Customer Reviews

Targets of Deception

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book grabs you in the sensitive areas and holds you tight until the conclusion. It is a prime example that the best fiction books are those that are based on a single plot line tightly wrapped and executed.
Jordan Sandor was one of the best agents of the American Central Intelligence Agency when he quit in disgust. Despite the horror of the attacks on the twin towers on 9-11 and the subsequent push to tighten security and increase inter-agency cooperation, the bureaucratic mentality still reigns. Sandor had been on a mission to a small Islamic country and his team was abandoned by his superiors, which led to the deaths of his teammates.
The story opens with Sandor now acting as a journalist and he is with his friend Dan on their way to meet with a man that claims to have information about a terrorist group. As they are on the road they encounter two men that have shot a police officer. These men prefer to leave no witnesses so they begin shooting at Sandor's car. They hit Dan, but Sandor is able to drive the car past them and then double back after they leave. The two men had tortured and killed the man that Sandor and Dan were going to meet.
Since it is immediately clear that the men are most likely members of a terrorist group, this injects Sandor back into the environment he had resigned from. However, his frustration is our delight as his adventures make for a tale that keeps you moving the pages to the exclusion of all except the most critical of body functions. Set in the modern world of international terrorism, Stephens has created a strong and ruthless villain, an essential ingredient for a story of this type.

This book has gotten rave reviews, but I'm afraid I'm being overly generous with three stars. It doesn't help that I read Ward Larsen's "The Perfect Assassin" immediately prior to this novel. The protagonists in this novel and "Perfect Assassin" are not dissimilar, but that's to be expected in this genre. I like these types of characters. Our protagonist, Jordan, has a tag-along female companion (like Perfect Assassin), but she's such a poorly developed character, written as though she were a requirement more than a part of the story. Her name is Christine (same name as the female character in Perfect Assassin by the way...odd) and at one point they're on a boat called "Winsome II" (the name of Christine's boat in Perfect Assassin was Winsome!) Ok, so perhaps Mr. Stephens was a fan of Mr. Larsen's book, but maybe a little subtlety is in order here.

There were a few other things that irked me about the story. Christine apparently traded letters with another character in the book during the Vietnam war. However, this book takes place in the present day, and Christine is described as being "in her thirties." So, unless she had a Vietnam War pen pal prior to being born, or when she was an infant, this isn't possible. Another character is described as making a killing off of "dotcom startups" but "by the time the nineties rolled around" had lost everything. So, somehow this guy managed to get rich off dotcoms in the eighties before dotcoms existed.

To top everything off, there was a hair too much political sniping for my taste. Normally, I couldn't care less, but after several "liberal medias", "Ayn Rands", "bleeding hearts", "fox newses", with some France bashing sprinkled on top, I found myself rolling my eyes at my book and saying, "OKAAAAY, we get it!"

So, after all that, the story was actually pretty good. The action was great, really great sometimes. There were some plot twists that kept you guessing, and character motives you questioned throughout the story, which was fun. I'd recommend it to fans of this genre. Just keep in mind, some things slipped past the editors on this one it seems. Oh, and don't read "Perfect Assassin" immediately before or after this one. ;)

If you like Vince Flynn then you'll love this book. The main character, Jordan Sandor, is easy to identify with. This is very readable and hard to put down. I hated when the airline made power down my Kindle for landing.

This book grabs you and holds you tight until the conclusion. Jordan Sandor was one of the best agents of the American Central Intelligence Agency when he quit in disgust. Despite the horror of the attacks on the twin towers on 9-11 and the subsequent push to tighten security and increase inter-agency cooperation, the bureaucratic mentality still reigns. Sandor had been on a mission to a small Islamic country and his team was abandoned by his superiors, which led to the deaths of his teammates.
The story opens with Sandor now acting as a journalist and he is with his friend Dan on their way to meet with a man that claims to have information about a terrorist group. As they are on the road they encounter two men that have shot a police officer. These men prefer to leave no witnesses so they begin shooting at Sandor's car. They hit Dan, but Sandor is able to drive the car past them and then double back after they leave. The two men had tortured and killed the man that Sandor and Dan were going to meet.
Since it is immediately clear that the men are most likely members of a terrorist group, this injects Sandor back into the environment he had resigned from. However, his frustration is our delight as his adventures move you forward from page to page eager to see the end! Set in the modern world of international terrorism, Stephens has created a strong and ruthless villain, an equally strong and resourceful main character: essential ingredients for a tale of this type.

