Hawke

he puts out a tale that just says you best be alert if your not it is not my fault i did warn you it does not let up it holds you in its grip and you cannot let go

Ted Bell writes an entertaining novel with a great hero in Sir Alex Hawke. 600 pages reads fast. Every page you read wants to keep you turning to the next one without putting it down. I'm hooked on Ted Bell novels now

Alex Hawke is, like James Bond and a few others, an international superspy. He undertakes missions both for his native Great Britain and his mother's homeland, America. Like Bond (and others) he is handsome, charming, a sophisticated lady's man who is skilled in a variety of both martial arts and sports. Unlike Bond though, Hawke is independently wealthy (like the Saint, Derek Flint, the Phantom and others), making him able to buy his own fabulous toys - huge yachts, numerous planes, several houses. He is also haunted by the tragic deaths of his parents and had been raised by the family butler (like Batman). As the novel opens a very young Hawke is sailing with his parents through the Caribbean when tragedy strikes. Pirates invade the yacht, and torture and kill the parents while their seven year old son watches from a hidden location. The action the jumps forward thirty years, Hawke is now a grown man on an assignment to save the world from a dastardly plot hatched by Cuban criminals. Before the final pages Hawke has saved the world (and his lady love) and avenged his parents. This novel, which is the first of a series, is complete escapist fantasy. Bell has rewritten many of the Bond scenes and scenarios (in this one at least) which from time to time gives the reader a slight feeling of deja vu and woven the book with bits of the mythology from other stories. Part of the fun is identifying traces of not only Bond, Flint, and Templar but also the Phantom and Batman. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series and see who else turns up. If you are looking for a serious spy thriller try Le Carre, this one is for fun.

I want to be Alex Hawke. Boats, planes, gadgets, butlers I love it. this guy kicks commie butt. I can't wait to read the next in the series. Absolutely an ideal book for a vacation read.

A real page turner. This book introduces you to the main characters in Bells series of Alexander Hawk..master spy. Must read this first then go on to Bell's series of Alexander Hawk. I've grown attached to the characters. Bell knows how to keep the reader captivated. Good writing with the typical hilarious dry British humor.

An awesome adventure thriller that really gets the old blood pressure pumping! This thing'll keep you up all night and home from work the next day if you're not careful...can't wait for the sequel and what a movie!