Books Pirate: A Thriller (Hawke)
Books and Publications Average Rating:

Rating: - Ludicrous dialogue, stereotyped characters
Grabbed this in a (poorly stocked) airport bookshop. $8 down the tubes.

Ted Bell is an accomplished guy in other fields, but this is book is to classic spy fiction (early Ludlum, Forsyth, Le Carre, etc) as paint-by-numbers is to the Mona Lisa.

The characters are awful stereotypes. The English characters are typical of what bad American writers make of British characters -- their mouths full of locutions from British movies of the 1930s and 40s that are heard nowhere in the British Isles of the 21st century.

The characterizations are so inconsistent as to be laughable. We're supposed to accept, for example, that a Scotland Yard detective with a legendary reputation suddenly is struck dumb by the beauty of a suspect he's about to interrogate -- so stricken in fact, he begins to act like a schoolboy, unresponsive to others.

I confess that this is the point at which I stopped reading, somewhere around page 125. Giving up on a book, like walking out on a movie, is something I almost never do -- I'm a persistent guy, and I'm usually curious enough about the plot to keep going. Hell, long after Ludlum lost his orginiality and became a factory, I bought and read all his non-ghost-written novels. But Ludlum at his most tired, "I-signed-the-contract-so-I've-got-to-churn-it-out" worst is better than this.

If you want good contemproary spy fiction, try Daniel Silva instead.

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Rating: - Pirate
Okay, I'm hooked! I picked up "Assassin" at the airport, ruined my visit with friends because I couldn't put the book down, and just rushed home from work (with circles under my eyes from reading late last night)to finish "Pirate" in 2 days. I love the cast of characters, the array of locations, and maybe the munitions/aircraft technicalities have a few holes, but it's a great "take your mind off everything else" series. Can't wait for "Spy"!

p.s. Ted, could you please crank them out a little more quickly : ) ???

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Rating: - Non-stop, heart-pounding action from start to finish!
I really enjoy the Alexander Hawke series, and this third book is arguably the best so far in my opinion. The pace is relentless and the action keeps the reader in its grip right up until the very end. We go to some exotic locales with Hawke and his merry band of mercenaries while they attempt to save our world from the terrors and bad people that have cruel designs on it. We even get a truly nasty villain that it is our pleasure to "love to hate".The book breaks off into about three or four different story lines, but that does not seem to fracture the plot. It just adds whole new dimensions to the pace and to the tension. Hawke is a wonderful new "James Bond" type of figure who gets into and out of more scrapes than we can imagine. His entourage led by Stokely Jones (my favourite character), Brick Kelly and the indomitable Ambrose Congreve mange to get into and out of a lot of trouble all on their own. I highly recommend this series if you like political thrillers, but be prepared to stay up late trying to finish each book. This particular book is over 500 pages, but it doesn't seem that long once you get into it.

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Rating: - The Best Characters
This is billed as a Hawke novel, but there are two other great main characters that fill out the book. This is the thriller blueprint for beyond the year 2000.

Starting with Lord Hawke - he's the 21st century's James Bond. His sidekick Stokely is the 21st century's Hawk (to Spenser). The inspector is the 21st century's Sherlock Holmes.

The three team up (with help from other equally good side characters) to meet and beat a conspiracy of Chinese, German and French megolomaniacs that have a plan for Chinese domination that fits the 21st century as well. These bad guys are perfect Moriarties/Dr. No's, etc. for this century.

To cap the comparisons, there is the understated British humor throughout - that rye, dry look at the world - that Hawke and the Inspector exhibit that is reminiscent of Bond. Stokely's humor is American all the way - a black Spenser rather than a tight-lipped Hawk. You can't help but enjoy these guys.

There is non-stop action and thrills (of many varieties) for the full 500+ pages. Like all of this genre, you know the good guys will win. However, every scene poses a different challenge, including the possibilities of moles and traitors. The expected outcome never diminishes the tension or excitement.

This is highly recommended and I will be rushing to Bell's other Hawke novels.