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Blowback

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A terrifying international incident has just begun the countdown to nuclear war.

The one man who can stop it has just been framed for the murder of one of Washington, D.C.'s darlings.

The clock is running. So is he.

On India's border, a weapon of mass destruction tips the world's balance of power. In Washington, D.C., a well-dressed man is stopped by the cops for DWB -- Driving While Black. In a darkened hallway, a killer waits for a beautiful woman to come home. And Eric James Fullilove's shattering, relentlessly suspenseful thriller about race, power, and justice has just begun.

The president's national security advisor, Richard Whelan, is tough, smart, and black. Coming from Harvard to the White House, he knows how to play political games. But be's about to get a refresher course in the rules of the street. Framed for a brutal murder, Whelan is suddenly a fugitive on the run, a pawn in a chilling conspiracy, and the only man who can put the pieces together and stop a nuclear holocaust -- if he can just stay alive.

In Blowback, author Eric James Fullilove introduces an exciting, new black character who is part Richard Kimball, part Jack Ryan, part Shaft -- and all hero.

295 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2001

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About the author

Eric James Fullilove

12 books8 followers
Eric James Fullilove is the global Chief Financial Officer for World Vision International. Originally from Newark, New Jersey USA, Fullilove now splits his time between Los Angeles and London and travels extensively for his job; he has visited 59 of the 100 countries in which World Vision is active. Fullilove is of African American origin and his grandmother, Maggie Shaw Fullilove, was one of the first African American women to become a published author in the US in 1918; his father was a prominent physician and his mother a prominent civic leader. This is Fullilove’s sixth novel; other works include Blowback which was published by HarperCollins.

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5 stars
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15 (28%)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Profile Image for Darren.
2,077 reviews48 followers
September 30, 2015
I got this book from the free book exchange at the store that I have coffee at. I enjoyed reading it. It was full of action/adventure. I hope to read more books by this author.
1 review
June 16, 2020
Good book

Liked the book. Will buy others by this author.
What else can I say except wonderful read. Was hard for me to stop reading

Profile Image for Amanda Patterson.
896 reviews302 followers
November 16, 2010
I read this book with some trepidation. I have never been a huge fan of political/war thrillers and the intrigues of the American government but I enjoyed this book. In Blowback, the countdown to nuclear holocaust begins. The one man who can stop it, Richard Whelan, has just been framed for murder of his white girlfriend. The clock is running and so is he.

Fullilove has accomplished one of the rarities in the thriller/crime genre. His hero, Richard Whelan is African American. The only other author I can think of to successfully accomplish this is James Patterson with his Dr Alex Cross series.

The character, Richard Whelan also reminded me of Tom Clancy’s hero, Jack Ryan, the CIA employee turned president over a series of books that include The Hunt For Red October to The Bear and The Dragon. Whelan is the National Security Advisor to the president, He lives the good life in Washington DC. Then he is framed for the murder of his influential White girlfriend.

Blowback feels as though it has been lifted out of today's headlines. There is a real nuclear rivalry between India and Pakistan. It fascinates me that CIA support was critical in the evolution of the Taliban and the Afghan mujahideen. In many ways this book is a chilling warning.

Blowback is a CIA term for an operation that goes wrong and comes back to haunt. Osama Bin Laden was trained by the CIA to lead Afghanistan in a war against the Soviet Union. After America turned its back on the destruction in Afghanistan, Bin Laden used what the CIA taught him against it. These facts are seldom brought to light and I feel that more people should be made aware of them.

What Fullilove does best is tell a story. If you like action thrillers, the lack of character development, loose threads left hanging and the sometimes mundane dialogue will not be problem for you. Although I don’t feel Richard Whelan was developed well enough, I did care about his fate.

Blowback is similar in style to the political thrillers that have been successfully translated onto the big screen. I can imagine Denzel Washington playing the role of Richard Whelan.
Profile Image for Amanda Patterson.
896 reviews302 followers
August 13, 2011
Fullilove has accomplished one of the rarities in the thriller/crime genre. His hero, Richard Whelan is African American. The only other author to accomplish this is James Patterson with his Dr Alex Cross series.



Richard Whelan reminded me of Tom Clancy’s hero, Jack Ryan, the CIA employee turned president over a series of books that include The Hunt For Red October.



Whelan is the National Security Advisor to the president, He lives the good life in Washington DC. Then he is framed for the murder of his influential White girlfriend.



Blowback feels as though it has been lifted out of today's headlines. There is a real nuclear rivalry between India and Pakistan. It fascinates me that CIA support was critical in the evolution of the Taliban and the Afghan mujahideen. In many ways this book is both a chilling warning and educational.



Blowback is a CIA term for an operation that goes wrong and comes back to haunt.



What Fullilove does best is tell a story. If you like action thrillers, the lack of character development, loose threads left hanging at the end and the sometimes mundane dialogue will not be problem for you.



Blowback is similar in style to the political thrillers that have been successfully translated onto the big screen. I can imagine Denzel Washington playing the role of Richard Whelan.



Read this book if you’re interested in political intrigue. It’s a gripping, well plotted and thought provoking read.

1 review
July 1, 2013
Poorly written. Subject of racial prejudices was handled clumsily and the protagonist was eminently unlikeable. I kept going as it just about had enough to keep me interested in the ending......which was very disappointing!
1,216 reviews13 followers
March 18, 2014
I gotta keep giving these Brad Thor books 5 stars so that he will be reassured that I hope he keeps writing more! Great pace and steady excitement and satisfying resolutions to each mystery. Fun characters.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews