The Gray Man

Author: Mark Greaney

Series: Gray Man #1

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: September 29, 2009

Who doesn’t love a good action-packed story?

The Gray man is a legend in the assassin world.  Maybe more of a myth with his reputation.  He is the best at what he does.  Gets in, gets out, and no one knows he was even there.  But how did he come to be?  Once with the CIA, but then burned with a kill order, no one has been able to find him again.  But when they hear of an impossible hit that took place, they all know it was him.  But now his handler seems to have sold him out to save his family.  Will the Gray Man be able to stay under the radar?  Or will those who have been seeking him out finally have their chance to tie up loose ends?

First and foremost, this was a great story packed with action throughout that never let up.  It’s a quick read that I decided to try before I watched the movie.  The characters were pretty typical in their roles and the story flowed as expected.  One of the things that bothered me the most throughout the book was the different ways that the author continued to refer to the Gray Man.  Using his first name, last name, and Gray Man interchangeable, often in the same paragraph, became really tiresome.  Between action scenes, there was also quite a bit of telling the reader what is going on rather than showing the reader what is happening.  There is quite a bit of strong foul language throughout the book, which is understandable based on the characters, but sometimes a little over the top.  But enough of writing mechanics, it was still a fun read that made me like an assassin and hate a lawyer, so you can’t say that happens with every book.  This has piqued my interest enough to continue with the series!  As for the movie that I have watched as well, there are quite a few key scenes from the book that have been used in an alternate plot/story line developed by the screen writers.