Columbus: A Silver Bear Thriller (Silver Bear Thrillers) [Hardcover]

Derek Haas (Author)

Book Description

Series: Silver Bear Thrillers | Publication Date: November 17, 2009

Columbus is back and as deadly as ever. But the hunter has now become the hunted, in this sequel to the national bestseller The Silver Bear.

He told you not to like him. To get close to Columbus, the Silver Bear, means death. Exactly whose death remains to be determined in Derek Haas’ highly anticipated new thriller.

Recouping in Europe after loosing his fence and best friend during his mission to assassinate his father, Columbus now finds his reverie interrupted by multiple assassins searching for the elusive Silver Bear. As Columbus eliminates each killer, more and more appear—a hydra effect he can only eliminate by finding the origin of the hit, a source connected to his own past. Racing across the globe, as both hunter and hunted, Columbus’ travels take him to Italy, where he meets a mysterious woman named Risina. A woman with her own secret past, she may be Columbus’ only hope of salvation.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of Haas's less than compelling second thriller to feature the world-weary assassin who calls himself Columbus (after Silver Bear), William Ryan, who serves as Columbus's middleman, hires him to kill Jiri Dolezal, a Czech banker involved with prostitution and drug dealing. In the course of preparing to murder Dolezal, Columbus meets and falls in love with an attractive rare book dealer in Rome, Risina Lorenzana. Columbus considers renouncing violence, even as he keeps his true nature a secret from Risina. After a gunman takes out Ryan, Columbus realizes that it won't be so easy to retire, as he himself becomes a target. The amoral killer seeking a normal life is a familiar theme that often works, but Haas fails to imbue his hero with enough emotional depth to make readers care about the man. Even the one highly unusual aspect of Columbus's backstory—he killed his own father at his father's request—gets lost amid formulaic action scenes. (Nov.)
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Review

"A fine and riveting pick for mystery-thriller readers." --Midwest Book Review

"Columbus is just the latest factor in Haas' master plan: to craft characters with a wretchedness so refined, so incorrigible and so sincere that it's kind of impossible not to fall for them." --Las Vegas Weekly

Like Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter, Columbus is a thoroughly likable villain. He operates on the wrong side of the law, with his own moral code and his own unique sense of compassion. It’s impossible not to like the guy, even though he explicitly and repeatedly tells us not to, just as it’s impossible not to like the novel itself. (David Pitt - Booklist )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Pegasus; First Edition edition (November 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1605980684
• ISBN-13: 978-1605980683
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #656,186 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Derek Haas is the author of the bestselling novel THE SILVER BEAR and its follow-up COLUMBUS. The third book in his Silver Bear series, DARK MEN, is out now. Derek also co-wrote the screenplays for 3:10 TO YUMA, starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, and WANTED, starring James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, and Angelina Jolie. He co-wrote and produced THE DOUBLE, starring Richard Gere, Topher Grace and Martin Sheen. He is the creator of the website popcornfiction.com, which promotes genre short fiction. His short story, "Shake," was bought by Bruckheimer Films. Derek lives in Los Angeles. Interact with Derek and other fans at http://derekhaas.com, follow him on twitter at popcornhaas, or facebook friend him.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An even better follow up to a great debut novel, October 29, 2009

By 

Jeff Lowell - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Columbus: A Silver Bear Thriller (Silver Bear Thrillers) (Hardcover)

I purchased this book early at a book signing in New York, and devoured it immediately. I'm a huge fan of thrillers, and am always looking for new authors and characters. To me, the problem with a lot of writing these days is that it's formulaic - an author hits on a pattern of twists and reveals that sells, and then just keeps populating book after book with new villains to carry out the same roles.

It wasn't that way at all with this novel. I don't want to give anything away, but Columbus is a complex protagonist, as are his allies and enemies. They act like real people, not ciphers in service of a plot. They're not always a or b - sometimes they get angry or scared and surprise us in a believable way.

Again, trying to be spoiler free here, but another enjoyable part of the book is that the author (Derek Haas) isn't afraid to kill the original characters he creates. You can feel it with some authors - they come up with a sidekick that fits in well with their main character, and then you never have to worry about the sidekick's life. They'll be back in the next book. And the book after that. Haas isn't precious with his creations - you're in the sure hands of an author who can kill off Watson if it's going to make for a great read, and then come up with an even better partner for Holmes in the next book. Or the next chapter.

My one regret is that I'm discovering this series early. I really wish I'd stumbled on it years from now, and could plow through a dozen of these. Get this, get the first one (you don't need to read it to understand this, but why wouldn't you?) and enjoy!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars With THE SILVER BEAR, Derek Haas rented your ass. With COLUMBUS, he OWNS it!, October 28, 2009

By 

Tim Talbott (Studio City, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Columbus: A Silver Bear Thriller (Silver Bear Thrillers) (Hardcover)

I don't know how he's done it, but he has: Derek Haas has created a follow-up to his excellent first novel, THE SILVER BEAR, and topped it in almost every conceivable way. Highly enjoyable from cover to cover, COLUMBUS starts off as a slow burn, reintroducing us to the no-nonsense hitman at the center of THE SILVER BEAR as he adjusts to the realities of his life following the events of the previous novel. I don't want to give anything away but let's just say that when you least expect it, the narrative kicks in with full force and absolutely does not let up until the end!

I enjoyed the hell out of this book and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a masterful blend of intriguing, well-observed characters and taut storytelling.

Haas is the real deal and I for one can't WAIT for the next book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced, but introspective, December 14, 2009

By 

Roger Thompson (the great state of Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Columbus: A Silver Bear Thriller (Silver Bear Thrillers) (Hardcover)

Odds are, once you start this book, you won't put it down until you finish it. Quick-paced, the book somehow manages to also be introspective, asking us to buy into and believe in a guy whom our better judgment tells us we should, probably, run from (though he'd still catch us). A love story emerges here, and the book begins to examine the whole notion of what it means to have a name, and, by extension, an identity. Highly recommend grabbing it. You'll tear through it.