The first commandment : a thriller

by Brad Thor

Paper Book, 2007

Status

Available

Call number

813.6

Series

Scot Harvath (6)

Genres

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

New York : Pocket Books, 2008, c2007.

Description

A master assassin. A vendetta years in the making. And a counterterrorism operative who will risk everything - even treason - to keep the people he loves alive. Six months ago: In the dead of night, five of the most dangerous detainees in the war on terror are pulled from their isolation cells in Guantanamo Bay, held at gunpoint, and told to strip off their orange jumpsuits. Issued civilian clothes and driven to the base airfield, they are loaded aboard a Boeing 727 and set free. Present day: Covert counterterrorism agent Scot Harvath awakens to discover that his world has changed violently - and forever. A sadistic assassin with a personal vendetta is wreaking havoc of biblical proportions. Unleashing nightmarish horrors on those closest to Harvath, the attacker thrusts everything Harvath holds dear - including his life - into absolute peril. Ordered by the president to stay out of the investigation, Harvath is forced to mount his own operation to uncover the conspiracy and to exact revenge. When he discovers a connection between the attacks and a group of prisoners secretly released from Guantanamo, Harvath must ask himself previously unthinkable questions about the organizations and the nation he has spent his life serving. A renegade from his own government, Harvath will place his life on the line as his search for the truth draws him into a showdown with one of the most dangerous men on the face of the earth. Brad Thor roars through this nonstop adventure full of international intrigue, twisted betrayals, and ultimate revenge.… (more)

Media reviews

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User reviews

LibraryThing member jmcclain19

At the risk of giving spoilers, I'll just say the ending left me nonplussed as far as who man behind the curtain was. Especially considering how action packed Takedown was First Commandment just couldn't quite deliver the same punch. That's the bad part about writing page turning fiction novels -

you can still write a solid book but it'll seem like a letdown if it doesn't measure up. Would recommend for any fans of Thor or Vince Flynn type thrillers.

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LibraryThing member MrsRJ

Takedown raised the bar for political-thrillers, left readers in a state of shock and had critics wondering if Thor could possibly write another novel of equal quality. Well, he satisfied readers beyond their wildest dreams and silenced the critics with “The First Commandment.” The foreword is

comprised of a single sentence: “Do not wish ill for the enemy, plan it.” With less than ten words the author set the tone, constructed the stage and prepared the audience for an adrenaline infused novel, fully loaded with international intrigue, brilliant prose and thought provoking scenarios so real they could easily be reported on the six o’clock news. Homeland Security agent, Scot Harvath is a born leader, selfless, strong, dedicated and intelligent– willing to do whatever it takes to protect his friends, family and country…not necessarily in that order. With his extensive resources, both in and outside the government, elite special forces training and having saved the country and the president, on more than one occasion, he is the embodiment of a modern-day patriot. So, it is only natural when his family and friends begin being systematically targeted, the assaults mimicking the biblical plagues, that Harvath turns to those in power for assistance. Refusing to be dismissed by a third party, Harvath meets with the President face to face, demanding an explanation. Within a few minutes it becomes clear the only answers he will be privy to, are those he discovers on his own, he is officially out of the loop.Why would the best counter-terrorism agent be ordered to stand down? Harvath found himself in an unfamiliar role, that of spectator and he felt helpless. Now, sitting by his girlfriend Tracy’s bed, he was truly helpless…unable to rescue her from the coma that held her captive. He knew what he had to do and understood the ramifications of his actions.By disobeying a direct executive order from President Rutledge, Harvath, is not only being hunted by one of the most dangerous men on earth, he’s been catapulted into the cross-hairs of the very government he vowed to protect. It doesn’t take long for the former Navy Seal to unearth a secret so disturbing, that questions and scenarios which had once been unthinkable, were now plausible. Six months ago, America’s “First Commandment” was broken, when the President, persuaded by his advisers that the use of isotope technology gave them the ability to track the men, authorized the release of five, high value Guantanamo detainees. Lulled into a false sense of security, the government was ill-prepared and caught off guard, again.

The First Commandment is a brilliantly woven web of excitement, in which Brad Thor leaves no terrorist stone unturned, capturing the reader with a single sentence, he delivers his most electrifying and realistically frightening novel to date. Thor’s pen is firing on all cylinders and I eagerly anticipate his next novel.

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LibraryThing member MSWallack

While I liked The First Commandment, it wasn't anything special. In fact, the book cemented my view that Scot Harvath is, essentially, the Junior Varsity version of Mitch Rapp.

LibraryThing member willhelm

Good, fun read. This was my first Brad Thor Novel. I liked it enough to read another

LibraryThing member mcal

This was a very different Harvath book. It was all about Scot from the very start. Since there was no major terror plot from the beginning that Scot was trying to prevent, it seemed very slow in the beginning.

LibraryThing member dekan

(spoiler alert) this would have been a 5 star book except for one thing. the thing was only a bother for about 8-10 pages but it drove me nuts. he is smart and knows what he's doing the whole book is based around these plagues and the last one coming turn water to blood. then someone tells him

about a ship event and he just sits around and wonders where the bad guy will strike?? really???? although i have to say other than that it was pretty awesome. a bit refreshing from what i've been reading.

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LibraryThing member blush48

"Thou shalt not negotiate with terrorists..." - - - Scot Harvath is stalked by a terrorist who was released, and now everyone he loves is in danger. Great book that takes you around the world and into all the security acronyms - FBI, CIA, DHS, and on and on.

LibraryThing member Philip100

READ THIS BOOK!!! It is damn good!

LibraryThing member jimgysin

This was an okay Scot Harvath outing, but nothing special, and with some gratuitous "torture porn" (again--Thor seems to really enjoy including some of this) in the first half of the book that was particularly off-putting. This time around, revenge is the theme as someone goes after the people

close to Harvath in retaliation for a past event between Harvath and the baddie in question. I wouldn't recommend it as the starting point for someone new to Thor's work, but it's solid enough to recommend to existing fans of the series.

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LibraryThing member Skybalon

It is always dangerous to just jump in the middle of a series, so judge this review accordingly. This is a good ol' thriller. It doesn't bring anything innovative to the genre but is a great example. I enjoyed the read and kept turning the pages as any good thriller demands.

LibraryThing member susandennis

This is my first Thor but definitely not my last. This is a very captivating thriller. Great plot and great characters. What a wonderful find.

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