Product Description

In the midst of a bloody civil war in Algeria, and left in charge of the American Embassy in Algiers, Consul, Nick Phillips, is forced to make a decision that will have far reaching ramifications. An Islamic revolution is in the process of taking place and based upon information from his friend Sami, an Algerian detective, Nick fears the imminent attack by terrorists on the US Embassy with the goal of killing all Americans. Because of the deteriorating security situation, Nick orders an evacuation of the embassy. Nick goes head to head with Abu Fahad, leader of a violent Islamic terrorist cell, who has already killed the Prime Minister and several senior Algerian leaders, including Nick?s girlfriend?s family. In a race with the ultimate consequences, Nick, Sami, and his girlfriend must escape from terrorists who will stop at nothing to kill them and every other American in Algeria.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1819729 in Books
• Published on: 2002-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 263 pages

Customer Reviews

Sad story
I haven't read it, but I am curious if the brave and so honorable protagonist uses Xanax and Valium to subdue and interrogate ruthless female enemy agents posing as nice, modest women while in Algeria?

If not in this book, perhaps in the sequel, which I understand a CIA operative with embassy cover manages to terribly harm the US reputation, feed Al Qaeda's hate machine, and endanger the lives of countless Americans in the Middle East -- all while having sworn to defend our country? That would be a great story!

Edit: Hey while five visitors found my review helpful, four found it not helpful. Amazon tracked those four down votes to BlackberryIPs in turn assigned to a small import export firm called "Langley Vetting" somewhere in Virginia. Strange.

Not even credible...
I'm sorry for the people who has invested money to buy this book, really. I love thillers and I love Algeria and have been there three times for quite a long stay (average 25 days) and this book has managed to leave me cold and indiferent.
Algerian people are really nice and loyal friends, that I agree with but Touaregs live their life in the far South and they would never go to Algiers to play war of guerrilla. And there is something more: with the settlement of the nomad tribes came the Islamization, yes. But Touaregs have been traditionally animists and their traditions are very different from what is pictured here.
In the terrible years of the terror war there is no way they would make an alliance with GIA to go up North in a massive manner (25!!) and there is something else: you will not find a Touareg dress with the cheche (turbant) in Algiers!!. Simply there is not need for it.

Disappointed
Despite the fact that the author was arrested last year for allegedly raping two Algerian women, I hunted down a copy of this book with interest. My thought was that if he really was a Chief of Station for the CIA in Algeria - you've gotta be pretty smart to be a CIA station chief, right? - then regardless of his other actions, his book must be pretty good.

I was wrong.

The plot is intriguing - I'll give him that - involving terrorists attempting to take over the US Embassy in Algers, Algeria during the midst of a fundamentalist Islamic uprising. So far, so good. But this book is proof that a plot alone does not a good thriller make.

The characters are wooden and one-dimensional. The hero is blatantly the author. For example, on the back of the book, he puts down that he obtained a Master's Degree in Middle East History and Arabic. Nick, the hero? The same. My guess is that the author knows some martial arts just like "Nick" does. But beyond that, I can't count how many times there was some phrase in the book like: "Nick always did the right thing," or "Nick treated everyone with respect" or "She thought of Nick; he was always strong." Nick could do no wrong in this book.

Likewise, we have no background on history on Gunny, the RSO, Sarah, or any of the other Embassy employees, and very little on any of the terrorists. They're just cardboard cutouts, there to stand in whenever Nick walks through a scene.

The book was repetitive and the dialogue painful. There are typos and other errors - one wonders how the book made it through the editing process and whether it was professionally copyedited or not. In short, I would not recommend this book to anyone.

The only interesting note is that the author was arrested for his alleged rapes by Diplomatic Security, the same agency that the author noted: "are the security experts within the State Department. More often they were FBI wannabes who were incompetents with no grasp of the cultures they served in. Other federal agents actually called it 'discount security' instead of Diplomatic Security." Hopefully the irony was not lost on Mr. Warren when "discount" Diplomatic Security placed handcuffs on him.