Arkhangel

Shadow Warriors #5

by Stephen England

"It's true what they say. That Americans have interests, but no friends."

A CIA officer in Iraq, at odds with his own agency. . .

An Iraqi sheikh, whose alliance with the Americans has earned him many enemies, and few friends.

The former KGB officer tasked with the destruction of that alliance, once and for all. Proekt ARKHANGEL.

Anbar Province, Iraq. Early 2007.

After four years of war, with attacks escalating day by day and public support crumbling at home, the American effort in Iraq rests on one last gambit: a tenuous alliance with the Sunni tribes of Anbar, to deny al-Qaeda sanctuary and take the fight to the terrorists. The Anbar "awakening."

Dispatched to Iraq to help cement the alliance, CIA Arabist and paramilitary Harry Nichols finds himself drawn into a world of shifting loyalties and allegiances, where nothing is certain--the word of a government, least of all.

As enemies gather, both without and within, he will be forced to make a final, desperate choice: his orders. . .or his honor?

And the fate of the awakening will rest in the balance.

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 12, 2019

About the author

Stephen England is the author of the bestselling Shadow Warriors thrillers, including Amazon's #1 Bestselling Political Thriller, Pandora's Grave, and its long-awaited sequel, Day of Reckoning--a novel hailed as "the perfect spy thriller for our time--chaotic, cynical, with only a few good men keeping the barbarians from the gate."

Drawing upon nearly a decade of research into the nature of Islam, the Middle East, espionage and counterterrorism operations, England's work has drawn praise for breathing new life into the genre with the hard-edged, unsparing realism of his portrayal of the war on terror, the people who wage it, and the moral and psychological costs exacted of those who take the war to the enemy where he lives. "Soldiers without uniforms. Fighting a war without end. Shadow warriors. . ."

The short stories NIGHTSHADE and TALISMAN round out the Shadow Warriors series, and England's work also includes the stand-alone historical adventure novel, Sword of Neamha.

Reviews

[Steven Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen England does it again with his short novel, ARKHANGEL. He has proven a master of taking historic events and seamlessly weaving in plausible, fictional narratives, and he has done so once more with this work.

We see Nichols working in Anbar Province, Iraq, circa 2007, in the midst of its namesake Awakening. We see Nichols and Hamid Zakiri working alongside Blackwater contractors to repel a jihadist attack, then see them plunged into a complex plot undertaken by the Iranians and the Russians to dismantle the Anbar Awakening and derail the Coalition's effort in Iraq.

England crafts a tale that is a perfect blend of action-adventure and spy thriller, equal parts dakka and intrigue. The enemies are the type that launch complex ambushes and detonate suicide vets, as well as the type that favor power trips and pig-headed pride over pragmatism and subject matter expert opinion.

My only gripe with the novel: we openly see Zakiri acting as an Iranian asset within the novel (something readers of PANDORA'S GRAVE will already know). However, in that inaugural novel, we don't see Zakiri revealed until the end. New readers to the series may want to read the novel in canon chronological order rather than publication order, and this may stunt a bit of the surprise for them. However, this is merely a stylistic gripe and not enough to warrant a detraction of points.

I highly recommend Stephen England's ARKHANGEL. Five stars.

[Jeff Benham · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2007, our primary concern, was al-Qaeda. Iraq had pretty much been dealt with and American troops were ready to come home. Much of the history in this book is true. Chronology and names may be different to better fit the story. Everybody knows that Harry Nichols does not like red tape. People have died because of it. The chief of Station seems to love it, so Harry is always on the edge of being sent home. The Iraqis still need help to fight AQ. America wants to provide it up to a point. It is an uneasy alliance, but Harry needs to keep the shiek alive or his countrymen will lose hope. Russia and AQ would like to see him dead along with anyone trying to help. Some in the CIA are more interested in their careers, which means adding to the red tape. Another really good shadow Warriors book and a grim reminder of what it was like just 12 years ago.

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

GUARDIAN ANGEL

“We came to power on a CIA train”. - Ali Saleh Sa'adi.

“We come to Iraq with respect for its citizens, for their great civilization and for the religious faiths they practice. We have no ambition in Iraq, except to remove a threat and restore control of that country to its own people.” – President George W. Bush

Since 2003, the War on Terror has become, a whole new war. A war that is completely unrecognizable. Like how the First World War started with cavalry and ended with the first tanks rolling into battle, the War on Terror has gotten more complicated as time has gone on with no end in sight. One author who caught on and captured the mutation of this conflict is indie thriller novelist Stephen England. A writer of counter – terrorism novels, novellas and short stories, the ‘Shadow Warriors’ series brings to life the thrilling, grim work of those who defend the free world in the wake of 9/11, the battles they fight on a thousand arenas across the world and the costs that get paid each time their lives are put on the line.

