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• This is my all-time favorite novel. I re-read it every 1-2 years, and it is always enjoyable and thrilling. The story of an intelligent, unstoppable assassin out to kill Charles de Gaulle, and the immense manhunt orchestrated by an equally brilliant detective. The story has me rooting for both sides alternatively, and every time I read it, I secretly wish that one of these times, the ending will have been rewritten to the other possible outcome.Two movies have been made based on this book: Fred Zinnemann's 1973 movie, which is very good and close to the book, and the 1997 version with Bruce Willis, which is not worth watching.

  5.00 out of 5

  zzamboni

• I must have read this book perhaps 15-20 times over the course of the last 15 years and I can't believe I haven't reviewed it yet!This is probably Forsyth's best book ever - the story of the ruthless assassin hired to kill French President De Gaulle in 1961 and who won't stop for anyone or anything until the mission has been accomplished. This extraordinary story covers the planning and the execution of the mission, carried out by the assassin known only as "The Jackal". Hot on his heels are the French police who have nothing to go on, not even a photo and who have been charged by De Gaulle to find the assassin before he strikes.I am TOTALLY addicted to this book and I always get it out once a year (at least) for a new read. It never fails to grip me, no matter how many times I read it.

  5.00 out of 5

  obsessedwithbooks

• This book is an easy read, and never is dull. It tells of a (fictional) plot to assassinate DeGaulle. The hired killer is meticulous and very cool, and almost succeeds. (One know all the way through he will not succeed since one knows DeGaulle was not assassinated. The events decribed are laid in July and August 1963. nearly 500 pages but interest in the story never abates. I almost gave it five stars, and maybe I should have.

  4.50 out of 5

  Schmerguls

• The first thing I mention say about this book, is the extraordinary tension and excitement which kicks in about a third of the way through the book, as they begin to discover the plot and search out the Jackal. This keeps on going right until the very final pages of the novel, this is the only one I can remember where the suspense is so expertly maintained.The initial few chapters did not seem to be too promising and were bogged down somewhat by details of the French police system and the formation of the OAS terrorist organisation. Although it was good background information to the rest of the novel, I’m not sure that it was strictly necessary. This is the only part of the book which I found a bit tedious and the part which kept me from giving it a full 5 stars.I found the character of the Jackal to be fascinating, and it reminded me somewhat of the main character from the film Drive, a man who seems quite pleasant and maybe a little shy, but then you realise that he’s actually a cold blooded killer and not quite all he appears on the outside. I found myself quite liking his character and enjoying his quest, not wanting him to get caught. Then he started killing people because they would ruin his chances of success, and you remember that he is an assassin.The hunt for the Jackal, with the French and British police always one step behind the man they are searching for. The dual narrative style allows the story to flow quickly and the tension to remain at a high. Overall a really enjoyable and well constructed book. Without the initial tedium it would be 5 stars, but would it be the same book without this? Probably not, as it is the authors obsession with detail that makes this such a well constructed book.

  4.50 out of 5

  fothpaul

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