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John Corey #5
The Lion
In this follow-up to The Lion's Game, John Corey, former NYPD Homicide detective and special agent for the Anti-Terrorist Task Force, is back. And, unfortunately for Corey, so is Asad Khalil, the notorious Libyan terrorist otherwise known as "The Lion." Last we heard from him, Khali had claimed to be defecting to the US only to unleash the most horrific reign of terrorism ever to occur on American soil. While Corey and his partner, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, chased him across the country, Khalil methodically eliminated his victims one by one and then disappeared without a trace.
Now, years later, Khalil has returned to America to make good on his threats and take care of unfinished business. "The Lion" is a killing machine once again loose in America with a mission of revenge, and John Corey will stop at nothing to achieve his own goal -- to find and kill Khahil.
Now, years later, Khalil has returned to America to make good on his threats and take care of unfinished business. "The Lion" is a killing machine once again loose in America with a mission of revenge, and John Corey will stop at nothing to achieve his own goal -- to find and kill Khahil.
437 pages, Hardcover
First published June 8, 2010
1150 people are currently reading
5778 people want to read
About the author
Nelson DeMille
257 books7,303 followersNelson Richard DeMille was an American author of action adventure and suspense novels. His novels include Plum Island, The Charm School, and The General's Daughter. DeMille also wrote under the pen names Jack Cannon, Kurt Ladner, Ellen Kay and Brad Matthews.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,383 reviews
October 20, 2015
The following is a transcript of a phone intercept recorded June 8, 2003. The first subject is John Corey, former NYPD detective and current contract agent for the FBI & NYPD’s joint Anti-Terrorist Task Force. The second subject is Asad Khalil (a/k/a The Lion), currently wanted internationally for multiple acts of terrorism and murder.
John Corey: Hello.
Asad Khalil: John, it’s Asad Khalil. Do you remember me?
JC: Asad! How could I forget? You killed more people than cancer when you got inside the U.S. three years ago.
AK: Ah, yes. It was a good run. Of course, you kept me from completing my ultimate objective.
JC: Let’s call it a draw. How have you been?
AK: Busy. Lots of work in Afghanistan and Iraq for terrorists these days.
JC: Yeah, you guys have kept me hopping, too.
AK: Hey, do you still work with that woman you were partnered with when you were chasing me? What was her name?
JC: Kate. And we still work together. In fact, we got married.
AK: Really? Congratulations. But working with your wife? That has to be awkward.
JC: It can get complicated, but we’re a pretty good team. We’ve had a couple of big cases since you were here, and we managed to get the job done. Besides, what do you know about working with females? You’d rather kill a woman for not wearing a burqua than take her out for a drink.
AK: True, true. But this isn’t a social call, John. We need to discuss some business.
JC: OK. But you really should try dating a girl instead of stoning her to death at some point. It’d be good for you and a hell of a lot more fun for her.
AK: You know I’ve got far too many religious and sexual hang-ups to do that, John. Anyhow, back to the reason I called. Do you remember that phone conversation we had right before I fled the country three years ago?
JC: Yeah. You said something about coming back to get me, and I said I was looking forward to the re-match.
AK. Yes, and then I promised that I’d kill you and that whore you were with if it took me the rest of my life.
JC: Right. You better be careful. Kate’s still pissed you called her a whore, and she‘s armed.
AK: Well, here is her chance to do something about it. Some of my boys in Al Queda need a job done in New York, and I told them I’d do it if they’d help me come over there and kill you and Kate and a few other people I’m still mad at.
JC: Oh, we’re still on for that? I was starting to think you forgot.
AK: Not a chance. It just took me a little while to put my business case together and get some financial backers lined up. International terrorism and revenge are very expensive enterprises, John.
JC: I’m sure. So we’re really doing this?
AK: Definitely.
JC: Great. How about we threaten and insult each other to get in the mood?
AK: Certainly. Go ahead whenever you’re ready.
JC: *ahem* You fucking psychopath. I’m going to blow your goddamn brains out.
AK: No, you infidel pig! I’m going to kill you. But first I’m going to peel the face of your skull and show it to you.
JC: You’re a piece of shit, and I’m going to rip your evil heart out of your chest and eat it.
AK: I’m going to cut your godless head off, and you’ll burn in hell for all eternity.
JC: Your mother was a whore.
AK: Your wife is a whore.
(Subjects verbally assualt each other for the next forty-five minutes.)
JC: Oh, yeah. This is working. I’m really psyched. How about you?
AK: I can’t wait.
JC: That stuff about cutting off my face is new.
AK: It’s something I picked up in Afghanistan. I’ll demonstrate it on you.
JC: I’ll be waiting.
AK: See you soon, John.
JC: Try not to kill too many people on the way here.
End transcript.
*****
Geez. This book is so filled with alpha male testosterone that I think I grew a second pair of testicles while reading it.
DeMille has been tending towards overstuffing books lately, and this one is no exception. He probably could have cut this book in half by toning down the macho posturing, but he does manage to put a very primal vibe into the conflict between Corey and Khalil. The sense of loathing between the two of them is kept at a nice boil through the book, and pays off in a confrontation that’s savage and brutal. This isn’t the usual good guy and bad guy settling things with a quick-draw gunfight. This is two enemies going completely caveman on each other.
My other headache with this one is that I think John Corey is wearing a little thin. Most of DeMille’s protagonists are very similar and Corey is the ultimate version. A cynical, sarcastic, politically incorrect, smart-ass with an anti-authority streak and a New York attitude was fun in the early books like Plum Island, but after five novels, I don’t think Corey is nearly as clever and amusing as DeMille thinks he is. Plus, DeMille’s editor needs to tell him that multiple repetitions of a line make it get tiresome and not funnier.
Despite being too long and Corey’s act getting a little stale, this was still a pretty good page turner and a nice follow-up to The Lion’s Game. And it’s a lot better than other recent DeMille stinkers like Night Fall and The Gate House.
John Corey: Hello.
Asad Khalil: John, it’s Asad Khalil. Do you remember me?
JC: Asad! How could I forget? You killed more people than cancer when you got inside the U.S. three years ago.
AK: Ah, yes. It was a good run. Of course, you kept me from completing my ultimate objective.
JC: Let’s call it a draw. How have you been?
AK: Busy. Lots of work in Afghanistan and Iraq for terrorists these days.
JC: Yeah, you guys have kept me hopping, too.
AK: Hey, do you still work with that woman you were partnered with when you were chasing me? What was her name?
JC: Kate. And we still work together. In fact, we got married.
AK: Really? Congratulations. But working with your wife? That has to be awkward.
JC: It can get complicated, but we’re a pretty good team. We’ve had a couple of big cases since you were here, and we managed to get the job done. Besides, what do you know about working with females? You’d rather kill a woman for not wearing a burqua than take her out for a drink.
AK: True, true. But this isn’t a social call, John. We need to discuss some business.
JC: OK. But you really should try dating a girl instead of stoning her to death at some point. It’d be good for you and a hell of a lot more fun for her.
AK: You know I’ve got far too many religious and sexual hang-ups to do that, John. Anyhow, back to the reason I called. Do you remember that phone conversation we had right before I fled the country three years ago?
JC: Yeah. You said something about coming back to get me, and I said I was looking forward to the re-match.
AK. Yes, and then I promised that I’d kill you and that whore you were with if it took me the rest of my life.
JC: Right. You better be careful. Kate’s still pissed you called her a whore, and she‘s armed.
AK: Well, here is her chance to do something about it. Some of my boys in Al Queda need a job done in New York, and I told them I’d do it if they’d help me come over there and kill you and Kate and a few other people I’m still mad at.
JC: Oh, we’re still on for that? I was starting to think you forgot.
AK: Not a chance. It just took me a little while to put my business case together and get some financial backers lined up. International terrorism and revenge are very expensive enterprises, John.
JC: I’m sure. So we’re really doing this?
AK: Definitely.
JC: Great. How about we threaten and insult each other to get in the mood?
AK: Certainly. Go ahead whenever you’re ready.
JC: *ahem* You fucking psychopath. I’m going to blow your goddamn brains out.
AK: No, you infidel pig! I’m going to kill you. But first I’m going to peel the face of your skull and show it to you.
JC: You’re a piece of shit, and I’m going to rip your evil heart out of your chest and eat it.
AK: I’m going to cut your godless head off, and you’ll burn in hell for all eternity.
JC: Your mother was a whore.
AK: Your wife is a whore.
(Subjects verbally assualt each other for the next forty-five minutes.)
JC: Oh, yeah. This is working. I’m really psyched. How about you?
AK: I can’t wait.
JC: That stuff about cutting off my face is new.
AK: It’s something I picked up in Afghanistan. I’ll demonstrate it on you.
JC: I’ll be waiting.
AK: See you soon, John.
JC: Try not to kill too many people on the way here.
End transcript.
*****
Geez. This book is so filled with alpha male testosterone that I think I grew a second pair of testicles while reading it.
DeMille has been tending towards overstuffing books lately, and this one is no exception. He probably could have cut this book in half by toning down the macho posturing, but he does manage to put a very primal vibe into the conflict between Corey and Khalil. The sense of loathing between the two of them is kept at a nice boil through the book, and pays off in a confrontation that’s savage and brutal. This isn’t the usual good guy and bad guy settling things with a quick-draw gunfight. This is two enemies going completely caveman on each other.
My other headache with this one is that I think John Corey is wearing a little thin. Most of DeMille’s protagonists are very similar and Corey is the ultimate version. A cynical, sarcastic, politically incorrect, smart-ass with an anti-authority streak and a New York attitude was fun in the early books like Plum Island, but after five novels, I don’t think Corey is nearly as clever and amusing as DeMille thinks he is. Plus, DeMille’s editor needs to tell him that multiple repetitions of a line make it get tiresome and not funnier.
Despite being too long and Corey’s act getting a little stale, this was still a pretty good page turner and a nice follow-up to The Lion’s Game. And it’s a lot better than other recent DeMille stinkers like Night Fall and The Gate House.
August 15, 2025
This book is awesome. If only all fiction flowed this fast then truly would I be in Heaven. Step into the world of John Corey, all time smartass NYC detective who has a quip for every moment and who seems to always manage to solve the most difficult of cases. We were first introduced to him in PLUM ISLAND in which he was recovering from three bullet wounds and on disability leave. Of course, Corey can't keep his nose out of things like any good detective and goes on to investigate a matter related to something mundane like biological warfare. Yeah, right.
This tale brings back Corey's greatest antagonist, The Lion, a smooth and most capable terrorist who has returned to get revenge against Corey and others for foiling his plans three years ago (in a previous novel titled LION'S GAME) in which he tried to assassinate all of the pilots who bombed Libya in 1986. Stellar suspense. I finished this novel in less than two weeks. The opening scene is a sky dive with his wife which goes from an adrenaline rush to pure terror.
MY GRADE: A minus to A.
This tale brings back Corey's greatest antagonist, The Lion, a smooth and most capable terrorist who has returned to get revenge against Corey and others for foiling his plans three years ago (in a previous novel titled LION'S GAME) in which he tried to assassinate all of the pilots who bombed Libya in 1986. Stellar suspense. I finished this novel in less than two weeks. The opening scene is a sky dive with his wife which goes from an adrenaline rush to pure terror.
MY GRADE: A minus to A.
July 5, 2024
Some vintage Corey sarcasm, “The guy was a friggin’ camel jockey who probably couldn’t tell the difference between an ATM and a condom dispenser.”
At the close of THE LION’S GAME, we all knew that Asad Khalil, a bloodthirsty and utterly ruthless terrorist, had made the Terminator pledge, “I’ll be back”. And here we have have it. In a nutshell, THE LION is John Corey vs Asad Khalil, aka The Lion 2.0, the grudge match. But the reality is that Khalil’s list is effectively a revenge packed laundry list of intended victims closing out with John Corey and his new wife, FBI agent Kate Mayfield. Then he can get down to business with his intended finale, a large scale fundamentalist Islamic takedown of American culture, a memorable piece of terrorism intended as a reprise of 9.11, if you will!
THE LION is a 500+ page doorstopper version of Tag (The Death Match version). But despite the fact that the ending is predictable before a reader has laid eyes on the opening paragraph, it’s solid gripping entertainment and more than compelling enough to hold a John Corey fan’s interest from first page to last. Vintage Nelson DeMille and John Corey stuff that is easy to recommend to fans of the suspense thriller genre. Beyond that, there’s some pretty compelling stuff that will give thoughtful readers pause to consider the actual roots of Islamic terrorism. For example,:
“It started on April 15, 1986, when Reagan sent a bunch of fighter-bombers to blow the shit out of Libya. Asad Khalil lost his whole family in that bombing.” … “No shit?” … “I guess he’s still pissed off.”
Gee! Djathink?
Paul Weiss
At the close of THE LION’S GAME, we all knew that Asad Khalil, a bloodthirsty and utterly ruthless terrorist, had made the Terminator pledge, “I’ll be back”. And here we have have it. In a nutshell, THE LION is John Corey vs Asad Khalil, aka The Lion 2.0, the grudge match. But the reality is that Khalil’s list is effectively a revenge packed laundry list of intended victims closing out with John Corey and his new wife, FBI agent Kate Mayfield. Then he can get down to business with his intended finale, a large scale fundamentalist Islamic takedown of American culture, a memorable piece of terrorism intended as a reprise of 9.11, if you will!
THE LION is a 500+ page doorstopper version of Tag (The Death Match version). But despite the fact that the ending is predictable before a reader has laid eyes on the opening paragraph, it’s solid gripping entertainment and more than compelling enough to hold a John Corey fan’s interest from first page to last. Vintage Nelson DeMille and John Corey stuff that is easy to recommend to fans of the suspense thriller genre. Beyond that, there’s some pretty compelling stuff that will give thoughtful readers pause to consider the actual roots of Islamic terrorism. For example,:
“It started on April 15, 1986, when Reagan sent a bunch of fighter-bombers to blow the shit out of Libya. Asad Khalil lost his whole family in that bombing.” … “No shit?” … “I guess he’s still pissed off.”
Gee! Djathink?
Paul Weiss
May 26, 2022
”Terrible he rode alone with his Yemen sword for aid; ornament, it carried none but the notches on the blade.”
