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Lara King #1
Asset One
“Thriller writing at its best.�
--Midwest Book Review (Any Means Necessary)
⭐⭐⭐⭐�
From the #1 bestselling and USA Today bestselling author Jack Mars (with over 10,000 five-star reviews) comes a groundbreaking new spy thriller orphan Lara King has been raised and trained from a young girl to become one of the CIA’s deadliest and most effective agents.
In ASSET ONE (Book #1), nuclear Armageddon becomes a pawn in a game of international terror, and CIA's elite operative Lara King is faced with no choice but to infiltrate an extremist cell threatening global security. Can she disarm the ticking doomsday clock set in motion by her own government's secrets?
The Lara King series delivers a captivating spy thriller with twists you won’t see coming, hooking you from start to finish. Embark on a riveting adventure with this new and thrilling action protagonist that guarantees to keep you engrossed well past your bedtime. Fans of Vince Flynn, Brad Taylor, and Lee Child are sure to fall in love.
Future books in the series are also available!
“Thriller enthusiasts who relish the precise execution of an international thriller, but who seek the psychological depth and believability of a protagonist who simultaneously fields professional and personal life challenges, will find this a gripping story that's hard to put down.�
--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Any Means Necessary)
⭐⭐⭐⭐�
“One of the best thrillers I have read this year. The plot is intelligent and will keep you hooked from the beginning. The author did a superb job creating a set of characters who are fully developed and very much enjoyable. I can hardly wait for the sequel.�
--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Any Means Necessary)
⭐⭐⭐⭐�
--Midwest Book Review (Any Means Necessary)
⭐⭐⭐⭐�
From the #1 bestselling and USA Today bestselling author Jack Mars (with over 10,000 five-star reviews) comes a groundbreaking new spy thriller orphan Lara King has been raised and trained from a young girl to become one of the CIA’s deadliest and most effective agents.
In ASSET ONE (Book #1), nuclear Armageddon becomes a pawn in a game of international terror, and CIA's elite operative Lara King is faced with no choice but to infiltrate an extremist cell threatening global security. Can she disarm the ticking doomsday clock set in motion by her own government's secrets?
The Lara King series delivers a captivating spy thriller with twists you won’t see coming, hooking you from start to finish. Embark on a riveting adventure with this new and thrilling action protagonist that guarantees to keep you engrossed well past your bedtime. Fans of Vince Flynn, Brad Taylor, and Lee Child are sure to fall in love.
Future books in the series are also available!
“Thriller enthusiasts who relish the precise execution of an international thriller, but who seek the psychological depth and believability of a protagonist who simultaneously fields professional and personal life challenges, will find this a gripping story that's hard to put down.�
--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Any Means Necessary)
⭐⭐⭐⭐�
“One of the best thrillers I have read this year. The plot is intelligent and will keep you hooked from the beginning. The author did a superb job creating a set of characters who are fully developed and very much enjoyable. I can hardly wait for the sequel.�
--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Any Means Necessary)
⭐⭐⭐⭐�
213 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 8, 2024
425 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Jack Mars
178books625followersJack Mars is author of the bestselling LUKE STONE thriller series, which include the suspense thrillers ANY MEANS NECESSARY (book #1), OATH OF OFFICE (book #2) and SITUATION ROOM (book #3).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 20, 2025
Quick, fun read. Fast paced CIA, suspend all reality and enjoy the ride, escapism.
February 3, 2025
A Lara King Thriller ?
Is it?
In ASSET ONE (Book #1), nuclear Armageddon becomes a pawn in a game of international terror, and CIA's elite operative Lara King is faced with no choice but to infiltrate an extremist cell threatening global security. Can she disarm the ticking doomsday clock set in motion by her own government's secrets?
Jack Mars author of the popular Luke Stone thrillers, here we have Lara King? Or do we ?
This CIA spy thriller starts of well but goes downhill quickly, but this thriller is slow paced, heavy going, quite one dimensional character , usual story, a little far fetched.
Only two stars for me.
Is it?
In ASSET ONE (Book #1), nuclear Armageddon becomes a pawn in a game of international terror, and CIA's elite operative Lara King is faced with no choice but to infiltrate an extremist cell threatening global security. Can she disarm the ticking doomsday clock set in motion by her own government's secrets?
Jack Mars author of the popular Luke Stone thrillers, here we have Lara King? Or do we ?
This CIA spy thriller starts of well but goes downhill quickly, but this thriller is slow paced, heavy going, quite one dimensional character , usual story, a little far fetched.
Only two stars for me.
October 5, 2024
Can't believe this is the same author as the Luke Stone series. Unbelievable plot, silly characters and altogether a very forgettable story. I won't go any further with the series. I've enjoyed many of Jack Mars' books but IMHO this one is a lemon. Sorry.
Read
January 20, 2025Yikes. I knew this book wasn't going to be for me when only in Chapter 2 the main ML, who hadn't even met, said a word to, or made himself known to the FL, called out "company!" to identify himself as CIA during a shootout... BUT HOPED SHED GET THE DOUBLE ENTENDRE OF SOME OTHER KIND OF COMPANY HE'D LIKE TO KEEP, wink wink, nudge nudge... you know, sex, he thought she might be interested in fucking, during the shootout, with him, who she's never met or exchanged words with.
Anywho, despite it being very formulaic throughout, including the ML as some Oxford educated Bondesque Marty Sue chatacter and there being a Q type gadgets guy with high functioning autism making him a genius, of course, I nethertheless persisted.
I was under the impression the book was going to be about Lara King, CIA's elite operative, doing spy things, being a bad bish Sydney Bristoe style, but 6 chapters in and it still hadnt passed the Bechdel test and most of the narrative was dedicated to ML, Thomas Ridley, and his thoughts and perspectives it became clear this wasn't a story about a female spy, this was a story for male insert via the Marty Sue character, Thomas, and Lara was just the fantasy. Got the feeling the name was poached from Lara Croft (whom I love btw, no Lara hate), and that probably tells me all I need to know about the target audience. And that isn't me.
Anywho, despite it being very formulaic throughout, including the ML as some Oxford educated Bondesque Marty Sue chatacter and there being a Q type gadgets guy with high functioning autism making him a genius, of course, I nethertheless persisted.
I was under the impression the book was going to be about Lara King, CIA's elite operative, doing spy things, being a bad bish Sydney Bristoe style, but 6 chapters in and it still hadnt passed the Bechdel test and most of the narrative was dedicated to ML, Thomas Ridley, and his thoughts and perspectives it became clear this wasn't a story about a female spy, this was a story for male insert via the Marty Sue character, Thomas, and Lara was just the fantasy. Got the feeling the name was poached from Lara Croft (whom I love btw, no Lara hate), and that probably tells me all I need to know about the target audience. And that isn't me.
January 4, 2025
a dollar for an original anything...!
this book reads like the author had read about twenty of some list's best-selling espionage novels, copied down all his favorite phrases, and then pasted them into his own very derivative script. nothing sounded convincing. nothing about his title heroine rang true, meaning characters like hers have distinct and distinguishing traits that set them apart and make them noteworthy, but not Lara King. not even her Samwise Gamgee sidekick, Thomas Ridley, was able to rise to the occasion believably. for instance, he was profiled as a linguistics expert, but rarely even given more than a whole sentence to say. he was posed as a probable MI6 agent, but seemed downright green at the art of spycraft. there is a book two, but I wouldn't bother, unless j.m. quit looking for inspiration in someone else's pages and switched to writing his own...
this book reads like the author had read about twenty of some list's best-selling espionage novels, copied down all his favorite phrases, and then pasted them into his own very derivative script. nothing sounded convincing. nothing about his title heroine rang true, meaning characters like hers have distinct and distinguishing traits that set them apart and make them noteworthy, but not Lara King. not even her Samwise Gamgee sidekick, Thomas Ridley, was able to rise to the occasion believably. for instance, he was profiled as a linguistics expert, but rarely even given more than a whole sentence to say. he was posed as a probable MI6 agent, but seemed downright green at the art of spycraft. there is a book two, but I wouldn't bother, unless j.m. quit looking for inspiration in someone else's pages and switched to writing his own...
September 10, 2024
It's a 3.5, but 3 wouldn't do it justice
Nothing really new, but well put together and well thought out
Main character is some elite CIA agent, that has secrets about her past, that no one else should.know, except the higher echelons of the CIA who created her
Her new partner seems to be a good guy
A few issues with the story like how do elite spetznaz not know how to guard a ship properly, but it's minor stuff in the scheme of things
Fast paced, lots of action and obviously a lot more to come about the back story and future missions
Nothing really new, but well put together and well thought out
Main character is some elite CIA agent, that has secrets about her past, that no one else should.know, except the higher echelons of the CIA who created her
Her new partner seems to be a good guy
A few issues with the story like how do elite spetznaz not know how to guard a ship properly, but it's minor stuff in the scheme of things
Fast paced, lots of action and obviously a lot more to come about the back story and future missions
March 6, 2025
Don’t bother
This is one of the worst books I’ve read in a long time; I can’t believe I stuck with it to the end. Juvenile writing, simplistic characters prone to overusing words like “idiot� to describe everyone but them selves, improbable plot, superhuman shooting and other physical skills of the main characters, constantly denigrating America and Americans as being idiots and hated by everyone, etc., etc.
This is one of the worst books I’ve read in a long time; I can’t believe I stuck with it to the end. Juvenile writing, simplistic characters prone to overusing words like “idiot� to describe everyone but them selves, improbable plot, superhuman shooting and other physical skills of the main characters, constantly denigrating America and Americans as being idiots and hated by everyone, etc., etc.
April 11, 2025
In the beginning of the books I wasn’t so sure I was going to like it. Lara is so standoffish and seems superior to everyone else. Thomas seemed egotistical and assholish. And Kayden - well - he’s a character unto himself.
By the end of the book I was engrossed. Loving the partnership between all of them! The only thing I didn’t like was the book was pretty technical in places. More than what I considered necessary but overall, very good!
By the end of the book I was engrossed. Loving the partnership between all of them! The only thing I didn’t like was the book was pretty technical in places. More than what I considered necessary but overall, very good!
January 18, 2025
‘Asset One� was thrilling. Its plot was filled with suspense, secrets, nerve-wracking tension, espionage, and intrigue. Then, the fourteen-year-old, although extremely bright, didn’t seem to act his age; he was too immature after receiving bad news from the female protagonist. Nonetheless, I liked the riveting narrative.
January 21, 2025
One dimensional characters.
Female agent beats up groups of large men in hand-to-hand combat. But hey, she does karate chops. Really. Who can defeat a karate chop? That is, other than every other form of MMA.
And if you find aiming for a leg silly, well she will shoot a finger.
I did finish it, it was an easy read, so two stars for that I guess, but I won't continue the series.
Female agent beats up groups of large men in hand-to-hand combat. But hey, she does karate chops. Really. Who can defeat a karate chop? That is, other than every other form of MMA.
And if you find aiming for a leg silly, well she will shoot a finger.
I did finish it, it was an easy read, so two stars for that I guess, but I won't continue the series.
January 25, 2025
I actually DNF. The Russian scenes read more like a script than a novel-every single move and kill was described, in detail. I couldn’t connect to the characters, at all!! I love Jack Ryan, Lara Croft, Jason Bourne, Jack Reacher, but NOT Lara King. This book kind of reminded me of Red Sparrow and Hannah - but not as good. I agonizingly read 52% before I quit.
February 8, 2025
One of the few times I actually considered not finishing a book.
There's no way the author who wrote Agent Zero wrote this book. Poorly written, tired premise, with badly portrayed characters. Simplistic plot with no real suspense or thrills. Needless to say I will not be continuing the series. Thank god it was a short read.
There's no way the author who wrote Agent Zero wrote this book. Poorly written, tired premise, with badly portrayed characters. Simplistic plot with no real suspense or thrills. Needless to say I will not be continuing the series. Thank god it was a short read.
March 19, 2025
Exciting till the end!
Lara King is a character you will not soon forget. She is partnered and not happy about it. She works alone only. Thomas Ridley is not sure how to take Lara and the plot begins. This book keeps your attention immediately and I highly recommend it. Can’t wait to read Asset Two!
Lara King is a character you will not soon forget. She is partnered and not happy about it. She works alone only. Thomas Ridley is not sure how to take Lara and the plot begins. This book keeps your attention immediately and I highly recommend it. Can’t wait to read Asset Two!
August 25, 2024
Impossible but pretty well written
So Lara King is the newest thriller heroine, deservedly so; however, the story is so implausible as to make it a quick read, with a few paragraphs of blather to skip.
So Lara King is the newest thriller heroine, deservedly so; however, the story is so implausible as to make it a quick read, with a few paragraphs of blather to skip.
January 14, 2025
Brilliant
What a fantastic read, fast paced and thoroughly enjoyable. Read in one sitting, I am looking forward to Paras further adventures. Well done Jack, you have created a very interesting character in Lara!
What a fantastic read, fast paced and thoroughly enjoyable. Read in one sitting, I am looking forward to Paras further adventures. Well done Jack, you have created a very interesting character in Lara!
March 5, 2025
Children as spies and killers
Lara is one of the best agents the CIA has trained. Thomas is assigned to be her partner, one she doesn’t want or need. They are sent on a mission where their abilities and skills are needed. Good suspense, great plot, and interesting.
Lara is one of the best agents the CIA has trained. Thomas is assigned to be her partner, one she doesn’t want or need. They are sent on a mission where their abilities and skills are needed. Good suspense, great plot, and interesting.
August 13, 2024
I liked this character
October 10, 2024
A good story well told with interesting characters.
Lara and her partner have their hands full chasing a Russian ship full of bad guys trying to cause world war III.
Lara and her partner have their hands full chasing a Russian ship full of bad guys trying to cause world war III.
December 30, 2024
While the book was just okay, the audio was awful. It cut out through the entire thing, skipped during sentences and there were so many words mispronounced. Probably won’t be continuing the series.
January 7, 2025
Lara King, a CIA agent since age 6? Unlikely premise but great spy stories.
January 12, 2025
Brilliant
Captivating read. Edge of the seat stuff
Can't wait for the next episode. Hope that the author does not dry up
Captivating read. Edge of the seat stuff
Can't wait for the next episode. Hope that the author does not dry up
January 13, 2025
My score was generous because I won’t read any more of this series. Had some good ideas, hence the score, but unrealistic execution.
Read
January 13, 2025DNF - won’t rate this one :)
January 20, 2025
Asset 1 indeed!!!!
LOVED the non stop action. So well written I felt like I was in the action and cheering them on. And at my age I'm glad it's not real life.
LOVED the non stop action. So well written I felt like I was in the action and cheering them on. And at my age I'm glad it's not real life.
February 6, 2025
Spies on steroids
Great spy story. In fact, it was spies on steroids. Action almost every page. A very unique female heroine spy.
Great spy story. In fact, it was spies on steroids. Action almost every page. A very unique female heroine spy.
February 9, 2025
One of several books I binge-read during a cruise.
February 17, 2025
Quick read, good for the type of book it is�. Interested in the second one�
February 28, 2025
Intriguing premise - but I struggled to connect emotionally with either Lara or Thomas
March 12, 2025
enjoyable
Good characters. Quick read. Somewhat implausible weapons. But who knows what weapon systems are real or unreal these days they all seem like science fiction.
Good characters. Quick read. Somewhat implausible weapons. But who knows what weapon systems are real or unreal these days they all seem like science fiction.
April 29, 2025
This is my first book by this author. I'd like to read more by him before I can really know if his writing appeals to me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
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