“An enjoyable and fun spy thriller” – Barbara Nadel, Silver Dagger Winner The EXPLOSIVE debut thriller from Paul Blake Alec Foster is no Jason Bourne. He is Head of Section in Berlin for MI6. He is fifty-one, and a borderline alcoholic counting down the days to retirement. Alec is told of a plot to assassinate a British Minister and that there is a traitor in MI6. As he tries to uncover the … MI6.
As he tries to uncover the traitor, he is chased across Berlin by the assassins, the Russian SVR and the Berlin Police. He must use his long-forgotten skills and push his body to the very limits to survive.
He comes face to face with actions from his past, as everything and everyone he cares about is threatened.
Reviews for A Young Man’s Game
“A Young Man’s Game by Paul Blake is an excellent debut novel with loads of twists and turns.” Amazon 5* Review
“A fantastic debut, and definitely an author to keep an eye on in the future.” Amazon 5* Review
“A pacy, well-plotted page-turner and an exciting thriller.” Amazon 5* Review
“I give this story a strong 5/5 stars. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves this genre.” Amazon 5* Review
more
A Young Man’s Game is a well written, enjoyable spy novel. Even though it is outside of my normal genre, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it quickly. It had everything a reader could want – action, drama, kidnapping, assassins, a flawed main character, and, yes, even romance.
The main character, Alec Foster, is relatable and likeable despite his flaws. Alec struggles with aging and all that comes with it – loss of agility, romances, friends, quick thinking. I loved reading how he internally worked through some of these issues to tackle the problems he faced.
This was also a story of healing and redemption. Alec had lost so much through the years, including himself in a bottle. He had a great character arc in that he came to terms with the mistakes he had made, the things that happened in his past and took steps towards healing and making things right. An underlying theme in the book was the importance of second (and sometimes third or fourth) chances.
The only problem I had with the book is tracking the street names and places since it was based in a location I’ve never visited with names that were complicated for me to pronounce. Other than that, this was a highly enjoyable read.
I look forward to reading more from author Paul Blake.
Stories. They take you on a journey. Some transport you to the peaks of mythical mountains, the darkest depths of long-forgotten seas, or even the farthest reaches of the universe, and beyond.
But some are more familiar, placing you on good-old level terra firma… in the streets of Berlin… being chased by bad guys… without knowing whom to trust. Given, it might not sound all that familiar to most people, but author Paul Blake manages to pull you into this exact scenario in the shoes of Alec Foster, Head of Section for MI6 in Germany’s capital.
I’m a sucker for a good spy thriller, with the likes of Robert Ludlum and James Patterson keeping my page-turning fingers in shape over the years. And now, Blake has given them some more gym-time with A Young Man’s Game.
I’m not going to delve into the plot – reading the back-cover blurb, you can decide for yourself whether this story fits your particular taste buds. But when I read the blurb, I just knew I HAD to read this book. Why? Because, like the protagonist, Alec Foster, my body can feel the pressure that the weight of age is constantly heaping onto it. And every year, as the needle of that scale climbs a little higher, my ability-score drops a bit lower. In my mid-forties, I’m not falling apart yet, but I’m also not able to do things with the same gusto as in my mid-thirties. That’s the dilemma I expected Alec Foster would face, too, and that’s precisely what Paul Blake delivered.
The story itself progresses at just the right pace – not too overwhelming, and not too slow – and you can see the author did his homework; he has a knack for making you feel right at home, even in an unfamiliar setting. You know exactly where you are at any given time. Okay, maybe not exactly, but you feel like you do, as if you’ve been living in Berlin for years.
This, coupled with just the right amount of description, action and twists, led to a fantastic read that I’m proud to add to my collection. And if Blake were to write another thriller, I would surely add it too, although I’m confident that any genre by this author would sit perfectly on my shelf.
A thrilling read
What an awesome book. I very much enjoyed Alec’s journey throughout. There were bits of real danger and points where I genuinely feared for his life. I really felt like I was in Berlin throughout this book. I’d definitely recommend this to those who love thrillers!