The American (Ryan Kealey Series) [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Andrew Britton (Author), Christopher Lane (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 2006 | Series: Ryan Kealey Series (Book 1)

At thirty-three, Ryan Kealey has achieved more in his military and CIA career than most men can dream of in a lifetime. He’s also seen the worst life has to offer and is lucky to have survived it. But being left alone with his demons is no longer an option. The CIA needs him badly, because the enemy they’re facing is former U.S. soldier Jason March. Ryan knows all about March – he trained him. He knows they’re dealing with one of the most ruthless assassins in the world, a master of many languages, an explosives expert, a superb sharpshooter who can disappear like a shadow and who is capable of crimes they cannot begin to imagine. And now, March has resurfaced on the global stage, aligning himself with a powerful Middle East terror network whose goal is nothing less than the total destruction of the United States. Teaming up with beautiful and tenacious British-born agent Naomi Kharmai, Ryan intends to break every rule in order to hunt down his former pupil, whatever the cost to himself. As Ryan puts together the pieces of a terrifying puzzle, and as the elusive March taunts him, always staying one step ahead, he discovers the madman’s crusade is personal as well as political – and Ryan himself is an unwitting pawn. With the clock ticking down and the fate of the country resting uneasily on his shoulders, Ryan is caught in a desperate game of cat-and-mouse with the most cunning opponent he’s ever faced, one who will never stop until he’s committed the ultimate act of evil – a man who is all the more deadly for being one of our own.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The titular character of 24-year-old Britton's debut thriller is no patriot. Jason March, a blond al-Qaeda operative with a ferocious grudge against the U.S.A., kicks off an orgy of revenge by blowing up Senate Majority Leader Daniel Levy's motorcade, slaughtering the senator, his aide and assorted Secret Service personnel. Assigned to hunt down this killer is ex-CIA agent Ryan Kealey, March's former commanding officer when they were both Special Forces soldiers in the U.S. Army. While on a secret mission years before, March wounded Kealey and murdered everyone else on the team. Now, Langley sends the uniquely qualified Kealey—along with CIA counterterrorism expert Naomi Kharmai—after the unstoppable killing machine. Other than the mildly interesting March, there's little original material. The evil characters are numbingly familiar—al-Zarqawi and bin Laden loom large—and the usual Arab minions and murderers play out their predictable fictional roles. The writing never rises above the pedestrian: "The sands of the endless desert south of Kabul burned beneath the fiery orb above." Readers open to another formulaic Arab terrorist story may enjoy this one, but anyone looking for something new will find it ordinary and tedious. (Mar. 7)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

This debut thriller by a 24-year-old author stars an unconventional CIA agent who must track down a renegade former comrade-in-arms. Ryan Kealey, the hero, is a tough, embittered ex-CIA agent; he is engaging enough but hardly original. Jason March, the former U.S. soldier now allied with terrorists, is appropriately villainous, but, again, we've seen his like before. And the story itself, while solidly structured, doesn't stray much from formula. Is it a bad book? Not at all: it's a well-told tale, and Britton shows a great deal of promise. If his next novel is more inventive than his first, that promise may be realized. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio Unabridged Lib Ed; Unabridged edition (March 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423307283
• ISBN-13: 978-1423307280
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.2 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,879,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Andrew Britton was born in Peterborough, England, in 1981. He spent his formative years in the UK and Camlough, County Armagh Ireland, a small village which is home to most of the family on his mother's side. In 1988, his family immigrated to the United States, taking up residence in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Just before his junior year of high school, Britton moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, where he currently resides.

Britton graduated from Leesville Road High School in 1999 and immediately joined the U.S. Army. He served as a combat engineer for three years. During that time, he was assigned to the 1st Engineer Battalion at Fort Riley, Kansas. In the summer of 2001, he received orders for Korea, where he served with the 2ID, the famed 2nd Infantry Division. He was honorably discharged as a specialist in 2002.

Less than two months after separating from the armed forces, Britton began taking classes at Wake Technical Community College, transferring to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall of 2004. As an undergraduate at UNC, Britton studied economics and psychology. His education has been on hiatus for the past year, though he intends to return to school as soon as his schedule allows.

Apart from writing, Britton enjoys reading, traveling, and the occasional beer at the local bar.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent thriller from a promising author, March 5, 2006

By 

Craig (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The American (Hardcover)

Young author Britton uses a, "What if the enemy is one of us?" scenario in a somewhat typical, but still enjoyable thriller. And while my 4-star rating may be a little generous, it's still a pretty impressive debut.

The story is pretty simple. Ryan Kealey, a 33-year-old retired former Special Forces op, is drawn back into the national security game when a suspected terrorist is revealed to be a former officer once under Kealey's command. From there, it's typical cat-and-mouse stuff, with a couple of love interest storylines thrown in for good measure.

While not on the level of Tom Clancy's military thrillers, this is a nice debut from Britton. Kealey is a believable hero, even if he seems a little Jack Bauer-ish at times with the threats of torture and unbridled use of violent means. Anyone who likes a fast-moving story, and one that doesn't necessarily command you to be constantly figuring things out, should enjoy this one. Hopefully, Britton's next novel will iron out some of the problems evident in this one, and he'll be able to tell a story in fewer pages.

Overall, a good debut effort. Recommended for fans of the genre.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A taut, fast moving thriller, April 24, 2006

By 

Joesbooks2 (Boston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American (Hardcover)

Britton has delivered adventure and psychological terror in
The American. It came highly recommended by one of my favorite authors Brad Thor. and it has all the right ingredients for the big screen. As Thor said " Fast. Gripping. A page turner" I did not put it down until I was finished. Then I found myself in discussion with friends and the story line. It has been a while since I was this excited about a book. I am and will recommend it. More from this young author please. I do know I will hold a space for him on my book shelf.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A don't-miss novel written by a soon-to-be master of the thriller genre, March 27, 2006

By 

Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American (Hardcover)

Andrew Britton is the surprise of the month and maybe the year. British-born and American-raised Britton served in the Army as a combat engineer and is presently pursuing a double major in psychology and economics. At the tender age of 24, he has penned a riveting and compelling debut novel.

THE AMERICAN introduces Ryan Kealey, who is retired from the military and CIA when he receives the call he's been dreading. Jason March, a former U.S. soldier and Kealey's one-time student, is on an extended mission of terror against the United States. March nurses a pathological hatred against the U.S. and all it stands for. He is also an assassin of the highest order, being a master of explosives, firearms and unarmed combat. He is, in short, Kealey's mirror image. The last time they met, March came to within a hairs breadth of killing Kealey. When March's presence reveals itself in a dramatic and deadly fashion, Kealey is brought back into the service of the CIA.

Teamed with the brilliant and beautiful Naomi Kharmi, Kealey finds himself constantly a step behind March, who has aligned himself with Middle Eastern terrorists whose goal is nothing less than the destruction of western civilization in general and the United States specifically. Britton follows both men on twin tracks as their opposing goals slowly and inexorably head toward a collision. Kealey attempts to balance the newfound peace of his personal life with the horrors of his past and a job that must be done, while March, being followed by Kealey, pursues a mission that is as brilliant in its execution as it is terrifying. Both men, as the book races toward its cataclysmic conclusion, shall find reason for revenge.

Britton writes with true authority --- there were times when I felt as if I was a fly on March's shoulder watching the proceedings --- and within the space of one novel demonstrates that he has the chops to become a master of the thriller genre. And the ending of THE AMERICAN? Whoa. More is coming. In the meantime, don't miss this one. Highly recommended.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub