Ultimatum – Simon Kernick
Where were you when the terrorists struck London, back in 2005?
I can remember where I was.
I was sitting on a train in Stratford, on my way to an interview for a job working as a financial journalist.
When the terrorists struck all the trains to Liverpool Street were suddenly cancelled, so I made my way back to Norwich and it was only when I got back I actually saw the horror of what happened that day.
One of the bombs went off at Aldgate, which was the station I was due to get off at, to go for my interview at Moneywise. With their office on Mansell Street, and my interview scheduled for 11am that day, I was suited and booted and going to ride the tube over and do my interview.
If my interview was at 9am, I reckon I’d have been pretty close to being blown up….
I try and not think about it, just how close I came to death that day. So when I read “Ultimatum”, I felt connected to the terror unleashed by people out to destroy.
The story is about a terrorist cell intent on wreaking havoc on London.
A bomb goes off in a coffee shop at 8am. A group called “The Islamic Command” call the authorities and claim responsibility, stating that another bomb will go off in two hours if prisoners aren’t released.
BOOOM
The 10am bomb goes off in a tower block, slaughtering the police.
“Another bomb will go off at 8pm tonight…”
And so our heroine Tina Boyd is on a race against time to stop the bombers and find out just who is behind it.
“Ultimatum” is fantastic. It is a gory break-neck thriller full of shifty characters, nasty bastards, criminals, guns and geopolitics.
It’s about one woman’s quest to infiltrate a terrorist cell and save the city she loves and innocent people who are just trying to live their lives.
This is a book for anyone who has lived in London, worked in London, or been on the underground and thought “hmmm, that guy looks a bit dodgy”.
I really did enjoy it, and can’t wait for the sequel (let’s just say one of the bad guys got away…..)
Boomtastic!
The Book Boy Rating – 4/5
p.s – I was staying with my girlfriend Amy, who lived in Clapham when Jean Charles de Menezes was shot on 22 July at Stockwell station. Clapham North was the next station!
Christ, that really was a crazy summer.
Nevertheless I got the job at Moneywise and ended up living in a shared house in Balham…. with a Foxtons estate agent, a buyer for Superdrug and a banker for Santander. Happy days (not).
But that’s a story for another day.
Wow, sounds like a fantastic book!
Oddly enough, I remember where I was too. I was sat in Norfolk County Council records office doing research in the negative attitudes towards wind turbines! I heard about it while I was driving to Morrisons on Riverside to buy some lunch.
Not quite as exciting as your story….
x
Former regular reader of this blog. However have now realised that there’s literally no topic you won’t try and turn into a rant about your own life. I mean, a book about bombings in London, and it’s still about you, job interviews, and your former housing situation. Self obsessed to the extreme.
I won’t even mention the amazing insensitivity of ‘boomtastic’.
I may check back one day to see if you’ve actually started writing about books again. In the meantime, I am happily no longer going to read this site.
Sorry, but this is MY personal site, about books I read, what I think about them, what they mean to ME and why I did or did not enjoy them. The site is also called “The Book Boy”. It’s a PERSONAL blog with books thrown in. If you don’t enjoy it, then fair enough! Toodleoo.
p.s you should have used a different I.P address, as I now know who you are. Nice fake name
Today, I have learnt it’s never a good thing when your wife phones you while you’re walking to work and says “I think I’ve done something stupid”. Yes, dear. Yes you have.
By contrast to her, I’D like to thank you for recommending numerous books that have ended up making up birthday presents and Christmas presents for the past few months – not least for her. As someone who doesn’t read as much as he’d like (outside of non-fiction anyway) your recommendations have proven rather helpful – indeed, I’ve earned many ‘good present’ plaudits. Undeserved ones, of course!
As someone majorly from the “If you don’t like it, don’t read it” school of thinking, I’d also like to apologise both for telling her your blog address a while back, and for the above somewhat over-the top comment that has resulted. She may have not have been having a good evening yesterday, but that’s not an excuse.
To put it in a much shorter fashion: Keep on doing what you do so well, I shall spend the evening explaining what an IP address is, and ‘bitches be crazy’.
Thank you for your honesty.There’s no hard feelings on my part….
, I know who you are 
I now half expect to look out the window and see you standing there. Which would be especially creepy given I’m on the second floor.
Holy crap we’ve collectively butchered your comments section here. SORRY!
No worries. We all have a bad day. No hard feelings, bud. I know “bitches be crazy”, just get her to use “HIDE MY ASS” in future.
lol
I was at home on a week off from my part time job, frantically applying to anywhere I thought’d have me. The day before I’d stopped briefly to hear the Olympic bid results and not ended up going back to it, so I was a bit more focused that day. So much so in fact I only found out about everything about an hour and a half after it happened. Somewhat shocking.
Was indeed shocking! Thanks for stopping by
Oh dear. LOL. This comment thread has made me chuckle. I enjoy this site because it’s personal book reviews. If I wan’t generic shit I’ll go to the Guardian Books or Telegraph Books page. I come here because I like seeing what Liam is up to and what he is reading and why he did or didn’t like a book. And he makes me laugh. “Ruth” you have been called out. Kudos to your husband for coming on. I completely agree – if you don’t like it, don’t read it. I however will continue to read it, am a serial lurker and bookboy fan.
Keep it up Liam
Much love
Jo x
Thanks Jo. I don’t mind people having a pop at me. Just kinda smarts a bit when I know who it is and they feel they have to hide behind a fake name, and not hide their IP address. Like I say we all have a bad day, and maybe my post rubbed her up the wrong way. Boomtastic was probably a bit insensitive, but I completely agree – this is my site, about me, my life, my books and my opinions. If you don’t like it, don’t read it indeed! Thanks for your message of support x