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The Kill List
In Virginia, there is an agency bearing the bland name of Technical Operations Support Activity, or TOSA. Its one mission is to track, find, and kill those so dangerous to the United States that they are on a short document known as the Kill List. TOSA actually exists. So does the Kill List.
Added to it is a new name: a terrorist of frightening effectiveness called the Preacher, who radicalizes young Muslims abroad to carry out assassinations. Unfortunately for him, one of the kills is a retired Marine general, whose son is TOSA’s top hunter of men.
He has spent the last six years at his job. He knows nothing about his target’s name, face, or location. He realizes his search will take him to places where few could survive. But the Preacher has made it personal now. The hunt is on.
An extraordinary cutting-edge suspense novel from the master of international intrigue and #1 New York Times–bestselling author.
Added to it is a new name: a terrorist of frightening effectiveness called the Preacher, who radicalizes young Muslims abroad to carry out assassinations. Unfortunately for him, one of the kills is a retired Marine general, whose son is TOSA’s top hunter of men.
He has spent the last six years at his job. He knows nothing about his target’s name, face, or location. He realizes his search will take him to places where few could survive. But the Preacher has made it personal now. The hunt is on.
An extraordinary cutting-edge suspense novel from the master of international intrigue and #1 New York Times–bestselling author.
332 pages, Hardcover
First published August 20, 2013
About the author
Frederick Forsyth
260 books3,660 followersFrederick Forsyth, CBE is an English author and occasional political commentator. He is best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan, and recently The Cobra and The Kill List.
The son of a furrier, he was born in Ashford, Kent, educated at Tonbridge School and later attended the University of Granada. He became one of the youngest pilots in the Royal Air Force at 19, where he served on National Service from 1956 to 1958. Becoming a journalist, he joined Reuters in 1961 and later the BBC in 1965, where he served as an assistant diplomatic correspondent. From July to September 1967, he served as a correspondent covering the Nigerian Civil War between the region of Biafra and Nigeria. He left the BBC in 1968 after controversy arose over his alleged bias towards the Biafran cause and accusations that he falsified segments of his reports. Returning to Biafra as a freelance reporter, Forsyth wrote his first book, The Biafra Story in 1969.
Forsyth decided to write a novel using similar research techniques to those used in journalism. His first full length novel, The Day of the Jackal, was published in 1971 and became an international bestseller and gained its author the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel. It was later made into a film of the same name.
The son of a furrier, he was born in Ashford, Kent, educated at Tonbridge School and later attended the University of Granada. He became one of the youngest pilots in the Royal Air Force at 19, where he served on National Service from 1956 to 1958. Becoming a journalist, he joined Reuters in 1961 and later the BBC in 1965, where he served as an assistant diplomatic correspondent. From July to September 1967, he served as a correspondent covering the Nigerian Civil War between the region of Biafra and Nigeria. He left the BBC in 1968 after controversy arose over his alleged bias towards the Biafran cause and accusations that he falsified segments of his reports. Returning to Biafra as a freelance reporter, Forsyth wrote his first book, The Biafra Story in 1969.
Forsyth decided to write a novel using similar research techniques to those used in journalism. His first full length novel, The Day of the Jackal, was published in 1971 and became an international bestseller and gained its author the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel. It was later made into a film of the same name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 861 reviews
February 26, 2016
I wonder why I keep reading this type of book. But I know the answer to this question: I like the idea of a well-written, gripping adventure yarn. A good story that leaves you breathless, with engaging characters, striking locations, edge-of-the-seat suspense. A book where you feel that you are "in good hands", where you can trust the expertise of its writer as a craftsman. If we were talking about food, I'd be looking for a burger, but delivered by the best burger bar you can think of, succulent, best-quality produce, beautifully presented on the plate, and served in a cordial atmosphere.
Unfortunately, Frederick sold me a rank piece of meat in a soggy bun, slammed it down on the table without saying a word, then buggered off back to the kitchen, ready to cook up some slop for the next unsuspecting customer.
Leaving the world of cookery, I would like to introduce a new unit of measure to grade thrillers and crime novels, the "Patterson". James Patterson defines the absolute zero in writing skill, and hence we can calibrate everything by reference to him. If you are as bad as he, you would be allocated 100 Pattersons. Frederick gets 80 Pattersons for his story.
And why is this? Well, the writing is for 12-year olds, and presumably so are the thoughts that went into the plot. This is a book about a lone government agent who is assigned top-secret missions to assassinate bad people (currently, these are Middle Eastern terrorists).
TOSA, the appropriately named agency that employs him, is introduced as a body so obscure that ninety-eight per cent of serving US officers have never heard of it. (p18). Hm. I wonder how the narrator can quantify this so accurately. I can see the question in the survey designed to investigate name recognition of government agencies within the armed forces: "Have you heard of TOSA? Yes _ No _". Answer: "Well hadn't but now I have. Wonder what they do...". And also - as of 2010, there were approximately 240,000 officers serving in the US military. This means some 4800 officers knew about TOSA. But later we are told that there were only 250 people employed by the agency. So how come that 4500 people who do not work there know about the existence of the most secretive agency the US military has ever seen?
This is by no means the only time Frederick makes this type of mistake. The head of TOSA is introduced as a leg-amputee who had mastered [his] prosthetic ... with such skill that the limp was virtually undetectable. (p59). Two pages later the protagonist of the book, Kit Carson, meets this man as his new boss, and when he first saw him, he noted the man who limped as he walked to greet him (p61). Well done, Frederick. You managed to describe one of your lead characters as a person with a limp that is so obvious that it strikes people as his most distinctive feature when they first meet him, and yet describe this limp as virtually undetectable.
Or this: Kit's new boss explains office decorum to his new recruit: ... inside this building, we use only first names. ... For the entire world outside this complex, you are simply the Tracker (p62).23 lines later - we are still on the same page - he approaches Kit and starts talking to him about a hatespeach broadcast on the internet: Another online orator, Tracker (p62). "Tracker"? Not "Kit"? So no first names then after all?
Of course, it may seem unfair to subject pulp fiction to that much scrutiny. But this sort of thing is what I meant earlier when I talked about a burger bar. It is these little things that let thrillers down if they do not work, that make the difference between a pedestrian and an excellent burger. A thriller is not a literary novel. They do not claim to be "about" something. They do not invite the reader to contemplate deep issues. It's not their job. Their job is to tell a simple story well. If they get it wrong, there is nothing else to fall back on, no saving grace. Frederick's sloppy mistakes in crafting the plot let this book down. If it was a burger, it would be poorly cooked, and it would be served on a chipped plate.
Unfortunately, Frederick sold me a rank piece of meat in a soggy bun, slammed it down on the table without saying a word, then buggered off back to the kitchen, ready to cook up some slop for the next unsuspecting customer.
Leaving the world of cookery, I would like to introduce a new unit of measure to grade thrillers and crime novels, the "Patterson". James Patterson defines the absolute zero in writing skill, and hence we can calibrate everything by reference to him. If you are as bad as he, you would be allocated 100 Pattersons. Frederick gets 80 Pattersons for his story.
And why is this? Well, the writing is for 12-year olds, and presumably so are the thoughts that went into the plot. This is a book about a lone government agent who is assigned top-secret missions to assassinate bad people (currently, these are Middle Eastern terrorists).
TOSA, the appropriately named agency that employs him, is introduced as a body so obscure that ninety-eight per cent of serving US officers have never heard of it. (p18). Hm. I wonder how the narrator can quantify this so accurately. I can see the question in the survey designed to investigate name recognition of government agencies within the armed forces: "Have you heard of TOSA? Yes _ No _". Answer: "Well hadn't but now I have. Wonder what they do...". And also - as of 2010, there were approximately 240,000 officers serving in the US military. This means some 4800 officers knew about TOSA. But later we are told that there were only 250 people employed by the agency. So how come that 4500 people who do not work there know about the existence of the most secretive agency the US military has ever seen?
This is by no means the only time Frederick makes this type of mistake. The head of TOSA is introduced as a leg-amputee who had mastered [his] prosthetic ... with such skill that the limp was virtually undetectable. (p59). Two pages later the protagonist of the book, Kit Carson, meets this man as his new boss, and when he first saw him, he noted the man who limped as he walked to greet him (p61). Well done, Frederick. You managed to describe one of your lead characters as a person with a limp that is so obvious that it strikes people as his most distinctive feature when they first meet him, and yet describe this limp as virtually undetectable.
Or this: Kit's new boss explains office decorum to his new recruit: ... inside this building, we use only first names. ... For the entire world outside this complex, you are simply the Tracker (p62).23 lines later - we are still on the same page - he approaches Kit and starts talking to him about a hatespeach broadcast on the internet: Another online orator, Tracker (p62). "Tracker"? Not "Kit"? So no first names then after all?
Of course, it may seem unfair to subject pulp fiction to that much scrutiny. But this sort of thing is what I meant earlier when I talked about a burger bar. It is these little things that let thrillers down if they do not work, that make the difference between a pedestrian and an excellent burger. A thriller is not a literary novel. They do not claim to be "about" something. They do not invite the reader to contemplate deep issues. It's not their job. Their job is to tell a simple story well. If they get it wrong, there is nothing else to fall back on, no saving grace. Frederick's sloppy mistakes in crafting the plot let this book down. If it was a burger, it would be poorly cooked, and it would be served on a chipped plate.
June 2, 2017
Frederick Forsyth is one of my favourite thriller writers. His books are usually about commandos, cops, mercenaries, spies, dictators, terrorists and assassins entangled in some conspiracy or some covert mission. There's plenty of twists, gun fights, commando raids and a little bit of investigation too. If you prefer the realistic stories and moral ambiguity of John Le Carre, then definitlely Forsyth is not for you but if you want action and thrills then he is one of the very best.
Anyways, The Kill List deals with the quest of The Tracker, a member of a "very" secret US agency which is tasked with locating various terrorist masterminds who pose a grave danger to the West and of course these people need to be "neutralized" -- to track down The Preacher, an unidentified demagogue who brainwashes Muslim expats in the West to carry out lone wolf attacks in the name of religion.
The Preacher uploads his sermon videos online and no one knows his identity or location. After quite a few murders are committed in the US and UK due to his preaching, The Tracker is let loose on him and so begins an exciting adventure. The Tracker also enlists the help of brilliant, young hacker, who according to the formula or norms - whatever you want to call it- has to be very socially awkward. The author would take us on a journey covering US, UK, Pakistan and Somalia.
There are other sub-plots in the story as well - but I won't go into them. The book has all the ingredients mandatory for a action-packed thriller -- there are covert British commando units, ex-special forces-turned-mercenaries, undercover spies, Somali terrorist group as well as Somali pirates and of course deception, subterfuge, daring raids to keep you turning the pages.
As I have said before, I am a fan of Forsyth's works - once upon a time I had voraciously devoured his books -- The Day of the Jackal is a classic, The Deciever, Icon, The Negotiator, The Fourth Protocol, The Afghan are fine specimens of this genre of thrillers.
I did enjoy reading the book, but somehow I felt that something was missing. May be the ending was too smooth, I can't say -- I believe it could have been better. One is entitled to expect more from Frederick Forsyth.
Overall, a well-written story for thrill seekers. If you have liked his earlier novels then you might want to give this one a try as well.
I would give it a rating of 3.5 but had to round it off to 4.
Anyways, The Kill List deals with the quest of The Tracker, a member of a "very" secret US agency which is tasked with locating various terrorist masterminds who pose a grave danger to the West and of course these people need to be "neutralized" -- to track down The Preacher, an unidentified demagogue who brainwashes Muslim expats in the West to carry out lone wolf attacks in the name of religion.
The Preacher uploads his sermon videos online and no one knows his identity or location. After quite a few murders are committed in the US and UK due to his preaching, The Tracker is let loose on him and so begins an exciting adventure. The Tracker also enlists the help of brilliant, young hacker, who according to the formula or norms - whatever you want to call it- has to be very socially awkward. The author would take us on a journey covering US, UK, Pakistan and Somalia.
There are other sub-plots in the story as well - but I won't go into them. The book has all the ingredients mandatory for a action-packed thriller -- there are covert British commando units, ex-special forces-turned-mercenaries, undercover spies, Somali terrorist group as well as Somali pirates and of course deception, subterfuge, daring raids to keep you turning the pages.
As I have said before, I am a fan of Forsyth's works - once upon a time I had voraciously devoured his books -- The Day of the Jackal is a classic, The Deciever, Icon, The Negotiator, The Fourth Protocol, The Afghan are fine specimens of this genre of thrillers.
I did enjoy reading the book, but somehow I felt that something was missing. May be the ending was too smooth, I can't say -- I believe it could have been better. One is entitled to expect more from Frederick Forsyth.
Overall, a well-written story for thrill seekers. If you have liked his earlier novels then you might want to give this one a try as well.
I would give it a rating of 3.5 but had to round it off to 4.
July 10, 2016
One of the characters in The Kill List has Asperger's (he has to, he's a teenage computer whiz), and frankly the book does too. It's a thriller with no emotions, no character development, a collection of plot points rigidly checked off a list. It begins with mini bios of the main character, Kit Carson (so-named to distinguish him from his father, Christopher Carson), and his father, both Marines. Carson is ambitious and smart, graduates from William and Mary, learns how to do deep scuba dives and parachute, saves American lives in Afghan firefights, learns Arabic, studies in the Mideast, befriends wise old Arab men. He marries a Navy nurse (I've already forgotten her name, because it was mentioned only once - Karen? Susan?), it turns out she is infertile, and she is rapidly killed by a drunk driver. Karen, or was it Susan, we hardly knew ye. Literally, you had not one line of dialogue in this book of male characters. But Karen's, or Susan's, death has a purpose: it means she will not bear a son whose parents will have to painstakingly decide what nickname to bestow upon a third Christopher Carson. Also, her death turns out to be a workout motivator, as Kit buries his emotions by exercising fiendishly.
The antagonist is a Pakistani-born jihadist nicknamed the Preacher for his online sermons encouraging others to take up weapons against infidels everywhere. In the U.S. and Britain, homegrown jihadists inspired by the Preacher kill folks, not with bombs or Bushmaster rifles but mostly with knives and handguns, and mostly State Senators, for some reason. One of the fallen, purely coincidentally, is Kit Carson's father, out golfing with a State Senator. Carson Sr. makes it to the hospital and Carson Jr. flies in from wherever he is in time for his father to emerge from the coma so they can utter "Semper fi" to each other before Dad is released from the surly bonds of earth.
Game on, Preacher! Now this is personal! As much as it can be in this Asperger's addled text.
Carson now joins a top secret government agency whose job is the elimination of terror suspects in foreign lands. He first has to find out where the Preacher lives. No one at the NSA can tell him, but they do inform him that if anyone can, it's a teenager living in his parents' attic in northern Virginia. Carson gives the teen the nickname Ariel, from the Tempest, for reasons you won't be able to understand either. Carson's workplace now gives him the codename Tracker, because at this agency people only operate by codenames. Ariel creates some kind of malware or bot that infects the Preacher's website, causing his jihadi broadcasts to go a little jiggy. The Preacher is so annoyed by this that he switches servers, or internet service providers, or something, so for one nanosecond Ariel is able to glimpse his real IP address before he buries it again under a fake proxy server. So Ariel figures out that the broadcasts are emanating from southern Somalia. With Google Earth he finds the precise warehouse, and the Predator drone people in Tampa then track all movements to and from the warehouse, and are able to figure out where the Preacher lives.
With the help of an Ethiopian Jewish Mossad agent codenamed Opal who wears a red baseball cap emblazoned with the words
June 25, 2013
I've enjoyed Forsyth's writing over the years and "The Kill List" is no exception. It's a high tech military tale about hunting down the bad guys...terrorists. It's strong on insider knowledge about the military, high tech espionage, and terrorist thinking. It's short on characterization which is the book's biggest weakness. Forsyth doesn't flesh out any of his protagonists. They all remain one dimensional but if you're looking for a fast moving, up to date political story look no further. I have little knowledge about such topics so I'm not a good judge but the story is all too believable. Drones that can track and kill as well as surveil. Highly trained military personnel who are excellent killing machines. Terrorists who will stop at nothing to destroy their enemies. Governments who are as involved in gamesmanship as they are with the safeguarding of their populations. It's chilling. It rings true to life. It's frightening how thin the line is between the supposed good guys and the supposed bad guys.
This review is based on an advanced readers copy supplied by the publisher.
(Disclaimer given per FTC requirement.)
This review is based on an advanced readers copy supplied by the publisher.
(Disclaimer given per FTC requirement.)
August 28, 2013
As a life-long fan, I am disappointed at the sloppiness of Forsyth's research. This kind of plot-driven, technical thriller relies heavily on attention to detail and "truthy" facts to establish the author's credibility as well as the authenticity of the story. Unfortunately, Forsyth revealed opposite tendencies in The Kill List.
As anyone with access to Google knows, Echelon is not a facial recognition database, and it certainly does not reside in an FBI facility. Also why would the President need JSOC as his "private army" when as Commander-in-Chief, he has all US Forces under his command? It also showed some insensitivity on his part to characterize the results of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu as the "slaughter" of 18 US Rangers, when 12 of the 18 US troops who died in that battle were not Rangers. And, by the way, it was hardly a slaughter as over 300 of the enemy perished. Forsyth apparently also has been using Fox New's geographically-challenged fact checker.
Norfolk is not in Northern Virginia. The FBI's Research facility is in Quantico, but Virginia not Maryland. And, by the way, Glock is Austrian, not Swiss. All this made me wonder how many other details, that I may not be as familiar with, were incorrectly presented as well.
As anyone with access to Google knows, Echelon is not a facial recognition database, and it certainly does not reside in an FBI facility. Also why would the President need JSOC as his "private army" when as Commander-in-Chief, he has all US Forces under his command? It also showed some insensitivity on his part to characterize the results of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu as the "slaughter" of 18 US Rangers, when 12 of the 18 US troops who died in that battle were not Rangers. And, by the way, it was hardly a slaughter as over 300 of the enemy perished. Forsyth apparently also has been using Fox New's geographically-challenged fact checker.
Norfolk is not in Northern Virginia. The FBI's Research facility is in Quantico, but Virginia not Maryland. And, by the way, Glock is Austrian, not Swiss. All this made me wonder how many other details, that I may not be as familiar with, were incorrectly presented as well.
July 26, 2016
Superb!
It’s amazing an author who began writing contemporaneously about the attempt to assassinate Charles De Gaulle – long before such things as the internet and cell phones – now writes contemporaneously with the same absolute authenticity about hunting the jihadi who recruits Islamist murderers online and in social media.
Forsyth accomplishes this with meticulous research including, in this instance, physically visiting Mogadishu at the height of its hellishness.
Disclaimer: you might notice a few small things that are not quite right. For example, Forsyth sometimes refers to an American installation as, “Air Force Base Creech,” the way his government names British installations as “RAF Lakenheath,” instead of the way we always do, “Creech Air Force Base.” But he gets the structure of the conflict, the roles and motivations of agencies, and the biases of governments, media, and people so right that quibbling over a few oddities is naive.
This reads fast and up front with what’s happening. Highly recommended.
It’s amazing an author who began writing contemporaneously about the attempt to assassinate Charles De Gaulle – long before such things as the internet and cell phones – now writes contemporaneously with the same absolute authenticity about hunting the jihadi who recruits Islamist murderers online and in social media.
Forsyth accomplishes this with meticulous research including, in this instance, physically visiting Mogadishu at the height of its hellishness.
Disclaimer: you might notice a few small things that are not quite right. For example, Forsyth sometimes refers to an American installation as, “Air Force Base Creech,” the way his government names British installations as “RAF Lakenheath,” instead of the way we always do, “Creech Air Force Base.” But he gets the structure of the conflict, the roles and motivations of agencies, and the biases of governments, media, and people so right that quibbling over a few oddities is naive.
This reads fast and up front with what’s happening. Highly recommended.
February 7, 2015
Couldn't finish this. Forsyth's style is too detached, too distant. After about 2/3rds of the book, I realized I didn't care what happened to the main character. There was no emotional attachment to any of his actions.
Forsyth spends way too much time detailing a simple progression through the day and not nearly enough on developing depth.
Forsyth spends way too much time detailing a simple progression through the day and not nearly enough on developing depth.
February 15, 2014
The Kill List had the potential to be quite a good book. A Marine named the Tracker uses covert operations to identify, find, and kill terrorists on the President's kill list. It would actually make a pretty entertaining series if done properly.
Unfortunately I don't feel this book was. It was mostly description. How people looked, how places looked, descriptions of past events, etcetera. There was very little character development which made it hard to connect with the characters you're reading about. That also makes creating relationships between character difficult. This would be okay if the action tooks its place. But for a story about a clandestine marine who goes around the world killing terrorists, the action and suspense is very limited.
One example is the plot line about the pirates. Quite a bit of time was spent on the pirating of a ship. Bit in the end, it was more or less irrelevant.
The Kill List wasn't bad. It was interesting but boring. This author has a lot of books. And based on other reviews, he seems to be a pretty good author. Maybe I'll give him another try.
Unfortunately I don't feel this book was. It was mostly description. How people looked, how places looked, descriptions of past events, etcetera. There was very little character development which made it hard to connect with the characters you're reading about. That also makes creating relationships between character difficult. This would be okay if the action tooks its place. But for a story about a clandestine marine who goes around the world killing terrorists, the action and suspense is very limited.
One example is the plot line about the pirates. Quite a bit of time was spent on the pirating of a ship. Bit in the end, it was more or less irrelevant.
The Kill List wasn't bad. It was interesting but boring. This author has a lot of books. And based on other reviews, he seems to be a pretty good author. Maybe I'll give him another try.
October 6, 2013
Brilliance from The Master
Fredrick Forsythe is back with a brilliant thriller that is thoroughly up to date well researched and could be happening right now. Forsythe is master of the thriller genre and with the Kill List he shows his readers why he will long remain one of if not the best thriller writer in the English Language. This is a book is worth every penny and you will want to reread it. As always this book is a well researched well written book with nothing left to chance.
The tracker is a former Lieutenant-Colonel in the United States Marine Corps who now works for a very shadow agency TOSA under the command of J-SOC with a direct line to the President is charged with finding and dispatching Al-Qaeda and all other associated terrorists. There is one particular terrorist that is inspiring many acts of terror in America and Britain often referred to as The Preacher. Events in the book see that this books a very personal battle for Tracker and he will chase him to the ends of the earth if necessary.
Also during the course of the story a seemingly unrelated act of piracy on a Swedish happens which helps to steer things in the Tracker’s favour. The Tracker is able to not only use the USA’s many various military and covert agencies but gets assistance from Mossad and various British military operatives and intelligence gathering agencies. We also see how he is able to use drones to gather intelligence and give eyes to those on the ground.
This is a brilliant book well worth reading and bang up to date with what our defence agencies are doing to protect the west.
Fredrick Forsythe is back with a brilliant thriller that is thoroughly up to date well researched and could be happening right now. Forsythe is master of the thriller genre and with the Kill List he shows his readers why he will long remain one of if not the best thriller writer in the English Language. This is a book is worth every penny and you will want to reread it. As always this book is a well researched well written book with nothing left to chance.
The tracker is a former Lieutenant-Colonel in the United States Marine Corps who now works for a very shadow agency TOSA under the command of J-SOC with a direct line to the President is charged with finding and dispatching Al-Qaeda and all other associated terrorists. There is one particular terrorist that is inspiring many acts of terror in America and Britain often referred to as The Preacher. Events in the book see that this books a very personal battle for Tracker and he will chase him to the ends of the earth if necessary.
Also during the course of the story a seemingly unrelated act of piracy on a Swedish happens which helps to steer things in the Tracker’s favour. The Tracker is able to not only use the USA’s many various military and covert agencies but gets assistance from Mossad and various British military operatives and intelligence gathering agencies. We also see how he is able to use drones to gather intelligence and give eyes to those on the ground.
This is a brilliant book well worth reading and bang up to date with what our defence agencies are doing to protect the west.
August 30, 2013
The jacket blurb for Frederick Forsyth’s The Kill List says that the Los Angeles Times said of him, “Forsyth is Truly the world’s reigning master of suspense.” This book does nothing to refute that conclusion. Forty pages into it, I knew that it was a five-star book. In it, a Marine major assigned to find terrorists so that they can get up close and personal with a drone is assigned to find “The Preacher,” who specializes in internet sermons to radicalize young Muslims living abroad to carry out one-on-one assassinations. No groups that may be infiltrated. No purchases that might trigger surveillance. Just one-on-one with a gun or a knife. But The Preacher uses a proxy server to create a false internet protocol into which he introduces a malware or botnet to bounce his sermons all over the world to keep its geolocation secret. This radicalization results in more than a dozen deaths in the United States and Great Britain, but when one of the assassins kills the major’s father, a retired Marine general, it becomes personal. The NSA cannot find the Preacher, but they mention young Roger Kendrick to the major, a young man who never leaves his parents’ home but “flies like a fighter ace” in cyberspace. The major recruits the young man by providing him the best available computer equipment, and the hunt is on. Fascinating reading. I cannot speak to the accuracy of the technical details but can as to the military details, which are spot-on, as I suspect the technical details are also. But when they find the location from which the sermons are sent, The Preacher is not there. So now, the major must use HUMINT (human intelligence) and spy satellites to find out how The Preacher gets the recorded sermons to that location. He finally finds The Preacher, but the National Command Authority will not authorize a drone strike or a special operations strike because of fear of killing civilians. How will the major avenge his father' death and make the world a little safer from terrorists? Five stars, just as I had thought in the first 40 pages.
January 14, 2016
"Λίστα εκτελέσεων", εκδόσεις Bell.
Τέταρτο βιβλίο του Φρέντερικ Φορσάιθ που διαβάζω, μετά τα εξαιρετικά "Απόρρητος Φάκελος Οδέσσα" και "Το Τέταρτο Πρωτόκολλο" που διάβασα το καλοκαίρι του 2011 και το καταπληκτικό "Το Τσακάλι" που διάβασα το καλοκαίρι του 2014. Μπορεί να μην φτάνει σε ποιότητα τα τρία αυτά βιβλία, όμως πρόκειται για ένα άκρως χορταστικό και εθιστικό κατασκοπευτικό/πολεμικό θρίλερ, με το γνωστό και αγαπημένο αφηγηματικό στιλ του συγγραφέα.
Στα υψηλότερα κλιμάκια της Αμερικάνικης κυβέρνησης, υπό απόλυτη μυστικότητα, υπάρχει μια λίστα με άτομα που αποτελούν την ύψιστη απειλή για την παγκόσμια ασφάλεια. Σε περίπτωση εύρεσης τους, η μοναδική τιμωρία είναι ο θάνατος. Σ'αυτή την λίστα βρίσκεται και ο Κήρυκας, ένας φανατικός Τζιχαντιστής, που με τα κηρύγματά του μέσω ίντερνετ, εμπνέει διάφορους φανατισμένους Μουσουλμάνους να προβαίνουν σε επιθέσεις εναντίον Δυτικών. Κανείς δεν ξέρει ποιος είναι ή που βρίσκεται. Ο Ιχνηλάτης, ένας Αμερικάνος πρώην Πεζοναύτης και νυν κυνηγός τρομοκρατών, θα είναι αυτός που θα προσπαθήσει να ανακαλύψει και να εκτελέσει τον παρανοϊκό αυτό Τζιχαντιστή.
Επίκαιρη ιστορία, με τα όσα γίνονται καθημερινά γύρω μας, με ρεαλιστική αποτύπωση των διαδικασιών και των επιχειρηματικών σχεδίων για την εύρεση ενός τρομοκράτη. Οι περιγραφές των κατασκοπευτικών και πολεμικών επιχειρήσεων και αυτές των σκηνών δράσης, κάνουν τα βιβλία του Φορσάιθ τόσο εθιστικά και ενδιαφέροντα. Από χαρακτήρες μπορεί να μην τα πάει και πολύ καλά (ούτε και άσχημα πάντως), όμως όταν υπάρχει τόση ένταση και αγωνία στην πλοκή, τόσο ωραίες δυναμικές σκηνές, μικρή σημασία έχει το βάθος των χαρακτήρων. Όσον αφορά την γραφή, είναι πολύ καλή, ευκολοδιάβαστη και εθιστική.
Γενικά, πρόκειται για ένα κατασκοπευτικό/πολεμικό θρίλερ, με δράση και ένταση, που δύσκολα θα απογοητεύσει τους λάτρεις του είδους. Μπορεί να υπάρχουν κάποια σημεία με ορολογίες και τεχνικές λεπτομέρειες που ίσως κουράσουν, όμως κατά την γνώμη μου δίνουν έναν ρεαλισμό στην όλη ιστορία και δείχνουν τις γνώσεις του συγγραφέα στο είδος που γράφει. Ο Φορσάιθ έχει πάρει μάστερ στο είδος, οπότε η ψυχαγωγία είναι εγγυημένη.
Τέταρτο βιβλίο του Φρέντερικ Φορσάιθ που διαβάζω, μετά τα εξαιρετικά "Απόρρητος Φάκελος Οδέσσα" και "Το Τέταρτο Πρωτόκολλο" που διάβασα το καλοκαίρι του 2011 και το καταπληκτικό "Το Τσακάλι" που διάβασα το καλοκαίρι του 2014. Μπορεί να μην φτάνει σε ποιότητα τα τρία αυτά βιβλία, όμως πρόκειται για ένα άκρως χορταστικό και εθιστικό κατασκοπευτικό/πολεμικό θρίλερ, με το γνωστό και αγαπημένο αφηγηματικό στιλ του συγγραφέα.
Στα υψηλότερα κλιμάκια της Αμερικάνικης κυβέρνησης, υπό απόλυτη μυστικότητα, υπάρχει μια λίστα με άτομα που αποτελούν την ύψιστη απειλή για την παγκόσμια ασφάλεια. Σε περίπτωση εύρεσης τους, η μοναδική τιμωρία είναι ο θάνατος. Σ'αυτή την λίστα βρίσκεται και ο Κήρυκας, ένας φανατικός Τζιχαντιστής, που με τα κηρύγματά του μέσω ίντερνετ, εμπνέει διάφορους φανατισμένους Μουσουλμάνους να προβαίνουν σε επιθέσεις εναντίον Δυτικών. Κανείς δεν ξέρει ποιος είναι ή που βρίσκεται. Ο Ιχνηλάτης, ένας Αμερικάνος πρώην Πεζοναύτης και νυν κυνηγός τρομοκρατών, θα είναι αυτός που θα προσπαθήσει να ανακαλύψει και να εκτελέσει τον παρανοϊκό αυτό Τζιχαντιστή.
Επίκαιρη ιστορία, με τα όσα γίνονται καθημερινά γύρω μας, με ρεαλιστική αποτύπωση των διαδικασιών και των επιχειρηματικών σχεδίων για την εύρεση ενός τρομοκράτη. Οι περιγραφές των κατασκοπευτικών και πολεμικών επιχειρήσεων και αυτές των σκηνών δράσης, κάνουν τα βιβλία του Φορσάιθ τόσο εθιστικά και ενδιαφέροντα. Από χαρακτήρες μπορεί να μην τα πάει και πολύ καλά (ούτε και άσχημα πάντως), όμως όταν υπάρχει τόση ένταση και αγωνία στην πλοκή, τόσο ωραίες δυναμικές σκηνές, μικρή σημασία έχει το βάθος των χαρακτήρων. Όσον αφορά την γραφή, είναι πολύ καλή, ευκολοδιάβαστη και εθιστική.
Γενικά, πρόκειται για ένα κατασκοπευτικό/πολεμικό θρίλερ, με δράση και ένταση, που δύσκολα θα απογοητεύσει τους λάτρεις του είδους. Μπορεί να υπάρχουν κάποια σημεία με ορολογίες και τεχνικές λεπτομέρειες που ίσως κουράσουν, όμως κατά την γνώμη μου δίνουν έναν ρεαλισμό στην όλη ιστορία και δείχνουν τις γνώσεις του συγγραφέα στο είδος που γράφει. Ο Φορσάιθ έχει πάρει μάστερ στο είδος, οπότε η ψυχαγωγία είναι εγγυημένη.
January 7, 2021
Frederick Forsyth is, in my opinion, a master of the espionage genre. I have read many of his books and I have always found them to be very enjoyable. Typically, they do not involve one man's quest to save the world from utter destruction, as so many current books do. Rather, they focus on one operation and take the reader from its inception or precursors to its conclusion.
The Kill List did exactly that. Our hero, Marine Col Jamie Jackson, an alias he used for convenience and security's sake or the Tracker, as he was known inside a unit that did not use given or family names, tracked people and eventually disposed of them. We learned quite a bit about his pre-Tracker career as well as his dad's career which eventually had him as a two-star general.
A jihadist, known to the US and British as the Preacher, was downloading messages designed to enlist Muslims into the violent world of jihad. What differentiated him from many others who undertook similar missions were two things. First, he spoke perfect English with a somewhat American accent and secondly, he was enormously persuasive resulting in a series of dead bodies in both the US and Britain.
Forsyth takes the reader through the Tracker's process in great detail in terms of the planning, relationships and execution of his mission. He also describes enough of the Tracker's backstory to provide the reader with an understanding of the man rather than just the soldier.
This book is not for the reader who craves end to end action with dead bodies scattered hither and yon. Nor, as indicated above, is it for the reader who seeks plots involving a plan to end the world as we know it. Rather, it is for one who enjoys understanding the details and the step by step process through which one goes in planning and executing a complex mission.
The Kill List may not be in the same class as Day of the Jackal but very, very few books are - perhaps only The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. Nonetheless, I found The Kill List to be enormously enjoyable.
Over and Out
The Kill List did exactly that. Our hero, Marine Col Jamie Jackson, an alias he used for convenience and security's sake or the Tracker, as he was known inside a unit that did not use given or family names, tracked people and eventually disposed of them. We learned quite a bit about his pre-Tracker career as well as his dad's career which eventually had him as a two-star general.
A jihadist, known to the US and British as the Preacher, was downloading messages designed to enlist Muslims into the violent world of jihad. What differentiated him from many others who undertook similar missions were two things. First, he spoke perfect English with a somewhat American accent and secondly, he was enormously persuasive resulting in a series of dead bodies in both the US and Britain.
Forsyth takes the reader through the Tracker's process in great detail in terms of the planning, relationships and execution of his mission. He also describes enough of the Tracker's backstory to provide the reader with an understanding of the man rather than just the soldier.
This book is not for the reader who craves end to end action with dead bodies scattered hither and yon. Nor, as indicated above, is it for the reader who seeks plots involving a plan to end the world as we know it. Rather, it is for one who enjoys understanding the details and the step by step process through which one goes in planning and executing a complex mission.
The Kill List may not be in the same class as Day of the Jackal but very, very few books are - perhaps only The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. Nonetheless, I found The Kill List to be enormously enjoyable.
Over and Out
July 11, 2013
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book with the expectation I would provide an honest review.
Frederick Forsyth is back!
I have been a fan of Frederick Forsyth for years. I first read him in the late 1980s and have read all his novels. While I enjoyed The Afghan, I felt that perhaps Mr. Forsyth had started to fade in The Cobra. It felt too formulaic and without the slower detail that allowed suspense to build. The climax, while interesting, took a quick political detour that spilled all the wind out of its own sails. I was cautiously hopeful when I saw his new release.
The Kill List takes a look behind the scenes of modern anti-terrorism warfare. Forsyth has never been about the technology--his detail has always been in the people and the processes they use at or beyond the fringes of the public eye. Think about the description of obtaining a fake passport in The Day of the Jackal or about engineering the takeover of a company and a country in The Dogs of War.
In The Kill List, Forsyth introduces us (a little too quickly) to The Tracker a Marine officer who works in a little-known corner of the military that runs the unmanned drones and targets them on enemies of the US. One man has emerged as an elusive, but dangerous target--a man simply known as The Preacher, who sends video messages of hate on the internet calling on his followers to kill Americans and other Westerners essentially at random. When the US President finally has enough of the effects of the Preacher’s war, he orders the Tracker to silence him. The hunt is on.
This is not The Day of the Jackal, but it is an interesting and intriguing process to follow as the Tracker works to identify, locate and pursue the Preacher. The hunt includes the coordination of multiple governments and organizations within those governments. Of course, things move faster in fiction than they do in real life, but still the interplay of the agencies and their personalities and goals are fascinating to follow.
I think the book could have benefitted from being longer to allow more time to develop the characters and their motivations. The characters are not stereotypes, but they could be more complex. Forsyth does good research, and I always learn something about the world in his books. The convoluted and complicated politics and culture of Pakistan and Afghanistan are briefly explored--similar to The Afghan--and provide an interesting piece of color to the story.
The Kill List is a worthy work from one of the old masters of the thriller genre. If you are a Forsyth fan, you will be pleased to see him back. If you haven’t read him before, this is a good and timely place to start.
Frederick Forsyth is back!
I have been a fan of Frederick Forsyth for years. I first read him in the late 1980s and have read all his novels. While I enjoyed The Afghan, I felt that perhaps Mr. Forsyth had started to fade in The Cobra. It felt too formulaic and without the slower detail that allowed suspense to build. The climax, while interesting, took a quick political detour that spilled all the wind out of its own sails. I was cautiously hopeful when I saw his new release.
The Kill List takes a look behind the scenes of modern anti-terrorism warfare. Forsyth has never been about the technology--his detail has always been in the people and the processes they use at or beyond the fringes of the public eye. Think about the description of obtaining a fake passport in The Day of the Jackal or about engineering the takeover of a company and a country in The Dogs of War.
In The Kill List, Forsyth introduces us (a little too quickly) to The Tracker a Marine officer who works in a little-known corner of the military that runs the unmanned drones and targets them on enemies of the US. One man has emerged as an elusive, but dangerous target--a man simply known as The Preacher, who sends video messages of hate on the internet calling on his followers to kill Americans and other Westerners essentially at random. When the US President finally has enough of the effects of the Preacher’s war, he orders the Tracker to silence him. The hunt is on.
This is not The Day of the Jackal, but it is an interesting and intriguing process to follow as the Tracker works to identify, locate and pursue the Preacher. The hunt includes the coordination of multiple governments and organizations within those governments. Of course, things move faster in fiction than they do in real life, but still the interplay of the agencies and their personalities and goals are fascinating to follow.
I think the book could have benefitted from being longer to allow more time to develop the characters and their motivations. The characters are not stereotypes, but they could be more complex. Forsyth does good research, and I always learn something about the world in his books. The convoluted and complicated politics and culture of Pakistan and Afghanistan are briefly explored--similar to The Afghan--and provide an interesting piece of color to the story.
The Kill List is a worthy work from one of the old masters of the thriller genre. If you are a Forsyth fan, you will be pleased to see him back. If you haven’t read him before, this is a good and timely place to start.
October 1, 2013
Mr Forsyth's "The Fist of God" occupies a place of respect and reverence in my library and so do "The Devil's alternative" and "The day of the jackal" constantly reminding me of what writing is all about. My opinion on the master's latest.
What I liked:
One, the juicy tidbits we all know are real and true stuff. The pathfinders, the specific drone attacks which took some specific bad guys out among many others were a treat to a fan like me.
Two, that small episode of what the tracker does in a certain country undercover was quintessential Forsyth. The tension, the thrills were beautiful.
Three, the commando raid was wonderfully put together. I mean, I could almost see it happen in my mind like it would appear to be in a Michael Bay movie. Wonderful!
Four, all the essential ingredients were there in the right amount and in the right places. Loved it!
Five, agent Opal. Bloody awesomeness I tell you.
What I did not like:
Just one, the cyber thing. I mean, that whole thing on how the bad guys were defeated in that arena was a bit rushed. Understandably so, as not every reader would be interested in the nuts & bolts of it, I just feel that a little more could have been done.
The master is back with a quality story and you need to read it. Four stars.
What I liked:
One, the juicy tidbits we all know are real and true stuff. The pathfinders, the specific drone attacks which took some specific bad guys out among many others were a treat to a fan like me.
Two, that small episode of what the tracker does in a certain country undercover was quintessential Forsyth. The tension, the thrills were beautiful.
Three, the commando raid was wonderfully put together. I mean, I could almost see it happen in my mind like it would appear to be in a Michael Bay movie. Wonderful!
Four, all the essential ingredients were there in the right amount and in the right places. Loved it!
Five, agent Opal. Bloody awesomeness I tell you.
What I did not like:
Just one, the cyber thing. I mean, that whole thing on how the bad guys were defeated in that arena was a bit rushed. Understandably so, as not every reader would be interested in the nuts & bolts of it, I just feel that a little more could have been done.
The master is back with a quality story and you need to read it. Four stars.
October 1, 2013
For a Frederick Forsyth novel, this has been a disappointing read...
What started out to be a very promising premise, ended on a 'clean' damp squib, with no major revelations, turning points, empathy, memorable quotes, points of reflection or hair-raising, edge-of-seat action.
When you consider master works like Icon, The Fourth Protocol and Fist of God, this book is almost forgettable. Who can forget the spymaster Nigel Irvine, the maverick Jason Monk of Icon, the tenacious John Preston of Fourth Protocol, the wily Sam McCready of the Deceiver? In comparison to those, as well as the well-developed characters and antagonists in the 4 earlier works mentioned in this para, the characters in this novel are one dimensional and under-developed.
Hence, the book as a whole is underwhelming...
I so much wish to read the hard-hitting, memorable dialogues and writing such as the final conversation between John Preston and Andries DeVries in Fourth Protocol, the quirky understatement of Sir Nigel Irvine, the description of SAS's memorial to its fallen heroes at the end of Fist of God...
What started out to be a very promising premise, ended on a 'clean' damp squib, with no major revelations, turning points, empathy, memorable quotes, points of reflection or hair-raising, edge-of-seat action.
When you consider master works like Icon, The Fourth Protocol and Fist of God, this book is almost forgettable. Who can forget the spymaster Nigel Irvine, the maverick Jason Monk of Icon, the tenacious John Preston of Fourth Protocol, the wily Sam McCready of the Deceiver? In comparison to those, as well as the well-developed characters and antagonists in the 4 earlier works mentioned in this para, the characters in this novel are one dimensional and under-developed.
Hence, the book as a whole is underwhelming...
I so much wish to read the hard-hitting, memorable dialogues and writing such as the final conversation between John Preston and Andries DeVries in Fourth Protocol, the quirky understatement of Sir Nigel Irvine, the description of SAS's memorial to its fallen heroes at the end of Fist of God...
September 11, 2022
4.5 Stars! Frederick Forsyth is, simply put, a master of international espionage. His research is impeccable and illuminating. This new novel is a complex and compelling read. His story plot is enthralling, and he captures the reader's interest with his incredibly skillful craft as an author. The characters are full and dynamic as they push the plot line forward with edge-of-your-seat suspense. I am never disappointed with Mr. Forsyth's political thrillers!
June 7, 2022
3,75 sterren - Nederlandse paperback
Zowel in Amerika als in Groot-Brittanië worden mensen vermoord in naam van Allah. De daders zijn inwijkelingen uit landen waar de islam de religie is. Tot vlak voor de moorden zijn ze niet fanatiek. Ze zijn opgehitst door de prediker die iedereen oproept de ongelovige te doden.
Door de boodschappen van de prediker op internet komt hij op nummer 1 te staan van de dodenlijst. De personen daarop moeten met toestemming van de president gedood worden met alle ter beschikking staande middelen. Tracker krijgt de opdracht.
Het was mijn eersre kennismaking met Frederick Forsyth. Een aangename schrijfstijl die je betrokken houdt. Alsof het een soort documentaire is vertelt het ook over geheime diensten en actuele zaken als piraterij. Veel spanning en actie zoals gewend bij Frederick Forsyth, maar ik had wat problemen met de arabisch klinkende namen.
Zowel in Amerika als in Groot-Brittanië worden mensen vermoord in naam van Allah. De daders zijn inwijkelingen uit landen waar de islam de religie is. Tot vlak voor de moorden zijn ze niet fanatiek. Ze zijn opgehitst door de prediker die iedereen oproept de ongelovige te doden.
Door de boodschappen van de prediker op internet komt hij op nummer 1 te staan van de dodenlijst. De personen daarop moeten met toestemming van de president gedood worden met alle ter beschikking staande middelen. Tracker krijgt de opdracht.
Het was mijn eersre kennismaking met Frederick Forsyth. Een aangename schrijfstijl die je betrokken houdt. Alsof het een soort documentaire is vertelt het ook over geheime diensten en actuele zaken als piraterij. Veel spanning en actie zoals gewend bij Frederick Forsyth, maar ik had wat problemen met de arabisch klinkende namen.
August 27, 2013
Over the years, I've read practically every book Forsyth has written. I'm a fan. I liked this book much more than Cobra, and I think over the past fifteen years the author is at his best when the focus is on the Mid-East.
There are guy books and gal books, and some that please both. This is definitely a guy book, and in fact women very rarely feature in it, except in some kind of 'filler' role.
It's a classic Forsyth saga, if you excuse the pun, with a binary world of right and wrong, strong men who fix it and go home, and no moral qualms.
It's not a book that will make you overthink the complexities of Islam and the West, which is the way most will prefer things—nice and simple.
It's the first time I went digital with this author, and I must say it was a delight to find my little tablet got busy all on its own downloading it for me on August 22nd, since I had pre-ordered it. Because Forsyth is so obsessive about getting the detail in there, and getting it right, digital is an excellent medium for this. It's child's play to look up some of the more esoteric bits, such as the money transfer corporation Dahabshiil.
As Frederick Forsyth points out in an interview, the internet has made it increasingly critical to get the facts right, although that should be a must for any author. In one of my books, The India Road I remember spending a good deal of time on the origin of plane trees (Iran as I recall) to establish whether they could have been present in XVth century Lisbon, and in researching when clocks with hands were first around, so one of the characters could talk about clockwise circulation in the Atlantic Ocean.
I've usually got about five books on the go, but a couple of authors jump the queue whenever they release a new one—Frederick Forsyth is one of those.
In this digital age, it should be easy to determine the ratio of ladies to gentlemen that read this book, not least by the number of reviews from each gender. I'll wait for this list to grow and revisit the issue, when the sample size is more significant.
There are guy books and gal books, and some that please both. This is definitely a guy book, and in fact women very rarely feature in it, except in some kind of 'filler' role.
It's a classic Forsyth saga, if you excuse the pun, with a binary world of right and wrong, strong men who fix it and go home, and no moral qualms.
It's not a book that will make you overthink the complexities of Islam and the West, which is the way most will prefer things—nice and simple.
It's the first time I went digital with this author, and I must say it was a delight to find my little tablet got busy all on its own downloading it for me on August 22nd, since I had pre-ordered it. Because Forsyth is so obsessive about getting the detail in there, and getting it right, digital is an excellent medium for this. It's child's play to look up some of the more esoteric bits, such as the money transfer corporation Dahabshiil.
As Frederick Forsyth points out in an interview, the internet has made it increasingly critical to get the facts right, although that should be a must for any author. In one of my books, The India Road I remember spending a good deal of time on the origin of plane trees (Iran as I recall) to establish whether they could have been present in XVth century Lisbon, and in researching when clocks with hands were first around, so one of the characters could talk about clockwise circulation in the Atlantic Ocean.
I've usually got about five books on the go, but a couple of authors jump the queue whenever they release a new one—Frederick Forsyth is one of those.
In this digital age, it should be easy to determine the ratio of ladies to gentlemen that read this book, not least by the number of reviews from each gender. I'll wait for this list to grow and revisit the issue, when the sample size is more significant.
August 12, 2013
This is my first Frederick Forsyth book and maybe it won't be my last as whilst I did enjoy this book I am led to believe that his earlier work is far superior so I am interested to check his earlier work out. The Kill List follows the Tracker (Kit Carson) as he tries to hunt down the Preacher who is radicalizing young Muslims to carry out assassinations around the world. The Preacher makes it personal to Kit meaning he will stop at nothing to hunt down this person.
The book felt quite short. There wasn't much action or suspense but I found the book felt incredibly realistic and that the storyline could happen in real life. Until the last part of the book however when it really picked up and I just had to reach the end! Some authors rely on being too over the top in their scenes, they have a death on every other page and their characters often find themselves in silly situations. Instead here we have a great character in Kit and despite it being a little mundane at times following him from a to b he was a fantastic character. However I feel had the book been a bit longer then we could have learnt more about Kit and indeed all the other characters that were in the book. I really liked the character of Ariel who is a computer nerd of sorts with Asperger's who is recruited by Kit in his quest to hunt down the Preacher.
I enjoyed reading about all the different intelligence agencies and how they came together in the hunt for the Preacher. One thing I didn't like is the author kept on writing paragraphs such as 'later, so and so would discover' or 'it wouldn't be until the next day that' etc and I'm not a fan of writing like this. (Those are made up quotes and not from the actual book). Also I'm not an expert in this field by any means and certain things just went straight over my head but I knew enough to be able to follow and enjoy this story and would definitely reccommend it.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Net Galley
The book felt quite short. There wasn't much action or suspense but I found the book felt incredibly realistic and that the storyline could happen in real life. Until the last part of the book however when it really picked up and I just had to reach the end! Some authors rely on being too over the top in their scenes, they have a death on every other page and their characters often find themselves in silly situations. Instead here we have a great character in Kit and despite it being a little mundane at times following him from a to b he was a fantastic character. However I feel had the book been a bit longer then we could have learnt more about Kit and indeed all the other characters that were in the book. I really liked the character of Ariel who is a computer nerd of sorts with Asperger's who is recruited by Kit in his quest to hunt down the Preacher.
I enjoyed reading about all the different intelligence agencies and how they came together in the hunt for the Preacher. One thing I didn't like is the author kept on writing paragraphs such as 'later, so and so would discover' or 'it wouldn't be until the next day that' etc and I'm not a fan of writing like this. (Those are made up quotes and not from the actual book). Also I'm not an expert in this field by any means and certain things just went straight over my head but I knew enough to be able to follow and enjoy this story and would definitely reccommend it.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Net Galley
August 16, 2013
I won an ARC of this book from Goodreads.
I like Forsyth's style; very manly and masculine writing. Imagine a bit of Ludlum with a lot of adventure spirit from Cussler, Marines, and a lot of testosterone in a bit of documentary style writing. Action. Interesting characters, and everyone has some good stories behind them, helping them drive the story forward. Just perfect for the manly reads on a holiday or when you want to feel like you were on a holiday.
In The Kill List, we follow The Tracker who is trying to hunt down a big and bad terrorist, The Preacher. Several killings have happened in the US and UK that were inspired or caused by the teachings of The Preacher. Radical Islam packaged in clear English, and the terrorists inspired by him were all already living in the West. The Preacher is the root of all Evil, so he must catch him. There's a second story line with the infiltration and with a cargo ship hijacking, and they'll all fit.
A bit formulaic perhaps, but enjoyable. Very current in the events and recent history of the real life.
Maybe The Terrorism [TM] and counterterrorism is now (finally) filling the void left by the end of the Cold War, and by Ludlum. While I enjoyed this - and The Afghan recently - I have some of the first Forsyths on my shopping list. I will love to see how they compare.
If you like your books very manly, and with a lot of action, adventures, and the Marines spirit, you can't go wrong with Forsyth.
I like Forsyth's style; very manly and masculine writing. Imagine a bit of Ludlum with a lot of adventure spirit from Cussler, Marines, and a lot of testosterone in a bit of documentary style writing. Action. Interesting characters, and everyone has some good stories behind them, helping them drive the story forward. Just perfect for the manly reads on a holiday or when you want to feel like you were on a holiday.
In The Kill List, we follow The Tracker who is trying to hunt down a big and bad terrorist, The Preacher. Several killings have happened in the US and UK that were inspired or caused by the teachings of The Preacher. Radical Islam packaged in clear English, and the terrorists inspired by him were all already living in the West. The Preacher is the root of all Evil, so he must catch him. There's a second story line with the infiltration and with a cargo ship hijacking, and they'll all fit.
A bit formulaic perhaps, but enjoyable. Very current in the events and recent history of the real life.
Maybe The Terrorism [TM] and counterterrorism is now (finally) filling the void left by the end of the Cold War, and by Ludlum. While I enjoyed this - and The Afghan recently - I have some of the first Forsyths on my shopping list. I will love to see how they compare.
If you like your books very manly, and with a lot of action, adventures, and the Marines spirit, you can't go wrong with Forsyth.
August 21, 2017
En algún lugar de las profunidades de internet se conserva el Generador Automático de Novelas de Dan Brown, un software de última generación con el que combinando ciento seis elementos distintos en orden aleatorio (siendo los únicos elementos fijos el profesor Robert Langdon y una muchacha treinta años menor que él) y accionando una manivela se produce el siguiente tocho de novecientas páginas.
Probablemente existe algo muy parecido para las novelas de Forsyth, sólo que intercambiando a Langdon por un varón blanco de mediana edad random y a la jovencita por un soldado raso de 19 años o personaje asimilable. El enemigo mortal puede ser cualquiera (la droga, un terrorista islámico, Chacal, la vecina del quinto que pone Despacito atronando todo el puto día) pero el desarrollo de la trama será siempre parecido: habrá enormes cantidades de alta tecnología que será sistemáticamente enumerada, participarán soldados de élite de equipos de élite de unidades de élite de ejércitos de élite (hay seis personas así en el mundo, se dedican todos a hacer de personajes de Forsyth) y la acción saltará frenéticamente entre Langley (Virginia), media docena de ciudades europeas y un par de localizaciones en el culo del tercer mundo.
Leer a Forsyth es la misma clase de placer culpable que comer chocolate de madrugada, fumar un cigarrillo en los baños del aeropuerto o, bueno, leer a Dan Brown. Agosto es lo que tiene.
Probablemente existe algo muy parecido para las novelas de Forsyth, sólo que intercambiando a Langdon por un varón blanco de mediana edad random y a la jovencita por un soldado raso de 19 años o personaje asimilable. El enemigo mortal puede ser cualquiera (la droga, un terrorista islámico, Chacal, la vecina del quinto que pone Despacito atronando todo el puto día) pero el desarrollo de la trama será siempre parecido: habrá enormes cantidades de alta tecnología que será sistemáticamente enumerada, participarán soldados de élite de equipos de élite de unidades de élite de ejércitos de élite (hay seis personas así en el mundo, se dedican todos a hacer de personajes de Forsyth) y la acción saltará frenéticamente entre Langley (Virginia), media docena de ciudades europeas y un par de localizaciones en el culo del tercer mundo.
Leer a Forsyth es la misma clase de placer culpable que comer chocolate de madrugada, fumar un cigarrillo en los baños del aeropuerto o, bueno, leer a Dan Brown. Agosto es lo que tiene.
Read
December 12, 2013With his latest novel, The Kill List, Frederick Forsyth has come full circle since writing the timeless book, The Day of the Jackal. He returned to the formula that has made him a classic political thriller writer, using his journalistic instincts to make them relevant and realistic.
The reader can draw upon similarities between his first novel, The Day of the Jackal, and his latest, The Kill List. Both books were influenced by real life events: the Jackal is hired to kill French President Charles De Gaulle while President Obama chooses which terrorists shall live and which shall die from “a kill list.” Both books go into great detail about the worldwide hunt for the antagonist.
The author has meticulously researched his book that is strong on insider knowledge about the military, high tech espionage, the existence of a government agency, Technical Operations Support Activity (TOSA), and the thinking of terrorists. Since he started writing this book three years ago it appears he was aware of information before it became public.
The Kill List shows how governments use all means available to win the war on terrorism and hunt down the jihadists. It has topical issues that face the US and England today. Through a very entertaining story Forsyth is able to give details of the processes, organizations, and equipment needed to find the terrorists.
The reader can draw upon similarities between his first novel, The Day of the Jackal, and his latest, The Kill List. Both books were influenced by real life events: the Jackal is hired to kill French President Charles De Gaulle while President Obama chooses which terrorists shall live and which shall die from “a kill list.” Both books go into great detail about the worldwide hunt for the antagonist.
The author has meticulously researched his book that is strong on insider knowledge about the military, high tech espionage, the existence of a government agency, Technical Operations Support Activity (TOSA), and the thinking of terrorists. Since he started writing this book three years ago it appears he was aware of information before it became public.
The Kill List shows how governments use all means available to win the war on terrorism and hunt down the jihadists. It has topical issues that face the US and England today. Through a very entertaining story Forsyth is able to give details of the processes, organizations, and equipment needed to find the terrorists.
October 13, 2013
A great read despite the flaws.
A typical Forsyth - pacy, extraordinarily confident, well researched. I'm delighted that the master is still at his craft. A great read that I finished in two sittings. Difficult to put down. Highly recommended. Not as good as Day of the Jackal or Odessa File.
The flaws are a matter of detail, and primarily about the lack of appreciation of the Middle-eastern mindset. 1. That an online preacher with no intermediary could wield such enormous influence is not credible. Yes, it is convenient for the plot. 2. Then, 3. The author raises the question "Why do they hate Americans?", and answers this complex issue very superficially, almost offhandedly.
The flaws are perhaps more visible to Asian minds than to western ones. The book is good, and is primarily about American and British intelligence. It's not about Islamic fundamentalism or the Preacher (the antagonist). Replace the Preacher with some megalomaniac criminal, and the story will work just as well. The Preacher is incidental.
A typical Forsyth - pacy, extraordinarily confident, well researched. I'm delighted that the master is still at his craft. A great read that I finished in two sittings. Difficult to put down. Highly recommended. Not as good as Day of the Jackal or Odessa File.
The flaws are a matter of detail, and primarily about the lack of appreciation of the Middle-eastern mindset. 1. That an online preacher with no intermediary could wield such enormous influence is not credible. Yes, it is convenient for the plot. 2. Then, 3. The author raises the question "Why do they hate Americans?", and answers this complex issue very superficially, almost offhandedly.
The flaws are perhaps more visible to Asian minds than to western ones. The book is good, and is primarily about American and British intelligence. It's not about Islamic fundamentalism or the Preacher (the antagonist). Replace the Preacher with some megalomaniac criminal, and the story will work just as well. The Preacher is incidental.
January 10, 2014
This interesting well done novel holds interest throughout. I only wish the ending were a bit more expanded. 9 of 10 stars
January 21, 2019
I was confused at first when I was reading the book... There were too many questions I had in mind. But this book proved itself to be a good read for a person who loves Mystery-Thrillers!!! :'D
June 1, 2021
Que me lo pasé pipa con esta frenética novela de uno de los maestros del género. Digo.
El prota: Seal, marine y la reostia en verso.
El malo: islamista, claro, que está escrita en 2013.
Las ubicaciones de la novela: países de Occidente, Oriente Medio, Asia...de tó.
La trama: trepidante, bien narrada, con intriga, complicada pero perfectamente entendible.
Resumen: que lo pillas y te vas a entretener si perdonas unos cuanto clichés en historia y, sobre todo, en personajes.
El prota: Seal, marine y la reostia en verso.
El malo: islamista, claro, que está escrita en 2013.
Las ubicaciones de la novela: países de Occidente, Oriente Medio, Asia...de tó.
La trama: trepidante, bien narrada, con intriga, complicada pero perfectamente entendible.
Resumen: que lo pillas y te vas a entretener si perdonas unos cuanto clichés en historia y, sobre todo, en personajes.
October 15, 2020
It was a nice reading but only the last part was a page turner book. I would like to give 3.5 stars but it is not possible, so I will give him 4.
I got what I was looking for ( thriller, comandos, spies etc) but it was to smooth, very predictable.
My next reading I am going to try another author, but the same line ¿any advice ?
I got what I was looking for ( thriller, comandos, spies etc) but it was to smooth, very predictable.
My next reading I am going to try another author, but the same line ¿any advice ?
May 27, 2019
Well researched, good pace, holds your interest till the end.
Really enjoyed it!
Really enjoyed it!
January 26, 2016
The Kill List, from spy fiction maestro Frederick Forsyth, is a highly relevant tale tackling modern terrorism.
Taking a page from the real world, The Kill List featured a charismatic terrorist (dubbed “The Preacher”) taking to the internet to radicalize followers around the world and inspire them to acts of Islamic Jihadism. Several high profile murders made The Preacher a high level target in the US and UK. His chief pursuer was an American operative from a secretive anti-terrorism agency, codenamed “Tracker.”
Over the course of several weeks, Tracker embarked on a campaign to identify and flush out the highly protected Preacher. Their inevitable confrontation intersected with an almost routine act of Somali piracy, leading to a brutal showdown in a small desert village.
The Kill List, first published in 2013, was the rare procedural that was especially interested in the actual procedure of spycraft and anti-terror operations. Forsyth has been working this beat for decades, through a variety of global terror iterations (see his classics like The Day of the Jackal and The Odessa File). Forsyth provided a meticulous tour through the complex web of maneuvers, lucky breaks and setbacks that comprise a modern anti-terror operation. He used that to craft a compelling web that inexorably tightened, crafting suspense from his devotion to verisimilitude instead of tarted-up plot manipulations. It was a subtle approach, but also very effective.
Forsyth packed The Kill List with all kinds of smart details and intriguing sequences. The procedure a spy might take to enter a hostile territory or the mechanics behind electronically infiltrating a target’s life played out in fascinating ways. He didn’t stint on action, either. The climax involved a high altitude sky jump into the desert, infiltration of a desert village and a vicious one-on-one final battle between Tracker and The Preacher.
Despite being the two most integral characters in The Kill List, readers don’t really get too deeply into Tracker or The Preacher’s inner lives. Forsyth revealed plenty of facts about both of them, but also kept them at something of a remove. That could have been a detriment in less assured hands, but Forsyth made it a strength. The Preacher was more interesting as a product of the forces that shaped his world view than as another terrorist villain. Keeping Tracker somewhat aloof fit with the highly secretive nature of the character and his mission. Forsyth provided Tracker with an additional personal motivation to hunt down The Preacher, but that almost felt superfluous. The symbolic ideological clash represented by Tracker and The Preacher wound up being more involving.
Forsyth crafted memorable supporting characters for The Kill List. An agoraphobic teen hacker, a slippery negotiator for the ransom demands of the Somali pirates, a Mossad agent in deep cover behind enemy lines and a band of British commandos all were colorful and compelling. They gave the action a nice boost and provided a dynamic background to underline the archetypical Tracker/Preacher action.
For fans of quality, intelligent espionage thrillers, The Kill List is both timely and compelling.
A version of this review originally appeared on www.thunderalleybcp.com
Taking a page from the real world, The Kill List featured a charismatic terrorist (dubbed “The Preacher”) taking to the internet to radicalize followers around the world and inspire them to acts of Islamic Jihadism. Several high profile murders made The Preacher a high level target in the US and UK. His chief pursuer was an American operative from a secretive anti-terrorism agency, codenamed “Tracker.”
Over the course of several weeks, Tracker embarked on a campaign to identify and flush out the highly protected Preacher. Their inevitable confrontation intersected with an almost routine act of Somali piracy, leading to a brutal showdown in a small desert village.
The Kill List, first published in 2013, was the rare procedural that was especially interested in the actual procedure of spycraft and anti-terror operations. Forsyth has been working this beat for decades, through a variety of global terror iterations (see his classics like The Day of the Jackal and The Odessa File). Forsyth provided a meticulous tour through the complex web of maneuvers, lucky breaks and setbacks that comprise a modern anti-terror operation. He used that to craft a compelling web that inexorably tightened, crafting suspense from his devotion to verisimilitude instead of tarted-up plot manipulations. It was a subtle approach, but also very effective.
Forsyth packed The Kill List with all kinds of smart details and intriguing sequences. The procedure a spy might take to enter a hostile territory or the mechanics behind electronically infiltrating a target’s life played out in fascinating ways. He didn’t stint on action, either. The climax involved a high altitude sky jump into the desert, infiltration of a desert village and a vicious one-on-one final battle between Tracker and The Preacher.
Despite being the two most integral characters in The Kill List, readers don’t really get too deeply into Tracker or The Preacher’s inner lives. Forsyth revealed plenty of facts about both of them, but also kept them at something of a remove. That could have been a detriment in less assured hands, but Forsyth made it a strength. The Preacher was more interesting as a product of the forces that shaped his world view than as another terrorist villain. Keeping Tracker somewhat aloof fit with the highly secretive nature of the character and his mission. Forsyth provided Tracker with an additional personal motivation to hunt down The Preacher, but that almost felt superfluous. The symbolic ideological clash represented by Tracker and The Preacher wound up being more involving.
Forsyth crafted memorable supporting characters for The Kill List. An agoraphobic teen hacker, a slippery negotiator for the ransom demands of the Somali pirates, a Mossad agent in deep cover behind enemy lines and a band of British commandos all were colorful and compelling. They gave the action a nice boost and provided a dynamic background to underline the archetypical Tracker/Preacher action.
For fans of quality, intelligent espionage thrillers, The Kill List is both timely and compelling.
A version of this review originally appeared on www.thunderalleybcp.com
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