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William Carver #1
A Dying Breed
Kabul, Afghanistan. William Carver, a veteran but unpredictable BBC hack, is thrown into the unknown when a bomb goes off killing a local official. Warned off the story from every direction, Carver won't give in until he finds the truth.
Patrick, a young producer, is sent out on his first foreign assignment to control the wayward Carver, but as the story unravels it looks like the real story lies between the shadowy corridors of the BBC, the perilous streets of Kabul and the dark chambers of Whitehall.
Set in a shadowy le-Carré-esque world, A Dying Breed is a gripping novel about journalism in a time of war, about the struggle to tell the stories that need to be told - even if it is much easier not to.
Patrick, a young producer, is sent out on his first foreign assignment to control the wayward Carver, but as the story unravels it looks like the real story lies between the shadowy corridors of the BBC, the perilous streets of Kabul and the dark chambers of Whitehall.
Set in a shadowy le-Carré-esque world, A Dying Breed is a gripping novel about journalism in a time of war, about the struggle to tell the stories that need to be told - even if it is much easier not to.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2016
103 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
Peter Hanington
5 books30 followersPETER HANINGTON worked for BBC Radio 4's Today programme for 14 years and throughout the Iraqi and Afghanistan conflicts. He initiated the special guest editor programmes and worked on special projects including collaborations with the Manchester International Festival and Glastonbury.
He still works for the BBC and lives in London.
He still works for the BBC and lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
April 7, 2016
I am always wary of reviewing books by people I know, because of the difficulty of maintaining objectivity. But this book is special. When a book has recommendations on its blurb from John Humphreys, Melvyn Bragg, William Boyd and AL Kennedy, you know that you have something unusual in your hands. And this is a first novel that simply will not disappoint.
The Peter Hanington that I came to know was a young anti-apartheid activist of huge commitment, making his considerable skills available to benefit the cause of freedom in South Africa. From there, he went to work for BBC Radio eventually becoming a producer on the Today Programme. And he uses that knowledge as the basis for a thriller about two Today Programme journalists, William Carver and Patrick Reid, working to uncover why an Afghan politician, Fazil Jabar, was murdered in a bomb explosion.
It is a carefully constructed story, leading the reader through the murky depths of international involvement in Afghanistan, the horrors of the war in that country, and the sheer unprincipled cynicism of the promotion of UK PLC I do not think that there are any heroes in this story, certainly not of the Jack Reacher kind. But there are undoubtedly people that you can sympathise with, and care about. There is William Carver, a veteran journalist, whose reputation has been besmirched by letting himself be conned over the invasion of Iraq, and who has become a hard-drinking curmudgeon, difficult to work with. There is Patrick Reid, a young journalist determined to prove himself in his first overseas assignment. There is Karim Mumtaz, an Afghan translator who aspires to a career in journalism. There is Noor, who wishes to go to Harvard, and Lucia Mariscal, trapped in a failing marriage to Rob, a BBC editor. And there is Baba who runs a wedding business in Kabul, which is where the story starts, when a bomb goes off in a tailor’s shop across the road.
These are all people that the reader can understand. They have ordinary aspirations. They want to do well at their job, to improve their lives or even to do something quite noble – to tell the world the truth, and to help make a difference. The Jack Reacher characters on the other hand are actually very unpleasant – amoral and murderous and, in one case, over-confident and not very efficient. This is also a fundamental part of the story. It gives nothing away to say that, if Richard Roydon reads at all, which is unlikely, he sees himself as a James Bond figure, not a George Smiley, and he does not have the talent for either role. Roydon is the kind of man that Craig Williamson, the apartheid spy chief, would have recruited. He is the kind of man who would have had no difficulty in the company of Eugene de Kock, the apartheid mass killer. To call him unpleasant is like saying Genghis Khan was warlike.
One of the underlying themes of the book is the sheer resilience and courage of people trying to live ordinary lives in the disaster that has been Afghanistan since the Russian invasion of 1979. And when I say disaster, I do not mean that its previous history was actually quiet and peaceful. One of the points that General Doushki, the story’s Afghan Warlord, makes is that Afghanistan has been invaded throughout its history – “Alexander the Great, the Byzantines, Mongol Khans, Queen Victoria’s brave,stupid soldiers. All of them were here…” [NB I think he means the Macedonians, not the Byzantines, but the point is generally right.] And as Doushki adds, there is more killing to come. And it in these circumstances that Noor, Mrs Ansari, Baba, Karim and Mr. Savi, the tailor, are trying to live ordinary lives. I, because I know him, am not in the least surprised that Peter Hanington should recognise one of the great problems of history – that people have to live through it, which is why it is best not to live in interesting times. There are many historians who fail to recognise this simple truth.
Hanington is an author who has compassion, sensitivity and humanity. Those qualities shine through this book. These are the qualities that make you want to find out what happens next. These are the qualities which will touch you to the core of your being.
You really will not want to put this book down.
The Peter Hanington that I came to know was a young anti-apartheid activist of huge commitment, making his considerable skills available to benefit the cause of freedom in South Africa. From there, he went to work for BBC Radio eventually becoming a producer on the Today Programme. And he uses that knowledge as the basis for a thriller about two Today Programme journalists, William Carver and Patrick Reid, working to uncover why an Afghan politician, Fazil Jabar, was murdered in a bomb explosion.
It is a carefully constructed story, leading the reader through the murky depths of international involvement in Afghanistan, the horrors of the war in that country, and the sheer unprincipled cynicism of the promotion of UK PLC I do not think that there are any heroes in this story, certainly not of the Jack Reacher kind. But there are undoubtedly people that you can sympathise with, and care about. There is William Carver, a veteran journalist, whose reputation has been besmirched by letting himself be conned over the invasion of Iraq, and who has become a hard-drinking curmudgeon, difficult to work with. There is Patrick Reid, a young journalist determined to prove himself in his first overseas assignment. There is Karim Mumtaz, an Afghan translator who aspires to a career in journalism. There is Noor, who wishes to go to Harvard, and Lucia Mariscal, trapped in a failing marriage to Rob, a BBC editor. And there is Baba who runs a wedding business in Kabul, which is where the story starts, when a bomb goes off in a tailor’s shop across the road.
These are all people that the reader can understand. They have ordinary aspirations. They want to do well at their job, to improve their lives or even to do something quite noble – to tell the world the truth, and to help make a difference. The Jack Reacher characters on the other hand are actually very unpleasant – amoral and murderous and, in one case, over-confident and not very efficient. This is also a fundamental part of the story. It gives nothing away to say that, if Richard Roydon reads at all, which is unlikely, he sees himself as a James Bond figure, not a George Smiley, and he does not have the talent for either role. Roydon is the kind of man that Craig Williamson, the apartheid spy chief, would have recruited. He is the kind of man who would have had no difficulty in the company of Eugene de Kock, the apartheid mass killer. To call him unpleasant is like saying Genghis Khan was warlike.
One of the underlying themes of the book is the sheer resilience and courage of people trying to live ordinary lives in the disaster that has been Afghanistan since the Russian invasion of 1979. And when I say disaster, I do not mean that its previous history was actually quiet and peaceful. One of the points that General Doushki, the story’s Afghan Warlord, makes is that Afghanistan has been invaded throughout its history – “Alexander the Great, the Byzantines, Mongol Khans, Queen Victoria’s brave,stupid soldiers. All of them were here…” [NB I think he means the Macedonians, not the Byzantines, but the point is generally right.] And as Doushki adds, there is more killing to come. And it in these circumstances that Noor, Mrs Ansari, Baba, Karim and Mr. Savi, the tailor, are trying to live ordinary lives. I, because I know him, am not in the least surprised that Peter Hanington should recognise one of the great problems of history – that people have to live through it, which is why it is best not to live in interesting times. There are many historians who fail to recognise this simple truth.
Hanington is an author who has compassion, sensitivity and humanity. Those qualities shine through this book. These are the qualities that make you want to find out what happens next. These are the qualities which will touch you to the core of your being.
You really will not want to put this book down.
June 7, 2016
With a le Carre-esque feel to the plot, this is a fast-moving story of investigative journalists, shady soldiers and the realities of how capitalist interests rule diplomacy and strategic foreign policy.
Hanington clearly knows what he's talking about but, oddly, some of the least interesting and less powerful scenes are those set in the BBC where the story can get a bit bogged down in office and corporation politics and in delineating the personal lives of characters which detract from the political story that is the central interest of the book.
Once the padding is out of the way, the story is gritty and clear-sighted about how money rules the corridors of power. The scenes set in Afghanistan feel authentic and insightful, from the soldiers - Afghan, British and US - doing their jobs to the locals living with the chaos of war and its aftermath. The characterisation is both subtle and a bit familiar: the semi-alcoholic old skool journalist who follows the story, no matter what; the British Ambassador with his unorthodox personal life and deliberate blindness to the realities of government policies; the shadowy mercenary/special ops soldier who operates off the grid..
Despite some seen-it-before moments and a plot outcome that the cynics amongst us can see coming way before the characters in the book (especially, as noted before, le Carre fans), this remains gripping to the end. A few little blips make this 4.5 stars from me but overall this is a compelling story of realpolitik in today's world.
ARC from Netgalley
Hanington clearly knows what he's talking about but, oddly, some of the least interesting and less powerful scenes are those set in the BBC where the story can get a bit bogged down in office and corporation politics and in delineating the personal lives of characters which detract from the political story that is the central interest of the book.
Once the padding is out of the way, the story is gritty and clear-sighted about how money rules the corridors of power. The scenes set in Afghanistan feel authentic and insightful, from the soldiers - Afghan, British and US - doing their jobs to the locals living with the chaos of war and its aftermath. The characterisation is both subtle and a bit familiar: the semi-alcoholic old skool journalist who follows the story, no matter what; the British Ambassador with his unorthodox personal life and deliberate blindness to the realities of government policies; the shadowy mercenary/special ops soldier who operates off the grid..
Despite some seen-it-before moments and a plot outcome that the cynics amongst us can see coming way before the characters in the book (especially, as noted before, le Carre fans), this remains gripping to the end. A few little blips make this 4.5 stars from me but overall this is a compelling story of realpolitik in today's world.
