speesh's reviews
416 reviews

This could have been much a much better book. But isn't because it really seems like it can't decide what it actually wants to be. An interesting, surprising ancient revelation. or an action story. Unfortunately, it ends up feeling like it falls in an unenthusiastic heap somewhere between the two.

The idea that Akenaten was the beginner of an idea of Monotheism (the doctrine or belief that there is one god), that possibly lead to the Jewish and the Christian 'God', isn't a new theory. But it is probably one that would surprise a lot of the readers of this type of Historical Mystery and Adventure novel. And so one that could, if handled correctly, lead to some Dan Brown/'The Da Vinci Code'-type excitement, even notoriety amongst a wider public. But by losing the premis amongst a convoluted tale of chases, corrupt Egyptian Police, mad US preachers, old girlfriends, narcissistic TV Archaeologists and their assistants and rain, lots of rain, it really doesn't become what it could have been. But, having read the previous one (?) involving Will Adams' archaeological hero 'Daniel Cox', the Alexander Cypher back in June, I really think that part of the problem is that the author either isn't interested in writing a better book, or isn't able to. I can't decide.

Then, as with a lot of these type of adventure stories, he's also fallen into the trap of putting quotation marks around his theory. Of having his characters have long 'conversations' where they regurgitate all the facts the author wants the reader to get up to speed on, to enable the premis of the book/story to move along. Where characters being chased by all sorts of officialdom or underworld hoodlums, run through the streets dodging bullets while also running through what sounds like the presentation of a doctorate thesis. Really, especially in the early sections, the number of lectures they give each other, masquerading as conversations, is unbelievable. Not to say extremely dull if you're supposed to be reading, or supposed to be writing, an adventure story.

And, in a story where they generally accidentally stumble upon illicit archaeological digs and fall over artifacts in obscure Egyptian back-street markets, isn't it lucky that - for instance and amongst many other examples - that Knox had; "...wasted countless glorious summer afternoons in a forlorn effort to master Syriac by studying that particular text...” Or his possibly/possibly not girlfriend 'Gaille' had; “...worked on her father’s excavation in Amarna for two seasons while still a teenager, and who’d studied the Eighteenth Dynasty for three years at the Sorbonne.” Handy. It often feels like the girl behind the counter in the coffee shop could probably interject with the name of the otherwise never heard of outside the British Museum's Ancient Greece section obscure Greek philosopher/writer who may have mentioned a fact that proves the unbelievable, improbable and otherwise generally thought to be unprovable.

Then with the chase and adventure part of the story, another irritation came forward. Clearly having read and misunderstood too many Robert Ludlum books, he tries to keep too many (not all that interesting) balls in the air. Switching between different locations and different aspects of the action in the hope of simulating the frenetic atmosphere he's wanting to project. If not handled correctly, it just gives the whole thing discontinuity. And this isn't handled correctly or with any great enthusiasm. It just ends up feeling too broken up and frustratingly disjointed.

It was good, but not great. It was exciting in parts, but not in enough parts. It was interesting in premis, but unenthusiastically handled. And that lack of enthusiasm spread to this reader as well. Should I read another of his? I can't decide.

'Hereward', James Wilde's first book in the Hereward series was a stunning debut. The power and verve of the writing, the impact and strength of the hero the story revealed, gave 'Hereward' an edge and a pulsating wildness that I hadn't felt from a book in a long time. As if the story, the book, had reached up and punched me in the face!

From the very beginning, James Wilde formed Hereward into a thoroughly believable and compelling character from the forgotten mists of English history. An action-packed, compulsive story that took no prisoners and a hero that then held a knife to your throat for the rest of the book.

Phew!

In general, this is a familiar period - 1066 and the aftermath - and one also recently vividly explored, from the Norman point of view, in James Aitcheson's 'Sworn Sword' and 'The Splintered Kingdom'. Here, James Wilde presents it to us afresh by concentrating on a (perhaps to most people) unfamiliar English hero - Hereward 'The Wake'. As the book jacket to the paperback of 'Hereward' puts it;

"The last Englishman. The first freedom fighter. The forgotten hero."

(According to Wikipedia, Hereward's 'The Wake' epithet; "meaning 'watcher', was popularly assigned to him many years after his death" So, whilst I can't say 'Hereward', without also thinking 'The Wake', no one here in these books, says "Hi Wake!" And he's certainly more of a do-er, than a watcher).

Right, so the question is then; after such an impressive start, can 'The Devil's Army' live up to the startling promise of its predecessor?

Yes. It can. It does. And then some.

Of course, because we're better prepared this time, because we know the main characters and we know the style, the second can never be as much as a surprise as the first one (in any series). So the writer has to perhaps work a little harder to keep it fresh, keep us interested and not re-tread old ground. Even if, like this, it is a 'to be continued' story.

With 'The Devil's Army', Hereward's character broadens, matures and takes on more responsibilities as the story progresses. He has to. He finds his inner rage tempered more than somewhat by the responsibility and pressures of the leadership that he hasn't exactly sought, but which has pretty much come to him by dint of the rebels and him realising there is no one else willing or able to take that leadership on. He realises that being a strong leader isn't just about training, leading warriors and the joy of battle, even though he might sometimes wish it were that simple. He needs to offer the people he says he is fighting for, something more than just a satisfyingly bloody fight and the chance of gratification through revenge.

"Once he had been little more than a ravening wolf, driven by rage and hungry for blood, shunned by all civilised folk. Now he was a leader of men who had been taught the value of friendship, honour and justice."

His resistance to William takes shape and he needs fighters. As they fight back against the Normans, so more come to him, willing to fight. But they also come with family and friends who need to be found place to live. And food to eat. Ely, surrounded by the almost impenetrable forests and marshes of the Fens, might offer Hereward protection and a place to centre his fight-back, but it comes at a cost. The people need to see results, not an occupying force. Resentment grows and surprisingly, Hereward often has his work cut out convincing them he offers a better future than William. At the time he most needs his people's help and support, Hereward risks alienating them.

"(Hereward) chose his words carefully, subtly reinforcing the notion that he was one of them, not an outsider who had seized control of their birthplace...They were scared; they yearned for a strong leader, a protector in these turbulent times, and they wanted to believe every word he uttered."

He needs to offer the civilised folk a future. But a safe, secure future that is also in the here and now. Unfortunately, some of the English have also come to the conclusion that this is what they want, more even than the restoration of their heritage. They have come to the conclusion that by mercilessly crushing their fellow Englishmen, the 'rebels' supposedly fighting for them, a stable future is exactly what William can not only offer them, but also deliver - even though it involves burning, killing, and even starving their fellow countrymen to death.

And yes, what of William in 'The Devil's Army'? King William the Conqueror (variously 'my Lord', 'The Userper', or 'The Bastard' - depending on how far away you are from him I guess), is a constant dark and menacing presence, in the country and throughout this book. The Norman Alpha Male. No one is bigger (literally), stronger, or more willing to go further - or sink lower - to get what he wants. He is clearly intent on living up to a perhaps more modern interpretation of 'The Bastard.'

And yet interestingly, on occasions James Wilde shows us that Hereward is also in danger of becoming just as ruthless and destructively determined as the man he is fighting to rid his people of. Hereward can surely see this and at times seems effectively powerless, forced both by necessity and circumstances, to stop it.

Hereward is of course the main character here, but other characters are satisfyingly developed as well. We learn more about his 'brother', Redwald. He is more of a courtier and politician than Hereward, but also an opportunist. His aims are murky, or at least not very clear. He sees much but says little. I don't trust him one little bit. And Alric the Monk, Hereward's companion and conscience personified, becomes a stronger character, while all the time demanding more and more of Hereward's respect. Being Hereward is not easy when you don't want to follow the sensible advice of someone who has your best interests at heart, and don't know that someone you have always trusted, can't be. The countryside of the Fens is wonderfully described and also plays a huge part in shaping both the resistance and the writing of the story. Almost a character in itself.

Add into the mix some huge surprises (that I certainly didn't see coming) and a final battle the like of which one comes across only very rarely - a violent, blood-soaked ambush and chase, with attack and counter-attack that is impossible to tear your eyes away from - and with 'The Devil's Army' you have powerful, evocative historical fiction writing of the very highest order.

And luckily for us, as they say in 'The 13th Warrior'; 'there are more...'

I may be getting ahead of myself here, but I really feel that just two books in, James Wylde has made the 'Hereward' series the one others will be measured against.

This is a bit of an odd one. Non-fiction, written by an American newspaper reporter called Jake Adelstein.

No, me neither.

When I say 'American newspaper reporter', I mean, he's American and he was a newspaper reporter, but in Japan. To be honest, it isn't at all clear just how he came to be in Japan, or why he was previously there long enough to have learned enough of the language, to want to consider trying to get a job on one of Tokyo's leading newspapers. He does rather just jump into the 'story' and almost seems to assume you already know why he was in Japan and what his background is. What does come over well is his love of all things Japanese and inner workings of their society. But I could have done with a bit more background there, to try and explain his motivation, I felt.

Anyway, the 'story', what it is, is basically a collection of linked, roughly chronological recollections of his life as a reporter on the 'Yomiuri Shinbun' Newspaper in Tokyo. They lead to (and are book-ended by), the story of his exposure of human trafficking, money laundering, corruption in general and the downfall of Japan's leading organised crime bosses. But note, he had to leave his job as a reported on this newspaper (Japan's leading paper as far as I could grasp), to complete and publish his exposé. The paper and Japanese publishers in general wouldn't touch it. Fearing the 'Yakuza' crime syndicates too much.

The un-written rules on how you greet someone, how you find your place in what is a very animal-kingdom-like pecking order system, and even down to how you present someone with your business card, are fine and interesting and probably something we could learn from. But when they basically don't want to prosecute people for crimes which we take for granted are crimes which demand prosecution - and successful prosecution...I kind of lose interest.

For instance, in the acknowledgements at the end, he thanks an FBI agent friend (not a Japanese law enforcement official, note) “...for his hard work in getting Japan to partially ban child pornography.” Note also 'partially.' And the book is published in 2009. Way to go, Japan!

The interesting part(s) are the insights into Japanese culture and morals. The frenetic working methods of Japanese newspapers, the lengths they are expected to go to, the sacrifices to their health, their lives and their bank balances they are expected to make, are quite extraordinary. Whilst I've no real experience of how Western newspaper journalists work (apart from the recent phone-tapping scandals and a general cynicism), I can appreciate that Japanese journalists are expected to work in a way that is very, very different. The interesting thought proces for me, was to wonder how their society is, if this is considered unremarkably normal. Just the way it is. But that was me thinking, not the book telling me anything. These 'behind the scenes' sections do work really well. Unfortunately, and it could just be me, but what seems to have been his motivation for writing this book, the human trafficking angle and exposing the dirty secrets of Japanese organised crime bosses, while of course perfectly reasonable, isn't really that interesting. It's fine that that was reason for writing the book of course, but without any idea of who the people are or any kind if pre-knowledge of the crime-traditions and culture they represent, it's hard to build up enough righteous indignation to care all that much. I remained too detached and not as involved as I'm sure he would have hoped his reader would be.

The book is all very fine. Perfectly readable, with many interesting insights that will hold your attention. But if you're looking at it from the angle of questioning if it delivers on the premis he presumably had for writing it, then I would have to say, it fails.

(In case you're wondering how I got hold of the book and why I read it, when it's clearly nothing I'm particularly interested in: I got it as an e-book file from a friend's visit earlier on this year and looking at the cover, I clearly expected it to be more of an Elmore Leonard crime noir exposé than it turned out to be).

Phew! This is a good one.

I would suggest (again) that John le Carré defined the British spy novel - and even the names and terms of the (real) world of espionage in many people's understanding of such things. More than James Bond - at least until recently. But, le Carré's classics, whilst still being classics, are a bit old-school, aren't they? He's good, but all a bit last century? But because the world le Carré created is quite probably the world that many readers think actually exists, it must be difficult to try to move into 'his territory' and write a 21st Century spy novel. Difficult to say things are/were different and sound convincing.

Unless, it seems, you're Jon Stock. His 'Games Traitors Play' is the first of his novels I have read - but it will absolutely not be the last.

'Games Traitors Play' plunges immediately headlong into a thoroughly believable and satisfyingly confusing, switch-back story of cross-, double-cross - and I wouldn't be at all surprised if I didn't miss a triple cross somewhere along the line. Talk about not being able to put it down, I couldn't. Didn't dare. It was glued to my hands. Didn't dare feel like I'd missed something, misinterpreted someone somewhere double crossing someone somewhere else. You can't take your eyes off this one for a moment. I love a book where you really need to pay attention.

So, he seems to have effortlessly and immediately created a believable - background history and all - spy world. Gone of course, is the Cold War. But the tensions and aftershocks are still being felt. International terrorism is the 'new Russia', of course, but the old Russia is still alive and kicking. And part of the fall-out from the Cold War, is new tension based on old rivalries, between the UK and US spy and counter-spy cultures. No matter how satisfying it is, as a British reader, to see the Yank intelligence people get their comeuppance from time to time, you do have to remind yourself sometimes that we're supposed to be on the same side here! And who is on the other side? Who knows! A thoroughly confusing, shifting, shapeless world of terrorists cells, individuals and Jihadists, each using each other and their allegiances to each other and no one, to create an unidentifiable moving target for today's secret agents to try and aim at. In the good old days, you knew that everyone on this side of the Iron Curtain was on your side, everyone on the other side, wasn't, didn't you? Everyone on both sides, knew which rules to play by; they'd all been to the same English Public Schools after all! That's all changed. I don't envy today's spies, that's for sure.

The book rushes round the espionage world at a satisfyingly controlled breakneck pace, taking in amongst other places, Morocco and the Atlas Mountains, Sardinia and deepest, darkest Russia. But it is mainly centred on Britain, British spies now and then and London and MI6's headquarters. No longer of course 'The Circus', but the much more modern 'Legoland' (if you've seen the latest James Bond 'Skyfall', you'll know why). Also and a first in my reading experience, the genteel town of Cheltenham and it's GCHQ 'doughnut' get some well-deserved recognition.

In the end, 'Games Traitors Play' is a book all about relationships. Uneasy, troubled, but necessary relationships. Between MI5 and MI6, between the UK and the US and especially their respective ways of doing things. Between family, father and son, brothers and of course, the past and the present, between old-school and new-school spying.

As i said, I couldn't put it down. Even when I'd finished. Kept hoping there was more. There are more, so Amazon will be getting an order as soon as my pocket money arrives in the new year.

"Little does she know that I know that she knows that I know she's two-timing me...."

Remember that song?

Suppose you need to be of a certain age.

For a long time, I wasn't really sure which way to go on this one.

Was it long and dull and miserable, with not an awful lot of any consequence happening after the initial, interesting set-up?

Or was it a slow-burning, languid, subtle study of a police investigation in late '30's Russia? A Russia still remembering and indeed revering the rule of the Tsars, whilst feeling its way forward into the true terror of the workers paradise Stalin had in store. A story where all that goes before the final third, builds quite nicely, everything falling into place, making sense and almost excusing the rather misleading cover blurb.

In the end, I think the latter has won out. But with a hefty dose of the former.

So, as the cover blurb has it;

"A secret weapon. A suspicious death. A world on the edge of war."

Yes, that's all true. But if you're looking for a fast-moving, thrilling, tense war-time novel, look elsewhere. After the set-up and before the final conclusion in the forests on the Russia/Poland border, the story sags tremendously, gets lost in morbid reminiscences and descriptions of Russian life at the ourtbreak of WWII and generally moves at a snail's pace.

The saving grace is, that if you give up expecting it to be what it isn't, a fast-paced WWII espionage thriller, it actually works quite well. The languid descriptions of Inspector Pekkala's life under Stalin and his previous life working closely with the last Tsar, Tsarina and Rasputin, are actually very interesting. Though it must be something of a cliche, that Russians are always morose. But life at that time was bleak and Sam Eastland captures the feeling of hoplessnes and nothing to look forward to except possible impending doom, quite effectively. The snail's pace actually turns out to be a considered and reflective examination of the old and 'new' Russia and generally makes you very glad you weren't around at the time. Or if you were around at that time, that you weren't unfortunate enough to be around in Russia. And especially not around Stalin.

I've got to admit that in reading 'The Red Coffin', I didn't recognise the novel all the quoted reviewers seem to have read. Maybe they're describing what seems to be the other, the first Inspector Pekkala story? But I did finally think I enjoyed this one, and will look out for the first, 'Eye Of The Red Tsar', going cheap in my local bookstore, as this one was.

A nicely written and paced novel, rich with drama and intrigue and which begins at the start of a momentous period for what was beginning to become England. The 11th Century.

If '11th Century' says nothing to you - 1066 was the second half of the 11th Century. Better?

But that's not just for fun, because this is actually a novel set in England of the early 11th Century, a century of invasions, clearly. Vikings are banging on Englands door every few years, they invade and conquer a couple of times, then there's the pesky Normans, here just waiting and watching. In Normandy.

Beginning at the start of the century and concentrating on the situation in England - and wider afield sometimes - this is a story taking place before the momentous events of later on. Pre-Conquest happenings seem to have been non the less momentous as those later on, by the sounds of it. And as I found here, obviously benefit greatly from a little illumination, context and background.

But it's not just a history lesson, though it is clearly well researched, and not just fleshing out the bare bones of history. Wikipedia could have told me that (and I did have to check a couple of times, to see if the characters were who I thought they were). Here, Justin Hill's writing really brings the period to life, the landscape, the people, the politics, the prevalent mentality of the period. Fully formed and thoroughly immersed, I think you might say it is and one becomes.

We follow, at the start of the book, one Wulfnoth, who seems to have become an Anglicised ex-Viking invader. Then for the majority of the novel, his son Godwin guides the story through the period. And if you add a '-son' to his name, as was the habit in those days, if you know anything at all of the period, you'll understand the significance of the person Justin Hill is writing about. Whilst they are the embodiment of a people becoming 'English', they are also Viking invaders of the first wave. Now fighting against new Viking invaders, to form an new land, their land, 'England'.

So this is the situation in England before the Norman conquest of 1066, that James Aitcheson and James Wilde are currently writing so evocatively about the after effects of. Where James Aitcheson's stories of the Norman knight 'Tancred' show the invaders' side and James Wilde's 'Hereward' series is about the guerrilla war of English resistance to the conquerors, this is a much more relaxed, panoramic view of the the events leading up to the conquest. As I say, there is drama and intrigue, politicking (and later, action) aplenty. And it is all handled with a confident, fluidic surety by Justin Hill. I think this is his first foray into the Historical Novel field, though you'd never know it. You can tell he had great fun writing this one, that's clear from some lovely descriptive passages that are almost lyrical and must have felt lovely when just written. The book has in parts, an almost dream-like feel to it. You can feel him looking back into history, trying to see into the mists, attempting to make sense of and see what is forming. Then there come passages and events clear, sharp and bright. And heart-pounding action, of course. Best I can sum it up as.

Interestingly, if he's got his research right and I can only presume he has, this is an England being formed by and fought over, by what we would think of as boys, young men at best. Godwin is barely 19 at the end of this, Knut is I think a little younger, and all the other main characters, Ethelred apart, are very young men.

If there was one quibble I had, it was the lack of meaningful action (by which I mean, fighting) in the first half. I saw somewhere he was writing a trilogy and even with having to follow historical events pretty closely (by which I mean that if there weren't any battles, you can hardly write about them, can you?), there could have been a bit more mayhem at the start, even if you are largely setting up for a trilogy. The front cover illustration (of the paperback version I have) is also a bit non-descript. Not gonna be leaping off the shelves with that one.

Oh yeah, if I might recommend one thing to the author/publisher; it would be to change the photo of Justin Hill in the back cover (of the paperback version I have). To something more 'read my book, you'll really enjoy it'- like. Rather than the current 'read my book - or I'll break yer legs!'

Enjoyable though.

Shut the doors, lock the windows, hide the phone put the car away. Once you start, you're not going anywhere until you finish reading this one.

More addictive than the contents of a warehouse just the other side of the Mexican border, more twists and turns than the road up into the mountains from Innsbruck to Seefeld we travelled on this last summer.

You really shouldn't reckon on putting 'Dead Spy Running' down until you're done.

This is the first in the current Marchant trilogy (I say 'current' mainly in the hope of there being more than the three Jon Stock has written so far). Here we're introduced to the character of Daniel Marchant, but in a way that feels right, as if we're joining him and his story, his life, not at the start, but kind of a fair way in. It's clear that a lot has happened before we join Marchant; in his childhood, his younger days, his previous career as a journalist abroad and his early days in 'the Service.' He comes with a lot of baggage. Not least that his father was a previous head of the MI6 he now works for. But, by not being introduced to him at the beginning of his story, it felt almost as if this book was a number two, or three and I did have to check that it was indeed the first of the series. I liked this feeling. It means that facts about why he is who and how he is, are dotted around for us to find. We learn who he is gradually and intriguingly. So the character develops and folds out for us and his decisions and actions make sense as he progresses through the story. Hope that makes sense?

Marchant has been suspended by MI6, then gets caught up in an incident involving the London Marathon, the American Ambassador and a suicide bomber loaded down with explosives. For us it's clear he's the hero, but after an investigation by the CIA, he's deemed quite the opposite. Obviously someone somewhere wants his name blackened. Things get worse from there on. He gets taken off to Poland by the CIA, to help them with their enquiries, if you know what I mean. Later he travels over to India, where his father was stationed, where he grew up and where he still seems to have family...All the time he is constantly followed, constantly on his guard and constantly under suspicion for being something he may or may not be. You have to keep your wits about you nearly as much as he does once you get involved with this story, that's for sure.

While reading 'Dead Spy Running' I was really pleased to come to think of none less than the great Len Deighton at his best. Sharp dialogue, concise, water-tight plotted story, plenty of action and a spy with cool and attitude. Indeed, for a totally modern, thoroughly up-to-date, 21st Century spy thriller, it was interesting that I found one of the best moments was involving a character who could have just stepped out of a Len Deighton-type Cold War spy novel, 'Hugo Prentice', playing by, to quote; 'Moscow rules, British style'. And playing the, what could be described as, somewhat over enthusiastic CIA chief Spiro at his own game. Laughed out loud, with a 'take THAT!, at that incident. The old dogs can still show the young pups some new tricks.

But there's also something to think about. Some work for the brain, as well as the eyes. Sometimes, you just have to stop, stare into space and let the ramifications of what may or may not have happened sink in. "So... if he's doing that, to him, then that must mean that she's also...but then if they do that, then that would mean..." Nothing for it but to read on, asap.

Personally speaking, it would have been better if I'd read this first one first, not the second ('Games Traitors Play') first. Some of the secrets revealed here, would have had their full intended shock, rather than just giving me the complete picture of incidents I was already familiar with because I'd read number two first. Read on their own, one and two are perfectly self contained. You could absolutely get the maximum out of them as individual books. But if you're going to read the whole trilogy, you owe it to yourself to give yourself the total available pleasure by reading them in the published order.

