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Sean Dillon #18
The Judas Gate
General Charles Ferguson, Commander of the British Prime Minister's private hit squad and adviser to the new president of the United States, has been given a disturbing recording from Afghanistan, on which the murders of American Army Rangers and a British medical team are recorded. About half of the Taliban force voices on the tape are British. One authoritative voice is Irish; code Shamrock. Shocked that one of their own could be responsible for a massacre, General Ferguson tasks Sean Dillon with hunting the traitor. But even as Dillon goes to war, the war is coming to him...
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2010
361 people are currently reading
1354 people want to read
About the author
Jack Higgins
487 books1,283 followersThere is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Jack Higgins was best known of the many pseudonyms of Henry Patterson. (See also Martin Fallon, Harry Patterson, Hugh Marlowe and James Graham.)
He was the New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy thrillers, including The Eagle Has Landed and The Wolf at the Door. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Patterson grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As a child, Patterson was a voracious reader and later credited his passion for reading with fueling his creative drive to be an author. His upbringing in Belfast also exposed him to the political and religious violence that characterized the city at the time. At seven years old, Patterson was caught in gunfire while riding a tram, and later was in a Belfast movie theater when it was bombed. Though he escaped from both attacks unharmed, the turmoil in Northern Ireland would later become a significant influence in his books, many of which prominently feature the Irish Republican Army. After attending grammar school and college in Leeds, England, Patterson joined the British Army and served two years in the Household Cavalry, from 1947 to 1949, stationed along the East German border. He was considered an expert sharpshooter.
Following his military service, Patterson earned a degree in sociology from the London School of Economics, which led to teaching jobs at two English colleges. In 1959, while teaching at James Graham College, Patterson began writing novels, including some under the alias James Graham. As his popularity grew, Patterson left teaching to write full time. With the 1975 publication of the international blockbuster The Eagle Has Landed, which was later made into a movie of the same name starring Michael Caine, Patterson became a regular fixture on bestseller lists. His books draw heavily from history and include prominent figures—such as John Dillinger—and often center around significant events from such conflicts as World War II, the Korean War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Patterson lived in Jersey, in the Channel Islands.
Jack Higgins was best known of the many pseudonyms of Henry Patterson. (See also Martin Fallon, Harry Patterson, Hugh Marlowe and James Graham.)
He was the New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy thrillers, including The Eagle Has Landed and The Wolf at the Door. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Patterson grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As a child, Patterson was a voracious reader and later credited his passion for reading with fueling his creative drive to be an author. His upbringing in Belfast also exposed him to the political and religious violence that characterized the city at the time. At seven years old, Patterson was caught in gunfire while riding a tram, and later was in a Belfast movie theater when it was bombed. Though he escaped from both attacks unharmed, the turmoil in Northern Ireland would later become a significant influence in his books, many of which prominently feature the Irish Republican Army. After attending grammar school and college in Leeds, England, Patterson joined the British Army and served two years in the Household Cavalry, from 1947 to 1949, stationed along the East German border. He was considered an expert sharpshooter.
Following his military service, Patterson earned a degree in sociology from the London School of Economics, which led to teaching jobs at two English colleges. In 1959, while teaching at James Graham College, Patterson began writing novels, including some under the alias James Graham. As his popularity grew, Patterson left teaching to write full time. With the 1975 publication of the international blockbuster The Eagle Has Landed, which was later made into a movie of the same name starring Michael Caine, Patterson became a regular fixture on bestseller lists. His books draw heavily from history and include prominent figures—such as John Dillinger—and often center around significant events from such conflicts as World War II, the Korean War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Patterson lived in Jersey, in the Channel Islands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
May 3, 2022
This started off rather confusing to me where the characters were concerned. The author introduced sevral of them with various scenarios and for me,it became rather lost. I found it hard to follow which character he was focusing on at a given point, for maybe the first 100 pages.
It did somewhat iron out during the middke and the end. The storyline of british agents hunting down an agent for alqueda agent was a nice idea but i found it lacked some sort of jazz to fully grip me. Id say this isnt a 2 but its not a 3 in no way. So a 2.5 would suffice.
(Note: forgive me if this review seems a bit garbled, I'm writing this after having a rather hard night)
It did somewhat iron out during the middke and the end. The storyline of british agents hunting down an agent for alqueda agent was a nice idea but i found it lacked some sort of jazz to fully grip me. Id say this isnt a 2 but its not a 3 in no way. So a 2.5 would suffice.
(Note: forgive me if this review seems a bit garbled, I'm writing this after having a rather hard night)
September 8, 2012
Judas Gate, by Jack Higgins, is one of the dullest, so-called action books I have read. What began as an intriguing, action-filled series staring Sean Dillon has deteriorated into little more than a tale of tedious plotting, endless talking, and almost constant drinking among characters who have lost their individuality. I wonder how the special unit headed by Ferguson can get anything right with all they drinking they do. I also wonder how Shamrock, the Irish-born villain, can plot anything with his constant drinking. Maybe it's the Irish way, according to Higgins; if so, it doesn't paint a very positive portrait of a warm and loving people.
This is one is a disappointment, mostly because the characters keep behaving in unrealistic ways without motivations that make any sense, and because there's lots of cross-over and confusion about who's who among the supposed good guys.
The behavior is the worst part. Supposedly very experienced spies, reformed terrorists, and special forces types blab about secret stuff, tell people things they shouldn't, and generally mouth off in such a way that the other side inevitably hears about it. Then they discover they've been discovered, and walk blithely into danger anyway, which no sensible person who has seen action would do, and manage to overcome all odds to triumph over incredibly inept opposition. This happens repeatedly, and strains the reader's "willing suspension of disbelief".
The locations are meant to be glamourous, but wind up being two-dimensional cardboard backdrops, and inserted not for any particularly believable reason, but because action books clearly need to take place in glamourous locations.
The author relies on three recurring plot devices:
- people whose business is guarding secrets discuss secrets in places where they are easily overheard
- people whose business is guarding secrets discuss secrets with people they ought not to trust
- secrets are divulged on deathbeds.
There is no sense of urgency in what happens in the story. We learn that a dying soldier had accidentally recorded an Irish-speaking commander of a Taliban unit in Afghanistan that had attacked and killed a dozen US. Army Rangers and members of a British medical team, in an ambush. The chase is on, of course, to find that apparent traitor who calls himself Shamrock. We also hear of a mysterious Preacher, the Al Qaeda leader in London, who somehow manages to remain safe as an academic, despite his constantly using a cell phone to contact those he controls, including Shamrock; surely, MI5 should have intercepted his calls, especially with key word recognition programs. Along the way, we hear a lot about the Troubles and their aftermath in Ireland, yet see little of the consequences of that often brutal and tragic period in Irish history. We also hear about the fighting in Afghanistan, but most of the action is off stage; all we get is a lot of talking about it. What was promoted as a revenge novel in which, I imagined, Sean Dillon would go off to Afghanistan and find and destroy Shamrock--or bring him back to the U. K. for trial--became a big disappointment.
Another major issue I have with the novel is the lack of character development through individual portraits. I had to read the first two hundred pages twice to get any sense of each character. They sound alike, use similar phrasing, and are little more than cardboard cutouts, including the villain, Shamrock, as well as secondary characters Higgins introduces. The principals, such as Sean Dillon, General Ferguson, Daniel Holley, and Harry Miller--who should stand out as being sharply etched images--sound alike; with my eyes closed, I could not tell them apart. Even Harry and Billy Salter have lost their individuality as street thugs and are now little more than shallow images of themselves. Indeed, Billy used to be quick-tempered, "muscle" for Harry; in this book, he plays a minor role. In fact, he is even taken out of a critical mission at the end, in the Khufra Marshes of Algeria, by Ferguson (Higgins), after Billy was shot at near point-blank-range in the chest; while saved by a chest protector, he was deemed too weak to go after Shamrock.
