Terorists. Tallinas prelūdija

A Thomas Laker Thriller #2

by Džons Lucs

Tallinā notiek mīklains terorakts – ir aizdomas, ka tas saistīts ar ASV valdību, tādēļ aģents Tomass Leikers tiek nosūtīts slepenā misijā risināt šo lietu... Tomēr viss notiek pretēji plānam: Leikera sabiedrotie tiek nogalināti, un viņš paliek viens briesmu epicentrā.

Otrā pasaules malā Leikera pāriniece Eiva Norta izmeklē kolēģa slepkavību. Kad viņa sadzen pēdas kādam kubiešu miljardierim, vadība liek sievietei atkāpties. Eiva ignorē pavēli. Viņa un Leikers saprot, ka abi ir iesaistīti vērienīgā sazvērestībā. Lai novērstu pasaules militāro krīzi un glābtu savu dzīvību, viņi rīkojas pēc pašu riskantā plāna...

Genres: Thriller, Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 29, 2019

Reviews

[RM(Alwaysdaddygirl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.





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[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Havana Game is a high-stakes espionage thriller that crosses the entire globe before a deadly showdown that just might determine the fate of the world. Laker is a secret agent but he’s so confident he knows what he’s doing sometimes he takes action without seeking backup from headquarters. Here, that action results in the world turning against Laker as he flees across Russia on how own Jason Bourne style with no one to turn to and no one to trust. Great action scenes in Vladivostok as Laker tries to figure out what’s going on with half the Red Army on his heels. although the second alternating point of view with Ava’s adventures is not quite as compelling, overall this is an easy-to-read fun exciting thriller worth picking up.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always enjoyed John Lutz books and was looking forward to reading his new series. However, Laker, in this series is more like a super hero than an ordinary spy. That being said I did enjoy the book. It was filled with non stop excitement, even though some of what when on was a little unbelievable that one man could survive all that he did.

[T Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a spy thriller, this actually seems more realistic than most, with no incredible superheroes or too far-fetched plot. Great story and characters, easy to read and really hard to predict.
Please don't try the rope trick at home, it won't work.

[Jud Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since he rose to power, Vladimir Putin has made no secret of the fact that he would like to restore Russia to its former glory. The biggest obstacle to that is retaking the countries that were formerly part of the USSR. It is therefore no surprise when a bomb is detonated in a part of Estonia known for its pro-Russia population. American intelligence agent Thomas Laker is tasked with finding a missing soldier who is thought to have a role in the attack. The puzzling thing is that no one is taking credit for the attack. An investigation reveals that the Semtex used in the bomb is from an American military base. Meanwhile, Laker’s girlfriend, who works for the NSA, is looking into the mysterious death of a low-level NSA employee. Neither one knows that the two investigations will soon intersect in the most unlikely of ways.

The Havana Game by John Lutz is a first rate thriller and the second one featuring Gray Outfit agent Thomas Laker. Lutz is an accomplished author, recipient of two Lifetime Achievement Awards and various others, including the Edgar and Shamus. As thrillers go, I would say Havana Game is especially well written because Lutz draws from and expands on actual world events to write a novel that is frighteningly realistic. This is the kind of novel that will keep a reader’s interest from the first page to the last. If you like authors such as Ted Bell and Robert Ludlum, put this book in your to-be-read pile. I would give this book 4/5 stars.

*A copy of this ebook is the only compensation received in exchange for this review.*

[Greville Waterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second Thomas Laker thriller and it's a good one.

It grabs you from the opening chapter and is a well crafted contemporary thriller that excites and enthrals.

John Lutz is an experienced writer and a safe pair of hands who knows exactly how to create a winning formula and the Thomas Laker series could well be a long lasting one.

[Inga · Rating 2 out of 5]

Šeit ir viss, ko var sagaidīt no "Kontinenta" krimiķa. Ieskaitot neskaidrības par pašas grāmatas izdošanas detaļām. Nopirku grāmatu parastā grāmatnīcā 2018. gada decembra sākumā. Kad lasot pamanīju pieminētu Krimas krīzi, paskatījos, kurā gadā tad ir iznācis oriģināls. Veram vaļā grāmatas sākumu, un – šeku reku – 2019. gads... Internets visur, kur skatos, saka to pašu, izņemot kaut kādu Googles automātisko atbildi, kuras avotu noskaidrot man tā arī neizdevās. Latviešu izdevumam gads grāmatas sākumā nav norādīts vispār, grāmatas beigās – arī 2019. Kontinenta mājaslapā savukārt – 2018. Tā nu sanāk, ka latvisko tulkojumu varam lasīt, vēl pirms ir iznācis angliskais oriģināls. Pats par sevi tas nebūtu nekas tik savāds (mazums, kurā izdevniecībā tad negadās visādi brīnumi), taču grāmatai uz vāka rakstīts arī "The New York Times bestsellers", un man ir pavisam interesanti, kā gan grāmata, kas nav vēl iznākusi, varētu jau iekļūt bestselleru sarakstā. Varbūt slikti meklēju, bet The New York Times bestselleru sarakstā šo tā arī neatradu. Var jau būt, ka kļūdos, bet man liekas, ka te kāds ir varenu ķīseli savārījis.

Sākotnējais grāmatas nosaukums ir "Havana Game", bet kuram tad Latvijā interesē kaut kāda "Havanas spēle", vai ne? Jolab tāpēc, ka, lai arī Havana grāmatā ir pieminēta, darbība tajā tikpat kā nenotiek, un spēles ne tik. Nosaukums ir viens no tiem, kurus atmet kā sunim kauliņu – grāmatu uzrakstīju, vairāk neko negribu, a tev vēl nosaukumu vajag? Nu, še, reku, šitāds. Var nozīmēt jebko. Tieši tikpat slinks ir latviskais nosaukums "terorists", bet, ņemot vērā tirgus specifiku (pareizāk sakot, ģeogrāfisko novietojumu), iekļauts apakšvirsraksts "Tallinas prelūdija". Jāteic, mārketinga nolūkos nostrādā tīri labi, jo vismaz manu uzmanību piesaistīja tieši ar to, kaut arī grāmatā pašā Tallina ir tikai... nu, jā, prelūdija.

Kopumā grāmata ir kārtējais "skrien, mūc, meklē" gabals bez īpašām iezīmēm, kas liktu to ilgāk atcerēties. Varu derēt, ka pēc mēneša būšu jau lielāko tiesu sižeta aizmirsusi (lai arī šādus lasu tieši sižeta dēļ). Atpūtai der labi. Domāt nevajag. Un arī nav vēlams, jo tad sāk līst laukā visādi nepabeigti gali. Tulkojums ir pašvaks, makten burtisks, arī personvārdu atveide raisa šaubas. Es nezinu, kā lielākā daļa no tiem bija rakstīti oriģinālā, bet, ja vien var ticēt pagaidām vienīgajai atsauksmei par šo grāmatu tepat, Goodreads, viens no tēliem ir Barsinian. Man grūti izdomāt, kā no tā var sanākt Barsināni. Turklāt viens tēls vienā teikumā tiek saukts par Taibērnu, bet jau nākamajā – par Tībērnu (75. lpp.). Sarunas izklausās makten mākslīgas, un, ja, piemēram, Agatas Kristi gadījumā tā nolasās kā viņas radītās pasaules īpatnība, tad šeit – gan tulkotāja, gan autora dēļ – ir diezgan kaitinoša. Nezinu, cik reižu grāmatā bezjēdzīgi atkārtojas vārds "māsīca", esmu par slinku, lai skaitītu, bet pietiekami daudz, lai iesēstos prātā.

Pēc grāmatas izlasīšanas paliek krietni daudz vaļīgu galu. Kas tad beigās palika ar Linu? Un Barsināni? Kāda velna pēc Barsināni pēc tikšanās ar Leikeru izdarīja to, ko izdarīja? Kāda velna pēc Leikers viņam vispār līda klāt, nevis nogaidīja? Galu galā kā tad paliek ar jauno žurnālistu pēc atgriešanās no Madaganas un īsās sarunas ar Leikeru? Ir ļoti daudz tādu "ai, gan jau". "Saiģot", kā saka valstī, kura šai grāmatā ir ļaunuma perēklis. Tāds tad tas romāns arī ir. "Saiģot", bet neko dižu gaidīt nevajag.

[Sue Blanchard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thankyou to NetGalley, Kensington Books, Pinnacle and the author, John Lutz, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Havana Game in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
What a really good read. The storyline was well written with compelling characters. I was hooked, trying to figure out how it was all going to end.
Worth a read.

[Brian Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent spy thriller. A well-paced caper that starts in Estonia and ends in Cuba, via Vladivostok and Mexico, with the US Marines coming to the rescue. The Russians and the Cubans are the bad guys with no Islamists in sight! A enjoyable and entertaining read.
Sad to learn that the author has died.

[Ricki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just love those action characters and Thomas Laker fits right in

[Sarita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and fascinating in acts one and two; act thee’s big action scenes were well thought out but, for me, tiresome to read. Clearly would make a fun movie.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gave it two stars since I finished it, but drags a lot and jumps around a lot. Tends to wander to different places and situations for no good reason. Somewhat nonsensical as well in several places.

[Janeadams Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-crafted thriller from a capable writer, The Havana Game moves along its tracks with solid pacing toward a predictable but still interesting denouement. Intelligence operative Tom Laker is on a bear hunt,just as his girlfriend, Ava North, a junior cryptologist at the NSA,, warned him when she mentioned her suspicions about a Russian attempt to stir up trouble on the NATO-protected border between the former Russian territory and the Baltic nation of Estonia. Ava's warnings to her own superiors are ignored, but Tom takes them seriously enough to head to Talkin before pursuing leads that take him across Russia, to Mexico, and eventually to Cuba before he's captured on the old freighter that's about to deliver a deadly cargo to a carefully camouflaged , long-prepared secret missile base. Imagine his surprise - but not the reader's - when he finds Ava in the same cell.
This is a well-told tale by an expert in the genre.