Dark Assassin: A William Monk Novel (William Monk Novels)

Book Description

For countless readers, one of life’s great pleasures is the mesmerizing magic of a Victorian mystery by New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry. Her dramas of good and evil unfolding inside London’s lavish mansions and teeming slums hold us spellbound. Now, in Dark Assassin, she sweeps us into a darkly compelling world that we never dreamed existed.

A Thames River Police superintendent struggling to win the respect of his men, William Monk is on a patrol boat near Waterloo Bridge when he notices a young couple standing at the bridge railing, apparently engaged in an intense discussion. The woman waves her arms and places her hands on the man’s shoulders. A caress or a push? The man grasps hold of her. To save her or to kill her? Seconds later, the pair plunge to their death in the icy waters. Monk can’t help but wonder, was it an accident, a suicide, or a murder? It seems impossible to determine the truth, but haunted by the woman’s somber beauty, he is impelled to try.

Mary Havilland was her name, and she had planned to marry Toby Argyll, the fair-haired man who shared her fate. Mary’s father, an engineer employed by the Argyll Company, had recently died–a suicide, according to the police and Mary’s sister. But Mary’s friends tell Monk that she suspected her father had been murdered because of his stubborn insistence that the Argyll Company’s current project–the construction of a splendid new sewer system for the metropolis–was so badly flawed that it put the entire city in peril from flood and fire.

Monk is now faced with the mysteries of the three deaths. Aided by his intrepid wife Hester, he starts looking for answers and is soon treading a slippery path that takes him from the luxurious drawing rooms where powerful men hatch their unscrupulous plots to a world beneath the city where poor folk fight starvation. In nightmarish tunnels, Monk and Hester find true friends, among them Scuff, a young mudlark; Sutton the ratcatcher; and Snoot, Sutton’s clever terrier. For once, even Monk’s old enemy, Superintendent Runcorn, is on his side. As rainfall strains the fragile manmade underground, Monk must connect the clues before death strikes again.

With characters as vivid as Dickens’s, gripping courtroom scenes, breathless horrors beneath the earth, and a plot that twists and turns toward a stunning denouement, Dark Assassin is absolutely one of Anne Perry’s best.

From the Hardcover edition.

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Anne Perry is the bestselling author of the World War I novels No Graves As Yet, Shoulder the Sky, and Angels in the Gloom, as well as the holiday novels A Christmas Journey, A Christmas Visitor, and A Christmas Guest. She is also the creator of two acclaimed series set in Victorian England. Her William Monk novels include The Shifting Tide, Death of a Stranger, and Funeral in Blue. The popular novels featuring Charlotte and Thomas Pitt include Long Spoon Lane, Seven Dials, and Southampton Row. Her short story “Heroes” won an Edgar Award. Anne Perry lives in Scotland. Visit her website at www.anneperry.net.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Anne Perry's Monk NEVER disappoints........2007-06-22

Anne Perry's beautiful prose and her excellent scope of social values in Victorian England is top notch. Her mysteries are of both historical value and pure, unadulterated entertainment. William Monk is often a mystery in himself except what Anne Perry allows us in exquisite probing. Once begun, it's difficult to put down any Monk book. Once you finish, you're looking for the next.

Great book.......2007-05-13

This was one of Anne Perry's best books. I've been waiting for another William Monk novel, and this one was superb. The plot was great, kept one guessing until the very end. A hard book to put down and yet so enjoyable that I didn't want it to end. The author's understanding of history in England in the Victorian era is fascinating. I feel as if I am right there in that particular time and place. Her descriptions of the characters are detailed enough to picture them in the mind's eye as if you saw actual pictures of them. I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a good mystery.

History and Mystery, an unbeatable combination.......2007-05-07

First Sentence: "Waterloo Bridge loomed in the distance as William Monk settles himself more comfortably in the bow of the police boat."

William Monk is now an Inspector with the Thames River police. London is building a new sewer system after The Great Stink of 1858. While on boat patrol, Monk and his men see a couple arguing and both go into the polluted Thames which kills them. But what did they see? Was it an accident that became a fatal accident? A murder and the killer dies with the victim? A suicide and the man dies trying to save the woman? The woman's death is proclaimed a suicide. Monk doesn't believe anyone who was working so hard to clear her father's reputation, after he also died of a supposed suicide, and provide he was right in believing the way in which the sewers were being built was dangerous would take their own life. Monk even joins forces with his old nemeses, Superintendent Runcorn.

Ms. Perry continues to impress me with her writing. Her ability to take an historic event and build an interesting, suspenseful story around it is unsurpassed. She creates fascinating characters and makes them real; not only Monk and Hester, is wife, but Scuff, the street urchin who feels responsible for Monk, and Sutton the ratcatcher and his dog, Snoot. Each of the characters is brought to live and image under Ms. Perry's writing. I am always delighted to find the newest book by Ms. Perry.

enjoyable.......2007-04-11

I love the characters and the mood set by Anne Perry. Great story with a real feel for the time period.

Deep Waters.......2007-03-28

I am a William Monk fan to the point that I like this series better than Perry's other two. Monk and Hester have a social conscience, a steadfast integrity, a deep committment to search for justice and truth no matter how difficult it may be. It is this that gives these books a depth that keeps the reader coming back for more.

Monk has a new job as superintendent with the Thames River Police. He is still uncertain in his new job, and is not sure how his men will take to him. In this mystery, Monk is on regular patrol near the Waterloo Bridge when he and his crew helplessly watch as a couple fall into the dark frigid waters. The freezing water and heavy clothes insures that no rescue is possible. Was it a murder/suicide, an accident or a death pact?

The two are identified as Toby Argyll and Mary Havilland, a young couple in love and planning to marry. Monk discovers that Mary's father is also dead, an apparent suicide. He worked for the Argyll Company, an important firm involved in the building of what is to be a splendid new London sewer system. Monk also discovers that Mr. Havilland had expressed serious doubts about the proposed system and he voiced these doubts. Mary did not believe her father committed suicide, she claimed he was murdered because of his vocal doubts about the sewer system.

Monk and Hester investigate the deaths of the young couple and in an unual twist, Monk receives help from his old nemisis, Superintendent Runcorn. Runcorn investigated Mary's father's death and is having second thoughts about it being suicide.

I gave "Dark Assassin" 4 stars instead of 5, because Perry does not have Hester as involved in this mystery as she has been in the past and her absence is noticeable. It also delves more on Monk's new duties and his uncertainties in his new job rather than on the subplots that are usual in his other novels. However, it is still an absorbing read and one which furthers our understanding of Victorian England society and Monk and Hester's place in it.

