The Doppleganger (The Afghan - Frederick Forsyth)

Member Name: QueenElf

Product:	The Afghan - Frederick Forsyth
Date:	05/08/07 (154 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: High adventure, scary at times.

Disadvantages: Too many co-incidences

Frederick Forsythe, the author of many thriller novels featuring International affairs is probably best known for his novel, “the Day of the Jackal.”
Born in the UK in 1938 his career spans decades of involvement in political affairs. From a RAF pilot to a correspondent for Reuters and later as a TV reporter and then a journalist, it is no surprise that he eventually turned to writing political thrillers.
I bought “The Afghan” for my son-in-law who left it behind for me to read. I don’t normally read this kind of literature, but with the world slowly being undermined by terrorism I thought it might be time I tried some books that touched on current affairs. Nobody could fail to be touched in some ways by the events of 9/11 and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan. A political lightweight, I had only the reports from TV to help me to understand the extent of terrorism. Personally I doubt that many people have any more knowledge than I do, but the book seemed a good place to start. Let me make it clear now, this book is a work of pure fiction, but the title alone tends to offer more than it delivers.

The opening paragraph touches on the London bombing and from there it suggests a network of terrorism beyond the actual facts. Cut to a retired SAS veteran, Colonel Mike Martin who has his own reasons for staying out of the game and suddenly an audacious plot to undermine an Al Qadea operation starts to take on a real meaning.
A high-ranking banker of Al Qadea is killed in what can only be described as a freak accident and thanks to a network of anti-terrorism groups around the world, the contents of his lap-top computer suggests a plot that can only be described as something that will rock the very foundations of the Western world. There is a desperate need to find a man to infiltrate the very heart of this operation and discover its purpose before the operation code-named “Al-Isra” by the terrorists is unleashed upon the world. At this point the target is unknown, as is the time scale leading up to the event. All the experts can say is that it’s world-shattering.
Mike Martin is chosen to become “The Afghan”, a legendary leader who becomes a hero at a young age to the forces of the Taliban. Born of a mixed racial background, Mike is fluent in Arabic and several months of intensive education is enough to pass him off as a true believer in the most extreme of jihad, those that will die for the cause.
This outrageous plot is the basis on which the book hangs and from the moment that Mike becomes “The Afghan”, there follows a book that is full of suspense, danger and enough
“daring-do” to make the average political thriller seem like a nursery story.

Unfortunately this very premise is the book’s main downfall. Things just seem to click into place with an ease that is un-natural. It’s not impossible that a SAS veteran could pass as a terrorist. What seems highly implausible is that he would not only know the Doppelganger he was impersonating, but that he would never actually come into contact with anyone who had personally known this legendary man, formerly incarcerated in the notorious prison of Guantanamo Bay, and supposedly released back to Afghanistan where he makes a daring escape. The title is actually twofold, referring to the legend of the man simply known as “The Afghan” and his impersonator Mike Martin.
There are other co-incidences that stretch the imagination, but to touch on that would spoil the best part of the book for the reader. There are a few pointers to the target and the outcome of the book, but its cleverly done so that it could easily be missed. I am still not sure why I picked up on the hint, but it didn’t spoil the story for me. It did keep me guessing until the end and the fact that I’d picked up the target didn’t spoil the action for me.
I did enjoy the book, which surprised me as it’s not my normal reading matter. Part of that was due to the fast pace, which only slowed down towards the end. A bit of editing here would have salvaged the better part of the book. There were a few loose ends that weren’t tied up to my satisfaction, but that could be a personal choice.
This is a book for those that enjoy adventure and can take the background with a pinch of salt. As a guide to the political background of the network of both the terrorists and the counter-terrorist movement, I wouldn’t place much importance in the revelations of Fredrick Forsythe. The research seems meticulous and I certainly felt that I had learnt more about terrorism in general by the end of the book, but as a truthful account I find myself sceptical. Maybe that’s because the SAS headquarters are quite close to where I live…or maybe I’m just naturally suspicious.

The hardback version was released in 2006, with the paperback version due out in mid-august of this year. Amazon is taking orders for the paperback version now and at £5.59 is a reasonable price. My copy is the hardback version which can be bought for about £10 for any dedicated Forsythe fan.

Thanks for reading.

Summary: An exciting thriller, but not to be taken seriously.