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Alexander Hawke #2
Assassin
Alex Hawke is back. In this explosive, jaw-tightening follow-up to Ted Bell's "rich, spellbinding, and absorbing" (Clive Cussler) debut national bestseller, Hawke, fearless intelligence operative Lord Alexander Hawke matches wits with a cunning and bloodthirsty psychopath in a desperate race to avert an American Armageddon.
In an elegant palazzo on the Grand Canal, an American ambassador's tryst turns deadly. In the seamy underbelly of London, a pub-crawling killer is on the loose. And in a storybook chapel nestled in the Cotswolds, a marriage made in heaven turns to hell on earth. Isolated incidents? Or links in a chain of events hurtling towards catastrophe? So begins Assassin, the tour de force thriller that heralds the return of every terrorist's worst nightmare, Alex Hawke.
A shadowy figure known as the Dog is believed to be the ruthless terrorist who is systematically and savagely assassinating American diplomats and their families around the globe. As the deadly toll mounts inexorably, Hawke, along with former NYPD cop and Navy SEAL Stokely Jones, is called upon by the U.S. government to launch a search for the assassin behind the murders.
Hawke, who “’makes James Bond look like a "slovenly, dull-witted clockpuncher"’” ( Kirkus Reviews ), is soon following a trail that leads back to London in the go-go nineties, when Arab oil money fueled lavish, and sometimes fiendish, lifestyles. Other murky clues point to the Florida Keys, where a vicious killer hides behind the gates of a fabled museum. And to a remote Indonesian island where a madman tinkers with strains of a deadly virus and slyly bides his time.
Hawke must call upon resources deep within himself. He must enter a race against time to stop a cataclysmic attack on America's most populous cities and avenge the inexplicable and horrific crime that has left him devastated.
Brimming with relentless action and stylish detail, and featuring a hero that readers will stand up and cheer for, Assassin is a gripping adventure. And definitely not recommended for the faint of heart.
In an elegant palazzo on the Grand Canal, an American ambassador's tryst turns deadly. In the seamy underbelly of London, a pub-crawling killer is on the loose. And in a storybook chapel nestled in the Cotswolds, a marriage made in heaven turns to hell on earth. Isolated incidents? Or links in a chain of events hurtling towards catastrophe? So begins Assassin, the tour de force thriller that heralds the return of every terrorist's worst nightmare, Alex Hawke.
A shadowy figure known as the Dog is believed to be the ruthless terrorist who is systematically and savagely assassinating American diplomats and their families around the globe. As the deadly toll mounts inexorably, Hawke, along with former NYPD cop and Navy SEAL Stokely Jones, is called upon by the U.S. government to launch a search for the assassin behind the murders.
Hawke, who “’makes James Bond look like a "slovenly, dull-witted clockpuncher"’” ( Kirkus Reviews ), is soon following a trail that leads back to London in the go-go nineties, when Arab oil money fueled lavish, and sometimes fiendish, lifestyles. Other murky clues point to the Florida Keys, where a vicious killer hides behind the gates of a fabled museum. And to a remote Indonesian island where a madman tinkers with strains of a deadly virus and slyly bides his time.
Hawke must call upon resources deep within himself. He must enter a race against time to stop a cataclysmic attack on America's most populous cities and avenge the inexplicable and horrific crime that has left him devastated.
Brimming with relentless action and stylish detail, and featuring a hero that readers will stand up and cheer for, Assassin is a gripping adventure. And definitely not recommended for the faint of heart.
592 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 20, 2004
390 people are currently reading
2219 people want to read
About the author
Ted Bell
46 books858 followersTed Bell was the author of 12 consecutive New York Times best sellers and a former advertising executive. He began his advertising career in the 1970’s as a junior copywriter at Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB), New York. At the age of 25, he sold his first screenplay to Hollywood, as well as became the youngest vice-president in the storied history of DDB. He then joined Leo Burnett Co., Chicago, as a creative director and four years later, he was named President, Chicago Creative Officer where he was credited with developing numerous innovative and award-winning advertising campaigns. In 1982, Bell joined Young & Rubicam, London, and in 1991 he became the Vice Chairman and Worldwide Creative Director. Ted won every award the advertising industry offers, including numerous Clios and Cannes Gold Lions, and while at Young & Rubicam, the Grand Prix at the Cannes Festival. In 2001, Ted retired to write full time. He has 10 New York Times Bestsellers to his credit: The Alex Hawke series of spy thrillers published by HarperCollins and the young adult targeted time travel adventure series, Nick of Time and The Time Pirate published by St. Martins Press.
A native Floridian, Bell graduated from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia and was a former member of the college’s Board of Trustees. He held an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Kendall College in Michigan. Bell was also an Adjunct Professor of English Literature at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. He was a member of the Defense Orientation Conference Association (DOCA), a program run by the Department of Defense in support of America’s military. He served on the Advisory Board at George Washington’s Home at Mount Vernon, a group chaired by former Secretary of the Army, Togo West. He also served for a time as an advisor to the Undersecretary for Domestic Relations at the U.S. Department of State.
For the 2011-2012 Academic Year, Sir Richard Dearlove, Former Chief of MI6, British Intelligence, sponsored Ted to become a Visiting Scholar at Cambridge University (UK). In addition, he was named Writer-in-Residence at Sydney-Sussex College, Cambridge and studied at the University’s Department of Political Science and International Studies (POLIS) under the tutelage of Sir Dearlove, who was the Master of Pembroke College.
In May 2018, Ted published OVERKILL, the 10th book in the popular Alex Hawke spy thriller series.
In January 2019, Ted and Jon Adler of Jon Adler Films formed El Dorado Entertainment, a feature film and television production company based in New York.
In July 2019, Ted signed a two-book deal with Random House.
In July 2020, the 11th Alex Hawke thriller, DRAGONFIRE, was published.
On December 7, 2021, the 12th Alex Hawke thriller, SEA HAWKE was published.
Ted appeared on numerous television and radio programs and was a featured speaker at associations, clubs, libraries and organizations across the country.
Ted traveled the world and lived in Italy, London, France, Palm Beach, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Maine. He last lived in a beloved 19th century farmhouse in Connecticut.
A native Floridian, Bell graduated from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia and was a former member of the college’s Board of Trustees. He held an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Kendall College in Michigan. Bell was also an Adjunct Professor of English Literature at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. He was a member of the Defense Orientation Conference Association (DOCA), a program run by the Department of Defense in support of America’s military. He served on the Advisory Board at George Washington’s Home at Mount Vernon, a group chaired by former Secretary of the Army, Togo West. He also served for a time as an advisor to the Undersecretary for Domestic Relations at the U.S. Department of State.
For the 2011-2012 Academic Year, Sir Richard Dearlove, Former Chief of MI6, British Intelligence, sponsored Ted to become a Visiting Scholar at Cambridge University (UK). In addition, he was named Writer-in-Residence at Sydney-Sussex College, Cambridge and studied at the University’s Department of Political Science and International Studies (POLIS) under the tutelage of Sir Dearlove, who was the Master of Pembroke College.
In May 2018, Ted published OVERKILL, the 10th book in the popular Alex Hawke spy thriller series.
In January 2019, Ted and Jon Adler of Jon Adler Films formed El Dorado Entertainment, a feature film and television production company based in New York.
In July 2019, Ted signed a two-book deal with Random House.
In July 2020, the 11th Alex Hawke thriller, DRAGONFIRE, was published.
On December 7, 2021, the 12th Alex Hawke thriller, SEA HAWKE was published.
Ted appeared on numerous television and radio programs and was a featured speaker at associations, clubs, libraries and organizations across the country.
Ted traveled the world and lived in Italy, London, France, Palm Beach, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Maine. He last lived in a beloved 19th century farmhouse in Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
February 7, 2014
I simply couldn't finish this novel. I gave up on page 198, when the campy, contrived and clichéd story got the best of me. The convoluted story line could have been written by a committee of eighth-grade boys ... from 1960. Action scenes remind me of R-rated versions of the Batman television series. A friend once observed, "life's too short to drink bad wine." Well, time is also too precious to suffer through bad novels. Sayonara, Alex Hawke.
May 17, 2015
Assassin by Ted Bell
Lord Alexander Hawke: Alexander Hawke is a military contractor and owner of one of the largest weapon companies in the world. Alexander Hawke’s life started with tragedy as when he was sailing with his parents in the Caribbean, Cuban pirates sieged the ship. The pirates led by General Manso de Herraras asked for a map leading to a treasure hid by one of Hawke’s ancestor, the ruthless pirate, Blackhawke. Alex’s parents hid him in a closet with the map and they are soon killed by the pirates. As Hawke grew older, he lived with his grandfather Richard Hawke and his pet parrot Sniper. He soon joined the British Navy. Within a few years, he was one of the top pilots, flying Harrier Jets and running covert missions in hostile areas. After his decorated military career, he adjusted back into regular life and took over his grandfather’s company. Hawke soon built his grandfather’s company into a multi-million dollar defense corporation. Hawke is not married because of his commitment to the defense company and the military. He has kept many close friends he had met in his fights overseas such as Scotland Yard Detective Ambrose Congreve and Navy Seal Stokely Jones. He is very popular in the political world for he has worked with numerous figures such as the British Prime Minister and the Secretary of State. Hawke also has a 120 foot yacht called “Blackhawke” built with the most modern technology and most advanced weapons systems available.
Snay bin Wazir (The Dog): Snay bin Wazir is one of the world’s most elusive and infamous terrorists. He was born in the Emirate to a diamond dealer. Throughout his childhood, he has no direction in his life until he met Yasmin. Yasmin is the daughter of the most internationally known terrorist, the Emir. Bin Wazir did not know that at the time and the Emir got him into the business of arms dealing and poaching. Bin Wazir started elephant poaching in Mozambique where he killed dozens of elephants by forcing them into landmines by shooting at them from a helicopter. Since the ivory trade was flourishing at that time, Bin Wazir became very wealthy. He moved to London, England and soon, started arms dealing. When the Americans got enough evidence on him for illegal activities, they stormed his penthouse in 1999, but found that he and his wife had been kidnapped. It turns out that the Emir kidnapped so Snay could train Arabic women to become cold-blooded killers of men in power. Snay carried out numerous bombings across the world and, recently started having his women kill American diplomats.
Detective Ambrose Congreve: Ambrose Congreve is one of the closest associates and friends of Lord Alexander Hawke. Ambrose Congreve first met Hawke when he was just a teenager. Congreve was a young, shining detective in the department and he went to Alex’s to investigate the family for a string of jewelry robberies. It turned out the whole family was innocent and the butler was responsible. Congreve worked tons of cases at Scotland Yard and soon rose to the head of the department. After working there for 40 years, he finally retired and started to work for Hawke. His job for Alex is to help investigate any crimes he has to deal with or go interview person connected to his case. Hawke and him also do things with each other beyond work. They usually play a lot of golf together and Congreve takes him out to fancy dinners a lot because he wants Hawke to learn how to adjust to life outside of the military world. Also, Congreve is a very heavy user of Cuban cigars. Congreve joins Alex on every single journey on Blackhawke and runs his surveillance and interrogation department. Congreve said working for Alex was a life changing experience and has given him new perspective on his life.
Stokely Jones: Stokely Jones is a retired NYPD detective and Navy Seal. He, also like Congreve, works for Alex. Jones had a rough childhood, he grew up in Harlem, New York. He lived in the world of drug dealers and gang violence. He was a troubled youth and when he was arrested enough times, the police gave him a choice, jail or the military. Jones chose the military and quickly rose through the ranks of the Navy. He became a Navy Seal where he specialized in boats and weapons. He was one of the most decorated Seals ever before he joined the NYPD. He was a Detective First Grade in the NYPD and he was a hero among his colleagues. He first met Alex Hawke when Stokely rescued Alex from a burning building that his kidnappers set on fire. Stokely eventually brought Alex’s kidnappers to justice. Now, Stokely does reconnaissance work for Alex and joins him on most of his covert operations. He is also Alex’s most trustful friend and they would each take a bullet for each other.
Victoria Sweet: Victoria Sweet is an American child book author and doctor. She was one of the most educated American pediatricians for she was top of her class at Tulane. Her father was a U.S. senator for Louisiana. In 2003, at the American Embassy in London, Alex Hawke and her were attending the same party. Hawke asked her to dance and they fell in love quickly. During one of his missions in Cuba, she was kidnapped by Cuban generals and held for ransom. Hawke eventually found her and killed her kidnappers. She and Alex soon get married in the Cotswolds. But, on their wedding day, she is shot dead on the steps of the church.
All over the world, American diplomats are being killed by the terrorist known as the Dog. Recently, the American Ambassador to Italy was murdered by an drone when it exploded in the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Meanwhile, Alexander Hawke is celebrating his wedding day with his bride, Victoria Sweet. Before he knows it, she is shot dead right in front of his eyes. Soon, Hawke hits rock bottom and puts his team of Ambrose Congreve, Stokely Jones, Tommy Quick, and Ross Sutherland together to find Victoria’s killer. But, Hawke is asked by the State Department to help investigate the killings as the ambassadors from Spain, France, and Saudi Arabia also die. As they are working both cases, they find out the same man is killing the ambassadors and also hired someone to kill Victoria. Hawke and the State Department find out it is Snay bin Wazir, an internationally wanted terrorist. Bin Wazir has used his secret killing force of Arabic women to get close to the ambassadors and then kill them. He is under orders from the terrorist legend, the Emir. Bin Wazir is asked to destory America so he hires one of the world’s most dangerous scientists and some of the dangerous hitmen in the world to make a virus and kill anybody with relation to what they are planning. As Hawke and his team find Victoria’s killer, a Cuban radical, they realize that Bin Wazir is about to release his biggest weapon. From the islands of Indonesia to the grasslands of the Everglades, Hawke and Bin Wazir are stuck in a game of cat and mouse and only one will survive.
The conflict in this book is between Alexander Hawke and Snay Bin Wazir. Bin Wazir has slowly been tearing apart Hawke’s life by killing his bride and almost having radical Pakistanis bomb his boat. Bin Wazir has no backing by anybody, not even the Emir, so he is on his own. He kills the ambassadors without leaving a trace. Bin Wazir wants to make Hawke grieve for years by taking away everything he loves, and the one day he puts his guard down, Bin Wazir will make the final move. Though, there is one person who can stop his agenda and hunt him down, Alexander Hawke. Hawke is recruited by the State Department to hunt down the terrorist who is responsible for killing the ambassadors. Hawke soon puts the pieces together and realizes Bin Wazir is responsible for not just the killings, but also trying to rip apart his life and kill him. Hawke starts to have his team investigate different sides of Bin Wazir and they will all try to attack him at once. Also, Bin Wazir sees this coming. He has studied Hawke for years. As a deadly sumo match between Hawke and Bin Wazir takes place in the Emirate, and a British airliner is bombed over the Pacific, and is quickly replaced by another jetliner owned by bin Wazir filled with smallpox. Hawke realizes that killing Bin Wazir is not just about survival and revenge, it is about saving the Western world.
Assassin was a heart-pounding thriller from frontpage to back. Ted Bell is one of the best authors I have ever read. He puts you into the eyes of the characters whether it is Hawke, Bin Wazir or Congreve. He makes you feel like you are in real life. He explains in great detial the fight between Hawke and Bin Wazir and how each one plans to take the other down. Bell does a very great job of moving his book around the world. His storyline takes the reader to Indonesia to Miami, London to Nantucket. The book is action-packed. I could not put the book down and it was a great read. Ted Bell has written many great books, but Assassin is toward the top of his list.
Lord Alexander Hawke: Alexander Hawke is a military contractor and owner of one of the largest weapon companies in the world. Alexander Hawke’s life started with tragedy as when he was sailing with his parents in the Caribbean, Cuban pirates sieged the ship. The pirates led by General Manso de Herraras asked for a map leading to a treasure hid by one of Hawke’s ancestor, the ruthless pirate, Blackhawke. Alex’s parents hid him in a closet with the map and they are soon killed by the pirates. As Hawke grew older, he lived with his grandfather Richard Hawke and his pet parrot Sniper. He soon joined the British Navy. Within a few years, he was one of the top pilots, flying Harrier Jets and running covert missions in hostile areas. After his decorated military career, he adjusted back into regular life and took over his grandfather’s company. Hawke soon built his grandfather’s company into a multi-million dollar defense corporation. Hawke is not married because of his commitment to the defense company and the military. He has kept many close friends he had met in his fights overseas such as Scotland Yard Detective Ambrose Congreve and Navy Seal Stokely Jones. He is very popular in the political world for he has worked with numerous figures such as the British Prime Minister and the Secretary of State. Hawke also has a 120 foot yacht called “Blackhawke” built with the most modern technology and most advanced weapons systems available.
Snay bin Wazir (The Dog): Snay bin Wazir is one of the world’s most elusive and infamous terrorists. He was born in the Emirate to a diamond dealer. Throughout his childhood, he has no direction in his life until he met Yasmin. Yasmin is the daughter of the most internationally known terrorist, the Emir. Bin Wazir did not know that at the time and the Emir got him into the business of arms dealing and poaching. Bin Wazir started elephant poaching in Mozambique where he killed dozens of elephants by forcing them into landmines by shooting at them from a helicopter. Since the ivory trade was flourishing at that time, Bin Wazir became very wealthy. He moved to London, England and soon, started arms dealing. When the Americans got enough evidence on him for illegal activities, they stormed his penthouse in 1999, but found that he and his wife had been kidnapped. It turns out that the Emir kidnapped so Snay could train Arabic women to become cold-blooded killers of men in power. Snay carried out numerous bombings across the world and, recently started having his women kill American diplomats.
Detective Ambrose Congreve: Ambrose Congreve is one of the closest associates and friends of Lord Alexander Hawke. Ambrose Congreve first met Hawke when he was just a teenager. Congreve was a young, shining detective in the department and he went to Alex’s to investigate the family for a string of jewelry robberies. It turned out the whole family was innocent and the butler was responsible. Congreve worked tons of cases at Scotland Yard and soon rose to the head of the department. After working there for 40 years, he finally retired and started to work for Hawke. His job for Alex is to help investigate any crimes he has to deal with or go interview person connected to his case. Hawke and him also do things with each other beyond work. They usually play a lot of golf together and Congreve takes him out to fancy dinners a lot because he wants Hawke to learn how to adjust to life outside of the military world. Also, Congreve is a very heavy user of Cuban cigars. Congreve joins Alex on every single journey on Blackhawke and runs his surveillance and interrogation department. Congreve said working for Alex was a life changing experience and has given him new perspective on his life.
Stokely Jones: Stokely Jones is a retired NYPD detective and Navy Seal. He, also like Congreve, works for Alex. Jones had a rough childhood, he grew up in Harlem, New York. He lived in the world of drug dealers and gang violence. He was a troubled youth and when he was arrested enough times, the police gave him a choice, jail or the military. Jones chose the military and quickly rose through the ranks of the Navy. He became a Navy Seal where he specialized in boats and weapons. He was one of the most decorated Seals ever before he joined the NYPD. He was a Detective First Grade in the NYPD and he was a hero among his colleagues. He first met Alex Hawke when Stokely rescued Alex from a burning building that his kidnappers set on fire. Stokely eventually brought Alex’s kidnappers to justice. Now, Stokely does reconnaissance work for Alex and joins him on most of his covert operations. He is also Alex’s most trustful friend and they would each take a bullet for each other.
