Checkmate by david michaels

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

I read Rainbow Six before this, and to be honest, I felt that this was, for the most part, a more enjoyable experience. It is extremely action-packed, and I cared more about the characters involved.

It's a short read, only 400 pages compared to 900, but it accomplishes what it needs to do. In fact, this is my second time reading this book. I read it 10 years ago, and enough time has passed for me to enjoy it again. This says a lot because I don't often do that, which is why it has 4 stars instead of 3.

It's not revolutionary, and the plot won't surprise you in any memorable ways. Nor will the characters, although I really like Sam, have an impact on you in unimaginable ways, but it could still happen. That being said, it's still fun, and I would recommend it to fans of the game or those looking for an action-packed military/spy thriller novel, or if you, like me, were left disappointed by Rainbow Six.

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moOnday_8

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

This was the worst edited book I've ever come across.

There were countless tense contradictions, with the plural forms not agreeing with their articles, missing articles here and there, and duplicate words aplenty.

I actually found myself laughing out loud and yelling out "c'mon!" on multiple occasions. It was truly a terrible exercise in reading.

The publisher clearly didn't take the time or effort to actually read their own darn book before unleashing it upon the masses.

I would not recommend this book to anyone. It was an absolute chore to get through, and the actual story itself simply wasn't engaging or diverting enough to make up for its numerous flaws.

This was a completely generic spy novel that really should not have seen the light of day. It represents the lowest bar and is the only way a book can earn a measly 1 star in my opinion.

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cities516

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

I was truly excited to embark on reading this book as I had been a regular player of the video game.

It's important to remember that this is a book inspired by a video game, and if you keep that in mind, you're likely not to be disappointed. For me, it was quite a challenge to not hear the familiar voices of the characters from the game and instead envision the action in the book as a video game. But then again, I was a rather addicted Splinter Cell enthusiast.

Regrettably, delving into Sam Fisher's life through the pages of this book wasn't all that great. The writing left a lot to be desired, and it was truly awful. Whoever was responsible for the copy editing did a terrible job as well. It took a great deal of self-restraint on my part to not reach for my trusty red pen and start correcting all the mistakes.

Nonetheless, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is a die-hard fan of the video game, solely for the entertainment value it offers. However, if you're not familiar with the game, it's probably best not to bother.

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Cyniara

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

It was better in some ways than the previous books.

However, the first-person parts that I liked had been removed.

And its story wasn't bad either.

Overall, it still had its own charm and attractions.

Although the omission of the first-person parts was a bit disappointing, the remaining content was still able to hold my attention.

The author's writing style was engaging, and the plot development was smooth.

Even without those familiar first-person perspectives, I could still feel the emotions and experiences of the characters.

Perhaps this was a new attempt by the author, and I was willing to give it a chance to see how it would unfold.

Despite its flaws, I still believed that this book had something valuable to offer.

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Ek0

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

Sicuramente il più figo letto finora. It truly is the coolest thing read so far. Zero sentimentalismi, zero storie esterne e zero inconvenienti. There are no sentimentalities, no external stories and no inconveniences. Solo Sam che viaggia da una parte all'altra del mondo infiltrandosi in zone ad alto rischio senza lasciare alcuna traccia. Only Sam travels from one part of the world to another, infiltrating high-risk areas without leaving any trace. Il più rappresentativo della serie videoludica sia per stile che per immaginario. It is the most representative of the video game series in terms of both style and imagination. Peccato per il finale un po' debole, scontato e più "da film d'azione americano" rispetto agli altri. It's a pity that the ending is a bit weak, predictable and more "American action movie-like" compared to the others. However, despite this small flaw, the overall experience of reading this has been truly amazing and engaging. It has taken the reader on a thrilling adventure across the globe, filled with excitement and danger at every turn.

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storiessave

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

This book would have been better had I not read the first two books prior.

In general, this book truly irritated me for the initial two-thirds of it. The author of this book made absolutely no effort to maintain continuity with the first two installments.

The main characters all behaved differently. There was no mention of the old villains and events.

Heck, the beginning of this book has the same disaster potential as what occurred at the end of the last book, yet they acted as if it never happened.

The writing style, which was one of the most engaging and unique I've come across (the main character was in first person, allowing for an intimate connection with his thoughts), but they described the movements of the other characters in third person, so there was no sacrifice of the plot for that intimate first-person view...my major pet peeve with first person. It was a great way to tell a story.

Overall, I believe this book was poorly researched. He refers to the Hotel in Dubai, and it's evident that he simply read a fact sheet, looked at some Google pictures, and considered that sufficient.

The tennis court he referenced was actually the helipad. He just Googled the hotel, and some of the first images to come up were of tennis players playing on the helipad.

Also, his pretense that Lambert, the head of intelligence, had never heard of this hotel is absurd. Just because the author didn't know and did lazy research, he thought it would be acceptable.

This may seem nitpicky on its own, but it pervades throughout the book.

By the end, the plot was okay, the action was good, and the story was decent...I just couldn't overlook the changes in how everything functioned and the personalities of the characters. This book should never have been permitted to be written in such a manner.

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loires

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

4.5 stars

This was likely the finest installment of the Splinter Cell novel thus far. It presented almost non-stop action as Sam Fisher traversed the globe, striving to prevent a war between the US and Iran. The true mastermind behind this conflict, well, that would be revealing too much, and I'll ensure this review remains spoiler-free.

The plot of this particular novel was extremely well thought out. It seemed so plausible that it was rather alarming. It was truly a well-crafted action/adventure novel. I'm eagerly anticipating the arrival of the new volume. I can't wait to see what new challenges and adventures Sam Fisher will face in the next installment. The author has done an excellent job of creating a thrilling and engaging story that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat from beginning to end. I highly recommend this novel to fans of the Splinter Cell series and anyone who enjoys a good action/adventure story.

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insdr117

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 15,2025

This is what I have planned for my vacation.

I will pick up a book that is not written by Tom Clancy. The reason? Simply because it is there on the shelf, waiting to be discovered.

I anticipate indulging in its implausible plot, following the adventures of its invincible hero as he dashes from Dubai to West Virginia, then to Turkmenistan and finally to Chernobyl. The speed at which the story hops from one location to another is faster than most people can manage to get to the post office.

Afterward, I will come here to this platform and leave a detailed record of my reading experience. Why? Because one of these days, when my memory fails me and I think "what was that crazy book that had a plot as wild as a Mission Impossible scenario set in a nuclear reactor?", Goodreads will be there to jog my memory and remind me of the details of that thrilling read.

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Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell #3

Checkmate

david michaels tom clancy

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