The Grey Man (Quick Reads) [Import] [Paperback]

Andy McNab (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Corgi Childrens (2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0552215449
• ISBN-13: 978-0552215442
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,444,586 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good short story, January 20, 2008

By 

Lance Mitchell (Hampshire, UK, Northern Hemisphere, Planet Earth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Grey Man (Quick Reads) (Paperback)

This is such a delightful little story and such an easy read. As an avid reader of David Nobbs's books, I noticed an immediate similarity between the hero of this story, Kevin Dodds, and those more famous Nobbs characters, Reginald Perrin and Henry Pratt. That takes nothing away from Kevin's adventure as he steps out of his life as a loyal and boring bank employee into the much more exciting mantle of a bank robber. You'll have to read it to find out more!

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice surprise., August 7, 2011

By 

Emma A (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Grey Man (Quick Reads) (Kindle Edition)

I picked this book up for 50cents in a department store not sure what to expect, but I'd left my book at home and just needed anything to read on the bus.
30 minutes later I got off the bus with a smile on my face having finished the book (and almost missing my stop to read the last paragraph)
This book isn't ground breaking, life changing or ingeniously planned, but is an amusing short story who's simplicity gives it a realistic edge.
The main character is very likable, certaintly someone to relate to, and you feel the humble accomplishment this beyond ordinary guy is left with after being able to get away with his little flirtation with crime while sticking it to those who deserve it and giving something special to the love of his life.

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as Good as I Anticipated it Would be, April 11, 2011

By 

James N Simpson (Gold Coast, QLD Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Grey Man (Quick Reads) (Paperback)

One of the harder to track down books of the original 2006 Quick Reads short stories, Andy McNab's The Grey Man is actually a little bit disappointing, which is a shame as of all the back catalogue of Quick Reads, this is the one I was really looked forward to the most. The basic plot certainly sounds like it will be one of if not the most interesting of all the Quick Read plots, however the actual story doesn't live up to the excitement of the blurb on the back.

Kevin and his wife, Linda high school sweetheart were known as the losers and geeks of their high school and not much has changed all these years down the track. Kevin is a pretty much a doormat to his bullying boss at the local bank. His boss is incompetent and Kevin constantly saves his reputation by doing all his work and covering for him when head office asks questions. His boss yells at Kevin constantly, makes him pay for his dry cleaning and Kevin never says anything, instead he just smiles and takes it. Kevin wants next Friday off to celebrate his anniversary with a long weekend but his boss says no. Kevin knows Linda will be disappointed in him once again so decides to make it up to her with a plan to rob a couple of safety deposit boxes.

Problem is the story never reaches any great heights, which is especially disappointing when you consider Andy McNab is known for being an action thriller writer. There's really no action or edge of your seat reading in The Grey Man at all. Kevin isn't the brightest of characters, reading he undertakes the plans for the robbery you know that even if he is successful he's leaving behind credit card records and other proof along the way. Plus with these types of stories you're hoping characters that deserve it such as the nasty popular girls from his high school who make fun of him and who he's married to on the bus, and definitely his boss get their comeuppance. This never happens. The Grey Man is a readable hour or so long short story but there's a lot better books in the Quick Reads series.

The Grey Man, is part of the Quick Reads series of books to increase literacy levels by encouraging those who don't like to read beyond magazines and comic books to try fiction through cheap priced short story length fiction and non fiction.