Victoria Sweet: Victoria Sweet is an American child book author and doctor. She was one of the most educated American pediatricians for she was top of her class at Tulane. Her father was a U.S. senator for Louisiana. In 2003, at the American Embassy in London, Alex Hawke and her were attending the same party. Hawke asked her to dance and they fell in love quickly. During one of his missions in Cuba, she was kidnapped by Cuban generals and held for ransom. Hawke eventually found her and killed her kidnappers. She and Alex soon get married in the Cotswolds. But, on their wedding day, she is shot dead on the steps of the church.
All over the world, American diplomats are being killed by the terrorist known as the Dog. Recently, the American Ambassador to Italy was murdered by an drone when it exploded in the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Meanwhile, Alexander Hawke is celebrating his wedding day with his bride, Victoria Sweet. Before he knows it, she is shot dead right in front of his eyes. Soon, Hawke hits rock bottom and puts his team of Ambrose Congreve, Stokely Jones, Tommy Quick, and Ross Sutherland together to find Victoria’s killer. But, Hawke is asked by the State Department to help investigate the killings as the ambassadors from Spain, France, and Saudi Arabia also die. As they are working both cases, they find out the same man is killing the ambassadors and also hired someone to kill Victoria. Hawke and the State Department find out it is Snay bin Wazir, an internationally wanted terrorist. Bin Wazir has used his secret killing force of Arabic women to get close to the ambassadors and then kill them. He is under orders from the terrorist legend, the Emir. Bin Wazir is asked to destory America so he hires one of the world’s most dangerous scientists and some of the dangerous hitmen in the world to make a virus and kill anybody with relation to what they are planning. As Hawke and his team find Victoria’s killer, a Cuban radical, they realize that Bin Wazir is about to release his biggest weapon. From the islands of Indonesia to the grasslands of the Everglades, Hawke and Bin Wazir are stuck in a game of cat and mouse and only one will survive.
The conflict in this book is between Alexander Hawke and Snay Bin Wazir. Bin Wazir has slowly been tearing apart Hawke’s life by killing his bride and almost having radical Pakistanis bomb his boat. Bin Wazir has no backing by anybody, not even the Emir, so he is on his own. He kills the ambassadors without leaving a trace. Bin Wazir wants to make Hawke grieve for years by taking away everything he loves, and the one day he puts his guard down, Bin Wazir will make the final move. Though, there is one person who can stop his agenda and hunt him down, Alexander Hawke. Hawke is recruited by the State Department to hunt down the terrorist who is responsible for killing the ambassadors. Hawke soon puts the pieces together and realizes Bin Wazir is responsible for not just the killings, but also trying to rip apart his life and kill him. Hawke starts to have his team investigate different sides of Bin Wazir and they will all try to attack him at once. Also, Bin Wazir sees this coming. He has studied Hawke for years. As a deadly sumo match between Hawke and Bin Wazir takes place in the Emirate, and a British airliner is bombed over the Pacific, and is quickly replaced by another jetliner owned by bin Wazir filled with smallpox. Hawke realizes that killing Bin Wazir is not just about survival and revenge, it is about saving the Western world.
Assassin was a heart-pounding thriller from frontpage to back. Ted Bell is one of the best authors I have ever read. He puts you into the eyes of the characters whether it is Hawke, Bin Wazir or Congreve. He makes you feel like you are in real life. He explains in great detial the fight between Hawke and Bin Wazir and how each one plans to take the other down. Bell does a very great job of moving his book around the world. His storyline takes the reader to Indonesia to Miami, London to Nantucket. The book is action-packed. I could not put the book down and it was a great read. Ted Bell has written many great books, but Assassin is toward the top of his list.
December 29, 2010
This is the second book in the Alexander Hawke series, but the first I've read.
It will probably be the only one I read.
This was such a drag to read with all the characters being stereotypes, totally illogical in their actions and completely unbelievable. There was no enjoyment in this book. The structure was totally stupid and the time lines didn't make any sense. There were two stories in this book and it was just pointless with them being their. Then there is the issue of characters who just disappeared without conclusion of their story.
Pathetic is all I can say.
It will probably be the only one I read.
This was such a drag to read with all the characters being stereotypes, totally illogical in their actions and completely unbelievable. There was no enjoyment in this book. The structure was totally stupid and the time lines didn't make any sense. There were two stories in this book and it was just pointless with them being their. Then there is the issue of characters who just disappeared without conclusion of their story.
Pathetic is all I can say.
July 24, 2012
Alex Hawke is a descendant of a famous pirate. That doesn't really matter to the book, but it makes him a more romantic character. His freshly-wed bride has been gunned down on the steps of the church, while at the same time, a staggeringly well-funded terror ring is systematically assassinating American diplomats around the world.
This is the second Alexander Hawke book by Ted Bell, and I have to admit that I have not read the first. I picked up Assassin because (TMI) it had been left in the bathroom at work. Normally this kind of read isn't my thing. I used to read Tom Clancy until he started getting ridiculous, but haven't touched anything in the international thriller vein in over a decade now. So, take that for what it's worth.
I have several problems with Assassin. First and most damning is the writing. There's a blurb on the cover that reads "Ted Bell can really really write." It's attributed to James Patterson, which in my mind is a backhanded complement if there ever was one. Bells's narration is thick and uneven, his dialogue wooden and forced, and he seems to frequently lose track of what's going on. The best example of the last is a scene in which the president is being briefed by several intelligence officers, along with the cabinet and some high-level generals. When questioned about the matter at hand, the president responds with "No comment". To his staff. Repeat, to his staff. I am fairly sure that presidents treat staff meetings, even deadly serious ones, differently than they treat press conferences. But that's just me.
My second problem with the book is its believablilty. As Aristotle said (I'm paraphrasing), a likely impossiblity is better than an improbable possiblity. Meaning, it's okay for dragons to rain fire on Manhattan, it is not okay for the Aegis defense system, which is one of the most expensive and sophisticated miliatry techologies (really an integrated suite of military technologies) ever developed, to be installed on a private yacht, as it is in this book. I don't care how well connected or rich Alex Hawke is, ain't happening.
Which leads me into the issue of Alex Hawke himself. He's quite a dude. Devilishly handsome, trained in combat - to the point that he can defeat an experienced Sumo wrestler on his first try, and with a cracked rib - massively rich, so feircely loyal to his country that he forgoes mourning for his murdered bride in order to serve... did I mention that he is also adept at aircraft design and repair? Or that he's immune to the cold? (How else to explain that two-mile swim in Buzzards Bay, at night, without a wetsuit.) With so many wonderful attributes, Alex doesn't really have much room for much personality, which is good, because he isn't supplied with one. He reminds me of nothing so much as Roger Moore-era James Bond. I know Roger has his defenders, but god help me, I'll never be one of them.
Assassin has some other things in common with the Bond francise, namely it's villain and its attitude toward women. The villain first. Snay bin Wazir (of course he's an Arab, what else would he be?) is drawn in the best Bond tradition, plus a little more graphic violence. Fearfully sadistic, a voyeur, wealthy enough to purchase and defile Beauchamp's hotel in London, he's fond of such tricks as feeding folks to Komodo dragons and slaughtering elephants with land mines and assault weapons. He even has a Bond-villain lair, a sumptuous palace high in the impenetrable mountains of "the Emirate" which might be in Africa, probably not in Arabia, most likely in U-becki-becki-becki-stan. Trust me, it doesn't matter in the slightest.
The depths of Wazir's depravity are off-putting, but not nearly as off-putting as Bell's general attitude toward it. There is a sense thorughout the book, with every death, that the dead character functioned only to drive the story forward. Which is of course technically true. This is the factor that took the book down from three to two stars. No matter how lurid the death (and there are some doozies) there's never a real sense that anything has been lost, or that anything really important has happened. I realized that they are fictional, but this casual handling of death on the part of the author is very troubling to me personally, especially on the several occassions in which it involves children.
Moving on: women. Women feature prominently in Asssassin and yet feature not at all. In the whole 500 some-odd pages, women are either pathetic victims, to be murdered on the church steps without so much as a word of dialogue, or duplicitous hell-cats bent on mayhem. The one exception has so little to do with the plot that every time she appeared I had to backtrack to figure out who she was. The fact that she was the fucking secretary of state didn't even help the issue, because she never functioned as the secretary, only as a potential romantic partner for Alex Hawke. This isn't really surprising in the kind of hyper-masculine fantasy world in which a lot of these kinds of books take place, but it's irritating nonetheless.
The last point, the point that pushed Assassin down from two stars to one, was one single scene. You have a truck that slides off course and stops at the edge of a cliff. The cab dangles over the precipice, nothing but air between it and the ground 10,000 feet below. The back of the truck remains on solid ground, but just barely. No one inside dare move a muscle, lest they upset the balance and plummet to their doom. I've seen this movie before, but that's not even the worst of it. The worst of it is when one of the good guys loses his grip and falls, silently, into the abyss. The noble words to mark is passing and comfort is forlorn commander? For god and country, sir.
I'd roll my eyes, but those muscles are tired.
Thank you and good night.
This is the second Alexander Hawke book by Ted Bell, and I have to admit that I have not read the first. I picked up Assassin because (TMI) it had been left in the bathroom at work. Normally this kind of read isn't my thing. I used to read Tom Clancy until he started getting ridiculous, but haven't touched anything in the international thriller vein in over a decade now. So, take that for what it's worth.
I have several problems with Assassin. First and most damning is the writing. There's a blurb on the cover that reads "Ted Bell can really really write." It's attributed to James Patterson, which in my mind is a backhanded complement if there ever was one. Bells's narration is thick and uneven, his dialogue wooden and forced, and he seems to frequently lose track of what's going on. The best example of the last is a scene in which the president is being briefed by several intelligence officers, along with the cabinet and some high-level generals. When questioned about the matter at hand, the president responds with "No comment". To his staff. Repeat, to his staff. I am fairly sure that presidents treat staff meetings, even deadly serious ones, differently than they treat press conferences. But that's just me.
My second problem with the book is its believablilty. As Aristotle said (I'm paraphrasing), a likely impossiblity is better than an improbable possiblity. Meaning, it's okay for dragons to rain fire on Manhattan, it is not okay for the Aegis defense system, which is one of the most expensive and sophisticated miliatry techologies (really an integrated suite of military technologies) ever developed, to be installed on a private yacht, as it is in this book. I don't care how well connected or rich Alex Hawke is, ain't happening.
Which leads me into the issue of Alex Hawke himself. He's quite a dude. Devilishly handsome, trained in combat - to the point that he can defeat an experienced Sumo wrestler on his first try, and with a cracked rib - massively rich, so feircely loyal to his country that he forgoes mourning for his murdered bride in order to serve... did I mention that he is also adept at aircraft design and repair? Or that he's immune to the cold? (How else to explain that two-mile swim in Buzzards Bay, at night, without a wetsuit.) With so many wonderful attributes, Alex doesn't really have much room for much personality, which is good, because he isn't supplied with one. He reminds me of nothing so much as Roger Moore-era James Bond. I know Roger has his defenders, but god help me, I'll never be one of them.
Assassin has some other things in common with the Bond francise, namely it's villain and its attitude toward women. The villain first. Snay bin Wazir (of course he's an Arab, what else would he be?) is drawn in the best Bond tradition, plus a little more graphic violence. Fearfully sadistic, a voyeur, wealthy enough to purchase and defile Beauchamp's hotel in London, he's fond of such tricks as feeding folks to Komodo dragons and slaughtering elephants with land mines and assault weapons. He even has a Bond-villain lair, a sumptuous palace high in the impenetrable mountains of "the Emirate" which might be in Africa, probably not in Arabia, most likely in U-becki-becki-becki-stan. Trust me, it doesn't matter in the slightest.
The depths of Wazir's depravity are off-putting, but not nearly as off-putting as Bell's general attitude toward it. There is a sense thorughout the book, with every death, that the dead character functioned only to drive the story forward. Which is of course technically true. This is the factor that took the book down from three to two stars. No matter how lurid the death (and there are some doozies) there's never a real sense that anything has been lost, or that anything really important has happened. I realized that they are fictional, but this casual handling of death on the part of the author is very troubling to me personally, especially on the several occassions in which it involves children.
Moving on: women. Women feature prominently in Asssassin and yet feature not at all. In the whole 500 some-odd pages, women are either pathetic victims, to be murdered on the church steps without so much as a word of dialogue, or duplicitous hell-cats bent on mayhem. The one exception has so little to do with the plot that every time she appeared I had to backtrack to figure out who she was. The fact that she was the fucking secretary of state didn't even help the issue, because she never functioned as the secretary, only as a potential romantic partner for Alex Hawke. This isn't really surprising in the kind of hyper-masculine fantasy world in which a lot of these kinds of books take place, but it's irritating nonetheless.
The last point, the point that pushed Assassin down from two stars to one, was one single scene. You have a truck that slides off course and stops at the edge of a cliff. The cab dangles over the precipice, nothing but air between it and the ground 10,000 feet below. The back of the truck remains on solid ground, but just barely. No one inside dare move a muscle, lest they upset the balance and plummet to their doom. I've seen this movie before, but that's not even the worst of it. The worst of it is when one of the good guys loses his grip and falls, silently, into the abyss. The noble words to mark is passing and comfort is forlorn commander? For god and country, sir.
I'd roll my eyes, but those muscles are tired.
Thank you and good night.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2023
Wanted to give this a higher rating but i just coukdnt bring myself to do so. It was nit terrible but rather long and drawn out with slow pace. Could have been cut down to 300. Pages or so. The books later on in the series were better.
March 7, 2008
This book is one of many for Ted Bell in which the character Hawke delivers another thrilling outlandish performance in saving the world. The plot is unique in that a terrorist makes a nuclear bomb shaped liked a football and tries to blow up Los Angeles, CA. The plot is ultimately tied to a very mad maniac of middle eastern ethnicity and has a grudge against "Western Society". The scheme is to use beautiful women to kill american diplomats in Europe and then use a plane to sneak a bomb/incurable virus into CA. I found this book intriguing but the plot less than mysterious.
April 26, 2014
Hawke being Hawke in this plot filled thriller. 7 of 10 stars
February 12, 2009
Second book in the series about secret agent Lord Alexander Hawke
A group of Islamic terrorists are systematically assassinating American ambassadors and their families worldwide while working on a plot to launch a devastating attack against the United States on American soil.
Secretary of State Consuelo de Los Reyes asks Alex Hawke the only man able to foil this conspiracy to join Jack Patterson in the investigation. Assisted by Stokely Jones a Navy Seal, they embark on an action packed mission stretching from London to Indonesia and from Washington to the Florida Keys, their objective: to find the men responsible and avert a cataclysmic attack that would cripple the nation.
"Assassin" is exciting, action-packed with an outrageous espionage story. The characters are fascinating, the good guys are larger than life heroes and colourful, Hawke is smart, resourceful attractive- everything needed for an action figure. As for the villains, they are very eccentric and set on ruling and destroying the world at any cost, you hate them right from the start. This adventure is similar to watching a James Bond movie: it is set in exotic locales, with hairpin plots and twists, bleeding edge technology, fancy cars, haute couture, gourmet eating, hot men and women. Mr Bell has captivated me with his seamless writing and his intriguing story line, I was completely engrossed from page one.
A group of Islamic terrorists are systematically assassinating American ambassadors and their families worldwide while working on a plot to launch a devastating attack against the United States on American soil.
Secretary of State Consuelo de Los Reyes asks Alex Hawke the only man able to foil this conspiracy to join Jack Patterson in the investigation. Assisted by Stokely Jones a Navy Seal, they embark on an action packed mission stretching from London to Indonesia and from Washington to the Florida Keys, their objective: to find the men responsible and avert a cataclysmic attack that would cripple the nation.
"Assassin" is exciting, action-packed with an outrageous espionage story. The characters are fascinating, the good guys are larger than life heroes and colourful, Hawke is smart, resourceful attractive- everything needed for an action figure. As for the villains, they are very eccentric and set on ruling and destroying the world at any cost, you hate them right from the start. This adventure is similar to watching a James Bond movie: it is set in exotic locales, with hairpin plots and twists, bleeding edge technology, fancy cars, haute couture, gourmet eating, hot men and women. Mr Bell has captivated me with his seamless writing and his intriguing story line, I was completely engrossed from page one.
June 29, 2016
As a James Bond style, action adventure this is pretty good. It has all the right mix of elements to make it work; aristocratic British super spy, evil larger than life super villains, hot girls, fast suspenseful action and exotic locations.
Even though this book was written in 2004 it has a modern feel to it with the main antagonists being various Middle Eastern scumbags. Several get disposed of during the course of the novel, but I get the feeling that Alex Hawke has not heard the last of this organization.
This is the third book I've read by Ted Bell and he has become one of my 'go to authors' for this type of book, alongside Clive Cussler and James Rollins.
Even though this book was written in 2004 it has a modern feel to it with the main antagonists being various Middle Eastern scumbags. Several get disposed of during the course of the novel, but I get the feeling that Alex Hawke has not heard the last of this organization.
This is the third book I've read by Ted Bell and he has become one of my 'go to authors' for this type of book, alongside Clive Cussler and James Rollins.
April 15, 2015
This was my first Ted Bell book and I was pretty happy with the outcome.
Some, especially the main characters was a little far fetched in the abilities and lifetime achievements but I dare say I will be back for another Ted Bill book in the future.
Some, especially the main characters was a little far fetched in the abilities and lifetime achievements but I dare say I will be back for another Ted Bill book in the future.
August 13, 2023
Minutes after Alex Hawke’s wedding to children’s author Victoria, someone murders her on the church steps. Broken and burning for revenge, Hawke determines to find out who killed his new bride. Someone is busy carrying out murders of American diplomats throughout the world, and Hawke can’t help but wonder whether those killings are related to the death of his wife.
There’s a particularly mysterious killer known only as the Dog. It is his desire to kill tens of millions of Americans, and Alex Hawke knows he must find and delete the man before he carries out his plot.
This is an excellent example of tight writing and plot-driven narrative. There’s a particularly graphic scene here where an extremely beautiful woman stops just short of removing the testicle of an American diplomat. That few minutes is going to be tough to unhear if you read this. This held my interest to the back page. But if you’re not a fan of fast-action stuff where there are routinely explosions, fires, near death by plane crash, and so much more, this may not be the book for you.
This served as a good reminder that evil is patient and will wait until it can do the optimal amount of horror and damage.
There’s a particularly mysterious killer known only as the Dog. It is his desire to kill tens of millions of Americans, and Alex Hawke knows he must find and delete the man before he carries out his plot.
This is an excellent example of tight writing and plot-driven narrative. There’s a particularly graphic scene here where an extremely beautiful woman stops just short of removing the testicle of an American diplomat. That few minutes is going to be tough to unhear if you read this. This held my interest to the back page. But if you’re not a fan of fast-action stuff where there are routinely explosions, fires, near death by plane crash, and so much more, this may not be the book for you.
This served as a good reminder that evil is patient and will wait until it can do the optimal amount of horror and damage.
November 3, 2018
A cinematic action thriller. Combine James Bond & Dirk Pitt, stir well and you have Hawke. Fun read.
June 5, 2011
It’s a fun and easy read. Good for the beach or a plane ride. (I started with the 2nd in the series because I couldn’t find the 1st book.)
OMG! The main character, Alex Hawke of Ted Bell’s novel has it all. Hawke is a combination of James Bond and Mitch Rapp. He’s very rich - with family money and British title of Lord – though, by the way, he also made his own money in finance. He even has a boat like Clive Cussler’s, Juan Cabrillo’s “Oregon” – and, he’s an excellent pilot.
He is surrounded by interesting characters: a Shaft kind of guy (an ex-NFL player, ex-SEAL and ex-NYPD cop), a Sherlock Holmes kind of guy and, of course ( because he was hero), the New Scotland Yard, the Royal Navy and the respect and friendship of the US President.
It sounds like a bit much – but it works.
It start with horrendous crimes but Hawke is on the case!
I’m ready for another book.
OMG! The main character, Alex Hawke of Ted Bell’s novel has it all. Hawke is a combination of James Bond and Mitch Rapp. He’s very rich - with family money and British title of Lord – though, by the way, he also made his own money in finance. He even has a boat like Clive Cussler’s, Juan Cabrillo’s “Oregon” – and, he’s an excellent pilot.
He is surrounded by interesting characters: a Shaft kind of guy (an ex-NFL player, ex-SEAL and ex-NYPD cop), a Sherlock Holmes kind of guy and, of course ( because he was hero), the New Scotland Yard, the Royal Navy and the respect and friendship of the US President.
It sounds like a bit much – but it works.
It start with horrendous crimes but Hawke is on the case!
I’m ready for another book.
July 9, 2008
These aren't characters - they're caricatures. I mean, really, a pirate with a parrot on his shoulder? An NYPD cop/SEAL who hangs out with a bunch of Brits but speaks in Black English Vernacular? A Scotland Yard detective who is basically Sherlock Holmes? Putting a bunch of caricatures together does not make a good novel. There's no depth to these people. Also, it's written in the 3rd person, which added to the caricature effect. I was hoping for something Vince Flynn-like. Boy, was I disappointed.
April 24, 2019
I tried. I really tried. For 17 chapters I tried. But the cliches and hyperbole are just too much. Alex Hawke is the most intelligent, most handsome, richest, smartest, bravest, fittest, most amazing human specimen to have ever walked the earth. He has business savvy, can design planes, fly planes, steer boats; name it, he can do it. He is probably the best cook in the world too.
It is just too much. I know reading is escapism but can we please escape somewhere logical?
It is just too much. I know reading is escapism but can we please escape somewhere logical?
May 10, 2014
A somewhat over the top novel, as Alexander Hawke, something of a cross between Doc Savage and The Saint, finds himself in deep trouble.
The novel starts with Hawke's new bride getting shot on the steps of the church, and ends up with a mountain rescue and a terrorist attack, with a lot going on in between.
Fast moving, and exciting.
The novel starts with Hawke's new bride getting shot on the steps of the church, and ends up with a mountain rescue and a terrorist attack, with a lot going on in between.
Fast moving, and exciting.
April 10, 2021
Welcome to the second volume in the Alexander Hawke series. The story is split between two distinct plotlines. American diplomats and their families are unexplainably assassinated throughout the world. Hawke, and his old friend Stokley Jones, a former Navy Seal, are assigned to track down and stop the killer or killers. While working on this case, Hawke becomes the victim of an unbelievable and vicious act of vengeance. Before Hawke can begin to put two and two together, the President implores Hawke to immediately take on an even more vital and disastrous situation threatening the United States, leaving Jones to proceed on his own. Hawke now finds himself in charge of a covert team assaulting an Indonesian mountain fortress. Considering the circumstances I’ve just laid out, there is plenty of action awaiting the reader or listener. Although Hawke appears “bigger than life”, the characters are believable and well developed. The story is fast-paced and will hold your attention throughout. The conclusion was inspiring and heartfelt which brought my rating up to five stars. A solid recommendation.
August 16, 2020
Ted Bell's first novel featuring his super rich, super smart, super skilled, super good looking, super (fill in the blank; he's super at everything) wonder dude Alexander Hawke showed just enough promise that I gave the second novel a go. Often when I dive into a long running series, the first novel has a few bumps, but these are usually quickly ironed out and you start to see why the series caught on and became a mainstay.
Book #2 is for sure a better read. It starts off with a surprising twist and what follows is tighter and more propulsive than the first novel. If most of it is a bit silly, well, that's the purpose. Vince Flynn, Bard Thor and their ilk Mr. Bell ain't. This is more in the vein of the James Bond movies; particularly the Roger Moore era.
If what follows continues to work out the kinks in its formula, I can see this being a series I can get into. If not, I may tire of Mr. Bell's fare in another book or two.
Book #2 is for sure a better read. It starts off with a surprising twist and what follows is tighter and more propulsive than the first novel. If most of it is a bit silly, well, that's the purpose. Vince Flynn, Bard Thor and their ilk Mr. Bell ain't. This is more in the vein of the James Bond movies; particularly the Roger Moore era.
If what follows continues to work out the kinks in its formula, I can see this being a series I can get into. If not, I may tire of Mr. Bell's fare in another book or two.
November 16, 2023
This is the second book in the series, and it reads like a Bond movie.. Lord Alexander Hawke is a 'troubleshooter' for the British and US Governments. Along with a small group of friends, he investigates and takes action against their enemies.
On the day of his wedding, his fiance is assassinated on the steps of the church, and the group discovers there is a group of female assassins killing US Ambassadors around the world, often in strange and unique ways.
With flashbacks along the way allowing the reader to learn why the man behind all this is doing so.. (it's personal as well as profitable), they track down the location of the bad guy, and storm the place, only to discover there is a greater threat currently approaching US Airspace.
It ends with the bad guys dead, the good guy getting a new girl, and many unanswered questions, which I doubt will be answered in upcoming books.
On the day of his wedding, his fiance is assassinated on the steps of the church, and the group discovers there is a group of female assassins killing US Ambassadors around the world, often in strange and unique ways.
With flashbacks along the way allowing the reader to learn why the man behind all this is doing so.. (it's personal as well as profitable), they track down the location of the bad guy, and storm the place, only to discover there is a greater threat currently approaching US Airspace.
It ends with the bad guys dead, the good guy getting a new girl, and many unanswered questions, which I doubt will be answered in upcoming books.
August 31, 2019
It was better than book 1. You got to know the characters a little better and there was some back story involved. There was not as much drinking involved, or at least not blatantly so...which made it believable that they had enough smarts and ability to avoid the bad guys and figure out what was going on. There were 2 parts that kept me from rating this a 4 star book. One, he said Brick was his best friend and he is barely mentioned in books 1 and 2. Not much factual evidence or back story to support that. It seems like Stoke might really be his best friend or is he just a paid confidante? Two, his wife is shot on the steps of the church on their wedding day...and how much grieving did we see? Then, he is sleeping with Conch by the end of the book. My guess is that the series is going to continue to get better so I will read another one or two to see if that is the case.
October 1, 2025
Everything about this book is ridiculous -- the paper thin characters, the absurd plot, the over the top action scenes, the silly boy toys.
The author clearly penned this book for his own enjoyment and amusement and had a great time doing it. It is a book written by a man, for men, about men they wish to emulate. There is an audience out there for this type of thing. I am not that audience.
This work is a combination Batman comic, Ian Fleming novel and homage to Arthur Conan Doyle.
This book was published 20 years ago. The writing is dated. The authors characterization of various ethnic and racial groups might be considered objectionable by some. Others will just find them laughable.
This is an easy book to dismiss.
The author clearly penned this book for his own enjoyment and amusement and had a great time doing it. It is a book written by a man, for men, about men they wish to emulate. There is an audience out there for this type of thing. I am not that audience.
This work is a combination Batman comic, Ian Fleming novel and homage to Arthur Conan Doyle.
This book was published 20 years ago. The writing is dated. The authors characterization of various ethnic and racial groups might be considered objectionable by some. Others will just find them laughable.
This is an easy book to dismiss.
May 22, 2022
Really good story ... lots of action ... good characters; BUT I found that there were oddly placed chapters. In one part of the story, when the chapters switched alternately between Hawke and Stokely Jones, his team in Miami, Hawke's action advanced by ten days while Stoke's action only advanced by 24 hours over the same span of chapters.
I could see where it was going, but it was a little disorienting ... for me at least.
I could see where it was going, but it was a little disorienting ... for me at least.
April 9, 2024
"A commercial blockbuster that earned praise from #1 New York Times bestselling authors James Patterson and Vince Flynn, ASSASSIN is packed with pulse-pounding action, intricate plotting, and a hero you can't help but love. Ted Bell once again proves himself as a master of the modern thriller, delivering a gripping and entertaining experience that will leave readers racing to get their hands on Lord Alexander Hawke's next adventure!"
July 13, 2017
Do you love spy thrillers?
Do you love well constructed plots, characters and great dialogue?
If you do, then stay far away from Ted Bell.
There is nothing good about his writing. I read his first novel, Hawke, years ago after hearing a talk radio personality gush about how good Tsar was, the fifth or so book in the series.
Hawke was terrible, but it was his first novel so I thought maybe, maybe, he would get better.
I was wrong, Assassins might be worse.
The novels could be written by a 12 year old, the dialogue is terrible and the plots are ridiculous.
Trust me, its worse than I said above. If you want thrils go read Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, Lee Child or Brad thor
Do you love well constructed plots, characters and great dialogue?
If you do, then stay far away from Ted Bell.
There is nothing good about his writing. I read his first novel, Hawke, years ago after hearing a talk radio personality gush about how good Tsar was, the fifth or so book in the series.
Hawke was terrible, but it was his first novel so I thought maybe, maybe, he would get better.
I was wrong, Assassins might be worse.
The novels could be written by a 12 year old, the dialogue is terrible and the plots are ridiculous.
Trust me, its worse than I said above. If you want thrils go read Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, Lee Child or Brad thor
July 19, 2017
I'm not sure if I will continue in this series. The author seems to rely on the same plot conventions. When Hawke's new wife is killed at the beginning of this second book, this marks the third time he has thought she was dead. All of the emotion in her death was covered in her second apparent death in the first book, so not much left for her third (and actual) death in the second book.
May 13, 2018
This is something of a hit and miss effort. Hawke and his entourage of friends are entertaining characters but the villans and the story itself were just too over the top, even for a novel of escapism. The pacing is fast moving but Bell doesn't stray too far from the standard formula for this type of novel and as a result the reader doesn't encounter any real surprises.
May 26, 2018
Another good adventure novel from Ted Bell
This is the second Alexander Hawke book that I have read. I was surprised when Mr Bell killed off the woman in the second chapter, after he spent the whole first book saving her life. The action was good and I enjoyed the book well enough to read the next one.
This is the second Alexander Hawke book that I have read. I was surprised when Mr Bell killed off the woman in the second chapter, after he spent the whole first book saving her life. The action was good and I enjoyed the book well enough to read the next one.
September 2, 2018
Intense and Interesting
Hawke is back, and the tale starts with several “bangs.” No spoilers here, but there is one scene that was quite intense for me, and I longed to get past it. But scenes like it develop a vivid character picture necessary to carry the book.
Hawke fans will not be disappointed in this page turner, and as in life, not all beginnings or endings are idyllic.
Hawke is back, and the tale starts with several “bangs.” No spoilers here, but there is one scene that was quite intense for me, and I longed to get past it. But scenes like it develop a vivid character picture necessary to carry the book.
Hawke fans will not be disappointed in this page turner, and as in life, not all beginnings or endings are idyllic.
May 14, 2022
2.5 stars.
An "R" rated Doc Savage with injuries. The description of the book say, "Ted Bell can really write."
And, yes, he can write, some of the worst over the top action adventure prose I've seen in a while.
Bell makes David Baldacci look like the Hemingway of action adventure writing.
Bleh.
An "R" rated Doc Savage with injuries. The description of the book say, "Ted Bell can really write."
And, yes, he can write, some of the worst over the top action adventure prose I've seen in a while.
Bell makes David Baldacci look like the Hemingway of action adventure writing.
Bleh.
December 17, 2024
I could not wait for this one to end, at at 600 pages, it was a challenge to get through. The story was a mess, there was practically no action, the hero does nothing for 500 pages, and the conclusion was unsatisfying. I like the idea of the main character, but this entry did nothing to make me want to read any more in the series unfortunately.
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