THE YEAR OF THE LOCUST
by
Terry Hayes
The Year of the Locust is the first novel in a decade by Terry Hayes, following his 2013 debut thriller, I Am Pilgram. I loved I Am Pilgram, so I was pleased to receive a copy of The Year of the Locust through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
In The Year of the Locust, we meet a CIA Denied Access Area spy, code name Kane. As a Denied Access Area spy, Kane is expected to enter forbidden areas, complete the mission, and exit again, all on his own. While working such a mission, to meet and exfiltrate an informant and his family, Kane meets the Locust.
I love The Year of the Locust, but I say this with a hesitation. I keep thinking "it is a great book, but...." I would give it 5 stars, but because of this hesitation, it is 4.5 out of 5 stars. However, I think that the reason for these hesitancies has to do with me, not the book. Here's the reason:
One of the genres of books that I enjoy is thrillers. The Year of the Locust is not only a thriller, it is an Epic Thriller. It is a massive book with many subplots, leaving Kane seemingly operating all over the world. It also conveys a great deal of insight into the life of a spy. And then suddenly, the book seems to jump genres, taking a sharp turn into apocalyptic genre, a genre that I absolutely do not enjoy. It returns to thriller, but that leap left me sitting there wondering what just happened. So, that brief digression has made me pause, and hence my hesitation.
Even so, The Year of the Locust is undeniably an Epic Thriller. It is a breathtaking experience, a must read for all thriller fans. And so, despite its one "glitch" it is definitely HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
