Written before 9-11, but way too familiar. Good read. tj
From Publishers Weekly
Thomas ( Enola Gay ) draws on 35 years of journalistic experience in the Middle East for this first work of fiction. Some years after the 1990-91 Gulf War the world's leaders have changed but the Middle East still festers. Terrorist Khalil Raza now leads the fedayeen from a base granted by Qaddafi's successor and financed by a cabal of Iraqi mullahs. This group wants to attain control of the oil fields and to bring about the final destruction of Israel through a holy jihad. Raza's weapon is Anthrax-B-C, a Chinese-designed pathogen (deadly perfume) that can wipe out entire cities just hours after it is placed in the water supply. Blowing up several hotels simultaneously in New York City, London and Paris for starters, Raza then wipes out a South African town with Anthrax-B-C to scare the West into meeting his demands. World leaders give Mossad agent and Raza's arch nemesis David Morton carte blanche to track down Raza. Although the story is exciting, the terrorists' hyperbole might wear thin on the reader and Thomas's solid knowledge of the Middle East is offset by his wildly inaccurate portrayal of Americans--especially New Yorkers--and an odd notion of the geography of greater New York City. Much of the resolution depends on coincidence, with too many convenient loopholes for credibility.
From Kirkus Reviews
Seriously unhappy with the New World Order, a top-rank international terrorist gets his hands on some Chinese anthrax and blackmails the Western world. Mossad to the rescue in journalist Thomas's first novel after 30 nonfiction works (Enslaved, etc. etc.). The despicable terrorist is Mr. Khalil Raza, a most irritable chap who has hooked up with the meanest mullahs in Iran. The exceptionally resourceful Mossad agent is Mr. David Morton, whose physician sister was blown up in one of Raza's political statements. Having tracked Raza's agents across Asia to witness their purchase of the world's deadliest bacillus from corrupt Chinese scientists, Morton has the devil's own time convincing his government and the rather Arab-leaning American security apparat that Raza is up to no good. Indeed. The fiend has nothing less in mind than the elimination of Israel and of Western corruption in the Moslem world, as well as control of the Middle Eastern oil fields. His weapons, above and beyond the anthrax, are his network of agents in the rotten West, his army of fanatical soldiers in Libya, and his little circle of compliant terrorist groupies who will do anything for the archcriminal, including carrying the anthrax around the world in little perfume bottles. By the time Morton convinces various presidents and prime ministers that they have a problem, the pretty acolytes have already begun to spread their nasty germs. Moderately exciting, never subtle superinternational-global thriller.
From Publishers Weekly
Thomas ( Enola Gay ) draws on 35 years of journalistic experience in the Middle East for this first work of fiction. Some years after the 1990-91 Gulf War the world's leaders have changed but the Middle East still festers. Terrorist Khalil Raza now leads the fedayeen from a base granted by Qaddafi's successor and financed by a cabal of Iraqi mullahs. This group wants to attain control of the oil fields and to bring about the final destruction of Israel through a holy jihad. Raza's weapon is Anthrax-B-C, a Chinese-designed pathogen (deadly perfume) that can wipe out entire cities just hours after it is placed in the water supply. Blowing up several hotels simultaneously in New York City, London and Paris for starters, Raza then wipes out a South African town with Anthrax-B-C to scare the West into meeting his demands. World leaders give Mossad agent and Raza's arch nemesis David Morton carte blanche to track down Raza. Although the story is exciting, the terrorists' hyperbole might wear thin on the reader and Thomas's solid knowledge of the Middle East is offset by his wildly inaccurate portrayal of Americans--especially New Yorkers--and an odd notion of the geography of greater New York City. Much of the resolution depends on coincidence, with too many convenient loopholes for credibility.
From Kirkus Reviews
Seriously unhappy with the New World Order, a top-rank international terrorist gets his hands on some Chinese anthrax and blackmails the Western world. Mossad to the rescue in journalist Thomas's first novel after 30 nonfiction works (Enslaved, etc. etc.). The despicable terrorist is Mr. Khalil Raza, a most irritable chap who has hooked up with the meanest mullahs in Iran. The exceptionally resourceful Mossad agent is Mr. David Morton, whose physician sister was blown up in one of Raza's political statements. Having tracked Raza's agents across Asia to witness their purchase of the world's deadliest bacillus from corrupt Chinese scientists, Morton has the devil's own time convincing his government and the rather Arab-leaning American security apparat that Raza is up to no good. Indeed. The fiend has nothing less in mind than the elimination of Israel and of Western corruption in the Moslem world, as well as control of the Middle Eastern oil fields. His weapons, above and beyond the anthrax, are his network of agents in the rotten West, his army of fanatical soldiers in Libya, and his little circle of compliant terrorist groupies who will do anything for the archcriminal, including carrying the anthrax around the world in little perfume bottles. By the time Morton convinces various presidents and prime ministers that they have a problem, the pretty acolytes have already begun to spread their nasty germs. Moderately exciting, never subtle superinternational-global thriller.
