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The Ottoman Excursion
An American doctor travels to Izmir as part of a disaster relief team. A Russian major oversees extraction of plutonium from aging nuclear warheads. A Turkish researcher is asked to cure the incurable. A young jihadist works to restore the caliphate. In 1938, after a Turkish colonel hears a baby’s cry and rushes into a burning mosque, four present-day storylines become entwined. Part political thriller and part medical mystery, The Ottoman Excursion tells the stories of four men swept up in a conspiracy that extends throughout the Middle East and back in time to the most elite practitioners of the art of war—the Janissaries.Tim Pelkey’s "The Ottoman Excursion," is an Eric Hoffer Award Category Finalist!"... The knowledge he brings to his work as a medical doctor adds an unexpected layer of interest and expertise to his narratives. It is this combination of skills blended with his talent for telling a great story that sets Pelkey apart. This second offering is bound to garner the same types of accolades as his first. He is an author whose work should not be missed."—Kat Kennedy, "The US Review," May 2021"... Pelkey’s interweaving of interesting historical facts enlightens the reader in the most delightful way. With his mastery of dialogue and description, the author weaves a tale that leaves the reader enthralled from beginning to end...." —The US Review of Books See full review
473 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 6, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 6, 2020
A highly intricate and strikingly original plot elevates award-winning Pelkey’s suspenseful latest Middle East conspiracy thriller.
When Doctor Callahan, an American surgeon, travelled to Izmir, a Turkish town, to be a part of the World Health Organization’s Disaster Relief Team, he didn’t have a clue his life was going to change forever. A little girl’s mysterious death sets Callahan and his teammates on the trail of a dangerous conspiracy that extends throughout the Middle East and back in time: inspired by the Ottoman Empire’s Janissaries—turning kidnapped young slave boys into ruthless fighters—the leader of a terrorist organization is training soldiers, and in his quest of seeking power he is willing to go to any length. Soon Callahan and his team find themselves entangled into the dangerous world of the bio-terrorism, and it’s not only their lives that are at stake: the whole country is at the risk of bearing brunt of the conspiracy.
The thorough, topnotch characterizations make the mysterious warfare technique (adopted from the Ottoman Empire’s Janissaries) all the more sinister. Pelkey brilliantly link the various dots between the past and present, making the connections among both the past and present and his strikingly realized characters seem so ordinary that the whole situation feels like something that might actually happen.
Pelkey’s crisp pacing and expert handling of the medical jargon add sizzle to the tale, and his meticulously researched historical detail makes the setting comes alive. His writing is elegant, the plotting immaculate, and the final revelations will surprise even the seasoned conspiracy thriller fans.
This is an absolute stunner.
When Doctor Callahan, an American surgeon, travelled to Izmir, a Turkish town, to be a part of the World Health Organization’s Disaster Relief Team, he didn’t have a clue his life was going to change forever. A little girl’s mysterious death sets Callahan and his teammates on the trail of a dangerous conspiracy that extends throughout the Middle East and back in time: inspired by the Ottoman Empire’s Janissaries—turning kidnapped young slave boys into ruthless fighters—the leader of a terrorist organization is training soldiers, and in his quest of seeking power he is willing to go to any length. Soon Callahan and his team find themselves entangled into the dangerous world of the bio-terrorism, and it’s not only their lives that are at stake: the whole country is at the risk of bearing brunt of the conspiracy.
The thorough, topnotch characterizations make the mysterious warfare technique (adopted from the Ottoman Empire’s Janissaries) all the more sinister. Pelkey brilliantly link the various dots between the past and present, making the connections among both the past and present and his strikingly realized characters seem so ordinary that the whole situation feels like something that might actually happen.
Pelkey’s crisp pacing and expert handling of the medical jargon add sizzle to the tale, and his meticulously researched historical detail makes the setting comes alive. His writing is elegant, the plotting immaculate, and the final revelations will surprise even the seasoned conspiracy thriller fans.
This is an absolute stunner.
June 27, 2020
Whether you like books with a bit of a thrill like The Da Vinci Code, or historical fiction like Conn Iggulden's Conquer Series, or medical mysteries, this is the book for you. The author manages to weave all those aspects into one great story, and you finish having learned a lot about Turkey and the search for a cure for cancer. Mostly you leave hoping Tim writes another book!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews