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The Day of the Jackal Audiobook
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(4.00) - 36,029 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
One of the most celebrated thrillers ever written, The Day of the Jackal is the electrifying story of an anonymous Englishman who, in the spring of 1963, was hired to assassinate General Charles de Gaulle.
France was infuriated by Charles de Gaulle’s withdrawal from Algeria, and there were six known attempts to assassinate the general that failed. This novel dramatizes the seventh, mostly deadly attempt, involving a professional killer for hire who would be unknown to the French Police. His code name was Jackal, his price half a million dollars, and his demand total secrecy, even from his employers.
Step by painstaking step, we follow the Jackal in his meticulous planning, from the fashioning of a specially made rifle to the devising of his approach to the time and the place where the general is to meet the Jackal’s bullet. The only obstacle in his path is a small, diffident, rumpled policeman, who happens to be considered by his boss the best detective in France: Deputy Commissaire Claude Lebel.
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"I love the details and the pacing of this story. It kept me up at nights because I just didn't want to stop reading it.One problem I had with the book is that I don't want to recommend it to my daughters due to a little bit of mild "adult" content. "
— Scott (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“This classic thriller translates well to audio…Narrator Simon Prebble is the perfect complement to Forsythe’s matter-of-fact style of writing…Prebble’s clipped English accent helps to conjure the atmosphere of Europe in the 1960s.”
— AudioFile -
“A masterpiece tour de force of crisp, sharp, suspenseful writing.”
— Wall Street Journal -
“In a class by itself. Unputdownable.”
— Sunday Times (London) -
“The Day of the Jackal makes such comparable books that The Manchurian Candidate and The Spy Who Came In from the Cold seem like Hardy Boy mysteries.”
— New York Times -
“If ever there was a book that fits the can’t-put-it-down category, this is it.”
— Minneapolis Tribune -
“Compelling, utterly enthralling…Some of the tensest thriller writing I can remember reading.”
— Sunday Express (London) -
“I was spellbound, riveted to this chilling, superbly researched story.”
— The Guardian (Manchester)
Awards
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Winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel
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An Audible.com Bestseller
The Day of the Jackal Listener Reviews
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3/14/2022
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" Read when I was younger.... "
— Sampatkar, 2/18/2014 -
" 2nd fav spy novel afer bourne identiry "
— David, 2/16/2014 -
" One more amazing suspense book. It totally tied me up till end. And, once I reached the end, I was asking myself whether I really understood what I read. I thought of reading it again, but never got the chance to do it. "
— Mayank, 2/9/2014 -
" A true classic of the type. "
— Jim, 1/31/2014 -
" Good book (not a bad movie either but as always the book is better). From when Forsyth was really Forsyth. "
— Mike, 1/31/2014 -
" Wow! I just randomly picked this up off the shelf in the library! What a great book! It's like Grisham and Clancy rolled into one. I really enjoyed this book. "
— Jeanie, 1/25/2014 -
" This is the second book of Mr. Forsyth that I read after The Odessa File. Typical of him. Very details and full of surprises. Once you start reading his book you wont stop until the last page. "
— Joty, 1/20/2014 -
" Such an exciting thriller -- such professionalism.... I was almost on his side... "
— Lisette, 1/19/2014 -
" Amazing writing, a page turner, a great story! "
— Bill, 1/18/2014 -
" My favorite action book. Unfortunately the movie the Jackal is loosely based on it. "
— Yinka, 12/30/2013 -
" Forsyth is brilliant. This book is one of his earlier works, which tells the story of an assassin who has been hired to kill the President of France. "
— Sera, 12/19/2013 -
" One of the few books I've read and immediately knew I'd reread many times. A great, great thriller. "
— Anthony, 11/17/2013 -
