Exile

Marc Dane #2

by James Swallow

A vicious Serbian gang whose profits come from fake nuclear weapons


A disgraced Russian general, with access to the real thing.


A vengeful Somali warlord, with a cause for which he'd let the world burn.


A jaded government agency, without the information to stop him.


Only one man sees what's coming. And even he might not be able to prevent it . . .


Racing breathlessly from uncharted CIA prisons to the skyscrapers of Dubai, from stormbeaten oil rigs off the African coast to the ancient caverns beneath the city of Naples, Marc Dane returns in the explosive new thriller from the internationally bestselling author of NOMAD

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Espionage, Crime, Action, Audiobook, Spy Thriller

446 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 24, 2017

About the author

James Swallow is a New York Times, Sunday Times and Amazon #1 bestselling author and scriptwriter, a BAFTA nominee, a former journalist and the award-winning writer of over sixty-five books, along with scripts for video games, comics, radio and television.

DARK HORIZON, his latest stand-alone thriller, is out now from Mountain Leopard Press, and OUTLAW, the 6th action-packed Marc Dane novel, is published by Bonnier.

Along with the Marc Dane thrillers, his writing includes, the Sundowners steampunk Westerns and fiction from the worlds of Star Trek, Tom Clancy, 24, Warhammer 40000, Doctor Who, Deus Ex, Stargate, 2000AD and many more.

For information on new releases & more, sign up to the Readers’ Club here: www.bit.ly/JamesSwallow

Visit James's website at http://www.jswallow.com/ for more, including ROUGH AIR, a free eBook novella in the Marc Dane series.

You can also follow James on Bluesky at @jmswallow.bsky.social, Twitter at @jmswallow, Mastodon at @jmswallow@mstdn.social and jmswallow.tumblr.com at Tumblr.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you read ‘Nomad’ , Marc Dane Book 1 and loved it, or if you didn’t but ‘I am Pilgrim’ got you going OR you love 24, Blacklist et al then Exile is for you
It is probably best to read ‘Nomad’ first as Marc’s story continues in ‘Exile’ and there is a fair bit of history to him and where he finds himself now!
This time on behest of the wonderfully mysterious Rubicon group he is on the trail of a Somalian warlord who has ex Soviet Union nuclear bombs and is ready to use them!, you are transported via Serbia, Dubai, Somalia and various other places ( all described to a tee ) and end up on an abandoned oil rig where the worlds richest and baddest and most powerful are ready to bid to own this bomb!
Its pure adventure theatre and done so so well, of course as is with all these tales you accept that Marc gets out of more situations alive in an hour than anyone else would but you take that as it is and go with it ( well I do )
As with ‘Nomad’ detail is important to the author and you get an insight into tekkie things, weapons and world forces ( good and bad ) that normally you wouldn’t be privy too
A dramatic ending, naturally and all set up nicely for Book 3, Ghost, which I have and look forward to reading
Loved ‘Exile’, admire Marc Dane and really enjoy this authors work
10/10 5 Kerpow’s!!!!

[Stephen Clynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exile is the second novel in the Marc Dane series but this book can be read as a standalone. Marc has left his job as a forward mission specialist for MI6, the British Security Service. Our behind the scenes hero is now working with the United Nations Division of Nuclear Security investigation team in Croatia. Marc is on high alert and is on the chase to find and disarm a dirty bomb.

I enjoyed reading Exile and found it to be a great piece of escapism. Like the first novel there are plenty of military and technology skills used to both educate and entertain the reader. This time we have the threats posed by fake bombs, real dirty bombs, leftover kit from the cold war and lots of bad guys telling lies. More terrorists than you can shake a stick at, this time Al Shabaab with their Somali pirates. The new thrill for Marc and readers is HAHO - High Altitude High Opening - jumping from an aeroplane at over 30,000 feet!

There is enough backstory threaded into Exile for new readers who have not read Nomad. But the trouble for readers who have read the first book is that Exile is more of the same. Nothing too bad with that as Exile is an entertaining and exciting Spooks style thriller. Once again Marc has his trusty Aladdin’s Cave of a backpack and he chases the bad guys around the world with the help of Lucy Keyes and Rubicon. Lots more guns are discharged with a whole range of ordnance used. Sniper tradecraft is discussed again making the reader into a gun spotter thinking which gun would be best for the kill. Oh yes, Exile has a very high death toll with the relentless slaughter. Even the previous bad guys from The Combine have a role to play in this long story that runs to 496 pages.

Although Exile is clearly more of the same, it is still a GOOD read and gets 4 stars from me. Had it not been for the relentless action, maybe Marc and Lucy could have had a bit of romance but that did not happen.

[Jo]

Its thrilling, sharply plotted and very topical, it’s a gripping story that does everything a spy thriller should. It draws heavily on the classics of the genre, and occasionally veers into predictable territory, but there’s plenty here to enjoy for fans of a good old spy story. Add in an unusually powerful look at the individual, human cost of the terrorists’ methods, and it’s a recipe for an absolutely cracking read.

[RG · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*. Not much different to the 1st novel in the series. Plenty of action, fast paced and simple plot. Felt like an action film in word form. I think the issue I have is Marc. Just doest appeal to me and I'm not sure what it is. Seems to appeal to alot of others. I did enjoy the array of characters, the Somali pirates etc but felt due to its simplicity, a predictable ending was just around the corner.

[Kashif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exile is a wonderful follow up to Nomad, the first novel in Marc Dane series. I went into Exile with high expectations after reading Nomad a while back, and I was not let down.

Exile picks up a little while after the events of Nomad, picking up Marc Dane as he works with the UN's Division of Nuclear Security to help make sure humanity's worst weapons stayed bottled up. While Dane is used to the life of an analyst, he is constantly drawn to the field, picking up the habit from Nomad. With a Somalian pirate getting his hands on a nuclear device which was thought to have been decommissioned by Russia back in the Cold War, Marc finds himself out of his depth, operating outside of his legal parameters. James Swallow does a superb job at setting up Dane as a strong and confident protagonist with lethal skills he has picked up throughout the events of the first book, but also manages to keep Dane grounded, displaying how out of depth he is, so much that he has to call upon his former associates, a shadowy espionage organization known as Rubicon. Here he reunites with his former associates, bringing back the beloved characters from the first book, particularly, Lucy Keyes. Where Dane's strengths are his analytical thinking and hacking skills, Keyes is a bonafide operative, not one to shy away from danger and lethal situations. The duo of Dane and Keyes is an excellent one, with a sense of camaraderie and lots of fun banters between them.

The action in this thriller is relentless with a healthy dose of realistic weaponry and tactics. While the action sets in a little later in the book, the wait is worth it as the action sequences are fantastically set up to be chaotic and cinematic. The accurate weaponry details augment the shootouts in terms of visualization and realism. On top of the shootouts, Exile packs a spectacular car chase in Dubai, featuring sports cars and supercars racing at high speeds with bullets flying. Coming from Dubai, I found the location research to be impressive, as I was able to picture the roads where Dane drives a Bugatti Veyron in pursuit of the bad guys.

The thriller is full of twists and shell games, which kept me guessing the whole time as to what the endgame would be. Dane's analytical skills pay off handsomely as he is the only one among the characters who puts the pieces together in time. While the spotlight changes from Dane to other characters to serve the narrative, I did not find it distracting. The different characters in focus helped to convey the full narrative properly.

Exile is a worthy successor to Nomad, with even higher stakes and explosive action. It is definitely a recommendation for spy,thriller, and action genre readers.

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE EXILE MARK DANE JAMES SWALLOW

“Man is not the creature of circumstances. Circumstances are the creatures of men. We are free agents and man is more powerful than matter.” Benjamin Disraeli.

“He's lost, unpredictable, perhaps even sentimental. He could fool a professional. Not deliberately, but precisely because he is lost, doesn't know what to do.”- Three Days Of The Condor.

“Just as there are animals that let other animals do their killing for them, employ a trusted proxy when one is avaliable. If the plot is uncovered, you’ll have someone to sacrifice.” – CIA officer Robert B Baer.

For quite some time now, the monopoly on force has gradually been lost by nation states and their institutions. Non – state actors are slowly but surely gaining the power to influence world events in positive and negative ways. Private Military Corporations and private intelligence services can seemingly provide the same services for less red tape. And then of course, we have terrorist organizations who can rip a country apart errode the power and authority of nations that they target. One writer whose work centers around non – state actors is James Swallow.

James Swallow is the guy behind the curtain, the shadowy unsung hero who brings to life books of several properties. From Deus Ex to Warhammer and Dr Who, Swallow cut his teeth writing a library’s worth of tie – in novels for several big name media franchises. He’s also a BAFTA award nominee and until recently, his primary stock in trade was science fiction.

