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The Athens Job: A National Security Thriller Novella (Standalone Suspenseful Short Reads Book 3) Kindle Edition

by David Bruns (Author), J.R. Olson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 52 ratings
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A ripped-from-the-headlines national security thriller about the hunt for super-villain Rafiq Roshed and his one-man war on the values of freedom.

When Rafiq Roshed, the most wanted man in the world, receives a covert communique from a North Korean operative, it could be a trap…or an opportunity.

The North Korean wants Roshed’s special talents for an inside high-profile job: assassinate his chief rival and make it look like the Americans were involved.

There’s a handsome payment offered, but Roshed has another price in mind—a no-questions-asked favor.

After Athens, every security agency in the world is hot on Roshed’s trail. But when he tries to cash in his favor with the North Koreans, Roshed finds out Athens was just a down payment.

And their next job will take all his considerable skills as an assassin.

From the US Navy veteran writing team that brought you Rules of Engagement and Weapons of Mass Deception comes this must-read tale of international intrigue.

Start reading The Athens Job now and join the manhunt for the most wanted man in our generation.

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  1. Book 3 of 4
    Standalone Suspenseful Short Reads
  2. Print length
    85 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    October 14, 2019
  6. File size
    2935 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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  10. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07YBBFFF8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Reef Points Media LLC (October 14, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 14, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2935 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 85 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 52 ratings

About the author

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David Bruns

David Bruns

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David Bruns earned a Bachelor of Science in Honors English from the United States Naval Academy. (That's not a typo. He's probably the only English major you'll ever meet who took multiple semesters of calculus, physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, naval architecture, and weapons systems just so he could read some Shakespeare. It was totally worth it.)

Following six years as a US Navy submarine officer, David spent twenty years in the high-tech private sector. A graduate of the prestigious Clarion West Writers Workshop, he is the author of over twenty novels and dozens of short stories. Today, he co-writes contemporary national security thrillers with retired naval intelligence officer, J.R. Olson.

Find out more and download a free Starter Library at www.davidbruns.com.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
52 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Roger Fauble
4.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 stars
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2024
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The Athens Job: A National Security Thriller Novella (Standalone Suspenseful Short Reads Book 3), my twelfth read from authors David Bruns & J.R. Olson. Outstanding, a great 85-page page-turning thriller. An exciting, enjoyable read. I received a Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
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Chris Fried @ The Indie Athenaeum
5.0 out of 5 stars After an assassination, a terrorist tries to elude capture by the authorities in this exciting tale!
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2019
Rafiq Roshed is one of the world's most notorious terrorists who almost succeeded in detonating a nuclear bomb on United States soil. On the run and out of allies, he’s got nowhere to go and a burning vengeance against those who have stolen everything from him. But an opportunity comes calling when someone from his past reaches out to him.

This potential ally offers him a unique job: assassinate the ally’s North Korean boss so he can ascend the ranks. Even with Roshed’s skill set, this will still be difficult. Roshed is in no position to refuse, as he needs a secure place to hide from the security agencies of the world intent on tracking him down.

Putting together an elaborate plan to accomplish this task, it sets events in motion that causes the United States National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and Iranian Ministry of Intelligence to nip at his heels and run him to ground. But with conflicting objectives, who will get to him first and what will happen when they do?

The assassination is a tricky affair, which Roshed executes with his signature cleverness. It’s a bold plan that requires much finesse to escape undetected, which held me breathless with its escalating tension. From then onwards, it’s a non-stop thrill ride that moves quickly and throws one surprise after another at me, none of which I expected.

The relentless pacing here matches that of the other stories these authors have written and makes it difficult to put down at any point. There are multiple characters and a couple of different plotlines expertly intertwining together as Roshed tries to succeed in his objectives even while he tries to stay one step ahead of those who want justice for his past actions.

The action sequences are swift, brutal and merciless, as you can feel Roshed’s desperation in trying to escape from those who want to capture or kill him. And for a bad guy you don’t want to root for, Roshed’s meticulous planning of each of his tasks makes for enveloping reading. And his cunning and improvisational skills make him a difficult man to capture and an even more dangerous man to corner.

The political machinations of Roshed’s new ally as well as the inner workings of North Korea’s government under its Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un also play an unanticipated and important role in this novella. It provides strong motivation for Roshed and how he needs his plans to succeed to get what he wants from them.

