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A Thousand Bayonets
Upon returning from Afghanistan, journalist John Webster discovers a gang war in his backyard. Now he must find a way to survive in this Canadian warzone-or die in the crossfire.
John Webster has seen the terrible things human beings can do. He's an experienced investigative journalist, recently returned from the war in Afghanistan. John saw hell over there; he looked death straight in the face. He is glad to be back to the normalcy of his Canadian home-that is, until he realizes there is a war brewing in his own backyard, and "peace" is a word no longer spoken.
John gets caught up in the battle between two of the most powerful and murderous criminal gangs in the city. Using what he learned on the foreign battlefields, he stays alive, despite the price on his head. The only way to save his own life is to find the man responsible for the brutal neighborhood bloodshed. When the police slap a subpoena on him, though, John finds his only solace on the streets.
Suddenly, John is back in a warzone, fighting for his life. Will he be able to stop the bloodthirsty crime lords? The flashbacks to Afghanistan threaten to pull John into darkness. Soon, the past and present collide, and he can't tell which way is up or down. The need for redemption may be stronger than the need for survival as John Webster finds himself on his most dangerous assignment yet.
John Webster has seen the terrible things human beings can do. He's an experienced investigative journalist, recently returned from the war in Afghanistan. John saw hell over there; he looked death straight in the face. He is glad to be back to the normalcy of his Canadian home-that is, until he realizes there is a war brewing in his own backyard, and "peace" is a word no longer spoken.
John gets caught up in the battle between two of the most powerful and murderous criminal gangs in the city. Using what he learned on the foreign battlefields, he stays alive, despite the price on his head. The only way to save his own life is to find the man responsible for the brutal neighborhood bloodshed. When the police slap a subpoena on him, though, John finds his only solace on the streets.
Suddenly, John is back in a warzone, fighting for his life. Will he be able to stop the bloodthirsty crime lords? The flashbacks to Afghanistan threaten to pull John into darkness. Soon, the past and present collide, and he can't tell which way is up or down. The need for redemption may be stronger than the need for survival as John Webster finds himself on his most dangerous assignment yet.
312 pages, Paperback
First published August 18, 2011
8 people are currently reading
280 people want to read
About the author
Joel Mark Harris
20 books35 followersJoel Mark Harris is an award-winning British-Canadian journalist, novelist, screenwriter and producer. Born in Vancouver, he graduated from Langara Journalism School in 2007 and worked for the Squamish Chief newspaper before freelancing. At Langara, Joel got the idea to write a series of books about a journalist, the first of which is called A Thousand Bayonets. In the novel, a former war correspondent named John Webster maneuvers through the seedy underworld of Vancouver, trying to bring a vicious drug lord to justice. A Thousand Bayonets won an Editor’s Choice Award from Author Solutions.
In 2008, Joel went to British Columbia Institute of Technology for a public relations degree. After doing various jobs in the PR field, Joel wrote and produced Neutral Territory, a film about Henry Huge, who must return to his crazy Swiss family after falling into money troubles. Neutral Territory was nominated for a Maverick Award for Best Cinematography and Best Picture at the Beloit Film Festival. It won best feature film at the Interrobang Film Festival. It is also an official selection of the Beijing International Film Festival and the New York International Film Festival. Joel was nominated for best screenplay for Neutral Territory in the World Music & Independent Film Festival
Joel is currently writing a screenplay called Shots, a coming-of-age story about Carter, a teenager, who gets his first job at a coffee shop. He is also working on a sequel to his novel called Shame the Devil.
In 2008, Joel went to British Columbia Institute of Technology for a public relations degree. After doing various jobs in the PR field, Joel wrote and produced Neutral Territory, a film about Henry Huge, who must return to his crazy Swiss family after falling into money troubles. Neutral Territory was nominated for a Maverick Award for Best Cinematography and Best Picture at the Beloit Film Festival. It won best feature film at the Interrobang Film Festival. It is also an official selection of the Beijing International Film Festival and the New York International Film Festival. Joel was nominated for best screenplay for Neutral Territory in the World Music & Independent Film Festival
Joel is currently writing a screenplay called Shots, a coming-of-age story about Carter, a teenager, who gets his first job at a coffee shop. He is also working on a sequel to his novel called Shame the Devil.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
May 15, 2012
Good must read book of 2012
Really interesting book, well written with good clear characters...
When I started reading it I could not put it down
it did remind me about my youth and days as security (Group4)
life on the street....
I really like and enjoy this book
I do hope Joel Mark Harris continue to write more...
as he able to see and write about true streets....
Really interesting book, well written with good clear characters...
When I started reading it I could not put it down
it did remind me about my youth and days as security (Group4)
life on the street....
I really like and enjoy this book
I do hope Joel Mark Harris continue to write more...
as he able to see and write about true streets....
