because of the chip, invented by her Ex-husband Mr. Jann Hodes. She tried to be strong throughout the story for her daughters' safety and did everything she could do for her daughters. There were emotional breakdowns of hers due to stress, I find her much better than Mr. Hodes.
Jack, a homeless man in New York, smart, good with weapons, observer. He is my favorite character in the book. A homeless man in New York helped a woman named Sophia and supported her till the end. First, I thought he must be an FBI agent or from the Russian Mob or might be a GHOST agent(it was only in the back of my mind). And there was a situation where I thought he must be from ARMY because he knew many things which were impossible for a homeless man to know. At last, it turned out to be a GHOST agent. He was a true GHOST agent till the end of the story, I didn't know that and throughout the story were guesses.
There were a lot of bad guys in the Story who tried to get the chip by hook and crook, killed many people. Stanley Penn was the husband of Cleo Penn but wanted money more than his wife, knew how to trick the authority. Vadim, Stanley was nothing in front of him in the dirty tricks, killed many FBI agents and a police officer. I thought he died in the explosion but somehow survived and came back near the end of the story and reversed the situation but Killed at last. Claude is the character about which I forgot after the first encounter with Sophia when she was searching for Napoleon’s graffiti in New York. Sasha was a strong-headed character, only knows how to talk with the fight. There were more characters too good and bad both, you can know about them when you read the book.
I love how every character aspect and perspective was shown to relate to how the character is dealing and handling the situation, I loved the story.
Chet Benning, tough, smart, good in fighting, quick thinker, and so on, you just name it and he has that quality and skill. In the starting, I thought it's gonna be about him and his life but it is not like that there are few flashbacks and glimpses of his life such as how he was chosen in GHOST Organization, a little bit of training period, life lesson and morals, his love life, how he met her and lost her, how he became more emotionally stronger after he let go the guilty that he couldn't save his lover's life.
It is easily visible how quick and witty he is, some of the time glimpses of a good sense of humor can be seen. Good at fighting, better combination of strength and brain, he uses accordingly after sensing the situation.
Cleo Penn, pretty brunette, smart, knows how to use weapons, giddy, supportive, and understanding. I like her character she was strong throughout the story and excited about every situation doesn't matter it is good or bad. Bends with the situation after analyzing it. Tried to help Chet and the kidnapped girls. I thought she was just a wife and writer throughout the story but the truth is revealed at the end of the story.
Mr. Jann Hodes, creator of Januz Chip, scientist. He is the man who created the chip after creating it he got to know that people who were funding the project are not good, can destroy humanity with help of the chip and MARS, and the entire situation created. In most situations, I find him helpless and being puppet due to certain reasons.
Sophia, a mother of twins named Wyktoria and Zuzanna, whose daughters were kidnapped because of the chip, invented by her Ex-husband Mr. Jann Hodes. She tried to be strong throughout the story for her daughters' safety and did everything she could do for her daughters. There were emotional breakdowns of hers due to stress, I find her much better than Mr. Hodes.
Jack, a homeless man in New York, smart, good with weapons, observer. He is my favorite character in the book. A homeless man in New York helped a woman named Sophia and supported her till the end. First, I thought he must be an FBI agent or from the Russian Mob or might be a GHOST agent(it was only in the back of my mind). And there was a situation where I thought he must be from ARMY because he knew many things which were impossible for a homeless man to know. At last, it turned out to be a GHOST agent. He was a true GHOST agent till the end of the story, I didn't know that and throughout the story were guesses.
There were a lot of bad guys in the Story who tried to get the chip by hook and crook, killed many people. Stanley Penn was the husband of Cleo Penn but wanted money more than his wife, knew how to trick the authority. Vadim, Stanley was nothing in front of him in the dirty tricks, killed many FBI agents and a police officer. I thought he died in the explosion but somehow survived and came back near the end of the story and reversed the situation but Killed at last. Claude is the character about which I forgot after the first encounter with Sophia when she was searching for Napoleon’s graffiti in New York. Sasha was a strong-headed character, only knows how to talk with the fight. There were more characters too good and bad both, you can know about them when you read the book.
I love how every character aspect and perspective was shown to relate to how the character is dealing and handling the situation, I loved the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2020
Book Review
Basic Details:
Book Title: The Rescue
Subtitle: A Ghost Assassin Affair
Author: John J. Higgins
Genre: Spy/Mystery
Part of a series?
