The Assassin (Ryan Kealey, #2) in SSG: Spy/Spec-Ops Group

Jul 27, 2013 Samuel rated it it was amazing

DEAD IN A NEW YORK MINUTE.

“There will be killing till the score is paid.”- Homer.

Interestingly enough, one of the antagonists in this book who is a real life person was killed in Syria this year by a air strike. However, in the appropriately titled "The Assassin", he dies a whole lot sooner by Ryan Kealey's Beretta 92FS. The second counter-terrorist thriller written by Andrew Britton, "The Assassin" is superior in almost every way to its predecessor, rectifying several problems and marks the b DEAD IN A NEW YORK MINUTE.

“There will be killing till the score is paid.”- Homer.

Interestingly enough, one of the antagonists in this book who is a real life person was killed in Syria this year by a air strike. However, in the appropriately titled "The Assassin", he dies a whole lot sooner by Ryan Kealey's Beretta 92FS. The second counter-terrorist thriller written by Andrew Britton, "The Assassin" is superior in almost every way to its predecessor, rectifying several problems and marks the beginning where the Mitch Rapp deconstruction really came into play. Now to the review, How much would it cost you to get a second shot at the target which got away?

The novel begins in Baghdad. Similar to the previous book, there's a assassination. Only this time it involves the controlled demolition of a hotel Iraq's now former Prime Minister is visiting. The ensuring blast nearly flattens him, wipes out his security detail, but he barely survives. Meanwhile, in Syria, the remnants of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship are consolidating themselves and decide to make a gesture which will destroy the credibility of the Iraq government and America. In London at the American Embassy, an analyst comes across a photograph of a high value target she was involved in tracking down. And in Iraq, Ryan Kealey, plying his trade as a Special Activities Division officer botches what was supposed to be a problem free attempt at gathering intel. All these threads come together in a whirlwind of destruction, betrayal, crushed dreams and psychological degeneration.

In terms of plot, Britton learned from the limitations of the previous book and as a result, The Assassin has a larger scope than the previous book. From the seething low intensity warzone that is pre-Daesh Iraq to an investigation which takes the main characters across Europe, the novel sets up one of the better climaxes I have seen in the counter-terrorist genre, a chess match across New York, with Kealey and his adversary playing chess with the lives of their allies. Next, the research continues to be a highlight, with Mr Britton managing to integrate it into the narrative much more seamlessly than the previous book. From the banking tricks used in modern terrorism, to the tactics, ambushes and accurately described kit used by both heroes and villains, The Assassin strikes the balance between Clancy's insider depth, and Flynn's relevant broad strokes approach.

Now, characters, and there are a lot more stand-outs in this book. First Ryan Kealey, who finally embraces his role as the deconstruction of Mitch Rapp. At the beginning of the book, he's in a bad way mentally. It gets worse. When he tries to do the cowboy antics, unlike Rapp, he doesn't get off easily. Friends abandon him, enemies within the American government take shameless advantage of the collateral damage that ensures and near the end of the book he's almost completely cut off, with only a single ally and a Beretta for company. During the course of the novel, he once again falls victim to the idea that he can escape his profession. That light gets ruthlessly snuffed out, with him helpless and forced to watch.
Next, we have Naomi, Kealey's analyst associate from the previous book. A bit more savvy than in the previous, book, she manages to keep up with the damaged Special Activities Division officer quite well. However, she gets sucked into the tragedy Kealey suffers throughout the series and does not leave the book intact, far from it.
Next, we have John Harper, Kealey's affable, smooth-talking "friend" and superior. He's fighting a political battle to the death with the second in command of the CIA, and is forced to take a massive gamble with supporting Kealey as his enemy sets her sights on him.
Speaking of Harper's political enemy, she also makes the cut. Her name is Rachel Ford, and she brings the SIGNIT HUMNIT conflict that intelligence agencies faced in the last decade to the forefront. Contemptuous of HUMNIT and killers like Kealey, she gets drawn into an obsessive quest to bring it all down...at the wrong moment.
Finally, we have Yasmin Ransin, a secondary antagonist. While she's evil, she's also a damn good female antagonist, one of the few who have featured in the counter-terrorist genre. Badass, and with the cunning of a viper, she's just as capable as her partner in crime and damn near steals the show from him, till she's forced to flee from British law enforcement and disappear.

Now, I consider The Assassin the best of the Ryan Kealey books. However, there is two things I really don't like. The characterization of the female characters apart from Mrs Ransin. It seems that they're either, arrogant, unpleasant and petty in their interactions with the main characters before Mr Kealey humbles them around to his way of thinking. Secondly, there's a token romance in this book that's not well developed. While plot relevant as it's another catalyst for Mr Kealey's descent into his hell on earth, it's not well developed or realistically portrayed. I've seen better. Hell, Vice Flynn took the time to develop the love affair between Mitch Rapp and his wife Ann over six books. The romance here on the other hand is badly executed.

Apart from those problems however, I recommend "The Assassin" very much. Ryan Kealey slips into the role of the anti-Mitch Rapp, forced to suffer the consequences of his cowboy actions and endure the destruction of his hopes and dreams. It makes him a more rounded and fascinating character psychologically than Mr Rapp and pity him as he falls further into the darkness. Combined with a supporting cast whom do their jobs well, a plot which balances all the elements perfectly and another decent well researched narrative, "The Assassin", is an excellent counter-terrorist thriller that you will enjoy.

VERY RECOMMENDED. ...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Lee rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction-spy-covert-op-books, andrew-britton

The second Ryan Kealey book deals with another assassination plot by James March a/k/a William Vanderveen Kealey’s arch nemesis. The FBI believes that the assassination are the work of Iranians seeking to destabilize Iraq while Kealey and Naomi Kharmai believe that it is the work of Iraqi insurgents. They travel all over the world being under fire and in danger all the way as they seek to stop another terrorist attack.

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