July 1, 2012
This is a very goog thriller, John Webster is an investigative reporter, who has just returned from the war in Afganistan. Where he saw all the terrible things human beings can do to one another. But when he returns to what he thought would be a peaceful life, he follows up on a tip that puts him right in the middle of an explosive crime scene. John had been tipped off to a meeting of the top members of the Heart gang. To John the media and police it appears to be a gangland hit in the war between rival gangs. With haunting flashbacks, a personal life in disarray, subpeneas, and threats on his life, John is suddenly back in the war zone. His journalistic instints honed in the war lead him to the perpatrators and enable him to survive. The characters are believable and intersting, and there is enough action to keep the readers interest. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more books by Joel Mark Harris
May 25, 2012
I often tell my friends I'm not a big fan of works of Fiction because often it seems the author is trying too hard and overdeveloping the characters... This book does NOT fall into that category. The build up to the multiple climaxes and low points in the books keep the reader intrigued and interested in what's next for John.
From the minute you read the first page you're thrown into the adrenaline rather than take multiple chapters to develop characters and eventually 7 chapters in create the plotline. I feel that Joel Mark Harris did an amazing job at allowing the plot to develop and building the characters and their backstories as they interweave the advancing plot line, a very smart move.
I've already reccomended this book to a few friends and I can not wait for the film adaptation.
From the minute you read the first page you're thrown into the adrenaline rather than take multiple chapters to develop characters and eventually 7 chapters in create the plotline. I feel that Joel Mark Harris did an amazing job at allowing the plot to develop and building the characters and their backstories as they interweave the advancing plot line, a very smart move.
I've already reccomended this book to a few friends and I can not wait for the film adaptation.
June 28, 2012
John Webster is a handsome, broad shouldered experienced reporter, once stationed in Baghdad where he witnessed a bombing that killed and injured several people. While following the story he was shot in the leg. He is now a reporter for the Vancouver Daily Globe.
Upon receiving a lead from his source, Webster is hopeful of learning more about the ongoing war between factions in Vancouver. Webster witnesses the shooting of 5 members of the Heart gang including Kenneth Dzyinski, the big boss; Anthony Hewson, Ken's right hand man; and 3 lower level members. They were gunned down by 2 unknown masked gunmen. John has recorded the meeting with a small voice recorder and after talking to the police, he realizes he is the only witness.
Detective Wiltore and Detective Tamara Lewis are partners with the Vancouver Police and are investigating the shooting deaths of the 5 Heart gang members. With no solid leads or forensic evidence to help except the .45 ACP cartridges that the gunmen used, they are looking for Webster to go over what he saw again. Webster is no where to be found, and his editor Charlie isn't being very helpful.
Webster has good instincts, honed by his time in Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern countries. He's pretty sure he's being followed and when Charlie tells him he's received a subpena to surrender his records to the police, Webster goes into hiding. He has to figure out who was behind the shooting before those people get him first.
After contacting a woman whom he met at Ken Dyzyinski's funeral, John has to try and make a quick getaway. Waking in the hospital, he knows its time to get to the bottom of this mess, before he losses his life. Webster doesn't know who he can trust, but he's got good instincts and its his life on the line.
A great read, it will keep you turning the pages. The author describes the city of Vancouver with all of its diversity beautifully. The characters are very believable, with John Webster being a man of integrity, haunted by past events.
I won my copy on Goodreads and my review was unsolicited.
Upon receiving a lead from his source, Webster is hopeful of learning more about the ongoing war between factions in Vancouver. Webster witnesses the shooting of 5 members of the Heart gang including Kenneth Dzyinski, the big boss; Anthony Hewson, Ken's right hand man; and 3 lower level members. They were gunned down by 2 unknown masked gunmen. John has recorded the meeting with a small voice recorder and after talking to the police, he realizes he is the only witness.
Detective Wiltore and Detective Tamara Lewis are partners with the Vancouver Police and are investigating the shooting deaths of the 5 Heart gang members. With no solid leads or forensic evidence to help except the .45 ACP cartridges that the gunmen used, they are looking for Webster to go over what he saw again. Webster is no where to be found, and his editor Charlie isn't being very helpful.
Webster has good instincts, honed by his time in Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern countries. He's pretty sure he's being followed and when Charlie tells him he's received a subpena to surrender his records to the police, Webster goes into hiding. He has to figure out who was behind the shooting before those people get him first.
After contacting a woman whom he met at Ken Dyzyinski's funeral, John has to try and make a quick getaway. Waking in the hospital, he knows its time to get to the bottom of this mess, before he losses his life. Webster doesn't know who he can trust, but he's got good instincts and its his life on the line.
A great read, it will keep you turning the pages. The author describes the city of Vancouver with all of its diversity beautifully. The characters are very believable, with John Webster being a man of integrity, haunted by past events.
I won my copy on Goodreads and my review was unsolicited.
May 17, 2012
I received this book as a First Reads winner.
First off - please clear out an entire afternoon to read A Thousand Bayonets. It deserves that. It's a quick read that way. I started late in the evening and read 30 - 40 pages a night for 4 nights. But had to keep backing up because I'd gotten lost.... Put it down and waited for a clear afternoon and when one came along, I started from page one and got through page 254 and only put it down then because the broccoli was burning (Dinner, anyone?).
John Webster, the protagonist, is an investigative reporter for Vancouver's Daily Globe and former war Afghan war reporter. A Thousand Bayonets starts off FAST when John "witnesses" (overhears) the assasination of one drug "boss" by a competing(?) drug "gang". The next 290 pages detail his efforts to A. stay alive, and B. report the full story through its resolution. What a ride.
