Patriot and Assassin

by Robert Cook

Overview

Blend a dollop of Enlightenment history for the lawyers and history buffs, a skosh of cool technology for the geekish, and a smidgen of business for the Wall Street crowd. Add to a boiling cauldron of passion and armed violence. Sprinkle with strong dialog and wit. Shazaam! Tomorrow's headlines today, in Patriot and Assassin. Patriot and Assassin places the protagonist, Alejandro 'Cooch' Cuchulain, at the heart of a plot to release nerve gas in one of our nation's busiest stadiums, then later into the sadistic hands of the terrorist who planned that attack. Cooch leads a Rhodes Scholar former Seal, a stunning female MacArthur winning physicist, a former USMC Master Sniper and the former director of the CIA's special operations unit, now working in the White House. Together, they engage a large contingent of Al-Qaeda, among others, while working to improve the life of Muslims. Inspired by the evidence that Middle Eastern culture will be transformed positively when Muslims are convinced that transformation in their self-interest, Patriot and Assassin uses the proven lessons of the Enlightenment to expedite that transformation. More than simply sex and violence advance the story. Patriot and Assassin incorporates strong character development and powerful, thoughtful dialogue to drive this politico-thriller at a breakneck pace. The Enlightenment transformed the Western world in three hundred years. Cooch and company hope to transform the Muslim world in far less time, using technology, violence and lessons from the past. They neither disdain violence on this journey to improve, nor avoid using the latest technology to make both the journey and the violence easier. Action flows seamlessly from West Texas to Washington to Morocco to Yemen and back. Former CIA warrior Cuchulain is a strong male protagonist working with a dynamic female protagonist in Dr. Caitlin O'Connor. This thriller brings a fresh dynamic to the genre. Patriot and Assassin positions itself as the thriller for thoughtful readers interested in observing strong, complex characters meeting complex world-wide challenges.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780984315536
Publisher:	Royal Wulff Publishing
Publication date:	01/07/2013
Pages:	270
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.57(d)

About the Author

Shooter, Soldier, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Venture capitalist, Vintner, and now Author.
ROBERT COOK served as a Regular Army officer in Germany, Viet Nam, and the Pentagon. He was awarded the Parachutist Badge, the Bronze Star, and the Army Commendation Medal and was considered for a National Match record with the .45 cal service pistol, while a member of the US Army Advanced Marksmanship Unit. Cook earned a bachelor's degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from The George Washington University. He was a KPMG Entrepreneur of the Year for the Middle Atlantic Region. As a philanthropist, Cook endowed the Robert E. Cook Honors College at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and produced a video series for Public Television on the problems and opportunities in inner-city K-6 education, The Battle of City Springs.

Editorial Reviews

Cook's (Cooch, 2010) latest political thriller features Alex "Cooch" Cuchulain, a CIA-trained killer with a number of advanced degrees, who leads a diverse team on a mission to bring peace to the Middle East. Cooch is a bad enemy to make: He benefits not only from his advanced training but also from a violent second personality, named Dain, who has helped him and his ancestors win fights for generations. Cooch's latest plan also involves cutting-edge technology that identifies targeted terrorists with incredible proficiency. The largely noble ideas behind the team's plot--they have a long-term plan to build universities in the region--tend to advocate education and aid over violence. However, the discussion of Islam occasionally becomes disquietingly generalized: For instance, a terrorist is described as a "devout Shiite" rather than a radical Shiite. Also, the goal to "bring the American way of life to the Muslim world" implies that the American way of life is inherently better than the Muslim way of life, as if the concepts can't intersect. The plot, however, moves rapidly with plenty of variety. Hamza, an al-Qaida leader in Yemen, plans on blowing up Cowboys Stadium, while Cuchulain fights Mexican drug dealers in Texas, and members of Cuchulain's team discuss foreign policy in Washington. Unfortunately, the numerous intriguing plotlines aren't always sustained, and the unique characters don't develop. Two of the narratives do converge when Hamza captures and tortures Cuchulain, whose dual personality feels a bit out of place in the otherwise harshly realistic narrative. An ambitious, entertaining novel that struggles to come together.

Kirkus Reviews