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Kyle Achilles #3
Falling Stars
TWO DISTRESSED HEROES.
THREE DASTARDLY CRIMES.
AND THE SLICKEST HEISTS OF ALL TIME.
Imagine Bin Laden meets Bernie Madoff—and hold on for the ride.
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
A mysterious summons lures Kyle Achilles to a midnight meeting that shocks the world and sets a master plan in motion.
Meanwhile, his former partner also enters a terrible trap. It’s ingenious and unprecedented, but just a hint of what’s to follow.
Achilles and Jo join forces against the cunning culprit, but time is tight and the pressure is great. The Russian is not just making millions with his clever crimes—he’s waging war on the United States.
Come for the characters, stay for the surprises. Falling Stars is a fast-paced thriller you'll want to share with friends.
THREE DASTARDLY CRIMES.
AND THE SLICKEST HEISTS OF ALL TIME.
Imagine Bin Laden meets Bernie Madoff—and hold on for the ride.
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
A mysterious summons lures Kyle Achilles to a midnight meeting that shocks the world and sets a master plan in motion.
Meanwhile, his former partner also enters a terrible trap. It’s ingenious and unprecedented, but just a hint of what’s to follow.
Achilles and Jo join forces against the cunning culprit, but time is tight and the pressure is great. The Russian is not just making millions with his clever crimes—he’s waging war on the United States.
Come for the characters, stay for the surprises. Falling Stars is a fast-paced thriller you'll want to share with friends.
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2017
5775 people are currently reading
1017 people want to read
About the author
Tim Tigner
23 books1,051 followersTim began his career in Soviet Counterintelligence with the US Army Special Forces, the Green Berets. That was back in the Cold War days when, “We learned Russian so you didn't have to,” something he did at the Presidio of Monterey alongside Recon Marines and Navy SEALs.
With the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tim switched from espionage to arbitrage. Armed with a Wharton MBA rather than a Colt M16, he moved to Moscow in the midst of Perestroika. There, he led prominent multinational medical companies, worked with cosmonauts on the MIR Space Station (from Earth, alas), chaired the Association of International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, and helped write Russia’s first law on healthcare.
Moving to Brussels during the formation of the EU, Tim ran Europe, Middle East, and Africa for a Johnson & Johnson company and traveled like a character in a Robert Ludlum novel. He eventually landed in Silicon Valley, where he launched new medical technologies as a startup CEO.
In his free time, Tim has climbed the peaks of Mount Olympus, went hang gliding from the cliffs of Rio de Janeiro, and ballooned over Belgium. He earned scuba certification in Turkey, learned to ski in Slovenia, and ran the Serengeti with a Maasai warrior. He acted on stage in Portugal, taught negotiations in Germany, and chaired a healthcare conference in Holland. Tim studied psychology in France, radiology in England, and philosophy in Greece. He has enjoyed ballet at the Bolshoi, the opera on Lake Como, and the symphony in Vienna. He’s been a marathoner, paratrooper, triathlete, and yogi.
Intent on combining his creativity with his experience, Tim began writing thrillers in 1996 from an apartment overlooking Moscow’s Gorky Park. Twenty years later, his passion for creative writing continues to grow every day. His home office now overlooks a vineyard in Northern California.
Tim grew up in the Midwest, and graduated from Hanover College with a BA in Philosophy and Mathematics. After military service and work as a financial analyst and foreign-exchange trader, he earned an MBA in Finance and an MA in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.
Thank you for taking the time to read about the author. Tim loves to correspond with readers like you. You are welcome to reach him through Goodreads or directly at timtigner.com/contact
With the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tim switched from espionage to arbitrage. Armed with a Wharton MBA rather than a Colt M16, he moved to Moscow in the midst of Perestroika. There, he led prominent multinational medical companies, worked with cosmonauts on the MIR Space Station (from Earth, alas), chaired the Association of International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, and helped write Russia’s first law on healthcare.
Moving to Brussels during the formation of the EU, Tim ran Europe, Middle East, and Africa for a Johnson & Johnson company and traveled like a character in a Robert Ludlum novel. He eventually landed in Silicon Valley, where he launched new medical technologies as a startup CEO.
In his free time, Tim has climbed the peaks of Mount Olympus, went hang gliding from the cliffs of Rio de Janeiro, and ballooned over Belgium. He earned scuba certification in Turkey, learned to ski in Slovenia, and ran the Serengeti with a Maasai warrior. He acted on stage in Portugal, taught negotiations in Germany, and chaired a healthcare conference in Holland. Tim studied psychology in France, radiology in England, and philosophy in Greece. He has enjoyed ballet at the Bolshoi, the opera on Lake Como, and the symphony in Vienna. He’s been a marathoner, paratrooper, triathlete, and yogi.
Intent on combining his creativity with his experience, Tim began writing thrillers in 1996 from an apartment overlooking Moscow’s Gorky Park. Twenty years later, his passion for creative writing continues to grow every day. His home office now overlooks a vineyard in Northern California.
Tim grew up in the Midwest, and graduated from Hanover College with a BA in Philosophy and Mathematics. After military service and work as a financial analyst and foreign-exchange trader, he earned an MBA in Finance and an MA in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.
Thank you for taking the time to read about the author. Tim loves to correspond with readers like you. You are welcome to reach him through Goodreads or directly at timtigner.com/contact
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
November 9, 2017
Great novel.
Author always does research before writing and what he knows from his past employment. This third book Kyle Achilles lost his job, because Ivan deceived him. Now he has to step ahead of him and get the ghost. Plot full of twists, fast moving story and will keep you up way past of bed time.
