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The Noble Path
Discredited British Army officer Jack Elliot is a man with nothing left to lose—or to live for. For him, life is cheap and death expensive: He kills now for money. So when Ang Yuon, a wealthy Cambodian refugee, asks him to cross Thailand to rescue his wife and children from the Khmer Rouge, Elliot demands a large price. This time he expects, even hopes, to die. But two things curse him with a reason to live—the enormous suffering of the Cambodian people and the appearance of his estranged daughter, Lisa. On the day of her mother's death, Lisa learns that there is more to her father's past than the picture of the heroic soldier killed in battle her mother had painted for her. So Lisa sets out in search of Elliot and follows him as far as Bangkok, where she falls foul of his Thai associates, Tuk Than and "La Mère Grace," ruthless people whose business interests encompass girls as well as guns. From the fetid jungles of Cambodia to the sleazy back streets of Bangkok, The Noble Path is a hard-hitting tale of suspense and intrigue.
340 pages, Hardcover
First published May 31, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
November 18, 2019
EXCERPT: Four hundred miles away in a small, darkened room on the top floor of a building off the Falls Road in Belfast, Elliott's face was drawn from a large beige envelope. The face was older than in the wedding photographs, and had by now acquired its distinctive scar. The photograph was placed in the centre of a bare wooden table. There were three men seated around it. The man who had taken the print from the envelope turned it through ninety degrees in order that the others could see it clearly.
'John Alexander Elliott,' he spoke with a thick Belfast brogue. 'Ex-British army. Now freelancing. He killed McAlliskey. And O'Neill.' He paused. 'We want him dead.'
ABOUT THIS BOOK: THE EVIL WRATH
Cambodia, 1978: Amid the Khmer Rouge's crazed genocide, soldier-of-fortune Jack Elliott is given the impossible task of rescuing a family from the regime.
THE PAINFUL TRUTH
Eighteen-year-old orphan and budding journalist Lisa Robinson has received the impossible news that her father is, in fact, alive. His name is Jack Elliott.
THE NOBLE PATH
As Jack tracks the hostages and Lisa traces her heritage, each intent on reuniting a family. Yet to succeed, they each must run a dangerous gauntlet of bullets and betrayal.
MY THOUGHTS: Not my normal genre but, to be honest, if Peter May wrote the telephone directory, I would probably read it.
Although this book is set in the 1970s, there are so many issues that are still current today.
WAR: There is always one being fought somewhere in the world, in which the civilians, the innocents, bear the brunt.
REFUGEES: A problem that has become worse over the years, not better. Yet who can blame these people who have already suffered so much, for wanting a better life.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING: There are always people looking to make money out of selling people dreams, then using them for their own ends.
This novel is not Peter May's normal fare. And I must say that I prefer his Lewis trilogy, and the Enzo series, but The Noble Path is compelling reading. I vaguely remember newscasts covering the Cambodian war...but I was of an age where I was far more interested in the weekend's agenda. Yes, I was shallow. I was aware on a peripheral basis, but if it didn't affect me directly......for which I now unreservedly apologise.
The Noble Path contains graphic violence, but nothing that is gratuitous, in fact, it has probably been toned down. I cannot, and do not want to, imagine the atrocities, the cruelties, that occurred every minute of every day.
I did not enjoy The Noble Path, but at the same time I loved it. I loved the little kindnesses, the humanity of the characters. There were times that I gasped in horror, times that I wept with sorrow, and times that my heart swelled at some small deed.
This is a story of lost innocence on many levels, of human resilience, of the power of the love of a mother, and the search of a daughter for her father. It is a novel of the horrors and inhumanity of war. It is a novel of love, death and survival. It is a novel of hope.
My favourite quote: The dead couldn't hurt you. But they filled your mind, touching your soul, a reminder that you too were only flesh and blood and would one day return to the earth. Dust to dust.
#TheNoblePath #NetGalley
😳😢😯😍
THE AUTHOR: Peter May is a Scottish television screenwriter, novelist, and crime writer. He is the recipient of writing awards in Europe and America. The Blackhouse won the U.S. Barry Award for Crime Novel of the Year and the national literature award in France, the CEZAM Prix Litteraire.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Quercus Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Noble Path by Peter May for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'John Alexander Elliott,' he spoke with a thick Belfast brogue. 'Ex-British army. Now freelancing. He killed McAlliskey. And O'Neill.' He paused. 'We want him dead.'
ABOUT THIS BOOK: THE EVIL WRATH
Cambodia, 1978: Amid the Khmer Rouge's crazed genocide, soldier-of-fortune Jack Elliott is given the impossible task of rescuing a family from the regime.
THE PAINFUL TRUTH
Eighteen-year-old orphan and budding journalist Lisa Robinson has received the impossible news that her father is, in fact, alive. His name is Jack Elliott.
THE NOBLE PATH
As Jack tracks the hostages and Lisa traces her heritage, each intent on reuniting a family. Yet to succeed, they each must run a dangerous gauntlet of bullets and betrayal.
MY THOUGHTS: Not my normal genre but, to be honest, if Peter May wrote the telephone directory, I would probably read it.
Although this book is set in the 1970s, there are so many issues that are still current today.
WAR: There is always one being fought somewhere in the world, in which the civilians, the innocents, bear the brunt.
REFUGEES: A problem that has become worse over the years, not better. Yet who can blame these people who have already suffered so much, for wanting a better life.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING: There are always people looking to make money out of selling people dreams, then using them for their own ends.
This novel is not Peter May's normal fare. And I must say that I prefer his Lewis trilogy, and the Enzo series, but The Noble Path is compelling reading. I vaguely remember newscasts covering the Cambodian war...but I was of an age where I was far more interested in the weekend's agenda. Yes, I was shallow. I was aware on a peripheral basis, but if it didn't affect me directly......for which I now unreservedly apologise.
The Noble Path contains graphic violence, but nothing that is gratuitous, in fact, it has probably been toned down. I cannot, and do not want to, imagine the atrocities, the cruelties, that occurred every minute of every day.
I did not enjoy The Noble Path, but at the same time I loved it. I loved the little kindnesses, the humanity of the characters. There were times that I gasped in horror, times that I wept with sorrow, and times that my heart swelled at some small deed.
This is a story of lost innocence on many levels, of human resilience, of the power of the love of a mother, and the search of a daughter for her father. It is a novel of the horrors and inhumanity of war. It is a novel of love, death and survival. It is a novel of hope.
My favourite quote: The dead couldn't hurt you. But they filled your mind, touching your soul, a reminder that you too were only flesh and blood and would one day return to the earth. Dust to dust.
#TheNoblePath #NetGalley
😳😢😯😍
THE AUTHOR: Peter May is a Scottish television screenwriter, novelist, and crime writer. He is the recipient of writing awards in Europe and America. The Blackhouse won the U.S. Barry Award for Crime Novel of the Year and the national literature award in France, the CEZAM Prix Litteraire.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Quercus Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Noble Path by Peter May for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
January 17, 2020
As eighteen-year-old Lisa Robinson watched on at her mother’s funeral, her realization that she had no one made her angry. Her father had died many years before; how dare her mother leave her like this! Her friend David tried to comfort her as she noted a strange man on the outskirts of the people, watching in the rain. Who was he? She’d never seen him before…
It was 1978 and Jack Elliott was headed into Cambodia to rescue a family – Ny, her brother Hau and their mother Sereg had been trapped in refugee camps for years after their father and husband had escaped without them. Now he wanted them with him and would pay Jack handsomely for his trouble. With Mike Slattery and Billy McCue – old soldiers like himself – by his side, they headed into the impossible. Would they even get out alive, let alone find the refugees? Danger on every level, betrayal and money – a deadly combination.
The Noble Path by Peter May was a long read at 544 pages, but I enjoyed it very much. Re-released by May after its original publication in 1992, he describes a little about how the book came about, his light editing before this publication and the reasoning behind one particular character. I found that interesting before the story even started. Intrigue, the horrors of the Khmer Rouge’s rule, the narcissism of those in charge – a fascinating story that’s a big leap from May’s usual work. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
It was 1978 and Jack Elliott was headed into Cambodia to rescue a family – Ny, her brother Hau and their mother Sereg had been trapped in refugee camps for years after their father and husband had escaped without them. Now he wanted them with him and would pay Jack handsomely for his trouble. With Mike Slattery and Billy McCue – old soldiers like himself – by his side, they headed into the impossible. Would they even get out alive, let alone find the refugees? Danger on every level, betrayal and money – a deadly combination.
The Noble Path by Peter May was a long read at 544 pages, but I enjoyed it very much. Re-released by May after its original publication in 1992, he describes a little about how the book came about, his light editing before this publication and the reasoning behind one particular character. I found that interesting before the story even started. Intrigue, the horrors of the Khmer Rouge’s rule, the narcissism of those in charge – a fascinating story that’s a big leap from May’s usual work. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2019
3 - 4 stars. This is a reissue with some changes, of a book that Peter May originally wrote in the 1980’s. There was much in the book I thought was very good and it seemed extremely well researched but I felt the ending was too protracted and I lost some focus. The action in this thriller principally took place in the late 70’s Thailand and Cambodia then known as Kampuchea under the control of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot, when Jack Elliot was hired by Ang Yuon to rescue his family (wife Serey, daughter Ny, son Hau) from Cambodia.
John (Jack) Elliot was ex British Army, court martialled and imprisoned for an incident in Aden, turned soldier of fortune, a gun for hire as he demonstrated in bandit country otherwise known as Armagh, Northern Ireland where the action began. Jack has developed a hard exterior, a protective barrier, which was caused by guilt and as he explained in the book ‘no one loves you’, ‘Deaths too easy. Life’s much harder’. However, he showed some vulnerability later on which was interesting. He had been married but following Aden his wife divorced him and told his daughter Lisa that he was dead. Lisa was young, naive, impressionable although this changed throughout the action in the book as she took the decision to search for Elliot and followed him to Thailand. I found this very contradictory as it didn’t seem to gel with how she was portrayed and I’m not certain whether a young girl ,on her own, in the late 70’s with zero experience would have done this????? However, in Thailand she learned to her cost that people will use you and abuse you and she returned to Britain a different girl.
There were some excellent descriptions of Thailand some of which were very beautiful but the less appealing side was clearly shown too. The most fascinating parts took place in Cambodia where the effects of the regime and returning society to the Year Zero were graphically portrayed. Peter May demonstrated how the people were broken in spirit and body by the forced return to an agrarian society. One scene in a former school were especially unsettling. As a contrast to Phnom Penh under the Khmer Rouge there were some beautiful descriptions of how it was before 1975 which made it even sadder.
Elliot did rescue the Cambodian family but he paid a high price, as did they. In particular Ny who sacrificed herself and her body to save her family. Overall, there was much to praise in the book but the escape from Cambodia just went on too long for me and I lost some interest. The ending was one step too far for me. It did help to already have some knowledge of these events but it isn’t by any means essential as it’s clearly explained.
John (Jack) Elliot was ex British Army, court martialled and imprisoned for an incident in Aden, turned soldier of fortune, a gun for hire as he demonstrated in bandit country otherwise known as Armagh, Northern Ireland where the action began. Jack has developed a hard exterior, a protective barrier, which was caused by guilt and as he explained in the book ‘no one loves you’, ‘Deaths too easy. Life’s much harder’. However, he showed some vulnerability later on which was interesting. He had been married but following Aden his wife divorced him and told his daughter Lisa that he was dead. Lisa was young, naive, impressionable although this changed throughout the action in the book as she took the decision to search for Elliot and followed him to Thailand. I found this very contradictory as it didn’t seem to gel with how she was portrayed and I’m not certain whether a young girl ,on her own, in the late 70’s with zero experience would have done this????? However, in Thailand she learned to her cost that people will use you and abuse you and she returned to Britain a different girl.
There were some excellent descriptions of Thailand some of which were very beautiful but the less appealing side was clearly shown too. The most fascinating parts took place in Cambodia where the effects of the regime and returning society to the Year Zero were graphically portrayed. Peter May demonstrated how the people were broken in spirit and body by the forced return to an agrarian society. One scene in a former school were especially unsettling. As a contrast to Phnom Penh under the Khmer Rouge there were some beautiful descriptions of how it was before 1975 which made it even sadder.
Elliot did rescue the Cambodian family but he paid a high price, as did they. In particular Ny who sacrificed herself and her body to save her family. Overall, there was much to praise in the book but the escape from Cambodia just went on too long for me and I lost some interest. The ending was one step too far for me. It did help to already have some knowledge of these events but it isn’t by any means essential as it’s clearly explained.
August 23, 2019
I have enjoyed reading Peter May novels for sometime now especially the 'Lewis Trilogy' and 'The China Thrillers' but unfortunately this one did not rise to those high standards.
The original novel was written some time ago but was rewritten / edited to exclude sex scenes that were more fashionable at the time of its release.
There are two stories running in this novel, firstly discredited British Army officer Jack Elliot facing the task of rescuing a family in Cambodia from the evil regime where they face death. And secondly eighteen year old orphan Lisa Robinson searching for the father she never knew was alive, the same Jack Elliott.
This is a decent read and certainly worth a look but not the author's best work
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Quercus for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The original novel was written some time ago but was rewritten / edited to exclude sex scenes that were more fashionable at the time of its release.
There are two stories running in this novel, firstly discredited British Army officer Jack Elliot facing the task of rescuing a family in Cambodia from the evil regime where they face death. And secondly eighteen year old orphan Lisa Robinson searching for the father she never knew was alive, the same Jack Elliott.
This is a decent read and certainly worth a look but not the author's best work
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Quercus for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2019
The Noble Path is a stand-alone novel by award-winning Scottish journalist, screenwriter and author, Peter May. First published in 1992, this edition has been recently edited (removing much of the gratuitous sex, the author notes in his forward) and reissued.
It’s late 1978 and mercenary, Jack Elliot has agreed to extract a wealthy Cambodian refugee’s family from Khmer Rouge-held Democratic Kampuchea. But there are a few complications that may affect his chances of success. While his wife, Serey and his daughter Ny are forced to till the fields, and are subject to the whims of their guards, Ang Yuon’s twelve-year-old son, Hau has become part of the Khmer Rouge militia. Jack Elliot is forced to rely on Thai suppliers for the weapons he will need to complete his mission.
He calls on a reliable mate from his Vietnam days, but Mick Slattery hasn’t yet revealed that cancer will be cutting short his life. Mick has recruited American ex-soldier Billy McCue, whose motivation is monetary: enough to take his Thai wife and young son back home is what will keep him focussed on this job. The only possible border crossing point is thick with Khmer Rouge units and all this against a background of unconfirmed mass genocide.
Eighteen-year-old Lisa Robinson has just buried her mother when she uncovers information about the father she believed long dead. A tenacious journalism student, Lisa learns her father, John Alexander Elliot, is in Thailand, and she’s determined to track him down. And Jack does not realise that on his last mission, taking out an IRA bomber (or two), he was identified and has a price on his head.
Will everyone come out of this unscathed? In this adventure romp, May easily evokes his setting: the heat and humidity of Thailand and Cambodia are palpable. There’s plenty of action, and there’s a high body count, but the characters are initially not well developed, only gaining some depth in the final chapters. This fairly early May novel shows promise but lacks that special quality that is characteristic of his later work.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Quercus riverrun books
It’s late 1978 and mercenary, Jack Elliot has agreed to extract a wealthy Cambodian refugee’s family from Khmer Rouge-held Democratic Kampuchea. But there are a few complications that may affect his chances of success. While his wife, Serey and his daughter Ny are forced to till the fields, and are subject to the whims of their guards, Ang Yuon’s twelve-year-old son, Hau has become part of the Khmer Rouge militia. Jack Elliot is forced to rely on Thai suppliers for the weapons he will need to complete his mission.
He calls on a reliable mate from his Vietnam days, but Mick Slattery hasn’t yet revealed that cancer will be cutting short his life. Mick has recruited American ex-soldier Billy McCue, whose motivation is monetary: enough to take his Thai wife and young son back home is what will keep him focussed on this job. The only possible border crossing point is thick with Khmer Rouge units and all this against a background of unconfirmed mass genocide.
Eighteen-year-old Lisa Robinson has just buried her mother when she uncovers information about the father she believed long dead. A tenacious journalism student, Lisa learns her father, John Alexander Elliot, is in Thailand, and she’s determined to track him down. And Jack does not realise that on his last mission, taking out an IRA bomber (or two), he was identified and has a price on his head.
Will everyone come out of this unscathed? In this adventure romp, May easily evokes his setting: the heat and humidity of Thailand and Cambodia are palpable. There’s plenty of action, and there’s a high body count, but the characters are initially not well developed, only gaining some depth in the final chapters. This fairly early May novel shows promise but lacks that special quality that is characteristic of his later work.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Quercus riverrun books
January 11, 2020
I’m always eager to dive into more Peter May, and when I heard about The Noble Path, I was super curious. It sounded like another winner and I was happy to dive in.
Unfortunately, I had difficulty getting into this one. It was so slow going that I kept putting it down, not as invested in it as I usually am with a Peter May book. Add in the fact I did not care for the characters – found them rather flat, if I’m honest – and this one failed to wow me in the way Peter May usually wows me.
I think this is a case of Peter May’s early books not being up to his usual standard. You can certainly see how far he has come since this.
Unfortunately, I had difficulty getting into this one. It was so slow going that I kept putting it down, not as invested in it as I usually am with a Peter May book. Add in the fact I did not care for the characters – found them rather flat, if I’m honest – and this one failed to wow me in the way Peter May usually wows me.
I think this is a case of Peter May’s early books not being up to his usual standard. You can certainly see how far he has come since this.
August 29, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for an advance copy of The Noble Path, a stand alone adventure set in Thailand and Cambodia originally published in 1992 and recently revised and republished.
In late 1978 mercenary Jack Elliot is offered a large sum of money to rescue Ang Serey and her two children from Cambodia by her husband, Yuon, who had managed to escape four years earlier. Cambodia is a genocidal, fanatical, communist regime so it will be a dangerous mission. In the meantime Jack’s daughter Lisa learns that he is not dead as she had been told and is determined to connect with him.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Noble Path which is a highly improbable but exciting and addictive read. The narrative switches between the two plots, Jack and Lisa’s separate adventures, with several voices in each. That sounds confusing and the switching can be choppy at times but the multiple voices within each narrative are well done and enrich the read rather than distract or confuse. As I said, the plots are improbable but I just went with the flow and soon got involved. I found Jack’s story exciting and couldn’t help rooting for him as he and his small team blast their way across Cambodia (Mr May’s term as it was officially called Kampuchea). Lisa’s story is something else, more a tale of lost innocence and degradation. It is unedifying and I found it hard to sympathise with her as I couldn’t shake the idea that her stupidity brought it about. I don’t like to think what it says about me as she suffered, although, to be honest, her story seems like an add on that could have been easily deleted and not missed.
Mr May admits in his forward that he couldn’t get into Cambodia for research but it isn’t obvious as the novel is very atmospheric from the geography to the political situation and the human suffering. It is extremely well done and eye opening.
The Nobel Path is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
In late 1978 mercenary Jack Elliot is offered a large sum of money to rescue Ang Serey and her two children from Cambodia by her husband, Yuon, who had managed to escape four years earlier. Cambodia is a genocidal, fanatical, communist regime so it will be a dangerous mission. In the meantime Jack’s daughter Lisa learns that he is not dead as she had been told and is determined to connect with him.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Noble Path which is a highly improbable but exciting and addictive read. The narrative switches between the two plots, Jack and Lisa’s separate adventures, with several voices in each. That sounds confusing and the switching can be choppy at times but the multiple voices within each narrative are well done and enrich the read rather than distract or confuse. As I said, the plots are improbable but I just went with the flow and soon got involved. I found Jack’s story exciting and couldn’t help rooting for him as he and his small team blast their way across Cambodia (Mr May’s term as it was officially called Kampuchea). Lisa’s story is something else, more a tale of lost innocence and degradation. It is unedifying and I found it hard to sympathise with her as I couldn’t shake the idea that her stupidity brought it about. I don’t like to think what it says about me as she suffered, although, to be honest, her story seems like an add on that could have been easily deleted and not missed.
Mr May admits in his forward that he couldn’t get into Cambodia for research but it isn’t obvious as the novel is very atmospheric from the geography to the political situation and the human suffering. It is extremely well done and eye opening.
The Nobel Path is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
November 22, 2019
“The Noble Path” by Peter May is the reissue of a novel written nearly thirty years ago, and it is just as compelling today as it was then. The primary setting is war torn Cambodia, 1978, under the Khmer Rouge. The three main story lines are complex and tragic with compelling and interesting characters. A woman searches for the absent father, long thought to be dead. A family is abandoned in the midst of war and chaos; years later the father who escaped seeks to be reunited with them. A mercenary conducts the search, a black ops specialist, a gun for hire, paid assassin; he does it for the money. He is the fixer who weaves in and out of the other stories.
The characters tell the same stories but from different perspectives. This provides an overall look at the action, and allows readers to observe how characters deal with the multitude of complex situations in which they find themselves. Raw emotions run just under the surface, resentment, bitterness, revenge, vindication, compassion, resolve to survive, understanding, and forgiveness.
May’s writing has exceptional depth and detail. This story is current, and compelling, and the descriptive language is without equal. The food, the geography, and the people make the story come alive for readers.
“The Noble Path” is about people, their hopes, dreams, disappointments, and tragedies. I was given a review copy by Peter May, Quercus Books, and Riverrun Books. It is thought provoking, tragically realistic, and violent. It is not for sensitive readers, but it does make readers think about life, death and war. Many talk about the innocent victims of war, but perhaps the real victims are the ones who survive it.
The characters tell the same stories but from different perspectives. This provides an overall look at the action, and allows readers to observe how characters deal with the multitude of complex situations in which they find themselves. Raw emotions run just under the surface, resentment, bitterness, revenge, vindication, compassion, resolve to survive, understanding, and forgiveness.
May’s writing has exceptional depth and detail. This story is current, and compelling, and the descriptive language is without equal. The food, the geography, and the people make the story come alive for readers.
“The Noble Path” is about people, their hopes, dreams, disappointments, and tragedies. I was given a review copy by Peter May, Quercus Books, and Riverrun Books. It is thought provoking, tragically realistic, and violent. It is not for sensitive readers, but it does make readers think about life, death and war. Many talk about the innocent victims of war, but perhaps the real victims are the ones who survive it.
November 5, 2019
I read and thoroughly enjoyed Peter May's China Series, this one however I battled with.
There is a fair amount of jumping around at the start which is a bit confusing, I think that could have been more cohesive.
It is a story of mercenaries sent to rescue family members from Cambodia in the 1970's, set amongst the turmoil cause by the Khmer Rouge. Jack Elliot, an ex-British officer leads his team of two on the rescue mission. It is nothing you haven't read or seen before.
Meanwhile in London, Lisa just having attended her mother's funeral discovers that her father is not in fact dead and is none other than Jack Elliot. Lisa decides to find him and follows his tracks. I found her behaviour for an 18 year old to rather out of character and that of her boyfriend.
This is a reprint of what I think must have been one of his earliest novels and it shows, his later novels are exponentially better.
Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC of #TheNoblePath in exchange for my honest review
There is a fair amount of jumping around at the start which is a bit confusing, I think that could have been more cohesive.
It is a story of mercenaries sent to rescue family members from Cambodia in the 1970's, set amongst the turmoil cause by the Khmer Rouge. Jack Elliot, an ex-British officer leads his team of two on the rescue mission. It is nothing you haven't read or seen before.
Meanwhile in London, Lisa just having attended her mother's funeral discovers that her father is not in fact dead and is none other than Jack Elliot. Lisa decides to find him and follows his tracks. I found her behaviour for an 18 year old to rather out of character and that of her boyfriend.
This is a reprint of what I think must have been one of his earliest novels and it shows, his later novels are exponentially better.
Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC of #TheNoblePath in exchange for my honest review
March 15, 2021
A gripping high-action adventure novel based in Southeast Asia in the 1970s. I listened to the audiobook which is brilliantly narrated by Peter Forbes, and I felt transported to Thailand ,Cambodia and Malaysia where much of the storyline is set. I learnt quite a bit about events in the region and the plight of the boat people in particular. On the downside, I struggled with Lisa’s character and choices - not as convincing as the others. And I don’t disagree with reviewers who felt that the Thai characters in particular were based on stereotypes with too few positive or redeeming qualities . On the upside, I really enjoyed the story. It’s well written, great dialogue, plenty of unexpected drama, and it kept me gripped right until the very final twist. I liked that the heroes weren’t really heroes. I felt moved by the perseverance against adversity. (Thank you Catherine, the perfect recommendation for an audiobook for long journey).
October 21, 2019
Visit the locations in the novel
I’d forgotten that Peter May wrote this novel set in Cambodia so I was intrigued to read it. It’s been revised and rewritten since it was first published and is a step away from his Scottish novels, so it was interesting to discover.
It’s also very different from his other ones and has an older feel to it, but this is of course due to the twenty years difference in writing between them and the subject matter. Cambodia and the terrors of the Khmer Rouge are well-documented but I’ve never read about them in quite the same way before.
If you’ve ever wondered what life in Cambodia at that time must have been like, then this is the book for you. The author explains that he wasn’t allowed to enter the country to research it. However, he didn’t let that stop him. This author has ways of finding things out! The plot is strong to shine a light on the subject matter. Moreover, the time and place really make this a striking read in many ways.
It’s very graphic in places and the sense of violence and injustice are of course going to play a major part in this kind of novel. John Elliot as a former officer in the British army. Working now as an assassin for hire. He’s on his most dangerous case yet of helping someone to find someone. There’s lots of adventure and action scenes which were thrilling but for me the power of this book lies in the human angle, the human aspect of living in the times of such political turmoil. Times of danger, death and constant fear of the Khmer Rouge.
Reading about it in a history book is hard enough, but in a novel, it’s even more so. In the novel you get a real sense of the daily life in that country. You really get under the skin of what is going on and you get to know the people in the country. Peter May has a unique style and way of mixing cultural and political history with gripping plots and interesting characters and this book proves to be a timely reminder.
October 6, 2019
4 Stars
In 1975, a mother and her two children flees a city in Cambodia. Their husband and father has taken the one of the last US helicopters to flee the country. Jack Elliott is now looking for this missing family in a country torn by the Khmer Rouge.
Eighteen-year old Lisa Robinson has just buried her thirty-seven year old mother who died of breast cancer. Her mind returns to an old box in the attic of her mother's home. She got into serious trouble for looking in the old box of papers and photographs when she was a child. She retrieves it now.
Meanwhile Jack has gone to Thailand, the starting point for his and two comrades' journey into Kampuchea (Cambodia).
Following a disastrous encounter with her “boyfriend,” Lisa gets it into her head that she will find her father. She has been informed by an old friend of Jack's that he has gone to Thailand. She heads to Thailand.
This is a reprint of one of Mr. May's first novels. I found it to be very good, although perhaps not as good as his later works, such as “The Lewis Trilogy.” ( I gave those five stars.) But as an early work, it was very well written and plotted. I truly enjoyed (? hmm) reading about Kampuchea under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Perhaps enjoyed is the wrong word, more like I was totally fascinated. I saw the movie “The Killing Fields” when it first came out in the theaters and again later, many times. It is a real eye-opener and so very sad. As a lover of history and a teenager during the VietNam police action (cough...), I was thrilled to be chosen by the publisher and NetGalley to read this early Peter May work.
Mr. May's description of the poverty and hopelessness of the local citizenry in Kampuchea was spot on. He painted colorful and very observant pictures of the people and countryside. He described the cruelty of the guards and the corruption of the whole ruling class/politicians very well.
I thought that the Lisa character was a little young and naive to be set free on her own in Thailand, especially given the recent ending of the VietNam War.
I want to thank NetGalley and Quercus (US)/riverrun for forwarding to me a copy of this very interesting book for me to read, enjoy and review.
In 1975, a mother and her two children flees a city in Cambodia. Their husband and father has taken the one of the last US helicopters to flee the country. Jack Elliott is now looking for this missing family in a country torn by the Khmer Rouge.
Eighteen-year old Lisa Robinson has just buried her thirty-seven year old mother who died of breast cancer. Her mind returns to an old box in the attic of her mother's home. She got into serious trouble for looking in the old box of papers and photographs when she was a child. She retrieves it now.
Meanwhile Jack has gone to Thailand, the starting point for his and two comrades' journey into Kampuchea (Cambodia).
Following a disastrous encounter with her “boyfriend,” Lisa gets it into her head that she will find her father. She has been informed by an old friend of Jack's that he has gone to Thailand. She heads to Thailand.
This is a reprint of one of Mr. May's first novels. I found it to be very good, although perhaps not as good as his later works, such as “The Lewis Trilogy.” ( I gave those five stars.) But as an early work, it was very well written and plotted. I truly enjoyed (? hmm) reading about Kampuchea under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Perhaps enjoyed is the wrong word, more like I was totally fascinated. I saw the movie “The Killing Fields” when it first came out in the theaters and again later, many times. It is a real eye-opener and so very sad. As a lover of history and a teenager during the VietNam police action (cough...), I was thrilled to be chosen by the publisher and NetGalley to read this early Peter May work.
Mr. May's description of the poverty and hopelessness of the local citizenry in Kampuchea was spot on. He painted colorful and very observant pictures of the people and countryside. He described the cruelty of the guards and the corruption of the whole ruling class/politicians very well.
I thought that the Lisa character was a little young and naive to be set free on her own in Thailand, especially given the recent ending of the VietNam War.
I want to thank NetGalley and Quercus (US)/riverrun for forwarding to me a copy of this very interesting book for me to read, enjoy and review.
December 30, 2020
The Noble Path is an older, edited novel by Peter May. May offers reasons in the foreword why he edited the book after its original publication as well information about his research for the book. There are no spoilers in the foreword which is refreshing.
Jack Elliot is a mercenary - skilled with weapons and able to get in and out without problems and finish the mission required. He is a disgraced former Vietnam British Army officer. He carries the knowledge of what he's done in his past into his present. Thrown into the mix with his current mission is the recent death of his estranged wife. His daughter, Lisa, now 18, notices a man at the small funeral who she doesn't recognize. Then it hits her that this man is the father her mother has always insisted is dead. Lisa decides it is HER mission to find him after the funeral and get to know the father she hasn't ever met but has only seen in a photo or two.
Lisa pulls out the stops including going through a box of papers and other photos her mother has left in the attic and finding Jack's friends and former military acquaintances. This sends her into territory she is completely unfamiliar with and into harms way. The minor characters within the story contribute to her story in a multitude of ways - not always positive.
Peter May never writes a bad book, in my opinion. His writing is crisp, direct and so vivid I felt everything from the heat of Bangkok to cold and drizzle of London. Pay no mind to the peer reviews that discourage reading The Noble Path. I've read current and recently written Peter May novels and am never disappointed. Note he does have two longer series so be aware before choosing the book to be sure you are reading the series in order. May has The Lewis Man trilogy and standalone novels such as I'll Keep You Safe, Coffin Road and Entry Island. All magnificent. I've only just started reading the longer series. I don't want to be without a May book on the shelf.
Jack Elliot is a mercenary - skilled with weapons and able to get in and out without problems and finish the mission required. He is a disgraced former Vietnam British Army officer. He carries the knowledge of what he's done in his past into his present. Thrown into the mix with his current mission is the recent death of his estranged wife. His daughter, Lisa, now 18, notices a man at the small funeral who she doesn't recognize. Then it hits her that this man is the father her mother has always insisted is dead. Lisa decides it is HER mission to find him after the funeral and get to know the father she hasn't ever met but has only seen in a photo or two.
Lisa pulls out the stops including going through a box of papers and other photos her mother has left in the attic and finding Jack's friends and former military acquaintances. This sends her into territory she is completely unfamiliar with and into harms way. The minor characters within the story contribute to her story in a multitude of ways - not always positive.
Peter May never writes a bad book, in my opinion. His writing is crisp, direct and so vivid I felt everything from the heat of Bangkok to cold and drizzle of London. Pay no mind to the peer reviews that discourage reading The Noble Path. I've read current and recently written Peter May novels and am never disappointed. Note he does have two longer series so be aware before choosing the book to be sure you are reading the series in order. May has The Lewis Man trilogy and standalone novels such as I'll Keep You Safe, Coffin Road and Entry Island. All magnificent. I've only just started reading the longer series. I don't want to be without a May book on the shelf.
December 27, 2022
Definitely one of those books that kept me on my toes. Kind of reminded me a bit of Tears of the Sun.
This book sets in different places with different people. Many sub plots within the main plot. Different times, different cultures and inevitably, a massive blood bath. It's long but very crispy.
Cambodia and Khmer Rouge were a very bleak memory for me. All I remember was pictures of Pol Pot and skulls, endless number of skulls. In this long narrative, there are so many true details embedded into a fiction in such a way, it felt so alive. Slattery's accident in the marshes and the school were disturbing. Specially the school was so unsettling and horrifying. May tried to show the impact the devastating war and systematic swipe out of people in mass scale has left in people. Ny and Hau were perfect examples of lives ruined and lead to a point where there was no return.
