From Publishers Weekly
Veteran espionage writer Littell, whose 1973 debut,
The Defection of A.J. Lewinter, prompted critics to compare him to such British masters as Eric Ambler and John le Carré, stumbles a bit with his take on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, set in a near, post–George W. Bush future. An unnamed woman, who will remind many of Hillary Clinton, is president of the U.S., while, less plausibly, the Palestinian Authority is led by Arafat's successor, who's also nameless. Given Hamas's electoral victory in early 2006, the plot, which centers on yet another U.S.-brokered effort to create a lasting Middle East peace, has already been overtaken by events. The relationship between a terrorist leader and his hostage, a right-wing rabbi and agitator, may intrigue those who can overlook the dated scenario.
(Sept.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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From AudioFile
Writing fiction about the volatile Middle East is risky--events in that region are happening so fast that a book can quickly seem outdated. Thanks to Scott Brick's capable reading of Littell's latest, one hardly notices the part of the story that isn't quite current. A female U.S. president is trying to negotiate peace between the Palestinian authority and Israel when a right-wing rabbi is kidnapped and held hostage by a radical terrorist. Brick especially excels in the way he handles the wry exchanges between captor and captive. As one listens, one realizes how much these supposed opposites are alike. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
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