Between Two Scorpions: A Dangerous Clique Novel

Formulaic characters and slow start. Pace accelerates slowly, with the last 1/3 of the book a quick read.Interesting and thought provoking exploration of modern civilization's fragility when faced with terrorist exploitation of our inherent weaknesses.

Not impressed

"Between Two Scorpions" is a fast-paced, well-plotted fantasy, spy thriller. (To be honest, I only got the fantasy part after Mr. Geraghty gave that up in his Morning Jolt column on National Review. I thought there was a lot of hallucinating going on.) I really enjoyed the book. The story globe-trots as our intrepid team of CIA/NSA/NRO operatives race to track down the Zoroastrian (!) bad guys.IMHO, the dialogue could use some work, since the male lead tends to sound like one of my fraternity brothers ca. 1975, and some editing for typos (I thought publishers did that) is in order.Also, Jim, if you have questions about weapons systems, please get hold of me. I have answers. (E.g. when a semi-auto pistol is out of ammunition, one ejects the magazine, not the cartridge.)Those little quibbles aside, this is eminently readable and a wild ride. More attention to detail would have gotten it five stars.

First I have to say that the plot, the characters and the action in this story were great! The four instead of five stars is because the book does need some editing - not so much that it distracts from a fascinating storyline, but enough to pull it down just a little.The story itself? I went into this expecting more of the same tedious islamic terrorism plotted in Iran, Afghanistan, or Saudi Arabia. Well, you will spend some time in the Middle East, but the terrorist plots in this book take you to a new and frightening place. You will not be bored. And when it comes, the tale behind the tale will surprise you. Add to all this the fact that the author pulls in interesting historical facts that blend into the story seamlessly.The characters are an interesting group and some of their actions raise questions and concerns that may make you think about how far we can/should go to keep our citizens safe. I found myself liking all the characters (just enough smart quirkiness to make them fun) but especially Katrina and Merlin - yes, Merlin.This is a fast read - would be perfect for the beach - although I recommend starting it early in the day or you might well be up late because you don't want to put it down until you know how it ends.

A lady poet I know recommended this author, which surprised me because her taste is usually very highbrow and literary. I assume she liked it because the book is "safe." I will credit the author for being a good reporter, but he's not a polished novelist. His characters are shallow and two-dimensional, which he tries to disguise by making them quirky. Basically, I get the sense that the author is young and more of a detail and fact person than a people person. Does he show promise? Indeed. But he needs to understand grit before he attempts to write grit, and he needs a deep understanding of people, not just ideas.