Firewall
by Douglas de Bono
![[FIVE STAR REVIEW!]](5stars.jpg)
FIVE STAR PLUS!!! Too real to dismiss as pure fiction.
Douglas De Bono has done it again. He plays a terror theme against the backdrop of actual history, using historic figures we all know and remember well. Reading his novel is like being a fly on the wall of private government chambers. We eavesdrop on conversations no one is meant to hear...ever. De Bono's research is so meticulous that as much as past presidents and their inner circles might like to sue him, the truth is not liable, and they cannot challenge this daring author's replica of word-for-word discussions behind closed doors, for freedom of information rights have given him access to records that speak for themselves.
As much as a reviewer might be tempted to skim through this book, it's impossible, for every paragraph drips with such essential information that any point, if missed, destroys the reader's comprehension of the plot. As in his other books, De Bono's imagery is gripping, and the development of his characters wrings empathy for those who live in the secret world of commandos and government field agents. Their conditioning eventually whittles away their idealism, while they witness one political debacle after another yet become addicted to the adrenalin rush of battle in screwed-up 'black' missions that should destroy them except for their tenacious will to survive and their love of home. For those in the darker worlds of black missions, there are two results: they either become as psychotic as those they work for or they rebel and become secret crusaders who use their black skills to turn the table on their corrupt masters.
FIREWALL covers the years between 1979 and 1989, and depicts De Bono's personal belief that "terrorism does not exist in a vacuum" but as an extension of Soviet desires to dominate the world during this period. Specifically, FIREWALL deals with three major events: 1) The Iranian hostage crisis, 2) Iran/Contra, and 3) Operation 'Just Cause,' the Americans' invasion of Panama. Through these events, De Bono spins his thrilling tale of intrigue and again outCLANCIES the master spinner of military thrillers, Tom Clancy. It's about time De Bono receives the recognition his brilliant writing deserves. This novel rates a FIVE STAR PLUS.
--Bonnie Toews Newcastle, Ontario Canada
A Blend of History and Fiction with an Edge
Mr. DeBono seamlessly blends history and fiction with the deft precision of a literary surgeon. His knowledge of special forces,intelligence agencies, political corruption and the tradecraft of espionage are unrivaled in the literary world. Firewall takes the reader into covert CIA operations in Iran, Lebanon and Panamaas well as drug running in Mena, Arkansas to fund the war against Communism in Central America. Firewall sits in on Chinese plots to infiltrate America, examines Jimmy Carter's failed hostage rescue in Iran and explores the beginnings of a corrupt, Chinese funded political machine in Arkansas, with one eye on a promising, young governor the other on the White House. The most enlightening piece of fiction I've ever read.
--Jim Clonts from Davenport, IA
Did you ever think that things were not always as they seemed? Did you wonder if there was more to the story than what was being fed to you by the mainstream media? If you are convinced that there are covert operations that take place without the knowledge of the American public, then Firewall will support your conviction.
Firewall covers the “things you never were told” concerning the Iranian hostage crisis, the Iran/Contra scandal, and the invasion of Panama. It is a fast paced book, containing both fictitious and historical characters, covering events in recent history from 1979 through the 80’s. It goes into detail about America’s “shredded” secrets, demonstrating what it meant to support the contras, no matter what. It takes a closer look at the question that was repeatedly asked during the Iran/Contra hearings, “Did the United States trade arms for hostages?”
Firewall is an intriguing book right from the beginning. One of the reasons why it is so gripping is simple: it discusses true events. It covers history that most of us are able to remember, and it challenges the way we think of the events and the people involved in the making of that history.
--Amanda Holzmer
An edge of your seat kind of read!, September 4, 2003
Douglas de Bono has done an outstanding job on his newest novel, "Firewall." I was glued
to my cozy chair during the entire story! I enjoyed the characters and found both the
dialogue and the plot of this fantastic story a real edge of your seat kind of read from
cover-to-cover! (A Highly Recommended Novel!)
--Top 500 Reviewer Reviewer: Victoria Taylor Murray (Author) Friendly Enemies/Le Fin
Rogue State, July 10, 2003
In Rogue State Iran and Iraq work together to recruit a Chechen rebel to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin in Washington, D.C. In response, the Russians send in an FSB officer who is put on the trail of the Cechen assassin while another search is taking place within the US for rogue operative Damon Layne. The pace and suspense never lights up until the last page. This was another intelligently written and tightly plotted thriller, tying in with the sinking of the Kursk and the 2000 Presedential election, from Douglas De Bono who is just the right author for everyone complaining that Clancy is losing his touch. This author has yet to turn out a bad book and I anxiously await Firewall.
--Ross Sidor
An Awesome Thriller, January 6, 2003
At once frightening in its real possibilities, this multi-layered story brings terrorism to its ultimate madness. Just as corruption crumbled the great Roman Empire from within, the two 20th Century superpowers-Russia and the United States-teeter on ever rotting moral underpinnings, and in a struggle to dominate their New World spheres of influence in the 21st Century ignite radical Old World hatred.
Two former enemies in the Middle East-Iraq and Iran-join forces in the spirit of Islamic fundamentalism to punish the great infidels-Russia and America. They recruit an American Chechen fighting Russia's suppression of Chechnya and fund a series of missions to destabilize Moscow's hold over the former Soviet empire. One is a plausible explanation for the underwater explosion that sunk the Kursk nuclear submarine. His main mission, however, is to assassinate President Vladimir Putin on American soil following the presidential election in 2000, when the results are so harrowing that it is weeks before Americans know who their next president is. Saddam Hussein and Ayatollah Kambiz Abbasi hope that the murder of the Russian leader will throw these old enemies back in arms against each other and deflect attention from their regimes. Learning about the Chechen's plot, Putin sends out a KGB-trained butcher to hunt down this fleet-footed freedom fighter.
Meanwhile, in the United States, events unfold that color the country's honor bloody red. Good and evil merge in a mishmash of broken ideals and fanatic delusions. While a rogue mercenary, hired by a discontented splinter group that wants the 17th amendment revoked, unleashes a series of explosions that kill high-profile Washington targets, subversive political forces organize to fix the Bush-Gore election. This underworld of greedy power brokers called the Lexington Compact crosses into "black" CIA territory, using former assassins to cover their dirty tricks, and pitted against them is the FBI's Domestic Terrorism Unit, a team that is hog-tied by bureaucratic posturing. They are incredibly inept except for the help of three former special forces agents, who come out of retirement and end up beyond the law rendering proper justice in this new world without rules.
There is so much research and detail that the author has wisely listed all the characters and the roles they play in the front of the book. Though I had to refer to it a few times to keep everyone straight, the detail does not detract from the action and incredible descriptions (such as "Iraq and Iran sat like a hot griddle sizzling everything that crossed it" and "the thirsty sand sucked up the bloody carnage") as this thriller rockets from fact to fiction like a "live" exercise in terrorist anarchy. If anything, the "Rogue State" presents the best-case scenario as to why President Bush feels justified in raising his saber against those threatening terrorism.
This terrorist tome is a must read, and Douglas De Bono rises above even Tom Clancy and Clive Cusseler in his portrayal of the world today.
--Bonnie Toews Newcastle, Ontario Canada
Reap the Whirlwind
by Douglas De Bono
Review Originally Appeared at:
http://www.curledup.com/reapwind.htm
Metropolis Ink
Paperback
508 pages
November 2001
Reap the Whirlwind picks up where Douglas De Bono’s Point of Honor and Blood Covenant left off with the character of Jim Harper. The story is based on the Chinese taking over the Panama Canal and subsequently positioning missiles locked straight on target for the good old USA. This is such an action-packed thriller that it includes a listing of the cast of characters, and I promise you will need to refer to on more than one occasion.
That is not to say that the story is not tightly woven, for it is. The pacing is excellent for this kind of military story. The attention to detail of the most minute military practice, equipment and procedure makes one wonder if all the research De Bono did was simply the Internet search and book-reading kind. It is very believable, and the characters are well-written and fleshed out.
When the head of the Domestic Terrorism Unit, Lou Feldman, comes after Harper because he nearly killed a couple of FBI agents, readers know that this is a glimpse into the way our government protection agencies work. They will turn on one of their own if it is believed to be necessary. A particularly memorable character is Damon Lane, a mercenary working on the American plan Spanish Poppy to take over the Panama cocaine trade and keep the money from selling the smack. Former FBI agent Harvey Randall is added to the list of characters to track down the superspy Goldenrod. When Harper’s family is drawn into the fray, he must decide whether to become a full-time CIA agent once again. Then he must face the possibilities of what will happen if he does.
Reap the Whirlwind is recommended for military novel buffs. It is action-packed but also has enough accurate details to satisfy even former military and government officers.
Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book at
www.curledup.com. © Karri Watson, 2005
Reap the Whirlwind
by Douglas De Bono
Review Originally Appeared at:
http://www.mtbca.com/reapthewhirlwind.html
Metropolis Ink, September 2002, 485 pp.
ISBN: 0-9579858-8-6
Genre: Thriller
Subgenre: Military
Reviewed: 8/4/2003
Panama City, Panama
Tuesday, May 16
2:00 PM EDT
"You have a spook working inside the embassy," Jim Harper said. "He's a big guy and yesterday he was wearing a white Panama style suit. Who is he?"
An Embassy, even a major one like Moscow or Beijing, is fundamentally a small community. The buildings are generally to small except for the signal intelligence gnomes buried three subbasements below ground level. In Charlie McGiffert's line of work, he needed to have a line on everyone coming into the Embassy. The Marine detachment provided perimeter and physical security; Charlie worked Intelligence angles. It was another one of his duties in an over-stressed and under-staffed office.
"Why would you want to know about him?" whispered Charlie. Nothing good could come from this conversation. As far as Charlie was concerned, Damon Layne was a creature belonging on the bottom side of a rock.
"Unfinished business," came the wintry voice behind him.
Harper had zeroed in on possibly the only person Charlie had no clue about. Damon Layne seemed to be an enigma. "Damon Layne is the one you're asking about." Charlie stole a glance back at Harper's face. There was no sense of recognition or satisfaction.
"What does he do?"
"I don't know," admitted Charlie. "He has his own portfolio."
"You're the FBI and you don't know," echoed Harper matter-of-factly.
"Yeah."
It made a certain kind of sense in the calculus of Harper's nether world.
"You know I can't make any deals with you. If I find you, I'll have to arrest you," explained Charlie.
The blue gray eyes seemed to change into black pools. "Figured it would be something like that, my war ain't with you or your people."
"I didn't know we were at war."
"I wouldn't be here, if we were at peace," replied Harper as he clambered of of the car and disappeared into the evening crowd.
Major Jim Harper, the Blackest of the Black, is contacted by the fiancé of Jonas Benjamin, a CIA analyst. Jonas was sent on a mission to Panama to observe the Chinese and their infiltration of the Panama Canal. Seven days ago he disappeared. News travels fast when Harper is seen in Panama and two FBI agents are injured while tracking him. Now, Lou Feldman, Assistant Director in charge of Domestic Terrorism Unit, is after Harper for almost killing the two FBI agents. When Harper runs into Sergeant Darby Hayes trailing him, he finds out he is under suspicion and clicks into full operational status. Meanwhile, Damon Layne, a free lance mercenary, is working on Spanish Poppy, a plan designed by the American Government to overtake the Panama cocaine trade while pocketing all of the money generated by the sale of the illegal substance. Harvey Randall, a former FBI agent, is brought on board by the Louis Edwards to track Goldenrod, a master spy for the People's Republic of China, who has been spotted again in the US. When Jim's family is attacked at home, he must decide if he is to remain retired, or go back into full service for the CIA. And if he does, can he prevent the Chinese from launching an attack on the US from Panama?
