To be honest, after reading the second book of this series, I wasn´t sure if I wanted to continue reading this series. But now that I have, I am very glad I did. Want to know why? Keep reading *smile* Kathrin Lange YOU ROCK! This thriller is breathtaking, heartbreaking, and haunting from the first to the last page. After I had finished it, I was in a state of shock, disbelieve, and had a very tense feeling all over my body.
Ohne Ausweg*
by
Kathrin Lange
Faris Iskander Series #3
Publisher Blanvalet on December 19, 2016
Genre Thriller
Pages 443
Format Paperback
Source Publisher
Goodreads
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The Muslim special investigator Faris Iskander has become an undercover agent: Because an Islamist organization plans poison gas attacks on Berlin, Faris is put in jail. Because terrorist leader al-Sadiq is in custody there – if Faris succeeds in pretending to be an Islamist and gaining Sadiq´s trust, he can provide much-needed information to the LKA. But while Faris is forced behind bars to credibly prove his terrorist intentions, his team is desperately chasing Sadiq´s assassin outside. Then the first poison gas attack happens. And as more and more people die in the capital, Faris discovers that a far-right organization is also planning an assassination. A hopeless fight on two fronts begins … (personal translation ©Vi at Inkvotary)
Story
Faris is restless. Forced to keep a low profile while preparing for his new operation, he is still suffering from the wounds his last one gave him, physically and mentally. But who if not him will be able to stop that evil man and his plans? With his daughter in mind, he does everything to keep her and his family alive and well. And if that means that he must face the evils eye and do whatever it takes to prove to him and others that he is the legend his colleagues made him, then he will. At all costs.
Style
Holy moly, this thriller was brilliant! And I am glad that I convinced myself to give this series another chance and kept reading. Kathrin Lange writes clear, often brutal, and shows you some bloody scenes and blunt dialogues – fantastic. The more I´ve read, the more I´ve got thrilled. Her language is easy to understand and so diversified, you won´t get bored at all.
The plot is very complex and shows the disruption of a man who has deep wounds inside his soul and body and who must deal with his very own demons. The story is very intense and shows a variety of hate, intrigues, violence, hypocrisy, and double moral standard. A very explosive combination, if you ask me. There is such a power, such as compelling energy and tension in this book, wow, simply wow.
After reading the first book I was thrilled and wanted more. Then I got to read the second book and was annoyed and somehow angry. There were many things in it I didn´t agree with at all and my intention to read the third book was equal to zero. I couldn´t stand Faris and his view he had from the world, his team, and his imagination that he was the only one who could possibly be able to save the world.
Characters
This time the focus is more on the inner turmoil Faris is in. To keep his daughter safe, he has to agree to a plan that ties his hands in silence. His inner conflict, his dark edges, and the side his colleagues call manic are what make him capable to do what he does. There is one scene where Faris shows in a very impressive way what it means to be Faris Iskander. At that moment he brings out his rage and darkness and turns from one second to the other from a very controlled and arrogant man into a wild and uncontrolled crackpot – only by focusing on his dark side deep inside of him. That scene made me jump; so captivating and intense was it.
I don´t know exactly how the author did it to turn her main figure a tiny bit around. But after reading the first pages of this third book I knew right away that something in Faris was different. Oh yes, he still seems to be the only one who is willing to do the dangerous and craziest things, and he still shows a side of him that makes you shake your head in disbelieve, but on the other hand, he isn´t that loony anymore, he was in book one and two. Yes, he has his reasons the others don´t know anything about it. And yes, he is still willing to overstep a certain line to do the unthinkable to save what he sees as his job. But there is a new side he now shows. And that side is quite fascinating, and I hope that he will her a chance to develop.
Conclusion
What a brilliant and fantastic thriller! Once I´ve started reading it, I could barely put it down. So haunting, so thrilling, and with such an incredible main figure. Bloody hell, Faris, you´ve done it.
Happy reading
*Thank you to Blanvalet who provided this book to me in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review. This book was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.
Kathrin Lange
Kathrin Lange was born in Goslar in 1969. Although she initially had plans to join the police dog squad, her love for books then won the day and she first became a bookseller and then a writer. Today she is a member of the International Thriller Writers and writes bestselling novels for adults and teenagers. She lives with her husband and two sons in a small village near Hildesheim in Lower Saxony, Germany.
