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I AM PILGRIM

by Terry Hayes ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 27, 2014

Two psychos enter, and one psycho leaves. Good entertainment for readers with a penchant for mayhem, piles of bodies and a...

Tom Clancy meets Robin Cook in a thriller that should find a place in many beach bags this summer.

Debut novelist Hayes brings well-refined storytelling chops to the enterprise: He’s written numerous screenplays, including  Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome . Indeed, while reading this novel, one gets the sense it was written to turn into a screenplay or perhaps began life that way, what with its shifting points of view and a narrator who may or may not be reliable. Whatever the case, Hayes gets us into the thick of things right away: Pilgrim, a federal agent, is a brilliant student of the human psyche who just happens to have awesome killing skills that he’s practiced on several continents; in Moscow, for instance, he recounts, “even though I was young and inexperienced I killed my boss like a professional.” Don’t give him a bad performance review, then. He finds plenty of scope for his talents when put up against a former mujahedeen ominously code-named The Saracen, who’s resolved to wreak all kinds of havoc on the West for its offenses against Islam. He’s a bad, bad man—the fact that he wasn’t killed in the war along with a million other Afghans, Hayes writes, “would make most people question if not God’s existence at least His common sense.” Hayes is a master of the extremely gruesome scene—the opening involves an acid bath, and later we get popped eyeballs, beheadings and all kinds of grisliness. The story does go on a hundred pages too long and gets sidelined here and there, but it has considerable strengths, and the author gets points for avoiding at least some clichés and putting a few Arabs into key good-guy (or good-girl) positions.

Pub Date: May 27, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-4391-7772-3

Page Count: 624

Publisher: Emily Bestler/Atria

Review Posted Online: May 6, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2014

THRILLER | GENERAL & DOMESTIC THRILLER | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE

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Our Verdict

New York Times Bestseller

by Max Brooks ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 16, 2020

A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy.

Are we not men? We are—well, ask Bigfoot, as Brooks does in this delightful yarn, following on his bestseller World War Z (2006).

A zombie apocalypse is one thing. A volcanic eruption is quite another, for, as the journalist who does a framing voice-over narration for Brooks’ latest puts it, when Mount Rainier popped its cork, “it was the psychological aspect, the hyperbole-fueled hysteria that had ended up killing the most people.” Maybe, but the sasquatches whom the volcano displaced contributed to the statistics, too, if only out of self-defense. Brooks places the epicenter of the Bigfoot war in a high-tech hideaway populated by the kind of people you might find in a Jurassic Park franchise: the schmo who doesn’t know how to do much of anything but tries anyway, the well-intentioned bleeding heart, the know-it-all intellectual who turns out to know the wrong things, the immigrant with a tough backstory and an instinct for survival. Indeed, the novel does double duty as a survival manual, packed full of good advice—for instance, try not to get wounded, for “injury turns you from a giver to a taker. Taking up our resources, our time to care for you.” Brooks presents a case for making room for Bigfoot in the world while peppering his narrative with timely social criticism about bad behavior on the human side of the conflict: The explosion of Rainier might have been better forecast had the president not slashed the budget of the U.S. Geological Survey, leading to “immediate suspension of the National Volcano Early Warning System,” and there’s always someone around looking to monetize the natural disaster and the sasquatch-y onslaught that follows. Brooks is a pro at building suspense even if it plays out in some rather spectacularly yucky episodes, one involving a short spear that takes its name from “the sucking sound of pulling it out of the dead man’s heart and lungs.” Grossness aside, it puts you right there on the scene.

Pub Date: June 16, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-9848-2678-7

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Del Rey/Ballantine

Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020

GENERAL SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | SCIENCE FICTION

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by Max Brooks

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BOOK TO SCREEN

THEN SHE WAS GONE

by Lisa Jewell ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 24, 2018

Dark and unsettling, this novel’s end arrives abruptly even as readers are still moving at a breakneck speed.

Ten years after her teenage daughter went missing, a mother begins a new relationship only to discover she can't truly move on until she answers lingering questions about the past.

Laurel Mack’s life stopped in many ways the day her 15-year-old daughter, Ellie, left the house to study at the library and never returned. She drifted away from her other two children, Hanna and Jake, and eventually she and her husband, Paul, divorced. Ten years later, Ellie’s remains and her backpack are found, though the police are unable to determine the reasons for her disappearance and death. After Ellie’s funeral, Laurel begins a relationship with Floyd, a man she meets in a cafe. She's disarmed by Floyd’s charm, but when she meets his young daughter, Poppy, Laurel is startled by her resemblance to Ellie. As the novel progresses, Laurel becomes increasingly determined to learn what happened to Ellie, especially after discovering an odd connection between Poppy’s mother and her daughter even as her relationship with Floyd is becoming more serious. Jewell’s ( I Found You , 2017, etc.) latest thriller moves at a brisk pace even as she plays with narrative structure: The book is split into three sections, including a first one which alternates chapters between the time of Ellie’s disappearance and the present and a second section that begins as Laurel and Floyd meet. Both of these sections primarily focus on Laurel. In the third section, Jewell alternates narrators and moments in time: The narrator switches to alternating first-person points of view (told by Poppy’s mother and Floyd) interspersed with third-person narration of Ellie’s experiences and Laurel’s discoveries in the present. All of these devices serve to build palpable tension, but the structure also contributes to how deeply disturbing the story becomes. At times, the characters and the emotional core of the events are almost obscured by such quick maneuvering through the weighty plot.

Pub Date: April 24, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-5011-5464-5

Page Count: 368

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: Feb. 5, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018

GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | SUSPENSE | FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP | SUSPENSE

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by Lisa Jewell

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BookBrowse Reviews I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

Summary  |  Excerpt  |  Reviews  |  Beyond the book  |  Read-Alikes  |  Genres & Themes  |  Author Bio

I Am Pilgrim

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• First Published:
• May 27, 2014, 624 pages
• Dec 2014, 624 pages

• Speculative, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Alt. History
• Middle-East (West Asia)
• Contemporary
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Terry Hayes' debut novel I Am Pilgrim is a fast-paced thriller set in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

In many ways I Am Pilgrim is a standard race-against-time story: The protagonist (code-named "Pilgrim") – a remarkably skillful former head of a super-secret U.S. agency few know exists – is brought out of retirement to find a terrorist ("The Saracen") before he's able to release a particularly virulent strain of the smallpox virus on an unsuspecting American public. Along the way he tracks his prey using his finely honed skills (coupled with the occasional bit of good luck), has setbacks and successes, and plays cat and mouse with international bad guys that want him out of the way - permanently. In other words, pretty formulaic stuff that could be the synopsis of any one of a number of novels.There are aspects to this particular book, though, that set it above most of the others in this genre. First and foremost, Hayes creates richly detailed characters whom one really comes to understand. It would have been easy enough, for example, for the author to simply use a stereotypical Taliban extremist as his villain, but he goes the extra mile in showing readers this individual's childhood and how, exactly, his loathing of Western culture evolved over time. The end result is an exceptionally cold-blooded and remorseless killer readers will have no trouble seeing as a mass-murderer; the effect is absolutely chilling. The hero, too, is multi-faceted; we learn how Pilgrim's character was formed and come to admire his cleverness and daring. I particularly enjoyed the fact that he was drawn somewhat ambiguously; he's not necessarily a 100% "good guy," and from time to time his actions are morally questionable. He remains likeable throughout, however, exhibiting a combination of light-hearted bravado and steely-eyed resolve reminiscent of James Bond – a difficult balance for any author to achieve and done extraordinarily well here. The quality of the author's writing also stands out. He goes beyond simply conveying action, taking great pains to paint detailed scenes that come to life for the reader:

For mile after mile we crisscrossed the sprawling city – four and a half million souls marooned in the middle of the desert – seemingly half of them employed by Aramco, the world's largest oil company – and interviewed people about a family which had long since vanished. We sat in the majlis – the formal sitting rooms – of poor houses way out in the suburbs and questioned men whose hands were trembling, we saw dark-eyed kids watching from shadowy doorways and glimpsed veiled women in floor-length burkas hurrying away at our approach.

Hayes' background as a screenwriter is evident; at over 600 pages I Am Pilgrim could appear intimidating, and yet the plot is so well paced that it never drags; at times the action sequences had me almost reading faster than I could turn the pages. There are a few problems with the novel that could keep some from finding it an enjoyable romp, the most prominent of which is the plausibility of many of the book's action scenes. There were several times when I had to suspend disbelief; if you want a book in which every piece fits neatly together and makes logical sense, this isn't the one for you. Also problematic may be the long set-up as readers are introduced to the main characters; the beginning is definitely more character than action-driven. Personally, I found these sections interesting and was completely drawn in by Hayes' prose. And finally, included are some pretty brutal scenes (including passages depicting torture) that could be off-putting for some readers. Those quibbles aside, I Am Pilgrim makes for a great (if somewhat weighty) beach read; it's fast, suspenseful and involving, while at the same time not requiring a great deal of thought or analysis to enjoy. I highly recommend the novel to those looking for a well-written and entertaining thriller with which to while away the summer hours.

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Reading Matters

Book reviews of mainly modern & contemporary fiction

‘I am Pilgrim’ by Terry Hayes

Fiction – Kindle edition; Transworld Digital; 625 pages; 2013.

Proof that my tastes are fairly wide-ranging and eclectic doesn’t come more obvious than this. Terry Hayes’ I Am Pilgrim is one of those hefty tomes you pack in your holiday luggage, not only because it will keep you occupied for the entire length of time you’re away, but also because the story is so thrilling you won’t grow bored. Except… well…

To be honest, I had no intention of ever reading this book. Then two people recommended it to me, just days apart. And then I found out the author was once a broadsheet journalist in Australia and a close associate of film maker George Miller — the pair wrote the screenplay for Mad Max 2 together. So when I went on holiday to the UAE earlier this month (to visit my sister and her family) I took a copy with me, thinking it would keep me entertained if it was too hot to do much outdoors. As it turns out, it was too hot, and yes, I am Pilgrim kept me entertained. However… well…

Let me back track first and tell you a bit about the storyline. It’s essentially a modern-day spy thriller cum crime novel and most of the story is narrated in the first person by Scott Murdoch, codename “Pilgrim”, a secret agent with a covert organisation that has links to US intelligence. He is brought out of semi-retirement to save the world from an impending outbreak of smallpox that is going to be unleashed on the USA by an Arab Muslim (cast in a similar vein to Osama Bin Laden).

Just to make the story more exciting — or more complicated, depending on your point of view — there’s a crime to unravel as well. When the book begins, a woman’s body is found in a hotel room. She’s lying in a bath of acid, which has eaten away all her identifying features, including her face and fingerprints. The odd thing about this murder is that there’s nary a clue to be found — and it follows, almost to the letter, advice that Scott Murdoch wrote in a definitive book on forensic criminal investigation. This begs the question, how much responsibility should he take for the crime?

Octane-fuelled narrative

Intrigued? Well, admittedly I was, right from the start. This is an octane-fuelled narrative that swings across the globe — Manhattan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Afghanistan and Nazi Germany — at a dizzying rate of knots, following all kinds of plots and sub-plots, some of which are told in the third-person.

There’s violence, death and mayhem at almost every turn, but the story — or twin stories, as it turns out — is told in such an engaging and, indeed, filmic way, it quickly becomes a rather addictive read. The plots are complicated and some might argue far-fetched, but that’s not a complaint I would make — after what happened on 9/11 I don’t think anything terrorism related is out of the question these days.

It’s also an intelligent read and a fascinating insight into international politics, espionage, terrorism and forensics. It might be a fast-paced thriller but it’s not dumbed down. It’s got the kind of detail in it that suggests it has been very well researched and it feels authentic, almost as if it’s been taken from the front page of a newspaper or the lead news bulletin on TV.

Attention waned 

However, I have to say my attention waned once I’d reached the half-way point and I considered abandoning it. Perhaps it’s because my holiday had ended and I had to go back to my usual routine, but once I was back in London I’d kind of lost interest in the story. I began to pick faults:  the links between the terrorism plot and the murder plot seemed, well, weird; I grew sick of being told on every second page that Murdoch was the best secret agent in the business; and I kept seeing endless references to Australians (I know we travel a lot, but couldn’t the author have included other nationalities every now and then?). Minor annoyances, I know, but little things can grate.

Eventually, I made a decision that I had to finish the book (I’d read 300 pages after all) so I devoted several evenings and an entire afternoon to completing it. It concluded exactly as I expected: with a bang and all the loose ends nicely tied up.

It’s not the kind of book that’s going to win high-brow literary awards, though it did deservedly win the Thriller and Crime Novel of the Year award at the 2014 Specsavers National Book Awards in the UK. But that won’t matter when the film comes out: MGM has bought the rights to produce a Bond-like franchise. It has ker-ching! written all over it.

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I am a book obsessive who has been charting my reading life online since the early 2000s. View all posts by kimbofo

4 thoughts on “‘I am Pilgrim’ by Terry Hayes”

Funnily enough, I wasn’t expecting much from this book and almost didn’t read it, but I found myself rather enjoying it. I don’t like spy thrillers generally, and the whole ‘lone ranger saving the world’ is getting rather old, but for sheer entertainment value it was surprisingly OK. It breaks a lot of rules abotu writing and thrillers, and just about manages to get away with it. Chutzpah – is that what you call it?

Ha, yes, I should have pointed out that I HATE spy thrillers but I thoroughly enjoyed this one, perhaps because it wasn’t full of the usual dry and confusing espionage stuff I don’t like. This was an easy and entertaining read, perfect for a long-haul flight or holiday, don’t you think?

My husband who is an avid read of thrillers read this about a year ago . His reaction was pretty similar to yours ….gripping at first then..which enough to convince me that I wouldn’t enjoy it at all. Having said that , quite a number of (male) friends have read it and raved about it so there you go ! No doubt the film will make a lot of money !

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It sounds fun, and as you say, good for a long haul journey. But I also know what you mean about this genre when it goes on too long … you begin to feel that the author is manipulating the plot for the obligatory filmic cliff-hangers, and you begin paradoxically to think, ho-hum, *yawn* what exciting bit comes next?

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The Sydney Morning Herald

This was published 10 years ago

I Am Pilgrim review: Gripping mix of terrorist cliches

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I AM PILGRIM Terry Hayes Bantam, 703pp, $24.95

The US President is set to tell the population, on TV, to be on high alert for a nuclear attack. But that's only the cover story for something much worse, which he doesn't tell them about. A nuclear attack, unlike the chemical warfare that is only hours away, can be contained and localised, and won't panic them as much.

I Am Pilgrim , by Terry Hayes.

True to its promise, Terry Hayes' 700-page thriller, I Am Pilgrim , makes compulsive reading, despite a major cringe factor in its use of cliches, caricatures and stereotypes. If you missed it when it came out last year, the Australian screenwriter's fiction debut is a gripping summer diversion.

In the wake of September 11, which smashed any sense of complacency, it is horribly plausible. The good guy, obviously, is American, as are all his fervently patriotic sidekicks. The bad (and sad and mad) guys are Arab. Much as Edward Snowden has told us, Echelon - the omniscient American worldwide telecommunications monitoring system - is whirring away, always listening, and there's water-boarding and other torture and all sorts of things one sickeningly catches glimpses of in news stories.

Much as most apocalyptic scenarios would have us do, it involves choosing sides, although both sides are wrong.

Hayes, an accomplished screenwriter, has given his two lead characters efficient if slightly perfunctory back-stories. The American, codename Pilgrim, is the adopted son of a wealthy family. He once headed a secret espionage unit for US intelligence and is the author of the definitive book on forensic criminal investigation.

His nemesis, codename Saracen - whose father was publicly beheaded in Saudi Arabia when he was a child, and who as a teenager cast aside his mother and sisters because they were too Western, and whose wife was killed by a ''Zionist rocket'' - is almost perfectly cast, except for one chink: his love for a vulnerable child. They're both supermen - super-smart, super-strong and with super-stoic pain tolerance. Pilgrim is trained in Krav Maga, an Israeli system of self-defence - ''according to people who know, the most highly regarded form of unarmed combat among New York drug dealers north of 140th Street'', and Saracen can metamorphose from a seemingly humanitarian doctor in strife-torn areas into an almost invisible street-dweller or manual labourer in order to achieve his aims.

Hayes knows a lot, and uses his knowledge to good effect in conversational asides to the reader.

Pilgrim's adopted father, having taken him to Auschwitz as a child, pays tribute to the gypsies, who, he reminds us, lost more in percentage terms at Hitler's hands than the Jews, in what they called The Devouring. He knows the wood of one particular musical instrument is made from a plum tree, and uses that information too.

But the doomsday plot, while throwing in so many threads, is not so complex that it becomes hard work, and there are clues and markers everywhere and succinct summings-up as the characters recount their positions for themselves.

The story careers along, transparently constructed out of best-selling elements, tapping into our worst fears, and seriously schmaltzy at times. Its resolution - what saves the day - is a weak way out, but then perhaps life's like that. Perhaps there are near-misses behind the scenes all the time and we are spared only by the smallest bits of serendipity.

I Am Pilgrim Book Review

Title: I Am Pilgrim Author: Terry Hayes Type: Fiction Published: 2013 Pages: 888

“I had identified the Saracen, but I didn’t know him; I had located him, but I couldn’t find him; he was somebody, and he was nobody. That was the truth, and nothing in the world was going to change it.”

This book was bought as a present for me from the lovely @thehelsproject . This is her favourite book, so it had a lot to live up to when I started reading! It was intimidating to pick up as it’s almost 900 pages, so I knew I had to be committed. I Am Pilgrim is a thriller novel which concerns the life of Pilgrim, a mysterious government worker whose career has involved some questionable scenarios. The book starts out with a murder in New York, but quickly becomes more than that as we are introduced to Pilgrim and his history of dealing with grisly and complicated cases, especially that of the Saracen. But, while on this case, will the past suddenly catch up with him and will he lose the comfortable and secretive life he thought he had secured for himself?

The main storyline in this book concerns the life of the Saracen; we are introduced to him as a child, and watch him grow up until he turns into a national threat. It was really interesting to see how what happened to him as a child affected the way he was as an adult, but if I’m perfectly honest I just got a little bored with him. I thought Hayes wrote him well – meaning I was genuinely scared of the casual violence he was capable of, not to mention his backward justification for it – but it didn’t need to be dragged out quite as long as it did.

As we learn about the Saracen, we also learn about old cases that Pilgrim worked on. They were like mini-plots which ran through the overarching one, and I did like how all the plots wove into each other and eventually all became relevant to the same storyline. HOWEVER, it didn’t half take a while to get there! I know it’s a tactic to keep me reading, but when it’s 900 pages, you’ve got to give the reader something before page 850 or they’re going to lose interest!

For me, I cared way more about the little side plots, and other cases, than I did about the main one, which obviously meant when I was learning about the Saracen, I was just waiting for the story to go back to one of those. It’s a shame that I didn’t love the main plot, but I think it was because I was expecting the book to be much more about solving a murder case rather than the terrorism case it was actually about.

I do think there were a lot of clever moments in the book (mainly to do with a case involving a mirror (I will say no more)) so that definitely made it worthwhile reading. I also think it was clever, if a little disturbing, to read about the Saracen’s plan, and how it had taken him years to plan.

The climax at the end of the book was good, and I’m glad the ending was interesting, or I would have felt that my time had been wasted. I’m not sure if a sequel is in the works for this book, but it’s definitely easy to see how the author could create one, and I’m sure for people who love this book, they would be more than happy with another one.

