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Scorpion #3
Scorpion Anschlag
“Andrew Kaplan represents a gold standard for thriller writing.”
—David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of The Brotherhood of the Rose
Espionage fiction is hotter than ever, as evidenced by the phenomenal success of Daniel Silva, Alex Berenson, and Ted Bell—and Andrew Kaplan plays the spy game as well as anyone out there. Following his stunning thriller, Scorpion Betrayal (which superstar author Harlan Coben called, “one of the smartest, swiftest and most compelling spy novels I’ve read in years”), Kaplan plunges his tough, code-named intelligence operative into the dangerous fray once more in Scorpion Winter. The ex-CIA agent-turned-freelance spy is on assignment in Russia, disturbing a hornet’s nest of assassination and political intrigue that could erupt in all-out global war in this electrifying espionage thriller that will enthrall Robert Ludlum, Brad Thor, and Vince Flynn fans.
Paperback
First published July 31, 2012
49 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Kaplan
26 books134 followersAndrew Kaplan is the author of two spy thriller book series: SCORPION and HOMELAND, as well as three earlier novels, DRAGONFIRE, HOUR OF THE ASSASSINS, and WAR OF THE RAVEN, which was selected by the American Library Association as one of the 100 best books ever written about World War II. A former freelance journalist and war correspondent, he covered events around the world and served in both the U.S. Army and the Israeli Army. His work has been called “a gold standard for thrillers” and has been translated into twenty languages, topping bestseller charts around the world. Recently three of Amazon’s top 20 thrillers at one time were Scorpion books: SCORPION BETRAYAL, SCORPION WINTER and SCORPION DECEPTION. In addition, he is the author of the runaway international bestseller, HOMELAND: CARRIE'S RUN, an original prequel novel based on the award-winning hit television series. HOMELAND: SAUL'S GAME is his second HOMELAND novel.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 16, 2022
When a small silver artifact is stolen from a dead man is Siberia, dominoes start to fall.
Nothing really stood out.
Nothing really stood out.
August 20, 2012
"Scorpion Winter" is the latest entry in author Andrew Kaplan's action/mystery Scorpion series, and its a good one. They're all good. Kaplan's hero is super-spy, super-sleuth, super-sly "Code Name Scorpion," he of a hundred identities and thousands of martial arts moves.
Yet despite all those "supers," Scorpion is a (sort of) real human being. He gets nervous when he's in a tough spot; he can't handle ten other master martial artists at the same time; he can't leap over tall buildings in a single bound. And -- horrors -- he is not even immune to torture. He sometimes even has to give up the good fight and be saved by someone else.
The plot and settings of "Scorpion Winter" involve the hero in exciting adventures in areas of the world ranging from the Middle East to Russia, and in this book, the Ukraine. With the help of a gorgeous Ukrainian democracy activist, he must stop, single-and-a-half-handedly, a potential war between Russia and Ukraine which would certainly spread to NATO forces led, of course, by the United States.
To accomplish the mission, he must overcome the evil ones arrayed against him within Ukraine and Russia, the deceit of the vicious criminals he must confront, including the Ukrainian Mafia, and even betrayal by his own CIA semi-compatriots, some of whom are his best friends. With friends like these...
Read the whole review at: http://www.examiner.com/review/scorpi...
Yet despite all those "supers," Scorpion is a (sort of) real human being. He gets nervous when he's in a tough spot; he can't handle ten other master martial artists at the same time; he can't leap over tall buildings in a single bound. And -- horrors -- he is not even immune to torture. He sometimes even has to give up the good fight and be saved by someone else.
The plot and settings of "Scorpion Winter" involve the hero in exciting adventures in areas of the world ranging from the Middle East to Russia, and in this book, the Ukraine. With the help of a gorgeous Ukrainian democracy activist, he must stop, single-and-a-half-handedly, a potential war between Russia and Ukraine which would certainly spread to NATO forces led, of course, by the United States.
To accomplish the mission, he must overcome the evil ones arrayed against him within Ukraine and Russia, the deceit of the vicious criminals he must confront, including the Ukrainian Mafia, and even betrayal by his own CIA semi-compatriots, some of whom are his best friends. With friends like these...
Read the whole review at: http://www.examiner.com/review/scorpi...
November 3, 2012
I have just sat down and read through all 3 of the Scorpion books and they are all excellent stories created by a true master of this genre. It is a benefit to start with Scorpion but definitely not necessary. Each book creates an intricate story of plots and sub plots and has the reader guessing to the end.
