Excellent adventure thriller in the Jack Higgins/ Alistair MacLean tradition. Main character is a two-fisted ex British Army/SAS Canadian (yay!) who does dangerous jobs that can’t be done ‘officially’. He assembles a team to sneak into a terrorist hideout deep in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco to rescue a kidnapped woman and daughter. The book takes off right away with the hazardous journey into the mountains to find the hostages within the limited timeframe available to the team. There is absolutely no let up in the pace, and the tension and suspense is constantly ratcheted up with every chapter. Great descriptions of the harsh desert and craggy mountain setting, and the hardships associated with traveling through such dangerous country. The finale in the mountain hideout is a blast of gunfire and high explosives that really satisfies. Recommend read!
When the wife and step-daughter of a rich American are kidnapped in Morocco, mercenary Earl Jarrell is hired to rescue them.
Jarrell recruits five additional warriors. He also finds it necessary to bring along a woman reporter--because she has a contact that just MIGHT be able to lead them to the rebel leader who masterminded the kidnapping.
This was a fun novel, especially during the extended climax when Jarrell and several others have to knife some guards and sneak into the rebel camp to get to the women, knowing that its only a matter of time before the gunfire begins. This, in turn, forces them to shoot their way out. Running, machine gun fire and barrage of grenades quickly follow. It's one of the best action sequences I've read in a long time.
The characterizations are strong. I especially like the way the woman reporter is handled. She's not a warrior, but there is a good reason to have her on the team and her experience as a reporter in various warzones means Jarrell knows she will keep her head in dangerous situations. Her conversations with Jarrell also help to humanize him, making him seem like a real person rather than just designated hero.
Ian MacAlister is an author whose books really need to be brought back into print.
This is an interesting novel in the mode of Seven Samurai and Magnificent Seven. Like all of these types of novels they ate only as good as the characters building up the group. This one has solidly built ones without slowing the story down for unessesary long backgrounds.
The story, though again typical, is well written It being in the desert, with villains of the actual Moroccan army and the collection of tribes who have kidnapped a American mother and daughter, makes it different enough to stand out.
Recommended, will have to try more from this author.