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Victor the Assassin #4
Better Off Dead
Alternative cover edition can be found here
A hitman must be anonymous, amoral... and alone.
Victor is the face in the crowd you don't see, a perfect assassin with nothing to live for.
But when an old friend turns to him for help, he finds he can't refuse. For once his objective isn't to kill, but to protect.
Hunted through the streets of London by ruthless enemies, Victor needs to be more than just a bodyguard... but his every move leads danger closer to the very person he's vowed to defend.
A hitman must be anonymous, amoral... and alone.
Victor is the face in the crowd you don't see, a perfect assassin with nothing to live for.
But when an old friend turns to him for help, he finds he can't refuse. For once his objective isn't to kill, but to protect.
Hunted through the streets of London by ruthless enemies, Victor needs to be more than just a bodyguard... but his every move leads danger closer to the very person he's vowed to defend.
464 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2014
265 people are currently reading
1286 people want to read
About the author
Tom Wood
23 books1,284 followersHe is the author of the Victor series of 10 novels and 2 ebook novellas. Tom also wrote the standalone thriller A Knock at the Door under the pseudonym T W Ellis
Victor 10, TRAITOR, is out now in UK, IE, AS & NZ.
Subscribe to Tom's newsletter to stay up-to-date, and have the chance of winning signed copies and more: tomwoodbooks.com/newsletter
Victor 10, TRAITOR, is out now in UK, IE, AS & NZ.
Subscribe to Tom's newsletter to stay up-to-date, and have the chance of winning signed copies and more: tomwoodbooks.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
July 3, 2015
Victor Number 4th. Published as No Tomorrow in the USA.
A hitman must be anonymous, amoral...and alone Victor is the face in the crowd you don't see, a perfect assassin with nothing to live for. But when an old friend turns to him for help, he finds he can't refuse. For once his objective isn't to kill, but to protect. Hunted through the streets of London by ruthless enemies, Victor needs to be more than just a bodyguard...but his every move leads danger closer to the very person he's vowed to defend.
I know many reviews regard this as a weaker collection in the Victor series, not me, yes I know what Tom Wood is so good at is the action, which is great in the surroundings of London, but I personally like to know Victor the assassin better, and here you do, especially to be adding hints of humour with his rare relationship in this book.
Action, suspense and gripping as always, great tough fight scenes, chases, but we dig deeper into the character of Victor with every book you read, which I like so much.
One thing is for sure, if a book can take me away from the television when Wimbledon is on it has do be "SO Good" and this book had me battling in my head, tennis or reading , I just could not stop reading the last 40% of the book read in two days.
I am so happy that I am on book number five of Victor, ready and excited as Tom Wood does a "Q & A" for my group " A Good Thriller" on the 14th July.
One question, why have these books not been turned into movies !
A usual five stars for me, just love this author.
A hitman must be anonymous, amoral...and alone Victor is the face in the crowd you don't see, a perfect assassin with nothing to live for. But when an old friend turns to him for help, he finds he can't refuse. For once his objective isn't to kill, but to protect. Hunted through the streets of London by ruthless enemies, Victor needs to be more than just a bodyguard...but his every move leads danger closer to the very person he's vowed to defend.
I know many reviews regard this as a weaker collection in the Victor series, not me, yes I know what Tom Wood is so good at is the action, which is great in the surroundings of London, but I personally like to know Victor the assassin better, and here you do, especially to be adding hints of humour with his rare relationship in this book.
Action, suspense and gripping as always, great tough fight scenes, chases, but we dig deeper into the character of Victor with every book you read, which I like so much.
One thing is for sure, if a book can take me away from the television when Wimbledon is on it has do be "SO Good" and this book had me battling in my head, tennis or reading , I just could not stop reading the last 40% of the book read in two days.
I am so happy that I am on book number five of Victor, ready and excited as Tom Wood does a "Q & A" for my group " A Good Thriller" on the 14th July.
One question, why have these books not been turned into movies !
A usual five stars for me, just love this author.
July 10, 2017
I very much like Tom Wood as an author. And I also very much like his primary character, Victor. In fact, this is the fourth book in the series and I had greatly enjoyed the first three before this one. Perhaps I am a bit peculiar, but I enjoy Victor's thought process far more than the violent episodes. I mean, I enjoy a good killing or maiming as well as the next guy, but I love the cleverness that underlies the inevitable death and destruction.
Better Off Dead contained fights that went on page after page after page after page... well, you get the idea, they were overly long and, as a result, they became boring. Every person with a modestly violent misspent youth knows that fights don't generally last more than two or three minutes. Interminable duels are the products of authors and scriptwriters. One of the fights in the book was so long that I, literally, skimmed the last few pages. After all, how many vicious chops to the spleen can one take before becoming bored.
