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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-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:
Yes
This book took some time to get into, but I really enjoyed it. Excellent book!
It took me much longer to finish this than I would ordinarily have, and is the first (and last) book I'll read in this series. The pace was incredibly slow, there wasn't a ton of action, and the ending was a letdown.
There's the quiet, but stoic lead male, the woman in love with the leading man, but who can't have him, the spymaster moving his pawns on the board without any humanity, the bad guy who is dying and who will commit suicide by cop during this last mission, a woman who is his helper (and who is also a sociopath), and supporting characters who are instantly forgettable unless they are doing stupid things (see next).
There is also a lot of poor security, asset-wise, which just brings the entire ending down into implausibility land: the bad guy poses as a waiter and just shows up at the meeting of said assets (leaders of states), manages to get through Some Guy who allows the bad guy in even though he isn't on the list, and without holding him to check him out (like, maybe he's carrying a gun), then gets through to his target by just telling a guard that someone told him to deliver a tray to the target's office - again, without holding him and searching him. It's very silly, after a book filled with people taking two hours to go through counter-surveillance routines.
If you like action in your mysteries/thrillers, this is not it. The most action happens toward the end when the woman pining for the main character is taken away unexpectedly by the bad guy, who knows she's working for the other side - something the main character says is a possibility to the spymaster, but who doesn't make much of an effort to deal with by calling off the mission.
If you're in a place where you have nothing else to read, well, you have what you have. Otherwise, skip this.
There's the quiet, but stoic lead male, the woman in love with the leading man, but who can't have him, the spymaster moving his pawns on the board without any humanity, the bad guy who is dying and who will commit suicide by cop during this last mission, a woman who is his helper (and who is also a sociopath), and supporting characters who are instantly forgettable unless they are doing stupid things (see next).
There is also a lot of poor security, asset-wise, which just brings the entire ending down into implausibility land: the bad guy poses as a waiter and just shows up at the meeting of said assets (leaders of states), manages to get through Some Guy who allows the bad guy in even though he isn't on the list, and without holding him to check him out (like, maybe he's carrying a gun), then gets through to his target by just telling a guard that someone told him to deliver a tray to the target's office - again, without holding him and searching him. It's very silly, after a book filled with people taking two hours to go through counter-surveillance routines.
If you like action in your mysteries/thrillers, this is not it. The most action happens toward the end when the woman pining for the main character is taken away unexpectedly by the bad guy, who knows she's working for the other side - something the main character says is a possibility to the spymaster, but who doesn't make much of an effort to deal with by calling off the mission.
If you're in a place where you have nothing else to read, well, you have what you have. Otherwise, skip this.
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was recommended to me as both an excellent story with good insight into the state of affairs in the Middle East. I have to agree. I look forward to reading more in the series
Plot (Story / Pacing / Ending): 4/5
Characters (Characters / Development): 4/5
Writing (Prose / Dialogue / Style): 4/5
Other (Enjoyment / Read Pace / Worldbuilding / Etc): 5/5
Characters (Characters / Development): 4/5
Writing (Prose / Dialogue / Style): 4/5
Other (Enjoyment / Read Pace / Worldbuilding / Etc): 5/5
a thrilling page turner...especially the last fifty pages...
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Like the story, but they characters are so unlikeable. Silva knows how to write so that's a plus.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced