The Fifth Profession

by David Morrell

From the bestselling author of First Blood comes a spectacular thriller, in which a former Navy SEAL and a Japanese samurai master are bound together in a terrifying past that never happened.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Action, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Adventure

498 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

David Morrell is a Canadian novelist from Kitchener, Ontario, who has been living in the United States for a number of years. He is best known for his debut 1972 novel First Blood, which would later become a successful film franchise starring Sylvester Stallone. More recently, he has been writing the Captain America comic books limited-series The Chosen.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very uneven thriller by Morrell for sure. First published in 1990, the MC is Savage, a former Navy SEAL who is now a security specialist; we also have as leads Akira, a Japanese executive protector and Rachel Stone, a (of course) beautiful American women who starts out as a captive of her egomaniac husband. To put this book in context, it helps to remember the 1980s and Japan. Japan was the 'new' economic powerhouse globally, running huge trade surpluses and using the capital generated to buy up lots of American assets and such. Students in college were all learning Japanese and it seems everything was being made in Japan-- cars, electronics, appliances, etc. There was a real fascination with Japan at the time, with best sellers books like Shōgun, and Morrell definitely jumped on that bandwagon. He gives us some interesting historical background on Japan, especially regarding its relationship to the rest of the world; he also explores to a degree Japanese culture (simplistic, but still). China today is what Japan was in the 1980s.

The story begins with Savage being tapped by his agent to rescue Rachel from her husband's villa on a Greek island. In a classic, tension filled ride, we follow Savage on his mission, eventually getting Rachel away, but of course lots of trials and tribulations along the way. During the rescue, Savage thinks he sees Akira, someone he meet once before during a disastrous operation about 6 months prior, working with Rachel's guards. Sure enough, he finds them during the rescue and helps out. The crazy thing, however, is that both Akira and Savage were sure they saw each other get beheaded on the last mission (the 'principle' was also killed). How could they both have false memories about it, for surely they were both alive right now? This takes us to the heart of the novel and the remaining 4/5ths of it.

Gradually, Savage and Akira realize that something/someone has tampered with their memories, but who and why? The novel turns from thriller to mystery quest as the two, along with rescued Rachel, try to unravel the mystery. That is enough for the plot; now why I am so mixed on this one.

First, it starts off in a classic, blood pumping way as Savage makes his daring rescue operation, but the entire rest of the book is something quite different, and so full of plot holes it is not even funny. A good mystery should be, well, mysterious, with lots of twists and turns until the denouement reveals all. TFP followed this path for sure, but the final reveal (here as an epilogue!) left more questions than answers. When did the memory swap take place? It is a real stretch to believe in the tech that could perform it; how did they make the false memories so consistent between Savage and Akira? How did the 'principle' have any knowledge of Savage and Akira? How, if they both had tracking devises in their mouth, did they manage to keep losing their pursuers? I mean, the questions go on and on!

So overall, Morrell took us on an interesting journey here, but the conclusion was less than effective and left a very sour taste behind. 1.5 stars, rounding up for the Japanese lessons.

[Carl Alves · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fifth Profession is an interesting novel. It’s part espionage thriller and part sci-fi. The crux of the story is that Savage, a former Navy SEAL and executive protector on an assignment to rescue the wife of a wealthy businessman, encounters his Japanese counterpart, Akira, who he saw die when they were serving on an assignment together. Akira has the same memories, except he saw Savage die. They get together and piece together their jumbled memories and find out that many of the things they remembered didn’t actually happen. This leads them back to Akira’s homeland of Japan, where the mystery ensues.

I found this novel to be intriguing. The mystery component was captivating, and I wanted to see how it unfolded. There was action galore with plenty of fight scenes and some chases. It works at that level even without the added element of the jumbled memories. That part of the novel was problematic however, since the false memories storyline really strained believability. To further exacerbate the issue, the author never really explains in any detailed or believable way how the two main characters got their false memories. It was all kind of wave your hand behind the curtains hocus pocus type stuff. Although there was lots of good action, I thought the fight scenes could have been executed a little better. Getting past that, I thought the novel delivered. I was entertained from beginning to end.

Carl Alves - author of The Invocation

[Jessica McReaderpants · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out great, mystery intrigue spying and bodyguard-ing. Then it took a left turn out of interesting into crazy town. Spoiler Alert* Their brains were messed with. So it goes on and on and on Matrix style with is this a dream is this a real memory or is this fabricated. Chapter after chapter as they are chased and chase people. Oh and then all of a sudden the woman who was saved is suddenly and inexplicably in love with our protagonist. Seriously there is hardly any meaningful conversation or emotional exchange and then it is all "I love you" and "I would follow you into hell" it would be way more believable and I would have not sprained my verisimilitude had she just wanted a quickie in the sack. But back to the is it real is it not problem. The author lost me about 3/4th of the way though the book. Perhaps I was not paying attention and speed reading because "oh no is this a dream or not let's chase and be chased" was happening. (never I) but I have no idea WHY the main character and his (Again suddenly and inexplicably BEST-EST friend in the world) had to have the same memory, that happens to happen later in real life? Really? So if any of you careful readers could drop me a line to explain it to me that would be great, because I am sure as heck not going to re-read this.

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this novel to be STRANGE. 3 of 10 stars.

[Arun Divakar · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book starts off like an action flick from the 80’s which stars two heroes and a heroine oozes sexuality. Since one of them is a Caucasian and the other a Japanese, I am going to assume for Hollywood’s sake that we will put in Mel Gibson and Chow Yun Fat as the protagonists. The movie trailers tell us that one of them is a Navy SEAL and the other is trained in the Samurai arts. They are executive protectors of the first order and both get sent on a mission to Greece. You settle in with popcorn to watch the movie and then naturally the screen goes wild with hair raising chases, fist fights, shootouts and general mayhem for the first fifteen minutes. The popcorn bucket starts emptying quickly when you suddenly notice a change in the tone and dialog. Somewhere along, the director (let’s assume it was good old John Woo) seems to undergo a metamorphosis into an entirely different entity (assume the Farrelly Brothers) and wonder of wonders, Mel Gibson and Chow Yun-Fat also transform into Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. Before you know it, you are in Dumb & Dumber territory !

My dear fellow readers, I cannot sum up this book in any other way. For a very exciting first 75 pages, this book gets into one of the most unintentionally hilarious premises I have come across in recent times. Without divulging anything of the plot, I can say that the climax of this book would have been absurd even if it were placed in a Looney Tunes cartoon. Doing a detailed review on this story will be flogging a dead horse and which I have no intention of doing. I do not know if Morrell cashed in on the popularity of First Blood to come up with something like this but honestly what a waste of paper !

‘nuff said !

[Martin Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Morrell is a master thriller artist who isn’t afraid of crossing genre lines while still staying within the thriller category. He has written science fiction (The Shimmer), horror (The Totem), westerns (Last Reveille), and historic mysteries (the Opium-Eater series), each as fine as his classic thrillers. In The Fifth Profession, Morrell presents a mind-warping plot delving into memory and its reliability and its ability to be manipulated. While it’s not really sci-fi, there are some elements found in science fiction. Think Total Recall (based on the Philip K. Dick short story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”) without all the pseudo-science.

An executive bodyguard and former SEAL named Savage is hired to protect a Japanese businessman on a visit to the U.S. Accompanying the businessman is Akira, a Japanese master samurai and, like Savage, a professional bodyguard. During a clandestine business meeting in a mountain retreat, the three are attacked by sword-wielding assailants. Savage is nearly beaten to death. Their client is killed, as is Akira, who Savage sees beheaded before he lapses into unconsciousness.

Months later, after his multiple, life-threatening injuries have healed, Savage is hired by a wealthy movie star to rescue her younger sister, Rachel Stone, who is held prisoner by her abusive husband on the Greek island of Mykonos. The rescue succeeds but as they escape, Savage stunned when he recognizes one of his pursuers as Akira. The samurai master is just as shocked to see Savage, for on that night at the mountain resort, Akira watched as Savage was beheaded.

