Icon

Rating:
Summary: Forsyth is the icon
Review: With the end of the Cold War, and most of all, of old Soviet nation, the spy-thriller writers had to modify their story-style, or ajust it to the new world order. Most writers did it very well, like John LeCarré and Frederick Forsyth. So that's what this last book by Forsyth is all about: the new era, mostly for Russia. The action is passed in yhe near future, 1999, in the world's biggest country. Without the support of the state, the country is now owned by the underground mafia, and is a paradise to prostituition, killing and poverty. In this scenario, what everybody is willing to do is ascend to the presidency. The UPF an ultra-right party and his foreman, the widely known and liked Mr. Igor Komarov, are a certain name to win the elections to be held soon. But, by accident, the English embassy at Moscow puts hand in an interesting document which is called "Black Manifesto", containing the ral intentions of UPF and Komarov. So the most powerful people in th! ! e world divises a plan to finish Komarov ascension, calling for the job ex-CIA, Russia-expert Jason Monk, retired from work and spending his life running a fisherboat in the Caribbean. The book can be divided in two parts. The first one is mostly about Jason Monk and what he accomplished during his time at Langley. It's like a briefing on the main character, and Forsyth writes it so well that you actually fell intimate with Monk. I read in a review below that it's got nothing to do with the rest of the book, but I don't think like that. In fact, I liked this part better. The second part, about half the book, is ICON properly. It tells how Monk struggles to prevent Russia of having a Nazi-like dictatorship, with all the Forsyth-ian usual twists, bullet-dodging and games of interest. I think this book was written when everybody thought Russia as a lost country, and indeed it seemed that would happen. But now I think Russia has got into the right tracks again. Anyway, "I! ! con is a great exercise of imagination, one like Forsyth ga! ves so many times, like the Odessa File. I won't even talk about the Jackal. It stands on a very higher ground.

Rating:
Summary: His best.
Review: I must say I liked it from the first page. It's truly a great novel. Forsyth is a very good author, and this is his absolute best novel. I like the story too. Jason Monk, a former CIA agent, is sent to Russia to stop Igor Komarov from becoming president. but he is discovered, and now he's hunted...

Rating:
Summary: Perhaps more spellbinding than "The Day of the Jackal."
Review: For fans of the Cold War-era spy thrillers, Icon is required reading. Forsyth moves the classic good vs. evil, west vs. east themes into the present by weaving an intricate plot based on modern politics, economics, and nationalist sentiments. He is truly the master.

Rating:
Summary: First-rate
Review: I am a total Forsythe fan (and he looks and talks like a dignified movie star, so I'm a fan of the man, not just his work) and ICON is a great read. The narrative is a little awkward so that he can put forth the real-life history of Aldrich Ames betraying America, but I was so interested in the Ames story, that I gladly forgave the awkwardness. Forsythe said this is his last book, and that is a shame if it's true. (He said that a few books ago, but then wrote more to keep up his lifestyle, so let's hope his expensive tastes bring him back to the word processor. If this is his last book, I must say, I think I found a thriller novelist who could fill Forsythe's shoes. I just read THE SHAPE: A NOVEL OF INTERNATIONAL SUSPENSE by Craig Furnas, and he almost out-Forsythes Forsythe. THE SHAPE is a true page-turner available through Amazon.com). But if ICON is Forsythe's last book, he retired on an up. ICON has an intelligent plot, is well-written, and keeps you guessing from chapter to chapter. I recommend it highly!!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent. Read it !
Review: I could not put it down before finishing.

Rating:
Summary: A decent read
Review: I thought the book was well written and I enjoyed the spy aspects of the book. There were times that the author went into too much detail that didn't seem to be carried on with the story as a whole. Being the first book of his I read, I would read another.

Rating:
Summary: An interesting premise
Review: I've long been a fan of the spy genre and this is the first Forthsythe I've read. I have to say i enjoyed the book, but most of the first half could have been condensed into a chapter or two and not harmed the story in anyway. I have to admit that the idea the author had to discredit the villian was audacious and ballsy. As each bit was revealed I kept saying to myself that this is a hell of a plot. The characterization is ok, but I didn't find myself caring about Monk too much. I also was able to see the hook Sir Nigel had used to reel in Monk coming from a mile away. Overall I would reccommend it.

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Yarn
Review: Not as good as "Day of the Jackal" or "The Fist of God", but a well-constructed story full of excitement. After a period of difficulty in letting go of the Cold War (see "The Deceiver") Forsyth -- in my opinion the best author of the genre -- has adapted to the post-Cold War world. It's debatable how plausible the Kamarov character is, but once you get past that, the story is brilliantly written. The jumping back and forth between past and present works very well (although I suspect it also serves as a crutch to allow the author to do yet some more Cold War writing). Also, Forsyth has a great knack for portraying things very realistically, so that characters you come to really admire are often dealt with in very harsh ways. The Aldrich Ames angle was a nice touch as well. My only gripes are i) the ease with which Monk/Irvine are able to convince certain high-powered Russians to back their anti-Kamarov plot, and ii) the "Council of Elders" of which Irvine is a member, which reeks of over-the-top Ludlum or Fleming's SPECTRE. Other than that, I loved this book.

Rating:
Summary: It Was Just Perfect...
Review: I read this book just in 3days. I could not help dropping this book. His hero Jason Monk made great operations. The best part was the Final section which was explanied, five items of secret of success.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful mix of fact and fiction!!!
Review: Forsyth writes an impressive book with an incredible mixture of fact and fiction. I have been to Russia and studied its history and economics; I was very impressed by Forsyth's accurate portrayal of the country. I enjoyed the complex journey from the beginning to the end. Unlike some, I liked the flashbacks and although the ending of the book seemed disapointing to some people, I thought it was fine. It was actually closer to what could possibly happen in reality than what other spy novels usually include. All in all, I thought this was one of the best novels I have read in a very long time.