| Title | : | The Fist of God |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0553572423 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780553572421 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 573 |
| Publication | : | First published April 1, 1994 |
From the behind-the-scenes decision-making of the Allies to the secret meetings of Saddam Hussein's war cabinet, from the brave American fliers running their dangerous missions over Iraq to the heroic young spy planted deep in the heart of Baghdad, Forsyth's incomparable storytelling skill keeps the suspense at a breakneck pace. Somewhere in Baghdad is the mysterious "Jericho," the traitor who is willing--for a price--to reveal what is going on in the high councils of the Iraqi dictator. But Saddam's ultimate weapon has been kept secret even from his most trusted advisers, and the nightmare scenario that haunts General Schwarzkopf and his colleagues is suddenly imminent, unless somehow, the spy can locate that weapon--The Fist of God--in time. Peopled with vivid characters, brilliantly displaying Forsyth's incomparable, knowledge of intelligence operations and tradecraft, moving back and forth between Washington and London, Baghdad and Kuwait, desert vastnesses and city bazaars, this breathtaking novel is an utterly convincing story of what may actually have happened behind the headlines.
The Fist of God Reviews
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This gripping novel is set against the backdrop of the Gulf War of 1991
It is jam packed with suspense and action and we never know who will survive and who wont
We see into the inner workings of the governments and secret services of the USA , UK and Israel
As well as into the chilling terror of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship and get a glimpse of Saddam's evil mind as well as the unbelievable cruelty of Hussein and his minions such as the head of his secret police Amn -al -Amn Omar Khatib and General Abdullah Kadiri , men who delight in the most horrific cruelties on those who get in their way.These tortures and deaths are harrowing to read especially the one of that poor Iraqi prostitute who was raped brutally multiple times and then beaten to death after being caught spying for the Americans!
The heroes of the story include Mike Martin , a SAS agent working in Baghdad and Don Walker , a US Air Force Fighter Pilot
I was a bit disappointed about the way he dealt with the MOSSAD operations in Vienna. As an admirer of the MOSSAD Id have hoped that their antics would have been more heroic and gripping than his story of a MOSSAD agent romancing a lonely and dowdy female bank worker in order to get bank secrets and then abandoning her
The central message of the novel-outlined in the postscript is the terrible danger the West is putting herself bu not stopping the nuclear weapon programmes of countries like Iran and Pakistan! -
***** AWESOME READ*** ***TYPICAL FORSYTH***
4 STARS - INFORMATIVE,GRIPPING,INTRIGUING,PRECISE DETAILING , ROLLER COASTER RIDE.
What an amazing book from Forsyth !! The breath taking moments that happen with the Lead character Mike martin who does the spying job for the British in" Iraq occupied Kuwait and ruthless streets of Baghdad" to clinch the astonishing secrets of Saddam's Mindset to 'war and victory' and also the revelation of the possibility of Iraq possessing Qubth ut allah or simply 'the fist of god' which is a Nuclear Bomb if engaged could change the Fate of all the Arab Nations.
The link up of Mike Martin and Jericho( a double agent) was fabulous and it escalates the tension and curiosity to a heart stopping level as they had to work in an extremely confidential way so as to avoid falling into the hands of diligent and dexterous Hassan Rahmani(counter intelligence) and the ruthless Head of secret police Omar khatib.
Through the Jericho source , Mike finds the truth about the existence of THE NUCLEAR WEAPON .. and ventures into a mission to find and destroy it.
The novel is a balanced blend of fact and fiction .
This book is also a testament to the sheer perseverance and research Forsyth had put in to make it an unparalleled craft in this genre.
The book takes you to a journey in the arab world which is tension filled , action packed , informative and breath-taking.
A must read to all Geopolitical aficionados.
-Gautam -
Description: From the behind-the-scenes decision-making of the Allies to the secret meetings of Saddam Hussein's war cabinet, from the brave American fliers running their dangerous missions over Iraq to the heroic young spy planted deep in the heart of Baghdad, Forsyth's incomparable storytelling skill keeps the suspense at a breakneck pace. Somewhere in Baghdad is the mysterious "Jericho," the traitor who is willing--for a price--to reveal what is going on in the high councils of the Iraqi dictator. But Saddam's ultimate weapon has been kept secret even from his most trusted advisers, and the nightmare scenario that haunts General Schwarzkopf and his colleagues is suddenly imminent, unless somehow, the spy can locate that weapon--The Fist of God--in time. Peopled with vivid characters, brilliantly displaying Forsyth's incomparable, knowledge of intelligence operations and tradecraft, moving back and forth between Washington and London, Baghdad and Kuwait, desert vastnesses and city bazaars, this breathtaking novel is an utterly convincing story of what may actually have happened behind the headlines.
rosado mp3. Walkies!
Great for the ears above shanks's pony; an engrossing story set during Iraq I. When will dictators stop annexing countries at whim!
WAR IN THE GULF: BAGHDAD REFUGE; Hussein's Nuclear-Proof, Buried Fortress
5* The Day of the Jackal
4* The Odessa File
3* The Fourth Protocol
4* The Dogs of War
4* The Devil's Alternative
2* The Afghan
4* The Fist of God
3* The Kill List
5* The Shepherd -
I read FIST OF GOD years and years ago - before I knew of Goodreads, and therefore, before I wrote reviews. However, I did keep a computerized spreadsheet of books read with ratings. I imported the books and my ratings into Goodreads. Even without my review, my recollection of a few outstanding books remain: Frederick Forsyth’s novels which are branded in my mind as remarkably unforgettable ( along with Ken Follett and the early Nelson DeMille novels). I give few 5 stars-even to Mr. Forsyth- but this one is SO outstanding and richly deserves ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ !
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The first few chapters of Forsyth's Persian Gulf War espionage thriller are a little wooden - stock characters, cliched dialogue - but once the plot is established and takes over, that's all you care about. I'm not one who likes the blending of fact and fiction in these types of novels, and I was constantly googling to see what characters were invented, whether Iraq actually did have a nuclear weapon in 1990, and how Scuds compared to the al-Husayn missiles. There are some brutal torture scenes. Not everyone lives to see the end of the book. With the exception of Margaret Thatcher, its female characters don't come off well. Its twisty turns, particularly at the end, make it a slightly above average thriller.
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The Fist Of God is a wonderfully tense, highly readable thriller on the First Gulf War. Forsyth carries his readers into the intrigue of the Middle East, and inside the minds of the decision makers in their headquarters in Washington, London, Baghdad, and Saudi Arabia. Frederick Forsyth uses his excellent journalistic way of writing (brief, effective descriptions, dialogue that is actually interesting, well chosen settings, and a wonderful mix of fictional drama and real-life) to effortlessly carry the reader into a world that is as exciting as it is intelligent. A top-notch geopolitical thriller.
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One of my favourite books on earth! I love the character of Mike Martin and the strange coincidence of events that occur.
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Una de las mejores novelas del autor en mi opinión, nos aleja del típico escenario del comunismo soviético y sitúa la historia en la Guerra del Golfo. Nos relata el ascenso al poder de Saddam Hussein, su brutalidad y sadismo, su falta de empatía, y las características de la sociedad iraquí. Muy bueno como thriller pero también incluso como novela histórica, para cualquiera interesado en conocer más sobre este conflicto. Curiosamente, una parte de la novela predice el caos que sufriría más tarde Iraq en la vida real, con la invasión de 2003 y la consecuente guerra civil entre las diferentes etnias y sectas que habitan el país.
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I picked this up in a charity shop in Scarborough in late July 2013.
If you like FF he never lets you down. The military James Bond. Odds stacked against. The nature of the detailed writing and the techniques deployed to build suspense, evolve character and occasionally shock delivers, as always, and I've read a handful of his work, the un-put-down-able novel.
Icon. Avenger. The Day of the Jackal. France, The Middle East, Russia.
He's the master of the genre. And he's at it again here in the thick of Saddam Hussein's Baghdad. -
کتابی بسیار جذاب و خواندنی بر اساس داستان جنگ موسوم به خلیج در سال ۱۹۹۰ و تصرف کویت توسط صدام....... فورسایت مثل گذشته با بهره گیری از یک موضوع تاریخی- سیاسی داستان خودش را روان و همراه با تعلیق و فراز و فرود مناسب نقل می کند به طوری که جدا شدن از کتاب را برای خواننده مشکل میکند...
این داستان بیانگر دیکتاتوری حاکم برای حکومت بعثی است به طوری که وزرای کابینه هم از خشونت صدام در امان نبودند. و همچنین دلایل شروع جنگ و استدلال و هدف صدام از تصرف کویت را بیان می کند... -
This was a buddy read with my husband! He clearly is not going to post a review, and I have waited long enough, so here goes...
- If The Fourth Protocol was a study in tenacity, this one was a study in courage.
- Forsyth is a maestro of real information.
- He did a fabulous job of humanising the enemy! Is it wrong of me to have wanted a Rehmani-Martin meet? Probably!
Love it. I will always love it. -
La superabundancia de datos técnicos militares ralentiza una trama por lo demás interesante.
El saber el final de la historia no ayuda al interés, claro.
Me gusta, en general, como escribe Forsyth...pero aquí creo que se enloda demasiado con la documentación militar.
Muy recomendable para grandes forofos del armamento militar. Y muy muy muy documentado. -
https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202... -
149 - 2017
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داستانش بد نبود. از بخش اطلاعات نظامیش خوشم اومد.
ولی خیلی گزارش گونه نوشته بود که فکر کنم در ترجمه این اتفاق افتاده بود. ترجمه آقای قصاع بود و معمولاً همین طوره. خیلی خشک و رسمی!
تا نیمه اول داستان کسل کننده بود. نیمه دوم هم اونقدری هیجان نداشت که نشه کنار گذاشتش، ولی بهتر از قبل میشد. -
The second Frederick novel I’ve read after ‘The Day Of The Jackal’ and packed with the same precise detail as the first. Focusing on the first Gulf war, it tells the story of an S.A.S veteran who goes behind enemy lines to prevent Saddam detonating WMD. Now, to call Mr Forsyth thorough is to say that Saddam has a bit of a bad temper, and whilst this can be a little frustrating in the beginning it does prove worthwhile in the end. Through the allies of the main character Forsyth skillfully portrays the methods of the british S.I.S and the Israeli Mossad in extracting the secrets from within their relevant enemies. These make for some of the most interesting threads of the story, the unassuming, normal and innocent people they use to gain the information they require from each others governments.
The inner workings of the Iraqi regime and how Saddam must have controlled his minister’s is another of the sub plots of the story, along with the A.M.A.M, the Iraqi secret police, and how an organisation like that can control a population.
Overall, 7-10, you can imagine everything in this novel actually happening and the concise annotation of events and the clandestine operations and conversations of the characters put Fred as one of the best for military/spy/espionage thrillers. -
Forsyth è un maestro del genere spy-story, autore di romanzi come: "Il giorno dello sciacallo", "I mastini della guerra", "Dossier Odessa", "Il Quarto Protocollo" e molti altri. E' indubbiamente uno dei miei scrittori preferiti in questo genere e lo metterei con Ludlum, Le Carrè, Cruz Smith, direttamente sul podio.
Questa storia è meravigliosa, uno dei migliori dell'autore, se non il migliore, documentato tramite una fittissima ricerca dove si riesce a mischiare molto bene realtà e fantasia, prendendo le mosse dalla storia reale del super cannone; l'inizio è molto analitico entrando nel dettaglio di tutte le problematiche relative alle forniture di armi e tecnologia da parte di USA ed Europa all'Iraq di Saddam nel periodo in cui si cercava di usare l'Iraq per mettere i bastoni tra le ruote all'Iran.
La storia: poco prima dello scoppio della Guerra del Golfo, l'agente segreto inglese Mike Martin scopre che le truppe di Saddam dispongono di una misteriosa e potentissima arma denominata "Il pugno di Dio", un ordigno in grado di rovesciare completamente le sorti del conflitto. Nonostante l'incredulità dello Stato Maggiore, Martin riesce a infiltrarsi a Baghdad e a preparare un audace piano di sabotaggio.
Spionaggio, azioni dietro le linee, tanta tecnologia e spiegazioni da manuale nel più puro stile Forsyth. Ho letto tutti i suoi libri e questo è diventato subito il mio preferito perchè è avvincente, interessante e verosimile.
Consiglio vivamente la lettura di questo libro, sia per la parte puramente romanzata, ma anche per quella storica di ricerca, da ottimi spunti di riflessione su quello che era, ormai parliamo di una decina d'anni fa, lo scacchiere mediorientale.
Forsyth è un maestro indiscusso di questo genere. -
I had loved Forsyth's The Day of the Jackal, the first book I read from this author, and also the first one I read through Bookcrossing. So it is no wonder that I also really liked this one. Even though the theme is very different (The Day of the Jackal is about an attempted murder of General de Gaulle and this one is about the first Gulf War and the liberation of Kuwait), they both share an attention to detail, accuracy of information, suspense and a great ability to mix historical facts with a fiction plot. A really well crafted and hard to put down book. I read its nearly 600 pages like a breeze and I am not a particularly fast reader.
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One of the things that makes Forsyth so great, as was true in this book, is that you can't find the line between fact and fiction. Fist of God was great in that way. He sets the table with non-fiction and then starts the rollercoaster.
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This was set during the Gulf War and the author obviously spent a lot of time researching for this story. It was a gripping, awe inspiring tale. A little gruesome for my taste, especially the ending, but still, a very enjoyable read.
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I wrote him to complain that I didn't think the ending was fair ... and he wrote me back a handwritten note explaining why he thought he'd been perfectly fair! ;-) But I was just a kid and like an idiot, I lost the note. :-(
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Took me a while to get through this book, mainly because it was waaay out of my comfort zone.
Even though at parts ( soo much information 🙈 ) I really wanted to keep this book away, the tale is very very gripping. I just had to find out the end of it. -
I couldn't put this down. Fascinating and gives a look into war in middle east.
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Good read. A little heavy on the military details in parts. Good fictionalized account of first Iraq war with some interesting twists. Dialogue good but not a big page turner.
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The Fist of the God is an edge of the seat war thriller detailing the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and the US and British response to curtail Saddam Hussein's advance. As the Iraqi army advances, western countries mobilize to launch an all out war, looking for a reason to attack Iraq. To understand the motives of the Tikriti Saddam Hussein, the British intelligence enlists the help of two British brothers , one an academic with in depth knowledge of the Arab culture and world and the other a hardened SAS soldier, who's job is to go on ground and report back from the war zone.
As the deadline for a western assault closes by, the brothers discover an ace in the hands of Hussein in the form of an unknown weapon which can devastate the American assault. In a race against time the agencies work to solve the puzzle of the Fist of God.
A beautiful mix of facts and fiction, the novel reads like a spy thriller, throwing actual war strategies, political decisions led by actors like Saddam Hussein, General Norman Schwarzkpof and the spooks at CIA and MI6, which went about shaping the events. Extremely well researched and detailed the book is a must read for any spy thriller fan. -
At the mention of Frederick Forsyth, one always thinks of the The Day of the Jackal or/and the Odessa Files.
In my opinion The Fist of God, outranks both the global best sellers.
If someone wants to read just ONE Fredrick Forsyth novel and asks me for a recommendation, without battling an eye lid I would recommend this book - The Fist of God.
A fast paced thriller that I believe all will enjoy.
A must read novel.... -
Great book. this will give you a comprehensive detail of the Iraq invasion of Kuwait and what went afterwards. Frederick Forsyth is a great storyteller with a keen eye on the details.
And the climax in the end is amazing :).. worth reading it.
