The Afghan

Review The Forsyth Formula, al-Qaeda version: A sort of post-9/11 apocalyptic western, this thriller pits White Guys against Black Turbans, the daring forces of freedom versus the jihadi doers of evil.Should Hasbro ever decide it needs a new G.I. Joe, Mike Martin's their man. The latest action figure from the Forsyth franchise (Avenger, 2003, etc.), he's a craggy Scot summoned from a wee bit of rest and relaxation at his Hampshire retreat back into the endless global fray. The listening department of Pakistan's Counter-Terrorism Center has, through cell-phone surveillance, unearthed a plot. One of Osama bin Laden's financiers has already, clutching his laptop, hurled himself from a balustrade to protect the plans. Hi-tech British cunning retrieves the info, which reveals schemes for ''Al Isra,'' the biggest potential attack yet. To penetrate al-Qaeda, U.K./U.S. intelligence makes a mole of Martin, passing him off as Izmat Khan, ex-Taliban bigwig serving time in Gitmo. Mirror images of each other, the men are archetypal warriors, Khan a stoic Afghan outraged by the Russian invasion of his country and conned by desperation into bin Laden's service, Martin a 25-year veteran of killing missions-the Falklands, the Balkans, the Middle East. Plus, passing for Khan is easy for multilingual Martin, son of an oil-company executive stationed in Iraq. He even looks the part: ''olive-skinned, black-haired and eyed, lean and very hard of physique.'' Martin's mission earns him martyrdom, but only after all kinds of derring-do involving a ship called The Countess of Richmond, characters screaming ''Eject, eject!'' and a cameo appearance by John Negroponte.Gun-club porn-packed with stodgily accurate descriptions of weapons and acronymic slang. Hardly subtle, just bang-bang galore. (Kirkus Reviews) Literary Review Exciting, frightening, instructive.

When British and American intelligence discover an al Qaeda operation in the works, they enlist undercover imposter Colonel Mike Martin to pass himself off as Taliban commander Izmat Khan. But nothing prepares Martin for the dark and shifting world into which he is about to enter-or the terrible things he will find there.

Library Journal

American and British intelligence services discover that al Qaeda is planning something major and horrific that will likely occur somewhere in the United States. However, since neither country has operatives on the inside, they have no idea what or where. Enter retired British army Col. Mike Martin, who first appeared in Forsyth's The Fist of God. Martin's job is to assume the identity of an imprisoned Taliban member and infiltrate al Qaeda. This is plausible because he is lean, dark-complexioned, of part-Indian descent, and was raised in Iran. Martin becomes the titular Afghan and begins a dangerous and frightening journey toward discovering what appalling act the terrorists are planning and putting a stop to it. Typical of Forsyth's work (e.g., The Day of the Jackal and Avenger), this is a tense story of technology vs. evil, the latter in this case a mind-numbing degree of fanaticism. Even though it starts slowly, it builds to an exciting climax that makes the read well worth it. Recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/06.]-Robert Conroy, Warren, MI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

When British and American intelligence catch wind of a major Al Qaeda operation in the works, they instantly galvanize- but to do what? They know nothing about it: the what, where, or when. They have no sources in Al Qaeda, and it's impossible to plant someone. Impossible, unless . . . The Afghan is Izmat Khan, a five-year prisoner of Guantánamo Bay and a former senior commander of the Taliban. The Afghan is also Colonel Mike Martin, a twenty-five-year veteran of war zones around the world-a dark, lean man born and raised in Iraq. In an attempt to stave off disaster, the intelligence agencies will try to do what no one has ever done before-pass off a Westerner as an Arab among Arabs-pass off Martin as the trusted Khan. It will require extraordinary preparation, and then extraordinary luck, for nothing can truly prepare Martin for the dark and shifting world into which he is about to enter. Or for the terrible things he will find there. Filled with remarkable detail and compulsive drama, The Afghan is further proof that Forsyth is truly master of suspense. When British and American intelligence catch wind of a major Al Qaeda operation in the works, they instantly galvanize--but to do what? They know nothing about it: the what, where, or when. They have no sources in Al Qaeda, and it's impossible to plant someone. Impossible, unless-- The Afghan is Izmat Khan, a five-year prisoner of Guantanamo Bay and a former senior commander of the Taliban. The Afghan is also Colonel Mike Martin, a twenty-five-year veteran of war zones around the world--a dark, lean man born and raised in Iraq. In an attempt to stave off disaster, the intelligence agencies will try to do what no one has ever done before--pass off a Westerner as an Arab among Arabs.--From publisher description. A nearly impossible undercover mission may be the only chance to stop a terrorist attack in this action-packed thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Frederick Forsyth.When British and American intelligence discover an Al Qaeda operation in the works, they need a man on the inside to get ahead of a possible attack. They enlist Colonel Mike Martin, a hardened veteran, to go undercover. Colonel Martin prepares to pass himself off as former senior Taliban commander Izmat Khan and infiltrate the enemy. But nothing can prepare Martin for the dark and shifting world he is about to enter—or the terrible things he will find there. In order to gain information about a major Al Qaeda operation, British and American intelligence decide to try and pass off a Westerner as an Arab among Arabs, with Colonel Mike Martin taking on the identity of Afghan Izmat Khan, a five-year prisoner at Guantánamo Bay and a former senior commander of the Taliban