Product Description

Swashbuckling counter Spy Alex Hawke returns in New York Times bestselling author Ted Bell's most explosive tale of international suspense to date.

There dwells, somewhere in Russia, a man so powerful no one even knows his name. His existence is only speculated upon, only whispered about in American corridors of power and CIA strategy meetings. Though he is all but invisible, he is pulling strings -- and pulling them hard. For suddenly, Russia is a far, far more ominous threat than even the most hardened cold warriors ever thought possible.

The Russians have their finger on the switch to the European economy and an eye on the American jugular. And, most importantly, they want to be made whole again. Should America interfere with Russia's plans to "reintegrate" her rogue states, well then, America will pay in blood.

In Ted Bell's latest pulse-pounding and action-packed tour de force, Alex Hawke must face a global nightmare of epic proportions. As this political crisis plays out, Russia gains a new leader. Not just a president, but a new tsar, a signal to the world that the old, imperial Russia is back and plans to have her day. And in America, a mysterious killer, known only as Happy the Baker, brutally murders an innocent family and literally flattens the small Midwestern town they once called home. Just a taste, according to the new tsar, of what will happen if America does not back down. Onto this stage must step Alex Hawke, espionage agent extraordinaire and the only man, both Americans and the Brits agree, who can stop the absolute madness borne and bred inside the modern police state of Vladimir Putin's 'New Russia'.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #51760 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 512 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In bestseller Bell's rousing fifth thriller (after Spy), Alex Hawke fights the leaders of a new and invigorated Russia, where Vladimir Putin has been locked up in a lethal prison built over a massive radioactive waste site. Evil mastermind Count Ivan Korsakov (aka the Dark Rider) is determined to return Mother Russia to her rightful place in the world order by reacquiring her former colonies, after which he intends to conquer Europe and reign as the new tsar. The only thing standing in his way is Hawke, who, as series fans well know, is more than up to the task of thwarting those who try to take over the globe. Life throws Hawke a curve when he finds himself falling in love with the astoundingly beautiful Anastasia, who just happens to be Korsakov's daughter. As always, Bell pulls out all the stops with terrific action scenes, fiendish murders, diabolical villains, dramatic rescues and all the cool weaponry the reader could possibly hope for. (Sept.)
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From Booklist
The hero of Ted Bell’s spy series, Alex Hawke, battles treachery and love in his fifth adventure. Recuperating in Bermuda from the major injuries he received in Spy (2006), Alex is lounging on a beach when a ravishing beauty appears. His heart flutters, and he is smitten. She is the daughter of the ruthless power broker in the new Russia—a man who wants to destroy the U.S. and become the next tsar. In the meantime, a sadistic killer in the heartland of America unleashes his wrath, and a small town pays the price. Now Hawke must put aside his feelings for his new love and (once again) save the world. One subplot too many and the overplayed cliché of every woman in the novel being drop-dead gorgeous get in the way here, but even so, the main narrative flies by, displaying again Bell’s ability to turn out action-heavy espionage. --Jeff Ayers

Review
"As always, Bell pulls out all the stops with terrific action scenes, fiendish murders, diabolical villains, dramatic rescues and all the cool weaponry the reader could possibly hope for." -Publisher's Weekly

"I couldn't put it down." - Rush Limbaugh

Customer Reviews

For me, it was like reading three different books.
When I was reading the first third of this novel, I honestly did not think I would enjoy it enough to even finish it. But, I decided to read a little more and then a little more because I hate to give up on a book. The second third of the book began to interest me much more, perhaps because I had begun to recognize the characters and understand the situations they were in. The final third of the book was very exciting and fast paced. I wanted to find out what was going to happen in this series of incidences which had the potential to change the world forever.

Tsar is a book which places before the reader a premise of what if.... What if there was an incredibly powerful man who literally sat behind "the red curtain" in Russia. A man who had a mind so warped and twisted that he had no moral compass which would keep him from committing horrifying atrocities in order to rule as the Tsar of Russia. A Russia which meant a forced reuniting of the individual countries which had broken away from the old Soviet Union when they had the chance. And what if this man had devised a method of using a common item, a simple item, and yet use it in such a brilliant way that he could actually control the entire world just by entering a code into a machine and pushing a button.

I enjoyed the last third of this novel immensely. I had to read through the first part (which I didn't like at all) to get all the characters in place and then the second part (which began to capture my attention more) to lead up to the real action packed events. It was, for me, as if I read three different books. Luckily the last third was strong enough for me to give this book a four star rating.

I have never read any other books by Ted Bell. Consequently, I was not familiar with the character Alexander Hawke. As any worthy hero must be, he is larger than life and capable of pulling off miracles. If you enjoy action thrillers with the emphasis on political intrigue, spys, double agents, and military units trained to perform impossible feats, you will probably enjoy this book.

A fun read, exciting, even educational
Given Russia's recent invasion the nation of Georgia, once part of the USSR, my compliments to Bell for his rather prophetic anticipations in this novel. Even more so, TSAR takes the reader graphically through some possible and rather scary near-future developments in Russia-USA relations.

The novel starts at a leisurely pace, as we get to know the protagonist, Hawke. But it soon becomes a page-turner that is hard to put down. Hawke does have similarities to James Bond, as well as other tough-guy, highly skilled and talented spy-types, and he and other characters are explored and developed with some depth and effortlessly come alive in the story. And the book is an enjoyable thriller, a spy story with some future tech elements, and includes a well-crafted suspense crescendo near the end that had me practically on the edge of my seat.

But more than this, the author is commendably knowledgeable in several areas key to the story: (1) military, SEAL type operations; (2) espionage agencies and units, how they work, plan and think ; (3) Mother Russia: history, culture and soul, especially its leaders' motives; as well as (4) some historical backgrounds of the settings, like the Island Bermuda where the novel begins. The writing is very readable, never dull, and these elements are woven into the story seamlessly and add texture and depth to the action and characters.

The plot is a roller coaster ride but plausible enough and well put-together.
Highly recommended for any who like this type of novel.

THE END OF THE WORLD IS IN SIGHT
The end of the world was in sight. Missiles in Cuba, Soviet & American battleships in the South atlantic and 15,000 nuclear warheads were aimed at America. Nuclear annihilation was around the corner and a young President John F. Kennedy knew it. The President was told one man could find out the Soviet Union's capabilities and his name was Hawke.

Preseent day: In Bermuda lives a man named Alexander Hawke who prefers peace. His late father, a decorated hero for his Cold War exploits against the Soviets also favored peace but would go to war when necessary. Soviet President Putin has been overthrown and is in prison. The current President is a man named Korsakov but does he have any power or is there another far more powerful than Korsakov that is controlling the former Soviet Union?

The power behind the Russian President states "we will reclaim the lost republics of our former Soviet Union." As word reaches the US government, intelligence networks realize that once Russia has taken back her old republics she is going to take a hard look at the rest of Europe and can shut off the flow of energy to Europe at any time. Hawke is tapped to set up a special counter-intelligence division based in Bermuda.

One day a small town in Kansas is wiped off the map. But how and with what? The US government sends experts to find out what happened and the answer is terrifying.

As Hawke continues to discover what the Russians have planned and how the world reaches a crisis - one that will determine the fate of the world.

Reading this book I felt that I had just finished a current magazine or newspaper. The possibilities outlined in TSAR are very real. I had never read any of Mr. Bell's books previously but after a few chapters I could identify the characters. The book moves smoothly and it is not difficult to understand. I highly recommend it for all readers who like thrillers, espionage, and international suspense.