An action-filled novel with much excitement from the opening pages throughout the entire book. After putting it down I'm ready for the sequel.

Jordan Sandor resigned from the CIA following the September 11th disaster and the subsequent fall of Saddam Hussein as leader of Iraq. He is called back into action when it is discovered that there is a conspiracy to commit other acts of terror using poison gas. The story begins when Jordan and a friend, Dan Peters, are driving through New York State to meet a former operative who has defected to the other side and they come upon a policeman who has been killed by two assassins who are supposedly working for an al-Queda cell that is looking for the person Jordan and Dan are going to meet. Soon after, it is discovered that the man everyone was seeking was killed and Jordan is sent on a quest to find the persons responsible. Jordan follows the trail of the assassins from New York to Florida where there is another confrontation with gunmen. On to Paris and then to a small town on the Italian cost called Portofino. He is helped by a friend of the dead agent along with a girl who has presented herself as the agent's half-sister. But, it is difficult to trust anyone so he is mostly on his own and has to rely on his own skills as a former operative to find and uncover plans of attacks on the United States. Jordan finds that the master mind behind all this is a former agent who worked with him previously and the the plot takes you on a merry-go-round that doesn't stop until the last page.

This is an extraordinary book. It is also a first novel for Mr. Stephens and I'm sure that he will be hard-pressed to equal it. From the opening passage in New York to the end the characters are forever on the run. The adventure never stops and believe me, you won't be able to put it down. I highly recommend this book to all mystery/thriller/adventure readers. The writing is first class and much better than many of the books that are out there for sale right now. The story is great and you will get so involved that you cannot wait for the ending which is spectacular. Can't wait for the next.

[...]

In his first novel, Targets of Deception by Jeffrey Stephens hits a homerun! It is a thrilling and suspenseful ride, which made it difficult to put down! There are great twists and memorable characters. It is fast-paced and action packed. The story is so well written, it is almost hard to believe that this is Stephens' first book. The topics of international intrigue and terrorism are hot right now, and Targets of Deception is at the front of the pack!

This book was provided to me for review by Ascot Media Group.

I loved everything about 'Targets of Deception' - the story was fabulous - full of suspense and unpredictable twists and turns throughout. I know it's fiction but I've been researching who I think it's actually about - we'll see if I'm right! Fast-paced, non-stop action is just what I would expect in a tale of international intrigue and I wasn't disappointed! The lead character is a CIA agent who resigned before 9-11 but gets drawn back in when a rogue agent starts helping al-Qaeda. The rogue agent turns out to be his old mentor so he feels a responsibility to track him down when he realizes his old teacher is involved in a plot to set off a wave of assaults using poison gas. The story is very real and makes me even more afraid about the world we live in. Stephens definitely knows his stuff - I feel like someone just gave me an exciting `inside' tour of the world of covert operations. The ending is phenomenal - altogether a great read and one I highly recommend!

I liked the book -- very entertaining but I hate silly mistakes. On page 249 Sandor cocks the hammer of his Walther. Assuming a round was chambered, fine & good. On page 251 he fires a round. Then on page 252 he cocks the hammer again! Very hollywood dramatic but wrong. After the first round was fired another round would automatically cycle into the chamber and the hammer would be cocked. So it could not be cocked again.

So am I to understand that Targets of Deception is just a re-issue of The Portofino Deception? Nowhere is it stated, but the plot is the same, as is the author.
I enjoyed it even if the double agents were tripping over each other. And for Robert K. Tannenbaum to write a blurb for it, well, only Michael Gruber could have said it better.
Deception is always interesting.

I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed his other book Targets of Opportunity. I like the hero / secret agent who trusts no one and relies on himself. The story grabs you from the first few pages and doesn't let go until the wrap up in the end.
The author develops the characters very well, giving the necessary background and personality. However, he doesn't get gabby with them and the reader can easily conjure them up in the minds eye. I like the way he does that.
If you're looking for a good read that is fast paced, interesting, and thrilling, then this book is for you!