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Nick Stone #1
Remote Control
Few writers know the intricate landscape of special operations like Andy McNab. A member of the crack elite force the Special Air Service for seventeen years, McNab saw duty all over the world--and was the British Army's most highly decorated serving soldier when he resigned in 1993.
Now, in Remote Control, his explosive fiction debut, McNab has drawn on his personal experience and unique knowledge to create a thriller of gripping authenticity, high-stakes intrigue, and unstoppable action.
After his mission is suddenly terminated in Washington, D.C., British Intelligence agent Nick Stone decides to visit an old colleague, Kev Brown. But when Stone arrives at his friend's eerily quiet suburban home, he discovers a chilling scene of carnage. Every member of the Brown family has been brutally slaughtered except one: seven-year-old Kelly Brown. His instincts on red alert and adrenaline in overdrive, Stone grabs the girl and runs--with anonymous assassins in hot pursuit. But whom do they wish to silence: Stone, the innocent child, or both?
During a heart-pounding chase that takes the resourceful, sometimes ruthless seasoned pro and his frightened young charge from Washington to Florida, and across the Atlantic to England, Stone begins to piece together a shocking global conspiracy. Thrust into a lethal game of cat-and-mouse, Stone is certain of two things: He and Kelly are on their own. No one can be trusted. And his darkest fears about the shadowy link between politics, money, and terrorism are about to be realized.
Combining relentless action, daring escapes, and breathless plotting with chillingly authentic operational detail rarely seen in thrillers, Remote Control is a novel so real and so suspenseful it sets a new standard for the genre.
From the Hardcover edition.
Now, in Remote Control, his explosive fiction debut, McNab has drawn on his personal experience and unique knowledge to create a thriller of gripping authenticity, high-stakes intrigue, and unstoppable action.
After his mission is suddenly terminated in Washington, D.C., British Intelligence agent Nick Stone decides to visit an old colleague, Kev Brown. But when Stone arrives at his friend's eerily quiet suburban home, he discovers a chilling scene of carnage. Every member of the Brown family has been brutally slaughtered except one: seven-year-old Kelly Brown. His instincts on red alert and adrenaline in overdrive, Stone grabs the girl and runs--with anonymous assassins in hot pursuit. But whom do they wish to silence: Stone, the innocent child, or both?
During a heart-pounding chase that takes the resourceful, sometimes ruthless seasoned pro and his frightened young charge from Washington to Florida, and across the Atlantic to England, Stone begins to piece together a shocking global conspiracy. Thrust into a lethal game of cat-and-mouse, Stone is certain of two things: He and Kelly are on their own. No one can be trusted. And his darkest fears about the shadowy link between politics, money, and terrorism are about to be realized.
Combining relentless action, daring escapes, and breathless plotting with chillingly authentic operational detail rarely seen in thrillers, Remote Control is a novel so real and so suspenseful it sets a new standard for the genre.
From the Hardcover edition.
512 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 3, 1997
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About the author
Andy McNab
203books1,135followersAndy McNab joined the infantry in 1976 as a boy soldier. In 1984 he was badged as a member of 22 SAS Regiment. He served in B Squadron 22 SAS for ten years and worked on both covert and overt special operations worldwide, including anti-terrorist and anti-drug operations in the Middle and Far East, South and Central America and Northern Ireland.
Trained as a specialist in counter terrorism, prime target elimination, demolitions, weapons and tactics, covert surveillance and information gathering in hostile environments, and VIP protection, McNab worked on cooperative operations with police forces, prison services, anti-drug forces and western backed guerrilla movements as well as on conventional special operations. In Northern Ireland he spent two years working as an undercover operator with 14th Intelligence Group, going on to become an instructor.
McNab also worked as an instructor on the SAS selection and training team and instructed foreign special forces in counter terrorism, hostage rescue and survival training.
Andy McNab has written about his experiences in the SAS in two bestselling books, Bravo Two Zero (1993) and Immediate Action (1995). Bravo Two Zero is the highest selling war book of all time and has sold over 1.7 million copies in the UK. To date it has been published in 17 countries and translated into 16 languages. The CD spoken word version of Bravo Two Zero, narrated by McNab, sold over 60,000 copies and earned a silver disc. The BBC's film of Bravo Two Zero, starring Sean Bean, was shown on primetime BBC 1 television in 1999 and released on DVD in 2000.
Immediate Action, McNab's autobiography, spent 18 weeks at the top of the bestseller lists following the lifting on an ex-parte injunction granted to the Ministry of Defence in September 1995. To date, Immediate Action has now sold over 1.4 million copies in the UK.
McNab is the author of seven fast action thrillers, highly acclaimed for their authenticity and all Sunday Times bestsellers. Published in 1997, Remote Control was hailed as the most authentic thriller ever written and has sold over half a million copies in the UK. McNab's subsequent thrillers, Crisis Four, Firewall, Last Light , Liberation Day , Dark Winter , Deep Black and Aggressor have all gone on to sell equally well. The central character in all the books is Nick Stone, a tough ex-SAS operative working as a 'K' on deniable operations for British Intelligence.
McNab's fiction draws extensively on his experiences and knowledge of Special Forces soldiering. He has been officially registered by Neilsen Bookscan as the bestselling British thriller writer of the last year.
Trained as a specialist in counter terrorism, prime target elimination, demolitions, weapons and tactics, covert surveillance and information gathering in hostile environments, and VIP protection, McNab worked on cooperative operations with police forces, prison services, anti-drug forces and western backed guerrilla movements as well as on conventional special operations. In Northern Ireland he spent two years working as an undercover operator with 14th Intelligence Group, going on to become an instructor.
McNab also worked as an instructor on the SAS selection and training team and instructed foreign special forces in counter terrorism, hostage rescue and survival training.
Andy McNab has written about his experiences in the SAS in two bestselling books, Bravo Two Zero (1993) and Immediate Action (1995). Bravo Two Zero is the highest selling war book of all time and has sold over 1.7 million copies in the UK. To date it has been published in 17 countries and translated into 16 languages. The CD spoken word version of Bravo Two Zero, narrated by McNab, sold over 60,000 copies and earned a silver disc. The BBC's film of Bravo Two Zero, starring Sean Bean, was shown on primetime BBC 1 television in 1999 and released on DVD in 2000.
Immediate Action, McNab's autobiography, spent 18 weeks at the top of the bestseller lists following the lifting on an ex-parte injunction granted to the Ministry of Defence in September 1995. To date, Immediate Action has now sold over 1.4 million copies in the UK.
McNab is the author of seven fast action thrillers, highly acclaimed for their authenticity and all Sunday Times bestsellers. Published in 1997, Remote Control was hailed as the most authentic thriller ever written and has sold over half a million copies in the UK. McNab's subsequent thrillers, Crisis Four, Firewall, Last Light , Liberation Day , Dark Winter , Deep Black and Aggressor have all gone on to sell equally well. The central character in all the books is Nick Stone, a tough ex-SAS operative working as a 'K' on deniable operations for British Intelligence.
McNab's fiction draws extensively on his experiences and knowledge of Special Forces soldiering. He has been officially registered by Neilsen Bookscan as the bestselling British thriller writer of the last year.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
May 6, 2012
I was surprised by how much I liked this book.
It started out as another "high action" thriller, the kind of book I like to read at night to clear my mind after the "research-for-my-writing" I often read during the day.
Then an eight year old girl named Kelly came onto the scene and everything changed.
The action is sustained from beginning to end, presented with the edge that only someone who has really been there can command. The writing is crisp. What early on struck me as too much detail became, as the story unfolded, just exactly the right amount. Settings are clearly and dramatically presented. Time of day, weather, passers-by ... everything is seen through the eyes of one whose life depends on sorting out lethal threats from an otherwise innocuous background.
But it is the relationship between Nick Stone, the professional government killer, and the girl he is forced to protect (and use) that dominates the book, and makes me want to read the next in the series. (Fortunately, this is the first of many Nick Stone adventures.)
Kelly's family has been murdered. Nick has saved her. And now what? She is clearly a burden as he tries to unravel what has happened and save his own life. But gradually, and ever so skillfully written, Nick changes.
I will say no more. The plot needs to be experienced.
Underlying the fictional story, and perhaps based on McNab's true life experience in British special forces, is the frightening corruption that permeates the unholy alliance between arms merchants, the drug trade, terrorists of all stripes, and the government agencies whose continued prominence and high budgets depend on a never-ending supply of really bad guys to fight. There are hints of these connections blended into the story-line from the very beginning. Pay attention to these hints and your reading experience will be significantly enhanced.
It started out as another "high action" thriller, the kind of book I like to read at night to clear my mind after the "research-for-my-writing" I often read during the day.
Then an eight year old girl named Kelly came onto the scene and everything changed.
The action is sustained from beginning to end, presented with the edge that only someone who has really been there can command. The writing is crisp. What early on struck me as too much detail became, as the story unfolded, just exactly the right amount. Settings are clearly and dramatically presented. Time of day, weather, passers-by ... everything is seen through the eyes of one whose life depends on sorting out lethal threats from an otherwise innocuous background.
But it is the relationship between Nick Stone, the professional government killer, and the girl he is forced to protect (and use) that dominates the book, and makes me want to read the next in the series. (Fortunately, this is the first of many Nick Stone adventures.)
Kelly's family has been murdered. Nick has saved her. And now what? She is clearly a burden as he tries to unravel what has happened and save his own life. But gradually, and ever so skillfully written, Nick changes.
I will say no more. The plot needs to be experienced.
Underlying the fictional story, and perhaps based on McNab's true life experience in British special forces, is the frightening corruption that permeates the unholy alliance between arms merchants, the drug trade, terrorists of all stripes, and the government agencies whose continued prominence and high budgets depend on a never-ending supply of really bad guys to fight. There are hints of these connections blended into the story-line from the very beginning. Pay attention to these hints and your reading experience will be significantly enhanced.
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February 10, 2021Hmm my audiobook seemed to end so abruptly, it didn't feel like the complete story... It was only about 3 hours long. Is the end actually that abrupt or was it's missing some hours? 🤔
December 20, 2014
I will rate it a 2 out of 5. I think the writing could be better and the ending...well, it seems as if he had to finish it to get on with another job...disjointed and did not develop the characters well enough...on the other hand he went into great detail on items that were cursory and not impacting the story...some waste of space.
May 18, 2009
Most good espionage thrillers are written by Americans, and this might cause us to forget that the British pretty much invented the genre, with John Buchan, Graham Greene and Ian Fleming among the most prominent pioneers. Andy McNab is now a member of the club. His style might not suit all, being politically incorrect and saturated with profanity. His approach to violence is also overly graphic. McNab has a tight approach to plot, and there is an intelligence that pervades his writing, that will reward readers and listeners. The book starts slowly, and it requires and something of an effort to get through the first couple of hours, but if you stay with it, the book will reward.
August 4, 2017
I actually really enjoyed this. It's the sort of action story where the protagonist doesn't just go through crap to come out as the saviour - Nick Stone goes through crap, and then more crap, and then to top it off, even more crap.
I really enjoyed the action and the thought processes behind characters' decisions. I also really liked that there were real events sprinkled into the story too. There was a description of a fight in this book that made me feel a bit sick, but to be honest, that made me appreciate the moment all the more.
The only thing that mildly irritated me was that characters were always eating, and always eating fast food. In seven days I think they ate about 50 times, so I'm a little surprised that they weren't the size of whales by the end of the book.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be continuing with this series.
I really enjoyed the action and the thought processes behind characters' decisions. I also really liked that there were real events sprinkled into the story too. There was a description of a fight in this book that made me feel a bit sick, but to be honest, that made me appreciate the moment all the more.
The only thing that mildly irritated me was that characters were always eating, and always eating fast food. In seven days I think they ate about 50 times, so I'm a little surprised that they weren't the size of whales by the end of the book.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be continuing with this series.
December 20, 2008
McNab’s first fiction effort is a corker of a book, following a by-now familiar pattern in its structure but still remaining as fresh as its day of release.
The action-packed plot sees McNab’s hero Nick Stone taking out Irish bombers in Gibraltar, before we suddenly jump forward nine years and find him investigating the brutal slaying of a fellow SAS man in Washington. Before you know it, McNab concocts an enthralling odd-couple chase thriller, as Stone is forced to fly with the now-orphaned 7 year-old Kelly in his charge.
Tons of covert operations, violent firefights and non-stop suspense and investigation follow in a story that travels from Washington to Florida, back to Washington and finally to London. McNab throws in his typical ingredients � a huge twist at the end, lots of emotion and psychological profiling, and some nasty gruesome bits (somebody gets his face bitten through) and layers the whole thing with so much realism, you’ll feel like you’re there. A great book, and one which is recommended to all thriller fans.
The action-packed plot sees McNab’s hero Nick Stone taking out Irish bombers in Gibraltar, before we suddenly jump forward nine years and find him investigating the brutal slaying of a fellow SAS man in Washington. Before you know it, McNab concocts an enthralling odd-couple chase thriller, as Stone is forced to fly with the now-orphaned 7 year-old Kelly in his charge.
Tons of covert operations, violent firefights and non-stop suspense and investigation follow in a story that travels from Washington to Florida, back to Washington and finally to London. McNab throws in his typical ingredients � a huge twist at the end, lots of emotion and psychological profiling, and some nasty gruesome bits (somebody gets his face bitten through) and layers the whole thing with so much realism, you’ll feel like you’re there. A great book, and one which is recommended to all thriller fans.
August 31, 2008
As I said in a previous review, he's a really good story-teller. This is a well-composed story of drug-smuggling and government abuse of power. From someone else you might just accept that as part of the story, from McNab you'd suspect that it was simply well-informed. I was most impressed with the character of the young girl. He clearly knows eight-year-old girls well enough to know what they are really like, but can also put one through the experience of having her family killed and then having to run for her life from the killers who executed them and make her responses very believable. There is a lot of violence in the book, but it is presented as just that's the way it is in the world he has lived in.
February 25, 2012
Author Andy McNab is ex-SAS and he weaves a detailed knowledge of not just what happens in the covert military world, but often explains exactly how the little things are done and achieved, throughout his masterly work. In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, that ability just adds spice to the gripping storyline. This is a most unusual setting and has a side to it that is enthralling, breath-taking, and at times very worrying, but it would immediately spoil things if revealed. All I can say is that it had me hooked from beginning to end and there were no soft spots or filler - it was fast paced and brilliant on every page. This is a must read for those who enjoy this genre. The best of the best.
June 15, 2011
Great read on the end of being an enjoyable action thriller. It's written smartly without having to sacrifice to become simplistic. McNab's an author who will just use a phrase and explain it easily without having a huge lull in the action. You can tell that he was somebody who did the deed back in the day and isn't afraid to relay that information through his character, Nick Stone.
Maybe if I read enough of these books, I'll be able to have enough know how of tradecraft to get by if I ever needed to. Combined with Burn Notice, I'd be unstoppable!
Maybe if I read enough of these books, I'll be able to have enough know how of tradecraft to get by if I ever needed to. Combined with Burn Notice, I'd be unstoppable!
July 31, 2017
Meet Nick Stone - cool, calm and collected with plenty of finesse and a level head in every situation. Stone really is a 'too good to be true' kind of character. And I love him!
I read this book a long time ago on a plane but I know that it was one of my favourites. The techniques that McNab outlines evidently come from experience and the action never lies dormant for long. I can remember this one being a little more complicated to read than the likes of Chris Ryan and Lee Child but it is very much character-focused (just how I like them) and Nick Stone was one of my all time favourites.