What little action is there, occurs sporadically, and doesn't feel or sound believable. We have an amazing shot by Dillon, at dawn, in a pouring rain, off-balance, and at some distance in misty marshes, as he wounds Shamrock, but even that is contrived. We also have an attack on Ferguson in Pakistan, which is also artificial. That attack raises the question of why Ferguson would even go on such a mission; he must be in his 70s by now, and retired. When he does appear, Ferguson plays a minor role in what happens. Even Roper, the highly skilled communications expert and researcher employed by Ferguson, is just another name; we know nothing about how or why he is in the chair and how he manages to thrive on a few hours of sleep. I also wonder how he manages to do his critical work with all the alcohol he drinks. Many of the character details were introduced in previous books; the reader who is new to Higgins needs some of the background details, otherwise he will be completely lost in this novel.
Higgins also seems to have a problem with women. He killed off Hannah Bernstein, an effective member of Ferguson's unit, in an earlier novel; Dillon's lady friend, Monica Starling, is mentioned, but only in passing, being shipped off by Higgins to Harvard; and Shamrock's mother becomes an avenging angel. It is as though Higgins doesn't know what to with his women; so he figuratively get rids of them. As a cheat, Higgins opens the door to a sequel with Shamrock's mother predictably telling Dillon, after her son's funeral service, that she is going to avenge her son's death. This is the same device Higgins used with Kate Rashid in early adventures with Sean Dillon. We know what will happen to Shamrock's mother.
Finally, Higgins irritatingly uses a variation of "and he did," when a characters asks to be told about an event in the story. Rarely do two characters ever share information directly. And, of course, to make a character sound Irish, we have several "Old sods" or Old souls."
The edginess of a taut thriller is is gone in Judas Gate. I have read all of Jack Higgins' work from when he wrote as Harry Patterson through James Graham to today; the Judas Gate is the biggest disappointment so far. I think it is time for Higgins to retire Sean Dillon, as he did with Liam Devlin, and bring in new blood as the driving force in action thrillers, not merely part of more intellectual exercises.
This is one is a disappointment, mostly because the characters keep behaving in unrealistic ways without motivations that make any sense, and because there's lots of cross-over and confusion about who's who among the supposed good guys.
The behavior is the worst part. Supposedly very experienced spies, reformed terrorists, and special forces types blab about secret stuff, tell people things they shouldn't, and generally mouth off in such a way that the other side inevitably hears about it. Then they discover they've been discovered, and walk blithely into danger anyway, which no sensible person who has seen action would do, and manage to overcome all odds to triumph over incredibly inept opposition. This happens repeatedly, and strains the reader's "willing suspension of disbelief".
The locations are meant to be glamourous, but wind up being two-dimensional cardboard backdrops, and inserted not for any particularly believable reason, but because action books clearly need to take place in glamourous locations.
The author relies on three recurring plot devices:
- people whose business is guarding secrets discuss secrets in places where they are easily overheard
- people whose business is guarding secrets discuss secrets with people they ought not to trust
- secrets are divulged on deathbeds.
There is no sense of urgency in what happens in the story. We learn that a dying soldier had accidentally recorded an Irish-speaking commander of a Taliban unit in Afghanistan that had attacked and killed a dozen US. Army Rangers and members of a British medical team, in an ambush. The chase is on, of course, to find that apparent traitor who calls himself Shamrock. We also hear of a mysterious Preacher, the Al Qaeda leader in London, who somehow manages to remain safe as an academic, despite his constantly using a cell phone to contact those he controls, including Shamrock; surely, MI5 should have intercepted his calls, especially with key word recognition programs. Along the way, we hear a lot about the Troubles and their aftermath in Ireland, yet see little of the consequences of that often brutal and tragic period in Irish history. We also hear about the fighting in Afghanistan, but most of the action is off stage; all we get is a lot of talking about it. What was promoted as a revenge novel in which, I imagined, Sean Dillon would go off to Afghanistan and find and destroy Shamrock--or bring him back to the U. K. for trial--became a big disappointment.
Another major issue I have with the novel is the lack of character development through individual portraits. I had to read the first two hundred pages twice to get any sense of each character. They sound alike, use similar phrasing, and are little more than cardboard cutouts, including the villain, Shamrock, as well as secondary characters Higgins introduces. The principals, such as Sean Dillon, General Ferguson, Daniel Holley, and Harry Miller--who should stand out as being sharply etched images--sound alike; with my eyes closed, I could not tell them apart. Even Harry and Billy Salter have lost their individuality as street thugs and are now little more than shallow images of themselves. Indeed, Billy used to be quick-tempered, "muscle" for Harry; in this book, he plays a minor role. In fact, he is even taken out of a critical mission at the end, in the Khufra Marshes of Algeria, by Ferguson (Higgins), after Billy was shot at near point-blank-range in the chest; while saved by a chest protector, he was deemed too weak to go after Shamrock.
What little action is there, occurs sporadically, and doesn't feel or sound believable. We have an amazing shot by Dillon, at dawn, in a pouring rain, off-balance, and at some distance in misty marshes, as he wounds Shamrock, but even that is contrived. We also have an attack on Ferguson in Pakistan, which is also artificial. That attack raises the question of why Ferguson would even go on such a mission; he must be in his 70s by now, and retired. When he does appear, Ferguson plays a minor role in what happens. Even Roper, the highly skilled communications expert and researcher employed by Ferguson, is just another name; we know nothing about how or why he is in the chair and how he manages to thrive on a few hours of sleep. I also wonder how he manages to do his critical work with all the alcohol he drinks. Many of the character details were introduced in previous books; the reader who is new to Higgins needs some of the background details, otherwise he will be completely lost in this novel.
Higgins also seems to have a problem with women. He killed off Hannah Bernstein, an effective member of Ferguson's unit, in an earlier novel; Dillon's lady friend, Monica Starling, is mentioned, but only in passing, being shipped off by Higgins to Harvard; and Shamrock's mother becomes an avenging angel. It is as though Higgins doesn't know what to with his women; so he figuratively get rids of them. As a cheat, Higgins opens the door to a sequel with Shamrock's mother predictably telling Dillon, after her son's funeral service, that she is going to avenge her son's death. This is the same device Higgins used with Kate Rashid in early adventures with Sean Dillon. We know what will happen to Shamrock's mother.
Finally, Higgins irritatingly uses a variation of "and he did," when a characters asks to be told about an event in the story. Rarely do two characters ever share information directly. And, of course, to make a character sound Irish, we have several "Old sods" or Old souls."
The edginess of a taut thriller is is gone in Judas Gate. I have read all of Jack Higgins' work from when he wrote as Harry Patterson through James Graham to today; the Judas Gate is the biggest disappointment so far. I think it is time for Higgins to retire Sean Dillon, as he did with Liam Devlin, and bring in new blood as the driving force in action thrillers, not merely part of more intellectual exercises.
January 23, 2018
This was my first Jack Higgins and it might be my last. To be fair this is book 18 in the series and number 18 is not the right end to start a series. But for all that I'm hard pressed to say anything good about this book. The plot left a lot to be desired. The characters were no more than cardboard cut outs. The pace was like a wet afternoon. When the end came my first reaction was, thank God that's over.
I have friends that tell me the earlier books are good so I might give Mr. Higgins the benefit of the doubt and see how book one works out.
Recommended as cure for insomnia.
I have friends that tell me the earlier books are good so I might give Mr. Higgins the benefit of the doubt and see how book one works out.
Recommended as cure for insomnia.
April 23, 2011
Higgins remains at the top of his form in this latest saga of Sean Dillon, General Ferguson and company as they ferret out the latest of their public enemies when they discover an Irishman is apparently aiding and abetting the enemy in Afghanistan. With only a recording of the voice as a British team is all but destroyed, Dillon and team set out to locate and eliminate this threat to their country. But the enemy has nothing left to lose and attacks from the shadows of anonymity. Twice various members of the team are sent into ambushes – who will come back alive? When the attacks become personal, who will remain unscathed? When the man is brought before them face-to-face, who will recognize him for who and what he really is?
This is the seventy-third title published by Higgins, the eighteenth in the Dillon series. Like most of his books, this is military intrigue, and is also somehow connected to the Irish/English problem that has reigned in those islands for centuries.
Mr. Patterson, I’m a fan!
This is the seventy-third title published by Higgins, the eighteenth in the Dillon series. Like most of his books, this is military intrigue, and is also somehow connected to the Irish/English problem that has reigned in those islands for centuries.
Mr. Patterson, I’m a fan!
April 30, 2011
What can I say about The Judas Gate? Large stretches of boredom, interrupted by moments of "hmmm, time to open my eyes now?" Dillon returns, with a major new character (Daniel Holley) who seems to have no real reason for existing. I usually enjoy Jack Higgins' books for treadmill reading, but this one was a few steps below his usual work. I almost wondered if it was written by a ghostwriter or co-author (as has happened with too many of Tom Clancy's book ideas). but no, it appears to have been written solely by Higgins. Disappointing.
February 9, 2013
This story has a boring middle and lame ending. 2 of 10 stars
January 20, 2017
Not sure how this got on my audio-menu, but it's a stiff upper lip full of DNF.
August 19, 2024
This is a story about a group of high-up but brutally intelligent and capable individuals throughout England and other European areas helping to discover the truths behind theories of Al Qaeda recruiting and utilizing British Muslims from ex-military and everyday life for their cause. It becomes a twisting tale full of deceit, double crosses, action, and mystery as the tale unravels. It comes to a thrilling conclusion and one you wouldn’t expect, and tells the story through showcasing the perspectives of many of the characters all throughout the novel.
For me, this was a flop. I can see how it’s well written for this genre and I can see that it’s part of a larger intricate series based on following the actions and cases of one particular agent in this novel; but overall I really just genuinely didn’t enjoy it. I found myself skimming more often than not and didn’t want to complete the book but I did. I am glad I read it. Venturing into other genres is difficult, but necessary for my growth and reading skills. I think if you like crime novels or mystery or novels about detective work and anti-terrorism, you’d like this. It’s just majorly not my cup of tea.
For me, this was a flop. I can see how it’s well written for this genre and I can see that it’s part of a larger intricate series based on following the actions and cases of one particular agent in this novel; but overall I really just genuinely didn’t enjoy it. I found myself skimming more often than not and didn’t want to complete the book but I did. I am glad I read it. Venturing into other genres is difficult, but necessary for my growth and reading skills. I think if you like crime novels or mystery or novels about detective work and anti-terrorism, you’d like this. It’s just majorly not my cup of tea.
September 21, 2023
Sean Dillon volume eighteen, and after a couple of Dillon-lite instalments, Higgins gets back to basics and restores his phlegmatic anti-hero front and centre of a carefully plotted, sometimes unpredictable thriller that recalls the glory days of the earlier outings. Okay, it’s not world-class Higgins but it definitely earns a place at the higher end of the second division. And with just four Dillon novels left in the bibliography, it hints that all might not entirely be lost in terms of quality control.
August 31, 2021
Not my cup of tea. DNF
June 8, 2024
Same premise with a couple of new twists.
January 13, 2017
If I were to write a letter to this author I would say:
Dear, Mr Jack Higgins, I picked out this book because it really pointed out to me there was something about it that was different. I wanted to know more about Putnam and why it was established, and what does the name of Putnam symbolize. I also wanted to know why this is the name of the book and during what time period did this book involve? Lastly, I wanted to know if this book is compared to a specific time or day in history and were the characters in this book real?
I just wish book would’ve focused more on one thing at a time because one minute your book would explain the situation between Dillon and the war, then the U.S Army Rangers and the British medical teams’ death. You really lost me on those two conflicts in the book. I also didn’t like the fact that there was so much treachery throughout the book with the Afghans in the story and Osama as well.
I would suggest the ending to be not only Sean Dillon dealing with the war while searching for the traitor, but for him to have a team along with him to put the betrayal to an end so Sean doesn’t die at the end by himself. I just wish he would’ve had the president with him to see what he had to deal with by himself and gave Sean some sort of help at the end to give him more hope for finding the traitor.
Shevez Davis
Dear, Mr Jack Higgins, I picked out this book because it really pointed out to me there was something about it that was different. I wanted to know more about Putnam and why it was established, and what does the name of Putnam symbolize. I also wanted to know why this is the name of the book and during what time period did this book involve? Lastly, I wanted to know if this book is compared to a specific time or day in history and were the characters in this book real?
I just wish book would’ve focused more on one thing at a time because one minute your book would explain the situation between Dillon and the war, then the U.S Army Rangers and the British medical teams’ death. You really lost me on those two conflicts in the book. I also didn’t like the fact that there was so much treachery throughout the book with the Afghans in the story and Osama as well.
I would suggest the ending to be not only Sean Dillon dealing with the war while searching for the traitor, but for him to have a team along with him to put the betrayal to an end so Sean doesn’t die at the end by himself. I just wish he would’ve had the president with him to see what he had to deal with by himself and gave Sean some sort of help at the end to give him more hope for finding the traitor.
Shevez Davis
April 30, 2021
Run of the mill, formulaic adventure. I've not read previous books and as this was £18 am not sure whether I would have benefitted from reading earlier books in order to know more about some of the key characters. There seems to be repetition and unnecessary explanation of the plot in the first quarter of the book and the characters do blur into one another as you try and remember who is who. Plenty of examples of "loose lips sink ships" and club lunches that one hopes is not how the current intelligence community does its business!
Lie by the pool and leave your brain in neutral.
Lie by the pool and leave your brain in neutral.
December 21, 2011
This is another book by Jack Higgins about General Charles Ferguson
and the Irish killer Sean Dillon. I've read many books by Jack Higgins
over the years and can honestly say that they have all been very good
page turning thrillers and this one is no exception. So get a copy
and enjoy. This is a good read.
and the Irish killer Sean Dillon. I've read many books by Jack Higgins
over the years and can honestly say that they have all been very good
page turning thrillers and this one is no exception. So get a copy
and enjoy. This is a good read.
July 28, 2015
The theme seemed very cliched to me... The story is fast and lot of action happening here, but somehow, it lacked the engaging quality of a good thriller. It might have been better... An okey-dokey book. Can be easily given a miss.
March 11, 2012
THIS BOOK IS AN ADVENTURE NOVEL. IT HAS A VERY GOOD PLOT GOOD CHARACTERS. AVERY FAST READ WITH AN UP TO DATE TIME LINE.THIS BOOK IS JUST EXCELLENT. THIS IS A BOOK I WOULD HIGHLY RECIMEND.
January 30, 2018
Jack Higgins was my favourite author as a teenager. And then I revisited him with 'Judas Gate' when I was in my 30s...and found that he has not aged well.
To start off, the book is clearly, obviously ghostwritten, and lazily ghostwritten at that. There seems to have not been a single drop of passion injected into the project at any stage, and it comes off exactly as it is: a sleazy money-grabbing exercise.
The idea of Dillon and Ferguson being super-deadly-secret-agents at this stage is laughable. Dillon must be pushing 70, and Ferguson must be close to 90. Of course, since then, there have been another four Sean Dillon novels, go figure. Any author with a modicum of respect for their own creations would have retired or killed off Dillon and Ferguson by now, but not Jack Higgins.
Every character in the novel is ridiculous. They spend so much time guzzling whiskey, no matter whether they're fundamentalist Muslims or major political leaders, that they all must have spent the entire duration of the novel horribly drunk.