The excellent portraying of Bangkok in all its glory and the nasty darker side of it was very exiting. The live snuff shows gave a chill down my spine. Terrible and unbelievable.
The only issue was the ending. I don't dislike it but it somehow felt far fetched. I have no issue with Elliott finding happiness but I would've been happier if he came close to it and lost. Cynical but that would've been a good one.
Book #69 of 2022.
Book #03, Peter May
This book sets in different places with different people. Many sub plots within the main plot. Different times, different cultures and inevitably, a massive blood bath. It's long but very crispy.
Cambodia and Khmer Rouge were a very bleak memory for me. All I remember was pictures of Pol Pot and skulls, endless number of skulls. In this long narrative, there are so many true details embedded into a fiction in such a way, it felt so alive. Slattery's accident in the marshes and the school were disturbing. Specially the school was so unsettling and horrifying. May tried to show the impact the devastating war and systematic swipe out of people in mass scale has left in people. Ny and Hau were perfect examples of lives ruined and lead to a point where there was no return.
The excellent portraying of Bangkok in all its glory and the nasty darker side of it was very exiting. The live snuff shows gave a chill down my spine. Terrible and unbelievable.
The only issue was the ending. I don't dislike it but it somehow felt far fetched. I have no issue with Elliott finding happiness but I would've been happier if he came close to it and lost. Cynical but that would've been a good one.
Book #69 of 2022.
Book #03, Peter May
October 28, 2019
This is my third Peter May book and each of them has been completely different from this super-talented author. This book was originally written in the 1980s but has had a re-vamp to fit more into the style of writing for today's readers.
It is 1978 and soldier of fortune Jack Elliott has been employed to get a small team together and go to Cambodia to rescue the family of a man that he had to leave behind in the war. Back home in Britain Lisa Robinson's mother had recently died leaving her an orphan with a small fortune she had known nothing about. She had told that her father had died when she was a baby, now she has discovered that her father is alive. She remembers a man standing watching the funeral and now knows it was him. His name is Jack Elliott. Lisa, after a bit of digging, decides to track him down and books a plane ticket to follow him.
This is quite an epic journey, violent, traumatic and life-changing. The chapters switch between Elliott, Lisa and the family he has set out to rescue. The descriptions of the camps where the families are kept are horrific, very much in line with the second world war atrocities. Boy soldiers forced to commit terrible acts of violence, starving families, rape and executions. The perilous rescue and endless trek towards safety that just keeps moving further out of reach.
Lisa is extremely vulnerable in her new environment, too trusting and nieve. A trip into a hell she would never forget and which costs far more than money. It seemed a country where life had little value and could be bartered for as an expendable commodity. I read it all with a very grim unbelievable understanding as to how people could treat fellow humans like this and I knew it was all too real.
I really couldn't put this book down as every page brought a new danger, a pure adrenaline rush of urgency, tension and heartache. Not everyone can have a happy ending, life just isn't like that. Another stunning story, so looking forward to reading more Peter May books.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
It is 1978 and soldier of fortune Jack Elliott has been employed to get a small team together and go to Cambodia to rescue the family of a man that he had to leave behind in the war. Back home in Britain Lisa Robinson's mother had recently died leaving her an orphan with a small fortune she had known nothing about. She had told that her father had died when she was a baby, now she has discovered that her father is alive. She remembers a man standing watching the funeral and now knows it was him. His name is Jack Elliott. Lisa, after a bit of digging, decides to track him down and books a plane ticket to follow him.
This is quite an epic journey, violent, traumatic and life-changing. The chapters switch between Elliott, Lisa and the family he has set out to rescue. The descriptions of the camps where the families are kept are horrific, very much in line with the second world war atrocities. Boy soldiers forced to commit terrible acts of violence, starving families, rape and executions. The perilous rescue and endless trek towards safety that just keeps moving further out of reach.
Lisa is extremely vulnerable in her new environment, too trusting and nieve. A trip into a hell she would never forget and which costs far more than money. It seemed a country where life had little value and could be bartered for as an expendable commodity. I read it all with a very grim unbelievable understanding as to how people could treat fellow humans like this and I knew it was all too real.
I really couldn't put this book down as every page brought a new danger, a pure adrenaline rush of urgency, tension and heartache. Not everyone can have a happy ending, life just isn't like that. Another stunning story, so looking forward to reading more Peter May books.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
November 1, 2019
4.5 ⭐
I have never read anything by Peter May and I'm so glad that I have discovered him now! I will definitely read more of his books in the future. I find the writing style very easy and descriptive and this book captured my attention from the beginning to the end!
This book was originally published in 1992 and is set against the brutal canvas of south-east Asia in the 1970s. Peter May traveled to Thailand and did extensive research by reading a lot of books dealing with the history of the region. This definitely shows in how vivid his descriptions are of what was happening during those difficult years. "There is a seventeenth-century proverb which says, ‘When war begins hell opens.’ In this once lovely country in the heart of Indochina, hell opened when the war ended." Jack Elliot is an ex British soldier who spend five years in a military prison. He is now working as a freelance mercenary. He is hired by a rich Cambodian who managed to escape to America but had to leave his wife and children behind. His mission is to find and rescue the family. He recruits two people to help him but will this be an impossible mission for them? Can everyone they work with be trusted? Will they survive? In London a young girl is burying her mother and to her shock discovers her father is not dead like she though but very much alive. He is of cause none other then Jack Elliot. In her quest to find him she travels to Thailand but disaster strikes. Will she survive this ordeal?
In the authors own words this book is a fast paced "human adventure" that will have you on the edge of your seat! Highly recomend! Thank you to #netgalley and @QuercusBooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I have never read anything by Peter May and I'm so glad that I have discovered him now! I will definitely read more of his books in the future. I find the writing style very easy and descriptive and this book captured my attention from the beginning to the end!
This book was originally published in 1992 and is set against the brutal canvas of south-east Asia in the 1970s. Peter May traveled to Thailand and did extensive research by reading a lot of books dealing with the history of the region. This definitely shows in how vivid his descriptions are of what was happening during those difficult years. "There is a seventeenth-century proverb which says, ‘When war begins hell opens.’ In this once lovely country in the heart of Indochina, hell opened when the war ended." Jack Elliot is an ex British soldier who spend five years in a military prison. He is now working as a freelance mercenary. He is hired by a rich Cambodian who managed to escape to America but had to leave his wife and children behind. His mission is to find and rescue the family. He recruits two people to help him but will this be an impossible mission for them? Can everyone they work with be trusted? Will they survive? In London a young girl is burying her mother and to her shock discovers her father is not dead like she though but very much alive. He is of cause none other then Jack Elliot. In her quest to find him she travels to Thailand but disaster strikes. Will she survive this ordeal?
In the authors own words this book is a fast paced "human adventure" that will have you on the edge of your seat! Highly recomend! Thank you to #netgalley and @QuercusBooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 14, 2019
I have only recently discovered Peter May’s books. I started with the Lewis series which I really enjoyed even although I was irritated in parts by some of the characters. Great on the whole. I read Entry Island and now the Noble Path. The common thread seems to be that some of his characters you want to shake! His Primary characters have flaws but this makes them more real. This book was full of twists and turns and heart wrenching descriptions. I did really loved it.
January 22, 2020
Two people searching for different things... And a lot of stumbling along the way.
June 22, 2020
Excellent novel with a history lesson.
August 5, 2021
I haven't been this gripped by a book in years. Couldn't put it down
January 15, 2024
Trochu z jiného soudku než ostatní knihy Petera Maye, ale o hrdinech utrpení obětí Rudých Khmerů si budu pamatovat ještě hodně dlouho. Doporučuji.
September 14, 2019
I truly despised the ending.
October 30, 2019
It's the first book I read by Peter May and had quite expectations having read raving reviews of his books.
To be honest I'm in two mind because if I appreciated the realistic descriptions of the situation in Cambodia I found the plot a bit predictable and the characters mono-dimensional.
It was an entertaining read but I think it didn't age well and I want to try some of his thriller.
I assume it was not my cup of tea but it's me not the book.
Many thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
To be honest I'm in two mind because if I appreciated the realistic descriptions of the situation in Cambodia I found the plot a bit predictable and the characters mono-dimensional.
It was an entertaining read but I think it didn't age well and I want to try some of his thriller.
I assume it was not my cup of tea but it's me not the book.
Many thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
November 1, 2019
Had me hooked from page 1 ! My heart went out for Serey, Ny and Hau - some true aspects to this story which should not be forgotten.
October 3, 2019
Having read previous books by Peter May, this wasn’t what I was expecting at all. This is a novel Mr May wrote in the 1980’s which he has revised and is due for republication. The action of this book takes place in the late 1970’s in Thailand and Cambodia, which was then known as Kampuchea under the control of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot. I did struggle with reading this one, although I am not sure why, as it is well written, but it may just not be my type of story. However, I am sure there will be many readers who will love this plot and story.
John (Jack) Elliott is ex British Army, but had been court marshalled and imprisoned for an incident that happened in Aden. On release he turned to be a ‘soldier of fortune’, a gun for hire. He has built a barrier around himself a wall to protect him from hurt. His wife had divorced him after Aden, and told their daughter that he was dead. Lisa (the daughter) was a young, naive, impressionable girl. Although this changed in the story as she travelled to Thailand in the search of her father, she soon learned how people will use and abuse you. Returning to London she is a different girl than she was when she went to Thailand.
Jack Elliott is hired for a lot of money by Ang Young to rescue his family, Serey his wife, Ny his daughter, and Hau his son, from Cambodia. Jack knows this is a dangerous mission for him and his team. Ang Young had managed to escape four years earlier.
The story is told through several voices, but with two plots running through. Jack going in to Cambodia to attempt to rescue Ang Young’s family. The second where Lisa loses her mother, to then find out her father is not dead, as she had been led to believe by her mother. Lisa is determined to go and find her father. The two stories are intertwined and keep you on edge, wondering how it is all going to end. I personally didn’t like how the book ended, but again that is me and my opinion. The book has some fairly descriptive scenes of what would have been happening in the region at the time. Which some may find difficult to read.
The book is well researched despite Mr May explaining that he was unable to go into Cambodia to do actual research. From reading this you would not get that impression, it is quite atmospheric at times, not just geographically but also from the political situation and the human suffering. It made you think of what was going on in those years.
I would like to thank netgalley and Ruverrun publishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.
John (Jack) Elliott is ex British Army, but had been court marshalled and imprisoned for an incident that happened in Aden. On release he turned to be a ‘soldier of fortune’, a gun for hire. He has built a barrier around himself a wall to protect him from hurt. His wife had divorced him after Aden, and told their daughter that he was dead. Lisa (the daughter) was a young, naive, impressionable girl. Although this changed in the story as she travelled to Thailand in the search of her father, she soon learned how people will use and abuse you. Returning to London she is a different girl than she was when she went to Thailand.
Jack Elliott is hired for a lot of money by Ang Young to rescue his family, Serey his wife, Ny his daughter, and Hau his son, from Cambodia. Jack knows this is a dangerous mission for him and his team. Ang Young had managed to escape four years earlier.
The story is told through several voices, but with two plots running through. Jack going in to Cambodia to attempt to rescue Ang Young’s family. The second where Lisa loses her mother, to then find out her father is not dead, as she had been led to believe by her mother. Lisa is determined to go and find her father. The two stories are intertwined and keep you on edge, wondering how it is all going to end. I personally didn’t like how the book ended, but again that is me and my opinion. The book has some fairly descriptive scenes of what would have been happening in the region at the time. Which some may find difficult to read.
The book is well researched despite Mr May explaining that he was unable to go into Cambodia to do actual research. From reading this you would not get that impression, it is quite atmospheric at times, not just geographically but also from the political situation and the human suffering. It made you think of what was going on in those years.
I would like to thank netgalley and Ruverrun publishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.
October 16, 2019
Having read previous books by Peter May, this wasn’t what I was expecting at all. This is a novel Mr May wrote in the 1980’s which he has revised and is due for republication. The action of this book takes place in the late 1970’s in Thailand and Cambodia, which was then known as Kampuchea under the control of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot. I did struggle with reading this one, although I am not sure why, as it is well written, but it may just not be my type of story. However, I am sure there will be many readers who will love this plot and story.
John (Jack) Elliott is ex British Army, but had been court marshalled and imprisoned for an incident that happened in Aden. On release he turned to be a ‘soldier of fortune’, a gun for hire. He has built a barrier around himself a wall to protect him from hurt. His wife had divorced him after Aden, and told their daughter that he was dead. Lisa (the daughter) was a young, naive, impressionable girl. Although this changed in the story as she travelled to Thailand in the search of her father, she soon learned how people will use and abuse you. Returning to London she is a different girl than she was when she went to Thailand.
Jack Elliott is hired for a lot of money by Ang Young to rescue his family, Serey his wife, Ny his daughter, and Hau his son, from Cambodia. Jack knows this is a dangerous mission for him and his team. Ang Young had managed to escape four years earlier.
The story is told through several voices, but with two plots running through. Jack going in to Cambodia to attempt to rescue Ang Young’s family. The second where Lisa loses her mother, to then find out her father is not dead, as she had been led to believe by her mother. Lisa is determined to go and find her father. The two stories are intertwined and keep you on edge, wondering how it is all going to end. I personally didn’t like how the book ended, but again that is me and my opinion. The book has some fairly descriptive scenes of what would have been happening in the region at the time. Which some may find difficult to read.
