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The Mantis

By: Kotaro Isaka, Sam Malissa - translator
Narrated by: Adam Sims
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Good dad or good assassin? Can he be both?

From the internationally bestselling author of Bullet Train: A seemingly ordinary family man tries to juggle his home life with his job as a hitman.

Picture a mantis raising up its blades. It looks fearsome, but it's still just a tiny insect. The mantis actually thinks it can win. Even though it's tiny, it's still ready to fight to the death.

Kabuto is an ordinary guy; stressed with work, hassled by his wife and disrespected by his son. No wonder he visits his doctor so often. Except 'the Doctor' is actually his handler, and Kabuto is a hired assassin. The 'prescriptions' the Doctor hands over are his unlucky targets. Because although Kabuto may seem like a small man at home, he's really good at killing people.

But Kabuto is worn out with the business of murder. He's trying to pay his way out of the Doctor's employment with a few last jobs. But the most lucrative contracts involve taking out other professional assassins and his final assignment puts both him and his family in danger.

©2023 Kotaro Isaka (P)2023 Penguin Audio
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What listeners say about The Mantis

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Story was unusual

A killer’s story without a thriller style, almost on the sad side, even calm. Good for readers/listeners looking for something extraordinary

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love this guy

Really enjoy his novels, and the references to characters from his previous books… Can’t wait for the next one.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

I hated it, then it was ok, now I'm not sure

I loved Bullet Train. The whole premise was great. The idea of a shadowy underworld of assassins who all know each other, great. Action packed with twists and turns, great. They're trapped on a train, great..

This, The Mantis, is very different. It's about a guy with a wife who he lives in terror of offending. It seems to go on forever, him describing how he tries to avoid upsetting his wife. The pace is so remarkably slow. I had to play this at x 2.5 speed because nothing happens. And nothing continues to happen. And I stopped caring about any of the characters.

By the end, it gets pulled together in a nice way, there are flashbacks and flashforwards. And maybe if I hadn't already read Bullet Train and wasn't expecting something with more pace, this would have hit the mark better.

in summary: for most of the book it's tedious and nothing much happens. Them there's a bit of a reveal and it's over. And a flashback.

I may re-listen, to see if knowing the end, the beginning is more fulfilling.

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