The book is an easy read. The quick chapters make it easy to follow. Pretty standard stuff, nothing that sets this book apart from many others. My only concern was the use of a Christian to take the role of the current Iranian President to bring about the "end of the world" by attacking/destroying either Israel or Iran. Author obviously has some personal religious issues that he uses this novel to display. Unfortunate that once again the media, in this case, this book, are used to disparage religious beliefs. Sure there are zealots on both sides. But to make it the main focus of a book. Personally, I was offended.

I will first comment on the book's entertainment value and then on some aspects of the plot bearing on a serious, imminent national-security issue. If revelation of plot details will cause you distress, do not read any further.

I liked Reich's debut novel, `Numbered Account', and since then have enjoyed every one of his books. The present title is easily the most memorable. In its genre I think it far surpasses anything that, say, Ludlum ever did. There are some good unexpected plot twists. I found the characters and dialogue to be for the most part plausible and engaging. Note the impressive array of authors willing to be quoted by name on the dust jacket - unusual for a book of this nature.

I just have one problem. In the book, one of the evil conspiracies (there are several) has to do with provoking Israel to attack Iran in order to destroy its nuclear capabilities. Now it just so happens that, in reality, an actual conspiracy may be underway this very minute to accomplish that very same end - an attack on Iran -- in the not too distant future. The problem is that while Reich makes ingenious use of the very real tensions with Iran in the real world, readers not familiar with the Middle East may come away confused about what is happening between Iran, Israel, and the United States. As a novelist Reich is of course free to a certain extent to distort history or current events in order to entertain us. The problem is that entertainment does not always bring enlightenment, though sometimes does bring its opposite. Notwithstanding that the book is obvious fiction, and not intended as political commentary, many readers may wind up misled concerning the very serious issue of attacking Iran. Right here, right now, any confusion about the reasoning behind such an attack, or who exactly is pushing for it, is not a good thing. Let me explain.

In the book the two major conspirators are the head of CIA operations, Lafever, and the head of the intelligence arm of the Pentagon, Austen. They are operating against each other. Austen is an extreme Christian Zionist, a believer in `end times' whose goal is to cause `Armageddon' to occur, by fixing things so that Israel attacks Iran and Iran then reacts by launching a nuclear attack on Israel, to which the US will respond by destroying the entire Middle East (well, except for Jerusalem). The character of Austen was clearly inspired by the real-life individual William G. "Jerry" Boykin, a retired Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence in the Pentagon, a born-again Christian who has cast the "war on terror" in apocalyptic terms. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_G._Boykin)

How will Israel be induced to attack Iran? By (1) the US covertly providing Iran with the materials for production of enriched uranium required to build nuclear weapons; (2) making sure the Israelis find out; (3) arranging for the destruction of an EL-AL plane as it lands in Zurich, to give Israel the immediate provocation it would need to launch the attack; (4) providing Iran with cruise missiles capable of long-range delivery of their brand-new warheads, to be used to counter-attack Israel; and finally (5) keeping Israel ignorant of the fact that Iran could actually counter-attack.

Apparently unbeknownst to the Pentagon, Lafever and the CIA are aware of the conspiracy. Lafever acts to stop it, but only up to a point. He sends someone to kill the chief conspirators, but plans to allow the Israeli airliner to be shot down, to ensure that the Pentagon looks bad once they are `caught in the act' by the CIA, who will then win their political battle for the President's favor.

So there are two groups of bad guys and they are both agents of the United States. In the plot of `Rules of Deception', although Austen and Lafever are clearly intended to be seen for what they are - evil rogues - at least it cannot be said that America is failing to make its power felt around the world.

Israel on the other hand, as portrayed in the `Rules of Deception', is just caught in the middle, a passive agent, hardly any sort of conspirator, but rather the victim of conspirators. There are several scenes depicting meetings among the major Israeli actors including the prime minister and the head of Mossad, as they discuss how to deal with the discovery that Iran is on the verge of having nuclear weapons. I.e., whether and how to attack Iran. The author's depiction of these discussions clearly intends to be sympathetic, and it is noteworthy that there are no such scenes portraying the counterpart Iranian discussions or the American ones either, for that matter. Ironically, some of the Israeli dialogue is embarrassingly stupid, e.g., with the head of Mossad having to ask his subordinate what `dual-use goods' means (p. 152).

Iran also is portrayed as a victim, in part, insofar as it is manipulated by the American conspirators. However, Reich wants to have it both ways. He has the Israelis present their view that Iran is led by a madman who wishes to destroy Israel: "The president of Iran is a believer in the apocalyptic end times as stated in the Koran. He sees it as his personal mission to hasten the return of the twelfth Imam, known as the Mahdi.... It's written that his return will be preceded by a confrontation between the forces of good and evil that will see a period of prolonged warfare.... First, though, he has to destroy Israel." (p. 153) Ironically, just like Austen the Pentagon conspirator, the president of Iran - Ahmadinejad (unnamed in the book) - is apparently a crazy apocalypticist.

It seems that Reich is strongly sympathetic to this claim, pushed in the real world by Israel and its U.S. supporters, which seeks to justify an attack by the notion that, should Iran ever come to possess nuclear weapons, it would use them to - quoting Ahmadinejad -- "wipe Israel off the map". While much of the background plot in `Rules of Deception' is outlandish, here is one element which intersects with reality. To be sure, if Israel ever does attack Iran, it will not be because it was tricked into doing so by rogue elements within the United States. Rather the opposite. It will be because Israel refuses to tolerate Iranian possession of nuclear weapons, and because it succeeded in pressuring the United States into supporting an attack, via the argument that Iran is not a `rational actor'.

It is indisputable that Israel will not tolerate any Middle Eastern nation having nuclear weapons -- aside from itself of course, for which it is willing to make an exception. But here is one thing that is very much in dispute: are the Iranian leaders really crazy apocalypticists, and did Ahmadinejad really say he wanted to "wipe Israel off the map"? No to both, in my opinion, although I cannot justify it here. On the former, read Scott Ritter's `Target Iran' and decide for yourself. Ritter states: `Iran's threats to Israel today are purely rhetorical. Iran poses no direct threat to Israeli security that warrants any form of preemptive military action, especially when it comes to Iran's nuclear program'. (p. 207) On what Ahmadinejad did or did not say about `wipe Israel off the map', google away and be happy.

It is also indisputable that Israel has been pressuring the United States to attack Iran or else help Israel do so. See Ritter again, chapter one, `A Crisis Made in Israel'.

The sad fact is that, as I am writing this 30 days before the presidential election, an attack against Iran is a real possibility. Israel has been clamoring for it, and the Israeli lobby, in the widest sense of that term, has been actively promoting it within the U.S. government and media. The timing right now may be critical, because with Obama poised to win the election, the Israelis must feel that they will lose the opportunity unless they act soon. It is certain that no such attack can occur without the collusion and foreknowledge of the United States. But is the current Bush regime willing to go along? So far, the answer seems to be No. The grownups in the administration seem to recognize that, given the quagmires in Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran's non-negligible military strength, and the certainty that oil prices would soar unimaginably higher, an attack on Iran would be a monumental folly. And now with the financial-system meltdown underway, it seems impossible to imagine any scenario where the United States accedes to Israel's wishes to attack Iran. Let us pray that this analysis is correct.

Lefties will love this book. The main hero character is a Peace Corps type who represents everything good in the world. Along with a (wouldn't you know) Swiss police official who is also good and of high moral values, try to thwart the villains who are of course nutballs that head the CIA and the evil of all evils, the head of military intelligence. Reich also drags Christian Religion into the mix as of course part of one of the villain's mental make up. If you are like me and tired of liberals portraying America in a bad light then don't bother with this book.

I hadn't read a Christopher Reich novel in a while and this one quickly reminded me as to what an entertaining and accomplished writer he is. The story quickly drags you inside the covers of the book and keeps things churning as Jonathan Ransom is drawn deeper and deeper into a mystery that was not of his making.

Things are seldom what they seem in this story of intrigue and mystery and sorting out the threats and the realities is as challenging to the reader as it is to him.

You will have a difficult time putting this one down. The Rules of Deception is a keeper.

Jonathan Ransom is devastated when his wife Emma is killed in an accident while they are climbing in the Swiss Alps. He has little time to mourn however, because shortly after her death he receives a mysterious package in the mail which was intended for his wife. Along with Emma's best friend Simone, he attempts to trace the origin and the meaning of the package. In the process he becomes embroiled in an international conspiracy, and in his pursuit of answers he becomes a suspect.

Though this story has a lot of potential, in some ways it is poorly executed. The pacing is inconsistent. The first half of the book contains lengthy chapters that each feature a different set of characters. I found myself confused about who everyone was and what they had to do with anything. At the halfway point of the book. Reich abruptly shifts to Patterson-style chapters of a few pages in length. Also, the plot twists get more outrageous; if not for Reich's fine writing (which is considerably elevated above others in the spy genre) some would have been laughable.

Also, there are some loose ends that never get tied up. For example, the book opens with a butterfly fluttering around what may be a nuclear test site. There are descriptions of shady butterfly-pin-wearing men whose motives are not understood. Even the cover art features a butterfly. After the first couple of pages the author's interest in butterflies apparently becomes extinct, and after finishing the book I still was not clear about what was up with the butterflies.

Usually movie adaptations of books are disappointing, but this book could make a movie that is better than its source material. The characters of Ransom and Simone are likable, and the action scenes which take place across the globe would play well on the big screen. Hopefully whoever does the screen adaptation can fix some of Reich's mistakes.

Reading Christopher Reich's Rules of Deception, I was very impressed with how he could write such an artfully-crafted story. By far, it is the best written work of fiction that I've read in a very long time. Excellently executed. The story line was engaging -- if not captivating. The skill in the use of language could set the standard of how language should be used in fiction. It was masterful.

However, besides how skillfully Christopher Reich constructed this book, the thing that stood out to me after finishing it was that, in a book filled with assassins, terrorists and rogue spies, the only truly, thoroughly, absolutely evil character in the book -- the only person beyond redemption, in some manner -- was an evangelical Christian. This perplexes me.

Admittedly, some of the most horrendous things done since the beginning of time were done in the name of Christ. Truly awful things have been done for the sake of a twisted apocalyptic vision. But, for the life of me, I can't explain the absolute evil of this book's main bad guy except in terms of simple Christian bashing.

I am a Christian, but I can readily see why some people don't like Christians. I'm not very sensitive or thin-skinned on the subject. Whatever bad things anyone has to say about Christians, I could probably find more points of agreement than not. But, it just seems over-the-top to make "the Christian" of this story the only purely evil character. I can see how "the bad guy" had to be a Christian (can't say more without giving away the story), but did he really have to be Evil incarnate?

So, despite how skillfully this book was written, it left me with a rather sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I'm not sure that this book is that terrible (it isn't laughably silly or anything), but I stopped reading half way through (well, technically I stopped 'listening' half way through - it was an audio book). I'm mystified by the positive reviews for this book and the praise that has been lauded on the author. There's just nothing here to engage the reader. The biggest problem is the flatness of its characters, particularly the leading man Dr. Jonathon Ransom. Reich's characters aren't just one-dimensional, they're lifeless and uninteresting.

True, it's possible to enjoy a novel with cardboard characters but the author has to bring something else to the table. A unique story concept, an intriguing plot, white knuckled suspense, or a healthy dose of humour are all examples of qualities that can overcome poor characterization. But Reich offers none of these things.

The story concept is nothing new. The plot is plodding and predictable. I didn't finish the novel but I have a pretty good idea what will happen. It's painfully obvious, for example, that Ransom's wife faked her death on the mountain (this isn't a spoiler, because I didn't finish the novel and don't actually know what happens. I could be wrong - although I doubt it.) The predictable and uninspired plot, combined with a lack of engaging characters, results in a complete lack suspense. I can't even say the novel had its funny moments. It's humourless.

I gave up near the end of disc 7. With five more discs to go, I just couldn't stick with it. I honestly don't understand why there are so many favourable reviews for this book. Maybe the novel gets better. Maybe there are clever twists and turns in the story that I would have enjoyed. Maybe Jonathan finds a personality somewhere along the way. But I doubt it.

Rules of Deception isn't terrible - it's just devoid of entertainment value.

When I started reading "Rules of Deception", I was immediately hooked. I wanted to know where the story was going to go and it felt like I was in for a great ride. Dr Johnathan Ransom is devastated when his wife is killed in a tragic skiing accident. However that evening he receives baggage checks in an envelope addressed to her, which leads him to a bag than contains another woman's clothing, the keys to a luxury Mercedes, an enormous wad of cash and a passport in an unfamiliar name but with his wife's photograph. Before he can even process this discovery, he finds himself a wanted man on the run - pursued by the police, but also by a mysterious assassin called The Ghost. There are multiple layers to the story and at least one major twist that completely took me by surprise. The story is very current and feels well researched.

