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Ultimate Weapon
The new blockbuster from the bestselling author of The Increment and Greed — a former SAS commander and the only member of his team to escape from Iraq during the Gulf War.
Three people. Three stories. And a dangerous struggle for survival in a country ravaged by war.
Nick Scott fought in the SAS during the first Gulf War. Captured and tortured, he was left a broken man. His daughter Sarah Scott is a beautiful young scientist who has cracked one of the scientific secrets of the age. Now, she has vanished.
Her lover Jed Bradley is one of the SAS’s toughest young agents, dropped behind enemy lines in the build-up to the Iraq War to find the truth about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction. Caught in the midst of a global power play, Nick and Jed must fight their way through a war-ravaged Iraq as the regime of Saddam Hussein collapses around them.
It is a desperate race to find the woman they both love . . . and to unlock the secret of the Ultimate Weapon .
Three people. Three stories. And a dangerous struggle for survival in a country ravaged by war.
Nick Scott fought in the SAS during the first Gulf War. Captured and tortured, he was left a broken man. His daughter Sarah Scott is a beautiful young scientist who has cracked one of the scientific secrets of the age. Now, she has vanished.
Her lover Jed Bradley is one of the SAS’s toughest young agents, dropped behind enemy lines in the build-up to the Iraq War to find the truth about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction. Caught in the midst of a global power play, Nick and Jed must fight their way through a war-ravaged Iraq as the regime of Saddam Hussein collapses around them.
It is a desperate race to find the woman they both love . . . and to unlock the secret of the Ultimate Weapon .
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
38 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
About the author
Chris Ryan
342 books1,020 followersColin Armstrong (b. 1961), usually known by the pen-name Chris Ryan, is a British author, television presenter, security consultant and former Special Air Service sergeant.
After the publication of fellow patrol member Andy McNab's Bravo Two Zero in 1993, Ryan published his own account of his experiences during the Bravo Two Zero mission in 1995, entitled The One That Got Away. Since retiring from the British Army Ryan has published several fiction and non-fiction books, including Strike Back, which was subsequently adapted into a television series for Sky 1, and co-created the ITV action series Ultimate Force. He has also presented or appeared in numerous television documentaries connected to the military or law enforcement.
After the publication of fellow patrol member Andy McNab's Bravo Two Zero in 1993, Ryan published his own account of his experiences during the Bravo Two Zero mission in 1995, entitled The One That Got Away. Since retiring from the British Army Ryan has published several fiction and non-fiction books, including Strike Back, which was subsequently adapted into a television series for Sky 1, and co-created the ITV action series Ultimate Force. He has also presented or appeared in numerous television documentaries connected to the military or law enforcement.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
February 22, 2012
I like Chris Ryan's books... Usually... Not this one though.
I read about 75% of this book before I just couldn't be bothered to pick it up again. The Characters just had nothing about them to interest me, as for being members of the SAS (and granted I know zero SAS boys) I find it hard to believe they loose every fight they take on. I know they probably save the girl in the end and probably kick arse in Baghdad and back home but, really, I couldn't care less.
Think I'll give it a couple of weeks before I start 'Strike back'.
1 Star
I read about 75% of this book before I just couldn't be bothered to pick it up again. The Characters just had nothing about them to interest me, as for being members of the SAS (and granted I know zero SAS boys) I find it hard to believe they loose every fight they take on. I know they probably save the girl in the end and probably kick arse in Baghdad and back home but, really, I couldn't care less.
Think I'll give it a couple of weeks before I start 'Strike back'.
1 Star
May 25, 2010
The worst written book I have read in a very long time. The main characters are members of the SAS, one of the most elite fighting forces in the world. The problem in this book is that the characters consistently lose fights or get killed. What's the point? And the author only knows one word to describe how they speak to one another--"hiss".
March 7, 2010
Not a bad thriller, certainly a good way to spend some down time. It has a rather interesting reason (not weapons of mass destruction) for the invasion of Iraq. Not great, but not a bad beach read. At least the author is actually ex-SAS, so he can speak with some authority on the subject
February 24, 2008
اسلوب الكاتب رائع جداً ، برغم من كبر الكتاب لكن اظمن انك راح تخلصه في غضون اسبوع. عندما تقرأ الفصل الأول تتشوق لقرأة الفصل الثاني....
April 20, 2010
:"Ultimate Weapon" was action-packed and very suspenseful. The plot was interesting and fast-paced. A very fun and relaxing thriller.
March 3, 2012
A fantasitc addition to Chris Ryan's Books. Fantastic twist at the end as always...
August 3, 2012
Don't care why anyone else says I think it is a good book from a good author, has enough action to make it fast and keep you reading but enough of a plot to keep you interested
June 24, 2018
I admit I haven't read too many Chris Ryan books and I am not very impressed with this one either. I had picked this up long back but couldnt find the time or interest to finish it and it took me a while. The plot seemed too fictional though it does pose an interesting question which probably has been discussed in multiple forums . Suppose you discover or create something that probably is great for the planet but not exactly great for multiple economies - say alternative to dwindling natural resources like fuel with technology. Would the economies which depend on the need for this and the abundance of it in their country try to stop the technology from coming to light ? What would happen if they are not successful ? Would their economies cave in and consequently kill people in millions or would people find a way ?
March 7, 2023
Very detailed, very fast-paced, very engaging. This book kept me awake into the night, devouring action scene after action scene. The description in the book didn't do it for me, and regularly sent me to sleep; though this is likely because the rest of the book was intriguing me to the point of sleep deprivation.
This is a good action book.
This is a good action book.
May 20, 2017
Brilliant, I think it gets a lot of stick to say these people have never even been in a military environment before, I loved every minute of reading this and I'm currently scanning for a new Chris Ryan book to read now.
April 28, 2018
I like this book. It's full of action and suspense. Some "adult situations" which didn't really seem necessary for the plot, but still, not a bad read. I might read some more of his books in the future.
June 15, 2025
Too formulaic, unbelievable plot.
This book was too easy to figure out what was coming. The two main characters dripped with hatred for each other throughout the book until just before the end. Don't waste your time like I did.
This book was too easy to figure out what was coming. The two main characters dripped with hatred for each other throughout the book until just before the end. Don't waste your time like I did.
June 30, 2017
Good read, war scenes & attacks well narrated
August 13, 2017
Very poorly written. found the angst between the main characters very repetitive. Full of contradictions was ok for a quick holiday read.
February 25, 2018
Loved it! On a Chris Ryan push at the moment!
May 19, 2018
A good yarn but a bit like the 'A Team'.
July 23, 2020
Nick Scott, not Nick Stone, similar bio from the regiment (SAS), and forced into action by the firm.
October 26, 2020
My first read of this genre it won't be my last. Will also look for more Chris. Ryan titles
November 13, 2023
Took me ages to read this one but doesn’t mean it was any less good! Cracking plot
January 24, 2024
An ok book to read. Maybe a bit far-fetched. And I do not like typos in books.
August 30, 2024
Good holiday read. A bit repetitive in the dialogue but lots of twists and turns.
November 3, 2019
I thought this was quite a good story, easy to read, and I was keen to find out the conclusion.
I was going to rate it 4 stars, but finally opted for 3. It was entertaining, but had too many far fetched events which made it some what implausible, probably a 3.5 would be fair.
I was going to rate it 4 stars, but finally opted for 3. It was entertaining, but had too many far fetched events which made it some what implausible, probably a 3.5 would be fair.
October 16, 2015
A Solid Work of Action/Adventure
I had not yet read any fiction by Chris Ryan, the former SAS soldier and survivor of the ill-fated Bravo Two Zero recon mission during the first Iraq War. I chose “Ultimate Weapon” due to its unique plot device: linking the 1991 Gulf War with the 2003 invasion of Iraq via its two lead characters, Nick and Jed.
Nick is a survivor of a botched SAS mission during the Gulf War. After being captured and suffering intense torture, post-traumatic stress hit Nick so hard he took to the bottle. This indirectly caused the death of his wife.
