The Operative

This is my first novel by Britton and I will be looking for earlier Ryan Kealey novels. This is a fast paced thriller very much in the Clancy mold. I really enjoyed the character development and Britton's action sequences are well written. All said, 'The Operative' is a very enjoyable read and the ending has a few nice twists.

This review is based on an uncorrected proof for Early Reviewers and, as such, may not represent the final published product.

This was my first Kealey novel by Britton and I now look forward to catching up with earlier installments. Britton's writing is fast-paced, well-developed, and enjoyable. While "The Operative" certainly isn't groundbreaking in the thriller genre, it is a more than capable entry into the field.

Britton's Kealey is a welcome relief from most protagonists in the genre. He is not a superman never missing with a shot and always thinking two steps ahead of his enemies. His flaws are developed and integrated into the story adding depth and context.

Unlike so many of today's thrillers, Britton's action sequences are neither gratuitous nor farcical. They are well paced and show a great understanding of not only the technical aspects, but the interpersonal side of conflict as well.

"The Operative" is an enjoyable and engaging read, representing the best of the thriller genre available in today's market. Four out of five stars. ( )

I received The Operative, by Andrew Britton, from Library Thing’s Early Reviewers program and looked forward to reading it with great anticipation. This is the first Ryan Kealey book I’ve read, but from what I encountered in these pages, it probably won’t be the last.

I will confess to some confusion at the beginning. This is not a book to be read with a few days between sessions, as you need to keep up on the characters and plot line or you will find yourself lost later on. The confusing part came from trying to decipher which of the characters I was being introduced to, really mattered. There is a little too much character development taking place within the pages, especially amongst some who do not appear again, which takes away from the plot itself.

Having said that, the plot, although not original, does draw you in and once you’ve made it through the first third of the novel, you will find it harder and harder to put down. Like Clancy, since I’ve seen other comparisons to Tom in earlier reviews, Britton has clearly researched the various agencies appearing in the story and there are no ‘oh come on – that can’t happen!’ moments.

Overall, I can easily recommend this novel to the techno-thriller fan who is looking for some literary escape from the world and I look forward to see reading more about what Mr. Kealey has been up to.

www.daniellittle.com ( )

This was the first Ryan Kealey book I have read, and I was highly impressed. Britton writes a very Clancy-esque thriller with lots of twists and turns. I gave the book four out of five stars simply because the plot wasn't necessarily anything unique, although it was well written and the characters are personable. This book was good enough to convince me to purchase the first book in the Ryan Kealey series and read them all. ( )

This was another well-written, fast paced Ryan Kealey book. There is a terrorist attack in the Baltimore Convention Center involving several suicide bombers and gunmen--a very sophisticated plot that kills hundreds and injures many more, one of them being the wife of the CIA director. Ryan Kealey, a former CIA agent, happens to be on his way to the Baltimore event and enters the fray to end the attack. From there, things move forward quickly with a crazy, scary plot and a race against time to find the bad guys. This wasn't quite as good as some of his other books but an interesting read with a plausible plot and complex characters. I'm sad to hear that the author passed away a few years ago--I would definitely read more from him. Fortunately, this one ends well if it is Kealey's last mission. ( )