I read this book a long time ago on a plane but I know that it was one of my favourites. The techniques that McNab outlines evidently come from experience and the action never lies dormant for long. I can remember this one being a little more complicated to read than the likes of Chris Ryan and Lee Child but it is very much character-focused (just how I like them) and Nick Stone was one of my all time favourites.
September 3, 2018
4.5*
Bellissimo, non fosse per qualche tecnicismo di troppo che in alcune pagine fa un po' calare la palpebra (è interessante, però io di fucili e armi varie non ci capisco niente, perciò alla lunga era noioso leggerne a riguardo).
Il protagonista mi ha convinta al 100%, e l'involontaria collaborazione con una bimba dolcissima ha smorzato bene i momenti di suspence più affilati, rendendo tutto un buon compromesso fra azione e momenti più tranquilli.
Primo esperimento con le spy story: riuscitissimo!
Bellissimo, non fosse per qualche tecnicismo di troppo che in alcune pagine fa un po' calare la palpebra (è interessante, però io di fucili e armi varie non ci capisco niente, perciò alla lunga era noioso leggerne a riguardo).
Il protagonista mi ha convinta al 100%, e l'involontaria collaborazione con una bimba dolcissima ha smorzato bene i momenti di suspence più affilati, rendendo tutto un buon compromesso fra azione e momenti più tranquilli.
Primo esperimento con le spy story: riuscitissimo!
May 8, 2019
The thing to remember about this book is it was written in the 90s. Nowadays there are tons of films and books about ex-special forces/spys getting lumbered with a kid and having to protect them from people trying to kill them, and at the same time learning to care about them. It's a trite idea, but this was one of the first to do it. And unlike all the other, Andy McNab is former SAS, he's the best of the best, so everything in this book is as real as it gets!
Loved this book from start to finish, can't wait to read the next!
Loved this book from start to finish, can't wait to read the next!
October 11, 2009
The first Nick Stone novel, and one of the best. A more involved plot (something I find lacking in the more recent Stone novels), and a real page turner. Much more 'down and dirty' that other 'spycraft' novels I have read, and the main character is very engaging.
August 10, 2019
A worthwhile, fast-paced read of a thriller. The writer's particular personality make up and a brand of dry humor shine through the wording and make the plot fascinating and fun to follow.
Q:
It wasn't that he didn't care, he just didn't get excited about anything. (c)
Q:
It wasn't that he didn't care, he just didn't get excited about anything. (c)
May 25, 2020
This book is great. It hooked me straight from the start with intense action in the very first chapter. This hints to what happens later in the book, but in a way that i could have never imagined in the plot. You really build a relationship with the characters but you can never guess the reader has put in next. There are twists in the plot, and he has the ability to create tension and create action seemingly out of nowhere. This was a great read and I am definitely going to read the next book in the series.
August 9, 2016
Moderately disappointed in this book, which was very surprising. I had read Andy McNab's Bravo Two Zero in the mid 90s and loved it, and as a result, perhaps I set the bar too high for this, which was McNab's first novel.
In Bravo Two Zero--McNab's account of his SAS team in action in Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War--he showed considerable talent for first-person narrative and description. His insights into the demands on special forces operatives were very colorful and a pleasure to read. He knows how to tell really good, tight, engaging stories, so he seems a natural for writing novels based on his military experiences.
With Remote Control, we have a rather standard plot setup--something bad happens to the parents of a young girl, and Nick Stone, a former SAS operative who is friends with her father, has to protect her while trying to solve what happened to her parents.
If this made it to the silver screen, I would fully expect Jason Statham cast as Nick Stone, and with no disrespect to Mr. Statham, it is the kind of story tailor-made for a B-grade action movie.
There are aspects of the book I enjoyed--some of the interactions between Stone and the girl are well plotted, and his technical descriptions are excellent. Nick Stone is obviously not a fatherly type of guy, so he's grasping for ways of controlling the emotions of this girl who's had her world turned upside down but doesn't know why. Stone evolves a bit through the course of the novel and develops a kind of parental instinct which brings him closer to the girl and her situation. That was pretty well done, too.
But the book's big plot hole was the sort you could drive a truck through. I did not care for Stone keeping the truth from the girl for so long, even when he could sense she might be figuring things out. She does not learn the truth until well into the third act, basically. In the beginning, sure, I understand. How do you get the girl to cooperate and play along with you when she doesn't know why? And when she starts asking why, how do you control her curiosity without blowing the whole thing? And then, of course, if you do tell her the truth, you are risking a total meltdown which will compromise your whole situation! Still, it would not take that long for a girl of that age to figure out something was seriously wrong the first day after Stone rescued her. Keeping that charade going just made me lose rather than gain trust in him. That trust did not resolve until much later, by which point I had about given up on the novel.
The action scenes were reasonably well done, though not as potent as I would have liked. Some of the situations were optimistic, with the girl at times way too close to the action. But I know that's pretty much the dilemma of the book, and that McNab was looking for ways of skirting that fine line between suspense and plausibility.
Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. Ultimately, I was looking for more meat on the bone from a guy whose non-fiction writing I've appreciated. Maybe I'll try this again someday and see if I was too hard on him.
In Bravo Two Zero--McNab's account of his SAS team in action in Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War--he showed considerable talent for first-person narrative and description. His insights into the demands on special forces operatives were very colorful and a pleasure to read. He knows how to tell really good, tight, engaging stories, so he seems a natural for writing novels based on his military experiences.
With Remote Control, we have a rather standard plot setup--something bad happens to the parents of a young girl, and Nick Stone, a former SAS operative who is friends with her father, has to protect her while trying to solve what happened to her parents.
If this made it to the silver screen, I would fully expect Jason Statham cast as Nick Stone, and with no disrespect to Mr. Statham, it is the kind of story tailor-made for a B-grade action movie.
There are aspects of the book I enjoyed--some of the interactions between Stone and the girl are well plotted, and his technical descriptions are excellent. Nick Stone is obviously not a fatherly type of guy, so he's grasping for ways of controlling the emotions of this girl who's had her world turned upside down but doesn't know why. Stone evolves a bit through the course of the novel and develops a kind of parental instinct which brings him closer to the girl and her situation. That was pretty well done, too.
But the book's big plot hole was the sort you could drive a truck through. I did not care for Stone keeping the truth from the girl for so long, even when he could sense she might be figuring things out. She does not learn the truth until well into the third act, basically. In the beginning, sure, I understand. How do you get the girl to cooperate and play along with you when she doesn't know why? And when she starts asking why, how do you control her curiosity without blowing the whole thing? And then, of course, if you do tell her the truth, you are risking a total meltdown which will compromise your whole situation! Still, it would not take that long for a girl of that age to figure out something was seriously wrong the first day after Stone rescued her. Keeping that charade going just made me lose rather than gain trust in him. That trust did not resolve until much later, by which point I had about given up on the novel.
The action scenes were reasonably well done, though not as potent as I would have liked. Some of the situations were optimistic, with the girl at times way too close to the action. But I know that's pretty much the dilemma of the book, and that McNab was looking for ways of skirting that fine line between suspense and plausibility.
Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. Ultimately, I was looking for more meat on the bone from a guy whose non-fiction writing I've appreciated. Maybe I'll try this again someday and see if I was too hard on him.
December 21, 2016
This is the first Andy McNab book that I have ever read which actually works out well because it is also the first one he has ever written. For the most part I really enjoyed it but there were a couple of points which I think need to be sorted out before the next book in the series.
This book follows Nick Stone finding the bodies of his friend's family, all murdered in their own home. He thinks that all of the family have been killed but just before he is about to leave the house, he realises that Kelly Brown, their seven-year-old daughter is hiding but still very much alive. Fearing for what is about to happen, Nick takes Kelly with him and flees the scene. It is soon apparent that he is being followed and there are trained assassins on their tail.
I often think that authors can do one of two things: either write a fantastic action book with really gripping plots; or write great characters with meaningful relationships. I must admit Andy McNab successfully managed both of these points in this book.
The relationship between Nick and Kelly was heart-warming and very touching. It seemed clear that although Nick wasn't used to having a child around during his ops, he deeply cared for Kelly and only wanted what was best for her. Her safety was his greatest concern and no matter what happened to him, he was determined that she would be unharmed. His moments of frustration were very genuine also; the moments where he had to rethink his strategy to include her but he always pulled through and he always knew exactly what to say to her to make her understand. I don't know anything about McNab's personal life but I would hazard a guess that he has a daughter.
The plot, although a bit gorey at times, was incredibly well thought out and kept you guessing right up until the end. When I did start to figure out what was happening, I took no satisfaction in that because I was just reading on and on to make sure everything was going to be alright. I was very invested in this story and wanted no harm to come to either Nick or Kelly.
The two points of this story that let it down slightly, from an otherwise four star book to a three overall, were the repetitiveness and the lack of development of secondary characters.
I lost count of the number of times Nick left Kelly in a hotel room and went off on his own to do something, coming back later with junk food to placate her. I know this is probably what secret ops are more or less like but I would have preferred slight embellishment there in order to keep the story going.
Also, the other characters except Nick and Kelly, although notably not many, had no real dimensions to them and I would have loved to have found out more about them. I also would have liked Nick to talk to Kelly more about her family rather than brushing it under the carpet and pretending it hadn't happened.
However, overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can only imagine that the others in the series will be just as good, if not better!
This book follows Nick Stone finding the bodies of his friend's family, all murdered in their own home. He thinks that all of the family have been killed but just before he is about to leave the house, he realises that Kelly Brown, their seven-year-old daughter is hiding but still very much alive. Fearing for what is about to happen, Nick takes Kelly with him and flees the scene. It is soon apparent that he is being followed and there are trained assassins on their tail.
I often think that authors can do one of two things: either write a fantastic action book with really gripping plots; or write great characters with meaningful relationships. I must admit Andy McNab successfully managed both of these points in this book.
The relationship between Nick and Kelly was heart-warming and very touching. It seemed clear that although Nick wasn't used to having a child around during his ops, he deeply cared for Kelly and only wanted what was best for her. Her safety was his greatest concern and no matter what happened to him, he was determined that she would be unharmed. His moments of frustration were very genuine also; the moments where he had to rethink his strategy to include her but he always pulled through and he always knew exactly what to say to her to make her understand. I don't know anything about McNab's personal life but I would hazard a guess that he has a daughter.
The plot, although a bit gorey at times, was incredibly well thought out and kept you guessing right up until the end. When I did start to figure out what was happening, I took no satisfaction in that because I was just reading on and on to make sure everything was going to be alright. I was very invested in this story and wanted no harm to come to either Nick or Kelly.
The two points of this story that let it down slightly, from an otherwise four star book to a three overall, were the repetitiveness and the lack of development of secondary characters.
I lost count of the number of times Nick left Kelly in a hotel room and went off on his own to do something, coming back later with junk food to placate her. I know this is probably what secret ops are more or less like but I would have preferred slight embellishment there in order to keep the story going.
Also, the other characters except Nick and Kelly, although notably not many, had no real dimensions to them and I would have loved to have found out more about them. I also would have liked Nick to talk to Kelly more about her family rather than brushing it under the carpet and pretending it hadn't happened.
However, overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can only imagine that the others in the series will be just as good, if not better!
December 23, 2015
My first five-star book for a while for a work which, while not in my most favoured genre, pressed all the right buttons and then some for what it is. So much so I actually enjoyed it.
Nick Stone is an agent running out of London. Sent to the USA on the heels of some members of the provisional IRA he is suddenly called off the case. He decides to visit an old friend and erstwhile companion-in-arms, but arrives to find him - and all his family bar one - brutally murdered. The lone survivor, a seven-year old girl, becomes his companion given Stone knows she must still be targeted as a witness, and so begins a frenzied running around trying to uncover the details of an event which sees him not only head-to-head with law enforcement in the USA, but also the target of terrorists, and someone his own command back home now regards as an outsider.
Stone is very much in the British tradition of such heroes, James Bond aside. If guns are drawn every five seconds and thousands of rounds fired in the course of much of American literature of the genre, when guns are pulled in Remote Control their bullets smash through flesh, bone, and internal organs making quite a difference to the recipient. Fist fights are messy affairs in which blood spatters and there are no gentlemen. None of which to say this is a gore novel, far from it. It is just that when there is violence, McNab doesn't give it the comic-book feel of so much else that's on offer. He makes it plain this is for real, lives really are at stake, and guns in real life aren't just there for decorative effect or to go 'bang bang bang bang bang bang bang' from time to time to no ill effect in order to keep the tension high.
Stone himself is a sympathetic hero, certainly, but McNab doesn't give him the good-guy treatment. Shortly after we're introduced to him we're told of a botched operation in which, to cover the British government's backside, he was told to kill his own allies once the mission was successfully completed. Stone's regret is there, but not marked. The only thing that makes Stone sympathetic in the end, perhaps, is that the bad guys are even bigger bastards than he is.
The plot treads carefully on the comprehensible side of convoluted. I think I lost the odd detail along the way, but nothing important enough that I wasn't pretty sure what was happening throughout. McNab manages to keep the intrigue going without making it feel artificial as he does so.
All in all, without resorting to gratuitous carping, Remote Control is a page-turner of immense veracity, well-written and carefully crafted, worthy of its rare five stars.
Nick Stone is an agent running out of London. Sent to the USA on the heels of some members of the provisional IRA he is suddenly called off the case. He decides to visit an old friend and erstwhile companion-in-arms, but arrives to find him - and all his family bar one - brutally murdered. The lone survivor, a seven-year old girl, becomes his companion given Stone knows she must still be targeted as a witness, and so begins a frenzied running around trying to uncover the details of an event which sees him not only head-to-head with law enforcement in the USA, but also the target of terrorists, and someone his own command back home now regards as an outsider.
Stone is very much in the British tradition of such heroes, James Bond aside. If guns are drawn every five seconds and thousands of rounds fired in the course of much of American literature of the genre, when guns are pulled in Remote Control their bullets smash through flesh, bone, and internal organs making quite a difference to the recipient. Fist fights are messy affairs in which blood spatters and there are no gentlemen. None of which to say this is a gore novel, far from it. It is just that when there is violence, McNab doesn't give it the comic-book feel of so much else that's on offer. He makes it plain this is for real, lives really are at stake, and guns in real life aren't just there for decorative effect or to go 'bang bang bang bang bang bang bang' from time to time to no ill effect in order to keep the tension high.
Stone himself is a sympathetic hero, certainly, but McNab doesn't give him the good-guy treatment. Shortly after we're introduced to him we're told of a botched operation in which, to cover the British government's backside, he was told to kill his own allies once the mission was successfully completed. Stone's regret is there, but not marked. The only thing that makes Stone sympathetic in the end, perhaps, is that the bad guys are even bigger bastards than he is.
The plot treads carefully on the comprehensible side of convoluted. I think I lost the odd detail along the way, but nothing important enough that I wasn't pretty sure what was happening throughout. McNab manages to keep the intrigue going without making it feel artificial as he does so.
All in all, without resorting to gratuitous carping, Remote Control is a page-turner of immense veracity, well-written and carefully crafted, worthy of its rare five stars.
August 21, 2012
I read this because my husband loved it. And I can see why; a British special forces operative has to track down the dirty dogs who killed his friend’s family at the same time that he's caring for their surviving seven-year-old daughter. Written by the most highly decorated SAS soldier, ever. What could be bad about that?
He sure has the little girl thing down. He knows what they like to eat, he knows what they like to wear, he knows what they like to talk about, and how they want to be a part of every single thing you do, even if it slows you down to a crawl. Andy McNab has a daughter who lives in the United States, and you can tell he’s been paying close attention.
If you like tradecraft, you’ll love this book. Nick Stone, the protagonist, is constantly going on reconnaissance to scout places out. Then he’s checking his weapons. Then he's shopping for clothes to throw off the baddies. Then he’s waiting for someone to call him. Then he’s killing someone. Over and over and over again.
My husband would want me to say here, “It all contributes to believability. You can see exactly how he does it. Nothing is easy, nothing is clean. Just like in real life.�
Me, I wanted more emotion, and more moral ambiguity. But I have a feeling that real-life warriors are very good at pressing those things far, far down into their psyches.
So, three stars to Remote Control. A great thriller for the reader who craves authenticity. Now I want to read his autobiography.
He sure has the little girl thing down. He knows what they like to eat, he knows what they like to wear, he knows what they like to talk about, and how they want to be a part of every single thing you do, even if it slows you down to a crawl. Andy McNab has a daughter who lives in the United States, and you can tell he’s been paying close attention.
If you like tradecraft, you’ll love this book. Nick Stone, the protagonist, is constantly going on reconnaissance to scout places out. Then he’s checking his weapons. Then he's shopping for clothes to throw off the baddies. Then he’s waiting for someone to call him. Then he’s killing someone. Over and over and over again.
My husband would want me to say here, “It all contributes to believability. You can see exactly how he does it. Nothing is easy, nothing is clean. Just like in real life.�
Me, I wanted more emotion, and more moral ambiguity. But I have a feeling that real-life warriors are very good at pressing those things far, far down into their psyches.
So, three stars to Remote Control. A great thriller for the reader who craves authenticity. Now I want to read his autobiography.
April 10, 2016
This is an absolute gem of a book. A first class thriller with superb and on point pacing. A lot really comes down to the no-nonsense approach of the author. At first you might want to compare Nick Stone to Jason Bourne, Jack Reacher, or James Bond, but thanks to the auhors SAS background you get the sense that this is the real thing.
Nick Stone is ex-SAS. Ex-Army, posted in Northen Ireland during the closing days of The Troubles in the early 90's. After an off-the-radar operation in Gibraltar he retires to the world of SIS (MI6) as a deniable operations operative, or K (007/Mission: Impossible). As a K he is sent to Washington DC to follow a couple of IRA operatives on a fund raising trip. At the last minute he is called off and when the first flight home is hours away he decides to visit a DEA friend in the city - this is were is world is turned to **** and he must protect the life of his friends 7 year old daughter has he struggles to keep one step ahead of the bad guys who killed the rest of her family.
Gritty, full of twists and turns, well written, grounded, believable. Even if you don't read the rest of the Nick Stone series, even if this kind of SAS/War/Spy novel isn't your normal cup of tea, this book is an absolute must read
Nick Stone is ex-SAS. Ex-Army, posted in Northen Ireland during the closing days of The Troubles in the early 90's. After an off-the-radar operation in Gibraltar he retires to the world of SIS (MI6) as a deniable operations operative, or K (007/Mission: Impossible). As a K he is sent to Washington DC to follow a couple of IRA operatives on a fund raising trip. At the last minute he is called off and when the first flight home is hours away he decides to visit a DEA friend in the city - this is were is world is turned to **** and he must protect the life of his friends 7 year old daughter has he struggles to keep one step ahead of the bad guys who killed the rest of her family.
Gritty, full of twists and turns, well written, grounded, believable. Even if you don't read the rest of the Nick Stone series, even if this kind of SAS/War/Spy novel isn't your normal cup of tea, this book is an absolute must read
October 26, 2021
Trigger warnings: death of a friend, blood, gore, gun violence, violence, explosions.
Look, maybe this is a product of the fact that it was published in 1997 but MY GOD WAS I BORED. Everything is described in entirely too much detail, and nothing on earth will ever convince me that Andy McNab has even MET a living, breathing seven year old girl because Kelly was Not It.
First of all, he fills the kid so full of caffeine and junk food that she'd never sleep. And that's before you get to the inevitable constipation... But I guarantee that no 7 year old child on earth would be happy to be left in a strange hotel room for hours on end by a man they barely know. She doesn't whine NEARLY enough. She doesn't cry nearly enough. And don't even get me started on the final scene where
I just...yeah. I was bored by the Nick parts of the story and couldn't suspend my disbelief about the Kelly parts of the story and ultimately, if I hadn't paid actual human dollars for this book, there's no way I would have finished it.
Look, maybe this is a product of the fact that it was published in 1997 but MY GOD WAS I BORED. Everything is described in entirely too much detail, and nothing on earth will ever convince me that Andy McNab has even MET a living, breathing seven year old girl because Kelly was Not It.
First of all, he fills the kid so full of caffeine and junk food that she'd never sleep. And that's before you get to the inevitable constipation... But I guarantee that no 7 year old child on earth would be happy to be left in a strange hotel room for hours on end by a man they barely know. She doesn't whine NEARLY enough. She doesn't cry nearly enough. And don't even get me started on the final scene where
I just...yeah. I was bored by the Nick parts of the story and couldn't suspend my disbelief about the Kelly parts of the story and ultimately, if I hadn't paid actual human dollars for this book, there's no way I would have finished it.
September 29, 2016
Когда бывшие военные ударяются в писательство, как правило, читать их труды невозможно. Макнаб в этом смысле приятное исключение - излагает легко, с шутками, с остроумными замечаниями.
"Дистанционный контроль" � довольно стандартный боевичок про "черного" агента SAS, который в ходе миссии за рубежом попал в сложную ситуацию, домой вернуться не может, за ним охотятся местные бандиты, продажные менты и спецслужбы, а родное британское правительство активно отмораживается, типа "их там нет" � и при всем этом у бойца на руках оказывается маленький ребенок, с которым он понятия не имеет как обращаться, а деть некуда.
Ничего сверхвыдающегося, просто добротный шпионский боевик, крепкий, хоть и чуток занудный. Много детальных описаний, как организовывать слежку, как уходить от слежки, как менять внешность, как жить без денег и документов, как вести допрос. Видно, что автор не понаслышке знаком с этой стороной жизни и излагает со знанием дела. Это всегда плюс.
Макнаб в целом понравился, однозначно буду читать еще.
"Дистанционный контроль" � довольно стандартный боевичок про "черного" агента SAS, который в ходе миссии за рубежом попал в сложную ситуацию, домой вернуться не может, за ним охотятся местные бандиты, продажные менты и спецслужбы, а родное британское правительство активно отмораживается, типа "их там нет" � и при всем этом у бойца на руках оказывается маленький ребенок, с которым он понятия не имеет как обращаться, а деть некуда.
Ничего сверхвыдающегося, просто добротный шпионский боевик, крепкий, хоть и чуток занудный. Много детальных описаний, как организовывать слежку, как уходить от слежки, как менять внешность, как жить без денег и документов, как вести допрос. Видно, что автор не понаслышке знаком с этой стороной жизни и излагает со знанием дела. Это всегда плюс.
Макнаб в целом понравился, однозначно буду читать еще.
November 20, 2016
Nick Stone is ex-SAS and now does contract work. The bosses are not real happy with the results of his last assignment and send him to the states to redeem himself. Simple job. Follow two blocks around and make sure they go where they are supposed to go. Mission completed and time to kill before his flight out, he goes to visit a good friend of his, who is DEA. He gets there to find that his friend and family have been brutally murdered. All gexcept for their 7 year old daughter, who has found a good hiding spot. Since she is a target, Nick grabs her and runs. They cover most of the East coast trying to avoid being killed and figuring out a way to get back to London. Really faced paced and an excellent read.
February 3, 2016
Remote control. Andy McNab
A fantastic action, mystery thriller! Nick Stone, ex SAS, now does covert work for SIS (M16). He accidentally comes upon a horrific crime scene. One of his best friends, also ex SAS,now working for the US DEA, is murdered, along with his wife and young son. Only his seven year old daughter has survived by hiding. Nick finds her and the story unfolds. Betrayal and deceit at the highest level. Fantastic read!
A fantastic action, mystery thriller! Nick Stone, ex SAS, now does covert work for SIS (M16). He accidentally comes upon a horrific crime scene. One of his best friends, also ex SAS,now working for the US DEA, is murdered, along with his wife and young son. Only his seven year old daughter has survived by hiding. Nick finds her and the story unfolds. Betrayal and deceit at the highest level. Fantastic read!
December 22, 2016
Enthralling book from beginning to end. Nick Stone is engaging as a character and very likeable. McNab's writing style is brilliant and you really feel immersed in the story and actions.
Towards the end, I guessed some of the plot twists but that did not deter me from ploughing on. Thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of the Nick Stone series.
A definite 5 stars from me!
Towards the end, I guessed some of the plot twists but that did not deter me from ploughing on. Thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of the Nick Stone series.
A definite 5 stars from me!
February 9, 2014
I enjoyed this fast action thriller from Andy McNab. The book is very British and as an American you can appreciate his quirky description of America. Although there are several military acronyms, he does spell them out during the beginning of the novel. All-in-all, a good escape into the spy underworld.
February 5, 2016
First book in the series. Loved the character of Nick Stone, will definitely be reading the other books in this series. If you have put this down after the first few chapters you need to try again because once this story gets going it is fast paced all action and I honestly think you would be missing out if you do not make it to the end. Loved it, great writer.
January 26, 2018
This was my first Andy McNab book since reading and enjoying Bravo Two Zero many years ago. Some of the scenes felt a little too drawn-out (the phone call with Kelly in the kitchen, for example) while on the other hand the ending seemed incomplete. That said, I was hooked all the way through I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
May 3, 2008
McNab has done a great job of taking his experience in the SAS in Britain and turniing it into action thrillers chock full of characters who use the skills any good SAS soldier needs.
From beginning to end this a book that will keep you turning the pages, driving to the end.
From beginning to end this a book that will keep you turning the pages, driving to the end.
November 19, 2013
A good book to start the series. Looking forward to the next one! This book took place over several days but Andy Mcnab's writing moves right along and is not too wordy or drawn-out. I enjoyed it.
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