The Faithful Spy - Alex Berenson

"A well-crafted page-turner that addresses the most important issue of our time. It will keep you reading well into the night."-Vince Flynn

A New York Times reporter has drawn upon his experience covering the occupation in Iraq to write the most gripping and chillingly plausible thriller of the post-9/11 era. Alex Berenson's debut novel of suspense, The Faithful Spy, is a sharp, explosive story that takes readers inside the war on terror as fiction has never done before.

John Wells is the only American CIA agent ever to penetrate al Qaeda. Since before the attacks in 2001, Wells has been hiding in the mountains of Pakistan, biding his time, building his cover.

Now, on the orders of Omar Khadri-the malicious mastermind plotting more al Qaeda strikes on America-Wells is coming home. Neither Khadri nor Jennifer Exley, Wells's superior at Langley, knows quite what to expect.

For Wells has changed during his years in the mountains. He has become a Muslim. He finds the United States decadent and shallow. Yet he hates al Qaeda and the way it uses Islam to justify its murderous assaults on innocents. He is a man alone, and the CIA-still reeling from its failure to predict 9/11 or find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq-does not know whether to trust him. Among his handlers at Langley, only Exley believes in him, and even she sometimes wonders. And so the agency freezes Wells out, preferring to rely on high-tech means for gathering intelligence.

But as that strategy fails and Khadri moves closer to unleashing the most devastating terrorist attack in history, Wells and Exley must somehow find a way to stop him, with or without the government's consent.

From secret Americanmilitary bases where suspects are held and "interrogated" to basement laboratories where al Qaeda's scientists grow the deadliest of biological weapons, The Faithful Spy is a riveting and cautionary tale, as affecting in its personal stories as it is sophisticated in its political details. The first spy thriller to grapple squarely with the complexities and terrors of today's world, this is a uniquely exciting and unnerving novel by an author who truly knows his territory.

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The Cold Moon - Jeffrey Deaver

So, I've already finished two more books since my last post, but must admit that I am feeling a tad lazy...it's been a long year, I guess!

I am new to Jeffrey Deaver as an author barring his participation in the Chopin Manuscript, an audio book that was co-authored by Jeffery Deaver, Lee Child, David Hewson, James Grady, S. J. Rozan, Erica Spindler, John Ramsey Miller, David Corbett, John Gilstrap, Joseph Finder, Jim Fusilli, Peter Spiegelman, Ralph Pezzullo, Lisa Scottoline and P. J. Parrish.


After listening, yes I am an Audiophile, to the first couple of chapters I realised that I was familiar with these characters. A couple of years ago I saw the movie 'The Bone Collector' and it dawned on me that this is where I knew these characters from.

Well, Cold Moon is one of those stories that continually adds new twists. I enjoyed the reading and found myself doing strong comparisons between the movie characters mentioned before and the visualisations of the characters that were developing in this book. As I read more, I realise that movies are not even half as enjoyable and meaningful as a book.
The story revolves around a serial killer - The Watchmaker - who is supposedly killing random victims and leaving tell tale signs at each scene. As the story progresses, the twists emerge and head toward a climatic ending....except for the fact that good old Mr Deaver leaves room for the next episode in this saga.
Personally I don't mind follow on books, but I know that a lot of people want the story completed ion one sitting.
Anyway, a good story and a great read!

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The Beijing conspiracy - Adrian D'Hagé

From China's western-most province, near its border with Pakistan, comes this deadly ultimatum. In the White House Situation Room, the President and his team dismiss it as one of thousands of threats made against the US every week. But CIA agent Curtis O'Connor isn't so sure. The man making the warning is Dr Khalid Kadeer, a brilliant Muslim microbiologist. As an expert on bioterrorism, O'Connor knows Kadeer isn't bluffing. So too does Kate Braithwaite. She works in a hot-zone laboratory, on the USA's own top secret biological weapons. If the results of Kate's research fall into the wrong hands, billions of people will die. As Curtis O'Connor and Kate Braithwaite work to unravel the riddles of the Kadeer's warning and prevent a devastating attack on the world's greatest sporting event, they begin to uncover a threat more sinister than they had imagined.

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1984 - George Orwell

Review:

One year before his death in 1950, George Orwell published a book entitled 1984. Since then, the novel has become a bible to people all over the world. The enthusiasm is not only due to the fact that the novel is written so eloquently, and with such foresight, but also because it makes a bold statement about humanity.

1984’s main character is Winston Smith, a man who doubts the righteousness of the totalitarian government (Big Brother) that rules Oceania, one of three superstates in the world of 1984. We begin the book with Winston, and learn that Big Brother is quite fictional. The government has developed its own language, is at constant war with the other two superstates, and watches its citizens at all times. As Winston’s rebellion progresses, we notice that Big Brother is not as unrealistic as we think.

Oceania, Eastasia, and Eurasia are the three battling superstates. Each has an identical government—one that is at perpetual war in order to gain complete power over its inhabitants. The process used to gain absolute power is one used by past, present, and future dictators, such as Stalin, Mussolini and Hitler. Big Brother manipulates its citizens into convenient modes of thinking. However, instead of only using propaganda techniques, Big Brother also uses Newspeak and telescreens. Newspeak is the official language of Oceania, and has its sole purpose in abolishing all unorthodox thought. (Example: the word bad is replaced by the word ‘ungood.’) The telescreens monitor each citizen that is allowed to be educated, at all times, watching for any action, word, or possible thought that could be unorthodox.

These two Orwell inventions were foretelling—we see the equivalent of Newspeak every day in present day society when we are "politically correct." Telescreens are present in nearly every commercial institution, and sometimes in our own homes. Orwell was obviously warning America and all other countries about the control of totalitarian governments.

When Winston is secretly approached by a coworker, he learns that he is not alone in his belief that Big Brother is ‘ungood.’ Winston and Julia become lovers and eventually confess their feelings of rebelliousness to O’Brien, a fellow coworker who is believed to be a member of a rebel group, the Brotherhood.

Two weeks later comes the shocking and disturbing climax. It is here that the reader is definitely introduced to the metaphysical philosophy behind 1984. Orwell brings terror into the story when he shows us what is really behind Big Brother; Oceania’s government sends a representative into the plot. A government not unlike ones in present-day society is at the head of Oceania, and that is where the stark reality of 1984 becomes evident. The sole manipulative technique used by Big Brother is one that is virtually unrecognizable—mental manipulation. Metaphysics, or the belief that there is existence beyond our comprehension, is represented by Big Brother when the reader learns about doublethink, the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously and fully accepting both. Doublethink and metaphysics are the engines behind the three world governments, and is defined by O’Brien.

"Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else," says O’Brien. " . . . In the mind of the Party, which is collective and immortal. Whatever the Party holds to be truth is truth."

Political tragedies, such as this, are published constantly, but 1984 is one of the few that has remained timeless and will always be regarded as not only historical, but also prophetic. The book reminds us of what has gone wrong, what can go wrong, and what will go wrong when government becomes all-powerful. It is because of this political and social insight that 1984 is one of the best books of all time.

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Relentless

I like Stephen King, but I love Dean Koontz!

Relentless is one of those novels that completely drives your imagination. There is absolutely no need to ever ruin this book by making a movie.

 

Review:

Relentless - A Novel by Dean Koontz will be the newest novel by this world-famous author. Come June 2009, his fans will line up the stores-patiently waiting for another of his suspense thrillers. With what I've heard, this new one promises to be his best yet.

In Relentless, Koontz introduces us to Cullen Greenwich (known as "Cubby" to his closest friends) and his perfect life and family. He has a loving wife, Penny, who is an author and illustrator of children's books. They have an intelligent six-year old son, Milo ("Spooky" to his parents), and a dog named Lassie who is almost part of the family. Cubby is a best-selling novelist and there is nothing else in this world that could make him any happier.

