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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
I AM PILGRIM is screenwriter Terry Hayes' debut novel, which I would not have picked without knowing the background up front. Obviously written with a keen visual sense, the novel doesn't read like a screen treatment or a movie script. This is a good old fashioned, seat of the pants, keep you up way past your bedtime, spy thriller.
A lengthy book, which when reading in ebook format, didn't even enter my mind. It was only when I noticed a paperback copy on the shelves of a bookshop that it suddenly dawned on me that this is a doorstopper of a thing. Which is even greater testament to just how good it is. At no stage did the length become noticeable. There wasn't even the suspicion of padding.
Reminiscent of the very best of the Cold War spy thrillers, this story moves through a vast and varied landscape from deep in the Hindu Kush, through Turkey, New York and Saudi Arabia, whilst taking the reader on a journey mostly via the narrator's viewpoint. Man of action, retired spy specialist, ghost author of a book on his own exploits and expertise, cleverly he is both hero and questionable. Perhaps an unreliable narrator. Whilst guessing about Pilgrim's motivations there is no doubting the threat that he is attempting to stop - genocide on a massive basis, aimed directly at the United States. And so very cleverly executed that when the methodology is finally revealed, well it was breathtakingly believable.
Along the way there are alternative viewpoints explored. This gives the author a chance to expand on events, exploiting the possibility of questionable motives in the main character, pulling the all action hero back into a more human, flawed man who may not prevail. Giving the action, the possible outcomes an edge which was beautifully done.
There have been rather a lot of fundamentalist religious storylines explored in thrillers that I've been asked to look at recently. In a lot of cases the black and whiteness of the villains and the heroes is too emphatic, way too simplistic. There have also been a number of examples that have tried, overly hard perhaps, to be fair to all sides of the argument. I AM PILGRIM is the first book in a long time that I've read that actually spells out a realistic scenario that this reader, probably naively, could accept. Even with the magnitude of the threat, there's the facility for some understanding of the motivation - if you're of a mind. If not, the inevitability of the toll for stopping the threat is equally open for exploration. It's up to the reader to decide, and that was such a refreshing experience when reading a thriller it stood out. It was not afraid to do that with a dash of James Bond and George Smiley woven together to make the whole thing a fabulous yarn into the bargain.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/i-am-pilgrim-terry-hayes
A lengthy book, which when reading in ebook format, didn't even enter my mind. It was only when I noticed a paperback copy on the shelves of a bookshop that it suddenly dawned on me that this is a doorstopper of a thing. Which is even greater testament to just how good it is. At no stage did the length become noticeable. There wasn't even the suspicion of padding.
Reminiscent of the very best of the Cold War spy thrillers, this story moves through a vast and varied landscape from deep in the Hindu Kush, through Turkey, New York and Saudi Arabia, whilst taking the reader on a journey mostly via the narrator's viewpoint. Man of action, retired spy specialist, ghost author of a book on his own exploits and expertise, cleverly he is both hero and questionable. Perhaps an unreliable narrator. Whilst guessing about Pilgrim's motivations there is no doubting the threat that he is attempting to stop - genocide on a massive basis, aimed directly at the United States. And so very cleverly executed that when the methodology is finally revealed, well it was breathtakingly believable.
Along the way there are alternative viewpoints explored. This gives the author a chance to expand on events, exploiting the possibility of questionable motives in the main character, pulling the all action hero back into a more human, flawed man who may not prevail. Giving the action, the possible outcomes an edge which was beautifully done.
There have been rather a lot of fundamentalist religious storylines explored in thrillers that I've been asked to look at recently. In a lot of cases the black and whiteness of the villains and the heroes is too emphatic, way too simplistic. There have also been a number of examples that have tried, overly hard perhaps, to be fair to all sides of the argument. I AM PILGRIM is the first book in a long time that I've read that actually spells out a realistic scenario that this reader, probably naively, could accept. Even with the magnitude of the threat, there's the facility for some understanding of the motivation - if you're of a mind. If not, the inevitability of the toll for stopping the threat is equally open for exploration. It's up to the reader to decide, and that was such a refreshing experience when reading a thriller it stood out. It was not afraid to do that with a dash of James Bond and George Smiley woven together to make the whole thing a fabulous yarn into the bargain.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/i-am-pilgrim-terry-hayes
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I was so freaking confused for majority of the book. All the weaving timelines was a struggle for me to keep them all straight. For the most part I liked it but I think I had too high of expectations for how I felt when it was over.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Currently my favourite book to date, fast paced and gripping from the start
The disturbingly graphic opening scene was too much for me (especially in audio) and it didn't seem to get more interesting as I listened a bit further, so it is relegated to the "did not finish it" shelf. Might've liked it if I'd stuck it out though since two reader friends gave it high marks.
alrighty it’s been 2 years since i last read this bad boy, still holds up and i love it. think i’ve read it maybe 5 times but it’s not quite as great as i remember. interesting what things i forgot about it.
plot is great wow 5/5, lots of different stories going on, all can be tied together in some way. don’t like crime and spy books but this is an exception.
forgotten how irritating the protagonist can be - huge ego, he really stresses how “handsome, charming and sexy” he is. hmmm pass.
author is a bit misogynistic, not enough that it’s glaring but you do notice it. also i think it doesn’t have the best depictions of the many middle eastern characters in the book - it’s like every american is a goodie, almost every middle eastern, afghan, turk and greek is a baddie. not great.
anywho, i recommend
plot is great wow 5/5, lots of different stories going on, all can be tied together in some way. don’t like crime and spy books but this is an exception.
forgotten how irritating the protagonist can be - huge ego, he really stresses how “handsome, charming and sexy” he is. hmmm pass.
author is a bit misogynistic, not enough that it’s glaring but you do notice it. also i think it doesn’t have the best depictions of the many middle eastern characters in the book - it’s like every american is a goodie, almost every middle eastern, afghan, turk and greek is a baddie. not great.
anywho, i recommend
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book will be many things to many people but I reckon it basically boils down to this - do you like your novels high octane, highly visual and very very gripping? If yes, then read this book. No, it's not the most cerebral book you'll come across. No, it's not always realistic either but guess what? I'll never let realism get in the way of a good story. Go forth...