Average customer rating:

Four Connected and Simultaneous Narratives
An excellent story but unnecessarily complicated
amazing how Atwood manages to tie together every last strang
my favorite love story
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

The Blind Assassin: A Novel
Margaret Atwood
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0385720955
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Amazon.com

The Blind Assassin is a tale of two sisters, one of whom dies under ambiguous circumstances in the opening pages. The survivor, Iris Chase Griffen, initially seems a little cold-blooded about this death in the family. But as Margaret Atwood's most ambitious work unfolds--a tricky process, in fact, with several nested narratives and even an entire novel-within-a-novel--we're reminded of just how complicated the familial game of hide-and-seek can be:

What had she been thinking of as the car sailed off the bridge, then hung suspended in the afternoon sunlight, glinting like a dragonfly, for that one instant of held breath before the plummet? Of Alex, of Richard, of bad faith, of our father and his wreckage; of God, perhaps, and her fatal, triangular bargain.

Meanwhile, Atwood immediately launches into an excerpt from Laura Chase's novel, The Blind Assassin, posthumously published in 1947. In this double-decker concoction, a wealthy woman dabbles in blue-collar passion, even as her lover regales her with a series of science-fictional parables. Complicated? You bet. But the author puts all this variegation to good use, taking expert measure of our capacity for self-delusion and complicity, not to mention desolation. Almost everybody in her sprawling narrative manages to--or prefers to--overlook what's in plain sight. And memory isn't much of a salve either, as Iris points out: "Nothing is more difficult than to understand the dead, I've found; but nothing is more dangerous than to ignore them." Yet Atwood never succumbs to postmodern cynicism, or modish contempt for her characters. On the contrary, she's capable of great tenderness, and as we immerse ourselves in Iris's spliced-in memoir, it's clear that this buttoned-up socialite has been anything but blind to the chaos surrounding her. --Darya Silver

Book Description

The Blind Assassin opens with these simple, resonant words: "Ten days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge." They are spoken by Iris, whose terse account of her sister's death in 1945 is followed by an inquest report proclaiming the death accidental. But just as the reader expects to settle into Laura?s story, Atwood introduces a novel-within-a-novel. Entitled The Blind Assassin, it is a science fiction story told by two unnamed lovers who meet in dingy backstreet rooms. When we return to Iris, it is through a 1947 newspaper article announcing the discovery of a sailboat carrying the dead body of her husband, a distinguished industrialist. Brilliantly weaving together such seemingly disparate elements, Atwood creates a world of astonishing vision and unforgettable impact.

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"Told in a style that magnificently captures the colloquialisms and cliches of the 1930s and 1940s, The Blind Assassin is a richly layered and uniquely rewarding experience Opening with a terse account of her sister Laura's death in 1945, it is followed by an inquest report proclaiming the death accidental. But just as the reader expects to settle into Laura's story, Atwood introduces a novel-within-a- novel, a science fiction story told by two unnamed lovers who meet in dingy backstreet rooms. With many threads and a series of events that follow one another at a breathtaking pace, everything comes together and readers discover that the story Atwood is telling is not only what it seems to be--but, in fact, much more."

Customer Reviews:

Four Connected and Simultaneous Narratives.......2007-09-13

The main story is about two sisters living in rural Ontario, and the marriage of one sister to an older and wealthy business man in Toronto.

Anyone who has read Dickens will have a certain déjà vu feeling here as we see strong traces of Dickens's famous characters Edward Murdstone and Jane Murdstone among Atwood's four protagonists. The characters in that novel, "David Copperfield," were an older brother and sister duo (the Murdstones) who dominated two younger people. They were bound together by a marriage, i.e.: the two younger and poorer people were David Copperfield and his mother, and she married Edward. That is the essence of Atwood's story here. It is about two sisters, Iris and Laura, and Iris marries an older man, and the story revolves about the two young sisters and the older "Murdstone like" duo. The older brother and sister team try to impose their will on the sisters.

Margaret Atwood, born in 1939, is a modern novelist, a poet, and a literary critic. She is best known in her native Canada as an award winning writer and as a socialist feminist activist, but she has recently blossomed late in her career and gained wider fame solely for her writing skills which include interesting short stories and novels. Atwood made the leap from a regional Canadian feminist writer to international fame and acceptance with the winning of the Booker prize in 2000 for The Blind Assassin after four previous short list trips. So, the present work is a key work for Atwood.

This is a key novel for Atwood. Interestingly, both her fans and her critics are right. The novel is interesting and it is entertaining but it is far too complicated and it has a total of four plots or narratives. The first 50 pages are a bit of a literary swamp as Atwood tries only partially successfully to launch the four stories simultaneously using bits of story plus formal announcements. After 75 pages or so, she settles down and it is primarily one story about two sisters and their growing up between the wars, and the marriage of Iris. The novel becomes a lot easier to understand and enjoy as that story takes over the novel. The plots become transparent about page 300 and by page 500 Atwood is doing a summary clean up.

I enjoyed the book, and thought it would have been a lot better without the frequent jumping between stories. It gets to the point where it is sometimes a distraction, and one tends to skip over plots that are less interesting. I thought the whole "Blind Assassin" subplot was not that interesting.

Overall, this is an interesting 525 page novel that takes two evenings to read. I rececommend the novel, but Atwood could do better. Simpler would be better. The book as a whole is a bit of a mess, but the heart of the book, which is the story of the Chase sisters is excellent and worth 5 stars.

An excellent story but unnecessarily complicated.......2007-09-10

The story of the Chase/Griffin families was riveting. The author's descriptions and characterizations were first class. I particularly liked how the characters of Winifred and Richard were depicted. I also enjoyed her subtle humour throughout.
However the crafting of the story was far too complicated for my taste, moving back and forth in time at random. Neither did I care for those fictional stories that the couple indulged in.
But this book is tremendously rich and I would recommend it.

amazing how Atwood manages to tie together every last strang.......2007-09-03

I love Atwood's books, but this one in particular is pure genius. A book so intricate, so tightly woven! I admit that the beginning was quite slow going, but around page 182 the book took off and the payoff was so worth it. Everything around me disappeared while I was reading this book.

I feel like I might want to read it again to capture everything that I missed.

I highly recommend!

my favorite love story.......2007-08-28

This could be my favorite book, perhaps ever. It's a love story. It's an amazingly clever concoction of words. It's science fiction, and it's a feminist novel. I don't know of any other book that is all these things wrapped up in one. Most of all, though, it is a love story, and an incredibly touching one.

