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Awakening of Spies
Thomas Dylan is an unlikely spy.
Rejected by MI6 he joins the Ministry of Defence where his first mission is a total failure. Unexpectedly he is then sent to Rio de Janeiro to recover a submarine interrogator stolen from the US Navy.
In Brazil he discovers that those supposedly on his side, MI6 and the CIA, have their own priorities and his life is not one of them.
A murderous game which began with the death of a British spy in Argentina is being played out in a city of sun, sea and secret police. When he comes face-to-face with the brutal realities of Brazil's military dictatorship Dylan has to trust somebody. But who?
He knows for sure that the woman he wants to trust has been lying to him from the very beginning. But why?
This is a fast-paced thriller in the vein of John le Carré and Eric Ambler.
Rejected by MI6 he joins the Ministry of Defence where his first mission is a total failure. Unexpectedly he is then sent to Rio de Janeiro to recover a submarine interrogator stolen from the US Navy.
In Brazil he discovers that those supposedly on his side, MI6 and the CIA, have their own priorities and his life is not one of them.
A murderous game which began with the death of a British spy in Argentina is being played out in a city of sun, sea and secret police. When he comes face-to-face with the brutal realities of Brazil's military dictatorship Dylan has to trust somebody. But who?
He knows for sure that the woman he wants to trust has been lying to him from the very beginning. But why?
This is a fast-paced thriller in the vein of John le Carré and Eric Ambler.
304 pages, Paperback
Published June 25, 2020
3 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 11, 2020
📚 Hello Book Friends! I am so excited to be part of the blog tour for this exciting spy novel: Awakening of Spies by Brian Landers. I have not read a spy novel in many years and I was happy to rediscover the thrill, the intelligent plot, and action that come with this genre. Thomas Dylan is a spy who is looking forward to retiring. He is reminiscing on his first mission when he went from being an analyst for the DIS to a full field agent overnight. We are not sure the reason why he was selected for this mission, and the author leads us to believe that there is something very fishy about his appointment. The plot evolves as we turn the pages. There are gunshots, chases, double-crossing, and, of course, a woman. I particularly enjoyed the Canadian references in the book, and I wish there would have been more. There are a lot of characters in the book and I had to make a list to remember who is who. It is slow at the beginning but picks up speed as you read. Overall, it is a good spy novel. Pick up your copy today.
🙋🏼♀️ Thank you, RedDoor Press for inviting me to be part of this blog tour and for sending me a finished copy of this thrilling book. Awakening of Spies by Brian Landers is available at your favourite bookstore.
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June 13, 2020
3.5/5
Quality of writing: 4
Plot development: 3
Pace: 3
Characters: 3
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of reading: 3
Thomas Dylan is an unlikely spy... Do you even need to know more?
It took me a while to finish Awakening of Spies. In part it's my own fault. I wasn't paying attention and basically had to re read the first 1/3 of the book. I was hoping for a quick and easy spy thriller and this is not it. There's a lot of characters and a lot of places and you have to remember them all. If not - you'll get lost and will get frustrated. Trust me, I know.
Both the reader and Thomas have no idea why he was picked for this mission. Why him? Thomas has 0 field experience. We quickly realize that something's off. Is Thomas just a pawn in a bigger game? I had a lot of questions. Most of them were answered. Some got lost somewhere along the way.
Overall it's a decent book. There's death, there's action, there's mystery and spies. There's double-crossing and a girl. It's refreshing to read a spy book that doesn't include misogyny (yes, Ian Fleming, I'm looking at you!)
Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Quality of writing: 4
Plot development: 3
Pace: 3
Characters: 3
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of reading: 3
Thomas Dylan is an unlikely spy... Do you even need to know more?
It took me a while to finish Awakening of Spies. In part it's my own fault. I wasn't paying attention and basically had to re read the first 1/3 of the book. I was hoping for a quick and easy spy thriller and this is not it. There's a lot of characters and a lot of places and you have to remember them all. If not - you'll get lost and will get frustrated. Trust me, I know.
