The Scorpion's Gate

by Richard A. Clarke

The insider whose warnings about terrorism on U.S. soil went unheeded-and whose book Against All Enemies rocketed to the top of bestseller lists-now presents his first novel: an all-too-believable story of politics, oil, espionage, and the earthshaking consequences that may lie at the end of the road ahead.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Novels, Audiobook, Espionage, Politics, Terrorism

320 pages, Hardcover

First published October 25, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Richard Alan Clarke was a U.S. government employee for 30 years, 1973–2003. He worked for the State Department during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. In 1992, President George H.W. Bush appointed him to chair the Counter-terrorism Security Group and to a seat on the United States National Security Council. President Bill Clinton retained Clarke and in 1998 promoted him to be the National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Counter-terrorism, the chief counter-terrorism adviser on the National Security Council. Under President George W. Bush, Clarke initially continued in the same position, but the position was no longer given cabinet-level access. He later became the Special Advisor to the President on cybersecurity, before leaving the Bush Administration in 2003.

Clarke came to widespread public attention for his role as counter-terrorism czar in the Clinton and Bush Administrations in March 2004, when he appeared on the 60 Minutes television news magazine, released his memoir about his service in government, Against All Enemies, and testified before the 9/11 Commission. In all three instances, Clarke was sharply critical of the Bush Administration's attitude toward counter-terrorism before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and of the decision to go to war with Iraq. Following Clarke's strong criticisms of the Bush Administration, Bush administration officials and other Republicans attempted to discredit him or rebut his criticisms, making Clarke a controversial figure.

Reviews

[Will Byrnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Richard A. Clarke - image from The Telegraph

This is not a novelist’s novel. Clark is a good writer but not a gifted fiction writer. Still, the point of the book is not the literary merit. Clark is trying to show one possible result of “if things go on as they have been.” It is not a pretty sight. He populates his tale with players designed for their expository value. It is clear that the viewpoints presented are intended to represent viewpoints held by specific actors in the real stage of international politics. I enjoyed reading the book and was quite able to get past the clumsiness of Clarke’s fictional style. He portrays a Saudi Arabia, transformed by fundamentalists into Islamyah, but with Islamists who inhabit the real world, and with whom one can negotiate in good faith. He portrays an Iran bent on conquest, less by military means than by stealth and intrigue. He shows extremist American interests bent on faith-based instead of reality-based designs. This provides a bit of viscera to the ongoing mystery that is the Middle East cauldron. Recommended for its content, not its style, but definitely recommended.

=============================EXTRA STUFF

Links to Richard A. Clarke at his personal site and on Twitter

Clarke On his writing process

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the near future, in a world where Iraq has taken over Iran and Saudi Arabia, and has nukes, Brian Douglas has to sort things out and save the world.

Didn't really draw me in.

[marcus miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clarke isn't a great novelist as it is clear he is writing to make a point-which if is that US foreign policy, especially in the Middle East is a mess. Based on his experience as a security adviser under Reagan, Clinton, and the last Bush he makes it clear in his "story" that there is a limited understanding of the Middle East, of Islam and its many varieties. He is particularly hard on Saudi Arabia and the willingness of the US to continue to back a dictatorial monarchy which supports the most strident form of Islam. Placing his story ten years into the future, Saudi Arabia's monarchy has been overthrown. In the US democracy struggles because money buys the politicians, even Saudi money.

The story is okay. At times it is a bit hokey, reminding me of some late night made for TV adventure movies. Clarke does raise important questions about the role of the military, the intelligence gathering capabilities of the US, and the difficulty a democracy has in balancing freedom and civil liberties with a desire for safety and security.

[Jordan]

This book takes place in the United States and the Middle East, 5 years or so in the future. Russell MacdIntyre and Brian Douglas are the protagonists with Ahmed bin Rashid as the antagonist. Clarke writes about his military experiences in fiction to better tell the truth about the United States' future relations. The country of Saudi Arabia has been taken over by a revolutionary regime and has a new name, Islamyah. A series of bombings and Chinese missles mysteriously show up in the same place and cause suspicioun of a terrorist uprising that could have an impact on more than just the US.

This book was very exciting to read and never lacked thrill and adventure.
Clarke turns political issues into fiction to better explain how United States relations could go south with the Middle East.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading adventure books.

[Renee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dull Dull Dull

[Lawrence Arnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would recommend this. Clarke can only get better as a writer by writing more of the same stuff. Counter-terroism by an expert in the field. good stuff.

[Ed Heinzelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given the 21st Century that we live in, this little spy/military story could just as easily be true as the world's history since 9/11. Particularly the lies and subterfuge used by civilian electeds to advice their personal and financial goals at the expense of much of the rest of the world. Well written story line, carefully limned fully developed characters, and a subtle understanding of middle east politics, religion, and culture make this a very engaging read.

[Troy Stemen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This definitely reads like a work of someone used to writing nonfiction. Richard Clarke basically published a fictional wargame scenario involving Iran, China, and Saudi Arabia. I assume his purpose is to argue for our continued presence in the Middle East. He also argues for freedom of the press, but is oddly critical of civilian military leadership.

[Dave Ford · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tried to plow through it but too many meetings by high officials. Reminded of work. Apparently directors and deputy directors and assistant directors do all the work. Anyone who has actually worked in Government know the truth. If you like board meetings and meetings in basements of government buildings this book is for you.

[BradMD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quit on page 214 of 328. Got bored. Regretted reading it as long as I did. It has too much technobable and not a good clear suspenseful plot. There is some good Iran/Iraq information which kept me going as long as I did. If he could have made the story work it might have been a great book.

[Luís Costa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Outstanding as a non-fiction book, but not so good as a fiction novel. The author clearly shows his vast knowledge on Middle Eastern affairs, but delves too much into technical aspects which are not interesting for a fictional work.

[Ruth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kept thinking it would get better, but it didn’t.

[Paul Dabrowa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling.

[Tom Cross · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written. Reads like a government report. Dense and boring. Don’t bother.

[Sagar Jethani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. Reads like a spy novel written by a government worker.

[Major Doug · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started well; interesting characters; weak finish. He does have an impressive resume.

[JonnyThumper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zzzzzzzz - this is a Tom Clancy novel with less compelling characters. Picked up & put down a number of times. Struggled to finish

[Greg Stoll · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tagline for the book is “Sometimes you can tell more truth through fiction”, and the book seems fairly realistic. It’s a tad…idealistic, maybe, that a few people could stop such a major thing from happening, but then again maybe that’s how it works. The secretary of defense is evil, and although his name isn’t Rumsfeld, you get the idea. It’s a pretty good thriller, similar to Tom Clancy but a lot shorter.

[Zach · Rating 2 out of 5]

WH:

5-10 years into future. Saudis overthrown by Islamic group which creates Islamia in former Saudi Arabia, US out of Iraq, which is as one might expect, struggling along under significant Iranian presence. China increasing demand for oil, attempting to expand into the ME, would like to develop relationship w. "Islamia" to get cheaper oil rather than depend on spot market. US hanging on in region by finger nails in small Gulf states. Story opens with bombing in Bahrain--done by Quds force, but made to appear to be work of Islamia. Rusty (main character) sr. analyst at newly created Intelligence Analysis Center attempting to get to truth while dealing with blustering/bullying SECDEF Conrad (hmm I wonder who that is suppose to be???) who keeps arguing it is Sunnis in Islamia not Iran attempting to expand and create single Shiite state in region. Conrad may be getting $$ from exiled Saudis who are continuing to exert significant influence in Washington.


As a thriller, it is pretty good, in the mold of a leser Tom Clancy. But that is why I was disappointed. I read this hoping that Clarke would utilize his significant experience in Washington to create a very realistic story told by someone who has been there/done that. The book starts out strong, but begins to fall apart near the ending. The conspiracy theory element seemed far fetched, especially from someone with Clarke's background and at times seemed there only to grind an ax against Rumsfield and Wolfwitz. The climax with a mass demonstration--sounded like something straight out of the "I would like to buy the world a Coke..." Overall not a terrible thriller, but expected more from someone with Clarke's knowledge and background.

[Jim Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is a work of fiction published in 2005 by an author with experience working for government agencies concerned with national security issues. He primarily focuses on the relationship between Saudi Arabian Islamyeh (a rebel group he depicts as having recently taken control of Saudi Arabia) and the nation of Iran. The novel begins with a terrorist attack on Bahrain, a small island nation off the eastern edge of Saudi Arabia and in the Persian Gulf. This begins a series of International actions and reactions that constitute the primary plot of the novel. Important characters in the novel include Brian Douglas and Russell MacIntyre (intelligence officers focused on the Middle East from Great Britain and the USA, respectively; Kate Delmarco (an American journalist covering the Middle East); Dr. Ahmed bin Rashid and his brother Abdullah (important Islamic leaders of the Saudi Arabian group); and, finally, Admiral Brad Adams and Secretary of Defense Henry Conrad, big American military players in the novel’s action. Hopefully without giving too much away, I should say that a primary issue that develops in the novel is whether the Arabian Islamists are the primary initiators of the acts of violence that take place in the book. All the major characters in the book are involved in the process of making sense of these acts and trying to work out the most appropriate responses to them. The reader is kept on edge, especially in the final chapters, as this complex and highly dramatic situation is led toward a final resolution.

[Richard Shepard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given this author's background in the bowels of several federal administrations working on national security issues and the tagline -- "Fiction can often tell the truth better than nonfiction." -- I had to wonder what "truth" he was talking about.

In short, he confirmed what serious government watchers have known for ages. There are factions within any administration fighting for the chance to advance their own agenda, be that agenda popular or generally opposed, or for good or ill--thus confirming the adage that power corrupts. Here, using a little creativity and working "across the pond", the good guys discover and fight against a vast conspiracy to start a major war in the Middle East. I gave this title four stars because the plot, though quite intricate, had very few loose ends. However, the quality of the writing was decidedly average.

[Susan Beamon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great read, full of excitement and thrilling action. I like geopolitical thrillers as long as they are not spy heavy. While there are a good many intelligence operatives in the story, there are also reporters and government functionaries and military men and people who want a good future for
themselves and their families. There are also, because we are acting in a region with a currently vital natural resource, people who are interested in the power and money controlling those resources will bring. This story is the mixing of all those desires, leading to a war for control unless somehow something or someone can stop it. The book feels current and possible. I enjoyed it a great deal.

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is horrible. The plot employs every tired cliche known. Characters are grating stereotypes. The editing, fact checking, and proof reading are sub-par. Some examples from the hardcover edition:

p58: "The Marine...cocked the M60 machine gun..."
The M60 is no longer in service with the U.S. military and would not be in use at the time of this story, ~2010. This annoys as the author takes obvious pride in his knowledge of military gear.

p88: "He looked up from the water to see flames from the tales of the two...F-16s as they shot by..."

p97: "I would have thought once one, always one. Can a camel change its spots?"

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Richard Clarke served for eight years as National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism under Presidents Clinton and Bush, plus lots of years before that working for the Department of Defense and previous presidents. I’d read his non-fiction book about 9/11 Against All Enemies and found it compelling, shocking and well-told.
However, this spymaster is no novelist. He knows how to write, but not how to write characters, the quick cut of settings is a jumble, and the plot is so confusing.

[Cody Tolmasoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seemed to be one of those books that started as a script for an action movie. It was an interesting story line in the sense of how it played upon current events in the middle east. However it was hard to keep track of all the characters (there were a lot).

The end of the book was surprising. The story line was building up to a huge conflict with only a handful of pages to wrap everything up. I had no idea as to how it was going to end, but I was left satisfied. There were a few moments I thought there was bound to be a part 2 of the book, but everything wrapped up.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certainly has faults that make it clear that it was written by a first-time novelist. Fascinating to get an accurate view of certain aspects of intelligence work from someone who know's what they're talking about. The writing style was fine, but the plot was weak, especially at the end. The characters were compelling, but there were a few too many to keep track of with so little text. The affair mini-plot was completely unneccesary and detracted from the book. The A-Team style shenanigan's at the end were even more of a problem, though.

[None · Rating 3 out of 5]

Richard A. Clarke was a high-ranking state department official until he differed with the Bush administration.
This book is not a great novel story-wise but is very informative as he depicts a future world in which the Saudi family is ousted from Saudi Arabia and a entire new alignment starts to shape up....it involves Iran, China etc. and an historic look at Islam.
Quite fascinating if you're a current affairs buff.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good read - the message (i.e. wake up and look past the nonsense the media is paid to feed you or the world will go to poop) and the premise (counterintelligence spy stuff in a slighty futuristic post Iraq era) are both good, and was executed better than many of this genre I've read recently. I particularly noted the clarity in which the military operations are described - it was very easy to visualize what was going on, unlike many from this genre.

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book because Dick Clarke has few equals in this country in terms of his knowledge of intelligence, terrorism, and national security. It was also on the bargain shelf. For good reason. After the first few pages, I was curious how such poorly written dialogue could make it past an editor of high caliber, which I'm sure Clarke has access to, given his high profile. It reads quick and the plot is intriguing, if you can stomach some really mediocre fiction writing.

[Suesantaylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this because "Against All Enemies" was a five star for me (and very exciting to read!). Clarke's fiction isn't quite up to his biography, but I did appreciate the epilogue detailing the "science fiction-type" technologies that appear throughout this book: they're real or under development. And, indeed I know that to be true because I'm working for a startup that makes an amazing bionic knee!