He was the eldest son of a Venezuelan radical intellectual who named his boys Illich, Lenin and Vladimir, so clearly he never stood a chance. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Illich Ramirez Sanchez, aka Carlos the Jackal, a self-proclaimed "professional revolutionary", was supposed to be the world's most infamous and elusive terrorist. Yet, for over 20 years, he and his group were responsible for (only) 24 deaths, many the result of incompetence. During most of his career, the Western intelligence services were less than energetic in bringing Carlos to heel, for they did not want to jeopardise their delicate relations with the Soviets or with Arab dictatorships; he was, in effect, immune. It was only the end of the Cold War that left him, so to speak, out in the cold. Follain has produced a thoroughly researched and snappy read. Don't be put off by the sickly Warhol pastiche of a cover.