Nonetheless, this was a very good book because the plot/story was very well done, the characters were believable and had depth - although the damsel in distress was a little too inconsistent for my taste - and Victor's droll humor was, once again, excellent. I shall continue to read about Victor's further adventures because I always enjoy reading Wood's books and sometimes I feel like Victor's only friend on earth.
Better Off Dead contained fights that went on page after page after page after page... well, you get the idea, they were overly long and, as a result, they became boring. Every person with a modestly violent misspent youth knows that fights don't generally last more than two or three minutes. Interminable duels are the products of authors and scriptwriters. One of the fights in the book was so long that I, literally, skimmed the last few pages. After all, how many vicious chops to the spleen can one take before becoming bored.
Nonetheless, this was a very good book because the plot/story was very well done, the characters were believable and had depth - although the damsel in distress was a little too inconsistent for my taste - and Victor's droll humor was, once again, excellent. I shall continue to read about Victor's further adventures because I always enjoy reading Wood's books and sometimes I feel like Victor's only friend on earth.
September 22, 2015
Victor is at it again (so to speak). This time he's involved in something that has roots in his past...a past we still know very little about. Tom Wood has created a protagonist here who manages to be the best at what he does yet doesn't come off in the least as a "Gary Stu" type character. We are always (for some reason) rooting for him. When it looks as though he's dead and can't ever survive the situation (even though we know he must unless all the books after this one are prequels) we are glad to see him beat his would be killer.
Now we'll get more hints about his past...and maybe just a few (very few) facts to add to those we already have hoarded from prior novels.
Just a heads up here (by the way) there is a supporting character/co-protagonist in this book that sort of vacillated between annoying me and driving me crazy. However I don't drop the book's rating any because of that. This is apparently what the character is supposed to do.
Anyway our stoic protagonist/antihero steps up to answer a call from his past and we get another thrill ride.
Enjoy, recommended.
Now we'll get more hints about his past...and maybe just a few (very few) facts to add to those we already have hoarded from prior novels.
Just a heads up here (by the way) there is a supporting character/co-protagonist in this book that sort of vacillated between annoying me and driving me crazy. However I don't drop the book's rating any because of that. This is apparently what the character is supposed to do.
Anyway our stoic protagonist/antihero steps up to answer a call from his past and we get another thrill ride.
Enjoy, recommended.
August 10, 2019
Victor is the coolest assassin
I've read a lot of thrillers but the Victor the Assassin books are among the best in the market at the moment. The Victor character is one of the smartest and most in control vigilante justice characters you can find. Rarely will you see him make a mistake, and as you get to know the character over several books, you can see how his past has created him this way.
The narrative is cleverly constructed with an unexpected twist at the end. The action sequences remind me of the Bourne films and the European setting is well described.
This book sees Victor protecting the daughter of a Russian gangster and their relationship is well constructed.
I can't say anything bad about this book. Tom Woods is plain and simple, a superb thriller author.
I've read a lot of thrillers but the Victor the Assassin books are among the best in the market at the moment. The Victor character is one of the smartest and most in control vigilante justice characters you can find. Rarely will you see him make a mistake, and as you get to know the character over several books, you can see how his past has created him this way.
The narrative is cleverly constructed with an unexpected twist at the end. The action sequences remind me of the Bourne films and the European setting is well described.
This book sees Victor protecting the daughter of a Russian gangster and their relationship is well constructed.
I can't say anything bad about this book. Tom Woods is plain and simple, a superb thriller author.
October 22, 2014
Another very good read from Tom Wood. The only downside to this book was the woman he was protecting, I thought she was very annoying. I agree with others, being a bodyguard isnt for Victor. Hes better when he works alone.
Great start, and a great final chapter. Victor does what comes natural to him, and kicks ass and outwits his opponents. All whilst staying cool calm and collected.
It would have been good if Tom explained why Victor held Giseles mother in such high regard.
Great start, and a great final chapter. Victor does what comes natural to him, and kicks ass and outwits his opponents. All whilst staying cool calm and collected.
It would have been good if Tom explained why Victor held Giseles mother in such high regard.
April 15, 2014
Blurb that Thing!
There’s nothing worse than not being able to say no to someone or something. Hold on. Maybe there is. Realizing you want to and don’t want to say no at the same time; knowing full well things will get messy and any prior worst –case scenarios will surely seem like a walk in the park. Oh joy! Victor’s answer is yes nonetheless. Fortunately, he isn’t one to dwell on decisions made and instead, focuses all his considerable talent and skills on completing his latest…obligation.
Rate that Thing!
Painstakingly accurate. Clinical. Free of emotion. Deadly.