ARC from Netgalley
April 30, 2016
Politically incorrect, historically simplistic.
“In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” George Orwell
A book about a country that is 99.8% islamic and has grown some of the most violent islamist groups, was involved and is involved on the global islamist struggle, but without a single mention of Islam, has to be a kind of achievement. The taliban is but a mention, a book that mentions every invasion but the most significant one in the seventh century the Rashidun Caliphate Arabs that propagated the islamic religion that rules the afghanistan today. This book has all the marks of BBC approved tale where were the words islam or islamist are taboo if not a complete crime thought.
Let's start with the character in this book all the english or western men are morally weak if not totally devoid of morality, militaristic buffoons, drug dependant if not addicted or devoid of humanity, the only westerners with some redemption are two old reporter that drink too much and are ready to commit suicide, for their past sins. On the other hand the afghan men are loyal, wise, good nature, peace loving warriors forced into conflict by evil westerners. The western women fair a little better because they are powerless hores, frigid wifes, or devout girlfriends, now the afghan women span the spectrum from beautiful to handsome, loyal, good cooks, even creators of beautiful english gardens, or managers of businesses; no mention is made of the inequities between the sexes in this society, if anything this women are as free western women. The worst character of the afghanistan men is the general he sells heroin by the tons to the decadent west but justifiably so. He loved his wife and some taliban men not connected to the larger organisation raped and killed her, we know this because he tells a westerner he castrated them and burned them alive but they never gave up the larger org, and so the taliban is not guilty; but even this brutal crime is justified by his love of a woman that was beautiful and saintly good, and the drug trafficking is justified because it is good business and it creates jobs among the poor peasants; no mention is made of the practice of warlords to enslave peasants or their children to produce the opiate or the larger problem it brings to the entire region.
This is a world where the west is inherently evil and the other people are good; no intelligent discussions of politics can be had because the reason for the west presence are presented without a realistic history background or geopolitical realities and complex motivations that exist in the region, this is because of the Voldemort rule (never mention islam or islamist) that eliminates the possibility of creating a complex rich story, where people not caricatures can develop.
The only reason I have given this review the length it has is because it is being reviewed as a good book, when in reality it is entertaining propaganda that in some cases I felt was verging on racist. I say this without being a member of any of the ethnic groups in the book, but based on the world I inhabit and the history I have witnessed and the one we share in books with all its imperfections. This is not a fair representation or a realistic representation of our world but a skewed Regressive Left point of view.
“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”
― George Orwell
“In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” George Orwell
A book about a country that is 99.8% islamic and has grown some of the most violent islamist groups, was involved and is involved on the global islamist struggle, but without a single mention of Islam, has to be a kind of achievement. The taliban is but a mention, a book that mentions every invasion but the most significant one in the seventh century the Rashidun Caliphate Arabs that propagated the islamic religion that rules the afghanistan today. This book has all the marks of BBC approved tale where were the words islam or islamist are taboo if not a complete crime thought.
Let's start with the character in this book all the english or western men are morally weak if not totally devoid of morality, militaristic buffoons, drug dependant if not addicted or devoid of humanity, the only westerners with some redemption are two old reporter that drink too much and are ready to commit suicide, for their past sins. On the other hand the afghan men are loyal, wise, good nature, peace loving warriors forced into conflict by evil westerners. The western women fair a little better because they are powerless hores, frigid wifes, or devout girlfriends, now the afghan women span the spectrum from beautiful to handsome, loyal, good cooks, even creators of beautiful english gardens, or managers of businesses; no mention is made of the inequities between the sexes in this society, if anything this women are as free western women. The worst character of the afghanistan men is the general he sells heroin by the tons to the decadent west but justifiably so. He loved his wife and some taliban men not connected to the larger organisation raped and killed her, we know this because he tells a westerner he castrated them and burned them alive but they never gave up the larger org, and so the taliban is not guilty; but even this brutal crime is justified by his love of a woman that was beautiful and saintly good, and the drug trafficking is justified because it is good business and it creates jobs among the poor peasants; no mention is made of the practice of warlords to enslave peasants or their children to produce the opiate or the larger problem it brings to the entire region.
This is a world where the west is inherently evil and the other people are good; no intelligent discussions of politics can be had because the reason for the west presence are presented without a realistic history background or geopolitical realities and complex motivations that exist in the region, this is because of the Voldemort rule (never mention islam or islamist) that eliminates the possibility of creating a complex rich story, where people not caricatures can develop.
The only reason I have given this review the length it has is because it is being reviewed as a good book, when in reality it is entertaining propaganda that in some cases I felt was verging on racist. I say this without being a member of any of the ethnic groups in the book, but based on the world I inhabit and the history I have witnessed and the one we share in books with all its imperfections. This is not a fair representation or a realistic representation of our world but a skewed Regressive Left point of view.
“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”
― George Orwell
November 5, 2019
One of my favourite fictions this year. Loved EVERYTHING about this book - brings in sharp analytic journalistic writing style and thrilling characters. Can’t wait to read more from this guy.
