Product Description

A chilling story of modern terrorism from the grandmaster of international intrigue.

T he Day of the Jackal, The Dogs of War, The Odessa File-the books of Frederick Forsyth have helped define the international thriller as we know it today. Combining meticulous research with crisp narratives and plots as current as the headlines, Forsyth shows us the world as it is in a way that few have ever been able to equal.

And the world as it is today is a very scary place.

When British and American intelligence catch wind of a major Al Qaeda operation in the works, they instantly galvanize- but to do what? They know nothing about it: the what, where, or when. They have no sources in Al Qaeda, and it's impossible to plant someone. Impossible, unless . . .

The Afghan is Izmat Khan, a five-year prisoner of Guantánamo Bay and a former senior commander of the Taliban. The Afghan is also Colonel Mike Martin, a twenty-five-year veteran of war zones around the world-a dark, lean man born and raised in Iraq. In an attempt to stave off disaster, the intelligence agencies will try to do what no one has ever done before-pass off a Westerner as an Arab among Arabs-pass off Martin as the trusted Khan.

It will require extraordinary preparation, and then extraordinary luck, for nothing can truly prepare Martin for the dark and shifting world into which he is about to enter. Or for the terrible things he will find there.

Filled with remarkable detail and compulsive drama, The Afghan is further proof that Forsyth is truly master of suspense.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #322716 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 352 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Set in the very near future, veteran Forsyth's latest isn't quite up to the level of The Day of the Jackal or his more recent Fist of God, but it's a cut above most other post-9/11 spy thrillers. The threat of a catastrophic assault on the West, discovered on a senior al-Qaeda member's computer, compels the leaders of the U.S. and the U.K. to attempt a desperate gambit—to substitute a seasoned British operative, Col. Mike Martin, for an Afghan Taliban commander being held prisoner at Guantánamo Bay and then arrange Martin's release into Afghan custody. Martin must maintain his cover under the closest scrutiny, even as the details of the planned outrage are kept beyond his reach. Despite the choice to have Porter Goss as CIA director at the end of 2006 and some nick-of-time Hollywood heroics, Forsyth convincingly conjures up the world of counterterrorism and offers an all-too plausible terrorist plot. 250,000 printing. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
In Forsyth's latest novel, British and American intelligence forces learn of an impending al-Qaeda terrorist strike. However, they don't know exactly when or where the strike will take place. Their solution: to have one of their own officers infiltrate the terrorist group, posing as one of its own. It's an inventive story, and Forsyth spins it eloquently and with enough nail-biting suspense to leave readers' fingertips raw. One of the masters of the political thriller, Forsyth writes with a bare-bones, reportorial style that makes his stories feel as realistic as anything one might read in the daily newspaper. He set the standard for political thrillers with 1971's Day of the Jackal, and, although he has myriad competitors today, no one else has managed to make the very flatness of the documentarian's style an effective instrument for generating tension. Forsyth's name doesn't draw a crowd the way it used to, but this one deserves the attention of those who read such modern espionage masters as Daniel Silva. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
When it comes to espionage, international intrigue, and suspense, Frederick Forsyth is a master. -- Washington Post

Customer Reviews

Diverting but Deeply Flawed
In general, I am highly skeptical of the "international political thriller" genre, however I will concede that Forsyth is a master storyteller well worth anyone's time. "Day of the Jackal" and "The Odessa File" have got to be in the genre's all time top five, and I also greatly enjoyed his short story collection "No Comebacks." This latest book, while perfectly serviceable and engaging (as long as you don't think too hard about it), falls well short of these.

Through a gripping opening highlighting the use of technology in the "war on terror", Western intelligence agencies learn of the existence of an impending Al-Qaeda attack that will be even more shocking than 9/11. Unfortunately, they don't have a clue what it is, or how to find out. A chance remark (one of the many, many coincidences required by the plot), leads them to enlist retired SAS officer Mike Martin in a desperate attempt to infiltrate Al-Qaeda. They do this via an elaborate switcheroo with an Afghan who's been disappeared into Guantanamo for five years. In another massive (though, alas, not the most egregious) coincidence, Martin just happens to have known this Afghan years ago while fighting the Soviets. The first half of the book involves setting this plan up,and the second half follows Martin's attempt to uncover the plot. (Apparently Martin was the hero of an earlier Forsyth book, "The Fist of God", however, I've not read it. Other reviewers report an egregious number of continuity errors between the two books relating to Martin.)

The story unfolds so that readers not particularly conversant with the "war on terror" and the history of Al-Qaeda will get brought fully up to speed. There's also a very clunky section explaining the difference between mainstream Islam and extremist Wahabbism. Similarly, the reader is given a very good understanding of the global reach and appeal of Al-Qaeda, for example, in Trinidad. And of course there is plenty of insiderish detail about the workings of modern espionage, which is fairly interesting stuff: telecommunications, piracy, money laundering, satellite imagery, facial identification software, and so on.

Unfortunately, the plotting is exceedingly awkward. For example, once Martin passes for the Afghan, he is directed by Bin Laden to personally participate in the grand scheme that's been set in motion. Stroke of luck that, eh? It's particularly problematic because there is absolutely no reason for him to take part. He is chaperoned halfway across the world to basically stand about on a ship, and oh yeah, foil the plot. Very weak indeed. Even worse, there's a pointless extended subplot about the "real" Afghan from Guantanamo, who is disappeared to a CIA cabin in Washington State. The reader can only assume we keep returning to him because he's going to escape at some point, and escape he does -- thanks to the engine falling off a passing F-15 and destroying the cabin! This reads like something from a parody of the genre and the reader is asked to swallow such foolishness for no good reason. The escape and pursuit, while gripping unto itself, has no bearing on the rest of the story.

Finally, as the plot accelerates to the finish line, the reader is blindsided by withheld information which is altogether silly. For the last 1/3 or so of the book, Western intelligence agencies know the Al-Qaeda threat is seaborne and have been going to massive lengths to try and figure out its probable target. Suddenly, the reader is informed that the G8 summit meeting is taking place on the QE2 sailing from New York to points south. Gee, you think that might be the target? The idea that the G8 summit would be held in such an uncontrolled environment is silly to start with, but to believe they would continue with that plan even as they are racing around with their heads cut off trying to locate a Al-Qaeda ghost ship? Paugh!

So, to recap, there is plenty to like in the book, and plenty to dislike. Like virtually everything in the genre, the book is plot-driven and the characters are pretty thin. There is some great detail and some great set piece sequences. However, there are so many contrivances and flaws that it's ultimately a disappointment, not up to Forsyth's usual standards.

Note: Various reviewers have pointed out a boatload of details Forsyth's researcher failed to get right, which I've listed below. None of these are particularly important, except for the last one, which is a pretty bad blunder for an espionage story:

-- Malaysian Airlines _does_ serve alcohol.
-- The hero is taken to the Falklands war aboard HMS Ark Royal, a ship not in service until three years after the war's end.
-- Chivas Regal is a blend and not a single malt liquor.
-- The 9/11 attacks did not occur at breakfast time in London but in the mid afternoon.
-- There is no U.S. Army rank of "Senior Captain"
-- A U.S. Air Force pilot of twenty years is ranked a Major, which is almost impossible under the U.S. military promotion system.
-- In the U.S. government a GS-15 is not a "junior staffer," but rather the highest ranked of the non-executive service, making more than$100,000/year.
-- The British SBS is the "Special Boat Service" not the "Special Boat Squadron."
-- The M21 sniper rifle was replaced by the M24 Sniper Weapon System in 1988.
-- It's somewhat unclear, but the story seems to imply that the hero learned passable Pashto from hanging out with Tajiks for six months. That's roughly like learning learning German by hanging out in France.
-- The hero is impersonating an Afghan ex-mujahedeen turned Taliban fighter. His teeth are inspected by very thorough Al-Qaeda security men, who somehow fail to notice his Western dental work.

A SPLENDID NARRATION ADDS TO THE TENSION AND SHOCKING FINALE

While "fresh as this morning's headlines" has become a rather timeworn expression, it is not at all trite but decidedly true in regard to Frederick Forsyth's latest spine tingler. Even as I write this we are hearing of another terrorist plot which would have been even more horrific than 9/11 had it not been stopped. Yes, in the very real world we're the targets of hatred and the fictional world of Forsyth mirrors our plight.

A giant at creating international thrillers (The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Dogs of War), Forsyth has now crafted a novel so loaded with the latest in espionage technology and tactics that it raises the hair on the back of your neck.

The time is today and the CIA and the British Secret Intelligence Service have learned of a planned terrorist attack. That's it, that is all they know. In order to circumvent the unthinkable they must infiltrate Al Qaeda and discover the nuts and bolts of this heinous plan - who, what, where.

Forty-four year old Mike Martin is a British Special Forces veteran who has seen his share of battle in some of the most volatile spots on our planet. Now retired he only wants to spend the rest of life in peace and quiet. However, he is the one person, the only man for this job. He was raised in Iraq, speaks fluent Arabic, and has skin dark enough to pass for a Middle Easterner.

He has a double - it is Izmat Khan, an Afghan who has been held at Guantanamo for some five years. After intensive training Martin takes Khan's place and a fake escape is staged, allowing Martin to eventually contact Al Qaeda.

True to form Forsyth leads listeners on a suspense filled trail as Martin attempts to uncover Al Qaeda's plan. Also true to form, award winning actor Robert Powell delivers a splendid narration adding to the tension and building to a shocking finale.

Highly recommended.

- Gail Cooke

Another Winner From Forsyth!
The forces of American and British intelligence gather information about
another terrorist strike by Al Qaeda.They know no details except for the name of the operation,al-Isra.They have no agents within AlQaeda so they
are unable to gain any further information.
Once again our hero from "Fist Of God" Colonel Mike Martin comes into play.Because of his Indian features he can play the role of a Taliban warrior.The warrior that he is to play is Izmat Khan who is being held as
a prisoner in Guantanamo Bay Cuba. Khan had previously seen duty in war against the Russians.Khan is released by the U.S. government
and whisked away to Washington state.There he is put under lock and key
and placed under heavy security.Martin begins training to be Khan.He stages an escape in Pakistan and is able to infiltrate Al Qaeda.He passes
himself off as Izmat Khan.The Al Qaeda leadership makes him a part of the
al_Isra strike team.He next has to figure out how Al Qaeda will strike
and how he will stop the terrorist act.He has no method to alert his
superiors.
This is another good book from Forsyth that is enjoyable reading.Be sure to read it.