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| Pirate: An Alex Hawke Thriller (Unabridged) | 
 enlarge | Author: Ted Bell
Publisher: audible.com
Category: Book
List Price: $39.95
Buy New: $20.98
You Save: $18.97 (47%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  62 reviews
Media: Audio Download
ASIN: B001BXKVMW
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Product Description
With unrelenting excitement and in spectacular style, counterterrorist operative Alexander Hawke returns in this electrifying New York Times bestseller from Ted Bell, "the new Clive Cussler" (James Patterson).Aboard a ship in the south of France, an American spy faces certain torture and death for the vital, explosive intelligence he possesses. In Paris, a ruthless and powerful descendant of Napoleon has forged an unholy alliance with China for its growing nuclear arsenal, poised to send America and the world to the brink of a gut-wrenching showdown. Now, in a maelstrom of razor's-edge danger, Alex Hawke must enter the nightmare visions of madmen to defuse an axis of evil no historian could have predicted -- and no living soul would survive.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 57 more reviews...
 Another great outing with Hawke! August 16, 2005
31 out of 45 found this review helpful
This book is another roller-coaster thriller ride from Bell featuring his protagonist Alex Hawke, who again must contend with crazed madmen hell-bent on world conquest and destruction. Only this time the bad guys are the French!! What fun! The Chinese and French team up in a nefarious plot to assume world dominion backed by a nuclear power-play, and Hawke must race against the clock, face impossible odds, and battle through with the help of his old and trustworthy friends. This is a fun read with tons of action as our espionage hero Hawke takes it to those smarmy French and gives them "what for". Have fun, I sure did! Nothing quite like a vicarious pounding on the French to make you feel better about your day.
Bell's prose is taunt and experienced in this his third outing and his character development is becoming convincing and enjoyable. The pace and writing crackle with Bell's trademark electricity and he deftly ratchets up the tension and odds in each successive scene leading to the spectacular denouement. The settings are exotic, the characters urbane and adventurous, the villains deeply satisfying, and the book a completely enjoyable addition to the action/espionage thriller genre.
Big improvment in the "Hawke "series! August 19, 2005
25 out of 27 found this review helpful
After reading "Hawk" I was a little leery about giving Mr. Bell another chance, but I can say I am glad I did! "Hawk" was not a bad story but the book needed an editor, thankfully the author is now working with a good editor as "Pirate" is much easier to read and does not suffer from over used words and situations. His writing has improved specifically his character development. In this outing super hero Alex Hawke has to save the world from another out of control mad man who is intent on controlling the world or destroying it (where did he come up with the plot?). The French are the bad guys, which is kind of fun given current world politicks-of course the French are always fun to make fun of! The Frogs make a deal with the Chinese in a plan to dominate the world, backed by there nuclear defenses. Hawke of course is the only man who can save the day, with little time left and a host of evil enemies trying to stop him. Nothing earth shaking here but if you like Dirk Pitt type of thrillers this might be your cup of tea. I also must recommend "A Map of Bones" awesome thriller/adventure! Very cool!
 Ted Bell's Best August 18, 2005
17 out of 26 found this review helpful
Ted Bell's Hawke books just keep getting better. This one was by far his best effort to date. It kept my attention from the first page to the last. Hard to believe that he can keep coming up with such interesting plots on his own. What an imagination!
A unique thriller than keeps the reader consistently off-balance and constantly entertained September 1, 2005
11 out of 15 found this review helpful
It is probably too late, but I've decided that when I grow up I want to be Ted Bell. You can tell from the opening page of any of his Alex Hawke thrillers --- be it HAWKE, ASSASSIN, or the newly published PIRATE --- that the guy is a marvelous, unique talent: he has a canny understanding of how apparently disparate events and facts are connected, and a unique way of providing explanations for them --- so much so that his novels, taken collectively, could be subtitled "How The World Works." He is also married to a woman who, while not a household name, is possessed of one of the most brilliant minds on the planet. Lest you need any further endorsement, keep in mind that "10s" don't marry "2s." Bell's most significant literary asset, however, is that he understands people, so that while his excellent novels are plot-driven, there is always a set of living, responsive hands firmly at the wheel.
PIRATE is the third and best of the Hawke novels, an already brilliant series of derring-do and contemporary swashbuckling that contain more action and interesting characters than most books do in three. Hawke is brilliant, wealthy and talented; notwithstanding all of that, he is quite believable, even as he executes every task flawlessly, from (almost) single-handedly rescuing a hostage who possesses knowledge that threatens the free world, to carrying off a seemingly impossible escape from a technological grave with the coolheadedness and collectiveness of a Harry Houdini.
The secondary characters are a delight here, ranging from Stokely Jones, who is guaranteed to save Hawke's bacon at least once per novel, to Hu Xu, who may well be one of the most unique villains introduced in recent fiction. Indeed, Xu, a cross-dressing assassin and expert interrogator, is guaranteed to creep out a reader from first appearance to last, as much for what he does as how he does it. His ingeniousness and depravity put me in the mind of Fu Manchu, a brilliant pulp villain from the early 20th century; as bad as the guy is, you can't wait for his next appearance, as he plots to...
Well, yes, there is a plot to all of this, and a great and timely one it is! Luca Bonaparte, the ruthless descendant of Napoleon, plans to seize control of the reins of the government of France in a daring, de facto coup d'etat. His aim is to restore France to its 19th century status as a major world power. Bonaparte forms an unholy alliance with China to achieve this goal. China, with its nuclear arsenal, and France, through the use of an otherwise benevolent alliance, plot to occupy and control a sovereign, oil-rich Middle Eastern nation in order to utilize its most abundant natural resource for its own purpose. Hawke is brought in to provide clandestine support to the CIA in an attempt by the U.S. to thwart this alliance of convenience and the deadly nuclear confrontation it represents.
It isn't entirely all Hawke's show, however. Stokely Jones is heavily involved as well, as he squires a beautiful, enigmatic Chinese actress across Germany while attempting to unlock the secrets of a wealthy German industrialist, hidden away in a mysterious and magnificent fortress near the Untersburg and Waltzmann mountains. Bell, never without his masterful touch, switches back and forth among various and precarious events, keeping the reader consistently off-balance and constantly entertained, from the first page to its thrilling, countdown conclusion.
Bell easily could be considered the rightful heir to the throne of Robert Ludlum, but he is too talented to assume the chair of another; he brings his own to the table with unique and considerable talent. PIRATE and its predecessors are unbeatable. Highly recommended.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Not just the heir to Ludlum, but Cussler as well... October 13, 2005
10 out of 15 found this review helpful
As a BIG fan of well-plotted spy/adventure yarns, I have been frantically searching for someone, ANYONE who could fill the HUGE shoes left by Robert Ludlum after his death. Without a doubt, Ted Bell IS the man to do it. However as a reviewer also mentioned, he is too unique in his own right to assume somone elses spot. He has created his own place in the world adventure/fiction, and he has done it quickly and he has done it very well.
Just a few minutes of reading any of Bell's 3 novels and you can sense he just writes differently than what you normally find in this particular genre. There is almost a harmony to how the sentences flow. All I can say is in this case, Different isn't just good, it's GREAT.
With Pirate, we see Alexander Hawke on his most daring mission yet. A crazed decendant of Napoleon has a plan to unite China and France together against virtually any and all nations in order to pull off a frightening scenario that includes the Middle East and the one thing they produce more of than almost any other place on earth: Oil. At first I thought that nobody in France or China could be stupid enough to pull off such an insane stunt, but trust me as you read Pirate, you will be utterly shocked at not how realistic it all is, but just how downright PLAUSIBLE it is. Shockingly realistic.
Do yourself an immense favor and give Ted Bell a shot. You will NOT be disappointed. Yeah, I know I've heard that one before and it certainly SEEMS like an overused cliche, but in this particular case, I simply cannot endorse this guy enough. But if I could also bend your eye for just a few moments longer, if you take my advice, begin with 'Hawke' and then move on to 'Assassin' before reading 'Pirate'. NOT because you must read them in order, they are ALL excellent, but they simply get BETTER. I cannot WAIT for Alex Hawke's next outing. Yes, the book is THAT good.
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