Drawn together by their mutual nightmare, Savage, Akira, and Rachel barely stay ahead of three different sets of unknown pursuers as they race halfway around the world to learn what really happened that night at the mountain resort. The Fifth Profession is a face-paced thriller guaranteed to cost you many sleepless nights because it’s so hard to put down.

[Mason · Rating 3 out of 5]

While many of the elements of fiction I loved were in place, interesting protagonists, intriguing settings, brain-bending true-to-life science (neuroscience), spies, assassins, questionable memories, martial arts, and moving action, I felt the end lacked... something. It didn't feel like the most powerful ending that Morrell could have written. On the whole, I liked the book and will lend it out to my friends. I learned a lot, though, about Executive Protectors, tradecraft, Japan, and Japanese Culture. Morrell presented the Japanese culture in a way that a westerner can understand it more thoroughly than one would think. But, as is stated in the book, people of the western mind are not tribal enough to truly, completely, understand the Japanese mindset. And, to a degree, Morrell seems to be admitting that he too only has peripheral understanding of the mindset himself. But, as all good authors, he shows you what he does understand and uses that as any adroit magician will do to hide what he does not understand.

On the whole I did like it and would recommend it.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I've read any David Morrell and I had forgotten what a web of a story he can create. High octane page turning read!! By the time I got to the last few chapters I was just as eager as the protagonists to find out why and how the inexplicable happened. I always enjoy learning about other cultures and this book surprisingly took me there also through one of the MCs -Akira and part of the journey to unraveling a mystery is set in Japan. Savage & Akira are two executive protectors who find themselves protecting the same client, but fail miserably. Deaths occur...or so they think. Fast forward 6 mos and Savage is on a new assignment, after a long rehabilitation from injuries, and in extracting a woman from a horrible situation seems to think he sees Akira as part of the pursuit team. But it couldn't be, could it? He saw Akira die, beheaded no less. Can say much more as it would spoil the reader's involvement in this confusing at times but thoroughly immersing thrill ride.

[Davio Smitti · Rating 1 out of 5]

Savage and Akira, “protectors,” aka bodyguards, aka "The Fifth Profession," are severely injured at a meeting...but when they compare notes, each saw the other killed—in fact, beheaded, right after their client was killed. Problem: all are still alive. False memories via surg procedure. Sidebar of love story with Rachel. Just too many wild improbabilities for me, leaps of illogic...glad when I was done that it was over.

[Chris Gager · Rating 2 out of 5]

Time for some mental chewing gum and a visit to the world of James-Bond-clone-ism. Not bad so far with a meticulous and drawn out action scene. Never heard of this author before. This hardbound book was in the collection of the (all smudgy) Memorial Library from which it was bounced within the last 10-15 years. It must have outlived it's popularity.

Just a few pages to go now as I'm into the explanation part of the story. The whole thing is a major stretcher, as these things tend too be. As I neared the end of this relentless bloodbath it finally dawned on me(BIG time) that this reads mostly a script for a violent, endless video game. So obvious in retrospect. A few notes...

- Barf-worthy sex language: "hard-nippled breasts"(among many breast references) > "silken pubic hair"

- The average chapter length seemed about 2 1/2 pages.

- Not only is one character named "Stone", she's also a blonde movie star.

- knapsack???? NO! "backpack"...

- The Tokugawa Shogunate is frequently referenced = Clavell territory.

- On page 396: Bad grammar alert! "Despite his satisfaction with Taro's professionalism, Savage felt troubled, however." Dude...

And the final verdict = 2.25 - rounds down to 2*

[Dave Wickenden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Savage, a former Navy Seal, and Akira, a modern-day Samurai, are now both protectors, high-quality bodyguards. But both of them have to deal with a memory of seeing the other die when someone killed their client. In a world where nothing is as it seems and hired killers stalk their every move, you can’t trust yourself, let alone anyone else.
As expected with a Morrell story, this is action-packed with twists that you never see coming. Hang on to your seat!

