'The Day Of The Jackal' author Frederick Forsyth dies aged 86

'The Day of The Jackal' author Frederick Forsyth has died at the age of 86 after a brief illness, his literary agents Curtis Brown said. Photo: AFP
Prolific British thriller writer Frederick Forsyth, who instantly became a global bestselling author when his book The Day Of The Jackal was published in 1971, died on Monday aged 86, his literary agents Curtis Brown said.
Forsyth famously penned his most famous work about a fictional assassination attempt on French president Charles de Gaulle by right-wing extremists in just 35 days after falling on hard times.
The Jackal went on to be made into a hit film starring Edward Fox as the assassin. A Netflix remake last year with Eddie Redmayne in the lead role was released last year.
"We mourn the passing of one of the world's greatest thriller writers," his agent Jonathan Lloyd said.
Forsyth died at home surrounded by his family following a brief illness, according to Curtis Brown.
The former journalist and pilot wrote over 25 books including The Odessa File (1972) and The Dogs Of War (1974) and sold over 75 million copies worldwide.
Many of his novels were also turned into films.
"Only a few weeks ago I sat with him as we watched a new and moving documentary of his life... and was reminded of an extraordinary life, well lived," said Lloyd.
"After serving as one of the youngest ever RAF pilots, he turned to journalism, using his gift for languages in German, French and Russian to become a foreign correspondent in Biafra (in Nigeria)," he said.
'Spectacular luck'
"Appalled at what he saw and using his experience during a stint as a secret service agent, he wrote his first and perhaps most famous novel, Th e Day Of The Jackal," he added.
A sequel to The Odessa File, entitled Revenge Of Odessa, on which he worked with thriller writer Tony Kent, is due to be published in August, his publisher Bill Scott-Kerr said.
"His journalistic background brought a rigour and a metronomic efficiency to his working practice and his nose for and understanding of a great story kept his novels both thrillingly contemporary and fresh," Scott-Kerr added.
Forsyth attributed much of his success to "luck", recalling how a bullet narrowly missed him while he was covering the bloody Biafra civil war between 1967 and 1970.
"I have had the most spectacular luck all through my life," he told The Times last November in an interview.
"Right place, right time, right person, right contact, right promotion – and even just turning my head away when that bullet went past," he said.
Asked why he had decided to give up writing – although he later went back to it – he told AFP in 2016 he'd "run out of things to say".
"I can't just sit at home and do a nice little romance from within my study, I have to go out and check out places like Modagishu, Guinea Bissau, both hellholes in different ways," he said.
Forsyth had two sons by his first wife. His second wife, Sandy, died last year.
Conservative MP David Davis paid tribute to his friend as a "fabulous wordsmith".
He told Sky News that Forsyth "was a great believer in the old values – he believed in honour and patriotism and courage and directness and straightforwardness, and a big defender of our armed forces". - AFP

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Hype Malaysia

an hour ago

• Hype Malaysia

'K-Pop Demon Hunters' Review: Netflix's Animated Fantasy Slays!

At some point in human civilisation, we decided that the logical next step after 'K-pop idol' was 'demon slayer.' Maybe it was inevitable. After all, if you can survive a world tour, synchronized choreography, and the wrath of K-pop stans online, what's a little movie about hellspawn combat on the side? That's the pitch behind 'Kpop Demon Hunters', Netflix's glittery fever dream of an animated action comedy where stage makeup doubles as war paint. It's part girl group fantasy, part supernatural smackdown, and 100% chaos—in the best and occasionally weirdest ways. It sounds ridiculous—and it absolutely is—but somehow, it works. Mostly. So let's talk about what 'Kpop Demon Hunters' actually does with all that glitter and astral energy. To begin with, there's lore. Ancient, magical, girl-power lore. Long ago, three women fought off a wave of soul-devouring demons led by Gwi-Ma, the Demon King. Their voices, charged with raw emotion, formed a barrier called the Honmoon and sealed the underworld shut. Since then, each generation has passed the mic—and the monster-fighting duties—to a new trio of chosen idols. Wait, the power of music… And fighting demons… Hmm, that kinda seems familiar. Fast forward to today, that legacy lives on in Huntrix, the hottest girl group on the planet. They're your new favourite demon-slaying trio. And yes, it's time to pick your bias. Mira (May Hong) is the edgy rebel—rumour has it she once wore a sleeping bag to the Met Gala. Zoey (Ji-young Yoo), the Burbank-born rap goddess, delivers bars as sharp as her weapons. And Rumi (Arden Cho), the group's emotional centre, carries a tragic past and a secret even she barely understands. Naturally, we meet Huntrix in classic idol fashion: slurping down instant ramyeon en route to the grand finale of their world tour. The stadium is packed. Fans are screaming. Their manager, Bobby (Ken Jeong), is losing his mind. Why the delay? Their plane was hijacked by demons. Obvi. What follows is a mid-air brawl that sets the tone: kinetic, flashy, and choreographed to slay. The animation leans heavily into anime territory, with bold lines and stylised movement. If you've seen Riot's K/DA videos, the DNA feels familiar—and honestly, we were hyped! The girls crash into the arena, strike a pose, and launch into a high-energy performance while still swatting away the last of the demons. As far as entrances go? Ten out of ten. BLACKPINK might dap them up respectfully from the VIP box. However, beneath the glamour and glitter, something darker begins to stir. Rumi has always known about her demon blood. But Mira and Zoey don't. As her old marks resurface and her voice begins to falter, the pressure quietly builds. She's not just battling monsters on stage—she's battling herself. And if she can't hold it together, the group might fracture entirely. Meanwhile, a flashy new boy group enters the picture: the Saja Boys. Five flawless men. Perfect hair. Jawlines carved by the gods. And yes, they're demons too. In fact, their plan is simple: steal enough fan energy to collapse the Honmoon and unleash Gwi-Ma back into the world. With Huntrix faltering, the Saja Boys start to eclipse them completely. The world isn't just in danger—it's getting distracted by six-packs and the new 'gochujang sauces.' So, how are Rumi, Mira, and Zoey supposed to fight back against a group powered by shame, insecurity, and sheer thirst-trap energy? At its core, 'Kpop Demon Hunters' isn't just about vanquishing monsters—it's about confronting the ones you carry inside. The film explores shame, identity, and the fear that if people saw the 'real' you, they'd walk away. For Rumi, that fear is all-consuming. She believes that if she hides the truth, she can protect her group and her legacy. However, by bottling everything up, she's slowly silencing herself—literally. As a result, her voice begins to falter. Her greatest gift becomes her curse—not because of what she is, but because of how deeply she believes she shouldn't be. The film suggests that healing doesn't come from hiding or even from strength. Instead, it comes from vulnerability and trust. You have to share your whole, flawed self with the people who love you. So when the truth finally comes out—when Rumi's marks reappear and she can no longer pretend—it isn't just a dramatic reveal. It's devastation. Mira and Zoey feel betrayed, confused, and hurt. But that reaction makes it feel real. Because closeness isn't about always agreeing—it's about letting people into your pain and hoping they stay. The same inner turmoil plagues Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop), the heart of the Saja Boys. While the rest play their roles as flashy villains, Jinu carries a quiet ache. Long ago, he made a choice: he accepted Gwi-Ma's offer in exchange for a beautiful voice that could lift his family out of poverty. Yet once fame arrived, he abandoned them—and he's never stopped regretting it. Unlike Rumi, whose shame is about her origins, Jinu's shame stems from his actions. Still, both characters carry their pain in silence, convinced they're unworthy of forgiveness. And when they meet, it's not as enemies, but as kindred spirits. Rumi sees in Jinu the worst-case version of herself. In trusting him, she starts to heal. Their duet is 'Kpop Demon Hunters' most powerful scene. It's not about flash—it's about honesty. Two people, broken in different ways, letting their walls fall just long enough to feel whole again. For a film that's so kinetic and loud, this moment hits the hardest. Visually, 'Kpop Demon Hunters' slays. Sony Pictures Animation, the same studio behind the 'Spider-Verse' films, doesn't hold back. The colours are vivid. The action is dynamic. And the stylised music video sequences explode with flair. Each one becomes its surreal concert moment—think fight choreography meets comeback stage. For example, one MV-style battle features surreal lighting and shattered crystallised effects. As we said, it's pulled from the distinct K/DA style. And other moments are quite literally MVs. But they help tell the story in a cool, flashy way that helps to externalise a lot of the emotions that these characters are going through. And let's not forget the music, because 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' delivers more than just fight choreography and sparkly lore. The songs are genuine earworms, slipping seamlessly between fierce performance numbers and emotionally charged ballads. The Saja Boys' hit single 'Soda Pop' in particular? Completely unserious and somehow still a total bop. Yeah, it's gonna get stuck in our heads till it becomes annoying. Still, the film isn't flawless. The third act feels a bit rushed. Character threads that seemed crucial—like Rumi's relationship with her foster mother Celine—don't get the space they deserve. Their emotional fallout feels underdeveloped. We get hints of tension and disappointment, but no true resolution. It's a shame, because that dynamic had real potential. Likewise, the world-building has rich foundations, but doesn't fully land. The lore is fun but underexplored. The stakes feel huge, yet the showdown wraps up a little too neatly. After so much build-up, it ends with more style than substance. Honestly, we'd like the team behind this to maybe do a spinoff to explore more of it? Because there is stuff in there that does feel undercooked at times. Even so, the film's heart remains in the right place. 'Kpop Demon Hunters' is vibrant, sincere, and full of chaotic charm. It might be messy in places, but it also bursts with feeling. It's a celebration of identity, girlhood, fandom, and glitter bombs. And it understands that even idols, the ones who seem perfect, have demons to face. It's also worth noting that 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' marks another chapter in Sony Pictures Animation's growing slate of Asian-fronted stories. Following 'Over the Moon' and 'Wish Dragon', both vibrant, culturally grounded animated films also released via Netflix, this movie continues the studio's investment in diverse, emotionally resonant storytelling with global roots. It's heartening to see major animation players spotlighting Asian narratives not just as backdrops, but as central, dynamic forces in genre storytelling. For anyone who loves K-pop, anime, or the idea of your favourite artists wielding crystal blades, this one's for you. It may not be perfect, but like any good idol, it shines brightest when it's being unapologetically itself. 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' is currently slaying exclusively on Netflix. What's your Reaction? +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.

The Sun

an hour ago

• The Sun

Israeli strike on Tehran jail ‘irresponsible': French prisoner's sister

PARIS: An Israeli strike on Evin prison in Tehran on Monday is completely irresponsible and puts prisoners 'in mortal danger', said Noemie Kohler, the sister of French national Cecile Kohler who is jailed there. Iran's judiciary said Israeli strikes left sections of the facility damaged and Israel's defence minister confirmed the army was targeting it. Cecile Kohler has been held along with her partner Jacques Paris in Evin since May 2022 on espionage charges their families reject. Overall, Iran is believed to hold around 20 European nationals in what some Western governments describe as a strategy of hostage-taking aimed at extracting concessions from the West. Most are held in Evin, a large, heavily fortified complex notorious among activists for rights abuses. It is located in a northern district of the Iranian capital. 'This strike is completely irresponsible. Cecile, Jacques and all the prisoners are in mortal danger,' Noemie Kohler told AFP. 'This is really the worst thing that could have happened,' she added. 'We have no news, we don't know if they are still alive, we're panicking,' Noemie Kohler said. She urged the French authorities to 'condemn these extremely dangerous strikes' and secure the release of the French prisoners. She also expressed concern about the risk of 'chaos' and 'riots'. Noemie Kohler has tirelessly campaigned to secure the release of her sister and her sister's partner Jacques Paris. Chirinne Ardakani, a lawyer for the Kohler family, denounced the strikes as 'illegal'. 'The risk of riots, general confusion and reprisals by the security forces against the insurgent prisoners raises fears of bloodshed,' she told AFP. 'Both sides are playing with people's lives.' The Iranian judiciary's website, Mizan Online, said that the prison buildings remained 'under control.'

The Star

2 hours ago

• The Star

Philippine VP Duterte responds to impeachment trial summons

A guilty verdict in the Senate would result in Ms Duterte's removal from office and permanent disqualification from politics. -- PHOTO: REUTERS MANILA (AFP): Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte responded Monday to her Senate impeachment trial summons hours before the deadline, demanding the case against her be dropped. The House of Representatives impeached Duterte in early February on charges of graft, corruption and an alleged assassination plot against one-time ally and former running mate President Ferdinand Marcos. A guilty verdict in the Senate would result in her removal from office and permanent disqualification from politics. A copy of Duterte's reply to the summons delivered by messenger to House prosecutors on Monday afternoon called the complaint against her an abuse of the impeachment process. "There are no statements of ultimate facts in the (impeachment complaint). Stripped of its 'factual' and legal conclusions, it is nothing more than a scrap of paper," the response read. It goes on to deny the allegations made against her as "false" and state that the Senate's decision to remand the case to the House earlier this month removed her responsibility to answer them. Duterte is currently on a trip to Australia where she is meeting with Filipino supporters. Her summons was issued on June 10 after an hours-long Senate session that saw lawmakers convene as an impeachment court only to send the case back to the House, a decision one lawmaker called a "functional dismissal". Barely 24 hours later, the House complied with the senior body's order to "certify" the constitutionality of the impeachment. Duterte allies in the Senate had argued that earlier complaints heard in the House without a vote counted as multiple impeachment hearings within a single year, a violation of the country's 1987 constitution. House prosecutors now have five days to respond to the vice president's answers. Her trial is not expected to start until the new Senate convenes on July 28. - AFP