Risingshadow
Speculative Fiction Books Database
  • Main
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Articles
    • Terms of Service
    • Staff Members
    • Finnish (FI)
  • Browse
    • Activity Feed
    • New Books
    • Upcoming Books
    • Advanced Search
    • Book Reviews
    • Genres & Tags
  • Wall
    • Community Wall
    • Recent Messages
    • Recent Topics
    • Hot Topics
    • Popular Topics
    • Search
  • Challenge
    • Reading Challenge
    • Book Trivia Quiz
  • Sign In

The Reluctant Assassin

W.A.R.P. #1 / 3
by Eoin Colfer
The Reluctant Assassin (W.A.R.P. #1) by Eoin Colfer
  ★ 7.50 / 18
1★2★3★14★5★36★57★68★29★210★

The reluctant assassin is Riley, a Victorian boy who is suddenly plucked from his own time and whisked into the twenty-first century, accused of murder and on the run.

Riley has been pulled into the FBI's covert W.A.R.P. operation (Witness Anonymous Relocation Program). He and young FBI Agent Chevie Savano are forced to flee terrifying assassin-for-hire Albert Garrick, who pursues Riley through time and will not stop until he has hunted him down. Barely staying one step ahead, Riley and Chevie must stay alive and stop Garrick returning to his own time with knowledge and power that could change the world forever.

Amazon: Check Best Offer

Book Order
Amazon
Kindle
Audible
Amazon CA
Amazon UK
Amazon Europe

Your Rating
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Standard Shelves
Updated 04/07/2025
Category: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Time Travel
Release date: April 2013

People Also Read

The Last Kids on Earth (The Last Kids on Earth #1)
  ★ 9.36 / 14
The Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey #1)
  ★ 9.18 / 11
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)
  ★ 8.32 / 140
Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky trilogy #1)
  ★ 8.26 / 35
Airman
  ★ 8.08 / 26
The 5th Wave (The 5th Wave #1)
  ★ 8.00 / 31
Don't Turn Around (Persef0ne #1)
  ★ 7.92 / 12
Join the Ongoing Discussion
Start a New Topic (Visitors Welcome)
Have questions about this book or want to share your thoughts? Join the conversation!
Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer

Most children’s authors dream up heroes—Eoin Colfer created a criminal mastermind. And not just any criminal, but a preteen genius armed with sarcasm, technology, and a pocket full of schemes. Artemis Fowl, the boy antihero who launched a global phenomenon, didn’t arrive in a blaze of prophecy or destiny—he hacked his way into fairyland and rewrote the rulebook.

Colfer was born in Wexford, Ireland, in 1965, a place he once described as “a sleepy town where nothing much happened—except in my imagination.” The son of a schoolteacher and an artist, he grew up in a household where stories and creativity weren’t just encouraged—they were woven into everyday life. He became a teacher himself, but writing was always there, bubbling beneath the surface like one of his underground fairy operations.

Read more ...

It was in 2001 that Artemis Fowl burst onto the shelves, blending espionage, fantasy, and dark humor in a way children’s literature hadn’t quite seen before. With its high-tech gadgets, myth-meets-modernity setting, and morally complex characters, the series appealed to readers who liked their fantasy with a little more bite. Critics sometimes called it “Die Hard with fairies,” but it was more than that—it was Colfer’s distinctly Irish wit, his love for chaos-with-heart, that made the books unforgettable.

Beyond Artemis, Colfer has explored time travel (The Reluctant Assassin), crime capers (Highfire, featuring a vodka-swilling dragon in the Louisiana bayou), and even picked up the torch of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy with And Another Thing…, a bold continuation that paid homage to Douglas Adams while carrying Colfer’s signature tone. His books often walk the line between absurdity and sincerity, filled with rogueish charm, inventive tech, and a deep, beating heart under the banter.

Though often labeled a children’s author, Colfer writes with an edge that appeals across generations. His themes—identity, loyalty, power, and redemption—are wrapped in wild plots, but they leave lasting questions in their wake. That’s part of what makes his stories so enduring.

He’s been honored with numerous awards and international acclaim, but perhaps the best summary of his career comes from Colfer himself, who once said, “I will keep writing until people stop laughing. Then I’ll switch genres.” So far, there’s been no need for a change.

Whether he’s crafting laser battles beneath Irish soil or penning heartfelt stories about flawed heroes, Eoin Colfer continues to remind readers that fantasy doesn't have to be solemn to be smart—and that mischief, when wielded well, can be its own kind of magic.

W.A.R.P.

W.A.R.P. consists of three books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

The Reluctant Assassin (W.A.R.P. #1)
  ★ 7.50 / 18
The Hangman's Revolution (W.A.R.P. #2)
  ★ 7.38 / 8
The Forever Man (W.A.R.P. #3)
  ★ 8.12 / 8

Book Reviews

07/30/2013
Tim avatar
Tim
566 books, 34 reviews
★★★★★★★★★☆ 9 / 10

"Eoin Colfer". It is almost a new noun. People who read the Artemis Fowl series, Airman and other books written by him, know by now that he has a special way of writing. This has the characteristics of rather sarcastic humour, a he-narrator who, at some exiting point, starts a long explanation which you can only partly understand. This is probably why Colfer must be one the most known writers of this century! If you read other books by him, then you must certainly try "The Reluctant Assassin", the first book in W.A.R.P., which stands for 'Witness Anonymous Relocation Programme'. According to the female protagonist, the CIA probably put the 'Anonymous' in it because [quote by Chevie Savano] 'otherwise they would have WRP and what kind of acronym would that be?' (See what I mean with his way of writing? That way!) If you haven't read any books by Colfer, then this is the time to start with it. If you read other books by Colfer, then you'll notice that he has put in some things from other books. There is a street named Half Moon Street, which comes from the book "Half Moon Investigations" and some people might remember Otto Malarkey and Little Saltee from "Airman". At this time, there have been no mentions of Artemis Fowl, but, well, it's a series about time-travel, so maybe that's for another book in the series. This book is yet another one masterly written! Read it! You won't regret it!

Back to Top
  • Risingshadow
  • Browse
  • Eoin Colfer
  • W.A.R.P.
  • The Reluctant Assassin
Follow Us: Newsletter | Facebook | X | Mastodon | RSS
Hosted by Planeetta Internet Oy
© 1996 - 2025 Risingshadow. All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.

Privacy Policy