John Corey is back, and so is his terrifying adversary, Asad Khalil, from DeMille’s excellent and brutally violent book The Lion’s Game. Khalil is one of those literary villains that infuriate and upset the reader; reading this book brought back all of those feelings I had while reading the first book (which is a contender for my favorite DeMille book along with The Charm School). Corey’s politically incorrect humor is back as always, and never disappoints. Well maybe sometimes it does, but that’s part of why I love him. Both characters are looking for revenge, and they both have their minds made up: there will be a fight to the death. And Khalil may have some very powerful backers this time who are just as filled with hate as he is. And Asad Khalil is a seriously bad dude. Despite his motive being somewhat understandable, this is an example of one of those brutal and absolutely ruthless kinds of villains that pop up from time to time in books.
DeMille’s writing is on point as usual. Entertaining, funny, extremely readable…all my normal compliments apply here. This one had some plot points that got a bit ridiculous, but the book still had me in its grip. Something about the way Nelson DeMille writes glues me to the pages and I can’t look away.
Overall, an excellent read with a perfectly fitting finale for this story arc. It didn’t quite top The Lion’s Game for me though as that was a nearly perfect book of its type.
John Corey is back, and so is his terrifying adversary, Asad Khalil, from DeMille’s excellent and brutally violent book The Lion’s Game. Khalil is one of those literary villains that infuriate and upset the reader; reading this book brought back all of those feelings I had while reading the first book (which is a contender for my favorite DeMille book along with The Charm School). Corey’s politically incorrect humor is back as always, and never disappoints. Well maybe sometimes it does, but that’s part of why I love him. Both characters are looking for revenge, and they both have their minds made up: there will be a fight to the death. And Khalil may have some very powerful backers this time who are just as filled with hate as he is. And Asad Khalil is a seriously bad dude. Despite his motive being somewhat understandable, this is an example of one of those brutal and absolutely ruthless kinds of villains that pop up from time to time in books.
DeMille’s writing is on point as usual. Entertaining, funny, extremely readable…all my normal compliments apply here. This one had some plot points that got a bit ridiculous, but the book still had me in its grip. Something about the way Nelson DeMille writes glues me to the pages and I can’t look away.
Overall, an excellent read with a perfectly fitting finale for this story arc. It didn’t quite top The Lion’s Game for me though as that was a nearly perfect book of its type.
April 29, 2011
I ordered this to listen to on a trip to visit my kids. I'm chagrined that I wasted the time to listen to this catastrophe of a book. The story is predictable, there is no character development, and no suspense. It is the literary equivalent of reality TV.
This is a tiresome and dated book with the usual prototype smart-alec protagonist oozing with testosterone and whose mouth and sarcastic repartee got on my nerves as did his extreme vulgarity. I mean, I am all for realism, but people - at least the cops who I know - simply do not talk that way ALL THE TIME. Corey is a vulgar Bruce Willis and I really think that the rule breaking macho guy has been so overplayed in U.S. crime and thriller fiction that I think it's time for a break.
Add to this annoying character the incessant blather about 9/11 and simply too many words and I found myself so irritated with it that we skipped to the last disc after disc 6. It was utterly predictable and I suspect that we missed nothing by cutting out 1/3 of the narrative.
This is a tiresome and dated book with the usual prototype smart-alec protagonist oozing with testosterone and whose mouth and sarcastic repartee got on my nerves as did his extreme vulgarity. I mean, I am all for realism, but people - at least the cops who I know - simply do not talk that way ALL THE TIME. Corey is a vulgar Bruce Willis and I really think that the rule breaking macho guy has been so overplayed in U.S. crime and thriller fiction that I think it's time for a break.
Add to this annoying character the incessant blather about 9/11 and simply too many words and I found myself so irritated with it that we skipped to the last disc after disc 6. It was utterly predictable and I suspect that we missed nothing by cutting out 1/3 of the narrative.
February 28, 2012
Nelson DeMille’s latest effort "The Lion", combines humor and violence with an examination of the clash between Middle Eastern and Western cultures to produce a novel that is both wildly entertaining and frighteningly realistic.
The Lion is the sequel to DeMille’s The Lion’s Game, published in 2000, which pitted retired NYC Detective John Corey against Libyan terrorist Asad Khalil, also known as The Lion. In this second installment, Khalil is back in the US three years after his last confrontation with Corey, seemingly emboldened by the World Trade Center attacks of September 11.
Corey worked closely with FBI Agent Kate Mayfield during the original conflict with Khalil, and something clicked: Corey and Mayfield are now happily married. DeMille uses this to ratchet up the tension further, as Khalil comes back to the U.S. to finish the job Corey and Mayfiled started and adds them to his hit list.
The mood definitely changes when the author is following Asad Khalil. The descriptions of Khalil’s actions and methods are precise, brutal and devoid of humor, much like Asad Khalil himself.
The Lion takes on larger themes than just a clash between terrorists and the government. One way DeMille uses this story is to look at the endless war on terrorism. His obvious research and attention to detail give the reader an authentic feel of what it is like every day for the men and women whose task it is to keep this country safe.
A very enjoyable read.
The Lion is the sequel to DeMille’s The Lion’s Game, published in 2000, which pitted retired NYC Detective John Corey against Libyan terrorist Asad Khalil, also known as The Lion. In this second installment, Khalil is back in the US three years after his last confrontation with Corey, seemingly emboldened by the World Trade Center attacks of September 11.
Corey worked closely with FBI Agent Kate Mayfield during the original conflict with Khalil, and something clicked: Corey and Mayfield are now happily married. DeMille uses this to ratchet up the tension further, as Khalil comes back to the U.S. to finish the job Corey and Mayfiled started and adds them to his hit list.
The mood definitely changes when the author is following Asad Khalil. The descriptions of Khalil’s actions and methods are precise, brutal and devoid of humor, much like Asad Khalil himself.
The Lion takes on larger themes than just a clash between terrorists and the government. One way DeMille uses this story is to look at the endless war on terrorism. His obvious research and attention to detail give the reader an authentic feel of what it is like every day for the men and women whose task it is to keep this country safe.
A very enjoyable read.
November 7, 2018
Rauferei auf Ground Zero
Was für ein Schmarren, über den fragwürdigen Inhalt und die alles andere als zufriedenstellende Gestaltung haben sich ja schon genügend enttäuschte Fans ausgelassen.
Da ich das, anscheinend virtuose, „Spiel des Löwen“, das diese Pflichtfortsetzung bei public demand geradezu provoziert hat, nicht kenne, sollte sich mein Entsetzen eigentlich in Grenzen halten. Aber schon der Qualitätsabfall innerhalb des Buches ist geradezu erschütternd.
Hat die aus dem Ruder gelaufene Beschattung eines iranischen Diplomaten noch einen gewissen Pfiff und der Mordanschlag beim Fallschirmsprung auf Coreys Frau, die mit durchgeschnittener Kehle gen Erde trudelt, einen nicht abzuleugnenden Thrill-Faktor, so ist danach schnell die Luft raus. De Milles Bücher sind traditionell mindestens 200 Seiten zu lang, aber so viel totes Holz ist mir selten untergekommen. Nelson De Mille fehlen definitiv ein paar Jahre Praxis als Heftromanschreiber, selbst wenn sein Schluss ein ähnliches Niveau ansteuert.
