Nine stars
After years between readings, I chose to return to this debut by Terry Hayes. With a new novel recently released, I wanted all the context I could get before capturing the latest adventure. I had forgotten how detailed and powerful this novel was and found myself fully committed in the early chapters. A great piece of espionage with a peppering of humour and action, Hayes develops a great story about a man whose skills are wanted by many and whose elusiveness makes him a target for many others. Hayes weaves together a stunning narrative and keeps the reader hooked for the meandering ride. I can only hope that the second novel will be just as impactful.
It is truly a race against time in this novel. There are a number of events that have taken place over the last number of years, none of them appearing to be linked to the others. Police discover a the body of woman left in a bathtub of acid, all signs of her identity melted away. In Saudi Arabia, a father is oddly beheaded in public for crimes he denies committing. The body of a Syrian biotech expert is found without his eyes in a junkyard. There's also a fiery discovery of Afghan bodies along a mountain village. What does it all mean?
Only later, when a sinister plot comes into view does some of it make sense. A group has been working to create a massive biotech weapon and will release it before long. This is sure to kill many and there is almost no way to stop them. Almost. When the decision to stop this group makes its way to the White House, one man's name comes to mind, someone who can make a difference and slip through the cracks without being noticed. POTUS calls for the man and sends him on a mission to get to the core of the matter, end the group's mission, and neutralise the weapon.
As the agent is sent to chase down the group, he will find himself sliding into many locations undetected, all to discover the truth behind the attack and make sense about how it will be released. There is little time to waste and no one is quite sure when or where it will be released. With the pressure of the world on his shoulders, this agent will do whatever it takes to stop the attack and bring home the intel needed. This is an agent like no other. His name? PILGRIM! Hayes shows the reader he is here and ready to make a name for himself with this debut novel.
While I am always one who enjoys a piece of espionage, this one was new level. Terry Hayes weaves together a strong piece and takes the reader on a journey like no other. The story is long and meandering, taking the story in directions that might appear unnecessary, but once the pieces fall into place, it all makes sense. The story begins easily enough, but soon gains the needed momentum and spans the word, as well as many time periods. The story reaches its top speed and catapults forward into directions no one could surely expect, which only adds to the wonder of the novel. Characters emerge and develop with ease. All but Pilgrim are superficially presented, leaving the reader to make their own decisions about those who grace the pages of the book. That being said, many pepper key points that become important as they story progresses.
There is no lack of plot points in this book, so much that some might say there are too many. Hayes develops the action by drowning the reader in action and developing ideas. The story twists and turns openly from the opening pages until all is finally settled, only leaving the reader more confused than they were at the beginning. This is a great aspect of the story and kept me tuned in so that I could not miss anything. Hayes proves his mettle with this piece and left me wanting more. Thankfully, there is a second novel waiting for me, which I will reach for next, in hopes of being just as impressed.
Kudos, Mr. Hayes, for an impactful novel.
No comments:
Post a Comment