Year of the Locust" by Terry Hayes is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Set in a world filled with political intrigue, espionage, and high-stakes action, Hayes masterfully weaves together a complex narrative that explores the consequences of power and greed. The protagonist, a seasoned journalist, embarks on a dangerous journey to uncover the truth behind a series of deadly events, leading to a thrilling climax that will leave readers breathless. Hayes' writing is sharp, his characters are compelling, and the plot is packed with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end. "Year of the Locust" is a must-read for fans of intelligent, adrenaline-fueled thrillers.

I really enjoyed this book for the first half. It was fast-paced and super interesting. It fell off for me toward the end. I still think this author has super engaging writing and really like a good spy thriller.

“The Year of the Locust,” by Terry Hayes, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, 800 pages, Feb. 6, 2024.

Daniel Greenberg says he is a scientist. He isn’t.

He is a Denied Access Area spy with the CIA. His code name is Kane. He is sent to kill a man who is secretly working for the Russians. That man, Magus, delivered the names of the U.S.’s 10 most valuable Iranian sources to Russia, who in turn gave them to Iran. Those on the list, eight men and two women, were executed.

Later Kane travels to a lethal triangle where the borders of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan meet. It is a place where violence is the only way to survive. Kane goes there to rendezvous with an informant who knows secrets about the world’s most dangerous terrorist group, the Army of the Pure. The brutal and brilliant leader of the extremists is known as Abu Muslim al-Tundra.

The informant wants $25 million and safe passage to the U.S. for himself and his family in exchange for the details about a major planned attack. CIA Director Falcon Rourke sends Kane to meet with that informant, to find out if he’s truthful, and if so, to bring him and his family out. When things go horribly wrong Kane must fight for his life and for the lives of others.

“The Year of the Locust” is complex with a lot of back story for the primary characters. At one point, there’s a twist with cutting-edge technology and a foray into science fiction. The scale of the novel will amaze readers and will keep them up late reading. Don’t be intimidated by its size because the pages will just fly by. This is bound to be on many best of the year lists. Hayes is also the author of “I Am Pilgrim,” another amazing novel.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

When Terry Hayes’ debut novel I Am Pilgrim burst onto the scene a decade ago, it seemed to announce the arrival of a major new talent in the thriller scene. I absolutely loved the book and was very excited to see what he would come up with when his next title, The Year of the Locust, was announced for release in 2016. Unfortunately, the year came and went without the book, as did several more, making it seem as if it might never be published. Lo and behold, 8 years later, it’s finally here, and as it turns out it was worth the wait.

The book is written from the perspective of Kane, a Denied Access Area spy for the CIA. His job is to get into the places that Americans aren’t supposed to go and get back out again without being caught, and he is one of the best in the business. When we meet him, he is being sent to the borderlands of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran to try to gather information about an increasingly powerful terrorist group known as the Army of the Pure. Intel has suggested that they are planning a major attack that will endanger countless people around the world and so it is imperative that he can learn more about the organization so they can be stopped before it is too late. Of course, with these kinds of missions there is a lot that can go wrong, and Kane finds himself in some very bad scenarios, with only his wits and training to help him survive.

Written in a conversational tone and short, punchy chapters (some barely a page long), the novel’s roughly 800 pages fly by. Kane is an easy character to like, and the book can sometimes feel like he’s a friend telling you a story. That story happens to be relentlessly suspenseful though, filled with some of the tensest moments of any book I’ve read in years. I would frequently find myself feeling a palpable sense of relief at the conclusion of a mission, having been every bit as invested in its outcome as the characters involved. Speaking of which, while Kane is the star, the other characters are equally enjoyable to spend time with and help to further draw in the reader.

Hayes has clearly done his homework when it comes to spycraft, providing fascinating insights into that world throughout. Everything is so convincing that it can be hard to tell what’s in actual use or the author’s invention, and while it is all thoroughly explained it never gets boring.

The finale takes the story into some truly surprising territory that readers will never see coming and which raises the stakes to truly astronomical levels. Parts of it require some suspension of disbelief, but Hayes pulls off the shift so well that most readers won’t have any problem going along for the ride. 10 years between books is a long time to wait, but when the result is this thrilling, inventive, and even surprisingly emotional it seems like it paid off. Though, it’s still very early into the year, I’d be surprised if I read a more entertaining book than this one in 2024.

I'm a fairly skeptical reader of thrillers. I can't read horror because I can't suspend disbelief, and my measure of a thriller is whether I think it's plausible or not. Terry Hayes's hotly awaited "The Year of the Locust," follow-up to the global sensation "I Am Pilgrim," is plausible for a good deal of its length. The tradecraft is as solid as in "Pilgrim" and Kane is still the steely case officer-cum-freelancer he was ten years ago. But regrettably, I can't tell you anything more detailed without giving away plot surprises. And boy, are there some.

All right, without giving away spoilers, I already hear the groans from others who've read this complaining, "What??" But hear me out. "Plausible" is an adjective that means "having an appearance of truth or reason; seemingly worthy of approval or acceptance; credible; believable: a plausible excuse; a plausible plot." "Locust" fulfills those rules perfectly for much of its content. You know it does.

Kane is a blend of Jack Ryan, Jason Bourne, and Columbo. All are dedicated, driven, highly professional, and always get their men. In Kane's case, this time he's grappling with challenges no normal spy (in there a normal spy, especially in fiction?) should have to deal with. All spies travel great distances to complete their missions, but Hayes's Kane travels farther than any spy in espionage history. No more on this without spoilers.

Kane, Terry Hayes' main character, is a "Denied Access Area" man, able to wriggle into hot spots that no other spy can get into. His ostensible mission is to extract from the wilds of Pakistan a valuable asset with information on a planned terror attack rivaling 9/11. Of course, nothing goes as planned. The trail leads to a dangerous place and a dangerous man who holds the literal fate of the world in his hands. It's how Kane goes after him—and what he must do to succeed—that turns the story on its head and blends genres.

Fair Warning: This is not "I Am Pilgrim." I sacrificed one star for the handbrake turn the plot takes about mid-way through, but this is still a solid, compelling exercise in thriller fiction that I encourage you to read.

Here we go....Part one and two of the book were fantastic. Terry Hayes' knowledge of far flung places is astonishing and his descriptions take you right there. Part three got very technical - more like a Tom Clancy novel. It was a bit over my head. Part four - what on Earth? Nevertheless I did plough on, skipped over some paragraphs and it improve towards the end and the ending was good. Four stars rounded up for effort.

I was so excited to get this book. I re-read I am Pilgrim not knowing if this was a sequel. It is not.

It is very very similar. Except this time our spy, Kane works for the CIA. An expert at getting into places where most cannot go. The book is very similar in style with a jumping timeline. The big difference is that Kane has a relationship at home who has some idea what he does.

Kane goes into Afghanistan to get out an man who says he has information about a "spectacular" even that a new islamic Army is going to perpetutate on the United States. The Army of the Pure which formed after ISIS was defeated. This trip leads Kane to hunting a man who is one of the most dangerous men he has ever chased. We go to Iran, Russia and other Middle Eastern States in the hunt.

I thought the book was good but there is a certain factor that is brought into it that lessened my liking of the book. Am I glad I read it? Absolutely and I hope we don't have to wait as long for Mr. Hayes to write another book.

An extraordinary espionage thriller that morphs into something unexpected and exhilarating, The Year of the Locust delivers a fascinating, thought-provoking and emotional story for the ages. Ten years after the hit novel I Am Pilgrim, Terry Hayes has delivered an immensely engaging page turner that burrows into your brain and heart in equal measure. A book that will invade your dreams and beckon you like a siren song to return if you dare put it down. An epic tale that was worth the wait.

Kane is a Denied Access Area spy for the CIA who has operated in some of the most dangerous places on earth. Even with his vast experience, nothing could prepare him for the mission of a lifetime – infiltrating Iran to extract the courier of a notorious terrorist organization who possesses information about the plans for a spectacular attack on the west. But what he can’t anticipate is how this mission will result in a confrontation that will challenge the impossible and change the course of humanity.

For ~550 pages, this book stacks up with some of the best pure espionage thrillers of recent memory. Then it takes a left-hand turn, implements science fiction elements and becomes something that defies simple genre categorization for the remainder. Throw in a metric ton of action, psychological mind fuckery, deadly consequences hanging like a guillotine over the collective necks of the unsuspecting citizenry of the world, and enough emotion to choke up the most stoic among us, and you get a uniquely and expertly blended story that comes together to bridge reality with futuristic possibilities in the most entertaining and provocative of ways.

There’s a lot more that can be said about this novel but will leave it at that because it’s recommended you go into The Year of the Locust knowing little about the plot. Experiencing the journey free from expectations and getting blindsided with the unforeseen only enhances the reading experience. One that Terry Hayes painstakingly crafted for the last decade. So pick up a copy, dive in and be propelled through the legendary account of one spy’s voyage through hell with only the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

I loved I am Pilgrim by this author. I loved Year of the Locust the first 75%. . It was exciting and a real page turner until it wasn’t. The book became totally unbelievable and I quickly lost interest. I was so upset as I was so into this book and had looked forward to it for weeks. I

Such a long wait for such a bad book ! After reading I Am Pilgrim, I was so excited to see this second book finally be published. I Am Pilgrim was one of the best spy books that I have read. How disappointing to read The Year of the Locust. It starts as a spy mystery, and moves into sci-fi. It seems like two different and distinct books.
I hope the author goes back to spy novels, and that book three is published in less than 10 years.
Not recommended

I was a huge fan of Hayes' I Am Pilgrim, and have waited for his next book for far too long. Now -- at last -- The Year of the Locust, and this reader could not be happier. The concept, the execution, the voice -- I was blown away!

Kane is a Denied Access Agent, one who goes where no one is allowed, with his life on the line with every mission. He travels to one of the most dangerous places on earth to exfiltrate a man with vital information for the safety of the West—but instead he meets an adversary who will take the world to the brink of extinction. A frightening, clever, vicious man with blood on his hands and vengeance in his heart.

This book will take readers to places they never saw coming, and they will love it! Highly recommended. #TheYearoftheLocust #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthorSeries

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Atria/Emily Bestler Books for an advanced copy of this thriller that is epic in scope, space and ideas and yet intimate and thoughtful about who we are as humans, what we can do, and the surprising amount of damage one can absorb when getting revenge.

I Am Pilgrim is a book that I recommend at least a couple of times a month to people who want something new in their thriller reading, or a big book to lose themselves in. Terry Hayes, screenwriter, producer and ex-journalist aimed for the bleachers with his first book and made it into the parking lot with a book that was full of action, and thrills, and yet talked about art, about being a person, and the state of the world. The biggest questions I usually get are, does he have more, and is there a movie from this. Ten years have past and the movie is still in development, but there is another Terry Hayes book The Year of the Locust, and this one is turned up to eleven. Locust is bigger than Pilgrim in pages, ideas, stakes and more but still written with a style that is not really seen in thriller books, one that is very intimate, yet full of information ideas, and the strength that humans draw on to succeed and to help others.

Ridley Kane is a unique agent of the Central Intelligence Agency, some years in our future. Kane is a Denied Access Area spy, one trained to go into areas that are considered impossible to enter, to live deeply undercover until the mission whatever that might be is completed. Kane speaks a variety of languages, mostly Arabic and Russian, which makes him ideal for his current task. Kane is to enter through Afghanistan in Iran and make contact with a man who has information about a terrorist attack on America that could kill thousands, if not millions. The mission goes wrong and Kane is captured by a man presumed dead by the west, a man more dangerous than Kane has ever faced. These two will meet only three times, but the fate of the world, even our future will be decided by both their actions.

Wow. That is the first thing that I thought getting to the end of this. For a big book this reads fast, and even with a few narrative tricks, the story is told mostly from Kane's view, except for some trips to CIA Headquarters, Maryland, and deep in Russia. Hayes has a real gift for writing, never bogging the reader down, keeping everything moving from action scenes, to even passages about the sea, or growing up in Florida or fixing air conditioners. The book does get a little strange at the 3/4 mark, but returns to the normal narrative eventually. I must admit I was a little confused, but it is still interesting, and an interesting choice. The characters especially Kane and his foe are well described and written. Even an all evil person can do a good deed once in awhile. And Kane is really well written, a well trained man, but not a superman, one who makes mistakes, admits them, gets hurt and hurts people around him. And one can tell why this book took ten years just from the amount of research that Hayes had to do.

A thriller that thrills and yet makes one think about the world, the strange things that happen. How not listening to that inner voice can lead to disaster, or by embracing our instincts one can live to fight another day. Hayes is a writer with big ideas, and a lot of talent. I hope not to have to wait ten more years for another book to read and recommend.

I may journey around the barn a couple times while writing this review, so be patient. Terry Hayes has now written two books, the first on in 2014 was entitled I Am Pilgrim, and it was given absolutely rave reviews by MRB – a classic spy novel. I’ve been waiting impatiently for a second book, and 10 years later, I now have it, The Year of the Locust. It was worth the wait, although I will later give you one caveat. This is an exciting and well written thriller about a US spy code named Kane. He was a Denied Access Areas spy, meaning that he was called to go into areas in which he only had his own wits and skills to get by and survive – such areas included Syria, North Korea, Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, etc. His real name was Ridley Walker, but the author did not reveal that name until later in the novel because it had no importance to the unfolding of the story.

Kane had been seriously wounded in prior encounters in the Denied Access Areas, but he was a legend and was called back into duty because of his remarkable skill with languages. It was clear that he did not always stick to rules of his trade, such as when he intervened to help save the lives of a woman and two daughters when the man of the family, an Iranian traitor, was captured and literally crucified. He should have walked away to protect himself and the mission, but he simply could not do that.

Russia was in a race to mine rare earth elements from asteroids and other non-earth locations, elements which had become necessary for everything with a computer. Nearly all of those elements on earth were in China, so Russia had to look elsewhere – and they were being successful at it. The US was eager to stop that progress. That was the essence of the plot.

Hayes rounded out the plot with a number of excellent subplots including his girlfriend, an emergency room doctor in DC, his boss at the CIA, the evil forces at work for Russia and Iran, etc. The book is rich with interesting characters who must make important life choices. This is a long book, 760 pages, and I kept turning pages, only putting it down when I had to sleep. Now, the caveat. I was at the ¾ mark of the story when I ran into a problem for me, perhaps not for you. The author then unexpectedly used the device of time travel to carry the story to conclusion. I was attracted to time travel stories as early as the late 1950’s when I was reading “Boys Life” magazines. I could hardly wait for the next issue to see what would happen in those stories. Of course, I loved the “Back to the Future” movie series which used a tongue-in-cheek approach to time travel. I also loved the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon characters of Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman who told time travel stories with the Way Back Machine.

As a reader of spy novels, one must suspend reality testing to a certain extent, but I find I can’t go that far with time travel. As an adult, I’ve found it hard to suspend reality enough to buy into that sci-fi aspect of most modern novels. There is one exception to my hesitancy regarding time travel, and that was a novel by Seldon Edwards titled The Little Book, first published in 2008. That story took him 30 years to write, and time travel was the essence of this book based on psychoanalytic principles, as family members traveled back and forth in time, meeting different members of the family at different points of their lives. As a psychoanalyst, that story had meaning for me, although maybe not for others. I thought it was a great book – but I’m on a tangent. I warned you. (Unfortunately, some of the oldest book reviews on this blog were corrupted, so I can’t refer you to my review of Edwards’ book.)

I was still invested in Hayes’ story, so I continued on. Time travel happened as the result of unintended consequences of the use of new technology that was needed for Kane to sneak into the processing of the asteroid ores in a very remote area of Russia. The author was able to use this sci-fi device to bring a very satisfying conclusion to the main plot and all of the subplots. Assuming that most spy novel readers don’t have the same aversion to time travel that I have, I’ll tell you this is a great and absorbing story. Thanks to David Brown at Simon & Schuster for providing this pre-publication novel which will be available very shortly.

Like many other readers, I have been waiting almost nine years for this book. I recall loving "I Am Pilgrim" (5 star rating), but it's been so long, even reading a synopsis doesn't ring any bells. Maybe it's time for a reread. At any rate, "The Year of the Locust" is clear!y not a sequel. That said, it is quite the roller coaster and a long, complicated read. Nine years and Hayes still couldn't decide if this was a spy thriller, a dystopian novel, or science fiction. Ok, I'm all in for genre mash-ups. Great characters, solid writing. I often wasn't sure where the plot was headed, but I was up for the ride. An enjoyable read, but not quite worthy of five stars. I certainly hope it take another nine years for Hayes' next effort.

I’ve never felt more conflicted about a book in my life. THE YEAR OF THE LOCUST was my most anticipated read of the last few years.

On one hand, I could not put down this book for the first 500 pages. The writing was incredible, the pace was thrilling, and I found myself holding my breath with the action. It was a contender for my top book of 2024!

On the other hand, the last few hundred pages went completely off the rails and I completely lost my bearings.

What started as a subtle eyebrow raise (“Oh–this is how it’s going to go? I trust you, Terry.”) quickly morphed into full on open-mouthed guffaw (“Why, Terry?!”). At the 11th hour, the story took an unprecedented turn into an entirely different genre. I ended up getting a completely different type of book that I frankly did not sign up for. I can suspend a bit of disbelief, but Terry asks his readers to suspend *the most* disbelief.

I consider myself to be an open-minded reader. Even so, if an author is going to take me on an epic, unmatched, spy thriller saga for 600 pages I want to see that original story in all of its greatness come to fruition.

Nowhere does the publisher hint at this genre mash-up in the synopsis. While there is something to be said about the element of surprise, my enjoyment would have been significantly higher if I knew the genre of this doorstop of a novel before embarking upon it.

I’m trying to appreciate the long-awaited story we got, despite its obscurity–but I can’t help but mourn the loss of the 5-star book this absolutely could have been.

I'm landing on a 4-star rating because the first 80% of this story was brilliant, and that has to have some merit. I would have a hard time recommending this broadly and would recommend it to a very specific type of reader.

Many thanks to Atria for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We all fell in love with Terry Hayes when he took the spy thriller world by storm in 2014. I Am Pilgrim is still today nine years later is considered by many to be the finest book written for a thriller fan.

Hayes now returns, superbly, with The Year of the Locust. We have all waited patiently for years for this novel. Combining a spy novel, a thriller novel and mixes in some dystopian thriller prose, we have The Year of the Locust.

Ridley Kane returns in this giant novel, Is this his real name? He is a deep under cover spy sent to look for the world’s most evil terrorist. Kane is sent to the most isolated regions of the Middle East to end the madness Al Tundra has planned. A slow burn thriller Hayes fantastically examines the aspects of a deep undercover spy navigate through his job commitment and a burgeoning relationship.

At over 600 pages Hayes ties together a classic genre twisting spy novel I have had the pleasure to read. I Am Pilgrim is still the finest novel I have read, The Year Of The Locust is better. Do not be intimidated by its size because Hayes lyrical prose and topic knowledge will keep you turning the pages. Enjoy the length, the build up and the ending that ties this all together. Was it worth a nine year wait? Absolutely! Highly recommended.

BEST book I have read all year. Am I surprised? No. I absolutely loved Terry Hayes "I am Pilgrim" and I have recommended that book, actually gushed about it for years, ever since I read it long ago. Since then I have patiently, and not so patiently waited for his next book, and so first I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for this absolutely riveting read. I couldn't put it down. It was brilliant. It was a work of genius. The intelligence of Terry Hayes shines through every page, every sentence, and the suspense and thrilling writing, original plot, and excellent dialogue makes this novel a must-read. If I could give it 100 stars I would. I can't wait to own a paper copy!