I think to truly enjoy this book, it must be read twice - once to figure out what's going on, what happened, and then at least once more to enjoy the words and the story without the suspense, and to wish it had ended differently.

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood.......2007-07-21

The Blind Assassin is the type of novel that my English professors would have assigned to me if I was a college student right now. This book encompasses everything my forward-minded professors adored in modern literature: complicated plots, creative storytelling, literary allusions, feminist implications, symbolism and foreshadowing - all wrapped up into a neat yet complex package.

For the non-collegiate reader, The Blind Assassin has a lot to offer too. It's got a little romance, a bit of a Gothic tendency and a sci-fi tale all woven into one. It's not surprising that The Blind Assassin is so widely read and the recipient of prestigious awards.

For this reader, I enjoyed the book's story-within-the story style. The majority of the story is written from Iris's perspective - a woman born of privilege whose loveless marriage and complicated relationship with her father and sister lead her into the arms of a lover. The second story is a fictional book "written" by Iris's sister, Laura. It features a nameless man and woman as they sneak around to hide their affair. Their time together was spent making love and creating a story about a far-away race of aliens. To be honest, I could have done without the sci-fi element. I wonder why it was even included except to show some symbolism. Writers of less ability than Atwood would not have been able to pull it off, but to her credit, she did.

Overall, I enjoyed The Blind Assassin. It definitely piqued my interest in Margaret Atwood's other works. Based on this book, I can see why she has earned such literary praise and is the favorite writer of many avid readers. I just wonder if Atwood, at the top of her game, produced The Blind Assassin robotically - its literary conventions are almost too perfect; the story, predictable; and the ending, done before. Perhaps that's the magic of the whole thing - and a grand show of force from a writer who can do it all.

Average customer rating:

Interesting Story. Lackluster Characters. Ultimately Disappointing.
turning it around
No heroes here . . .
Early Rankin showing promise
Who set up the hitman?

Bleeding Hearts: A Novel
Ian Rankin
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0316009121

Book Description

A page-turning novel of assassins and double-crossing from the master of modern mystery, Ian Rankin.

Michael Weston is a gun for hire. He's paid well to do his job and ask no questions. But after successfully assassinating a TV reporter, the cops are quickly on his tail. How did they know how to find him? And who is his anonymous employer? Why did he or she want the reporter dead in the first place? Was he set up to be caught and thrown in jail?

The answers may lie with Hoffer, a private detective who has been hunting him for years--ever since Michael dispatched a bullet and accidentally hit an innocent young American girl. Her grieving father has kept Hoffer on retainer and on a mission to bring Weston to justice no matter what the cost. Could Hoffer have finally trapped him?

The only way Michael can stay ahead of the police is to find his mysterious employer and figure out who has been playing him like a puppet on strings--or he may find himself on the other end of the rifle.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting Story. Lackluster Characters. Ultimately Disappointing........2007-08-06

It took me a long time to finish this book. When I thought about reading it, I found I thought the story was interesting and I wanted to know what would happen, but it just took effort to want to read it. I couldn't figure out why.

That was until about halfway through the book and I realized I didn't like any of the characters and couldn't care less about what happened to them. That's what was holding me back.

Bel was whiny, passive aggressive and naive to the point of my just wanting her killed off. Overall, I got the impression that Rankin could never make up his mind who she was supposed to be.

Weston, the infamous D-Man, was a milquetoast. Without a sniper rifle, he came across as bumbling and weak. The great assissin barely knew how to use a pistol. That wasn't so bad. It could have been endearing under the right circumstances. But added to the fact that he was incapable of standing up to Bel and that she basically led him around by his nose, he was character I couldn't believe in. I would say that he was "whipped" if he hadn't been so apathetic about their relationship. He was pretty much apatehtic about everything. Even his interest in finding out who set him up came across as forced for the sake of the plot.

Finally, there was Leo Hoffer, who took being the obnoxious New Yorker/American to new heights. Rankin's depiction of Hoffer as such was so over the top it seemed like parody. All of the Americans, except possibly Clancy, were caricatures. Hoffer had some "cute" quirks, but overall he was yet another character I felt should be killed off. And given his lack of use in the latter half of a novel, and looking back on it, contrived use in the earlier half, he probably could have been left out of the novel altogether.

The ending, both that regarding the "big conspiracy" and who hired the D-Man, were anti-clamatic, contrived, somewhat illogical, and utterly disappointing. Not so much the resolution of the "conspiracy". That was a "who cares" moment. It was the answer to who hired Weston and why that was so disappointing.

This is the second novel I've read by Rankin. Witch Hunt being the first. It's my second disappointment. I'm not sure I'll be picking up another by this author.

turning it around.......2007-03-26

Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus series are great detective stories; the BBC made a TV series out of them. In this book Rankin goes the other way, this time the killer is the likable character and the detective tracking him down is unlikable: The bad guy is a good guy, and the good guy is a bad guy. And it comes off well as the plot is interesting, with twists, near misses and mysteries. The pace stays steady, altogether a very good read. If you liked the Rebus series you'll like this variation on the detective v. bad guy theme. Rankin is a very good writer in this genre, showing some versatility here.

No heroes here . . ........2007-02-28

Michael Weston -- if that's really his name -- is a craftsman at his job, which is killing people. Only once did he shoot the wrong person (a young girl) and that was a regrettable accident, but it's come back to haunt him. His current commission involves taking out a London journalist on the steps of her hotel, which he accomplishes, but the police are there suspiciously fast. Who sicced them on him? As he begins trying to track back to his employer for his own protection, he runs afoul of what appears to be a cult group with access to too much money and connections to the American spook underground. And then there's the publicity-hungry private detective who's been tracking him for years. The plot is nicely complicated and its resolution is based on a real occurrence. The characters are well drawn and the author maintains a frenetic pace that would make a good film.

Early Rankin showing promise.......2006-12-05

This is the first American release for an early novel by British writer Ian Rankin, author of the award-winning "John Rebus" series of mysteries. Michael West is an assassin and when he is double crossed after murdering a journalist, he must go on the run with assistance from the daughter of an arms dealer to find out who set him up. He is chased by a drug-addled American private eye who will stop at nothing to take him down. Ranking throws in the kitchen sink on this one: cops, crooks, spies and cults all take part in the narrative with plenty of shoot 'em up action along the way. The ending is a little contrived, but the story works for the most part, and shows how talented a writer Rankin was even at this early stage.

