Terry Hayes is the screenplay author for Mad Max The Road Warrior and Beyond Thunderdome. I read his previous novel, My Name is Pilgrim, and it was a fun, solid novel.
With The Year of the Locust, I did not know what I was getting into.
The Story
Kane is a spy who specializes in deep cover infiltration in hostile territory. His latest mission: infiltrate Iran and make contact with someone with intelligence on a terrorist attack by a terrorist known only as Al-Tundra.
The rest of the book is a surprising journey of twists and turns. For once, I can say for certain that you will not be able to tell where the next part is going to go. Because it goes from an espionage novel that would put John le Carre to shame, into a minor techno-thriller, into full-blown science fiction novel. It has devised a terrorist attack that is so planet-changing, it’s impressive in its novelty.
And The Year of the Locust is an epic novel. It’s a book where every character is important, and every character has a biography. It’s hard to tell how much is character and how much is plot. It’s so good, I’m still thinking about it three months after I read it.
And about a third of the novel is just spymaster techniques and tactics. Another third is technothriller that Tom Clancy would have, and another third is almost a pure action novel. It’s a hell of a genre shift, from a plodding, thoughtful espionage infiltration novel—that’s still engaging and readable—to a climax that could have been the final act of Commando.
Terry Hayes stuffed so much into The Year of the Locust, it’s really hard to do a comprehensive review without making this a novella. But then again, my hardcover edition was an 800 page novel.
This book was written in 2024, so when it tackles certain aspects about Iran, makes for an interesting contrast between “conventional wisdom” in 2024, versus … Iran being bodied by a country the size of Vermont in 2025. But the ten (short) chapters are so drastically important to the plot, it’s worth it.
The Characters
While I have touched on some of this above. this novel tackles characters so very well, I’m a little jealous. Each character was handled deftly and easily. and could have had their own novel. Everyone has their own biography, and each adds to the novel in ways that it’s hard to explain without spoiling the book.
With a few digressions, this is almost entirely told from the point of view of Kane. He’s observant and cynical and brings a lot of knowledge to bear. And, surprisingly, even throwaway parts of his biography turns out to be critical to the plot.
The World
This is very much our world … until it isn’t. When the world shifts, The Year of the Locust gives a whole timeline of how the world develops. It’s a fully fleshed out world that makes David Weber’s data dumps look cute.
Politics
If you think Islamofascists are just misunderstood, you shouldn’t be reading this one.
Content Warning
It’s not particularly gory, but The Year of the Locust has some gritty bits. There’s torture (starvation, crucifixion).
Who is it for?
Take the espionage of John le Carre (without the leftist nonsense), the techno-thriller aspects of Tom Clancy, and the action of an 80s movie.
Why buy it
It’s an 800 page novel, and I recommend every word of it.
"It’s a fully fleshed out world that makes David Weber’s data dumps look cute."
I laughed out loud.
Loved I Am Pilgrim, just downloaded this, thanks for the recommendation!