Author Frederick Forsyth blends the daily headlines about terrorism and Middle Eastern turmoil, adds scoops of excitement and sprinkles in intriguing characters. That's his recipe for an easily digested, action-spy novel, The Afghan (2007, Corgi Books, Great Britain, 463 pages).
The competent and resourceful Forsyth starts with an obvious plot that pits British and American national-security agents against Al Queda's stop-at-nothing extremists. A captured computer shows messages that imply the terrorists plan something big, but with no details of what, where or when.
Can retired British colonel Mike Martin, the protagonist, travel to the core of terrorism and infiltrate Al Queda? Will he learn more about the potentially devastating terrorist strike in time to foil it? Mike's mission sounds like a long shot, even suicidal, but he suspends his retirement project, renovating a massive barn into a dream home, to grapple with evil.
“On a freezing, pitted highway Mike Martin permitted himself one last glance behind him. The red lights of the pick-up were gone. He turned and walked on. Within a hundred yards he had become the Afghan.”
To succeed, the Iraqi-born Mike must assume the identity of Izmat Khan, a former Taliban commander incarcerated at the brutal American prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. His transformation must be total, even replicating a bullet wound in Khan's thigh. But can any Westerner really pass as an Arab among Arabs?
“Come on, Terry, we both know that's impossible. A native-born Arab would quite possibly be turned and work against us. As for a non-Arab, forget it. We both know all Arabs come from extended families, clans, tribes. One enquiry of the family or clan and the imposter would be exposed.”
But the real Khan shows courage too. He surrenders neither information, nor hope. The Americans have captured him, but he has a long history of escaping from tough situations to fight again.
“In the dying August sun, he knelt on the shale high above where his dead family lay, turned west towards Mecca, bowed his head to the ground and prayed. But it was a different prayer this time; it was a mighty oath, a sworn vendetta, a personal jihad unto death and it was against the people who had done this. He declared war on America.”
This story trails two Afghans, a real one imprisoned in a strange land and a false one pretending to return home. Real-life characters, like Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar, hover at the fringes. If a British military man can infiltrate Al Queda, then surely he should engineer bin Laden's demise too. Therefore, critics may scoff at the plot as unrealistic.
At moments when excitement wanes and the story falters, it's because Forsyth gets overly meticulous with details. He believes almost too much in fully explaining what happens and why.
“For the global intelligence community, Belgium has long been the leaky bucket. Since 1990, a staggering 19,000 Belgian ‘blank’ passports have been reported stolen – and that is according to the Belgian government itself. In fact, they were simply sold by civil servants on the take.”
Like fellow British author Jeffrey Archer, Forsyth likes to tell nearly everything that happens to almost everyone. At least, this helps to explain motivations, including those of extremists. “The returnees were ill educated, having been taught by barely literate imams. They knew nothing of life, of women (most lived and died virgins) or even of their own tribal cultures as Izmat had learned from his father. Apart from the Koran, they know only one thing: war.”
Few authors have accomplished more than Forsyth, who lives in Hertfordshire, England. His bestsellers include The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File and The Dogs of War.
The Afghan falls short of brilliance, but lands close enough for most readers to enjoy the adventure. With the world's fate at stake, exciting moments easily outweigh the tedious ones.
Approval rating: 68 per cent.
For more information: www.rbooks.co.uk or www.booksattransworld.co.uk.
(May 19, 2009)
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