[.ca] Path of the Assassin: A Thriller (ISBN 0743436768)

Very Weak Sequel: Path Of The Assassin by Brad Thor:
The hunt that began in the debut novel "The Lions of Lucerne" for the terrorists that attacked the President and his family continues in this sequel. With the President and his family safe once again, Secret Service Agent Scot Harvath's mission is to find all those responsible for the plot. The final suspect of the Swiss mercenary team known as the Lions of Lucerne is expected to appear at the Macua Place Casino, a very old and still floating double-decker ferry casino, currently anchored at sea 60 kilometers west of Hong Kong. The suspect appears across the gaming floor and before they can grab him he leaves. The chase is on as they follow the suspect back across to Macua and before long as a typhoon bears down on the area, they are engaged in a fierce running gun battle with the suspect. But the suspect isn't just shooting at them. He is also shooting at someone else, a figure that has silver eyes. When the suspect is killed by the figure with silver eyes, Scott begins chasing that suspect and despite the resulting harrowing car chase, the suspect gets away. At the same time, a group billing itself as The Hand Of God begins to unleash a series of coordinated attacks across the Arab world. Thanks to evidence left at the scenes and public press releases, it appears that the Israeli Government is sponsoring and supporting the group that aims to bring terror to the Arab world. Scot, temporarily back home, believes that instead, it might be the work of Hashim Nidal, the son of the famous terrorist, Abu Nidal. Scot further suspects that Hashim might very well be the suspect with the silver eyes that got away. Despite political infighting and conflicting orders, he begins a worldwide manhunt for both suspects while remaining convinced that they are the same person. Unlike the debut novel "The Lions of Lucerne" which was full of complex characters and numerous plot twists, this thriller is a straightforward action adventure read that is simplistic in style and tone. The novel seems written entirely for depiction as a movie in an attempt to replace the cinematic James Bond series. No additional depth is given to his character, every decision he makes is right despite working for always idiotic bosses, and no matter the circumstances, he pulls all the other cardboard characters out of danger almost single handily each and every single time. Other than his love interest and one or two associates, almost everyone else is this novel is a fool. Taken for what it actually is, a fast simplistic adventure read, this is not a bad book. But as compared to The Lions of Lucerne, the contrast is striking and disappointing. It suffers mightily in comparison.

Non stop jet set action!:
Thor delivers again! What an adventure! I liked "Path" better than "Lions!" and I'm really looking forward to reading State of the Union! Scot Harvath=one bad dude!!

Horrifying!:
By horrifying, I mean that it is a horrifying experience to read this complete piece of junk! The male, egomaniacal, wisecracking prose (which it barely is)reads like an incredibly terrible Hollywood movie. If I didn't borrow it from someone, I would definitely through it away. Now, I admit I don't normally read this kind of thing, but I have and I have enjoyed it. The only joy I could possibly get out of this would be if the main character, Scot Horvath, was on the receiving end of one of the many missiles launched in the first 50 pages. I can't believe this was even published. Whoever did so should be fired.

EXCELLENT WORK!!:
Hard to believe this guy writes so well!! Who is he? I can't wait to read the newest one! If you like suspense and action you need to read this book, I promise you won't put it down until you finish it!

A quick easy and fun read:
Scot Harvath, ex-navy SEAL and current Secret Service agent, is seeking the head of a terrorist organization, the one responsible for the kidnapping of the President in the last book. He finds himself up against Hashim Nidal, son of the dead terrorist Abu Nidal. The son, apparently a highly skilled operative and assassin, is involved in a plot to threaten both Israel and the US. It is up to Scot to follow, capture and kill this terrorist before he can bring his plan into reality. The chase takes him all over the world. Brad Thor in his second endeavor shows he has what it takes to write the penultimate international thriller. The military trained larger than life hero, a love interest, the history of the free world at stake, exotic settings well described, and the latest military gadgets. It is all great fun. This is a quick easy read and one that doesn't require too many brain cells. It is perfect for the upcoming summer months.