This book review is by Elise Cooper as a special for BlackFive.net: New York Times bestselling author Alex Berenson’s latest John Wells series book, The Shadow Patrol is a compelling novel about the CIA, the military, and what is happening in the Afghanistan War. It has a very believable, intense plot. The book begins with a fictionalized version of that tragic day in Khost, Afghanistan when a double agent, a Jordanian Doctor, is not searched and blows himself up, killing CIA officials. Berenson brilliantly brings this event and other events together at the end of the book. Berenson told Blackfive.net, “I wanted to show that those in the CIA are on the frontline, risking their lives like soldiers. I imagined how it could have happened.” He certainly did that and his version was more heroic than the real-life event, making a heroine of the CIA handler for her intuitive convictions. The plot becomes very intense as the main character, former CIA operative and now a CIA contractor, John Wells is asked to explore what happened and to possibly find the mole who is working with the Taliban. Intertwined with this is the drug smuggling operation in Afghanistan being carried out by American personnel. In a solitary mission, Wells must discover the truth and eliminate the threat. Berenson commented, “In some ways I am moving away from the typical thriller. I talk about some of the less heroic events going on there.” Throughout the book there are references to the fact that Afghanistan’s natural resource is opium, and that America has decided to allow this to continue to gain the support of the Afghans whose loyalty is on the fence. Berenson told Blackfive.net that he embedded with the US soldiers to make sure the book is accurate. From this insight he was able to correctly write about the tactics, the dialogue, and the events. While there, he saw that “the soldiers are very good and well trained and will carry out the mission to the best of their ability. The bad guys in the book are the soldiers who lost their purpose,” and have turned to the dark side to become drug smugglers. There are a lot more bad characters than good ones. The reader will not hate the criminals on a personal level but will definitely get feelings of hatred about what they stand for as expressed in their actions. A scene in the book is definitely not politically correct as Wells “belts” a woman as he questions her for answers. According to Berenson, “Wells had to treat her that way. If women are suicidal bombers and enemy combatants they can be treated as anyone else. The old version that the woman can never die is out the window in real life and now in fiction, as it should be.” What is an interesting part of the book is how the author explores the two sides concerning the rules of engagement. Through his son’s voice he makes the arguments of the left while through Wells’ voice he argues from the right. When asked about this Berenson answered that “someone has to do it and people don’t want to hear about it. But these men and women who risk their lives every day with not much pay are the true heroes, people like Wells. We are not Al Qaeda. Our goal is not to strap a bomb on a nineteen year old kid and have him blow himself up in a market place.” Women characters in the book are few and far between. Wells ex, Jennifer Exley, makes a cameo appearance but the reader is left to wonder why she was mentioned. There is the expectation that she and Wells, or she and the CIA will get back together. Berenson’s answer is not yet, maybe in a later book. He gave a heads up and revealed that his next novel will also be a John Wells book. It will take place in Kenya with Wells asked to rescue American aid workers who were kidnapped. Berenson noted, “It’s Wells saving lives, but not saving the world.” After reading The Shadow Patrol, Berenson hopes that his readers will gain some knowledge about military and intelligence figures that go rogue and why, as well as be entertained. He encourages his readers to contact him with their feelings about the book. Anyone reading this novel will find an exciting and riveting plot.
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Posted
Feb 21 2012, 12:08 AM
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BLACKFIVE