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The Fist of God
From the bestselling author of The Day of the Jackal, international master of intrigue Frederick Forsyth, comes a thriller that brilliantly blends fact with fiction for one of this summer's--or any season's--most explosive reads!
From the behind-the-scenes decision-making of the Allies to the secret meetings of Saddam Hussein's war cabinet, from the brave American fliers running their dangerous missions over Iraq to the heroic young spy planted deep in the heart of Baghdad, Forsyth's incomparable storytelling skill keeps the suspense at a breakneck pace. Somewhere in Baghdad is the mysterious "Jericho," the traitor who is willing--for a price--to reveal what is going on in the high councils of the Iraqi dictator. But Saddam's ultimate weapon has been kept secret even from his most trusted advisers, and the nightmare scenario that haunts General Schwarzkopf and his colleagues is suddenly imminent, unless somehow, the spy can locate that weapon--The Fist of God--in time. Peopled with vivid characters, brilliantly displaying Forsyth's incomparable, knowledge of intelligence operations and tradecraft, moving back and forth between Washington and London, Baghdad and Kuwait, desert vastnesses and city bazaars, this breathtaking novel is an utterly convincing story of what may actually have happened behind the headlines.
From the behind-the-scenes decision-making of the Allies to the secret meetings of Saddam Hussein's war cabinet, from the brave American fliers running their dangerous missions over Iraq to the heroic young spy planted deep in the heart of Baghdad, Forsyth's incomparable storytelling skill keeps the suspense at a breakneck pace. Somewhere in Baghdad is the mysterious "Jericho," the traitor who is willing--for a price--to reveal what is going on in the high councils of the Iraqi dictator. But Saddam's ultimate weapon has been kept secret even from his most trusted advisers, and the nightmare scenario that haunts General Schwarzkopf and his colleagues is suddenly imminent, unless somehow, the spy can locate that weapon--The Fist of God--in time. Peopled with vivid characters, brilliantly displaying Forsyth's incomparable, knowledge of intelligence operations and tradecraft, moving back and forth between Washington and London, Baghdad and Kuwait, desert vastnesses and city bazaars, this breathtaking novel is an utterly convincing story of what may actually have happened behind the headlines.
573 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1994
937 people are currently reading
4234 people want to read
About the author
Frederick Forsyth
339 books4,292 followersFrederick Forsyth, CBE was a English author and occasional political commentator. He was best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan, and more recently, The Cobra and The Kill List.
The son of a furrier, he was born in Ashford, Kent, educated at Tonbridge School and later attended the University of Granada. He became one of the youngest pilots in the Royal Air Force at 19, where he served on National Service from 1956 to 1958. Becoming a journalist, he joined Reuters in 1961 and later the BBC in 1965, where he served as an assistant diplomatic correspondent. From July to September 1967, he served as a correspondent covering the Nigerian Civil War between the region of Biafra and Nigeria. He left the BBC in 1968 after controversy arose over his alleged bias towards the Biafran cause and accusations that he falsified segments of his reports. Returning to Biafra as a freelance reporter, Forsyth wrote his first book, The Biafra Story in 1969.
Forsyth decided to write a novel using similar research techniques to those used in journalism. His first full length novel, The Day of the Jackal, was published in 1971 and became an international bestseller and gained its author the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel. It was later made into a film of the same name.
The son of a furrier, he was born in Ashford, Kent, educated at Tonbridge School and later attended the University of Granada. He became one of the youngest pilots in the Royal Air Force at 19, where he served on National Service from 1956 to 1958. Becoming a journalist, he joined Reuters in 1961 and later the BBC in 1965, where he served as an assistant diplomatic correspondent. From July to September 1967, he served as a correspondent covering the Nigerian Civil War between the region of Biafra and Nigeria. He left the BBC in 1968 after controversy arose over his alleged bias towards the Biafran cause and accusations that he falsified segments of his reports. Returning to Biafra as a freelance reporter, Forsyth wrote his first book, The Biafra Story in 1969.
Forsyth decided to write a novel using similar research techniques to those used in journalism. His first full length novel, The Day of the Jackal, was published in 1971 and became an international bestseller and gained its author the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel. It was later made into a film of the same name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 387 reviews
September 3, 2019
This gripping novel is set against the backdrop of the Gulf War of 1991
It is jam packed with suspense and action and we never know who will survive and who wont
We see into the inner workings of the governments and secret services of the USA , UK and Israel
As well as into the chilling terror of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship and get a glimpse of Saddam's evil mind as well as the unbelievable cruelty of Hussein and his minions such as the head of his secret police Amn -al -Amn Omar Khatib and General Abdullah Kadiri , men who delight in the most horrific cruelties on those who get in their way.These tortures and deaths are harrowing to read especially the one of that poor Iraqi prostitute who was raped brutally multiple times and then beaten to death after being caught spying for the Americans!
The heroes of the story include Mike Martin , a SAS agent working in Baghdad and Don Walker , a US Air Force Fighter Pilot
I was a bit disappointed about the way he dealt with the MOSSAD operations in Vienna. As an admirer of the MOSSAD Id have hoped that their antics would have been more heroic and gripping than his story of a MOSSAD agent romancing a lonely and dowdy female bank worker in order to get bank secrets and then abandoning her
The central message of the novel-outlined in the postscript is the terrible danger the West is putting herself bu not stopping the nuclear weapon programmes of countries like Iran and Pakistan!
It is jam packed with suspense and action and we never know who will survive and who wont
We see into the inner workings of the governments and secret services of the USA , UK and Israel
As well as into the chilling terror of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship and get a glimpse of Saddam's evil mind as well as the unbelievable cruelty of Hussein and his minions such as the head of his secret police Amn -al -Amn Omar Khatib and General Abdullah Kadiri , men who delight in the most horrific cruelties on those who get in their way.These tortures and deaths are harrowing to read especially the one of that poor Iraqi prostitute who was raped brutally multiple times and then beaten to death after being caught spying for the Americans!
The heroes of the story include Mike Martin , a SAS agent working in Baghdad and Don Walker , a US Air Force Fighter Pilot
I was a bit disappointed about the way he dealt with the MOSSAD operations in Vienna. As an admirer of the MOSSAD Id have hoped that their antics would have been more heroic and gripping than his story of a MOSSAD agent romancing a lonely and dowdy female bank worker in order to get bank secrets and then abandoning her
The central message of the novel-outlined in the postscript is the terrible danger the West is putting herself bu not stopping the nuclear weapon programmes of countries like Iran and Pakistan!
April 10, 2017
***** AWESOME READ*** ***TYPICAL FORSYTH***
4 STARS - INFORMATIVE,GRIPPING,INTRIGUING,PRECISE DETAILING , ROLLER COASTER RIDE.
What an amazing book from Forsyth !! The breath taking moments that happen with the Lead character Mike martin who does the spying job for the British in" Iraq occupied Kuwait and ruthless streets of Baghdad" to clinch the astonishing secrets of Saddam's Mindset to 'war and victory' and also the revelation of the possibility of Iraq possessing Qubth ut allah or simply 'the fist of god' which is a Nuclear Bomb if engaged could change the Fate of all the Arab Nations.
The link up of Mike Martin and Jericho( a double agent) was fabulous and it escalates the tension and curiosity to a heart stopping level as they had to work in an extremely confidential way so as to avoid falling into the hands of diligent and dexterous Hassan Rahmani(counter intelligence) and the ruthless Head of secret police Omar khatib.
Through the Jericho source , Mike finds the truth about the existence of THE NUCLEAR WEAPON .. and ventures into a mission to find and destroy it.
The novel is a balanced blend of fact and fiction .
This book is also a testament to the sheer perseverance and research Forsyth had put in to make it an unparalleled craft in this genre.
The book takes you to a journey in the arab world which is tension filled , action packed , informative and breath-taking.
A must read to all Geopolitical aficionados.
-Gautam
4 STARS - INFORMATIVE,GRIPPING,INTRIGUING,PRECISE DETAILING , ROLLER COASTER RIDE.
What an amazing book from Forsyth !! The breath taking moments that happen with the Lead character Mike martin who does the spying job for the British in" Iraq occupied Kuwait and ruthless streets of Baghdad" to clinch the astonishing secrets of Saddam's Mindset to 'war and victory' and also the revelation of the possibility of Iraq possessing Qubth ut allah or simply 'the fist of god' which is a Nuclear Bomb if engaged could change the Fate of all the Arab Nations.
The link up of Mike Martin and Jericho( a double agent) was fabulous and it escalates the tension and curiosity to a heart stopping level as they had to work in an extremely confidential way so as to avoid falling into the hands of diligent and dexterous Hassan Rahmani(counter intelligence) and the ruthless Head of secret police Omar khatib.
Through the Jericho source , Mike finds the truth about the existence of THE NUCLEAR WEAPON .. and ventures into a mission to find and destroy it.
The novel is a balanced blend of fact and fiction .
This book is also a testament to the sheer perseverance and research Forsyth had put in to make it an unparalleled craft in this genre.
The book takes you to a journey in the arab world which is tension filled , action packed , informative and breath-taking.
A must read to all Geopolitical aficionados.
-Gautam
May 2, 2015
Description: From the behind-the-scenes decision-making of the Allies to the secret meetings of Saddam Hussein's war cabinet, from the brave American fliers running their dangerous missions over Iraq to the heroic young spy planted deep in the heart of Baghdad, Forsyth's incomparable storytelling skill keeps the suspense at a breakneck pace. Somewhere in Baghdad is the mysterious "Jericho," the traitor who is willing--for a price--to reveal what is going on in the high councils of the Iraqi dictator. But Saddam's ultimate weapon has been kept secret even from his most trusted advisers, and the nightmare scenario that haunts General Schwarzkopf and his colleagues is suddenly imminent, unless somehow, the spy can locate that weapon--The Fist of God--in time. Peopled with vivid characters, brilliantly displaying Forsyth's incomparable, knowledge of intelligence operations and tradecraft, moving back and forth between Washington and London, Baghdad and Kuwait, desert vastnesses and city bazaars, this breathtaking novel is an utterly convincing story of what may actually have happened behind the headlines.
rosado mp3. Walkies!
Great for the ears above shanks's pony; an engrossing story set during Iraq I. When will dictators stop annexing countries at whim!WAR IN THE GULF: BAGHDAD REFUGE; Hussein's Nuclear-Proof, Buried Fortress
5* The Day of the Jackal
4* The Odessa File
3* The Fourth Protocol
4* The Dogs of War
4* The Devil's Alternative
2* The Afghan
4* The Fist of God
3* The Kill List
5* The Shepherd
September 11, 2022
I read FIST OF GOD years and years ago - before I knew of Goodreads, and therefore, before I wrote reviews. However, I did keep a computerized spreadsheet of books read with ratings. I imported the books and my ratings into Goodreads. Even without my review, my recollection of a few outstanding books remain: Frederick Forsyth’s novels which are branded in my mind as remarkably unforgettable ( along with Ken Follett and the early Nelson DeMille novels). I give few 5 stars-even to Mr. Forsyth- but this one is SO outstanding and richly deserves ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ !
November 25, 2011
The first few chapters of Forsyth's Persian Gulf War espionage thriller are a little wooden - stock characters, cliched dialogue - but once the plot is established and takes over, that's all you care about. I'm not one who likes the blending of fact and fiction in these types of novels, and I was constantly googling to see what characters were invented, whether Iraq actually did have a nuclear weapon in 1990, and how Scuds compared to the al-Husayn missiles. There are some brutal torture scenes. Not everyone lives to see the end of the book. With the exception of Margaret Thatcher, its female characters don't come off well. Its twisty turns, particularly at the end, make it a slightly above average thriller.
June 2, 2009
The Fist Of God is a wonderfully tense, highly readable thriller on the First Gulf War. Forsyth carries his readers into the intrigue of the Middle East, and inside the minds of the decision makers in their headquarters in Washington, London, Baghdad, and Saudi Arabia. Frederick Forsyth uses his excellent journalistic way of writing (brief, effective descriptions, dialogue that is actually interesting, well chosen settings, and a wonderful mix of fictional drama and real-life) to effortlessly carry the reader into a world that is as exciting as it is intelligent. A top-notch geopolitical thriller.
December 10, 2015
I picked this up in a charity shop in Scarborough in late July 2013.
If you like FF he never lets you down. The military James Bond. Odds stacked against. The nature of the detailed writing and the techniques deployed to build suspense, evolve character and occasionally shock delivers, as always, and I've read a handful of his work, the un-put-down-able novel.
Icon. Avenger. The Day of the Jackal. France, The Middle East, Russia.
He's the master of the genre. And he's at it again here in the thick of Saddam Hussein's Baghdad.
If you like FF he never lets you down. The military James Bond. Odds stacked against. The nature of the detailed writing and the techniques deployed to build suspense, evolve character and occasionally shock delivers, as always, and I've read a handful of his work, the un-put-down-able novel.
Icon. Avenger. The Day of the Jackal. France, The Middle East, Russia.
He's the master of the genre. And he's at it again here in the thick of Saddam Hussein's Baghdad.
July 21, 2012
One of my favourite books on earth! I love the character of Mike Martin and the strange coincidence of events that occur.
November 28, 2020
کتابی بسیار جذاب و خواندنی بر اساس داستان جنگ موسوم به خلیج در سال ۱۹۹۰ و تصرف کویت توسط صدام....... فورسایت مثل گذشته با بهره گیری از یک موضوع تاریخی- سیاسی داستان خودش را روان و همراه با تعلیق و فراز و فرود مناسب نقل می کند به طوری که جدا شدن از کتاب را برای خواننده مشکل میکند...
این داستان بیانگر دیکتاتوری حاکم برای حکومت بعثی است به طوری که وزرای کابینه هم از خشونت صدام در امان نبودند. و همچنین دلایل شروع جنگ و استدلال و هدف صدام از تصرف کویت را بیان می کند...
این داستان بیانگر دیکتاتوری حاکم برای حکومت بعثی است به طوری که وزرای کابینه هم از خشونت صدام در امان نبودند. و همچنین دلایل شروع جنگ و استدلال و هدف صدام از تصرف کویت را بیان می کند...
July 5, 2021
Una de las mejores novelas del autor en mi opinión, nos aleja del típico escenario del comunismo soviético y sitúa la historia en la Guerra del Golfo. Nos relata el ascenso al poder de Saddam Hussein, su brutalidad y sadismo, su falta de empatía, y las características de la sociedad iraquí. Muy bueno como thriller pero también incluso como novela histórica, para cualquiera interesado en conocer más sobre este conflicto. Curiosamente, una parte de la novela predice el caos que sufriría más tarde Iraq en la vida real, con la invasión de 2003 y la consecuente guerra civil entre las diferentes etnias y sectas que habitan el país.
May 20, 2011
The Gulf War and invasion and liberating of Kuwait.
The Fist of God is a 1994 novel mixing known fact with fiction to tell a story of the coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War racing against time to discover the true nature of Saddam Hussein's secret weapon, 'The Fist of God.'
1931- Before this Kuwait was the 19th province os irag. Saddam wanted it back. Iraq's propaganda was that Kuwait had taken more than its share of the oil from the shared Rumailah oil field.Irag also owed Kuwait $15 billion they has loaned Iraq during its war with Iran(Iraq invaded Iran in 1980-1988) The Al Sabahs were asking for repayment.
Saddam was called "The Rais" by his loyals.
Saudi Arabia has the biggest oil fields in the world. Kuwait is second.
Oleg Vladimirovich Penkovsky, codenamed "Agent Hero" (Russian: April 23, 1919, , was a colonel with Soviet military intelligence (GRU) in the late 1950s and early 1960s who informed the United Kingdom and the United States about the Soviet Union placing missiles on Cuba, which led to the Cuban Missile Crisis.During his 30 month career he handed over 5.500 documents.
Stealth Fighters--Black. Shape is multiple angles created in such a way to reflect most of the radar waves directed at it and to absorb the rest into its own body(Shaped like a stingray).It does not bounce hostile radar waves back to the receiver and therby betray its position to the enemy
The Magic Flute (German: Die Zauberflöte, is an opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue. Takes place in Egypt.The Magic Flute is noted for its prominent Masonic elements; Schikaneder and Mozart were Masons and lodge brothers
Time: Egypt, about the reign of Rameses I.
Place: Near and at the Temple of Isis, Memphis.
Schikaneder had persuaded Mozart to compose the music to a puppet show for him.
At that time, however, freemasonry was a much discussed subject. It had been interdicted by Maria Theresa and armed forces were employed to break up the lodges. As a practical man Schikaneder saw his chance to exploit the interdicted rites on the stage. Out of the wicked sorcerer he made Sarastro, the sage priest of Isis. The ordeals of Tamino and Pamina became copies of the ceremonials of freemasonry. He also laid the scene of the opera in Egypt, where freemansory believes its rites to have originated. In addition to all this Mozart’s beautiful music ennobled the libretto even in its dull and unpoetical passages, and lent to the whole a touch of the mysterious and sacred.
Because of its supposed relation to freemasonry, commentators have identified the vengeful Queen of the Night with Maria Theresa, and Tamino with the Emperor. Pamina, Papageno, and Papagena are set down as types of the people, and Monostatos as the fugleman of monasticism.
The Fist of God is a 1994 novel mixing known fact with fiction to tell a story of the coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War racing against time to discover the true nature of Saddam Hussein's secret weapon, 'The Fist of God.'
1931- Before this Kuwait was the 19th province os irag. Saddam wanted it back. Iraq's propaganda was that Kuwait had taken more than its share of the oil from the shared Rumailah oil field.Irag also owed Kuwait $15 billion they has loaned Iraq during its war with Iran(Iraq invaded Iran in 1980-1988) The Al Sabahs were asking for repayment.
Saddam was called "The Rais" by his loyals.
Saudi Arabia has the biggest oil fields in the world. Kuwait is second.
Oleg Vladimirovich Penkovsky, codenamed "Agent Hero" (Russian: April 23, 1919, , was a colonel with Soviet military intelligence (GRU) in the late 1950s and early 1960s who informed the United Kingdom and the United States about the Soviet Union placing missiles on Cuba, which led to the Cuban Missile Crisis.During his 30 month career he handed over 5.500 documents.
Stealth Fighters--Black. Shape is multiple angles created in such a way to reflect most of the radar waves directed at it and to absorb the rest into its own body(Shaped like a stingray).It does not bounce hostile radar waves back to the receiver and therby betray its position to the enemy
The Magic Flute (German: Die Zauberflöte, is an opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue. Takes place in Egypt.The Magic Flute is noted for its prominent Masonic elements; Schikaneder and Mozart were Masons and lodge brothers
Time: Egypt, about the reign of Rameses I.
Place: Near and at the Temple of Isis, Memphis.
Schikaneder had persuaded Mozart to compose the music to a puppet show for him.
At that time, however, freemasonry was a much discussed subject. It had been interdicted by Maria Theresa and armed forces were employed to break up the lodges. As a practical man Schikaneder saw his chance to exploit the interdicted rites on the stage. Out of the wicked sorcerer he made Sarastro, the sage priest of Isis. The ordeals of Tamino and Pamina became copies of the ceremonials of freemasonry. He also laid the scene of the opera in Egypt, where freemansory believes its rites to have originated. In addition to all this Mozart’s beautiful music ennobled the libretto even in its dull and unpoetical passages, and lent to the whole a touch of the mysterious and sacred.
Because of its supposed relation to freemasonry, commentators have identified the vengeful Queen of the Night with Maria Theresa, and Tamino with the Emperor. Pamina, Papageno, and Papagena are set down as types of the people, and Monostatos as the fugleman of monasticism.
June 18, 2012
One of the best books he wrote. It contains a lot of side information that makes it very 3 dimensional and believable.
November 10, 2022
This was a buddy read with my husband! He clearly is not going to post a review, and I have waited long enough, so here goes...
- If The Fourth Protocol was a study in tenacity, this one was a study in courage.
- Forsyth is a maestro of real information.
- He did a fabulous job of humanising the enemy! Is it wrong of me to have wanted a Rehmani-Martin meet? Probably!
Love it. I will always love it.
- If The Fourth Protocol was a study in tenacity, this one was a study in courage.
- Forsyth is a maestro of real information.
- He did a fabulous job of humanising the enemy! Is it wrong of me to have wanted a Rehmani-Martin meet? Probably!
Love it. I will always love it.
June 28, 2018
La superabundancia de datos técnicos militares ralentiza una trama por lo demás interesante.
El saber el final de la historia no ayuda al interés, claro.
Me gusta, en general, como escribe Forsyth...pero aquí creo que se enloda demasiado con la documentación militar.
Muy recomendable para grandes forofos del armamento militar. Y muy muy muy documentado.
El saber el final de la historia no ayuda al interés, claro.
Me gusta, en general, como escribe Forsyth...pero aquí creo que se enloda demasiado con la documentación militar.
Muy recomendable para grandes forofos del armamento militar. Y muy muy muy documentado.
April 10, 2017
149 - 2017
May 2, 2019
داستانش بد نبود. از بخش اطلاعات نظامیش خوشم اومد.
ولی خیلی گزارش گونه نوشته بود که فکر کنم در ترجمه این اتفاق افتاده بود. ترجمه آقای قصاع بود و معمولاً همین طوره. خیلی خشک و رسمی!
تا نیمه اول داستان کسل کننده بود. نیمه دوم هم اونقدری هیجان نداشت که نشه کنار گذاشتش، ولی بهتر از قبل میشد.
ولی خیلی گزارش گونه نوشته بود که فکر کنم در ترجمه این اتفاق افتاده بود. ترجمه آقای قصاع بود و معمولاً همین طوره. خیلی خشک و رسمی!
تا نیمه اول داستان کسل کننده بود. نیمه دوم هم اونقدری هیجان نداشت که نشه کنار گذاشتش، ولی بهتر از قبل میشد.
January 4, 2011
The second Frederick novel I’ve read after ‘The Day Of The Jackal’ and packed with the same precise detail as the first. Focusing on the first Gulf war, it tells the story of an S.A.S veteran who goes behind enemy lines to prevent Saddam detonating WMD. Now, to call Mr Forsyth thorough is to say that Saddam has a bit of a bad temper, and whilst this can be a little frustrating in the beginning it does prove worthwhile in the end. Through the allies of the main character Forsyth skillfully portrays the methods of the british S.I.S and the Israeli Mossad in extracting the secrets from within their relevant enemies. These make for some of the most interesting threads of the story, the unassuming, normal and innocent people they use to gain the information they require from each others governments.
The inner workings of the Iraqi regime and how Saddam must have controlled his minister’s is another of the sub plots of the story, along with the A.M.A.M, the Iraqi secret police, and how an organisation like that can control a population.
Overall, 7-10, you can imagine everything in this novel actually happening and the concise annotation of events and the clandestine operations and conversations of the characters put Fred as one of the best for military/spy/espionage thrillers.
The inner workings of the Iraqi regime and how Saddam must have controlled his minister’s is another of the sub plots of the story, along with the A.M.A.M, the Iraqi secret police, and how an organisation like that can control a population.
Overall, 7-10, you can imagine everything in this novel actually happening and the concise annotation of events and the clandestine operations and conversations of the characters put Fred as one of the best for military/spy/espionage thrillers.
June 19, 2013
A pity some of the reviews seem parsimonious but having read this thriller 20 years after its first publication and the actual war, I found it a really compelling read. As expected, the detail was excellent with much thorough research done, the pace wss blistering and the characters well-fleshed out. It was unputdownable, l really enjoyed it and it must merit full marks from me. To this day, not many authors and thrillers can compare with Forsyth and this book.
August 3, 2024
Romanul lui Forsyth, legendarul autor britanic de thrillere, a apărut în 1994 și are ca temă înspăimântătorul proiect Babilon al lui Saddam Hussein de a construi un supertun, cel mai mare tun din istorie. Au trecut mulți ani de atunci, așa că putem răsufla ușurați: proiectul Babilon a fost povestea unui supereșec. Din fericire. Pentru cititorii mai tineri, este poate nevoie de o scurtă expunere a evenimentelor: anul 1990 părea să fie unul de bun augur, Razboiul Rece intra în faza finală, ca urmare a Summit-ului de la Malta de la finalul anului precedent, germanii începuseră deja să dărâme Zidul din Berlin, iar la noi se întâmplase un adevărat miracol odată cu căderea regimului Ceaușescu. Din păcate, n-am știut să păstrăm cum trebuie ceea ce am câștigat în decembrie 1989 și ne-am ales un conducător care nu avea niciun scrupul să ordone uciderea (nu în mod direct) unor oameni pentru a rămâne la putere. În loc să avem democrație și capitalism, Iliescu ne-a dat mineriade. Era forma lui de mulțumire pentru un popor dezorientat, care, de bucurie că a scăpat de Ceaușescu, a crezut că noii inamici sunt Regele Mihai și Ion Rațiu. Iar peste România se așternea o lungă noapte, din care unii poate că nu au ieșit nici până astăzi. Fie-mi iertată divagarea.
Pe fondul bunei înțelegeri dintre SUA și URSS, problemele încep să vină din alte direcții. În august 1990 Saddam Hussein, conducătorul Irak-ului, atacă statul vecin, Kuweit, și îl ocupă în doar două zile. Arabia Saudită, Kuweit și Irak erau primele trei țări din lume în ceea ce privește rezerva de țiței. Cum ar fi fost ca toate acestea să ajungă în mâna lui Saddam Hussein? Pentru a nu se realiza acest scenariu de coșmar, SUA și aliații săi - Marea Britanie, Franța, Arabia Saudită, Egipt etc. - organizează operațiunea Scutul Deşertului, al cărei scop a fost acela de a-l descuraja pe Hussein să atace Arabia Saudită. Trupele aliate aduse în mare grabă pe teritoriul Arabiei Saudite au îndeplinit cu brio acest prim obiectiv. Pasul următor a fost lansarea unui ultimatum la adresa lui Saddam Hussein de a-și retrage trupele din Kuweit cel târziu la începutul lui ianuarie 1991. Saddam Hussein era mult prea idiot să accepte acest ultimatum (la un moment dat, americanii erau realmente îngrijorați ca nu cumva, la vederea impresionantei forțe a aliaților, liderul irakian să decidă retragerea din Kuweit, ceea ce le dădea complet planurile peste cap), așa că a fost lansată operațiunea Furtuna Deşertului, ce a spulberat armatele de ocupație, reușind să elibereze complet Kuweitul în ceva mai mult de o lună. Trupele coaliției occidentale au suferit pierderi minime, în ciuda pronosticurilor. Prin urmare, acesta este în linii mari cadrul istoric.
Dincolo însă de evenimentele din epocă, Frederick Forsyth construiește un foarte solid thriller de spionaj, ce însă poate fi privit și drept o ficțiune istorică, a cărei acțiune se desfășoară în principal în Kuweit City, Londra, Bagdad, Tel Aviv, dar și la Viena și, foarte puțin, e drept, la Moscova. Romanul debutează cu un asasinat săvârșit la Bruxelles: este vorba despre Gerald Bull, expertul canadian care se ocupa cu realizarea supertunului. Din punctul meu de vedere, teoria lui Forsyth conform căreia irakienii înșiși l-au asasinat pe aliatul lor nu se susține; pare mai degrabă să fie mâna Mossad-ului. Desigur, și aceasta este doar o speculație, ucigașii lui Bull nefiind niciodată identificați. Dar, iată cum descrie Forsyth serviciul secret israelian: "Mossadul este cea mai mică, cea mai nemiloasă şi cea mai întreprinzătoare dintre toate structurile de servicii secrete din lume. Fără îndoială că, în trecut, acest organism a efectuat multe asasinate, folosind una dintre cele trei echipe „kidon” – cuvânt care în ebraică înseamnă „baionetă”. Acestea fac parte din Divizia de combatanţi şi sunt constituite din agenţi sub acoperire, infiltraţi şi executanţi. Însă până şi Mossadul are anumite reguli, chiar dacă aplicarea lor are o anumită doză de arbitrar.
Lichidările se împart în două categorii. Una este cea a „cerinţelor operaţionale” – urgenţele neprevăzute, în care diverse operaţiuni ce implică viaţa unor aliaţi sunt prioritare, iar persoana incomodă trebuie să fie înlăturată din drum rapid şi definitiv. În asemenea cazuri, ofiţerul de caz, cunoscut şi sub numele de katsa, are dreptul de a-l înlătura pe adversarul care pune în pericol întreaga misiune şi se va bucura de sprijin retroactiv din partea şefilor lui din Tel Aviv.
Cealaltă categorie îi include pe cei aflaţi deja pe lista de execuţie. Această listă se află în două locuri: în seiful personal al prim-ministrului şi în cel al directorului Mossadului. La fiecare schimbare a prim-ministrului, noul ales trebuie să vadă lista care poate conţine între treizeci şi optzeci de nume".
În final, trebuie să precizez că, deși intriga se desfășoară pe mai multe planuri și există un număr destul de mare de personaje extrase atât din realitate, cât și din imaginația lui Forsyth, totuși acțiunea nu este greu de urmărit. Cu atât mai mult cu cât scriitorul britanic stăpâneşte foarte bine arta de a ține trează curiozitatea cititorului. În plus, informațiile pe care le conține cartea despre cele "patru modalități de recrutare a unui agent" sunt cu adevărat interesante și atractiv prezentate. Un singur lucru nu am înțeles (Atenție, urmează un spoiler!!!) și anume de ce serviciile israeliene îl lichidează pe omul infiltrat în vârful regimului Hussein, din moment ce acesta a respectat termenii înțelegerii, trădându-și țara "de la A la Z". În aceste condiții, biografia acestuia nu contează prea mult, ci serviciile aduse. În fine, poate că așa a considerat Forsyth că se face dreptate. Lectură plăcută!
Pe fondul bunei înțelegeri dintre SUA și URSS, problemele încep să vină din alte direcții. În august 1990 Saddam Hussein, conducătorul Irak-ului, atacă statul vecin, Kuweit, și îl ocupă în doar două zile. Arabia Saudită, Kuweit și Irak erau primele trei țări din lume în ceea ce privește rezerva de țiței. Cum ar fi fost ca toate acestea să ajungă în mâna lui Saddam Hussein? Pentru a nu se realiza acest scenariu de coșmar, SUA și aliații săi - Marea Britanie, Franța, Arabia Saudită, Egipt etc. - organizează operațiunea Scutul Deşertului, al cărei scop a fost acela de a-l descuraja pe Hussein să atace Arabia Saudită. Trupele aliate aduse în mare grabă pe teritoriul Arabiei Saudite au îndeplinit cu brio acest prim obiectiv. Pasul următor a fost lansarea unui ultimatum la adresa lui Saddam Hussein de a-și retrage trupele din Kuweit cel târziu la începutul lui ianuarie 1991. Saddam Hussein era mult prea idiot să accepte acest ultimatum (la un moment dat, americanii erau realmente îngrijorați ca nu cumva, la vederea impresionantei forțe a aliaților, liderul irakian să decidă retragerea din Kuweit, ceea ce le dădea complet planurile peste cap), așa că a fost lansată operațiunea Furtuna Deşertului, ce a spulberat armatele de ocupație, reușind să elibereze complet Kuweitul în ceva mai mult de o lună. Trupele coaliției occidentale au suferit pierderi minime, în ciuda pronosticurilor. Prin urmare, acesta este în linii mari cadrul istoric.
Dincolo însă de evenimentele din epocă, Frederick Forsyth construiește un foarte solid thriller de spionaj, ce însă poate fi privit și drept o ficțiune istorică, a cărei acțiune se desfășoară în principal în Kuweit City, Londra, Bagdad, Tel Aviv, dar și la Viena și, foarte puțin, e drept, la Moscova. Romanul debutează cu un asasinat săvârșit la Bruxelles: este vorba despre Gerald Bull, expertul canadian care se ocupa cu realizarea supertunului. Din punctul meu de vedere, teoria lui Forsyth conform căreia irakienii înșiși l-au asasinat pe aliatul lor nu se susține; pare mai degrabă să fie mâna Mossad-ului. Desigur, și aceasta este doar o speculație, ucigașii lui Bull nefiind niciodată identificați. Dar, iată cum descrie Forsyth serviciul secret israelian: "Mossadul este cea mai mică, cea mai nemiloasă şi cea mai întreprinzătoare dintre toate structurile de servicii secrete din lume. Fără îndoială că, în trecut, acest organism a efectuat multe asasinate, folosind una dintre cele trei echipe „kidon” – cuvânt care în ebraică înseamnă „baionetă”. Acestea fac parte din Divizia de combatanţi şi sunt constituite din agenţi sub acoperire, infiltraţi şi executanţi. Însă până şi Mossadul are anumite reguli, chiar dacă aplicarea lor are o anumită doză de arbitrar.
Lichidările se împart în două categorii. Una este cea a „cerinţelor operaţionale” – urgenţele neprevăzute, în care diverse operaţiuni ce implică viaţa unor aliaţi sunt prioritare, iar persoana incomodă trebuie să fie înlăturată din drum rapid şi definitiv. În asemenea cazuri, ofiţerul de caz, cunoscut şi sub numele de katsa, are dreptul de a-l înlătura pe adversarul care pune în pericol întreaga misiune şi se va bucura de sprijin retroactiv din partea şefilor lui din Tel Aviv.
Cealaltă categorie îi include pe cei aflaţi deja pe lista de execuţie. Această listă se află în două locuri: în seiful personal al prim-ministrului şi în cel al directorului Mossadului. La fiecare schimbare a prim-ministrului, noul ales trebuie să vadă lista care poate conţine între treizeci şi optzeci de nume".
În final, trebuie să precizez că, deși intriga se desfășoară pe mai multe planuri și există un număr destul de mare de personaje extrase atât din realitate, cât și din imaginația lui Forsyth, totuși acțiunea nu este greu de urmărit. Cu atât mai mult cu cât scriitorul britanic stăpâneşte foarte bine arta de a ține trează curiozitatea cititorului. În plus, informațiile pe care le conține cartea despre cele "patru modalități de recrutare a unui agent" sunt cu adevărat interesante și atractiv prezentate. Un singur lucru nu am înțeles (Atenție, urmează un spoiler!!!) și anume de ce serviciile israeliene îl lichidează pe omul infiltrat în vârful regimului Hussein, din moment ce acesta a respectat termenii înțelegerii, trădându-și țara "de la A la Z". În aceste condiții, biografia acestuia nu contează prea mult, ci serviciile aduse. În fine, poate că așa a considerat Forsyth că se face dreptate. Lectură plăcută!
September 1, 2025
It has been long since I read a book which I could not put down. This was one of those books.
It is a fiction about the real invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. How and in what circumstances it was done, what was at stake and how the coalition of nations dealt with it.
Forsyth has done mind blowing research in writing this book. Reader can’t discern what’s real and what’s fiction. The microscopic details with which every single thing is described is spectacular!
I am glad I finished reading this one, I had stopped reading it last year due to reading slump. I am glad I picked it up again!
Anyone interested in war histories or historical fiction must read this.
It is a fiction about the real invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. How and in what circumstances it was done, what was at stake and how the coalition of nations dealt with it.
Forsyth has done mind blowing research in writing this book. Reader can’t discern what’s real and what’s fiction. The microscopic details with which every single thing is described is spectacular!
I am glad I finished reading this one, I had stopped reading it last year due to reading slump. I am glad I picked it up again!
Anyone interested in war histories or historical fiction must read this.
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June 9, 2023Got this at BookOff
March 14, 2012
Forsyth è un maestro del genere spy-story, autore di romanzi come: "Il giorno dello sciacallo", "I mastini della guerra", "Dossier Odessa", "Il Quarto Protocollo" e molti altri. E' indubbiamente uno dei miei scrittori preferiti in questo genere e lo metterei con Ludlum, Le Carrè, Cruz Smith, direttamente sul podio.
Questa storia è meravigliosa, uno dei migliori dell'autore, se non il migliore, documentato tramite una fittissima ricerca dove si riesce a mischiare molto bene realtà e fantasia, prendendo le mosse dalla storia reale del super cannone; l'inizio è molto analitico entrando nel dettaglio di tutte le problematiche relative alle forniture di armi e tecnologia da parte di USA ed Europa all'Iraq di Saddam nel periodo in cui si cercava di usare l'Iraq per mettere i bastoni tra le ruote all'Iran.
La storia: poco prima dello scoppio della Guerra del Golfo, l'agente segreto inglese Mike Martin scopre che le truppe di Saddam dispongono di una misteriosa e potentissima arma denominata "Il pugno di Dio", un ordigno in grado di rovesciare completamente le sorti del conflitto. Nonostante l'incredulità dello Stato Maggiore, Martin riesce a infiltrarsi a Baghdad e a preparare un audace piano di sabotaggio.