If you're looking for a British spy of the old-school for the new age, a spy not afraid to go out on a limb and a story that races along, barely pausing for breath, with characters you like, care about and celebrate with when they stick it to the 'enemy' (even if that's the Yanks!); then you'll find this a really excellent, convincing and absorbing novel. A novel to keep you on your toes and glued to the chair.

"Things must be serious if the Americans were cosying up to the French."

Forget exploding jet fighters and escaped international terrorists. Forget British spies who may or may not be in league with said international terrorists and a CIA chief trying to take over MI6. Forget all about an MI6 chief being undermined by his colleagues and a body count, as the result of terrorist action across Britain, mounting by the minute...that's nowt! If the Yanks are best buddies with the Frogs, the world really HAS tilted off its axis.

'Dirty Little Secret', is the third of Jon Stock's Daniel Marchant thrillers (hopefully not the last) and begins with the various intelligence agencies trying to pick up the pieces after the mayhem of the end of 'Games Traitors Play.' 'The fire and confusion, the smoke and the sound', as the great Todd Rundgren once so eloquently put it. The international terrorist Salim Dhar has escaped the wreckage and gone missing. Our soon to be ex-very good friends, the CIA, are of the opinion that the British MI6 spy Marchant not only knows where he is, but is also actively helping him. It was all an unholy mess and it's still a mess at the start of this book.

So, everything just how you'd want it from a modern spy thriller. A crazy situation that starts badly, spirals seemingly out of control, then gets much worse. Friends become enemies and those who were enemies in the past, become the only ones you can trust to be predictable in the present.

In fact, I think 'Dirty Little Secret' is a lot about and hinges on, how past events shape the present ones. Recent events, in terms of what has gone on in the two previous books, but mainly in the past for nearly all the main characters. The past might indeed be a foreign country, and the country for both father and son (and half-son) Marchant, is India. While the story doesn't take us there this time, many times their earlier lives in India casts a shadow over their current lives in the here and now. India is where Marchant junior had his formative years, where his twin brother died tragically young and it's where Marchant Snr was stationed when he, erm...'sowed the seeds', of at least some of the present situation's problems. Then, for another of the main, perhaps more old-fashioned, characters, the spy world of the past would have been shaken to its core to find there was suspicion of (yet another) a Russian mole sitting pretty, high up in MI6. It says something about the mess Jon Stock has got us all into, that it feels almost reassuring! No great surprise then, to find a spy chief rushing off eastwards, presumably to Russia. The Yanks, bless 'em, find it shockingly predictable Brit behaviour. They did it in the past, look, they're at it again now! British spy chief goes AWOL - ring Moscow. But we know it's not him Moscow have their claws into. In the past maybe, not the present.

Crikey, I can go on a bit, eh? I didn't want to go writing out the story again, Jon Stock does that job a whole lot better than me, as I certainly hope you'll discover for yourselves.

I did though feel that the start of the book could have done with a bit more of a bang and been a bit 'neater'. There is a lot of 'tidying up' to do, but I felt it could have been a little sharper in doing it. But it does then kick on shortly after we've got everyone scurrying off from under the rock for the rest of the tale. Mainly, I thought it began to work as it should, as well as the first two I mean, when I started to think 'ooh, they're not gonna like THAT one little bit.'

With unexpected twists and turns, shocks and surprises, 'Dirty Little Secret' is a fittingly high-tension, and thoroughly satisfying final stage (?) in the Daniel Marchant story. When you add to the mix some really rather, shall we say 'uncomfortable' treatment dished out to reasonably innocent IT workers (it certainly isn't easy to look away and keep reading at the same time, I can tell you), and a level of surveillance ability, which, if true in the real world, makes you glad you've never typed b.o.m.b. in an email (and I have a tin-foil hat on as I write this). What could be better? Oh yeah, the wife getting annoyed at leaping 6ft in the air off the sofa in shock countless times when I slam the (hardback) book down on the coffee-table with a 'Ho-ley SHITE!' (or it's Danish equivalent, 'Kors i røven!!!'). Yeah, there's all that too.

There's more than one person here, with a 'Dirty Little Secret', your mission, and you better choose to accept it, is to find out who can keep it covered up longest.

Go buy the whole series*. Go do it. Now!

*Check on Amazon, for which is 1, 2 and 3. And buy 'em as physical editions, you 'll feel much better about it.

This is a very long book about not very much. It all basically leads up to the final, albeit huge, extremely well-written, effective and exciting battle. Not a lot more.

From the start, it's blindingly obvious what's going to happen here, who is going to emerge triumphant, so nothing I say below will 'spoil' it for anyone.

I had no idea this was the third of a series 'The Eskkar Saga', when I started it. But it feels like he thought he would write a trilogy before he started. Then thought of an idea. That might have made a short story. Then had to pad it out. And pad out the padding. Length doesn't necessarily give depth, as this proves. It's only creating the feeling of "Yes, yes. Get on with it!"

It is set around Summeria, some 3,500-odd years ago, concentrating on the conflict between the cities of Summeria and Akkad. Akkad? No, me neither. The main character is Eskkar, the 'King' of Akkad, his cartoon wife who handles the spying and the treachery and is beautiful and all the other cliches you can think of. And the equally cartoon-like "boo, hiss! Oh my goodness, they're brother and sister, eww!" leaders of Summeria. So you can guess whose side we're on here.

And at that distance, with all but surely the most serious of scholars having absolutely no idea of what went on then, it might as well be science fiction about life on another planet. Ok, the rivers Euphrates and Tigris might well ring a bell with some, but not a lot more will as this is set before what most people know of as Greek, Roman or many other historical periods. However, he doesn't even use this to perhaps suggest that here is the beginnings of modern civilisation and here is from where and how the ideas that became modern civilisation developed. Right at the in very end, outside the story, in the afterword, there is a little about the tactics used in the final battle not being so outrageous, given that Alexander used, to similar effect, similar, even more outrageous, tactics later on in history. But this is the only attempt to put the events in any kind of context and it is after the story is finished. Otherwise, even given the fact that it is a thousand years or more (I have no idea of dates for the Greek and Roman periods) before the Greeks and Romans were anywhere near their peak - these are very cultured, very sophisticated, very efficient, very modern and mature military societies. Doesn't fully ring true, though I have very little idea of what level Summerian culture was at at this point, I would have thought that as it is represented here, is a little over ambitious, shall we say.

And saying it is set in and around Summeria, is also a little misleading. As it actually is about competing cities to the north of Summeria. And Summeria is the hated, overbearing enemy here. Odd.

The main body of the book, and it takes a very long time, going into totally - for the sake of a good story - unnecessary length - is more or less the build up to the final battle. Nothing that could have been skipped over, written more concisely and still had the desired effect, or left out entirely. Training, spying, trying to create tension is fine, but length dilutes its effect. I'm sure that a more casual reader will either give up before half way, or just skip through to the last section. And not miss anything.

As i say, the final, epic, battle is worth the price of entry on its own. Clear, precise, tense and very well done indeed. It almost makes up for having to wade through a lot of nonsense to get there. Though, the book really should have ended there, have let us imagine what might have happened in the period afterwards - I thought it would be that the Akkadians became the civilisation we know now as the Summerians, but he doesn't say. He goes on a bit longer, tidying up, as though our imaginations aren't up to it. Diluting the effect of the battle.

I can only rate it as mildly interesting, though I'm going to give it three stars. The battle on its own, is excellently done and should be worth four, but all the preceding guff drags it back to a three. The good bits aren't long enough and the long bits aren't good enough. It's clear he set about wanting to write an epic. And writing endlessly about nothing in particular was how he thought it should be done.