Holding The Zero

by Gerald Seymour

Gus Peake should have kept his job and stayed at home, but an old family debt of friendship draws him to the remote wastes of Northern Iraq and to a savage forgotten war between Kurdish guerrillas and Saddam Hussein’s military strength.

To the brutal, no-quarter combat, Peake can bring the skills he has learned as a marksman. But there is no room for mistakes on the field of battle and he must quickly learn to deal out random death at long distance and help the guerrillas to reach their goal, the city of Kirkuk, the old capital of the Kurdish people.

From Baghdad, Iraq sends Major Karim Azia, the most dedicated and professional sniper in Saddam’s army. For both men their duel, from which only one can walk away, becomes an obsession. And it will only take one shot, echoing in the mountains and valleys, to settle the score.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Military Fiction

413 pages, Paperback

First published January 13, 2000

About the author

Gerald Seymour (born 25 November 1941 in Guildford, Surrey) is a British writer.

The son of two literary figures, he was educated at Kelly College at Tavistock in Devon and took a BA Hons degree in Modern History at University College London. Initially a journalist, he joined ITN in 1963, covering such topics as the Great Train Robbery, Vietnam, Ireland, the Munich Olympics massacre, Germany's Red Army, Italy's Red Brigades and Palestinian militant groups. His first book, Harry's Game, was published in 1975, and Seymour then became a full-time novelist, living in the West Country. In 1999, he featured in the Oscar-winning television film, One Day in September, which portrayed the Munich Olympics massacre.
Television adaptations have been made of his books Harry's Game, The Glory Boys, The Contract, Red Fox, Field Of Blood, A Line In The Sand and The Waiting Time.

Reviews

[Nigel Pinkus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seymour offers us a complex pyrrhic tale that ends as a thriller. It is, as usual, a well researched vividly described tale that leaves the reader riveted until the very end. There are a host of characters (some of which don't appear until quite late in the story). Each character has their own reason for being in Iraq while the local people are there because that's where they live and are prepared to die as well. The foreigners were in Iraq for a number of reasons which include but aren't limited to either working for an aid agency, clearing mines for tax free dollars or simply there for vested mining interests. Throughout the story, you find out if Gus Peake is out of his element or not. Is he a hopeless amateur just on a suicide mission or is there more to him than meets the eye? Oh wait, and how on earth does he get such a big specialised gun all the way over there too? You'll find that there's a bunch of interesting characters too such as: Aziz and his dog Scout, Meda and her military advisor Haquim, Peake's guide and spotter Omar, the minefield-clearer Joe Denton, the Mossad agent Isaac Cohen, and the relief worker in the pretty dress, Sarah, just to name a few.

As usual, a variety of intelligence agencies lurk in the background making comment and pulling strings as different situations arise. You also find out whether or not these so called allies actually help the Kurdish people as they say they would or is there more to this as well? Seymour illustrates through the characters what it is like to live under the threat of the Iraqi regime, but best of all, it felt like the dust and the sand of Iraq literally blew off the pages. Sometimes it felt as if the Iraqi dust and sand had literally blew off the pages, but maybe this reader just had long stints at charging through this very enjoyable book that had left his eyes tired. It was almost another five star triumph for Seymour, but for some stark similarities to his "In Honour Bound" thriller written some thirty years ago. Even though both were similar in plot line, both stand alone as very good stories. As an avid fan of Seymour I liked both books and most people probably wouldn't even think it was worth mentioning, but it does bring his score from a perfect five to just a little bit less to maybe something like a 4.7 or the like. So it gets a four star rating on the Amazon rank. It's a pity they don't have half stars, isn't it? Nonetheless, an excellent read.

Gerald Seymour has been writing thrillers for more than thirty five years. Here are a few of them:
5 Stars ~ ‘A Line in the Sand’ and ‘Home Run’.

4 Stars ~ ‘The Waiting Time’, ‘Holding the Zero’, ‘The Dealer and the Dead’, ‘’No Mortal Thing’, The Outsiders’, ‘A Deniable Death’, ‘A Damn Serious Business’, ‘Archangel’, ‘No Mortal Thing’, ‘The Collaborator’ and ‘Killing Ground’ ,’ The Journeyman Tailor’, ‘Field of Blood’, 'Tinker, Taylor, Soldier Spy' and ‘Harry’s Game’.

3 Stars ~ ‘A Song in the Morning', 'In Honour Bound’ & ‘The Untouchable’

2 Stars ~ ‘The Corporals Wife’ & 'The Unknown Soldier’.

[Jim Milway · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time reading Seymour. It won't be my last. He tells a story of two snipers moving towards a final confrontation within the Kurdish effort to rid themselves of Saddam's brutal regime. He unfolds the story from several perspectives - British government officials' trying to understand the background to a civilian Brit's joining the Kurds, Israeli and US intelligence "masterminding" the effort, journalists covering the war, Iraqi soldiers, etc. I couldn't put the book down as we reached the conclusion.