But his perfect little life becomes a little less like it when Sherman Waxx gives his successful new book a bad review. It's not supposed to affect him that much since it's just one bad review, but Waxx is known to make or break your career and your life. Cubby tries shrugging it off but when he accidentally sees where the recluse Waxx eats his lunch. Curiosity kills the cat and in this case, it could cost Cubby more than what he had originally bargained for.

Sociopaths like Waxx is a usual in Koontz novels but he seems to offer more this time. Koontz' flair for destroying our glass-cased lives is what he specializes in and he doesn't seem to fail us here. I wonder if Cubby's profession has something to do with Koontz being a writer. He is, after all, known for injecting a part of him in his books and I don't think this will be any different. June seems so far away for a novel that promises to get all of us hooked. Relentless - A Novel by Dean Koontz could just be the most anticipated suspense-thrillers of the year!

For more information, check other Relentless - A Novel by Dean Koontz book reviews.

Erika Ayala works part time for a consumer review company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erika_Ayala


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The Diamond Age

Overview:

In Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson took science fiction to dazzling new levels. Now, in The Diamond Age, he delivers another stunning tale. Set in twenty-first century Shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a state-of-the-art interactive device falls in the hands of a street urchin named Nell. Her life—and the entire future of humanity—is about to be decoded and reprogrammed…

 

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Hyperion

Overview:

On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Hegemony of Man, there waits the creature called the Shrike.  There are those who worship it.  There are those who fear it.  And there are those who have vowed to destroy it.  In the Valley of the Time Tombs, where huge, brooding structures move backward through time, the Shrike waits for them all.  On the eve of Armageddon, with the entire galaxy at war, seven pilgrims set forth on a final voyage to Hyperion seeking the answers to the unsolved riddles of their lives.  Each carries a desperate hope--and a terrible secret.  And one may hold the fate of humanity in his hands.

Pros: Engaging, absorbing, unusual, graceful, elegant. Has depth and character, wit and humor
Cons: Some might find parts of it slow; cliffhanger ending
Rating: 5 out of 5

First published 10/20/2003
Previously published on Epinions.com

Dan Simmons’ “Hyperion” is a science fiction “Canterbury Tales,” with seven pilgrims telling their stories to each other as they journey to a far-off land together. It’s been long enough since I last read the “Canterbury Tales,” however, that I wouldn’t even dare to attempt further comparison. Besides, this book deserves to stand on its own two feet.

The time is centuries in our future, when our planet has been destroyed and humanity has moved into the stars. A planet called Hyperion lies just outside of the “Web” of humanity, and it holds a strange and deadly secret. A creature called the Shrike stalks its sands, slaughtering many and sparing others seemingly without sense. It is intimately tied to the Time Tombs, empty tombs surrounded by entropic fields that protect them from the ravages of time… and move them backwards through time. The so-called Church of the Shrike has spread throughout the Web, and many believe that the Shrike, or Lord of Pain, is humanity’s destruction–its punishment for ruining Old Earth in something called simply the Big Mistake.

The attacks of the Shrike have escalated in recent times, and an alien force called the Ousters seems set to invade human space via Hyperion. The last of Hyperion’s citizens–those the Shrike hasn’t killed off yet–are being evacuated. Yet the Church of the Shrike has sponsored one last pilgrimage, and only seven very specific people are to be allowed on this pilgrimage.

The alcoholic Consul has no wish to return to Hyperion, yet knows he must. The Priest returns bearing more pain than any man should have to experience. The Colonel’s agenda on this pilgrimage has nothing at all to do with petitioning the Shrike. The Poet’s past is intimately tied up in the history of Hyperion, while the Teacher cares only about the welfare of his baby daughter. The Templar ship’s captain is a mystery unto himself, and the Detective came in someone else’s place entirely.

Each of these people carries a story, a story that ties him or her intimately to humanity, history, Hyperion, and the Shrike itself. One of them may be an alien spy. And this is a most dangerous pilgrimage on which they have embarked…

All the grace and beauty of a rose unfolding

The universe of this book is not a simple one. There is a great deal going on in it–much history, many new terms and technologies, great religions and societies. There are two major dangers for such a universe: one is the author who stops to explain everything going on, either by inserting pages and pages of exposition or by having characters core-dump large amounts of information to each other that they really have no good reason to discuss. The other is the author who tosses about terms and references without ever adequately explaining them, so that ultimately you wander around the book confused, like a lone visitor in a vast museum where none of the displays are labeled.

Simmons finds the most graceful and elegant middle ground I’ve ever seen. In the beginning you will see terms go by that you don’t understand, and sometimes it may confuse you for a short time–characters speak naturally, which means they don’t explain things they have no reason to. Simmons certainly avoids long stretches of boring exposition (I can’t remember reading a single one, which means either they weren’t there or they were so engrossing and seamless that I simply didn’t notice). But Simmons has set things up such that each pilgrim’s story ties intimately into the fabric of the universe he has woven, such that eventually, in a most natural and perfectly-paced way, things become clear.

The Big Mistake, Sad King Billy’s colony of artists, the Ouster invasion… you’ll experience the elements of each one for yourself in time, rather than having it force-fed to you as background for the current story.

It is, quite simply, one of the most elegant tales I’ve ever read. The prose is rich and wonderful. In fact, “Hyperion” is so absorbing that when I reached the end of chapter one, at just the 102-page mark (out of 482), I had to stop for a while before moving on to chapter two. I had gotten so caught up in the first pilgrim’s story, so drawn into it, that I had to take a little time to disengage myself before moving on to the next tale. And that’s very high praise–flaws tend to pull me out of a narrative pretty quickly. (In fact, I remember only one very brief moment in the entire book when something struck me as “off”–when one of the pilgrims’ stories includes a particular scene that, as far as I’m aware, he shouldn’t have been able to know about or deduce in any way.)

That wouldn’t be the last time I’d have to stop and take a break before moving on, either. This is no light beach-reading–it’s an interconnected, deeply moving web of tales. Reading the story of one pilgrim sheds light on small details of interactions between characters a hundred or more pages earlier. And it isn’t the all-too-convenient sort of web of connections and coincidences that stretches suspension of disbelief in some stories; in “Hyperion” it’s a much subtler and more organic thing.

Each character has a strong, palpably different voice from the others, without being ridiculously quirky or overdone (well, okay, one character is a bit overdone, but that’s deliberate affectation on his part). Each one is human and complex, not a stereotype or cardboard cutout.

The story contains elements of horror, science fiction, and mysticism. Do be aware that if you’re squeamish there are a few scenes that would certainly make you uncomfortable, and there are also elements of explicit sex. None of it is gratuitous, in my opinion.

“Hyperion” is a well-known book, and that is for very good reason. A few people who simply must have fight scenes and explosions on every other page might find parts of this book a bit slow, but for myself, the pacing couldn’t have been more perfect.

The book does end on a cliffhanger, so if you plan to read it, go ahead and get the sequel, “The Fall of Hyperion,” before you start reading “Hyperion.” You won’t want to wait to start it once you finish the first book.

The Ghosts of Belfast (Unabridged)

Fegan has been a "hard man" - an IRA killer in Northern Ireland. Now that peace has come, he is being haunted day and night by 12 ghosts: a mother and infant, a schoolboy, a butcher, an RUC constable, and seven other of his innocent victims. In order to appease them, he's going to have to kill the men who gave him orders.
As he's working his way down the list, he encounters a woman who may offer him redemption; she has borne a child to an RUC officer and is an outsider too. Now he has given Fate - and his quarry - a hostage. Is this Fegan's ultimate mistake?



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Dune

The word Cult comes to mind. For me it was the movie first. With an awe-inspiring soundtrack by Toto and an epic story this movie moves into the 'Must Have' library!

The Book...even better! Admittedly, I 'read' it on audio! For those of you that have not tried an audiobook, do yourself a favour and start with Dune...

More about Jason Bourne

Jason Charles Bourne (real name David Webb) is a fictional character in the novels of Robert Ludlum and subsequent film adaptations. He first appeared in the novel The Bourne Identity (1980). This novel was first adapted for television in 1988, and then adapted on film in 2002 under a title of the same name.


The character has been in seven sequel novels (the last five of which are written by Eric Van Lustbader). Along with the first feature film, The Bourne Identity (2002), Jason Bourne also appears in two sequel movies The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007). Actor Matt Damon has signed a contract to reprise his portrayal of Jason Bourne in a third sequel to be released in 2010 (working title Bourne 4).



Jason Bourne has a tormented past, which continues to influence him throughout his lifetime. Jason Bourne is but one of many aliases used by David Webb. Webb is a career foreign service officer and a specialist in Far Eastern affairs. Before the events in The Bourne Identity, Webb had a Thai wife named Dao and two children named Joshua and Alyssa in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Webb's wife and two children were inadvertently killed during the Vietnam War when an aircraft strayed into Cambodia, dropped two bombs and strafed a spot near the Mekong River. Due to Cambodia's neutrality in the war, every nation disclaimed the plane, and therefore no one took responsibility for the incident. Since he had nothing left, Webb went to Saigon and elected to train for an elite Top Secret Special Forces unit called Medusa, which would remain a Top Secret unit for many years. In Medusa, Webb was known only as Delta One, his code name within the unit.



David Webb's life was consumed by his membership in Medusa. Webb was recruited into Medusa during Vietnam by friend and CIA officer Alexander Conklin after the death of Webb's wife and children. Webb was furious with the tragedy of his loss, and sought revenge by joining Medusa. Webb blamed the North Vietnamese for the death of his family. Medusa remained Top Secret in order to conceal the criminal histories of many of its members, who were identified by the American government during the war. Initially Medusa was designed to infiltrate parts of Northern Vietnam, and kill suspected members of the Viet Cong and its collaborators. Medusa was considered an assassination team or death squad. Each member of Medusa was paid for their work performing assassinations for the United States Government.

More About Vince Flynn

Vince Flynn (born April 6, 1966) is a best-selling American author of political thriller novels. He lives with his wife and three children in the Twin Cities. He also served as a story consultant for the fifth season of the 24 television series.


Vince Flynn is a graduate of Saint Thomas Academy (1984) and the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) (1988). Post graduation, Flynn went to work for Kraft Foods as an account and sales marketing specialist. In 1990, he left Kraft to pursue a career as an aviator with the United States Marine Corps. One week before leaving for Officer Candidate School, he was medically disqualified from the Marine Aviation Program.



In an effort to overcome the difficulties of dyslexia, Flynn forced himself into a daily writing and reading regimen. Quotes Flynn "I started reading everything I could get my hands on, Hemingway, Ludlum, Clancy, Tolkien, Vidal. I read fiction, nonfiction, anything, but I especially loved espionage."



His newfound interest in such novels motivated him to begin work on a novel of his own. While employed as a bartender in St. Paul area, he completed his first book, Term Limits, which he then self-published.[1] "I had just finished reading The Government Racket Washington Waste from A to Z, by Martin L. Gross. It is without a doubt the most disheartening and enlightening book about politics that I've ever read. I was out jogging one day wondering what it would take to really change Washington, when my thoughts turned to a friend who had been shot and killed in Washington, D.C., several summers earlier. As I continued running, a story started to unfold."

Vince Flynn

I am busy working through some Vince Flynn novels. Mitch Rapp is a legend and needs to be on film. Action at it's best with some fantastic plots and edge-of-the-seat scenes. Even some emotion by our big guy Mitch!

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Life of Pi

When it comes to the more intellectual stories like 'The Life of Pi', I would have to stick to the book only. What a fantastic story, taking you into the mind of an academic, where reality and fantasy overlap. A must read for anyone who enjoys a deeper reading experience...

Ender's Game

What an experience reading this book. Targeted at the younger audience, this sci-fi story keeps you spellbound from beginning to end. There is talk of movie negotiations and if Hollywood gets this one right, it will become an EPIC...so to all those producers out there...don't compromise on this one!!!

Remember, there is a whole series by Orson Scott Card:

Bourne - Fits both ways

I am somewhat of a Jason Bourne fan. I have read two Bourne books and seen all the movies, including the original Bourne Identity with Richard Chamberlain, the famous Thornbird! I am current reading the Eric van Lustbader book, Bourne Sanction. I do believe that Jason Bourne makes the perfect book hero as well as the perfect movie hero. And as for Lustbader writing about a Ludlum character...a master! He has managed to continue the brilliance that Robert Ludlum created.
Another point is the casting of Matt Damon as Jason. Wow! He really pulled it off!

The Lost Symbol - Movie?

Movie worthy? I don't think so...
I found that this book was a major let down. As an avid "conspiracy - wish they really existed" person, this plot was a let down. If man is prepared to die rather than letting a lunatic release videos of 'rituals' inside the Mason's order, then obviously I don't get the threat! Who cares what happens in those rituals?
I guess it is a media crazy polpulation that would care!

Get the book here:The Lost Symbol

The Lost Symbol

Dan Brown is the author of numerous bestsellers, including The Da Vinci Code, Digital Fortress, Angels & Demons, and Deception Point.


The Lost Symbol is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown's No. 1 international phenomenon with 81 million copies in print worldwide and the UK's biggest selling paperback novel of all time, and it will once again feature Dan Brown's unforgettable protagonist, Robert Langdon.



The Lost Symbol book's narrative takes place in a 12-hour period, and from the first page, Dan's readers will feel the thrill of discovery as they follow Robert Langdon through a masterful and unexpected new landscape.



The Lost Symbol is a brilliant and compelling thriller. Dan Brown's prodigious talent for storytelling, infused with history, codes and intrigue, is on full display in this new book. 'This novel has been a strange and wonderful journey', says Dan Brown himself. 'Weaving five years of research into the story's 12-hour timeframe was an exhilarating challenge. Robert Langdon's life clearly moves a lot faster than mine'.



Landmark commenced its operations in 1987 with its first store in Chennai with a floor space of 5500 sq. ft. Landmark is the first large format book retailer in India. Landmark currently has 10 stores, ranging in size from 12,000 sq. ft. to 45,000 sq. ft., 3 in Chennai, 1 in Bangalore, 1 in Mumbai, 1 in Vadodara, 1 in Gurgaon, 1 in Pune, 1 in Lucknow and 1 in Ahmedabad.



Landmark has the widest range of titles i.e. over 100,000 titles across different sections - bestsellers, business guides, fiction, biographies, computer science, engineering, literature, marketing, art, cinema, religion, graphic novels and many more. Landmarkonthenet providing the Lost Symbol book with 35% on price which is very lesser than comparing to the competitors. Know more about the Dan Brown’s Lost Symbol at: http://www.landmarkonthenet.com

The Movie or the Book

So I find myself reading Dan Brown again. 'The Da Vinci Code' was the movie that got me interested...then I read the book. OK. So now I see why they say 'the movie was good, but the book is definitely better!'
Then I read 'Angels and Demons'. Same thing!! You gotta read the book! But alas! when I say read, I actually mean listen. I am the world's no. 1 Audio Book fan. This blog is meant for sharing views on "THE MOVIE or THE BOOK?"
Post your opinions, comments, recommendations and which books you believe would make great movies.