This is the best collection of shortstories related to flying in the market. It is a fantastic collection of stories from authors such as Frederick Forsyth, Len Deighton, Edgar Allen Poe, Capt. W. E. James, etc. You should definitely read this book

I am new to this writer because I thought he just wrote boring war stories for old men. I was quite surprised to find that he is a talented writer who is able to create a fast-paced, gripping thriller with a lot of psychological punch. If you are reader of good fiction, even science-fiction (like me), then try this book out. It has many technological surprises.

The story is basically about a top level Russian official who wants to bring down the current british government (maggy thatcher, hehe) and install his own covert government (the opposition, labour!). In order to do this he needs to sway the majority of the british vote to labour by launching a semi-terrorist type attack on a small british town. Seems odd? Well not at all because Forsyth makes you believe it by throwing in some of the most coolest characters alive since "Gorky Park". Although the first 100 pages are pretty slow going you will finish this book in no time. Big surprises, nice plot twists and a courir service from hell.

I read this book on night shift. Forsyth takes us from Scotland to Russia and to England in this thriller/spy novel. This is extremely gripping and masterly written. Thoroughly enjoyable! The film version is not a patch on the book.

Frederick Forsyth is a master of complex plotting and this book, published in 1985, is without a doubt one of his most complex."The Fourth Protocol" begins quite humbly with the simple burglary and theft of a mult-million dollar set of diamond jewelry from a London town home. Finding a sparkling tiara won't fit into his own carrying case, the burglar takes an attache case belonging to the owner and thereby saves the entire Western Alliance from collapse. Only Forsythe could pull this off. He does so with a cast of dozens, meticulous attention to plot detail and the sure knowledge of his readers' fear of communism and nuclear terrorism in the 1980s. The story begins slowly, but manages to hold the reader's interest through a series of accidents, mayhem and shrewd deductions of British intelligence officer John Preston. The story takes us back and forth from Europe to the Soviet Union, from Pretoria, South Africa to a U.S. air base in England, and all over Europe. Each new revelation brings the reader a little closer to the edge of his chair and the ending nearly sends him to hide underneath. Even though this thriller is somewhat dated in its Cold War mentality, it is still a wonderful, compelling novel. With only a bit of paranoia, the reader can substitute a Middle-East villain for the aging Soviet one in this novel, and scare himself silly.

Although this represents my first Forsyth novel and my first spy novel I know a good one when I read one. I've watched quite a few good espionage movies including "The Day of The Jackel" and "The Odessa File" (based on Forsyth novels). I read this book because I was impressed at the depth of the two movies mentioned above. After 9/11/01, I also wanted to read something which relates to the going ons in the middle east.

The obtjectives of the story are simple: First, to find out if Saddam Hussain has any weapons which may pose a serious threat to the allied forces in the gulf. Secondly, if he has any weapons destroy them before he plans to use them. The story becomes somewhat complex because in order to meet the objectives, a well coordinated intelligence operation involving people in the US, Europe, Iraq, Israel and Kuwait must take place. The entire operation involves scholars, spooks and sneeks (special ops and spies) and even someone with close connections to Saddam himself. The whole story of how an SAS man was able go deep into Iraq incognito was fascinating and believeable. The SAS man whose name is Mike Martin was sent in Iraq to gather intelligence on the weapons and then help to destroy them. The information Mike gets is not first hand however. Mike must depend on another mysterious character known only as Jerico. (...)

I don't normally read spy thrillers of this type, and this was the first of Forsyth's books I've read, but I loved it! I grabbed this book from my husband one day when I was bored, and was drawn in immediately by the tense prose and gripping plotline. I won't give a synopsis, you can get that above. But I will say I read this almost straight through from start to finish.

No one seems to know how much of this novel is really true, and in the end, that doesn't matter, because it's writen so well that it might as well be true. The plot is crafted around a war that really happened, and the author spoke with those who had taken part in the war, giving his work an authenticity hard to match. If you're looking for an intelligent novel of this genre, then this one is hard to beat. Don't hesitate!

Before commenting, let me indicate that I am reviewing the abridged audio cassette version of this book performed by Mr. Simon Jones.

This audio cassette version clearly deserves more than five stars. It is the most enjoyable one that I have ever listened to. In addition, this is my favorite of the Forsyth novels.

Frederick Forsyth is a masterful plotter. In this case, he has woven a story that unusual complexity with delicate balance of perspectives using real details. I remember reading about everything mentioned in this book in some press report related to the Gulf War against the Iraqis after the invasion of Kuwait. The plot is so well done that it will add new depths to your understanding of the political considerations that played such a large role in the Gulf War. If government studies were written as interestingly as this novel is, all college students would be government majors. There is fascinating technology in the story, but the novel is reined in by large doses of realism that make the material more interesting for its relevance.

If you are like me, you have often wondered about the following questions:

(1) Why did Saddam Hussein survive the successful prosecution of the war by the allies?

(2) How might target planners determine where weapons of mass destruction were being developed and housed?

(3) Why did Saddam Hussein prepare so poorly for the U.S.-led attack?

(4) Why did the Iraqis stop with Kuwait, when the more attractive target of Saudi Arabia lay just ahead essentially undefended?

Mr. Forsyth offers a number of plausible and interesting possible answers to these and other questions you surely have had and may still have.

To me, the drawback of a Forsyth novel is that they can become bogged down in too much detail. Foreign names can also quickly cause the eyes to glaze over as well. You will be pleased to know that this abridgement (approved by Mr. Forsyth) overcomes both of those potential problems. The elegant plot is tautly maintained, and moves along rapidly. Mr. Jones takes all of the tongue-twisting, unfamilar names and pronounces them in accented ways that capture the lyricism inherent in the various Middle Eastern and European cultures displayed here.

I have only one complaint. Unfortunately, Mr. Jones chose to characterize many Americans as "cowboys" so those characters' raw, harsh accents will be the least attractive to listen to for you.

Some of the most interesting aspects of the book for me included Major Mike Morgan's (of Britain's Special Air Service) operations behind enemy lines in Kuwait and Iran, the psychology of the inner council that served Saddam Hussein, the complicity of Western sources in making dangerous weapons available to the Iraqis, the methods by which many different types of intelligence sources can be used to build a composite picture of an issue, the morality of trying to save lives in combat, and the political agendas of the Americans. Israelis will find the operations of the Mossad described in ways that are highly complimentary about that country's intelligence operations.

One of the really intriguing thoughts you will have after reading this book is what secrets are still being kept about American intentions towards Iraq.

After you finish enjoying hearing this book read to you, I suggest that you find a veteran of the Gulf War who feels comfortable taling about it, and ask what her or his impressions are of what happened there. Although most of us watched this nightly on CNN, we have perhaps become too distanced from the fundamental horrors of war. This will be a good way to be sure that we learn the lessons that should be learned from this experience, and also honor those who served the world in the desert.

May the fist of God always be relaxed into the open hand of God's peace.

One of the things I like about Frederick Forsythe's writing is that it is not overly florid. It is very detailed, matter-of-fact, and filled with suspense. I read the Odessa File as research for a book I'm interested in writing (which would be my fifth book) about the differences between African American and Jewish culture. The book interested me because of its revelations about the concentration camps. Of course, plenty other books give more detail about that subject. And the Odessa File is primarily about the organization formed to help former Nazi SS officers escape prosecution for war crimes. But I wanted to read it anyway. I think Forsythe is one of the few novelists who know how to combine all the proper elements -- style, characterization, and suspense -- in just the right proportions, to write fascinating suspense fiction.

After reading "The Day of the Jackal", I thought that there couldn't be a better suspense thriller than this, but I still hadn't read "The Odessa File". Its set in the early 1960's, where a young freelance German journalist comes across the personal diary of an old German Jew who's committed suicide. Reading the diary through the night, the journalist, Peter Miller finds out that the Jew was a prisoner in the Nazi concentration camp at Riga, Latvia during World War II. As he reads on, he's shocked by the graphic description by the Jew of the atrocities committed on the camp inmates by the camp commandant, Eduard Roschmann. Millers vows to track down Roschmann and bring him to justice. But while doing so, he comes across a super-secret organization known as Odessa, which protects Nazi ex-SS members from being captured and brought to justice. When Miller starts getting too close to the Odessa, his life is in grave danger. But he decides that it will end with him bringing Roschmann to justice for his crimes, or with his death.

