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The Silver Prince
Deep in the Middle East, an innocuous note to a British consulate official starts a crisis and sparks panic amongst those in power. A minister within the Saudi Arabian government fears for his life and the royal family is implicated.
Dispatched to solve this mystery is Freya Caroline Mathews, a beautiful and fearless intelligence officer. But even she has no idea of what she is walking into - a high stakes game of cat and mouse in which she must confront her demons and choose who to trust. For failure comes at the ultimate price. As the major factions move into position ready for the final battle, she must race against time to find the evidence she needs, if she is to have any chance of stopping the Silver Prince. This debut thriller by Joseph Mathers takes us on a journey into the heart of Middle Eastern civilisation, to question what loyalty really means.
"The narrative is intense, the characters original. It is an absolutely cracking read." Sheffield Telegraph
"In conclusion - This is a good thriller, with something for everyone. There is adventure, loss, excitement and passion. I recommend it highly for your next holiday." Super Books Blog
"In his debut novel, Joseph Mathers delivers an exciting international spy thriller that could easily be tomorrow's headlines. Historical and current events are woven seamlessly into the story as the tension rachets higher and higher to a climatic ending that will leave you stunned and breathless." Dave Edlund author of the bestselling Savage Series "It soon got me hooked, The story is pertinent, dealing with the complexity of terrorism in the Middle East. A great read." JJ Johnes bestselling author of the Snowflak Trilogy "Great writing, great detail and a very plausible plot. The writer has obviously researched the topics within the story well and it makes for a compelling read." L.T.Marshall author of the bestselling book the Carrero Effect "The author did a wonderful job of setting the dark and foggy mood of London and delivered it with great suspense!!" Brian Tyree author of The Ghost Train
"This author has an impeccable grasp of perspective and setting. Gripping, well written and worth the read." M Bergmann author of the I In Time
Dispatched to solve this mystery is Freya Caroline Mathews, a beautiful and fearless intelligence officer. But even she has no idea of what she is walking into - a high stakes game of cat and mouse in which she must confront her demons and choose who to trust. For failure comes at the ultimate price. As the major factions move into position ready for the final battle, she must race against time to find the evidence she needs, if she is to have any chance of stopping the Silver Prince. This debut thriller by Joseph Mathers takes us on a journey into the heart of Middle Eastern civilisation, to question what loyalty really means.
"The narrative is intense, the characters original. It is an absolutely cracking read." Sheffield Telegraph
"In conclusion - This is a good thriller, with something for everyone. There is adventure, loss, excitement and passion. I recommend it highly for your next holiday." Super Books Blog
"In his debut novel, Joseph Mathers delivers an exciting international spy thriller that could easily be tomorrow's headlines. Historical and current events are woven seamlessly into the story as the tension rachets higher and higher to a climatic ending that will leave you stunned and breathless." Dave Edlund author of the bestselling Savage Series "It soon got me hooked, The story is pertinent, dealing with the complexity of terrorism in the Middle East. A great read." JJ Johnes bestselling author of the Snowflak Trilogy "Great writing, great detail and a very plausible plot. The writer has obviously researched the topics within the story well and it makes for a compelling read." L.T.Marshall author of the bestselling book the Carrero Effect "The author did a wonderful job of setting the dark and foggy mood of London and delivered it with great suspense!!" Brian Tyree author of The Ghost Train
"This author has an impeccable grasp of perspective and setting. Gripping, well written and worth the read." M Bergmann author of the I In Time
265 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2017
2 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 14, 2018
This is the first book I’ve read by the author, and it didn’t disappoint. The book is well researched, and the plot switches between characters’ allowing the reader to get closer to the action. The description of place adds a real sense of authenticity to the storyline, and considering this is the authors debut novel, Joseph Mathers is a future name to look out for.
December 17, 2017
In his debut novel, Joe Mathers delivers an exciting international spy thriller that could easily be tomorrows headlines. A significant amount of research went into crafting his plot, and no doubt Mathers drew heavily on his first-hand knowledge of Middle East affairs and his fluency in Arabic. Historical and current events are woven seamlessly into the story as the tension ratchets higher and higher to a climactic ending that will leave you stunned and breathless. It is refreshing to read a spy thriller written from the perspective of our friends on the other side of the pond, and the reader will get a glimpse into the inner workings of MI6 and UK foreign policy. Definitely looking forward to author Mathers' next book!
February 26, 2018
Mr. Mathers has a very easy to read, comfortable writing style. His characters are incredibly "alive." I have to be honest in saying this is not a genre, typical of my selection. I didn't have a lot of interest in some "war/spy" story. This author quickly changed my mind. Within a very short time (maybe before the end of Ch. 1), I found myself sucked into this tale.
Freya is a strong female character, determined to make it in the man's world of military affairs. After receiving her new assignment in the Middle East, she calls on her parents before she is sent to her new post. Her mother has visions of getting Freya married off, raising children, being "pretty." While Freya is "pretty," domestication is not her priority. Freya's father seems to understand that his daughter is doing what makes her happy and he supports her. So, Freya is off to Saudi Arabia - yet another world especially difficult for women.
I will stop there. From the start, this author promises his readers an adventure and he keeps that promise. I have no doubt that we will see The Silver Prince make it's way into the film world. It has every element any good story needs. Mathers spends just enough time on scenes to give transition, without overstaying his welcome and boring his reader. This book surprised me! I might accidentally have discovered that I AM a spy novel fan. More, maybe I discovered that I am a Joseph Mathers fan!
I gave four stars ONLY because giving 4.5 is not an option. There were a few minor errors (even the best sellers have them). None of the issues distract from the integrity of the story.
I would happily recommend this incredible work to anyone! As I mentioned, this genre does not typically appeal to me. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this logical, believable, fast-paced, surprising debut! Well done, Joseph Mathers!
Laney Smith
Author
Freya is a strong female character, determined to make it in the man's world of military affairs. After receiving her new assignment in the Middle East, she calls on her parents before she is sent to her new post. Her mother has visions of getting Freya married off, raising children, being "pretty." While Freya is "pretty," domestication is not her priority. Freya's father seems to understand that his daughter is doing what makes her happy and he supports her. So, Freya is off to Saudi Arabia - yet another world especially difficult for women.
I will stop there. From the start, this author promises his readers an adventure and he keeps that promise. I have no doubt that we will see The Silver Prince make it's way into the film world. It has every element any good story needs. Mathers spends just enough time on scenes to give transition, without overstaying his welcome and boring his reader. This book surprised me! I might accidentally have discovered that I AM a spy novel fan. More, maybe I discovered that I am a Joseph Mathers fan!
I gave four stars ONLY because giving 4.5 is not an option. There were a few minor errors (even the best sellers have them). None of the issues distract from the integrity of the story.
I would happily recommend this incredible work to anyone! As I mentioned, this genre does not typically appeal to me. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this logical, believable, fast-paced, surprising debut! Well done, Joseph Mathers!
Laney Smith
Author
April 21, 2018
The Silver Prince by Joseph Mathers has all the makings of a dynamic spy thriller. It focuses on a woman, Freya, who works for M16. She is a strong female character- quite a rebel against authority, but a staunch loyalist to her country. "...I like to deal with it on my own terms," she remarked in the book. A fair assessment of who she is. The Silver Prince is not a simple story by any means. It is complex in its working of government politics in the middle east. Freya's investigation begins with a note that was placed into the hands of a cleaner at the Riyadh Embassy by the Saudi Interior Minister and finds herself caught up in a cover-up that could set off a middle eastern war.
I have to say, the more I read, the more I was sucked into the story, with an end that kicked the wind out of me. I hope to see this made into a movie in the near future. It is an extraordinary thriller that will hold you on the edge of your chair until its final explosive end. An incredibly well-written novel by Joseph Mathers. You will be hearing about him in the future. by K.D. McNiven
I have to say, the more I read, the more I was sucked into the story, with an end that kicked the wind out of me. I hope to see this made into a movie in the near future. It is an extraordinary thriller that will hold you on the edge of your chair until its final explosive end. An incredibly well-written novel by Joseph Mathers. You will be hearing about him in the future. by K.D. McNiven
June 25, 2022
Joseph Mather aka Joe's novel "The Silver Prince" is a highly recommended must-read and must-have in your collection of fiction. His style of writing is engaging and story-line interestingly woven together to create a fictional masterpiece. The author's creation of characters and story build-up is informed through his own multi-disciplinary background and experiences from psychology and security to politics. I am not only intrigued with this novel, but also looking forward to read his future work.
April 20, 2018
Gripping
An intense spy/thriller M16(CIA) novel, set in London and the Midlle East. With the author's descriptive settings, it put me right in the middle of the action in a place I've never visited, but feel I know it a bit now. I enjoyed learning about the culture and life of a place we hear about on the news everday. I won't spoil it, but it gripped me through the end.
An intense spy/thriller M16(CIA) novel, set in London and the Midlle East. With the author's descriptive settings, it put me right in the middle of the action in a place I've never visited, but feel I know it a bit now. I enjoyed learning about the culture and life of a place we hear about on the news everday. I won't spoil it, but it gripped me through the end.
October 15, 2021
Exciting read set in an interesting Middle East stage!
The Silver Prince is a compelling book with an great heroine Freya, an MI6 agent. The plot is exciting, filled with mystery and unexpected twists. Modern historical events involving the Middle East provides for an interesting background. Hard to put down once you start reading!!!
The Silver Prince is a compelling book with an great heroine Freya, an MI6 agent. The plot is exciting, filled with mystery and unexpected twists. Modern historical events involving the Middle East provides for an interesting background. Hard to put down once you start reading!!!
February 20, 2022
Albeit the thrilling storyline and suspense, I am giving The Silver Prince a low rating because of the following:
1. there wasn't proper proofreading obviously as I came across a few language errors, such as "we're didn't believe any of" on page 137. The writer acknowledged his editor for having "done the laborious task of checking many drafts and fine tuning all the prose, until everything was just right". Yet, with these many grammatical mistakes, it was a bit hard to see this done as laboriously as claimed.
2. In the Author's Note, Joe said: "Most of the Arabic translation was undertaken by myself. Arabic is a notoriously difficult language to translate, as the meaning of words changes dramatically based on context. The translations in the book are rough approximations". As a reader of Arabic myself, I agree with Joe's note on how hard and contextually variable Arabic may be. However, this does not justify the poor and broken translations found, for example, on pages 65, 66, 81, 83, 99, 106 and 107. They were of the weak quality produced by online tools such as Google Translate. The Quranic ones, also included in the some of the aforementioned pages, were all in all wrong. Joe made reference to the British Library's translation of 1989, but there have been a lot more accurate and re-worked translations ever since. While I personally debate the meaning and grammatical accuracy of the original Quranic text in Arabic itself, the excerpts re-reproduced in the book carried, unfortunately, lower quality and more mistakes.
Still, the storyline was very exciting and drew me to look forward to knowing the end. I wish there was more work and effort put towards a higher bilingual quality though. The Author's Note mentioned a lot of support work that was, sadly, not reflected in the outcome.
I hope that this feedback is taken positively to work harder on improving Joe's future work. Having lived in Saudi Arabia myself, I could relate to some geographical facts he cited, and I could identify with his love for the Middle East as well.
As he enthusiastically and authentically put it at the end of the book: "Don't worry you won't regret the faith you have placed in me. There will be many more books, soon to tae the world by storm. I just needed some help to reach the first few rungs of the ladder" ... and I wholeheartedly support that!
1. there wasn't proper proofreading obviously as I came across a few language errors, such as "we're didn't believe any of" on page 137. The writer acknowledged his editor for having "done the laborious task of checking many drafts and fine tuning all the prose, until everything was just right". Yet, with these many grammatical mistakes, it was a bit hard to see this done as laboriously as claimed.
2. In the Author's Note, Joe said: "Most of the Arabic translation was undertaken by myself. Arabic is a notoriously difficult language to translate, as the meaning of words changes dramatically based on context. The translations in the book are rough approximations". As a reader of Arabic myself, I agree with Joe's note on how hard and contextually variable Arabic may be. However, this does not justify the poor and broken translations found, for example, on pages 65, 66, 81, 83, 99, 106 and 107. They were of the weak quality produced by online tools such as Google Translate. The Quranic ones, also included in the some of the aforementioned pages, were all in all wrong. Joe made reference to the British Library's translation of 1989, but there have been a lot more accurate and re-worked translations ever since. While I personally debate the meaning and grammatical accuracy of the original Quranic text in Arabic itself, the excerpts re-reproduced in the book carried, unfortunately, lower quality and more mistakes.
Still, the storyline was very exciting and drew me to look forward to knowing the end. I wish there was more work and effort put towards a higher bilingual quality though. The Author's Note mentioned a lot of support work that was, sadly, not reflected in the outcome.
I hope that this feedback is taken positively to work harder on improving Joe's future work. Having lived in Saudi Arabia myself, I could relate to some geographical facts he cited, and I could identify with his love for the Middle East as well.
As he enthusiastically and authentically put it at the end of the book: "Don't worry you won't regret the faith you have placed in me. There will be many more books, soon to tae the world by storm. I just needed some help to reach the first few rungs of the ladder" ... and I wholeheartedly support that!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews