2024 the best spy novels review

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New York Times Bestseller

The new must-read epic from master storyteller Ken Follett: more than a thriller, it’s an action-packed, globe-spanning drama set in the present day.
 
“A compelling story, and only too realistic.” —Lawrence H. Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary

“Every catastrophe begins with a little problem that doesn’t get fixed.” So says Pauline Green, president of the United States, in Follett’s nerve-racking drama of international tension.
 
A shrinking oasis in the Sahara Desert; a stolen US Army drone; an uninhabited Japanese island; and one country’s secret stash of deadly chemical poisons: all these play roles in a relentlessly escalating crisis.
 
Struggling to prevent the outbreak of world war are a young woman intelligence officer; a spy working undercover with jihadists; a brilliant Chinese spymaster; and Pauline herself, beleaguered by a populist rival for the next president election.

Never is an extraordinary novel, full of heroines and villains, false prophets and elite warriors, jaded politicians and opportunistic revolutionaries. It brims with cautionary wisdom for our times, and delivers a visceral, heart-pounding read that transports readers to the brink of the unimaginable.

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Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars

28,052

4.5 out of 5 stars

15,836

4.3 out of 5 stars

15,777

4.4 out of 5 stars

14,319

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ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08WCFQVR8
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books (November 9, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 9, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3621 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 813 pages
Reviewer: Mike Mohn
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Dear Ken Follett,
Review: This book is AMAZING! Never is a political thriller that really dives into how a bunch of seemingly random events can escalate into something huge and dangerous on a global scale. The story follows different characters like a U.S. president, a CIA operative, and an intelligence officer, all trying to make the right choices in a super tense situation. Follett does a great job with the details, making the whole scenario feel pretty realistic, which amps up the suspense. Even though some parts drag a bit and the political stuff might feel heavy, the story is still gripping and makes you think about how easily things can go wrong in our interconnected world. If you're into thrillers that mix action with real-world issues, Never is definitely worth checking out.

Reviewer: uncleraffiki
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Is another ending possible?
Review: Enjoyed the story very much which intertwined concurrent present-day events from various parts of the globe; however, did not care for the ending. Note: I get a lot out of this author’s history lessons, and believe he performs detailed and thorough research for his works with which he uses the novel as a teaching medium. I’ve read at least 20 of his, and can highly recommend all but this one (the conclusion anyway) and the Hammer of Eden. Pillars of the Earth got me hooked early on — and I’ve read all 5 in the Kingsbridge series. The Century Trilogy also not to be missed.

Reviewer: langleyd
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A unique story line
Review: Ken Follett is one of the most prolific authors of over arcing series that I consider "must reads". He also has a significant number of stand alone stories that should come stamped with "BINGE READ" on the cover. His books cover so many differing eras and the series span huge pieces of history in many countries with immigrant history featuring in many of them. Follett is a "visual" writer. He skillfully paints the characters and communities in his books, making them very hard to forget. He does tend to pack alot of story into each of his books, this one is a little over 800 pages.In the multinational thriller, NEVER, Follett splits the story into three world views as they work to stop those who would see a WWIII launch using nuclear weapons. As these three groups work their seperate goals, readers get a glimpse of prevailing politics as they set policy to aggravate the other parties instead of focusing on the immediate threat. The story line is full of tension and suspense, each battle could push the world powers into destroying sections of every country. This was an easy 5 star read, but then, Follett books usually are.

Reviewer: Dave
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Never really?
Review: Ending was realistic but not very fulfilling. Plot was way to plausible and reflective of today's policies and characters. Wish it was otherwise but...

Reviewer: Debra Susan Wiggins
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: warning
Review: Good story as always from Follett. Serious consequences if nations ignore the danger of rogue nations with nuclear capabilities. Beware

Reviewer: Peggy P
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: NEVER is a nuclear drama
Review: It was a good book but the ending was a surprise. I was interested in the stories of each character and was fond of the the characters.Ken Follett is always a great story teller.

Reviewer: JMB
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Extreme suspense. A real page turner!
Review: This was a great read from start to finish. A bone chilling story line. Typical Ken Follett. I highly recommend this book.

Reviewer: Peter M Beaumont
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Another gem from Follett
Review: Scarily real, logically thought through and emotionally charged, another breathtaking masterpiece from Ken Follett, demonstrating he is still at the top of his game.

Reviewer: Excelente romance. Tema atual (combate ao terrorismo), bem tratado e com dose certa de suspense.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Personagens reais agindo de acordo com as suas características. Nenhum super-herói ou milagre. As histórias (quatro núcleos) prendem a atenção e o leitor não consegue parar. E, quando interrompe a leitura, quer voltar à história. Tomara que haja uma continuação.

Reviewer: Alex R
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Best novel written by Follet. No more comments needed.

Reviewer: Dr. Tim Parker
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This is a truly engaging novel, with several plots going at the same time, centered around escalation of worldwide events. Follet is a master novelist, and it's clear with this book's writing, which draws you in, caring about the people he writes about, and while this is a long novel, you simply have to read it to the end. The subject may be unnerving for some, dealing as it does with war, but it presents a perfect picture of why things escalate and the people who are both directly and indirectly involved. Some will find the ending bothers them, others may find it a bit abrupt, but it is an integral part of the story. A masterpiece of a novel!

Reviewer: Cliente Kindle
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Con due guerre in atto vicino a noi, sembra che escalation sia sempre a portata dei politici. Cuore freddo ed animo discreto possono aiutare. I nostri amministratori devono leggere questo romanzo.

Reviewer: Karina Murphy
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I really have mixed feelings about this book. Spy-action thrillers are always a blast even on movies especially when it’s Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, and Ken Follett . So I was excited, hyped-up, and engaged from page 1 of Never. My interest, however, did a nosedive, halfway through the 816 pages.What I 🩷:🦋That all the characters are given a chance to tell their stories by highlighting their storylines in every chapter. I love the stories of Abdul, Kiah, and Chang Kai🎭The complex storylines interweaving threads of espionage, political intrigue, and high-stakes missions💣The intense action and the suspenseful moments, unexpected twists, and constant danger⏳No boring and confusing flashbacks, instead, each chapter relay a continuous flow of events🎢Each page felt like a roller coaster ride of espionage and action. Getting a glimpse of what happens in the Situation Room when war breaks out is a real knocker!🌎The global settings exploring different countries, cultures transported me to the desert, to a war zone, to the famous kpop crib🔪The highlights on geographical and historical stories of the Superpowers, Asia, and African countries plus the inside knowledge shared on political strategies and maneuverings. It’s unbelievably true how people can sell their dignity and soul for their own political agenda and personal gain.Why NOT 5⭐️:- As the story progresses, it becomes slow-paced and repetitive, and there are moments where the story seems to be a drag 😑- The love story of Green is cringy and shouldn’t have given pages of emphasis. Not interesting at all! Tamara and Tab are cute though 👩‍❤️‍👨- The story in Africa took half of the book then abruptly ended to be replaced by issues in Asia, then suddenly there’s a chapter to close Abdul’s story. There was no continuity along this area. 😵- Im not sure if it’s just me or there is really NO major plot twist. If there is, I didn’t feel it. The conspiracy angle between the Chinese isn’t enough for a twist. 🧬- The ending is MEH! Not the hanging ending, that’s fine. But I didn’t get closure on the global war and Kai’s future.