"The Odessa File", as with all other Forsyth books, has a super-shocking twist in the end, where we get to know the real motive behind Miller wanting to find Roschmann. In the process, Forsyth manages to include The Beatles' short stint in Hamburg, the background of the brief Arab-Israeli war and last but not the least, Kennedy's assasination. As usual, Forsyth's factual knowledge is accurate to the point, and his research is deep and minute. "The Odessa File" is undoubtedly Frederick Forsyth at his very best.

As a mystery writer with my debut novel in its initial release, I fished out my ancient copy of Frederick Forsyth's THE ODESSA FILE because I wanted to read about a time when evil was simpler and villians were much easier to comprehend. THE ODESSA FILE is one of the most clever books I read as a young person, and it holds up well. The bad guys are Nazi sympathizers, and the hero seems to be a crusader for world justice. Forsyth spins quite a tale here. His characters seem real. He captures the essence of his setting perfectly. I still love his final plot twist. As I crime fiction author, I especially admire the hidden plot that exists just beneath the surface story that reader thinks she is absorbed within. THE ODESSA FILE is a terrific book, even today.

i read somewhere once that forsyth takes a year to research each book and icon feels as though he was loath to let any of his hard work go to waste. he spends far too much time on aldrich ames when he should have been trying to make his characters more interesting and believable. to think one single agent could somehow bring down the future arch-baddie of russia is just risible. the main problem is that you know exactly how the book is going to finish, and packing each page with details of modern moscow does not compensate for a fundamental lack of suspense. and where were the female characters? all in all, not a patch on the odessa file.

With the end of the Cold War, and most of all, of old Soviet nation, the spy-thriller writers had to modify their story-style, or ajust it to the new world order. Most writers did it very well, like John LeCarré and Frederick Forsyth. So that's what this last book by Forsyth is all about: the new era, mostly for Russia. The action is passed in yhe near future, 1999, in the world's biggest country. Without the support of the state, the country is now owned by the underground mafia, and is a paradise to prostituition, killing and poverty. In this scenario, what everybody is willing to do is ascend to the presidency. The UPF an ultra-right party and his foreman, the widely known and liked Mr. Igor Komarov, are a certain name to win the elections to be held soon. But, by accident, the English embassy at Moscow puts hand in an interesting document which is called "Black Manifesto", containing the ral intentions of UPF and Komarov. So the most powerful people in th! ! e world divises a plan to finish Komarov ascension, calling for the job ex-CIA, Russia-expert Jason Monk, retired from work and spending his life running a fisherboat in the Caribbean. The book can be divided in two parts. The first one is mostly about Jason Monk and what he accomplished during his time at Langley. It's like a briefing on the main character, and Forsyth writes it so well that you actually fell intimate with Monk. I read in a review below that it's got nothing to do with the rest of the book, but I don't think like that. In fact, I liked this part better. The second part, about half the book, is ICON properly. It tells how Monk struggles to prevent Russia of having a Nazi-like dictatorship, with all the Forsyth-ian usual twists, bullet-dodging and games of interest. I think this book was written when everybody thought Russia as a lost country, and indeed it seemed that would happen. But now I think Russia has got into the right tracks again. Anyway, "I! ! con is a great exercise of imagination, one like Forsyth ga! ves so many times, like the Odessa File. I won't even talk about the Jackal. It stands on a very higher ground.

In 'Icon' Frederick Forsyth takes us to the dark, frightening underworld of modern Russian politics. Though the novel is fictional and the characters cleary the author's creations, it nevertheless shows the extent of the author's exhaustive research into today's Russia. The story centers around a major Russian political power who loses a secret protcol (an updated 'Mein Kampf') and his frantic search to get it back before his policies of destruction become known. Aware of this secret protocol is an ex-CIA agent, Jason Monk, who will stop at nothing to expose this would-be-Hitler as the monster he is. Along the way he tangles with the Russian Politician's securtiy chief- a former KGB officer who bested Monk during the cold war. This is another exciting novel from a master of suspence. It not only effectivly weaves cold war intrigue and modern day fears about a rearmed Russia, but Forsyth's inclusion of the true story of Aldrich Aimes, the notorious CIA traitor, make this a particularly wild ride. While 'Icon' isn't of quite the same caliber of Forsyth's earlier work, it is a riviting novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

good fun! enjoyed myself while reading this short story. nothing too complicated, just good characters and plot twists.

