Author:Terry Hayes
Ten years ago Terry Hayes wrote a novel titled I Am Pilgrim which went on to become a massive international bestseller. The Year of The Locust is a book that has been delayed so many times I began to wonder if it would ever see the light of day. It’s not a sequel but a standalone novel, although the subject matter is in broad terms in the same vein, ie a secret agent based action thriller. A CIA agent is sent into the badlands of Iran to uncover details of an atrocity being planned by a terrorist organisation – no spoilers, but basically it’s non-stop action from that point onwards. This is one of those books with short punchy chapters that beg you to carry on and just read one more even though it’s already way past bedtime. The pages fly by in this fast paced thriller, and the author never allows the pace and excitement to drop as the tension inexorably ratchets up. This is without doubt the best book of this genre that I’ve read for a very long time, and surely it’s crying out for a movie adaptation. If this type of action thriller is your sort of read then you really must check it out – but watch your heart rate!
Length of Read:Long
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
Readers of the likes of Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum – and of course if you’ve not already read I Am Pilgrim you should do so at once!
One thing you’ve learned
Was it worth the long wait – absolutely, but hopefully it won’t be another decade until the next one though!
Keef says
I Am Pilgrim is awful, one of the worst books I have ever read. So bad it prompted one of my very rare Goodreads reviews: “Overlong and preposterous potboiler in which the relentless fortitude of the superman/secret agent protagonist is only exceeded by my own in getting to the end. There are several hints at a prospective sequel but I won’t be reading it.” So there.
John Walters says
Totally agree. The so called “hero” pissed me off so much that I was almost rooting for the villain.
Carl says
I loved I Am Pilgrim, with a reservation – the unnecessary, ridiculous and ponderous sub-plot.
Hopefully Year Of The Locust is free of such a literary device.
Please confirm that this is so.
Bargepole says
It’s a long time since I read it so I must confess I don’t recall the sub plot – however I think you’re on safe ground with this one!
Carl says
👍
Captain Darling says
I remember reading it, but the only thing I can recall is that the finale hinged on an ENORMOUS coincidence regarding a certain key location (and I may even be wrong about that). Everything else is lost to the mists of time – whether that says something about the quality of the book or the quality of my memory, I couldn’t say.
Jim says
I really enjoyed Pilgrim but couldn’t for the life of me tell you what it was about.
Been waiting for the next one for ages and am a few chapters in and very happy with it.
RayX says
I’m in the same boat as Jim, I enjoyed Pilgrim but cannot remember what it was about having read probably 500 books since I read IAP. So the new book is an instant buy for me.
Thanks for the review Mr Bargepole.
Kaisfatdad says
I am so disappointed @Bargepole!! I thought Year of the @Locust meant that we would spend 12 months exploring the music library of Stockholm’s most charismatic Afterworder.
“Badlands of Iran?” I want to hear more about the badlands of Vasastaden!!