Who set up the hitman?.......2006-11-29

Reviewed by Stephanie Rollins for Reader Views (10/2006)

Ian Rankin is the Edgar Award winning author of "A Question of Blood." Ian Rankin's "Bleeding Hearts" is a long, but well-written story. It takes place in many cities, including London and the United States. It is about a hit man of many different names. On a routine hit, the police immediately start tracking him. Who ratted on him? It could only be the middleman or the person who hired him.

He travels to London to figure it all out. He takes Bel, the young daughter of his gun maker. Yet, the gun maker is known for being protective of Bel. The hit man describes Bel. "Bel's got short fair hair, eyes slightly slanted like a cat's, and a long straight nose. Her face looks like it's been polished." I cannot help but to think that the gun maker was completely stupid to let his naïve and pretty daughter go with this rogue. Will their partnership lead to sex? Even worse, will it lead to a relationship?

"Bleeding Hearts" has a lot of dry, intelligent humor. To get through airport security with a knife the gunman asks them, "Since when did you get fat terrorists?" Some of the humor is a little bit politically incorrect. To explain the hit man's skill as a locksmith he explains, "I'm not the world's greatest locksmith, but any housing-project teenager could have been into the place in seconds."

Readers wanting a quick, easy-to-read book will not enjoy "Bleeding Hearts." It has 374 pages of tremendous depth Rankin uses a lot of descriptive words to paint the pictures of the surroundings and the characters. The humor and the dialogue are dry and understated. It has tremendous detail.

There is no doubt that Ian Rankin is a brilliant author. He is a Picasso of words. I believe his audience is limited to avid readers who are not necessarily looking for a mindless read. There is nothing superficial about "Bleeding Hearts." It is like a hybrid of "Law and Order," and "CSI," on steroids.

Average customer rating:

Thrilling read!
The Marching Season
Silva continues to March along.
Silva Does It Again!
As suspenseful as book one...

The Marching Season: A Novel
Daniel Silva
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375500898
Release Date: 1999-03-02

Amazon.com

The Good Friday agreement that promised to bring peace to the embattled Protestants and Catholics of Northern Ireland is jeopardized by a new paramiltary group bent on destroying the truce. Michael Osbourne, the hero of Silva's previous thriller, The Mark of the Assassin, is rerecruited by the CIA when Douglas Cannon--his father-in-law, a former senator, and the new ambassador to the Court of St. James--is targeted for death by the Ulster Freedom Brigade. Osbourne has long since given up on the spying game and is reluctant to be drawn back into it again. Then he discovers that the Brigade has shopped the contract on Senator Cannon to October, the assassin who narrowly missed killing Osbourne a few years ago but succeeded in murdering the woman he once loved. It's a good setup for a political thriller, with nonstop action that moves from Belfast to Armagh, New York to Washington, London to Mykonos. What really notches up the suspense is the double-dealing in the corridors of power, particularly the CIA and a secret organization called the Society--a nasty assemblage of politicos, spymasters, arms merchants, and killers bent on destabilizing nascent peacemaking efforts all over the globe. Down but not out at the conclusion of Silva's latest, the Society and Osbourne will likely be back for a return engagement the next time warring factions attempt to beat their swords. In fact, as the director of the Society says in the last chapter, "The Kosovo Liberation Front would like our help: Gentlemen, we're back in business." --Jane Adams

Book Description

Daniel Silva burst onto the scene in 1996 with one of the most auspicious thriller debuts in years-- The Unlikely Spy , a New York Times and international bestseller. The following year he solidified his reputation as one of the foremost thriller writers of his generation with another instant New York Times bestseller,  The Mark of the Assassin .

With The Marching Season, Silva delivers his most entertaining novel yet--an electrifying tale of terror, revenge, and greed, straight out of tomorrow's headlines. It is the first uncertain year of the peace process in Northern Ireland, a land ravaged by centuries of religious and political conflict. On a single night, a renegade group of Protestant extremists tries to turn back the hands of time with three savage acts of terrorism.

Retired CIA officer Michael Osbourne, the hero of The Mark of the Assassin, is lured back to the Agency after his father-in-law, former U.S. Senator Douglas Cannon, is nominated to be the new American ambassador to London. When Michael discovers that the Protestant gunmen have marked Cannon for execution, he sets in motion a deadly contest of wits and deception that will determine whether the peace in Northern Ireland will survive and whether his father-in-law lives or dies.

What Michael Osbourne does not realize is that he is a pawn in a much larger game. Once again, his destiny is controlled by the Society, a secret order that uses its power and influence to foster global unrest for financial gain. And once again, he is pitted against his personal bête noire, Jean-Paul Delaroche, the world's most dangerous assassin, who slipped through Michael's fingers at the climax of  The Mark of the Assassin .

Filled with breathtaking plot twists, The Marching Season spirals to a riveting conclusion. It is a novel of power and intrigue, where appearance and reality are enemies and trust is betrayed as often as it is honored.

Customer Reviews:

Thrilling read!.......2007-10-02

I got hooked on Daniel Silva's writing with his latest book - The Secret Servant. His writing is delicious - he has a way of painting a brilliant, detailed visual scene without bogging down his narrative, and that's a gift I wish more writers had. This story deals with the inter-faith struggles in Ireland, but it's the personal story of the hero, Michael Osbourne, and his history with the assassins that drives the story at breakneck speed. It's well worth the dollars - you'll be glued to your chair until you've finished.

The Marching Season.......2007-08-29

Another thriller written by a great author. He builds the story and
creates an increasing excitement about what is going to happen
next. Just when I think I have him figured out, there's a new
twist to push me along. Can't wait to read his next book.

Silva continues to March along........2007-08-04

This is the first Silva Novel that I have not given 5 stars. But this is still a good book. Scenes shift between London, Northern Island, Long Island and the DC area. Good scene on Key Bridge which connects Georgetown and Arlington. Ending a little implausible. But good relationship dialogue between Michael Osborne and his wife.
Main focus is Peace in Northern Island. But it would help if one had read the previous Novel in the Non-Gabriel Allon series, "Mark of the Assassin"
Relax and enjoy.

Silva Does It Again!.......2007-03-12

Silva never lets me down. I have now read all of his books.

As suspenseful as book one..........2007-03-06

The Marching Season by Daniel Silva is the sequel to The Mark of the Assassin and is every bit as suspenseful as the first book.