" Perhaps the greatest thriller I've ever read. If you're looking for a page-turner that will keep you occupied for hours and keep you up all night, this book is maybe the best one you can choose. "
— Sarah, 11/16/2013 -
" Except for the detailing, which at times was overwhelming, its a good read. "
— Sam, 9/17/2013 -
" Really enjoyed this one. Characters, plot, action, factual/fictional balance all great. Like James Bond but better... "
— t, 9/15/2013 -
" Love it so far! A true classic in the genre. "
— Joachim, 7/29/2013 -
" one of forsyths best books! held me captivated till the end; from the preparations of the Jackal, to the manhunt and his evasion of the police. "
— Abhishek, 7/12/2013 -
" Simon Prebble, you give a wonderful performance to a masterful thriller. Audio books like this make long commutes the best part of the day. "
— Andrew Markovich, 4/26/2013 -
" i did not actually read this book i abandoned at page 108 "
— lucas711, 1/13/2013 -
" None better in this genre. "
— Mary, 10/1/2012 -
" Read it in one day. I was hurting at work but with a smile on my face. The perfect thriller. "
— Anthony, 8/22/2012 -
" Well written and intelligent. Richly detailed with a good palette of characters. This book follows the hiring of a professional killer to murder Charles de Gaul and the various French security groups trying to stop him. "
— Bill, 7/21/2012 -
" one of the best novels. Gives an insight of a mind of a do or die assassin. Could have succeeded had he had an small automaic weapon for emergencies or saving his back "
— Robin, 5/24/2012 -
" Wow, excellent book! Highly recommended. "
— Joe, 3/7/2012 -
" Went on a bit too long for my taste but I really enjoyed the scenes where the Jackal prepped and planned for the assasination. "
— Melanie, 2/10/2012 -
" One of the best mystery novels ever made "
— Loren, 7/16/2011 -
" Much better than the movie. But isn't that usually the case? Fast paced and while my life is too busy to not be able to put a book down, I kept sneaking time to continue reading this. "
— S., 5/9/2011 -
" One of the all time great thrillers. It still holds up today even though the technology is dated. One of the rare cases of the book being better than the movie and that was one great movie. "
— Al, 5/7/2011 -
" I'm sure that most people read this years ago and also saw the movie but I had done neither. Forsyth is a very good story teller and he has a good imagination. I have read some of his more recent works--gripping spy/ criminal intrigues--all very good. "
— Jandblock, 4/27/2011 -
" I found this a frustratingly slow read, more about the laborious preparation for an assassination, blow by blow, than any type of tension or action. "
— Tom, 4/2/2011 -
" Classic. I actually had a bit of a problem getting into it. For some reason, I had issues with the British voice on the recording this time. Loved it by the end, though. "
— Cheryl, 3/23/2011 -
" Still the best of genre. "
— Michael, 3/23/2011 -
" Enjoying the reading. The narrator does a great job. I wish I knew how much of this is fiction and how much is truth. "
— Scott, 3/17/2011 -
" Edisi pertama terjemahan The Day of the Jackal karya Frederick Forsyth terbitan Gramedia tahun 1978 "
— aldozirsov, 3/7/2011 -
" Excellent book, could teach Dan Brown a thing or two "
— Ice, 3/4/2011 -
" So outstanding it established the standard in this genre. All subsequent works would be measured against it. "
— victor, 2/25/2011 -
" very detailed and droll. Good mystery, but very slow pace. "
— Du, 2/20/2011 -
" Took me only a few days to read. Exhilarating and rich with a genuine historical context. I might have learned something in spite of myself. "
— Daniel, 2/13/2011 -
" None better in this genre. "
— Mary, 2/12/2011
About Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including The Day of the Jackal and The Odessa File, as well as short-story collections and a memoir. He is the winner of three Edgar Awards, and in 2012 he won the Diamond Dagger Award from the Crime Writers’ Association, a lifetime achievement award for sustained excellence. A former Air Force pilot and one-time print and television reporter for the BBC, he has had four movies and two television miniseries made from his works.
About Simon Prebble
Simon Prebble, a British-born performer, is a stage and television actor and veteran narrator of some three hundred audiobooks. As one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices, he has received thirty-seven Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie in 2010. He lives in New York.