Scorpion Winter is one of the best books I have read of this genre and I have nearly 1000 signed books of the adventure, thriller and CIA action spy genre. It has everything and is one of those books you don’t want to put down. Every time you think there is a straight line going in a set direction there is suddenly a massive road block and that is what this book has in plenty. If you are a reader of this genre, take the time to read the three books in the Scorpion series, they are well crafted and a credit to Mr. Kaplan.
Scorpion Winter is one of the best books I have read of this genre and I have nearly 1000 signed books of the adventure, thriller and CIA action spy genre. It has everything and is one of those books you don’t want to put down. Every time you think there is a straight line going in a set direction there is suddenly a massive road block and that is what this book has in plenty. If you are a reader of this genre, take the time to read the three books in the Scorpion series, they are well crafted and a credit to Mr. Kaplan.
May 26, 2016
PROTAGONIST: Scorpion, free-lance agent
SETTING: Yemen, Russia
SERIES: #3 of 3
RATING: 3.0
When you pick up a thriller to read, you generally have the expectation that not everything that happens will be quite plausible. Many times the protagonist has a superior ability to remain alive in the most daunting of circumstances. His weapons never miss; he can knock off six villains before they even have a chance to blink. Of course, there is a beautiful female involved and it’s only a matter of time before they are unable to deny the attraction between them. These clichés are certainly present in SCORPION WINTER. It really depends on your ability as a reader to suspend disbelief whether they work for you or not. Surprisingly, I had less trouble with the romantic aspect than the superhuman survivor trope.
The plot was quite complex, and the suspenseful tone builds as Scorpion scrambles to defuse a situation which will lead to war. Kaplan does an excellent job of presenting the various settings in the book, along with the cultural and political influences which dictate how Scorpion must approach his assignments. The most fascinating setting for me was post-Chernobyl Russia. Even after all these years, radiation is a significant threat.
Although I am a fan of international thrillers, SCORPION WINTER didn’t quite work for me. The major problem that I had was the incorporation of foreign words and phrases from several languages into the narrative. At times, the words were defined but I could rarely remember what they meant if they were repeated. Sometimes you had to figure out what was meant from the context, a task that wasn’t entirely successful for me. Although in theory the use of foreign words and phrases may have brought credibility to the work, the author employed the device so frequently that it became a real barrier for me.
SETTING: Yemen, Russia
SERIES: #3 of 3
RATING: 3.0
When you pick up a thriller to read, you generally have the expectation that not everything that happens will be quite plausible. Many times the protagonist has a superior ability to remain alive in the most daunting of circumstances. His weapons never miss; he can knock off six villains before they even have a chance to blink. Of course, there is a beautiful female involved and it’s only a matter of time before they are unable to deny the attraction between them. These clichés are certainly present in SCORPION WINTER. It really depends on your ability as a reader to suspend disbelief whether they work for you or not. Surprisingly, I had less trouble with the romantic aspect than the superhuman survivor trope.
The plot was quite complex, and the suspenseful tone builds as Scorpion scrambles to defuse a situation which will lead to war. Kaplan does an excellent job of presenting the various settings in the book, along with the cultural and political influences which dictate how Scorpion must approach his assignments. The most fascinating setting for me was post-Chernobyl Russia. Even after all these years, radiation is a significant threat.
Although I am a fan of international thrillers, SCORPION WINTER didn’t quite work for me. The major problem that I had was the incorporation of foreign words and phrases from several languages into the narrative. At times, the words were defined but I could rarely remember what they meant if they were repeated. Sometimes you had to figure out what was meant from the context, a task that wasn’t entirely successful for me. Although in theory the use of foreign words and phrases may have brought credibility to the work, the author employed the device so frequently that it became a real barrier for me.
November 8, 2014
While the idea behind the book may strike you as interesting and somewhat prophetic (the book was published in 2012 and talks about Russia attempting to take over Ukraine and using elections to do so), don't let it fool you into spending any time or money on this one. The story drags on and on and on very very very slowly. The sequences of events make very little sense. The characters constantly act illogically. But the worst of all is the absolute butchery of the Russian and Ukrainian languages and cultures.
In this day and age there is absolutely no excuse for failure to check spelling, pronunciation, and proper usage of foreign words. The author, obviously, could not be bothered. Poorly structured dialogs sprinkled with misspelled and misused words and phrases provide an appropriate background for what seems to be an unending sequence of cultural discrepancies and blunders. Situations and behaviors seem to be based on stereotypes from bad 1980s movies and Cold War propaganda than on the reality.
If one actually finds enough time and stamina to struggle through the book, the reader would emerge from the ordeal with a perverted impression of many cultural elements and a collection of useless noises that the author is trying to sell for a language. There are many good thrillers that involve Russia and Eastern Europe that are more fun to read and much more accurate from cultural standpoint.