All of these different plotlines culminate in a high-profile incident at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia that is ripped right from the headlines, but not in a way that you might think. I gasped at Roshed’s wily and complicated plan, how the conclusion played out and at the multiple goals it accomplished in one swift stroke.

It was also nice to see Don Riley at the NCTC and his banter with fan-favorite character Reza Sanjabi at the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence again. Their collaboration in previous novels was a highlight and it was good to see them work together here. Their work also highlights how difficult it can be for one fugitive to escape justice in a world filled with surveillance and the technology to successfully implement it.

Even if you’ve never read a story by these authors before, this novella stands alone and can be read as a complete work that tells a story from beginning to end. However, if you enjoyed “The Athens Job”, there are many more riveting stories written by them featuring these characters for you to enjoy.

They all take place in a series of stories called “The WMD Files”. The first novel in the series is “Weapons of Mass Deception”, the second is “Jihadi Apprentice” and the third is “Rules of Engagement”. There are also two short stories that fit into the timeline of the first two novels called “Death of a Pawn” and “Battle Djinni”.

This novella dovetails nicely with the latter part of “Jihadi Apprentice” when Roshed goes on the run after the events of that novel. It does a fantastic job explaining how he is given asylum in North Korea, especially with its chilling epilogue and sets the stage for his eventual return in the next novel in the series “Rules of Engagement”.

This is an excellent and gripping novella that has it all. Breathtaking suspense, careful plotting, startling twists, assassination attempts, jockeying for political power and globetrotting from one nation to another. Having read the stories in “The WMD Files” series, I can tell you that this novella is another perfect example of their exhilarating storytelling skills. It tells a tale that scares you with its accuracy and is completely relevant in today’s modern world.

Please note I received an advance copy of this ebook.
3 people found this helpful
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Robert Krueger
4.0 out of 5 stars Never quiet
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2021
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Rafiq, a terrorist, is in danger. He has been abandoned by his Iranian handlers and by Hezbolah A brutal man, s terrorist, yet with a tinge of humanity quickly extinguished. The author employs an exciting style of writing that holds the reader captive. Draws his characters with a fine pen, believable and intriguing.

A short piece loaded with action. Reviewed by he author of The Children's Story, About Good and Evil..
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JeffDH
4.0 out of 5 stars Okay filler tale
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2021
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This short story seems to be a filler between other books in the series. Not a cliffhanger ending exactly, more of an interlude between bigger episodes. Decently well written and the action moves along but lacking a comprehensive feel.
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Fire Dad ^7
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing story keeps you guessing and reading late into the night
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2019
This is an amazing story, Rafiq Roshed, a terrorist is bent on destructions and will stop at nothing. Everyone is looking for him and he is on the run. When an opportunity opens up he has to go for it, but can he pull off an assassination in North Korean?

It won't be easy, he is a hunted man, the layers of protection around the target make it difficult. The hunt is on.

The story is fast-paced and intriguing, I could hardly put it down, I just wanted to keep reading. This is an amazing story that any action lover needs to read, you won't regret it. I have been a fan of Bruns for years now and as always he delivers an amazing story full of action, suspense, and intrigue.

You need to read this!

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book and have left an honest review of the book, I loved it and can't recommend it enough.

5 Stars!
One person found this helpful
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I no nothing
4.0 out of 5 stars I liked it
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2022
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I really enjoyed reading it. Just wish it wasn’t a teaser. Seems like something that could happen at any time.
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Moses
4.0 out of 5 stars A compelling story line!
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2021
A compelling story line from these authors, that make you want more. Rafiq Roshed, the worlds most wanted assassin has everyone after him. The Americans have him as a high priority target, his Hezbollah brothers have disowned him and the Iranians have a contract out on his life. But then he is tempted with a contract from North Korean. A high ranking government official is prepared to pay big money to have his boss killed, which when successfully completed, leads to a second contract to assassinate the half-brother of the Korean leader.
Rafiq prefers to work alone in his quest for revenge on the world and their values. Rafiq’s has lost his wife as a result of his involvement in a South American sleeper cell and nowadays, his son and daughter live in Argentina with an aunt of their late mother. The Iranians and the Americans miss opportunities to capture or kill Rafiq, and he lives to fight another day. I cannot wait to get the next book to see where the story then takes us.
Moses.
2 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The Athens Job
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2021
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This is another great book!! The Two Navy Guys really have the experience to know what they are writing about! They take real world events and wrap them inside of their books for true edge-of-your-seat experiences! I love everything I have read by David Bruns and J.R. Olsen!
2 people found this helpful
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