Rules of Deception
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Lee Child on Rules of Deception
Lee Child has crafted one of literature's most popular anti-heroes in the form of Jack Reacher, the iconic ex-military policeman of his bestselling novels. The author of Nothing to Lose talks about what makes a good thriller -- and why Christopher Reich is a novelist worthy of a gold medal.  I discovered Christopher Reich exactly ten years ago. His first book came out around the same time my second book was published. The modest prosperity that one's first book deal brings allowed me to pick up hardcovers that caught my eye. And Numbered Account caught my eye. And it lived up to its promise. It was fast, fresh, glossy, and very exciting. I thought: Reich is a keeper. And then he got better. It was always clear that he had talent to burn, but he chose to accompany it with a real work ethic. His second, third and fourth books built and built until the release of the next one was an event to be anticipated. (And right there is my only complaint: Reich doesn't write fast enough.) His fifth book - The Patriot's Club - was a real achievement. It was a slam-dunk winner of the International Thriller Writer's first annual Best Novel award. Awards are often awkward. There's usually a measure of grumbling, because often people don't agree with the choice of winner. But not a word was heard against "The Patriot's Club." In fact nothing was heard, because the applause was too loud. So I was really looking forward to Rules of Deception. I got an advance copy. I cracked it open. I started reading. Mostly I read like any other reader, but a small part of me reads like a writer. I think all writers experience the same thing. We sense things between the lines, especially energy and inspiration. And ambition. Rules of Deception starts with a short prologue, and then the first chapter introduces Jonathan Ransom, the main character. Two pages, and then nine pages. The prologue is a teaser. It baits the hook. It's a two-page masterpiece. It's intriguing, and then it's really intriguing. It promises big things ahead. Then chapter one introduces the guy who's going to have to deal with them. And why, indirectly. Eleven pages. The reader in me wanted to race ahead. But the writer in me had to pause a moment. Because between the lines I was sensing something. Maybe because it's an Olympic year I can only explain it like this: picture the high jump event. Six competitors are still in. Then five, then four. Then three. Then the gold, the silver, and the bronze are settled. But the rules of track and field allow the winner to go on. The bar is raised. A personal best. The Olympic record. The bar is raised again. World record height. The stadium goes quiet. The jumper stills himself on the runway. Intense concentration. The gold medal is already in the bag. Uncharted territory. The jumper rocks from foot to foot, his mind on nothing except jumping higher than he has ever jumped before. That's exactly the between-the-lines feeling I was getting from Reich, eleven pages into Rules of Deception - a world-class writer preparing to accomplish something truly noteworthy. There are a further 377 pages. They live up to the promise. --Lee Child Amazon Exclusive Essay: Christopher Reich on Thrillers Name your five favorite books.  For me they're all thrillers. The Day of the Jackal, Eye of the Needle, The Bourne Identity , Noble House, and The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. My life stopped when I picked up each of those books and it didn't start again until I finished the last page. I didn't actually read them so much as disappear between their covers. That was me trying to catch the Jackal before he assassinated Charles De Gaulle, and me again at the wheel of a Jaguar XKE convertible racing down the Peak in Hong Kong. The fact is that for me life is somehow better when I'm reading a great book. Richer, more exciting…heck, I don't know, just better. About two years ago, I decided that it was my turn to write the thriller I'd always wanted to read. I knew exactly where to start. All I had to do was "write what I know." These days, I know a lot about the intelligence community. Not the stuff you read about in the papers -- the stuff you never read about. Over the years, I've made a lot of friends in Washington and overseas. Diplomats, spies, soldiers, politicians - men and women at the highest levels of government. And, I can assure you that what they've taught me about how the world really works is a lot more interesting and a lot more frightening than you'd ever imagine. That's where my newest book, Rules of Deception, comes in. It's a story about an honest and courageous doctor named Jonathan Ransom. He's a surgeon who works for Doctors Without Borders in some of the toughest parts of the world. He's a happily married man with a big heart and a beautiful English wife he deeply loves named Emma who works with him. What Jonathan doesn't know is that nothing about his life is what it seems. In fact, it's all a web of lies and he's caught in the middle of something extraordinarily dangerous. I can't say more than that, and I shouldn't have to, because if I've done my job right, when you get to page five you'll be hooked and you won't come up for air until it's all said and done. --Christopher Reich |
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| 09-05-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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This is my first time reading Reich and I was drawn to the book after I saw him in a interview. The book kept me glued and I literally couldn't put it down. I recommend this to anyone looking for a smart,refreshing, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride that will leave you wanting more! 5 stars!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-06 01:37:46 EST)
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| 09-02-08 | 4 | 2\2 |
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I enjoyed reading this book and read it fairly quickly. However. I decided to give it four stars instead of three because it kept me going and entertained. Here are some of my observations:
1. The book reads like a Dan Brown or Ludlum novel. Very short chapters, moving from one key player to another and back again. We see things happening simultaneously from three or four different perspectives. However, there are some surprises thrown in and some long pauses between some of the characters that didn't quite work timing wise. The boogeyman is always there ready to jump out and kill him and yet sometimes, he keeps his distance and we forget about him. 2. Like in a Ludlum novel, the main character, Dr. Jonathan Ransom, is constantly confronted with shocking and crazy things that plunge him deeper and deeper into a maze that seems like he will never find his way out. Can you imagine being in love with a wife who is actually leading a totally provocative second life? 3. So the plot thickens, the world is about ready to experience world war three, while Jonathan is dodging bullets, gets lucky over and over again and escapes death and being arrested by the Swiss police, all while having just lost his wife in a skiing accident. A little too much Hollywood here. And yet, like Hollywood, it's fun. That said, I would enjoy it even more if he'd read a little LeCarre or Len Deighton and incorporate more plot plausibility, a little subtlety, a little more real spy stuff and a little less harrowing and exaggerated story lines. Not that the story lines themselves are bad. But they're too quickly put together and too immediate and I felt, too unbelievable, which makes the story not quite as gripping as it could have been. All and all, it's worth the read, and like "Da Vinci Code," moves along quickly and in short readable chapters with characters you like and care about. It's a great airport novel but with a little work, could have been even better. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-06 01:37:46 EST)
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| 09-01-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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This novel starts with a good hook - the main character (a doctor with Drs Without Borders) goes climbing with his wife. She dies when she falls into a crevasse. Then, the reader is switched to Swiss authorities trying to manage anti-terrorism. Then we are back with the doctor and learn that his wife is not who he thought she was. This hook kept me reading. Through it all I wanted to find out who she was.
The book takes a long time to get the several plot elements and characters together. The short chapters are devoted to the Swiss, the CIA, an assassin, the doctor, and more. Amazingly, none of the characters are very compelling. All are a bit flat. Even the doctor is not compelling as he hunts for the truth about about his wife while staying one step in front of all the people trying to kill him. This is another one of those thrillers where the amateur out-runs, out-fights and out-smarts all the professionals. This always difficult plotline is not pulled off here. As one would expect when the plotlines of the Israelis, Iranis, two American groups, the Swiss and the amateur are all being told in short and disparate pieces, it is difficult to keep the plotlines straight. They don't blend into a discernible pattern until about two-thirds of the book, when the book gains interest. That interest is sustained until the very unsatisfying ending. Once the plot is discerned, there is not much new to it - except the decietful wife. There are the mid-east terrorists, European intelligence, CIA, Iran and Israel all done so many times. All in all, the book is mediocre. For great thrillers in this genre go with Silva. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-06 01:37:46 EST)
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| 08-31-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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This story pulls readers in and won't let them go until it's finished. If you read at night before bed, as I do, expect to spend a few extra hours reading every night until you find answers to all the questions that start building from the very first chapter.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-03 08:12:41 EST)
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| 08-30-08 | 4 | 1\1 |
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Rules of Deception is not the best book I've read but it certainly one of the best. It really keeps you guessing. Even though it is fiction it's content is based on the very real continuing threat of Iran and nuclear weapons. It gives great insight on just how technologically advanced our country can be.
As usual, Amazon made it very worth the price which was probably at least $10 cheaper than I could get it in a bookstore shipping included. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-03 08:12:41 EST)
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| 08-30-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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A young do-gooder, a doctor with an organization that delivers free medical services to hot spots around the globe, needs a vacation. He and his gorgeous young wife go skiing where she promptly breaks her leg and then falls deep into a crevice. Brokenheartedly as he goes through her belongings he finds mysterious items. From there he finds money, lots of it and a secret identity. soon mysterious people are chasing him, and the fate of the world as we know it hangs in the balance.
Sound familiar? Well it should. Secret identity spy thrillers have been around for a long time. what makes this one mildly interesting is that all the hot button elements of the global war on terror are presented in one book. We get agency assassins, microbot drones, Swiss and Bahamian bank accounts, large drones, G-8 meetings, and lots of backstabbing and treason. What is troubling about this book is that the characters are so flat and so unmemorable. The plot may be hoary, but Christopher Reich does a pretty good job playing with the big toys-the weaponry available to modern spies that exceeds anything Q ever dreamed up for Bond. The plot gets a little overwrought as well and the pacing is sometimes too slow and at times too face. Unfortunately this reader found himself being willing to settle for an explanation as to the true identity of the doctor's wife. I wanted to like this book, but in the end I couldn't get enthusiastic about it. I suspect you will have the same problem. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-03 08:12:41 EST)
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| 08-29-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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This title one of many releases by Mr. Reich and is a thriller with easy to follow storylines with a twist on many of the chapters It is a fast moving in a sort of Jason BourneJames Bond/ fast type thriller with international locations and villians as well as the good guys. The plots are easy to follow and a great read for the beach or a just relaxing after work. Check this one out
and the author's other titles. You will lose all track of time as you will be engrossed in the cloak and dagger action. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-09-01 08:49:59 EST)
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| 08-28-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I have truly enjoyed reading this book, even though I am generally not a reader of fiction. This book was full of surprises at every turn and kept you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. Very fast moving and I also enjoyed the fact that even though there were numerous characters and places, etc. to keep track of (which I sometimes have problems with in a story), this author wrote in such a way that I was able to keep up with everyone and their part quite easily, which was a nice surprise for me. Was also very surprised at the ending too; did not expect it to end the way it did. Would recommend this book highly.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-31 08:32:40 EST)
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| 08-27-08 | 3 | 0\1 |
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My exposure to European & Middle Eastern cities was lacking in trying to follow the setting of this story. It wasn't very exciting.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-29 01:16:14 EST)
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| 08-26-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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A fast moving tale of espionage and terrorism, full of interesting, well developed characters with no lack of twists and turns and an incredible surprise ending. Christopher Reich is up there with the best in suspenseful spy novels.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-29 01:16:14 EST)
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| 08-22-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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The story opens with a grabber: Emma Ransom, while skiing with her husband Jonathan, dies in a terrible accident on a Swiss slope, and from there the story tumbles and throbs into a suspenseful spy thriller plot. How often have we seen the amateur, the ordinary guy, caught up in the frightening world of dangerous intrigue and being hunted simultaneously Hitchcockian-style by the cops and evildoers? There's plenty of conniving, conspiring, double dealing, and betraying. Rogue elements within the U.S. government are up to no good.
It's a good thing that Jonathan Ransom is a medical doctor because he has to endure and treat his numerous wounds as he pursues the bad guys. The Ghost is a CIA trained hit man who dips his bullets in a Central American frog poison. The bad guys are involved in a scheme that involves preemptive and proactive attacks, and Dr. Ransom has to stop them. You learn a lot as you read the book because the author has done careful research and is knowledgeable in various fields although there is some technical gibberish to add authenticity and believability. The narration rushes at a breakneck pace, but because the book consists of alternating chapters (episodes) dealing with different sets of characters, some of the book's narrative velocity and urgency is lost, and the reader tends to read it in short spurts rather than at long sittings. The often used device: the common man thought guilty by the cops becomes like a super hero doing deeds of derring-do beyond the ken of most mortals. He gets away in the knick of time on a number of occasions. It's a well-written, richly layered, multi-textured book with different plot strands following various characters. In this genre don't expect too much plausibility. The ending is exciting and involves some rewriting of history. Nine Lives Too Many The Daemon in Our Dreams The Rice Queen Spy Clawed Back from the Dead (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-27 01:22:31 EST)
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| 08-20-08 | 2 | 0\1 |
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This is my first read by Christopher Reich. I've heard so many great reviews on it that I just had to try it. I'm in the middle of the book and it seems very well-written. However the storyline is confusing with twists, turns, and way too many characters that i'm finding it a bit difficult to follow at times. I'm not putting it down though... perhaps it will get better. But, I'm usually enthralled by now. Not this time.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-23 01:16:40 EST)
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| 08-17-08 | 5 | 1\2 |
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Fabulous & spellbinding! Couldn't put down this book until I had completed reading it from beginning to end.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-20 01:15:53 EST)
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| 08-16-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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This book was full of twists and turns that where somewhat predicatable. Good but not great.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-20 01:15:53 EST)
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| 08-16-08 | 5 | 1\2 |
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Great storyline...I was hooked from the minute I picked up this book. Lots of suspense and intrigue. Would highly recommend this book!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-20 01:15:53 EST)
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| 08-16-08 | 5 | 1\2 |
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I really liked this book! You just keep turning pages and before you know it you are caught up in the action!This is a great read for people who like undercover, spy, who doneit books!!!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-20 01:15:53 EST)
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| 08-14-08 | 2 | 0\1 |
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This was an interesting book in it's premise. But, the plot was somewhat far fetched and confusing to me. None of the characters were fleshed out enough for one to want to care what happened to them. The ending did not come to a conclusion concerning the main characters.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-17 01:18:55 EST)
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| 08-13-08 | 5 | 0\1 |
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With his latest novel, Christopher Reich no longer has to prove himself. He has arrived and ranks with the best in thriller writing. Now he has the enviable job of maintaining this standard in all his future books. He's on my "must list" to build a collection of his books to add to LudlumRobert Ludlum's the Altman Code: A Covert-one Novel (A Covert-One Novel), LyndsThe Last Spymaster, SilvaThe Unlikely Spy and IlesBlack Cross.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-17 01:18:55 EST)
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| 08-12-08 | 5 | 0\3 |
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Rules of Deception is a great spy thriller from start to finish. Reich spins a very interesting and believable tale of geo-political intrigue, grabbing the reader's attention in the first few pages and keeping it throughout. As is his style, Reich presents an abundance of suspense, plot twists and non-stop action. Character development is strong. Once you start this book, it will be tough to put down.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-15 01:18:13 EST)
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| 08-11-08 | 4 | 0\2 |
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Entertaining Fantasy
Christopher Reich's new novel Rules of Deception is an entertaining if fanciful espionage thriller. It has enough twists and turns to keep the most staid reader engrossed. The only problem is that in respect to reality it is off the chart. Regardless, it is a fun read as Mr. Reich pulls out all the stops. In essence, It is a story with multiple plots and characters all intertwined in a general tale of engineering a war with Iran by shooting down an Israeli airliner with an Iranian drone. It pits the CIA against the U.S. Defense Department while involving the Mossad, British Intelligence along with Iran and various nefarious terrorist organization. It is literally a who's who of the espionage world where it is impossible to tell the good guys from the bad until the final pages of Mr. Reich's thriller. I hesitate to go into much more story detail as it would spoil the suspense that Mr. Reich builds throughout the book. All in all I liked the book despite its off the chart wild espionage fantasy. Character development was OK considering all the players. I really liked the wife mystery. Excellent. Overall, no gratuitous language, sex, or violence. Lots of physical violence but well within reason and not overblown. Recommended as a fun read. Not your techno-espionage thriller, but the numerous deceptions make for an engrossing suspenseful read. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-14 06:17:56 EST)
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| 08-11-08 | 2 | 2\2 |
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RULES OF DECEPTION is the third novel I've read by Christopher Reich. I didn't care much for his prior efforts, THE PATRIOTS CLUB and THE FIRST BILLION, which I thought suffered from cardboard characterization and overly convoluted plotlines. Unfortunately, the same shortcomings are present in this follow up.
My major problem with RULES OF DECEPTION is the lack of a genuinely interesting protagonist. Characterization is not Reich's strong suit, and the hero of this novel, Jonathan Ransom, struck me as bland and colorless. This novel also contains far too many different characters, with Reich constantly shifting the point of view from one person to another. The end result is a novel with a large cast of two-dimensional characters, which is a recipe for a tedious read. Reich's storyline contains some well written action scenes, but I found his political conspiracy plot too complicated for its own good. RULES OF DECEPTION has so many twists and turns and subplots that it was hard for me to keep track of what was going on. It doesn't help that this book becomes rather overblown and silly toward the end, once the nature of the conspiracy is revealed. RULES OF DECEPTION has been heavily hyped, so your reaction to this novel may differ from mine. But if you place a high value on decent characterization and straightforward plotting, my guess is that you will find this novel to be a disappointment. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-14 06:17:56 EST)
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| 08-10-08 | 5 | 0\3 |
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If you've never read a book by Christopher Reich, this is a great one to start with. If you've read him before, this is one of his best.
Jonathan Ransom and his wife Emma suffer a horrible tragedy in the Swiss Alps but that is only the beginning of a deep complex mystery that makes this a grand read. Reich's complex novel involves the Middle East, terrorism, the Swiss banking system, the CIA and much more. Heroes and villains are well drawn throughout. Reich never insults the reader by making things too easy in this story. It requires careful attention until the final thrilling page. The detail is superb but never confusing. So many of these characters are not what they seem and many twists and turns populate the pages. The potential disasters that unfold in this book that make it one of the best examples of the cliched "never a dull moment". And one will put this book down at the end thinking.."Could this really happen?". (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-14 06:17:56 EST)
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| 08-04-08 | 1 | 3\6 |
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I don't read much of the spy thriller genre, but when I do, I hope that the author can match wits with the likes of someone from the intelligence community. Too much to ask, you say? Okay, well then how 'bout a little character development? How about some insightful historical context? No... ? A bit of thoughtful dialogue then, with one or two brilliant uses of descriptive "takes you there" scenery or witty turn of phrase? Alright, forget it. Can we have one or two cool spy gadgets and a wee bit of love and sexual tension?
In the end I couldn't finish it, even though I tried as it was a gift from a friend. Based on the first half though, I figure that that and the second half will probably show up on some daytime movie channel someday. Who knows, it might hold my attention until my workout's over on the treadmill... May be a real page-turner for other folks, but it looks like Christopher Reich's works are not for me. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-14 06:17:56 EST)
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| 08-02-08 | 2 | 0\3 |
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This book is a great thriller and espionage read but I was frustrated by the author's propogating the stereotypes and even his inaccuracies in details language and names. The names he had picked for his 'Iranian' characters were arabic and pakistani (Quitab and Parvez Jin) and Iranians write Farsi/Persian not Arabic. Overall he seemed to foster the typical stereotypes set forth by Hollywood. Might sell well but not responsible!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-05 02:53:40 EST)
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| 08-02-08 | 4 | 1\3 |
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This isn't the genre of book that I usually read. As a fast moving story of International Espionage, I was never sure where the story would turn next and who or whom could be trusted. The story is set in a post-9/11 era and many of the details reflect our modern world. I have to wonder how much of the story is fiction and how much is true. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a story that makes you question the current events you read in the daily paper or see on the news.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-05 02:53:40 EST)
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| 08-01-08 | 3 | 2\5 |
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Straight out: buy Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva and take a pass on Rules of Deception. That is my rule.
Reich is a great writer. Unlike the authors who deliver treats once a year, Reich forces us to wait a while longer. Thus, one is left with a longer period to anticipate greatness. Sadly, Rules of Deception fails to deliver. Here we follow reluctant hero Jonathan Ransom as he tries to find out who the woman he married really is: wife or spy? A series of subplots are drawn to the inevitable meeting at a woeful conclusion. In the past Reich was a master at weaving these subplots into the fabric of a great story. In Rules of Deception the weak subplots combine to weaken the whole. In the past Reich was able to provide sufficient character development, usually surrounding an unwillling hero who rises to a great challenge. Perhaps it is just that Reich has become too formulaic. We have seen this story before in the same venues. Are there any other countries beyond Switzerland in which to be chased? To be able to deliver consistantly great thrillers without falling victim to formula is a great challenge. Reich was able to successfully march rhough the minefield in the past. Sadly, Rules of Deception demonstrates that even a master sometimes fall short. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-05 02:53:40 EST)
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| 07-31-08 | 3 | 0\3 |
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The beginning of this novel had a great hook and with the ensuing chapters at an average of 4-5 pages it's a quick read. Alas, towards the end the story finishes with a pop rather than a bang.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-03 01:17:44 EST)
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| 07-31-08 | 2 | 1\4 |
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In this novel, a doctor who practices in Third World countries as a volunteer with Doctors Without Borders finds himself embroiled in a scheme of international intrigue, terrorism, and government corruption at the highest levels. He must outthink and outfight his opponents while trying to unravel the mystery of why he's the object of an international manhunt, wrongly implicated as a terrorist, and accused of murder.
As an escapist thriller, this book works as far as the mechanics of the action; a lot of shooting in picturesque locales. The realization of the individual characters is pretty thin, though, so it's hard to build up much empathy on more than a very superficial level. I didn't find myself invested in them at all. Frankly, this book - with the exception of its fatal flaw - works better as a script for a movie than as an engrossing novel. Now to the real problem. SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER! The key plot device - the actual perpetrators of the terrorist action - is one that in my opinion fell out of style back in the 70s: the "rogue" US government agency. And the reason it's so hackneyed is that in this day and age of government oversight and extremely partisan politics, it's simply beyond incredible that such an agency would not only be able to gather the resources necessary to carry out this scheme, but that a "competing" agency would let them continue on their path simply to discredit them. I mean.... HUH????? It was simply ludicrous beyond belief, and had me laughing out loud. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-03 01:17:44 EST)
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| 07-30-08 | 1 | 2\12 |
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CIA, DOD & a Committed Christian are the bad guys. Reich must be part of the "Blame America First" crowd.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-02 02:01:41 EST)
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| 07-29-08 | 5 | 1\4 |
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I really, really enjoyed this book, I could not put it down until I had finished it. I am a fan of Mr. Reich but I felt like his last couple of books just did not grab me like I was expecting them too. This one did. I liked the characters, although I have to admit, I had a few things figured out as the book went along, but it did not take away from the enjoyment of the story.
If you have not read Mr. Reich's works this is a good one to start with, but go back and read his others, they are all worth reading. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-01 01:15:33 EST)
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| 07-29-08 | 1 | 1\9 |
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I finished this book last night. A good book usually keeps me reading all weekend...this one did not. It was poorly written and its plot did not hold my attention for more than a chapter or two at a time. Not sure why so many people like it. I bought it because Glen Beck interviewed Reich. There are so many other very good suspense novels. This one was weak.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-01 01:15:33 EST)
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| 07-29-08 | 4 | 1\3 |
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I arrived at my friends house on a Friday in the rain. My host said he had just read this great book and he handed me Rules of Deception. I had read the review in the Times and remembered the critic loved it so I looked at it. I spent most of the rest of the weekend on the beach and around the house with my nose in the book. It was a great read.
I will not review the plot as it has been done by others. It is exciting and flows well. There are two problems that stop it from being a 5 star book. First Jonathon Ramsey is not that interesting a character. He is too good and really does not surprise me. Second it is even a bit far fetched for a thriller. Having said all of this I really enjoyed it as I was reading it. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-01 01:15:33 EST)
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| 07-28-08 | 3 | 2\7 |
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This book has everything. Terrorists, spies galore, competing US gov't. intelligence agencies, the Middle East AND Israel AND Europe,and a hero or two and a heroine thrown in for good measure. About halfway through, the author reveals the main antagonist, and, from then on, it becomes a race against time for the good guys. It's just that I found it all a little contrived and pretty uninteresting. This type of story is not my cup of tea. Maybe this kind of stuff does go in the real world, but, if it does, of which I am not totally convinced, there is nothing I can do in my world to change it, so, I find it a little hard to relate to the story. Yeah, yeah, I know it's fiction, but I believe this book more rightly belongs in the fantasy category.
If you are reading this review, then I trust you will have read others, which may have been written by those who enjoy international spy thrillers. I do not. And, I did not like this book. End of review. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-31 01:49:32 EST)
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| 07-26-08 | 4 | 2\3 |
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To the shore, that is. This is the perfect beach book. An international/espionage/thriller, it has all the right ingredients: a likeable hero, drawn into something he doesn't quite understand but can't resist solving/saving/defeating; exotic locales, chiefly Swiss; high-tech weaponry; interagency governmental rivalry; the risk of a nuclear exchange; a rumpled but decent policeman; a wife with a secret life; a relative who may or may not be trustworthy; horrifying agencies with bland names; snow, crevasses, and black ice; and last, but certainly not least, a confrontation between the Israelis and the Iranians. The runaway-freight train plot never lets up until the final bullet is fired, the final windshield is blown and the final wound gushes with blood. This is exactly the summer novel we've been waiting for. I held back a star because the writing is often over the top and rough around the edges, but this won't bother the majority of readers. In fact, given the overheated nature of the story, they might even expect it.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-29 01:13:01 EST)
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| 07-24-08 | 4 | 1\1 |
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I bought this book on the basis of a positive review in the NY Times. I couldn't put it down, in other words it is a compelling read.
The more problematic aspects have to do with characterizations (or lack thereof) and plotting. You don't necessarily expect a book in the thriller genre to have subtle and well thought out characterizations, so I'll let that pass. But there are a couple of implausibilities in the plot that are, as my wife likes to put it, "big enough to drive a Mack truck through." I can't go into details about these gaffes without being a spoiler, but they were problematic enough to degrade the reading experience for both my wife and myself. Suffice it to say: you are warned. If you buy this book (a) you won't be able to put it down; and (b) after reading it you will wonder why the author wasn't more careful with some of his premises, and also why he didn't connect the dots in the plot a bit better. BTW - the prose is servicable but not elegant, and the James Bond style travelogue stuff (a necessity in a spy thriller) excellent. Bottom line: I'm giving this book four our of five stars for its keep-me-awake-and-distracted readability. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-27 01:15:14 EST)
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| 07-22-08 | 4 | 1\3 |
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RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Christopher Reich absolutely has a winner with this book. Rules of Deception has it all. With a full and varied cast of characters, current political climates in different parts of the world, and enough action it keeps you up all night trying to figure out the roles of everyone. No one should be turned off in the beginning by the large number of players in this world wide tale. They all very quickly melt together and have you picking up speed through each phase of this very complex adventure. Not only does Mr. Reich weave a great plot of espionage in the 21st century and all very believable, I am hoping that the ending purposely left room for Dr. Ransom and his lovely Emma to come back in a sequel. I took this book on vacation and it did not last two full days. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-25 01:13:24 EST)
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| 07-21-08 | 5 | 1\2 |
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RULES OF DECEPTION, the latest offering from award-winning author Christopher Reich, makes demands. Reich, whose bibliography consists of some of the most intelligent contemporary thrillers in print, has a penchant for what has been referred to elsewhere as "complex" plots. Fair enough; his work is challenging, in part because his stories are set very deeply in this world. As is thoroughly demonstrated in his new book, he has a good grasp of current events and the ways in which seemingly unrelated events are very closely tied together. Such things do not lend themselves to headline news, no matter how one tries to jam them to make them fit. Reich's work is painted on a much broader canvas, demanding singular attention to detail and to what has gone before. Fortunately, such effort on the part of the reader is rewarded one hundredfold.
Jonathan Ransom is the heart of RULES OF DECEPTION, a character who is both unique and an everyman, an expert in his field who suddenly becomes a fish out of water on a very hostile and inhospitable shore. Jonathan is a physician who eschews the fortune a medical practice could bring him, choosing instead to devote his knowledge and talents to Doctors Without Borders. As the book begins, he is taking a rare holiday with his nurse-wife, Emma, climbing the Swiss Alps and contemplating his career. Everything changes for Jonathan within the space of a few heartbeats when a blizzard sets in and Emma is lost to a hidden crevasse. But he barely has time to grieve before his belief in his life and work is irrevocably altered. Not even 24 hours after the terrible mountainside accident, an envelope for Emma is delivered to their hotel room. All it contains is two baggage claim tickets, which are to be reclaimed at a remote baggage station. Puzzled and intrigued, Jonathan journeys to the site only to be attacked almost immediately by two men. Thanks to some luck and lightning fast reflexes acquired from working and living in dangerous places, he leaves one assailant dead and the other mortally wounded. However, Jonathan is horrified when he discovers that his attackers were Swiss policemen. Their deaths bring the Swiss authorities into play. Meanwhile, two apparently unrelated deaths of "persons of interest" to Swiss counterespionage agents bring Marcus von Daniken, a quietly efficient and extremely competent investigator, into play. As Marcus's investigation slowly begins to dovetail into the deaths of the two policemen, and thus into Jonathan's world, he finds himself pursued by two Swiss law enforcement agencies and a shadowy, calculating assassin. An unknown group of individuals are slowly but inexorably putting together the pieces of a plot to create an incident of international terrorism that will lead straight back to the Iranian government, in the hope of beginning a conflagration that will bring on a cataclysmic event. Jonathan slowly discovers, to his horror, that Emma had been leading a secretive double life and was an integral key in a plot that, if carried out, would result in the deaths of innocents. Whose side was Emma on? Was she trying to bring the plot to fruition, or prevent it? Grieving and angered by turns, even as he is pursued from all sides, Jonathan engages in an investigation on the run, aided only by an old family friend and headed toward what may well be the biggest shock of all. Christopher Reich is a sure-footed guide through the labyrinthine plotting of RULES OF DECEPTION, and his characters --- both primary and secondary --- are every bit as compelling and memorable as the storyline, which reads as if it was ripped from tomorrow's headlines. Marcus von Daniken, in fact, almost steals the book away from the main characters, functioning in his own way as a lower key Samuel Gerard to Jonathan's Richard Kimble. And then there is Zvi Hirsch, an upper-level official in the Israeli government. He's not only one of the most intriguing characters in the book, but also one who you'll hope has a real-world model. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-25 01:13:24 EST)
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| 07-21-08 | 5 | 3\7 |
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This is a great quick read, intriguing characters and plot twists I didn't see coming. After reading the inside jacket synopsis, didn't think it would fly, but as I read it, the entire plot unfolded in a very believable way. The subject is right on target, very timely. "Waterboarding" is a day at the water park compared with the interrogation techniques applied in this story. Hopefully, Reich isn't a prophet, or we are in for some scary times in the near future!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-25 01:13:24 EST)
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| 07-19-08 | 5 | 2\5 |
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Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R20BEWWCPA5XU1 I had this book read to me and it was very exciting. I just saw that this book is available on audio cds. I wish I would have know this before I bought the book. Although audio cds do cost more than books, they are worth it in my opinion. I used some new software to have this book read to me via TAL, I hate having to actually read. But I love the content. I can't enjoy something and read it at the same time. For me to enjoy something I have to listen to it. All this technology is discussed inDon't Like to Read, Then Don't, Listen!: How to Turn Any Type of Text Into Audio Files That Can Be Read to You!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-21 06:33:06 EST)
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| 07-19-08 | 5 | 1\4 |
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This book is very intense. I am trying something new. As D Thoombs suggested (from the book Don't Like to Read, Then Don't, Listen!: How to Turn Any Type of Text Into Audio Files That Can Be Read to You!) I am using a reader program. It has made this book so much more enjoyable. No more crunching over to read, and it is very easy to have the software reread sections you may have had confusion on.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-21 06:33:06 EST)
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| 07-17-08 | 5 | 4\9 |
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"A guard patrolling the custodial road caught the flash of yellow lying in the dirt. He approached cautiously... it was not like any butterfly he had seen before. First of all, it was larger. Its wings were rigid, with jagged bits of a paper-thin metal protruding from the silken skin. The fuzzy thorax was split in two and connected by a green wire. Mystified, he picked it up and examined it. Like all those who worked at the facility, he was first and foremost an engineer, and only reluctantly a soldier. What he saw left him shaken. Inside the thorax was an aluminum-cased battery no bigger than a grain of rice, and attached to it, a microwave transmitter. Using his thumbnail, he sheared away the antennae's skin to reveal a cluster of fiber-optic cables, thin as human hair."
"His hand shook as he radioed his superiors." "THEY HAVE FOUND US." ******************************************************************** *** And so this pot-boiling international cauldron of intrigue begins! *** ****************************************************************** What I am about to describe to you at a velocity faster than "ELECTRIFIED-HUMAN-TWITCH-MUSCLE-SPEED" will "NOT" give away any of the myriad of climactic-multi-level mysteries and conundrum's awaiting the potential reader's of this fast-paced and intelligent thriller. Dr. Jonathan Ransom, a surgeon for Doctors Without Borders, is hiking on a treacherous mountain with his wife Emma, an administrative nurse in the same organization, as a storm starts to approach. Emma falls into an unseen crevasse and dies. One day later, before Jonathan's true mourning can even begin... events quickly unfold that makes Jonathan wonder if he really even knew who his wife was. From unclaimed packages... to missing explosives... to CIA agents capturing terrorists and transporting them illegally throw Swiss airspace... to a professional deranged assassin known as the "Ghost"... to double agents being murdered... to dirty cops... to terrorist suspects flown by America to the Middle East to be boiled in TWO-HUNDRED-DEGREE-WATER in a vat, till their skin comes off, in order to save hundreds if not thousands of innocent lives... and what questions of ethics would arise if the International Atomic Energy Agency knew that Iran had FIFTY-THOUSAND-centrifuges instead of FIVE-HUNDRED... if Iran had radioactive mineral's enriched to NINETY-SIX-PERCENT instead of THIRTY-PERCENT... and what if they had enough enriched uranium-235 to make FOUR AND MAYBE FIVE ATOMIC BOMBS? The action never stops as the plots and schemes involve law enforcement from around the globe. There are as many fake passports in this novel as there are fake breasts in Hollywood. Although the reader is transported from country to country, a predominance of time is spent in Switzerland, where death is in the air, despite the fact that Switzerland as a country, recorded a total of sixty-seven homicides the previous year. Less than the American city of San Diego, which had one-seventh the population of Switzerland." Anyone who says this book doesn't keep you on the edge of your seat... has lost their mind... as well as their seat! Oh yea... we also have "POISON DART FROGS!" (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-19 01:24:23 EST)
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| 07-17-08 | 4 | 3\8 |
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This is the first book I've read by Christopher Reich, and it is very good. I was prompted to buy it by all the critics and famous authors who compare it to Ludlum, Follett, Forsyth, Trevanian, etc.--all my favorite writers of globe-trotting espionage. RULES OF DECEPTION closely follows the formula set down by those masters, with the idealistic doctor/mountain climber being drawn into a frightening, ever-growing conspiracy and racing the clock to find his enemies and beat them, with plenty of fights, chases, and surprise revelations along the way. I read the book in a matter of hours, and I think most thriller fans will, too.
My one reservation that keeps this from being a 5-star recommendation is the fact that RULES seems to resemble a lot of other big thrillers a bit too much--Reich never quite seems to make this material his own. He has clearly been "inspired" by EYE OF THE NEEDLE, DAY OF THE JACKAL, THE EIGER SANCTION, and the complete works of Robert Ludlum. But, hey, that's a small complaint from a reader who counts all those as faves. If you're looking for a fast, satisfying summer read along these lines, RULES follows the rules as well as any book I've read in a long time. Try it. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-19 01:24:23 EST)
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| 07-16-08 | 5 | 4\12 |
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Believe the reviews. This is the real deal. I just finished the book (bought it yesterday) and had to share my exhilaration. I'll put it simply: the most enjoyable international thriller since "Day After Tomorrow" ten years ago, and every bit as diabolical as any of the Bourne books. Better in fact, because its so much more realistic. From its dizzying opening in the Swiss Alps to its richly evoked side travels to Africa and the Middle East, this is one incredible pageturner. A book that manages to entertain, educate, and thrill - all in one!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-19 01:24:23 EST)
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| 07-16-08 | 5 | 7\14 |
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Christopher Reich's Rules of Deception is a stupendous read with one twist after another. Rules of Deception contains more suspense that the old movie serials of decades past and
delivers a great story to boot. Without giving too much a way the protagonist Jonathan Ransom, one of those really nice guys who also happens to be a surgeon working with Doctors Without Borders is pursuing his passion of mountain climbing is the Alps with his wife, Emma. Mountain climbing has tons of risks and with this trip the odds are against Ransom; an avalanche sweeps Emma to her death. Badly shaken Ransom returns to his hotel only to find an envelope delivery awaiting his now dead wife with two claims tickets inside. Using these tickets he finds her secret luggage and the contents reveal that there was a lot more to Emma than he knew. What mayhem follows. Don't judge this book until you've finished it. Reich provides us with a story that builds as it goes and in the end you'll be glad you stuck with the book. Jonathan eventually reveals himself to be quite the adventurer and engages in wild chases and the use of disguises as he eludes the international manhunt for him. With characters like Emma's best friend Simone Noiret and Marcus von Daniken, head of the Swiss counterterrorism organization, the story is colorful and engaging. Reich, in the manner of Tom Clancy, is at ease with the incorporation of high tech gadgets into his story and this adds a lot to the suspense. This is my first Christopher Reich's book but it won't be my last. I highly recommend Rules of Deception. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-19 01:24:23 EST)
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| 07-16-08 | 5 | 9\16 |
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Mark my words, this book will be made into a movie (although movies usually are not as good as the book)! It has all the elements of a good espionage, electronics & technical gadgets, along with assassins and a few different things going on at once, yet all coming together further along in the book.
Trust me, if you like espionage, spy books, then this one is for you. It makes a good fast paced summer read, and if you're like me and enjoy reading before bed I can guarantee you'll be awake past what you originally planned! (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-19 01:24:23 EST)
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| 07-15-08 | 5 | 2\12 |
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This is a helluva page turner! Christopher Reich has created a contemporary version of the classic espionage thriller, with plot twists that are frightening close to what we see on the news today!! Do yourself a favor and run, don't walk to get RULES OF DECEPTION!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-17 19:45:37 EST)
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| 07-15-08 | 3 | 15\24 |
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Rules Of Deception has all the individual ingredients that should have resulted in it being a surefire winning international espionage thriller -- e.g., lots of action and suspense, interesting locales, a plot based heavily on today's world events, high-tech weaponry, etc. However, Rules Of Deception, in my opinion, wound up being a just a notch above average. This is due to Reich's being just an okay writer in terms of developing multidimensional, real-life characters and credible dialogue. While Rules Of Deception held my interest from beginning to end, I rarely felt compelled to stay glued to my seat in order to find out what was to happen next, and much of what does happen you'll probably be able to anticipate well in advance. Rules Of Deception is not a bad book. In fact, it is an okay read and the type of book that would be good for a day at the beach or a long airplane ride. It, however, is not one I'd recommend that you rush out to buy and put at the top of your to-be-read list.
A book that I would very highly recommend you put at the very top of your reading list is Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-17 19:45:37 EST)
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