The Orpheus Deception (Hardcover)

by David Stone (Author) "After the killings, Dalton went to Venice, where the rain fell for two days and three nights, a hard, slicing torrent, and, under it, the..." (more)
Key Phrases: harbor master, orpheus deception, condensed soy milk, Mingo Dubai, Micah Dalton, Branco Gospic (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Readers hungry for sex, bloody action and flag-waving patriotism will best appreciate this sequel to Stone's debut, The Echelon Vendetta, which likewise starred CIA agent Micah Dalton. The disparate elements of this testosterone-fueled thriller gradually come together, including a stabbing in Venice; the hijacking of a freighter in the South China Sea; a rogue SAS (Special Air Service) agent, Ray Fyke, imprisoned in Singapore's notorious Changi prison; and a Serbian mafia leader with grandiose ambitions. Each piece of the puzzle carries its own carnage and enough international intrigue to effectively make Dalton and his putative allies the only ones who can salvage the situation. Stone handles with aplomb such details as weapons technology, bureaucratic bumbling and ship navigation in treacherous seas, then tests the limits of human endurance with his heroes Dalton and Fyke. Though the plot hangs together well enough, the resolution takes a gigantic suspension of disbelief and leads to a less than satisfying denouement. (Apr.)
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From Booklist
A disappointing follow-up to Stone’s The Echelon Vendetta (2007), starring CIA “cleaner”  Micah Dalton. This time Dalton, on the run from his superiors, takes on an assignment that he hopes will put him back in the good graces of the agency. Without familiarity with the first book, this one is nearly incomprehensible. Plus, the pseudonymous Stone, a veteran intelligence officer, uses his hero’s dreamlike visions to convey information that wouldn’t be available otherwise, a device that is both confusing and unbelievable. Only for fans of the first book or libraries committed to collecting the entire series. --Jeff Ayers

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 462 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult (March 27, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399154639
• ISBN-13: 978-0399154638
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #472,159 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Adventure Story!, April 5, 2008

By	Melvin Hunt (Cleveland,, Texas United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This new book picks up with Micah Dalton the CIA cleaner as the central
character. Dalton is now living in Venice on the run from the CIA. An
assassination attempt is made on him during a marathon race in Venice.He
is nearly killed. The perpetrators are found to be a blonde woman who is posing as a runner in the marathon. She has been sent after Dalton by a
Serbian warlord named Branco Gospic. A piracy act is done on the ship
Mingo Dubai. The boat is captured by the pirates to be used later. Then
he is sent to rescue a CIA agent,Ray Fyke who is imprisoned in Changi Prison in Singapore. He is joined by another CIA agent named Mandy Pownall. There is also a mysterious ship named Orpheus. All of these combine to create a giant conspiracy. There is a final showdown with Serbian thugs in the Port of Chicago. This is a good action book that will make for good reading.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ACTION PACKED THRILER!!! NOT TO BE MISSED!!!, April 1, 2008

By	S. Foster (Novato, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It's been a long time since I read a book where I completely lost track of time and THE ORPHEUS DECEPTION did it!!! It was so terrific that it starts where THE ECHELON VENDETTA left off.....I loved that!!! I fell 'in love' with Micah while reading David Stone's incredible, intelligent debut thriller and then even more so with this new one. What a fantastic character he is and I'm so glad that, with this new book, it has developed into a series...and what a marvelous one it is!!!! His other characters such as poor, suffering Fyke, the lethal Gospic, Mandy, Brancati, etc.....they all come to life with David Stone's marvelous words. THE ORPHEUS DECEPTION grabs you with the first page and never lets go until the riveting last page. This is a sizzling thrill ride....compelling, mesmerizing with breath-taking non-stop action!!! David Stone is the master of chapter endings....just one more...just one more....suddenly it's one in the morning!!! It's the sign of a really good book when you cannot stop thinking about it after several days of ending it and it's difficult to even start reading another book as everything seems so boring in comparison!!! It was lovely to see a softer, more gentle side of him in Micah's relationship with Cora Vasari but just as much exciting to see him in action with that lethal Kiki and Vigo....and ohhhh that ending....just the perfect 'right on' scene!!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "A Diplomatic Crocodile...who knew" , April 9, 2008

By	Brandie Spencer "Lotus Flower Muse" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Orpheus Deception (Audio CD)

I listened to this book on CD and was struck by how different readers can really set the tone for a character and a book. Erik Davies did a good job with this novel; however the reader of "The Echelon Vendetta", Firdous Bamji is the true voice of Micah Dalton in my opinion.

David Stone shows another side to a complex character masterfully and I look forward to more about Micah Dalton. There is humor and very poignant moments in this novel that for those who have never served their country might not get. For those that have and do, you will appreciate the nuances of this novel and have a whole new appreciation for the predatory nature of your comrades past and present.

If you are looking for another great author to fill in the time it will take for another Micah Dalton thriller to be released you will take great pleasure in Daniel Silva's novels about an Israeli spy Gabriel Allon!