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Amsterdam Assassin #0.1
Fundamental Error: A Katla KillFile
Assassin Katla is hired by a client whose brother is planning a terrorist attack...
The Fundamental Error KillFile (9,800 words) follows Katla Sieltjes, freelance assassin and corporate troubleshooter, on her most dangerous assignment yet. When Peter Brandt watches his brother Roel convert to Islam and turn into a domestic terrorist, Katla needs to enter into the mind of a fanatic suicide bomber in order to thwart a mass-murder attack in the shopping mecca of Amsterdam.
The Fundamental Error KillFile (9,800 words) follows Katla Sieltjes, freelance assassin and corporate troubleshooter, on her most dangerous assignment yet. When Peter Brandt watches his brother Roel convert to Islam and turn into a domestic terrorist, Katla needs to enter into the mind of a fanatic suicide bomber in order to thwart a mass-murder attack in the shopping mecca of Amsterdam.
60 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2013
7 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Martyn V. Halm
9 books63 followers
Martyn enjoys reading reviews of his work, but doesn't 'respond' to them, so if you want to get a response, please provide direct feedback by sending an email to katlasieltjes@yahoo.com
Friend requests are welcome, but preferably from people with a compatible taste in books.
A Brief Bio:
Martyn V. Halm lives in Amsterdam, with his two children, one cat, two rats, and countless imaginary characters vying for attention.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 7, 2017
great read
April 8, 2015
This long short story or short novella is one of the four of its kind that make up the Amsterdam Assassin Series along with three full-length novels. (I’m glad to know that a fourth is on the way.) One of the many things I like about this series is that Halm’s style is so unique and his characters so original that I can’t describe his work by referring to other books or authors. The protagonist is a professional assassin—a complex woman, strong and unusually intelligent, with expertise in many areas related to her occupation. In Fundamental Error, Katla’s skills with technology and explosives and her capacity for careful planning, self-control, and observation are central to the plot. There’s a deceptive calm to the narration that somehow raises the tension. The shifts in time and point of view are structured masterfully, shifting back and forth between the minutes before a terrorist’s attempt to blow up an Amsterdam shopping center and the weeks leading up to the attack. The target’s horrific goal makes this story less morally ambiguous than the others. I didn’t feel the “Oh my god, I’m rooting for Katla and she’s an assassin” amazement that has struck me as I got swept up in the novels and the other Killfiles. Not that I mind having that experience. In fact, it’s one of the marvels of this series. Halm somehow makes a woman whose job is unsympathetic—to say the least—into a riveting lead character for a series.
December 3, 2013
In this edition of the Katla KillFiles short story series, our heroine assassin, Katla Sieltjes, is approached by a Peter Brandt who has watched his brother convert to Islam and become an extremist. Roel, the brother is planning a terrorist attack that Peter wants stopped.
Loki Enterprises (Katla) is hired to prevent the fulfillment of the plot. In order to do so, Katla has to think and act like a terrorist in order to understand how the plan is to unfold … to find the fundamental error.
Author Martyn V. Halm uses an interesting method of taking the reader back and forth in time, developing the thoughts of the terrorist, while at the same time following Katla’s revelations and experience in working toward a resolution.
The descriptions of character and place are complete and the action scenes are tangible—something shared in the Amsterdam Assassin Series that this short story is a part of. Fundamental Error is an excellent introduction to both the Katla KillFiles series and the Amsterdam Assassin Series. Recommended reading for those who like crime thrillers and intrigue.
Loki Enterprises (Katla) is hired to prevent the fulfillment of the plot. In order to do so, Katla has to think and act like a terrorist in order to understand how the plan is to unfold … to find the fundamental error.
Author Martyn V. Halm uses an interesting method of taking the reader back and forth in time, developing the thoughts of the terrorist, while at the same time following Katla’s revelations and experience in working toward a resolution.
The descriptions of character and place are complete and the action scenes are tangible—something shared in the Amsterdam Assassin Series that this short story is a part of. Fundamental Error is an excellent introduction to both the Katla KillFiles series and the Amsterdam Assassin Series. Recommended reading for those who like crime thrillers and intrigue.
May 4, 2015
Author – Martyn V. Halm
Star rating – ★★★★☆
Plot – very well thought out and put together
Characters – diverse, unique, good mix
Movie Potential – ★★★★☆
Ease of reading – very easy to read
Cover – ✔
Suitable Title – ✔
Would I read it again – Yes.
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **
There isn’t much I can say about this book without going into detail about the plot and giving it all away, but I will say that it’s the first book I’ve read with an assassin as the main character and the first where the female lead is not weak, teary, vulnerable or scatterbrained. In fact, if you put together a list of words to describe our main character Katla, then you’re looking more into the realm of : calculated, objective, precise, clear-headed and ruthless. A unique story with a realistic plot and MC, and a relatable female MC with some kick-ass action moves.
Star rating – ★★★★☆
Plot – very well thought out and put together
Characters – diverse, unique, good mix
Movie Potential – ★★★★☆
Ease of reading – very easy to read
Cover – ✔
Suitable Title – ✔
Would I read it again – Yes.
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **
There isn’t much I can say about this book without going into detail about the plot and giving it all away, but I will say that it’s the first book I’ve read with an assassin as the main character and the first where the female lead is not weak, teary, vulnerable or scatterbrained. In fact, if you put together a list of words to describe our main character Katla, then you’re looking more into the realm of : calculated, objective, precise, clear-headed and ruthless. A unique story with a realistic plot and MC, and a relatable female MC with some kick-ass action moves.
March 13, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyed this Kill File my personal favourite of the four so far.
It is difficult to say too much on this story without giving away too much but Katla a freelance assassin is hired to prevent a terrorist attack.
The action is fast paced and the stories take Katla away from the world of the novels so we get to see a different side of Katla.
Those who have read the more of the books will know Katlas lack of emotion when it comes to carrying out the work to which she is charged however in this story we see Katla introduced to a threat to her city and the innocents who would be caught up in an attack. Katla uses her skills to remove the threat and shows her ability to improvise to both carry out her work whilst ensuring the safety of others.
A great ending and I would urge you to give this series a go I can honestly say you will not be disappointed if you enjoy fast paced action and well thought out and researched stories.
It is difficult to say too much on this story without giving away too much but Katla a freelance assassin is hired to prevent a terrorist attack.
The action is fast paced and the stories take Katla away from the world of the novels so we get to see a different side of Katla.
Those who have read the more of the books will know Katlas lack of emotion when it comes to carrying out the work to which she is charged however in this story we see Katla introduced to a threat to her city and the innocents who would be caught up in an attack. Katla uses her skills to remove the threat and shows her ability to improvise to both carry out her work whilst ensuring the safety of others.
A great ending and I would urge you to give this series a go I can honestly say you will not be disappointed if you enjoy fast paced action and well thought out and researched stories.
July 18, 2014
This was the last of the Katla KillFiles I read the other day, and I giggled myself silly over the play-on-words of the title.
The KillFiles all predate the first of the full-length Amsterdam Assassin Series, Reprobate, before Katla meets Bram and all his cronies.
Plot upshot: Katla is hired by a man who fears his brother is planning a terrorist attack. The short story flashes back and forth between the action going down and the days leading up to it. Other than a glimpse of Katla having a smidgen of conscience [though it can be liberally viewed as practicality] it was perfect Katla Sieltjes, all the way, with all the smarts and attendant detail I expect from the author.
The KillFiles all predate the first of the full-length Amsterdam Assassin Series, Reprobate, before Katla meets Bram and all his cronies.
Plot upshot: Katla is hired by a man who fears his brother is planning a terrorist attack. The short story flashes back and forth between the action going down and the days leading up to it. Other than a glimpse of Katla having a smidgen of conscience [though it can be liberally viewed as practicality] it was perfect Katla Sieltjes, all the way, with all the smarts and attendant detail I expect from the author.
July 31, 2016
I really am enjoying this series of books, this is my final read before I start Reprobate the first full length novel of the Katla books.
This was a brilliant idea the author put together and it was executed perfectly too.
Katla really has piqued my interest as I read about her, you can sense her develop a little through the Kill Files and it makes for a particularly interesting character.
You should definitely check these out if you like assassins or if you enjoy seeing assholes get their comeuppance.
This was a brilliant idea the author put together and it was executed perfectly too.
Katla really has piqued my interest as I read about her, you can sense her develop a little through the Kill Files and it makes for a particularly interesting character.
You should definitely check these out if you like assassins or if you enjoy seeing assholes get their comeuppance.
July 29, 2016
A nice tight little story. Katla goes up against some terrorists and shows them how it's done. The thing I like about Martyn is his attention to detail. There's a diabolical booby trap in this one that I really admire.
November 27, 2018
"Lacked something"
I found the constant switching between past and present unsettling and never warmed to any of the characters. I can't fault the level of detail the author goes into concerning a planned terror attack, or the construct of the bomb, but the story itself lacked something. It was all too clinical.
I found the constant switching between past and present unsettling and never warmed to any of the characters. I can't fault the level of detail the author goes into concerning a planned terror attack, or the construct of the bomb, but the story itself lacked something. It was all too clinical.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews