The Assassins: A Novel (Peter Newman Book 3)

Not only is Col.Oliver North a great American Patriot but he is also a incredible author. He has lived what he writes and makes it come alive for the reader. A book you can't put down until the end. I'm looking forward to more from him.

This is the 3rd Oliver North book featuring Peter Newman. I love this series. The insight is great, as you would expect, the story moves fast and is all 2 real and scary....Could this happen? Will it happen? I am looking forward to his 4th novel????

I expected a rousing military thriller, one that built upon the strong foundations in the first two Oliver North novels and amped it up a bit. Those earlier books, "Mission Compromised" and "The Jericho Sanction," were well-researched, sometimes cumbersome, but overall satisfying and often suspenseful stories. The plot of "The Assassins," according to the cover, involved a team of assassins released by the US government to deal with terrorist threats.

The cover lied.

The first hundred pages of "The Assassins" establishes the Iranian/Russian connection that has triggered trouble and panic in the US and around the globe. Oil fields and resources have been compromised, and now nuclear devices from old Cold War stockpiles are in play. It's nothing we haven't seen in numerous other thrillers, from "The Fifth Horseman" to "The Faithful Spy," but North and Musser provide enough details to make it believable on the political and military ends. The second hundred pages start to show the building of the team of assassins, with our old friend Peter Newman as the head of the force. At this point I was enjoying the buildup, but then another hundred pages passed, without much happening. And another hundred pages. By the time we finally see a target in the assassins' sights, we are 3/4 of the way through the book--and, as it turns out, a last-second order cancels out the mission.

As a fan of military/political/espionage thrillers, I have enjoyed Tom Clancy, Daniel Silva, Alex Bernstein, and Frederick Forsyth. Clancy's "Clear and Present Danger" handled a similar style story with much more vigor and emotion. Here, North and Musser give us some intriguing conflicts, such as Newman's son who feels distanced from his heroic father, and a president who struggles with the moral complexities of killing one target to save the lives of thousands. These could've been explored with depth and substance. Instead they get brushed over and almost ignored. Peter Newman has little part to play in the story. The action is almost always "off-screen," and even the American political villain only gets his due in the epilogue.

This was 500 pages of so much promise, and 500 pages of so little delivery. I recommend the first two in the series, but this was almost as bad a follow-up as some of those Left Behind books. And truly, it should've been left behind.

Assassins is perhaps the most believable terrorist attack novel I have read. The plot seems right out of the daily news of Iranian threats, rogue Russian KGB officers, lost Russion nukes, Mid-East turmoil, and domestic conflicts about how to fight the war against Islamic radicals.

North knows the ins and outs of the military and political organizations and functions and adequately puts them into the book.

The action of the book rapidly changes locations and characters. North helps the reader keep track by having sub-chapter headings of place, date, time, so readers always know where the action is, but at times it seems like a string of memos and bullet points rather than a story. This led to me skimming many of the pages to get the heart of the matter. I would rather have a more fluid story.

North's writing in 2005 optimistically predicted quicker success in developing more stable Iraqi government and Afghan government. Readers will notice this error, but it does not really affect the story negatively.

The main characters are consistent with the previous books in the series. Readers who enjoyed those books should also enjoy The Assassins.

Oliver North has once again written a realistic and timely thriller.

When I first saw a North novel a couple of years ago, I was pretty skeptical. I thought that while he may be a solid Marine, it did not mean that he would be a great writer. I was pleasantly surprised with both of his previous books, 'Mission Compromised' and 'The Jericho Sanction'. This one was more of the same - very good.

This one starts off with a widespread attack on oil production and transportation facilities in Saudi Arabia along with the ruling family there. The impact of such a strike on such a huge oil producer is obvious and immediate.

Along with that, the Jihadists also worked to acquire nuclear weapons from the former Soviet stockpiles. Their intent is multiple nuclear strikes on the U.S.

Current events that come into play in this book are Iran instigating terror strikes and the Venezuelan dictator aiding and abetting the scheme.

This is an edge-of-your-seat thriller from start to finish. Highly recommended.

The prologue for THE ASSASSINS begins with a bang. Two years into the future, or in October 2007, terrorists from Iran fly their jets and hydrofoils into the oilfields in Saudi Arabia. Suddenly the largest oil-producing country for the United States has no oil because of the martyrs. At almost exactly the same time, the extensive Saudi Royal family scattered around the world is assassinated. These two events set off a worldwide calamity.

Readers of the first two books in this trilogy, MISSION COMPROMISED and THE JERICHO SANCTION, will encounter retired KGB General Dimitri Komulakov, the familiar nemesis who is living in Cuba. In the past, the General's plans were frustrated through the efforts of Peter Newman, who is now a U.S. Marine Brigadier General. Komulakov has made a deal with the Iranians to help them secure nuclear weapons; with these weapons, Komulakov plans to mount a nuclear attack on eleven U.S. cities. Because of the destruction of the Saudi rulers and the oilfields, a power-hungry Senator James Waggoner pressures the U.S. President to sign an Assassination Bill that allows government officers or agents to carry out any assassination they believe is necessary. This legislation puts the President in a moral dilemma and he's reluctant to sign it.

As Secretary of State Helen Luce tells him, "Mr. President, if you sign this bill, we will forever lose any moral authority we have as a nation."

"Helen, I know. That may well turn out to be true. But if I veto it or don't sign it --- it'll still become law. And in the ensuing fight over the bill we could cease to be a nation."

The President signs the bill and it becomes law.

General George Grisham, who is now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, breaks the news to his friend, Brigadier General Pete Newman, that he's been selected to head The Presidential Commission on Threat Mitigation (the official name for the committee of government-sanctioned assassins).

A multilayer conflict is constructed in the early stages of this fast-paced book. Like the previous novels, the story line switches rapidly from scene to scene. Familiar characters from past books are reintroduced to readers, such as Sergeant Major Amos Skillings and CIA deputy director of operations Bill Goode. A Christian theme is woven into the plot as true believers carry a small metal fish charm, which in the early Church was the sign for believers in Jesus to recognize each other.

Readers will enjoy the back and forth drama in multiple short bursts and the realistic settings and dialogue from the real-life experiences of retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North. I believe that this type of book, with its short sections, is ideal to read if you have limited time. To help the reader keep up with all the military alphabet soup scattered throughout the story and dialogue, thankfully a glossary is provided.

THE ASSASSINS is plausible and ripped from today's headlines, yet it is set in the near future. Key characters from the book have a faith and trust in God that sustains them throughout the circumstances of the day. I highly recommend this complex yet page-turning novel.

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I have been following "solid" moral based believer centred Military fiction for some time now - and I have followed North since 2002 and his characters. His writing and that of Joe Musser's is to aplauded...this though I understand to be the final in a trilogy does not have written at the last page .. THE END .. which one could assume means that the next story could involve a more in depth sub plot and counter responses in the development of some of the Characters...

This book really moves along at a good pace and flows well. It is to be credited as a work that has improved since Mission Compromised.

Assassins involves a substantial amount of twists and turns and I believe raises some serious questions about diplomacy in the current context of foreign agendas. I appreciated the underlying opinions of the characters - even the villans.

Great Read and inspiring. For lovers of Military Fiction that honors Christ and retains the integrity of Honor.

GS

I have read all three of the books involving former Captain, now Brigadier General Peter Newman and I would rank this as the best of the lot.

Much of the allure of this book is that the scenario which it sets out is so plausable. Saudi Arabia has long been thought of as a weak link in the oil cartel that controls the price of oil from the Middle East and the royal family is a tempting target for those who would change the politics of the area and bring enormous pressure to bear on the United States which is so oil dependant and which is held hostage to the dependancy by those in the US who have the political muscle to keep us from tapping into our oil reserves in order to become more independant.

Iran is recognized as the force in the Middle East which not only sponsors terrorisim, but is also developing a nuclear capability.

With this factual background, the authors create our worst nightmare as the forces of evil in the Muslim world put together a plan to take over the Middle East and to wreak havoc on the Great Satan, the United States.

How this plan is countered, the problems and the dangers involved makes for lively reading and makes us all aware of the fragile thread by which we hang in this moment in history.

This third installment in the series featuring Peter Newman is an all too plausible scenario involving terrorism. When Saudi Arabia is hit by terrorist attacks and members of the Royal Family are assassinated, Peter Newman, along with all other high ranking members of the government uncover a chilling plot against America to rival 9/11. It is up to Newman, Amos Skillings and the rest of America's finest to uncover the plot and who is behind it.

What I liked: a very realistic behind-the-scenes look at the war against terror. What I did not like: took a while to get going; this book features Newman less than the previous two did.

For those who have become devotees of this trilogy many of you may be expecting a grand finale featuring the mother of all payback as we muster to the call to arms under the leadership of Peter Newman, the Marine combat officer featured in North's previous offerings Mission Compromised and The Jericho Sanction.

I'll cut to the crash and deflate your expectations and suggest that you prepare for an unimpressive wallow in intelligence quagmires, you know, the typical rhetorical wimp-outs to the critical questions of who, why, and when, and a rather unimpressive tactical response by a group of special forces operatives who, upon reading, would rather be on the beach sucking down mai-tais while reading a Dick Marcinko novel.

Either my testosterone level is increasing, thanks to my not losing touch with my God-ordained masculinity and frequent work-outs at Gold's Gym, or perhaps North has grown soft with age and has lost the bloodlust that would be apropos to bring this doomsday expose to one brilliant, no-holes-barred, put-it-on-full-auto and watch-the-body-count-hit-triple-figures, star-spangled conclusion. Both are correct. However I'm biased towards North's palpable pacifism and it is painfully obvious in the combat and tactical operations he describes.

One obvious problem is that North has catapulted his main character to the status of a Brigadier General and the chances of a flag rank officer actually becoming embroiled in a shoot-to-kill combat scenario are pretty slim. North has our hero, Peter Newman, in a combat situation, however he is about as useful as a 500-pound barbell in a steroid-free fitness center. Rather than have him in a classic confrontation against his nemesis, the slime-bag ex-KGB hold-out Dmitri Kumolakov, in which Newman finally sends him to hell in a fireball of destruction, but not before actually witnessing the affects of automatic weapons fire on human flesh at close-range, we have a passive, desk-jockey unable to destroy an airliner pulling out of the airport bound for the land of the free and the home of the brave with it's `Fire from Allah" payload.

Well, as Syndrome taunted Mr. Incredible in the film "The Incredibles" so do I: Lame, lame, lame, lame, lame!

North has wasted some wonderful opportunities to dispense some long-awaited justice to jihadists and their supporters, but you'll walk away from this barbecue a little hungry unless you are on the Atkins diet for retribution and you don't want to rock your humanistic Oprah view of evil and the world.

North is an excellent writer. His first hand knowledge of the military always gives a very realistic view of what the situation is in our nation. He gives us a very realistic view of what goes along our nation and what goes on in terms of our enemies

I enjoyed reading all three books in this series which concluded with The Assassins. North and Musser make a great team. North's real world military experiences surely contribute to the vivid descriptions and believable characters. Musser is a fine writier and knows how to spin a yarn. The result is ACTION and ADVENTURE involving the Middle East and characters as fresh as our current news media. The Assassins is fast paced and sure to please. Enjoy reading it for yourself!

I really enjoyed the Jericho Sanction, thus I didn't think a sequel would be even better. Well, Oliver North proved me wrong. It is a great novel saturated with thrilling action, wealth of interesting information about various military and government agencies and organizations working to keep us safe, and unbelievable patriotism. If you liked the Jericho Sanction, you will love this book.

As a side note, this book, like Oliver North's other books, would undoubtedly make a great action movie -- but don't hold your breath. Somehow, I don't think that a God-fearing, patriotic hero U.S. Marine risking his life for our freedoms is a modern day hero of the anti-American establishment in Hollywood.

Why did I buy this book? Perhaps charity; I thought he was badly treated in the past, and I wanted to "help out Colonel North".

Big mistake! Ollie North should stick to reporting, which he does reasonably well. He should give up on novels, even with a ghosting co-author. Yeah, the basic story line itself is good, although the characters are often ridiculous. Colonel North became famous as an "expert" in the Spanish-speaking lands and the Middle East. The tenor of the book starts with the Acknowledgments, right up front. Colonel North is an "expert" on Afghanistan, except he cannot spell the country's name correctly. Later on, he invents a new kind of orbital dynamics for a low-altitude satellite that somehow can be put into geosynchronous orbit for three hours, and it does this magnificent and temporary feat not even over the Equator (where all good geosynchronous satellites have operated until this book) but right over the Middle East. Anyone who listened in a high school physics class knows better - but if the reader is not familiar with orbital dynamics... well Colonel North just as well could have invented an aircraft carrier that grows pink wings and hovers over Baghdad... The good Colonel quotes Spanish that he clearly does not speak... etc, etc, etc. The technical errors and impossibilities are just too numerous... Another, absoultely irritating "dumbness" (it comes up on almost every page near the end): Col. North, a former Cold Warrior not only does not know Russian, but does not know how Russian individuals are named, and how they call each other in conversation. Somewhere he noticed that two names are used at times - but it is obvious he has no idea how to do that...

Now, let's review character development. There is very little of it. The hero, a Marine BG? Perhaps a "this is what I deserved to be, if only those... " dream? The most irritating character is the wife of the hero. She is essentially a whiner, holding back her husband, but of course the words in the book say she is a hero (not the deeds, unfortunately). I think, by and large, wives of Marine Generals are better than that.

The book, as is, is at best at a throw-away paperback - unfortunately the author's name will lure people into buying it as a hardcover - perhaps the only format available. In other words, this book is a good idea that committed hara-kiri due to the ineptness of the authors and editors.

I am not "one of those lefties" criticizing Colonel North, but probably a much more solid conservative than he is. However, the book is bad. Without the irritating errors and "stick characters" it could be not only entertaining but perhaps even a clarion call. Perhaps Colonel North should look into his soul, accept the critique, sincerely say "mea culpa" and start again - first of all, learning a little about his subjects, not just "faking it".

I just finished reading this book about a half hour ago. I guess you could compare it to a Tom Clancy book, because like many of Clancy's novels there are soldiers and politicians and terrorists. However Clancy understands things like plot and pace and letting the characters develop in the readers mind instead of spelling everything out for them in the first 50 pages.

The characters are so one dimensional and cliched, it's hard to take them seriously and I'm sorry to say Colonel North's military experience isn't enough to make the story anywhere near believable.

I was also disappointed at how forced the interjection of Christianity was in this story. It seemed to me like these stories are written and then North and/or Musser make them just religious enough to sell at Christian bookstores.

I guess I like my thrillers a little more...dare I say nuanced?

As one of the other reviewers put it perfectly, it is a chilling tale. I found it hard to put down. Very exciting and has some great characters. You do not have to read Ollie's previous books to be able to get into this one.

Ollie North continues to show his many talents. His keen insight into the ways of the world -- specifically newly organized joint commands -- allow him to write provocative and edge-of-your-seat stories that very much show how terrorists think. This revealing volume is as exciting as any spy story on the market today.
(...)

Outside Judges Redfern and Grant of Rankin County Mississippi,

I have never experienced such a backward @$$ "Communist like" person as john rose of CA.!!! This is a great Book and Oliver North is a GREAT Man!! He has done more for Ameicans than people like john rose (and Judges Redfern & Grant)could ever comprehend!

North has more inteligence in what he flushed this morning than john rose, (and Judges Redfern and Grant) will EVER have!! Thank God for the likes of Oliver North, and God help us with the likes of john rose! (and Judges Redfen and Grant)