Mehr noch als der Spannungsverlust haben mich die in dritter Person eingestreuten Handlungsfäden mit Coreys Gegenspieler Asad Khalil erschüttert, der definitiv jeden seiner Helfer nach vollbrachter Aufgabe ins Paradies schickt. Mit dieser Politik der verbrannten Erde, die mehr Märtyrer aus eigener Hand produziert als Gegner vernichtet, kann keiner auf Dauer überleben, die Botschaft ist klar: alle Amerikaner mit arabischen Wurzeln, die einem Killer wie Khalil helfen, und sei es nur als Taxifahrer, sind Selbstmordattentäter per se, auch wenn sie sich nicht selbst in die Luft sprengen wollen.
Khalil ist ein Virtuose des Tötens, der seinen eigentlichen Gegenspieler Corey nicht bei erster Gelegenheit abknallt, sondern ihn erst mal genüsslich dabei zuschauen lassen will, wie seine Frau in der Luft verblutet, um dann später noch das große Duell auszufechten, nachdem er ein paar minderbemittelte Figuren aus dem Weg geräumt hat. Dergleichen beißt sich ein wenig mit der Effektivität, mit der er sämtliche Helfer eliminiert, um Spuren zu verwischen.
Auf dem mit Bomben beladenen Laster auf der Ground-Zero-Baustelle liegen denn auch neben den beiden Wachmännern gleich seine drei Bombenbastler, drei bosnische Untermoslems, die drei Jahre lang für diesen großen Tag unauffällig Explosivmaterial gesammelt haben, um nine-eleven noch mal ordentlich zu toppen.
So weit, so superlativisch, wie holprig und reich an erzählerischen Leerstellen der Weg zu diesem dramatischen Höhepunkt auch gewesen sein mag.Doch was kommt dann?
Wenn man schon so erzähltechnisch schlampig vorgeht und Helden-Ich-Erzähler mit einem Bösewicht in der dritten Person mixt, dann kann man bei einem derart spannungsrelevanten Thema durchaus Mut zur Lücke haben. Zumal De Mille seine Leser auch sonst nicht über jedes Morgengebet und jeden nächtlichen Klogang Khaliks informiert hat, sondern seinen Schwerpunkt beim Gegner unmissverständlich auf die Morde gelegt hat. Immerhin kommen mehr Gesinnungsgenossen als Gegner ums Leben, (wenn man zwei Kollateralschäden ausklammert).
Nelson De Mille hätte nicht auf seine Fans hören sollen, zumal er ihnen mit diesem als Löwen deklarierten Bettvorleger keine allzu große Freude gemacht hat.
Bei der binnen 24 Stunden bewältigten „Rückkehr nach Spencerville“ habe ich noch über manche seiner anscheinend typischen Schwächen hinweg gesehen, etwa den doppelten Erzählaufwand, bei dem der Leser 200 Seiten früher als der Held weiß, dass ein Sender unter der Stoßstange klebt.
Aber nach diesem als Bonus in meine Sammlung gelangten Rohrkrepierer, der das böser, sadistischer Sheriff - guter Agent-Schema nur variiert, ist dieser Stümper für mich erledigt.
Mit viel gutem Willen könnte man, wegen des guten Starts, vielleicht sogar zwei Sterne geben, aber die erzähltechnischen Defizite, die Bücher mit Substanz für bestenfalls 300 Seiten auf das Doppelte aufblähen, sorgen für die Höchststrafe.
Was für ein Schmarren, über den fragwürdigen Inhalt und die alles andere als zufriedenstellende Gestaltung haben sich ja schon genügend enttäuschte Fans ausgelassen.
Da ich das, anscheinend virtuose, „Spiel des Löwen“, das diese Pflichtfortsetzung bei public demand geradezu provoziert hat, nicht kenne, sollte sich mein Entsetzen eigentlich in Grenzen halten. Aber schon der Qualitätsabfall innerhalb des Buches ist geradezu erschütternd.
Hat die aus dem Ruder gelaufene Beschattung eines iranischen Diplomaten noch einen gewissen Pfiff und der Mordanschlag beim Fallschirmsprung auf Coreys Frau, die mit durchgeschnittener Kehle gen Erde trudelt, einen nicht abzuleugnenden Thrill-Faktor, so ist danach schnell die Luft raus. De Milles Bücher sind traditionell mindestens 200 Seiten zu lang, aber so viel totes Holz ist mir selten untergekommen. Nelson De Mille fehlen definitiv ein paar Jahre Praxis als Heftromanschreiber, selbst wenn sein Schluss ein ähnliches Niveau ansteuert.
Mehr noch als der Spannungsverlust haben mich die in dritter Person eingestreuten Handlungsfäden mit Coreys Gegenspieler Asad Khalil erschüttert, der definitiv jeden seiner Helfer nach vollbrachter Aufgabe ins Paradies schickt. Mit dieser Politik der verbrannten Erde, die mehr Märtyrer aus eigener Hand produziert als Gegner vernichtet, kann keiner auf Dauer überleben, die Botschaft ist klar: alle Amerikaner mit arabischen Wurzeln, die einem Killer wie Khalil helfen, und sei es nur als Taxifahrer, sind Selbstmordattentäter per se, auch wenn sie sich nicht selbst in die Luft sprengen wollen.
Khalil ist ein Virtuose des Tötens, der seinen eigentlichen Gegenspieler Corey nicht bei erster Gelegenheit abknallt, sondern ihn erst mal genüsslich dabei zuschauen lassen will, wie seine Frau in der Luft verblutet, um dann später noch das große Duell auszufechten, nachdem er ein paar minderbemittelte Figuren aus dem Weg geräumt hat. Dergleichen beißt sich ein wenig mit der Effektivität, mit der er sämtliche Helfer eliminiert, um Spuren zu verwischen.
Auf dem mit Bomben beladenen Laster auf der Ground-Zero-Baustelle liegen denn auch neben den beiden Wachmännern gleich seine drei Bombenbastler, drei bosnische Untermoslems, die drei Jahre lang für diesen großen Tag unauffällig Explosivmaterial gesammelt haben, um nine-eleven noch mal ordentlich zu toppen.
So weit, so superlativisch, wie holprig und reich an erzählerischen Leerstellen der Weg zu diesem dramatischen Höhepunkt auch gewesen sein mag.Doch was kommt dann?
Wenn man schon so erzähltechnisch schlampig vorgeht und Helden-Ich-Erzähler mit einem Bösewicht in der dritten Person mixt, dann kann man bei einem derart spannungsrelevanten Thema durchaus Mut zur Lücke haben. Zumal De Mille seine Leser auch sonst nicht über jedes Morgengebet und jeden nächtlichen Klogang Khaliks informiert hat, sondern seinen Schwerpunkt beim Gegner unmissverständlich auf die Morde gelegt hat. Immerhin kommen mehr Gesinnungsgenossen als Gegner ums Leben, (wenn man zwei Kollateralschäden ausklammert).
Nelson De Mille hätte nicht auf seine Fans hören sollen, zumal er ihnen mit diesem als Löwen deklarierten Bettvorleger keine allzu große Freude gemacht hat.
Bei der binnen 24 Stunden bewältigten „Rückkehr nach Spencerville“ habe ich noch über manche seiner anscheinend typischen Schwächen hinweg gesehen, etwa den doppelten Erzählaufwand, bei dem der Leser 200 Seiten früher als der Held weiß, dass ein Sender unter der Stoßstange klebt.
Aber nach diesem als Bonus in meine Sammlung gelangten Rohrkrepierer, der das böser, sadistischer Sheriff - guter Agent-Schema nur variiert, ist dieser Stümper für mich erledigt.
Mit viel gutem Willen könnte man, wegen des guten Starts, vielleicht sogar zwei Sterne geben, aber die erzähltechnischen Defizite, die Bücher mit Substanz für bestenfalls 300 Seiten auf das Doppelte aufblähen, sorgen für die Höchststrafe.
May 27, 2024
“...the most common cause of death among alpha males was ego.”
Although the eighth novel in the long-running John Corey series was recently published, this fifth installment may signal the beginning of the end. A direct sequel to the second book in the series - The Lion's Game - our action starts as Asad Khalil, terrorist extraordinaire, returns to the USA with vengeance on his mind, kicking off with an event so ridiculously over-the-top that it strains credibility before the story even gets started. But unlike the cat-and-mouse fun of The Lion's Game, most of this book is just a lot of sitting around, listening to the sarcastic inner dialogue of protagonist Corey (think: Die Hard 2: Die Harder-era Bruce Willis) which is getting less and less fun with each successive book.
“Actually, she’d made me promise to cut down on the drinking and swearing, which I have. Unfortunately, this has left me dim-witted and nearly speechless.”
Although the eighth novel in the long-running John Corey series was recently published, this fifth installment may signal the beginning of the end. A direct sequel to the second book in the series - The Lion's Game - our action starts as Asad Khalil, terrorist extraordinaire, returns to the USA with vengeance on his mind, kicking off with an event so ridiculously over-the-top that it strains credibility before the story even gets started. But unlike the cat-and-mouse fun of The Lion's Game, most of this book is just a lot of sitting around, listening to the sarcastic inner dialogue of protagonist Corey (think: Die Hard 2: Die Harder-era Bruce Willis) which is getting less and less fun with each successive book.
“Actually, she’d made me promise to cut down on the drinking and swearing, which I have. Unfortunately, this has left me dim-witted and nearly speechless.”
October 1, 2025
The Lion is the 5th book in the John Corey series. Although it would have been better to read the earlier books first, I don’t think it really mattered in the end. The main characters had a history and I was able to put the pieces together. If I had to describe this book in one word, that word would be entertaining. Yes it was gruesome and brutal in parts as you would expect in a book involving a psychopathic assassin. Plus there was plenty of action and tension. But the unexpected highlight of the book for me was the sarcasm, wit and humour of the main character, John Corey. I laughed so much all through this book which took me by surprise. Several times I laughed out loud and at one stage was laughing so much I had to take a 5 minute break to recover. Demille’s humour is exactly my kind of humour. This is a fast and entertaining read and I enjoyed every page.
September 26, 2010
If you haven’t yet read The Lion's Game, you really should read it before you read this book. You don’t have to, but it will be a much more satisfying read if you do. The Lion continues the story of John Corey, a New York City homicide police officer who is now working on the Joint Terrorism Task force and his nemesis the uber-terrorist and all out psychotic scary guy, Asad Khalil.
At the end of The Lion’s Game (sorry for the mild spoiler) John and Khalil have a standoff. They both vow to kill each other. Khalil is now back with a vengeance and he is out to kill anyone in his way. And the body count is high in this book. I even started to keep track of the carnage.
I absolutely loved John Corey. He just seems like a regular kind of guy. He likes to drink, he’s a bit of an ass, he doesn’t really like authority. John has a great sense of humor – a little wry, a little ironic. He is cynical, sarcastic, and jaded. He’s exactly who you want protecting you from the crazies of the world. His internal dialogue is priceless at times and a real tension breaker.
The author takes you inside the terrorist’s mind. Some sections of the book are told from the terrorist’s point of view. Nelson DeMille captures Khalil’s fanaticism and his disdain for the American way of life. Khalil feels repulsed when he sees a homosexual couple in the park. He is disgusted with women’s roles: working outside the home, driving, and immodest dress. Khalil cannot understand the conspicuous consumption of the American people. He compares America to the declining Roman Empire.
Khalil is portrayed as the ultimate killing machine, with no remorse, motivated by hate and his own personal jihad. Khalil is, in fact, avenging the death of his family in 1986, systematically killing anyone that had anything to do with his family’s death. He is in the United States on a mission for Al Qaeda, but he has his own personal mission to accomplish first.
I was impressed with the depiction of how the terrorist cells work, and how terrorists can travel under the radar. The amount of personnel on the ground arranging items such as weapons, cell phones, travel, and lodging was astounding. I was even more impressed with the way the way that the law enforcement agencies worked together to thwart the threat.
The Lion is an exciting and entertaining read. I really could not put the book down. If you haven’t read anything by Nelson DeMille, I recommend that you start with The Lion’s Game.
At the end of The Lion’s Game (sorry for the mild spoiler) John and Khalil have a standoff. They both vow to kill each other. Khalil is now back with a vengeance and he is out to kill anyone in his way. And the body count is high in this book. I even started to keep track of the carnage.
I absolutely loved John Corey. He just seems like a regular kind of guy. He likes to drink, he’s a bit of an ass, he doesn’t really like authority. John has a great sense of humor – a little wry, a little ironic. He is cynical, sarcastic, and jaded. He’s exactly who you want protecting you from the crazies of the world. His internal dialogue is priceless at times and a real tension breaker.
The author takes you inside the terrorist’s mind. Some sections of the book are told from the terrorist’s point of view. Nelson DeMille captures Khalil’s fanaticism and his disdain for the American way of life. Khalil feels repulsed when he sees a homosexual couple in the park. He is disgusted with women’s roles: working outside the home, driving, and immodest dress. Khalil cannot understand the conspicuous consumption of the American people. He compares America to the declining Roman Empire.
Khalil is portrayed as the ultimate killing machine, with no remorse, motivated by hate and his own personal jihad. Khalil is, in fact, avenging the death of his family in 1986, systematically killing anyone that had anything to do with his family’s death. He is in the United States on a mission for Al Qaeda, but he has his own personal mission to accomplish first.
I was impressed with the depiction of how the terrorist cells work, and how terrorists can travel under the radar. The amount of personnel on the ground arranging items such as weapons, cell phones, travel, and lodging was astounding. I was even more impressed with the way the way that the law enforcement agencies worked together to thwart the threat.
The Lion is an exciting and entertaining read. I really could not put the book down. If you haven’t read anything by Nelson DeMille, I recommend that you start with The Lion’s Game.
August 23, 2015
Excellent audiobook narrated by Scott Brick. Scott also interviews the Author at the end of the book.
July 3, 2010
Right from the start I just want to say that this novel ROCKED for me. John Carey is a fun character and I am glad to have discovered him finally. I know, where have I been and why haven’t I read his work before? Chalk it up to one of life’s little mysteries. I have seen the movie The General’s Daughter and enjoyed it; I have the novel on my- to read- list now. The beauty of the whole thing is that this is what I enjoy about the different websites we are a part of, finding new stuff to read, the discovery process.
The Lion captured me right from the get go. The banter, the edge, the machismo of John Carey blew me away. The guy is a gamer. Nelson DeMille gets major points from me for his style, prose and gift of continual action and suspense. I like the different vantage points the novel creates for us as he bounces back and forth from Carey to no one’s favorite terrorist, The Lion. The inclusion of the NYPD, FBI, CIA, and the NY State Police was great and the way he had the forces interact was interesting and for the most part, respectful of all parties. I like that. The interagency infighting was minimal; the matter at hand & the capture of the terrorist was foremost on everybody’s mind.
Nelson Demille creates a great tale of suspense, intrigue, and action in The Lion. The bad guy, Asad Khalil, is a great bad guy. Instantly able to be disliked, psychotic, zealot, totally flawed and damaged, he is the total bad guy package. Khalil makes it easy to root for John Carey and Company. This is an excellent novel for this time of year, for all the right reasons.
The Lion is great read at the beach, poolside, anywhere. Humor, compassion, honesty, patriotism, this novel just has it all. It would be remiss of me not to ask you to put this in your Goodreads –to read- list. I was a bit bent ; the Goodread meter said that this novel had 600 pages. Mine only had 433, and DeMille used every single one of them, to the last word.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, Book Blogs, and also look for our posts on Amazon. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Gelati’s Store Tab on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
The Lion captured me right from the get go. The banter, the edge, the machismo of John Carey blew me away. The guy is a gamer. Nelson DeMille gets major points from me for his style, prose and gift of continual action and suspense. I like the different vantage points the novel creates for us as he bounces back and forth from Carey to no one’s favorite terrorist, The Lion. The inclusion of the NYPD, FBI, CIA, and the NY State Police was great and the way he had the forces interact was interesting and for the most part, respectful of all parties. I like that. The interagency infighting was minimal; the matter at hand & the capture of the terrorist was foremost on everybody’s mind.
Nelson Demille creates a great tale of suspense, intrigue, and action in The Lion. The bad guy, Asad Khalil, is a great bad guy. Instantly able to be disliked, psychotic, zealot, totally flawed and damaged, he is the total bad guy package. Khalil makes it easy to root for John Carey and Company. This is an excellent novel for this time of year, for all the right reasons.
The Lion is great read at the beach, poolside, anywhere. Humor, compassion, honesty, patriotism, this novel just has it all. It would be remiss of me not to ask you to put this in your Goodreads –to read- list. I was a bit bent ; the Goodread meter said that this novel had 600 pages. Mine only had 433, and DeMille used every single one of them, to the last word.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, Book Blogs, and also look for our posts on Amazon. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Gelati’s Store Tab on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; we will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
August 21, 2010
In a summer of great, long awaited sequels (at least 10 years from original) -- see my reviews of Linda Greenlaw's "Seaworthy" and Scott Turow's "Innocent" -- Nelson DeMille's sequel to the 2000 "The Lion's Game" (reviewed earlier this summer), is a brutal disappointment.
In fact, "The Lion" only got its second star because of a wonderfully written, over the top, original skydiving scene.
Much of what served DeMille so well in the first installment failed or was dropped in this go 'round. The 2000 original, set contemporaneously i.e., pre-9-11 was powerfully prescient; the sequel is set in 2003, thus it had reference to 9-11 but is adrift from current political realities and fears. To deal with this, DeMille moved from global political / war on terror motivations to a brutal revenge scenario whereby both his protagonist (John Corey) and antagonist (Asad Khalil) are diminished in the process.
Even more off-putting is the author's maintaining the vehicle of flipping back and forth from 1st person narrative (Corey) to 3rd person (Khalil). While, it was fresh in the original, here we have way too much time with the inner monologue of a self-centered, brute (and that's our hero - Corey). It's like spending eternity inside the brain of Sylvester Stallone!
Where "The Lion's Game" was a chess game of strategy between two strongly committed foes, "The Lion" is a blood feud of two homicidal maniacs. I lost count when the body count exceeded 12!
Stay away.
In fact, "The Lion" only got its second star because of a wonderfully written, over the top, original skydiving scene.
Much of what served DeMille so well in the first installment failed or was dropped in this go 'round. The 2000 original, set contemporaneously i.e., pre-9-11 was powerfully prescient; the sequel is set in 2003, thus it had reference to 9-11 but is adrift from current political realities and fears. To deal with this, DeMille moved from global political / war on terror motivations to a brutal revenge scenario whereby both his protagonist (John Corey) and antagonist (Asad Khalil) are diminished in the process.
Even more off-putting is the author's maintaining the vehicle of flipping back and forth from 1st person narrative (Corey) to 3rd person (Khalil). While, it was fresh in the original, here we have way too much time with the inner monologue of a self-centered, brute (and that's our hero - Corey). It's like spending eternity inside the brain of Sylvester Stallone!
Where "The Lion's Game" was a chess game of strategy between two strongly committed foes, "The Lion" is a blood feud of two homicidal maniacs. I lost count when the body count exceeded 12!
Stay away.
November 8, 2018
John Corey, the main character in DeMille’s primary series, jumped out at me from among the collection of short mysteries published in 2017 entitled Matchup. His wisecracking, anti-PC attitude, lightning quick mind, and basic humanity, struck chords with me. So much so, that I read the first book of the series, Plum Island, and then steamed straight through all of the rest of them.
The Lion (Corey book 5). Asad (the “lion”) Khalil returns to fulfill his dual psychotic revenge upon the pilots who bombed Libya and jihad upon America, as well as to kill Corey and his wife for preventing him from fulfilling his hatred the first time around. The middle half of this moves a tad slowly but the opening and ending quarters are fast and inventive. Not to worry anyway, because Corey is at his smart-mouth best pretty much throughout.
The Lion (Corey book 5). Asad (the “lion”) Khalil returns to fulfill his dual psychotic revenge upon the pilots who bombed Libya and jihad upon America, as well as to kill Corey and his wife for preventing him from fulfilling his hatred the first time around. The middle half of this moves a tad slowly but the opening and ending quarters are fast and inventive. Not to worry anyway, because Corey is at his smart-mouth best pretty much throughout.
June 18, 2010
Another fabulous book by DeMille. I wish he published a book every week. I just can't get enough.
June 10, 2010
I was so excited to have this book finally arrive! I love the John Corey books, and this did not disappoint. I don't think it's as good as Lion's Game, but come on, that bar is pretty high. I am stingy with my stars and this isn't quite a five,but I happily give it four.
Weak spots: In this book I felt Khalil didn't have any measure of humanity. In the first book, when we learn his story, he still has a spark of some kind of humanity and it made the book more interesting. The brief attraction he had with the lady pilot for example. . .but in this one, he is just bad to the bone.
The final section, with Boris, John, and, well, let's say the truck, seemed a tiny bit pro forma. The scene with Boris was well done, but then the scene with John was a bit anticlimactic. And to have John's boss show up at the end the way he does I guess seemed a bit of a cheat--the last book took such delicious time building up to the killings. That one just kind of happened, but it was probably the only way to do it to get the phone bit to work for the reader. Then, to have John basically save the world from his hospital bed. . . well. . . that was the weakest. I can see that Al Qaida needed Khalil to pay them back for their info and help, but how did he effect that plan? The three guys he killed did it all--they didn't need him at all. They likely would have been successful if it weren't for his involvement! He needed to have found something to try with the Statue of Liberty as he dreamed earlier on, and do more of it himself.
On the good side, the sky diving scene in the beginning was ROCKIN'! This book is really screaming to be made into a movie. I can't get enough of Corey's snarkiness. I love this guy. I loved the dig DeMille took when Corey, two years after 9/11, makes the comment that the political infighting affecting ground zero was likely to delay construction for another COUPLE YEARS. Hmmm, yeah, just a couple years! Another favorite scene was the one at 26 FP, when John realizes the after action report that was filed after their first encounter with Khalil was probably not true, and the images held from what information was revealed was also likely not true. I realized that these guys deal in such secrets, and even they don't know what cards are being or have been played. I have to admit, I didn't get the nuance at first; it took me a while, and when I got it, I was furious and how unfair it all was.
Seriously, except for the few things I mentioned, I really liked this book, and recommend it highly. It's packed with action and intrigue, and a long simmering vengeance is finally closed. I can sleep at night and know my country is safe. :)
Weak spots: In this book I felt Khalil didn't have any measure of humanity. In the first book, when we learn his story, he still has a spark of some kind of humanity and it made the book more interesting. The brief attraction he had with the lady pilot for example. . .but in this one, he is just bad to the bone.
The final section, with Boris, John, and, well, let's say the truck, seemed a tiny bit pro forma. The scene with Boris was well done, but then the scene with John was a bit anticlimactic. And to have John's boss show up at the end the way he does I guess seemed a bit of a cheat--the last book took such delicious time building up to the killings. That one just kind of happened, but it was probably the only way to do it to get the phone bit to work for the reader. Then, to have John basically save the world from his hospital bed. . . well. . . that was the weakest. I can see that Al Qaida needed Khalil to pay them back for their info and help, but how did he effect that plan? The three guys he killed did it all--they didn't need him at all. They likely would have been successful if it weren't for his involvement! He needed to have found something to try with the Statue of Liberty as he dreamed earlier on, and do more of it himself.
On the good side, the sky diving scene in the beginning was ROCKIN'! This book is really screaming to be made into a movie. I can't get enough of Corey's snarkiness. I love this guy. I loved the dig DeMille took when Corey, two years after 9/11, makes the comment that the political infighting affecting ground zero was likely to delay construction for another COUPLE YEARS. Hmmm, yeah, just a couple years! Another favorite scene was the one at 26 FP, when John realizes the after action report that was filed after their first encounter with Khalil was probably not true, and the images held from what information was revealed was also likely not true. I realized that these guys deal in such secrets, and even they don't know what cards are being or have been played. I have to admit, I didn't get the nuance at first; it took me a while, and when I got it, I was furious and how unfair it all was.
Seriously, except for the few things I mentioned, I really liked this book, and recommend it highly. It's packed with action and intrigue, and a long simmering vengeance is finally closed. I can sleep at night and know my country is safe. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2011
This is my favorite in this series! I absolutely LOVED this one. As I have stated in my reviews from other books in this series, I have read these completely out of order. That is not the norm for me. I have one more to read in this series. I hope that DeMille writes more of these because I cannot get enough of John Corey. He is one of my favorite characters of all time. Great plot, great characters (good guys & the scariest, most psycho villian), & excellent style. Fantastic delivery by Scott Brick! He just adds so much to the character of Mr. John Corey. This is an excellent series.
February 9, 2013
I found this story unnecessarily long, tawdry and graphic. An expert terrorist running around wily nilly murdering Americans and innocent families does not excite me. The novel could have been less negative and a lot more positive without the tortuous violence. 6 of 10 stars
September 10, 2014
OMIGOD. Talk about tension! Asad Khalil is quite inventive in how he comes after John and Kate. Phew. And it's terrifying how easily he takes out others.
I am surprised how long it takes the task force to figure out that Khalil may be after others from his last encounter.
I am surprised how long it takes the task force to figure out that Khalil may be after others from his last encounter.
August 25, 2010
Written for the KAZI Book Review (http://kazibookreview.wordpress.com/):
Nelson DeMille’s latest effort combines humor and violence (not necessarily in that order) with an examination of the clash between Middle Eastern and Western cultures to produce a novel that is both wildly entertaining and frighteningly realistic.
The Lion is the sequel to DeMille’s The Lion’s Game, published in 2000, which pitted retired NYC Detective John Corey against Libyan terrorist Asad Khalil, also known as The Lion. In this second installment, Khalil is back in the US three years after his last confrontation with Corey, seemingly emboldened by the World Trade Center attacks of September 11.
Corey worked closely with FBI Agent Kate Mayfield during the original conflict with Khalil, and something clicked: Corey and Mayfield are now happily married. DeMille uses this to ratchet up the tension further, as Khalil comes back to the U.S. to finish the job Corey and Mayfiled thwarted and adds them to his hit list. Khalil’s astonishing attack on Mayfield not only drives Corey’s actions through the rest of the novel, but it also show’s off DeMille’s skill in writing complex and breathtaking action sequences.
To heighten the contrast between the main characters’ respective cultures, DeMille moves between using the first person perspective in the Corey sections and the third person in the Khalil sections. By allowing John Corey to narrate his own sections, DeMille is easily able to show off the dry wit and internal dialogue of his mildly unreliable narrator. This unreliability usually introduces humor to the novel, in stark contrast to the graphic violence that tends to follow Khalil around.
The mood definitely changes when the author is following Asad Khalil. The third person narration allows DeMille to examine and describe Khalil clinically, giving these parts a much chillier feel than when we are listening to the detective. The descriptions of Khalil’s actions and methods are precise, brutal and devoid of humor, much like Asad Khalil himself.
The Lion takes on larger themes than just a clash between terrorists and the government. One way DeMille uses this story is to look at the endless war on terrorism. His obvious research and attention to detail give the reader an authentic feel of what it is like every day for the men and women whose task it is to keep this country safe. He is able to look at the relationship between Middle Eastern and Western cultures and how this is about more than terrorism—it is about a struggle between two value systems that have difficulty finding a middle ground. By successfully taking on this topic alone, DeMille has established himself as a master of timely, modern fiction.
Nelson DeMille’s latest effort combines humor and violence (not necessarily in that order) with an examination of the clash between Middle Eastern and Western cultures to produce a novel that is both wildly entertaining and frighteningly realistic.
The Lion is the sequel to DeMille’s The Lion’s Game, published in 2000, which pitted retired NYC Detective John Corey against Libyan terrorist Asad Khalil, also known as The Lion. In this second installment, Khalil is back in the US three years after his last confrontation with Corey, seemingly emboldened by the World Trade Center attacks of September 11.
Corey worked closely with FBI Agent Kate Mayfield during the original conflict with Khalil, and something clicked: Corey and Mayfield are now happily married. DeMille uses this to ratchet up the tension further, as Khalil comes back to the U.S. to finish the job Corey and Mayfiled thwarted and adds them to his hit list. Khalil’s astonishing attack on Mayfield not only drives Corey’s actions through the rest of the novel, but it also show’s off DeMille’s skill in writing complex and breathtaking action sequences.
To heighten the contrast between the main characters’ respective cultures, DeMille moves between using the first person perspective in the Corey sections and the third person in the Khalil sections. By allowing John Corey to narrate his own sections, DeMille is easily able to show off the dry wit and internal dialogue of his mildly unreliable narrator. This unreliability usually introduces humor to the novel, in stark contrast to the graphic violence that tends to follow Khalil around.