Both the reader and Thomas have no idea why he was picked for this mission. Why him? Thomas has 0 field experience. We quickly realize that something's off. Is Thomas just a pawn in a bigger game? I had a lot of questions. Most of them were answered. Some got lost somewhere along the way.
Overall it's a decent book. There's death, there's action, there's mystery and spies. There's double-crossing and a girl. It's refreshing to read a spy book that doesn't include misogyny (yes, Ian Fleming, I'm looking at you!)
Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2020
Real spies are not exactly James Bond. Some of them, maybe, probably, who knows, but otherwise, they can be as big as a failure as any other human facing the challenge of a simple riddle.
Thomas Dylan is one of those unusual spies that not only got rejected by the famous MI6 - Queen´s Secret Intelligence Service - but once in a mission for the less exciting Defense Intelligence Service failed more than once.
Thomas Dylan (not Dylan Thomas, for the connoisseurs) is coming from the cold of the Cold War and his missions are tailored accordingly. The enemies are from the other side of the curtain, some of them bearing such exotic nicknames as Samovar. In the name of the beautiful Briths-American collaboration, Dylan is sent to Brazil to recover a submarine interrogator stolen from the US Navy. Not necessarily accidentally, he has to deal with the craziness - close to brothel kind of ambiance - of the South America in the late 1970s, where former Nazis are in the big business as nothing happened and the dictatorships are supported with $$ because it might stabilize the region. At the time, this region was as eventful as the Middle East of nowadays.
I liked the way in which the story is told - by the agent Thomas Dylan - , on a very phlegmatic sarcastic yet realistic tone. The sentences are short describing situations and events in a very cinematic way. When the situation on the ground looks so complicated, you need at least clear sentences to figure out what it is all about. This writing style also brings a healthy note of certain realism and honesty to the story.
For any lover of spy novels, Awakening of Spies by Brian Landers has a good offer to make: action, surprising characters and turn of events, secrets of spies, in the cold style of British keepers of secrets.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange of an honest review
Thomas Dylan is one of those unusual spies that not only got rejected by the famous MI6 - Queen´s Secret Intelligence Service - but once in a mission for the less exciting Defense Intelligence Service failed more than once.
Thomas Dylan (not Dylan Thomas, for the connoisseurs) is coming from the cold of the Cold War and his missions are tailored accordingly. The enemies are from the other side of the curtain, some of them bearing such exotic nicknames as Samovar. In the name of the beautiful Briths-American collaboration, Dylan is sent to Brazil to recover a submarine interrogator stolen from the US Navy. Not necessarily accidentally, he has to deal with the craziness - close to brothel kind of ambiance - of the South America in the late 1970s, where former Nazis are in the big business as nothing happened and the dictatorships are supported with $$ because it might stabilize the region. At the time, this region was as eventful as the Middle East of nowadays.
I liked the way in which the story is told - by the agent Thomas Dylan - , on a very phlegmatic sarcastic yet realistic tone. The sentences are short describing situations and events in a very cinematic way. When the situation on the ground looks so complicated, you need at least clear sentences to figure out what it is all about. This writing style also brings a healthy note of certain realism and honesty to the story.
For any lover of spy novels, Awakening of Spies by Brian Landers has a good offer to make: action, surprising characters and turn of events, secrets of spies, in the cold style of British keepers of secrets.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange of an honest review
July 10, 2020
Taking a fish out of water approach, “Awakening of Spies” by Brian Landers is an enjoyable romp through one man’s confusing indoctrination into the hidden world of the spy game.
Thomas Dylan is our lead. He works for the British Ministry of Defense, having been rejected by MI6. It looks like he’s bound for a desk job, but lo and behold he jets out to Holland, where he’s involved in a shootout on his very first mission. And things just get worse from there. Sent to Chicago with a new partner (who knows just a little bit too much and has her own secrets), Thomas is tasked with recovering a bit of American technology, a stolen "Griffin Interrogator”. And once again he manages to fail in a spectacular fashion with another corpse left behind.
So is this the end of his career? Nope, off to Brazil, where he continues to work on recovering the Interrogator. Thomas gets thrown into a world of hidden agendas, questionable loyalties, concealed motives…. just your basic cat and mouse game of spy vs. spy, set against the beautiful backdrop of Brazil. But why Thomas? Is he just a dupe? An innocent? Bait? He struggles to answer these questions, complete his mission, and figure out if he can trust his partner, all while trying to stay alive.
A pretty good read. The plot is complex, there are numerous people to keep track of, and one has to pay attention. But overall well-written, and I look forward to the next book in the series.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from RedDoor Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
Thomas Dylan is our lead. He works for the British Ministry of Defense, having been rejected by MI6. It looks like he’s bound for a desk job, but lo and behold he jets out to Holland, where he’s involved in a shootout on his very first mission. And things just get worse from there. Sent to Chicago with a new partner (who knows just a little bit too much and has her own secrets), Thomas is tasked with recovering a bit of American technology, a stolen "Griffin Interrogator”. And once again he manages to fail in a spectacular fashion with another corpse left behind.
So is this the end of his career? Nope, off to Brazil, where he continues to work on recovering the Interrogator. Thomas gets thrown into a world of hidden agendas, questionable loyalties, concealed motives…. just your basic cat and mouse game of spy vs. spy, set against the beautiful backdrop of Brazil. But why Thomas? Is he just a dupe? An innocent? Bait? He struggles to answer these questions, complete his mission, and figure out if he can trust his partner, all while trying to stay alive.
A pretty good read. The plot is complex, there are numerous people to keep track of, and one has to pay attention. But overall well-written, and I look forward to the next book in the series.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from RedDoor Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
May 1, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing an advance copy.
I really enjoyed this novel, overall. This was one of those kinds of books that I picked up on a whim because the synopsis looked interesting, and consequently I wasn't expecting very much going into it. I was somewhat surprised, then, to find out that I had stumbled upon a very competently written novel in a sub genre of stories that I normally really enjoy, but haven't read for a while.
This is, on the surface, your typical spy story. You follow one protagonist as he goes about his job and experience all his trials and tribulations from his point of view. For all I make it sound simple, it's actually very engaging. One thing that struck me immediately is the amount of believable detail Brian has layered throughout his novel. Whether a nicely placed flashback to a training scenario with another character while describing a piece of geography, to a seemingly inconsequential but ultimately important detail during a stakeout and subsequent gunfight. Consequently, there's something on every page that just drags you a little deeper into the story. It actually reminded me a lot of the Slough Hose series by Mick Herron, which is a good thing in my books because I felt the same way about that series as I do about this first entry.
Ultimately, I recommend this novel to anyone looking for an in depth, sometimes meandering, but ultimately exciting and engaging novel on the nature of espionage and tradecraft.
I really enjoyed this novel, overall. This was one of those kinds of books that I picked up on a whim because the synopsis looked interesting, and consequently I wasn't expecting very much going into it. I was somewhat surprised, then, to find out that I had stumbled upon a very competently written novel in a sub genre of stories that I normally really enjoy, but haven't read for a while.
This is, on the surface, your typical spy story. You follow one protagonist as he goes about his job and experience all his trials and tribulations from his point of view. For all I make it sound simple, it's actually very engaging. One thing that struck me immediately is the amount of believable detail Brian has layered throughout his novel. Whether a nicely placed flashback to a training scenario with another character while describing a piece of geography, to a seemingly inconsequential but ultimately important detail during a stakeout and subsequent gunfight. Consequently, there's something on every page that just drags you a little deeper into the story. It actually reminded me a lot of the Slough Hose series by Mick Herron, which is a good thing in my books because I felt the same way about that series as I do about this first entry.
Ultimately, I recommend this novel to anyone looking for an in depth, sometimes meandering, but ultimately exciting and engaging novel on the nature of espionage and tradecraft.