Author always does research before writing and what he knows from his past employment. This third book Kyle Achilles lost his job, because Ivan deceived him. Now he has to step ahead of him and get the ghost. Plot full of twists, fast moving story and will keep you up way past of bed time.
December 9, 2018
Two distressed heroes.
Three dastardly crimes.
And the slickest heists of all time.
A mysterious summons lures Kyle Achilles to a midnight meeting that shocks the world and sets a master plan in motion.
Meanwhile, his former partner also enters a terrible trap. It’s ingenious and unprecedented, but just a hint of what’s to follow.
Achilles and Jo join forces against the cunning culprit, but time is tight and the pressure is great. The Russian is not just making millions with his clever crimes—he’s waging war on the United States.
There are plenty of twist and turns, along with an interesting and exciting plot. And once again Achilles is in pursuit of Ivan the Ghost. Teamed up with a former French CIA agent, Achilles finds himself hunted by the FBI and CIA, while trying to get one step ahead of his adversary
Ivan the Ghost was a very smart man, and he had developed a drone called the ‘Raven’. This drone was quite unique as it had a special claw to grab hold of people, along with a Taser to disable them. The problem for Kyle Achilles and Josephine Monfort is that Ivan had a long memory, and he was a very patient and clever man.
Falling Stars is a fast-paced thriller you'll want to share with friends, especially if like me they love their action thrillers.
We all know the background of the author and the research he does, so it is frightened if all this fiction could be fact!
PS Best if you read Book one, a short story that introduces Kyle Achilles.
Three dastardly crimes.
And the slickest heists of all time.
A mysterious summons lures Kyle Achilles to a midnight meeting that shocks the world and sets a master plan in motion.
Meanwhile, his former partner also enters a terrible trap. It’s ingenious and unprecedented, but just a hint of what’s to follow.
Achilles and Jo join forces against the cunning culprit, but time is tight and the pressure is great. The Russian is not just making millions with his clever crimes—he’s waging war on the United States.
There are plenty of twist and turns, along with an interesting and exciting plot. And once again Achilles is in pursuit of Ivan the Ghost. Teamed up with a former French CIA agent, Achilles finds himself hunted by the FBI and CIA, while trying to get one step ahead of his adversary
Ivan the Ghost was a very smart man, and he had developed a drone called the ‘Raven’. This drone was quite unique as it had a special claw to grab hold of people, along with a Taser to disable them. The problem for Kyle Achilles and Josephine Monfort is that Ivan had a long memory, and he was a very patient and clever man.
Falling Stars is a fast-paced thriller you'll want to share with friends, especially if like me they love their action thrillers.
We all know the background of the author and the research he does, so it is frightened if all this fiction could be fact!
PS Best if you read Book one, a short story that introduces Kyle Achilles.
June 19, 2018
This third entry in the Kyle Achilles was cutting edge when it was written, but now it seems so two years ago.
A criminal mastermind uses drones for fun and profit, framing Achilles for murdering the head of the CIA. Achilles and an old partner travel the world foiling the plot. I felt like the book needed a lot more Katya. She makes Achilles seem real.
A criminal mastermind uses drones for fun and profit, framing Achilles for murdering the head of the CIA. Achilles and an old partner travel the world foiling the plot. I felt like the book needed a lot more Katya. She makes Achilles seem real.
November 2, 2017
Brilliant. There are some books that just can’t pull yourself away from with the need to find out what’s going to happen, and this is definitely one of those stories. Action Thrillers are one of my favourite genres, and Tim Tigner has done an amazing job with this book. There are plenty of twist and turns, along with an interesting and exciting plot. Kyle Achilles really is a great character.
Ivan the Ghost was a very smart man, and he had developed a drone called the ‘Raven’. This drone was quite unique as it had a special claw to grab hold of people, along with a Taser to disable them. The problem for Kyle Achilles and Josephine Monfort is that Ivan had a long memory, and he was a very patient man. He hadn’t forgotten that they had both tried to capture him years ago, and now he was out for revenge. This is a clever book, and very well written. All in all it’s fabulous novel and well worth a read.
Ivan the Ghost was a very smart man, and he had developed a drone called the ‘Raven’. This drone was quite unique as it had a special claw to grab hold of people, along with a Taser to disable them. The problem for Kyle Achilles and Josephine Monfort is that Ivan had a long memory, and he was a very patient man. He hadn’t forgotten that they had both tried to capture him years ago, and now he was out for revenge. This is a clever book, and very well written. All in all it’s fabulous novel and well worth a read.
October 29, 2017
‘A big black UFO. No, not a UFO. A drone.’
The movie star handsome, ‘man’s man’ Tim Tigner comes to his role as a novelist specializing in political intrigue with a rich background. His academic preparation is a combination of mathematics and philosophy with psychology and radiology, but after academia his instinct for investigation and thrill seeking led him to serve in the Green Berets, specializing in Russian and Soviet counterintelligence. When Perestroika/Glasnost ‘opened’ Russia (or at least by their definition made it more transparent) led to the fall of the Berlin wall, Tigner’s direction shifted from espionage to arbitrage and he moved form Russia to Brussels where he witnessed the formation of the European Union: his change in focus shifted back to the US and further degrees in business and International Studies and settled in the Silicon Valley as a corporate type in the medical device industry. And as if that background weren’t sufficient he continued his travels around the world expending energy as scuba diver, skier, actor, mountain climber, a hand glider, a parachuter, and in every sense of the word an adventurer. Now he follows his obsession with reading thrillers by writing them.