[Muhammad Cheema · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Period.

Great piece of writing with good suspense and technical details. Loved the way the tempo builds. Mr. Seymour has masterfully described an epic battle between the two snipers.

Highly recommended for someone looking for great war fiction with a special interest in snipers. Straight 5 star read!

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two snipers face off against each other in a civil war in Iraq. Not my usual style of book but it kept me intrigued right up until the end.

[Rojen Salditos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a story! It feels so real, no luck, no unbelievable super heroic deeds, just plane human being, with training, faith and determination did it all. I also believed the "thin to non-existent"survival rate but you have to read the book to finally find out!

I like the respect that the duelling parties pay to each other. It's incredible, and this respect help them in the end. The story tells a different way to see things, like how to end a creature's life, I see it from a different perspective now after reading the book.

I would not dream to be like Gus, but I really respect this character. And politics and war are just so complicated things.

[Jak60 · Rating 1 out of 5]

After an inroad into Gerlad Seymour's body of work, I have come to the view that - for my taste - he is a hit and miss type of author.
I found some of his books good or even very good (Harry's game, Home Run, Condition Black and At Close Quarters), some very difficult to read to the point of being DNF; among the former ones (A Line In The Sand, Archangel).
Unfortunately, Holding The Zero fell in the second bucket, hence DNF.
I could never get into the story, could not connect with the characters and lost interest rather quickly.
I think I will try again, from time to time, to pick some books from Seymour, as I believe it's good stuff; it's just probably my problem to connect with his prose in some instances.

[Henri Moreaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth book I've read by Gerald Seymour, and is the best one so far, immensely better than Condition Black.

This one is the story of two snipers, one repaying a family debt, the other a minion of the Iraqi regime. In between them is a CIA/SIS promoted surge by the Kurds in Northern Iraq. What follows is a battle between two men as the surge crumbles away due to politics and treachery.

I found it to be quite the gripping tale and didn't present people as idealistic heroes, instead portraying the characters as the flawed people they would likely be had they existed in reality.

Worth the read.

[Oriyah N · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't the sort of book I'm naturally drawn to. I hate war books. This was well researched and well-written to the point that I feel like I got a decent education on the basics of sniping. Which is good, because my next book, a non-fiction book called "American Sniper" or something, was far less well-written and far less informative. Score a major point for this work of fiction.

[Mikey24 · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the most difficult and complicated books I've ever tried to read. There are so many names being thrown around that I can't imagine anyone being able to understand who is who and just what the heck is going on. Disappointing because this book was highly rated. I thought I would try reading this author but his "writing style" just isn't for me.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am sure I read this many years ago before the Iraq War. However, I have just a faint recollection of the final duel between the snipers. I suppose my view of the historical background makes a difference to the reading.

[Frank T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Although this novel wasn't entirely about the snipers involved I do think their stories were necessary to justify their motivations. Nothing I can say will do justice to how good this book is, all I can say is give it a go, you won't be disappointed.

[Goodwell Mateyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterful work. A fast-paced, page turning thriller that, yet, is imbued with the pathos of a work of literary fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this flawless novel, written by the best in the business.

[Davy Tripney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absorbing

Thoroughly engrossed from the first page to the last,and that was the s econd time of reading.Typical Gerald Seymour.Superb read

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st book that I’ve read written by Gerald Seymour. Loved the book!

[Mr Roy Davidson · Rating 2 out of 5]

525 pages

[Peter Brickwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seymour's books stand the test of time. This story of Kurd's struggle in northern Iraq is as current now as it was when the book was first published in 2000.

[Gary Lancaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping and detailed.

[Gareth Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book. Old now but still a page turner and fairly accurate to both the technology available and how the region currently stands. Nothing changes in Northern Iraq...

[Peter Owen-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional story telling

[Christine Lapping · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to know everything there is to know about sniping and its history this is the book for you. It follows the template of all Gerald Seymour's books, a lone innocent becomes embroiled in a bigger game, led there by someone from a knowing and uncaring government agency and the "hero' may or may not return, but will certainly be forever changed. That's all Seymour's books in a nutshell.

[Hrishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read " Shooter" and few other related books associated with Snipers but this takes the cake... he could have perhaps done the way other storytellers do and just focus on the pace...and even do a Ludlum or a L Amour or even a Le Carre...but then...

In Holding the Zero ,Gerald Seymour has given us a great Michelin rated 5 course meal and as Ken Willet ( the MOD guy who is investigating his background)unravels the background of Augustus Peake you understand each of those courses which has to lead Gus ( a transport/logistics manager) to travel across from the oridinary life to being a "expert militia sniper' in aiding the small Kurdish rebellion....

It also speaks about Motivation in its highest sense for a word given almost half a century ago between grandfathers of Gus Peake and the Kurdish female ( unusual in the Muslim rebelllions)Meda ,relationships evolved with an orphan(who is his Scout)with whom he talks about the old age snipers and lastly kinmanship with the enemy sniper( who has a spaniel as a scout)...as they move across to the last duel between them...( any more detail of this story and it wouldnt want to spoil the fun hahah)

And it leaves a fulfilment which even somebody like more renowned fiction novelists couldnt do....

Believe me, even as I have resorted to reading over many days ( unlike my teens/20s where i would finish the novel at a go) i couldnt resist and finished this over a night and the morning next day....

As the Guardian said " he has a singular voice and has the gift of making the reader read on " - How true!!

I recommend this novel for all those who are looking for trying out talented fiction novelists than the more renowned ones across Goodreads....etc...

He holds his own as a master storyteller on par with the biggest ones around carving his own niche...

for my first Gerald Seymour novel; Man !! i am mighty impressed!!

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two snipers: one an idealistic, naive, Englishman; the other an Iraqi soldier with torn loyalties, find themselves in opposition. These main protagonists may have very different backgrounds but they share a personal mindset with regards to the art of the sniper. Its the one-on-one battle between sniper and counter-sniper that provides the main focus. The larger rebellion in which these masterful marksmen perform is secondary.

Sadly, there is a little too much of the journalist on show in the author's writing, the narrative lacks any poetic punch to bring the story more fully to life. It often has the feel of newspaper copy, when I'd rather get into the minds and souls of the characters. All of the characters feel ... diminished. Its a good story. Written in a winded fashion. This forces me to say, despite enjoying the book, there is nothing to make it rise above simply 'enjoyable' to become something special.

One of the elements I enjoyed was the contradictions within the characters - for example, a reprehensible torturer has a far removed facet of his life, as a doting grandfather. Pretty much every single character's motivations could be questioned, actions could be judged 'wrong'/'right' for competing reasons. It also raises some interesting thoughts on the role of outside agencies in the Middle East and certainly casts the involvement of America (amongst others) in a negative light. Nothing new, perhaps, in that, but interesting nonetheless.

The book has plenty of authentic-seeming details - something I suppose one would expect from Seymour, given his journalistic background. It would have been amazing to have that steady drip of detail twinned to a immersive sense of place and a character or two who jumped from the page. Somehow I just didn't feel it, didn't see it.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Holding the Zero’ is a gritty and realistic thriller in which a solitary marksman sets out to repay a debt of honour by joining an army of Kurdish guerillas in Northern Iraq. Armed with a high-power sniper rifle, he uses his skills to help the guerillas battle against the army of Saddam Hussein, who respond by sending their best sniper to counter him.

Seymour creates heroes who embody a very traditional form of masculinity: they speak in actions rather than words, and are driven by a code of honour of their own choosing. In this book, both the hero, Gus Peake, and his adversary, Major Karim Aziz, are compelling characters, and the story is told from both of their perspectives, making their final confrontation all the more exciting because you know that only one will survive. The action is very well-written and Seymour manages to make the stealthy and patient world of his snipers genuinely exciting. In particular, the final confrontation between the two snipers is edge-of-the-seat stuff.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great, but is my first dive in to snipers, so it is not a laugh a minute and slightly heavy on the head. But, once one realises that that is what Mr Seymour does best, one has to accept it and hang in there for a big reward!

[Mongoose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this book, and I usually dislike fiction. Found it a bit hard to work out which story was being told, as the change in characters is only indicated by a new line. Once that was sorted, this was a really interesting book. Couldn't put it down.

[Nigel O'Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

It flies around quite a lot this book. Into the past and multiple stories. But a good, interesting read one you get into it, which ends up with 2 snipers trying to outwit each in very harsh environments.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11613261

[Barry Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great stand alone from Gerald Seymour. You get completely drawn in and as the novel draws towards it's conclusion the tension is palpable!!

[Stuart Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

It doesn't get better than this. Brilliant!

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Further superior stuff. Realism in the best sense, that of sense of place and character. Everything about Seymour is human.

Again, you learn so much, about Kurdistan, about sniping. Makes the forgotten troubles writ large.

Seymour takes the unglamourous and makes you care. Writes about the real forgotten blights on our world, not the knee jerk fodder for him. He has not written about ISIS, but about the ndrangheta, about dusty forgotten battlefields.

And one ponders about quite why Palestine is always at the forefront of our minds as the dispossessed peoples, but never Kurdistan, battled by all sorts, gassed by the thousand.

A step down from his absolute classics I felt, some of the strands didn't really go anywhere, the foreign correspondents plodding around in dusty fields, or maybe the motif of the good, silent, underestimated man showing unbelievable resilience is beginning to become too much of a distracting motif. But honestly, for any other modern thriller writer this would score 5, just some of Seymours has been so epic, some just score a little lower.