5 comments about The Dead Yard: A Novel.

1. This is a tough hard boiled thriller, until a woman is involved. And then our hero gets stupid. The author needs to make a commitment. A hero who is smart, tough and capable, or a wuss.



2. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the "Dead" trilogy by Adrian McKinty "Dead I May Well Be". And with that said, I did not have that high of expectations for the follow up book, unfortunately this has been my experience with some authors; a strong initial showing and then they just can't live up to the initial greatness. But the Dead Yard, surprised me.
   
   The plot seemed even more far fetched than the original; Michael Forsythe now in the federal witness protection program gets blackmailed by British intelligence into completing a seemingly impossible assignment: to infiltrate a radical IRA fringe cell in Boston. While unbelievable, the story is very entertaining. The hero, or anti-hero Michael is very likeable. He is almost forced into reacting to each situation he gets into, usually violently. He's just a nice guy, and a victim of circumstances beyond his control. I highly recommend the audio book version.



3. This fascinating story of life under cover shows how everything can turn into a dangerous test. If almost everyone you meet is a stranger reacting to someone who isn't you, the most innocent comment can turn fatal. Such a situation is almost totally isolating because you never get to be yourself and you don't know how many of the people you deal with may be acting the role of someone they aren't. Forsythe keeps track of who he really is by reminding himself of who he is pretending to be. He is careful not to be trapped by knowing too much history, not to be lured by understanding literary references, not to get it about North American politics. Still, as survival becomes the issue, caution has to stop.



4. It's been five years since Adrian McKinty's Michael Forsythe topped Darky White and his Harlem-based Irish gang in "Dead a Well May Be", an explosive and brilliantly crafted novel so black and cold, so brutal, that a simple 'noir' label is way to tame. But compared to "The Dead Yard", the predecessor is nearly docile, as the years have only hardened Forsythe's stone-cold skills and have sharpened McKinty's prose: beautiful poetry of violence, survival, and again, another staggering installment of vengeance.
   
   Innocently enough, "Yard" starts with young Michael on holiday in the Canary Island of Tennerife. But a football riot lands him in prison - again - and a Spanish one this time. Threatened with extradition to Mexico to finish out the sentence in Hell started in McKinty's debut novel, Forsythe is coerced into helping British Intelligence penetrate a rogue Irish terrorist cell in Boston. Michael succeeds on getting inside "The Sons of Cuchulainn" through a cockamamie plan concocted by M16 that was just daft enough to actually work. And soon Michael, the Irish bad boy we can't resist liking - albeit with a touch of guilty pleasure - is knockin' off banks and swapping tales of Ireland with his revolutionary new-found buddies, while seeming to bed every woman in sight, from the new boss's daughter to the agent in charge of his mission.
   
   But is this is beginning to sound like 007, take heart: author McKinty will have none of James Bond's suave and debonair foolishness, no fast women and faster cars, tuxedos, or martinis in these pages, but a surfeit blood, gore, and political idealism blinding common sense and clouding reality. Forsythe is the classic tragic hero and if, indeed, McKinty is idealistic in his own right, his passion blazes across the pages in fiery passages: "...will I despoil your corpse and throw your tattered carcass onto that black barge that Death steers into the silent sea..." Take that, Lord Byron! McKinty understands the use of foreshadow, carefully meting enough light to plot the course to come, but a steady hand on the meter insures the reader stays only engaged and curious.
   
   From the beginning of "Dead I Well May Be", where the reader sees a somewhat naive Michael Forsythe trying to figure out the ins-and-outs of both sides of the law in his adopted America, by the end of "The Dead Yard" we've seen a transition, a coming of age in America tale so ferocious, so shocking in cruelty and violence that even Cormac McCarthy begins to look a bit constrained. Yes, McKinty's rough words may offend your weaker sensibilities, and have others asking if he's gone too far. But for me, Adrian McKinty's brand of noir crime have earned him a prime spot at the table with the new masters like Bruen, Huston, Swierczynski, and Gischler. "The Bloomsday Dead" wraps up this trilogy, and I can't wait to see where McKinty will take Michael Forsythe and his continued epic journey to Hell and back. Superb stuff - "Slainte", Mr. McKinty!



5. I listen to books when I have to drive to LA, when I have to weed the garden or clean the windows or take the dogs for a long walk. This is one of those books that you don't want to get out of the car for. You want to plant more zenias. You want to repaint the entire house exterior! Good story, endearing protagonist, and the writing--it's intelligent, noir yet laugh out loud funny, and yes, lyrical, which I can't even imagine fully appreciating were it not for the masterful talent of the narrator, Gerard Doyle. I just discovered this author and can't wait to read more. BUY THIS AUDIBLE BOOK. You have hours of pleasure ahead!

2 comments about Proved Innocent.

1. Proved Innocent is the autobiography of Gerry Conlon. Gerry Conlon was one of the "Guildford Four", who were arrested in the Early 1970s to having bombed a pub in England for the IRA. None of them was connected to the IRA in any kind - they were convicted innocent. Only in 1989 they were released after fifteen years in prison.

   "If there is a hell, it's being in prison and knowing you're innocent." (Gerry Conlon)
   Reading this book you get an impression of the torture he went through, of this hell. At some states I surprised myself shaking my head while reading.

   Already in the beginning, when he talks about his childhood in Northern-Ireland I was shocked and fascinated at the same time: "I remember calling for a mate of mine one day and his mother coming to the door. When I asked if he was coming out, his ma said, `No Gerry - his brother Jim's wearing his clothes today'...." (Gerry Conlon)

   As you see from the above example, there is also a lot of background mentioned, which let me imagine what it must have meant to grow up in Belfast around 1970 and made me understand the complicated political and social situation in and around the Northern Ireland conflict.

   Further it is interesting to mention, that the whole book was written in Irish-accent. This makes it very authentic but it is something you need to get used to.

   Based on Gerry Conlon's autobiography a film was released in 1994 called "In the name of the father" by Jim Sheridan starring Daniel Day-Lewis as Gerry. Unfortunately I have not seen it yet but I if it's only half as captivating as the book it is worth watching it!




2. I was four years old when Gerry Conlon,Paul Hill,Paddy Armstrong and Carole Richardson where released from prison after Fifteen years of wrongful Imprisonment. I remember my mother calling us to watch it on the television. I recently read Gerry Conlon's Proved Innocent. It touched my heart. It is his story of his youth and his innocence being stolen. It is a story that is cruel and heartbreaking and would bring a tear to many an eye. It is also a story of true courage and hope. This is a story i will never forget because it gives the reader the strength to carry on. After reading this book, you will see why it gives one the strength and hope and courage to carry on.

1 comments about Requiem: Images of Ground Zero.

1. My friend and I actually went to the museum where many of these items depicted in the pictures were displayed. The photographs that Marlon took were real. The pics brought to life what those who were cleaning up after the attacks on the WTC were feeling. An awesome book!

1 comments about IntelCenter Terrorism Incident Reference (TIR): Algeria: 2000-2007 (Intelcenter Terrorism Incident Reference).

1. Let me start by saying that this is a tool, not entertainment, and it is a very specialized tool, not a broadly applicable or conceptual tool.
   
   Within these caveats, it is a superb reference. Within the period covered (2000-2007), and the geographical region (Algeria), it lists in chronological order, major terrorist events. To anyone researching terrorism within the period and area, this is priceless.
   
   Things that would radically increase the value for a relatively small effort:
   -Graphics; a simple map of Algeria, like the public domain ones from the CIA's online World Factbook, would give a lot of context to the nuggets cataloged here ("Oh, this incident happened right by that border crossing..."). A basic year by year plot of where terrorists were active would be great too ("Hmm, lots of bad stuff happened in this town, but not that one, I wonder why").
   -An index or tagging; every event is chronologically listed, but tagging by category would triple the value of this book, and a real index, perhaps by location and event type would have a lot of value. Tagging would really highlight events for a researcher that was trying to rapidly develop an assessment or other product.
   
   My only real criticism is sourcing. Every event has a news or other source. A few (I noticed eight or ten out of a few thousand events) had the IntelCenter as the source. For raw data like this, primary sources are best, and an analytical organization, no matter how reputable, doesn't normally qualify as a primary source. They may wish to protect confidential sources, and I respect that, but it can be a hard sell to a down-to-earth boss.
   Another piece of sourcing is that most incidents cite only a single source. Some of these event probably showed up in more media, but this reference usually only cites one. On the other hand, when they cite more than one, they get busy; one event cited AFP, Al-Jazeera, Xinhua, and others.
   Finally, a brief discussion of the biases of sources during the periond covered would be great for folks who haven't spent much time using these sources before.
   
   Others might criticize this work saying that all this information is freely availible, and that you're being charged for what you could get for free. True enough, but consider a little more carefully. First, some of the information is from paid services and not free. More important, I weigh the cost of this book against the time to run down all these nuggets of information, and the time and cost of getting many of them translated from Arabic and French (in most cases), the challenges of coordinating to do searches in Arabic and French, and the cost to benefit ratio looks extremely healthy to me.
   
   Don't let these shortcomings fool you. This is a worth-while investment for anyone who is researching within the scope (time, region, and subject) of this book. The writing is clear and concise, the layout is straight forward, and while not encyclopedic, it is complete enough to provide a solid starting point for research.
   
   A good tool for the job!
   
   (Review of a copy given to me by IntelCenter)
   
   E.M. Van Court

No comments about Five Deadly Arrows of Terrorism: Radiological Dispersion Devices, Chemical Weapons, Biological Weapons, Nuclear Weapons, Cyber Terrorism: a Manual of Informantion and Protection.

No comments about From 9/11 to Terror War: The Dangers of the Bush Legacy.

No comments about Biological And Chemical Terrorism: A Pharmacy Preparedness Guide.

5 comments about Not the End of the World.

1. Christopher Brookmyre is an unusual writer. His works are sort of detective fiction, sort of block buster thriller and sort of left wing satire. Until this book all of his books were set in Scotland. His first book quite ugly one morning introduced a new sort of hero, a short sarcastic investigative reporter called Parlabane.

   This book is set in Los Angles but one of the main characters is a visiting Scots photographer. The plot is as with his other works somewhat convoluted and ends in a climax which would not be out of place in a Bruce Willis movie. Along the way there is a ferocious satire of Baptist Evangelical Sects and the consumerist aspects of American life.

   The main attraction of the book apart from the non stop action is the fact that it is side splittingly funny. Brookmyre is one of the most amusing authors to write mystery fiction. The humour however has a distinctly adult bite to it.




2. NOT THE END OF THE WORLD is an apocalyptic millennial book that is dark comedy at its darkest. Although Brookmyre missed a bit on the facts and timing, this tale of fanatical religious zealots trying to destroy America and rebuild it in their image is unfortunately all too timely. The zealots in this fictional account are Christian, not Moslem; but when dealing with fanaticism the exact flavor scarcely matters. However, Brookmyre uses his book to mount a scathing attack on fundamentalism of any sort and simultaneously makes a compelling, albeit tragically jaded, case for atheism: "Some wee old spinster in Coatsbridge, in her hairy coat, plastic Rainmate and furry boots, nipping into the Co-op minimarket for a half-pound of cheap mince on the way home from the chapel, Scottish Catholic Universe under her arm, might tell herself she wasn't, spiritually speaking, doing any harm. But she'd be kidding herself. And acting the humble innocent wouldn't help. Hardline Islamics would have her on the dress-code, for a start. Vain, shameless slattern, flaunting herself like that in public, for all the world to see. Hindus wouldn't go a bundle on her planned ingestion of bloody flesh, or her wider complicity in the sacred animal's slaughter. Attendance at the 'temple of the Satanic anti-Christ of Rome' remains something of a no-no as far as the Scottish Free Presbyterians and Ian Paisley's mob are concerned. And as for a woman being able to read, well, ask the Taleban about that in Kabul. Then duck. Cumulatively, the world's religions could provide a God-given justification to hate anything about anybody. Steff had decided some years ago to hate them all back." And there is much more. In fact, Brookmyre's apparent vitriol toward organized religion is so strong that I am surprised the book was published in America at all.

   But those of us who are not offended by that point of view will find NOT THE END OF THE WORLD a terrific thriller, with a fascinating and ever-twisting plot that engages the reader throughout. Just when I thought I knew what would happen next the action took another unexpected but plausible turn. And the characterizations were engaging; even the villains had some sympathetic motivations to their heinous plans.

   Brookmyre has a darkly wicked sense of humor and pays homage to the Monty Python gang and Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, among others. All in all, NOT THE END OF THE WORLD is definitely worth a read, even though the dates in the book didn't quite pan out. People are still reading 1984, aren't they?




3. I am a big Brookmyre fan and was a little disappointed with his stab at a story set in the US. There Scottish connection is still there, with the main character a Scotsman, but the punch just wasn't there - which really is his trademark. Just read "Quite Ugly One Morning" and you will see. Don't get me wrong, I still liked the book, but it just wasn't up to his usual standard, that's all.



4. I actually bought this book because it, then, had a slight science fiction theme, and had received a sterling review in New Scientist. I ususally do not go for thrillers, but I do make now make exceptions for Christopher Brookmyre! This book is highly satirical, funny, grisly, and thoughtprovoking. The heroes work in porn industry, and the crooks are biblethumpers and "patriots".



5. From referring to Santa Monica as "Santa M" repeatedly to having his main character claim that he grew up in Los Angeles, Brookmyre is miles away from any reality of Los Angeles. His thinks-he's-so-brilliant quips and cliches are tired and show him to be a dull imitator of greats like Irvine Welsh. The absolte funniest/worst part of the book was his made up translation of an ancient document found on the island of Crete, containing gems such as "Often have I wondered, watching the rhytons being filled in sacrifice from a quaking beast's throat, would we do the same were it a cold, clear water that issued forth, and not this liquid jewel, this decorative prize?"
   
   In the end, Brookmyre's approach is too casual and cocky to be convincing and his prose is sub-par. Save yourself the 10 bucks of buying this book. Trust me.

5 comments about Guarding the Secrets: Palestinian Terrorism and a Father's Murder of His Too-American Daughter.

1. In November 1989 in St. Louis, the FBI inadvertently tape recorded the entire episode of a teenage girl's being killed by her Palestinian father and Brazilian mother (the Feds were looking for evidence of terrorism, which they also found). In a ghastly eight-minute sequence, Zein Isa stabbed his daughter Palestina thirteen times with a butcher's knife as his wife held the girl down and responded to Palestina's pleas for help with a brutal "Shut up!" The killing ends with Zein screaming "Die! Die quickly! Die quickly! . . . Quiet, little one! Die, my daughter, die!" By this time, she is dead.

   Harris, a St. Louis television reporter, has done admirable spade work going through the court transcripts and interviewing everyone connected to the case in an attempt to piece together the interlocking stories of family murder and active support of Abu Nidal's terrorist organization. In addition, she successfully conjures up the small and exceedingly unpleasant world of Zein Isa and his family of rabid anti-Americans living right in the American heartland. The murder culminates their lives of frustration, greed, and vulgarity. Unfortunately, Harris spent more effort digging up information than she did writing the book; so the more-than-casual reader must read and reread its pages to piece together the sequence of events and the scope of the Isa family's involvement with Abu Nidal. Doing so repays the effort, however, for Harris has compiled a treasure trove of materials on two usually elusive subjects.

   Middle East Quarterly, September 1995




2. This book starkly frames the force of hatred which overtook New York City and the world with the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. It relates specifically to Zein Isa's November 1989 murder of his daughter, Palestina. The West Bank immigrant and his Brazilian wife co-conspired in the brutal St. Louis murder of their teenage daughter, whose friendships they believed had endangered their terrorist plans.

   In their search for terrorists, the Federal Bureau of Investigation inadvertently taped the actual killing. Zein Isa and his wife were sentenced to death.

   The book reveals much about the village life in the West Bank, where most families, according to Maria Zein, belong to radical military groups whose ultimate goal is to destroy Israel. Many West Bank residents are actually "refugees from other countries." According Maria Zein's account, her husband knew "men from Syria, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi." Maria Zein told the author that her husband had traveled from the West Bank village of Beitin, to Jordan, Syria, Libya and Bolivia. He lived undetected for years in the US, and also claimed to have lived in Europe.

   The book reveals twisted morals, which condone murder for the sake of family honor. It unmasks intense hatred that evolved into conspiracies to slaughter Jews, blow up the Israeli embassy in Washington and to murder Tina because she posed a threat to these plans.

   It also exposes the frighteningly broad inroads that the Abu Nidal terrorists have made into American cities and life. Alyssa A. Lappen




3. This true-crime story is written in the sensationalistic fashion typical of the genre. It grabs your attention right from the beginning and doesn't let go.
   The author describes the irony of Tina Isa's life: to any otherAmerican family she would have been cherished as a charming, friendly, hard-working teen...
   The author also describes the network of Palestinian terrorist groups living in the U.S. and the role they might have played... This story is gripping and very informative because the author did a lot of research and provides so much background information about the Palestinian culture, the lives of generations of the Isa family, the Abu Nidal terrorist organization and more.
   ...



4. In the wake of the tradegy of 9/11 this book is eye-opening. It goes into detail about how this family/group operated here right under our noses.



5. This was such a horrible story of Palestinian parents who murdered there daughter. They called it all in the name of Honor for she was becoming to American. What it's called is murder. The story was not written very well though. The author was all over the place and did not keep the story in one place.
   
   The show forensic files has an episode on this. It gets to the point with out traveling all over the place as the book did.If your curious about the story wait for it to come on forensic files or look it up on line. There is tons of information on line about this tragic story of the lovely , kind innocent girl who did not deserve to die.

5 comments about Wake-Up Call: The Political Education of a 9/11 Widow.

1. I usually don't go in for biographies and I believe all the attention on 9/11 has been a distraction ... that being said, this booked really rocked me. The author is completely "real" and human. Within a few minutes you are identifying with her life and her hopes and dreams. When the tragic death of her husband and thousands of others occurs, you feel her shock and pain.
   This book points out why 9/11 is important. Not only do we need to come to grips with people in the world who want to do harm to Americans - we need to come to grips with a government that utterly failed Kristen, the other 9/11 survivors and victims, and all of us as citizens.
   The book is riveting and revealing. I encourage anyone who cares about our country to read this book!



2. Kristen Breitweiser gives us a compelling view of our government through the eyes of an average citizen. She takes us on a journey thorough her life with her husband before 9/11, through that awful day and then through the aftermath. Kristen and other 9/11 widows have been fighting for truth and accountability for the attacks since that tragic day and have had to overcome hurdles every step of the way. Kristen's strength and determination is inspiring.



3. This lady is certainly to be commended for maintaining her stamina to accomplish what she did with so many things going wrong. Anyone who has the disgusting attribute to slam these ladies when they were working for others as well as themselves needs to sit down in front of a mirror. There are so many reasons and more all the time actually that there should be another REAL investigation into the whole terrible tragedy of 9-11. I fully agree with them and applaud all they have done and are still trying to do. They say "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" and "God doesn't give you anything you can't handle" and I guess that would seem to be true in this case, however, as I know from my own life, no matter what kind of battle you are fighting it does take its toll on one's body. Good going to all you ladies who participated in this and what a wonderful book that was. Well written to the point I could hardly lay it down!



4. In "Wake Up Call", Kristin Breitweiser offers poignant, first-hand insight into the grave inadequecies, corrosive power struggles and chilling lack of democracy of our pre-9/11 government, as well as a piercing account of the blatant failures, deception, and exploitation of the Bush administration afterwards. Beautifully written with a generous, sensitive depiction of her personal life both before and after she lost her husband in the Tower 2 calamity (which she witnessed first-hand), Mrs. Breitweiser's thorough depiction of a country still frighteningly vulnerable to Al Quaida and other terrorists will make any reader sit up and take serious notice. The tenacity and determination of "The Jersey Girls" in the face of unspeakable personal tragedy and their ability to take on the enormous flaws of the Bush administration is an inspiration to all of us.
   
   Although the author tends to be repetitive and her alternative energy source argument would bear much more weight if she were to drive something other than a huge SUV, this book is a must for every American citizen. It could easily become an important Political Science college textbook if it hasn't already.
   
   K.V.D. San Jose, California



5. Powerful, moving, honest. The best kind of writing is the kind that comes straight from the heart. You can feel the anger, pain and love flow over the pages. A story that takes you inside the heart of one who lost so much on that day and fought so hard to get to the truth of what happened and what culpability level of our government. Gripping, hard to put down, you know you should just read it. You won't regret it.