The main problem with this book is that the plot tries too hard to be clever and thus becomes overly complicated and convoluted. There is more than one set of villains and keeping so many players juggled means that we don't spend enough time with Ransom, who is easily the most involving character. There's such a large cast of bland characters and I was always struggling to remember who they were and where they fitted in to the story. The plot also has some major plot holes that simply don't stand up to logic. Ultimately it all gets a bit silly. Instead of being gripped as the tension builds towards the climax, I found myself getting less and less interested.

This is a perfectly readable and mildly diverting thriller, but it's not as good as you think it's going to be when you start it.

I'm not sure that this book is that terrible (it isn't laughably silly or anything), but I stopped reading half way through. I'm mystified by the positive reviews for this book and the praise that has been lauded on the author. There's just nothing here to engage the reader. The biggest problem is the flatness of its characters, particularly the leading man Dr. Jonathon Ransom. Reich's characters aren't just one-dimensional, they're lifeless and uninteresting.

True, it's possible to enjoy a novel with cardboard characters but the author has to bring something else to the table. A unique story concept, an intriguing plot, white knuckled suspense, or a healthy dose of humour are all examples of qualities that can overcome poor characterization. But Reich offers none of these things.

The story concept is nothing new. The plot is plodding and predictable. I didn't finish the novel but I have a pretty good idea what will happen. It's painfully obvious, for example, that Ransom's wife faked her death on the mountain (this isn't a spoiler, because I didn't finish the novel and don't actually know what happens. I could be wrong - although I doubt it.) The predictable and uninspired plot, combined with a lack of engaging characters, results in a complete lack suspense. I can't even say the novel had its funny moments. It's humourless.

I listened to this as an audio book and gave up near the end of disc 7. With five more discs to go, I just couldn't stick with it. I honestly don't understand why there are so many favourable reviews for this book. Maybe the novel gets better. Maybe there are clever twists and turns in the story that I would have enjoyed. Maybe Jonathan finds a personality somewhere along the way. But I doubt it.

Rules of Deception isn't terrible - it's just devoid of entertainment value.

An interesting and well written mystery account. However, the book itself was poorly printed. Torn pages, pages folded and stuck together, overall a mess. Wait for the paperback.

Rules of Deception is freightening but well written techno-fiction.

Examples of technical possibility fiction:
1. Fiberoptics is not used for very short distance communications, as inside the butterfly
2. You can't transmit video to a satellite from a drone
3. You can't fly a drone via a satellite, way too much delay

I heard Brad Thor, in a interview, say it was true technology. Not so.

But, as fiction is is a very good read.

Good espionage novel with some interesting plot twists. One of the best books I read all summer.

The "liner notes" got my attention - so I bit. And it was a bad choice. Boring, uninteresting, not thrilling, no real surprises, and another average "intrigue" novel which never really got going. These things are a
"dime a dozeon" as my mother would say - sometimes a great plot overcomes lazy writing; sometimes great writing makes up for a ridiculous or dull plot line. I thought neither benefit came through in this book and I wish to hell I had paid $7 for a paperback so I could throw it out half way thru.

This book had a great, well-written start and a very interesting "hook." After a disaster, the protagonist realizes that his wife of 8 years is not really who he thought she was, and may not even really exist as he knew her. He sets off to find the truth and becomes involved in true James Bond stuff, complete with women with exotic accents, massively expensive cars, etc.

It becomes quite complex, with villains popping out on every side. But then it collapses into idiocy. Without revealing the plot, I'd say that it has the usual, by now hackneyed, set of villains: the US government and Christians. But what would a modern PC thriller be without these two forces of evil? Still, I resent having fattened Christopher Reich's bank account for this book.

Excellent condition of book as stated. Shipping great. Good shopping expe from Amazon.rience in all ways

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

My exposure to European & Middle Eastern cities was lacking in trying to follow the setting of this story. It wasn't very exciting.

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.

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

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.

Fabulous & spellbinding! Couldn't put down this book until I had completed reading it from beginning to end.

This book was full of twists and turns that where somewhat predicatable. Good but not great.

Great storyline...I was hooked from the minute I picked up this book. Lots of suspense and intrigue. Would highly recommend this book!

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!!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?".

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

CIA, DOD & a Committed Christian are the bad guys. Reich must be part of the "Blame America First" crowd.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.