The Shadow War: A Novel

by Glen Scott Allen

In the tradition of The Da Vinci Code, a brilliant new talent delivers a sweeping thriller that turns the entire history of America upside down.

Colonial historian Benjamin Wainwright is summoned to a secretive think tank in western Massachusetts by an old school friend who researches war-game theory. Upon his arrival, Wainwright discovers that his friend is dead and suspected of having leaked information. When the security analyst hired to investigate the case is targeted for assassination, Benjamin wonders: Was his friend’s death an accident—or murder?

A series of codes, forged documents, and secret family histories all point to the existence of a centuries-old conspiracy. Benjamin teams up with a beautiful Russian cultural attaché named Natalya Orlova, whose own family has a dark history with the KGB, to unravel the truth. The two set off on a dangerous mission that stretches from Washington, DC, to the French Riviera, to deep within the Siberian wilderness. Together, they discover the sinister forces that have pulled the strings of power in America—perhaps all the way back to its very founding.  What our characters learn will make us question everything we thought we knew about American history, from the Revolution to the Cold War, and what lies in store for the fate of the nation.

With a gripping pace and enigmatic plot that drives the reader from one page to the next, The Shadow War is a highly intelligent thriller that asks: Who really runs the country, who controls our enemies, and to what lengths will they go to conceal their hidden agendas?

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Ebooks

329 pages, Hardcover

First published November 19, 2010

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Colonial historian is drawn into games of deceit and death when his friend, a member of a think tank is killed.

I almost forgot about it as soon as I read it.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really, REALLY liked this book! And that says something, because I don't normally read "thrillers" or suspense novels. But this one was so well written and so interesting, not only couldn't I put it down, but I want to go back now and read it again for the clues I missed. This is a smart and literate suspense novel, it's got an original political slant - not the usual right-wing, gung-ho, patriotic swill of Clancy and his crowd - and the writing puts Dan Brown to shame. And I actually learned things! About American history, about Russian history and culture - this is so much more than an "airplane" book.

I've heard this is part of a series, and I really hope so, because now I'm a huge fan of Allen's and I want another book!

[Emmett · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of the story was okay, but execution was off. Time-line was unbelievable. I found myself confused to the point I had to reread sections. It got to the point where I didn't want to even finish it. Confusion be damned; I just wanted the book finished. The end left me more questions than answers. Yes, I could have reread it for better clarification, but then I would have to continue reading it. Cut your losses. Life is too short and reading list too long.

[Karyn Weitl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quick plot summary: an academic is mysteriously contacted by an old acquaintance, hurries to meet him, and finds his friend dead. Our hero then sets out to solve the mystery of his friend's death following a path of clues in old stories and symbols, meets a beautiful foreign woman, and falls in love. Turns out there's a huge international conspiracy and guess what, a shocking revelation! Hmm, I already read this book, except it was called "The DaVinci Code". The shocking revelation in this version really isn't, and my response to it was, "So what?" The author has a PhD in English-I guess the writing proves that education doesn't equal talent. Don't bother.

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Shadow War follows a humble historian Benjamin Franklin Wainwright through a wild journey into a convoluted scheme, involving concealed murders, international conspiracies, and breaches of long-protected secrets. Despite the slow pace for the first third or so, this thriller did a good job of keeping me curious to find the next piece of the puzzle. The novel had some internal references to characters and events across many chapters that was hard to follow at times, though. Overall a fun thriller that, through its references to true events in the colonial history of the US and the Cold War, also raises questions about how security, safety, and stability is maintained in the real world.

[Vidya Ananthanarayanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me back to John Le Carre, mostly because it references the Cold War. It's not a spy story, though it is a suspense thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep you engaged. Of course there's the mandatory Russian woman, and of course, she's gorgeous, and I really liked that Allen weaves in Russian phrases and terms, sometimes in Cyrhillic. In addition, he also makes a connection to the early days of American history, so you travel from Massachusetts to Washington to Siberia.

It's Allen's first book and I think he's off to a great start, so looking forward to more from him.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a very clever explanation for something that occurred many years ago and continues to this day. The author weaves a very intricate web of conspiracy theory taking into account the past and the present. Even with a wild web of conspiracy and a large cast of shadowy characters I was easily capable of following this very intricate thriller. It would be very interesting to see where this author may take us in his future adventures.

[Alisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was more excited to read this book since some of the reviews compared it to the Da Vinci code. It reminded me a little bit of the movie National Treasure and a librarian.... but the story of how the Cold War had been a fraud passed down through the years and hidden by this foundation, I had a hard time following. It had some good suspense parts, just too many stories to follow for me. But, still enjoyable.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, couldn't even finish it. My sister wanted me to tell her how it was and so I kept trying but I was bored. I'm sure It would have gotten interesting by page 100 or 200, but the Russian words used to make it seem more authentic really bothered me. Plus the writing style for me got really muddled. I would have to read a sentence or paragraph over and over again to catch what it was saying.

[Jenalyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was engaging and thrilling, although a little bit difficult to follow at times. I was kind of hoping it would be a bit more epic, but it was still satisfactory. Especially since it hinted at this huge conspiracy but ended up only showing one or two bad guys. Still, I liked the way it made me think. A pretty good read.

[Bill Warden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really kept moving. There were some parts of it that I didn't care for as much. I won't put in details so as not to spoil the book. In all, GS Allen has written a book that should be along the shelves of other authors like Rollins, Thor, and Meltzer. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Joze · Rating 2 out of 5]

booring

[Staff Favorites · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the fast-paced action, historical accuracy, and (of course) the main character is a librarian.--Ruby

[Angie]

My dad recommended this but I couldn't get into it. I might try it again, but probably not.

[Britt, Book Habitue · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting conspiracy theory thriller. Some loose ends, but I think that was intentional.

[Angie The Librarian]

Couldn't get past chapter 1. Will not come back to it.

[Aubrey Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I had to stop myself from reading because I had to go to sleep. Its so interesting and dark and it kept me on the edge of my seat! Great book!

[Judy Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent

[Michelle Chichester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this book a bit disappointed. It built up as a great mystery or conspiracy theory. But, in the end, I was like "who cares?"