All of Higgins's traditional set-pieces are on display, so the book is entirely without surprise or tension; however, there is one quirk added: rather than having the set pieces play out, Higgins has them all happen 'off-camera', with the reader only being informed of them through off-handed remarks by the various characters.
I have never seen such lazy cynicism in my entire life. Avoid this, and every Sean Dillon book after The President's Daughter, like the plague.
To start off, the book is clearly, obviously ghostwritten, and lazily ghostwritten at that. There seems to have not been a single drop of passion injected into the project at any stage, and it comes off exactly as it is: a sleazy money-grabbing exercise.
The idea of Dillon and Ferguson being super-deadly-secret-agents at this stage is laughable. Dillon must be pushing 70, and Ferguson must be close to 90. Of course, since then, there have been another four Sean Dillon novels, go figure. Any author with a modicum of respect for their own creations would have retired or killed off Dillon and Ferguson by now, but not Jack Higgins.
Every character in the novel is ridiculous. They spend so much time guzzling whiskey, no matter whether they're fundamentalist Muslims or major political leaders, that they all must have spent the entire duration of the novel horribly drunk.
All of Higgins's traditional set-pieces are on display, so the book is entirely without surprise or tension; however, there is one quirk added: rather than having the set pieces play out, Higgins has them all happen 'off-camera', with the reader only being informed of them through off-handed remarks by the various characters.
I have never seen such lazy cynicism in my entire life. Avoid this, and every Sean Dillon book after The President's Daughter, like the plague.
March 31, 2024
Afganistan'da İngiliz birliklerine mücahitler saldırmıştır. Ama telsiz konuşmalarında Shamrock adında biri Sean'a huzurla uyu demiştir. Bu da Ferguson'un dikkatini çeker. İngilizlerden mücahitlik yapanlar vardır. Shamrock, babasıyla yıldızı barışmayan eski savaş kahramanı Justin Talbot'tur. Daniel Holley, Cezayir'de legal yollarla ticaretini yaparken bu olayı duyunca Ferguson'a yardım etmeye karar verir ve Londra'ya gelir. Giles Roper, Salter'lar ve tabii ki Dillon da işe başlar. Talbot'un yanında arkadaşı Sean'ın babası ve eski IRA yöneticisi Jack Kelly vardır. Babası ölen Talbot eve gelir. Cenaze törenine Dillon'un isteği ise amcası gider ama Talbot tarafından araba altında bırakılıp komaya sokulur. Bu arada Billy kurşunlanır. Ferguson ve Harry Miller Afganistan'da, Dillon ve Holley de Cezayir'de ölüm tehlikesi atlatır. Talbot'a yardım eden Preacher adında biri vardır. Bu da Hassan Khan adında biridir. El Kaide Talbot'a kancayı takmıştır. Doğduğunda Katolik olarak vaftiz edildiğini öğrenen Talbot annesine rağmen sahaya iner. Ama Sean ne yapacaktır? Amcası ölecek midir? Jean Talbot ona ne diyecektir? Preacher Ferguson'un elinden kurtulabilecek midir? Bundan sonra neler olacaktır? Keyifle soluksuz okunan bir roman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2017
I like Jack Higgins, his characters, and his stories. I have read his efforts since I was a young reader at which point the content was probably inappropriate for me. I've followed Dillon from his days as an IRA villain to his current role as wry anti-hero...
That preamble out of the way, I didn't love this one but didn't hate it either. I likely suspend my disbelief, or at the very least my critical eye, when I read Higgins (and Cussler, and Clancy, and, well, you get the idea). So if you're looking for either a ringing endorsement or harsh criticism you're going to have to look elsewhere. It's just another Higgins. I read it. I liked it. I'll read others. End of story.
That preamble out of the way, I didn't love this one but didn't hate it either. I likely suspend my disbelief, or at the very least my critical eye, when I read Higgins (and Cussler, and Clancy, and, well, you get the idea). So if you're looking for either a ringing endorsement or harsh criticism you're going to have to look elsewhere. It's just another Higgins. I read it. I liked it. I'll read others. End of story.
June 17, 2022
The book starts by introducing 1-15 characters in the first 30 pages. Not bad if you are familiar with the previous books and the recurring characters, tough if this is your first book in the series.
It takes a good 75-100 pages for the bumps to smooth out and get rolling so it's more than a TV action movie, but it does get better. The character development gets better, some of the implausibility of the beginning of the book starts to fade, it does get better. It ends well with a cliff hanger in the epilogue so you keep buying books.
It takes a good 75-100 pages for the bumps to smooth out and get rolling so it's more than a TV action movie, but it does get better. The character development gets better, some of the implausibility of the beginning of the book starts to fade, it does get better. It ends well with a cliff hanger in the epilogue so you keep buying books.
December 30, 2022
started finished 30th december 2022 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner have read at least one other from higgins possibly more action thriller suspense england ireland algeria aghanistan pakistan terrorism death and betrayal people selling their goods and services for wealth. quick read a lot of dialogue some action much more dialogue than action...the description of the country algeria is interesting curious think the everglades on steroids maybe tall reeds water...anyway...onward and upward
October 10, 2021
I've read other 'Sean Dillon' escapades and so knew what to expect from this airport thriller as I worked my way through any unread books in our locked-down house in early 2021.
It's a fairly run-of-the-mill adventure yarn but no less enjoyable for that and I did find myself turning the pages more quickly towards the end.
However, there were few surprises, and other than a global shutdown, I doubt I will be actively searching for any more of this ilk.
It's a fairly run-of-the-mill adventure yarn but no less enjoyable for that and I did find myself turning the pages more quickly towards the end.
However, there were few surprises, and other than a global shutdown, I doubt I will be actively searching for any more of this ilk.
August 25, 2021
Good Read about British Spies battling Al Qaeda operatives. It had lots of action, and a few surprises. Sean Dillion and his friends manage to get themselves involved with some surprising and unsavory characters but always manage to come out on top. I thoroughly enjoy reading books by Jack Higgins.
May 27, 2022
what a bloody load of cobblers. Did Higgins die 25 yrs ago and some teacher with a 3rd form class in English as a first language take over- 'Dis is ow we used tu rite them when we was ritin stories that were real clever'
For Christ's sake take up pottery or masturbation -something to keep your hands off a keyboard!
BTW no read date because it's unreadable
For Christ's sake take up pottery or masturbation -something to keep your hands off a keyboard!
BTW no read date because it's unreadable
July 29, 2025
I feel like there were over abundant of characters and on top of that, the names of those characters were also similar so sometimes it was confusing. But it felt like a movie sequence. Just like the previous Jack Higgins book that I read, this book also deserves more recognition. I dont understand why his books are not popular.
September 1, 2018
Not so great. Too much gossiping. When whatever intelligence community is discussing reaches terrorists by simple gossip it is a terrible plot for me and in this novel everything works around gossip.
January 8, 2022
OK. I came to this book after reading a Le Carre so the comparison is unduly harsh but there it is. The characters are two dimensional and nothing serious ever goes wrong while there is oodles of good luck to take us through to the final denouement. I doubt if this will ever get read again.
June 8, 2023
After a massacre of British troops, evidence seems to indicate some of the perps were British. Sean Dillon goes on the hunt, but his quarry is hunting him.
Seems like it was ages ago that we were all worried about the war on terror.
Seems like it was ages ago that we were all worried about the war on terror.
September 14, 2023
can’t go wrong
Have read a number of Mr Higgins’ books and was never disappointed. Many of his characters seem to have nine lives which makes for good reading, almost like James Bond who returns again and again! Nicely written!
Have read a number of Mr Higgins’ books and was never disappointed. Many of his characters seem to have nine lives which makes for good reading, almost like James Bond who returns again and again! Nicely written!
May 20, 2024
Very well written book and leaves it on a cliff hanger in a nice way so that you’ll read more. It’s not my usual genre of reading so took a while to get through but enjoyed it when I did reach for it.
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