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The Black Art of Killing
THE ACTION-PACKED THRILLER ABOUT ONE MAN FIGHTING FOR THE TRUTH
'A Bond-style thriller for the 21st century . . . It feels like a movie already' Daily Mail
'A fast based, breathless thriller' 5***** Reader Review
'Brilliant. Incredibly immersive' Tom Marcus
_______
'People sleep peacefully only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf...'
After twenty years in the SAS, Leo Black put his soldiering life behind him in pursuit of a respectful academic career.
But when a former comrade in arms is killed trying to prevent a scientist's abduction, Black is plunged into his violent past again.
And that's just the start of it.
Because this scientist wasn't the first to go missing - and she won't be the last.
In a secretive facility in the Venezuelan jungle, a sinister plot is taking shape - one that will change the future of humanity itself.
Now, to uncover the mystery, Black must put his deadly skills to use once more . . .
_______
FROM THE SCREENWRITER OF BAFTA AWARD-WINNING SERIES KEEPING FAITH
'This is the new Bond' 5***** Reader Review
'This intelligent thriller is his best work yet' Sun
'A thriller with a difference . . . fast paced, well-written, all-action' 5***** Reader Review
'A fast-paced global thriller' Mail on Sunday
'Matthew Hall has crafted an action thriller with more texture than most' The Times
'Hall probes how a real-life Jack Reacher figure might cope with years of taking lives for the greater good, and Black's inner conflict gives the firefights and betrayals erupting around him unusual depth' The Times
Praise for Matthew Hall
'Breathlessly enjoyable' The Times
'An edge-of-the-seat thriller . . . should come with a health warning' Irish Independent
'Fasten your seatbelts for a quality thriller . . .' Independent on Sunday
'A Bond-style thriller for the 21st century . . . It feels like a movie already' Daily Mail
'A fast based, breathless thriller' 5***** Reader Review
'Brilliant. Incredibly immersive' Tom Marcus
_______
'People sleep peacefully only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf...'
After twenty years in the SAS, Leo Black put his soldiering life behind him in pursuit of a respectful academic career.
But when a former comrade in arms is killed trying to prevent a scientist's abduction, Black is plunged into his violent past again.
And that's just the start of it.
Because this scientist wasn't the first to go missing - and she won't be the last.
In a secretive facility in the Venezuelan jungle, a sinister plot is taking shape - one that will change the future of humanity itself.
Now, to uncover the mystery, Black must put his deadly skills to use once more . . .
_______
FROM THE SCREENWRITER OF BAFTA AWARD-WINNING SERIES KEEPING FAITH
'This is the new Bond' 5***** Reader Review
'This intelligent thriller is his best work yet' Sun
'A thriller with a difference . . . fast paced, well-written, all-action' 5***** Reader Review
'A fast-paced global thriller' Mail on Sunday
'Matthew Hall has crafted an action thriller with more texture than most' The Times
'Hall probes how a real-life Jack Reacher figure might cope with years of taking lives for the greater good, and Black's inner conflict gives the firefights and betrayals erupting around him unusual depth' The Times
Praise for Matthew Hall
'Breathlessly enjoyable' The Times
'An edge-of-the-seat thriller . . . should come with a health warning' Irish Independent
'Fasten your seatbelts for a quality thriller . . .' Independent on Sunday
460 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2020
45 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 5, 2020
Matthew Hall is the writer of one of my favourite series, the Coroner Jenny Cooper series, but this, his latest thriller is rather a different kettle of fish. It's a thriller featuring ex-SAS Major Leo Black, who made a life changing decision to move into academia late in life, now at the age of 50 as Dr Leo Black, he is at Worcester College, Oxford University lecturing to packed audiences of highly engaged students. However, Leo has no publications or research papers behind him, and he doesn't fit into the academic circles who scarcely view him as one of them. His new career is under threat, and he is hoping a paper he is planning to present in the US will secure him tenure and guarantee his academic future. In the SAS, his closest friend on many dangerous military operations was Sergeant Ryan Finn, although the two had not connected since Leo's abrupt and surprising departure.
