The Gray Man is a former CIA assassin that was burned by the Agency and now works freelance assassinations, but only jobs he feels are “good.”
That is about all we learn about this character and it’s passed along in about as many words. Obviously developing a three dimensional character is not something Greaney is interested in, but the Gray Man doesn’t even make it to one dimensional. It’s a bad sign when you find yourself hoping to spend more time with the villians than the hero.
The plot, Gentry is tracked across Europe by a number of different international kill teams, is basically a setup for a number of different action set pieces. I love a good piece of action writing as much as the next person, but after the fifth fight sequence they take on a boring regularity – fight – move to new location – fight – move to new location – etc….
The reviews for this book talk about it being like an action movie, but you’re better off renting Die Hard than spending time reading this one. With so many other great spy/assassin thrillers out there it’s hard to imagine why someone should read this one.
Last Words: There is a sequel. I will not be reviewing it.