• Rules of Deception

  • Dr. Jonathan Ransom, Book 1
  • By: Christopher Reich
  • Narrated by: Paul Michael
  • Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (496 ratings)

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Rules of Deception  By  cover art

Rules of Deception

By: Christopher Reich
Narrated by: Paul Michael
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Publisher's summary

Dr. Jonathan Ransom, world-class mountaineer and surgeon for Doctors Without Borders, is climbing in the Swiss Alps with his beautiful wife, Emma, when a blizzard sets in. In their bid to escape the storm, Emma is killed when she falls into a hidden crevasse.

Twenty-four hours later, Jonathan receives an envelope addressed to his wife containing two baggage-claim tickets. Puzzled, he journeys to a remote railway station only to find himself in a life-and-death struggle for his wife's possessions. In the aftermath of the assault, he discovers that his attackers - one dead, the other mortally wounded - were, in fact, Swiss police officers. More frightening still is evidence of an extraordinary act of betrayal that leaves Jonathan stunned.

Suddenly the subject of an international manhunt and the target of a master assassin, Jonathan is forced on the run. His only chance at survival lies in uncovering the devastating truth behind the secret his wife kept from him and in stopping the terrifying conspiracy that threatens to bring the world to the brink of annihilation. Step by step, he is drawn deeper into a world of spies, high-tech weaponry, and global terrorism - a world where no one is whom they appear to be and where the end always justifies the means.

Rules of Deception is a brilliantly conceived, twisting tale of intrigue and deceit written by the master of the espionage thriller for the 21st century.

©2008 Christopher Reich (P)2008 Random House, Inc.

What listeners say about Rules of Deception

Average customer ratings
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

write what you know . . .

This novel features a protagonist who's both a famous doctor and a famous mountaineer. Within the first ten minutes, however, the author proves he knows absolutely nothing about either medicine or mountaineering. He may be a real pro about international finance . . . but just as I wouldn't try to write a book about international finance (I can't balance my own checkbook, neither should Reich attempt to write about mountaineering or medicine, not without hiring an editor who does, anyway. These errors are so egregious they're embarrassing, truly breaking the contract of willing suspension of disbelief upon which the credible narrative relies.
Nonetheless, as a potboiler, as background noise, the plot moves along . . . predictably and with the occasional howler of absurd ignorance. Better than listening to chain saws or other power tools, but more for comic relief than verisimilitude.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Too fantastic

A fast paced spy novel set in the post 9/11 world of terrorists and fanatics. The story becomes more and more unbelievable as it unfolds while at the same time becoming more predictable near the end. No real suspense in the conclusion. The narrator did the Da Vinci Code but stumbles occassionally with regional American accents. Overall, OK if you can suspend your disbelief.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A fine action yarn

A somewhat believable "action hero". With foibles and weaknesses that are merely not quite believable. (In other words, not completely ostentatious like Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan.)
I personally found the author's liberal bias a bit annoying, but perhaps others will find that refreshing.
The plot was fairly fresh for a genre that tends to be somewhat overworked.
Excellent good light entertainment. Nothing profound.
I've listen to it more than once, and will probably listen to it again in the future.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A Bit Bland for Reich

This is my 3rd Christopher Reich book and the first in this Doctors Without Borders series. Pity, I couldn't suspend disbelief long enough to get really into this improbably plot. Complexity is not either a necessary or sufficient cause for excitement. OK, Ransom's a craftsman, but here he offers us little wonder - and art without wonder is merely craft.

Frankly he did not make me interested in any of the characters, especially his super hero Dr. Jonathan Ross. I know that improbability is an essential ingredient in a great thriller recipe. But too much of any condiment will spoil every delicacy... And here, Reich is NOT delicate. Moreover, when it's essential to reviewers to continually describe the man's wife as the "beautiful spouse" well, this reasonably powerful character's reduced to another triviality.

Paul Michael reads well, but here his reading's dulled by the stuff he's got to read. Pity, I went from a fan to a yawner with this series. Still, lots of people seem to like it, maybe it gets more exciting as the epic unfolds. I won't find out.

Still I enjoyed The Take, and Invasion of Privacy sufficiently that I'll skip the series and consider buying Reich's next non-Jonathan Ross and-his-beautiful-wife's novel.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Captivating Book, Even Better Narration

Would you listen to Rules of Deception again? Why?

I've already listened twice, and I'm sure I'll listen again. I found it to be an engaging "read" with a few real surprise twists that I certainly didn't see coming.

Is it a little farfetched at times? Yes - but most good thrillers are to some degree. For the most I think Reich does a good job in making it believable (mountaineering and medicine aside, since I don't know enough about either one to judge the validity of one reviewers criticisms).

Paul Michael? Absolutely terrific - perhaps the best narrated book I've ever listened too. His pacing and timing are dead on, and his ability to do so many characters so well really makes the book "come to life" as it were

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting History

This book is much more than just the story of the trip. The background on the early life of Lewis established his background and capabilities of an explorer. The final chapter of his life illustrated how fragile his life was. I found the entire book most interesting.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A great new thriller series

I purchased this book during the 1st in a Series Sale. Its so great to discover a new author and lead characters - Christopher Reich and his character, Dr. Johnathon Ransom are no exception. The narration is also great - to date I haven't experienced a narrator who could master so many different accents and dialects. This book is a good thriller that kept me guessing and wanting to download the next in the series immediately - spoler alert - don't read the reviews for Rules of Vengence if you don't want to have any of the plot twists exposed!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

engrossing and exciting

This was a perfect escape book. It took a little while to get into, but it was worth it. Danger, confusion of who were the bad guys, evil insanity. Just what the doctor ordered.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

wonder book to listen to on the road

I was thoroughly entertained for hours listening to this narration of the book. The narrator did a good job of accents and characters and the plot was complex enough to keep you listening. I hated having to fill up with gas and pause the book at stops along the way.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

WASTE OF TIME

THIS BOOK STARTS OUT AS AN INTERESTING STORY BUT SOON DEVELOPS INTO A FAR-FETCHED,ARTIFICIAL AND OVERLY CONTRIVED PLOT.I GAVE UP ON THIS ONE BEFORE COMPLETING THE FIRST HALF.

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1 person found this helpful