But without warning, he entered the world of espionage fiction. Swallow wrote a tie in novel for the “24” tv series explaining what happened after Day 8. Incredibly well written compared to what trash most tie – in novels are, when I read it, I knew Swallow had a future in spy fiction. And like a bird homing in towards the nest, he did not disappoint my expectations. Shortly after the “24” novel, Swallow created his own original work of spy fiction, the NOMAD saga. The series focuses on Marc Dane, an employee of the SIS who once day has his fellow British spies die around him and finds himself caught up in the real fast lane of espionage, where wealthy non – state actors battle it out for global supremacy.

I reviewed the first book, NOMAD which reinforced my expectations of Swallow’s abilities and his second book, EXILE has cemented them. Exile takes the obligatory nuclear bomb story and begins ripping the safe tropes and foundations of such a story up and begins rearranging them in wild ways. The target is a place you wouldn’t expect. The strategy used by the conspirators is wholly unexpected. And at the end of it all, the protagonists have put a major target on their backs. Now to the review. What happens when organizations that are supposed to keep the peace, completely suck at it?

We start exile in a place that was considered the most god forsaken part of Africa in the last decade, Somalia. The leading public figure, a man named Amadayo is sitting in his swanky Mogadishu residence, having a conversation with an Englishman. The Englishman, a chap named Brett, is an emissary of “The Combine,” a powerful non – state actor that shapes global events for an elite few. Amadayo as it turns out is an asset of the Combine who was tasked with bringing a sembalence of order, to Somalia using his connections and the money the Combine had sent his way. Dr Amadayo however, as its revealled in Brett’s damning performance review has not delivered and the Combine proceeds to terminate his employment.

The primary antagonist is introduced, an Islamist by the name of Abur Ramaas. Ramaas, proceeds to mount an attack on Amadayo’s residence, subdue the security guards with a well placed sniper team, and then ensure his predecessor’s death is suitably humiliating by dropping him onto hard patio tiles and then leaving the residence for looters to strip bare. Ramaas makes it known to Brett that he’s open for business just as the video conference cuts short. We then cut to the Balkans where Marc Dane is reintroduced playing a video game with a colleague at his new workplace.

After resigning from the SIS back in the first book, he ultimately decided to reject his true calling in espionage and took a job with the impotent beuracracy imaginable. The United Nations. Dane however at least had the good sense to pick a job with the WMD non – proliferation branch of the United Nations where he can make a small difference. But this being the UN, not even he, the most talented person in the room can convince his blinkered eyed boss that he saw honest to god nuclear material being exchanged by Serbian and Russian criminals.

Fired and disgraced once more by another institution who has forsaken him, Dane calls upon the non – state actor who stood by him when he was abandoned by his own country, RUBICON. Travelling from the rusting ruins of Southern Europe, to Monaco Dane embarks on a journey where to succede, he must embrace his destiny. And when all is said and done, only one question remains. How much difference can a man without a country make with everyone trying to bring him down?

In terms of plot, Exile is an outstanding. All fast paced spy fiction series have, and should have their obligatory nuclear bomb story. While the threat is overused, the template provides so much scope and challenges. What’s the target, how to get it to the target, what measures are to be used to keep it hidden, and on the heroes side, how to dispose of it when the bomb is found? A good nuclear bomb plot, does not rely on the race against time aspect, although that comes inevitably. Rather, it’s the mechanics and tactics used by the hunters and cospiractors against each other before the bomb is stopped. And if the writer is a sadistic son of a gun like the creators of “24”, who knows, they might even detonate it now and then?

Exile is in the category of the smartly written nuclear bomb story. The target is one you wouldn’t expect. The tactics utilized by the conspirators are up to date and current. And the heroes are unable to use the usual methods of nuclear device disposal that have been done to death in other books. Alonside all this is a slickly written contemporary espionage tale, that retains the Three Days of the Condor vibe of the previous book, but modernizes the cynical 70s type of spy novel for the new cynical decade of 2010 – 2020.

Action and setting? All old hat for Exile’s highly experienced author who wrote my favorite fight scene of 2016, with Dane going up against a psychotic Special Air Service trooper on an American rooftop. With EXILE, Swallow expands his range. From violent encounters in Balkan warehouses and slums with Dane surprised to use his combat skills once again, to a sneaky infiltration of a remote CIA black site, a car chase through Dubai in the fastest police car on earth, and finishing with a frantic finale in the most geographically beautiful but horrid city in Italy, Exile may be written by an Englishman, but captures the grand American sense of scale that British spy fiction usually lacks and is all the better for it.

