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    I Am the Weapon
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    I Am the Weapon
    Unavailable
    I Am the Weapon
    Audiobook7 hours

    I Am the Weapon

    Written by Allen Zadoff

    Narrated by John Salwin

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Previously published under the title Boy Nobody

    They needed the perfect assassin.

    Boy Nobody is the perennial new kid in school, the one few notice and nobody thinks much about. He shows up in a new high school in a new town under a new name, makes a few friends and doesn't stay long. Just long enough for someone to die – of "natural causes." Mission accomplished, Boy Nobody disappears, moving on to the next target.

    But when The Program assigns him to the mayor of New York City, things change. Somewhere deep inside, Boy Nobody is somebody: the kid he once was; the teen who wants normal things, like a real home and a girlfriend; a young man who wants out. And who just might want those things badly enough to sabotage The Program's mission.

    In this action-packed series debut, author Allen Zadoff pens a page-turning thriller that is as thought-provoking as it is gripping, introducing an utterly original and unforgettable antihero.

    A Hachette Audio production.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHachette Audio
    Release dateMay 13, 2014
    ISBN9781478930525
    Unavailable
    I Am the Weapon

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    Reviews for I Am the Weapon

    4/5

    158 ratings20 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I AM THE WEAPON by Allen Madoff is the first book in a trilogy and it comes out with a bang. We meet this unknown assassin, which for the purpose of this mission is named Benjamin. He is a highly trained, superbly trained assassin, a killer weapon operated by the mysterious Program. We find out little about the Program except it has a corp of killers at its disposal and “Ben” is one of the very best.He should be after the four years of intensive training. Now, at the ripe age of 16 he has a mission, he is to befriend New York City’s mayor’s daughter, get close to the family, and kill.The how and why of Boy Nobody’s recruitment into the Program is slightly detailed, but it adds to the feel of the story. We see a part of why and how Boy Nobody becomes the near robots soldier for his government. We also see some beginning cracks in the facade.The Mayor’s daughter is Samantha, Sam to her friends, and she appears to be a typical young adult heroine, but she is more. In some ways she is a perfect match to our Boy Nobody. But it is not a nice, falling in love meeting, and the relationship is strained from the beginning.The writing is well done and fast paced, what should have been stereotypes get turned about 90 degrees into some fun surprises, and what could have been teen-aged background tropes actually flesh out the story.This is a YA book that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. I’m looking forward to the other chapters in the tale.
    • 5/5
      Rated by my daughter age 14.This book was very interesting. The main character is an assassin who is sent to kill traitors. He kills by infiltrating the target's homes by befriending their kids. Fun to read. Spoiler below, so be aware.********SPOILER********No cop-out in this book. The main character actually does end up killing someone he doesn't want to.
    • 5/5
      Ben is a soldier. He has been trained to kill. He is sent on missions by his Mother & Father. He has memories of his past, his real parents but those are overshadowed by his new parents, the ones that control him. Ben's latest mission is different in that he usually has time to fit in and find a way to get close to his target. This mission gives him only five days to get close to and kill the mayor. But after letting his emotions delay him he suddenly has the mission changed and his new target is the mayor's daughter. Ben has sort of fallen for the daughter and is conflicted. He begins to question what he's doing, something he's never done before. His "handler" Mike is sent to remind him of his mission and the consequences of failing to complete it. Ben is conflicted. A quick, action thriller, Ben has to decide to continue being a good soldier or make decisions on his own and live with the consequences. I can't wait to read the second book in this series.
    • 5/5
      Fiercely intelligent and unnerving, this novel evokes some interesting reactions. You wonder, could this be how Jason Bourne or Krychek started out? And is the plot line plausible enough to be happening now? The novel is marketed for YA readers, but it is a book that open-minded adults would enjoy also.There is a certain disconnect between the reader and Boy Nobody, but it's a disconnect that's supposed to be there. He's a trained assassin, never truly had a childhood and so his emotions are stunted. Everything he feels is played close to the chest because it might be yet another test. The mayor and daughter plot has been done before, however that plot fit the book. Boy Nobody needed to feel human - otherwise the series would be about a robotic unfeeling killer.All in all, I enjoyed the book very much and look forward to the next one in the series.
    • 4/5
      Boy Nobody shows up one day, gets as close as he needs to get to the person who will help him most, then moves in for the attack. When he's finished, no one is any the wiser, and someone is dead, supposedly of natural causes. But Boy Nobody knows better because he was there and he made death happen with his pen.When Boy Nobody is assigned the mayor as his next target, he doesn't believe he'll have any trouble whatsoever, but that was before he meets Samara, the mayor's beautiful daughter who eventually becomes the new target herself.
    • 4/5
      I Am the Weapon or Boy Nobody as it used to be called was a book I didn't expect to like let alone love. I first heard about it though Amanda , like most book recently, and even though I trust her judgement when it comes to books, I was still cautious. Why I hear you ask? Well growing up I was more into fantasy, and its only in the last few years that I've branched out in genres. However thrillers were never one I ever seemed to be drawn to. Until now.When I first started reading it I was some what hooked from the get go, be it curiosity or just the hope that I was once again recommended a book that I could love, either way I was very interested. And as the story went on I found myself more and more transfixed with the story, the writing style and was left dying to know what happened next. Thanks to I Am the Weapon, I will no longer glance over a thriller or a genre I'm not found of reading again.This book is as stated, about a young assassin. His name changes from assignments ever time and its not until late in the book you hear what his real name may be, but as privacy is everything its not something we can take as gospel. The boy, shall we just call him Boy X for arguments sake? Well Boy X was once a normal boy, he had parents he had a life and then one day it was all taken away from him. Without a choice he was thrown into the life The Program trained him for, a vicious lonely life without no satisfaction other than what his 'mom' & 'dad' threw his way once he's got the job done.Boy X has been trained not to feel, not get attached and above all, don't ask questions. But his next assignment has him breaking all the rules. The first time he questions his orders is when the time limit went from being months to days, which would be unusually enough but Boy X's continues to get uneasy feelings about this certain mission. Like always though he doesn't have a choice, and despite his own feelings he's determined to see it through.When it comes to characters in this book I found my self feeling nothing but empathy for Boy X. I wanted so badly just to jump in and give him a hug because no one, no matter what, should ever feel as lonely and unconnected to the world like he is. His 'parents' on the other hand, I obviously felt nothing but contempt towards for stealing his childhood. Some of the other sub characters in this book were equal as good as the rest.I think the thing I liked the most about this particular book is how I never saw much coming, a few things but the others had me just as shocked as everyone else. This book is highly underrated and I'm really glad I had the chance to experience the first part of his journey.
    • 3/5
      Sixteen-year-old Boy Nobody, an assassin controlled by a shadowy government organization, The Program, is an almost unbelievably good operative. At the beginning, in dry, cold narration, the Boy Nobody emphasizes his important assassin training, and completes his current mission-killing a teen classmate's father- in a fast-paced couple of chapters. However, the reader begins to sense there's more to this narrator(eventually we learn his name is 'Ben') refers to the mysterious way he was recruited, and tries to suppress receding memories (memories he's not supposed to recall) of his original family, particularly his professor father. His current "family" consists of an otherwise nameless "Father" who contacts him through social media internet sources, and safe cell phone protocols, and a somewhat ominous "Mother" who urges him to complete his missions. When Ben is given his next mission, he quickly becomes enmeshed with the lives of fellow students at a private high school in New York City; he has been given his new target, the mayor of NY City, whose daughter Sam is one of his classmates. But this time he must complete his mission in five days. Why the rush? Ben eventually discovers what the Program wants, and who is true target must be. But, as we delve into Ben's inner life, we know he's beginning to consider sabotaging his latest mission because his target reminds him of the normal life he craves. Definitely fast paced in short, episodic chapters, this will keep teen readers turning pages, particularly boys who love action/suspense. It will also appeal because of the love interest with Sam's popular, sophisticated friend which veers on an adult read (sexual situations),and the assassinations/fights are visceral in their descriptions. I could not suspend my disbelief about Ben's prowess and very cynical,but insightful instincts - maybe an adult assassin but a sixteen year old boy?- but I wager teen readers will hang in there with him to the very last page. Language, teen sex and drinking.
    • 4/5
      Thanks to Netgalley.com and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for access to this title.

      3.5 stars.

      I've been intrigued by teen assassins for a while now, and I enjoyed this one. I really liked the twist at the end, but I'm not sure where the storyline is headed now. A great read for those who enjoy Barry Lyga's Jasper Dent series. Looking forward to book 2.
    • 4/5
      I Am the Weapon by Allen Zadoff is about a teenage assassin. I guess I got your attention. This was released in 2013 and the second novel is now released, called I Am the Mission, which I haven't read.Boy Nobody has a different alias on every assignment, so he doesn't have a name. He's merely an assassin doing a job. He befriends someone, gets invited where he needs to go, and kills his target--without a gun. His new assignment is to befriend Sam Goldberg, the daughter of the Mayor of New York, in order to assassinate Mr. Goldberg. The problem is that Sam is beautiful and Boy Nobody begins to question his jobs. He was trained to do as "Mother" and "Father" tell him after they killed his own father. He's an amazing killer who may be getting curious as to what his role is. Sam is passionate about politics and has no patience for people who "don't care" and are apathetic. She finds the new kid interesting and allows him into her life and home.Boy Nobody is being followed and goons are trying to get him. They began to show up after he got his assignment. As Boy Nobody juggles not being captured with befriending Sam and her father, he begins to question what is really going on. He has five days to accomplish the mission. With little time left, the mission changes. He has a new target, which is even more bizarre. Does he really work for the government doing good? If he asks questions, what happens?I like a good thriller and would read the second one to see what happens. I found the pace to be good and the characters interesting. I particularly like the way the novel ended. Things were not as they seem and the surprise is thrilling.
    • 4/5
      This action packed page-turner will be a hit with guy readers at my school. Boy Nobody works for the Program, going from job to job where he has a target to befriend and another to assassinate. When he gets his new assignment involves the beautiful Sam and her father, the mayor of New York, Ben/Zach breaks protocols for the first time and starts to wonder about his "Mother" and "Father" and his involvement in the Program.
    • 5/5
      This is a fantastic story about a boy assassin. Fast-paced action keeps the reader tuned in and interested. I can't wait to read more from this author!
    • 5/5
      Survive. No matter what happens to you, no matter the circumstances, no matter what life tosses at you--the losses, the pain. You must survive.This book was originally published under the title Boy Nobody and it is the first book in The Unknown Assassin series. It received a lot of positive reviews as Boy Nobody so when I got the email about it being available on NetGalley as a Read Now I snagged it right up.I feel like I read through this super fast. I really didn't want this to end. Benjamin (Zach) was such an interesting character to follow. He could really kick some ass but you also could tell that in the back of his mind he is conflicted about the things that he is doing for The Program. I really liked that conflict and felt like made him more than just a cold-hearted assassin. He is complex, just like the rest of us, he just forces himself to bury those memories, thoughts, and feelings.I really enjoyed all the action in this book. I feel like because it has such great action that this book could be read and enjoyed by teens of both genders. Allen Zadoff did a good job at mixing the right amount of romance and action. Not only will teens enjoy this, adults will as well.I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading the second book in this series when it comes out in June. If you are looking for a book with a teen assassin that can kick ass and has some complexity to him then this is the book for you. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the galley.
    • 3/5
      Once I started, I did not want to stop! A great fast read for reluctant readers. This book will be re-released as I am the Weapon on May 13, with the sequel - I am the Mission - out in June.
    • 5/5
      Good book. Took a while for me to get into the way it is read, but I enjoyed it immensely.
    • 4/5
      Good story, unusual different style of writing, short and choppy, which kind of suited it.
    • 4/5
      For the most part this is a fast-paced, action packed book. The characters are little underdeveloped but the the emphasis is on the plot anyway so it still works. There are numerous flashbacks to give us the history of the main character and to show how he was "changing" but often I just wanted to get back to the "current" story and find out what was going to happen next.
    • 4/5
      I really liked this book. I can't say that the story of a teenage assassin was entirely believable but it was thoroughly entertaining. I plan to read the next book to see where the story goes. I received a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      Great story. Thought provoking and completely entertaining. I love books that are full of tactical information that might be handy some day. I’m on #2, the other nay other audio book I see, and I’m hoping to see more!
    • 3/5
      The Hit, aka I Am the Weapon, aka Boy Nobody, is a fast paced action packed tale about a boy assassin whose mission in life is to befriend and kill his targets. And for the most part, it’s delivers on its promises. The first person present tense helps add to the experience, instead of hindering it, and the writing was smooth.

      Ben (an alias), came home one day to find that his friend killed his family. Since then, nothing has been the same for our little hero. He’s recruited into the Program to be an assassin and now works for Mother and Father. He learns to fight, kill, and never lose focus during a mission. To think of anything else would be suicidal, in more ways than one.

      His latest mission is to infiltrate a prestigious private school, where he’ll befriend Samara (Sam) and then kill her father. Normally, a mission like this takes at least a month. You need to get friend with the kid so that they trust you completely, but this time it’s different. Ben has only five days to complete the task.

      What makes this case even more troubling is that Sam’s father is the Mayor. Ben isn’t like other kids, he knows how to get in and out and remain undetected, but soon memories from the past start to creep up on him making him question everything the Program stands for. And soon enough, he’s starting to wonder who he can trust, the Program, Sam, or himself.

      All in all, this is actually a really fun book to read. One of my biggest pet peeves is when first person present tense isn’t done correctly. If a writer decides to use that style, then things need to happen. It doesn’t really make sense if it’s slow. Maybe it does, I don’t know, but I haven’t read a book with a first person present tense style that is slow and was good. If you know of any, let me know.

      In any case, this book does this writing style justice. I zoomed through the pages and never felt like there was a dull moment. Even when there were slower moments, I still felt the same intensity so it was never boring.

      The plot is also good. The idea of using child soldiers, because that’s what Ben is, to kill things with no feeling is interesting. It kind of reminded me of Gunslinger Girl, except without the overbearing handlers and prosthetics. Actually, the only thing that is common between the two is that it deals with child soldiers who are taught not to think of anything except the mission. It’s sad, but fascinating. You want the kids to have a good life, but you also want to know what happens next. It kind of makes me feel bad; but thankfully, it’s fiction.

      There are great things about this The Hit, but I didn’t really believe Ben. Sure, he had some scenes where he’s a killing machine and we’re shown this, but for someone who was trained to not think but do, he seems almost too emotional for the job. I mean, the moment he meets Sam he’s smitten by her, which is fine. Really, it’s fine. But he falls hard and fast and starts to think about running away with her. When this happens, he stops thinking clearly. Like when he finds out that Sam has a crazy ex-boyfriend who sometimes gets a little stabby when Sam is involved with a guy, he just shrugs his shoulders and accepts Sam’s affection. After three days together, Sam takes off her clothes in front of him and they have sex.

      Not saying this is wrong or right, but for someone who is trained to be a machine you’d think that they’d stop thinking via their nether regions and use their brain here. Something is clearly off here, but he refuses to see it. And when the Program tells him that the Mayor is no longer the target, but Sam is, he starts to question everything.

      I get that he sees a bit of himself in Sam and he likes talking to her, but whenever she was around he stopped being a badass assassin.

      I was a little disappointed by this.

      Overall: By the end, I was happy again and will read the next book to see what happens next to our little Ben. The writing is great and the plot, thankfully, didn’t go into predictable political clichés. The political plot deals with Israel and the Mideast Conflict, so I was extremely nervous while reading this. Thankfully, it’s okay.

      Ben is a bit emotional, but if you can get passed this I think you might like it.


    • 4/5
      A teenage boy is trained to blend in, get close and then kill. He starts a new high school, befriends the children of the rich and corrupt and then disappears after he completes his assignment. This is a strangely fascinating start to a series and I found it compulsively readable. You can see the conscious of “Benjamin” shining through as he gets close to the New York mayor and his daughter on his current assignment. This book was well written and the main character and his story was fascinating. The mayor’s daughter, Sam, fell a bit flat and I didn’t think the female characters were as well written in general but it didn’t deflect from the story. I look forward to reading future books in this series and see how all of the pieces fit together. I receive this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.