I think the best way to describe this read as a lesson in judgment. I came away from the body of the work on something of a high horse, as North managed to wet my irritation circuit for his apparent sexism toward Robinette, his seemingly pointless insertion of himself as a minor character in the story and the underpinning reliance on religion as a saving grace, without which characters are inevitably lost and or miserable.And yet the epilogue proved that the second of those irritations was not only explicable but quite clever. I spoke to an actual female, rather than relying on my own testosterone, and found that perhaps North's attitude wasn't as backward as I thought: strike point one... As for religion? It is done in a mild way, I'll give him that. Newman doesn't toss aside a weapon and start hallelujahs in the middle of the Iraqi desert or anything like that. Rachel's religious apotheosis is actually very interesting to read about, although there's that tinge of hypocrisy there, seeing her before and after. I think my favourite religious item of the work was Habib and the chair, which was a real neat way of describing faith which hit home. Not that I'm being converted or anything, but you have to admire things done wel, even if they aren't your style.The story was very good, fairly intense (although lacking something: brutality, stronger violence, whatever you want to call it) which underpins more typical staples of the genre. In the main the plot seemed plausible, most particularly the type of US mission and subsequent coverup.As I said, I judged too quickly with this one and now, having reflected, certainly feel it's worthy of more reflection and thought.
This is very well done. The details and relationships are many, complex, and seldom what they seem. I suspect it is a very accurate view of what it’s like for a conservative career military officer to work in a liberal-tilting, anti-military White House. The “office politics” are ugly, disgusting, and reek of dishonor; hardly a place for a robust, dedicated, and loyal officer to serve . . . or perhaps a place in great need of such an officer. I found the insertion of Christianity surprising and even a little unsettling at first but quickly found it to work well with the characters and story-line. In fact, it is a refreshing and honest portrayal of the Christian faith in both the face of radical Islam and the everyday world of people around the globe. Of course, the military aspects of the story are flawless. The addition of LTC Oliver North as a minor character is amusing and worked quite well. The story is a little long, and those having never served in the military might have some difficulty with the military acronyms and mindset even though LTC North included a glossary. I found it a fascinating and enlightening read.
What do You think about Mission Compromised (2002)?
I read this because of who wrote it. Honestly. I wanted to see if the book showed any of the "inside scoop" stuff about how the government and military really work. I was not disappointed about that. The book is filled with fictional accounts (and a very interesting cameo by the author) about the ins, outs, and deceptions that go on daily in government circles.BUT (you knew there was a but here, didn't you). The book was a bit lacking in terms of writing skill, which surprised me because having a co-author (Joe Musser)Joe Musser' 'oliver NorthI expected that Ollie was the one with the ideas and Joe was the one with the writing skill. Even if that was the case, I felt there were too many little "no no"s in the writing that distracted me. Changes in point of view within scenes, changes in tense within a scene, etc. just threw me off.Overall the characters were developed OK and the plot was interesting. A good book and worth the read but a bit disappointing. Maybe I had the wrong expectation?
—Carey Green
This was a surprisingly wonderful book. Surprising mostly because I just got it because Oliver North "wrote" it. Well...he's got lots of military experience...and now I'd like to read an autobiography. I wasn't much into politics when his big fall came about, but I'd venture to say that he truly was the "fall guy," in something nasty.This was an outstanding "mission compromised" story. A real page turner. The NY Times says "a Tom Clancy-esque tale...[North:] mixes a few uncomfortable facts in with his fiction." Truly...by the time you're finished you really are convinced the whole thing is true.Wow!
—Marilyn
Very good novel about a Marine Lt. Colonel assigned to the NationalSecurity Advisor's office at the White House during Slick Willie'sadministration. Involves the development of multi nationalanti terrorist/assassination force whose mission is to blow up one ofSadam Hussein's palaces in Iraq. It is apparent that Ollie and/or Joe Musser is a practicing, born again Christian as this is the only novel that I have ever read that includes the plan of Salvation and the conversion of it's characters. Refreshing. The writing style is notalways smooth and polished but the quality of the story more thanmakes up for it. I will read his other two books.
—Chuck
