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Vince Flynn

American Assassin: A Thriller (1) (A Mitch Rapp Novel) Mass Market Paperback – August 30, 2011

by Vince Flynn (Author)

11,257 ratings

Book 1 of 21: Mitch Rapp

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Now a major motion picture
#1 New York Times bestselling author Vince Flynn introduces the young Mitch Rapp as he takes on his first covert assignment.

Mitch Rapp was a gifted college athlete without a care in the world…and then tragedy struck. Terrorists attacked innocent American citizens, and Rapp’s girlfriend was among the murdered. Two hundred and seventy souls perished on that cold December night, and thousands of family and friends were left searching for comfort. Mitch Rapp was one of them, but he was not interested in comfort. Now he wants retribution.

Two decades of cutthroat partisan politics have left the CIA and the country in an increasingly vulnerable position. Cold War veteran CIA Operations Director Thomas Stansfield knows he must prepare his people for the next war. America must confront Islamic terrorism with full force. Stansfield directs his protégée, Irene Kennedy, and his old Cold War colleague, Stan Hurley, to form a new group of clandestine operatives who will work outside the normal chain of command—men who do not exist.

What type of man is willing to kill for his country without putting on a uniform? Six months of intense training have prepared him to take the war to the enemy’s doorstep, and he does so with brutal efficiency. Rapp starts in Istanbul, where he assassinates the Turkish arms dealer who sold the explosives used in the terrorist attack. Rapp then moves on to Hamburg with his team and across Europe, leaving a trail of bodies. All roads lead to Beirut, though, and what Rapp doesn't know is that the enemy is aware of his existence and has prepared a trap. The hunter is about to become the hunted, and Rapp will need every ounce of skill and cunning if he is to survive the war-ravaged city and its various terrorist factions.

Behind the steely gaze of the nation's ultimate hero is a young man primed to become an American assassin.

Print length

544 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Pocket Books
Publication date

August 30, 2011
Dimensions

4.13 x 1.3 x 7.5 inches
ISBN-10

1416595198
ISBN-13

978-1416595199
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Popular Highlights in this book

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Luke 12:28 was a big one: “For of those to whom much is given, much is required.”
Highlighted by 714 Kindle readers
“Retribution is a punishment that is morally right and fully deserved.”
Highlighted by 553 Kindle readers
“Great spies don’t complain about the rules, they find ways around them.”
Highlighted by 431 Kindle readers

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Captivating." --Glenn Beck

"Mitch Rapp is still the best CIA-trained human weapon this side of Jason Bourne." --"Contra Costa Times" (California)

“Captivating.” —Glenn Beck

“Mitch Rapp is still the best CIA-trained human weapon this side of Jason Bourne.” —"Contra Costa Times" (California)

About the Author

#1 New York Times bestselling author Vince Flynn (1966–2013) created one of contemporary fiction’s most popular heroes: CIA counterterrorist agent Mitch Rapp, featured in thirteen of Flynn’s acclaimed political thrillers. All of his novels are New York Times bestsellers, including his stand-alone debut novel, Term Limits.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pocket Books; Reprint edition (August 30, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1416595198
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1416595199
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.13 x 1.3 x 7.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #238,923 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #676 in Political Fiction (Books)
- #1,731 in Political Thrillers (Books)
- #17,625 in Suspense Thrillers

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Vince Flynn

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Vince Flynn was a New York Times bestselling author of eleven thrillers, including most recently EXTREME MEASURES and ACT OF TREASON. He lived in Minneapolis with his wife and three children. He died on June 19, 2013, after a three-year battle with prostate cancer.

Visit www.vinceflynn.com

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

11,257 global ratings

5 star		70%
4 star		22%
3 star		5%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

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L.Sea

Addictive ride....

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 10, 2023

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This was my first Vince Flynn novel and for me, it's rare to find a story that instantly grabs my attention and holds it to the last page.
With characters that are 3 dimensional and a "can't put it down" story, this won't be my last Vince Flynn novel.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 12, 2023

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All of the Author books are exciting. I can not put them down.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 8, 2023

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gifted to mother-in-law

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 9, 2022

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I like the story plot and how Rapp came to be. It drug in the middle as some of the details were unfolding. Overall it was a great book.

One person found this helpful

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Barry Rodgers

The Maleversion of a Mary Sue should be called a Mitch Rapp

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 15, 2017

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I struggled whether I wanted to go 1 star or 2 stars, and ultimately landed on 2 because American Assassin is readable, which is about as high a praise as I'm able to give it.

I'm sure this will be interpreted as me just being some limp wristed, delicate snowflake of a liberal, and it will be argued that manly men will appreciate the take-no-nonsense action hero presented in Mitch Rapp, but if this represents any kind of standard for the representation of the character, then count me out.

I decided to take a look at the book based on the trailer for the upcoming movie, which itself seems to be telling at least a slightly more layered tale than this book.

Let's start with our hero, Mitch Rapp. Look, I understand the appeal of badasses, with seemingly superhuman skills in spy craft, and an element of moral flexibility that allows them to take lives in service to their country. As much as I consider it schlock, I can cheer on Arnold in Commando taking down a small army by himself with nothing but his rippling biceps and one liners, but I can do that because it has a self awareness about it that is sadly missing from American Assassin. Mitch Rapp is nothing less than a Mary Sue: a flawless, wish fulfillment vehicle for a specific demographic of men who like the idea of killing terrorists in secret while the world never knows how much safer it is because of them. Mitch Rapp can't be called a character. Characters have personalities. Having tragically lost your high school sweetheart to terrorists and wanting revenge isn't a personality. It's hackneyed and one dimensional.

We spend much of the opening chapters with Mitch Rapp being "trained" to be the the end-all-be-all of unofficial CIA assassins, but what's the point of having your main character do any of that when he's able to best his instructor (who we're told in no uncertain terms, with a near religious vigor, is the best of the best in government badasses) in unarmed combat within moments of being introduced to him. He is able to outshine the best of military special ops in every aspect for no other reason than him being a gifted natural athlete and a genius. They do attempt to humble him a little bit when his understanding of the use of firearms is lacking, but that lasts for all of 10 seconds, as by the third clip, his grouping has improved dramatically. The goofiness of the whole section surrounding his training had me straight up laughing at several points.

His teacher/mentor Stan Hurley isn't much better, if only slightly more rounded. At least he has actual flaws and vices which make him feel human, but he had to have them, lest the book collapse in on the weight of its own self righteousness. And despite being a more realistic character, his actions and opinions often make little sense given his pedigree. His dislike of Rapp throughout most of the book is baffling. Like, I get how he might have been reticent of Mitch Rapp initially, as he's a career soldier presented with a kid who has no discernible combat training (although we find out Rapp trained for a few months at a dojo, or something? They are never entirely clear about the extent of that point), but as soon as Rapp distinguishes himself as a cut above all the other actual soldiers, that reticence stops holding water. I know it seems like a small point, but it's a microcosm of the sum total of the narrative failings of the book. It will just outright abandon its own internal logic if it means Rapp gets to look more heroic or badass. And that brings me to the villains.

As goofy as reading about Rapp's training and first missions were, it was at least tolerable compared to the chapters focusing on the either Russian or Muslim villains of the story. The depictions of Muslims and Islam didn't so much skirt the line of racism so much as tap dance on top of the line. The terrorist organization was called, I kid you not, "Islamic Jihad", which sounds like a name Trey Parker would have rejected in the making of Team America for being too obvious and on the nose. It is possible to approach the subject of extremist terrorism without using only caricatures and stereotypes, but this book wants to leave no room subtlety. While we're on the subject of stereotypes, the main Russian money man doesn't fare much better as an ex-KGB, vodka drunk man of excess, who loves the cold weather of Russia as much as he loves prostitutes. We're supposed to believe that they're all smart, calculating clever villains, yet as soon as Mitch Rapp gets involved, dismantling their entire organization and stealing all their money seems just incredibly easy. Halfway competent criminals, who have spent their lives building vast terrorist networks should have been able to safeguard their money so one random ex-Nazi (not kidding, actual plot point) wasn't the literal lynchpin that tumbled their entire financial support system. You'd think they'd be better at hiding and fortifying their base and hostages so that one guy with a razor blade hidden in his hair couldn't single handedly topple the whole thing.

Again, there isn't a wink to the audience by Arnold Schwarzenegger here. We are supposed to take this story seriously. But it's hard to when the new recruit is basically infallible and falls into just every bit of his success, including his clumsy (or at least should have been based on his dialogue) seduction of a Swiss, blonde bombshell, which seemed to really undercut the emotional turmoil of Rapp's revenge seeking over his lost love. But then again, as I said, Mitch Rapp, at least in this book, isn't a character. He's a vehicle to drive around in. But if this is all Mitch Rapp has to offer, I'm not terribly interested in seeing what else the character has to offer.

10 people found this helpful

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patrick keener

Outstanding plot and very creative writing

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 23, 2022

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Loved the book and have read 10 Mitch Rapp series books and ordered the rest!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 30, 2010

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American Assassin: A Thriller

Reviewed by Tracy L. Karol

After the last Flynn novel, I wondered where he would take us on our journey with Mitch Rapp. Our hero has weathered devastating heartbreak, betrayals, corrupt (and/or stupid politicians), more danger than any James Bond character, and has barely managed to keep his soul intact. I find it a great testament to Mr. Flynn's writing and creativity that he has penned a character who has evolved so much. Yet there was always something missing. We knew from previous books that Rapp had been recruited to join the CIA, but his early years with the agency remained a mystery. In fact, just before I started reading this book someone who wanted to start the series asked me if he needed to start at the beginning or if he could pick up anywhere and understand the books. I hesitated to answer, but after reading "American Assassin" I can fully endorse starting with the latest release.

Obviously Flynn gives enough background material in each book that a new reader can enjoy the novel, but I'm personally glad that I actually read "Term Limits" years ago when it was first released, then read the rest of the books as they were published. Yes, it was agony waiting for each to come out, but they were all well worth the wait. That said, "American Assassin" is one book that anyone can actually start reading now and then go back and read the other books in the series ("Term Limits" is probably optional, but still a great read). It goes back in time and describes a young Mitch Rapp, just graduated from college, recruited by Dr. Irene Kennedy to join a super-secret black ops program to fight terrorism.

Not only was the book fascinating, it was wonderful to take a peek at the lives of other major characters in the series, some who are no longer around. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I quickly read "Transfer of Power" again and am now reading "The Third Option." So I would say if you've never read Vince Flynn but have wanted to try out his series, "American Assassin" is a great place to start. While it's the latest book, it goes back in time so you don't miss anything from the later books, and if you love a good thriller, you'll have a plethora waiting for you to read once you finish it. And trust me, Flynn knows of what he writes. When I check out the copyright date on these older novels, it's clear that Flynn had a firm grasp on the threat our country was facing from Islamic extremists, prior to 9/11. He has been spot-on ever since. I highly recommend all of his novels, not only for their entertainment value, but because they are actually educational as well.

A few times I have been lucky enough to stumble upon an author who has already produced a body of work that is fantastic, and after reading one novel I tear through all the other published titles (this happened with Robert Crais and Nelson DeMille). If you haven't started reading Flynn, this is your chance. I'm now on my third go-round with some of these books; that's how much I enjoy them.

Happy reading!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 10, 2022

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I read this book many years ago when I was young and opted to give it a second read again recently. It's still just as good as the first time.

This book moves alarmingly fast which will keep you turning pages for hours at a time. Chapters are short and packed with character development, plot construction and execution.

I finished this book in like 5 days last time I read it and enjoyed every minute of reading.

Give it a chance.

4 people found this helpful

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Stewart K.

Read the book, avoid the film.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 22, 2017

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if you like this book, and I enjoyed it, then DON'T see the movie, it's Mitch Rapp envisioned in a way that Vince Flynn would not have approved of. I've read most of the App book, but started to find them formulaic and contrived towards the end, probably about the time Vince Flynn died and another author took over. This is how the film feels, like it's someone else and not Vince Flynn.

This book bares NO resemblance to the movie. Don't disregard the book if you've seen the movie, the book is far better and in the book you get to understand how Rapp thinks and operates,; why Rapp is considered so exceptional, not the vacuous entity that is shown in the diabolical movie.

11 people found this helpful

Peter

Gripping

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 1, 2021

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I have read all of the Vince Flynn books and the Mitch Rapp series and just finished American Assassin again
They are all riveting and give in depth knowledge of the American mindset and structure of politics machinery and functioning of the US security services
Large parts are believable as to the threats to the West from internal and external terrorists
The actions of our heroes like Mitch Rapp fire the imagination of how most people would like to deal with the the ‘Baddies’
These books have kept me sane during the Pandemic and I may well read them all again
I know that Vince Flynn sadly passed away a few years ago whilst writing these books but others have taken up the pen and I am sure Vince would be really proud of his successors

One person found this helpful

hibbzie.

as always no spoilers.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 5, 2018

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This is the tenth book in the Mitch Rapp series of books but, this should be read first as it is set BEFORE the first in the series and so it explains why and how he joined the C.I.A and goes through his extensive training.

It is a very slow start to the story but it eventually (after a few chapters) moves on to Rapp's first missions. That is the ONLY reason I gave it four stars instead of five.

I am glad that i stuck with it as, once the story got going I enjoyed it. I would recommend American Assassin to anybody who enjoys the likes of the Jack Reacher and similar series. Enjoy.

9 people found this helpful

Sue

A real page turner, but sort out your proof reading Mr Flynn!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 29, 2017

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I loved this book. It has a great storyline and gets the heart pumping. If you are looking for a fantastic story, great action, adventure and plenty of violence, then this is for you. You hardly have time to draw a breath! I've knocked a star off because frankly the book is absolutely littered with small mistakes which should have been picked up in the proof-reading stage. There is also one huge mistake where a character is called by the wrong name and then by the right name a paragraph later. Yes, the ending is a little abrupt, but it does tie things up nicely.

I am looking forward to the film of the same name but as far as I can see the film action moves forward about 20 years in time with completely different baddies in different countries, so for that reason I think it will be difficult to compare the book and film as apart from the initial training etc it is a different story. We shall see!

I'm looking forward to reading Kill Shot and then Transfer of Power (which I believe the film "Olympus has fallen" was based on).

2 people found this helpful

Nick Brett

The making of the legend

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 9, 2011

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After a couple of weaker novels, Flynn returns to form by taking us back to Mitch Rapp's origins and training. It is a well structured novel with a number of interesting characters, Rapp of course but also Stan Hurley, Rapp's original mentor and training officer.

Luckily this book did not contain the many typos on the first issues in the US so there were no distractions in tearing through the pages and seeing the early Mitch Rapp and his first assignments. There are still a few gaps that the author does not share with us (how Rapp became so good at martial arts, other then to have him described as a natural) but is it still great stuff. Set at the time of the troubles and kidnapping culture in Beirut the US are losing both assets and influence in the area when one of their agents is captured and it may fall to the new unofficial 'black ops' team to try and get him out.

So we see the tensions starting to bubble up in the Middle East, we see the mistrust between all parties and a frustration within elements of the CIA that their hands are ties and a new approach may be needed - the perfect time for someone like Rapp...

It's a great thriller and one of Flynn's best in my opinion. Oh and the stand out bit is a torture scene featuring Jack Hurley, humour of the blackest sort.

Recommended.

One person found this helpful

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