Customer Reviews

The Assassins

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I have read all of these novels in the Peter Newman series and this is definately the best of the three. All have had a prophetic edge to them, but The Assassins seems more reality than fiction. North spins a nail-biting plot that appeals to those of us outside-the-beltway and inexperienced into military life ... it's just believable!

I have read all three of the books involving former Captain, now Brigadier General Peter Newman and I would rank this as the best of the lot.

Much of the allure of this book is that the scenario which it sets out is so plausable. Saudi Arabia has long been thought of as a weak link in the oil cartel that controls the price of oil from the Middle East and the royal family is a tempting target for those who would change the politics of the area and bring enormous pressure to bear on the United States which is so oil dependant and which is held hostage to the dependancy by those in the US who have the political muscle to keep us from tapping into our oil reserves in order to become more independant.

Iran is recognized as the force in the Middle East which not only sponsors terrorisim, but is also developing a nuclear capability.

With this factual background, the authors create our worst nightmare as the forces of evil in the Muslim world put together a plan to take over the Middle East and to wreak havoc on the Great Satan, the United States.

How this plan is countered, the problems and the dangers involved makes for lively reading and makes us all aware of the fragile thread by which we hang in this moment in history.

I have been following "solid" moral based believer centred Military fiction for some time now - and I have followed North since 2002 and his characters. His writing and that of Joe Musser's is to aplauded...this though I understand to be the final in a trilogy does not have written at the last page .. THE END .. which one could assume means that the next story could involve a more in depth sub plot and counter responses in the development of some of the Characters...

This book really moves along at a good pace and flows well. It is to be credited as a work that has improved since Mission Compromised.

Assassins involves a substantial amount of twists and turns and I believe raises some serious questions about diplomacy in the current context of foreign agendas. I appreciated the underlying opinions of the characters - even the villans.

Great Read and inspiring. For lovers of Military Fiction that honors Christ and retains the integrity of Honor.

GS

"Assassins" is part 3 of the Oliver North technothriller series. This series is probably the best of this type marketed by a Christian publisher, though the `Christian' parts of the book are subtle, not as contrived as in other books. Sometimes it still seems as they are peppered in there for the sake of certain readers. And one wonders where the editor learned his or her trade, once you notice the "" around word after word it becomes annoying. English class anyone? But the great strength of this series is the realism and the "ripped from the headlines," even more so than some Clancy novels.

From the minute I began reading the book I found it almost impossible to put it down. My interest was held from beginning to end and realized this "story" could be a prediction of things to come. If you enjoy the TV series "24" then you should, by all means, enjoy this read!!!

I just finished reading this book about a half hour ago. I guess you could compare it to a Tom Clancy book, because like many of Clancy's novels there are soldiers and politicians and terrorists. However Clancy understands things like plot and pace and letting the characters develop in the readers mind instead of spelling everything out for them in the first 50 pages.

The characters are so one dimensional and cliched, it's hard to take them seriously and I'm sorry to say Colonel North's military experience isn't enough to make the story anywhere near believable.

I was also disappointed at how forced the interjection of Christianity was in this story. It seemed to me like these stories are written and then North and/or Musser make them just religious enough to sell at Christian bookstores.

I guess I like my thrillers a little more...dare I say nuanced?

This is my first Oliver North book and I was well pleased.In
this new book Saudi Arabia is attacked and invaded by Jihadists
and terrorists.The fanatical invaders have destroyed major oil
pipelines,production facilities, and oil wells in the Kingdom.
These same Jihadists have nearly assassinated the entire Royal family.Family members worldwide are hunted down and killed by these people on a worldwide basis.This whole plot turns out to be a plan by Iran to establish a Caliphate in the Middle East.
The Iranians are helped in their cause by KBG general Dimitri
Komulakov.He is directing the action from a listening post at Lourdes in Cuba.
General Peter Newman is once again involved in an attempt to
save the day.Senator Waggoner has created an Assassination Commission He has underhanded motives for creating this body.General Newman is picked to head it up.General Newman
discovers that jets and yahcts belonging to the Royal family have been stolen by the Iranians.They plan to use these vessels
to deliver nuclead payloads to the homeland of the United States.The jets and yahcts are arriving in Venezuala to pick up
their nuclear packages. It is now up to General Newman to stop
this plot.This leads to an exciting story'
Read this book.It is great.

Assassins is perhaps the most believable terrorist attack novel I have read. The plot seems right out of the daily news of Iranian threats, rogue Russian KGB officers, lost Russion nukes, Mid-East turmoil, and domestic conflicts about how to fight the war against Islamic radicals.

North knows the ins and outs of the military and political organizations and functions and adequately puts them into the book.

The action of the book rapidly changes locations and characters. North helps the reader keep track by having sub-chapter headings of place, date, time, so readers always know where the action is, but at times it seems like a string of memos and bullet points rather than a story. This led to me skimming many of the pages to get the heart of the matter. I would rather have a more fluid story.

North's writing in 2005 optimistically predicted quicker success in developing more stable Iraqi government and Afghan government. Readers will notice this error, but it does not really affect the story negatively.

The main characters are consistent with the previous books in the series. Readers who enjoyed those books should also enjoy The Assassins.

I really enjoyed the Jericho Sanction, thus I didn't think a sequel would be even better. Well, Oliver North proved me wrong. It is a great novel saturated with thrilling action, wealth of interesting information about various military and government agencies and organizations working to keep us safe, and unbelievable patriotism. If you liked the Jericho Sanction, you will love this book.

As a side note, this book, like Oliver North's other books, would undoubtedly make a great action movie -- but don't hold your breath. Somehow, I don't think that a God-fearing, patriotic hero U.S. Marine risking his life for our freedoms is a modern day hero of the anti-American establishment in Hollywood.

The prologue for THE ASSASSINS begins with a bang. Two years into the future, or in October 2007, terrorists from Iran fly their jets and hydrofoils into the oilfields in Saudi Arabia. Suddenly the largest oil-producing country for the United States has no oil because of the martyrs. At almost exactly the same time, the extensive Saudi Royal family scattered around the world is assassinated. These two events set off a worldwide calamity.

Readers of the first two books in this trilogy, MISSION COMPROMISED and THE JERICHO SANCTION, will encounter retired KGB General Dimitri Komulakov, the familiar nemesis who is living in Cuba. In the past, the General's plans were frustrated through the efforts of Peter Newman, who is now a U.S. Marine Brigadier General. Komulakov has made a deal with the Iranians to help them secure nuclear weapons; with these weapons, Komulakov plans to mount a nuclear attack on eleven U.S. cities. Because of the destruction of the Saudi rulers and the oilfields, a power-hungry Senator James Waggoner pressures the U.S. President to sign an Assassination Bill that allows government officers or agents to carry out any assassination they believe is necessary. This legislation puts the President in a moral dilemma and he's reluctant to sign it.

As Secretary of State Helen Luce tells him, "Mr. President, if you sign this bill, we will forever lose any moral authority we have as a nation."

"Helen, I know. That may well turn out to be true. But if I veto it or don't sign it --- it'll still become law. And in the ensuing fight over the bill we could cease to be a nation."

The President signs the bill and it becomes law.

General George Grisham, who is now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, breaks the news to his friend, Brigadier General Pete Newman, that he's been selected to head The Presidential Commission on Threat Mitigation (the official name for the committee of government-sanctioned assassins).

A multilayer conflict is constructed in the early stages of this fast-paced book. Like the previous novels, the story line switches rapidly from scene to scene. Familiar characters from past books are reintroduced to readers, such as Sergeant Major Amos Skillings and CIA deputy director of operations Bill Goode. A Christian theme is woven into the plot as true believers carry a small metal fish charm, which in the early Church was the sign for believers in Jesus to recognize each other.

Readers will enjoy the back and forth drama in multiple short bursts and the realistic settings and dialogue from the real-life experiences of retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North. I believe that this type of book, with its short sections, is ideal to read if you have limited time. To help the reader keep up with all the military alphabet soup scattered throughout the story and dialogue, thankfully a glossary is provided.

THE ASSASSINS is plausible and ripped from today's headlines, yet it is set in the near future. Key characters from the book have a faith and trust in God that sustains them throughout the circumstances of the day. I highly recommend this complex yet page-turning novel.


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