| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The Accident Man is a mediocre thriller with an interesting premise: Samuel Carver is a freelance assassin who is hired to arrange a car accident in Paris in August 1997. (Because Carver is the hero of this book, Cain has made him an "assassin with principles" who only kills morally dubious targets like terrorists or pedophiles.) Unfortunately for Carver, he has been lied to in this instance and he finds out - too late - that his target was actually the Princess of Wales. Moreover, now that the job is done, someone is trying to kill him. His one ally is Alix, a glamorous Russian who is also on the run - but who may or may not be on his side.
The thing I liked most about this book is the grounding in an actual death (albeit one that I do not believe was an assassination). This gives it some sense of reality, something that is so often lacking in thrillers. The integration of Carver's fictional exploits with what we know about Diana's death is skillfully done. In fact, the first half of the book is great - it rips along at a cracking pace as Carver and Alix try to stay one step ahead of their pursuers.
But Tom Cain is unable to sustain the momentum and the action slows right down in the second half. The love story between Carver and Alix is formulaic and doesn't ring true. New characters are introduced seemingly for no reason other than to be killed off in the next chapter. And Carver - supposedly a hotshot hitman at the top of his game - makes a series of rash and/or poorly thought-through decisions that made me feel like hurling the book across the room in disgust.
The book ends in quite an unusual way for a thriller of this sort. Full credit to Cain for trying to write something a bit different, although I'm not sure it works. If you are after something lightweight and you're happy to disengage your brain, this is an okay choice. But keep your expectations low. I'd rate this on a par with the latter day Robert Ludlum novels (ie the ones that Ludlum didn't actually write).
The thing I liked most about this book is the grounding in an actual death (albeit one that I do not believe was an assassination). This gives it some sense of reality, something that is so often lacking in thrillers. The integration of Carver's fictional exploits with what we know about Diana's death is skillfully done. In fact, the first half of the book is great - it rips along at a cracking pace as Carver and Alix try to stay one step ahead of their pursuers.
But Tom Cain is unable to sustain the momentum and the action slows right down in the second half. The love story between Carver and Alix is formulaic and doesn't ring true. New characters are introduced seemingly for no reason other than to be killed off in the next chapter. And Carver - supposedly a hotshot hitman at the top of his game - makes a series of rash and/or poorly thought-through decisions that made me feel like hurling the book across the room in disgust.
The book ends in quite an unusual way for a thriller of this sort. Full credit to Cain for trying to write something a bit different, although I'm not sure it works. If you are after something lightweight and you're happy to disengage your brain, this is an okay choice. But keep your expectations low. I'd rate this on a par with the latter day Robert Ludlum novels (ie the ones that Ludlum didn't actually write).
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
If you read the first ten pages of this book, you won't be able to put it down.It beats even John Grisham and Stephen King for excitement, reality, and entertainment, and is a Grade A thriller.
The big strengths of the book are the tightness of the plot, which takes you on a roller coaster ride full of surprises, while remaining believable; the succinctness of the writing, where every word counts and, unusually for me, I was never tempted to skip - the short, tautly written chapters of 3 to 4 pages are very effective and give the book continuing momentum; and the intelligence of the writing, which makes it satisfying to read.
This is a book I'm recommending to relatives and friends - Tom Cain looks set to become a big name in future.
The big strengths of the book are the tightness of the plot, which takes you on a roller coaster ride full of surprises, while remaining believable; the succinctness of the writing, where every word counts and, unusually for me, I was never tempted to skip - the short, tautly written chapters of 3 to 4 pages are very effective and give the book continuing momentum; and the intelligence of the writing, which makes it satisfying to read.
This is a book I'm recommending to relatives and friends - Tom Cain looks set to become a big name in future.
Format:Hardcover
i thought this might be a clever spin on the princess diana conspiracy theory
but the premises are a bit silly and the story just becomes more and more laughable
That might have been Ok if the writing was good and the characters believeable but Carver is just another indestructible superman and that just becomes boring. cartoon book action where indiscriminate violence rules - and the death of innocent bystanders passes without any show of sympathy, ridiculous dialogue from goodies and baddies and a story that simply loses its way.
i can think of far better things to do on a sun lounger than read this rubbish.
but the premises are a bit silly and the story just becomes more and more laughable
That might have been Ok if the writing was good and the characters believeable but Carver is just another indestructible superman and that just becomes boring. cartoon book action where indiscriminate violence rules - and the death of innocent bystanders passes without any show of sympathy, ridiculous dialogue from goodies and baddies and a story that simply loses its way.
i can think of far better things to do on a sun lounger than read this rubbish.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
My mate nicked it!
Got part way through this good book and a friend borrowed it. Never seen it since.....!
Published on 19 Jan 2010 by JonnyG
I wish i had written this book.
This book is a great thriller. Highly readable a great mix of fiction and fact. Cain is brilliant at developing believable main characters. Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2008 by William Neal
A bit "Hollywood", but still a great read.
This book has an intersting premise - A car carsh in a Paris underpass and the most famous woman in the world is killed - we've all heard the story, and this book offers a... Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2008 by Femmielala
Not up to the hype
Admittedly the hype levelled at this book (almost as good as Forsyth, better than Grisham, etc) perhaps opens it up to unfair critiscism. Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2008 by Pieterlewis
Good opening, but weakens thereafter
This book has an opening based on a very good premise. The opening is also very fluid and fast paced. Thereafter though problems started to occur. Read more
Published on 20 Oct 2007 by Emanon
A Compelling Thriller
In the Author's Note at the beginning of the novel, Cain is upfront in stating that his imagination has created this "what if? Read more
Published on 17 Oct 2007 by S. Lloyd
Thrills aside from the controversy!
There has been much controversy about this book and the timing of its release on the 10th anniversary of Diana's death - but that should not detract from this book by any measure:... Read more
Published on 6 Sep 2007 by GilesB
An intense thriller
I was never at all interested in the Diana conspiracy but I still found the book thoroughly exciting. Read more
Published on 10 Aug 2007 by christopher
Thought it a little feeble actually
Have read many of the thrillers discussed (Grisham, etc) - normally whilst lying on a sunlounger. This is similar to most - good fodder for wasting time but nothing too challenging... Read more
Published on 5 Aug 2007 by Mr. K. M. Chesters
Fantastic read
I am not an avid reader, yet I read this book in less than 24hours. This is a fantastic book with enough facts in to make it very believable. Read more
Published on 5 Aug 2007 by S. Phair
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