November 1, 2016
I enjoyed this book so much that I've emailed the author and asked him to please write another one. I listened to the audio version and it was brilliantly narrated. It has a terrific pace, an intricate and superbly constructed plot and the writing itself is wonderful - the vivid descriptions of Afghanistan were particularly impressive. From the beginning, you feel you're in safe hands with a very accomplished storyteller. A real treat.
September 27, 2017
I enjoyed every single page! Excellently written.
May 13, 2019
Excellent story, well written with a good mixture of suspense, politics and interaction between the characters. Hanington's knowledge of war journalism is accurate, as is, I presume, his description of the situation in Afghanistan.
It's not perfect. Claims comparing this book to the works of Le Carré are made too easily. The subtle grimness of Le Carré is missing here, despite the good build-up of the story. The middle part sags of bit, with overlong conversations about the conscience of journalists and at one point religion.
But all in all a very enjoyable read. I hope mr Hanington will keep up this part of his career.
It's not perfect. Claims comparing this book to the works of Le Carré are made too easily. The subtle grimness of Le Carré is missing here, despite the good build-up of the story. The middle part sags of bit, with overlong conversations about the conscience of journalists and at one point religion.
But all in all a very enjoyable read. I hope mr Hanington will keep up this part of his career.
May 11, 2016
Peter Hanington is a former radio producer for the Today programme, latterly rising to be its Assistant Editor. Taking on board the old adage to write what you know, he’s set his debut novel in the world of the foreign correspondent and the political machinations inside the BBC. We have William Carver, a gifted but deeply flawed veteran correspondent, an inveterate drunk who the hierarchy are trying to force into early retirement; Rob Mariscal, the editor of Today, an embittered man who strikes fear into those under him; and Patrick Reid, a young whippersnapper of a producer, still very green and idealistic.
Patrick is dispatched by Mariscal to Afghanistan, his first foreign posting, with orders to reign Carver in. The foreign correspondent is onto something with a story concerning a recent bombing, in which a prominent Afghan businessman and politician was murdered. Unfortunately, there are people who don’t want this story told. At risk of giving away too great a spoiler, they have their claws in Rob and get him to try to put a stop to it. What plays out is a conspiracy thriller set against a realistic portrayal of radio journalism and foreign correspondence in the 21st century.
There are aspects of this novel that I liked and others that I didn’t. Having been a current affairs journalist myself, and having worked for the BBC - albeit for only a short time and not on Today - I was impressed by his no pulling punches approach to writing about the corporation. While this is no hatchet job on the BBC, and BBC journalists are shown doing a good and thorough job, the stultifying bureaucracy which so too often stifles them is ably demonstrated, particularly in the earlier sections. So too is a reporter’s life in Afghanistan, that sense of surrealism and privilege that representatives of a first world media organisation can’t fail to demonstrate when operating in what is in essence a third world country. Finally, Carver’s relationship with his fixer, Karim, is well drawn. Hanington does a service to fixers everywhere with his portrayal of Karim, for as in this novel, they are often as gifted journalists, sometimes more so, than the apparent star.
There is one other aspect I should mention, something that might only appeal to fellow journalists. I might be imagining this, but to me both Rob Mariscal, and a minor character, the pompous news correspondent John Brandon, appear to be mischievously based on real people. Mariscal made me think of a certain former Today editor who now makes a living as an outspoken columnist. Brandon meanwhile brought to mind someone who once liberated Kabul on his lonesome. Of course, as I say, I could be imagining this.
Some aspects of the novel weren’t so satisfying, however. The book is very male. Early on, Carter has a producer whose role is also to reign him in, but he wears her down and she flies back to Blighty. This leaves a gap for Patrick and hence he comes. While there is nothing wrong with this per se, and I’m certainly not suggesting the author needed to shoe-horn in a female character out of some politically correct notion of box ticking, it did feel a bit like, “Well, now the women are safely out of the way, we can get on with the job of real journalism.” Another issue I had is while I enjoyed this book immensely, it was a bit of a slow burner; there were times when I put it down and had to actively remind myself to return to it.
That all said, A Dying Breed is certainly a compelling thriller, and if you have any interest in the news business at all it is well worth a read.
Patrick is dispatched by Mariscal to Afghanistan, his first foreign posting, with orders to reign Carver in. The foreign correspondent is onto something with a story concerning a recent bombing, in which a prominent Afghan businessman and politician was murdered. Unfortunately, there are people who don’t want this story told. At risk of giving away too great a spoiler, they have their claws in Rob and get him to try to put a stop to it. What plays out is a conspiracy thriller set against a realistic portrayal of radio journalism and foreign correspondence in the 21st century.
There are aspects of this novel that I liked and others that I didn’t. Having been a current affairs journalist myself, and having worked for the BBC - albeit for only a short time and not on Today - I was impressed by his no pulling punches approach to writing about the corporation. While this is no hatchet job on the BBC, and BBC journalists are shown doing a good and thorough job, the stultifying bureaucracy which so too often stifles them is ably demonstrated, particularly in the earlier sections. So too is a reporter’s life in Afghanistan, that sense of surrealism and privilege that representatives of a first world media organisation can’t fail to demonstrate when operating in what is in essence a third world country. Finally, Carver’s relationship with his fixer, Karim, is well drawn. Hanington does a service to fixers everywhere with his portrayal of Karim, for as in this novel, they are often as gifted journalists, sometimes more so, than the apparent star.
There is one other aspect I should mention, something that might only appeal to fellow journalists. I might be imagining this, but to me both Rob Mariscal, and a minor character, the pompous news correspondent John Brandon, appear to be mischievously based on real people. Mariscal made me think of a certain former Today editor who now makes a living as an outspoken columnist. Brandon meanwhile brought to mind someone who once liberated Kabul on his lonesome. Of course, as I say, I could be imagining this.
Some aspects of the novel weren’t so satisfying, however. The book is very male. Early on, Carter has a producer whose role is also to reign him in, but he wears her down and she flies back to Blighty. This leaves a gap for Patrick and hence he comes. While there is nothing wrong with this per se, and I’m certainly not suggesting the author needed to shoe-horn in a female character out of some politically correct notion of box ticking, it did feel a bit like, “Well, now the women are safely out of the way, we can get on with the job of real journalism.” Another issue I had is while I enjoyed this book immensely, it was a bit of a slow burner; there were times when I put it down and had to actively remind myself to return to it.
That all said, A Dying Breed is certainly a compelling thriller, and if you have any interest in the news business at all it is well worth a read.
April 16, 2019
So Carver sets out to file reports - any reports - to keep up a profile. And thanks to a rather new night editor, he gets a report on a bombing of a Kabul tailor’s shop onto the prime slot of the Today programme. Which, it seems, causes some disquiet both in Kabul and in Vauxhall Cross.
Spy thrillers - and desert war thrillers - have been done before. One of the unique selling points of A Dying Breed is the introduction of BBC journalism - the office politics, the compromise between impartial journalism and protecting the national interest, the willingness to give in to threats. This gets right into the questions of editorial process, travel, accommodation and filing expenses. It feels real.
So too do the settings - whether in Kabul, the Hindu Kush or the offices and clubs of central London. The dust and decay of Kabul are done as well as in any novel. The efforts of the westerners to create some cross between normal life and a holiday jaunt - running a normal share-house while ducking out to exotic bars, sipping cocktails, drinking whiskey with the Ambassador and strolling care-free down a road protected by special forces.
The pacing is spot on, there’s heaps of tension, suspense, conflicted loyalties and political insight.
Thoroughly recommended.
June 4, 2016
I agree with the almost universal praise this book has received. I thought it was very good indeed – well written, extremely well informed and very gripping.
The book is set in London and Aghanistan and involves an old-school BBC reporter (the dying breed of the title) who has discovered a story which The Authorities don't want brought to light. Put that crudely, it sounds very hackneyed, but it is so well done that it felt very fresh and I became completely involved. The shady dealings and the journalist's attempts to expose them were very plausible and extremely well portrayed so they made a gripping story, but where this book really shines is in the characters and setting.
Peter Hanington paints very convincing portraits of a variety of characters from his central protagonist, the world-weary, drink-addled but dogged reporter William Carver to an Afghan drug- and warlord. Even his most minor characters convince, and he creates a story in which believable people do believable things – something of a rarity in spy fiction. He also creates a wonderfully convincing backdrop of both journalism and of Afghanistan. These are both areas which Peter Hanington knows intimately, and it shows. I found the settings completely convincing, and a very involving part of the book.
There are a couple of minor false steps like the quite lengthy and rather irrelevant details of the personal life of an editor, or the mercenary who informs Carver that this is his last job and talks of the peaceful life he has planned…well, you just know what's going to happen when someone says that, don't you? Nonetheless, I thought this was a great read; it's intelligent, gripping and very well done ad I can recommend it warmly.
The book is set in London and Aghanistan and involves an old-school BBC reporter (the dying breed of the title) who has discovered a story which The Authorities don't want brought to light. Put that crudely, it sounds very hackneyed, but it is so well done that it felt very fresh and I became completely involved. The shady dealings and the journalist's attempts to expose them were very plausible and extremely well portrayed so they made a gripping story, but where this book really shines is in the characters and setting.
Peter Hanington paints very convincing portraits of a variety of characters from his central protagonist, the world-weary, drink-addled but dogged reporter William Carver to an Afghan drug- and warlord. Even his most minor characters convince, and he creates a story in which believable people do believable things – something of a rarity in spy fiction. He also creates a wonderfully convincing backdrop of both journalism and of Afghanistan. These are both areas which Peter Hanington knows intimately, and it shows. I found the settings completely convincing, and a very involving part of the book.
There are a couple of minor false steps like the quite lengthy and rather irrelevant details of the personal life of an editor, or the mercenary who informs Carver that this is his last job and talks of the peaceful life he has planned…well, you just know what's going to happen when someone says that, don't you? Nonetheless, I thought this was a great read; it's intelligent, gripping and very well done ad I can recommend it warmly.
January 31, 2017
Absolutely excellent. This was one of those stories that we just could not wait to get to in the evening. My husband and I listen together and it's quite tricky finding things that we both enjoy equally but no problem at all with this.
for a start it was interesting and the author obviously knew what he was talking about both in the world of journalism and the world of foreign conflict.
It was gripping, and exciting. It was brutal and sad, as is war. At times it was poignant as it witnessed ordinary people in the grip of conflict living their lives. Idealistic youngsters trying to make a difference and twisted old guerrilla fighters with tragedy on their shoulders. Bloodthirsty at times and in parts rather shocking when one realised what pawns we all are in the machine.
There were a couple of surprises that made us both say "Well, I didn't see that coming."
The characters were very real with hateful opportunists, naive and hopeful youngsters and world weary, tainted old war horses just wondering when it will all be over.
I highly recommend this.
for a start it was interesting and the author obviously knew what he was talking about both in the world of journalism and the world of foreign conflict.
It was gripping, and exciting. It was brutal and sad, as is war. At times it was poignant as it witnessed ordinary people in the grip of conflict living their lives. Idealistic youngsters trying to make a difference and twisted old guerrilla fighters with tragedy on their shoulders. Bloodthirsty at times and in parts rather shocking when one realised what pawns we all are in the machine.
There were a couple of surprises that made us both say "Well, I didn't see that coming."
The characters were very real with hateful opportunists, naive and hopeful youngsters and world weary, tainted old war horses just wondering when it will all be over.
I highly recommend this.
April 6, 2019
I love books based in Kabul!! So this was definitely a good read for me. My friends parents are journalists and they do war journalism so it was a very interesting read. I liked how it was written in 3rd person and shifts from all perspectives. It takes quite an objective stance and so my alliances with characters were always shifting. The pace at the start was quite slow but just after half way it really picks up. Enjoyed this quite a lot :))
June 6, 2018
Just finished it - excellent book, highly recommended!! For a first novel Hanington really hits the mark in what turns out to be an electrifying read. I loved his character development and the pace that he sets, building to an unexpectedly gruesome finale. Most of all I loved the fact that he mourns the passing of investigative journalism. Nowadays the truth has become an optional extra and very often is dispensed with in the search for commercially acceptable news stories, pap media and the convenience of Hollywood endings. His roots in the BBC obviously extend deep into a bedrock of honest reporting and finding out what really happened. I sensed his frustration and despair in Rob and particularly William who now feel like relics from a distant - and politically incorrect - era. I look forward to his next novels with anticipation
October 1, 2016
Peter Hanington is a local author and being perfectly honest, that the only reason that I read this book as it wouldn't normally be my type of "pick". I've never read John Le Carre or authors of that ilk, so can't make any genuine comparisons but what I can say is that I found it immensely gripping and thoroughly readable. The question that I have asked people when I've recommended this to them is, "Did you enjoy Homeland?". If the answer is "yes" then I have had no hesitation in suggesting this to them. I loved the detail about subjects that mere mortals such as I would never normally be privy to and it genuinely enriched my enjoyment of the book. I have just bought my fourth copy for another friend's birthday as I know they will enjoy it as much as I did. Highly recommended.
January 12, 2021
Most definitely a four star book. This is difficult to place within a specific genre. I suppose it is a “political thriller” but it misses out much of the thriller aspects. Essentially it is the story of a journalist’s investigation of an event in Afghanistan, with several sequences set back in London. The protagonist, William Carver, a radio reporter, is definitely not a hero, probably he is a non-hero, but his presence dominates the book. The plot and most of the characters are very believable and one in particular plays a crucial and very moving role in the story (I will not give anything away). I was given the sequel “A Single Source” for Christmas and I need to be patient as a couple of other books need to be read before I can get to it, frustrating!
October 18, 2016
The author clearly knows his subject, and one of his subjects is of course human nature with all its flaws and weaknesses, described with compassion, humour, and anger at what is done to them. The background to these flawed human beings covers Afghanistan, the BBC, and the truly awful things done in the name of "state security". As well as the sympathetic people (who are in fact most of them), this novel also contains one of the most unlikeable characters I have ever come across in fiction, or in real life either for that matter. This is a first novel, and although he's not (yet) le Carre, I am looking forward to his next one. And the one after that.
August 17, 2017
great story with lots of character and intrigue
May 31, 2021
A political thriller set largely in Afghanistan but Whitehall and the BBC offices feature largely too. William Carver is a bit of a cliché - a hard drinking, pill toting cycnic who does journalism the old fashioned way. He's suspicious about a bomb going off in a tailor's shop. When he tries to investigate he's stopped at every turn. What follows is a fast paced action thriller. I found it an enjoyable page turner but found there were too many stereotypes for it to really ring true. Also wondered why there were so few women in it, little mention of women's rights in Afghanistan and virtually no reference to Islam at all.
June 30, 2020
What a pleasant surprise. William Carver is a hard-drinking world-weary reporter who in investigating a recent bombing begins to investigate a story that reveals much more than he bargained for. The reviews I read, while generally great, didn't really convince me, but this book held me from the get go, with well-drawn characters, great dialogue, and a mystery/thriller written with a sure hand by someone who clearly knows his way around the BBC and Afghanistan. A really great read from beginning to end.
February 27, 2019
I’ve listened to this twice now. As mentioned in my recent review of A Single Source (Hanington’s sophomore novel), A Dying Breed is a clever, well-written political thriller that reminded me of the best of John le Carré, but, with its focus on journalism rather than the intelligence community, for me, it was even more compelling. Jonathan Keeble was an outstanding narrator, as always.
May 8, 2018
Essentially a kidnap-in-Afghanistan-meets-media-spy-novel type mash-up.
Peter Hanington writes decent dialogue, and some of his characters come vividly to life (particularly the veteran producer, who must surely be based on Rod Liddle, and the grouchy hack Carver, a part made for Roger Allam). The scenes at the BBC have all the vividness and believability you would expect from someone who works there. There are some nicely observed peripheral scenes which suggest a real writer at work.
Unfortunately the media aspect of the novel, pervasive at the beginning, fades as it proceeds, and the Afghan insurgency / military scenes which dominate the second half of the book aren't as plausible or convincing. There are plot holes aplenty, and some of the writing is clunking. The half-hearted religious theme which pops up occasionally is unnecessary to the plot and reads like watered-down Greene.
It won't surprise those familiar with the type that in a novel by a North London media person the bad guys are mostly on our side. And it's curious that in a 400+ page novel set in the world of Islamist insurgency Islam is mentioned - how many times? Ten? Twenty? Thirty? Answer: none. Zero. Zilch.
It's a bit like reading a copy of Moby Dick which doesn't mention the whale.
My copy of the book came garlanded with quotes by Hanington's BBC celebrity contacts. Handy friends to have. Apparently it's been optioned for TV. Who said a writer's life was hard?!
Peter Hanington writes decent dialogue, and some of his characters come vividly to life (particularly the veteran producer, who must surely be based on Rod Liddle, and the grouchy hack Carver, a part made for Roger Allam). The scenes at the BBC have all the vividness and believability you would expect from someone who works there. There are some nicely observed peripheral scenes which suggest a real writer at work.
Unfortunately the media aspect of the novel, pervasive at the beginning, fades as it proceeds, and the Afghan insurgency / military scenes which dominate the second half of the book aren't as plausible or convincing. There are plot holes aplenty, and some of the writing is clunking. The half-hearted religious theme which pops up occasionally is unnecessary to the plot and reads like watered-down Greene.
It won't surprise those familiar with the type that in a novel by a North London media person the bad guys are mostly on our side. And it's curious that in a 400+ page novel set in the world of Islamist insurgency Islam is mentioned - how many times? Ten? Twenty? Thirty? Answer: none. Zero. Zilch.
It's a bit like reading a copy of Moby Dick which doesn't mention the whale.
My copy of the book came garlanded with quotes by Hanington's BBC celebrity contacts. Handy friends to have. Apparently it's been optioned for TV. Who said a writer's life was hard?!
August 31, 2025
Perfidious Albion all the way to the 21st Century
A story that kept me gripped from beginning to end, albeit a cynical and tragic one. Sadly, the tale told here is all too plausible. The nefarious intentions of government and big business these days are often interwoven in ways like the fictitious Aftel deal described. Cynical but pragmatic assumptions that the West is ‘owed’ large business profits in return for the ‘help’ given in warzones like Afghanistan lie behind the proliferation of dark corporations supplying ‘security’. The good guys get trampled while the bad guys get rich.
William Carver is a composite figure who could represent facets of a dozen BBC correspondents of years past. He and his bosses are painted as reprobates with few ethics between them and there are certainly a whole closet full of rumours and anecdotes about ‘Today’ programme editors and senior managers even more colourful than Hanington’s imagination supplies. Even an anti-hero can doggedly keep searching for evidence. And in the face of deliberate official misinformation, public broadcasting is just about the only place left where facts still matter. Let’s hope so anyway.
A story that kept me gripped from beginning to end, albeit a cynical and tragic one. Sadly, the tale told here is all too plausible. The nefarious intentions of government and big business these days are often interwoven in ways like the fictitious Aftel deal described. Cynical but pragmatic assumptions that the West is ‘owed’ large business profits in return for the ‘help’ given in warzones like Afghanistan lie behind the proliferation of dark corporations supplying ‘security’. The good guys get trampled while the bad guys get rich.
William Carver is a composite figure who could represent facets of a dozen BBC correspondents of years past. He and his bosses are painted as reprobates with few ethics between them and there are certainly a whole closet full of rumours and anecdotes about ‘Today’ programme editors and senior managers even more colourful than Hanington’s imagination supplies. Even an anti-hero can doggedly keep searching for evidence. And in the face of deliberate official misinformation, public broadcasting is just about the only place left where facts still matter. Let’s hope so anyway.
July 27, 2018
This is a good debut mystery, quite suspenseful albeit unevenly told. It concerns a seasoned, flawed British reporter, William Carver, and a bombing in Kabul that is blamed on the Taliban. Carver suspects there is more to the story than a terrorist attack and pursues the truth at considerable personal and professional risk. The clods at the BBC back in London, for whom he works, are rather stereotypical, but Carver himself is rather complex. It is an interesting mystery although sometimes slow; it could easily be shortened with little loss. The denouement is a bit clumsily handled and is a bit of a let-down, but all in all, I'd say this is an exceptionally good debut novel. I definitely would read another by Hanington.
The reader, Jonathan Keeble, is exceptionally good and adds much to the enjoyment of listening.
The reader, Jonathan Keeble, is exceptionally good and adds much to the enjoyment of listening.
August 12, 2020
This is a cracker of a political thriller. William Carver, irascible, veteran and ’last of a dying breed’ BBC journalist is impossible to work with, undisciplined and all to eager to throw out the rule book. But he is reluctantly tolerated by his bosses because of his long-standing ability to sniff out the big stories. Great character in a book full of great characters. Great dialogue which is pithy and authentic. Kabul, Afghanistan, great setting, believably brought to life. Great yarn. Carver investigates a deadly bombing at a local tailor’s shop but the deeper he delves, the more he uncovers that doesn’t tally with the official version of events. He can smell corruption and conspiracy - a big story, but at what cost? I read this in a couple of days. It was gripping and thoroughly enjoyable.
August 3, 2021
The most fun part of Peter Hanington's debut novel is trying to guess which former BBC journalist colleagues he has based some of the less salubrious characters on. The vain older chap in a fancy suit who laps up the glory of broadcasting from a war zone, but may or may not know the name of the prime ministers of the region? The dishevelled, hard-drinking producer with money problems and a dubious relationship with personal hygiene? A few candidates spring to mind...
The plot centres on a bomb blast in Kabul, which piques the interest of disillusioned veteran reporter William Carver. The young producer foisted on him by bosses is kidnapped - and it looks like his abduction may be linked to the bombing story.
This is a well-written, decent thriller set in the world of terrorism, espionage, and journalism. It's a bit Le Carré-light, but what isn't?
The plot centres on a bomb blast in Kabul, which piques the interest of disillusioned veteran reporter William Carver. The young producer foisted on him by bosses is kidnapped - and it looks like his abduction may be linked to the bombing story.
This is a well-written, decent thriller set in the world of terrorism, espionage, and journalism. It's a bit Le Carré-light, but what isn't?
November 4, 2023
I didn't expect to be interested in this book, given the subject matter related to the Afghanistan war, but actually I became engrossed in the stories of the flawed characters, BBC journalists, British and US politicians, etc.
The plotline rings true: a killing of a prominent Afghani with links to the British from a bomb in Kabul, but was it the Taliban?
Veteran British journalist William Carver believes there is more to the story, but is warned off from all directions. His Afghani interpreter, Karim, becomes entangled in the situation. A young BBC journalist, Patrick, is sent to work with William and at first that seems impossible, but in the end it does work out.
There is some violence and bloodshed, of course, but overall it was a deeply human story.
The plotline rings true: a killing of a prominent Afghani with links to the British from a bomb in Kabul, but was it the Taliban?
Veteran British journalist William Carver believes there is more to the story, but is warned off from all directions. His Afghani interpreter, Karim, becomes entangled in the situation. A young BBC journalist, Patrick, is sent to work with William and at first that seems impossible, but in the end it does work out.
There is some violence and bloodshed, of course, but overall it was a deeply human story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2022
A captivating read until near the end of the book. I liked the character development and the turn of events given the situation portrayed.
My biggest issue though is the anticlimactic ending that honestly did not resolve:
- what happened to William when he was taken by the General
- the questioning by the interrogators when Patrick returned
- the return of William to London
- what happened to rob when he returned to London
- and most importantly, was the story William worked on published before the contract of aftel went through
Basically a lot of loose ends which made the book incomplete. Aside from that, true writing was interesting and I was hooked from the start.
2.5⭐️s
My biggest issue though is the anticlimactic ending that honestly did not resolve:
- what happened to William when he was taken by the General
- the questioning by the interrogators when Patrick returned
- the return of William to London
- what happened to rob when he returned to London
- and most importantly, was the story William worked on published before the contract of aftel went through
Basically a lot of loose ends which made the book incomplete. Aside from that, true writing was interesting and I was hooked from the start.
2.5⭐️s
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2016
Fun thriller, but why is it that the only women in the book with a name or any lines were unhappy wives, mistresses, a school teacher, cranky doctor, a maid, a beautiful daughter of the warlord (of course she's beautiful), or a field producer who was in the story only to quit her job to get away from our protagonist? Are women really that stereotypical or is the author?
October 26, 2019
A friend lent me this book saying it was the best book she had ever read, I’m afraid I have to disagree. I didn’t really engage with the characters and found the storyline a bit forced and unbelievable. It’s a good enough read, but in my view not outstanding. It wasn’t a page turner for me, more of a let’s get this read and back to my friend
May 21, 2023
Riveting, cleverly conctructed thriller delving into politics, war and dirty tricks in many shades of grey as it follows its jaded journalist protagonist looking into a deadly bombing in Kabul and related cover-up attempts. The author's first hand experience in the world of journalism as well as in reporting from Afghanistan ensure a realistic feel to the novel's backdrop.
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