| | |  | Terrorism | Home » » Gideon's War | | | | | | | Description: | | Howard Gordon—the longtime executive producer of the hit TV series 24—makes his fiction debut with a tale of political intrigue and international terrorism. Gideon Davis has just 48 hours to bring his rogue agent brother in—before a twisted global conspiracy turns deadly. GIDEON DAVIS, whose behind-the-scenes negotiating skills have earned him the role of peacemaker in conflicts around the globe, knows more about hush-hush discussions in Capitol corridors than he does about hand-to-hand combat. But his more practical, tactical skills come into play when he’s called on by family friend and government bigwig Earl Parker to chaperone a rogue agent from Southeast Asia to D.C. The agent, Tillman Davis, has promised to turn himself in— but only to his brother, Gideon. Although the two brothers have been estranged for years, Gideon cannot fathom how his brother could have turned into so ruthless a man. But when the plan for Tillman’s surrender goes awry and Earl Parker is taken hostage, Gideon is forced to embrace his dark side in order to evade hostile locals in war-torn Mohan to make his way to the Obelisk—the multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art oil rig that has been seized by terrorists led by Tillman himself. It is with the help of oil rig manager Kate Murphy that Gideon launches an unlikely one-man rescue. | | | Product Details: | | | Average Customer Rating:
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Average Customer Review:
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56 of 61 found the following review helpful:
 '24' meets the written word...Jan 05, 2011
By Jason Frost
"RubiconReader"
I know I'm probably the only other person in this world other than that Tibetan monk living in Africa to never have seen `24', but I have heard of the show. So when I saw that a producer (executive no doubt) wrote a book... heck, why not check it out? Everyone else seems to be writing a freaking book. Actors, musicians, midgets (oops... little people), athletes, homeless folk, orange-skinned skanks from New Jersey, and prenatal babies. If those Darwin-reject yahoos that crashed the White House dinner can get a book (and TV) deal how hard can it be, REALLY!? Howard Gordon is exec. Producer for one of the baddest shows ON the tube, so what did he have to do? Put on his socks, grab his tall chai latte and say "I feel like writing a book today"? I doubt it but it's a likely enough story and it IS Hollywood right?
My nonchalant tongue-in-cheek attitude was quickly put in check as I started reading. Cutting through all my BS, I was completely taken with this book. This is an ecstasy pill of adrenaline for us thriller readers. The main man, Gideon, couldn't be more flawed and was actually getting on my damn nerves. A top negotiator on the world stage, Gideon is accustomed to using his words to get his meaning across. Usually he's very successful, and because of this the President has him on his team. Unfortunately irony's favorite bed mate is usually chaos, and their love child sprouts into Gideon's life, placenta and all, to bring him some serious hurt.
Gideon's brother is been accused of being a ruthless and severely bloodthirsty terrorist who is slaughtering his way across the Middle East. Gideon has some well placed misgivings but the amount of evidence leaves no room for doubt. His job: track him down and talk. If that fails? Well... Able, meet Cain. Be prepared for a journey as Gideon tracks down the only family he has left. We are taken us on a virtual peyote sit-n-spin of geographic locations, multicultural flavor, and "clinch it up" action. Blood, fighting, technology, villains to loathe, and some slight sexual tension is just some of what puts `Gideon's War' on my list (already) of `Jason's badass novels of 2011'. (Yes I know it's only January 5th, but just go with me here).
I mentioned earlier that Gideon was getting on my nerves. Dammit, that's because he was! This fool was being chased, shot at, set-up, handcuffed, damn near blown up and he was trying to stick by his "I don't use guns anymore" mantra. Lord help this fool! I'm not going to give away the story, but how long do you think he can keep up that ever so sweet motto while nine inch bullets are cutting him new sideburns? Whatever magic Gordon used for `24' translates nicely in `Gideon's War'. Everything about this book was just right. The tempo, the violence, the betrayal, and (of course) the male bravado with that fresh football locker room smell. Because this is a thriller and the main character is a guy who gets out of impossible situations, you'll hear comparisons to past books/characters/movies. Ignore them all. This one totally stands on its own.
13 of 14 found the following review helpful:
 Good airport bookJan 20, 2011
By Amazon customer
This will sell well at airports. And really, it's not a bad choice for something to read on a plane.
Just like a season of 24, it's addictive, not really all that good, kind of dumbed down, but a dirty pleasure that you allow yourself. And it's really not *that* bad.
My biggest problem was the lacking and just kind of "thrown in" explanations of anything technical, confusing, or non-action. Like "hey, let me get back to writing about action scenes, here's the boring crap that isn't action." Problem is, that's the stuff that actually develops the story and makes it more interesting.
Second biggest problem was the undertone of "I must find my estranged brother at all costs!" It was weakly developed and kind of phony.
Also, it was a bit corny that it was set on an oil rig. Gee, where on earth did the author come up with the idea to have an explosion on an oil rig?
Anyway, it's not an amazing piece of literature, but it was ok. The closest I'll get to watching a new season of 24!
10 of 11 found the following review helpful:
Impossible to Put Down- Adrenaline Rush!Jan 16, 2011
By stuart finkelstein
I read Howard Gordon's Gideon's War knowing that I would not want it to end.
I was an obsessed fan of 24 from it's inception, and am an avid reader of thrillers, mysteries and suspense novels, so I had very high expectations for this debut novel. I was not disappointed.
From the first page I was riveted. The book is fast paced and Howard Gordon's plot twists are thrilling and continuous. The story immediately took me in as if I were there and living the adventure. There were moments when I actually thought I couldn't breathe. The writing is so good I felt like I was inside the heads of the characters. And, despite the suspense and the action, there is humor interspersed through their thoughts. This made them very relatable and likable to me--it was almost as if I knew them.
The setting is splendid and vivid, and extremely believable as I have been to the part of the world where the story takes place. It is so well described. The detail in all areas is extraordinary, from scenes on the oil rig to those depicting the remnants of war, to the portrayals of how much the human body can take under certain conditions.
I found the novel captivating, fascinating, exciting and well writren; it left nothing out. I was invested in the relationships and was overwhelmed emotionally by the reality of the strength of the family bond.
I highly recommend this book--It was excellent. I truly could not put it down! And yes, I am sorry that I finished it, although I am hoping for another! And, not surprisingly, I am hoping for a movie.
18 of 22 found the following review helpful:
Faster than the speed of light thrillerJan 11, 2011
By Harriet Klausner
U.S. President Diggs sends his best peacemaker special envoy Gideon Davis to the Pacific island the Sultanate of Mohan. An Islamist insurgency led by terrorist Abu Nasir threatens to overthrow the American-friendly government. Diggs also sends advisor Earl Parker, Uncle Earl to Gideon and his older brother Tillman, as he raised them after their parents died two decades ago. Though he has not had a breather after working a cease fire in the jungles of Columbia for the last three months and just came out of a Columbian hut a few hours ago to attend a DC award ceremony, Davis knows he has to leave immediately as his sibling Tillman has twenty-three hours left.
Earl and Gideon travel to Mohan where they are to pick up rogue CIA Agent Tillman to bring him back to the States. Instead nothing goes right and Parker is abducted while Gideon struggles to survive amidst the civil war tearing apart the island country. Besides rescuing Uncle Earl, Gideon must liberate the Obelisk deep sea oil rig that terrorists led by Tillman seized. Oil rig manager Kate Murphy is Gideon's only ally.
Faster than the speed of light, the executive producer of 24 Howard Gordon brings that concept to the written thriller genre. Ignoring plausibility with the story line over the top of the Himalayas, fans of the TV show will enjoy the Houdini escape artistry of the hero while the clock ticks down with a lot more at stake than his Uncle and a key oil rig as a world conspiracy is about to ignite. Inane, but fun, Gideon's War is to take back the Obelisk from his brother while readers anticipate a Cain and Abel confrontation; lurking in the background is the global crisis.
Harriet Klausner
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Gideon's War - Great BookJan 18, 2011
By Big Reader
Great book. If you are a fan of the "can't put it down" action novel, this is a book you will enjoy. Fantastic read for all ages. Quick pace, lots of action, good plot. Gordon may perhaps be the Robert Ludlum of this generation. A very talented writer. I highly recommend this book.
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