As for setting, Swallow is above average and certainly superior to other Sunday Times Bestsellers whose own backdops are bland and boring. The two standouts of Exile are the Monaco Swallow brings to life with an unmatched glamarous flourish and the chapters set in Dubai where Dane gets a look at both the tourist traps and the seedy horrifying underworld of the city that is responsible for making the enjoyment of Dubai’s visitors possible.

Research? Outstanding, and at times so much better utilized than the Clancy’s or Leathers of this world. Accurate depictions of government departments, combat tactics, capabilities of firearms and the maths and dynamics on how to use a nuclear weapon most effectively, Exile is a well reseached spy thriller that is able to anchor the awesome escapist private spy shops that are set to do battle in this thriller series. Even the small things like how a contempoary intelligence service black site have that ring of plausibility. Swallow doles out the research like Santa does for presents, but doesn’t do it in a way that makes all the kit seem like product placement.

Everything that Dane and his enemies utilize against each other has a place and purpose, and Swallow also shines in other areas. One of the highlights I found most impressive in the book was the exploration of the god – forsaken foreign labourers and contruction workers that are the gears and grease that have made Dubai into the glamarous city it is today. As Swallow shows, they’re treated like dirt and abused despite being the only thing that stands between Dubai and a reversion to its past as a fishing village in the Persian gulf.

Characters? Pretty well done all things considered. Early on, I feared that there would be no character development in this story. But ultimately, I was proved wrong and the central story arc is anchored by a boost of character development. I’ll focus on two standouts. Dane and the Rubicon team. First, Marc Dane, our hero. After NOMAD, Dane had a moment of self – doubt and attempted to leave the spying game, cutting off all but two links, with the Legoland Lads who had fed him the wolves and the Rubicon organization that stood by him every step of the way as he fought to stop a terrorist conspiracy. But, not even he, desiring normalcy can refuse his calling. Dane is perhaps the best “everyman” hero protagonists done in recent spy fiction, and at times, fills the boots of the legendary James Grady’s Condor.

He’s not a steely eyed Regiment man like the chap he killed in America, nor is he a winging pom. Dane has the training Condor lacked, but is not super spy who lives for danger and wants to enjoy life while it lasts. Rather, it’s his ability to think outside the box compared to the blunt intrument soldiers and assassins that try to kill him, is where his true strength lies. Whatever seemingly inescapable trap his enemies come up with, Dane, in the words of Robert Ludlum, can find a way to reverse it with devestating results. His character arc is also quite special. As he’s drawn back into the spying game, Dane is forced to finally embrace his talent for espionage and the calling that comes. Taking that plunge between running after psychotic Somali terrorists, is what humanizes Dane greatly with a very relatable, understandable motive. And Swallow pulls all this off perfectly with a home run.

Next, we have the RUBICON team. In the previous book, we only got a hint of their true potential, but in EXILE, they’re unleashed and we get to see their full capabilities. Led by a man named Ekeziel Solomon, one of the most powerful men on earth, RUBICON is an idealized version of a private intelligence service, but one that is well thought out and an exemplar on what level of sophistication today’s non state actors will need to get to before they can completely rip the monopoly of force out of the hands of nations. Agile, staffed by talented operatives and well financed with Solomon’s power turbocharging the whole enterprise, we get to known them better. One of the main highlights is Solomon’s bodyguard Malte Riis, who gets to go on several ops with Dane. Tacturn but handy with his Glocks, I hope we see more of him in the future.

Constructive criticism? Not much really. Just that after a two excellently executed books with two “conventional” threats, I do hope Mr Swallow’s third book, provides surprises with the first assymetric threat story in the Dane books. Cyberwarfare. There can be only so many nuclear bombs in a thriller series and while Exile was a nuclear bomb story in a class of its, own, I am already looking forward to seeing how Marc counters unconventional warfare in “Ghost”.

James Swallow revealled this year, the catalyst of his dive into the thriller genre that the majority of my goodreads reviews focused on. In his words, the writing process was driven by the following trend:

“I saw critics talking about the modern espionage thriller as a dead genre, a relic of the bad old days, fit now only as a setting for period fiction. It made me angry; it fuelled my book.”

Defiance in the face of such blinkered snobbery by mainstream critics and the occasional publishing house is what drove Swallow to persevere, and this defiance shines through in Marc Dane’s own fight to carve out a place for himself in the cut throat world of espionage which is his calling. Whoever says spy fiction is dead can f### off. The genre is more relevant than ever in this chaotic world, and needed more than ever.

Murder mysteries and fantasy novels are not the ones who have the monpoly on complex stories, rich characterization or an exploration of some complex theme that you may have forgotten at school English literature lessons. Spy fiction too can have all those things and so much more than your average small town whodunit book can ever hope in hell to have. As such, I salute the defiant James Swallow for buggering on, like Churchill said one must do when faced with obstacles to be overcome.
Exile is symbolic of this. Like Dane accepting his calling as a private spy and coming into his own, so too are Swallow’s abilities as a writer in his own original spy thriller series. Exile has a far more sweeping plot that its predecessor, throws in a lot of world building that expand’s Marc Dane’s universe and updates the magic of classic spy novels for this cynical age.

Swallow has written a world class spy novel that has a good chance of becoming one of the kings of mainstream British thriller fiction in the near future. As Marc Dane accepts his fate as an exile and vanishes into the European night as his second appearance closes, the opportunities and possibilities are limitless for him and his creator, both for whom, the best is yet to come.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intelligent, gripping, and chillingly plausible!

Exile is an adrenaline-pumping thrill ride that immerses you in the dark, gritty underworld of arms dealing and terrorism and reminds us that corruption, greed, and revenge often has no limits.

The writing is intense and well paced. The characters are strong-willed, tenacious, and resilient. And the plot is a riveting tale full of twists, turns, action, intrigue, power, violence, duplicity, manipulation, terror, and murder.

Overall Exile is a timely, suspenseful, action-packed thriller that showcases Swallow's exceptional knowledge of cyber warfare, military weapons, and covert operations.

Exile is the second book in the "Marc Dane" series, and even though there are some references to events from the previous novel, Nomad, it can certainly be read as a standalone.

Thank you to Bonnier Zaffre for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series featuring intelligence analyst Marc Dane.
Despite thwarting a terrorist plot in the previous book, Marc has been 'dumped' by MI6 and is now working in Croatia for an agency which monitors, and tries to prevent the sale of, nuclear material, largely originating in Russia and being transported through the Baltic states to sundry Third World countries. Not wanted in the agency by his boss, Marc is allocated the task of monitoring a local gang headed up by two Croatian brothers - but when he discovers that they have gained access to a 'nuclear suitcase bomb', supplied by a Russian general, none of his bosses will believe him and, after a surveillance operation to find proof goes wrong, he is cut loose. Worse is to come when the bomb attracts the attention of a Somalian terrorist organisation, whose leader wants to make the West pay for their predations on his country. Marc is forced to turn once again to the independent but well-resourced Rubicon group to try to stop yet another terrorist atrocity....
This was another excellent spy thriller, even though this is not a genre I regularly read -good characterisation and action scenes, I could see these books converting to the 'big screen' with all the success of the Mission Impossible series. Certainly will be looking out for more in the series - 9/10.

[Kronos Ananthsimha · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Swallow’s second Marc Dane / Rubicon Group thriller Exile is a wild, smart, brilliant, and mind-blowing thrill ride that is several notches better than the first book, Nomad. Written in a Ludlum-esque fashion, Exile is a globe trotting, outrageously fun, smartly immersive experience that breaks multiple cliches of the genre and yet remains convincing in an original way. Though the stereotypical plot of stolen suitcase nukes has been overdone in this genre, this book annihilates all those stereotypes and paints a unique memorable story. Though it gets a bit too wild at times, the book always remains unpredictable with many unexpected twists.



While he’s usually a sci-fi writer, James Swallow displays brilliant skill at writing action thrillers with the dramatic feel of Robert Ludlum, the exotic flair of Ian Fleming, and the technical detail of Tom Clancy merged into something that is perfect in the current day era of diluted storytelling in the action thriller genre that has only a few great writers. Swallow captures the politically polarized environment of our time, with the post truth vibe and divisive complications, without ever focusing on those but integrating them into his wild world of secret societies, mercenaries, rogue spies, pirates, militants, and criminals to keep everything both equally realistic and exotic.



Marc Dane the hero of the first book, is exiled out of his home nation of England and is working for a UN based organization in Eastern Europe that’s tasked with monitoring nuclear materials. Bored of his desk job and the useless bureaucracy that comes with it, Dane follows leads to capture a pair of arms dealers who peddle in fake nukes only to almost come close to a real suitcase nuke. But nobody believes his story and he’s fired for going against orders. Dane, now without anyone on his side, reconnects with the Rubicon Group whom he’s worked with in the first book and teams up with them to track down the rogue nukes as official agencies won’t take any action.



Rubicon, a character of its own, is a Private Military Company headed by the enigmatic mining and technology billionaire Ekko Solomon, who uses his company as a means to perform vigilantism on a global scale as national spy agencies only act in their own self interest and cannot be held responsible to solve real problems. The team at Rubicon is involved now more than in the first book, and Exile does a good job at exploring its shadowy powers and capabilities. Ekko Solomon himself gets involved many times to bail Marc out of trouble. Lucy Keys, Rubicon’s top field agent, is almost like the co-protagonist of this series, and her relationship with Marc Dane is a tactically interesting friendship.



The chase for the lost nukes starts from Croatia and moves to Dubai and then to Somalia and finally concludes in Europe in a bullet ridden, explosive, action fest that is filled with exotic car chases to knife fights to gladiatorial matches and shootouts in underground tunnels. This long tale is written with enough tension to keep the pages flying and is a lightning fast read after the first act. What steals the show is the villain, Abur Ramaas, a Somali pirate who is a lot more than what anyone thinks he is. Almost every character in this complex and twisted plot underestimates him and pays the price in his truly diabolical mind blowing designs.



The Rubicon Group’s arch enemies, the Combine, a shadowy global organization of power players who want to influence world events also get involved in the search for the stolen nukes which complicates things for Rubicon. Marc and Lucy’s truce with a hit squad working for Combine which ends disastrously was a treat to read. An explosive car chase with the most exotic supercars on the streets of Dubai, and a chaotic showdown on an offshore oil rig were more fun than a Bond movie. The Combine, a recurring villainous group in this series is similar to Spectre’s role in the 007 stories.



All the locations are exquisitely well captured with heavy picturesque realism. Croatia, Dubai, Somalia are portrayed in a good Flemingesque literary style, and the book is surprisingly informative about a lot of things. This is truly a high octane action thriller that’s written brilliantly with an immersive prose and mindblowing twists. Despite the quality of the writing, it is still escapist entertainment and many things that happen in it are wildly out of the world. It can require a bit of patience to get into this book, but when things escalate, the tension never lets down. Marc Dane, a meek techie at the start of the first book, fits better into the role of a tactical operative with a technically innovative advantage in Exile. This is many levels higher than the average action thriller and I hope to continue reading this series soon this year. Hardcore fans of smart action thrillers that are both cerebral and wildly actiony will not want to miss this series.

For more long-form book reviews, check out - www.kronosananthsimha.com/book-blog/

[Mark Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very readable sequel to 'Nomad' as Marcus, having decided to not join Rubicon, the international force for good, finds he needs their help to foil a nuclear threat. Very high body count, plot is a bit far fetched, Dane can some how outwit any trained killer on the planet and so on. Having said that it is a well written adventure story that is really well paced and some great characters - series is worth a look.

[Chris Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining thriller that's easy to follow with lots of action. The story kept me turning the pages all the way to the end. I can see this making an excellent film with some great settings that are richly outlined in the book. Some of the 'hardware' descriptions turned me off a little, but I guess would add authenticity to many fans of the genre. Also, as might be expected from the genre, there's a good measure of blood and gore.
Overall, a good and solid read.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exile – A Fast Paced Thriller

Exile is the follow-up to the brilliant Nomad, from veteran scriptwriter and author James Swallow, where he is building on the introduction to the world of Marc Dane. While Exile is building on what Nomad started and will continue to do so, it is also worth remembering that to some the plot may be a little far-fetched, but Exile is about escapism pure and simple. Escape is something that is at the heart of this book, I just wished I had Marc Dane’s luck as he can pick my lottery numbers.

Marc Dane has been cashiered (burn notice for my American friends) from Mi6 and is working in a dead-end job monitoring the sales of counterfeit nuclear weapons and other proscribed materials for the United Nations, out in Croatia. His bosses do not want him there and give him jobs that a junior investigator could handle not an experienced field officer.

When he takes to his boss’s information that a Croatian criminal gang have got their hands on nuclear material he is ignored and told not to go any further. As he ignores the instruction he investigates further, to find a Soviet cold war era nuclear devices was on the open market and the Croatians were to be the brokers.

With his cynical boss ignoring what he says, Dane sets out to get the proof he needs which leads to a chain reaction of unexpected results, even more so when a Somali warlord, known for his ruthlessness, appears on the scene. Leaving in his wake a scene of devastation, which Dane takes the blame for and is sacked from his job.

Dane knows he is right and needs help to track down the device and make it safe and hopefully make the world a little safer. He turns to the Monaco based Rubicon Group who are specialists in security, intelligence and operating in zones other people would leave well alone. With their help, he begins the chase across Africa and the Middle East rolling with the punches getting shot at and people generally trying their best to kill him.

As Rubicon help him search the globe and the dark web for traces of the device, Dane knows he cannot fail and the pressure builds. He knows he is on the clock and has more than his reputation to save, but the millions that will die if the device is set motion to detonate.

This really is a fast paced thriller, that draws you in and keeps you on the hook all the way through.

[Paul Holden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you just can’t beat a good old fashioned (80s style) thriller, with a reluctant hero, diabolical bad guy and a shady, controlling organisation. This is the sequel to Nomad and continues the high octane exploits of Marc Dane, former 'man in the van' guy cutting his teeth with field work. And getting in quite over his head.

They are plenty of Authors out to steal Lee Child's slice of the market but only a couple of worth bothering with, Mr Swallow and Gregg Hurwitz's Orphan X series.

[Nick Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A follow up to “Nomad” where Marc Dane and his MI6 team are betrayed and as the only survivor he goes on the run, not knowing who to trust. Dane is more of a technical support type and sadly lacking the skills that he needs to keep him alive.
In “Exile” Dane has left the Intelligence Service and is working in Croatia as part of a UN team investigating the illegal movement of nuclear waste. Things kick off when Dane follows a lead towards a rogue Nuke, and nobody seems to believe him. Eventually he is forced to turn to a group we met in the previous book, and starts a world-wide chase to locate the nuke before a madman can change the world.
Dane here uses his brain more than brawn which works for the character, in Nomad I felt he got too lethal too quickly, but here there are better field agents and while he does get involved in the action, it felt more appropriate for his training.

James Swallow has written a (rather good) book based on the series “24” and this is similar in terms of never letting up on the action with a rush from one scene to another. You might, on occasion, think it is daft if you stop to think about the plot, but the action does carry you through that quite well and you get into the swing of it.
So if you are looking for real pace and not an overly complex plot, this could well be for you.

[Alexei · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but predictable. What I do like about James Swallow's writing/Marc Dane series is that he throws in good knowledge of weapons and technology etc. So I was delighted when reading about Sig Sauers and Kalashnikovs performing how I expected. In addition, there are hidden pop culture references which I laughed at (but I'm still not sure whether it was because I found them funny or cringe). The novel is a good sequel to Nomad, and is readable, yet the only downsides were the overly gratuitous action sequences and the predictable plot. One scene seemed to escalate to almost unbelievable heights and the bomb plot and its location was unfortunately unsurprising by the end of the novel.

[Tim Waddup · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like to choose my rating in book theme and in this genre there are quite a few different sub-genres. 3 stars as it is as stated, an action packed book.... actually it's crammed with action, tooooo much for my taste. Good story but very little character development/familiarisation. There was hardly ever a dull moment in the book which gave me the experience of reading in reverse, as the quiet moments were moments of true insight into what was happening but were staggered through the book. Easy read and worth a gander.

[Jay Dwight · Rating 4 out of 5]

In last year's NOMAD, James Swallow introduced us to the ex-MI6 agent Marc Dane. That was a high energy read. EXILE follows in an explosive manner. Full throttle action sees Dane tracking down an ex-Russian nuclear bomb that has hit the black market. The pace is frenetic and as you read you can easily envision this one as a high-octane action movie.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5* Unfortunately this was a disappointing read and did not meet the level of Normad. I felt that the storyline dragged on and I struggled to keep engaged.
Perhaps it was the similar plot and more or less same characters that made this book predictable.

[Justin Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like a cross between 24 and Homeland with a bit of Jack Ryan (new series) thrown in for good measure. It was a long book but the pace never let up and I can’t imagine it’ll be long before these books become a Netflix series or film.

[Mark Elvy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book by James Swallow, following on from the exceptional book 'Nomad'

[Ann Van · Rating 2 out of 5]

Het 1ste boek was zeer goed in zijn genre, een 2de was niet nodig wegens teveel van hetzelfde en te langdradig. De verwijzing/vergelijking naar Ik ben Pelgrim is te hoog gegrepen.

[Chris Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started well, developing a plausible modern day plot. Not especially well written but readable and moved along at a good pace until the last third when it developed in to a farce. Totally unrealistic scenarios, and to have been able to achieve even half of what our heroes did, given their physical state and the circumstances, stretches the bounds of credulity beyond the point of no return. I know this was fiction but...................

[Ian Hind · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, fast paced, totally unbelievable in places. But it's a Hollywood blockbuster in the making.

[Mieke Schepens · Rating 3 out of 5]

De auteur heeft een vlotte schrijfstijl die zeker geschikt is voor filmscenario’s. Het geweld spat van de bladzijden af en Swallow neemt je aan de hand van Marc Cane de hele wereld mee over.
De achtervolgingen en beschrijvingen van vernuftige elektronische apparatuur maakt dit boek zeker geschikt voor liefhebbers van spionageverhalen.

De personages zijn redelijk uitgediept maar niet zo duidelijk als ik ze zelf graag zie.
De vergelijking met ‘Ik ben Pelgrim’ is hier mede om deze reden niet helemaal op zijn plaats.

Het is een heerlijke actiethriller geworden met een hoofdpersoon waar ik graag meer over zou willen lezen. Marc Cane heeft een bijzonder positie in de wereld: ex MI6 en door toetreding bij Rubicon heeft hij zijn handen vrij voor dingen die écht belangrijk zijn in de wereld. Rubicon is tenslotte geen overheidsorganisatie en hierdoor is zijn bewegingsvrijheid groter.
Lees mijn recensie hier verder: https://graaggelezen.blogspot.com/202...

[David Simons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat disappointing...

My acid test for a thriller is speed to read. If I get bogged down, and the book takes me time to read, then it’s not of the very best.

So on that basis, Exile disappointed. James Swallow’s first - “Nomad” - was an absolute cracker, read in a flash. Exile - not so much.

The second in what I am sure the author hopes will turn into a successful franchise series, a good cast of characters are being built, with a strong thread of continuity. But the plot did not deliver the same compelled me drive to keep turning the page as its predecessor.

Decent holiday reading - but all a bit lightweight. I did not end the novel with a richer, or deeper, sense of character than I went in with.

But still good enough that I’ll give James Swallow’s next outing a read. Recommended but with a note of caution.

[Jane Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a very poor second Marc Dane novel. The trouble is, I put it down too many times but didn't want to pick it up again. When I forced myself to pick it up and finish it, I was fed up with the dialog (f***, f***, f***) and the unbelievable situations that Marc and Lucy got themselves into but more ridiculously got themselves out of.

I appreciate that the author is fulfilling a dream writing these novels which are James Bond ish but frankly, the plots are silly and the baddies are ludicrous. There are far better novels out there so I won't be reading any more of these stories - sorry James Swallow.

[Mr Roy Davidson · Rating 2 out of 5]

First the good bits. The book was bang up to date with the latest gadgets and gizmos. And that's it. The bad bits - the book was too long and the story line could have come from the late 1980's with "suitcase nukes". I cannot really get into Mark Dane. He's not early Bourne or Mitch Rapp and I find Dane frustrating. What would he do without his laptop of magic tricks? I've read the first two books, but I think that's it for me with Marc Dane unless Mr Swallow makes his books a little shorter. This book was just too long.

[Wayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given how much I enjoyed the 1st installment of this series I had been looking forward to reading Exile. Sadly however I was quite disappointed.

Most of this book felt like some high octane action movie that after the umpteenth car chase or shootout you are left feeling exhausted -not another one!

The intrigue and uniqueness of the plot and characters is all in the first book. Exile is a fast paced escapist read but nothing more.

[Sabrina Haenze · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book reads like it wants to be an action movie: it's full with super-detailed fight scenes and explosions, but never gives you any reasons to care about the stakes or the characters.

[Tomi Karjalainen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense and unpredictable action packed thriller with vivid yet detailed storytelling.