June 26, 2020
An action packed thrill ride! Told from the point of view of Thomas Dylan who is looking forward to his retirement, he reminisces of the first mission he took in the mid 70's as a new recruit for the defence intelligence staff. He starts by introducing a few characters then it's full blown action, where he, expecting a very desk based role is in the middle of Holland chasing spies and being shot at. The descriptions of the action scenes bring to life the thrill of the chase, and although the plot is a little on the complicated side, about half way through there is a recap as he reports to London which I found hugely beneficial to keep track of everything going on.
There is full on action throughout the book, and the little snippets of plot twists and red herrings keep you hooked. Although predominantly a spy/action thriller there are secondary love interests which give Thomas's character some depth and likeability. I am very much looking forward to reading the next instalment of Brian Landers series with Thomas Dylan. Thanks to NetGalley and Red Door for the ARC.
There is full on action throughout the book, and the little snippets of plot twists and red herrings keep you hooked. Although predominantly a spy/action thriller there are secondary love interests which give Thomas's character some depth and likeability. I am very much looking forward to reading the next instalment of Brian Landers series with Thomas Dylan. Thanks to NetGalley and Red Door for the ARC.
June 25, 2020
In an effort to try reading different genres this was my first spy thriller, so I was not entirely sure what to expect and what a typical plot for a spy thriller would be.
After my initial confusion at the start, I settled into the plot as I followed Thomas Dylan on what felt like his haphazard journey as a novice spy, as he sets off to try and recover the stolen submarine interrogator. However it seems there are many other characters from other countries after this too.
The whole story is told from Dylan's PoV and he is chaotic as a spy. I found some of his escapades amusing. But is this a correct response to a spy thriller? There are many twists and turns and characters during the book, but mostly I felt confused by them all.
To be honest I'm not sure a spy thriller would become my go to read, but nonetheless if you love a bit of espionage, intrigue, spies and John le Carre, I'm sure this will be one for you to enjoy and get your teeth into.
After my initial confusion at the start, I settled into the plot as I followed Thomas Dylan on what felt like his haphazard journey as a novice spy, as he sets off to try and recover the stolen submarine interrogator. However it seems there are many other characters from other countries after this too.
The whole story is told from Dylan's PoV and he is chaotic as a spy. I found some of his escapades amusing. But is this a correct response to a spy thriller? There are many twists and turns and characters during the book, but mostly I felt confused by them all.
To be honest I'm not sure a spy thriller would become my go to read, but nonetheless if you love a bit of espionage, intrigue, spies and John le Carre, I'm sure this will be one for you to enjoy and get your teeth into.
July 30, 2020
It has been a while since I read a spy novel, and Awakening of Spies was a great way to get back into this genre. This book starts off gripping and keeps you reading until the end. The fast-paced nature of the writing doesn’t let up and keeps things interesting.
There is quite a large cast of characters. This takes a bit to get used to, and remembering each of them can be a bit difficult at first. I got used to it though and the characters are really well developed, so it was good.
Spies, mystery, fast-pacing, overall, I enjoyed Awakening of Spies. I do recommend giving it a shot. I think it was entertaining, gripping and well-written. I am looking forward to more from Brian Landers.
Rating:
4/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Literally PR in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
There is quite a large cast of characters. This takes a bit to get used to, and remembering each of them can be a bit difficult at first. I got used to it though and the characters are really well developed, so it was good.
Spies, mystery, fast-pacing, overall, I enjoyed Awakening of Spies. I do recommend giving it a shot. I think it was entertaining, gripping and well-written. I am looking forward to more from Brian Landers.
Rating:
4/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Literally PR in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
June 26, 2020
3.5/5
The premise hooked me and admittedly, the first 80 or so pages were really slow to follow until we get to the promised part - a cat and mouse spy thriller in Brazil. There's also a lot of military jargon that I found difficult to get past. The first part of the book is slow BUT then it gets REALLY good. I was enthralled with the female lead character French and once she was introduced it felt like we were really off to the races. Overall, it promised a spy thriller and it delivered.
