Kindle Edition Download to your Nook (eBook) Download from Apple iTunes (eBook) Download from Smashwords (eBook) Amazon Agency Rules - Never an Easy Day at the Office Category:  Action/Thriller Publisher: Dead Drop Books ISBN-10:  1495366731 Type: Fiction Pages: 330 Copyright: Jan 13, 2014 ISBN-13: 9781495366734 Price: $3.99 (eBook) Shrouded in political expediency, hampered by internal power struggles, international espionage and doublespeak that makes Washington's spin doctors proud, Kamal's mission is a nightmare of rampant militant fundamentalism that threatens to choke and take Pakistan hostage. For him, the fight is not just for freedom, but the survival of a nation.  Celebrated as a ragtag force that defeated and broke the Soviet Union, no one predicted the Mujahideen would bring with them a plague that would spread like wildfire through Pakistan in the years to follow. When the battle-worn fighters returned with no enemy or war to fight, they turned their sights on the country that had been their creator and benefactor.  From the same battlegrounds that birthed the Mujahideen, a young Kamal Khan emerges as a different breed of warrior. Discarding his wealthy family comforts, Kamal becomes a precision sniper, an invincible commando and a clandestine operative bringing intimidation, dominance and death with him to the battlefield. Ending the plague is his prime directive.  Shrouded in political expediency, hampered by internal power struggles, international espionage and doublespeak that makes Washington's spin doctors proud, Kamal's mission is a nightmare of rampant militant fundamentalism that threatens to choke and take Pakistan hostage. For him, the fight is not just for freedom, but the survival of a nation.

Excellent Thriller
"Agency Rules - Never an Easy Day at the Office" by Khalid Muhammad is a truly great spy thriller. Set in a modern day Pakistan it tells the chain of events set in motion by a terror attack in Karachi. Politicians, the army and the state secret service agency all have their own ideas as how to respond or retaliate for the offence. But it is our hero Khamal who goes in to do the work.

Pakistan is a perfect setting for this gripping thriller full of action and suspense. The country's complex history and fractured political landscape provide an excellent ambience for the players of this novel. Gangs, Sheikhs, terrorists, politicians...
A comparison to works by LeCarre has been made by a fellow reader and while I would hate to imply that there are obvious similarities I will say that the two authors have certainly the same admirable competence in strong plotting, vivid characterisation and atmospheric style.
Pakistan and its people are often mis-represented in the Western world and I loved how the author managed to bring in a whole spectrum of characters, showing again a complex picture instead of resorting to simple stereotypes or clique; all the while also highlighting outside interests in the country and the internal struggles. While the story moves at a fast pace with compelling writing the author also raises many points about the country's current state of affairs. It shows a writer with a sharp and thoughtful mind who knows also about diplomacy and international politics - just like any good spy thriller writer should in my opinion.

A good thriller with substance. Very recommendable.

Not for the faint of heart
Having read many spy thrillers set in and around America, it was a refreshing change to read Khalid Muhammad’s Agency Rules: Never an Easy Day at the Office. Set in Pakistan, we get to envision and understand a bit better how modern Pakistan operates as well as how the people of Pakistan adapt to the drastic changes in government.

This modern spy thriller gives us an inside view on the after effects of a terrorist attack on Karachi. Several government agencies weigh in on how to handle things, but like anything else, it takes a real person to execute ideas. In this case, it is Khamal- our hero.

Full of action, political maneuverings and strong plotting, this is a gripping, edge-of-your-seat tale. Anyone who loves reading the “Bourne” books or watching the modern “James Bond” films will love this book.

One hell of a thrilling ride
Khalid Muhammad's “Agency Rules” is a spy thriller that takes place in Pakistan's spook center instead of the ones in London or Langley, or Tel Aviv. Like most Westerners, I know little to nothing about Pakistan's political structure and infighting, so I tossed all that aside and concentrated on the story. Being a writer, that's something I DO know about.

Khalid Muhammad is a gifted storyteller. His lead character, Kamal Khan, is a highly trained fearless fighter and ruthless interrogator, just as you would expect of a super intelligence agent. But Muhammad has also imbued Khan with a introspective sensitivity that makes him human. He doesn't just act, he questions. And not just prisoners, but himself. Otherwise he would simply be a zealous monster. As it is, we find ourselves rooting for him, because there is a purity in his heart regarding his country. That's something most of us can identify with.

This fast paced action/adventure has plenty of blood and guts. If this is made into a movie, they will have to order fake blood by the tanker full. But it is never gratuitous, rather it is realistic as can be verified by news reports from this part of the world. Muhammad is simply telling his story honestly. The fact that most of the bloodletting comes from internal power struggles, often spurred by foreign interests, is what gives the story its heft, it's the engine that drives our hero to take life threatening risks.

Muhammad's intimate knowledge of Pakistan, both physically and politically, is demonstrated on almost every page, drawing a clear and vivid picture of a troubled but proud country and its often fragmented culture. After reading “Agency Rules,” you'll never think of Pakistan the same again. You'll also be thinking that you've just been taken on one hell of a thrilling ride. Highly recommended.