The Apostle: A Thriller

Brad Thor is one of the preeminent writers of thriller today, and his best-selling books are too numerous to count...so instead of talking about his past successes, let's get straight to his newest novel: The Apostle: A Thriller, shall we? The book, in short, is about an American physician who gets kidnapped while working in Afghanistan. Ah, the scene is set, but this doctor has connections. He, and his family, are politically connected to America's new President, and turn to him for help, but the ransom being asked is too steep for the President, and he decides to launch a covert operation to get the American physician back instead.

The premise, along with the characters, are rather interesting - they have a passionate view on the current state and try to convince others to come to that point of view. It would seem that The Apostle has mingled in current affairs with a fictional tale. The President in the story is another interesting facsimile of our current Commander in Chief. A quote from the book "the new President had been very aggressive with his first 100 days. Campaigning on a platform of change, and he had done just that when he stepped into the Oval Office, and not necessarily for the better." The President, in the book, had single handily eviscerated the central intelligence of the country.

Much like all of Brad Thor's novels, he bases them on current headlines but allows the reader to decide which is which. Is the President in the book based off of our current President? The Apostle informs, implores, and entertains the reader in a way that only a few authors can. He has created another bare-knuckled thrill ride that seems so believable, it could have been taken from the headline news. I really enjoyed this novel (as I've enjoyed all Brad Thor's novels) I guarantee everyone will walk away from this reading experience knowing more about global terrorism, central intelligence, and other aspects of our country that you didn't know before.

But I personally think the true message of the book (or at least what I took it to be) As Americans there is quite a bit of frustrations with the higher offices of the country. We have got fantastic men and women in the militaries that are putting their lives on the line to protect our citizens, to protect our country, and to protect Lady Liberty, and yet, they are forced to deal with some of the worst management and leadership...and they shouldn't have to. This book really is a voice for the people who can't speak of these matters due to the red tape and bureaucracy. The Apostle: A Thriller is an incredible novel that you don't want to miss...another great book I'd recommend is: Conquest: The First Horseman (The Four Horsemen Series, Book 1) a remarkable tale of heroics and bravery.

I have read everything Mr. Thor has written, and generally I am a fan. While I disagree with his politics, I have made the decision to set that aside because, in most cases, the man writes a solid and enjoyable thriller. I enjoy that he goes into more technical detail about the technical gear than the average author. As a military and shooting aficionado, I appreciate that. However, this book just did not cut the mustard.

First, the politics. It's my own fault, to be sure, that I continue to read his books when I disagree with the politics. That said, I finished The Last Patriot only days before I started The Apostle, and the difference was startling. Whereas normally the conservative elements of the book are undertones and general worldviews, in The Apostle they were shoved at the reader in a manner that was nearly unpleasant. Wow, a president who uses the tagline "change" and isn't such a nice guy. Subtle, Mr. Thor. I respect and understand the politics that have run throughout the Scot Harvath books, even if I don't agree with them. In this case, though, they actually took attention away from the real story, and that was frustrating.

Second, the plot. Brad, what happened? Normally I find your plots detailed, in some cases intricate with shades of Ludlum at their best. This book had such a straightforward plot I was rarely surprised, even when I was enjoying the action.

A last criticism...Red Bull...enough is enough is enough.

Now, with the bad there is a great deal of good. Again, the technical details were enjoyable, especially the appearance of a certain "spectre". Brad knows his military jargon. In addition, I find Scot likable in all cases, even when I don't entirely understand his motivations as a character in this particular book.

Would I buy the book again? Yes. It is one of Thor's weakest, but he is a great author who has written some fantastic thrillers, and I feel attached to Harvath as a character. I will hope to see the pulse-pounding return in the next one, with a little more plot development and a dash less politics on the side.

First and foremost I am a Brad Thor advocate. I have purchased all of his titles and have enjoyed his artistry as he paints exciting plots using dynamic characters that literally jump off of the page. Each effort has lived up to my expectations....except The Apostle. it seemed he went through the paces of a ...have to effort...one that was intended to fulfill a commitment from his publishing house. the story line and build up to this book baited my interest and anticipation to another exciting journey, unfortunately after an excellent beginning it ran out of steam and what could have been a very compelling effort turned into a lack luster, predictable and indifferent product.

I got this book for a Christmas present for my husband. I ordered it a little late, so I was worried that it wouldn't get here on time (and I wasn't willing to pay extra for it to get here faster)... however, it got here with time to spare! I would definitely buy from this seller again. The books condition was also in great shape... just like he/she described. Thanks so much!

I have read all of Brad Thor's books. I like to see protagonist Scot Harvath succeed. This was a good one.