JUDAS 62: The gripping new espinonage action thriller from the master of the 21st century spy novel (BOX 88, Book 2)

I'm often not a huge fan of spy thrillers but had seen Charles Cumming talking about about Box 88 - the first in this series - and enjoyed how he spoke about his writing. I then enjoyed Box 88 so thought I would give this a try as well when it was published in paperback.The book is 499 pages split into 77 chapters and was first published in 2021.The book has two narratives in 1993 and 2020 (having been taken back to 1979 briefly for some background.There is a list of characters at the start which scares me a bit but having slimmed through it initially I didn't need to refer back.Lots of information is thrown at the reader. To process it all I found that I was reading really slowly to begin with, sometimes rereading a few pages. This worked well as I it gave me time to digest as many of the nuances as possible. Of course, as I became more familiar with the characters and their world my pace increased until I couldn't wait to read the next page.Even though I had read the first book, I was appreciative of all the back story that is given - Judas 62 can be read stand alone but it is much more rewarding if you have read Box 88 first as both storyline spick up where the last book finished. The structure is interesting when you compare it to the first book and the connections are really clever - there is a feeling that stories are being repeated but they never are, we are just seeing a new perspective.Charles Cumming is a very intelligent writer and I respect his research which makes his books feel very authentic.I've read a few novels recently set in the pandemic and it's noted that this book is based in the summer of 2020. It's a curious observation seeing what different aspects of lockdown are focused on by each author. Here the restrictions give a new facet but never threaten to dominant the plot or characters.CC has a way of showing the vulnerabilities of his characters which gives tension to the story as there is always the possibility that they might fail with dire consequences. Looking back at the 1993 mission we are encouraged to work Kyte to succeed but his nervousness makes us believe that failure is inevitable - even though we know he is not to be killed in Russia as he is still around in 2020 there is no other option than to keep reading.The authentic atmosphere in both stories is crafted beautifully with the descriptions of the spy craft ramping up as the story progresses. The time gap of nearly 30 years is interesting and encourages the reader to consider how society has adapted to the evolving complexities in communication - the locations of Russia and Dubai add more contrast.Anyone outside the spying world will not be able to test whether or not the scenarios are possible but they are written with such conviction that it is impossible to dismiss the details and truth in this story.

I like how the imagined and real worlds are interwoven.You get a great picture of post soviet era Russia.

One the most enjoyable and gripping modern spy novels I have read in ages. Building on the formula from the opening book in the Box 88 series, Judas 62 combines two story threads featuring Lockie Kite. One is from 1993 when as a young recruit he is sent to post-Soviet Russia to extract a scientist from the country and get him over the border into Ukraine. The second is a revenge operation linked to the characters from 1993 set in modern-day Dubai. It's brilliantly done, with the 1993 sequence being the standout part of the book - vividly drawn and all-too real in how it must have been to live in those times as Russia adapted and changed after the fall of the Soviet Union. Kite's abilities as an agent aged 22 do seem a bit unlikely, but it's incredibly well-done and it's like the reader is there, living the drama as it unfolds.The Dubai section is also well-done, a bit more Mission Impossible in terms of technology, complexity and unfolding drama, and this too makes for an enjoyable and dramatic finale. Cumming clearly knows a lot about the espionage world and has used his research really well, but it's the characters and motivations that drive them that really makes this a standout novel. This is a great series so far, contemporary, based on real events, and filled with a winning combination of interesting characters, spy craft and genuine excitement. Looking forward to the next one. Thoroughly recommended.

Charles Cumming’s books always entertain and this book is no different.The title itself has plausibility, you can believe, in the light of events, that the Russian State secret intelligence service has a list of dissidents at home and abroad who their masters want eliminated, think Skripal, Litvienko, Navalny etc. No 62 on the list was smuggled out of Russia and settled in England by a very young Lachlan Kite, introduced in BOX 88, who over time rises up through the ranks of the secret service. A plan is hatched years later to draw the Russians into trying to take No62 out…………The initial exfiltration and the book’s climax, in particular, are very well plotted and will have you not wanting to put the book down no matter what hour it is.Any quibbles? Only one, our hero was only 22 when he was tasked to get the dissident out of Russia, rather young I feel to be given such responsibility. However ignoring that, it is fiction, another good spy yarn.

Like the first in the series, Judas 62 features more than one storyline. In 1993, young Lachlan Kite is given his second mission following his inauguration into Box 88 a few years earlier. In 2020, the events of this earlier mission catch up with him and he decides he needs to take action to avoid his downfall and get a bit of revenge at the same time. Most authors write dual timelines by alternating chapters, but here Cumming takes a bit of a risk by finishing the 1993 story before returning to the events in 2020 that opened the novel. It works very well and it made a refreshing change to avoid the constant jumps back and forth. The settings and events have an authentic feel and all the characters come to the party. If you want an excellent contemporary espionage thriller than Judas 62 nails it, but read Box 88 first.

Le Carré can retire with peace of mind. Cummings' works clearly establish him as this generation's worthy successor, and the Kite novels continue to satisfy.

Charles Cummings is that good, yes. The rythm and the social backdrop are that good in all his novels - his last one included. Well done!

The scenes set in Russia are especially claustrophobic, tense, nailbiting and excitingIf it doesn't quite maintain the excitement and tension until the end, it's still a very satisfying and enjoyable next chaper in the adventures of Lachlan KiteWhilst it can be read as a standalone story, it will be more enjoyable if read in sequence after Book 1 - Box 88

This is an improvement from the first book, which had a strong protagonist and good concept for a strong series start, but the first half here becomes somewhat plodding, as young Kite brings a defector out of Russia. The mission largely goes off without a hitch, with the only complications arising from the avoidable social and relationship drama Kite stupidly gets himself embroiled in. Even so, Charles Cumming's prose is concise and he knows how to bring his characters to life, which makes even the slow parts become an immersive reading experience. The second half, set in the present, then becomes a riveting a spy thriller that is the equal of Daniel Silva or Gerald Seymour. It's also interesting to see how the present-day, veteran spymaster Kite was shaped by and learned from the mistakes and indiscretions he made in his youth. If you like spy thrillers heavy on nuanced characterization and subtlety, and light on guns and action, then you will certainly enjoy this series.

Great character development and an exciting but believable plot had me hanging on what would occur with the turn of a page. Such a gripping author, and this latest work is yet another triumph. Loved it.