Short stories and novellas died a dog’s death among thriller writers during the 1990s, but with the rise of electronic devices and ebook reading apps, they have had their second coming and risen anew. Today, I’ll be reviewing Stephen’s latest novella Arkhangel. This novella is unique in the grand scheme of the Shadow Warriors series. A historical war story set during an insurgency, packed into a smaller space than a full-sized novel. As you will soon find out, audaciousness doesn’t have to be big in size. Now to the review. What was it like during that simpler time in the early days of the War on Terror?

We start the story during a mid-morning drive from Baghdad airport. It’s 2007, and CIA Special Activities Division Officer Harry Nicholas is heading to Baghdad Station based out of Saddam Hussein’s old fortress the Republican Palace. He reflects on how things have changed since the euphoric days of 2003. Changed for the worse, with an enigmatic Iranian covert operative sneaking around the country, death following in his wake. Arriving in the Republican Palace in Iraq, Harry is just in time to have a front row seat to an emergency. Two Little Bird Helicopters were shot down, trapping several Blackwater Mercenaries running a close protection detail in the midst of a mob of Insurgents. Attempting to try recover the contractors, Nicholas finds to his regret that he is too late.

Thousands of miles away in Moscow, a middle-aged Russian Spy is getting his marching orders from his master in the Lubyanka Centre. He is tasked with a critical assignment that will take him back to an operational theatre of which he has no particular love for. After liaising with a fellow friendly intelligence officer, the Russian and a partner in crime, take a fast flight to Iraq. They have come to town to play a game. To take out a nail holding together one of the most audacious Political Projects ever conceived in the Middle East.

It’s this project, the Anbar Awakening which Harry Nicholas finds himself trying to defend, from Iraqi Insurgents, Iranian agents, the Russians and most threatening of all, the CIA itself. Fighting off these threats over the course of a madcap week involving chemical weapons, betrayals, tense negotiations and a storm of high-powered bullets, there will be only one question left for Nicholas. Can a predator serve as the Guardian Angel for the prey?

In terms of plot, Arkhangel, despite its size is sweeping in its scope. Part historical fiction, part spy novel, part war epic, the author masterfully maintains the coherence of the story, bringing back to life the allegedly ‘simpler’ good old days where ISIS didn’t have a caliphate and the only things we needed to worry about were Al Qaeda, and Tehran’s skilful infiltration of the Iraqi state. But while doing so, he also explores the roots of how ISIS came to be, ranging from American incomprehension about the complexities of Iraq’s religious makeup, to the myopic short sightedness that would cause the real life Iraqi Government to begin dividing the country on sectarian lines once more. Arkhangel is a rich tale for its size, more intricate than many full-length novel plots but equally thrilling.

Action and setting? Outstanding as usual. England’s books are unique in that there’s no swearing or obscenities. But you would be a fool to believe that he’s a soft touch. The action scenes in his books have only gotten more brutal, frantic and shocking since he began writing all the way back in 2011. From a dramatic assassination involving chemical weapons, suicide bombers and a fight in a powerful Sheikh’s rose garden, to an impromptu three-way ambush between a Tribal Militia, American Marines and some of the most psychotic war criminals the Iraq War produced, this is Action with a capital ‘A’. Grade ‘A’ fun that can match the best of the Barnes And Noble thriller section. The backdrops on which the story takes place also deserve a mention. Most Post 9/11 counter terrorism stories do have a distressing tendency to merge together into one big sandy blob that leave them unmemorable. Stephen however is different. While setting initially wasn’t a big focus of the Shadow Warrior series, his descriptive powers have only improved with time. From the most grandiose CIA Station in the history of the Company, to a mansion residence in Albu Aifan, quiet meetings in Baghdad’s street of books the author captures the swirling murkiness of Post Saddam’s Iraq.

Research? Top notch as usual. England is one of the real pros in the thriller writing business who knows how to deploy real world detail for added effect in enriching the narrative. Whether it be real life events like the helicopter crashes that open the story, or the real life war crimes committed by the Post Saddam Iraqi security services under the noses of their American military advisers, there’s a lot of things in this story that will leave you surprised and make you more appreciative of just how tricky that the supposedly simpler days were. At the heart of the research in the story is the real-life political program called the Anbar Awakening.

This was where an alliance of the major Sunni political leaders in Iraq and their gunmen went toe to toe with the Islamic Terrorists of Al Qaeda who had flooded into the war-torn country. They had represented a hope amongst a select few American policy makers who believed that they could leverage the movement into finding a place for the Sunni Iraqis in the new Iraq which would inevitably be ruled by their Shia Enemies. But alas, as England reflects at the end of the novella, good plans don’t survive intact. Reflecting on Arkhangel and the real-world events in the run up to ISIS, you will be angry at the initial hubris of the previous administration who got their draw – down timing wrong. And you will be furious at men like President Nouri Al Malaki, whose myopic paranoia and Shia supremacist bigotry drove a considerable portion of Iraq’s Sunnis into the hands of the ISIS psychopaths and left the men who had led and bled during the Anbar Awakening out to dry.

Characters? Great as usual. This is one of England’s great strengths. The interplay and dynamics between the cast members is in a class of its own when it comes to the highly competitive contemporary thriller genre. I’ll focus on some standouts.
First Harry. The Nicholas we meet in this story is a different person to the desperate man in the full-length novels set years later. Still a cynical realist but one who is surer of himself and his abilities. You see many sides of him in this tale. The calm asset runner and negotiator. The coldly professional case officer matching wits with an old dog who knows more tricks than he. And the warrior who knows how to lead men into battle and will do his best to make sure there are survivors even when there’s not enough people standing for his liking.

Harry is not another Mitch Rapp knock off who went dime a dozen around the genre in the last decade. He is a fleshed-out character displaying genuine emotions, flaws and valour. And in Arkhangel, he gets to display all three by being forced to go rogue for all the right reasons in an attempt to save the Anbar project that he’s been spearheading from destruction.

Secondly, we have the Sheikh Tahir. Sheikh Tahir is one of the main players of the story. While a young man by the standards of a country where life has always been cheap, through an exiled Uncle, Tahir has come to control the most strategic and important tribal association in Iraq’s Anbar Province. Beset by enemies, would be assassins and new foreign friends who might just destroy him, Tahir bravely slogs on, making gambles, taking risks and praying that the sacrifices he makes won’t kill him in the end. His plotline is about how community leaders of occupied countries have to deal with foreign interlopers and the hardships and regrets that may ensure when the seemingly friendly interlopers don’t deliver on promises. A hard man, but not a bad guy, Tahir has one of the standout moments of the entire series when he goes into an introspective reflection on the blessing and curse of living in the most cutthroat part of the world. He points out how people like him, however they may long to flee to more peaceful pastures elsewhere, sometimes they have no choice but to make a stand and fight even if it all ends for nothing.

Thirdly, Vasiliev. Vasiliev, for lack of a better term is someone who lives up to the moniker ‘super – spy’. He doesn’t look like one though. Over the hill, rather plump at the start of his middle age and certainly not a man of action, Vasiliev deliberately operates on the principle of a Russian Nesting doll, keeping his real nature and just how dangerous he really is to those he sets out to destroy hidden for as long as possible. A master manipulator of people, Vasiliev merrily breaks the conventions of the usual dour violent fictional Russian Intelligence Operative who is normally mentally deranged to boot. Possessing the charm equal to the great Sir Humphery Appleby, Vasiliev without firing any shots systematically herds his American targets into doing what he wants them to do and almost pulling off a defeat for the good guys. A fun, colourful, audacious opponent, he’s sure to return in future instalments and merrily dance through a world on fire.

Constructive criticism. Just one thing. There is an aspect of a character’s background which spoils a major plot twist for the first full length novel Pandora’s Grave. For first time readers of the Shadow Warriors series, I would advise you only to read Arkhangel after you have read the first two books, Pandora’s Grave and Day of Reckoning. Aside from that the author has pulled off another home run. There are many masters of novels, but hardly anyone who has mastered the art of the novella, except Stephen England.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Such is the life and times of the Middle East. Even at its most serene, peaceful periods where it became the cultural and scientific superpower of the world, the region was racked with internal civil strife and betrayal motivated by base human instincts. Few of the people who lived and died in that era had Guardian Angels who would get them out of the fire, unlike Harry Nicholas in Arkhangel. An epic, sweeping story about the relationships between well intentioned interlopers and their local allies, and the prices that have to be paid to survive during war, the author has crafted a novella, with an impact that stays with you long after the ending chapter.

With its cast of superbly realized characters, some who are based in historical fact, research into a long forgotten period of Middle Eastern History and a project that could have roasted ISIS on a firewall had it not been destroyed by forces beyond its creators control or foresight, and a twisting, tightly written plot which intricately hooks the reader in, Stephen England adds another triumphant notch to his belt. For those cynical about thriller novels with Middle Eastern Settings, I readily recommend you start reading the Shadow Warriors Series because Mr England might be the person who will make you start loving them again.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

[Bodo Pfündl · Rating 5 out of 5]

England blends fact with fiction into a mesmerizing tale about spycraft and the realities of civil war

Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

What happens when a war zone becomes the chessboard of two rivaling superpowers? That’s a question Stephen England explores to the fullest in this tightly plotted and meticulously researched story. The characters feel real. No white knights or cliché terrorist stereotypes inhabit the world of the Shadow Warriors but people with dreams, fears and weaknesses. And this nuanced approach makes the reading experience so much more rewarding, the stakes that much more tangible.

In terms of action, ARKHANGEL is not only cinematic in sope but also transports the reader right onto the blood-soaked soil besides the Shadow Warriors. To top it all off the plot feels highly relevant and frighteningly plausible in today's times. There is an undercurrent of dread and a ring of authenticity rarely found in the genre. And once you read the author’s note, you know why that is: Some of the events depicted in the story, actually did happen. Others inspired certain aspects of the novella. And there are even some characters who are partly based on real people, who’s dialogue was sometimes lifted from old interviews. 

Stephen England is way past the label of a “New Player”. He has grown into a force to be reckoned with. And yet it never ceases to amaze me, how he surpasses the incredibly high bar set by his previous books, with each new publication. This is a story you won’t forget easily and that gives you something beyond mere thrills. So what more could there be to wish for? Well maybe that his next full-length novel PRESENCE OF MINE ENEMIES (due next month) will arrive ASAP. Until then, you can be sure that ARKHANGEL will keep your heart rate elevated. WELL DONE!

[Kyla Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadness

Another outstanding story, so poignantly written. The intricacies of hundreds of years interlaced with the reality of Anbar in the war against terror is so sad in its outcome, if there ever will be one. What comes to mind is noble futility, mixed with deceit, destruction & death.

[Keller (Charles Hack) Hackbusch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well written book from Stephen England, with great narration for the audiobook. Recommended for those that love military/spy thrillers focused on the Middle East and Russia. England’s writing is always precise, well researched, and realistic. Great book. Narrator nails the tone and seriousness of the book.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Another good read. Captivating details and was interesting seeing charachters from the previous books in this and know how the narrative develops in the life of Harry Nichols following this. As always it was nerve racking and had me in edge as this author does. Onto the next book.

[steve landis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling history masquerading as fiction

A well-researched retelling of the amazingly confused and treacherous military and political landscape that our intelligence and military forces were required to navigate in the latter stages of the war in Iraq.

[Bruce J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good one

I have read several of England's novels. I have enjoyed them all. I look forward to reading the next one in the series.

[Lee Lamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story…detailed

I love the character and the premise of the stories. The shear number of different places/characters and events make it a little difficult to follow.

[Benjamin Drayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Work By England

For those of you who live for the next Clancy, Thor, Flynn or Marc Greaney novel, you need to dive into this series. I have read every Clancy, Thor, etc. book there is an there is not a current series more well written in the techno thriller/covert ops genre. England’s books are for more realistic with maybe even more action and one of the top ten best thrillers in the last 15 years is part of this series - the book Day of Reckoning. Do yourself a favor and purchase this book and then go back to the start of the series and watch yourself become that happy kid at Christmas because you just found your new author!

I wish I could have just stumbled on England’s work because that means I would have them all to read yet but unfortunately for me I have to now sit and wait for the next one! Most impatiently.

Well done Mr. England, as always..

[Chris Herron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The next episode in the shadow warrior series does not dissapoint. Literally did not stop reading after the first page, until it was finished. And then when it was complete, I searched to find out when the next episode will be released. Luckily for all of us, it will be out soon. You can definitely read this without having read the other books in the series, but I highly recommend reading all of the shadow warrior books. Thanks for another great read Stephen!

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story!

This story explains the lack of a consistent goal in Iraq because of the politics in Washington! Leaders in America should have followed the advice of soldiers on the ground! Politicians have turned Iraq into another Vietnam!