The beginning of The Marching Season takes place in Northern Ireland, where a group of Protestants are upset over the Good Friday peace accords. Calling themselves the Ulster Freedom Brigade, they orchestrate three terrorist acts throughout the United Kingdom. They are "dedicated to the preservation of the Protestant way of life in Northern Ireland and the preservation of British rule."

Michael Osbourne is a former CIA agent who battled wits with a hired assassin, code-named October, in The Mark of the Assassin. He quit the agency at the end of book one. But his former boss, Adrian Carter, convinces Osbourne to return to the agency to run the division of counterterrorism in Northern Ireland. Osbourne also has a personal stake in this new assignment: his father-in-law, the former senator Douglas Cannon, has been named as the new ambassador to England. The Ulster Freedom Brigade has made it clear that they will punish anyone they feel has had a hand in the peace process and the Americans are not exempt. The new ambassador is definitely a target. Unfortunately for Osbourne, the Ulster Freedom Brigade gets assistance from The Society for International Development and Cooperation, as well as their hired assassin, October. The super-secret society actually promotes "constant, controlled global tension through covert operations." Their goal is to "make money and protect their own interests."

Silva's writing is always first rate and he has firsthand knowledge of both inside the beltway and working inside the intelligence community. In describing how the CIA would work on a project with MI5 and MI6, and who would run the operation, he muses "the second question was more difficult because it involved turf, and in the world of intelligence, turf is protected at all costs, oftentimes better than secrets."

Once again, the one thing that prevented me from giving The Marching Season five stars is that I thought the ending was a total stretch. Still, it's a good read and a thrilling story and I'm hoping we'll see more of Osbourne in the future.

Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 1: The Assassin's Road (Lone Wolf and Cub (Dark Horse))

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Graphic SF Reader
anime
But is it art?
Re: Lone Wolf and Cub
Great story and artwork. Too bad about the size.

Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 1: The Assassin's Road (Lone Wolf and Cub (Dark Horse))
Kazuo Koike , and Goseki Kojima
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1569715025

Book Description

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time in America. An epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- over 7000 pages -- Lone Wolf and Cub (Kozure Okami in Japan) is acknowledged worldwide for the brilliant writing of series creator Kazuo Koike and the groundbreaking cinematic visuals of the late Goseki Kojima, creating unforgettable imagery of stark beauty, kinetic fury, and visceral thematic power that influenced a generation of visual storytellers both in Japan and in the West. Don`t miss this monumental monthly release, twenty-eight volumes, with each collection approximately 300 pages!

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

An samurai of superb skills, because of political reasons, goes his own way, and takes his kid with him, partly to stop him from being murderered.

Along the way, of course, you will get all the sword slinging, head slicing samurai action you could want.

A grim, uncompromising and violent man, this is not your fluffy kids manga, so worth a look from that point of view. Not too many of those around in English, with an art style that is more likely to appeal.

anime.......2007-02-19

I like this book. It is well written and one can see where the cause is comming from. Unfortunatly I would recomend seeing the DVD, since these are awesome martial arts film. These books also explain some questions that are left unexplain in the movie (or the english caption in the movies)since my Japanese is limited to a few words.

But is it art? .......2007-01-11

First, I have to admit, I'm not a big manga fan. Though I love some anime onscreen and dig the comics, this is not what I had in mind.
Found out about Lone Wolf through a parody in Usagi Yojimbo and if that's enough to make me a wannabe just stop reading, cause I really hated this little book. The artwork was so gritty and coarse that you could barely tell what was happening and then everyone was dead. Wasn't difficult, wasn't artistic, just some blurs and then everyone is dead again. Plot? Near as I can tell its a guy and his kid who kill everyone they meet. That's it.
Takes a lot to make me not finish a book, especially a comic. I made it maybe 15 pages into this one.

Re: Lone Wolf and Cub.......2006-08-03

One of the best pieces of literature I've ever read. The fact that it's a "comic" book kills the chance of it being read by a much larger audience. Most people who wouldn't give comics a chance would be surprised at how much they would like this story.

The story is as tragic as they come. Honor and revenge take Ogami and his son, Daigoro, down a path that no child should ever have to live or experience. The hardships of the child touched me the most.

If anything, the story is very educational. Kozure Okami's research and insight into Edo was very thorough. I learned alot about that time period. It was an excellent learing tool.

I you get the first volume, you'll never stop until you get all 28 volumes.

Great story and artwork. Too bad about the size........2006-07-20

There's no doubt that this is a great series with excellent stories and artwork. My only complaint is about the 6" by 4" size. One of the consequences is that the text is very small and bound to induce eye strain in readers (especially those who are over the age of forty).

Average customer rating:

A Gifted Writer; a Rare Read
Another solid effort by Liss
a message wrapped in pulp fiction
An Amusing Tale
Carl Hiassen should get royalties

The Ethical Assassin: A Novel
David Liss
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0812974549
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Book Description

Edgar award-winning author of the popular historical novels A Conspiracy of Paper and A Spectacle of Corruption, David Liss showcases his amazing versatility with this brilliant new tale of contemporary suspense: a literary thriller set in Florida, where killing is a matter of conscience.

No one is more surprised than Lem Altick when it turns out he’s actually good at peddling encyclopedias door to door. He hates the predatory world of sales, but he needs the money to pay for college. Then things go horribly wrong. In a sweltering trailer in rural Florida, a couple whom Lem has spent hours pitching is shot dead before his eyes, and the unassuming young man is suddenly pulled into the dark world of conspiracy and murder. Not just murder: assassination– or so claims the killer, the mysterious and strangely charismatic Melford Kean, who has struck without remorse and with remarkable good cheer. But the self-styled ethical assassin hadn’t planned on a witness, and so he makes Lem a deal: Stay quiet and there will be no problems. Go to the police and take the fall.

Before Lem can decide, he is drawn against his will into the realm of the assassin, a post-Marxist intellectual with whom he forms an unlikely (and perhaps unwise) friendship. The ethical assassin could be a charming sociopath, eco-activist, or vigilante for social justice. To unravel the mystery and save himself, Lem must descend deep into a bizarre world he never knew existed, where a group of desperate–and genuinely deranged–schemers have hatched a plan that will very likely keep Lem from leaving town alive.

David Liss skillfully interweaves a gallery of eccentric characters with a multilayered plot characterized by its unpredictable twists and turns. The Ethical Assassin is a brilliant, darkly comic novel that will leave readers in suspense until the very last page.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

A Gifted Writer; a Rare Read.......2007-09-09

David Liss has a sense for history. He has a taste for telling a terrific tale.

Sure, his latest novel recycles familiar conventions--drug dealers, missing money, an innocent hero mixed up with bad guys. But he delivers it with flair and style. Less cerebral than The Coffee Trader, the author still manages to entertain with this unique tale set in Florida during the summer of 1985.

The engaging story involves pig farming, door-to-door encyclopedia sales and crystal meth production. The characters are vivid. The action grabs the reader in the opening chapter and does not let up until the final page. In short, it is a hypnotic page-turner.

Liss is an author who should not be missed.

Another solid effort by Liss.......2007-08-26

In his first three novels (A Conspiracy of Paper, A Spectacle of Corruption and The Coffee Trader), David Liss told tales that took place in the England and Holland of centuries ago. In The Ethical Assassin, he has again written a historical mystery, but the time in question is much more recent: the 1980s. He has also departed Europe for rural Florida. This book proves an essential point: regardless of time or setting, Liss is a great writer.

The Ethical Assassin opens with Lem Atlick going door-to-door trying to sell encyclopedias to raise funds for college. He is about to complete a sale to a couple when they are both gunned down in their home by Melford Kean, the ethical assassin of the title. Melford has his reasons for killing the two, but he doesn't want to kill Lem; nonetheless, as insurance, he forces Lem to put his prints on the murder weapon.

Kean turns out to be one of the least of Lem's problems. There is also the fact that his bosses seem to be entangled in drug dealing, his two co-workers are vicious bullies and he has run afoul of a small-town police chief who is a truly loathsome fellow. Next to these folks - as well as the big boss who is a borderline pedophile (he never fully acts on his desires) - Kean seems like a relatively nice guy. Lem is forced into friendship with Kean as things get messier.

It is not difficult to see parallels between this book and the works of Carl Hiaasen, a point that doesn't escape many of the critical blurbs in the book. There is the Florida setting, the healthy dose of often-dark humor and the collection of off-beat characters. But Liss is not merely a Hiaasen knock-off, but a good author in his own right. And if you enjoy mystery novels with a bit of tongue-in-cheek (and an interesting message about animal rights), this should be well worth picking up.

a message wrapped in pulp fiction.......2007-07-07

I am a fan of David Liss and have read a number of his books. The Ethical Assassin is a departure from his other works but was a fun summer read that captured my interest and inspired some thought beyond the humor and the pulp fiction. A comparison with Carl Hiaasen is valid for this read.

An Amusing Tale.......2007-07-06

I've been a fan of Liss' novels for some time now. This book is certainly a departure from his work to date (all of which have been historical dramas), and some of the other reviewers correctly point out that this effort could well be mistaken for a Hiassen novel. Regardless, I enjoyed it. If you step back and forget about his earlier works, and evaluate this book as if you were reading a first time author, you can't help but conclude that it is an enjoyable read. Cheers to Liss for trying something different, I can certainly understand an author not wanting to get stereotyped as writing only one particular type of fiction.

Carl Hiassen should get royalties.......2007-05-19

Even Carl Hiassen books aren't original anymore, he's done the formula so many times. It's even less original coming from Liss. Add to that a moral that hits you over the head with story-stopping monologues, and you get a one-star review. Liss can do so much better.

The Assassin: The Explosive Badge of Honor Novel (Badge of Honor 05)

Average customer rating:

Not One Of His Better Series
There's some plots but no gripping ending
#5 Is the Best One So Far in This Series
What Story?
Griffin knows the inside of Philly's Finest

The Assassin: The Explosive Badge of Honor Novel (Badge of Honor 05)
W. E. B. Griffin
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0515111139

Book Description

A political assassin gets ready to make his move. The police department hasn't a clue, just a single, perfectly typed bomb threat. Worse yet, the police can't even trust their own people.

In a few short days, the corruption of one cop -- and the madness of an assassin -- can blow the whole city sky high! Does this sound familiar? Or is it deja vu all over again?

"A storyteller in the grand tradition." --Tom Clancy

Customer Reviews:

Not One Of His Better Series.......2006-02-15

This whole series can be described in two words: poorly written! In The Corps or Brotherhood of War series, you have the feeling that Griffin must have been a military officer because he includes a lot of details that the average person wouldn't know if they hadn't served. With this series, I get the feeling that he never was a police officer, and didn't spend much time researching the daily lives of police officers in order to make the story seem realistic.

However, while I doubt he's ever worked for the Department of Homeland Security or the Office of the President, I wouldn't let that stop you from reading his latest series, the Presidential Agent series. He is back in form with these books, so he obviously has enough contact with current or former DHS and/or White House personnel to understand how things work.

There's some plots but no gripping ending.......2004-06-15

I agree with one of the other reviewers, I never did find out what happened to the religious nut who wanted to kill the VP, nor did I really care, you;ll read several pages about the guy going to stores, to work, blah, blah, blah and then onto other boring stuff.
I enjoyed his marine corps books, but after reading 3 of his men in blue books, i'm finished with WEB. Not enough action or interesting dialogue, I had to skip several pages to get to any action. Not much happens to the characters, you'll read about them hanging out at a bar but he doesn't develop the characters like he did with The Corps.

#5 Is the Best One So Far in This Series.......2003-01-17

The Assassin, the fifth installment in Griffin's Badge of Honor Series, is in my opinion better than the first four. The character development and build-up kept me interested. Granted, the ending was definitely anticlimactic and Matt Payne is no Killer McCoy or Craig Lowell. I still found the book most enjoyable and am ready to move on to reading The Murderers.

What Story?.......2002-02-19

This book has proven to be a real loser. Characters out the Ying-Yang with no development. A plodding story that's supposed to be about a nut-case blowing up the VP of the U.S. Well, here it is: Nobody gets close to blowing anyone up, or catching anyone doing same until the 2nd page from the end of the book and then it just ends with everyone living happlily ever after. Very dissatisfying. The entire book leads up to a "Oh-By-The-Way" ending. Schlock like this will get you a failing grade in High School Literature.

Griffin knows the inside of Philly's Finest.......2002-01-07

The Assasin continues the author's series on the Philadelphia Police Department. His characters come to life before your eyes and keep you turning pages until way past your bedtime.

Griffin has a way of showing the inside information on big-time investigations, without signaling the conclusion.

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

A compilation of the issues of Miller's introduction of the character of Elektra Natchios, a woman that could easily have been the star of a Robert Ludlum novel. That is, if there were not so many of those damned ninjas running around.

