Rating: 
Summary: Man on Fire
Review: Read the novel years ago while serving in the Legion and recently managed to track down a copy long hidden in a library. Not suprised to see it revived as a movie and the novel re-released in this the age of seeking swift and hard justice from those that commit evil. The book deals with loyalty, redemption and revenge: Creasy, an ex-Para of the Foreign Legion and a veteran of numerous mercenary wars in Africa is unemployed, bitter and devoid of emotion or humanity when he visit an old Legion buddy. His friend gets him a job as a body gaurd to a young girl in kidnapping mad Italy. Over time a warm relationship develops between Creasy and the girl and the old mercenary begins to find his humanity again. Things then get ugly and Creasy goes on a trail of brutal revenge through Italy that makes Tarantino's "Kill Bill" look sedate.
The first movie version of "Man on Fire" (1988)barely did justice to the book and from reviews I've read, neither does the 2004 version.
Rating: 
Summary: Well written but that's about it
Review: Slow paced until two-thirds into the story, much time unnecessarily spent on Creasy's pre-revenge training, and a third act which, though fast paced, remains somewhat devoid of genuine surprises. In all, a well-written but quickly forgettable book.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding... none better than Quinnell.
Review: This is his first book - and the first featuring Creasy, thequiet, deadly ex-mercenary. Broken down, alcoholic, Creasy is offereda position as a bodyguard for a wealthy Italian industrialist's adolescent daughter.When the daughter is kidnapped, all hell breaks loose in this novel of redemption and ultimate revenge. There are no better books in this genre. It is an absolute travesty that any of Quinnell's books are out of print. All of them are fantastic. I spent six months buying out-of-print books to get the entire Creasy collection (plus the non-Creasy titles, which are also very, very well done).
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding... none better than Quinnell.
Review: This is his first book - and the first featuring Creasy, thequiet, deadly ex-mercenary. Broken down, alcoholic, Creasy is offereda position as a bodyguard for a wealthy Italian industrialist's adolescent daughter. When the daughter is kidnapped, all hell breaks loose in this novel of redemption and ultimate revenge. There are no better books in this genre. It is an absolute travesty that any of Quinnell's books are out of print. All of them are fantastic. I spent six months buying out-of-print books to get the entire Creasy collection (plus the non-Creasy titles, which are also very, very well done).
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