This review is a part of a blog tour and ARC provided by Red Door press and NetGalley.
The premise hooked me and admittedly, the first 80 or so pages were really slow to follow until we get to the promised part - a cat and mouse spy thriller in Brazil. There's also a lot of military jargon that I found difficult to get past. The first part of the book is slow BUT then it gets REALLY good. I was enthralled with the female lead character French and once she was introduced it felt like we were really off to the races. Overall, it promised a spy thriller and it delivered.
This review is a part of a blog tour and ARC provided by Red Door press and NetGalley.
July 1, 2020
Awakening Of Spies is the tale of Thomas Dylan, an unassuming man who had believed he was bound for a job behind a desk, but instead ends up as a spy.
There is a marvellously complex plot, lots of action around the world and plenty of tricks and twists to keep you hooked. There’s also a little romance too. A thoroughly gripping and engrossing spy thriller.
Thank you to Literally PR for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and a copy of Awakening Of Spies. This is my honest and unbiased review.
There is a marvellously complex plot, lots of action around the world and plenty of tricks and twists to keep you hooked. There’s also a little romance too. A thoroughly gripping and engrossing spy thriller.
Thank you to Literally PR for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and a copy of Awakening Of Spies. This is my honest and unbiased review.
July 9, 2020
This was my first spy thriller and it was an intriguing introduction into the world of spies! The book follows Thomas Dylan, a new spy who has been picked for a mission for unclear reasons. He is given scant details on the assignment and what follows is an authentic, well-researched journey from stolen secrets to gripping action scenes. I did struggle with the many names and acronyms and found myself confused with the characters, so the book would benefit from a character list at the beginning. Despite this, I enjoyed the book and loved Dylan’s character – he has good instincts despite his lack of training and this made it a fun read. Thank you to @reddoorbooks and @litpr2012 for my copy in exchange for an honest review! I’m excited to begin book 2!
December 30, 2021
Great story with good characters a very enjoyable read. Thanks Andrew Smith for the signed copy (thanks Brian too 😁)
June 26, 2020
Introducing Thomas Dylan, as the blurb says an unlikely spy. It’s not his day job. But the powers that be at Mi-5 decide to send him on an important mission in Brazil to recover a bit of US Tech they would rather like... but why Dylan? Why not a seasoned spy who knows what he’s doing?
This espionage thriller from Brian Landers feels like a really classic spy novel. Extremely well written, it’s a quite complex and clever tale.
The pacing is spot on and It’s a deftly crafted and plotted spy story with all the thrills, spills, bad guys you could want and even a girl for Dylan..
Set in a great location, this excellent first book in a new series of thrillers really hits the spot for any spy fans out there and I am looking forward to the next in the series called ‘Family of Spies’.
An assured, original, intelligent and intriguing debut.
Red Door Press are really putting out some great stuff at the moment and this is no exception.
4🔥🔥🔥🔥
This espionage thriller from Brian Landers feels like a really classic spy novel. Extremely well written, it’s a quite complex and clever tale.
The pacing is spot on and It’s a deftly crafted and plotted spy story with all the thrills, spills, bad guys you could want and even a girl for Dylan..
Set in a great location, this excellent first book in a new series of thrillers really hits the spot for any spy fans out there and I am looking forward to the next in the series called ‘Family of Spies’.
An assured, original, intelligent and intriguing debut.
Red Door Press are really putting out some great stuff at the moment and this is no exception.
4🔥🔥🔥🔥
October 2, 2020
Brian Landers is the real deal.
Brian Landers is the real deal. Every line of this book rings with authenticity. This must be exactly what it feels like to be part of murky world of international espionage. Totally immersive read.
Brian Landers is the real deal. Every line of this book rings with authenticity. This must be exactly what it feels like to be part of murky world of international espionage. Totally immersive read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews