The Kill List: A Terrorism Thriller Paperback – August 5, 2014

Peel away the thin veneer of our comfortable ordered existence to reveal a dark underworld of bad actors who mix power, ideology or religous passion with ammunition. A world where trained professionals in the military and intelligence fields stalk these actors in the shadows in order to keep them from our doorstep. Few novelists are as skilled as Frederick Forsyth in negotiating this dark landscape and its associated states of nature. With his latest novel, The Kill List, the author spins yet another trademark yarn of espionage, murder and deceit, one that will have readers racing to the end and wishing for more.With the Cold War having faded into history, and the KGB only a dim memory, writers in the global espionage genre are faced with a unique challenge. Where will the next stories about the heroic battle of good versus evil come from? After having mined the international drug trade in his last novel, comes now a new look at the scourge of global Islamic terrorism, a topic Forsyth probes with the same level of panache he demonstrated with Soviet adventurism and reprobate Nazi SS officers. Once again, Forsyth summons an otherwise anonymous military figure into action against powerful, evil forces half a world away. Drawing upon his training as an RAF fighter pilot, Forsyth spins his story with his almost encyclopedic knowledge of military tactics and intelligence-gathering practices which readers recognize and enjoy about Forsyth. Better yet, unlike, say, Clancy, the author renders his stories accessible on a human level even if you're not a military enthusiast or veteran of uniform service.Full disclosure: I was a late arrival to Forsyth. A former roomate left a dog eared copy of The Fourth Protocol laying around my apartment after vacating (thank you! Jack). The year was 1986 and the author was well into his collection of acclaimed novels. Protocol changed that for me. I was pulled into the Forsyth wake with the author's story of a tension-filled race to foil a staged atomic explosion on British soil. In Protocol, Forsyth also invited us to contemplate the cruel hoax that was the Soviet economic system. An insight that turned out to be quite prescient. After Protocol, I worked my way through his back catalogue and have followed him ever since. His knowledge of the spy game and military strategy and tactics is well documented. His command of the broad sweep of history is well appreciated. Above all, his ability to spin a crackling great story of twists and turns across continents and nations makes his books exceptional. He is one of the finest writers in this genre if not the finest.Forsyth does not equivocate or wring hands in his tales of good and evil. He casts his characters squarely on either side of the line with an unwavering moral compass. Readers will not be challenged to understand who the bad guys are, which is important in this genre of storytelling, as Kill List hurdles toward its gripping conclusion.The author also reminds us - refreshingly - that the uniform military is not a social welfare or humanitarian relief agency, notwithstanding recent recruiting ads on American television showing the U.S. Army delivering relief supplies in the manner of a latter day Red Cross. In Forsyth's telling, soldiers breach borders, shoot bad guys and break things, and they do it with alarming efficiency and crisp discipline - at least at the elite special forces level. But might never makes right Forsyth's world, and this understanding that military authority flows from legitmate political and even moral authority keeps his stories from spinning out of orbit. He keeps his characters grounded, centered and keenly aware of their limitations, and the permutations of political decision-making as well. This is unlike lesser novelists in this genre who spin comic book fantasies populated with cardboard action heroes (are you listening, Baldacci?).Perhaps the best measure of Forsyth's strength as a novelist is just how poorly his nuanced and textured stories have fared when adapted to the big screen (with perhaps Day of The Jackal the one notable exception). I doubt seriously we will ever see The Kill List on the local mall octoplex anytime soon. Perhaps just as well. Even though he gives voice to Islamic scholars who poignantly rebuke those who would pervert one of the world's great religions, Forsyth's portrayal of murderous radical Islam is uncompromising and unwavering. Readers will be reminded in quite graphic terms precisely what western civilization is up against. Readers will also be reminded to strike 'visit Somalia' from their travel bucket list.Forsyth is getting up there in years and fans don't know how many more novels he has in him. Here's to hoping for many more. The world of books and literature is a poorer place every day Frederick Forsyth is not writing.

Forsyth again braids top war game technology with a nearly impossible scenario for a story with many interlocking parts that all click together for an exciting and satisfying resolution. I recommend this book, but it lacks Forsyth's usual meticulous characterization. For me, the hero remains a bit of a cypher. I don't understand how or why the author could have him be married and then a widower within a couple of paragraphs. This is a well-told tale, but it doesn't work as well as Forsyth's usual standard because it is absent a psychological subplot. I do think it is an invaluable look at what wars of the future will look like.

Over this summer, I've read some other thriller / espionage books, but none of them even came close to Frederick Forsyth, who once again proves that he is the master of thrillers. This book may not be as good as Day of the Jackal or Odessa File, but it's still the best thriller of 2013. Forsyth manages to keep you riveted throughout the book, and his use of explaining how various spy offices are set up, and how he weaves in real people, is fantastic. When reading this book, you can tell that he is meticulous in his research, and the story keeps you reading until late hours of the night. It involves the hunt for a radical Islamist "preacher" and the action shifts between the US, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, the UK, and several other locales. Forsyth describes everything supremely well -- the locations, the equipment being used, how people communicate, etc. I love his style, and if you like any of Forsyth's previous books, you should definitely like this book. I love having the details in the book -- I don't work in espionage, so explaining how a particular office came into existence, or how a communication device works, is very helpful.My only complaint is that once you finish, you know it'll be a few more years until Forsyth comes out with his next book. I already can't wait.Download this book to your Kindle ASAP. You won't be disappointed. Just make sure you've got no pressing commitments.

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Typically a Forsyth story. Researched and detailed to a fine degree. Almost 'been there and done it'. A cracking yarn.

I have read all the Gabrielle Allon books in Daniel Silva's series. Not only are the plots always interesting, but you also learn so much history of Palestine and Israel that is very intricate and enlightening. I like thrillers and especially spy books and Silva's portrayal of the assasin, Gabrielle Allon, never disappoints. Always a great read!!!

Das Themas wirklich gut recherschiert und in eine spannende Handlung verpackt. Forsysth-Freunde dürften auf ihre Kosten kommen. Sinnvolle, aber nicht überzogene Action. Den immer wieder zu lesenden Vorwurf, Forsyth sei langweilig, weil zu viele Recherchedetails die Handlung stören, kann ich nicht nachvollziehen.

Apart from being an excellently written book full of action and plausible plots, the amount of detail and description within pertaining to the shadowy world of terrorism is monumental. How much research and knowledge the author instills throughout this book is awe inspiring. Mostly, I would suspect completly true too. A typical Forsyth novel, but next level in terms of applicability to now. A great read!