This well researched historical war novel follows a soldier through decades of the middle east conflict. The author gives balance to the various viewpoints of the various wars. A little slow at times but extremely enlightening.

Soon after reading the prologue and through a few chapters, I found it to be an exciting and enlightening story of the secret US clandestine operations to assist the Taliban during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. However having some in-depth knowledge of the short sighted policy that was pursued and the resulting disastrous consequences that we now suffer, to read more about the sacrifices of the pawns that were used in the game was not something I want to dwell upon. For those not knowledgeable it should be an enlightening read. For example a dialogue between a rebel Muslim leader and a US soldier as to why they accept help from a hated infidel. The reply was help was from Allah using the infidels to give it. This gives an important insight for those unfamiliar with Arab culture.

I just finished reading Mike Bond’s “Assassins” and have some comments. Bond is a fine writer with deeply held convictions that might make his portrayals hard for you to like. But his philosophy, as described on his website, is that stories “…portray our experiences, teach us of dangers and opportunities and of right and wrong ways of living, exchange our visions of existence.” He is true to that theory and, agree with him or not, his story is deeply affecting and gives great room for conjecture.

Jack, an intelligence operative has spent years pounding his way through the world of Islamic terrorism. He is personally involved as well, but gets so caught up in retribution, the overarching element of the dissension and warfare, that he becomes a hardened and violent seeker of individuals responsible for the uprisings. His relentless foraging makes him the agent the United States needs to handle its battles. Jack is aware of nefarious behavior by US government officials, including the highest office holders, but is quick to blame himself and his buddies for continuing the violence that never seems to die down. He’s simply unable to reject the call for duty when it arrives.

There are many philosophies and quotations included by the author in the text, perhaps too many. But that’s the way Bond writes. He’s very intelligent, has deep feelings about the conduct of the world, and can get it all down in writing so it seems logical. Some of his political theories are a bit out there and certainly leave room for snorts of derision. He’s also depressing because there seems to be no bright light in his work for the future of our existence. But his story, through all the doom and gloom, resonates with realism and excellent writing.

If you have an interest in the many faces of today’s religious fanaticism, then read this book. If you like adventure and slam bang action, it’s also a good choice for you. If you abound with cheery optimism and expect delicious lemonade every day, perhaps you might want to take a closer look at it.

Our main character opens the action by parachuting into Afghanistan with his peers, but the landing is a difficult one indeed. At the beginning of thirty years of fighting, the soldier falls victim to multiple shreds of shrapnel lodged in his skull and one of his peers is wounded in the leg. Their job was to serve as aides to defeat the Russians, to get them out of Afghanistan. But little by little the reader learns about the real issues behind the constant war occurring in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other Middle Eastern countries. For Afghani lords don’t trust each other and even go to war against each other in their endless power plays. There’s no trust between American soldiers or mercenaries and the Afghanis being helped. Weapons are exchanged for the trafficking of opium. It’s a brutal existence and death looms large in every stage of any operation.
As the story progresses, the plot thickens and we realize that the American government is being played. For Arabs take American money and military support while at the same time hedging their bets with supporting terrorist lords. For anyone sharp about global news, this isn’t news but reading out it plays out in action is starkly shocking. Americans fighting over there take orders and don’t spend much time analyzing the political sides. One wonders what their motivation is to make friends with those who are both friends and enemies, who put up with insults of Muslims who see any American friend or foe as an infidel or enemy.
This novel covers thirty years (no spoilers here) from the early years to 911 to the evolution of terrorism into ISIS. The action is rivetingly present on every page. It’s an education in Middle East strife and at the same time a thrilling read in which tension never relaxes. It’s so real it’s almost overwhelming! It is what is really happening. Assassins is Mike Bond’s best novel! Well-researched, complicated, surreal yet real, this is a story (it is fiction, after all) that will sear the reader’s memory long after the last page is turned! Highly recommended, well-crafted fiction that tells the vivid story of an endless war!

I liked Assassins okay, but killers in war are the assassins here, and I don't think that's the generally accepted definition. Yet the author tells a tale of our wars in the Mideast that is highly opinionated and often contrary to what the government would have us believe. His opinions often match mine, so I had little argument with what he offers. There's quite a lot that should never have happened, both in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's too late to undo it, but we should learn some lessons, for one, and help our veterans much more than we are.

Bond's Assassins is a whirlwind thriller beginning during the Cold War where we find protagonist Jack parachuting at night over the Hindu Kush as part of an undercover team helping Afghans fight the Soviets by providing Strela shoulder-mounted surface-to-air missiles. From there we follow him through the next three decades of geopolitical strife as he fights Islamic terrorism. Against the brutal terrain of Afghanistan, a Hezbollah camp in Lebanon, Baghdad, and Falluja we see the inhumanity of fanaticism as it has cloaked an entire region, enslaving all the people therein. Back stateside, Jack faces tragedy when the Towers fall and he is pulled back into the cycle of seeking vengeance overseas. Bond also weaves references to recent terrorist attacks at cafe la belle equipe and the Bataclan theatre in Paris bringing Jack and the conflict into the modern era. Jack is a tortured character, one who feels partly responsible for the loss of loved ones. He also feels strongly about the political climate and the motivations of the actors making the decisions. Overall, Assassins is fast paced and exciting, moving from one setting to the next with a protagonist one can easily get behind and root for.

thanks you.
enjoyed it.
will get copies for family and friends.

Very heavy reading-well written and full of suspense. Too close to home with everything that is going on in the world today.

2.5 stars. Assassins is the first novel by Mike Bond I've read so I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was a thriller ripped from the headlines over the past thirty years. It is fiction but also seems like non-fiction. There is a lot of violence so may not be appropriate for more sensitive readers.

The book blurb adequately describes the storyline so I'm not going to repeat all of that info here. The author did a good job of describing all the various settings and characters. But for me, it was very challenging and confusing to read for the most part. My biggest problem with the book was that it had multiple groups of characters in multiple interrelated storylines all going at the same time. And it kept changing which of the characters was speaking so it was confusing to follow, and I'd have to backtrack to figure it out. I did manage to stick with it to the end. I will read more of Mike Bond's books, and hope they will be easier to read than this one was.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and chose to write a review for other readers.

A good book is one that entertains. A great book is one that also makes you stop, think, and reconsider long held beliefs. Assassins did both and in doing so crossed the line from four stars to five. It was a great read. The plot threads the history of a family of modern day warriors with the life of a teacher turned warrior and those he loves and who fight beside him as he weaves his way through decades of conflict throughout the middle east. It is a story of a man wrestling with and discovering who he is and coming to peace with it.

This is a hard book to describe the story is a war story and how easily we, the Americans, seem to change sides once even Osama Bin Ladin was a friend. Hard to know who the enemy is. Today it is one faction tomorrow a different faction. Our hero, Jack kills with ease, agonizes over the loss of his men but continues to fight in wars he doesn't believe in. He can't tell anyone what he is actually doing for military secrecy or is it to hide what we know is wrong, morally wrong. Use everyone and everything to win but what is winning. It's a hard book to read.

I wanted to stop reading hating the killing of ordinary people leaving homeless motherless children suffering and dying. Dogs used as bait. Women used. Men used. Difficult to read in light of Syria, Iraq and in the Africa's. Maybe if someone who sent us to war would experience a day of the fear the adrenaline we wouldn't go

This was an interesting story that takes you through the history of about 30 years. Jack is parachuting into the mountains of Afghanistan to see how they can help the faction fighting the Russians. Not to give anything away but a good mix of fact and fiction. The story takes us through Beirut, 9/11, the hunt for WMDs and on to 2013. Well worth the read.

I received an advance reader's copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley. The descriptive writing of the devastation of war and the constant terror these people live in made this a must read! I was unable to put it down and was definitely on the edge of my seat!