The mood definitely changes when the author is following Asad Khalil. The third person narration allows DeMille to examine and describe Khalil clinically, giving these parts a much chillier feel than when we are listening to the detective. The descriptions of Khalil’s actions and methods are precise, brutal and devoid of humor, much like Asad Khalil himself.
The Lion takes on larger themes than just a clash between terrorists and the government. One way DeMille uses this story is to look at the endless war on terrorism. His obvious research and attention to detail give the reader an authentic feel of what it is like every day for the men and women whose task it is to keep this country safe. He is able to look at the relationship between Middle Eastern and Western cultures and how this is about more than terrorism—it is about a struggle between two value systems that have difficulty finding a middle ground. By successfully taking on this topic alone, DeMille has established himself as a master of timely, modern fiction.
May 13, 2011
John Corey is back and has unfinished business with terrorist Asad Khalil. Fans will know him from DeMilles The Lion's Game. One has to get used to all the testosterone, but will quickly enjoy Corey mouthing off on everyone and everything. I was constantly laughing out loud or the very least shaking my had in amusement. Witty dialogue! Please keep the soap away from Corey's mouth a while longer because I enjoyed this book a lot. 5 stars for this entertaining read!
Now, I've read some of the other reviews. People are complaining about Corey being annoying and the lack of character development. I respectfully disagree. His sarcasm is what makes him such a fun character. Corey keeps the readers on their toes. Of course he can be a pain in the behind. That's exactly what I'm looking for in a book. I need to feel the need to comment on the protagonists behaviour, otherwise it would be a great bore.
Spoiler!
Detective Ramos confided in me, “If something happens to you on my watch my ass is O-U-T.”
“How do you think I’d feel? D-E-A-D.”
---
Kate had never been married, so she had no way of knowing if I was a normal husband. This has been good for our marriage.
Now, I've read some of the other reviews. People are complaining about Corey being annoying and the lack of character development. I respectfully disagree. His sarcasm is what makes him such a fun character. Corey keeps the readers on their toes. Of course he can be a pain in the behind. That's exactly what I'm looking for in a book. I need to feel the need to comment on the protagonists behaviour, otherwise it would be a great bore.
Spoiler!
Detective Ramos confided in me, “If something happens to you on my watch my ass is O-U-T.”
“How do you think I’d feel? D-E-A-D.”
---
Kate had never been married, so she had no way of knowing if I was a normal husband. This has been good for our marriage.
May 14, 2015
Damn, this book was intense! The Lion is the follow-up to The Lion's Game, and takes place 3 years later and The Lion (AKA Asad Khalil) is a ruthless Arabian Terrorist who has returned to America to kill John Corey out of revenge for ruining his plans 3 years ago. When I found out that this was a follow-up to The Lion's Game I just wanted to skip Nightfall and Wild Fire and go right to this book to find out what happens next, but I chose to read them in order so I wouldn't be lost.
One thing I'll say about Asad Khalil was he was one sick bastard, LOL! And once again John Corey still has his sarcastic humor and personality and the story was very riveting! Those who like the John Corey series I recommend reading The Lion's Game before this book.
One thing I'll say about Asad Khalil was he was one sick bastard, LOL! And once again John Corey still has his sarcastic humor and personality and the story was very riveting! Those who like the John Corey series I recommend reading The Lion's Game before this book.
November 30, 2017
There is much to like about DeMille's skills and story telling - but he has a couple of fatal flaws that reduce him to entertaining - but frustrating
1. He takes twice as long as he should to get through his stories. The balance between detail and boring is not an easy one for him to deal with.
2. The "oh no - don't go into the basement" problem crops up in each of his books - the failure to see what is obvious to readers/listners ruins a pretty good tale.
The plus side is he is a very good story teller and creates great characters - both heroes and villains - although at times his villains are a bit over the top
1. He takes twice as long as he should to get through his stories. The balance between detail and boring is not an easy one for him to deal with.
2. The "oh no - don't go into the basement" problem crops up in each of his books - the failure to see what is obvious to readers/listners ruins a pretty good tale.
The plus side is he is a very good story teller and creates great characters - both heroes and villains - although at times his villains are a bit over the top
January 7, 2019
I will be looking for the rest of the books in this series. The subject matter is quite dark but it is so well written, and I really love the humorous side of John Corey, the protagonist. The only down side, and ergo the 4 star rating is that he has more of his religious beliefs coming into the book now, which, frankly, I could do without. The whole "pray for him/her/them/me" thing and god's will sentiment is just not something I need in a book.
August 29, 2015
Part of the strength of The Lion's Game was that the terrorist enemy had a backstory that constituted a comprehensible explanation for his actions. But in this book, the exact same character comes back and now is just another two-dimensional crazed killer. Disappointing.
June 18, 2010
Johns Corey is such a smarta** character that I laughed out loud several times while reading this. The plot was good, charcters were good, and I hope it is not 10 more years before the sequel.
June 19, 2010
Very good book.... I love the hero John Corey! He makes me laugh out loud!
January 22, 2013
This is very intense and pretty graphic. However, I really enjoyed the witty and sometimes dark humor of the main character, John Corey.
March 12, 2023
I loved this book! I especially enjoy John Corey’s sense of humor… even in the thick of the plot!
January 25, 2022
This was one of the best series I have read.
Kate and John go on a skydiving adventure in the Catskills and encounter a perp who got away.
Khalil is a terrorist that Kate and John were chasing a few books ago. Khalil killed a bunch of people and then escaped and left the country. Only to come back to seek revenge.
This book started out with a lot of action and then everything was quiet for several pages. It picked up again with about 50 pages left.
Any other book would not have fared well in my review.
However, with the humor the author inserts throughout the mystery and the suspense that kept building and building, the lull in action was not a bad thing.
I really enjoyed this book and read the last 150 pages in one sitting because I had to know what was happening.
Highly recommend
Characters:
John Corey-Federal Agent on the Anti Terrorist Task Force
Kate Mayfield-John’s wife and partner on the Task Force
Tom Walsh-Kate’s boss
Vince Paresi-John’s boss
Boris-Former Russian KGB who trained Khalil
Khalil-Libyan terrorist whose family was killed by an American bomb in Libya. He spends his adult life seeking revenge
Kate and John go on a skydiving adventure in the Catskills and encounter a perp who got away.
Khalil is a terrorist that Kate and John were chasing a few books ago. Khalil killed a bunch of people and then escaped and left the country. Only to come back to seek revenge.
This book started out with a lot of action and then everything was quiet for several pages. It picked up again with about 50 pages left.
Any other book would not have fared well in my review.
However, with the humor the author inserts throughout the mystery and the suspense that kept building and building, the lull in action was not a bad thing.
I really enjoyed this book and read the last 150 pages in one sitting because I had to know what was happening.
Highly recommend
Characters:
John Corey-Federal Agent on the Anti Terrorist Task Force
Kate Mayfield-John’s wife and partner on the Task Force
Tom Walsh-Kate’s boss
Vince Paresi-John’s boss
Boris-Former Russian KGB who trained Khalil
Khalil-Libyan terrorist whose family was killed by an American bomb in Libya. He spends his adult life seeking revenge
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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