[Dipanjan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd time I read this book. The first time was way back when I was in college. All I remembered was that I had found the book to be awesome then. Well after hundreds of thrillers later, thousands of life experiences later, a few paradigm shifts in my personal outlook towards life, I enjoyed the book but not THAT much. What I had once labelled as awesome has now fallen back into being a good "One Time Read" page turner.

The plot is a bit far-fetched. It starts off in a furious and lucid pace but fails to elevate the momentum somewhere down the line. The pace starts halting, the narrative becomes repetitive. However, what works all the way is the relationship between 2 people from the same dangerous profession but with completely contrasting cultural outlook. Add a little romance in the mix in the form of a beautiful woman with a courageous heart and you have good concoction going.

I must mention that this is the work of a master story teller. What has been attempted in "The Fifth Profession" is a unique mix between espionage and executive protection. Now, considering the fact that Honour plays a pivotal role in this story, you can only imagine how tricky perspectives become since Honour in Espionage and Honour in Executive Protection are two whole different worlds.

If you haven't read this book, I think you should.

[Tracy St Claire · Rating 1 out of 5]

This might be the worst book I have ever read. It does have some entertainment value in being the WORST book I have ever read, but not even enough to gain it a half star.

Morrell wrote this nearly 30 years ago, inventing computer and medical capabilities that do not exist now, yet alone then. Enter characters and an author obsessed with self disembowelment -- it is mentioned no fewer than seven times -- in the service of some billionaire. But that isn't even the stupid story.

It is a story of two people who remember something that did not happen and try to find out what did. And the story stops without saying what did (I was listening on audio) and I was good with that. But the lengthy epilogue took the silly stupid to absolute kindergarten one-upmanship ridiculous putting the final nail in the coffin of this loser.

[Ana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Torture to read

This is the dumbest book I have ever forced my way through. I had to scan/skip so many pages just to be able to move on. How is this a bestseller? Have we really sunk to such undiscerning mediocrity? The story has several storylines going simultaneously, not to mention the constant "history lessons" that are not necessary to the plot moving forward. It is actually Goofy, ludicrous. One part of the unbelievable explanation is the army's experimental "bravery pill." And yes, that's what the Army calls it. I miss you not. My neck hurts from the constant head shaking. I actually recommend you read it just to see what passes for writing out there.

[Jody · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry to say this was a poorly written and poorly narrated book. Different narrators were used for different characters with the jarring result of the prose narrator voice changing with dialogue to other character voices, especially during rapid discussion dialogue.
Also, the plot, particularly the epilogue reveal of the reason for the plot were SO convoluted and senseless. Not recommended.

[itchy · Rating 3 out of 5]

p450: savage shook his head fiercely, as if strong enough denial would erase the carnage around him, would made the corpses disappear.

my second morrell;
it reads like ludlum's bourne crossed with the wachowskis' the matrix;
well, maybe minus the transgender part

[Cindy Tomamichel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting tangle of plot and character as Morrell flashes between past, present and false memories. A great fast paced read, possibly slightly less violent than some of his other books.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow start, fun and intriguing middle, weird, illogical and confusing ending. Strange book overall. Quick read, though.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out decent but went downhill quickly. Painful to hang in to the end and finish.

[Alexander Engel-Hodgkinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.3/5

Morrell's Fifth Profession starts off strong and then diminishes into something that is at first incomprehensible and then just plain outrageous. If there's one thing I've noticed about his work, it's that he excels in the art of the chase thriller, and here he combines his usual themes of espionage thrillers, chases, and violent action scenes with psychology--with mixed results.

The plot follows Savage, a man whose memory is tainted when a fellow executive protector he knows died before his eyes turns up alive and in opposition against him during a mission to save a retired starlet's sister from her abusive criminal husband. The fellow protector has a similar memory of death, but the roles are reversed, and so, the two protectors, confused by their conflicting memories, team up with the sister to find the truth behind these lies that haunt them, these memories that never happened.