Having read most of Tim’s novels it always comes a surprise that he doesn’t repeat himself. There are ‘recipe format espionage books’ – keep one central character everyone recognizes then populate the story with the expected clones of ‘good’ vs. ‘bad’ people. That is where Tim steps aside like a matador and creates each novel with a fresh outlook and cast. And so evolved the Kyle Achilles series of which this is Book 3.
Tim’s short form of Book 1 PUSHING BRILLIANCE of this impressive series reads as follows: ‘Framed for murder and on the run, former Olympic biathlete Kyle Achilles is also in the crosshairs of assassins' guns. Why? He has no idea. He's fighting blind against two master strategists and one extraordinary invention--known as Brillyanc. Achilles' only ally is the other prime suspect, a beautiful Russian mathematician who is either the best or worst person to ever enter his life. Katya was engaged to Achilles' brother -- before he died. Chasing clues while dodging bullets, Achilles and Katya race around the globe, uncovering a conspiracy conceived in Moscow, born in Silicon Valley, and destined to demolish both the White House and the Kremlin. Along the way a lost soul finds purpose, a broken heart confronts forbidden love, and America gains a new hero.’ And continuing with Book 2 THE LAND OF SPIES –‘ The American President sent him, the Russian President caught him, the Free World is counting on him…but he doesn’t remember…Journey beneath the diplomatic veneer of international politics and beyond the reach of conventional military operations into the epicenter of clandestine affairs -- where diplomats dance and spies collide in wars that never make the news. For the next step in its expansionist agenda, the Kremlin devises a covert coup far more devastating than Bin Laden's most dangerous dream. With the American economy in his crosshairs, Russian President Vladimir Korovin picks suitable pawns and pulls sizable levers, initiating the boldest gambit the world has ever seen. Halfway around the world, the White House develops a plan for derailing Russian aggression. A way-off-the-books, high-risk, high-reward plan. American President William Silver identifies the perfect person for his impossible mission: former CIA operative Kyle Achilles. With their plans in place and their spies undercover, each president is confident that he has outplayed the other -- until everything goes wrong.’
So now in Book 3 FALLING STARS ‘A mysterious summons lures Kyle Achilles to a midnight meeting that shocks the world and sets a master plan in motion. Meanwhile, his former partner also enters a terrible trap. It’s ingenious and unprecedented, but just a hint of what’s to follow. Achilles and Jo join forces against the cunning culprit, but time is tight and the pressure is great. The Russian is not just making millions with his clever crimes—he’s waging war on the United States.’
Couple these harrowing facts with Tigner’s gift for transplanting his characters into situations that seem destined to destruction and yet manipulating them out with keen pacing and skill and there you have yet another thriller by the gifted Tim Tigner. He writes so well that one could quite easily become addicted. Smart, sophisticated and always with a surprise at the turn of every page, Tigner simply has it.
The movie star handsome, ‘man’s man’ Tim Tigner comes to his role as a novelist specializing in political intrigue with a rich background. His academic preparation is a combination of mathematics and philosophy with psychology and radiology, but after academia his instinct for investigation and thrill seeking led him to serve in the Green Berets, specializing in Russian and Soviet counterintelligence. When Perestroika/Glasnost ‘opened’ Russia (or at least by their definition made it more transparent) led to the fall of the Berlin wall, Tigner’s direction shifted from espionage to arbitrage and he moved form Russia to Brussels where he witnessed the formation of the European Union: his change in focus shifted back to the US and further degrees in business and International Studies and settled in the Silicon Valley as a corporate type in the medical device industry. And as if that background weren’t sufficient he continued his travels around the world expending energy as scuba diver, skier, actor, mountain climber, a hand glider, a parachuter, and in every sense of the word an adventurer. Now he follows his obsession with reading thrillers by writing them.
Having read most of Tim’s novels it always comes a surprise that he doesn’t repeat himself. There are ‘recipe format espionage books’ – keep one central character everyone recognizes then populate the story with the expected clones of ‘good’ vs. ‘bad’ people. That is where Tim steps aside like a matador and creates each novel with a fresh outlook and cast. And so evolved the Kyle Achilles series of which this is Book 3.
Tim’s short form of Book 1 PUSHING BRILLIANCE of this impressive series reads as follows: ‘Framed for murder and on the run, former Olympic biathlete Kyle Achilles is also in the crosshairs of assassins' guns. Why? He has no idea. He's fighting blind against two master strategists and one extraordinary invention--known as Brillyanc. Achilles' only ally is the other prime suspect, a beautiful Russian mathematician who is either the best or worst person to ever enter his life. Katya was engaged to Achilles' brother -- before he died. Chasing clues while dodging bullets, Achilles and Katya race around the globe, uncovering a conspiracy conceived in Moscow, born in Silicon Valley, and destined to demolish both the White House and the Kremlin. Along the way a lost soul finds purpose, a broken heart confronts forbidden love, and America gains a new hero.’ And continuing with Book 2 THE LAND OF SPIES –‘ The American President sent him, the Russian President caught him, the Free World is counting on him…but he doesn’t remember…Journey beneath the diplomatic veneer of international politics and beyond the reach of conventional military operations into the epicenter of clandestine affairs -- where diplomats dance and spies collide in wars that never make the news. For the next step in its expansionist agenda, the Kremlin devises a covert coup far more devastating than Bin Laden's most dangerous dream. With the American economy in his crosshairs, Russian President Vladimir Korovin picks suitable pawns and pulls sizable levers, initiating the boldest gambit the world has ever seen. Halfway around the world, the White House develops a plan for derailing Russian aggression. A way-off-the-books, high-risk, high-reward plan. American President William Silver identifies the perfect person for his impossible mission: former CIA operative Kyle Achilles. With their plans in place and their spies undercover, each president is confident that he has outplayed the other -- until everything goes wrong.’
So now in Book 3 FALLING STARS ‘A mysterious summons lures Kyle Achilles to a midnight meeting that shocks the world and sets a master plan in motion. Meanwhile, his former partner also enters a terrible trap. It’s ingenious and unprecedented, but just a hint of what’s to follow. Achilles and Jo join forces against the cunning culprit, but time is tight and the pressure is great. The Russian is not just making millions with his clever crimes—he’s waging war on the United States.’
Couple these harrowing facts with Tigner’s gift for transplanting his characters into situations that seem destined to destruction and yet manipulating them out with keen pacing and skill and there you have yet another thriller by the gifted Tim Tigner. He writes so well that one could quite easily become addicted. Smart, sophisticated and always with a surprise at the turn of every page, Tigner simply has it.
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May 31, 2018💝FREE on Amazon today (5/31/2018)!💝
Blurb:
Two distressed heroes.
Three dastardly crimes.
And the slickest heists of all time.
Imagine Bin Laden meets Bernie Madoff—and hold on for the ride.
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
A mysterious summons lures Kyle Achilles to a midnight meeting that shocks the world and sets a master plan in motion.
Meanwhile, his former partner also enters a terrible trap. It’s ingenious and unprecedented, but just a hint of what’s to follow.
Achilles and Jo join forces against the cunning culprit, but time is tight and the pressure is great. The Russian is not just making millions with his clever crimes—he’s waging war on the United States.
Come for the characters, stay for the surprises. Falling Stars is a fast-paced thriller you'll want to share with friends.
Blurb:
Two distressed heroes.
Three dastardly crimes.
And the slickest heists of all time.
Imagine Bin Laden meets Bernie Madoff—and hold on for the ride.
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
A mysterious summons lures Kyle Achilles to a midnight meeting that shocks the world and sets a master plan in motion.
Meanwhile, his former partner also enters a terrible trap. It’s ingenious and unprecedented, but just a hint of what’s to follow.
Achilles and Jo join forces against the cunning culprit, but time is tight and the pressure is great. The Russian is not just making millions with his clever crimes—he’s waging war on the United States.
Come for the characters, stay for the surprises. Falling Stars is a fast-paced thriller you'll want to share with friends.
June 25, 2018
Now I know it's not the series end, but so far there is no new book to be published in sight, so for now I'll have to look for another author to sate my craving for a good spy thriller.
October 22, 2018
Punch and counter-punch. A heady spy treat. Like the James Bond books the technology is a high point. Beware of drones.
November 2, 2017
Attack of the Drones
This book made me think of the lyrics in the song "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane: “Feed your head." Tim Tigner's books are scary smart. The intelligence he displays in crafting truly ingenious techno-thrillers puts him in a class by himself. In Falling Stars, he has found a way to use drones as weapons of personal destruction rather than mass destruction. The evil plan devised Kyle Achilles' nemesis Ivan the Ghost (Book 1 in the series) will leave you completely paranoid every time you see or hear people playing with drones anywhere near you.
Falling Stars reunites Kyle with Jo Monfort, his partner in Book 1 and introduces Rip Zonder, who, hopefully, will continue to work with Kyle in future adventures. And although Katya, Kyle's fiancée, is isolated for most of the book, it is she that provides the emotional impetus that drives Kyle to remove Ivan once and for all.
So, this book has it all -- outrageously brilliant plot, smart but twisted villain, non-stop action from the U.S. to Europe, Russia and beyond and an emotionally satisfying ending. This one stays with you after you close the back cover. I wish I could give it more stars!
This book made me think of the lyrics in the song "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane: “Feed your head." Tim Tigner's books are scary smart. The intelligence he displays in crafting truly ingenious techno-thrillers puts him in a class by himself. In Falling Stars, he has found a way to use drones as weapons of personal destruction rather than mass destruction. The evil plan devised Kyle Achilles' nemesis Ivan the Ghost (Book 1 in the series) will leave you completely paranoid every time you see or hear people playing with drones anywhere near you.
Falling Stars reunites Kyle with Jo Monfort, his partner in Book 1 and introduces Rip Zonder, who, hopefully, will continue to work with Kyle in future adventures. And although Katya, Kyle's fiancée, is isolated for most of the book, it is she that provides the emotional impetus that drives Kyle to remove Ivan once and for all.
So, this book has it all -- outrageously brilliant plot, smart but twisted villain, non-stop action from the U.S. to Europe, Russia and beyond and an emotionally satisfying ending. This one stays with you after you close the back cover. I wish I could give it more stars!
November 4, 2017
The third in the Kyle Achilles series, Falling Stars provides the same explosive punch as its predecessors. It’s not necessary to have read the earlier novels, but it might help.
Tigner once again focuses his story around a technological innovation used for nefarious ends. In this case, it is kidnapping via drone. And once again Achilles is in pursuit of Ivan the Ghost. Teamed up with a former French CIA agent, Achilles finds himself hunted by the FBI and CIA, while trying to get one step ahead of the arch-criminal who is his nemesis.
If you like thrillers paired with technology, you’ll love Tim Tigner’s books. Give yourself a gift and get this one. You won’t be disappointed.
Tigner once again focuses his story around a technological innovation used for nefarious ends. In this case, it is kidnapping via drone. And once again Achilles is in pursuit of Ivan the Ghost. Teamed up with a former French CIA agent, Achilles finds himself hunted by the FBI and CIA, while trying to get one step ahead of the arch-criminal who is his nemesis.
If you like thrillers paired with technology, you’ll love Tim Tigner’s books. Give yourself a gift and get this one. You won’t be disappointed.
March 21, 2019
A TT. Mystery/Political Thriller/Two Items Which Could Cause Havoc With Anyone if Real/A Robotic Drone that Carries 250 pds./A Telephone Device that Mimics People
Tt. has. penned the third (KA- 3)mystery political thriller. This is a one of a kind spy novel that, if given thought, would scare the devil out of anyone in law enforcement of holding a high government position. The plot, the story line and conclusion would make an outstanding movie. Even though I have made mention of two physical elements the notes will not indicate how good this spy thriller is. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
Tt. has. penned the third (KA- 3)mystery political thriller. This is a one of a kind spy novel that, if given thought, would scare the devil out of anyone in law enforcement of holding a high government position. The plot, the story line and conclusion would make an outstanding movie. Even though I have made mention of two physical elements the notes will not indicate how good this spy thriller is. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
November 14, 2017
Falling Stars. Tim Tigner
A spectacular read. Achilles nemesis , Ivan the Ghost, the reason for his resignation from the CIA, his first and only assignment has returned. He has framed him for the murder of the director of the CIA. Ivan has developed drones capable of extorting millions from unsuspecting victims. Ivan cares nothing about human life. Only his reputation. His arrogance has no equal. Morality, having any kind of conscious, is not part of his genetic make up. Achilles has a score to settle. This is a thriller extraordinaire! A must read!
A spectacular read. Achilles nemesis , Ivan the Ghost, the reason for his resignation from the CIA, his first and only assignment has returned. He has framed him for the murder of the director of the CIA. Ivan has developed drones capable of extorting millions from unsuspecting victims. Ivan cares nothing about human life. Only his reputation. His arrogance has no equal. Morality, having any kind of conscious, is not part of his genetic make up. Achilles has a score to settle. This is a thriller extraordinaire! A must read!
August 12, 2018
It's okay I did not find it as engrossing as the first two books in the series...and I felt it began losing steam ..found Ivan to be a very obfuscated character without much understanding of the evil behind him. Skipped many parts and eventually the end was too easy compared to how Ivan had actually been portrayed through the whole book as being "one step ahead."
November 14, 2017
Rip roaring adventure,suprizes galor
Good adventure with twists and turns. Take for what it’s worth,and be glad it’s so entertaining. Written for all to enjoy,not
loaded down with complex phrasing or heavy portentous style.
Good adventure with twists and turns. Take for what it’s worth,and be glad it’s so entertaining. Written for all to enjoy,not
loaded down with complex phrasing or heavy portentous style.
November 2, 2017
I read everything I can get my hands on and am so pleased to have found another binge-worthy author! The action is fast and true, and the plot lines are believable and enjoyable. I love it that he skips the blah, blah, blah about every bit of every location--so refreshing to just read a book without having to skim through pages of don't-care-doesn't-matter. I rarely follow authors, but I am now, and I am really looking forward to his next book!
November 24, 2017
I enjoy reading/listening to the books by this author!
November 16, 2017
Great!!!!
It kept me up at night I wish there was another book in this series. When is the next book due?
It kept me up at night I wish there was another book in this series. When is the next book due?
November 17, 2017
This story is a fast-paced thriller that will keep the reader fully engrossed! Character development has been well done and the plot is full of twists and plenty of action. The author's knowledge and research of his material is excellent. I look forward to the next in the series!
December 1, 2017
Enjoyed the audiobook so much I hated to get out of the car. Fast paced and use of drones was imaginative.
November 9, 2017
Brilliant!
Absolutely great reading, and an Achilles thriller like no other. Tim stuck tighter to the plotline, and less to "filler" as I call it. So many exciting moments that it's hard to put down.
Absolutely great reading, and an Achilles thriller like no other. Tim stuck tighter to the plotline, and less to "filler" as I call it. So many exciting moments that it's hard to put down.
November 9, 2017
The best book to date by Tim Tigner. The story gave me pause because it was so diabolically believable. The characters came alive for me on the pages as I read; warts and all which resulted in a few chuckles and even a laugh out loud session at my end with one of the scenarios Tim described. Like a certain commercial about not being able to eat just one great-tasting potato chip, I'll bet you can't put the book down after reading one chapter. Tim packs a lot of great material into each chapter and definitely leaves me wanting to read more and more. If you've never read any of Tim's books, I'd be surprised if you didn't come away searching for more after reading Falling Stars.
July 15, 2023
Adrenaline junkies will be very happy- Tigner does not disappoint!
In typical Tigner style, you are sucked up into an adrenaline packed adventure leaving you reaching, the next morning, for the second pot of coffee just so you don't fall asleep at work.
He introduces New technology which is frighteningly not New at all. The possibility that the events within this book are scary real, which makes it hard to put down.
He pulls out all his tricks and really cute quips to lighten the terror he unleashes. What are you doing still reading my review? Get it already - it's worth it!
In typical Tigner style, you are sucked up into an adrenaline packed adventure leaving you reaching, the next morning, for the second pot of coffee just so you don't fall asleep at work.
He introduces New technology which is frighteningly not New at all. The possibility that the events within this book are scary real, which makes it hard to put down.
He pulls out all his tricks and really cute quips to lighten the terror he unleashes. What are you doing still reading my review? Get it already - it's worth it!
November 29, 2017
Really love his books! Figuring it out is half the fun!
After finishing Falling Stars, there is an Author’s note afterwards where Tim Tigner lets his fans know that there is an alternate ending, should we care to read it. I was VERY surprised when I emailed him, as per his instructions, that he not only sent me the alternate ending, but responded personally to my email. I know that we are all so very busy in this day and age and so it meant the world to me that there are still authors out there that personally open, read, and respond to their own emails.
Okay, back to the book. I will have to say that I have read everything that this author has ever written, or at least everything that is currently available on Amazon or iBooks, so I was very excited when I saw that the next installment of the Kyle Achilles series was available. I have to say, he did not disappoint.
The action starts right from the beginning and does not let up until the last chapter of the book. I enjoyed the fact that I was trying just as hard as everyone else to figure out what the end game was for “Ivan the Ghost”. I was also impressed that Tigner was able to manipulate my feelings regarding the villains during the story. There were times that I felt sorry for Michael, Boris and Pavel – times that I wanted to shake them and say “What the heck are you doing?!” Then, the feelings completely changed and the pendulum swung the other way and I wanted to punch them in the face myself during the later parts of the book. And the Big V and Little V. As much as they were total BAD guys, there were moments that I felt sorry for them….again, just briefly. But, for an author to create characters where I was involved enough to even care for a second is quite impressive.
And the caper, what a caper it was! Creative, unexpected and quite crazy…..but then again, it was what I’ve come to expect from him. Tigner has created a very likable (at least for me), intelligent and honorable character in Kyle Achilles that I completely adore. I was worried for a minute that there might be more to the story between Jo and Kyle, but thankfully, I didn’t need to worry. Hmmm, maybe Jo and Rip…..you never know!
Again – great book. I thought this might be the last book of a trilogy, but according to the email I received from Mr. Tigner – there is more Kyle and Katya to come!
After finishing Falling Stars, there is an Author’s note afterwards where Tim Tigner lets his fans know that there is an alternate ending, should we care to read it. I was VERY surprised when I emailed him, as per his instructions, that he not only sent me the alternate ending, but responded personally to my email. I know that we are all so very busy in this day and age and so it meant the world to me that there are still authors out there that personally open, read, and respond to their own emails.
Okay, back to the book. I will have to say that I have read everything that this author has ever written, or at least everything that is currently available on Amazon or iBooks, so I was very excited when I saw that the next installment of the Kyle Achilles series was available. I have to say, he did not disappoint.
The action starts right from the beginning and does not let up until the last chapter of the book. I enjoyed the fact that I was trying just as hard as everyone else to figure out what the end game was for “Ivan the Ghost”. I was also impressed that Tigner was able to manipulate my feelings regarding the villains during the story. There were times that I felt sorry for Michael, Boris and Pavel – times that I wanted to shake them and say “What the heck are you doing?!” Then, the feelings completely changed and the pendulum swung the other way and I wanted to punch them in the face myself during the later parts of the book. And the Big V and Little V. As much as they were total BAD guys, there were moments that I felt sorry for them….again, just briefly. But, for an author to create characters where I was involved enough to even care for a second is quite impressive.
And the caper, what a caper it was! Creative, unexpected and quite crazy…..but then again, it was what I’ve come to expect from him. Tigner has created a very likable (at least for me), intelligent and honorable character in Kyle Achilles that I completely adore. I was worried for a minute that there might be more to the story between Jo and Kyle, but thankfully, I didn’t need to worry. Hmmm, maybe Jo and Rip…..you never know!
Again – great book. I thought this might be the last book of a trilogy, but according to the email I received from Mr. Tigner – there is more Kyle and Katya to come!
December 30, 2018
Tim Tigner delivers another exciting instalment in his Kyle Achilles series. In Falling Stars, Kyle is working once again with Jo Monfort (from Book 1) and we are introduced to a new character, Rip Zonder (who I hope will hang around for future books). Meanwhile, Katya, Kyle’s fiancée, provides the motivation that drives Kyle to battle against his old rival, Ivan. For those of you who have read the other books, Ivan is the bad guy we met in Chasing Ivan, the prequel to the series.
This thriller has a technical spin in the underlying plot. Without going into too much detail, this book reveals that drones are now a threat. Technology is being adapted to make it a lethal weapon in the modern age of terrorism and espionage. And this premise actually became more real than I expected. While I was reading the book, there was a real assassination attempt by drone (but it failed) on President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Fiction had become reality … in real time.
Ivan’s incredible skills of manipulation and narcissism are core to this story. But, the drive and determination of Kyle to defeat him, while all odds are stacked against him, is what kept me engaged from page one to the end. There were plenty of twists, surprises, and action-packed moments that kept the plot chugging along at a nice pace.
Tigner is very clever at creating a sense of trust in characters that can suddenly turn fragile and crumble in an instant. For readers it’s all about, picking your suspects, looking for the clues, and putting the ever-changing pieces together. But no matter how good you are, there will always be surprises to put you back in your place.
IN A NUTSHELL
Another worthy episode in the Kyle Achilles series. It has plenty of the thrills, intrigue, and excitement that Tim Tigner usually delivers. Recommended for avid readers who like action, thrills, espionage, and surprises.
This thriller has a technical spin in the underlying plot. Without going into too much detail, this book reveals that drones are now a threat. Technology is being adapted to make it a lethal weapon in the modern age of terrorism and espionage. And this premise actually became more real than I expected. While I was reading the book, there was a real assassination attempt by drone (but it failed) on President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Fiction had become reality … in real time.
Ivan’s incredible skills of manipulation and narcissism are core to this story. But, the drive and determination of Kyle to defeat him, while all odds are stacked against him, is what kept me engaged from page one to the end. There were plenty of twists, surprises, and action-packed moments that kept the plot chugging along at a nice pace.
Tigner is very clever at creating a sense of trust in characters that can suddenly turn fragile and crumble in an instant. For readers it’s all about, picking your suspects, looking for the clues, and putting the ever-changing pieces together. But no matter how good you are, there will always be surprises to put you back in your place.
IN A NUTSHELL
Another worthy episode in the Kyle Achilles series. It has plenty of the thrills, intrigue, and excitement that Tim Tigner usually delivers. Recommended for avid readers who like action, thrills, espionage, and surprises.
May 27, 2024
The Covid 19 pandemic must have left me with brain fog because I started reading Falling Stars in September 2022 and finished in May 2024.
I can see why I might have paused in my reading. There are many characters, some with easy to remember names, some with Russian names, some with nicknames. So when I resumed reading after nearly two years, I went back to my high school training. I took notes.
Villain: Ivan the Ghost. Rich Russian mastermind who wants to go down in history for generations to come as an unstoppable criminal genius. He was instrumental in in the creation/use of an app called Mimic and a fleet of drones with a steel snake like claw called Raven capable of encircling the waist of its victim and lift them airborne several hundred feet. The usefulness of this is to target wealthy and/or famous people, and hold them hostage until an exorbitant random in the millions is wired to an untraceable offshore bank.
Hero: Kyles Achilles. Former Bronze Medal Biathlete; expert rock climber; former. CIA chief. Bad ass.
Jo Monford - Equivalent to Batman’s Robin. Beautiful, alluring, charming, quick witted. Dismissed from CIA. Female bad ass.
Achilles’ love interest: Katiya - math professor and visiting scholar at Moscow State University who had to go into hiding so that she wouldn’t be used as bait to extort Achilles.
There are a lot of twists and turns; some vivid fight scenes and remarkably no lurid sex descriptions.
I like all of Tim Tigner’s books and eagerly await the June 2024 release of Twisted Lives.
I can see why I might have paused in my reading. There are many characters, some with easy to remember names, some with Russian names, some with nicknames. So when I resumed reading after nearly two years, I went back to my high school training. I took notes.
Villain: Ivan the Ghost. Rich Russian mastermind who wants to go down in history for generations to come as an unstoppable criminal genius. He was instrumental in in the creation/use of an app called Mimic and a fleet of drones with a steel snake like claw called Raven capable of encircling the waist of its victim and lift them airborne several hundred feet. The usefulness of this is to target wealthy and/or famous people, and hold them hostage until an exorbitant random in the millions is wired to an untraceable offshore bank.
Hero: Kyles Achilles. Former Bronze Medal Biathlete; expert rock climber; former. CIA chief. Bad ass.
Jo Monford - Equivalent to Batman’s Robin. Beautiful, alluring, charming, quick witted. Dismissed from CIA. Female bad ass.
Achilles’ love interest: Katiya - math professor and visiting scholar at Moscow State University who had to go into hiding so that she wouldn’t be used as bait to extort Achilles.
There are a lot of twists and turns; some vivid fight scenes and remarkably no lurid sex descriptions.
I like all of Tim Tigner’s books and eagerly await the June 2024 release of Twisted Lives.
July 1, 2018
This is my first book by author, 'Tim Tigner'. His bio is quite impressive and readers see his experience in his stories - especially with various gadgets that appear futuristic. In Falling Stars, Kyle Achilles, receives a call from his former boss to meet for a top secret discussion about an off the books project. It's awkward for the two and before things really get going, his former boss (head of the CIA) is assassinated by an unseen villain. A gun materializes on the floor nearby and without witnesses or a shooter, Kyle is blamed, and all the alphabet government agencies set out to find him.
Kyle and Jo, two former CIA partners had lost their jobs because of their failure to capture the illusive mastermind, 'Ivan the Ghost' (previous books)and join forces once again to find this killer. But first, they have to learn his identity and then find him. What they encounter on the way are twists and turns that leave readers in a quandary. The story is fast paced in the beginning and towward the end, but portions in between seem to drag on, causing me to flip pages forward. It also bounces around between different perspectives and story lines - the author leaves cliff hangers at the end of each respective chapter which then leaves readers' interest piqued until that story line returns.
A lot of suspense but sometimes the scenes are too detailed and Achilles appears over the top. If you want to be intrigued by all the gadgetry and espionage, then this book is for you.
Kyle and Jo, two former CIA partners had lost their jobs because of their failure to capture the illusive mastermind, 'Ivan the Ghost' (previous books)and join forces once again to find this killer. But first, they have to learn his identity and then find him. What they encounter on the way are twists and turns that leave readers in a quandary. The story is fast paced in the beginning and towward the end, but portions in between seem to drag on, causing me to flip pages forward. It also bounces around between different perspectives and story lines - the author leaves cliff hangers at the end of each respective chapter which then leaves readers' interest piqued until that story line returns.
A lot of suspense but sometimes the scenes are too detailed and Achilles appears over the top. If you want to be intrigued by all the gadgetry and espionage, then this book is for you.
July 13, 2019
This is the 3rd book from Tigner's excellent Kyle Achilles series.
In this story Ivan the Ghost is back at it using drones to reek his havoc on the world. Ivan was the main bad guy in the prequel novella that started off the series. Jo Monfort is back from the prequel helping Kyle Achilles in his hunt for Ivan. Katya is out in this story, writing her thesis in Moscow.
Ivan is using drones to kill the CIA director, which is blamed on Kyle, and kidnapping and holding for ransom rich and famous people in the United States. The drones come out of the blue, grab the rich person and then hold them suspended in the air until money is transferred to Ivan's account.
Other technological breakthroughs in the book include an audible system that matches someone else's voice so that you think you are talking to someone you know and it is really someone else. There is also the DREAD gun which doesn't use gunpowder to propel the projectiles to the victim.
Ivan is always one step ahead of the authorities plus one step ahead of his three henchmen. They wonder why he instructs them to do things that are then explained to them after things workout. These antics show the brilliance of the author in setting out his story because they show how complex the plot really is.
I enjoy Tigner's books because they are full of actions with twists and turns you don't see coming. Looking forward to more from Kyle, Katya and even Jo if she is coming back for more.
In this story Ivan the Ghost is back at it using drones to reek his havoc on the world. Ivan was the main bad guy in the prequel novella that started off the series. Jo Monfort is back from the prequel helping Kyle Achilles in his hunt for Ivan. Katya is out in this story, writing her thesis in Moscow.
Ivan is using drones to kill the CIA director, which is blamed on Kyle, and kidnapping and holding for ransom rich and famous people in the United States. The drones come out of the blue, grab the rich person and then hold them suspended in the air until money is transferred to Ivan's account.
Other technological breakthroughs in the book include an audible system that matches someone else's voice so that you think you are talking to someone you know and it is really someone else. There is also the DREAD gun which doesn't use gunpowder to propel the projectiles to the victim.
Ivan is always one step ahead of the authorities plus one step ahead of his three henchmen. They wonder why he instructs them to do things that are then explained to them after things workout. These antics show the brilliance of the author in setting out his story because they show how complex the plot really is.
I enjoy Tigner's books because they are full of actions with twists and turns you don't see coming. Looking forward to more from Kyle, Katya and even Jo if she is coming back for more.
February 14, 2018
FALLING STARS (Kyle Achilles #3)Well, when I saw the book set 1-3 coming out, I realized that I had gotten busy and had not provided a review when I finished this book months ago. But Tim Tigner will certainly not disappoint any reader with book #3 of the Kyle Achilles series. And he has been uniquely creative in his utilization of drones to terrorize INDIVIDUAL citizens. The plots moved very quickly, and is certainly hard to predict. And Tigner is definitely refining his writing skills, with Falling Stars the best of the series. The reader will definitely grow to really care about the characters, and especially Kyle Achilles. This plot could be tomorrow’s newspaper headlines. And Tigner’s good guys are definitely good and Tigner’s bad guys are truly evil and despicable. This book moves very fast, and is very hard to put down. Best to start on Friday night when it can be devoured over an entire weekend. Lots and lots of action. And even though this is the “end” of the trilogy, I personally would love to swee these characters continue forward. This is in my opinion Tim Tigner’s best book, but I am equally certain that his next book will be better. Tigner is the first author of the decade whom I think is becoming “competition” for Brad Thor!
March 7, 2018
Five Star Spies
Achilles is again on the run in “Falling Stars,” teaming up in book 3 with his former CIA co-worker, Jo Montfort. They’re forced into matching wits against the diabolical “Ivan the ghost” as he wreaks international K&R havoc and has the U. S. in his sights. Achilles thinks he’s finally gotten a step ahead of Ivan’s scheme until he discovers that Ivan is holding Katya hostage in an unknown location. This story has enough twists and turns to keep you flipping pages and trying to keep up. Make no mistake, this is not your average canned spy plot. What really makes this story stand out is not so much the whodunnit factor because we know Ivan is the mastermind behind it all. What we don’t know, is Ivan’s identity and what he has planned next and the suspense keeps the reader on his (or her) toes. Author Tim Tigner has penned yet another action-packed thriller. But what really stands out is Tigner’s writing. His Kyle Achilles series is more than just run of the mill spy thrillers. This is writing as smooth as thirty year old single malt scotch. And that’s good stuff!
Achilles is again on the run in “Falling Stars,” teaming up in book 3 with his former CIA co-worker, Jo Montfort. They’re forced into matching wits against the diabolical “Ivan the ghost” as he wreaks international K&R havoc and has the U. S. in his sights. Achilles thinks he’s finally gotten a step ahead of Ivan’s scheme until he discovers that Ivan is holding Katya hostage in an unknown location. This story has enough twists and turns to keep you flipping pages and trying to keep up. Make no mistake, this is not your average canned spy plot. What really makes this story stand out is not so much the whodunnit factor because we know Ivan is the mastermind behind it all. What we don’t know, is Ivan’s identity and what he has planned next and the suspense keeps the reader on his (or her) toes. Author Tim Tigner has penned yet another action-packed thriller. But what really stands out is Tigner’s writing. His Kyle Achilles series is more than just run of the mill spy thrillers. This is writing as smooth as thirty year old single malt scotch. And that’s good stuff!
November 5, 2017
I am a big Tim Tigner fan and I especially like his Kyle Achilles series. I found Falling Stars to be the author’s best yet in the series. I was so happy to see that Achilles has been reconnected with Josephine Monfort, a colleague from his past. I am a fan of Jo because she is a strong and believable female character. Jo and Achilles have been brought back together due to Ivan “ the Ghost “ creating trouble again for the two of them and the rest of the world. This time Ivan has come up with a scheme to create a legacy for himself along with an incredible amount of wealth. This book is a fast paced chase throughout the world and the author creates vivid fight scenes. Tim also has a knack of “ creating” new technology that amazingly comes to life in our real life world and the technology that Ivan uses in this book can definitely become reality in the 21st century, I just don’t want to know about it. If you are a fan of thrillers/spy novels, you will not be disappointed with this book.
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