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    Zero Sum
    Zero Sum
    Zero Sum
    Audiobook8 hours

    Zero Sum

    Written by Barry Eisler

    Narrated by Barry Eisler

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Returning to Tokyo in 1982 after a decade of mercenary work in the Philippines, a young John Rain learns that the killing business is now controlled by Victor, a half-Russian, half-Japanese sociopath who has ruthlessly eliminated all potential challengers. Victor gives Rain a choice: kill a government minister or die a grisly death. But the best route to the minister is through his gorgeous Italian wife, Maria, a route that puts Rain on a collision course not only with Victor but with the shadowy forces behind the Russian's rise to dominance—and the longings of Rain's own conflicted heart.

    It's a battle between kingpin and newcomer, master and apprentice, a zero-sum contest that can only end with one man dead and the other the world's foremost assassin.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateJun 27, 2017
    ISBN9781536685183
    Zero Sum
    Author

    Barry Eisler

    Barry Eisler spent three years in a covert position with the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, then worked as a technology lawyer and startup executive in Silicon Valley and Japan, earning his black belt at the Kodokan Judo Institute along the way. Eisler’s bestselling thrillers have won the Barry Award and the Gumshoe Award for Best Thriller, have been included in numerous “Best of” lists, have been translated into nearly twenty languages, and include the #1 bestseller Livia Lone. Eisler lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and, when he’s not writing novels, blogs about torture, civil liberties, and the rule of law. Learn more at www.barryeisler.com.

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    Reviews for Zero Sum

    4/5

    68 ratings3 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Okay, I actually search for and buy every book Eisler releases. I particularly like the John Rain series... every one of them. This was no exception. It is a prequel and shows us a John Rain near the start of his career/learning curve.The drawback to a prequel is that we lose the suspense of knowing if Rain will 'survive'. But the advantage of it is learning more about him and his character/skills development. And, of course, Eisler has just the right mix of suspense and vigilantism so we do want to see it through to the end to make sure the bad guys got what they deserved.There is no graphic violence or detailed sex. I think there might have been a handful of swear words, but... maybe not, it was pretty unobtrusive if so. As usual, I will buy any new Rain book, or any book by Eisler, as soon as it is released. (oh, FYI, his Livia Lone is also very good)
    • 4/5
      ZERO SUM by Barry Eisler is the 2017 entry in this long running series about assassin John Rain. First time readers are urged to go to the first in this series. Long term readers will be happy to find Rain back in Tokyo, circa 1982, and working to kill off a couple of bad Russians who have moved in on Yakuza territory. Rain finds himself working for the Russians at the behest of his friend within the government. As an employee his job is to eliminate a member of the government without trailing evidence back to the chief Russian, Victor. But there is a woman, the target's wife, and Rain can't help having a fantasy of love with this Italian beauty. A fantasy she shares. The settings are exotic with an insider's eye for the details. As always, the pacing is dynamic and the action sequences fluid, graceful and highly lethal. Rain has a habit of doing after action reports to himself, a long tradition in these books, but something I found to cause the book to drag. It's fine that Rain cares enough about his business to make himself aware of the good and the bad of his actions, but attributing these reviews to characters from the past clogged the flow of the novel. First timers won't know who these people are, and long term readers may be getting tired of the references. I know I did. To recap, this is slam bang action with a travel writers eye to the scenery. A fun read.
    • 4/5
      I’ve read all the John Rain books & “Graveyard of Memories” remains one of my favourite books of the last few years. Like that one, this features an older, wiser Rain reliving an episode from the beginning of his career as a hitman. It’s 1982 & Rain has just returned to Tokyo looking for work. When he gets in touch with old contact & friend Miyamoto, it’s immediately clear things have changed. Miyamoto is now an important man in the government & in Rain’s absence has been forced to use a violent & sociopathic half-Russian named Victor Karkov. To the young & cocky Rain the solution is obvious…..he’ll get himself hired on to Karkov’s crew & kill him. Miyamoto will be out from under his thumb & free to send any jobs Rain’s way. Simple, right? Well…..Eisler is a gifted writer & one of the things he excels at is creating plots that resemble an iceberg. On the surface is a basic premise, a single act that sets it all in motion. But as the chapters fly by, the complexity of the story becomes apparent as the scope of what was hidden is gradually revealed. In this case, there are many more players than Rain or Miyamoto could have known. And the people actually pulling all the strings make for a wry commentary on US-Japanese relations. That’s all I’ll say about the plot. It’s much better if you go in blind & stumble along with the MC’s. What has always made this series stand out is the literary style of prose & fully realized characters. Yes, there is graphic violence. But as you spend time with Rain & learn his back story he only becomes more compelling & you begin to care for this damaged man.Rain is the product of a Japanese father & American mother. As a child, he grew up in both countries but was fully accepted by neither. His “gift” was honed by military tours in Viet Nam & it was there he finally found a place to fit in. But a lifetime of slights has left its mark & you sense that little boy who was shunned by 2 cultures is never far below the surface. At this point, he’s only beginning to think about long term repercussions & the things he will never have…..companionship, someone to love, children. Because of his choices, he has consigned himself to a life of being alone. This is a relatively short, fast paced read that you’ll whizz through to find out who is left standing at the end. It’s a snapshot of a young John Rain, hitman/budding philosopher, that pushes him a little further down the path of the man he will become. Highly recommend this series.