David Ignatius

This fictional thriller was well written, with a unique and original plot, interesting characters, and settings that were well described. I love it when a novel has you "hanging on the edge of your seat", and "Phantom Orbit" did just that! Even though this novel is fictional, I kept thinking, "Could this possibly happen in our future?"
In summary, the plot follows the life of Russian, Ivan Volkov. The novel starts out in the 1990's, as Ivan finds himself as a student studying astronomy and mathematics in Beijing. Over the next 27 years, Ivan discovers and keeps working on (in secret), an unsolved puzzle in the writings of 17th century German astronomer Johannes Kepler, his idol. He meets many interesting characters along the way. However, who can he trust? Who is not what they appear to be? The plot is full of twists and turns and the ending was a work of a truly talented author. A definite must read!… (plus d'informations)

Story crosses decades of tumultuous events in one of the most ethnically mixed and eventually most hard hit and almost utterly destroyed state in Middle East - Lebanon.

It is story of people from Lebanon, refugees from the Palestine, various parties from the neighboring countries (Syria, Israel, Italy) and US intelligence officers caught in the crossfire of unstable region in 60's and 70's up to the bloody days of 1980's. It is truly soul crashing to see how entire region starts the slow spiral to destruction and multiethnical hatred that will bring so much evil to this area that even now it is still in healing process.

Even more crushing is fate of people, principled people, working in the unprincipled world led by politicians that are by definition survivors and chameleons, ready to sacrifice anyone for the current political influence. So how can principled people work under these circumstances in a dangerous world of intelligence gathering? They can try and more often than not they will turn cynical. If this does not happen they will end up dead because world does not tolerate principled people unless they are saints (and therefore long long gone).

Excellent spy novel, written by someone that knows very well the Middle East and its problems.

Highly recommended to thriller and spy story aficionados.… (plus d'informations)

Excellent book of revenge. When infiltration mission goes wrong way Michael Dunne finds himself abandoned by his agency and left high and dry. Finally after his marriage collapses and he ends up in the prison (all of it following his fiasco) Dunne decides to take revenge on the people who brought him down in a most savage way possible.

Author is a person that always does his research and it is very interesting to see spy use of high technology. Author's signature, ruthless intelligence agencies that play double, triple or quadruple deceptions and are always ready to sacrifice their most loyal agents to achieve the national goals, is present in this novel too.

Book centers on something that terrified me first time I saw it - deep-fake technology. Implications of very existence of this technology (that brought only admiration from everyone else I know) are unforeseeable and I highly doubt this type of technology can have any positive applications. For me this technology is very like giving a hand grenade to the toddler - highly, highly irresponsible.

Excellent book, highly recommended to all fans of spy thrillers.… (plus d'informations)