Finn's wife, Kathleen, gets in touch with Leo when her husband is killed in Paris acting as bodyguard to a promising Oxford scientist, Dr Sarah Bellman, who is abducted from a hotel. He agrees to go to Paris to identify his body, weighed down with guilt at not keeping up his friendship with Finn. He wants revenge and justice for his friend, returning to Oxford after an incident in Paris. His old commanding officer, Colonel Freddie Towers, re-enters his life, informing him Bellman is one of a number of cutting edge scientists that have been taken for what appears to be nefarious corporate purposes. He wants Leo to find out what happened to Finn, Leo is reluctant, but it soon becomes clear he has no choice as his reputation is being publicly trashed and with it will go all his aspirations to establish his new career. As Leo settles all too easily into his former military person, he finds himself thrilled to once again be leading a dangerous, almost impossible mission he is unlikely to survive in South America.
Hall has Leo personify and present many of the dilemmas and problems of Western military interventions in volatile hotspots such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, and why they are almost invariably doomed to failure. This is a exciting, brutal, violent, tense and suspenseful thriller that is compulsive reading and easily garnered my attention. However, whilst I definitely enjoyed reading this, I personally have a stronger preference for his Coroner Jenny Cooper series. Fans of action thrillers with a strong military thread will likely enjoy this and appreciate the talents and gifts of the central protagonist, Leo Black. I should warn readers there is unethical animal experimentation and abuse in the book. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
Finn's wife, Kathleen, gets in touch with Leo when her husband is killed in Paris acting as bodyguard to a promising Oxford scientist, Dr Sarah Bellman, who is abducted from a hotel. He agrees to go to Paris to identify his body, weighed down with guilt at not keeping up his friendship with Finn. He wants revenge and justice for his friend, returning to Oxford after an incident in Paris. His old commanding officer, Colonel Freddie Towers, re-enters his life, informing him Bellman is one of a number of cutting edge scientists that have been taken for what appears to be nefarious corporate purposes. He wants Leo to find out what happened to Finn, Leo is reluctant, but it soon becomes clear he has no choice as his reputation is being publicly trashed and with it will go all his aspirations to establish his new career. As Leo settles all too easily into his former military person, he finds himself thrilled to once again be leading a dangerous, almost impossible mission he is unlikely to survive in South America.
Hall has Leo personify and present many of the dilemmas and problems of Western military interventions in volatile hotspots such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, and why they are almost invariably doomed to failure. This is a exciting, brutal, violent, tense and suspenseful thriller that is compulsive reading and easily garnered my attention. However, whilst I definitely enjoyed reading this, I personally have a stronger preference for his Coroner Jenny Cooper series. Fans of action thrillers with a strong military thread will likely enjoy this and appreciate the talents and gifts of the central protagonist, Leo Black. I should warn readers there is unethical animal experimentation and abuse in the book. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
April 4, 2020
Matthew Hall is one of the most vastly underrated writers working today and this new standalone thriller really packs a punch. It follows the exploits of Dr Leo Black, a former member of the SAS who decides to change direction and become a lecturer at Worcester College at Oxford University. When the wife of a friend, Sergeant Ryan Finn, from Leo’s days in the military comes forward to inform him that Ryan was killed whilst working as a bodyguard in Paris to an up and coming Oxford scientist Dr Sarah Bellman, who is now missing and thought to have been abducted from her hotel suite, he agrees to travel to Paris to identify his friend's body. When he returns to the UK his former Commanding Officer Colonel Freddie Towers informs him that this is not the first time a promising young scientist has been kidnapped and hopes Leo will investigate the disappearances to find out who is behind them and what their motives are. He is reticent but wants justice for Finn and so a daring and dangerous game of cat and mouse begins.
Although this is somewhat of a departure from his superb Jenny Cooper series it is every bit as compulsive and absorbing with danger lurking around every corner as Leo races across continents to discover the fate of those missing. The searing heat of South America is no match for Leo who investigates intensively putting himself in grave danger in the process. It is clear that Hall has carried out extensive research into modern warfare and issues surrounding military service. It's completely gripping and thought-provoking from the beginning and is packed with non-stop action; there is never a dull moment and the intelligent plotting means you never quite know where the story is heading. Leo is conflicted about whether he should still be the Special Forces soldier that is in his blood or discard that identity and take on a more sedentary role as an Oxford lecturer and I really enjoyed this about his character. He is a flawed and complex hero who has bags of personality meaning he comes alive on the page.
Overall, this is an exciting, intense, tension-filled page-turner that I found difficult to put down and one of the most vicious and violent books I've picked up of late. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Michael Joseph for an ARC.
Although this is somewhat of a departure from his superb Jenny Cooper series it is every bit as compulsive and absorbing with danger lurking around every corner as Leo races across continents to discover the fate of those missing. The searing heat of South America is no match for Leo who investigates intensively putting himself in grave danger in the process. It is clear that Hall has carried out extensive research into modern warfare and issues surrounding military service. It's completely gripping and thought-provoking from the beginning and is packed with non-stop action; there is never a dull moment and the intelligent plotting means you never quite know where the story is heading. Leo is conflicted about whether he should still be the Special Forces soldier that is in his blood or discard that identity and take on a more sedentary role as an Oxford lecturer and I really enjoyed this about his character. He is a flawed and complex hero who has bags of personality meaning he comes alive on the page.
Overall, this is an exciting, intense, tension-filled page-turner that I found difficult to put down and one of the most vicious and violent books I've picked up of late. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Michael Joseph for an ARC.
April 25, 2020
WOW!! What a brilliant book! It is not very often that you find a book full of action that belongs in the literary fiction section. Very intelligent writing and a fascinating story.
Major Leo Black has decided to call its quits after 20 years in the SAS. He did his PhD in military history and is now working as a professor at Oxford University. Then his ex-partner is killed in France, a few scientists are kidnapped and he is faced with a terrible choice.....stay out of it and continue with the new life he carved out for himself or get drawn back into a world where the only option is to kill or get killed.
"We cannot persuade hostile nations, cultures and individuals to our way of thinking overnight but we can offer the security and resources within which change can occur."
Well said, Mr Hall!
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK -Michael Joseph for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
Major Leo Black has decided to call its quits after 20 years in the SAS. He did his PhD in military history and is now working as a professor at Oxford University. Then his ex-partner is killed in France, a few scientists are kidnapped and he is faced with a terrible choice.....stay out of it and continue with the new life he carved out for himself or get drawn back into a world where the only option is to kill or get killed.
"We cannot persuade hostile nations, cultures and individuals to our way of thinking overnight but we can offer the security and resources within which change can occur."
Well said, Mr Hall!
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK -Michael Joseph for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
May 22, 2021
First read by the author and it was good fast fun action. Pretty violent. Definitely can see this being a tv show or film
September 22, 2020
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
This is a violent action / adventure thriller.
The characters are certainly believeable.
Although some of the action is far fetched if you like Rambo then this would certainly be one for you.
This is a violent action / adventure thriller.
The characters are certainly believeable.
Although some of the action is far fetched if you like Rambo then this would certainly be one for you.
June 14, 2020
In two minds...
There is no question that this is a great book. Matthew Hall, whose 'Coroner' series I enjoyed so much, has written something much darker and more profound. In the beginning I liked the hero, Leo Black. I loved the Oxford scenes, described beautifully and cleverly weaving into the story the political state of academia today. I enjoyed some of the Paris section too, despite the shock of violent death, vividly depicted and sparing nothing. But once Leo Black left the UK his character changed - all part of what the author is trying to convey - and I stopped sympathising.
There is something about settings in South America which instantly invokes fear, and again I suspect this is the reason Hall chose it for this harsh second part of the book. I loathed it. Violence was depicted with graphic intensity, and there were other scenes which wobbly readers like me will not enjoy.
I've given this book 4 stars, because the writing is excellent and the story gripping. But would I read it again? No, and I feel sad that there may be no more 'Coroner' books which gave me so much enjoyment.
There is no question that this is a great book. Matthew Hall, whose 'Coroner' series I enjoyed so much, has written something much darker and more profound. In the beginning I liked the hero, Leo Black. I loved the Oxford scenes, described beautifully and cleverly weaving into the story the political state of academia today. I enjoyed some of the Paris section too, despite the shock of violent death, vividly depicted and sparing nothing. But once Leo Black left the UK his character changed - all part of what the author is trying to convey - and I stopped sympathising.
There is something about settings in South America which instantly invokes fear, and again I suspect this is the reason Hall chose it for this harsh second part of the book. I loathed it. Violence was depicted with graphic intensity, and there were other scenes which wobbly readers like me will not enjoy.
I've given this book 4 stars, because the writing is excellent and the story gripping. But would I read it again? No, and I feel sad that there may be no more 'Coroner' books which gave me so much enjoyment.
June 15, 2021
I rescued this one from a free bin. I was hopeful for a Tom-Clancy-like novel, I guess. There was so much potential there but the ending was flat. It took me a month to finish it.
Read
March 17, 2021The book is a basic shoot em up and run around the world . There are some really glaring mistakes in the research that puts a damper on the excitement. Simple things end up with a cumulative sense of mistrust .
Black the main protagonist at one point is said to “thumb of the safety catch on his Glock 17 , the Glock 17 has the safety in the trigger not separately on the frame .This is one of the reasons why it has been widely adopted amongst the special forces .
The DH Caribou that our hero ends up flying on into the jungle has a hair raising landing with the pilot standing on the brakes to bring the aircraft to a stop short of disaster . The DH Caribou has one main reason for being widely used around the world , it is a STOL (short take off/landing) transport aircraft , it has two big props that are reversible and stop it very quickly .
During the final denouement the burning and explosion of the Super Puma Helicopters fuel storage is critical. The problem here is that it is supposedly High Octane Aviation fuel , wrong again . The engines of the Super Puma are Turbomeca turboshaft and run on Avtur (aviation turbine fuel) basically a form of kerosene.
So many plot drivers that really are badly researched and incorrect .
Black the main protagonist at one point is said to “thumb of the safety catch on his Glock 17 , the Glock 17 has the safety in the trigger not separately on the frame .This is one of the reasons why it has been widely adopted amongst the special forces .
The DH Caribou that our hero ends up flying on into the jungle has a hair raising landing with the pilot standing on the brakes to bring the aircraft to a stop short of disaster . The DH Caribou has one main reason for being widely used around the world , it is a STOL (short take off/landing) transport aircraft , it has two big props that are reversible and stop it very quickly .
During the final denouement the burning and explosion of the Super Puma Helicopters fuel storage is critical. The problem here is that it is supposedly High Octane Aviation fuel , wrong again . The engines of the Super Puma are Turbomeca turboshaft and run on Avtur (aviation turbine fuel) basically a form of kerosene.
So many plot drivers that really are badly researched and incorrect .
April 24, 2020
A story of inner conflict
Leo Black has served his country through his membership of The Regiment for two decades. He was the guy who performed his duties without question and had seen service in many of the world’s trouble spots. His sudden departure to lecture at Oxford angered his bosses and raised questions amongst his peers. It seemed a strange decision to make at the time and even Black could not give anyone an answer as to why he took that particular direction except he knew he had to discover what kind of man he really was and he could not do this whilst remaining a killing machine.
The plot starts slowly with Black working at Oxford towards becoming a fellow. There’s a love interest too in the form of a female colleague but he is older than many of the other new teaching staff and therefore has few other friends. His background also counts against him so he needs to impress the fellows as the opportunities to progress are very limited. At the same time his old colonel (Towers) is trying to convince him to return to work for him on a special project.
“The Black Art of Killing” is a thriller with a difference and I loved it. There is nothing wrong with a well-written SAS/MI5/MI6 type thriller and I have enjoyed many, but to find a story where the principal character agonises over whether he can justify his life of violence to himself is novel. The book is therefore as much about one man’s inner conflict as it is a fast paced, well-written, all-action thriller.
As the plot progressed so did the pace and it culminated in a twist which was both credible and shocking.
mr zorg
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.
Leo Black has served his country through his membership of The Regiment for two decades. He was the guy who performed his duties without question and had seen service in many of the world’s trouble spots. His sudden departure to lecture at Oxford angered his bosses and raised questions amongst his peers. It seemed a strange decision to make at the time and even Black could not give anyone an answer as to why he took that particular direction except he knew he had to discover what kind of man he really was and he could not do this whilst remaining a killing machine.
The plot starts slowly with Black working at Oxford towards becoming a fellow. There’s a love interest too in the form of a female colleague but he is older than many of the other new teaching staff and therefore has few other friends. His background also counts against him so he needs to impress the fellows as the opportunities to progress are very limited. At the same time his old colonel (Towers) is trying to convince him to return to work for him on a special project.
“The Black Art of Killing” is a thriller with a difference and I loved it. There is nothing wrong with a well-written SAS/MI5/MI6 type thriller and I have enjoyed many, but to find a story where the principal character agonises over whether he can justify his life of violence to himself is novel. The book is therefore as much about one man’s inner conflict as it is a fast paced, well-written, all-action thriller.
As the plot progressed so did the pace and it culminated in a twist which was both credible and shocking.
mr zorg
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.
April 15, 2020
Leo Black is a former special services soldiers, who is trying to reinvent himself as an academic at Oxford University. He is a popular tutor and is hoping for a fellowship after presenting a paper in America.
When one of his former comrades disappears in Paris, he is drawn back onto the secretive world, but having solved the mystery of Finn’s disappearance, he hopes to return to academic life.
However, his old boss Towers is keen for him to investigate the disappearance of various scientists, and, despite his best efforts to return to academic life, Leo finds himself forced to return to a career that he wanted to leave behind.
Once he is in SAS mode, he quickly organises a team to find the scientists, and almost single-handedly rescues them, with a lot of fighting, and details of armaments which I skip-read.
Along the way he discovers betrayal and conspiracy at the highest level, reminding why he wanted to quit this life. He also finds some peace of mind and hope for a different future.
This book is trying to be two things, there is the all-action soldier part, then there is the academic writing treatises and leading discussions on the morality of war, and they don’t sit easily together.
Each is good in its own right, but it makes the flow of the story very erratic.
In all an OK read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin (UK) – Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this book.
When one of his former comrades disappears in Paris, he is drawn back onto the secretive world, but having solved the mystery of Finn’s disappearance, he hopes to return to academic life.
However, his old boss Towers is keen for him to investigate the disappearance of various scientists, and, despite his best efforts to return to academic life, Leo finds himself forced to return to a career that he wanted to leave behind.
Once he is in SAS mode, he quickly organises a team to find the scientists, and almost single-handedly rescues them, with a lot of fighting, and details of armaments which I skip-read.
Along the way he discovers betrayal and conspiracy at the highest level, reminding why he wanted to quit this life. He also finds some peace of mind and hope for a different future.
This book is trying to be two things, there is the all-action soldier part, then there is the academic writing treatises and leading discussions on the morality of war, and they don’t sit easily together.
Each is good in its own right, but it makes the flow of the story very erratic.
In all an OK read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin (UK) – Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this book.
April 2, 2021
In The Black Art of Killing, Leo Black has quit the SAS to forge a new career in academia, but is finding it hard to gain acceptance at Worcester College, Oxford. When his former colleague and friend, Ryan Finn, is murdered in Paris, Leo is dragged back into a world he thought he had left behind forever. He no longer wants to kill but, unfortunately, people with his skills are often the only solution.
This intelligent thriller, with its flawed and conflicted main character, will set your pulse racing as well as make you think. Leo Black is an unusual combination of the physical and the cerebral, but this is exactly what makes him so dangerous. The Black Art of Killing is well written and fast paced, with several unexpected twists that I did not anticipate, and an impressive finale where Leo closes in on the bad guys deep in the Venezuelan jungle, though some suspension of disbelief is necessary.
I thought The Black Art of Killing had a cinematic quality, could imagine it being made into a film or TV series, and then discovered why; the author is a well-known screenwriter responsible for the likes of Keeping Faith and The Coroner. I don’t know if Matthew Hall intends to write more books featuring Leo Black, the ending is inconclusive, but I would definitely be interested in reading them if he does.
March 24, 2021
I probably bought this as an Amazon special offer on the blurb that was provided. Certainly action packed but only in sections as might be expected by the central theme of an ex-SAS soldier now finding peace and serenity in the academia of Oxford offering 'understanding' as the most effective solution to conflict.
Unfortunately for our main character, he's duped into returning to active service and then dragged further and further back to his old way of life (which he does very well and enjoys). Brutal in parts, definitely unethical for its story line but also strangely tame and slow in others. This character really does have difficulty in knowing who he is - even after the climax it appears as though his two character types are at odds with what he eventually decides. Throw in a fairly obvious double cross ; an extraordinary one man assault on a camp akin to Rambo; a religious orphanage in the depth of the jungle which both receives and supports the charitable actions of our protagonists and you've got a fair plot bag to choose from.
Unfortunately for our main character, he's duped into returning to active service and then dragged further and further back to his old way of life (which he does very well and enjoys). Brutal in parts, definitely unethical for its story line but also strangely tame and slow in others. This character really does have difficulty in knowing who he is - even after the climax it appears as though his two character types are at odds with what he eventually decides. Throw in a fairly obvious double cross ; an extraordinary one man assault on a camp akin to Rambo; a religious orphanage in the depth of the jungle which both receives and supports the charitable actions of our protagonists and you've got a fair plot bag to choose from.
April 16, 2020
This is a tense and suspenseful thriller in a similar vein to the Jack Reacher novels. Leo Black is ex-SAS and when his comrade of many years is murdered in Paris, he sets out to investigate the killing which appears to be linked to the disappearance of a number of scientists working on cutting edge nanotechnology.
There is more to this book than just the usual violence and gun battles. Leo is now an academic and he is researching the effectiveness of Western military interventions in other parts of the world. This provides the author with the opportunity to consider the quandaries and ethicality of such interference. Leo is rapidly concluding, despite his military background, that they do more harm than good.
This is a high action, fast paced read but I did baulk rather at some of the animal experimentation and abuse.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There is more to this book than just the usual violence and gun battles. Leo is now an academic and he is researching the effectiveness of Western military interventions in other parts of the world. This provides the author with the opportunity to consider the quandaries and ethicality of such interference. Leo is rapidly concluding, despite his military background, that they do more harm than good.
This is a high action, fast paced read but I did baulk rather at some of the animal experimentation and abuse.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2021
I’ve been a fan of Hall since discovering The Coroner, so was excited to read this new thriller. Here we meet Dr Leo Black retired after 20 years service in the SAS and now lecturing in History at Worcester College, Oxford. When the wife of a former colleague calls to say her husband has been killed whilst on protection duty in Paris, Black finds himself drawn back into the world he left behind, determined to find the sinister truth behind his friends murder. But just who can he trust? This a such a cleverly plotted thriller, taking the reader across Europe and South America as Black realises violence is justified when faced with true evil.
April 28, 2021
Overall, really enjoyable. I found it a little unbalanced though. The main character is engaging and easy to invest in but where I found the imbalance was in the competing themes, namely the violent ex warrior vs the dusty professor. I mean..the books called the “black art of killing” and I doubt anyone bought it excited to delve into the worrisome mishaps of a conflicted academic. I wanted to read about how under the teachers cloak was a killing machine waiting for an excuse to carve up the enemy. I wasn’t disappointed by any stretch but there were slightly dull bits that could’ve been shorter in my ultra-picky opinion. Very much worth a read though!
May 14, 2020
Found this a really disappointing change of direction for this author. I have really enjoyed all of Matthew Hall's books up to now but I struggled to finish this one.
I believe this was originally meant for a TV or film treatment which didn't happen and that would probably have been fine.
This reads as a gung-ho mission to rescue kidnapped scientists from the mega bad guys. I found it unbelievable and really quite annoying and, if this is a permanent direction for this author, I will not be buying any more.
I believe this was originally meant for a TV or film treatment which didn't happen and that would probably have been fine.
This reads as a gung-ho mission to rescue kidnapped scientists from the mega bad guys. I found it unbelievable and really quite annoying and, if this is a permanent direction for this author, I will not be buying any more.
March 10, 2022
Oh wow.
It is a well written story. I enjoyed the simplified debate presented in this story between humanities and science. Science studies the natural world and how its different species act individually and with others, while humanities studies the inner world of self and the ways which it functions and perceives things. Simply put science is the study of facts, while humanities is the study of thoughts. But where to draw the line between facts and thoughts? especially, in an age of idealistic view.
I loved the speech at the end.
It is a well written story. I enjoyed the simplified debate presented in this story between humanities and science. Science studies the natural world and how its different species act individually and with others, while humanities studies the inner world of self and the ways which it functions and perceives things. Simply put science is the study of facts, while humanities is the study of thoughts. But where to draw the line between facts and thoughts? especially, in an age of idealistic view.
I loved the speech at the end.
January 5, 2023
Mostly routine thriller with a slightly pedestrian main character that is saved by some really excellent set pieces.
The author seems to be primarily a screenwriter and I think it shows: the parts between the action scenes, the characters themselves, feel emotionally underdeveloped, but when the writer switches to those action scenes he seems to find his stride, even to be genuinely having fun. There is definitely potential in the series and it will be interesting to see if the author grows into the character in future stories.
The author seems to be primarily a screenwriter and I think it shows: the parts between the action scenes, the characters themselves, feel emotionally underdeveloped, but when the writer switches to those action scenes he seems to find his stride, even to be genuinely having fun. There is definitely potential in the series and it will be interesting to see if the author grows into the character in future stories.
March 21, 2020
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
a honeytrap
kidnapped scientists
security men killed
a jack reacher/seals style book that holds you gripped till the end...quite a bit of detail some over my head but on the whole there was enough to keep me interested right to the end
a bit graphic and gruesome but kept within the storyline how to rescue some missing scientists that was miles in a jungle...
a honeytrap
kidnapped scientists
security men killed
a jack reacher/seals style book that holds you gripped till the end...quite a bit of detail some over my head but on the whole there was enough to keep me interested right to the end
a bit graphic and gruesome but kept within the storyline how to rescue some missing scientists that was miles in a jungle...
Read
November 7, 2020This is such a fantastic book and, as such, it was chosen as one of the books for our #AdventureSociety book club. The titles for this club were chosen by the judging panel for this year's Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize.
Find out more about the online book club here: https://www.wilbur-niso-smithfoundati...
And do join our informal reading group here on Goodreads, too! https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Find out more about the online book club here: https://www.wilbur-niso-smithfoundati...
And do join our informal reading group here on Goodreads, too! https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
March 23, 2021
This book was going well, good characters, good story line loads of potential then a massive flaw recounting a job where he and 5 others fast ripped from an Apache onto a ship !!. Basic mistake impossible an Apache is an arrack helicopter, that ended my reading if you can’t get basics right don’t insult us money and time wasted.
Sorry Matthew but never again you blew it or were failed by proof/ continuity readers
Mark Chinn
Sorry Matthew but never again you blew it or were failed by proof/ continuity readers
Mark Chinn
October 3, 2022
Brilliant ! Gripping !
Thoroughly brilliant book. I was hooked from the first page. I read this well into the early hours of a few mornings as I couldn't put it down. The energy portrayed in each page just made me want to read it quickly and consequently nothing else got done in my household, in fact I didn't even eat dinner I made do with a yoghurt whilst I read.
I'd definitely recommend this action packed book to others.
Fantastic
Thoroughly brilliant book. I was hooked from the first page. I read this well into the early hours of a few mornings as I couldn't put it down. The energy portrayed in each page just made me want to read it quickly and consequently nothing else got done in my household, in fact I didn't even eat dinner I made do with a yoghurt whilst I read.
I'd definitely recommend this action packed book to others.
Fantastic
June 1, 2021
The story was readable, started off a little clumsily but gradually found its feet. Unfortunately I couldn’t look past the fact that the whole ‘retired hero being the only man for the job’ premise was clearly manufactured to fit the ‘twist’ at the end
Not bad if you just want a bit of an adventure with plenty of bullets but I felt it was trying to be something it just wasn’t
Not bad if you just want a bit of an adventure with plenty of bullets but I felt it was trying to be something it just wasn’t
April 10, 2020
Not the usual Special Forces Thriller. Good character development, interesting story. Not read author previously but will certainly read in future. It's a different take on the ex-SAS operator which feels more realistic.
April 17, 2020
I enjoyed this. I received a copy from netgalley for an honest review. It was a good 'lose yourself for a few hours' kind of book. I personally enjoy something a bit more high octane technothriller whereas this was more solo bloke without the backing of a country saves the day.
March 13, 2021
Great read
Everything Matthew Hall writes is great . I've loved the Coroner series and wasn't sure about the departure from that genre. Really enjoyed this book. So well written with real character. Brill
Everything Matthew Hall writes is great . I've loved the Coroner series and wasn't sure about the departure from that genre. Really enjoyed this book. So well written with real character. Brill
April 1, 2021
Gritty and well crafted story
The writer skillfully brings the characters to life and as the story ends I feel like I am leaving a friend behind.
Great read if you like more than just action scenes to your stories.
The writer skillfully brings the characters to life and as the story ends I feel like I am leaving a friend behind.
Great read if you like more than just action scenes to your stories.
March 18, 2024
A refreshingly intellectual thriller. By turns philosophical and visceral, and always deeply immersive, Matthew Hall has crafted a superb adventure. I hope this won't be the last we hear of Leo Black.
March 31, 2020
Prestigious.
May 6, 2020
Not badly written, but I just couldn't stay interested. At 82% I realized it really didn't matter how the story would end.
DNF
DNF
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