The Echelon Vendetta

Agent Micah Dalton #1

by David Stone

CIA agent Micah Dalton is a "cleaner." He takes care of other agents' mistakes. When a friend and mentor commits a grotesque suicide, Dalton's investigation leads him into the snare of a madman, into the arms of a beautiful, mysterious stranger-and into a conspiracy within his own agency. Dalton knows only one thing for certain-this job is going to get very messy.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Espionage, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Crime

528 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2007

Reviews

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25 stars - Nederlandse paperback

Recensie volgt later.

[melydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most books I get free off the internet are worth about what I paid for them, so my expectations were not high coming into this. I expected it to be another generic thriller, just something to pass the time. I was pleasantly mistaken. I liked the characters, no matter how despicable. The scenery was described in wonderful detail without getting long-winded, and the action was well paced. I think my favorite part was the snarky ghost (or maybe he was just a hallucination) who haunted the main character as he attempted to solve the ghost's murder. There was a good balance between humor and drama. I read in a review somewhere to remember David Stone's name because he will be known for excellent thrillers. If this book is any indication of his future work, I think that's a definite possibility.

[AliciaJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was soooo good. It's been a while since I've read a suspense, CIA, thriller, spy, mystery book. It was *awesome*! Fast-paced, funny, exciting, all the good stuff. Can't wait to start the next one.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pedestrian spy thriller, " Echelon Vendetta" , from David Stone is the first book of series featuring CIA "cleaner" Micah Dalton as protagonist. Dalton's best friend Porter Naumann has been brutally murdered in Italy. Naumann also a CIA operative is stationed out of UK but working in Italy on behalf of "Burke and Single" Bank. Dalton meanders through Italy, London and a large section of the American west tracking down clues to why Naumann was killed. Everything keeps coming back to a dormant covert op called 'Echelon' from the 1990's. Jack Stallworth is Dalton's boss, and an 'American Indian' known as Sweetwater seems to be top suspect in killing. Dalton tangles with Croatian gangsters, falls for an Italian woman, and is nearly killed by a spider in this thriller. Took me awhile to really get into the book. The first 125-150 pages were grind it out reading. A lengthy 520 page read, the second half was a pretty good story with lots of surprises and twists. I'd be tempted to read another Micah Dalton book from author David Stone. However, I wouldn't go out of my way looking for one. Nor would I bump another book I wanted to read first to squeeze in another Micah Dalton. It was an okay 3 stars out of a possible 5 star read. Easily, could have been a 4 star, if characters were better developed. Easily yet, if first 125-150 pages were not so clunky, it may have been a 5 star read. So if you're looking for a lengthy spy thriller that has a mystery wrapped inside it, give this one a shot.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my transition book for 2008 into 2009. The main characater Micah Dalton is a "cleaner". He is brought in when a undercover operation goes wrong. This time its personal when a friend dies under mysterious circumstances. There are interesting characters, great locations and enough twists, turns and surprises to keep you interested until the end. It was a first time read of David Stone for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend this book for mature readers who enjoy the genre. It's better than most books of its style because our hero, Micah Dalton, is not a super man. He's loyal to his friends, he relies on what is available to him (even if its a very odd thing) and he's moody without being pathetic. He's not preachy or bold beyond reason. He makes mistakes and they cost him. But he keeps fighting and trying to achieve his goal.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well thought out, intelligent thriller with just the right touch of humor. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Stone's work...especially if they include Micah Dalton.

[Iowa City Public Library]

Despite favorable reviews, I was a bit leery of David Stone‘s first novel, which sounded very much like a Robert Ludlum title. I’d always trusted reviewers who dismissed Ludlum as a hack, tho his books reportedly improved after he died, when his estate hired competent ghostwriters to keep the brand alive.

Anyway, The Echelon Vendetta seems to me the very model of the modern thriller. Very violent, in a sadistic, post-Lector way, it’s also convoluted, often surprising, and occasionally funny. Michah Dalton, who cleans up messes for the CIA, gets dosed with a powerful hallucinogen early on, and is haunted by the sardonic ghost of his best friend for the rest of the book.

Dalton’s investigation of that death leads to others, and he travels Europe and the U.S. to track down the killer, an elderly shaman, tho there’s some question about who’s tracking whom. You’ll want to wash the testosterone off your hands when you put this one down. --John

From ICPL Staff Picks Blog

[Bob · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fair spy thriller, but a times the it was somewhat plodding, especially the dialogue. This is a book that I listened to during some business travel, so I don't have the book in hand, but in the recored version there fact problems that went beyond artistic license, an example: the headquarters of the Colorado State Patrol would not be in Butte, Montana. To me one of the hallmarks of good fiction is to make the story believable, the clear mistakes in this book made it unbelievable.

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely dreadful. A complete waste of time. 1 of 10 stars.

[Suzanne Zeitouni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another action packed spy thriller! The books I read when I need to let my brain "rest".

[Mojo Shivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you start off a book with your main character, a government agent--drunk, drugged, depressed, and just a little suicidal--it's difficult to get your bearings. But once you get past the rush of altered state scenes and scenarios, the plot grabs a hold of you tightly. I do not say this lightly--this book is terrifying, especially for a series in the Jason Bourne genre of international men of mystery. The nemesis here isn't some tired sophisticated man of letters with a brilliant wit and sharp tongue. The bad guy here is just plain evil. Like biblical evil. Like the evil they warn you about in the scariest of ghost stories. The horrors he visits upon his victims crosses the line past sadism if that's possible.

When facing up against that kind of antagonist, the book can't help but take on a supernatural edge to it. And I think it's better for it. It pushes this book from just another government agent procedural into its own sub-genre--a cross between international action thriller and horror. Think of it as a cross between The Gray Man and Slender Man.

[Chuck · Rating 1 out of 5]

This started out with the discovery of a CIA operative's body being found in Cortona, Italy and an overlong discussion regarding the murder, between our hero, a CIA cleaner, and an Italian police detective. Our hero then travels on to Venice where we learn in great detail what he has for dinner and the wine he enjoys. Then on his walk back to his hotel he is accosted by a pair of would be
muggers and he nonchalantly cripples them both while singing "People". He then strolls on to his hotel, opens another bottle of wine on the balcony, is bitten by a spider and cuts his arm severely trying to extract the poison while talking to the autopsied body of his deceased CIA associate. At this point I chastised myself for wasting my time on this swill when I have an unread Joseph Finder book in my book bag. I shut it down after sixty pages and am now enjoying the Finder yarn.

[Kimberly Iverson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll give the storyline a 4, characterization 3.5, writing also 3.5. I really enjoyed the plot and story, as it made the story skim by and I kept wanting to read. But sometimes the characters were a bit funky (for me) and the writing a bit punchy. Switched POVs a lot in the midst of things too. One minute the character is thinking to himself which transmits into talking to the reader. Then the next we're almost in the head of another character in the next paragraph, then back to regular. Dunno. For me personally it was a little disconnected in moments because of that. Just felt awkward. Otherwise I don't think I've ever read this writer and really enjoyed him.

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected this to fall into my brain candy category when I picked it up, entertaining bu not overly memorable. I was wrong! A grizzly death of a covert CIA operative in Italy leads to questions that the main character, Micah Dalton, refuses to let go unanswered. This leads to a globe trotting manhunt where it is not entirely certain who is actually doing the hunting or being hunted. Elements of intelligence operations and Native American mysticism lend layers of mystery and convolution that rival some of Ludlum’s best. Intense gore could offend the squeamish, but I thought it was not used gratuitously.

[Sterling Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore all four books in this series. I was searching to try to discover why there are no more books in this series and discovered David Stone is a pen name for Carsten Stroud. I dearly loved the David Stone books but not so much the Carsten Stroud books. Except for using some of the same (unusual) expressions, I’d never believe they were the same man. Just posting this to let others know these two authors are scythe same man.

[Randy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took awhile to get into it, mainly due to the introduction to the story. It seemed very poorly crafted at the beginning. The book picked up steam and finished stronger, but not strong enough to invest time into the rest of the series. It seemed like the writer decided to tie the entire plot of the book together in the last two pages.

[Brandon Gryder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was a reread from an old trade paperback I got somewhere and dug out of my library. I thought I remembered it well enough, but was pleasantly surprised by how good this novel was. I enjoyed the frenetic chase from Italy to London to the southwest and mountain states. Very well written and a blast to read.

[Pete · Rating 1 out of 5]

This novel becomes muddled and pointless fairly quickly. It seemed liked the author couldn't decide whether he wanted to write a ghost story or one about drug induced mysticism or a serial killer slasher novel. I was hoping for an espionage thriller but it failed miserably in that regard.

[Priyanka · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a while since I last read this book. It was indeed a gripping read. Micah Dalton is a very interesting literary character. Intelligent. I enjoyed this hallucinogenic experience. I recommend this to all the readers who are fans of Jack Reacher.

[Louise Loveland · Rating 3 out of 5]

First part of the book is clunky and slow to get going. But got much better as it got to the end. I may give the second one a go to see if that is good all the way through! But in no rush to read it either.

[ralphm66 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

Great storyline and author always seems to describe surroundings in great detail. Adds an extra dimension of reality. Looking forward to more stories from this author with this character.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting book. many parts I liked, some parts dragged, many parts were extremely detailed in there description of viciousness. Mica Dalton is the CIA hero of the story.

[Dwight Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Characters and descriptions were awesome! The author kept me in the story from beginning to the end!

[Ralph Dunkin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like the characters in this book and finally around page 100 stopped reading this book. Normally I love spy books but this one just never grabbed me.

[Garry Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Low two-star rating.
Not sure why I finished the story, it didn't keep my interest.

[Peter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too slow, not my style. DNF

[Tomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good gory thriller with many twists and turns.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

weird. bored.

[Dee · Rating 1 out of 5]

what the fuck...errrr.....probably explains why its been on my TBR for so long