Reap the Whirlwind by Douglas de Bono is the third book to feature Jim Harper. This is a military thriller revolving around the Chinese taking over of the Panama Canal and planting missiles that could reach US soil. The first book featuring Major Jim Harper is Point of Honor and the second is Blood Covenant. This story takes place about one year after Blood Covenant.
This is the third book I have read by Douglas de Bono. What I really enjoyed about Reap the Whirlwind was the reappearance of a lot of old characters from the previous two books. I liked that Goldenrod was up to his old tricks, Taha Duri was seeking revenge for having his knee cap blown off (see Point of Honor), and Harvey Randall (a character I really love and hope to see more of) switched sides and worked for the CIA. This novel has more of Jim Harper in the story than the previous two books, which is something I have been wanting. Although the military action is not as intense as previous stories, this thriller keeps the reader's pulse racing as the conflict in the South China Sea heats up and Jim Harper and his twenty men prepare to invade Panama. Once again, I find it very helpful to have the list of characters at the beginning of the book. I find myself constantly checking the list as a reminder of whom I am reading about. If you are looking for the newest and best writer for a military thriller, look no further than Douglas de Bono. De Bono attention to detail about where actual military ships were on what dates is greatly appreciated. He takes statistical facts and write fiction that may or may not have happened. Only he knows the truth. Reap the Whirlwind is a dead on gripping book that I would recommend to any lover of military or government fiction. I look forward to seeing what he comes up with in his next book, Rogue State.
I rated this book a 9 out of 10.
Blood Covenant by Douglas De Bono
Great research, March 20, 2000
Blood Covenant has some of the best reserch ever. combine that with a great story and edge of you seat suspense and its easy to see why this book should be an instant hit! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
--Baggins
A highly recommended, gripping story., April 4, 2000
In the late 1970s, KGB Chairman Andropov commissions the creation of suitcase-size nuclear bombs. He orders the weapons deployed in Western Europe, Japan, and America. The Soviet Empire crumbles, ending the Cold War. The weapons are forgotten -- until a Hezbollah terrorist cell decides to make New York's Fourth of July celebration it's last. The thread catapults Special Forces major Jim Harper and spymaster Louis Edwards into a desperate race against time to prevent the unthinkable from happening. Confronted by a determined terrorist known as Harlequin, squabbling within the American intelligence community, and an administration more interested in symbolism than substance, Harper tracks harlequin from New York to Boston to Washington to Chicago. Blood Covenant is a highly recommended, gripping story that leaves the reader lunging from page to page in a frantic effort to keep up with the action and survive the building tension. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
--Midwest Book Review Oregon, Wisconsin
AuthorZone.Com Book Review, July 16, 2003
In the late 1970's, Dr. David Kudrik, a Russian Jew is being held captive in Arzamas-16, a secret USSR town that does not exist on any map. David is a genius and has gotten a hold of some 8080 microprocessors. With this new technology, he is able to create approximately 132 nuclear bombs for the KGB. These small suitcase-size three-kiloton nuclear bombs, which David named 'Samson,' are secretly placed around the world at designated spots by Major Yevgeny Yarovitsin. When the USSR collapses, the bombs are forgotten about because the KGB never reported them being made. Now, in 1999, Yevgeny is living the high life while selling these bombs to the highest bidder. Recently he has sold ten of these bombs to Iranian terrorist who plan on detonating them on United States soil. Lou Feldman, Assistant Director in charge of Domestic Terrorism Unit, learns of these suitcase nuclear bombs and has agents trying to figure out how many bombs there and who has them. Begrudgingly, he assigns Harvey Randall, who is on his black list because he embarrassed the FBI a few years back, to help figure out whom the terrorists are. Harvey, an overweight, middle-aged cowboy does things his own way, no matter the consequences, because he gets results. Louis Edwards, CIA officer and head of the Blackest of the Black, brings Major Jim Harper back to duty to help track down and eliminate the terrorists. Jim, with the help of Sergeant Darby Hayes and Harvey Randall is hot on the trail of the man planting the bombs, Michael Rehazi, an American-educated Iranian who is know as The Terror of Tehran. Little does anyone know, but David intended to seek revenge for the way he was treated by the USSR government. He intends to strike back at the USSR by programming a secret way for all of the Samson devices to detonate. Little does anyone know that twenty years after each device is build, the internal clock will send a message to activate the device. Now, the bombs are on American soil and the clock is ticking'
Blood Covenant by Douglas de Bono is the second book to feature Jim Harper. This is a military thriller revolving around terrorism in the United States and the planting of ten suitcase nuclear bombs. The first book featuring Major Jim Harper is Point of Honor. This story takes place about two years later.
This is the second book I have read by Douglas de Bono. De Bono has a talent for writing fiction that is incredibly realistic. While reading Blood Covenant, I could not tell how much of the story was reality or what was fiction. I believed it all! De Bono obviously knows a lot about guns and how the military works. This book does a great job of delving into the political games played by both the US and USSR governments, both in the past and present, while at the same time giving us a glimpse of how these same governments handle certain situations that would shock the populace of these same countries. Jim Harper is a wonderful character with human flaws. Is he the best killing machine the US government ever made? Quite possibly. But is he human? Yes, sometimes too much, which can be a detriment to his continued health. I would have liked to have seen more of him in this novel, but I was happy to learn more about FBI agent Harvey Randall, who I think is a great character. One thing I really liked about this book is the list if characters at the beginning of the novel. I constantly found myself referring back to this list as a read the story. Overall, Blood Covenant by Douglas de Bono is an excellent read and should not be missed by any fan of either thriller or military fiction. You will be left wondering just how much of this story is real and how much is fiction.
I rated this book an 8½ out of 10.
--Solomon R. Tulbure Knoxville, TN
Blood Covenant, March 28, 2003
Blood Covenant is an excellent political thriller on par with the best of Tom Clancy and Joe Weber. The book is about Soviet suitcase nuclear bombs which, decades after their development, fall into the hands of Middle Eastern terrorists and the task of finding the bombs, already within US borders, and stopping the terrorists falls into the hands of CIA and Special Forces officers. The author expertly weaves the heavy doses of historical information and technical details into an enjoyable story.
--Ross Sidor
Point of Honor
by Douglas De Bono
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 03, 2000-MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Minnesota author, Douglas De Bono, receives acclaim for his new novel Point of Honor. Booknet, an Internet based book site, absolutely loved the book. A perusal of reader comments on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Borders indicates Mr. De Bono is being favorably compared to Stephen Coontz, Dale Brown, Stephen Hunter, and Tom Clancy.
Point of Honor is the prequel to Blood Covenant, even though it was published afterwards (don't you just love it when authors do that?), featuring Major Jim Harper. It is set six years after the Gulf War. Saddam Hussein wants revenge, and has managed to acquire a particularly deadly and persistent variant of VX nerve gas from the Chinese. When the Chinese deliver the agent, something goes wrong, and a U-2 spy plane making an unscheduled flight takes photographs of the results.
Harper is sent out with a team of marines and a civilian weapons expert. The civilian should never have been sent on the mission and the marines are unhappy with their orders. Support for the mission is unreliable, and Harper fears he has been sold out, again.
Harper is a good, strong character, and even if you have not met him before, you quickly come to like him. There is a lot of computer stuff in this book, the target of Harpers mission is a Data Canter, apparently the Iraqis use Oracle!
It's not surprising that databases are a subject of the book, since De Bono runs a database consulting firm called 'Systems Consulting'.
The story is quite long, but it gets going quickly and has a good mix of politics, technology and action. Think Dale Brown but with computers rather than aircraft.
The characters in the book are very well portrayed, and you get to learn their personalities very quickly. The reaction of the civilian weapons expert when he ends up in a real combat situation is very well handled.
The book starts of at a good pace, and there are some good scenes, especially when the submarine makes the transfer of the VX, and when the Americans go looking for the sub, yet the book still manages to pick up even more towards the end. I cannot say much without ruining the story, but there is something which could be vaguely described as a game of cat and mouse near the end, and it is a true page turner. I had planned to put the book down to get something to eat at the end of Chapter 28, but kept on reading, and reading, and finished the book! It's not often that happens to me, especially with this genre.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Dale Brown has had control of this kind of market for too long, and he had better watch out!
Booknet's website is http://www.booknet.org.uk.
Mr. De Bono is a life long native Minnesotan, Carleton College graduate, an avid shooter and a second-degree black belt. He manages his own consulting firm in the Twin Cities.
The line gets blurred, March 10, 2003
This is the first book that I have read by this author, but as ususal when I find an author that I love, my next step will be to buy the rest of his books. This book blurs the line between fact and fiction. I read it for hours at a time, because I just had to find out what would happen next. I haven't read many military thrillers, just a few of Clancy's, but I am hooked.
My favorite author is Dean Koontz. I have read all of his books, as well as all of Clive Cusslers and the Lahaye/Jenkins Left Behind series. If you like any of these authors, then you should give Douglas De Bonos Point of Honor a try- I don't think you will be disapointed.
--Jokeal Los Angeles, CA
Absolute page turner!, February 5, 2001
This book will distroy your ability to accomplis simple tasks.......until you finish it. It is a page turner that will keep you on the edge of your chair. Look forward to more thrillers from this author. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
--Sandra Abel Alexandria, Virginia
Point of Honor
by Douglas de Bono
Metropolis Ink,
February 2002, 380 pp.
ISBN: 0-9579858-6-X
Genre: Thriller
Subgenre: Military
Reviewed: 4/5/2003
Review Originally Appeared At:
http://www.mtbca.com/pointofhonor.html
Washington, D.C.
Saturday November 15, 1997 10:45 AM EST
"All right, so we’ve got our weapons expert and some marines to shoot bad guys. So who’s the computer whiz and team leader?" Lisa Borden, the Deputy Secretary of State asked.
"You have such a way with words, Lisa," snapped the NSA. He flipped the page on the briefing folder to a photograph of a soldier in fatigues. "May I present Major James Harper, United States Special Forces Retired. He will serve in both capacities."
Brian Stillwell found it somewhat curious that nowhere on the dossier or photograph was there an indication of service branch or unit designation. There were no insignia like Navy SEAL or DELTA. This Harper seemed as faceless and nameless as the spook sitting next to him. Special Forces was an ambiguous title.
"He was at the top on both lists of available personnel who fit our mission criteria," continued the spook. "Major Harper is conversant with most information technology likely to be encountered on the mission. He has previously broken into Iraqi computer systems and—"
Lisa Borden looked up from the briefing book. "It says under the psyche profile that he’s a born-again Christian." She laughed—not a very nice laugh. "You’re going to send some fruitcake Jesus freak on a mission into the desert? What are you, nuts?" Her voice rose with passion and volume. "Everyone knows these type of people favor Israel over everything else over there." Brian was unsure whether these type of people or Israel received more derision from Lisa Borden. But then, she was from the State Department, and American Foreign Policy seemed to be dedicated to a mission designed to deify Yassir Arafat and blame Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for most Arab terrorism.
"That’s all we need at the UN. Saddam gets his hands on a Jew-loving, Jesus freak on a black op to one of his presidential palaces. No, gentlemen, I’m afraid State can never approve of this choice. I—"
"Ma’am!" interrupted the Two Star. "I don’t care whether State will approve or disapprove of Jim Harper. From 1980 to 1992, he took care of some this country’s biggest problems. He’s something of a legend in the Spec War community. Most everything we know about the inside of Saddam’s computer network came from Jim, and one of the reasons you’re here today is because Jim Harper stopped a mess like this once before.
