The Afghan: a novel by Frederick Forsyth

Inside al-Qaeda ****


Frederick Forsyth first came to prominence many years ago as author of The Day of the Jackal. His current novel, The Afghan, is ripped from today's headlines as it concerns efforts by the U.S. and U.K. intelligence to stymie another al-Qaeda plot. They have picked up a codeword for a major operation but have no idea of the nature of the operation or the intended target. They decide the only way to find out is to plant an agent inside al-Qaeda, a risky proposition, to put it mildly. A captive at Guantanamo prison camp known as the Afghan is ostensibly deported back to Afghanistan but in reality is taken elsewhere while Colonel Mike Martin is inserted into Afghanistan as the returned Afghan. He escapes and manages to insert himself into the al-Qaeda operation.

Forsyth's writing style is dry, detached, ducumentary in nature, a welcome change from James Patterson's breezy pablum. There is one flaw in the well constructed plot. If the intelligence agencies believe a major al-Qaeda strike is imminent, why would they take months to train Martin for insertion into al-Qaeda? The timing seems odd.

Otherwise, this is an enjoyable novel that I can recommend.