Second in the John Corey suspense series revolving around a former NYPD detective. This story takes place before the Twin Towers and after the World Trade Center bombing and TWA 800.My TakeThis one was depressing. Oh, Corey is just as snarky as ever...thank god. I do enjoy his brand of humor. You'll crack up at his explanation for why the feds created the ATTF. Critical points like pastrami sandwiches play a huge role. I must say, though, that I can understand why those around him sometimes---most of the time---want to bash his head in!I also enjoy how he manages to bash his way through to success! There's a lot to be said for ignoring protocol and procedure. Certainly a lot of lives were saved by doing so. It's a treat to encounter a character who is more concerned with the reality of the mission rather than simply the theory. Makes me wish that more politicians and politicos truly did represent the people. And that the CIA had compassion!The depressing part is religion. Extremists. While the rabid antagonist in this story is a Libyan Muslim mujahideen, his type is found in any religion. The fanatical zealot who twists and turns his religion to suit his particular thoughts and desires. Who sees nothing wrong with destroying anyone and everyone. The same idiotic morons who excuse their "sins" by blaming it on women. Hmmm, sounds like men's excuses for raping, too. The major religions in the world all have at their central core to do unto others what they would wish done unto themselves, so it totally screws with my mind when a religion's basic tenets are twisted around.Hmmm, does this mean the extremists want to be shot, blown up, destroyed? I mean, do unto others...I think that Asad is psychotic anyway, considering his treatment of Bahira. Of course, it doesn't help Asad that the man who influenced his upbringing, his life, was a nutcase himself. More concerned with his particular desires than caring for his people.I think Boris is right. Eventually, I hope, Muslim women who are being repressed by their idiot men are going to rise up. Reading about Asad's views about women, I want to kill him. He's such a moron! Not to mention a hypocrite. Ya know, if the CIA is gonna tattoo dots on a defector, why not implant a homing device along with it? That way, when Asad goes on his cross-country killing spree, maybe we could have stopped him earlier. Or, then again, if there had been true inter-agency cooperation…Crack me up...John's description of his dream where he solves it all...and then wakes up. It's his metaphor for the frustration that is too funny.Okay, the whole marriage thing just doesn't work for me. It's too fast. It doesn't make sense. I kept expecting it to fall apart what with all the demerits, but then again, there's those moments when "the panic was suddenly gone, and this weird feeling of peace flooded over me". Of course, I also expected Kate to back out, especially after events in California.The StoryJohn is missing the action of law enforcement, of making a difference, and Dom has come up with a way for John to become involved again. Only, he's still being punished. Yup, he has to work with the CIA and FBI. Even worse, Ted Nash and George Foster requested him!When a major terrorist incident occurs, it's John's insight, street smarts, and stubborn determination that sets the ATTF on the right path.The CharactersJohn Corey had taken a three-quarter disability and a professorship at John Jay College of Criminal Justice after Plum Island, but it wasn't enough. Now he's a Special Contract Agent for the ATTF. He's sarcastic, politically INcorrect, and doesn't know when to stop. Corey is currently seeing Detective Beth Penrose of the Suffolk County Homicide Division. Dom Fanelli was Corey's NYPD partner.Federal Anti-Terrorist Task Force (ATTF)ATTF is a combination of NYPD, CIA, FBI, ATF, and DEA. Ted Nash is a CIA agent and a major jerk. George Foster is FBI and while he's a nice guy, he's a little too indoctrinated. Both men were involved in the Plum Island incident. Nick Monti is NYPD Intelligence. Kate Mayfield is FBI. Or as John puts it: WASP, WASP, WOP, WASP. Jack Koenig, a.k.a., King Jack, is the Special-Agent-in-Charge in NYC while Captain David Stein represents the NYPD and is co-commander of the ATTF in NY. Special Agent Alan Parker is the PR guy fascinated by his one-third, one-third, maybe-third. Robert Moody is the NYPD Chief of Detectives; Captain Henry Wydrzynski is Deputy Chief of Detectives with the Port Authority police; Sergeant Gabriel Haytham is an Arab; and, Edward Harris is CIA.Professor Abbah Ibn Abdellah is the FBI's Muslim expert with interesting points to be made about Islam. Naturally, the news prefers to tell us about all the negatives, so we never learn the good side of Islam. It's too bad the extremists exist and are so active... Roger, Kim, Edie, Scott, and Chuck are agents on the ground in California. Doug Sturgis is the SA-in-C in LA and a former lover of Kate's.Secret ServiceGene Barlet is head of Reagan's protective detail. Fred Potter is one of the agents.New York Air Traffic ControlSam Walters first raises the NO-RAD alert and his boss, Bob Esching, passes it on to Ed Stavros who pulls in Guns and Hoses, er, I mean, Port Authority-Emergency Service personnel. One Sergeant Tintle who also possesses that cop snark, *giggle*. Crew Chief Sergeant Andy McGill is the guy who gets on the plane.The bomb squadronLieutenant Chip Wiggins, Weapon Systems Officer (a.k.a., wizo), has since acquired his pilot's license and flies for a cargo service. Bill Satherwaite, the pilot has really gone downhill---and we don't learn why. Now-General Terry Waycliff, pilot, and now-Colonel Bill Hambrecht, wizo, are in Remit 22; Bob Callum, pilot, and Steve Cox, wizo, in Remit 61; and, Paul Grey, pilot, and Jim McCoy, wizo, in Elton 38. Stacy Moll is one of several private pilots Asad uses.The Libyans and associatesAsad Khalil lost his family in the bombing attack on Al Azziziyah. Great Leader Moammar Gadhafi rules Libya with a religious fist. Malik spied, at the same time, for the Americans, Germans, and Italians during World War II, setting each up against the other. Now he's teaching young terrorists in Libya. Yusef Haddad contributed his all to the initial attack in this story. Boris is former KGB and now instructs Libyan extremists about American culture.Gamal Jabbar is a Libyan taxi driver in NYC. Karim Khalil is Asad's father. Was, rather. He was murdered in Paris. Boutros Dharr paved the way. Azim Rahman is another driver in LA.The CoverThe cover is a deep royal blue with the author's name writ large in silver and a much smaller title in yellow. The graphic is a metaphor for the antagonist and the story's introduction: a black lion rampant on the tail of a plane.The title gives it all away for it is The Lion's Game, and we're losing.
Segunda obra protagonizada pelo ex-detective da Polícia dos Homicídios de NY, John Corey, que passou a integrar a Brigada Anti-Terrorista que juntava elementos do FBI, da Polícia e também da CIA. Acompanhamos, por um lado, a visão de John Corey dos acontecimentos e, por outro lado, a visão de Asad Khalil da sua missão nos EUA. Trata-se de um terrorista líbio, que vem com a missão de vingar as mortes da sua mãe e irmãos no ataque dos EUA a Tripoli (capital da Líbia), ao acampamento onde estava Khadafi e a família de Asad Khalil, que era muito próxima do líder líbio. Apesar de ser uma vingança, conseguimos compreender os motivos que levam Asad Khalil a fazer o que faz, que é impulsionado pelo que ele acredita ser uma missão divina e que está protegido por Alá, tendo começado por assassinar com gás todos os passageiros e tripulantes do voo que o levou de Paris para NY e durante o seu percurso matou cerca de 15 pessoas, sendo 8 parte do seu objectivo de missão, por serem pilotos dos caças que bombardearam a Líbia em 1986. No final, tenta assassinar Ronald Reagan, que era Presidente dos EUA na altura dos bombardeamentos à capital líbia, mas na época em que se passa a obra (segunda metade da década de 90), já era ex-Presidente e doente com Alzheimer. Mais uma vez, a acção rápida e que nos provoca uma leitura compulsiva do livro é preenchida com o humor sarcástico da personagem John Corey.Já sabia que o final não ia ser o normal, com o assassino a ser apanhado ou morto, pois existe o volume "O Leão" que é a sequela desta obra. Mas senti-me um pouco defraudada, pela forma repentina como a obra acaba após a última tentativa de Asad Khalil matar John Corey e Kate Mayfield e a recuperação dos ferimentos no hospital. Não sabemos nada do paradeiro de Asad Khalil, que desapareceu no ar, e assistimos ao casamento de John Corey com Kate Mayfield, que era sua colega da brigada, pertencente ao FBI.
What do You think about The Lion's Game (2002)?
Having recently finished reading I am Pilgrim, the superb thriller by Terry Hayes, I was looking around for something in the same style. Well, I already had this loaded on my Kindle and I’m a long-term fan of DeMille and his wisecracking hero, John Corey. Job done.A few chapters in & I was already laughing at the constant stream of brilliant one-liners but I was also convinced I was re-reading the aforementioned Hayes tale. I mean, there were certainly differences but there were many more similarities. I stuck with it, and I’m really glad I did. It’s a weighty tome (well, obviously not quite so physically weighty on a Kindle) at over 800 pages, but its draw was so powerful I hardly noticed. The story is brilliantly plotted and told in a way only DeMille can. I won’t summarise the plot, but suffice to say it was not a re-tell of the Hayes book but a clever and compelling narrative of its own. If you liked ‘Pilgrim’ I think you’ll find plenty to enjoy here too.If you’re already a DeMille follower then you’ll probably have read not only this book but also the follow-up (The Lion) and the other Corey adventures too. If not, give him a try and don’t be put off by the virtually uninterrupted insertion of humour - there’s plenty of depth too. And if you like what you see I’d suggest you seek out some of his other work, with the Sutter and Brenner books being my personal favourites.
—Andrew Smith
After reading DeMille's THE LION'S GAME I chided myself for not staying current with his other tomes (I only read THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER previously; and that was 10 years ago.) TLG is an eerily prescient thrill ride (pre-911) that does not let up! Told in alternating chapters from the hero's and villain's point of view made for interesting narration. John Corey, last seen in PLUM ISLAND (I have done my research) is a likable hero, and someone you would want in your corner in times of trouble. He's funny. He's tough. And just a tad politically incorrect. Asad Khalil may perhaps be one of the most menacing villains ever encountered on the written page and with an end game that I defy you to predict! One element that I found slightly distracting was Corey's relationship with FBI Agent Kate Mayfield. I felt their "courtship", if you can call it that, was a bit contrived and rushed. Perhaps DeMille should have had the relationship evolve over several books. Mayfield's character came across as demonstrative and at the same time almost needy; giving Corey an ultimatum that was not justified after one night of passion. As I stated, just a slight hiccup in an otherwise fast paced, edge of your seat, epic thriller (900+ pages, whew!)
—Rob
It was said by the writer, Nelson DeMille, that Plum Island was going to be a stand alone but he changed his mind when he received such positive remarks and observations. Nelson DeMille then needed to bring John Corey out of retirement and back into the vitality of solving even the most complex crimes. I’m glad he did but not sure I like the way he did it in his writing and this particular story. The Lion’s Game is the second in this series of John Corey and much like ‘I am Pilgrim’ by Terry Hayes. The book opens with Corey, his new FBI boss, Kate Mayfield, CIA agent Ted Nash and FBI agent George Foster (both introduced in the previous Corey novel, Plum Island), awaiting the arrival of a defecting Libyan terrorist, Asad Khalil, at John F. Kennedy Airport. However, even before the Boeing 747 from Paris has landed, it becomes apparent that something is unusual about the flight. It turns out that a terrorist from Libya (his name Asad meaning the lion) poisoned all passengers with a toxic fume and the plane landed on auto-pilot. In the brouhaha after the landing the terrorist escapes and starts his personal feud in the US. Around and around they go as Kate and John chase down this guy through several states as he evades capture. A very clever Arab I must say. Of course, lets not forget the famous Beth Penrose who assisted John in Plum Island and is now John’s girlfriend, though she does not appear much in this story. It was somewhat disappointing in a way but I’m sure we’ll see more of her later, or maybe not. John Corey thinks a lot and while he is deducing everything around him, he is also an amusing wise-ass, which adds a bit of charisma, giving the reader a chuckle, to weaken the shock of the heinous crimes Mr. DeMille creates. John seems to be a bit of a skirt-chaser in my opinion though and I really dislike this attribute. He is not one to be serious and at times. I felt like I wanted to toss the book at the wall. Extremely immature and not one to grow up. It’s only funny for a while and then it gets old. I hope this changes a little in the next few books. It probably won’t stop me from picking up the next in the series at some point and only because I've gotten to know the characters and like the writing style of this author. The ending was not what I expected and I was a bit disappointed with it. It leaves a opening for more in the series, which I want to see, but wasn't the big bang I was hoping for. Talk about cliffhangers!
—Freda Malone