A woman that is an old girlfriend of Matt's comes back into his life, and makes it very complicated.

a really great comic work..........2006-12-28

the only gripe i have about this is it feels like it should be part of a larger, longer story. or maybe its just because you don't want it to end. at any rate this is a great graphic novel, featuring top class writing and artwork.

Embrace innovative art in comics!.......2006-06-16

The 80s saw comics take a turn for the better - stories improved and became darker and more adult; real artists brought innovative styles to bear on a medium long held back by stereotypical drawing (both penciling and inking) and coloring.

Sienkiewicz won a Kirby Award for his work on 'Electra Assassin,' but his art is fairly avant garde for the comic scene. He actually does the covers as oil paintings instead of drawings to be filled in by a colorist, and you'd swear many of the panels on the inside are also painted. And his art is amazing - it runs the gamut from psychotic and blood splattered to portraiture perfection with lots of interesting stops in between.

Of course, Frank Miller's story is no slouch either, with corruption, conspiracy, insanity, etc. It's also a bit postmodern in narrative form, so, if you feel confused at times, keep reading - most knots untangle by the end, and those that don't? - well, they weren't supposed to. His work typically reaches above that of a medium too long constrained to tepid super-hero triumphs (he did, after all, bring us 'The Dark Knight' and 'Ronin').

In 'Electra,' art and story come together in a potent combination that makes a great comic. Forget the movie and read this instead!

How Elektra should be done!.......2006-02-17

I loved this graphic novel. It was dirty, gritty, and mean. It holds nothing back. It was under a new Marvel comic that didn't go by the 'comic code' so it got down in the mud the blood and the beer. First some people that I know were really turned off by the art in that it is not your usual comic book art and I believe is done completely in water colors. I liked it. It was different and really cool. Elektra is portrayed as she should be and not like that midwestern farm girl with huge lips played her in the movie. She is a Greek assassin. She is found in a mental institution and it deals with her past and how it warped her. It also deals with the real heavy subject of child abuse and of her demonic possession at the hands of the evil Ninja clan called The Hand. In the regular comic they didn't delve as much into the spiritual or demonic goings on in her resurection and her converting to the 'dark side'. In this one they go balls out and cover it all. And Elektra is not portrayed as the nicey nicey girl that said big lipped female Ben Affleck portrayed her. She is ruthless, cold, hard, tough and crazy. The use of Marvels S.H.I.E.L.D and Nick Fury is great. Also Elektras nemesis who later under her mental manipulation becomes her sidekick, the ex S.H.I.E.L.D agent who is now more machine than man but still has a foul mouth and dirty old man mind is great.

This book is not for everybody but if you want to see how the character was suppose to be before Hollywood chopped it up and turned it into junk. Give it a read. Its great.

Before you see the Jan 05 movie, read this........2005-01-05

Elektra Natchios, daughter of Greek Diplomat Hugo Natchios and his wife, Christina, has been a gymnast, martial artist, ninja, and assassin. Though she was a black belt by age twelve, trained in the lethal arts of Ninjitsu, and was renowned as the world's deadliest assassin, she is dead. Or is she really?

A strange woman has washed ashore off the coast of South America. No one can identify her. She does not have any finger prints to even help. When people, high in politics, begin dying it is clear that Elektra did NOT die after all. She has returned. But is she sane?

***** The story begins while Elektra is still in her mother's womb. Once born, the story is told mainly from Elektra's point-of-view. None of it makes much sense to the reader. Soon Special Agent John Garrett helps Elektra narrate. The reader then sees things happen from the point-of-view of Elektra and Garrett. Things still make little sense to the reader; however, a pattern begins to form and the reader can now piece a few things together.

Half way through this comic novel (over sized paperback), more characters begin to help narrate. Yet only one of the newer characters play a major role in clearing the air for the reader. That character is Agent Chastity McBryde, who seems almost as insane as Elektra. By the ending, the reader fully understands it all and is left utterly speechless!

If you plan to watch the January 2005 movie release "Elektra", read this first! Elektra is NOT a "super hero" and the movie does not try to portray her as one. Quit thinking "Dare Devil", "Spider Man", and/or "Batman". Elektra is totally unique. Even after reading this book I cannot say for sure whether Elektra is really sane! If you miss out on reading this comic novel, you miss out on most of who Elektra really is. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Assassin (Kirk McGarvey Novels)
Average customer rating:

Excellent thriller

Action + Thrills + Adrenaline = A GREAT READ

A decent spy thriller

Blah, Blah, Blah..........ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz

Not bad, but not his best work

Assassin (Kirk McGarvey Novels)
David Hagberg
Manufacturer: Forge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0812508483

Book Description

Yevgenni Anatolevich Tarankov, known as the tarantula, is out to turn back the clock in the new Russia and return to the good old days of communism. Ex-CIA officer Kirk McGarvey knows that any chance for Russian democracy rests on his sholders--and on the bullet with the tarantual's name on it.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent thriller.......2005-03-02

From the ashes of the old Russian regime rises a new threat to democracy. His name is Yevgenni Anatolevich Tarankov, nicknamed the Tarantula, and he's poised to take the world's second most powerful country back into the dark ages. The CIA, however, is not about to let this happen without a fight. Enter Kirk McGarvey, an ex-CIA operative who is given the task of stopping the Tarantula any way he can. But when Tarankov is alerted to McGarvey's presence by the KGB, McGarvey becomes the hunted man

Action + Thrills + Adrenaline = A GREAT READ.......2001-02-28

Mr. Hagberg is without-a-doubt one of the finer action authors working today, and Kirk is right up there with Dirk Pitt, James Bond, Phillip Mercer, Kurt Austin and other literary He Men...only the big difference between those guys and Kirk is simple: He almost despises who he is and what he has become, yet he understands his duty and accepts responsibility when he has to. His experiences haven't been made any easier by the way he has been treated as a scapegoat by the US Government, either...all of these things factor into his decision to accept a job to assassinate the 'Tarantula', a Russian who is poised to not only win in the popular election, but who promises a whole new 'Cold War' with the Western world, one which he intends to win at ALL COSTS.

But as with most charges given him by the Government, part-way into it, the rules change and suddenly the target knows what Kirk is planning, and does a little 'planning' of his own. This poor guy just cannot catch a break! But thank heavens Mr. Hagberg knows just how to treat the situation with just the right amount of thrills and chills to make it all worth reading. Is this Kirks best adventure to date? Not really. But is IS a fun read. And to those readers who just cannot get over any and all of the 'supposed' weapons flaws, get over it. It is only a problem to those who cannot except a fictional story to begin with. JUST ENJOY THE STORY. If you want one of Kirks best stories, make sure you find 'White House' and soon.

A decent spy thriller.......2000-11-15

Having thought about trying a Hagberg novel in the past, I decided to take a chance on Assassin and picked it up from the bargain-book table. While not a spectacular read, it was definitely worth the money. The story itself puts ex-CIA assassin Kirk McGarvey in a situation where he must contemplate coming out of retirement due to a rapid deterioration of the political landscape in Russia and the seemingly irreversible rise of an evil leader of Russia. Although the plot pushes the envelope of reality a bit, the story is nonetheless within the spectrum of believability. McGarvey portrays a cool, confident, cerebral agent, yet also displays emotion sufficient to indicate that more than ice water runs through his veins. I felt that the story moved along with a reasonable pace, with sufficient action and suspense. All-in-all, even though this was not in the ranks of the best spy novels that I've read, there clearly is enough here to be of interest, and enough to make my pick up another of Hagberg's books.

Blah, Blah, Blah..........ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz.......2000-04-27

Again, this book was as thick as his former ones, but again, it was going nowhere but blah, blah, blah. Sigh...... I've tried very hard to finish it but---sigh---it's awfully thick. The only way to finish it is flipping thru quickly like watching cartoon character changing and moving if you could flip fast enough. This guy is strongly recommanded to retire ASAP in order to save some trees.

Not bad, but not his best work.......1999-08-02

Assassin is a difficult book to get into, the hook is not as enticing as it could have been, so it took me several weeks of picking it up to take the hook. Once it got to the point and the action started I had trouble putting the book down. The introduction of McGarvey's daughter I though was an interesting touch and I enjoyed the rest of the book. I thought the end was a bit anticlimactic with the two villains not putting up the fight I probably expect from fictional villains. Over all not the worst read but not his best work.

Average customer rating:

A Timely Revival of Orwellian Motifs
Great Novel!
Entertaining but weak ending
U.S. Islamic Republic with capital in Seattle vs Christian Bible Belt In Old South
Skip Past the Premise

Prayers for the Assassin: A Novel
Robert Ferrigno
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 141650768X

Book Description

What would happen to America if the extremists won?

SEATTLE, 2040. The Space Needle lies crumpled. Veiled women hurry through the streets. Alcohol is outlawed, replaced by Jihad Cola, and mosques dot the skyline. New York and Washington, D.C., are nuclear wastelands. At the edges of the empire, Islamic and Christian forces fight for control, and rebels plot to regain free will.

Courageous rebel Sarah Dougan is a beautiful historian who uncovers information that will destabilize the nation. When she disappears, the security chief of the Islamic Republic of America calls upon Rakkim Epps, her secret lover and a former elite warrior, to find her. But Rakkim is being tracked by Darwin, a brilliant psychopath. To survive, he must become Darwin's assassin and embark upon a frenetic and bloody chase to find Sarah and helpher expose a shocking truth to the world.

Download Description

"SEATTLE, 2040. The Space Needle lies crumpled. Veiled women hurry through the busy streets. Alcohol is outlawed, replaced by Jihad Cola, and mosques dot the skyline. New York and Washington, D.C., are nuclear wastelands. Phoenix is abandoned, Chicago the site of a civil war battle. At the edges of the empire, Islamic and Christian forces fight for control of a very different United States. Enormous in scope and brilliantly imagined, Prayers for the Assassin promises to be the powerhouse read of the year. Burning with cinematic violence, fiendish betrayal, and global intrigue, Robert Ferrigno's sensational thriller asks: What would happen to America if the terrorists won?

Customer Reviews:

A Timely Revival of Orwellian Motifs.......2007-09-22

The book's surreal setting and thrilling plot belies serious questions about intellectual stagnation resulting from an over-emphasis on religious predeterminism and religious facism. The other extreme (Present day America) doesn't get a pass: the obsession with physical gratification, materialism, and media icons ennervate and enable the country's demise.

Great Novel!.......2007-08-26

This novel will definitely make you think about the future and what it holds for our country. Nothing short of amazing! An excellent novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to future novels by Ferrigno.

I highly recommend picking this up.

Entertaining but weak ending.......2007-08-12

I ate up the premise of the book...how could I resist reading about a fictional future of the U.S. that portends the very real possible future of Europe? Despite the premise and the decent plot, the story still seemed like a rushed airbrush of a story. And the ending, which could have provided much more suspense and rich content, was completely rushed. Almost felt like Robert had a deadline to meet.

U.S. Islamic Republic with capital in Seattle vs Christian Bible Belt In Old South.......2007-07-22

In the not too distant future (2015) nuclear devices obliterated New York City, Washington,D.C. and Mecca. The FBI investigated and deemed it a Zionist plot. In the United States bloody civil war ensued between Islamic and Christians. This book takes place in the year 2040. There are a number of quite interesting characters. Rakkim the former elite Fedayeen warrior. Sarah Dougan,the beautiful historian searching for the truth. Darwin, a brilliant psychopath and former Fedayeen assassin. The Old One who thinks of himself as the Mahdi. Redbeard, head of state security. This book moves along quite well even though the basic plot seems unlikely.

Skip Past the Premise.......2007-05-28

Here's the essential problem --- the foundation of the story isn't believable. Ferrigno bases his plot on the idea that the world believes that a nuclear attack on New York City, Washington, DC and Mecca in 2015 is the work of Israeli agents. As a result, most of the USA converts to Islam, with a group of the southern states breaking away to form a Christian nation.

It doesn't ring true. A novelist, particularly someone writing speculative fiction, asks his readers to suspend disbelief, but he has to present a realistic premise. Why would anyone believe that Israel, which depends on America for its survival, would attack US cities and then throw in Mecca for good measure? And even if you believed Israelis were responsible for the attack, why would you lose your faith and convert to Islam?

Nevertheless, I ignored this ridiculous concept and kept reading. The action is set in 2040. Sarah Dougan, a respected historian, isn't convinced it was an Israeli attack, so she begins to dig into the story. When the Old One, the mysterious Muslin actually responsible for the attack, learns of Sarah's investigation, he hires Darwin, a deadly [...], to take care of Sarah. With the assistance of Rakkim Epps, her secret lover, Sarah races to uncover the true terrorist while Darwin murders just about everyone she contacts.

Once I pushed aside the premise, I found a gripping thriller that kept my interest. Ferrigno should be commended for a balanced portrayal of Islam; even depicting Sarah and Rakkim as moderate Muslims.

Overall, Prayers for the [...] is a pretty good near-future thriller.

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