Crisis Four

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Andy McNab

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Pages: 384 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 0593042379

Pub: Bantam Press

Pub date: 1999-10

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 105558

Editorial Review:

Crisis Four is Andy McNab's fourth book and his second work of fiction, but he has already established himself as a brand name. His trademark is the SAS and dirty operations, so it will come as no surprise to anyone that the hero, Nick Stone, is a hard but fair ex-SAS man, now working for £250 per day as a freelance agent for British Intelligence on undercover missions which will be denied if they go wrong. The basic story is relatively straightforward. Stone undertook a mission to Afghanistan in the late 80s with a mysterious femme fatale, the posh Sarah; they had a fling and she promptly dumped him on her return. In 1995, they meet up briefly on another undercover mission to Syria which starts to go horribly wrong as Sarah appears to be working to a different briefing. Then, in 1998, Stone gets a summons on his pager to meet his bosses at Gatwick. Sarah has gone AWOL from her apartment in Washington DC and Stone's job is to find her. This he ingeniously achieves quite quickly and there then follows a long, tense chase across the US. Sarah's true past, and the secret that she holds, is gradually revealed and the ending is truly gripping.

For all McNab's authentic detail--we get lots of information on how to kill people and survive attacks--reading Crisis Four is a bit like playing Tombraider on the computer. It's a compelling other world, where reality is only paid lip service to, but the action comes so thick and fast that you can't help turning the page. And this is what marks Crisis Four as a cut above the average thriller. It is an unashamedly blokeish book--you won't find much in the way of subtlety of characterisation--though compared to Dick Francis McNab is positively Henry James--and you have to put up with the odd few pages that read more like instruction manuals for military hardware than narrative, but these are relatively minor quibbles. So many times you get to the end of a thriller only to wonder why on earth you bothered; Crisis Four delivers on its promises. --John Crace

Reader Reviews:

Another stunning read from Mr McNab (0/0 people found this helpful)

Andy McNab strikes gold again with Crisis Four. Having been bitten by the McNab bug with Remote Control I rushed to buy this book and wasnï¿½t disappointed. I followed the tale from one scene to another thinking Iï¿½ll take a break at the end of this, but finding myself compelled to keep going. Another tale that is easily read in one hit. I was really immersed in the woods of the Deep South running for my life along with Stone and Sarah. Although Andy McNab is not John Le Carre with his writing style, he certainly paints the picture well and leaves you wanting more. As with JLC heï¿½s not mushy enough to always have a happy ending either. Great stuff.

Crisis Four (0/0 people found this helpful)

Having read another novel by McNab, Firewall, I picked this book up expecting the same action filled pages. I was not wrong!!! From start to finish I was glued to this book not wanting to put it down. Nick Stone is a character of fiction but I suspect there are many Nick Stones in the world attempting to keep our nation's security interests safe. He is a simple man, with normal emotions but the steely strength to get the most difficult of jobs done. I have three more McNab books on my shelves and another on order.

Unputdownable!! (1/1 people found this helpful)

I picked up this book whilst on holiday and it didn`t take long before I was hooked! It is the first McNab book I have read but now plan to read all of them. Nick Stone is an excellent character and the plot is exciting as well as believable. I cannot recomend this highly enough but read Remote Control first. I did not have the benefit of this but it did not spoil Crisis Four at all. This is a testamnet to how good the book is!

crisis four (1/1 people found this helpful)

Crisis four is without doubt the best McNab book i've read to date. It's action packed with a good story line, and a fantastic trip to the shops. Nick stone and the woman he is sent to kill are chased across the wilderness of america in heart pounding frenzy for the reader. Have you ever wondered how to get a savage attack dog off your arm? Or the best way to observe the enemy without being observed? It's all there! The cunning plans and devices he uses are a real buzz for the reader. That aside i would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who isn't squeamish! This was definately a smash hit for me. Well done 'The Grey Man'.

As good as ever (0/0 people found this helpful)

Another excellent read from Andy McNab. He produces truly three-dimensional characters and plots that stretch belief but that I can nevertheless accept. The technical bits about survellance and covert operations are fascinating (I'd be surprised if they weren't genuine).

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