Books: Day Of The Jackal

A friend asked me to recommend a good spy novel. At first I suggested any of John le Carre’s fine novels, but on second thought and because cause I was being asked to recommend the “best spy novel ever”__only one came to mind, at least to my mind and that would be: Frederick Forsyth’s, Day of the Jackal. Ah__ the”Jackal” the one man with a rifle that could change the course of history. Can any power on earth stop the “Jackal?” Well read the book. However, I can say, without being a spoiler, that Day of the Jackal is one of the most finely crafted and exciting novels, based on a true story, ever written. The Jackal is hired to assassinate Charles De Gaulle the president of France. He is an expert, ruthless, unstoppable and virtually undetectable. As the Jackal moves across Europe to position himself to stalk his prey, a brilliant French detective, Comissaire Lebel, who has almost divined the plot, stalks the killer move for move. The novel is well constructed, and moves from one scene to another with minimum of fuss in a linear line of no confusion. Forsyth’s details are exact, he names real names and he brings up contemporaneous political issues important at the time all the while wrapping it in a travelogue through geography and international politics. What’s brought forth is a harsh essentially is a world of casual calculated political plots. Forsyth makes every word count as the story moves to its climatic conclusion. The novel was also made into an excellent movie in 1973 starring Edward Fox, also a must see. So give yourself a treat__ the novel is the best espionage thriller ever__according to me.