| Title | The Scorpion's Gate |
| Author | Richard A. Clarke |
| Rating |   |
| Tags | thriller, intelligence, iran, saudi arabia, china, conflict |
| A rather dizzying novel from Richard Clarke, who spent most of his adult life working in national security and intelligence, culminating in being the counterterrorism head for Clinton and the second Bush, until he resigned over the Iraq war.So one reads this book with an understanding that this comes from someone who knows geopolitics all too well.A coup has deposed the ibn Sauds in Saudi Arabia, and the country is now called Islamyah. Some involved in the coup had been Al-Quaeda operatives, and so the new government is highly distrusted by many, and the target of many who want to use Islamyah's weakness to their own advantage. U.S. intelligence analysts find out the Chinese are supplying missiles to Islamyah. Meanwhile, it seems the Iranians are up to something, but it isn't clear what. A trio consisting of one of the best U.S. intelligence analysts, an admiral in the U.S. navy, and a British intelligence agent are determined to find out who is doing what and prevent a multi-sided war from breaking out.It is a thrill ride of a book, though it gets confusing sometimes as to who are the bad guys and who are the good guys, and that is part of Clarke's point... that in a complex world, it can be hard to tell, and that there are factions within governments that often work against each other.One can also suspect that the irrationally hawkish parts of the fictional executive branch of the U.S. government express some of Clarke's animus to the Bush administration's war in Iraq. In fact one might see the novel as a wish-fulfillment fantasy of Clarke's, that a few dedicated people can stop an unjust war.Overall, a surprisingly good novel from a man who has an amazing knowledge of the world and how it works... or doesn't work. | |
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| Publication | Putnam Adult (2005), Edition: 1st ed/1st printing, Hardcover, 320 pages |
| Publication date | 2005 |
| ISBN | 0399152946 / 9780399152948 |
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Book Review: The Scorpion's Gate
Book Review: A Darker Domain
| Title | A Darker Domain: A Novel |
| Author | Val Mcdermid |
| Rating | |
| Tags | mystery, fiction, fife, scotland, miners, strike, karen pirie |
| A stand-alone novel by Val McDermid. A young woman comes to the cold case squad in Fife, Scotland, to report her father has been missing for twenty-two years. She and her mother believed he had turned scab during the 1984 national miners strike, and they wanted nothing more to do with him for turning traitor to the miners. Now the young woman's son is ill and needs help from a close relative, and the father may be her last chance. But he isn't where he ought to be if he had turned scab.In a parallel plot, new evidence turns up in a kidnapping case from Fife in 1985. Heiress Cat Grant and her son went missing, and at the ransom handover Cat was killed and her son was never found.McDermid is a highly-respected author and this book just reinforces her reputation. In a note before the book, she talks about the experiences of the strike by her relatives, and it is clear that she wants to tell the story of the strike, which she does well. But the plot is more than that , and is well done. The characterization is excellent, especially Karen Pirie and her partner Phil Parhatka, good enough that one hopes McDermid will use them again.Good read. | |
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| Publication | Harper (2009), Edition: First Edition first Printing, Hardcover, 368 pages |
| Publication date | 2009 |
| ISBN | 0061688983 / 9780061688980 |
Friday, September 4, 2009
Protest Sign of the Day
Ok, it seems to be pick on Glenn Beck day today... but then, he so deserves to be picked on. Here's a report about a great protest sign.
Best Wank and Gaza: Student Exam Howlers
There may not be any stupid questions (but believe me, there are), but there are apparently stupid answers.
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Gus DiZerega on the Strengths and Weaknesses of Conservatism
This is part of a series of posts in which political science professor DiZerega critiques the philosophies that have led us to our current status. In this one he does a fascinating examination of the medieval ideal and how it broke down.
Olbermann Mocks Beck Magnificently
Ed Brayton posts both what may be the ultimate craze Glenn Beck rant and Keith Olbermann's hilarious response. Science fiction fans will appreciate the reference in the last couple of sentences by Olbermann on the book "To Serve Man".
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