The Day of the Jackal

6/10

Published in 1971 by Fredrick Forsyth.

Spoiler review.

I first heard of “The Jackal” being used as an assassin’s name in Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Ultimatum. I enjoy the Bourne movies for what they are (pure thrillers) and was unaware that moniker was inspired indirectly through this Forsyth novel⁠. The book is a slow burn; the first 200 or so pages I was wondering why I bothered continuing, but then Lebel was introduced and it started picking up pace and I was proper hooked. The novel is certainly from the 70s, which is seen comically with the technology they use, and sternly with some of the language, descriptions, etc. that Forsyth employs. I detest the latter, which is why I abhor the Bond books, but the former is obviously a non-issue. I will say that it wasn’t enough for me to put down the book, but again I will say that I’ve read like six Bond novels (which is seven too many. Just watch the Daniel Craig movies.)

Parts of the plot were extremely predictable—e.g. the forger trying to blackmail the Jackal being foremost in my mind. That is fine as the main plot wasn’t as predictable. Sticking with that section of the novel for a second, I couldn’t help but feel that this scene⁠ from John Wick was inspired (directly or indirectly) by the Jackal’s shopping. The end was a cop-out I felt though—de Gaulle leaning forward to accidentally dodge the shot? C’mon. I don’t know what would be a better ending, but I didn’t like this one. It felt far too contrived, a deus ex machina.

Overall, enjoyable enough thriller. Worth one read maybe, with judicious skimming and an ability to stomach some typical nonsense expected from an early 70s book.