Gideon's War: A Novel

Howard Gordon

Jan 2011 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

Howard Gordon—the longtime executive producer of the hit TV series 24—makes his fiction debut with a tale of political intrigue and international terrorism. Gideon Davis has just 48 hours to bring his rogue agent brother in—before a twisted global conspiracy turns deadly.

GIDEON DAVIS, whose behind-the-scenes negotiating skills have earned him the role of peacemaker in conflicts around the globe, knows more about hush-hush discussions in Capitol corridors than he does about hand-to-hand combat. But his more practical, tactical skills come into play when he’s called on by family friend and government bigwig Earl Parker to chaperone a rogue agent from Southeast Asia to D.C. The agent, Tillman Davis, has promised to turn himself in— but only to his brother, Gideon.

Although the two brothers have been estranged for years, Gideon cannot fathom how his brother could have turned into so ruthless a man. But when the plan for Tillman’s surrender goes awry and Earl Parker is taken hostage, Gideon is forced to embrace his dark side in order to evade hostile locals in war-torn Mohan to make his way to the Obelisk—the multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art oil rig that has been seized by terrorists led by Tillman himself. It is with the help of oil rig manager Kate Murphy that Gideon launches an unlikely one-man rescue.

Ratings and reviews

“He scrambled upward as fast as his body would take him, until one of the footholds gave way under his weight and he only managed to keep from falling by catching his weight with his right hand. The broken rock fell away below him and disappeared. He held on with his one hand, spread-eagled on the rock face. The slightest motion might cause his grip to fail. He froze. He felt himself breathing steadily, his heartbeat slowing, and his mind clearing—and felt an acute focus he’d never experienced before. In front of his eyes a tiny sprig of lichen clutched to the limestone. Be the lichen.” (102) Executive director Howard Gordon, who has given us shows such as "24", "Angel", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "The X-Files", now gives us his debut thriller. Gordon translates his flair for action and drama deftly from screen to page in "Gideon’s War." The lead character, Gideon Davis, whose behind-the-scenes negotiating skills have earned him the role of peacemaker, is given the task to bring his estranged brother, Tillman, back to the United States. Recent reports have his brother pegged as the ruthless and marauding Abu Nasir. Gideon cannot fathom how his brother could have turned into such a ruthless man. Tillman agrees to turn himself in, but under one condition: That his brother be the one to retrieve him from Mohan. When the rescue mission falls apart and terrorists led by Tillman seize a million dollar, state of the art oil rig, The Obelisk, Gideon launches a one-man rescue. "Gideon’s War" has everything you want in a thriller: foreign and domestic intrigue, corrupt politicians and governments, a villain to fight, a brother to save, and a war to be waged by a new heroic figure. Howard expertly takes the reader from the crisp rooms of Washington DC into the bowels of an oil rig, the stink of manure fertilized rice paddies, the sides of limestone mountains, and back again, bringing the reader into the pages of this fast-paced thriller. Gordon says of "Gideon’s War": “As an armchair analyst, I am forever trying to determine how nations and their leaders determine when the line from diplomacy to the use of force must be crossed. I liked the idea of personifying this conundrum by creating two brothers who’ve adopted opposite points of view—and dramatizing their conflict. As the oldest of three brothers, I’m fascinated by that uniquely fraternal struggle between love and competition.” Even if you are not a usual fan of this genre, "Gideon’s War" will keep you glued to the pages. For starters, it has international intrigue, a dark family past, and an intriguing relationship between two estranged brothers. But read this thriller carefully. The characters are not all what they seem and there are many twists, turns, and plunges here to delight any reader. Gordon’s signature nail biting, hold-onto-your-seat thrill ride is all here. "Gideon’s War" is sure to delight and entertain everyone.

Needs polishing. Very predictable but good plot. Details get twisted, changed and repeated incorrectly...gets distracting. More of a rush to the end movie than a well written novel. Would work as a movie plot

Story moves along nicely. If your in for an easy read with a lot of action then this is one you should pick up.

About the author

Howard Gordon is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning writer and producer who has worked in Hollywood for more than twenty years. He co-created the hit Showtime series Homeland, and is the showrunner of the NBC series Awake. He also served as executive producer of the hit television show 24 for its full eight-season run, and prior to working on 24, Gordon was a writer and executive producer for The X-Files. He lives with his family in Pacific Palisades, California.