I thought John was a pretty sad character. I didn't particularly like him... His juvenile "obsessions" with whichever female that last crossed his path were tiring alternating with his DO anything attitude to finish HIS investigation. Toss in his war-time flashbacks and the realing amazing part was he was 200 pages into his story before anyone suggested he seek counseling. Kinda sad his world was so populated with such self absorbed folks.
Yes, there are some holes in the story, but overall most loose ends were tied up by the end. It's a fast, plot-driven book with little character development a good read for a rainy day.
First off - please clear out an entire afternoon to read A Thousand Bayonets. It deserves that. It's a quick read that way. I started late in the evening and read 30 - 40 pages a night for 4 nights. But had to keep backing up because I'd gotten lost.... Put it down and waited for a clear afternoon and when one came along, I started from page one and got through page 254 and only put it down then because the broccoli was burning (Dinner, anyone?).
John Webster, the protagonist, is an investigative reporter for Vancouver's Daily Globe and former war Afghan war reporter. A Thousand Bayonets starts off FAST when John "witnesses" (overhears) the assasination of one drug "boss" by a competing(?) drug "gang". The next 290 pages detail his efforts to A. stay alive, and B. report the full story through its resolution. What a ride.
I thought John was a pretty sad character. I didn't particularly like him... His juvenile "obsessions" with whichever female that last crossed his path were tiring alternating with his DO anything attitude to finish HIS investigation. Toss in his war-time flashbacks and the realing amazing part was he was 200 pages into his story before anyone suggested he seek counseling. Kinda sad his world was so populated with such self absorbed folks.
Yes, there are some holes in the story, but overall most loose ends were tied up by the end. It's a fast, plot-driven book with little character development a good read for a rainy day.
June 4, 2012
My thanks to Goodreads Giveaways and Author Joel Mark Harris for the gift of 'A Thousand Bayonets.' I look forward to receiving, reading and reviewing.
I have received my book and look forward to reading! Thank you!
I liked it! It was a good, fast-paced mafia mystery. If the genre is Sopranoish, I'm there!
What bothered me, and perhaps I'm a little sensitive, but good golly, the protagonist's mother is all of 50 years old and has had hip replacement surgery, moves fragiley and has an old face with more wrinkles than usual. (Okay, at least Mr. Harris gives us a 'more than usual' in this case.) That's just not nice. Is this how fifty looks to the author? Oi vey!!! I beg to differ and will have to agree to disagree. Of course the book is a work of fiction. But not all of the book's readers are going to be today's youth. Please remember we baby boomers have feelings too!
Thanks again for the gift and the opportunity to read, enjoy and review.
I have received my book and look forward to reading! Thank you!
I liked it! It was a good, fast-paced mafia mystery. If the genre is Sopranoish, I'm there!
What bothered me, and perhaps I'm a little sensitive, but good golly, the protagonist's mother is all of 50 years old and has had hip replacement surgery, moves fragiley and has an old face with more wrinkles than usual. (Okay, at least Mr. Harris gives us a 'more than usual' in this case.) That's just not nice. Is this how fifty looks to the author? Oi vey!!! I beg to differ and will have to agree to disagree. Of course the book is a work of fiction. But not all of the book's readers are going to be today's youth. Please remember we baby boomers have feelings too!
Thanks again for the gift and the opportunity to read, enjoy and review.
April 17, 2012
A Thousand Bayonets is a good thriller. Returning home from the war in Afghanistan, John Webster, investigative reporter, following up on a tip finds himself literally in the middle of an explosive crime scene. To the police and media, and John himself, it appears to be a gangland hit in a war between criminal gangs. Despite haunting flashbacks from Afghanistan, a personal life in disarray, subpoenas from the police and threats on his life, John’s journalistic instincts, honed in war zones in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Congo, lead him - not unerringly - to the perpetrators, and enable him to survive. John Mark Harris’s characters are believable and interesting. His simple, direct narrative style is enjoyable to read, and there is enough action to keep the reader’s interest alive and thriving.
July 1, 2013
After reading the description of A Thousand Bayonets I decided to enter the first-reads giveaway and to my surprise I was a winner! This is a story about a journalist who after suffering a traumatic experience in Afghanistan gets involved in trying to live a "normal" life. It was an interesting read.
June 7, 2012
Very good book about organized crime, and a journalists quest to find justice. Very quick moving book, with good characters, and an easy to follow story line. Thanks Goodreads "First Reads" giveaways for the free copy!
May 23, 2012
I won a copy of this in a FirstReads draw. The plot line is a new twist on an old standard... In a good way. I'm glad I read it, I'm not sure I would have even known about it of not for the giveaway. Thanks to Mr Harris!
June 7, 2012
I won this book as a giveaway and I am glad I won. The story held my interest and moved along at a good pace. The ending was exciting and did not let me down. I look forward to reading more from this author.
June 20, 2014
Won an ARC on First Reads, look forward to reading it.
Want to read
April 5, 2012Review copy won on Goodreads.com on 3-16-12.
November 22, 2023
More like 2.5
August 3, 2012
Up until this point I didn't realize how many thrillers I read. I don't get it. It's not a genre that particularly intrigues me and yet, here's another review of yet another thriller. A Thousand Bayonets by Joel Mark Harris doesn't necessarily follow the typical formula. The books actually kind of reminds me of a 1940s noir film more than anything.
A Thousand Bayonets follows journalist John Webster who after returning from Afghanistan, begins covering the gang wars taking place in his hometown, Vancouver. He explores the city's gritty underbelly risking his personal safety along the way. As he gets pulled deeper into the criminal underworld; he's hunted by the gangsters and police alike.
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. On the one hand, tough journalist takes on the institution to uncover crime and corruption is a favourite plot point of mine. Protagonists who never learn anything, are borderline alcoholics and are overall terrible humans also fantastic in my books (seriously, there's a reason I love old Bogart films), but I'm not sure if I liked these tropes in this setting. I know the city of Vancouver well and I'm predisposed to like stories set in the city, but I'm not sure if Vancouver meshed well with the noir film feel. It felt like there was disparity between the plot and the setting. Yes, Vancouver has more than it's fair share of crime and yes, there is most certainly corruption, but the city's feel just didn't mesh with the writing style for me. I don't know how else to explain it.
My other issue may be with the genre itself. There were absolutely no positive female leads. The women were cracking or withholding. There's the ex-wife who prevents Webster from communicating with his son, the woman who works at a strip club for organized crime or the detective who's clearly inferior to her partner. Granted, all the characters are flawed. John Webster is an antihero who's on a quest that blinds him to all of his relationships. All the characters make mistakes and the story is told mainly from Webster's perspective so it makes sense that he is a more redeemable character. However, the perceived gender bias still managed to rub me the wrong way.
Other than these two issues (which I admit are bigger issues for me than they would be for a lot of other readers) the book was enjoyable. It was a fast paced plot, as a thriller should be and I really do love stories about hard hitting journalists. I loved the search. I loved flouting authority in favour of the truth. Honestly, Harris managed to pull out all of my favourite tropes, but kept them fresh and engaging in a modern context. It's a promising debut novel and I would pick up another book by Harris. Not my favourite, but definitely readable.
I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.
A Thousand Bayonets follows journalist John Webster who after returning from Afghanistan, begins covering the gang wars taking place in his hometown, Vancouver. He explores the city's gritty underbelly risking his personal safety along the way. As he gets pulled deeper into the criminal underworld; he's hunted by the gangsters and police alike.
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. On the one hand, tough journalist takes on the institution to uncover crime and corruption is a favourite plot point of mine. Protagonists who never learn anything, are borderline alcoholics and are overall terrible humans also fantastic in my books (seriously, there's a reason I love old Bogart films), but I'm not sure if I liked these tropes in this setting. I know the city of Vancouver well and I'm predisposed to like stories set in the city, but I'm not sure if Vancouver meshed well with the noir film feel. It felt like there was disparity between the plot and the setting. Yes, Vancouver has more than it's fair share of crime and yes, there is most certainly corruption, but the city's feel just didn't mesh with the writing style for me. I don't know how else to explain it.
My other issue may be with the genre itself. There were absolutely no positive female leads. The women were cracking or withholding. There's the ex-wife who prevents Webster from communicating with his son, the woman who works at a strip club for organized crime or the detective who's clearly inferior to her partner. Granted, all the characters are flawed. John Webster is an antihero who's on a quest that blinds him to all of his relationships. All the characters make mistakes and the story is told mainly from Webster's perspective so it makes sense that he is a more redeemable character. However, the perceived gender bias still managed to rub me the wrong way.
Other than these two issues (which I admit are bigger issues for me than they would be for a lot of other readers) the book was enjoyable. It was a fast paced plot, as a thriller should be and I really do love stories about hard hitting journalists. I loved the search. I loved flouting authority in favour of the truth. Honestly, Harris managed to pull out all of my favourite tropes, but kept them fresh and engaging in a modern context. It's a promising debut novel and I would pick up another book by Harris. Not my favourite, but definitely readable.
I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.
November 7, 2012
A Thousand Bayonets is a story about redemption. John Webster, who is an investigative journalist, was haunted by one incident from Afghanistan. His nightmare is always about a Afghan boy that he didn't save because John froze. Now John is back home in Canada. His marriage has fallen apart due that one nightmare which he has refused to get counseling. His son Bryon doesn't talk to him since John hasn't visit his son in four months.
One of John's source has led him into a war between two criminal syndicates where he is a witness to an ambushed meeting shootout where the head of one of the criminal organization was killed. Being an reporter, John started to investigate to find out who took out the head of the organized crime. All fingered pointed to the other rival criminal organization but there were too many pieces of the puzzle missing and no evidences to make the connection.
The police wanted to know who was John's source that led him to the secret meeting. John knew that his reputation as a reporter would be tarnished if he gave up his source. So John refused. Having refused, the police slapped him with a subpoena. Now John is hunted by a professional hitman and the police. He is racing against time to find all the connection and to report a story of a lifetime.
I love the intrigue and details of John's investigation as well as John's demons. There is one connection that just come out of nowhere that didn't make the story flow smoothly. If there was just one more chapter to connect this piece of the puzzle, this book would have been given five story.
John's character showed his adjustment from Afghanistan through his drinking problem and his weariness of his guilt. I like the depiction of his nightmare of the Afghan boy as he gets closer to the truth of who killed the head of the rival crime organization and the motive behind the hit. His nightmare started to adjust as John gets closer to redemption.
For any readers who love a good thriller, this book is it. Yes, it does have one hiccup but otherwise, it is definitely a good story that one does not find redemption, redemption will find you.
One of John's source has led him into a war between two criminal syndicates where he is a witness to an ambushed meeting shootout where the head of one of the criminal organization was killed. Being an reporter, John started to investigate to find out who took out the head of the organized crime. All fingered pointed to the other rival criminal organization but there were too many pieces of the puzzle missing and no evidences to make the connection.
The police wanted to know who was John's source that led him to the secret meeting. John knew that his reputation as a reporter would be tarnished if he gave up his source. So John refused. Having refused, the police slapped him with a subpoena. Now John is hunted by a professional hitman and the police. He is racing against time to find all the connection and to report a story of a lifetime.
I love the intrigue and details of John's investigation as well as John's demons. There is one connection that just come out of nowhere that didn't make the story flow smoothly. If there was just one more chapter to connect this piece of the puzzle, this book would have been given five story.
John's character showed his adjustment from Afghanistan through his drinking problem and his weariness of his guilt. I like the depiction of his nightmare of the Afghan boy as he gets closer to the truth of who killed the head of the rival crime organization and the motive behind the hit. His nightmare started to adjust as John gets closer to redemption.
For any readers who love a good thriller, this book is it. Yes, it does have one hiccup but otherwise, it is definitely a good story that one does not find redemption, redemption will find you.
January 10, 2015
First off, as a matter of full disclosure, Harris was brought up in Vancouver and the novel takes place there. I have this problem where I get strangely sentimental about books that place in the city I live in. I get a strange sense of delight when I'm reading about Gastown or South Vancouver or the Vancouver Public Library. This probably means I'm a little biased, but I'll put my thoughts down about this book anyway.
John Webster is a deeply flawed character. He's a borderline alcoholic, not a great husband or father, deeply reckless...and I found myself rooting for him the entire time. There were some really dumb moves made by John, but at the same time, I'd classify him as "stupidly courageous". I've never felt deeply compelled to draw people's attention to anything, but John is a true journalist who sees corruption and murder and wants people to know about it even if it puts his life at risk (i.e. "stupidly courageous).
The supporting cast of characters were all quite unique in their own ways, but none of them were especially memorable. There were two female potential love interests and we get a little satisfaction from both those relationships. The plot moved at a decent pace, but there were quite a few characters to keep track of. I had to go back a couple of times to remember who a certain person was. The ending was slightly abrupt. I think I would have enjoyed a longer progression to the climax.
This novel was still extremely well-written and I enjoyed reading it. He's a very promising writer in the mystery genre and I'll definitely be checking out any of his future books.
I received this book through the GoodReads FirstReads program.
John Webster is a deeply flawed character. He's a borderline alcoholic, not a great husband or father, deeply reckless...and I found myself rooting for him the entire time. There were some really dumb moves made by John, but at the same time, I'd classify him as "stupidly courageous". I've never felt deeply compelled to draw people's attention to anything, but John is a true journalist who sees corruption and murder and wants people to know about it even if it puts his life at risk (i.e. "stupidly courageous).
The supporting cast of characters were all quite unique in their own ways, but none of them were especially memorable. There were two female potential love interests and we get a little satisfaction from both those relationships. The plot moved at a decent pace, but there were quite a few characters to keep track of. I had to go back a couple of times to remember who a certain person was. The ending was slightly abrupt. I think I would have enjoyed a longer progression to the climax.
This novel was still extremely well-written and I enjoyed reading it. He's a very promising writer in the mystery genre and I'll definitely be checking out any of his future books.
I received this book through the GoodReads FirstReads program.
July 3, 2012
This book tells the story of John Webster who is a journalist that has recently come home from reporting on the war in Afghanistan. While researching a story, he is a witness to a gang shootout and soon is on the run from both the police and people who are trying to kill him.
My thoughts:
John was a messed up guy. He wasn't someone that I liked. It seemed like he had made a mess of most of his life...except for his work, which he was extremely dedicated to. He definitely does what he thinks is right to get the story and expose the criminals. Yet, he was an absent father, drank too much, and had some serious issues from his time reporting in war zones. He was also a huge risk-taker and did some things that were just plain stupid. He didn't strike me as a stupid person, but more like he had given up on everything and just didn't care if he lived or died.
The other characters in the book were interesting, but I didn't feel much of a connection to any of them except for Chuck and Michelle. They had a bit more of a background than other characters and it was easier to understand their motivations.
Reading about Vancouver was great! I felt like I was there again walking alongside John. The author really captured the sights and sounds of the city and it was so easy to picture everything.
This book was a quick read and I think it will be well liked by readers who enjoy a good thriller or mystery novel. I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!
My thoughts:
John was a messed up guy. He wasn't someone that I liked. It seemed like he had made a mess of most of his life...except for his work, which he was extremely dedicated to. He definitely does what he thinks is right to get the story and expose the criminals. Yet, he was an absent father, drank too much, and had some serious issues from his time reporting in war zones. He was also a huge risk-taker and did some things that were just plain stupid. He didn't strike me as a stupid person, but more like he had given up on everything and just didn't care if he lived or died.
The other characters in the book were interesting, but I didn't feel much of a connection to any of them except for Chuck and Michelle. They had a bit more of a background than other characters and it was easier to understand their motivations.
Reading about Vancouver was great! I felt like I was there again walking alongside John. The author really captured the sights and sounds of the city and it was so easy to picture everything.
This book was a quick read and I think it will be well liked by readers who enjoy a good thriller or mystery novel. I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!
May 29, 2012
This is the first time I've given a book I won on goodreads a one. I feel terrible doing it, but I can't in good faith rate it any higher.
I was drawn to the story of a reporter, back from Afghanistan taking on the mob through his work. What I got instead was a hot mess of a novel that seemed to be written using the standard mystery checksheet... croocked cops, check, love scene, check (who cares if it was out of place and pointless we have to have one), crush on the single mom in tough circumstances, check.
As farfetched and goofy as the "plot" of this book was, the writing was down right cringeworthy. Chapter after chapter the paragraphs all started with the same word, John sat down, John couldn't believe, John, John, John. Basic writing 101 was violated time and time again. The more I read, the more I struggled with finishing the book because I just couldn't get into it. I wanted to take a red pen to the pages and make corrections, because I think somewhere deep inside there was the good story that was promised on the synopsis. I did finish the book because I feel if I win on goodreads I'm indebted to do so, but had I purchased this book I can promise it would have been abandoned 40 pages in.
I was drawn to the story of a reporter, back from Afghanistan taking on the mob through his work. What I got instead was a hot mess of a novel that seemed to be written using the standard mystery checksheet... croocked cops, check, love scene, check (who cares if it was out of place and pointless we have to have one), crush on the single mom in tough circumstances, check.
As farfetched and goofy as the "plot" of this book was, the writing was down right cringeworthy. Chapter after chapter the paragraphs all started with the same word, John sat down, John couldn't believe, John, John, John. Basic writing 101 was violated time and time again. The more I read, the more I struggled with finishing the book because I just couldn't get into it. I wanted to take a red pen to the pages and make corrections, because I think somewhere deep inside there was the good story that was promised on the synopsis. I did finish the book because I feel if I win on goodreads I'm indebted to do so, but had I purchased this book I can promise it would have been abandoned 40 pages in.
June 20, 2012
This was a good book and it kept me interested through out. It wasn't great, and I wish that I could give it three and a half stars but alas, Goodreads doesn't go by halves and I have to keep reminding myself that three stars is "I liked it" according to the rating scheme so it's not as bad as I always feel like a three star book is.
This is about a war correspondent in Vancouver British Columbia who has covered brutal conflicts all over the planet to include Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Congo, and is dealing with Post Traumatic Stress while attempting to solve a murder, get a story, and not get killed by organized crime.
I'm going to have to say that I liked it being set in British Columbia since that's not to far from the Seattle area and there was even a scene where the guy drove down I-5 not more than ten minutes from my house. Love it when things like that happen in fiction.
Somehow, the ending seemed anticlimactic. I'm on the fence about calling it that officially, but it was a little. It could have had a bigger kapow somehow I feel like.
I'm required by the terms and conditions of the book giveaway to state that I won this book through the Goodreads First Reads Book Giveaway Program in any review that I write about it.
This is about a war correspondent in Vancouver British Columbia who has covered brutal conflicts all over the planet to include Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Congo, and is dealing with Post Traumatic Stress while attempting to solve a murder, get a story, and not get killed by organized crime.
I'm going to have to say that I liked it being set in British Columbia since that's not to far from the Seattle area and there was even a scene where the guy drove down I-5 not more than ten minutes from my house. Love it when things like that happen in fiction.
Somehow, the ending seemed anticlimactic. I'm on the fence about calling it that officially, but it was a little. It could have had a bigger kapow somehow I feel like.
I'm required by the terms and conditions of the book giveaway to state that I won this book through the Goodreads First Reads Book Giveaway Program in any review that I write about it.
June 2, 2012
This book was a gift from Goodreads. I was drawn to it by both the title and the synopsis.
A military journalist, after spending time in Afghanistan, returns home only to find that living in current western society is sometimes even more frightening than living in a war zone; it's often more difficult to identify the enemy. After witnessing a mob murder, the reporter's own life is on the line. Inexplicably, the reporter puts himself in situations in which he could be shot or otherwise killed by an amateur, and yet the professional hitmen seem to just let him wander around. If I continued the book to the end, perhaps I'd find out why this seemingly illogical drama plays out repeatedly.
I confess, I can't force myself to finish the book. I suspect that it might have been a good short story with some editing and proofreading, but as a novel it drags. Were this a movie, you could get up to refill your popcorn without missing a thing - even if the popcorn lines were long. The dragging plot isn't made any more tolerable by the poor writing. Sorry, Mr. Harris! I really wanted to like this one!
A military journalist, after spending time in Afghanistan, returns home only to find that living in current western society is sometimes even more frightening than living in a war zone; it's often more difficult to identify the enemy. After witnessing a mob murder, the reporter's own life is on the line. Inexplicably, the reporter puts himself in situations in which he could be shot or otherwise killed by an amateur, and yet the professional hitmen seem to just let him wander around. If I continued the book to the end, perhaps I'd find out why this seemingly illogical drama plays out repeatedly.