All in all, I enjoyed I Am Pilgrim – I think it would be obvious if I didn’t enjoy it because there would have been no way I would have read all 900 pages of it! However, it’s a shame it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Had it had a little more focus on solving the murder cases rather than on the Saracen plot, then I would have preferred that. Then again, maybe I need to be reading more whodunnits *immediately goes and finds another Agatha Christie novel to read.*

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Spy vs. Spy: Ten Years After “I Am Pilgrim,” Terry Hayes Unveils “The Year of the Locust”

The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes

“It’s the details that sell the story. We tell a million small truths to make them believe the one big lie.”

That is the essence of the spy game. Those details, and the style and manner in which they are conveyed, are what made I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes one of the iconic spy novels of our time.

I Am Pilgrim was written in 2014. Who knew that Hayes, a movie producer, had such a flair for prose, a thriller to top all thrillers, deft character development and the art of the perfect cliffhanger to end every chapter.

I learned of this book from, of all people, the 95-year-old mother of a friend. Bailey gave me her copy (but it was large type so I had to replace it). Trying to imagine this dear woman caught up in international terrorism, the clandestine world of the CIA, graphic atrocities like public beheadings, cringeworthy horror— somehow, incredulously, our reading tastes were on the same page.

I Am Pilgrim became my standard-bearer. When people asked me for book recommendations, I Am Pilgrim always topped the list.

But with that kind of praise, from me as well as numerous highly decorated critics, what do you do for an encore?

Well, nothing – at least for the next 10 years. The Year of the Locust has been highly anticipated. Readers visiting any book site would have seen its release date bounce about for a decade. But when the publisher, Atria/Emily Bestler Books , declared that the wait was over with a scheduled release in early February, finally Pilgrim faithfuls could scrap medications and abandon their support groups  – they were about to be rehabilitated.

Or were they? They had to wonder: Was it worth the wait?

Hayes’ narrator, a so-called Denied Access-Area CIA spy who goes by the name of Kane, sucks you right back in on the opening page and the opening line, “I once went to kill a man.” 

It was an assignment characteristic of the spy modus operandi: “I was being asked to find a white male of indeterminate height and nationality, with a name we didn’t know, in a place we couldn’t identify, wearing a face we had never seen, and leaving fingerprints that weren’t his own.”

A bit trickier than solving Wordle.

Kane keeps the task in perspective, free of emotion, even though his target is a traitor responsible for the gruesome executions of 10 CIA operatives. 

Yes, keep your head in an emotion-free zone. “If it’s revenge you’re after,” he’s been taught, “dig two graves.”

Kane describes the scene, having eventually tracked down the traitor merrily cooking dinner in his kitchen on the other side of the world. Just when you’d expect our hero to pounce, the traitor pulls a spectacular move and flees from Kane’s grasp.

Yet does Kane despair? He marvels at Magus’ maneuver and notes, “He taught me a brilliant trick, a remarkable piece of tradecraft, that ended up saving my life.”

It is this early piece of writing in Locust that quickly reminded me why I loved Pilgrim . Another 800 pages of this? No sweat.

Check out BookTrib’s Interview with Terry Hayes

In Locust , Kane travels to the badlands where the borders of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan meet to find another man with vital information for the safety  of the West. But instead, he faces an adversary, a smart, religious, strong and vicious terrorist with plans to take the world to the brink of extinction.

The book has all of Hayes’ signature trappings: clever, precise and intelligent writing; believable characters even if their missions are hard to believe; an intricate plot; lessons in history, geography, cultures and politics; and a penetrating look, professionally and personally, into the mind of a spy.

Kane’s comment that details sell the story could not be more appropriate. Every detail, every maneuver, every jaunt into enemy territory is strategized with the most intricate precision, and Hayes lets hungry readers into the process. It’s the only way spies can survive. Looks, language, background. At one point, Kane takes self-inflicted bodily harm, forcing him to use crutches, if it will sell his cover.

Even Hayes’ explanation about the development of spores, tiny one-cell particles that fall from the skies like snowflakes and kill all those in their paths, takes pages and pages of complicated scientific detail, making readers paralyzed, intrigued and amazed. Really? Is this believable? Or is it just pie in the, ahem, spy? 

The same for Hayes’ introduction of an unusual time travel sequence, with a nod to A Christmas Carol for its glimpse into a bleak future forcing Kane to return to the present to try to correct.

And what’s to say about coincidence, that bane of literary license? In Locust , things happen to help bring plot elements together. It’s one thing to buy into the great research and detail behind creating a spy’s so-called “legend,” his claimed background supported by documents and memorized details. It’s another to stumble upon people in the most unlikely places as a convenient way to tie up loose ends.

In thinking about I Am Pilgrim and The Year of the Locust , for some reason I’m reminded of the expression that you never forget your first kiss.

I Am Pilgrim was a special book in my life as a reader. I loved it and couldn’t wait for Hayes’ next one. 

You never forget your first kiss. But who remembers their second?

Perhaps it’s unfair to expect another passionate love affair with the second book, especially having set the bar of lofty expectations at such an unattainable height.

Yet even with all those dynamics working against it, The Year of the Locust is a treat in its own right, with much of the magnificence and splendor of its predecessor in terms of writing, detail, story and characterization. All I ask, Mr. Hayes, is that if you have another book in you, please don’t make us wait another decade for its arrival. I want to ensure I’m around to savor it.

About Terry Hayes :

Terry Hayes is the  New York Times  bestselling author of  I Am Pilgrim  and  The Year of the Locust  and is the award-winning writer and producer of numerous movies. His credits include  Payback ,  Road Warrior , and  Dead Calm  (featuring Nicole Kidman). He lives in Switzerland with his wife, Kristen, and their four children.

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Book Review Of I Am Pilgrim By Terry Hayes

I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes is a gripping and intricately woven thriller that takes readers on a rollercoaster ride through the complex world of espionage, terrorism, and international intrigue. The novel follows the enigmatic and highly skilled intelligence operative known only as Pilgrim as he is reluctantly drawn out of retirement to investigate a seemingly unrelated series of events that eventually converge into a global threat.

The story begins with the discovery of a gruesome murder in a dilapidated Manhattan hotel. Pilgrim, now living a secluded life under an alias, is brought back into the fold when his unique set of skills is deemed necessary for solving the case. As he delves into the investigation, Pilgrim realizes that this murder is just the tip of the iceberg, leading him to a much larger and more sinister plot orchestrated by an elusive adversary.

The narrative unfolds through multiple timelines and perspectives, providing a rich and layered storytelling experience. We learn about Pilgrim’s past, his training, and the events that led to his expertise in forensic analysis and intelligence operations. Simultaneously, we follow the trail of a terrorist known as Saracen, who poses a significant threat to global security.

The novel takes readers on a globetrotting journey, from the backstreets of New York to the luxurious palaces of Saudi Arabia, the chaotic streets of Istanbul, and the war-torn landscapes of Afghanistan. The intricate plot weaves together elements of cyber warfare, biological terrorism, and political conspiracy, creating a tapestry of suspense that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

One of the novel’s strengths lies in its well-developed characters. Pilgrim, with his complex personality and moral dilemmas, is a compelling protagonist. Saracen, the antagonist, is equally intriguing, with a backstory that adds depth to his motivations. The supporting cast, including intelligence operatives, government officials, and terrorists, are all finely drawn, adding layers to the intricate plot.

As the story hurtles towards its climax, Pilgrim races against time to prevent a catastrophic event that could change the course of history. The novel explores themes of morality, sacrifice, and the consequences of one’s actions in the pursuit of justice.

I Am Pilgrim is a masterfully crafted thriller that combines meticulous research with heart-pounding action. Terry Hayes’s skillful storytelling and attention to detail create a compelling narrative that keeps readers hooked until the final page. With its global scope, complex characters, and a plot that navigates the blurred lines between good and evil, I Am Pilgrim stands out as a must-read for fans of the genre.

Book Club Discussion Questions on I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

• Is I Am Pilgrim excessively long? If so, which sections would you consider changing for brevity?
• Did you find any elements of the storyline in I Am Pilgrim to be implausible? Share your thoughts.
• The novel delves into drug cartels, terrorism, CIA, and intelligence services. Did it enhance your understanding, and how credible do you find Terry Hayes’s narrative?
• Examine the character of Saracen. Did you feel any sympathy for him? If your book club comprises individuals from different religious denominations, discuss how this diversity influenced your interpretation of events.
• What is your perspective on BattleBoi? Was he justified in receiving a pardon?
• Explore the dynamics between Ben and Marcie. What observations can you make about their relationship?
• As a reader, how do you feel about the exhaustive detailing in a thriller like I Am Pilgrim leading to the final outcome?
• I Am Pilgrim has been touted as the must-read thriller of the year. Do you agree with this assessment?
• Speculate on what might happen to Pilgrim next in the storyline.
• Why do you think the events in the novel took place in Bedlam?
• Discuss the significance of the French house in I Am Pilgrim .
• Share the emotions you experienced after completing this substantial book.
• Some books lack a conclusive ending, but in this thriller, all loose ends are seemingly tied together. Do you agree with this statement? Discuss the ending of the book.
• Examine the portrayal of Saracen’s son in the novel.
• What insights do we gain about Saracen’s wife throughout the story?
• Discuss the importance of the name Saracen in relation to the events in the novel. The Saracen manufactured 10,000 smallpox virus injections. Some believe that COVID was a virus created by a human. Is such a thing possible or likely? Discuss.
• Reflect on Pilgrim’s ability to endure immense torture. How do you think you would fare in a similar situation?
• In I Am Pilgrim , how do the depictions of Middle Eastern politics connect with what we observe in today’s world? Share your thoughts on any similarities or differences, and consider how the novel’s representation aligns with modern Middle Eastern political situations.
• This book was initially published in 2014. Would its reception have been different a decade ago? Share your thoughts.
• Terry Hayes characterizes Pilgrim as “smart, insightful, and very capable.” Do you concur? Delve into your perspective on Pilgrim’s attributes.
• How does the expansive global setting of I Am Pilgrim , encompassing continents like North America, Europe, and the Middle East, contribute to the overall impact of the story? In what ways does the diverse geographical backdrop enrich or influence your comprehension of the characters and the plot?
• Within the narrative, Pilgrim must adopt a relatively sycophantic demeanor towards Saudi Arabian officials to achieve his objectives. Explore the themes of culture and society as portrayed in the book.

Discussion Question on I Am Pilgrim (for those who haven't read the book)

• What elements do you believe are essential to a gripping thriller? Is it primarily the plot twists, the pacing, the characters, or something else entirely?
• How do you think thrillers differ from other genres like mystery or horror? What unique qualities do they bring to the table?
• Who are some of your favorite thriller authors, and what makes their writing stand out to you? Do you prefer psychological thrillers, action-packed thrillers, or a combination of both?
• Thrillers often delve into the darker aspects of human nature. Why do you think readers are drawn to stories that explore themes of fear, suspense, and danger?
• Can you think of any memorable plot twists or endings from thriller novels that completely surprised you or left a lasting impact? What do you believe makes a twist truly effective in a thriller?

• 19 January 2019

I am Pilgrim

I am Pilgrim Review: a compelling plot, rich characters, horrifying jeopardy and seat-edge cliff-hangers make this a must-read.  Here are 8 reasons I recommend it. 

I am Pilgrim  by Terry Hayes is an epic, breathtaking chase from New York to Afghanistan to Bahrain to Gaza to Bodrum to Bulgaria and back.

Hold onto your hats – I am Pilgrim  is quite a ride

I am Pilgrim Review

Here (no spoilers) are 8 reasons I am Pilgrim  will thrill you :

Characterisation

This is outstanding feature of the novel.  Both the bad guy (“The Saracen”) and the protagonist, the US-trained superspy codenamed “Pilgrim” (both Saracen and Pilgrim can also mean “Nomad”), are richly drawn, with enough back story to fill several novels.  This can be irritating: the book is so long that some threads of detail disappear (Pilgrim’s drug habit) or reappear without having appeared in the first place (the Saracen’s dead wife).   But on the whole the characters, including a host of minor players, gleam like diamonds.  This makes you care about them.

The action scenes in I am Pilgrim are thrilling.  I loved the firefight in an Afghan village, the ghastly deaths of three hostages and the theft of some medical supplies from a heavily-guarded facility.  All will have you on the edge of your seat.

Consequences

The consequences with which the world – specifically the US – will threatened if Pilgrim does not succeed in his mission are credible and horrific.  The book illustrates the potential horror early on in microcosm.  You pray it will not come about on a bigger scale.

Pilgrim himself has an unerring moral compass which draws sympathy – a bit like Lee Child’s Jack Reacher  (links in bold italics are to other posts on this blog).  Other characters also have clear moral values.  Even “The Saracen” plans his act of evil for reasons which he believes are pure and noble.

Rich insights

Hayes reaches deep into characters to create insights which enrich and illuminate the book.  He creates a Jewish character who has survived the Holocaust and hangs around the Bebelplatz – a memorial to the 1933 book-burning by Nazis in Berlin – to highlight one point.  This is that  when millions of people, a whole political system, countless numbers of citizens who believed in God, said they were going to kill you – just listen to them.   Later, Pilgrim inspires a cynical musician who has lost his mojo to resume his musical career – just in passing.  The book is full of fascinating detail.

I am Pilgrim  contains some fine epigrams .  I liked  Evidence is the name we give to what we have, but what about the things we haven’t found?  and  If you want to be free, all you have to do is let go.

The structure  of the book is outstanding.  Hints from opening chapters flower into relevance hundreds of pages later.  For example Pilgrim’s early hatred of the practice of torture by “waterboarding” sets the scene for it to be used later.  The early love of an anonymous Geneva banker for his family becomes a key to the resolution.

Cliff-hangers

The book is rich in  cliff-hangers , especially from the mid-way on.  You really, really want to know what will happen next.  For tips on how to do this, see my post scenes and sequels: how to build tension in your writing .

A few minor flaws

I am Pilgrim  is not perfect.  The narrative is politically incorrect to a degree verging on parody.  Pilgrim and other supposedly sympathetic characters casually dismiss the qualities of one set of people after another – Serbs, Albanians, Russians, Japanese, and Arabs just to start with.  The assumption that a female Turkish police officer would be incapable of firing a pistol betrays either startling sexism or ignorance of the trigger-happy nature of the Turkish police.  The Afghan sequences of the book have weak patches, occasionally sinking almost to Shantaram -esque levels of boilerplate.

On the whole, though, these are minor quibbles set against the powerful narrative.  One may debate to what extent thrillers should attempt political correctness.  If you like a good blockbuster thriller, try  I am Pilgrim.  

If you like fast-paced thrillers, you should try my own  Blood Summit , which thriller author John Connolly described as “hugely entertaining”.  Click on the pic for a link.

P.S. If you enjoy fresh, original writing, please  subscribe to my newsletter (you can unsubscribe anytime you wish).  I’ll send you a free “Hotel Story” to say thanks! Or I would be delighted if you would like to follow me on Facebook .

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2 Responses

Hallo Leigh, gratuliere zu dieser ausführlichen Rezension. Ich werde trotzdem das Buch nicht lesen wollen – allein schon das “waterboardimg ” würde mich davon abhalten, das mir jegliche Art von Folter zutiefst verstört. wahrscheinlich weil ich doch noch am Rande mitbegkommen habe, was die Nazis angerichtet haben. Aber Deine Rezension ist wirklich sehr sehr gut! Danke für Deinen Besuch Eva aus dem 9.

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I Am Pilgrim

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Table of Contents

Reading group guide.

• Rave and Reviews

About The Book

About the author.

Terry Hayes is the New York Times bestselling author of I Am Pilgrim and The Year of the Locust and is the award-winning writer and producer of numerous movies. His credits include Payback , Road Warrior , and Dead Calm (featuring Nicole Kidman). He lives in Switzerland with his wife, Kristen, and their four children.

Product Details

• Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books (December 2, 2014)
• Length: 624 pages
• ISBN13: 9781439177730

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Raves and Reviews

“Hayes delivers muscular prose, sniper-round accurate dialogue and enough superb and original plotting to fill three volumes. He balances it all with the dexterity of the accomplished storyteller that he so obviously is. I Am Pilgrim is simply one of the best suspense novels I've read in a long time.”

– David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Mr. Hayes’s globe-trotting book has more kicks, twists and winks than anything of its dusty genre has provided in a long time. You will be happily surprised to find a new thriller franchise with brains to match its brawn.”

– Janet Maslin, The New York Times

"THRILLER OF THE WEEK. Delivers thrills and spills...A full tilt mix of Homeland , The Wire and The Bourne Ultimatum. "

– Mail on Sunday

" I Am Pilgrim is a 21st century thriller: a high concept plot, but with finely drawn protagonists. The plot twists and turns like a python in a sack. Thestyle is visceral, gritty and cinematic...A satisfying and ambitious book, written with skill and verve."

– Adam LeBor, The Times, UK

“The most exciting desert island read of the season…a big, breathless tale of nonstop suspense.”

– Janet Maslin, New York Times

“The pages fly by ferociously fast. Simply unputdownable.”

"Massive in many senses, but none more so than its ability to exert a vice-like grip on the reader....Destined to be spy thriller of the year."

– Irish Independent

“Once you start this taut and muscular thriller, you won't be able to put it down.”

– Library Journal, starred review

“[A] powerful and formidably researched globe-spanning thriller.”

– Publisher's Weekly

" I Am Pilgrim is a twelve-course meal of a thriller.... A breathtaking accomplishment of a debut."

– Gregg Hurwitz, New York Times bestselling author of Tell No Lies

'I Am Pilgrim' is [a] gripping debut novel, which pits a brilliant intelligence operative against an equally brilliant terrorist. Weighing in at over 600 pages, you get your money’s worth and more with this thriller.

– Brad Thor, New York Times bestselling author of DEAD FALL

"Debut novelist Hayes brings well-refined storytelling chops to...[good] entertainment for readers with a penchant for mayhem, piles of bodies and a lethal biochemical agent or two."

– Kirkus Reviews

"The strongest [thriller] in years . . . a taut, global trek . . . a long and perfect pilgrimage. (Grade: A)"

– Cleveland Plain Dealer

“I am Pilgrim is a great, gripping thrill ride of a novel (that still feels grounded in reality). If you're looking for an action thriller/spy story for the beach, Pilgrim is a winner.”

– The Hollywood Reporter

"Exhilarating...Hayes masterfully guides readers through an incredibly elaborate, drum-tight plot."

“A debut thriller reminiscent of John le Carre.”

– Wichita Eagle

“The storytelling and a truly intriguing protagonist make “I Am Pilgrim” a contender for best-of-the-year lists.”

– Associated Press

“I AM PILGRIM has all the elements of a blockbuster thriller.”

– Denver Post

"Whatever you’re doing right now, stand up and turn around. Take a good look at the edge of your seat. That’s where you’ll be clinging when you read I Am Pilgrim.”

– Naples Daily News

"I Am Pilgrim features great character development and an expansive, ambitious storyline as it sets the standard for the post-9/11 spy thriller."

– S. Krishna Books

"High-octane."

“Tom Clancy meets Robin Cook in a thriller that should find a place in many beach bags this summer.”

“Pilgrim turns out to be the most fascinating thriller hero I’ve encountered since Trevanian’s legendary Nicolai Hel... Bracing, blisteringly original, and hopefully not the last time we see both Hayes and Pilgrim.”

– Providence Journal

"The narrative is thrilling: the tension tightens with action...It's a murder mystery, an illuminating account of contemporary international politics and a study of an unusual man......An excellent thriller which as a first novel is really remarkable."

– Literary Review, UK

"The next 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'."

– The New York Post

"This murder mystery/spy thriller grabs you from the first sentence and won’t let you out of its grip. A brilliant American secret agent and forensics expert is in a race against the clock to stop a terrorist with a plan to destroy the United States. Please fasten your seat belt."

– Kate White, New York Times bestselling author of EYES ON YOU

“An intriguing, multi-perspective thriller… the story made me almost miss my subway stop.”

– People Magazine

''Dude, freak out. That's my new Gone Girl . Gone Girl was the last book that I couldn't put down. Seriously, email me when you read it. You'll be five chapters in, and you'll look up and be like, 'Dude!'''

– Jimmy Fallon, Entertainment Weekly

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Finally Out and Worth the Wait, The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes

The author of the 2014 blockbuster I Am Pilgrim explains why it took a full decade to finish his second spy thriller.

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The most important cultural artifact from 2014 isn’t Taylor Swift’s 1989 , Gwyneth Paltrow’s conscious uncoupling, or the Michael Keaton renaissance kicked off by the Oscar-winning Birdman . It’s I Am Pilgrim , the first novel by former foreign correspondent and screenwriter Terry Hayes and without a doubt the best spy thriller of the 21st century.

At nearly 900 pages, this literary doorstop follows Pilgrim, a misanthropic American intelligence agent who tries to stop a Saudi terrorist from releasing a deadly virus. Even after a decade, the memory of a scene in which Pilgrim dislodges a corpse’s eyes in order to use them to pass a biometric security checkpoint remains vividly terrifying.

Almost immediately after Pilgrim came out, a follow-up, to be called The Year of the Locust , was announced. A Pilgrim

film was in the works. Hayes wrote a screenplay. Directors were attached. New writers were brought in. Would Pilgrim become the next Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt, James Bond—or all three? And then: silence. It took Donna Tartt a decade to follow up The Secret History and Harper Lee 55 years to release Go Set a Watchman . Emily Brontë wrote only Wuthering Heights .

"It wasn't like I was sitting around drinking beer and playing skittles. I was working," says Hayes.

After a stint as an investigative reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald , Hayes, 72, a ­British-born Australian, worked in Hollywood on such films as Dead Calm and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior . He palled around with Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, and Robert Evans. He met Heidi Fleiss and wishes he’d taken notes. He gave up screenwriting when an executive asked him to add a chimps-­versus-­humans baseball game to a draft of a Planet of the Apes remake.

“I said to my wife, ‘I’m going to write a novel,’ ” Hayes says. With his Hollywood savings, “I could agonize over it all and redo it and think more about it.”

I Am Pilgrim was a smash, and for the follow-up Hayes felt he could take his time. But there’s a difference between a few years and a decade. His readers waited with charged Kindles, filling the void with Jack Reacher installments by Lee Child and the senior citizens of the Thursday Murder Club. But nothing seemed to come.

“It wasn’t like I was sitting around drinking beer and playing skittles,” says Hayes. “I was working.”

American readers can finally get their hands on The Year of the Locust this month (Simon & Schuster, $32). It follows the global adventures of a misanthropic shadow operative spy named Kane and clocks in at 250,000 words. “I don’t think it’s a book until it’s 600 pages,” Hayes insists. “That’s what a psychopath I am.”

The Year of the Locust: A Thriller

What took so long? Hayes spent time raising his four children. “I saw more productions of Aladdin than any person deserves to,” he says. “I don’t regret that.” And over the last 10 years he deleted a full 750,000 words, or as he describes it, “a lot of work to chuck away.” He adds, “The sensible business decision would be to bring out a book, then another. Clearly I’m not that sensible. But if I don’t do it the way I want to do it, why am I doing it at all?”

Hayes remains in talks with Hollywood about a Pilgrim adaptation. Recently Austin Butler has been circling the role. And the author insists he’s working on a sequel to Locust . “I’ve got a good idea on the plot, and I know those characters,” he promises. “The next book won’t take nearly as long.”

This story appears in the March 2024 issue of Town & Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW

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Laszlo Krasznahorkai’s single-sentence tale unearths the catastrophe lurking inside the mundane.

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HERSCHT 07769 , by Laszlo Krasznahorkai. Translated by Ottilie Mulzet.

The first Laszlo Krasznahorkai book I ever purchased happened to be the first of his novels translated into English. I found it at a used-book store in St. Louis around the turn of the millennium. I knew nothing about the author, but dug the expressionist painting on the cover and the Susan Sontag quote on the back: the “Hungarian master of apocalypse.” And in light of the just-finished 2000 election, Krasznahorkai’s title — “ The Melancholy of Resistance ” — seemed to speak to some transnational condition.

The resonance would only grow in the decade to come. Forever wars, rising seas, a great recession — yet “The Melancholy of Resistance” (1989) stayed unread. Every few years I’d pick it up, fall in love with the opening lines, and then skip ahead, searching in vain for the end of the paragraph. As in his first novel, “ Satantango ” (1985), Krasznahorkai had forgone indentation altogether, yielding a great wall of words, a dense black lava-slide of type. The effect mirrored the paralysis of his characters, I thought, but was I really ready to commit to a novel without paragraph breaks? And back on the shelf it would go, further delaying one of the great reading experiences of my life.

Now, if I inform you that his new novel, “Herscht 07769,” consists of a single, book-length sentence, you may perhaps feel some of the same trepidation. On one level, Krasznahorkai’s formal experiment serves notice: The book is demanding, audacious, not necessarily one for the beach. But on another level — that of readerly pleasure — this description of form conveys very little, because a sentence isn’t just one thing. In the space of a few words, it can be aggregative or recursive, formal or conversational, or each of these by turns. At novel length, it might blossom into neurotic comedy, like Lucy Ellmann’s “ Ducks, Newburyport ,” or taper toward political thriller, like Mathias Énard’s “ Zone ,” or it might, like the last 20,000 words of “Ulysses,” suggest an unmediated revelation of character.

“Herscht 07769” blends all of these modes freely, in pursuit of something wholly its own. The protagonist is Florian Herscht, a hulking man-child living in the economically becalmed state of Thuringia , in what was once East Germany. By day, he works for the leader of a local neo-Nazi gang; together, he and “the Boss” scrub graffiti from the exteriors of buildings. But much of Florian’s time is spent roaming the little town of Kana, chatting up the citizens — librarian, cafe owner, the retired physicist who runs the weather station — who view him as a public charge. One neighbor refers to Florian as “the village idiot.” Says another: “He’s a good boy, this Florian, but I think that there’s something not right here.”

Case in point: As the novel opens, Florian has become fixated on a stray remark from the physicist, concerning the emergence of the universe from a single unpaired particle of matter. To Florian, the original decoupling from antimatter seems to imply, conversely, a nothing that might at any nanosecond return to swallow us all. “Everything teeters on this knife-edge of destruction,” he decides: “The apocalypse is now.”

Luckily, “now” is the 2010s, and the German chancellor is herself a physicist by training. Angela Merkel — “the epitome of stability, circumspection and reliability,” Florian thinks — will know what to do about the threat quantum mechanics poses to national (cosmic?) security. And so he begins writing her long letters, signed with his surname and postal code, “Herscht 07769.”

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I Am Pilgrim: A Thriller Hardcover – May 27, 2014

• Print length 624 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Atria/Emily Bestler Books
• Publication date May 27, 2014
• Dimensions 6.25 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
• ISBN-10 1439177724
• ISBN-13 978-1439177723
• See all details

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com review.

An Amazon Best Book of the Month, June 2014: Two men, both attempting to remain invisible to the world around them, are unknowingly at odds. “Pilgrim” is an American intelligence operative who, despite wanting to retire to a “normal” life, stumbles upon the biggest case of his career. His story starts with an unrelated murder in a seedy New York hotel room and quickly escalates to a matter of national security. The events unfold in slow motion, and we see the past and present from both Pilgrim’s perspective and that of his unknown adversary, a man of single-minded devotion and incredible danger. In his debut novel, Hollywood screenwriter and producer Terry Hayes has concocted a riveting 600-page read that is part police procedural, part international spy thriller, and all ready for adaptation. -- Robin A. Rothman

From Booklist

About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria/Emily Bestler Books; First Edition (May 27, 2014)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 624 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1439177724
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1439177723
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.74 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
• #743 in Espionage Thrillers (Books)
• #1,512 in Political Thrillers (Books)
• #8,152 in Suspense Thrillers

About the author

Terry hayes.

Terry Hayes is the New York Times bestselling author of I Am Pilgrim and the award-winning writer and producer of numerous movies. His credits include Payback, Road Warrior, and Dead Calm (featuring Nicole Kidman). He lives in Switzerland with his wife, Kristen, and their four children.

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 72% 19% 5% 2% 2% 72%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 72% 19% 5% 2% 2% 19%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 72% 19% 5% 2% 2% 5%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 72% 19% 5% 2% 2% 2%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 72% 19% 5% 2% 2% 2%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the book amazing, terrific, and well-written. They describe the plot premise as intriguing, creative, and first-rate. Readers praise the writing quality as well-drawn, effective, and excellent. They also find the characters compelling and wonderfully drawn. They find the entertainment value engaging, exciting, and satisfying. Reader also mention the intelligence is wide-ranging.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book spectacular, brilliantly written, and thrilling. They say it's worth the purchase and better than any Ludlum or Clancy they have read. Readers also mention the author's love of the place is evident.

"This is an unusual book, told in 1st person by a very inventive (unusual) principal character...." Read more

"Holy crap. This was an intense, terrific read that still has my heart pounding.There's a man whose real name is known by very few people...." Read more

"...It is a very long read but it certainly doesn’t lag in any sense. Worth the time if you like thrillers...." Read more

"...Terry Hayes is a master at weaving a story together and keeping you reading . Highly recommend!" Read more

Customers find the plot premise intriguing, creative, and first-rate. They say the book is thick enough for all readers and well-written. Readers also mention the events in the book are credible and engrossing.

"...They convolve in an interesting and creative way. The story is very creative but only about halfway through did it become magnetic for me, as in I..." Read more

"...There's some fantastic action and suspense , but it is so well-written as well...." Read more

"...I also like the fact that no knots were left untied, and everything just wraps very neatly in the end. I loved this." Read more

"Well written, holds your attention, Terry Hayes is a master at weaving a story together and keeping you reading. Highly recommend!" Read more

Customers find the writing quality of the book amazing. They say the narration is very effective, the descriptions and dialog are excellent, and the characters are well-developed. Readers also mention the book is long but doesn't lag.

"... Stunning ! I wrote this review only to advise strongly ... if you buy it and begin reading, stick with it. One more thing in my Columbo moment...." Read more

"...and some of the supporting characters are equally as fascinating and well-drawn . I Am Pilgrim is a sweeping thriller with intelligence and heart...." Read more

" Well written , holds your attention, Terry Hayes is a master at weaving a story together and keeping you reading. Highly recommend!" Read more

Customers find the characters compelling, wonderfully drawn, and intelligent. They also say the chief villain is personally motivated and Islamic Jihad inspired.

"...Pilgrim is a fantastic character, and some of the supporting characters are equally as fascinating and well-drawn...." Read more

"...However, that also made it fun to read. The antagonists were equally crafty and intelligent ...." Read more

"...Scott (Pilgrim) character is very well developed and you can understand how he thinks as the book moves forward, and this makes the story very..." Read more

" Amazing detail in all the characters and scenery . Gripping plot. Once I started, it was hard to put down. A must read!" Read more

Customers find the book engaging, exciting, and never boring. They say it holds their attention throughout and is a perfect mix of humor and suspense.

"Holy crap. This was an intense , terrific read that still has my heart pounding.There's a man whose real name is known by very few people...." Read more

"...It combines some of the action thrills that pervade so many movies today, but it also has a great deal of intellectual puzzle solving built in to..." Read more

"...Both are very effective narration forms for this novel and really keep the action moving .I very much enjoyed this book...." Read more

" There was a lot of action ! I’m looking forward to his next book! Hope it’s as good as this one!" Read more

Customers find the book insightful, thrilling, and emotional. They say the analyses and creativity are wide-ranging. Readers also mention the thesis is novel and the story evolves in fascinating ways. They appreciate the details, information, and action.

"...In addition to the "thriller" there is a philosophical voice from time to time . Tune in." Read more

"... Possessed of high intelligence and great intuition , he was recruited by a covert branch of U.S. intelligence known as the Division...." Read more

"...that pervade so many movies today, but it also has a great deal of intellectual puzzle solving built in to the story, and that is what appeals to me..." Read more

"...The author weaves a complex story and never loses sight of the essence . He brings it to a most profound conclusion...." Read more

Customers find the pacing great, fast, and consistent. They also say the book flows smoothly and has a perfect rhythm.

"...The pace of the book never slows . He kept my interest from the first page to the last highly recommend this book!" Read more

" Fast paced with interesting turns . Highly recommended. Jumps around a little bit but it all comes together...." Read more

"...It's childish and sometimes outright stupid and sickening. The comparisons to other accomplished spy-thriller writers are just wrong...." Read more

Customers find the book riveting and a pleasure to turn pages after pages. They say the attention to detail makes it a great book from cover to cover. Readers also mention the plots are intriguing and keep them turning the pages.

"This book was so well plotted and kept me turning the pages ...." Read more

"...I very much enjoyed this book. I thought it was a page-turner although it took me a long time to finish; it's a long book and there is a lot of..." Read more

"...Don’t be daunted, as I was, by the length; every page is engaging (and I have a bad habit of giving up on long novels)...." Read more

"...I read 80+ books or more a year. This is worth your time . I certainly hope there is a sequel" Read more

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