This book has repeatedly been determined to be a hoax by a known, prolific fabricator named Yuval (or Juval) Aviv. An investigation by the British newspaper The Guardian determined: "Aviv never served in Mossad, or any Israeli intelligence organisation. He had failed basic training as an Israeli Defence Force commando, and his nearest approximation to spy work was as a lowly gate guard for the airline El Al in New York in the early 70s. The tale he had woven was apparently nothing more than a Walter Mitty fabrication."

This a competently done hoax, but a hoax nonetheless. For the real story, read "STRIKING BACK."

When I was thirteen years old (circa 1985), I saw a book on the shelves of the famous "A Clean Well Lighted Place for Books," located in the Larkspur Landing Shopping Center, Larkspur, CA. It was the picture of the Israeli Uzi on the cover that caught my attention. Like many 13 year old boys, I was fascinated by sub-machine guns and automatic pistols. I bought the book because of the cover, but I was in no way ready for the tale I was about to be told. It was the tale of the Israeli Mossad avenging the deaths of the athletes that had been murdered at the Olympic games in Munich (circa 1972). The book read like a Ludlum novel, only this story was true! Contrary to the cover, all the assignations were carried out with .22 caliber ordnance (the choice of Mossad assassins), and not by the 9mm Uzi. This book opened my eyes to a historical tragedy that happened while I was still in diapers -- a tragedy not mentioned in American High School textbooks. And it gave me a fine respect for the prowess and professional nature of Israeli Intelligence (HaMossad leModi'in v'leTafkidim Meyuhadim).

When I was thirteen years old (circa 1985), I saw a book on the shelves of the famous "A Clean Well Lighted Place for Books," located in the Larkspur Landing Shopping Center, Larkspur, CA. It was the picture of the Israeli Uzi on the cover that caught my attention. Like many 13 year old boys, I was fascinated by sub-machine guns and automatic pistols. I bought the book because of the cover, but I was in no way ready for the tale I was about to be told. It was the tale of the Israeli Mossad avenging the deaths of the athletes that had been murdered at the Olympic games in Munich (circa 1972). The book read like a Ludlum novel, only this story was true! Contrary to the cover, all the assignations were carried out with .22 caliber ordnance (the choice of Mossad assassins), and not by the 9mm Uzi. This book opened my eyes to a historical tragedy that happened while I was still in diapers -- a tragedy not mentioned in American High School textbooks. And it gave me a fine respect for the prowess and professional nature of Israeli Intelligence (HaMossad leModi'in v'leTafkidim Meyuhadim).

"Vengence" is an insider's account of the formation and actions of a counter-terrorism team. Unlike the fictional Bourne series emphasis on hand to hand fighting skills, the bulk of the subject's work involved obtaining information, being smart with it, and executing the target. Who can you trust and how much of what they are saying is true was always the key question which would make the difference between being killed and making the kill. A very tense and disquieting story which reads fairly well for a non-fictional account, I recommend it to anyone interested in gaining insight into the dark side of war.

George Jonas's "Vengeance" is the book from which Steven Spielberg's "Munich" was derived. Both concern the Israeli hit team sent into the cold to track down and kill the authors of the 1972 massacre of Israeli Olympic athletes. While reaction to the movie focused on the moral ambiguity of it all, we see here that this is at best a minor angle in the book, and at worst, a willful distortion by critics.

The as-told-to story of Avner, the team leader's pseudonym, "Vengeance" details how the team is formed and begins work in Europe. With massacre perpetrators mostly dead, the hits are aimed at those higher up: those who hatched the plot, the leaders of international Palestinian terror.

Some, openly terrorists, live in hiding or in countries sympathetic to terror. They travel surrounded by bodyguards. These are considered hard targets. The Israeli team is not given permission to go to Arab or Communist countries.

But some are soft targets: Palestinians with covers as journalists, diplomats, intellectuals or professors, whose involvement with terror remains secret - the Sami Al-Arians of the 1970s. Trusting their covers, they live openly in cities like Paris or Rome, walk the streets alone, have fixed addresses, and generally don't carry guns or take attention-getting secret-agent precautions.

The hit team - assembled at the government's highest levels and severed from Mossad to preserve deniability - flounders at the outset. They can't locate their prey. Their big break comes through a chance contact: Avner reconnects with a childhood acquaintance, now a hanger-on of the Baader-Meinhof Gang, who, believing Avner to be a radical terrorist, introduces him to bigger wheels in the underworld of terror.

Avner discovers that terror, a big business, has developed a certain amount of outsourcing - organizations that, for hefty sums of money, secure safe houses, deliver arms, supply explosives, provide lookouts, do surveillance, arrange transportation, help with getaways and bury bodies. Providing networks terrorists couldn't possibly match, they free the latter to plan hits and getaways without worrying about logistics. The support networks also provide an extra cut-out level for the terrorists. They aren't picky about who they work for. Most important for Avner and his team - cut off as they are from Mossad and its resources - they even leak information on other terrorists' whereabouts.

Tapping into these networks - penetrating the terror world by impersonating terrorists - Avner hits the gold mine allowing his team to find and kill Israel's enemies.

At first they are so successful they marvel at how easy it is to find and kill a man. Almost too easy. Later, snags emerge. The hard-to-find people are still hard to find. A couple of missions don't go smoothly. Their Mossad liaision hints they're not moving fast enough. The team begins to press, attacking with less planning and caution. They are compelled to involve themselves - and their precious underworld contacts - in a major Israeli commando raid in Beirut, blowing the team's cover.

Their mood darkens as three team members die, two by assassination, leading survivors to wonder if they've been sold out by the very people who sold others out to them.

Yes, they contemplated the morality of it all - having to become terrorists, complete with constantly changing fake passports and shadowy changes of address - to fight terrorists. But their conclusion is that they're not like terrorists at all. Terrorists kill schoolchildren - the infamous Ma'alot massacre comes to mind - while the hit team kills terrorists, delivering justice crude, justice extralegal, but justice nevertheless. At the explicit orders of Israeli Premier Golda Meir they avoid killing bystanders, family members and anyone not on their hit list. By and large, they are successful. They go outside their orders only marginally: assassinating a Dutch hit woman who seduced and killed one team member, probably on behalf of the Palestinians, and assassinating a PLO replacement for an earlier target.

Avner's greater concerns are more specific. He is haunted by insecurity as a "yekke", an Israeli Jew with German roots, in Israel, a country dominated by "Galicianers", or Polish Jews, who, Avner feels, form a ruling clique reserving power and privilege for themselves. He and his teammates are all "yekkes", picked because they can blend in in Western Europe, but they all worry about being left hanging once their mission, and usefulness to the state, conclude. Avner's own father is a former Mossad agent, now embittered by his treatment. Avner worries the same thing will happen to them.

Gloom and paranoia set in as his teammates die. At mission end he returns to his wife and baby and decides he's had enough of this kind of life. His fears materialize when his superiors, refusing to let him go, take back $100,000 that had accrued in a Swiss bank as his pay. Avner accuses them of threatening his family in an effort to force him back into the fold - and notes his own countervailing "I know where your children go to school" threats against an Israeli security man in New York City he suspects of involvement.

Finally they leave him in peace, but penniless and forced to take menial jobs. Avner's decision to go public about his mission is clearly payback for this, a quest for recognition, and maybe for some money as well..

Avner and Jonas conclude the mission in the end presents no moral dilemma. Yes, the terror world replaces the dead terrorists and, yes, terror continues. But the people who were killed, deserved it. A message is sent that attacks on Israel and Jews no longer go unpunished, and that the Jewish state will go after those responsible, wherever and however.

He and his teammates ponder the morality of what they're doing because they are indeed normal human beings, not, unlike their adversaries, hardened killers. They ultimately believe in their mission. They see themselves as disciplined soldiers fighting for a democratic state. They fight an extralegal war because the world, again and again, has offered little or no justice for Jewish terror victims while encouraging, tacitly or actively, their murderers. In the 1970s Palestinian killers are let go, again and again, by appeasing Western governments, and commit more murders. Israel has no choice but to pursue them alone, by any means necessary, to show the world no one can strike with impunity at Jews ever again.

The book is convincing, possessed of details large and small about how teams of this sort operate. You can't help but be fascinated in learning Mossad's technique for doing a hit. Each step is developed with supreme calculation and attention to detail: small caliber, low power, quiet weapons, with safeties never used, rounds left unchambered, weapons never drawn until it's time to shoot, no shooting except to kill, and shots always fired in pairs.

Particularly convincing are details about bureaucratic infighting. The team, say, balks at participating in Beirut, not only because it will jeopardize their own work, but because, having taken the risks and done the work to plan an operation, they want to be the ones to do it and get the credit, secret though it is, inside Mossad - quite recognizable human behavior.

Overshadowing the book is the whole question of whether Avner is who he says he is, whether the book is true; is distorted; or is an out-and-out lie. Israel can't be expected to acknowledge its truth, if it's true; even few people within Mossad were party to it; and outside intelligence experts would have no way of assessing the truth of what is explicitly an ultrasecret mission.

Jonas says he believes Avner, in the end, not because of his own attempts at verification, but because Avner knew how the light switch in the lobby of a particular Roman apartment building worked. The detail most straining credibility, in my opinion, was the terror outsourcing network; it's a deus ex machina, these shadowy all-powerful guys who are on your side if you can pay them and know how to find them. And Avner stumbles over them because of a chance relationship with a childhood friend. It's so convenient, maybe too convenient. But it is still plausible.

At the end, this book is vivid and compelling, one you can't put down.

I read "Notes on a controversy" at the end of the book first, because this justification of the text by the author deals with the issue of veracity. The book has apparently been attacked on this score, and of course the very nature of the subject excludes the possibility of total and certain verification of all the facts, but the author makes a convincing case of the techniques he used in circumventing this problem and checking out his main source's story. That story itself is gripping, not only because it describes in thriller-like fashion the actions undertaken by an Israeli hit team against the masterminds behind the killings of Israel's Olympic team in 1972, but also because of what I would call, perhaps oddly, its humanity: the personal torment felt by the members of the hit team is faithfully portrayed, and is perhaps the most unforgettable part of the narrative. One closes the book with the uneasy feeling that there really is no way to avenge, let alone deter, the monstrous deeds perpetrated by terrorist scum. But I do not share a shred of the hit team's doubts that their actions were fully justified. This book is an eye-opener on the nature on terrorism, but also on the ruthlessness demanded of those who are called to combat it. The book leaves one with few illusions about "the secret world" either, which adds to its aura of truthfulness.

Vengeance succeeds on many levels. It could easily stand as a classic tradecraft work about espionage operations or as a fictional spy thriller. It is action packed and a real page-turner. I was disappointed when it ended.

Terrorism succeeds, when it succeeds, by using violence to send a public message to one's opposition. It amounts to negotiation by murder and bomb blasts. The message being: "If we aren't safe, you aren't safe either." That was the message that the Black September organization sent to Israel with their 1972 Munich action, and it was the same message that the Israeli state sent back to Black September via Avner's hit team. Terrorism is warfare by symbolic violence, although it's more than symbolic if you're there when the bombs go off or the shooting starts.

As to whether all aspects of Vengeance are literally "true," I admit I have my doubts. But so what? It has verisimilitude where it counts and whether this or that specific detail is literally true or is a mishmash of several events or characters combined is largely irrelevant. The ongoing terror campaigns going on all over the world today show that the morally ambiguous world that Avner and his opposition existed in 1972 hasn't changed that much. And it probably never will.

The Jewish state of Israel has always had an aura of intrigue because of the reputation of the Mossad. This is a true story of a group of spies who were on a mission too difficult and high profile for the Mossad. This book is an excellent story in itself, but the fact that it is a true story makes it even more fascinating. Quite a bit of history on terrorism against Israel is given. Personally, I was ashamedly ignorant of the persecution that Israel suffered in the 60's and 70's through terrorism. This book brought to light the terror that was leveled against Israel. Jonas does an excellent job of writing, in a humble way that is uncharacteristic of many authors. The very nature of his writing lends credibility to his story. The afterward by the author is an exciting supplement to the book, giving the author's rebuttal to those who question the validity of the book. I loved the way the book unfolded, cold and slow in the beginning but slowly picking up speed and never slowing down until the last page. I look forward to seeing Stephen Spielberg's movie based on the book as Spielberg has shown in the past that he can successfully make good films that stay true to the books that they are based upon.

A reoccurring theme throughout the book is the morality behind terrorism and counter terrorism. At what point does the defender become the aggressor? America has faced this problem as well in the past few years trying to define the fine line between defense and cold-blooded war. Is counter terrorism justified? Was Israel's decision to assassinate top terrorist leaders warranted, or did these actions put the Israelis on ethical par with the murderous terrorists? The book clearly shows how the decisions of war are difficult, and there is often no straightforward moral line in such choices. There will always be dispute and debate between Moses' law of eye for an eye and Jesus' law of turning the other cheek. While both of these laws seem to be incompatible with each other, it will do humanity well to find how these two laws full of wisdom come together in some sort of compromise.

I don't dole out 5 stars to books easily. But this one definitly earned it. If you've seen Munich, you know what the book is about, though the movie did deviate from the book in some ways, it was mostly the same.

It was a captivating book, and in the end, it trancended your typical "spy novel" thriller, in that it brought up deep questions regarding our notions of patriotism, militant service to country, and the way nations use their patriotic heros like disposable pawns.

This is the type of book that you will only put down if sleep is absolutely necessary, and you are able to "dine in moderation" knowing that tomorrow you will get to enjoy more satisfying reading. The reader feels as if he is in the mind of the protagonist, very rarely do I find this in an 'as told to' format. Next stop of course will be the movie rental. I found this in an airport bookstore and truth be told I wouldn't have minded if the plane was delayed for hours, but as a matter of fact the plane was on time, however, the book was finished before the return trip.

Plain and simply, whether fiction or fact, this book is a page turner. You can't put it down, and if you do, you can't wait to get back to it.
What a great story and writer! It is the best book I have read in a long time.
Read it, then rent the movie "Munich" after it.

Skillfully written, carefully researched, and unafraid to capture feeling - a reflexion of the protagonist's sixth sense - rather than argue the validity evidence. A valuable insight into a secret world.

I have studied the history behind the PLO and the terrorist organizations that evolved during this time. A lot of the children in our time that lived through 9/11, feel that terrorism is relatively new. When you read this book, and other information regarding middle east turmoil, you will understand that terrorism has been developing for years.

This book is truly fascinating when you think of these young Israeli agents that basically disappeared for years from their families to seek revenge for the deaths of their countrymen.

The age of terrorism is here, and it is certainly not anything new. It is only evolving. I highly recommend this book, simply because of the understanding that it provides to the reader, in regards to the emotions that governments have in the protection for their country.

The only concerns of course is the validity of the sources. Needs to be cross referenced with another publication or account. But overall very detailed and easy narration.

This is a sensational book! I read this book over ten years ago and I still vividly remember parts of it, it is honestly that good. The recent Spielberg movie Munich, inspired by the book is no where near the quality of Jonas' masterpiece. Nothing wrong with the directing, the acting by Eric Bana or anything like that from the movie, it's just that reading the first count words following the events through the eyes of Avner, the leader of the five man assasin team, his experiences, emotions and so forth just grips you that much more than the acting performances in Munich ever could.

This biographical novel humanises the five man Israeli assassin team and is a great insight into what it would be like to be assigned to do this monumental task. When they first realised how just easy it was to kill people who thought they were safe and their fears for their own mortality from this realisation, I thought was just fascinating. The fact that they have a family like everyone back home with his experiences of his baby being born and the humour of everyone telling him his child was beautiful as a baby and he couldn't see it. The fact that they were doing this great thing for their country that was going to hopefully bring and end to terrorism and obviously in past major wars the bravest soldiers come home throughout the war and are heroes whereas Avner got in trouble from the police for driving a car with the wrong fuel day drivability sticker on it and things like this as no one back home knew who they were or what they were doing.

Vengeance is a great insight into the Israeli point of view of the battle against terrorists as well as into the minds of soldiers who are assassins. I can't recommend it enough, you won't be able to put it down.

Great read. Very propulsive - and immersive, despite having been written via ghost-writer. Excellent insights into the Israel-Palestine quagmire, and great stories about how great counterterrorism is executed.

Also, for what it's worth, if you've seen the movie 'Munich', read this book. If you haven't seen the movie - don't - and read this book. If you've read the book and haven't seen the movie, don't.

I can't fathom what Spielberg was thinking when he directed this, but I really feel that he sapped the life out of the book while trying to amplify the drama that the Mossad agents went through.

Once again drawn to a book by an excellent movie, in this case Spielberg's "Munich," I expected much, and the book delivered. The hour-by-hour meticulous planning that is required in the hidden world of the assassin is uniquely portrayed, saturated as we are by big Hollywood versions of hit men and snipers. What is far more plausible about "Vengeance" is its humanity, the basic small details of a team working closely to kill others, their conscience, disgust, and the overall context of being used by the Israeli system. There are many who believe in the book, and many who say it is fiction, but it is up to the reader to judge. Ultimately it comes down to the final quote from the author himself; "I was intrigued by the character Avner appeared to be. I did become preoccupied by his story. But in the end I do not think this is why I believed him. I believed him because he knew how the light switch worked in an obscure apartment building in Rome."

This is a book interesting to read especially by those who lived and followed up the events, through the then available media coverage, as occured.
However, it omitted to mention this fact:
The Arab capitals were on the brink of mental and emotional state of panic and anxiety largely because nobody really had been anticipating anything to happen in Munich.
From the personal memoirs of Abou Daoud (the cammando leader), which he recounted live at Al Jazeera, we learned that he did not expect that fighting would erupt at the Airport and the drama would end in bloodshed. He said he'd hoped that the issue would peacefully terminate within a few days, though in fact this likelihood was remote.
Anyone could see the politicians were preparing to negotiate but it was difficult to draw conclusions that the 'militarists' would bolt - without adequate preparations.

Am interested in military topics and have always admired Israeli military teams. Remember the day of the Munich massacre well, like Sept 11 and decided to give this book a try. It is exciting and very eye opening. Some of it reads like a novel but the claim is that it is true so I assume it is. It is a story of intrigue, of the incredible commitment of individuals to a cause, of the underworld of counter espionage and the workings of large organizations such as a country like Israel and what happens in the end ... worth the read

I'm always a bit leery of hype when it comes to pushing a book that "reads like a novel," but 'Vengeance' really does.

I imagine that when the book first was orignally published (1985), it caused a firestorm with its basic premise of an Israeli-sanctioned mission of this nature. In fact, the best single thing about the book may be Richard Ben Cramer's introduction to the 2005 edition, which puts the initial controversy and today's perception of it into perspective. He concludes "It turns out Vengeance is one of those books that people scorn and dimsiss - attack and deny for decades - but the story holds up well enough, and for so long...in the end, folks complain that their part in it wasn't big enough."

The 'it' Cramer refers to here is both the book itself as well as Steven Spielberg's "Munich," which is drawn mostly from these pages. Spielberg came under criticism for the moral ambivalence of his film. That tone comes right from Jonas' book, which vividly captures the thoughts and tone of the operation's leader, "Avner."

The reason this book works so well is that the author is able to communicate the fraility and strength of the leader of the Massoud hit team leader. Avner is porttrayed with a moral conscience even as he kills some of the most ruthless of men. This book could have worked a little better if the author would have included newspaper accounts of the assasinations to compliment the storytelling. Other than that, this is a great read.

Israeli Mossad agents hunt down PLO suspects involved in the massacre of Israeli athletes in Munich in 1972. The planning and execution of this massive manhunt is told to the author by the lead Mossad agent, "Avner." The book is fast paced and reads like a spy thriller, much of the evidence that the author cites is however, is uncorroborated.

Did the Israeli assassin squad achieve anything besides murdering Palestinian conspirators? That's something the reader asks oneself, for every PLO sympathizer killed, 10 more are eager to replace him or her. There is no doubt that Jews will not be pushed around and terrorists can expect an overwhelming and disproportionate response in order to deter future terrorist activities.

The hype about this being true, read it.....A good read....

There is, of course, a lot of controversy surrounding this book. Is it really a true story. You could probably spend a lot of time discussing that but even if it is not true the book itself is fascinating and very well-written.

The author/biographer takes a very objective stance in presenting the story of Avner and his team. I was worried that the book would read like a typical biography and or journalism given the author's background but in fact it does read more like a story, a fiction. That is not to say whether or not I feel it is fiction. I personally don't feel that any biography is 100% true anyway but that doesn't take away from the impact of the story itself.

Vengeance is a comprehensive and complex look at morality as well as individuality. I found myself sympathizing with the main character because I can't imagine being in the position he was in his early 20's. That is the time of most of our lives when we are dating and switching jobs. We are trying to find out who we are. But, by the end you do wonder if anyone in the book is "perfect" and/or blameless for their actions.

It is a terrific read.

.....captures the drama of a real event. The only justice for terroist is revenge.....long live Israel.

On a par with with Tom Carew's book JIHAD. Well written, exciting and total fiction.

Too bad this was the book Speilberg chose to base MUNICH on, the book is fiction and the movie is awful.

One star for misrepresenting itself as a true story.

A list of 11 terrorists, funds, and a stirring speech from Golda Meir herself. There is no one else to help Israel...we are all alone among nations...we must exact our own justice in this world.
A deep desire to prove oneself. Love of country. Love of family.

Vengeance.

Could these things sustain you in a foreign land? Could they comfort you and guide you when fear of exposure, capture, or death gripped your gullet? When you finally had you're your enemy cornered and defenseless, would all this be enough to get you to pull the trigger?

Based on purportedly true events as told to the author George Jonas, Vengeance is the story of a counterterrorism team charged with avenging the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Although the leader Avner (the sole firsthand source for this information) no doubt related his tale in the first person, the whole is written as if in novel format.

What especially rang true to me when reading Vengeance was that Avner is such a believable protagonist. He's no James Bond or Dirk Pitt, in other words, no slickly trained professional assassin operating in a glamorous world of champagne and Ferraris. He was at the time an idealistic young man who, like his four other team members, was selected for his service record and personality profile; and perhaps a few other special traits that made him able to move about Europe inconspicuously. Avner and his team were given source of funds, instructions to not harm innocents, and their list of 11 Black September targets...and not much else. They were all operating on instincts and leads, alone for the most part with their mission, and Avner admits that much of their success was due to blind luck as anything else. This may disappoint some readers who enjoy reading about fantastic derring-do and hi-tech espionage, but I thought Avner's Everyman qualities made him much easier to relate to and his story much easier to trust. Strangely, the implications of what they did are more real - and chilling-- to me this way.

I loved Vengeance as much for the ethical and moral dilemmas it offers the reader as for the fascinating glimpse into how Israel conducted covert operations, at least at that time period. We are finally brought to examine our own beliefs as Avner wrestles with his. In the end, is there a significant moral difference between terrorism and counterterrorism (yes)? Does counterterrorism deter future terrorist activity, or like the mythical hydra, does terrorism grow more and deadlier heads as soon as the first ones are cut down (impossible to know for sure, but I believe it does)? Is this true justice?

I have a longstanding belief that if a book is good enough to base a movie on, then it will almost certainly prove better than the movie; therefore, shame on me if I didn't read Vengeance before seeing Steven Spielberg's latest. I did, and although I haven't seen the film Munich yet I am now salivating in anticipation of its release on Dvd. Okay, maybe not exactly drooling down the chin, but still, the book gave a lot to hope for. I can say confidently that you won't be sorry for reading this book, regardless of your conclusions.
-Andrea, aka Merribelle

This book is brilliant in it's stunning exploration of the outcome and consequences of terrorism, not only in the repursussions of the terrorist acts but of the ongoing missions to fight back. I was breathless reading this well researched account of Israel response to the Munich massacre, as Golda Meier put it, "to cut off the hand of the ones who hurt us."

The heroes of this book and this historical event are everyday men with a passionate patriotism to their homeland. As they undertake their mission they begin asking the questions that their violence has hidden deep inside their hearts. "Vegeance" is a gutwreching account of current affairs and the devastating effects of terrorism regardless of it's "reasons or religion." I highly recommed this book for anyone who is fascinated with Israeli history or a brief overview of the Israeli Palestinian conflict.

For those who are curious, this book inspired the Steven Spielberg film Munich and the film is dead on with the details presented in this book.

This book is a good coverage of the mission by Israel to
gain vengeance on the terrorists responsible for killing the
Israeli Olympic team.The tream was taken hostage and eventually
killed in the Munich Olympic games.Black September,a wing of the
PLO was the group responsible for the terrorist killings.
Thanks to commentary from Avner you are given the facts of the
mission to find the killers responsible for the atrocities..The
Prime Minister of Israel,Golda Meir plans the mission and picks the select team to do the assassinations of the Black September
members who were responsible for the Munich killings.This team
tracks the terrorists all over the world systematically killing
them one by one.They actually suceed in killing 9 of the 11
terrorists who were involved.Some of the Israeli team members
are assassinated by Palestenian assassins.This mission by Israel
was tremendously sucessful.This has been one of the better books
that is written about the Israeli effort.The movie Munich was
actually based on this book.Read this,it is a very good book.

Speilberg based his movie MUNICH on thi s book.
Athough there were many Israeli spy teams, this book and movie look at only one based on the testimony to the author
of the leader of the team. It is great reading, and helps clariify many points in the movie. I bought it because my son said that the movie was 90 % fiction. I sent him a copy of the book and bought one for myself. I knew that the book and movie were 90% fact.

Good read. Very detailed. I recommend it.

I saw the movie before I read the book, and it is obvious that it is difficult to condense such a book into a 2-hour film. "Vengence" is an intense chronicle of a man placed between two worlds: That of the "normal" day-to-day world involving friends and family versus that of the nether world involving spies, espionage, and international criminals. The main character, called "Avner", was hand-picked by the Israeli Prime Minister and top Israeli generals to lead a counter-terrorism team in order to route out European suspects involved in the Munich Olympics incidents. The book definately describes the details of Avner's deterioration as the "good guy" when he must resort to the cold, counter terrorism tactics that resemble that of the terrorists they seek to destroy. In the end, the book leaves the reader with the realization that violence alone does not stop violence as the book demonstrates---as the team makes more hits, they become followed by the "terrorists(?)" themselves. The hunters eventually become the hunted, placing the team in more and more ethically challenging situations. So in the end, who can you trust?
Overall, "Vengence" is a superb book and I recommend it to those readers who are either interested in the topic or are working in the military or police-type agencies. It may not be the most pleasant book with a happy ending, but the reality of it will not allow you to place it down!

Vengence is a gripping description of Israeli counter intelligence with the emphasis on vengence. My only qualification is the accuracy of the narrative. It is extremely difficult to penetrate accurately what Israeli counter intelligence is up to.

This is the compelling story of a little known episode in the world-wide war on terror. In fact, prior to the recent Speilberg movie, this story was virtually unknown. One may critisize the tactics used by the Israeli Intelligence Apparatus but the insight the author gives into workings of that agency is unique. Agree or disagree, it is a great read.

Amazing story. Has to be true!!. Without a doubt, one of the best thrillers of all times!.

I saw the movie first, and then finally found the book on amazon.com, because the retail stores did not have it. I never heard about the follow up of the Munich massacre, so the movie created interest. While reading the book, the images from the movie came alive again. The movie was pretty much the same as the book.

Once you start reading, it is impossible to put down this true story written as thriller. A lot better than the movie and the movie is excellent.

Thomas T. Nunez

I felt drawn and yet uplifted by the man who lead a team of five into a behind-the-scenes battle with evil that is still being fought in the 21st Century. What makes this novel relevent is that these men fought fire with fire, employing the same tools used by terrorists and assassins, forty years later.

Unfortunately, that vengeance wasn't fought on a larger scale and without international support or sanction, for the threat of these maniacs and their tactics still lingers over us all. It wasn't a crusade against all Islamic peoples, but one against those who committed the heinous crime of going into an Olympic compound in 1972, where men and women from all over the world were assembled in the name of peace, and killing Israeli athletes, while the world just watched -- and did nothing. On a small scale, it tells a larger story -- of one man battling with himself, and eventually with those who had assigned him an impossible task. Is it a true story?

Take it a step further, as to whether President Bush lied, alone, when American troops and a coalition of other nations went to war on the controversial question of weapons of mass destruction being concealed in Iraq. In the next few weeks of this writing, tapes proving otherwise will reportedly surface to show indeed, that Saddam Hussein was planning to unleash these weapons on the world. Are we a better world without Saddam Hussein?

In 'Vengeance,' five men sacrificed their lives and their consciences to tell the world that terrorism will not be tolerated. It is the prime message in 'Vengeance.' Let us hope it is the message of the future.Thanks....................JM

Convincingly written. Answers many of the questions that are not covered by the movie.

I read this book many years ago and repurchased after watching the movie Munich. I feel this is another fictionalized account based on some true events. The point to be made by this book is legitimate: hate breeds hate, killing breeds killing, terror breeds terror. Another lesson to be heededis that world powers must be more fair minded to all other nations. We can no longer afford to ignore hundreds of millions of our fellow world citizens. We all must be open, to listen, to show some sense of willinness to work together. If not WE are all doomed.

How a Canadian journalist found himself in the position to write this enthralling book would make for an interesting sequel, but Jonas tells the story as a responsible writer would: he lets the story tell itself. Peppered throughout the engrossing chronology, he focuses on details that make the book more than a news report, finding and exposing in the tangled web emotions the triumphs and limitations of humanity. As the story unfolds, he subtly directs and redirects the focus to reveal not only the story, but the story of those within the story, skillfully maintaining the inseparable link between the historical significance and the personal.

This is an outstanding example of historical non-fiction writing, more important today than when it was written twenty years ago. It is disheartening to think we are no closer to finding solutions to the problems of the world, namely terrorism, but that only makes it more necessary to look back at what has been done before, knowing now where it has led us to.

While integrity in the publishing business is severely inconsistent this account seems believable. Admittedly, by the author, this was a clandestine operation so certainly it is impossible to verify everything. But as the the story goes, in retribution for the Munich Olympic tradegy, a hit squad is put out by Israel with money and a list of names. The story recounts the Leader's (Avner) upbringing and how he found himself in the position of being in charge of a hit team. Then chapter by chapter it recounts the hits and all the operational difficulties, innerworkings and ulitmately success' and failures. Also the book provides insight into the moral and political questions surrounding such an undertaking. All in all a very interesting read. The author, in the latest version on the shelfs, replies to criticism about the authenticity. I find his research methods sound and him believable when he says he believes "Avner's" Account. Certainly these guys were not dying of natural causes. Anyway, having read some junk lately this book I can definitely recommend as worth the cost of purchase.

This book, the inspiration for Steven Spielberg's Academy-Award-nominated "Munich," reads just as chillingly today as it did when it was first published in 1984. When I read it then, it was at a time when the West was still relatively "innocent." A time when terrorism was "Israel's problem."

The story of the five Israeli agents who were sent to avenge the butchering of 11 innocent athletes recalls an emotional time when revenge seemed a logical response to terrorism.

As the agents, and their operators, eventually realized, the vengenful assassinations did little to deter Islamist killers from executing their sinister plans.

The story reads like a masterful spy novel while it tackles the inner conflicts of the people involved.

And, as is usually the case, the book was much better than the movie. Don't miss it!

Vengeance is the book which Spielberg's "Munich" is based on. Haven seen the movie first, I was eager to see the difference between the book and movie. The movie has more tension than the book, and the drama is different. Avner has tensions coming from different directions in the book vs the movie. I don't want to spoil either.

The book itself is fascinating. If taken at face value, the story of running around Europe trying to kill terrorist leaders in amazing. It's mind-blowing there was a privateer group, 'Le Group' operating as a private spy agency. The book is very detailed about Avner's methods & each hit is also very detailed. In addition, the book will make you think about how to combat terrorism.

This book shouldn't be automatically taken at face value. George Jonas didn't automatically believe Avner. There are detailed footnotes showing how Avner's story matches or disagrees with other sources. Of course, Avner admits to protecting some identities. So, there's a layer of the onion beneath Avner's version of the story. How much of it is true? He could, for one reason or the other, be protecting or impugning all sorts of different people or organizations. Since I have no special insights about Avner's veracity (and I doubt anyone else posting a review has any special insights), I recommend simply reading and enjoying the book. Take everything with a grain of salt.