And it all goes downhill from there. Morrell has this divided into a five-act structure: a prologue and epilogue bookend a three-act story. The first act is the most interesting. The second act is all chase, but when we get to the third act, hoooboy, the twists and turns in this act are so preposterous that I rolled my eyes more than a few times. Not only that, but the two plots Morrell has set up in the first and second acts seem to be in constant battle with each other for the spotlight. Eventually one defeats the other, leaving a whole plot unresolved by the end, which is more than a little frustrating, all things considered.

There is much exposition to trudge through, and one thing I noticed is that the narrative voice and the way the characters speak is completely indistinguishable. No one talks like "They heard more shots. On an upper floor. They didn't know what they'd be facing. Only two men, they had to go up, warily." when they're describing something urgent that happened to someone else. It reads unnaturally to me. And it happens a lot here. Morrell's dialogue seems to have gone down a few levels this time around. It's certainly not as crisp as it is in any of his Rambo novels or even Burnt Sienna.

Below-par dialogue and silly, disorganized, overly convoluted plotting aside, Morrell's action scenes and writing style is still strong and easy to digest. Sometimes, yeah, he goes overboard with the particulars of the fifth profession, neurosurgery and the inner workings of the human brain; and of Japanese history including their relations with the U.S.--but at least those are vital in understanding the story. What I learned here was quite interesting, for the most part.

So far, this is the weakest I've read from Morrell, weaker than his First Blood, Part II novelization (which is still a major improvement over the film). Might take a break for a little while, as the last hundred pages of this one really wore me down. I have more of his books on the way, his Mortalis trilogy, which I'm really looking forward to reading, and The Covenant of the Flame awaits me on my shelf between this and Burnt Sienna. I adore Morrell's style and will be going back to it. But a change in pace is in order. I'll be back...

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

or a moral, but it needs to be bloody, and it needs to be fun. This book is both of those things, and in spades.
It is also deeply, and unintentionally, silly.
It doesn't seem that way, at first. There's an intro about the importance and glorious history of professional protectors, in both Eastern and Western cultures. Then we get our hero, Savage, starting a new rescue assignment. Then we get a flashback, which starts very well...
And ends with a moment so OTT it becomes splat-stick.
Back to the present, where the impossible sends Savage, his principal, Rachel, and their new(ish) friend, a modern-day samurai, on a wild goose chase across the globe. There are sober discussions about honor, info-dumps about contemporary geopolitics, an unconvincing romance...
And a final act so bonkers it makes the initial flashback seem quite tame.
There's decapitation, off-the-walls Kennedy conspiracy theories, false memories, and psycho-surgery, all of which are less ridiculous than the romantic plot.
And I dug it.
Look, this is an early-90's action thriller, to the point that T2-era Michael Biehn would have been perfectly cast as Savage in a movie version. It takes itself a bit too seriously at times, but that's small beer. Not one of Morrell's finest hours, it's fun, but you won't respect it in the morning.

[Ari · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember I liked Morrell's novels "The Fraternity of the Stone" and "The League of Night and Fog" quite a lot when I was quite a lot younger. Therefore I bought this book from a second hand book store at the Helsinki Book Fair.

I had expectations. And unfortunately they were not met. The novel was a disappointment. The further I read the more unsatisfied I was and in the end my evaluation was nearly "rubbish". Well written rubbish but anyway rubbish.

Totally unbelievable plot, and I don't mean the cliché superhero type of main character but the story itself. Science fiction movie stuff disguised as a crime novel (sort of). Felt like Morrell had run out of ideas and taken "a trip" with extra visions. A teenager might like this, for an adult this was far too thick. And the romantic part was definitely for teenagers. Who may not recognize the obvious Grace Kelly reference including To Catch a Thief. Too far back for modern adolescents.

The novel was longish just to be accepted as light entertainment without much sense. Morrell has performed better before.

Viides tehtävä
Gummerus 1991

[Frank Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I REALLY tried to be patient with this author [David Morrell], I thought I could get past his endless attempts to try and show he had researched his books and CONSTANTLY seemed to delight in stuffing examples of this into his book by having one character explain yet another thing to another character, I thought I could get past the way his characters seemed to speak like they were in a really bad 70s movie, but I lost it when towards the end of this book, one of the main two characters is beheaded and the other character goes on to tell us how he's decapitated corpse helped him win the battle by handing him a sword!!!!£$!£$£$! Now I am all for suspending belief and trying to put yourself into a story, opening yourself up to new realities [like in books about warewolves and ghosts, etc], but believing that another person can will their headless corpse to help me in the REAL world?!! No I am sorry, that's me out of this book and well out of Morrell, pity I thought I could really enjoy his books. MAJOR MAJOR disappointment.

[Chuckles · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the few David Morrell action/suspense thrillers that I did not like.

Here we are following Savage, a former Navy SEAL and not independent "executive protection" specialist who is hired to rescue the kidnapped wife of a wealthy businessman. While carrying out the rescue he encounters Akira, a former counterpart of his from Japan, who is saw die... and we learn Akira vividly recalls seeing Savage die. Both are certain of their memories, and the story is of their efforts to discover why.

There is great action and the hook in the plot seemed very creative, but after that it all goes downhill. The characters are complete clichés, as is much of the action, and the plot conclusion is like something you would see in an old James Bond flick. Just beyond implausible, and that says a lot because I gave David Morrell a lot of space in that arena, especially back in the 80s and early 90s. The Japanese setting parts of the story and history presented is another bright spot in this book, but the few good points can't overcome the bad.

[Guido Henkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a missed opportunity. Morrell is probably one of the sloppiest bestselling writers around. While the story could have been cool, the book is bogged down by his repetitive writing style - what's up with those karate-callused hands in every second paragraph and Morrell's obsession with people tasting bile on a constant basis - to name only a few.

On top of that he forgets and drops an entire major plot line halfway through the novel and offers up a finale that makes neither sense nor does it offer any satisfaction. The story drags in too many places and the moralistic finger comes up a few times too many throughout this ill-conceived lesson in Japanese history.

Overall this is a pretty mediocre book that I would not recommend to people.

[Daniel Farkas (Inactive) · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Re-read for the who knows how many times.. fifth or sixth time?! Maybe, Like Savage and Akira, I also suffer from false memories... 😮)

He is known only as Savage. A former navy SEAL, now working as a security specialist, a bodyguard, the best in the field. His mission is to retrieve Rachel Stone, from the clutches of her ruthless billionaire husband who is out to destroy her. But what starts out as a simple mission, turns into a haunting, horrible nightmare- Savage recognizes among the husband’s security forces a man named Akira, a brilliant executive protector and a master of the Samurai arts. But Akira is supposed to be dead- Savage saw him beheaded six months ago. And air remembers seeing Savage beheaded as well, as their mission to protect a Japanese businessman fails. Joining forces, Savage, Akira and Rachel starts a terrifying journey to uncover what really happened to them, what do they remember things that didn’t happen- and who did it to them. A journey that will put them to the test and push them to their limits, and will make them question everything they ever knew about the world and themselves- as they race against time not only to stop one of the most chilling plots to ever been concocted, but also preserve their own sanity and identity in a world gone mad.

Some of the reviews here describe this novel as a novel with sci-fi elements, strange, weird- and yes, in some ways, it is, but it also wrong on almost every level. There’s nothing sci-fi about it, either (unless you consider false memories science-fiction). What “The Fifth Profession” is- is a very deep, intricate, and scary psychological/political thriller, that goes very deep and asks questions that will always be relevant- questions about one’s identity- who we are, what we are, in the context of being individuals and part of a society- a society that has gone mad, that lost its way in so many ways, that tells you that you are not who you think you are, that you’re wrong and they’re right. Do you even exist as an individual, or only as a reflection of others, to reflect them back to them? And is there anything to reflect when everything and (almost) everyone are empty?

Deep stuff, indeed- questions that Morrell keeps exploring in his masterpiece “Double Image” from 1998 (and a personal favorite of mine). But besides these questions, “The Fifth Profession” is also a fast-paced, gripping, thrilling and captivating thriller, with brilliantly developed characters, some great twists and turns that’ll keep you guessing, great action, historical accuracy and Morrell’s signature prose that grabs you from the first sentence and doesn’t let up until the very last word.

I’ll admit that I really loved Savage and Akira, and loved how Morrell took two, very strong characters, very proud of their profession, who are usually very sure and confident, and then he puts them in an impossible situation where their own identity is at stake. It’s brilliant and they way they deal with it and explore themselves and what’s around them is nothing short of amazing and adds so much to their already strong characters. But then again, that’s one of the reasons why Morrell is such a great author.

5 Katanas!
Yes, it’s different to the usual, formulaic thriller that has inundated the thriller sphere. But then, if you read Morrell, he was never conventional and always picked interesting topics and explored them in brilliant ways. “The Fifth Profession” is fantastic- creative, imaginative, intelligent, exciting, complex, intricate and unforgettable novel, and one of Morrell’s best. Take a chance- you’re in for a wild, awesome ride! And don’t forget to bring your guns and swords!

“But our problem isn't déjà vu—it's jamais vu” Akira said. “Why are you disturbed by what you just read?”
“Because I can't be sure of the present, let alone the past. Because there is no present, at least as far as my brain's concerned. Everything it tells me is a delayed reaction.”
“That may be true,” Rachel said. “But for practical purposes, even with the time lag, what we perceive might as well be the present. You've got a big enough problem without exaggerating it.”
“Am I exaggerating? I'm scared because I thought I was struggling with false memories someone implanted in my brain six months ago. But was it six months ago? How do I know the operation didn't happen much more recently? How can I be sure of what occurred yesterday or even this morning?” Savage turned to Rachel. “In France, when you learned about our pseudonyms and the cover stories we had to invent, you said it seemed that everything about us was a lie. In a way I never imagined, maybe you're right. How many false memories do I have? How do I know who I am? How can I be sure that you and Akira are what you seem? Suppose you're actors hired to trick me and reinforce my delusions.”
“But obviously we're not,” Akira said. “We've been through too much together. Rachel's rescue. The escape in the helicopter. The ferry out of Greece. The vans that tried to intercept us in France.”
“My point is maybe none of it happened. My false memories might have begun today. My entire background—everything about me—might be a lie I'm not aware of! Did I ever meet Rachel's sister? Is Graham really dead?”
“Keep thinking like that,” Akira said, “and you'll go crazy.”
“Right,” Savage said. “That's what I mean—I'm scared. I feel like I'm seeing through a haze, like the floor's unsteady, like I'm in an elevator that's falling. Total disorientation. I've based my identity on protecting people. But how can I protect myself from my mind?”
Rachel put an arm around him. “You've got to believe we're not actors. We're all you have. Trust us.”
“Trust you? I don't even trust myself.”

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first fiction book I've read in a long while. It started off like a standard, but competently executed thriller. Then, it took an unexpected and very intriguing twist. Then, it became one of the most cringe-inducing absurdities I've read in a long time. The constant assertiveness of Rachel's soft breasts. The clumsy exoticization of Japanese history and culture. The stupid characterization of Akira. "Call me Savage! Because that's how I feel!" (the dude had previously taken the pseudonym of Savage). The chicken with its head cut off climax. Am giving it some credit for at least not going the Rising Sun route.

[Cheree · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written, the dialogue alone is similar to watching bad acting in a "B" movie. Having done some fairly heavy reading lately, I thought I'd try something light but this is a perfect example of why I generally (though not always) stay away from modern fiction. Side note: many uses of Jesus' name as a swear word and a couple scenes of smut, both of which I find very completely unnecessary and offensive. With all of these issues (and more), I'll not be picking up any more works by Mr. Morrell.

[SIS · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had a good start

Good start. Drew me in. Then began going off the rails. Had potential to be a good read all the way thru. Not sure when it started losing steam since I listened to the audio version but it started bouncing between a silly comic book & an action thriller. It continued to be confusing & finally just irritating.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of David Morrell's earlier novels. As much as I enjoy his work, this novel contained too many internal conflicts, personal conflicts, locations, and characters for my taste. It is action packed from beginning to end and if that is your type of book you may enjoy this.