A suspected Jihadi terrorist is shot dead by a sniper and this is witnessed by a member of the Counter Terrorism Police, Andy Bowson.
This seemingly straightforward incident soon propels Bowson and his team of officers into a world of violence, power politics, distrust, fear and outright fanaticism.
As he and his team battle to swiftly put the lid on an increasing number of terrorist attacks, he finds that there are more questions than answers. And when he thinks he has the answer, another question springs up to take its place.
His wife, Sally, has vanished. Is her disappearance connected with the case, or not?
And there is Henry, who, it seems, is something to do with the highly secretive world of the Intelligence Services.
But who is Henry, really? Who is he actually working for? Who is targeting the terrorists? Why does it seem that the government is losing control of the situation?
The further their investigation goes, the stranger the whole situation seems to become.
Who can Andy trust? And what about his wife, Sally? What is she involved in? Can she ever be able to Reunite with Andy? Does she even want to?
And what ancient force has decided to become involved in the governance of modern Britain? Is it malign or well-meaning?
What will be the outcome for Andy, his team, Sally, his son and the entire country?
From the very first paragraph this 515 page shocker of a thriller crackles and bursts with a dynamic energy that belies this novel as a debut.
It's published by Matador at £19.99.
A highly intelligent, constantly gripping literary, scholarly, novel that goes where few authors would dare to tread: right into the simmering cauldron that is today's (dis)United Kingdom, a country that no amount of mainstream media cosmetics can portray as a harmonious success story
ReplyDeleteWe have a multi-layered, intricate plot, a constantly twisting narrative studded with unexpected twists & shocks & a cast of believable characters facing excruciatingly hard choices. This is a UK bedevilled by a weak, supine government, once a nation state but now subverted from within by a deeply compromised, corrupted Establishment, a British 'Deep State', a country in which public disillusion with the 'ruling elite' is reaching incendiary levels. And we have fanatical islamic terrorism, growing more audacious, more ruthless by the day. Yet the author is scrupulously careful with his words, at no time polemical, but telling the tale in a neutral manner, a recorder of facts with no axe to grind.
The novel is driven forward by the mysterious presence of an unknown, lethal counter-terrorist force that, seemingly frustrated by political inertia, has now 'taken the law into its own hands', & by a shadowy metaphysical power from an older Britain that has chosen to involve itself with contemporary problems.
I have read this outstanding novel once, & in a few weeks will re-read it, knowing there will be even more layers to this immaculately written book. A fine achievement by a contemporary author who has had the determination, the vision, to not only write about this country's parlous condition but to also get it published. That's some achievement in these censorious times.
condition
Excellent first novel combining religious mysticism and political/social intrigue into one immensely readable book. The subject matter is challenging, not a bad thing and the occasionally graphic descriptions of the price of terror (and fighting it) are all the more realistic for that. The characterisations are spot on and the gritty reality of the human condition, warts and all, is there for all to see. A cracking read and a novel that will stand re-reading, more than once.
ReplyDeleteA highly intriguing, and at times shocking novel with multi layered stories seemingly not altogether connected until the narrative begins to develop.
ReplyDeleteThe story gripped me from the very beginning with a violent and very graphic assassination, further developing when the story begins to expand,into a mesh of intrigue, police and Government ineptitude, driven by a personality culture which we now recognise as inherent in our present Government and Civil service. . . shady characters abound, and then we learn that there is a place, unknown to the public, where a group of people, unknown to the modern world, live in a protected place where electricity does not flow, have a team of dedicated individuals who are prepared to right the wrongs of the current society, by rather violent means.
The Author is obviously possessed of a great understanding of religious history and this all comes together to produce a really Unique novel, including action sequences which match any military stories that I have ever encountered in many years of reading.
Review by M K Bonwicke
ReplyDeleteThe author of this book felt each word literally and methodically. Every word and detail so vivid in his mind
it was as if he chopped his way though a wooded glade and blazed his thoughts into the mind of the reader. A sense writer ( as was Dante) no plot devices were used, just a natural blending together of thoughts that he wrote down
uniquely his. Not a slow beginning, it began with confidence and the reader was engulfed into a whirlwind
of his knowledge and creativity. The characters were never static, forever adapting and a constant voice. They seemed to speak of their lives to the author who wrote
down their story at ease.
There is an blend of modern,ancient, criminal, mystery,
philosophy,spirituality, and factual historical knowledge with a dash of astrophysics and classicism.There is tension, surprise, gritty harse reality, tenderness and warmth. Also the controversial issues of national and international terrorism and those who deal with such issues, legally and those who take the law into their own hands out of desperation. There is political and cultural issues and layers of intrigue and mystery around the globe and closer to home.
At the heart of the book there is the esoteric hidden barrier ' The Fortress of the Faithful ' as named by the author, this mysterious place isnt a cutesy type Archers
or Chronicle of Narnia type existence. It links all parts of the book in a mirrored existance, equally with tests of endurance, harsh realities and and difficult choices. Primative Christianity, the enagmatic Byzantines and isolated retreats. The book has a message of traditional values, community spirit and that of faith.
The location of the hidden barrier is very suitable due to the geographical topography of Exmoor. A place with a rich mixture of history, folklore and the Celtic Christian heritage amongst the tightly woven valleys of exmoor that which echo ancient times. This very same place that mirrors another time when Celtic Missionaries
arrived in the West Country to establish sancturies when under attack.
This book is classically and elegantly written with a robust volcabluary and with an exeptional attention to detail. Phrases that were evocotative that add layers of meaning and doing so in a structured and concise way with the greatest of thought and care. A test of a good book is feeling that you lived the story from beginning to end. The characters, places, situations, sights, sounds and smells, the reader experiences all those things within this exceptional book that i highly recommend.