Spionaggio, azioni dietro le linee, tanta tecnologia e spiegazioni da manuale nel più puro stile Forsyth. Ho letto tutti i suoi libri e questo è diventato subito il mio preferito perchè è avvincente, interessante e verosimile.
Consiglio vivamente la lettura di questo libro, sia per la parte puramente romanzata, ma anche per quella storica di ricerca, da ottimi spunti di riflessione su quello che era, ormai parliamo di una decina d'anni fa, lo scacchiere mediorientale.
Forsyth è un maestro indiscusso di questo genere.
Questa storia è meravigliosa, uno dei migliori dell'autore, se non il migliore, documentato tramite una fittissima ricerca dove si riesce a mischiare molto bene realtà e fantasia, prendendo le mosse dalla storia reale del super cannone; l'inizio è molto analitico entrando nel dettaglio di tutte le problematiche relative alle forniture di armi e tecnologia da parte di USA ed Europa all'Iraq di Saddam nel periodo in cui si cercava di usare l'Iraq per mettere i bastoni tra le ruote all'Iran.
La storia: poco prima dello scoppio della Guerra del Golfo, l'agente segreto inglese Mike Martin scopre che le truppe di Saddam dispongono di una misteriosa e potentissima arma denominata "Il pugno di Dio", un ordigno in grado di rovesciare completamente le sorti del conflitto. Nonostante l'incredulità dello Stato Maggiore, Martin riesce a infiltrarsi a Baghdad e a preparare un audace piano di sabotaggio.
Spionaggio, azioni dietro le linee, tanta tecnologia e spiegazioni da manuale nel più puro stile Forsyth. Ho letto tutti i suoi libri e questo è diventato subito il mio preferito perchè è avvincente, interessante e verosimile.
Consiglio vivamente la lettura di questo libro, sia per la parte puramente romanzata, ma anche per quella storica di ricerca, da ottimi spunti di riflessione su quello che era, ormai parliamo di una decina d'anni fa, lo scacchiere mediorientale.
Forsyth è un maestro indiscusso di questo genere.
August 18, 2015
Not Forsyth's best work but it certainly bears all of his usual features -- a focus on Cold War and post Cold War geo-political confrontations, well researched detail, complex plot lines and some truly menacing villans. One of Forsyth's recurrent tricks is that of creating lead characters who possess an exceptional combination of boldness, physical prowess, chutzpah and the capability of deadly violence when necessary; the one he introduces here one of his most intriguing characters, Mike Martin, who appears again in a later book "The Afghan". As in many previous books, Forsyth manages to construct fictional stories populated by real people whom we immediately recognize -- in this case Saddam Hussein. He does it so seamlessly that it's easy to lose sight of where real events end and fiction takes over.
One criticism: Forsyth is overly fond of including minute detail about his subject matter -- things such as weaponry, the inner workings of intelligence and military organizations etc. This speaks well of his diligence in research and adds realism, but it makes some of his books unnecessarily lengthy and this is one of them.
One criticism: Forsyth is overly fond of including minute detail about his subject matter -- things such as weaponry, the inner workings of intelligence and military organizations etc. This speaks well of his diligence in research and adds realism, but it makes some of his books unnecessarily lengthy and this is one of them.
June 1, 2015
I had loved Forsyth's The Day of the Jackal, the first book I read from this author, and also the first one I read through Bookcrossing. So it is no wonder that I also really liked this one. Even though the theme is very different (The Day of the Jackal is about an attempted murder of General de Gaulle and this one is about the first Gulf War and the liberation of Kuwait), they both share an attention to detail, accuracy of information, suspense and a great ability to mix historical facts with a fiction plot. A really well crafted and hard to put down book. I read its nearly 600 pages like a breeze and I am not a particularly fast reader.
June 17, 2021
At the mention of Frederick Forsyth, one always thinks of the The Day of the Jackal or/and the Odessa Files.
In my opinion The Fist of God, outranks both the global best sellers.
If someone wants to read just ONE Fredrick Forsyth novel and asks me for a recommendation, without battling an eye lid I would recommend this book - The Fist of God.
A fast paced thriller that I believe all will enjoy.
A must read novel....
In my opinion The Fist of God, outranks both the global best sellers.
If someone wants to read just ONE Fredrick Forsyth novel and asks me for a recommendation, without battling an eye lid I would recommend this book - The Fist of God.
A fast paced thriller that I believe all will enjoy.
A must read novel....
July 15, 2025
One of the things that makes Forsyth so great, as was true in this book, is that you can't find the line between fact and fiction. Fist of God was great in that way. He sets the table with non-fiction and then starts the rollercoaster.
December 1, 2010
This was set during the Gulf War and the author obviously spent a lot of time researching for this story. It was a gripping, awe inspiring tale. A little gruesome for my taste, especially the ending, but still, a very enjoyable read.
February 29, 2012
I wrote him to complain that I didn't think the ending was fair ... and he wrote me back a handwritten note explaining why he thought he'd been perfectly fair! ;-) But I was just a kid and like an idiot, I lost the note. :-(
October 3, 2020
Took me a while to get through this book, mainly because it was waaay out of my comfort zone.
Even though at parts ( soo much information 🙈 ) I really wanted to keep this book away, the tale is very very gripping. I just had to find out the end of it.
Even though at parts ( soo much information 🙈 ) I really wanted to keep this book away, the tale is very very gripping. I just had to find out the end of it.
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