Order in series:
Best read after earlier books in series? N/A
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
Overall score:
I scored this book 5/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short Summary of the book:
Chet Benning is an orphan, taken in and trained by the GHOST assassins. Chet is very good at his job and tries to save the twin girls of a Polish scientist. The abductor’s objective is to force their father to hand over a chip needed for a deadly robot so they can auction this to the highest bidder. We follow the scientist, his ex-wife, Chet and the twins in this fast-paced and exciting book. Will he succeed to bring the girls to safety?
What I liked about the book:
This book held just the right mixture of excitement, action and romance.
What I didn’t like about the book:
I loved the book in its entirety.
My favourite bits in the book:
Where a seemingly homeless guy turns out to be so much more.
My least favourite bits in the book:
The end. And only because the book ended and I would love to find out what happens next.
Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
I understand the author has written a few other books. I hope he will make this book the first of an exciting series.
What books could this be compared to and why?
This book reminds me of some other spy novels.
Recommendation:
In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:
Children No
Young Adult Maybe
Adult Yes
If you like action, excitement and spy novels, this book may be the book for you.
I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Book Description by Author:
Ghost Assassin Chet Benning, a fallen half monk-half hitman, finds himself combatting the kidnapping of the twin daughters of a Russian paid scientist. In the process he discovers a plot to change warfare as we know it, the forbidden fruit of the beautiful wife of a Russian mob boss, and the constant threat of being captured or killed.
The twins’ mother’s attempts to barter her ex-husband's secret in exchange for her family’s freedom, but finds herself in danger of never finding her daughters again. Murder and intrigue follow in Colorado, New York City, Poland and Russia. Can the twins be saved in time? Can the world be saved from this new threat? Can a Ghost Assassin find love again?
About the Author:
John J. Higgins is an attorney and former statewide prosecutor who has had a multi-faceted career and life. He has worked on farms, performed firearm repairs, and refinished and sold antiques, all before he finished high school. In between pursuing his college studies, he supervised industrial finishing operations and assisted in developing a powder coating system. After college, he worked fulltime and attended law school at night. He also filmed rock stars and celebrities for public service announcements and produced and emceed a play that performed before audiences that totaled over 170,000. In his career as an attorney, he researched and wrote policy papers for governmental committees, drafted legislation, and revised statutes. In his role as a statewide prosecutor he was involved in some of the highest profile cases in his state, from prosecuting multiple and complex crime rings to homicides, including those committed by a serial killer. Among other things he does in his private life, he can scuba dive and pilot an airplane. An avid student of history and spiritual development, he lives in New Jersey in an old Victorian train station he converted into his residence.
He can be reached at his website: john-j-higgins.com
Basic Details:
Book Title: The Rescue
Subtitle: A Ghost Assassin Affair
Author: John J. Higgins
Genre: Spy/Mystery
Part of a series?
Order in series:
Best read after earlier books in series? N/A
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
Overall score:
I scored this book 5/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short Summary of the book:
Chet Benning is an orphan, taken in and trained by the GHOST assassins. Chet is very good at his job and tries to save the twin girls of a Polish scientist. The abductor’s objective is to force their father to hand over a chip needed for a deadly robot so they can auction this to the highest bidder. We follow the scientist, his ex-wife, Chet and the twins in this fast-paced and exciting book. Will he succeed to bring the girls to safety?
What I liked about the book:
This book held just the right mixture of excitement, action and romance.
What I didn’t like about the book:
I loved the book in its entirety.
My favourite bits in the book:
Where a seemingly homeless guy turns out to be so much more.
My least favourite bits in the book:
The end. And only because the book ended and I would love to find out what happens next.
Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
I understand the author has written a few other books. I hope he will make this book the first of an exciting series.
What books could this be compared to and why?
This book reminds me of some other spy novels.
Recommendation:
In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:
Children No
Young Adult Maybe
Adult Yes
If you like action, excitement and spy novels, this book may be the book for you.
I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Book Description by Author:
Ghost Assassin Chet Benning, a fallen half monk-half hitman, finds himself combatting the kidnapping of the twin daughters of a Russian paid scientist. In the process he discovers a plot to change warfare as we know it, the forbidden fruit of the beautiful wife of a Russian mob boss, and the constant threat of being captured or killed.
The twins’ mother’s attempts to barter her ex-husband's secret in exchange for her family’s freedom, but finds herself in danger of never finding her daughters again. Murder and intrigue follow in Colorado, New York City, Poland and Russia. Can the twins be saved in time? Can the world be saved from this new threat? Can a Ghost Assassin find love again?
About the Author:
John J. Higgins is an attorney and former statewide prosecutor who has had a multi-faceted career and life. He has worked on farms, performed firearm repairs, and refinished and sold antiques, all before he finished high school. In between pursuing his college studies, he supervised industrial finishing operations and assisted in developing a powder coating system. After college, he worked fulltime and attended law school at night. He also filmed rock stars and celebrities for public service announcements and produced and emceed a play that performed before audiences that totaled over 170,000. In his career as an attorney, he researched and wrote policy papers for governmental committees, drafted legislation, and revised statutes. In his role as a statewide prosecutor he was involved in some of the highest profile cases in his state, from prosecuting multiple and complex crime rings to homicides, including those committed by a serial killer. Among other things he does in his private life, he can scuba dive and pilot an airplane. An avid student of history and spiritual development, he lives in New Jersey in an old Victorian train station he converted into his residence.
He can be reached at his website: john-j-higgins.com
August 1, 2020
It is always difficult for me to plunge into a new book. The Rescue, A Ghost Assassin Affair, by John J. Higgins was no exception. It took me a number of pages to get acquainted with the main characters and the international setting, but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed my reading.
There is no time to relax in this fast-paced thriller. The action spins around a robot chip, created by a Polish scientist, that would turn its owner into an invincible warfare power. Both the KGB and Russian mobs on the one side, and the US on the other, are interested but, luckily enough, a higher power, the masonic lodge “GHOSTS”, makes sure that the world is preserved from destruction. The GHOSTS super hero, Chet Benning, fights on many fronts, faces all sorts of enemies and dangers in his enterprise to protect the scientist and free his two kidnapped daughters, but we also become aware that he is human, after all, and not just a killing machine, when he falls in love with his enemy’s sexy wife, Cleo, his second chance to live a full emotional life. Cleo’s involvement in the plot is ambiguous, her role swinging between heroism and betrayal until the very last page.
The most exciting part, in my opinion though, is when Jack, a mysterious and unfathomable homeless, comes into the story and, together with the FBI, gets in charge eventually rescuing Sophia, the scientist’s ex-wife. A parallel development of the action is created in this way, a kind of subplot with Jack and Sophia at its centre. The remaining a hundred pages are packed with increasingly treacherous incidents preparing for the James Bond-like finale with Chet and Cleo as protagonists.
When you move along the 66 short chapters, it is not always easy to keep track of the scene as it is repeatedly moving from Europe (Poland and Russia) to the US (Colorado and New York City) and back, but the characters’ entrances and exits take place in well-defined locations: a house, a secret laboratory, a hotel and, in one of the most climatic moments, at Grand Central Station. The whirl of activity is accompanied by the snap of dialogues which emphasise the book’s cinematic quality, certainly the writer’s best achievement together with the expertise needed to accurately and sensibly reproduce the technology involved in the mystery. The description of the characters and, especially, of their emotions, is, on the contrary, left to the reader’s imagination. In the same way, the shift from one point of view to the other challenges the reader to put the pieces of the mystery together, like in a puzzle. The whole picture is achieved only at the end, when we finally discover who Jack really is and why, despite being a secondary character, he is so much more interesting and has greater psychological depth than Chet Benning himself.
The Rescue is definitely a well-balanced combination of suspense and romance, its main function that of entertaining rather than instructing the reader on the threats of a deadly technology produced by a novel doctor Frankenstein. Its complexity is inevitably achieved at the expense of psychological introspection, but that’s not what one would be looking for in this kind of story which I warmly recommend to the lovers of the genre.
There is no time to relax in this fast-paced thriller. The action spins around a robot chip, created by a Polish scientist, that would turn its owner into an invincible warfare power. Both the KGB and Russian mobs on the one side, and the US on the other, are interested but, luckily enough, a higher power, the masonic lodge “GHOSTS”, makes sure that the world is preserved from destruction. The GHOSTS super hero, Chet Benning, fights on many fronts, faces all sorts of enemies and dangers in his enterprise to protect the scientist and free his two kidnapped daughters, but we also become aware that he is human, after all, and not just a killing machine, when he falls in love with his enemy’s sexy wife, Cleo, his second chance to live a full emotional life. Cleo’s involvement in the plot is ambiguous, her role swinging between heroism and betrayal until the very last page.
The most exciting part, in my opinion though, is when Jack, a mysterious and unfathomable homeless, comes into the story and, together with the FBI, gets in charge eventually rescuing Sophia, the scientist’s ex-wife. A parallel development of the action is created in this way, a kind of subplot with Jack and Sophia at its centre. The remaining a hundred pages are packed with increasingly treacherous incidents preparing for the James Bond-like finale with Chet and Cleo as protagonists.
When you move along the 66 short chapters, it is not always easy to keep track of the scene as it is repeatedly moving from Europe (Poland and Russia) to the US (Colorado and New York City) and back, but the characters’ entrances and exits take place in well-defined locations: a house, a secret laboratory, a hotel and, in one of the most climatic moments, at Grand Central Station. The whirl of activity is accompanied by the snap of dialogues which emphasise the book’s cinematic quality, certainly the writer’s best achievement together with the expertise needed to accurately and sensibly reproduce the technology involved in the mystery. The description of the characters and, especially, of their emotions, is, on the contrary, left to the reader’s imagination. In the same way, the shift from one point of view to the other challenges the reader to put the pieces of the mystery together, like in a puzzle. The whole picture is achieved only at the end, when we finally discover who Jack really is and why, despite being a secondary character, he is so much more interesting and has greater psychological depth than Chet Benning himself.
The Rescue is definitely a well-balanced combination of suspense and romance, its main function that of entertaining rather than instructing the reader on the threats of a deadly technology produced by a novel doctor Frankenstein. Its complexity is inevitably achieved at the expense of psychological introspection, but that’s not what one would be looking for in this kind of story which I warmly recommend to the lovers of the genre.
April 24, 2020
If you want a summary, then kindly read the book description. What I've written, is what I felt about it.
One word review - Brilliant!
(It's unfair to review this book with just one word, because it's simply amazing!)
Short Review -
I would be honest, when I started reading it, I found myself in chaos. I wished I could understand what was happening and imagine it properly.
You see, that's the beauty of this book, it'll take you slowly through chaos to clarity. And this journey is worth every penny. It's marvelous, very interesting and a thriller.
Now, since it's a thriller, I can't tell you much about it because I don't want to ruin the experience for you. But I can tell you this much that you'd enjoy this book if you love thrill, assassins, secret organisations and a computer chip. Oh, and also some uncontrolled passion.
The plot thickens very quickly and you also get to know who are these Ghosts. And also, why they are different.
"Ghosts were trusted to make whatever decision they thought best." So, these assassins are not tied by the shackles of any kind of government.
Apart from all the excitement, there was this statement that got to me - "The pedestrians had the New York City gaze over their eyes, acting as if there was no other living creature on the street with them, just obstacles to get around." And honestly, it saddened me because it's true. Unfortunately.
Detailed Review
(Sort of spoiler ahead, so those who hate spoilers...don't read this part. Don't worry I haven't revealed the plot at all, just given some insight into the main character) -
Chet Benning, is an assassin, a special one. He belongs to GHOSTS (Gladiators and Heralds Opposed to State Tyranny Society) (I dare you to say that in one breathe! I know it's difficult).
"They are a squad of grim reapers."
An organisation that has "evolved to where they no longer swore loyalty/allegiance to any country/govt, the ghosts answered to a higher moral authority."
And therefore, my dear readers...Ghosts are so much more deadly.
Benning is a professional killer and yet soft (or maybe he suffers from guilt/PTSD?), but he also has apathy. He has layers, like we all do. He has a sense of duty and is stubborn. He is quick witted and observant.
Basically, he's everything that an assassin should be.
But what stood out was this thought of his - "What does a name matter anyway? I've never been sure about my real name or date of birth. But then again who is? We all reply upon what the adults tell us whether they are our parents or not."
And I agree.
If you liked what little I had to write about it, then go ahead and indulge in this.
P.S. - Don't be a critic while reading a book, it takes away the fun from it. This journey that you go through while reading a book is beautiful and pure. You also discover something about yourself through it. I hope you enjoy it.
Happy Reading.
One word review - Brilliant!
(It's unfair to review this book with just one word, because it's simply amazing!)
Short Review -
I would be honest, when I started reading it, I found myself in chaos. I wished I could understand what was happening and imagine it properly.
You see, that's the beauty of this book, it'll take you slowly through chaos to clarity. And this journey is worth every penny. It's marvelous, very interesting and a thriller.
Now, since it's a thriller, I can't tell you much about it because I don't want to ruin the experience for you. But I can tell you this much that you'd enjoy this book if you love thrill, assassins, secret organisations and a computer chip. Oh, and also some uncontrolled passion.
The plot thickens very quickly and you also get to know who are these Ghosts. And also, why they are different.