This book is well written. While based on fact (and we'll discuss that)it reads like a novel. It is fast paced, very descriptive of people, places and events while sharing some psychological insights into the thought process of an active spy or assassin. As you read the book be sure to read the chapter notes as they come up because they provide a lot of additional insight into the story.

While reading the book I had a recurring question, namely, is this really true? I suspect that you will have a similar question. I came to the conclusion that most of the events protrayed in the book are true but that the manner in which they are alleged to have been carried out by a five man team is probably just the author's vehicle to tell the story. The mere fact that the book causes you to have questions means that it requires you to think about the story as, and after, you read it, which is always a sign of a good book.

To leave you with a couple of my thoughts,(spoilers, as to some of the characters and you may not want to read further), I am of the opinion that Avner's (the protagonist)parents are allegorical as depicted in the book. I also seriously question the existence of Papa, Louis and Le Group. The death's of both Carl and Hans does not seem to fit the story and both go unanswered as to why or who. These unanswered questions are inconsistent with Le Group's ability to gather information about people and events. Robert's death was probably a true event but does not necessarily mean that he was any more real than any other member of the five man team. Lastly, the end of Avner's tale and the events in New York did not ring true for me but may for you.

Interesting book. It's a behind the scenes story of how an Isreali counterterror team operated while avenging the killings at the Munich Olympics. I read the book in about three days, and it was hard to put down. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the workings of a Mossad team, or counterterror operations in general.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well paced throughout. After reading quite a few "non-fiction" spy books, to me Vengeance has the ring of truth to it, reminding me more of the Falcon and the Snowman than Vise's The Bureau and the Mole.

I had the luxury of reading Vengeance when it first came out, and reread it after viewing the movie Munich, of which this book was the primary source.

Our "hero" Anver, was a Mossad agent who was asked to leave the agency by Golda Meir, the Prime Minister of Israel, to lead a team of men. This team was to attempt to take the lives of 11 men who were responsible for the Black September terrorist group's act of killing Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics.

The book follows the freelance team during their strong, early times, and their weak moments, both personal and professional. We meet not only the team, but also their sources, who are also personalized.

Although the author had to rely on a single source for some sections of the book, he is honest about this. When there are questions about his interpretation, he explains the different theories in the footnotes.

I bumped my review from 4 stars to 5 because of the "Notes on a Controversy" and footnotes that follow the main text in this volume. Questions raised about the author's perspective and sources are answered well in these two sections. I found Jonas to be honest about relying on his source. He also debates articles that attacked his book with his perspective without name calling.

Some of these customer reviews are by people who've watched too much TV. They think it can't be true because agents on both sides make silly mistakes, as when a Palestinian agent wears distinctive perfume. The fact is, under pressure, professionals can make all kinds of mistakes. That's how soldiers are killed, for example, by friendly fire. These mistakes make this page-turner more plausible.

Jonas makes it very clear in the foreward of this book that much of the story cannot be verified independently. He does his best to remind the reader throughout the book that this is one man's story and that the author has done alot of research to verify as much as possible. Clandestine operations such as the Israeli Counter terrorist team's work by definition would be difficult to independently confirm.

I was thrilled at Jonas' perspective throughout his book. He makes it clear that he is a strong supporter of Israel and recognizes the difference between Palestinian terrorism and Israeli counter-terrorist executions of the murderers. This is more than most news organizations today are willing to do. Jonas knows that referring to Arab terrorists as "guerrillas", "militants" or "fighters" demonstrates the bias against Israel. He makes clear that they are murderers and that the legitimate execution of murderers is acceptable. He also recognizes that this necessary defensive work takes a toll on those required to do it. This book is their story - and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Movies are generally never as good as the book. Therefore, I bought and read the book two days prior to seeing the movie. This is one of the rare cases where the book does not equal the movie. But it DOES give a good framework and better understanding of this exceptional, socially relevant movie.

First, what makes the book below par? The book regurgitates a story of the group of agents sent to assassinate those believed to be responsible for the Munich massacre. Chronologically written, there is too much detail with the writing style being very mundane. The first half of the book moves slowly prior to getting to the actual operation. At that point the book picks up but is somewhat ambiguous. Overall, a weak, boring effort telling the story.

Spielberg however, is able to take this tale and dramatically portray it on the screen while staying 80% true to the book. With mixed reviews, I was pleasantly surprised to find the movie exciting, well-acted, socially and politically important for everyone to view. This movie will help make Eric Banas a big star.

There is however a substantial part of the book skipped in the movie and is the most compelling part of Avener's story. Israel turns its back on him withdrawing his supposed salary leaving him poor when he decides not to return to Israel. The movie doesn't touch this point where the book dramatically details this significant and embarrassing (for Israel's govt.) development.

Overall, I'm glad I read the book and definitely glad I saw the movie. But if you are pressed for time and have to make a choice, see the movie and forgo the book.