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The Hostage
 
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The Hostage (Paperback)

by Duncan Falconer (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
RRP: £6.99
Price: £5.46 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Product details

  • Paperback: 480 pages
  • Publisher: Sphere (20 Mar 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0751533777
  • ISBN-13: 978-0751533774
  • Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 10.8 x 3.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 60,272 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #25 in  Books > Fiction > Genre > Political

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

An intelligent action thriller, Hostage is the first novel by Duncan Falconer, formerly of the British Special Boat Service and British counter-intelligence in Northern Ireland. Unsurprisingly, he writes about what he knows and, more surprisingly, does so rather well.

An SBS group running surveillance and similar operations become aware that they have been betrayed when one of their number is kidnapped--the search is on for a mole. The subsequent abduction of an American officer is part of a complex plan to inflict horrific damage on London. This is defeated less by the prowess of Falconer's paragon hero than by teamwork and legwork, convincingly portrayed. Falconer has a propagandistic, but nonetheless subtle, sense of how religion and ethnicity can be used to distort loyalty. He is unusually interested in, and sympathetic to, the traitor whose identity he reveals early on so that he can explore his psychology.

This is a book that relies less than one might expect on the author's training and special knowledge, crucial to it though these are, and rather more on carefully blocked scenes of action and a degree of real thoughtfulness--villains whose absolute evil potentially renders them cardboard are given some complexity and understanding. --Roz Kaveney



Product Description

When an undercover operation monitoring the Real IRA goes horrifically wrong, British Intelligence turn to the one man who can get their agent out: Stratton, SBS operative with a lethal reputation. It's a dangerous race against time: if the Real IRA get to the Republic before Stratton gets to the Real IRA, his colleague is as good as dead. But the battle in the Northern Ireland borders is just the beginning. For there can only be one way the Real IRA knew about the British agent: someone within MI5 is tipping them off. A surveillance mission is mounted in Paris to identify the mole but ends in disaster: Hank Munro, US Navy SEAL on secondment, is captured. Munro's wife Kathryn is distraught, and her priest Father Kinsella is very supportive. Kinsella, though, is not the holy man he seems, and Kathryn becomes an unwitting part of a deadly Real IRA plan, a terror attack the likes of which London has never seen ...When Hank is inadvertently kidnapped by terrorists on an SBS 'safe op', Kathryn returns home to America, only to be manipulated by a priest and secret IRA godfather into playing a political role in the negotiations for Hank's release. Unknown to her she is to have a key part in the most destructive terrorist assault in Irish Republican history, one that holds the fate of hundreds of thousands of Londoners in its hands.

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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews
5 star:
 (11)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best in a long time, 11 Jun 2003
I read this on the back of having read the Author's factual account of his life in the SBS ,which was an excellent read,
and wondered if he'd transfer to fiction as well as Mr Mcnab has . And I have to say I think he's even better (so won't be asking for my money back as the sales blurb sticker on the front says!). Reading this well plotted,paced book it seems like the bloke has been writing fiction books for years.
The plot is scary in that it is all too plausable and topical. Beats the likes of Tom "techno babble" Clancy hands down for sheer entertainment!
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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Simply a great read, 22 Nov 2004
What Jamie Oliver does for cooking Duncan Falconer has done for special forces fiction.

To tell the truth I have only read one of the SAS 'brat pack's' books and that was Chris Ryan's 'Kremlin device' and that was quite frankly pants. Without turning this into a battering of the 'Kremlin Device' Chris Ryan was as good as all the other special forces writers when it came to operational facts such as parachute jumps and how they're done but when it came down to real writing, like building suspense, he was tragically ungifted.

On the other hand Duncan Falconer is in his element when stacking on tension and suspense, without over doing it. His current job as a author/director may have helped him in this field but the theories aside at the end of the day you want a book that you can get into and characters you can relate to in some way. This book does it. He writes so damn well that you find yourself wishing that you were one of the characters living the life of an intelligence officer/special forces guru.

If you have been dissapointed with Andy McNab and Chris Ryan's efforts in bringing the secretive world of the special forces into your home then give Duncan Falconer a shot.

P>Storyline 8/10 - fast flowing and nerve gripping
Character Depth 9/10 - As far as I know they're real people!
Writing Style 8/10 - It seems this author's here to stay!
Plot 9/10 - gut wrenchingly realistic

Hope this review was helpful!

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars First class thriller, 3 Jul 2006
By N. Finlay "Gel" (West Yorkshire, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Like many I read First Into Action and found it enthralling, although as good as these guys are, we're all prone to a little over exaggeration from time to time.
I found 'The Hostage' by accident (as is often the case)and literally couldn't put it down. A fantastic read, pure escapism that really draws you in. The ending is not over spectacular but overall you really get the feeling that it's being written by a man 'who's in the know'.....
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for the boys!
I bought this book from a bargain bin in my local supermarket, but it is the best book I've read for ages. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Angie Paul

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb read...
The Hostage was one of those novels that I picked up, started to read, and simply couldn' put down. I've read many books of this genre, and I can honestly say that Duncan... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Sarah Gooding

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic book, NOT just for the blokes!!
I, too accidentally came across this author, (as the other Authors I read eg Stephen Leather, Andy McNab, had no new books available and to be honest some of there material can be... Read more
Published on 5 Oct 2007 by Ms. D. Goff

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent start
I liked the "First Into Action" and therefore gave it a try to the first novel of Duncan Falconer. With no regret I must say. The plot is great, the paste is quick. Read more
Published on 30 Aug 2005 by Rafal Gruszczynski

4.0 out of 5 stars Do Special Forces guys need to want to be killers?
"The Hostage" is Duncan Falconer's first novel and is hopefully the start of a long series of books. Read more
Published on 11 Aug 2005 by Rennie Petersen

4.0 out of 5 stars Authentic action
Ducan Falconer's debut novel 'The Hostage' combines action with authenticity in a slick way.

This story focusses around the main character 'Stratton' who is the ruthless Special... Read more

Published on 24 Jan 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars A promising debut
As a fan of Gerald Seymour and other 'heavy' writers, I was pleasantly surprised with this novel. I have a particular dislike of Andy McNab/Chris Ryan type novels, and I nearly... Read more
Published on 10 Jul 2003 by Winter Hathaway

5.0 out of 5 stars What a debut...!
As an avid fan of thrillers from the likes of Stephen Leather & Gerald Seymour, I have to rate this is as possibly the best novel I have read in recent years

The story moves at... Read more

Published on 4 Jun 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars A compellling story
In 'The Hostage' Duncan Falconer has taken the perhaps unfashionable back drop of Northern Irish terrorism and made it work. Read more
Published on 21 May 2003 by richardbeckley

4.0 out of 5 stars Welcome addition to the stable
On the heels of Chris Ryan and Andy McNab comes another ex special forces author trying his hand at thriller writing. I had no great expectations but was pleasantly surprised. Read more
Published on 7 May 2003 by N. Brett

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