The book is well researched despite Mr May explaining that he was unable to go into Cambodia to do actual research. From reading this you would not get that impression, it is quite atmospheric at times, not just geographically but also from the political situation and the human suffering. It made you think of what was going on in those years.
I would like to thank netgalley and Ruverrun publishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.
John (Jack) Elliott is ex British Army, but had been court marshalled and imprisoned for an incident that happened in Aden. On release he turned to be a ‘soldier of fortune’, a gun for hire. He has built a barrier around himself a wall to protect him from hurt. His wife had divorced him after Aden, and told their daughter that he was dead. Lisa (the daughter) was a young, naive, impressionable girl. Although this changed in the story as she travelled to Thailand in the search of her father, she soon learned how people will use and abuse you. Returning to London she is a different girl than she was when she went to Thailand.
Jack Elliott is hired for a lot of money by Ang Young to rescue his family, Serey his wife, Ny his daughter, and Hau his son, from Cambodia. Jack knows this is a dangerous mission for him and his team. Ang Young had managed to escape four years earlier.
The story is told through several voices, but with two plots running through. Jack going in to Cambodia to attempt to rescue Ang Young’s family. The second where Lisa loses her mother, to then find out her father is not dead, as she had been led to believe by her mother. Lisa is determined to go and find her father. The two stories are intertwined and keep you on edge, wondering how it is all going to end. I personally didn’t like how the book ended, but again that is me and my opinion. The book has some fairly descriptive scenes of what would have been happening in the region at the time. Which some may find difficult to read.
The book is well researched despite Mr May explaining that he was unable to go into Cambodia to do actual research. From reading this you would not get that impression, it is quite atmospheric at times, not just geographically but also from the political situation and the human suffering. It made you think of what was going on in those years.
I would like to thank netgalley and Ruverrun publishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.
October 16, 2019
The book is about the search for her father following the death of her mother. She has grown up believing him dead, only to realise the man at the funeral with the scar is him. The search follows him into Cambodia, Vietnam & Thailand.
The books pulls no punches showing the full horrors of what happened in these areas and there is no romanticism on the effect the father’s lifestyle has had him. But as the story progresses you go on a journey with him. The characters are fully rounded and it is an emotion packed book.
I was already a fan of Peter May but this is by far the best of his books I have read. Gritty & real but he also manages to make it heart warming despite the horror it portrays. And the ending was perfect.
The books pulls no punches showing the full horrors of what happened in these areas and there is no romanticism on the effect the father’s lifestyle has had him. But as the story progresses you go on a journey with him. The characters are fully rounded and it is an emotion packed book.
I was already a fan of Peter May but this is by far the best of his books I have read. Gritty & real but he also manages to make it heart warming despite the horror it portrays. And the ending was perfect.
October 14, 2019
Peter May transports us to Cambodia at the time of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in a no hood barred tale of deceit and corruption. Elliott sets off to find a family for Yuan and soon realised where he can and cannot trust his fellow beings. It portrays the life of those wishing to escape and how others embrace corruption persecution and prostitution to survive
Amidst this Elliots daughter seeks to find the father she has been brought up to believe died many years ago and their two quests collide in Thailand
I thoroughly enjoyed this well written and well researched novel my thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for an ARC copy to revuew
Amidst this Elliots daughter seeks to find the father she has been brought up to believe died many years ago and their two quests collide in Thailand
I thoroughly enjoyed this well written and well researched novel my thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for an ARC copy to revuew
August 30, 2019
I’ve read a number of books by Peter May and really enjoyed them all as they are well written and compelling stories.
I was excited to receive The Noble Path as a review copy via NetGalley and once I started reading it I realised it was going to be even more interesting as it had a historical aspect too.
In the preface May explains that the book was written many years ago but he has slightly edited it and republished. Obviously the original book was not historical but current when written.
Despite the fact it is a republished book I felt that it was just as relevant. today as it tells of refugees and their treatment.
Jack Elliot, a soldier of fortune is hired by Mr Ang to rescue his wife and two children whom he was forced to leave behind in Kampuchea when he escaped.
They are in a work camp prisoners of the Khmer Rouge.
Jack sets off with 2 other ex soldiers and heads to Thailand to buy weapons and enter Cambodia.
Meanwhile his estranged wife dies leaving his teenage daughter alone and when she discovers her father, whom she thought was dead, is actually alive, she follows him to Thailand.
However Jack has already crossed the border into Cambodia and Lisa is left alone, an innocent among some very evil people who befriend and then betray her.
These two parallel stories are told and both had me turning the pages to see if Lisa and Jack would ever get to meet.
The main theme of the book seems to be fractured family relationships. Jack and Lisa have never met, Ang’s wife feels betrayed by her husband and the children have barely seen him.
Due to his past and acts committed as a soldier in wartime conditions Jack feels that he cannot allow himself to form relationships or care for anyone.
I really liked the characters in the book, particularly Jack and Lisa. Grace was interesting and also conflicted, supposedly helping, Lisa yet happy to betray her.
The historical research about the Khmer Rouge and the boat people was impeccable and I learnt a lot about this time in the 1970s which is now history.
I highly recommend this book as a well written historical thriller.
I was excited to receive The Noble Path as a review copy via NetGalley and once I started reading it I realised it was going to be even more interesting as it had a historical aspect too.
In the preface May explains that the book was written many years ago but he has slightly edited it and republished. Obviously the original book was not historical but current when written.
Despite the fact it is a republished book I felt that it was just as relevant. today as it tells of refugees and their treatment.
Jack Elliot, a soldier of fortune is hired by Mr Ang to rescue his wife and two children whom he was forced to leave behind in Kampuchea when he escaped.
They are in a work camp prisoners of the Khmer Rouge.
Jack sets off with 2 other ex soldiers and heads to Thailand to buy weapons and enter Cambodia.
Meanwhile his estranged wife dies leaving his teenage daughter alone and when she discovers her father, whom she thought was dead, is actually alive, she follows him to Thailand.
However Jack has already crossed the border into Cambodia and Lisa is left alone, an innocent among some very evil people who befriend and then betray her.
These two parallel stories are told and both had me turning the pages to see if Lisa and Jack would ever get to meet.
The main theme of the book seems to be fractured family relationships. Jack and Lisa have never met, Ang’s wife feels betrayed by her husband and the children have barely seen him.
Due to his past and acts committed as a soldier in wartime conditions Jack feels that he cannot allow himself to form relationships or care for anyone.
I really liked the characters in the book, particularly Jack and Lisa. Grace was interesting and also conflicted, supposedly helping, Lisa yet happy to betray her.
The historical research about the Khmer Rouge and the boat people was impeccable and I learnt a lot about this time in the 1970s which is now history.
I highly recommend this book as a well written historical thriller.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews