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    The Day Of The Jackal
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    The Day Of The Jackal
    Unavailable
    The Day Of The Jackal
    Audiobook13 hours

    The Day Of The Jackal

    Written by Frederick Forsyth

    Narrated by David Rintoul

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    One of the most celebrated thrillers ever written, The Day of the Jackal is the electrifying story of an anonymous Englishman who in, the spring of 1963, was hired by Colonel Marc Rodin, Operations Chief of the O. A. S., to assassinate General de Gaulle.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRandom House UK Audio
    Release dateJun 2, 2011
    ISBN9781446470466
    Unavailable
    The Day Of The Jackal
    Author

    Frederick Forsyth

    Frederick Forsyth (b. 1938) is an English author of thrillers. Born in Kent, he joined the Royal Air Force in 1956, becoming one of the youngest pilots to ever fly in Her Majesty’s service. After two years in the RAF, he began working as a journalist. He later turned his journalism skills to writing fiction, and his first novel, The Day of the Jackal (1970), was a great success. Forsyth continued to use real figures and criminal organizations as inspiration, writing popular books like The Odessa File (1972) and The Dogs of War (1974). His most recent novel is The Cobra (2010).  

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    Reviews for The Day Of The Jackal

    3.5/5

    25 ratings23 reviews

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    • 1/5
      Great book, but Chapter 20 is just a single phrase, repeated for the whole chapter. Fix / restore Chapter 20 and it would get 5 stars. It's just pulp (as Stephen King would say), but it's Great pulp! Fascinating piece of historical fiction.
    • 5/5
      Re-reading The Day of the Jackal, Frederick Forsyth's 1972 Edgar winner for Best Novel, was perhaps even more satisfying than reading it for the first time (can it really have been 36 years ago?) I would never quibble with the committee's choice on this one.

      As most people probably know, the book deals with a plot to assassinate Charles de Gaulle, President of France, by a group opposed to his policies on Algeria. Not only does the reasonably well-informed reader know that, historically, de Gaulle was not assassinated, but Forsyth actually makes a point of telling us this early in the book. So, in a most important sense, we know from the outset how the book ends. And yet, it is one of the best examples I've read of page-turning, heart-stopping, breath-holding suspense writing.

      Using the third-person omniscient form, Forsyth takes us into the minds and actions of the plotters, the police, and the Jackal himself. As the Jackal's preparations are being made, the French policeman, Lebel, is making his own preparations to foil the hired assassin. The police (including a number of quasi-police agencies with few qualms about methods) are well aware of the plot to assassinate de Gaulle -- several unsuccessful attempts have been made -- and they quickly surmise that the plotters have a hired killer. But finding the Jackal is not so easy, and he always seems to be one step ahead of them until the last shattering moment.

      One thing that struck me in this reading of The Day of the Jackal was that, while one part of my brain was firmly on the side of Lebel and his need to stop the assassin, another part of me was admiring the Jackal's ingenuity and cool head, and almost wanted him to "win." And all this with no attempts made by the author to excuse or rationalize the Jackal's career choice -- in fact we are told very little about the Jackal's past beyond one brief reference to his having grown up poor. Forsyth puts the reader in the very unusual position of watching two consummate professionals doing their jobs in opposition to each other; even though we know which is the "good" or "right" side, our inwards groans at a setback for the Jackal are as heartfelt as those for Lebel, at least until the last few chapters.

      If you are too young to have read this book when it first came out, or even if you did read it then, do yourself a favor and read or re-read it.
    • 2/5
      Too long and occasionally so poorly written that it bordered on the amateurish. Slightly entertaining, but only slightly.
    • 4/5
      Ever wondered how to assassinate the French President? Then this book is for you, oh and as a bonus you get a fascinating, page turning, thriller as government and assassin play the ultimate cat and mouse game.Set in the 60s the book starts off with the true account of the terrorist group, the OAS, failed attempt on the French presidents life but soon wonders what if they got an outsider? A professional political killer?The writing is sparse yet detailed, factual and deadpan and yet manages to fascinate, captivating you and slowly ramping up the tension. The book is fantastically cut, rather like modern TV as it dynamically switches between groups. It’s masterfully done, there are very few action sequences, really its the thrill of detection, of escape. From watching British & French police try and uncover the impossible to watching suave, sophisticated cruel killer get closer & closer to his goal.If it wasn't for the obvious 60s morality i.e. bad guys never win, they are all guys and the idiot braying politician is always the one to muck up it would be superb. As it was the tension starts to drain out towards the very end and the last 2 page are a bit of a damp squib (obviously I need explosions). Of course it’s dated in other ways.. but oddly that doesn't matter yet. I wonder if the lack of biometrics and mobile phones will mystify soon or just enhance its mystery.Recommended to crime lovers and would be time travel assassins.
    • 5/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      GodAwesome Book!!! Saw the movie too but liked the book better!!
    • 3/5
      I don’t have a lot to say about this novel, except that I wasn’t that impressed – definitely not impressed up to the expectations all the hype led me. That is to say, this is not a bad novel. But a tense, thriller? Not so much. This is a story of a group’s attempt to assassinate De Gaulle through the use of a hired killer nicknamed The Jackal. Within this plot are some interesting characters and a plot that builds and comes together nicely. But the focus on all the details – excruciatingly detailed details - makes for more work to get through than it is worth. And, to be honest, the conclusion relies too much on chance – particularly after pages and pages where actions and counter-actions are prepared and put in effect.A slow read, and just not up to the hype.
    • 4/5
      Very good. I'm a LeCarre nut, so it's tough to give out 4s and 5s to other espionage writers, but this was a lot of fun. The detail of his preparing everything is of course what makes the book different and interesting.
    • 2/5
      Went on a bit too long for my taste but I really enjoyed the scenes where the Jackal prepped and planned for the assasination.
    • 5/5
      Amazing! So fast-paced and unpredictable. Plot twists and turns like a roller coaster. I feel like it started off kind of slow and it took a bit for me to get into it, but it accelerates to the end and the ending left me breathless.
    • 4/5
      I liked the way this book kept its secrets until it absolutely had to reveal them. We don't know who the jackal is...we don't know what the weapon is.....it made me want to keep reading, and I didn't guess any of it right. Perhaps relied on some far fetched/coincidental happenings in places, but all in all I'd recommend it.
    • 4/5
      This classic thriller still has the power to enthrall readers today--at least it enthralled me. The first chapter had me wondering, because there is some background on the French political situation of the time. But then I was all of a sudden immersed into the actions of a group of revolutionaries who are attempting to assassinate De Gaulle. From that point on the cat and mouse game between a police detective and the hired assassin out to get De Gaulle had me hooked. Forsyth lays out the meticulous planning of the assassin on one hand, counterbalanced by the efforts of the detective on the other. I highly recommend this book for fans of thrillers, especially if they books of espionage or that deal with political matters.
    • 5/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      I've read it a couple of times in the past 30 years. It's a 'must read once' although I found it paled the second time. Definitely a thriller, so if you know the ending, it ruins a lot of the story for me. I think it was a better read back in the 70's when it came out, because the idea was pretty new. Now it's been reused by so many others that it doesn't have the same impact.
    • 5/5
      This is one of the great classics in the suspense novel genre, and with good reason. I was stunned by it. This book made me want to go to the library right away and check out every Forsyth novel they had.You know at the beginning that the assassination plot failed -- it says so -- but that doesn't stop you from clinging to the edge of your seat as your follow The Jackal and those who are chasing him. He's the consummate killer, using money, sex, drugs and whatever other tools are at his disposal to get the job done. He was enthralling and I was rooting for him as well as for Lebel, the policeman chasing him. And the ending was as satisfying as I could have wished.
    • 5/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      Forsyth's famous manhunt is a wonderful example of what an espionage novel could be. It has a smart and well-thought out plot where Forsyth meticulously creates a plot to assassinate Charles de Gaul and then steps back and unravels it from the point of view of a French detective.It's only flaw is its pace and characters. Forsyth hurries through several scenes too quickly, and many of his characters have very little depth, including the Jackal, unfortunately.Still it is a masterful novel and a fun read.
    • 2/5
      CR 1971, this was one of the authors we read in my younger years - so when I found it at a flea market, I bought it - and found it kind of antique... so it will land on a flea market again, I guess.1995 edition.
    • 3/5
      Good book. A little slow in parts, but overall very enjoyable.
    • 3/5
      A classic cloak and dagger thriller. The story of a hit-man plotting to assassinate Charles DeGaul, and of the detectives trying to find him. Nothing special these days, but really way out ahead of the genre when it was published. A fun read.
    • 4/5
      One of, if not the, best of Forsyth's work. Now dated, but still a gripping read. Terrorists (see its still relevant all these years later) plan to assassinate Charles de Gaule, and decide to hire in an unknown marksman "the jackel". The story is told mostly from the Jackel's point of view and details every step of his way to Paris, with exerts to the various policeman who become aware of the plot, but can they identify and catch the killer before he strikes?Still an amazing read.
    • 2/5
      Forsyth excels when it comes to the incidental, the minor details that make a story worthwhile. What he sometimes lacks is the good sense to make all of his characters, if not fully-realised, at least not so one-dimensional as some of them can be. I'm talking about you, mister French secretary for the state (or something), running off to pillow-talk all your secrets to some nymphette in the pay of the other side.The story itself is the popular tale of an anonymous English assassin hired to kill General de Gaulle. As I mentioned, the incidental details show a master craftsman at work, with Forsyth laying out in the assassin's plans in all their intricacy. Brilliant on the one hand, stubbornly annoying on the other, then.
    • 3/5
      I was pretty much rooting for the Jackal to win all along. Du Gaulle was portrayed as an unreasoning, petty tyrant and I really wanted his head to go up in a bloody mist from one of the Jackal’s exploding bullets. It was a difficult book to get into because it opened with the background of the OSA and their failed assassination attempts and their reasoning for hiring the Jackal. But after a while it got rolling. The end is abrupt and we have no insight as to how Lebel will be rewarded for solving the case, saving du Gaulle and killing the Jackal. Without giving away anything, there were a few loose ends.