"Ghosts were trusted to make whatever decision they thought best." So, these assassins are not tied by the shackles of any kind of government.
Apart from all the excitement, there was this statement that got to me - "The pedestrians had the New York City gaze over their eyes, acting as if there was no other living creature on the street with them, just obstacles to get around." And honestly, it saddened me because it's true. Unfortunately.
Detailed Review
(Sort of spoiler ahead, so those who hate spoilers...don't read this part. Don't worry I haven't revealed the plot at all, just given some insight into the main character) -
Chet Benning, is an assassin, a special one. He belongs to GHOSTS (Gladiators and Heralds Opposed to State Tyranny Society) (I dare you to say that in one breathe! I know it's difficult).
"They are a squad of grim reapers."
An organisation that has "evolved to where they no longer swore loyalty/allegiance to any country/govt, the ghosts answered to a higher moral authority."
And therefore, my dear readers...Ghosts are so much more deadly.
Benning is a professional killer and yet soft (or maybe he suffers from guilt/PTSD?), but he also has apathy. He has layers, like we all do. He has a sense of duty and is stubborn. He is quick witted and observant.
Basically, he's everything that an assassin should be.
But what stood out was this thought of his - "What does a name matter anyway? I've never been sure about my real name or date of birth. But then again who is? We all reply upon what the adults tell us whether they are our parents or not."
And I agree.
If you liked what little I had to write about it, then go ahead and indulge in this.
P.S. - Don't be a critic while reading a book, it takes away the fun from it. This journey that you go through while reading a book is beautiful and pure. You also discover something about yourself through it. I hope you enjoy it.
Happy Reading.
April 25, 2020
The book is action packed with drama and scandalous love affair. A whirlwind of events unfolding that keeps a reader glued to the pages, never wanting to be distracted from the high intensity spectacle.
The characters Chat Benning, Cleo and Stanley Penn, Vadim, the Hodes family members (Sophia, Wyctoria, zuzzana, and Jann) and Jack among others have a way to sticking with the reader.
I must say though, out of all of them the one character that has made an irreversible impression on me is Jack. I have never ‘seen’ any character in any book that i have read quite like Jack. He was the key character to making the whole story so interesting. His character development was absolutely brilliant. From Hobo, to friendly Hobo, to Super hobo. It was just perfect. They way the writer made him Sophia’s guardian angel was beautiful and touching.
Along the way as the book was unfolding, I began suspecting Jack was some sort of CIA agent, imagine my surprise when I found out he wasn’t just a GHOST but the well talked about Magister Gamma. It was a shame Chet never got to meet Jack aka Magister Gamma in the field.
Chet Benning was a very likable character as well, fun, thoughtful, playful in fact, and extremely skillful. One just can’t dislike his way of doing things. His love affair with the main antagonist’s wife, Cleo penn, the reader while entrapped in their world of scandalous romance can feel the electricity between them, intense and primal.
My favorite chapters were those involving Sophia and jack, their adventure was so enthralling. Their first encounter when they bumped into each—so to speak. Who would have thought hobo jack would come in to save the damsel in distress. “You mean to tell me that after asking all these other professionals that did not know where Napoleon’s graffiti was in New York City, that you, a homeless man, know what these other experts did not?”
“Yes. Maybe if you thought through it you would realize there is no one better to ask about a graffiti . You realize that drawings and artwork on walls throughout the city would be best known by those who often sleep in the shadow of such things? We homeless are the experts in the lost and obscure madam.”
The spark and gradual romantic tension between Jack and Sophia was a wonderful touch.
The Ghosts organization (Gladiators & Heralds opposing tyrant states) just gives the book a ‘clandestine’ feel to it. They’re like shadow superhero but without the accidental chemical explosions that lead to superhuman abilities . I loved it
The book is one filled with a barrage of plot twists. So many things happening all at once and the way the writer connected all these seemingly parallel stories was effortless to say the least. I am a huge fan of James Bond—the 007. I think anyone that loves a good spy-assassin drama would absolutely love this book.
It was a good read, totally worth it.
The characters Chat Benning, Cleo and Stanley Penn, Vadim, the Hodes family members (Sophia, Wyctoria, zuzzana, and Jann) and Jack among others have a way to sticking with the reader.
I must say though, out of all of them the one character that has made an irreversible impression on me is Jack. I have never ‘seen’ any character in any book that i have read quite like Jack. He was the key character to making the whole story so interesting. His character development was absolutely brilliant. From Hobo, to friendly Hobo, to Super hobo. It was just perfect. They way the writer made him Sophia’s guardian angel was beautiful and touching.
