Product Description

New York Times bestselling author Vince Flynn returns with his most explosive political thriller yet. A tour de force of action-packed suspense, Protect and Defend delivers an all-too-realistic and utterly compelling vision of nations navigating the minefield of international intrigue. A true heavyweight in the political thriller arena (Minneapolis Star Tribune), Vince Flynn has created a flesh-and-blood hero that readers can cheer for and a finger-blistering page-turner they won t dare put down.

In Protect and Defend, the action begins in the heart of Iran, where billions of dollars are being spent on the development of a nuclear program. No longer willing to wait for the international community to stop its neighboring enemy, Israel launches one of the most creative and daring espionage operations ever conceived. The attack leaves a radioactive tomb and environmental disaster in the middle of Iran s second largest city. An outraged Iranian government publicly blames both Israel and the United States for the attack and demands retribution. Privately, Iran s bombastic president wants much more. He wants America and Israel to pay for their aggression with blood.

Enter Mitch Rapp, America s top counterterrorism operative. Used to employing deception, Rapp sees an opportunity where others see only Iranian reprisals that could leave thousands of Americans dead. Rapp convinces President Josh Alexander to sign off on a risky operation that will further embarrass the Iranian government and push their country to the brink of revolution. As part of the plan, CIA director Irene Kennedy is dispatched to the region for a clandestine meeting with Azad Ashani, her Iranian counterpart.

But Rapp isn t the only one hatching plans. Iranian President Amatullah, has recruited Hezbollah master terrorist Imad Mukhtar to do his dirty work. For decades Mukhtar has acted as a surrogate for Iran, blazing a trail of death and destruction across the Middle East and beyond. When Kennedy s meeting with Ashani goes disastrously wrong, Rapp and Mukhtar are set on a collision course that threatens to engulf the entire region in war. With the clock ticking, Rapp is given twenty-four hours, no questions asked, to do whatever it takes to stop Mukhtar, and avert an unthinkable catastrophe.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40089 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-30
• Released on: 2007-10-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 416 pages

From Publishers Weekly
After taking care of a loose end from Act of Treason (2006), Mitch Rapp looks into the destruction of Iran's secret nuclear weapons facility in bestseller's Flynn's predictable eighth thriller to feature the counterterrorism agent. Given the absence of any indication of either a U.S. or an Israeli air strike, Rapp takes the opportunity to persuade the U.S. administration to plot an operation to destabilize the fanatical Iranian regime by having an Iranian dissident group claim responsibility for what he suspects was an inside job by an Israeli spy. When the Iranian government sinks one of its own ships and blames the U.S., Rapp and CIA chief Irene Kennedy travel to Iraq to try to defuse the crisis, only to fall victim to an ambush (reminiscent of one in Tom Clancy's A Clear and Present Danger) that results in Kennedy's abduction. Rapp races the clock to rescue his boss before she's tortured into revealing what she knows. Despite a backstory replete with personal loss, Rapp comes across as a one-dimensional killing machine, willing to do whatever needs doing to complete the mission. (Oct. 30)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"Flynn didn't invent the post-9/11 thriller, but he might as well have....[He] is the best pure adrenalin-charged action writer out there today."

--Providence Journal

Review
"Flynn didn't invent the post-9/11 thriller, but he might as well have.... [He] is the best pure adrenaline-charged action writer out there today." -- Providence Journal

Customer Reviews

Vince Flynn is back on his game.
After "Act of Treason," which I found disappointing, I was concerned that Vince Flynn's newest offering might also fall short of his earlier Mitch Rapp novels. Fortunately, Vince Flynn is back in the saddle and has delivered yet another good book - not up to his best efforts, but good nonetheless.

I just love Mitch Rapp. He's a terrific character unburdened by PC constraints. The remarkable thing about Mitch Rapp is that this outrageously un-PC protagonist was conceived BEFORE 9-11!! Mitch Rapp was killing Islamic terrorists in at least three books before 9-11. While most of us were contentedly sitting back and enjoying our lives oblivious to the extremes to which Islam and its adherents would eventually take us Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp was fighting the good fight. To say that Vince Flynn was prescient would be an understatement.

In Flynn's previous novel, "Act of Treason" there were a few loose ends that needed to be wrapped up. "Protect and Defend" begins with the simultaneous resolution of those loose ends as well the present day conundrum of what to do with the Iranian nuclear capability. Flynn's writing style is engaging as always and draws the reader rapidly into the story line. If you like Jack Bauer from "24" you will love Mitch Rapp.

In "Protect and Defend" the indomitable Mitch Rapp is enlisted by CIA director Irene Kennedy to investigate the destruction of Iran's nuclear production facility. The usual intrigue ensues and Kennedy and Rapp end up traveling to Iran to defuse a geopolitical crisis. Kennedy is abducted, and in Rapp's indomitable manner she is rescued. Rapp, as is usual, is willing to do anything to protect his country and those with whom his loyalties lie.

Again, absolutely no sop to PC aficionados in this book or from this character who Flynn has developed over several books. I guess you could argue that Flynn's books and Rapp are somewhat predictable, but I don't care one iota.

The book is a relatively short read and the story moves at a rapid pace from beginning to end. Due to its brevity, you kind of get the idea that Flynn is once again mining the Rapp franchise for all it is worth, but in this case the book manages to deliver. While not quite as good as his earliest efforts it is a good read.

Top Of The Line
Vince Flynn delivers a powerful thrill ride once again. Great insight on Middle East politics, espionage, and terrorism. Mitch Rapp is at it again and he's badder than ever. I usually rip through a book in record time; however, Protect And Defend was worthy of a well paced read. I had to soak in every word.

One beef with the book: the ending was abrupt. It was as if Flynn was tired of writing and just wanted to wrap things up so he could move on to other things. This story called for a little more attention to the final chapters. Still, Protect And Defend is a must read.

Mitch Rapp Rules!
This book begins in Iran. The United States and Israel are very concerned about Iran gaining nuclear power. With the crazy leadership in Iran the two countries feel a nuclear attack would be imminent. Israel
has a source working in the Isfahan Nuclear Facility. This inside source
who is also a Mossad agent has a plan to destroy the facility. The agent
sets off an explosion that utterly destroys the facility. There is a
nuclear and enviromental disaster left behind.
The Iranians are screaming bloody murder and blaming Israel and the
United States for the destruction of the nuclear facility. CIA director
Irene Kennedy and Iran's intelligence chief Azad Ashani agree to meet in Mosul Iraq and try to resolve their differences. Mitch Rapp accompanies
Kennedy to the meeting. Iran calls upon Hezbollah master terrorist Imad
Mukhtar to kidnap CIA ditector Irene Kennedy. After the kidnapping Iran sinks an Iranian ship and blames the United States. The two countries are perched on the edge of war. Mitch Rapp holds no barriers in his search
for Irene Kennedy.
This is an exciting book from beginning to end. Once again Vince Flynn
has written an outstanding book. Be sure to read it.