The Veteran showcases Forsyth's talent in the short story realm, & he proves that he is equally good at home in writing short-fiction as in writing thriller novels like that of The Day of The Jackal or The Odessa File.

This is Sir Frederick Forsyth's first collection of short stories since the publication of No Comebacks more than a decade ago.

The title story "The Veteran" is a suspense thriller, where a high profile attorney gets the release of two hardened murderers in spite of strong evidence against the accused. A fast-paced story, "The Veteran" also has a historical significance attached to it. It's the first legal thriller story to be published in the form of an e-book.

"Art of the Matter" is a hilarious caper, with double-cross & triple-cross in the background of an art deal.

"Whispering Wind" can best be described as a 'mystic mystery' reminiscent of the author's earlier work "The Shepherd".

"The Citizen" is a story of a drug smuggling operation. However, my personal favourite is "The Miracle" a story about a ghostly visit of a saint in a hospital unit during the World War with an unexpected twist in the tale finish.

The five stories make an engrossing read & are storytelling in its best & purest form. Any reader who enjoys twists in the tale endings, like that of the stories of O'Henry or the short stories of Jeffrey Archer, is sure to enjoy this superb & diverting collection.

All in all The Veteran is highly entertaining, & makes delightful reading. Highly recommended.

This collection of five stories are fascinating, but not as intriguing some of the other Forsyth novels I've read. The first story, "The Veteran" starts out with a mugging of an old man who is "special" or was once regarded as "special". The "special" aspect of him explains the outcome of the mugging as well as the final act of "justice". "The Art of Matter" was a step down for me compared to "The Veteran". I'm just not interested in Art and auctions. For those into trickery and art, I suppose it would be quite an engaging read. "The Miracle" was my next favorite story about a mysterious woman. The ending will take you by surprise and may even make you laugh. To get the full effect of the story, one must be careful and focus on the details of the dialogue. "The Citizen" was another great story involving a drug smuggling operation. By far, the best story of the book was "Whispering Wind" which is largely a romantic adventure. Anyone familiar with Custer's last stand at the battle of Little Big Horn or simply those interested in the old west will enjoy it tremendously. It's the type of story that many women would like because of the romantic element.

Frederick Forsyth never disappoints. This is a collestion of 5 short stories where characters are developed quickly, and you keep reading to find the tales' final twist.

The Veteran deals with the justice beyond a court of law and the honor of former comrades. It is worth the price of the entire book.

The Art of the Matter covers greed, swindlers and pay back in a very satisfying manner. In fact all of the stories deal with payback in some form.

The Miracle is a great story that justs sucks you into its magic just before the door comes crashing down.

The Citizen tells you exactly what is going to happen, but you don't see the truth until the final couple of lines.

However, Whispering Wind is the finest story. It is part ghost story and part morality tale.

Highly recommended.

Douglas De Bono
Author of ROGUE STATE

A routine analysis of an African Republic's mountain's ore content uncovers a motherlode of one of the most rare metals on the planet, platinum. However the African Republic's government is a ruthless dictatorship, rabidly anti-western and pro-communist. Facts that do not intimidate Sir James Manson, chairman/managing director of Manson Consolidated Mining Company Limited, in the least. Not surprising when, even at dirt cheap prices, the mountain is worth ten billion dollars. Eager to snag the mining rights, Manson quickly sets forth a rather unique plan. Hire mercenaries to help overthrow the government, replace it with a pro-west puppet dictator, have a shell company buy up the mining rights to the mountain, have ManCon buy the shell company, and rake in the cash by the basket full. Easier planned than done, as others quickly get their eyes on the same prize.

Frederick Forsyth narrates with a reporter's deadpan voice and backs up the seemingly outlandish story with a huge amount of detail that makes it all seem credible. While the book does crackle with energy and keeps the pages turning, it lacked that something special to lift it up above the average page turner. But fans of Cold War era Men of Adventure tales will be sure to love this, recommended.

Frederick Forsyth has written some legendary thrillers, in particular The Day of the Jackal. In this novel, the jackal is replaced by dogs, and the lone assassin replaced by a team of mercenaries with the mission of taking over a floundering African republic. The mission is instigated by Sir James Manson, whose driving force is marked by "an unscrupulousness ... a preparedness to ignore so-called moral principles in pursuit of the goal succcess." (p.117) Manson heads the huge mining company Manson Consolidated, and after discovering a mountain with ten billion dollars worth of platinum, in his pursuit for mammon Manson decides to maximize his millions by arranging a coup to take over the African country which holds this buried wealth. Through his personal aide, he employs mercenary leader Cat Shannon to undertake this mission.

Most of the novel revolves around Shannon's preparations for the military coup. Just as The Day of the Jackal was the anatomy of a hit, the Dogs of War is the anatomy of a coup; it deals with a military coup in the same manner that the former book deals with an assassination attempt. The concept is certainly interesting - "knocking off a bank or an armored truck is merely crude - knocking off an entire republic has, I feel, a certain style." (p.120) But unlike The Day of the Jackal, the anatomy of the coup suffers from tediousness at times, and is overly burdened with details of letters and arrangements as Shannon acquires arms, equipment and men. The apparent depth of Forsyth's research is fantastic and certainly adds to the credibility and authenticity and a slow and convincing build-up. But unless you are personally planning to take over an African republic, you will find many of the details rather unnecessary, The story is also marked by instances of remarkable coincidence, such as Shannon's ease in bedding Manson's daughter. Although there are implicit references to unchastity, we are spared any vivid details, and the instances of profanity can be counted on one hand.

In the end, while it's an interesting novel, it doesn't have nearly the same bite as the Day of the Jackal. The ending moves quickly and has a nice twist (although the glorification of suicide is disappointing), but it is too little too late. It's clean and convincing, but the majority of this book is rather too slow moving. The bark of these Dogs of War is worse than their bite, and anyone looking for more bite is better off re-reading the Day of the Jackal. Even Frederick Forsyth can't make dogs bite as well as jackals.

The Frederick Forsyth book The Dogs of War was a very good book. It keeps the reader interested throughout the whole book. At the beginning of the book, Forsyth use good details to show us the planes that are landing in the night. The author tells the reader a lot about the main characters background before some of them became mercenaries. This book is right for people who like action books. The overthrowing of a government provides us with a good action book.

The Manson Consolidated Mining Company has sent one of its mining scientist to the Crystal Mountains to check if the mountains contain tin. He actually finds that the mountains contain platinum which is very valuable. The only way the mining company can mine the mountains is to have the country's government overthrown. This is the conflict that makes this a good book. It was really enjoyable to read because there are some great combat scenarios in this book. If you are a person who likes combat stories then I would suggest getting this book.

First, "The Veteran", then, "The Miracle", and a distant third, "The Citizen", as these are the first three e-books in a planned quintet the reading quality is not progressing in the correct direction.

The first book was especially good and certainly the finest of the first three. All of these are mysteries so an unexpected ending is exactly what is appropriate. The first two books sprung their traps well however this one was never set properly. The quality is not the only aspect that is declining as this planned quincunx moves forward; the length is deteriorating in lockstep. This third story is less than half the length of the first. It is also less than half as clever. The more mysteries you have read the more quickly you will decipher the final events well before they take place.

Book one was placed in England, and the subsequent two unfurled in an easterly direction, number two in Italy, and three starts in Bangkok and returns once again to England. Most of the story takes place onboard a 747-400 and is fairly bland. At the beginning of the flight there is an error in the writing that is glaring, and near the end there is a sequence of events that make absolutely no sense. Misdirecting the reader with a clever slight of the written word is fine, just being misleading for the sake of expediency is intolerable. This third installment really is not worthy of this Author, and the lack of quality suggests it was produced on the back of several envelopes.

However, I will continue on with the next installment because of the format. A disappointment with a hardbound novel can be rather painful and expensive, however with this electronic format, it is easier to forgive a lapse and still move on. I don't believe this added bit of tolerance will allow for more bad writing as bad work even when handed out gratis is not worth one's time.