A Gentleman's Game

September 6, 2004
Inspired by his Eisner Award–winning Queen & Country graphic novel series, the author of the adrenaline-charged Atticus Kodiac thrillers (Critical Space
) offers up this British cloak-and-dagger hardcover introducing Tara Chase, an intrepid, relentless female assassin. In a coolly orchestrated terrorist raid chillingly reminiscent of September 11, a well-trained trio of al Qaeda–linked fanatics bomb London subway trains at three major stations, killing 372. In retaliation, Minder One (the head assassin of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligent Service) Tara Chase is given the assignment of killing Dr. Faud bin Abdullah al-Shimmari, a Saudi Arabian religious leader. She can't undertake an operation inside Faud's high-security Saudi homeland, but when the Mossad gets involved on a mission of its own, the hit is scheduled to take place on Yemeni soil. In a bit of bad luck, Chase completes her primary mission with a daring hit on Faud inside the Great Mosque, but ignites international outrage when she blows away a Saudi prince, too. As a result, her queen and countrymen betray her, and she is forced to flee with one final chance to avoid being sacrificed as a pawn in a worldwide political chess game. Though a trifle muddled by bureaucratese, the novel's superb pacing, offbeat characters, wry plot twists and damning insight into oily schizoid Middle Eastern diplomacy add up to an engrossing read. Agent, David Hale Smith at DHS Literary Inc.

June 1, 2004
When terrorists attack her country, Tara Chace-head of special operations for British intelligence-uses herself as bait to catch the killers. Too bad she gets double-crossed. Rucka won an Eisner Award for the graphic novels on which this is based and went one step further by optioning film rights to Fox.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2004
This is a little tricky, so pay attention. This novel is based on Rucka's comic-book series, " Queen & Country," which was in turn inspired by (or perhaps directly based on) a 25-year-old British television series called " The Sandbaggers." The comic-book series chronicles the adventures of Tara Chace, a Special Intelligence Service agent (otherwise known as a minder or a sandbagger) who takes on dangerous missions for the British government. In the novel, she is tasked with the assassination of the mastermind behind a series of terrorist attacks that took the lives of more than 300 British citizens. The relationships between some of Rucka's characters mirror the relationships between similar characters in the TV series, and there are even scenes in the novel that are very much like scenes in episodes of the series. Also like the series, the novel is as much about the political machinations behind a mission as it is about the mission itself, and Rucka does an excellent job of building the tension and suspense. It's a story about people whose lives are controlled--and often sacrificed--by government officials whose decisions are always politically motivated. There are echoes of le Carre here, to be sure, although the tone is less cerebral. Those who know " The Sandbaggers" will be intrigued, but the novel will also interest anyone with a taste for classic British espionage. A sequel would be most welcome.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)