- Hardcover: 464 pages
- Publisher: Bantam; First Edition edition (Oct 1 1996)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 055309128X
- ISBN-13: 978-0553091281
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 16.3 x 4.1 cm
- Shipping Weight: 839 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,397,078 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Trapped in a snowbound cabin or on a long flight, there's nobody more reliable than Forsyth for guaranteed diversion. His narrative engine is one of the best in the business; his characters spring quickly to life; he blends research and imagination into high drama. Icon is set in the Russia of 1999, where an ultra-nationalist zealot you might recognize from Nightline is about to become head of state. When his dangerous agenda leaks out, no Western government wants to take action -- so a private task force including ex-CIA agent Jason Monk is sent in to derail the demagogue. It's all in the grand tradition of previous Forsythe winners, from The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File and The Dogs of War through The Fourth Protocol and The Deceiver.
From Publishers Weekly
While for sheer reading excitement Forsyth has yet to top his fiction debut, Day of the Jackal, published a quarter century ago, his later novels (The Fist of God, etc.) display a mature mastery of storytelling melded with a deep knowledge of realpolitik. Here, contemporary Russian crypto-fascists prove every bit as villainous as their Communist predecessors whom Forsyth portrayed in The Fourth Protocol and The Deceiver. It's 1999, and ultra-nationalist Igor Komarov's victory in the upcoming Russian presidential election seems assured. But within Komarov's party headquarters, an elderly janitor accidentally discovers Komarov's secret plans for Russia, laid out in a document that comes to be known as the Black Manifesto?a blueprint for a return to dictatorship, military expansionism and genocidal ethnic cleansing. The manifesto soon comes to the attention of British intelligence, but both they and the CIA are restrained by their governments from taking official action. So with the backing of an organization of international VIPs, former British Secret Service chief Sir Nigel Irvine mounts his own covert operation to subvert Komarov. Ex-CIA operative Jason Monk, who once ran highly placed agents in the Soviet Union, will be Irvine's point man. As usual, Forsyth interweaves speculation with historical fact, stitching his plot pieces with a cogent analysis of both Russian politics and the world of espionage?particularly the legacy of the real-life Aldrich Ames, a Soviet mole who tunneled deep into the CIA. Shifting back and forth in time and space among a large cast of characters, Forsyth expertly builds suspense toward a climactic New Year's Eve skirmish in Moscow. It's another strong performance by a writer who knows exactly what he's about, and who here catalyzes narrative with another memorable protagonist, the stealthy and daring Monk. Major ad/promo; BOMC main selection.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
very good, but not quite Forsyth's best novel,
By mackattack9988 "mackattack9988" (United States) - See all my reviews
Ce commentaire est de: Icon (Hardcover)
Forsyth actually wrote Icon in 1996 and set it in the Russia of 1999, a country he projected would be plagued by a vast criminal underworld, increasingly disillusioned with the new democracy and capitalist systems, and subject to a return to Communist and other totalitarian rule. That makes Forsyth's work even more impressive with hindsight, in a similar way as for The Devil's Alternative and The Fist of God - describing specific elements or trends that in fact appear quite familiar later on. The Jason Monk character is one of Forsyth's more memorable ones, and he is developed a little differently than the norm with the way the book is written in two parts. There is also a reappearance of some characters in previous Forsyth books, something which works well in Icon but is not something which Forsyth often does. Icon isn't quite at the level of Forsyth's best work, but it is certainly good enough to demonstrate his ability to tell a good story and spin an entertaining yarn involving international intrigue.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Bad,
By
Ce commentaire est de: Icon (Mass Market Paperback)
This is another exciting book from Mr. Forsyth. He really has a distinctive way a describing the dark beauty of Russia and getting into the heads the Russian every man. The story has a great story line and he peppers the book with interesting sub plots that keep you interested. He has a way a writing a very well thought out exact story that does not leave any loose ends. There was a lot of good, interesting details here - similar to a Clancy book. My only complaint would be the ending, a bit too clean and easy. Overall a good book, if you have liked his other work then you will enjoy this one.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Senseless and waste of time,
By
Ce commentaire est de: Icon (Mass Market Paperback)
I could not believe this is the same person who wrote The Day Of The Jackal. I have never read such a stupid novel with such a foolish plot. If you were a high school student and would like to boast upon your knowledge in history of Russia in a novel way, well, you may give it a try. One American and one British, both from Secret Services being the main characters you will get nothing less than two doses of James Bond who in turn make fun of the whole Russian political and law order situations. Very notably you would get to see no intelligence agency of Russia active through out the second part of the novel, which is the major role during the first part. Probably because the writer is comfortable in making his hero ICON without much ado faced from Russian authorities. There will be coup in Russia guess what no one but an American would smell and saves Russia from a heinous dictator. The most amusing part is Russia reverting back to monarchy in the year 2000 and happens to find a king belonging to Czar family by a British agent. Frederick should start writing some spider-man and super-man stories, kids really love them. God damn senseless novel.Get a comic book instead of this you feel your money is worth spent.
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