In this day and age there is absolutely no excuse for failure to check spelling, pronunciation, and proper usage of foreign words. The author, obviously, could not be bothered. Poorly structured dialogs sprinkled with misspelled and misused words and phrases provide an appropriate background for what seems to be an unending sequence of cultural discrepancies and blunders. Situations and behaviors seem to be based on stereotypes from bad 1980s movies and Cold War propaganda than on the reality.
If one actually finds enough time and stamina to struggle through the book, the reader would emerge from the ordeal with a perverted impression of many cultural elements and a collection of useless noises that the author is trying to sell for a language. There are many good thrillers that involve Russia and Eastern Europe that are more fun to read and much more accurate from cultural standpoint.
September 26, 2013
What a finale! Must say, it was difficult to read. It took a long time til 75% but then I read the whole finale in 1.5 hours. You never know how his books will end (although all spy novels have something in common...). There's something like a small cliffhanger at the end of the book, so right now I'm downloading the next one.
The torture scenes are pretty hard stuff and maybe Scorpion is a little too much of a hero (although he's the first spy that really breaks). The Ukrainian names were tough and I sometimes wondered who was who. I'd give 3 stars for the first 75% of the book but 6 stars for the last 25% so all in all it's worth reading it!
The torture scenes are pretty hard stuff and maybe Scorpion is a little too much of a hero (although he's the first spy that really breaks). The Ukrainian names were tough and I sometimes wondered who was who. I'd give 3 stars for the first 75% of the book but 6 stars for the last 25% so all in all it's worth reading it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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June 22, 2013I loved this book. There was twists and turns I didn't see coming and the lead character is the type of character I like. Cynical and yet has a moral compass to some degree. It's a brilliant book and it reads fast and quick.
September 22, 2012
Yet another entry in the crowded espionage/thriller genre. I am a big fan of Barry Eisler's John Rain series, which does a great job of "humanizing" a cold-blooded assassin for hire. To me, Scorpion is less well developed as a character, although this may change with subsequent entries in the series. At some point I will read the 1st book in the series, Scorpion Betrayal, but I am in no hurry. There was not enough to set this story apart from all the others for me to give it more than 3 stars - an OK read, but not great.
November 14, 2013
absolutely excellent! I found it hard at first pronouncing some of the Ukrainian/Russian words but it didn't spoil the fast pace excitement and unexpectedness of the read, it just made it more authentic. now reluctant to the read the next book in fear that it maybe last in the series... so I may just wait till I find out then savour the last book if it is .... or can't I wait!!!!
February 2, 2014
A well written thriller spy novel. Fast paced with a lot of action and suspense. Interesting characters with realistic interactions.
June 7, 2013
A well-told spy novel. Scorpion, an ex-CIA agent and super-spy, is contracted to stop the assassination of a Ukrainian political candidate. The usual twists and turns ensue. A fun read.
February 10, 2014
A great read. The book is fast-paced and brings the characters and environment to life. The book kept me turning the pages, I finished a few days ago, but forgot to update. :/
March 17, 2014
Awesome book. Very timely as the day I read it, Ukraine just had a referendum on the Crimea.
October 5, 2013
lots of action kept me interested
October 8, 2019
Not a bad read. Every chapter is filled with thriller action that keeps you turning to the next page which makes you read the book fast and makes it hard to put down. There were some elements I didn't quite like which I won't share for spoiler reasons, but overall it was a well-written spy novel. I think part of the reason some parts threw me off though, I will admit, is that I assumed this was the first book in the series and discovered much later it must not be with some of the details that come up later.
February 24, 2019
Gave this book 100 pages, couldn't get into it. It read like an episode of Homeland, so I was excited for it...but now i see why target had it on clearance for $1.28
April 3, 2019
Strange but interesting book. CIA mysteries in the dead of winter is just way too cool. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.... WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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April 28, 2022Jest git
March 19, 2024
Had to slog through this one .
September 3, 2016
I didn't even finish the book. The story dragged on and on and I couldn't follow it very well. I liked the idea behind it, but I couldn't bring myself to read through all of the vulgarity. You couldn't read through an entire page without the main character cussing. There were also a few phrases that kept being repeated.
June 26, 2021
Book 3 in the series which I guess I'm trying to re-read. I really liked how big of a part winter/cold played in this book.
I enjoyed the book- it is a spy thriller and very much a summer read in my opinion.
I enjoyed the book- it is a spy thriller and very much a summer read in my opinion.
March 11, 2013
It was just OK. I was glad to get to the end so that I could start something more exciting
January 20, 2014
Not impressed with the plot.
June 16, 2015
Cinematic, action packed, spies, political struggles, assassinations, mafia and a beautiful woman. 007 with a twist.
February 29, 2016
Worth finishing.
April 25, 2017
Better political fiction than spy thriller. Ukrainian background, even if exaggerated, is pretty accurate. Description of Russian true plans toward Ukraine - prophetic. But the multi-levelled intrigue and demonic bad guys make the story implausible.
"Rosja jest zadowolona. Waszyngton jest zadowolony. Bruksela jest zadowolona. NATO się nie rozpadło, więc wszyscy mają zagwarantowane pensyjki" - konkluduje Skorpion swoją ukraińską misję. Jego zadaniem było nie dopuścić do zabójstwa jednego z prezydenckich kandydatów. Zamordowanie prorosyjskiego polityka miało być prowokacją, która doprowadzi do inwazji Rosji na Ukrainę. Jak zwykle u Kaplana, ani intencje zleceniodawców akcji, ani jej przebieg nie były zgodne z tym, czego agent kontraktowy, Skorpion, mógł oczekiwać.
Jeśli chodzi o ukraińskie realia, autor nieźle odrobił lekcję. A w opisie rzeczywistych planów Rosji wobec Ukrainy, można by go nawet uznać za proroka, wziąwszy pod uwagę fakt, że książka, wydana w 2012 roku, parę lat wyprzedziła realizację niektórych z tych planów. Oczywiście, jak to z political fiction bywa, zarówno opis okoliczności opisywanych wydarzeń, tła kulturowego, jak i roli poszczególnych bohaterów (naturalnie, jak zastrzega autor, nie mających nic wspólnego z rzeczywistymi postaciami) jest mocno przerysowany. Najgorsze, że moim zdaniem, cała intryga jest tak wielopiętrowa, a uwikłani w nią źli faceci tak zdemonizowani, że, paradoksalnie, cierpi na tym sensacyjna warstwa powieści.
Andrew Kaplan jest za to, również w Zimie Skorpiona, naśladowcą Johna le Carré w tworzeniu niejednoznacznej atmosfery wokół poczynań szpiegów. Robi to, trzeba przyznać, z pewnym wdziękiem, choć zestaw doznań będących udziałem Skorpiona ze strony ludzi, od których w swoich misjach jest zależny, powtarza się właściwie we wszystkich książkach cyklu. "Miałem do wyboru: mój kraj, czy mój przyjaciel" - takie wyjaśnienie usłyszał Skorpion po zakończeniu swojej ukraińskiej przygody.
"Rosja jest zadowolona. Waszyngton jest zadowolony. Bruksela jest zadowolona. NATO się nie rozpadło, więc wszyscy mają zagwarantowane pensyjki" - konkluduje Skorpion swoją ukraińską misję. Jego zadaniem było nie dopuścić do zabójstwa jednego z prezydenckich kandydatów. Zamordowanie prorosyjskiego polityka miało być prowokacją, która doprowadzi do inwazji Rosji na Ukrainę. Jak zwykle u Kaplana, ani intencje zleceniodawców akcji, ani jej przebieg nie były zgodne z tym, czego agent kontraktowy, Skorpion, mógł oczekiwać.
Jeśli chodzi o ukraińskie realia, autor nieźle odrobił lekcję. A w opisie rzeczywistych planów Rosji wobec Ukrainy, można by go nawet uznać za proroka, wziąwszy pod uwagę fakt, że książka, wydana w 2012 roku, parę lat wyprzedziła realizację niektórych z tych planów. Oczywiście, jak to z political fiction bywa, zarówno opis okoliczności opisywanych wydarzeń, tła kulturowego, jak i roli poszczególnych bohaterów (naturalnie, jak zastrzega autor, nie mających nic wspólnego z rzeczywistymi postaciami) jest mocno przerysowany. Najgorsze, że moim zdaniem, cała intryga jest tak wielopiętrowa, a uwikłani w nią źli faceci tak zdemonizowani, że, paradoksalnie, cierpi na tym sensacyjna warstwa powieści.
Andrew Kaplan jest za to, również w Zimie Skorpiona, naśladowcą Johna le Carré w tworzeniu niejednoznacznej atmosfery wokół poczynań szpiegów. Robi to, trzeba przyznać, z pewnym wdziękiem, choć zestaw doznań będących udziałem Skorpiona ze strony ludzi, od których w swoich misjach jest zależny, powtarza się właściwie we wszystkich książkach cyklu. "Miałem do wyboru: mój kraj, czy mój przyjaciel" - takie wyjaśnienie usłyszał Skorpion po zakończeniu swojej ukraińskiej przygody.
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