His wife's death and his alcoholism alienated his daughter Sarah, whom he affectionately nicknamed "Silver Girl" after a verse in the Simon and Garfunkel song "Bridge over Troubled Waters."
Fast-forward to 2003: war clouds are again hovering over Iraq, and SAS member Jed has just returned from a risky recon mission to Iraq to photograph a plant suspected of manufacturing weapons of mass destruction. He reports what he saw and photographed to the British intelligence group known as The Firm. They are not satisfied with his findings, however, and demand more intelligence. Meanwhile, both Nick and Jed discover that Sarah -now a physics student at Cambridge University- has vanished.
Both men don't like each other that much; Nick thinks Jed is not good enough for his daughter. But soon they find themselves having to cooperate as they wind up “boots on the ground” inside Iraq in search of both Sarah and the key to the mystery behind the suspected WMD plant: cold fusion. An energy source so potent that the oil industry would collapse overnight if turned loose on the world. Saddam Hussein knows this, and intends to use it to blackmail Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the other Arab oil-producing nations into backing Iraq - or else. But will Laura -a high-ranking (and seductress) member of The Firm give Nick and Jed the help they need, or is does she have her own agenda that deems them -and Sarah- expendable assets?
Apart from a somewhat repetitive tone (how many times do we need to know that sugar pumps energy into Nick and Jed’s bloodstream?) Ryan's prose is crisp; the plot action-packed; and the ending a page-turning corker, though I felt the epilogue dragged a bit.
Ryan clearly interpolated his experiences with Bravo Two Zero into the character of Nick, which made reading "Ultimate Weapon" all the more interesting to me.
I had not yet read any fiction by Chris Ryan, the former SAS soldier and survivor of the ill-fated Bravo Two Zero recon mission during the first Iraq War. I chose “Ultimate Weapon” due to its unique plot device: linking the 1991 Gulf War with the 2003 invasion of Iraq via its two lead characters, Nick and Jed.
Nick is a survivor of a botched SAS mission during the Gulf War. After being captured and suffering intense torture, post-traumatic stress hit Nick so hard he took to the bottle. This indirectly caused the death of his wife.
His wife's death and his alcoholism alienated his daughter Sarah, whom he affectionately nicknamed "Silver Girl" after a verse in the Simon and Garfunkel song "Bridge over Troubled Waters."
Fast-forward to 2003: war clouds are again hovering over Iraq, and SAS member Jed has just returned from a risky recon mission to Iraq to photograph a plant suspected of manufacturing weapons of mass destruction. He reports what he saw and photographed to the British intelligence group known as The Firm. They are not satisfied with his findings, however, and demand more intelligence. Meanwhile, both Nick and Jed discover that Sarah -now a physics student at Cambridge University- has vanished.
Both men don't like each other that much; Nick thinks Jed is not good enough for his daughter. But soon they find themselves having to cooperate as they wind up “boots on the ground” inside Iraq in search of both Sarah and the key to the mystery behind the suspected WMD plant: cold fusion. An energy source so potent that the oil industry would collapse overnight if turned loose on the world. Saddam Hussein knows this, and intends to use it to blackmail Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the other Arab oil-producing nations into backing Iraq - or else. But will Laura -a high-ranking (and seductress) member of The Firm give Nick and Jed the help they need, or is does she have her own agenda that deems them -and Sarah- expendable assets?
Apart from a somewhat repetitive tone (how many times do we need to know that sugar pumps energy into Nick and Jed’s bloodstream?) Ryan's prose is crisp; the plot action-packed; and the ending a page-turning corker, though I felt the epilogue dragged a bit.
Ryan clearly interpolated his experiences with Bravo Two Zero into the character of Nick, which made reading "Ultimate Weapon" all the more interesting to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2016
This is the first book I have read in so long so bare with me. First of all before I read the book I checked reviews on Amazon, which mentioned various floors such as poor spelling mistakes and also incorrect information regarding weapons. I believed that reading this review before hand reduced my enjoyment of the book by a little.
The book is about two men, who have two things in common, they both have been part of the SAS and they both are connected through Sarah who goes missing.
It is brilliant book, has a not too dramatic love story and really makes you feel like your there with Jed trying to win the girl. This is my first Chris Ryan book and will be looking forward to reading more.
The book is about two men, who have two things in common, they both have been part of the SAS and they both are connected through Sarah who goes missing.
It is brilliant book, has a not too dramatic love story and really makes you feel like your there with Jed trying to win the girl. This is my first Chris Ryan book and will be looking forward to reading more.
September 22, 2015
I decided to read this because I had no book on the go.
Sarah Scott a student at the university of Cambridge goes missing after researching nuclear substances just before the 2003 Iraq invasion.
Her father and boyfriend who have both been involved in the army join forces to find her. Although they hate each other the will to save her makes them co-operate.
A character I found interesting was Jed (Her boyfriend). I liked him because he was always trying.
I liked this book because it was interesting and kept me hooked.
Something new I learnt from this book is to never give up.
A quote I found interesting was "Come on we have to leave him!" This shows that they would sacrifice someone to finish the mission.
Sarah Scott a student at the university of Cambridge goes missing after researching nuclear substances just before the 2003 Iraq invasion.
Her father and boyfriend who have both been involved in the army join forces to find her. Although they hate each other the will to save her makes them co-operate.
A character I found interesting was Jed (Her boyfriend). I liked him because he was always trying.
I liked this book because it was interesting and kept me hooked.
Something new I learnt from this book is to never give up.
A quote I found interesting was "Come on we have to leave him!" This shows that they would sacrifice someone to finish the mission.
Read
August 6, 2011the book was decent to pass the time but not really convincing. you can tell this guy is a soldier first and a writer second. he jumps from their-person narrative to first person rather sloppily causing some confusion to the reader. the father and the boyfriend hate each other throughout the entire book, including battle scenes, but this is all rather unconvincingly resolved in the last few pages. i know a lot of english people, and NONE of them say "kip", "kit", "bloody", "bugger", or "sodding" as much as the two of these guys. the book was too long for the haphazard story that was going along and not really worth the read unless you are entirely out of books... which i was.
August 5, 2012
Has a good pace and lots of action. I was shaking my head when things weren't working out and cringing at some of the combat scenes as I was there witnessing it with them. Some parts I would say "come on hurry up and get to the girl" but I liked the way the story was played out.
A note: I read the reviews before hand, some of spelling mistakes and low ratings noted didn't bother me or detract from the story while I was reading it.
The author is a former SAS commander so I was interested in the story he had written and the action, not wether people thought he was a literary genius or not.
Good story, good book!
A note: I read the reviews before hand, some of spelling mistakes and low ratings noted didn't bother me or detract from the story while I was reading it.
The author is a former SAS commander so I was interested in the story he had written and the action, not wether people thought he was a literary genius or not.
Good story, good book!
December 29, 2016
Read this on holiday. An ok read, but nothing brilliant. There are two soldiers, the older veteran (inner demons, ex SAS and alcoholic, burning desire for redemption, etc) who is as smart of a bucket of bricks and tries to beat his way through the book. Unfortunately he gets beaten up all the time and despite broken ribs, a shattered hand, broken legs, etc, all early on in the book, he just seems to keep on going. The other young soldier is less well defined. They are both working to save a woman who is so thinly sketched out you don't really care for her. After a few false endings and a final revelation you could see a mile off I finished the book feeling disappointed.
June 2, 2015
Nick Scott was fighting for the SAS during the first Gulf War. He was captured and tortured by the enemy.Sarah Scott was his daughter, a beautiful scientist who has figured out one of the scientific secrets of the age. When she went missing, he had to go on a mission to find her. Nick and Jed Bradley, the SAS' best young agent, were dropped behind enemy lines and battle their way through Iraq and its collapsing society. While battling through they found secret weapon plans the Saddam Hussein was building. To stop it they had to risk life and limb.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews