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The Kremlin Device - Chris Ryan
Chris Ryan, the only man to escape from the infamous Bravo Two Zero mission, writes with a ruthless integrity backed by his gritty storytelling and an engulfing slipstream of action which only his military career could possibly have granted him. I cannot recommend his books enough as each one delivers a wholesome storyline ridden with secrets and alongside a fast paced and high IQ narrative Ryan portrays the heroism of those caught in not-so-distant conflicts and shady regimes throughout the world.
Though not recently released, The Kremlin Device is an all-out beast. It unearths one of the most horrifying regimes in the world in jaw-dropping magnitude, so much so that Ryan’s fictional recreation of it cannot dilute its impact. Characteristic of all his novels he embeds the reader in the combat boots and webbing of a conscious and emotive protagonist, and so offers a realistic and accessible view of the chain of events. Ryan’s story telling is not submerged behind the clouded eyes of a trained killer, but conveyed through the moral and courageous eyes of Geordie Sharpe.
The story begins from the loading ramp of a Herc where Geordie is seconds away from launching himself into swirling oblivion at a height of 16,000 feet in a training exercise. Vital to Sharpe’s character are his very human emotions which Ryan manipulates with excellent effect as the reader is placed alongside Sharpe, a position which is maintained throughout the novel. Mere paragraphs into the novel is Sharpe’s first challenge as he faces a brutal accidental mid-air collision with another member of his team, which had he not dealt with expertly would have resulted in death for our only recent acquaintance.
After an informative insight into SAS training tactics and Sharpe’s grasp of concealment and stunning agility in escape and evasion, the reader is drawn into the novel’s pulse immediately. Such enthralling action so soon in the novel can only leave the reader with an urge to become immersed in the potent storyline.
We are soon introduced to the likeable and jovially pragmatic Sasha, leader of Russian Op Forces. His down to earth attitude and his keenness to help Geordie establishes him as a prominent character in the novel, and as Sharpe becomes closer to this fellow commanding-officer, the reader befriends this Russian character which is eased by his amusing pronunciations, “Zheordie”.
As soon as Geordie’s men are briefed, kitted and prepared for their mission, to train a Russian Troop into an elite force to combat the Mafia, the reader savours equal anticipation to see Russia through the eyes of the legendary SAS. After recceing the Russian base and returning back to Hereford, the home of the SAS, a major bombshell is dropped. The Firm, another name for the British secret service, unearth their plan for “Operation Nimrod” a “black” operation meaning that its beyond TOP-SECRET and only members of the team are aware of it. Geordie is horrified by their plan to plant compact nuclear devices in strategic positions around Moscow, most noticeably, under the Kremlin.
The tempo of the story quickens with every turn of the page and you are soon drawn into following Geordie’s men as they train Tiger Force whilst also pursuing their secret agenda. What makes this so different from many other stories of similar themes is Geordie’s conscience and how this influences his actions throughout the novel. As he describes in his own words, he is not a steel-blooded killer but a thinking and down-to-earth human being. The reader is attracted to his likeable character and moral trains of thought whilst also enticed by the world of espionage and corruption which is described in countless pages of action riddled with every twist and turn imaginable.
Chris Ryan, the only man to escape from the infamous Bravo Two Zero mission, writes with a ruthless integrity backed by his gritty storytelling and an engulfing slipstream of action which only his military career could possibly have granted him. I cannot recommend his books enough as each one delivers a wholesome storyline ridden with secrets and alongside a fast paced and high IQ narrative Ryan portrays the heroism of those caught in not-so-distant conflicts and shady regimes throughout the world.
Though not recently released, The Kremlin Device is an all-out beast. It unearths one of the most horrifying regimes in the world in jaw-dropping magnitude, so much so that Ryan’s fictional recreation of it cannot dilute its impact. Characteristic of all his novels he embeds the reader in the combat boots and webbing of a conscious and emotive protagonist, and so offers a realistic and accessible view of the chain of events. Ryan’s story telling is not submerged behind the clouded eyes of a trained killer, but conveyed through the moral and courageous eyes of Geordie Sharpe.
The story begins from the loading ramp of a Herc where Geordie is seconds away from launching himself into swirling oblivion at a height of 16,000 feet in a training exercise. Vital to Sharpe’s character are his very human emotions which Ryan manipulates with excellent effect as the reader is placed alongside Sharpe, a position which is maintained throughout the novel. Mere paragraphs into the novel is Sharpe’s first challenge as he faces a brutal accidental mid-air collision with another member of his team, which had he not dealt with expertly would have resulted in death for our only recent acquaintance.
After an informative insight into SAS training tactics and Sharpe’s grasp of concealment and stunning agility in escape and evasion, the reader is drawn into the novel’s pulse immediately. Such enthralling action so soon in the novel can only leave the reader with an urge to become immersed in the potent storyline.
We are soon introduced to the likeable and jovially pragmatic Sasha, leader of Russian Op Forces. His down to earth attitude and his keenness to help Geordie establishes him as a prominent character in the novel, and as Sharpe becomes closer to this fellow commanding-officer, the reader befriends this Russian character which is eased by his amusing pronunciations, “Zheordie”.
As soon as Geordie’s men are briefed, kitted and prepared for their mission, to train a Russian Troop into an elite force to combat the Mafia, the reader savours equal anticipation to see Russia through the eyes of the legendary SAS. After recceing the Russian base and returning back to Hereford, the home of the SAS, a major bombshell is dropped. The Firm, another name for the British secret service, unearth their plan for “Operation Nimrod” a “black” operation meaning that its beyond TOP-SECRET and only members of the team are aware of it. Geordie is horrified by their plan to plant compact nuclear devices in strategic positions around Moscow, most noticeably, under the Kremlin.
The tempo of the story quickens with every turn of the page and you are soon drawn into following Geordie’s men as they train Tiger Force whilst also pursuing their secret agenda. What makes this so different from many other stories of similar themes is Geordie’s conscience and how this influences his actions throughout the novel. As he describes in his own words, he is not a steel-blooded killer but a thinking and down-to-earth human being. The reader is attracted to his likeable character and moral trains of thought whilst also enticed by the world of espionage and corruption which is described in countless pages of action riddled with every twist and turn imaginable.
Aha! Thanks for telling me about Zero Option, that will be next on my list!
I've read this book before and i also would highly recommend it. It is a fantastic read and one i could not put down.
Other brilliant books he has written which people should check out are "Zero option", " The one that got away" and "The watchman".
"Zero Option" has the same Protagonist as "The Kremlin Device", Geordie Sharpe, but is about 5 years on from that book. His son and girlfriend have been taken hostage by the PIRA and Geordie Sharpe has to try and find them before it is too late. However, he is contacted by the PIRA and is given a mission to carry out if he ever wants to see his family again. Unfortunatly the mission is to assasinate a high level political figure. The Prime Minister.
"The one that got away" is the true story and Chris Ryan's side of the story of the Bravo Two Zero mission that went horribly wrong in the first Gulf war. He tells us of his escape and evasion that he was forced to do when an enemy patrol stumbled apon they're team.
And finally, "The watchman". SAS Captain Alex Temple is hired by MI6 to track down and eliminate a rouge IRA agent who is going about killing his victims in a ruthless fashion. But, MI6 is holding information back from Alex Temple as to why he is hunting this monster.
All of these are excellent reads, as are all of his books, but these are my favorites.
Other brilliant books he has written which people should check out are "Zero option", " The one that got away" and "The watchman".
"Zero Option" has the same Protagonist as "The Kremlin Device", Geordie Sharpe, but is about 5 years on from that book. His son and girlfriend have been taken hostage by the PIRA and Geordie Sharpe has to try and find them before it is too late. However, he is contacted by the PIRA and is given a mission to carry out if he ever wants to see his family again. Unfortunatly the mission is to assasinate a high level political figure. The Prime Minister.
"The one that got away" is the true story and Chris Ryan's side of the story of the Bravo Two Zero mission that went horribly wrong in the first Gulf war. He tells us of his escape and evasion that he was forced to do when an enemy patrol stumbled apon they're team.
And finally, "The watchman". SAS Captain Alex Temple is hired by MI6 to track down and eliminate a rouge IRA agent who is going about killing his victims in a ruthless fashion. But, MI6 is holding information back from Alex Temple as to why he is hunting this monster.
All of these are excellent reads, as are all of his books, but these are my favorites.
The Kremlin Device - Chris Ryan
Chris Ryan, the only man to escape from the infamous Bravo Two Zero mission, writes with a ruthless integrity backed by his gritty storytelling and an engulfing slipstream of action which only his military career could possibly have granted him. I cannot recommend his books enough as each one delivers a wholesome storyline ridden with secrets and alongside a fast paced and high IQ narrative Ryan portrays the heroism of those caught in not-so-distant conflicts and shady regimes throughout the world.
Though not recently released, The Kremlin Device is an all-out beast. It unearths one of the most horrifying regimes in the world in jaw-dropping magnitude, so much so that Ryan’s fictional recreation of it cannot dilute its impact. Characteristic of all his novels he embeds the reader in the combat boots and webbing of a conscious and emotive protagonist, and so offers a realistic and accessible view of the chain of events. Ryan’s story telling is not submerged behind the clouded eyes of a trained killer, but conveyed through the moral and courageous eyes of Geordie Sharpe.
The story begins from the loading ramp of a Herc where Geordie is seconds away from launching himself into swirling oblivion at a height of 16,000 feet in a training exercise. Vital to Sharpe’s character are his very human emotions which Ryan manipulates with excellent effect as the reader is placed alongside Sharpe, a position which is maintained throughout the novel. Mere paragraphs into the novel is Sharpe’s first challenge as he faces a brutal accidental mid-air collision with another member of his team, which had he not dealt with expertly would have resulted in death for our only recent acquaintance.
After an informative insight into SAS training tactics and Sharpe’s grasp of concealment and stunning agility in escape and evasion, the reader is drawn into the novel’s pulse immediately. Such enthralling action so soon in the novel can only leave the reader with an urge to become immersed in the potent storyline.
We are soon introduced to the likeable and jovially pragmatic Sasha, leader of Russian Op Forces. His down to earth attitude and his keenness to help Geordie establishes him as a prominent character in the novel, and as Sharpe becomes closer to this fellow commanding-officer, the reader befriends this Russian character which is eased by his amusing pronunciations, “Zheordie”.
As soon as Geordie’s men are briefed, kitted and prepared for their mission, to train a Russian Troop into an elite force to combat the Mafia, the reader savours equal anticipation to see Russia through the eyes of the legendary SAS. After recceing the Russian base and returning back to Hereford, the home of the SAS, a major bombshell is dropped. The Firm, another name for the British secret service, unearth their plan for “Operation Nimrod” a “black” operation meaning that its beyond TOP-SECRET and only members of the team are aware of it. Geordie is horrified by their plan to plant compact nuclear devices in strategic positions around Moscow, most noticeably, under the Kremlin.
The tempo of the story quickens with every turn of the page and you are soon drawn into following Geordie’s men as they train Tiger Force whilst also pursuing their secret agenda. What makes this so different from many other stories of similar themes is Geordie’s conscience and how this influences his actions throughout the novel. As he describes in his own words, he is not a steel-blooded killer but a thinking and down-to-earth human being. The reader is attracted to his likeable character and moral trains of thought whilst also enticed by the world of espionage and corruption which is described in countless pages of action riddled with every twist and turn imaginable.
Chris Ryan, the only man to escape from the infamous Bravo Two Zero mission, writes with a ruthless integrity backed by his gritty storytelling and an engulfing slipstream of action which only his military career could possibly have granted him. I cannot recommend his books enough as each one delivers a wholesome storyline ridden with secrets and alongside a fast paced and high IQ narrative Ryan portrays the heroism of those caught in not-so-distant conflicts and shady regimes throughout the world.
Though not recently released, The Kremlin Device is an all-out beast. It unearths one of the most horrifying regimes in the world in jaw-dropping magnitude, so much so that Ryan’s fictional recreation of it cannot dilute its impact. Characteristic of all his novels he embeds the reader in the combat boots and webbing of a conscious and emotive protagonist, and so offers a realistic and accessible view of the chain of events. Ryan’s story telling is not submerged behind the clouded eyes of a trained killer, but conveyed through the moral and courageous eyes of Geordie Sharpe.
The story begins from the loading ramp of a Herc where Geordie is seconds away from launching himself into swirling oblivion at a height of 16,000 feet in a training exercise. Vital to Sharpe’s character are his very human emotions which Ryan manipulates with excellent effect as the reader is placed alongside Sharpe, a position which is maintained throughout the novel. Mere paragraphs into the novel is Sharpe’s first challenge as he faces a brutal accidental mid-air collision with another member of his team, which had he not dealt with expertly would have resulted in death for our only recent acquaintance.
After an informative insight into SAS training tactics and Sharpe’s grasp of concealment and stunning agility in escape and evasion, the reader is drawn into the novel’s pulse immediately. Such enthralling action so soon in the novel can only leave the reader with an urge to become immersed in the potent storyline.
We are soon introduced to the likeable and jovially pragmatic Sasha, leader of Russian Op Forces. His down to earth attitude and his keenness to help Geordie establishes him as a prominent character in the novel, and as Sharpe becomes closer to this fellow commanding-officer, the reader befriends this Russian character which is eased by his amusing pronunciations, “Zheordie”.
As soon as Geordie’s men are briefed, kitted and prepared for their mission, to train a Russian Troop into an elite force to combat the Mafia, the reader savours equal anticipation to see Russia through the eyes of the legendary SAS. After recceing the Russian base and returning back to Hereford, the home of the SAS, a major bombshell is dropped. The Firm, another name for the British secret service, unearth their plan for “Operation Nimrod” a “black” operation meaning that its beyond TOP-SECRET and only members of the team are aware of it. Geordie is horrified by their plan to plant compact nuclear devices in strategic positions around Moscow, most noticeably, under the Kremlin.
The tempo of the story quickens with every turn of the page and you are soon drawn into following Geordie’s men as they train Tiger Force whilst also pursuing their secret agenda. What makes this so different from many other stories of similar themes is Geordie’s conscience and how this influences his actions throughout the novel. As he describes in his own words, he is not a steel-blooded killer but a thinking and down-to-earth human being. The reader is attracted to his likeable character and moral trains of thought whilst also enticed by the world of espionage and corruption which is described in countless pages of action riddled with every twist and turn imaginable.