Fault Line

I have read all of the John Rain books and was a little disappointed that Eisler's new book did not have my beloved characters. But, he had me after the first page. I honestly had to put the book down a few times so that I could savor the book and enjoy it longer. It has a good general story line, with even better side stories. Eisler does a great job of introducing the characters and having them all come together. Not only does Eisler do a great job of writing an interesting story, but I enjoy how he includes political views and confronts social issues of today. Great read, you'll enjoy it.

Eisler's first stand-alone novel was quite a relief. I so badly wanted it to be another John Rain novel that I was worried that I wouldn't like it simply because it wasn't a Rain novel (there were two sly references to Rain in the book). But my worries were unfounded. Eisler demonstrated that he is a masterful thriller writer; in fact, I might go so far as to say that he is currently the best writer in the genre. Fault Line had several things going for it. First, it had not one, but three very strong, very individual, very unique, and very believable characters. The relationships and conflicts felt "real" and the reactions of the characters to situations and one another felt "right". Second, Eisler was able to take topical issues and seamlessly weave them into his story in order to make a point, but without becoming preachy. I think that I know where Eisler stands on certain issues, but he didn't hit me over the head with it (I'm talking to you, Vince Flynn). Third, I can't think of a single point in the story where I said, "Yeah, right" or asked, "Now we did/didn't the character do that?" In other words, Eisler thought through the elements of his story to be sure that it made sense. Similarly, his discussions of patent law, cryptography, and technology made me believe that what I was reading was accurate (which, in a novel of this sort, that wants to feel real rather than a flight of fancy, is critical). I didn't know much about Tokyo or jazz or scotch or martial arts when I read the Rain novels, but I believed what Eisler told me about those things. I do know a bit about patents and cryptography and computer programming and law firms and much of what Eisler told me about those subjects was on target, thus offering even more credibility to the scenes and sitautions he devises. One other point worth mentioning: It took me longer to read Fault Line than it usually takes me to read a thriller that I like. But, in this case, the reason was not because of anything wrong with the book; rather, I found that I wasn't enjoying it as much when I only read a few pages at a time (like when I put the kids to bed at night). To fully appreciate Fault Line, I needed larger chunks of uninterrupted time where I could really lose myself in the novel. Interestingly enough, my wife made a similar observation about her reading of the book. So, because time has been limited of late, I went through stretches of time not reading at all, waiting until I'd have a good chance to read. While I'd still prefer another John Rain book (hint, hint), I'm looking forward to Eisler's promised sequel to Fault Line.

Barry Eisler's ability to navigate outside the "Rain-verse" is on full-display in this freshly imaginative cyber-warfare thriller. Eisler takes us deep into the hearts and lives of his meticulously well-developed characters, never forgetting fans of tradecraft and lightning-fast action sequences. Eisler has discovered the encryption for captivating readers and has honed his art in a way that might just make John Rain eager for his next assignment. "Fault Line" is sure to be a favorite, not only for fans of the genre but any reader who can manage to hang on for the ride.

Barry Eisler has done it again. I didn't know what to expect with this new novel. However, I rated every one of the John Rain books by Barry Eisler as excellent, so I thought I would give it a try. I found it hard to put this book down once I started it. The 2 brother concept and their very different backgrounds coming together was what made the stroy line so interesting to me. You often wonder how two men with the same parents and upbringing could turn out so differently. I highly recommend this novel. Barry Eisler continues to be one of my favorite authors.

Brothers Alex and Ben Treven are as different as two brothers can be. Alex is a brilliant, up and coming lawyer in a Silicon Valley law firm and Ben is a government assassin who hasn't had contact with Alex in over seven years. When an inventor Alex represents is murdered Alex begins to question if the murder has anything to do with the new encryption program his client was working on. Then within hours the patent clerk working on the invention coincidently dies of natural causes and Alex himself is attacked in his home. With no where else to turn he calls upon Ben for help in staying alive. Ben grudgingly returns home and together with associate lawyer, Sarah Hosseini who was also working the on the case, the three are forced into hiding to try and figure out who would murder to keep the program from ever seeing the light of day. I really enjoyed this book. It's the perfect combination of action and adventure mixed with technical expertise. Some of the plot was a little predictable but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. I read the entire book in one day because the action kept the pages turning. I especially liked the character interaction between the two brothers. They each felt the other was at fault for the rift in their family stemming from a tragedy when the boys were in high school. At different times in the book I'd find myself rooting for one brother or the other while hoping for reconciliation. The ending was realistic and not too over the top or too "happily ever after" which annoys me. I highly recommend this book for all suspense/thriller lovers.