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by Frederick Forsyth

Book Overview

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - From the master of the novel of international intrigue comes a riveting new book as timely and unsettling as tomorrow's headlines. It is summer 1999 in Russia, a country... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 055309128X
• ISBN13: 9780553091281
• Release Date: October 1996
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 464 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Great story

I have just finished reading the Icon, and to me it was the master at his best again. I have read all of his books. Before writing my review, I had read some of the reviews that others had written; I had the feeling that some were disappointed that the Icon was not in the same class as The Fist of God or the Day of the Jackal. These people may have a point. Just remember that no-one can consistently deliver every time. For example, a very very good baseball player, or basketball player may once in a while, have an off day. I think Freddie did a great job. The research was tremendous and the plot was very interesting. The details and background to some of the events and the people was excellent. At some point, I was so scared as to whether Grishin was going to get his enemy, Jason Monk that I had to cheat and turn to the last pages to see what the outcome was. Only then, did I gather the courage to continue reading. To me, this is an excellent book. If it is true that this is Freddie's last novel, then I will truly miss him. Apart from him, I do not read any writers. Can anyone recommend any writer or two who is in the same class or even better than Frederick Forsyth?

Compelling

I think it's ironic that this, the first Forsythe novel I read, should also be his last thriller. I read it on a long transoceanic flight a year ago and have become an avid Forsythe reader. This is my favorite of the books I've read so far, with Day of the Jackal a close second. I thought Forsythe's solution to the problem in the political system was intriguing, and the story was gripping.

Great spine tingler

I couldn't put this book down until I had finished. The places, dates and events brought History alive for me. Even the future events were vivid and realistic. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Forsyth's works. I give this work my highest recomendation. Read it, you'll like it, just as I did.

A Great Read!!

This is the first Frederick Forsyth book that I have read and I found the story to be riveting and the characters to be likable. The background historical information was very informative, too!

The Master's Final Stroke

In another example of his genius, in his last novel (Source : BBC World), Fedrick Forsyth has created a monster of a thriller of no mean proportions. The story starts off with the death of the President of Russia and the installment of a caretaker President who calls fresh elections. A former Soviet-era engineer with a gift of speech is one of the candidates and a cinch to win. However, his party has a secret manifesto, a black manifesto. A manifesto whoose objective is to cripple all of Russia's neighbours and establish a dictatorship even more powerful and renegade than the old Soviet Union. But, somehow by lax of security, even though the head of security is a former KGB colnel, the manifesto falls into the hands of a US diplomat. Alarms are immediatly raised, and a secret commitee is formed to discredit the candidate. A retired top - class agent is sent in a MI5 cum CIA operation. His misson? TO direct all ethinic minorities, the Islamic Mafia, the military, the Jewish businessmen, the Anti-Drug and Anti-Terrorist Squad and the Church of Russia against a advisary which would cause their mass slaughter. However, there is one trick still up the KGB colnel's sleeve - The Mafia, His own Balck Gaurd and 'Coup d'Êtat'. In future years this bestseller is sure to become a collector's item, not because of the fact that the author has declared it to be his final book but because of its sheer intense action and drama.