King of Swords

Assassin #1

by Russell Blake

Librarian's Note: This is an alternate cover edition - ASIN: B006HVW2H0

King of Swords is an epic assassination thriller framed against a gritty backdrop of brutal drug cartel violence in modern Mexico.

The G-20 Financial Summit is planned for San Jose Del Cabo. The world's pre-eminent finance ministers will attend, along with the presidents of the U.S. and Mexico.

Captain Romero Cruz of the Mexican Federal Police uncovers an assassination plot against the attendees. In a roller-coaster race against the clock, Cruz must track and stop El Rey, the "King of Swords" - a faceless super-assassin responsible for a string of the world's most spectacular killings, before he turns the G-20 into a slaughterhouse.

King of Swords is an intelligent, rule-breaking rush that shatters convention to create a richly-drawn story that's sure to shock and delight even the most jaded intrigue/adventure thriller fans.

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

ebook

First published December 3, 2011

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there's one Blake book you should read (and that's just crazy talk... buy and read all of them, they're wonderful!), make it the King of Swords. It grips your mind and pulls you into the story immediately, and doesn't let go until the very end. The twist and turns continue until the very last page.

If there was any way for Russell Blake to trump his previous excellent novels, this is it.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book #1, in the Assassin series

This is one brutal and heart-stopping novel I read in a long time. In “King of Swords” we are taken on a violent journey through drug cartel of Mexico. This thriller is definitely not for the fainthearted, it is a blend of facts and fiction and strange enough, we will never know where the truth ends and where Mr. Russell’s inspiration kicked in, the fine line between is a little fuzzy.

This thriller is cranked up on steroids and has left me gasping and cringing more often than not. The storyline is very graphic. It captures the casual savagery of the ordinary men engaged in extraordinary brutality. Thousands of good and bad people die every year caught in violent confrontations. The author wanted to highlight the psychological making of a monster and he perfectly achieved his goal in his storyline. The pacing is high-velocity I couldn’t help but to follow the tempo by furiously flipping the pages so captivated by the goings- on. El Rey, the main character is a cold blooded killer and assassin operating in Mexico who would work for both the cartels and the police depending upon the situation. Romero Cruz is the police captain on El Rey’s tail and with panoply of interesting side players adding to the thrill, we can only be smack into an exciting saga. Reading this book is like watching a Die Hard movie. It is extremely well- written, full of nasty stuff, fast-paced (I think I said this many times), violent, enthralling….

This thriller is an excellent cat and mouse game full of gritty details. I loved it.

[Steven Konkoly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Russell Blake is no stranger to the thriller genre. His previous thrillers have turned the headlines inside-out, with gritty, no-holds-barred, edge-of-your-seat plots. With King of Swords, Russell Blake has clearly taken the best of his previous novels, and combined them into an honest, often brutal, heart stopping thriller, that left me gasping for air, and squirming on my couch. I know this sounds overly dramatic, but in reader-speak...this book kept me glued to the Kindle screen.

In King of Swords, the reader is taken on a journey through drug cartel ruled Mexico, where violence often trumps hard cash, as the dominant cultural currency. Blake clearly draws on his own knowledge of the political and cultural climate in Mexico, to present a realistic and stark backdrop to a thriller in the fast-paced, intelligent tradition of Frederick Forsyth's "Day of the Jackal."

The reader will be introduced to El Rey, the king of assassins, whose mysterious ways, and dramatic, unprecedented success as an assassin, has catapulted him to a legendary status on par with Carlos "The Jackal." It has also increased his contract fee to exorbitant levels, only affordable to the ruthless Mexican drug cartel leaders...and maybe a few omnipresent government agencies that we'll leave unnamed for now. Yes, a Russell Blake novel would not be complete, without the nefarious meddling of forces well beyond the scope of everyday Mexican life. Blake's conspiracy angle is brilliant and believable at every level in King of Swords.

Following closely on El Rey's heels, is veteran "narcotraficante" hunter Captain Romero Cruz, who has dedicated his life, at great personal cost, to dismantling what he sees as the greatest threat to Mexico's future...the drug cartels. A seemingly futile, thankless task, that has cost him nearly everything. A spectacular raid early in the book, results in the capture of a high level cartel leader, who makes a boast that Cruz can't possibly ignore. El Rey has been hired to do the unthinkable, and the deeper Cruz digs into the possibility of the truth, the more frightening and devastating the consequences of El Rey's "final" contract appears.

In a race against time, and a cunningly ruthless assassin, Cruz and his admirably brave task force, take on nearly impossible odds to stop an assassination that could change the landscape of North America forever. I've read all of Mr. Blake's novels, and feel that he has truly "hit his stride" with King of Swords.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

King of Swords pitches Captain Romero Cruz of Mexico's Federal Police against a ruthless killer known as El Rey as he attempts to prevent an assassination plot targeting the American and Mexican presidents at an upcoming G-20 summit.

A gritty, brutal thriller that takes its readers into the world of drug cartels, murder for hire and dirty politics.

[Nick Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

King of Swords was a book that is full excitement. I had a great experience reading this book and constantly read chapter after chapter. There is constant action and minimal amount of talking and explaining. This is the first book in the assassin series, i’ve read the prequel and now book one. The series is so entertaining that i plan to continue and finish the whole series.

“His mind flitted back to the day, two years prior, when he’d opened the container and seen his life crumble around him, his beloved family brutally butchered to send him a message” (Blake 28).

King of swords is the first book in the assassin series, the story is set in Mexico City, Mexico. Captain cruz works for the federal government in Mexico. He learns through interrogations that an assassin named El Rey is planning to kill the Mexican and United States president at a conference held in Mexico. Most people would not interfere with the plans of El Rey due to his status. Captain Cruz is different, he had a different path to adulthood. His entire family was killed because he was investigating the Mexican cartels. Ever since then his life was dark and he lived for one thing, destroy the Mexican cartels.

This book is full of action and keeps the reader completely involved from start to finish, you never know what is going to happen next. I recommend these book to anyone that loves action and thrilling scenes. The read is over 200 pages the way the book flows you would never think that it was that long.

[Jim A · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well put together thriller involving a world class assassin and the Mexican Federal Police captain trying to prevent the assassination of the President of Mexico and the President of the United States at a G-20 summit meeting. Throw in some political intrigue in the United States and the lack of help from his own government, Captain Cruz has his work cut out for him.

As another reviewer mentioned, without looking at the author's name, I could have though I was reading something by Ludlum, Flynn or Berenson. A great read from an 'Indie Author'.

Looking forward to enjoying book two of the King of Swords series.

[Barry who enjoys well-written thrillers, mysteries , & espionage & loathes romance, horror & supernat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book three stars even though I chose not to finish it. I picked it up in the first place because it had a good many very high ratings and seemed to be the type of book that I might enjoy. But I chose not to finish it because it was a bit tedious although it wasn't really an awful book. It did not, however, appeal to me so I chose not to invest any more time in it. There are a ton of great books out there written by authors whose work I truly enjoy so it just didn't make sense to finish this book, although it wasn't horrible. I will continue to stop reading books that are merely "OK."

So, if you would like to read a book packed with action that is not awful, here you go!

The End

[Teresa Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and all the ones in the series. Night of the Assassin is actually the prequel to King of Swords, King of Swords, and Revenge of the Assassin. These books are definitely not for the squeamish because Mr Blake tells it like it is in the world of the drug cartels. Living in Mexico himself, he has a pretty good view of that world. Even though the books are a bit, (ok, quite a bit) violent, Mr Blake still creates characters you really learn to care about. Even the villain, El Rey, who has no redeeming qualities, is a fascinating character. He would keep a team of psychiatrists busy for the rest of their careers, just trying to figure out how his mind works. If you can get past the violence, these books are well with the time to read them. Adventure, totally unexpected twists, and awesome characterization will keep you glued to the page.
The fourth book in the series, Revenge of the Assassin just came out about two weeks ago and I'm now reading it. Will let you know how I like it.

[Frederick Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly enjoyed King of Swords. The entire book except for two or three short scenes takes place in Mexico, whether in Mexico City, various cities in Baja California, or other locations. Together with the author's obvious command of the local language, his knowledge of the way things work in Mexico made the plot extremely credible. I like feeling like I'm really there, wherever the story takes place, and in King of Spades you're treated to an insider's view of modern Mexico.

The other great strength of King of Swords is the character Cruz. Cruz is the unflagging chief investigator of the big drug cartels, and he takes on the investigation at the center of this thriller as his life's quest. Of course, the action gets personal, and as events unfold we get to know Cruz very well. He's a tough cop, but somewhere in there is a human being, too.

Highly enjoyable action with a Spanish accent - I wasn't disappointed with King of Swords.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

King of Swords is the second in the Assassin series, but first in publication date as the author wrote this book first and then wrote the prequel. This book tells the story of El Ray, the notorious Mexican assassin. El Ray works his way up by using his brains to become the top paid hit man for the drug cartels, or anyone who has the money. But there is a Mexican policeman hunting for him who is just as smart. The action is good and very well thought out. Highly recommend the series.

[Christopher Alderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not Enough El Rey

I'm glad I read NIGHT first. Got me excited for this book which unfortunately I was disappointed in.
Too much time spent on Cruz and Briones. There just wasn't enough of El Rey action in this one for me.
Had I started with KING, I may not have continued the series.

[Tishika · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I went into this thinking that since the book is called King of Swords: Assassin 1 that this would be a book told from the point of view of the assassin or at least mostly be about an assassin. There's an assassin in the book but this book is primarily told from the point of view of the federal officer trying to catch the assassin.

[Kip Gochenour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Russell Blake!

[Pierrebleu]

A gritty story about a young boy who witnessed the brutal murder of his parents and sister by members of a drug cartel, just because his dad to try to fund healthcare for his daughter grew marijuana without drug cartel permission. The boy was rescued by the cartel head honcho and brought up as his own son and was given the best of everything.

Needless to say the boy never forgot who committed the heinous crime and became cold blooded hit man with an unrivalled reputation of success.

He is engaged to kill both the Mexican and US Presidents when the US President visits Mexico.

Mexican police engage in taking out some drug cartel members and capture a high up operative who is as cocky as you’d expect and brags about the hit to be made on the two Presidents.
The head Mexican cop goes to his superiors with the news, which may or may not be true, but is swatted away and told to forget it. But he can’t and he resolves to research the matter to see how true or not it is.

The story follows his objectives and there are a number of gun battles and each time they think they have a lead the assassin, El Rey, gets lucky.

It’s a good tale and well written and I won’t spoil it for readers by telling you what happens and there is a lot that does happen. I suggest you read it for yourselves.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellently written, with strong character development, vivid descriptions, and effective twists and turns. This book is very violent and graphic; definitely not for the faint of heart. Yet the violence is realistic, not gratuitous. The lead character (protagonist) is easy to identify with, a decent, hard-working law enforcement officer trying to make a difference in his country. The “other” lead character (El Rey) is fascinating and intricately developed. Despicable and deplorable, yet in a troubling way, relatable.

The prose is well-crafted. Scenes are described in vivid detail, easily pictured in the mind. The action is fairly steady, though there is an element of the police procedural in this book as well.

The book was well-written and definitely kept my attention. At times it was a little too realistic (as a law enforcement officer, I’ve seen enough of the violence depicted over a 30 year career), but it was never done for shock-factor. All violence contributed to character development/background or plot progression. There were no gratuitous sex scenes; the language was typical of the people depicted ... if anything, it was tame.

Overall the book was enjoyable and exciting. 3 1/2 stars (due to violence), but rounded up to 4. Very well written.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

To begin, while not completely necessary I highly recommend you read the prequel to this book titled Night of the Assassin (Assassin series prequel).

Blake writes a thriller that immediately grabs your attention, gets you into the action and heads of the characters, and you're not calling "b.s." on some of the situations in the book. That's exactly what you get with this book and you won't want to put it down - in my case, similar to the first book in the series, I stayed up way too late as I lost all track of time finishing this book.

Blake does an excellent job of moving between characters and scenes, and describes the environment and people situations in such a way that you feel like you are personally right in the middle of it and I could feel the high s and lows as I was reading.

I picked this up for free during a Kindle promotion, and as I type this review the book is still free vs. its normal pricing of $4.97: you'll certainly get a heck of a lot more than $4.97 of entertainment value out of this one. As for me, I've already purchased the next book in the series!

[Terje Fokstuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a series about the drug wars in Mexico. The hero, Cruz, is a honest cop, and head of the Federales in Mexico City. His opponent is, generally, the Mexican drug cartels, and specifically a Mexican assassin who is so good at what he does that no one has successfully stopped him yet. This is an exciting, fast paced novel, but it's real strength is in the descriptions of Mexico, and what the drug wars are doing to the country. Mexico is the principal character, and as exciting as the book is, and it's a page turner, the descriptions of the country, and the success of the drug lords are what I will remember.

[Pat Hopson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is really well written and the plot is good and it’s the kind of book that I enjoy a lot. However, for whatever reason I just couldn’t get into this book. I thought that maybe there was just too much verbiage, maybe. I don’t know but instead of enjoying the book and wanting to get to the next chapter to see the story unfold I was finding that reading this book felt like work. I will read this author again just not this book.

[Glen Robins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything you have come to expect from Russell Blake - an array of compelling characters, each with his own set of strengths, motivations and flaw, competing against forces seen and unseen and often each other. The story moves along nicely and keeps the guessing what will happen next. A fun, fast-paced read.

[Asiaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Russell Blake is an outstanding writer. King of Swords is a fast action believable book and I guarantee you will like it. Great characters and not too many to remember them all. Give it a try and enjoy the action.

[Tim Botsford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great one...again.

Great one...again. Great one...again. Great one...again. Great one...again. Great one...again. Great one...again. Great one...again. Great one...again. Great one...again. Great one...again. Good book that I loved.

[Lana Mccall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard slog through the first sixty percent of the novel but picks up and becomes very intriguing. Unfortunately there is little to no character development. More attention is given to weapons than the characters.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don't mind a little murder and mayhem, blood and guts, this might be a book for you.

This book has a plot along with a lot of action and adventure. El-Ray gets revenge for the murder of a twelve year old ballerina.

[Robert Romberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent and entertaining book.

[John (JC) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

[Peggy Pancherz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

Read all of the books in order to really enjoy. Storyline continues to grow and develop. Characters are realistic and get better and better.

[Gareth Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Book

An excellent, well written book.
It is full of suspense with a good plot line.
It leaves the way open for a follow up book.

[DOROTHY SILLS · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good easy reading book. Interesting information about Mexico and the drug cartels. I did not like the end, it could have told more about the characters. Nothing like the JET series.

[Joel B Champagne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Intro

An interesting beginning to a great series. Although the first book "Might of the Assassin" should be the intro to the series.