"I’ve had men under my command. I wish all of them were like Harper." Something seemed to boil out of the Two Star who no longer cared about promotion. He was obviously destroying his chance for career advancement. "We are going to send in a team without support, without backup, to find something the Red Chinese gave to a crazy man. Now the only reason we don’t go in with all guns blazing is because we want the Red Chinese to like us. So, we’ll ignore the problem of a sub running loose in the Gulf, and the transmission of a weapon to the Iraqis because it is politically expedient to do so. We’re talking about sending my friend back to hell, and you’re upset because he goes to church."
Six years after the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein still burns with the need to enact revenge upon the country that humiliated him. In China, he has had devised a more virulent form of VX nerve gas, otherwise known a the City Killer. On November 15, 1997, during a secret flyover, a U2 photographed the Chinese Han Class submarine 404 in the Persian Gulf, where they should not be. The 404 had been specially designed with an elevator to deliver the nerve gas. But when something goes terribly wrong with the delivery and some of the gas escapes, the Iraqis start shooting the Chinese sailors. Major Jim Harper is pulled out of an early retirement to go back to Iraq and gather data about what exactly happened in the Persian Gulf. Years earlier, Jim had lost his best friend in the Iraq dessert and sees this as a chance to enact some revenge on Saddam Hussein and his computer infrastructure. A team has been gathered by Louis Edwards, a man who has worked on black ops for the past twenty years. Going with Jim to Iraq will be four Force Recon Marines and Brian Stillwell, an expert on unconventional weapon systems. They intend to penetrate Iraq's central Data Center to find out exactly who, what, where, and how the Iraqis are preparing banned weapon systems. Jim is convinced that his best friend died because there is a mole somewhere high up in the US government. He tells Louis, right before he leaves for Iraq, that if he feels that his mission has been compromised again, he will come back and kill him. Of course, the mission is compromised.
Point of Honor is a Jim Harper thriller by Douglas de Bono. It is a fast-moving fictional tale based on actual happenings in Iraq. Douglas de Bona easily blends the lines between reality and fiction in this tale of a deceit and deception.
From the moment I met Jim Harper, I liked him. He is a very intriguing character because we learn that he was in the blackest of the black ops working secretly to keep the America a superpower. We do learn that he did a lot of work for Ronald Reagan in helped bring down the communists rule in the USSR. Douglas de Bono does an excellent job taking a bit of history, twisting is some to the right, turning it back to the left, and squeezing out a story that the reader will find hard to put down. Who is the mole that is passing the info to the Chinese? Will the mission into Iraq be as easy as it sounds? Will Jim make it out alive? All of these answers can be found in Point of Honor. I found reading this book at this time to be extremely poignant because Operation Iraqis Freedom started right before I picked up the book. I had just witnessed on the television what the desert in Iraq looked like, so that really helped me form a picture in my mind of where Jim and his crew were. If only Major Jim Harper were real, I am sure that President Bush would send him in first to wreck havoc with Iraqis personnel. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to any fan of military novels, or just to anyone that wants to have a pleasurable experience. Move over Rambo, now we have Major Jim Harper.
I rated this book an 8 out of 10.
![[Douglas De Bono / DouglasDeBono.Com]](logo05.jpg){kind=logo}
![[raphael]](http://www.parkerinfo.com/ring/raphael.jpg)
![[hbd]](http://www.parkerinfo.com/ring/hbd.jpg)
![[Netscape]](http://www.parkerinfo.com/ring/net3.gif)
![[PIR]](http://www.parkerinfo.com/ring/parker3.gif)
![[Douglas De Bono / DouglasDeBono.Com]](logo04.jpg){kind=logo}