I confess, I can't force myself to finish the book. I suspect that it might have been a good short story with some editing and proofreading, but as a novel it drags. Were this a movie, you could get up to refill your popcorn without missing a thing - even if the popcorn lines were long. The dragging plot isn't made any more tolerable by the poor writing. Sorry, Mr. Harris! I really wanted to like this one!
June 20, 2012
John Webster is a war-time journalist who has returned to his native Canada thinking to take on more tame assignments. The gangs of Vancouver have no intention of making his life that easy, though, and soon Webster finds himself embroiled in a murder mystery that threatens his life and maybe even the lives of those he loves. As dire as his circumstances are, he finds he has trouble focusing on them as the rest of his life continues to unravel. Grasping for straws, he drinks too much and seeks romance in unsuitable women. He'll have to pull it together to survive his latest story and stay on the payroll and on this side of the grave.
Joel Mark Harris gives us a complex protagonist in John Webster - a man who is interesting even when he is annoying. The battle lines are clearly drawn in this novel of violence hidden beneath a civilized city exterior, and the stage is well-set for a showdown. You'll want to stick around to see how this plays out. Flashbacks of war are mixed in with the present gang troubles to show parallels, and the author's investigation of these similarities is intriguing.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Joel Mark Harris gives us a complex protagonist in John Webster - a man who is interesting even when he is annoying. The battle lines are clearly drawn in this novel of violence hidden beneath a civilized city exterior, and the stage is well-set for a showdown. You'll want to stick around to see how this plays out. Flashbacks of war are mixed in with the present gang troubles to show parallels, and the author's investigation of these similarities is intriguing.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
April 22, 2012
I received a copy of A Thosand Bayonets by Joel Mark Harris through the Goodreads Giveaway.
This novel is a very good thriller, filled with lots of action. John Webster, an investigative reporter,returns home from the war in Afghanistan. There he saw the terrible things human beings can do.But when he comes home, to what he thought would be a peaceful life,he follows up on a tip that literally puts him right in the middle of an explosive crime scene.Webster had been tipped off to a meeting of the top members of the Heart gang.John was involved in a gang shootout. To the police and media, and John himself, it appears to be a gangland hit in a war between criminal gangs. Despite haunting flashbacks from Afghanistan, a personal life in disarray, subpoenas from the police and threats on his life, John is suddenly back in the war zone. His journalistic instincts, honed in war zones in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Congo, lead him to the perpetrators, and enable him to survive. The characters are believable and interesting. His simple, direct narrative style is enjoyable to read, and there is enough action to keep the reader’s interest alive and thriving.
This novel is a very good thriller, filled with lots of action. John Webster, an investigative reporter,returns home from the war in Afghanistan. There he saw the terrible things human beings can do.But when he comes home, to what he thought would be a peaceful life,he follows up on a tip that literally puts him right in the middle of an explosive crime scene.Webster had been tipped off to a meeting of the top members of the Heart gang.John was involved in a gang shootout. To the police and media, and John himself, it appears to be a gangland hit in a war between criminal gangs. Despite haunting flashbacks from Afghanistan, a personal life in disarray, subpoenas from the police and threats on his life, John is suddenly back in the war zone. His journalistic instincts, honed in war zones in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Congo, lead him to the perpetrators, and enable him to survive. The characters are believable and interesting. His simple, direct narrative style is enjoyable to read, and there is enough action to keep the reader’s interest alive and thriving.
April 30, 2012
A Thousand Bayonets is most certainly a mystery novel. Before I read the publication, my interests were consistently convergent to a handful of topics, you know, teenage stuff, more or less. I decided to try my luck on the giveaway sponsored by publishers and distributed by Goodreads and thought the book looked fairly interesting enough, despite being a departure from normalcy. To my surprise, I won and after the first chapter, I was hooked. As clichéd as my scenario sounded, the feeling was genuine and I cannot think of another way to put it. Mr. Harris's storytelling was kinetic and quite fluid, so I naturally found myself submerged in the plotline. Though the characters came at me, thick and fast, I somehow found myself keeping track of them all (With the exception of two particulars) without even referring to the previous chapters for a cheat-sheet. If not for that irksome fact that humans do tire eventually during the morning cycles of another day, I would've finished it in one day. I look forward to future novels written by Mr. Harris, for he seems like a promising new writer in the field where writers do grow stale.
October 1, 2013
Joel MarkHarris’ A Thousand Bayonets is a Canadian cops a robbers adventure situated in Vancouver. The novel's lead character John Webster is a grizzled alcoholic newspaper reporter, who is scarred from his time in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has returned to Canada and is a crime beat reporter on a Vancouver daily, where he discovers himself entangled in the murder of a mobster and his cronies. It’s a Dick Tracy/Clark Kent adventure and it has an appealing pull throughout. Most importantly it passed this readers 50 page litmus test**, while some well known writers have not. The author is himself a reporter and he brings a realistic perspective to the interactions within the newspaper industry and is focused on the importance of the Fourth Estate digging into news events.
Not every writer starts with a polished novel, edited and released by a credible publisher. Many writers start with independent publishing. Joel Mark Harris’ first novel is perhaps a tad shy in the editing area but determinedly outgoing with it storyline, which averages out to a 3 star book. Not bad at all when weighed up against other books on ebooknews.ca’s past reading list.
www.ebooknews.ca
Not every writer starts with a polished novel, edited and released by a credible publisher. Many writers start with independent publishing. Joel Mark Harris’ first novel is perhaps a tad shy in the editing area but determinedly outgoing with it storyline, which averages out to a 3 star book. Not bad at all when weighed up against other books on ebooknews.ca’s past reading list.
www.ebooknews.ca
September 14, 2017
Let me say that I enjoyed the book very much though I did have trouble getting through parts of it for some reason. I think it was probably because of something personal to me and not the book itself though the style did create some issues for me. The store on a whole was well done and the characters are well written if not as polished and complete as I would like but then again when are people the way we want them to be. I did find our hero to be more disjointed than I would normally care for but it works here and it works very well. I do wish that the supporting cast was a bit better developed in some instances and that we knew more about their motivations than we do but as it is they are well written and complete enough to play their parts just as they are supposed to. I was very impressed with the books locations and settings as they are described by the author as well. You almost feel as if you are there in most of the places he details but in some others he again falls just a bit short. Overall a good book but not great.
July 16, 2012
For a thriller, A THOUSAND BAYONETS is only moderately thrilling. It is the tale of former war reporter John Webster, who has returned home to Vancouver, B.C. where he finds himself again enmeshed in violence when he witnesses the gangland style slaying of some local criminals. I never really developed empathy with the main character and probably because of this did not find myself concerned for his well being when I was supposed to be on the edge of my seat. Having visited Vancouver many times, I did enjoy the familiarity of the book’s locale. One of my favorite bits is this conversation between Webster and his boss, “You know, there is an old Irish saying that goes, ‘ May you have hindsight to know where you’ve been, foresight to know where you’re going, and insight to know when you’ve gone too far.’” Webster smiled wearily. “I’m Scottish---we never did listen to the Irish.” (pg.87)
June 16, 2012
Published in 2011 by iUniverse
Joel Mark Harris is a young Canadian journalist and new novel writer. The advice always given to writers is to "write what you know" so Harris has done that - the main character of this novel is John Webster, an experienced investigative journalist for a Vancouver newspaper. He carries physical and emotional battle scars from covering the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is too old to start a blog to promote his articles and he is definitely too experienced to be playing fast and loose with the mob as the bullets start to fly and the bodies start to fall. But, he does, for reasons he doesn't quite understand his whole life has fallen apart since his horrible experiences in the war zones and he seems driven to push away his son and his ex-wife and take on ever more dangerous assignments at home...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2012/...
Joel Mark Harris is a young Canadian journalist and new novel writer. The advice always given to writers is to "write what you know" so Harris has done that - the main character of this novel is John Webster, an experienced investigative journalist for a Vancouver newspaper. He carries physical and emotional battle scars from covering the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is too old to start a blog to promote his articles and he is definitely too experienced to be playing fast and loose with the mob as the bullets start to fly and the bodies start to fall. But, he does, for reasons he doesn't quite understand his whole life has fallen apart since his horrible experiences in the war zones and he seems driven to push away his son and his ex-wife and take on ever more dangerous assignments at home...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2012/...
May 24, 2013
I was not a huge fan of the book. That being said, I don't think it was bad. It had it's thrills, and the author gave good insight into the life of a journalist in the field. It is not the authors writing that I did not enjoy much, it is the subject. I just really don't care to hear about drug wars, turf wars, wars at all. If you are into that type of thing, you will love this book. If you are a journalist you will probably enjoy the book as well. It wasn't for me, but the writing was good, and I was able to get through the whole thing without getting too terribly bored. That counts for something! I would recommend this to a few of my friends, but I don't have many friends or family that are into this type of thing either. It really wasn't bad though, it just was not a favorite.
I won this book on Goodreads First Reads.
I won this book on Goodreads First Reads.
April 14, 2014
A Thousand Bayonets by Joel Harris is a quick and enjoyable read that I got through in one evening.
This book truly was a pleasant surprise. From the very first page I had been sucked in and immersed in the suspense, action and heart-clenching pace of Harris' book. It is unpredictable and engaging; I literally couldn’t put this book down, it is without a doubt a strong, realistic and emotive book that will draw out a response from readers.
A strong yet brutal novel that takes a look at the destructive nature of human beings. Harris' A Thousand Bayonets is truly an exquisitely told tale crafted with numerous thought provoking threads weaving through it. A must read for any avid reader.
A copy of the book was provided via Goodreads Firstreads in return for an honest review.
This book truly was a pleasant surprise. From the very first page I had been sucked in and immersed in the suspense, action and heart-clenching pace of Harris' book. It is unpredictable and engaging; I literally couldn’t put this book down, it is without a doubt a strong, realistic and emotive book that will draw out a response from readers.
A strong yet brutal novel that takes a look at the destructive nature of human beings. Harris' A Thousand Bayonets is truly an exquisitely told tale crafted with numerous thought provoking threads weaving through it. A must read for any avid reader.
A copy of the book was provided via Goodreads Firstreads in return for an honest review.
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