Along the way as the book was unfolding, I began suspecting Jack was some sort of CIA agent, imagine my surprise when I found out he wasn’t just a GHOST but the well talked about Magister Gamma. It was a shame Chet never got to meet Jack aka Magister Gamma in the field.
Chet Benning was a very likable character as well, fun, thoughtful, playful in fact, and extremely skillful. One just can’t dislike his way of doing things. His love affair with the main antagonist’s wife, Cleo penn, the reader while entrapped in their world of scandalous romance can feel the electricity between them, intense and primal.
My favorite chapters were those involving Sophia and jack, their adventure was so enthralling. Their first encounter when they bumped into each—so to speak. Who would have thought hobo jack would come in to save the damsel in distress. “You mean to tell me that after asking all these other professionals that did not know where Napoleon’s graffiti was in New York City, that you, a homeless man, know what these other experts did not?”
“Yes. Maybe if you thought through it you would realize there is no one better to ask about a graffiti . You realize that drawings and artwork on walls throughout the city would be best known by those who often sleep in the shadow of such things? We homeless are the experts in the lost and obscure madam.”
The spark and gradual romantic tension between Jack and Sophia was a wonderful touch.
The Ghosts organization (Gladiators & Heralds opposing tyrant states) just gives the book a ‘clandestine’ feel to it. They’re like shadow superhero but without the accidental chemical explosions that lead to superhuman abilities . I loved it
The book is one filled with a barrage of plot twists. So many things happening all at once and the way the writer connected all these seemingly parallel stories was effortless to say the least. I am a huge fan of James Bond—the 007. I think anyone that loves a good spy-assassin drama would absolutely love this book.
It was a good read, totally worth it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2019
Hello i received this book as a e book to review if you do not like to read long book over 60 chapter this one not for you it took me 2 and half day to read.
The book goes i a m ghost and no one now my real name i am many people i take care of the bad guys i do jobs were no one can do or are afraid to do i am a bum on the street and you walk past me and do not know i can kill you and not think about it
. Well there was a kidnapping of twin in Poland i was there and i try to save them but i am following were they are going and it to the USA to Colorado .Who did it was the Russian they want there dads new chip size of a one you put in the computer. Well mom is a writer and she in state she doing conventions, Well thing are going worse now they told her that they will not let the girls go until her husband give them the chip.
Well the story go one and Sophia is being target now buy the Russians i have to take her to the as not the one they need. Sophia is going around in circle for clue for the chip were about they send her to find graffiti and then they give her direction to go to the arch but before she does i put a tracking device on it and i can keep up with it but then the kidnapped her but i am ghost they did not see me so i followed them when they stop i did something quick i end up killing the /Russian driver and got Sophia to the Hospital here i pushed her 2 blocks and got to the hospital and now the FBI come in and talk to me and how i now her and told them i was helping and that all they need to now. now the FBI put us in protective custody or we thought you see they found the girls and they are bringing to Sophia,
The story goes on and then now the other couple come in and want to get rid of Russians you see they now the hide out in fact the women is a some what spy between the 3 of them they will get to the bottom of it
You will in joy the book a lot it does have murdered blood sex and a 12 robot that what they wanted, Will the Russian or Americans come out on top you have to read it
The book goes i a m ghost and no one now my real name i am many people i take care of the bad guys i do jobs were no one can do or are afraid to do i am a bum on the street and you walk past me and do not know i can kill you and not think about it
. Well there was a kidnapping of twin in Poland i was there and i try to save them but i am following were they are going and it to the USA to Colorado .Who did it was the Russian they want there dads new chip size of a one you put in the computer. Well mom is a writer and she in state she doing conventions, Well thing are going worse now they told her that they will not let the girls go until her husband give them the chip.
Well the story go one and Sophia is being target now buy the Russians i have to take her to the as not the one they need. Sophia is going around in circle for clue for the chip were about they send her to find graffiti and then they give her direction to go to the arch but before she does i put a tracking device on it and i can keep up with it but then the kidnapped her but i am ghost they did not see me so i followed them when they stop i did something quick i end up killing the /Russian driver and got Sophia to the Hospital here i pushed her 2 blocks and got to the hospital and now the FBI come in and talk to me and how i now her and told them i was helping and that all they need to now. now the FBI put us in protective custody or we thought you see they found the girls and they are bringing to Sophia,
The story goes on and then now the other couple come in and want to get rid of Russians you see they now the hide out in fact the women is a some what spy between the 3 of them they will get to the bottom of it
You will in joy the book a lot it does have murdered blood sex and a 12 robot that what they wanted, Will the Russian or Americans come out on top you have to read it
November 13, 2020
I was provided a free copy of this book by BookTasters in exchange for a review.
This was my first time reading a John Higgins book. It was decent.
I like action, so I gravitated towards the scenes where battles were fought, and where weapons and firearms were used. And I like spy-ish stories. It makes for a really good read if you enjoy them too.
However there are a few things that didn't quite resonate with me. First being the sexual/adult scenes. I felt like it was too much. It is almost like the woman exists just for the love scenes, but I assume my dislike of them is because I'm a minor. Second being some grammatical issues in the book. I understand that mistakes happen, but if you look at any great book, it rarely or never does, have grammatical errors. In this book however there were multiple typos, repetition of words (e.g. and and) and repetitive sentences. They are not a big part of the book, and might not be noticeable on the first read.
It was a surprising read, I would say for a relatively unknown author (to me). I would definitely read more of Higgins' books.
This was my first time reading a John Higgins book. It was decent.
I like action, so I gravitated towards the scenes where battles were fought, and where weapons and firearms were used. And I like spy-ish stories. It makes for a really good read if you enjoy them too.
However there are a few things that didn't quite resonate with me. First being the sexual/adult scenes. I felt like it was too much. It is almost like the woman exists just for the love scenes, but I assume my dislike of them is because I'm a minor. Second being some grammatical issues in the book. I understand that mistakes happen, but if you look at any great book, it rarely or never does, have grammatical errors. In this book however there were multiple typos, repetition of words (e.g. and and) and repetitive sentences. They are not a big part of the book, and might not be noticeable on the first read.
It was a surprising read, I would say for a relatively unknown author (to me). I would definitely read more of Higgins' books.
May 24, 2021
It is a rescue mission of sorts.
It begins with Benning who is to solve the upcoming case in some way and he does his more than perfect.
Apart from being a good assassin (good assassin is a term I associate with killing only bad people) he has been shown as an amazing guy. There is could doubt over the women who fall for him. A true gentleman man at that which is revealed in various areas involving saving the twins, being gentle with them, respecting them as an equal when it came to speaking with their parents.
He also has manly adventures in between the quest he set of with.😂
There is another notable person Jack, a homeless who I wouldn't go in details about just for the sake of the suspense. You are bound to love him of course.
It is one of those action-thriller with all family elements in it. Anyone who loves James Bond series must surely dive in to this book. Happiness and thrill guaranteed.
I don't know how quick I finished this book. It was mesmerising and even though i completed this book, I still feel like I'm in a trance.
Love this book to very extent.
Happy reading!
It begins with Benning who is to solve the upcoming case in some way and he does his more than perfect.
Apart from being a good assassin (good assassin is a term I associate with killing only bad people) he has been shown as an amazing guy. There is could doubt over the women who fall for him. A true gentleman man at that which is revealed in various areas involving saving the twins, being gentle with them, respecting them as an equal when it came to speaking with their parents.
He also has manly adventures in between the quest he set of with.😂
There is another notable person Jack, a homeless who I wouldn't go in details about just for the sake of the suspense. You are bound to love him of course.
It is one of those action-thriller with all family elements in it. Anyone who loves James Bond series must surely dive in to this book. Happiness and thrill guaranteed.
I don't know how quick I finished this book. It was mesmerising and even though i completed this book, I still feel like I'm in a trance.
Love this book to very extent.
Happy reading!
April 27, 2021
The rescue is a good book. An elite member of an assasination syndicate whose members are called Ghosts, has his eyes on a certain sketchy operation that was tipped him anonymously. It turns out to be a kidnapping and against the advice of his mentor and teacher, he involves himself in the case. And thus the drama unfolds.
The rescue is fast paced, and you will definitely have a hard time dropping it if you love thrillers and action packed sceneries.
However, the expressions are too mechanical for me (prepare yourself for that) which is why I gave it a 3-star rating. I feel, for a book about assassins and kidnapping, packed with suspense, fear, excitement, sadness, dread, these emotions should be more expressive and more engaging so in the end felt.
Asides from that there was nothing lacking. Story line, and character development didn't disappoint. I'd recommend it for anyone who loves thriller, mystery and action. It was a very good read.
The rescue is fast paced, and you will definitely have a hard time dropping it if you love thrillers and action packed sceneries.
However, the expressions are too mechanical for me (prepare yourself for that) which is why I gave it a 3-star rating. I feel, for a book about assassins and kidnapping, packed with suspense, fear, excitement, sadness, dread, these emotions should be more expressive and more engaging so in the end felt.
Asides from that there was nothing lacking. Story line, and character development didn't disappoint. I'd recommend it for anyone who loves thriller, mystery and action. It was a very good read.
August 27, 2019
Chet Benning , a member of Ghost Assassins, sets out to find who kidnapped the Russian scientists’ twin daughters. The twins are being held hostage and the ransom is the Janusz chip that was created by their father.
The book starts with Chet being so distraught over his girlfriends death years ago that he couldn’t be with another woman. Then the story immediately goes into him having sex with the first woman who shows interest in him. Of course all the women are rendered helpless in this book and must rely on a man for help.
I found this book was just ok. It has a good storyline but I just didn’t like the characters and that made it hard for me to enjoy the book.
The book starts with Chet being so distraught over his girlfriends death years ago that he couldn’t be with another woman. Then the story immediately goes into him having sex with the first woman who shows interest in him. Of course all the women are rendered helpless in this book and must rely on a man for help.
I found this book was just ok. It has a good storyline but I just didn’t like the characters and that made it hard for me to enjoy the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2019
This is my first time reading a book by Mr Higgins,I must say I wasn't disappointed. I'm an action junky.From the first page,it keeps you glued.I love how everything comes together and then when you start to think,all is well....Something else happens that is different from the way things had 'seemed to be unfolding'.
I didn't know who to trust,Jack,Cleo,Mr Benning.And then there's the other side of ruthless criminals who will go to any lengths as long as they get What they want,Stanley and Sasha,what?
I didn't know who to trust,Jack,Cleo,Mr Benning.And then there's the other side of ruthless criminals who will go to any lengths as long as they get What they want,Stanley and Sasha,what?
June 25, 2020
At first I was not sure of what I would be expecting I came Into it with very high hopes, I’m not saying that my hopes was shatter but it was quite intriguing on how there were so many twists and turns it slowly starts off with the two boys and as I can it is a very fast and attention grabber. It made me want to read it the more I moved on turning page after page. It gave me this sense that it was more than it appear to be and with the title grabbing your little eyes it shall be as good as how it looks.
September 18, 2019
What amazing book I loved every minute of it .. I don't want to spoil this great book I thought Benning was amazing person and Benning was looking for he Russians who kidnapping the twins.Vadium abducted their mother Cleo he taped her mouth.Cloe is a writer. Hades is the ex husband to cloe. Benning found were Cloe and her daughter was been held and he saved them anyway the author is amazing I am glad that I have read this book and I recommend this book to anyone.
June 30, 2021
A very intriguing plot with twists, turns and backstories. There were some character developments I wished for, especially for our Miss Cleo and Old Jack, and I'm so glad to have it actually there. To be honest, didn't expect much when I started, and was a bit worried about the spelling mistakes, but the story itself has made up for most of them. Nice book for those who love thrillers. Happy reading!
November 16, 2020
I started reading this book a month ago, and was quickly drawn into it. Starting with the first mission. It is a action packed story that takes you on global trip on the mission to find the people who are holding a family. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Mitch Rapp series. It is worth the reading time.
December 28, 2020
An exciting thriller with an amazing intro...
Chet Banning goes on to be the hero in this book. With plenty of kidnappings and rescues, he becomes the one they depend on for their safety. His motivation is his wife, Maggie whom he is reminded of almost at every rescue...
I would definitely recommend it for lovers of thrillers...
Chet Banning goes on to be the hero in this book. With plenty of kidnappings and rescues, he becomes the one they depend on for their safety. His motivation is his wife, Maggie whom he is reminded of almost at every rescue...
I would definitely recommend it for lovers of thrillers...
June 19, 2022
What a thriller read ..... Purely an action thriller move but in text form. Though some parts are totally not agreeable particularly larger than life capabilities of Mr. Benning - but he's agreeable as long as he gets the job done and keep the innocent people safe. FSB needs to up its game if they wanna execute future missions with success else ghosts gonna give them a bleeding nose ......
May 17, 2021
The story is good but the story is too fast pacing and kinda cliche especially the part where the author and the assasin met. It's kinda remind me of james bond thing. Too many POVS which is not my thing. So I rate this book 3/5.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2020
A masterpiece by from the author. An interesting read
July 18, 2020
best book to read in lockdown ,too much fun as characters are well defined :-)
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