I gave up at 20%. I spent the entire time reading not understanding what was happening, not knowing who anyone was or what the plot was. I just didn't get on with Brabazon's style of writing. There wasn't anything wrong with it, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

I'm sorry I haven't got around to reviewing this title yet. It is so old, I wondered if it was worth it in any case. Therefore, I'm rating it now without reading it, so won't be sharing it anywhere, but I won't give a low or no star review to a book I haven't even read yet, so it's getting 5 starts on NetGalley only.

Apologies.

With thanks to netgalley and the author.

The break line was an enjoyable read that had some great charaters in it and was action packed. It had echos of the Jack Reacher books and a bit of James Bond thrown in.

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

Thank you to the publisher for my eARC copy of this book. Unfortunately I didn’t love this book and therefore didn’t finish, I just didn’t connect with this one. Not for me, sorry.

This book was brutal.

I usually don't mind dead bodies,, blood, and tortures like Carter writes, but James Brabazon brought it to a brand new level. For me, personally, it was a little bit too much. Properly creepy stuff. I'm really glad it was fiction!

Max who is a killer sniper is sent on his last mission before he's offered a good position on which he can comfortably stay until he retires. His last job has many unknowns, and he ends up in the African jungle with the enemy worse than the worst nightmares.

I really enjoyed the plot twists, the revealed secrets and especially how smart was the ending.

If you like books with lots of description, not so much dialogue - it's definitely a story for you.

I was well invested for the first half of the book. Max McLean, an assassin, is a solid character, despite his 'profession'. But, my interest waned during the second half as it descended into incredibility.

After a mission that doesn't end the way his handlers commissioned, Max is dispatched to Sierra Leone to find the cause or the person responsible for the slaughter…vicious, evil slaughter...of people in jungle villages. What he discovers is hideous and horrific beyond belief. When he eventually finds the person responsible, he has to face difficult truths and the fact that he was probably not destined to return home.

An action-packed political spy thriller this certainly is. Brabazon is a very articulate writer, but apart from my disbelief as I approached the second half, I did get a little confused with who was working for whom and who was double-bluffing…or not.

I have to say that the reference the virus passed from fruit bats to deer, who then passed it on to humans, was a bit jaw-dropping. The book was published in 2018. Uncanny, or what?

Received from Penguin UK and Netgalley for honest read and review.

This was such a brilliant book,I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Very exciting book that flowed from the outset and as really entertaining throughout.Quite a dark and gruesome story in places,but it as needed to highlight such a brilliant story.

Really action packed and I cannot wait to read another in series.

Gripping thriller. Compelling, pacy page-turner. The author’s war correspondent background is well in evidence as he creates a brutal and at times slightly surreal world set in Sierra Leone where most of the breathless and at times ear-splitting action takes place. I was completely wrung out by the end!

Max is a deep under cover agent or more specifically a hit man working for the British secret service. He has done for twenty the years so is a hardened professional. His disobey orders to kill a certain woman. His bosses aren't pleased. He is sent on another mission and finds out that the mission is rather more personal than he ever imagined. I found sections of the book fast paced and gripping whilst others were a little too detailed and heavier going. Generally a good read

Officially Max McLean doesn't exist.

The British government denies all knowledge of the work he does on their behalf to keep us safe. But Max and his masters are losing faith in each other. And they give him one last chance to prove he's still their man.

Sent to a military research facility to meet a former comrade-in-arms, Max finds the bravest man he ever knew locked up for his own protection. His friend lost his mind during an operation in West Africa. The reason? Absolute mortal terror. Max is determined to find out why. Ahead lies a perilous, breath taking mission into the unknown that will call into question everything that Max once believed in.

Acting alone, without back-up, Max lands in Sierra Leone with his friend's last words ringing in his ears: 'They're coming, Max. They're coming . . .'

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy. Sadly, not one for me. Largely, because it's a little outside of what I would normally choose, but I also couldn't really relate to the main character either.

A great debut, a military thriller cum sci-fi horror with non-stop action sequences that get gruesome in places, not for the faint-hearted. Max McLean is a British special forces assassin and a crack-shot for the last 23 years. He is sent on a final mission to destroy a high value target in a remote Africian jungle, where there are rumours of white ghost warriors who feel no pain and cannot be stopped. The fantastic scene settings give it a cinematic feel. Can't wait to read Max's next exciting adventure.

I didn't really like this book.
Not really a story that gripped me, however I found the writing style easy to read

This is not my usual type of read at all, but it's a wonderfully ridiculous rollercoaster of escapism that's a great way to while away a few hours.

Max is a black ops assassin sent on a mission with precious little information. As secrets unravel and the situation becomes... complicated, it is hard to know what exactly is going on, who to trust, and what to do for the best.

While it's highly unrealistic, that's the fun part of this - think Jason Bourne on steroids. If you enjoy action adventure spy thrillers, you'll love this.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

This was well written and enjoyable, but a bit far fetched and unlikely.

Not bad though and will look for others by this author that are maybe not quite so violent and a bit more grounded in reality.

Violent and gory - very violent and gory! A gripping read and a protagonist you really don't want to like but you somehow want to succeed - go figure!

Almost impossible to review without giving the plot away so just take my word for it - The Break Line is a fascinating read and a mindblowing adventure. If this is what James Brabazon has to offer then I want more, please sir I want more.

Max is a government assassin and doesn't exist. His last mission goes wrong and on returning to London he is one one final mission in Africa. Quickly finding out that all is not what it seems, this fast paced novel kept me gripped to the end. Brilliant plot twist leaves you wondering if there is more to come from Max.

A very enjoyable and imaginative story with believable characters and storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and definitely recommend it.

This book was written in the fast paced action style of James Rollins and Matthew Riley. Most of the spec stuff that was described was completely over my head, but it added to the story. I liked that the book was mostly set in Africa and I enjoyed the description of the landscape. The detailed description of the London pub was spot on and I could literally see the confrontation scene unfold (such a good whodunnit). I also liked that some characters popped up again unexpectedly throughout the book and that in typical spy fashion, allegiances change.
I enjoyed the twists and turns, however some of the twists were a bit predictable. I’d most likely read a sequel.

James Brabazon's THE BREAK LINE tells the story of Max McLean, a Jason Bourne-type spy hero who was brought up in Ireland and the Special Forces. The book opens with a quick hit-job in South America that doesn't quite go to plan, then moves swiftly on to Max's next assignment. This time, an ex-colleague of Max's has returned from an incomplete job in Sierra Leone and, with reasons unknown, is mentally distressed to the point where he's no longer the man he used to be. Max is sent in to finish things off, but what he finds when he gets there is something he could have never predicted. There is something lurking in the sweltering wilds of Sierra Leone, and as Max begins to realize that the faces he once thought were friendly seem to be anything but, the job becomes a living nightmare.

James Brabazon has brought us a great new fictional hero in the form of the boundlessly brave but searingly human Max McLean. He's all the more real for his foibles and his conscience, to the extent that this streak within him sometimes diverts his mercenary trigger finger. The writing is pacy, filled with suspense and flows nicely through the action - though this occasionally switched direction so fast that I found myself having to go back and re-read a few paragraphs to orient myself (though this may have been down to me reading too quickly). The action is particularly good during a car-chase scene which unfolds in a very cinematic way; deftly written with just the right amount of believability and snappy description.

The ending was satisfying - especially in view of the twist that occurs partway through (and no: pleasingly, I didn't see it coming). FYI, parts of the story are not for the faint-hearted although these sections are generally quite brief. I'd recommend this book if you like well-paced stories, good action, tough yet humane heroes and the inklings of a character series.