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Chris Ryan - Deathlist


John Porter, hero of the original Strike Back novel and TV series returns in an exciting adventure, when old enemies attack the SAS.

1999. A bitterly cold morning in the Brecon Beacons, and the soldiers trying out for SAS Selection are preparing to face their toughest test yet. Overseeing the soldiers is John Porter: once a promising young Blade, now a broken man and a drunk, seeing out his days in the Regiment Training Wing.

But before the Fan Dance can begin, six masked gunmen carry out a devastating attack. Dozens of soldiers are killed. In the aftermath of the massacre, and with a government desperate for action, Porter and another surviving operator, John Bald, are taken to a secretive briefing in London. Their orders - to hunt down and kill those responsible for the attack.

What follows is a deadly game of kill or be killed as Bald and Porter lead a Strike Team across Europe on a blood-soaked mission of revenge. But as they draw closer to their ultimate target, the men discover that there is a greater threat - much closer to home...

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Are any of the books good?

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When I found "Strike Back" freshly printed on the table with foreign-language books at my bookshop (in 2006), I opened it on page one. I had never heard of the author. 45 minutes later I had curled up on one of their sofas and was 50 pages in. Chris Ryan is great at setting the scene and describing the character(s). I thought the ending was weak (as did the series-makers, apparently, because they rewrote it for the TV series), but other than that it's a thriller that doesn't make too many mistakes (maybe except for setting the story in Lebanon instead of Iraq).

I read "Death List" recently (also a John Porter story). Interesting premise (the SAS being careless on an exercise, and being attacked on their home turf), but I couldn't really get into the story that followed the attack. I have to say though that my reading habits have changed in the last decade, and thrillers aren't on the top of the grocery list any more. So if you enjoyed "Strike Back", "Death List" could be a good follow-up.
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"I only watch box sets. Soya latte anyone?" (GuardianOnline reader CameronYJ)

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The original Strike Back novel was good. His books read pretty quickly and aren't bad.

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