Recounts the life of a flamboyant Marxist ... Mr. Warrick revisits the outlaw, fortifying the story with declassified Central Intelligence Agency cables, police depositions and his own interview with Ramírez ... Mr. Warrick reconsiders Ramírez’s historical significance, calling him 'the first of a breed of international super-terrorists' ... Engrossing.
Authoritative and acutely readable ... Warrick acknowledges his many predecessors. He persuasively notes, fighting through the cliché, that new information has come to light.
Reconstructs the Jackal’s life in a surprisingly dispassionate way. A great deal of new material is presented, but it’s used merely to flesh out a life rather than to draw judgment. The final verdict is instead left to the reader. The prose is at times a bit purple, but this is still a fast-paced, easy read. I nevertheless felt soiled by Carlos; perhaps I’ve grown immune to the charm of malignant narcissists.