Victor hasn’t lost his touch in the slightest, but he’s definitely out of his element this time around. No assassin “without a past” likes to be slapped in the face with the very past that wasn’t supposed to exist. Well, at least Victor would’ve preferred not to be reminded of a certain betrayal. Of course these circumstances were exactly what made Better Off Dead a great read.
Pretty much right off the bat it felt like Wood used a different approach to plan/develop the storyline as a whole. I could be completely wrong, but that’s the impression I got. The plot or rather the conflict was easily grasped if not to say basic in nature. A really good choice in this case, if you ask me! Why? Here goes: Not once was I confused about what Victor was supposed to do (looking at the big picture) and that’s exactly what paved the way for a more personal approach; personal because of Victor’s reasons to grant a favor in the first place, personal because said favor required quite a bit of rethinking in terms of not being the aggressor and simply executing a kill, but protecting another human being. Victor doesn’t protect and Victor certainly isn’t used to being considerate of someone. A challenge he had to face on top of trying to solve the problem - preferably by keeping his charge and himself alive (it was also refreshing to see Victor “miss a step” for lack of a better word; maybe especially so because he is not in the habit of repeating his mistakes).
So when I call the conflict in itself “basic” (the surprises unraveled as I read along) what I mean is it provided the necessary wiggle room to let the “unfamiliar” play out the way it needed to. And boy did it play out. Fear not, Victor didn’t lose his ruthlessness -cross double-tap (to) my heart.
It wasn’t an easy task for my favorite assassin to accomplish and thankfully so because I was looking forward to my action-fix. Got it and then some! I could go on and on about the thrill, the bad “guy”, the incredible movie-like fighting, but I won’t. I’ve said it all before in my other reviews. It ALL goes for Better Off Dead as well. I’m raising my hat to Wood.
As for the writing (syntax, variety, pace and so on), I have to say that it’s probably Wood’s best work to date. Smooth-flowing and well-structured and I literally not once had to reread a paragraph or stumbled over a word / phrasing that should’ve been avoided. Not. once.
New editing process? New editor? I have no idea, but the positive result stood out although I honestly didn’t have anything major (or at all ;-)) to complain about with the other books either.
Fantastic job! My favorite part? I have many to choose from, but if I had to pick just a one…how beginning and end fit together so brilliantly.
Whew, I’m a bit rusty…haven’t written a review in quite a while.
Can you guess my rating, my fellow thrill-seekers?
Beware of Spoilers!
A few of my favorite quotes for those of you who are interested:
° “Not only was he reputed to be an exceptional killer, he was proving exceptionally hard to kill."
° “...a solitary bullet was the sum total of all the power any enemy would ever need.”
° “What do you see when you look in the mirror? – I see the specular reflection of light.”
° “You’re asking me to risk my life for someone I’ve never met on the request of someone who conspired to have me killed.”
° “No one drinks alcohol [...] until this is over. – Gisele looked at him. Wow, you’re a party animal, aren’t you?”
There’s nothing worse than not being able to say no to someone or something. Hold on. Maybe there is. Realizing you want to and don’t want to say no at the same time; knowing full well things will get messy and any prior worst –case scenarios will surely seem like a walk in the park. Oh joy! Victor’s answer is yes nonetheless. Fortunately, he isn’t one to dwell on decisions made and instead, focuses all his considerable talent and skills on completing his latest…obligation.
Rate that Thing!
Painstakingly accurate. Clinical. Free of emotion. Deadly.
Victor hasn’t lost his touch in the slightest, but he’s definitely out of his element this time around. No assassin “without a past” likes to be slapped in the face with the very past that wasn’t supposed to exist. Well, at least Victor would’ve preferred not to be reminded of a certain betrayal. Of course these circumstances were exactly what made Better Off Dead a great read.
Pretty much right off the bat it felt like Wood used a different approach to plan/develop the storyline as a whole. I could be completely wrong, but that’s the impression I got. The plot or rather the conflict was easily grasped if not to say basic in nature. A really good choice in this case, if you ask me! Why? Here goes: Not once was I confused about what Victor was supposed to do (looking at the big picture) and that’s exactly what paved the way for a more personal approach; personal because of Victor’s reasons to grant a favor in the first place, personal because said favor required quite a bit of rethinking in terms of not being the aggressor and simply executing a kill, but protecting another human being. Victor doesn’t protect and Victor certainly isn’t used to being considerate of someone. A challenge he had to face on top of trying to solve the problem - preferably by keeping his charge and himself alive (it was also refreshing to see Victor “miss a step” for lack of a better word; maybe especially so because he is not in the habit of repeating his mistakes).
So when I call the conflict in itself “basic” (the surprises unraveled as I read along) what I mean is it provided the necessary wiggle room to let the “unfamiliar” play out the way it needed to. And boy did it play out. Fear not, Victor didn’t lose his ruthlessness -
It wasn’t an easy task for my favorite assassin to accomplish and thankfully so because I was looking forward to my action-fix. Got it and then some! I could go on and on about the thrill, the bad “guy”, the incredible movie-like fighting, but I won’t. I’ve said it all before in my other reviews. It ALL goes for Better Off Dead as well. I’m raising my hat to Wood.
As for the writing (syntax, variety, pace and so on), I have to say that it’s probably Wood’s best work to date. Smooth-flowing and well-structured and I literally not once had to reread a paragraph or stumbled over a word / phrasing that should’ve been avoided. Not. once.
New editing process? New editor? I have no idea, but the positive result stood out although I honestly didn’t have anything major (or at all ;-)) to complain about with the other books either.
Fantastic job! My favorite part? I have many to choose from, but if I had to pick just a one…how beginning and end fit together so brilliantly.
Whew, I’m a bit rusty…haven’t written a review in quite a while.
Can you guess my rating, my fellow thrill-seekers?
Beware of Spoilers!
A few of my favorite quotes for those of you who are interested:
° “Not only was he reputed to be an exceptional killer, he was proving exceptionally hard to kill."
° “...a solitary bullet was the sum total of all the power any enemy would ever need.”
° “What do you see when you look in the mirror? – I see the specular reflection of light.”
° “You’re asking me to risk my life for someone I’ve never met on the request of someone who conspired to have me killed.”
° “No one drinks alcohol [...] until this is over. – Gisele looked at him. Wow, you’re a party animal, aren’t you?”
August 25, 2014
Tom Woods Victor has been one of my favourite indulgences and I was so excited for this book. Unfortunately this book is a disappointment. The thing about Victor that I liked was that he was cold, not overtly dramatic and the way Wood portrayed his thought process while dealing with problems made him unique and standout from the rest of the run of the mill thrillers.
This work though turns him into a superhuman soldier, he gets through impossible situations with ease, and is overtly confident, without reason. There are only so many lives a cat can have, and for being such a top notch operative this is the 3rd time in as many books where Victor has been captured by his enemies. The Mossad,by people in Book 3 and again in this book. For a guy who prides himself in staying alive for such a long time he sure gets captured by his enemies a lot and fantastically overcomes life threatening injuries to win everytime.
I think Tom Wood needs to go back to a realistic portrayal of Victor his readers have come to love. If we want superheroes characters we can always watch the many Marvel movies being released.
This work though turns him into a superhuman soldier, he gets through impossible situations with ease, and is overtly confident, without reason. There are only so many lives a cat can have, and for being such a top notch operative this is the 3rd time in as many books where Victor has been captured by his enemies. The Mossad,by people in Book 3 and again in this book. For a guy who prides himself in staying alive for such a long time he sure gets captured by his enemies a lot and fantastically overcomes life threatening injuries to win everytime.
I think Tom Wood needs to go back to a realistic portrayal of Victor his readers have come to love. If we want superheroes characters we can always watch the many Marvel movies being released.
July 26, 2015
An action packed thriller. Totally captivating. I'm sure that it would be a Hollywood hit if it made it to the silver screen.
February 11, 2019
Absolutely thrilling, no surprises there. Such is what I've come to expect from the author of Victor the Assassin.
Once again, there's a mission. Only this time, it's primarily to protect, not assassinate. It's all very interesting because we begin to see some shades of humanity from our stone hearted assasin. The subject of the protection is a prickly, annoying ass at the start but then she begins to show unprecedented bravery and resourcefulness.
It's a quick short read, with not as much world detailing as in previous books, but with far more action. The entire thing happens over the stretch of about two days, but at the end it feels much longer as the action is as drawn out as it is intense.
Another excellent read.
Once again, there's a mission. Only this time, it's primarily to protect, not assassinate. It's all very interesting because we begin to see some shades of humanity from our stone hearted assasin. The subject of the protection is a prickly, annoying ass at the start but then she begins to show unprecedented bravery and resourcefulness.
It's a quick short read, with not as much world detailing as in previous books, but with far more action. The entire thing happens over the stretch of about two days, but at the end it feels much longer as the action is as drawn out as it is intense.
Another excellent read.
March 31, 2020
LUISTERBOEK
Goed verhaal, sterke personages en geen onprettige voorleesstem. Ben nu wel benieuwd naar de overige verhalen van Victor...
www.facebook.com/thebookbabecisz
Goed verhaal, sterke personages en geen onprettige voorleesstem. Ben nu wel benieuwd naar de overige verhalen van Victor...
www.facebook.com/thebookbabecisz
March 1, 2015
Oh I do love a bit of Victor. My favourite fictional anti-hero in a lot of ways, I never fail to enjoy these, this series is probably the most satisfying thriller series out there at the moment.
Anyway we are onto book 4 already, in this instalment Victor turns from death to life in an attempt to protect the daughter of an old “friend” – not really Victor’s thing but hey, needs must and all that and he does have his own peculiarly ingrained sense of honour and rather eclectic loyalties – all of which help to make him as fascinating as he is.
As ever terrifically well constructed and a real rollercoaster read, Victor has his work cut out for him here, facing enemies old and new and trying to stay one step ahead of the game. I do love how Tom Wood manages to portray Victor as both completely free of emotion whilst at the same time chock full of the stuff – he is a great yin v yang of a character who will utterly engage you to the point that it often doesnt matter what is going on around him.
This particular story had a most satisfying start and an ending that made me quietly smile, the main portion in the middle is brilliantly paced and genuinely earns its “Thriller” tag and I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than I have all the others.
Highly Recommended for Thriller fans. (Start with The Hunter if this is your first foray into these)
Happy Reading Folks!
Anyway we are onto book 4 already, in this instalment Victor turns from death to life in an attempt to protect the daughter of an old “friend” – not really Victor’s thing but hey, needs must and all that and he does have his own peculiarly ingrained sense of honour and rather eclectic loyalties – all of which help to make him as fascinating as he is.
As ever terrifically well constructed and a real rollercoaster read, Victor has his work cut out for him here, facing enemies old and new and trying to stay one step ahead of the game. I do love how Tom Wood manages to portray Victor as both completely free of emotion whilst at the same time chock full of the stuff – he is a great yin v yang of a character who will utterly engage you to the point that it often doesnt matter what is going on around him.
This particular story had a most satisfying start and an ending that made me quietly smile, the main portion in the middle is brilliantly paced and genuinely earns its “Thriller” tag and I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than I have all the others.
Highly Recommended for Thriller fans. (Start with The Hunter if this is your first foray into these)
Happy Reading Folks!
October 2, 2019
Victor, Victor, Victor, my favourite assassin, although in this book Tom Wood changes it up as Victor becomes bodyguard to a woman from his past. Victor definitely has infinite lives, and while most would have perished in this book, Victor's body count continues to grow and grow.
I love the way the author shows how Victor thinks, how his mind is what keeps him alive and differentiates himself from the mercenaries he encounters in this book.
This book was non-stop from start to finish, and while the female he was protecting was damn well annoying at times, I had to give credence that I wouldn't know what the hell to do in this situation either.
Another fantastic book from Tom Wood, I cannot wait to read the next one.
I love the way the author shows how Victor thinks, how his mind is what keeps him alive and differentiates himself from the mercenaries he encounters in this book.
This book was non-stop from start to finish, and while the female he was protecting was damn well annoying at times, I had to give credence that I wouldn't know what the hell to do in this situation either.
Another fantastic book from Tom Wood, I cannot wait to read the next one.
March 2, 2018
Victor, the Russian Assassin, switches roles and becomes bodyguard for the daughter of a Russian gangster, hunted by people unknown.
Don't worry, Victor still has to kill a whole bunch of people to keep his charge safe.
Very good, with all the twists and turns one could expect.
Don't worry, Victor still has to kill a whole bunch of people to keep his charge safe.
Very good, with all the twists and turns one could expect.
November 22, 2020
Tom Wood is highly underrated in my opinion. This book was his best so far and action packed!! Learned a little bit more about Victor. Cant wait to get the next book!!
August 24, 2021
Gisele is still the worst character ever.
Awesome read and hats off to that Jack Bauer nod.
1-star deduction for the most annoying characters I've read in a very long time. (Gisele)
Awesome read and hats off to that Jack Bauer nod.
1-star deduction for the most annoying characters I've read in a very long time. (Gisele)
April 29, 2021
I’m still reeling from that ending. AHHHHHH!!!!
No Tomorrow is book 4 in Tom Wood’s Victor the Assassin series. It absolutely stands on it’s own – but characters that were introduced in earlier books reemerge here.
I’m adding Wood to my list of authors that write strong, intelligent, and capable women characters. It showed in previous books but here he gives us two and they are present for almost the entire book. The first is Gisele who needs protecting, but has a sharp mind and learns quickly. She is independent and fierce, yet rightfully terrified at her circumstances. I adore how she keeps Victor on his toes. The second is one of the antagonists who also shows why she is at the top of her profession. Who is the cat and who is the mouse? Brilliant writing.
I also continue to love that everything is not perfect for Victor and that I’m surprised by where the story and action scenes take me. There’s at least 5 more books (A Quiet Man was just released) so I know Victor survives – but I genuinely feel the peril and sometimes wondered how on earth he would make his way out of the situations. Not without a few more scars…
The ending was a wonderful surprise. It also leaves no clue as to where Victor is headed in The Darkest Day but I have it cued up and am ready to keep following his missions.
Narration:
Rob Shapiro. Oh man. It’s truly amazing when I feel myself leaning in to be part of a hushed conversation and jumping with excitement along with a character. Love it!
No Tomorrow is book 4 in Tom Wood’s Victor the Assassin series. It absolutely stands on it’s own – but characters that were introduced in earlier books reemerge here.
I’m adding Wood to my list of authors that write strong, intelligent, and capable women characters. It showed in previous books but here he gives us two and they are present for almost the entire book. The first is Gisele who needs protecting, but has a sharp mind and learns quickly. She is independent and fierce, yet rightfully terrified at her circumstances. I adore how she keeps Victor on his toes. The second is one of the antagonists who also shows why she is at the top of her profession. Who is the cat and who is the mouse? Brilliant writing.
I also continue to love that everything is not perfect for Victor and that I’m surprised by where the story and action scenes take me. There’s at least 5 more books (A Quiet Man was just released) so I know Victor survives – but I genuinely feel the peril and sometimes wondered how on earth he would make his way out of the situations. Not without a few more scars…
The ending was a wonderful surprise. It also leaves no clue as to where Victor is headed in The Darkest Day but I have it cued up and am ready to keep following his missions.
Narration:
Rob Shapiro. Oh man. It’s truly amazing when I feel myself leaning in to be part of a hushed conversation and jumping with excitement along with a character. Love it!
October 5, 2019
Russian gangster Norimov, an old associate of Victor's who once betrayed him, now needs his help. Threats have been made, not just against Norimov himself, but also against his estranged daughter Gisele, who has since gone missing - and Victor is the only one he believes capable of keeping her safe. Accepting the job despite his misgivings, Victor finds himself thrust into an unfamiliar role: That of protector instead of just coldblooded killer. Though of course before he can protect Gisele, he needs to find her first - preferably before anyone else does.
Victor is very much out of his element here, with a civilian along for the ride - which is an interesting departure from his usual lone wolf mindset. I'm glad the author eschewed the usual clichés one might expect from this set-up: While Gisele is definitely an inexperienced civilian entirely out of her depth, she's not just the stereotypical completely useless hysterical female who'll dissolve into tears when she breaks a nail - and I'm doubly glad that Wood also doesn't do what (unfortunately) about 90% of other author might have, namely having Victor and her hook up. Seriously, thank you so very much for not going there! Another excellent read that kept me hooked.
Victor is very much out of his element here, with a civilian along for the ride - which is an interesting departure from his usual lone wolf mindset. I'm glad the author eschewed the usual clichés one might expect from this set-up: While Gisele is definitely an inexperienced civilian entirely out of her depth, she's not just the stereotypical completely useless hysterical female who'll dissolve into tears when she breaks a nail - and I'm doubly glad that Wood also doesn't do what (unfortunately) about 90% of other author might have, namely having Victor and her hook up. Seriously, thank you so very much for not going there! Another excellent read that kept me hooked.
June 3, 2017
This is the fourth book in the series that I have read, and had taken a break after the first three books.
Was good to come back to Victor and his latest escapades. I liked the premise of the story and liked the ultimate adversary that he needed to go up against.
Am also continually impressed with how Tom Wood refuses to have his main protagonist sell out to any sentimental clap trap (ie. he is an assassin first and foremost and doesn't let anything get in the way of a mission/assignment).
Will definitely be reading the fifth book in time.
Was good to come back to Victor and his latest escapades. I liked the premise of the story and liked the ultimate adversary that he needed to go up against.
Am also continually impressed with how Tom Wood refuses to have his main protagonist sell out to any sentimental clap trap (ie. he is an assassin first and foremost and doesn't let anything get in the way of a mission/assignment).
Will definitely be reading the fifth book in time.
June 29, 2022
Victor the Assassin gets up to his usual hijinks. Characters meet there final storylines and action is all about.
December 18, 2023
A thrill to the end.
October 10, 2014
Victor the Assassin reminds me of Barry Eisler’s John Rain sans the silly romantic entanglements. Victor’s primary virtue is that he stays focused, no matter what the assignment and no matter what distractions Wood gives him.
In this case, the major distraction is a Russian mob boss’ strong-minded daughter who Victor is “asked” to find and protect. Not kill, which becomes a fascinating turn-about for us, and a frustrating mission for him because the young lady isn’t always willing to follow his lead.
It’s a workable plot and a terrific showcase for Victor’s talents. Wood writes action well and he knows his tradecraft. It’s fun to see how he applies Victor’s technical and tactical skills as a protector as opposed to an assassin.
This is a four-star review because of a couple of minor irritations. Victor takes this assignment, not for pay, but out of respect for the mobster’s late wife. But Wood reminds us of that in virtually every scene when the two are speaking to each other…to the point Victor comes off sounding like a petulant child.
Another annoyance . . . Victor has superior fighting skills but he’s not Jackie Chan (or Jack Reacher for that matter) and some of the hand-to-hand stuff goes on just a shade too long to be believable.
Regardless, this is a tough, fast read and a marvelous addition to the Victor the Assassin series. The narrator for the Audible version also deserves mention. Rob Shapiro captures the nuances of Victor’s character and does a superior job of conveying the excitement of the action sequences. Five stars for him!
In this case, the major distraction is a Russian mob boss’ strong-minded daughter who Victor is “asked” to find and protect. Not kill, which becomes a fascinating turn-about for us, and a frustrating mission for him because the young lady isn’t always willing to follow his lead.
It’s a workable plot and a terrific showcase for Victor’s talents. Wood writes action well and he knows his tradecraft. It’s fun to see how he applies Victor’s technical and tactical skills as a protector as opposed to an assassin.
This is a four-star review because of a couple of minor irritations. Victor takes this assignment, not for pay, but out of respect for the mobster’s late wife. But Wood reminds us of that in virtually every scene when the two are speaking to each other…to the point Victor comes off sounding like a petulant child.
Another annoyance . . . Victor has superior fighting skills but he’s not Jackie Chan (or Jack Reacher for that matter) and some of the hand-to-hand stuff goes on just a shade too long to be believable.
Regardless, this is a tough, fast read and a marvelous addition to the Victor the Assassin series. The narrator for the Audible version also deserves mention. Rob Shapiro captures the nuances of Victor’s character and does a superior job of conveying the excitement of the action sequences. Five stars for him!
December 9, 2014
This is the fourth book about the mysterious Victor, a killing machine and survivalist – and the first that I've read.
I thoroughly enjoyed this remorseless chase story. It's a blunt instrument of violence and suspense, with little nuance of character, but if you're after a highly charged blast of pulp fiction, it's bang on the money.
For those who haven't encountered him yet, Victor is a hired hit man, a terminator who resembles Arnie's robot Terminator. He buries his emotions, he's terribly effective against any odds or number of foes, and he leads a rather miserable life, always on the watch for his many enemies.
In this story, an old Russian mob acquaintance asks Victor to find his daughter, who's in London, and who he suspects is being targeted to become a hostage of his rivals. Victor, who seems strangely devoted to Gisele's dead mother (did he love her?), agrees and embarks on a breathtaking bid to find and keep her safe from a vicious gang of mercenaries.
The writing is clean and pacy, and the action is implacable. Everything is sacrificed to the endless chase, which is a shame in that it would be interesting to see Tom Wood develop some parts of the conspiracy or the characters a bit more. But it is a bruising and terrific adrenaline rush of a thriller.
I thoroughly enjoyed this remorseless chase story. It's a blunt instrument of violence and suspense, with little nuance of character, but if you're after a highly charged blast of pulp fiction, it's bang on the money.
For those who haven't encountered him yet, Victor is a hired hit man, a terminator who resembles Arnie's robot Terminator. He buries his emotions, he's terribly effective against any odds or number of foes, and he leads a rather miserable life, always on the watch for his many enemies.
In this story, an old Russian mob acquaintance asks Victor to find his daughter, who's in London, and who he suspects is being targeted to become a hostage of his rivals. Victor, who seems strangely devoted to Gisele's dead mother (did he love her?), agrees and embarks on a breathtaking bid to find and keep her safe from a vicious gang of mercenaries.
The writing is clean and pacy, and the action is implacable. Everything is sacrificed to the endless chase, which is a shame in that it would be interesting to see Tom Wood develop some parts of the conspiracy or the characters a bit more. But it is a bruising and terrific adrenaline rush of a thriller.
January 12, 2015
Victor is a great character, an anti-hero by nature of the fact he is an assassin, but he only seems to kill bad guys, so that’s okay then. This one was not quite up to the standards of the previous novels but was still a page turner. Victor feels obliged to protect a woman in London as a debt so is a fish out of water as he normally is the hunter, not the protector. We see lots of tradecraft (borderline OCD!) and then Victor outside of his comfort zone as he strives to protect while finding out the source of the attacks.
Lots of London based action, but a couple of frustrations. We have clearly seen how careful Victor is and this is established very early, then we see him go out of character and do some stupid and risky things. Also the big reveal about what this is all about felt a bit flat and under-whelming. So while this was okay it could have, and should have, been a lot better.
Lots of London based action, but a couple of frustrations. We have clearly seen how careful Victor is and this is established very early, then we see him go out of character and do some stupid and risky things. Also the big reveal about what this is all about felt a bit flat and under-whelming. So while this was okay it could have, and should have, been a lot better.
July 11, 2014
To be honest I was disappointed. I am a massive Tom Wood and Victor fan but I found this to be a scenario not fitting of Victor's character.
Nor could I believe that the character from the previous books would take up such an offer as bodyguard of a daughter of a former boss/enemy.
The first few chapters with the hit squad out against him was great, that part was very interesting but for me as soon as he took on the role of nice guy protector it went a bit downhill.
I found the storyline labored on the relationship between Victor and Giselle and it became tiresome reading about their differences and the whole book was based on him and her together.
Sorry Tom but this was not the Victor of old.
Please bring back the real Victor in your next book which I will be sure to purchase.
Nor could I believe that the character from the previous books would take up such an offer as bodyguard of a daughter of a former boss/enemy.
The first few chapters with the hit squad out against him was great, that part was very interesting but for me as soon as he took on the role of nice guy protector it went a bit downhill.
I found the storyline labored on the relationship between Victor and Giselle and it became tiresome reading about their differences and the whole book was based on him and her together.
Sorry Tom but this was not the Victor of old.
Please bring back the real Victor in your next book which I will be sure to purchase.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2023
Book Review - Tom Wood writes books that are impossible to put down. This novel, “Better Off Dead” is the perfect fix for an action and suspense junkie. Wood is a pure genius with his Victor the Assassin series. Always a wild ride across the world, this one - UK version - is as exciting as all the others. Tom Wood's way of describing action allows you to watch events unfold rather than feeling like you have an normal view of both the action and thoughts of each character. I love the way Wood couples action to realistic intelligence. This combo makes for a masterclass thriller. If you like an adventure that will leave you wanting more, this series is it. The body count in every Victor story will be high, so if that bothers you, you might want to go elsewhere. All the bodies are "really bad guys" if that helps though. So very highly recommended, I cannot stress it enough!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2019
WOW.... what can I say about this book...it is possibly one of the best books I have read! It is the 4th book in the Victor series and it is just as good as the previous book.
In this novel we get to see more of Victor and get to know him more as a character and the way his mind works. This book is very up and down like a roller coaster of events, it keeps a grip of your mind and your thoughts making you continuously go back too it, I did lose sleep because I just had to keep reading it, the writing style of Tom Wood is incredibly addictive.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers, I wont give anything away about the plot and other characters as I feel you should read it and find out!
In this novel we get to see more of Victor and get to know him more as a character and the way his mind works. This book is very up and down like a roller coaster of events, it keeps a grip of your mind and your thoughts making you continuously go back too it, I did lose sleep because I just had to keep reading it, the writing style of Tom Wood is incredibly addictive.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers, I wont give anything away about the plot and other characters as I feel you should read it and find out!
February 15, 2016
Victor is such a great character who is remarkable at staying alive even when outnumbered by a handful of mercenaries. He is perfect assassin material, but he also seems to have a bit of a soft-side which endeared me to him.
As usual the full on action was fast-paced and brutal. I honestly struggled to put this down, as every chapter seemed to end on a cliffhanger making me desperate for more.
If you like authors such as Lee Child, then you'll enjoy what Tom Wood has to offer.
As usual the full on action was fast-paced and brutal. I honestly struggled to put this down, as every chapter seemed to end on a cliffhanger making me desperate for more.
If you like authors such as Lee Child, then you'll enjoy what Tom Wood has to offer.
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July 21, 2016
A little ponderous at times but an enjoyable read nonetheless. A solid 3.5 ... not quite the 4.0's I've given Victors 1-3.
Later review: On second thoughts, I realised that I have rather over-indulged on Victor over the past several months and I was perhaps a little jaded when I read Better Off Dead, so I have revised from 3.5 to 4 stars.
Later review: On second thoughts, I realised that I have rather over-indulged on Victor over the past several months and I was perhaps a little jaded when I read Better Off Dead, so I have revised from 3.5 to 4 stars.
January 11, 2015
Loved it. Victor is developing as a character. There are chinks in his armour. I love the detail on life as a killer. The fight/action scenes are very good. Forget the fact that Victor survives against the odds. He has to - I want another book!
February 20, 2015
meh. i really wasn't feeling this book. part of my appeal with victor is that he doesn't have anything holding him back from being awesome. this book introduced that. did not really like this one.
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