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Executive Times |
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2006 Book Reviews |
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The
Scorpion’s Gate by Richard A. Clarke |
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Rating: |
*** |
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(Recommended) |
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Click on
title or picture to buy from amazon.com |
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Stinging There’s one overwhelming reason for
reading Richard A. Clarke’s first novel, The
Scorpion’s Gate: the knowledge, perspective, and experience of the
author. Clarke spent thirty years as a civil servant, and advised four
presidents on security and terrorism. He resigned in 2003 to write a work of
non-fiction, Against
All Enemies, about the war on terror (we rated that one three stars in June
2004). Freed from all constraints in choosing fiction, we gain Clarke’s
insight about the Middle East by him setting the novel in 2010, and through
his creative portrayal of individuals holding key roles (like a Secretary of
Defense who stifles all debate). Here’s an excerpt, from the beginning of
Chapter 3, “February 2,” pp. 52-58: Brian Douglas drove his
own car, a green Jaguar, from his beach villa out of town to the Juffair district, home to ASU Bahrain, as the American
Fifth Fleet headquarters was known. The sixty-acre compound was surrounded by
a high sand-colored masonry wall. A Marine in combat gear stopped the Jag and
directed “Please
open the hood, trunk, all four doors, and back away from the car, sir,” a
female Marine with an M16 rifle said, as another Marine approached with a
German shepherd. As he stood aside and watched the dog sniff its way through
the Jaguar, Cleared
to proceed, Douglas
had no sooner been seated in the waiting room when a large man in a Navy
flight jacket bounded into the suite and right up to “Come
on in, Bri. Ensign, two big mugs of coffee. Just choppered in from two days on the Reagan.” The British SIS station chief followed in the admiral’s
wake into the cavernous office. “Sorry
I haven’t had you over since I got in last month, but it’s been a whirlwind
of get-to-know-you meetings up and down the Gulf. I’ve memorized more royal
family trees in the last week than I did studying European history,” Admiral
Adams continued, moving across the room. “Here, let’s sit at the conference
table. You know my N-2, the intel guy here, Johnny
Hardy.” The three men sat at the long staff table. “Johnny,
Brian Douglas and I first got to know each other back in twenty-oh-three in
the Green Zone, chasing bad guys, when I was assigned to CENTCOM staff in “Well,
Admiral, I appreciate your willingness to see me on such short notice.” “You’ve
been stationed in “Well,
sir, as you know, I served here as a station officer during Desert Storm,
then Baghdad after the Second Gulf War, now back here as SIS station chief
for Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. I’m completing twelve
years in the Gulf, ‘fraid to say.” “You
must like it here in The
admiral jumped in. “Lots of people do. “Hell, I wouldn’t be an admiral
without “I
think it may have been my people, the Picts, who
painted themselves blue, but yes, this is a very ancient, well-fought-over
piece of turf. Which is why I wanted to see you, sir,” the station chief
said, trying to get the conversation back on track. “Yes,
Brian, you’re not here to discuss history. What’s up?” “I’ve
already been on to your embassy and told my brethren from the Agency, but I
wanted to pass it directly to you as well.” Brian Douglas withdrew a paper
from inside his suit coat and read, “Highly reliable SIS sources have
revealed that the Iranian Qods Force has designated
ASU-Bahrain as a target for a terrorist-style attack, probably within the
next four weeks. The sources also reveal that “Interesting.
You’re the second group to tell me today that my little base here will be the
target for an attack. That’s why we are on a high force protection status, Threatcon Charlie. Of course, I did that myself after the
Diplomat and The
British spy coughed and sipped the heavily milk-laden coffee. “With all due
respect to the Pentagon, the import of our report is that “Well,
whoever it is, they will have a hard time. This place is buttoned up tight,
Admiral,” the N-2 asserted. “Maybe,
Johnny, maybe, but any place can be struck. I can step up protection, but the
way to handle this is to get them before they get us.” The admiral leaned
across the table toward “The
Bahraini Security Service is very good, SIS-trained.” “I
also have SEALs and a Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security
Team here if they need any help.” Brad Adams got up out of his chair. “They prefer
the offense to sniffing around diplomats’ Jags.” Brian laughed; “Bloody
mess, tragedy really,” “Yes,
yes it was, Brian. I thought it was the right thing to do. Shit, everyone
thought they had WMD. But with us gone, it’s still a mess. The Shi’a aren’t going to be able to
put down that Sunni insurgency. It’s been going on for years and no sign of
letting up. The Kurds are probably going to formalize their independence and
then we’ll see what “I’m
leaving for As
Brian Douglas drove out through the A debut novel rarely garners a
three-star rating, and Clarke’s prose contains heaps of opportunities for
improvement (dialogue, clichés, character development, implausible plot
progressions). The
Scorpion’s Gate is recommended for gaining a glimpse into what this
former advisor can reveal now that all his constraints are removed. His pen stings, and he shows a path to improved international
relations. He remains apolitical, but has a point of view that’s clear and
specific. Steve Hopkins,
May 25, 2006 |
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The recommendation rating for
this book appeared in the June 2006
issue of Executive Times URL for this review: http://www.hopkinsandcompany.com/Books/The
Scorpion's Gate.htm For Reprint Permission,
Contact: Hopkins & Company, LLC • E-mail: books@hopkinsandcompany.com |
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