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Paul Janson #3
The Janson Option
To atone for the sins he committed serving his country, ex-covert government agent Paul Janson is determined to save the one person, one mission, one redemption at a time.The Janson Option Paul Janson--a former Consular Ops legend known as "The Machine" for his deadly speed and accuracy--has a new mission. Sickened by the "sanctioned serial killings" ordered by the state department, Janson has left covert operations and is now a private security consultant. In partnership with deadly sharpshooter Jessica Kincaid, he only takes assignments that he believes will lead to the greater good. When American Synergy Corporation oil executive Kingsman Helms begs Janson to rescue his wife, Allegra, from Somali pirates, Janson and Kincaid view it as the perfect opportunity to infiltrate ASC and disrupt the company's scheme to subvert independent oil-rich African countries into wholly-owned ASC subsidiaries. Once on the ground, Janson and Kincaid discover that the pirates may be the least lethal threat in the violent chaos of anarchic Somalia. Is Allegra's kidnapping for real, or is she merely a pawn in her husband's machinations for control of the country? Janson and Kincaid quickly find themselves embroiled in a bewildering storm of plots and counterplots, and their fight to survive threatens to disrupt the entire region, and beyond...
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 18, 2014
256 people are currently reading
1123 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
March 3, 2022
So much excitement and innovation. Liking this series
April 19, 2014
I have grown weary of Somali pirate based stories, especially combined with lack of creativity pinned in this story. This is little more than a rehash of stories and battles read before. 0 of 10 stars
June 14, 2015
Paul Garrison has done a good job of filling in for the late Robert Ludlum. THE JANSON OPTION is his third in a series about a retired/reformed secret agent. Paul Janson now runs a private security company called Catspaw. When the wife of an oil company executive is taken hostage in a yacht hijacking off the coast of Somalia, Catspaw is called in. How Janson's team approaches the rescue effort, and the intrigue they have to deal, both from the pirates and the oil company, makes for a good 4 star read.
November 24, 2015
Anyone else getting tired of seeing the titles of books using the titles of previous bestsellers and unknown authors in small print under the well-known author? I am.
I also tired of the bombardment of antagonists in this book, about half way through. I choked and forced them down in order to enjoy the ending of the book. I did not.
I also tired of the bombardment of antagonists in this book, about half way through. I choked and forced them down in order to enjoy the ending of the book. I did not.
May 5, 2020
A quick follow up as I rather enjoyed the previous book. Again, nothing really to do with Robert Ludlum, this is just a fast moving thriller with two engaging leads.
Plenty of links to the previous book so you need to read that first. Again Janson and Kincaid are doing their best to right wrongs using their vast resources and particular skill sets. In this, the wife of an oil tycoon is captured (along with a super yacht) by Somali pirates and Janson and Kincaid take the job on. The background (like the previous book) is regime change and hidden agendas and there are lots of red herrings here before we get to the truth. And I do like how the relationship between the two leads is handled, never sloppy and realistic given their history.
Not quite as good as the previous one, but not a bad thriller.
Plenty of links to the previous book so you need to read that first. Again Janson and Kincaid are doing their best to right wrongs using their vast resources and particular skill sets. In this, the wife of an oil tycoon is captured (along with a super yacht) by Somali pirates and Janson and Kincaid take the job on. The background (like the previous book) is regime change and hidden agendas and there are lots of red herrings here before we get to the truth. And I do like how the relationship between the two leads is handled, never sloppy and realistic given their history.
Not quite as good as the previous one, but not a bad thriller.
September 15, 2025
Just glancing at the cover, I was expecting a novel co-written by Robert Ludlum. He is also given credit on the inside jacket of the cover. However, I then realized that this novel was published thirteen years after he' passed away. The Goodreads' site only gives credit to the author Paul Garrison. So, I'm not sure what portion of this novel, if any, was written by Robert Ludlum. With that being said, I enjoyed "The Janson Option". I found the characters to be realistic and engaging, the plot was intriguing and at times quite intense. The settings were well described and easy to see in "the mind's eye". This is the third in the Paul Janson series. I have not read the previous books in the series. However, it did not affect the storyline. I look forward to reading the additional novels in the series.
July 1, 2018
I found the book hard to follow at times, and felt it had too many characters and plot lines. I have not read the previous two books, which may have been part of the problem, but it was still hard to follow the various characters and intertwining plots. I felt there was an over-abundance of both plots and characters. There was plenty of action, but no characters that really made you feel engaged in the book.
November 19, 2020
Paul Janson is hired by an energy corporation executive to rescue his wife, kidnapped by presumed Somalian pirates on her way to meet her husband who is working on deals in Africa. Unlike many protagonists with special skills, Janson seeks to complete his mission with no kills along the way. Working with his partner Kinkaid, we visit the land of war lords, pirates, industrial machinations, and mafia connected individuals.
November 21, 2019
3 stars out of 5 - I listened to this on a playaway during my evening walks over the past couple of weeks. It's a fairly formulaic special agent type thriller, but it was well enough written in parts to cause me to extend my walks on a couple of fairly cold evenings. I'll probably try another one of these Paul Janson audio books
April 25, 2025
The Janson Option
Another great read, most enjoyable. Over complicated plot IMHO but otherwise quite excellent.
Did I miss something though. The £5 million ransom payment was to be paid by the Husband who died before our heroes achieved their objective so no idea as to how or whether they got paid or not!
Another great read, most enjoyable. Over complicated plot IMHO but otherwise quite excellent.
Did I miss something though. The £5 million ransom payment was to be paid by the Husband who died before our heroes achieved their objective so no idea as to how or whether they got paid or not!
September 4, 2022
Kincaid and Janson must rescue Allegra Helms, wife of Kingsman Helms President of the ASC Petroleum division. Helms and ASC were targets of one of Janson's past jobs. Lots of backstabbing and changing alliegences. Janson calls in quite a few favors.
June 27, 2017
Exciting and fast-paced, although the character development was lacking.
February 21, 2018
A great read that was hard to put down
Hanson and Kincaid were razor sharp in their pursuit of their quest. An excellent book to read. I highly recommend this w.
Hanson and Kincaid were razor sharp in their pursuit of their quest. An excellent book to read. I highly recommend this w.
March 6, 2018
Another exciting Janson mission
Very exciting and another great Janson mission. Good tension amongst the “bad guys”, some worth rooting for, maybe. You read it and decide.
Very exciting and another great Janson mission. Good tension amongst the “bad guys”, some worth rooting for, maybe. You read it and decide.
June 8, 2018
Okay read.
The Janson books are not up to the standards of Ludlum books. So am entertaining read but only three stars.
The Janson books are not up to the standards of Ludlum books. So am entertaining read but only three stars.
July 21, 2018
Great book
September 6, 2018
I read the book - possibly rate it as a good wet weekend read. Some how things just did not click for me.
September 18, 2018
Excellent read
Great, entertaining read. Characters are really interesting and well-developed. Love the entire Janson series and this one certainly didn’t disappoint!
Great, entertaining read. Characters are really interesting and well-developed. Love the entire Janson series and this one certainly didn’t disappoint!
October 23, 2019
3.5 stars
Not bad. Not the best ludlum book I've ever read but it is definitely not the worst. Keep em coming please
Not bad. Not the best ludlum book I've ever read but it is definitely not the worst. Keep em coming please
April 13, 2020
This book did not live up to my expectations of a Jason Borne style book.
January 21, 2023
Uses F word. Decent plot. Did not completely hold my attention. Listened at 1.75 speed.
October 24, 2023
Kan er nog net mee door voor 3 sterren. Leest wel vlot
July 14, 2024
I'm sure I know someone would read this
April 19, 2025
Series created by Robert Ludlum, but written by Paul Garrison
October 22, 2022
The idea was to save a woman (American Synergy Corporation oil executive Kingsman Helms' wife) after Helms begs Janson to rescue Allegra from Somali pirates (led by Maxammed) gave Janson and Kincaid the perfect opportunity to infiltrate ASC and disrupt the company's scheme to subvert independent oil-rich African countries into wholly-owned ASC subsidiaries. Home Boy Gutale was a villian. Isse was strapped in a bomb for President Adam. Yousaf, the North Yucan dictator's son, was the contyroler of the bomb. Doug Case in a wheelchair, was another villan. The violent chaos of anarchic Somalia made this Paul Janson and Jessica Kincaid adventure quick moving and readable.
July 5, 2025
High three stars. The story is okay, the usual Janson goodness, but there are stronger Ludlum or Janson books
July 30, 2014
ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE JANSON OPTION is the latest in a long line of novels written after his death. This outing is so-so, a bit lackadaisical in its approach to the entire story. The only interesting thing about the entire plot is the question of who is behind it all.
Somali pirates have captured a yacht, the captain and crew sent off, and the rich owner and his guests are held for ransom. But did the pirates act on their own, were they directed to do this hijacking by another force within the Somali political movements, was it a warring faction in the country that is behind it, or are their outside forces at work with deeper plans than just ransom money.
You know it has to be a complicated plot, especially when it is discovered one of the captives is the wife of an American Synergy Corporation oil executive. Paul Jansen, former special ops legend and now a free-lance troubleshooter, has been called to save his captured wife. It might mean bringing down what little government there is in Somali, and that might be the reason behind the hijacking in the first place, if ASC was behind the plot.
With double-dealing and deception around every corner, Janson and his band of fixers have to deal with betrayal at all turns. The information about Minneapolis and its local population’s ties to Africa were surprising, and the inclusion of some of those civilians in the ops was a draw, but overall this was not a highly inspired effort on the part of the Ludlum team. We expect better.
This was a Goodreads win.
Somali pirates have captured a yacht, the captain and crew sent off, and the rich owner and his guests are held for ransom. But did the pirates act on their own, were they directed to do this hijacking by another force within the Somali political movements, was it a warring faction in the country that is behind it, or are their outside forces at work with deeper plans than just ransom money.
You know it has to be a complicated plot, especially when it is discovered one of the captives is the wife of an American Synergy Corporation oil executive. Paul Jansen, former special ops legend and now a free-lance troubleshooter, has been called to save his captured wife. It might mean bringing down what little government there is in Somali, and that might be the reason behind the hijacking in the first place, if ASC was behind the plot.
With double-dealing and deception around every corner, Janson and his band of fixers have to deal with betrayal at all turns. The information about Minneapolis and its local population’s ties to Africa were surprising, and the inclusion of some of those civilians in the ops was a draw, but overall this was not a highly inspired effort on the part of the Ludlum team. We expect better.
This was a Goodreads win.
June 23, 2014
Paul Janson, a former consular ops agent has started his own private security consultant. He and his company has done some work for American Synergy Corporation, leaving him with a bad taste in his mouth, but then a president of one of the company's divisions calls him because his wife has been kidnapped aboard a yacht in the Indian Ocean. He asks Janson to rescue his wife and does not want to depend on the forces that have already gathered to protect shipping from pirates.
As Janson collects his number two, Jessica Kincaid, it seems that things begin to unravel. Is someone out to kill the husband? Who could be out gunning for Janson? Does the oil in Somali and the Sudan have anything to do with the kidnapping? What about the political unrest in Somali? All of these figure into the case and then there is the in-fighting that is going on inside of ASC to see which division president will become the president. There are a lot of people pulling strings and it all makes the job of Janson and Kincaid that much more difficult.
We see how an experienced agent uses the assets he has collected during his career to get answers in this case. Janson also uses modern technology to help him sift through all of the information coming into him. I found it to be a fascinating book and I look forward to more Janson stories in the future.
As Janson collects his number two, Jessica Kincaid, it seems that things begin to unravel. Is someone out to kill the husband? Who could be out gunning for Janson? Does the oil in Somali and the Sudan have anything to do with the kidnapping? What about the political unrest in Somali? All of these figure into the case and then there is the in-fighting that is going on inside of ASC to see which division president will become the president. There are a lot of people pulling strings and it all makes the job of Janson and Kincaid that much more difficult.
We see how an experienced agent uses the assets he has collected during his career to get answers in this case. Janson also uses modern technology to help him sift through all of the information coming into him. I found it to be a fascinating book and I look forward to more Janson stories in the future.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews