A Novel (Peter Newman Book 2) - The Jericho Sanction

If you enjoy fiction, this is a well written book. It is obvious "Ollie" understands what is going on in government and portrays what possibly could happen in the future. Be prepared for many acronyms.

Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North’s second novel. He’s actually a very good author – not some celebrity shlock cashing in on a famous name. I read his first book many years ago (this one was released 13 years prior to when I read it. He’s written several more since) and I was pleasantly surprised by that effort as well.

This is one of those “continuing character” books. The hero in this novel is present in most, if not all, of North’s efforts. Not surprisingly, with a guy like Oliver North writing a book, you can kind of guess the subject matter: Military, espionage, terrorists, the Middle East, preventing nuclear war, etc. etc. etc.

Although this is a good book, I confess that I found nothing particularly dynamic or fresh in it. Maybe I’ve read too many Tom Clancy and Vince Flynn novels. This one doesn’t deviate from the formula. You pretty much know everything that’s going to happen. In addition to the above mentioned cliché subject matters, the plot really isn’t that original either. We have Russians illegally selling Iraq nukes, clandestine operatives in the Middle East (with not one, but two aliases), a kidnapping, a clueless inept American congress and President, and therefore, a rogue agent who doesn’t “follow the rules”.

Oliver North tends to get a tad too preachy in his books. It’s not that I have a problem with his beliefs or sentiments – I actually find such attitudes refreshing, but North lays it on his readers rather thick. There are quite a few diversions within the book where one character will ask another something like “So tell me about your belief in Jesus again…”. And North will spend the next few pages conducting a mini sermon. I found it a tad too pedantic and can’t help feeling that an unconverted reader won’t be swayed, yet only highly annoyed. He did this in his first book as well. Well, it is better than reading about grouchy secularists. Anyway…. On a related note, I didn’t find the book “overly political” either. And for that, I’m very grateful.

I imagine one would really like this book if you’re somewhat new to the genre, or if you really like modern military stories. It’s very good, just not very original.

This is an interesting and useful novel about weapons of mass destruction, an international arms market in illegal weapons, the potential for rogue regimes to acquire extraordinarily dangerous weapons and the absolute requirement for both covert operations and preemptive actions.
As an Army brat I think North is a little too Marine centric but then, as a Marine, he has to be.
Additionally, North's understanding of the slow, ponderous and clumsy nature of Washington bureaucratic politics, the requirement for allies both overt and covert and the need for leaders to follow their instincts is all too accurate. (In a sense that is what a lifetime of leadership training and experience is all about--creating leaders who can determine which hunches they have to follow and which they should avoid.)

America can project a lot of power because countries like Turkey, Britain, Israel and individual people in many of other countries are willing to work with us. The morning this is not true, we will be a dramatically weaker and more vulnerable nation.

As you read in the daily papers about the level of surprise in the 17 years that Iranians have been lying about their nuclear program or the revelation that Libya was much closer to building a nuclear bomb than experts had projected, you will find the Jericho Sanction reads a little more like daily events and a little less like fiction

Well, North does it again. I thought this was more of a page turner than "Mission Compromised", and I hope that Ollie gives us some more.

Newman's wife gets kidnapped, and he is sent on yet another mission. Of course, it involves nukes!! You once again see this from all sides of the battle field, and it makes you want more! I liked how they have General Grisham back in this one, and Bruno Macklin as well.

In this there is a message of keeping the faith. An awesome, as well as an entertaining novel with a lot of faith. While it isn't always easy to keep the faith, North keeps the pages turning with a little blood and guts to make it very interesting! It doesn't get much better as far as military thrillers are concerned!

Oliver North and Joe Musser have created an above average techno-thriller with a great cast of characters. The story revolves around Marine Lt. Colonel Peter Newman. There are three nuclear artillery shells hidden in Iraq, sold to one of Saddam Hussein's henchmen (long dead) by the traitorous Soviet general, Komulakov. American and Israeli intelligence are made aware of the weapons existence by the frantic search of the Iraqis to find the hidden weapons. Newman must go into Iraq and find the weapons before Israel unleashes a preemptive nuclear strike. Meanwhile, Newman's wife Rachael and friend Dyan are kidnapped and held hostage by Komulakov. Komulakov wants Newman to uncover a mole in the American intelligence service that can expose his treachery and ruin his chance of disrupting the election of Putin so he can grab the Russian presidency for himself. There are some great sequences of small unit covert actions and interesting information about satellite reconnaissance and electronic intercept capabilities.

Well written. Gives us a view of international politics and policies. A better understanding of how politics often get in the way of keeping the world a safer place. This will give you a greater appreciation for the men and women who put their lives and their honor on the line every day of their lives to keep us safe so we can go about our daily lives with so little concern for what is happening all over the world. Please read and think.

Combine Oliver North's deep knowledge of the inner workings and politics of the U.S. Military and foreign affairs with Joe Mussers careful crafting of words and you get a first-rate thrill ride.

Jericho Sanction is a worthy sequel to Mission Compromised. Actually, it improves upon the first effort. I love North's passion, patriotism, and faith, born out, real-time on the secret battlefields of the Middle East.

I loved Jericho sanction and could hardly put it down. I learned a lot about international affairs, pre-9/11, pre-Iraq War.

This is a one-night read that will leave you in a cold sweat.

It frustrates me to see that many critics who hold animus towards an author due to their disagreement with his/her politics or who resent the fact that their hunger for revenge went unserved for past scandals find it so convenient to use the the store website to bash, disparage and vilify. Regardless of your personal opinion about Oliver North this thriller is ample evidence of his superb writing ability.

The Jericho Sanction is a smart blend of current events, political intrigue, military special operations tactics, espionage and interesting characters that makes this novel appear more like a non-fiction narrative. It is definitely crafted by one who has lived and operated in such environments and not the fantasy, high-tech, supercilious, verbose, literary sleep aids authored by Tom Clancy, who diverts the reader into a maze of military techno-wizardry that serves more to stroke his unbearable ego. North has provided just the right blend of intrigue, techno-speak, and an interesting story line that makes this one hard to put down. I was captivated by every chapter.

Those of us who have had the privilege of serving this great nation in the US armed forces will agree that The Jericho Sanction is a true testament to the esprit de corps that was once the hallmark of our great military before the political correctness police imposed their fluffy-pillow agenda thus emasculating our military institutions and turning them into social engineering centers.

I didn't read "Mission Compromised," however; I don't believe it would make much of a difference in understanding the plot details of this book.
"The Jericho Sanction," starts out with the character Mitch Vecchio being interviewed by the FBI over a wanted poster. He apparently went to the FBI because he recognized the face on the poster and realized the name was wrong and that he knew who the real person was and wanted to let the FBI know. The person in question happens to be the main character in the story; Peter Newman. The strange part comes in when Mitch Vecchio is reflecting in though while waiting to be interviewed by the FBI. The story goes on to tell that Mitch had an affair with Peter's wife Rachel and that he wondered if Peter ever found out about that or not, a series of questions ran through his mind wondering what could of happen to Rachel since the last time he saw her. When the FBI finally interviews Mitch, they apparently had on file that they knew Mitch was having and affair with Rachel, which in turn made Mitch tell the FBI everything he knew about Peter Newman. Ok - So after this whole little bit, the book changes gears completely, going over the secret life of Rachel and Peter, then eventually to the kidnapping, the nukes, saving the world, etc.
Not at ONE point does the book ever foreshadow the beginning part on the secret affair of Rachel and Mitch, which I find extremely lacking since Rachel and Peter were very significant characters in the book and held the glue together.
Another point, which I found odd, was the fact that in the book a FBI mole gave out secrets to the Russian General Komulakov, who's the main villain. The FBI mole started the whole drama in the book by filling in to Komulakov that Peter is still alive, which originally he was presumed dead. General Komulakov freaks with the news and the process of finding Peter begins with added intel reports from what the FBI mole discovers. My question goes back to the start of the book where the FBI knew about the secret affair between Mitch and Rachel... The FBI mole had all kinds of info on Peter, except he never reported to the General that Rachel had an affair with Peter. This could in turn added extra drama to the book during the whole kidnapping fiasco...
The rest of the book was interesting; the technology mentioned was hard to believe, even though I understand it's all dead-on accurate. However, after finishing the book, I was left with a bad taste in my mouth over the whole plot with questions left to be unanswered. I'm only wondering if this had anything to do with the rush deadline that Oliver North had to meet.

The first book I had read by this author 'Mission Compromised', was so interesting, and such an adventure, that when 'The Jericho Sanction' came out, I who rarely buys a hardcover book (usually paperback), had to purchase this book immediately. Once I brought it home and started reading, I could not put it down. This story is fast paced, very descriptive without slowing the story line. The thrills, close calls, and adventure were absolutely spellbinding. I highly recommend this book to any one interested in military service related fiction.

Certainly enjoyed reading The Jericho Sanction. I thought at first that it was just a "guy" book but after reading it felt that men and women would enjoy it too. Even after skipping some of the military information, the book was a good read with enough character development to keep the reader interested and concerned. The ending certainly was a lead in into the next book, and I look forward to reading it too. I have already passed this book along to a friend.

This follow up book to Mission Compromised is not just for men, women readers will enjoy this gem of a mystery book also. Even though the author touches on the war, the book gives you a look into the mystery of a tale of the two different lives of Peter Newman. It is uncanney how the current events of today were written about in this book before they happened. This easy to read book would make a wonderful gift for the occasional reader as well as the avid reader.

The Jericho Sanction was a good read. Content and themes were what I expected from a conservative who is a former USMC officer. As with most novels, the outcome was predictable. However, predictability did not take away too much from the book. It was worth the time it took to read.

Ah, who better to spin fictions for the Far Right when reality doesn't quite accord with their world view? Good ol' Ollie North; he who has no qualms about trampling on the constitution when he deems it patriotic to do so yet is outraged by anybody else who would presume such irresponsiblity. Moral relativism anyone? But of course there's no relativism at all. There's just the Far Right, where perspective is reality and if the annoying truth gets in the way, you lie before congress, rant on the airwaves and write yourself a book that reinterprets events the way you want them.

And yet, here's the thing. The Jericho Sanction is good. It's a quality thriller in the Tom Clancy mold that keeps clipping along, dropping in moments of high suspense, buttressing its credibility by resorting to an alphabet soup of military acronyms and taking advantage of North's substantial knowledge about special ops and how they work. In a Democracy, we should recognize a job well done, even if we don't particularly care for the person who produced it, and so I will give Ollie his props. Without intending to be condescending, the man can write a military thriller, even if the content is basically wishful thinking meant to be spooned up as fact by the most whacked-out Conservatives.

Here's the fiction North wishes were true as posited by The Jericho Sanction: The Iraquis really did have nuclear weapons. It's just that they were too stupid to keep track of them and an immoral Russian swiped them away while using an American spy to keep our heroes from learning the truth. And who are our heroes? Need you ask? Why, God-fearing Protestant Americans of course who are constantly praying to the Lord for guidance because the nitwit Democratic administration in Washington (this is set during the Clinton years) can't tell when they are facing nuclear annihilation at the hands of some really, really bad people.

And who are the bad people? Need you ask? Well, besides Liberals, you have former KGB agents (remember, Ollie is a product of the Cold War), the United Nations, any Arabs who are not Christians, all Iraquis, and interestingly enough, the CIA and the FBI, who have been pinpointed as the fall guys so the Conservatives need not take any responsibility for their own recklessness. What we end up with is a situation Ollie knows all about. The good guys have to do an end run around the constitution and the chain of command to save the world from a harrowing threat.

The problem with this I-know-better-than-anyone-else brand of thinking is that it gives rise to a certain arrogance of power that can lead to, say, invading a country on flawed pretenses, damaging your credibility in the world community and dividing your own country into opposing camps. But that's no problem for Oliver North and his followers. You just pretend the nukes were really there, that Osama bin Laden and Sadaam Hussein really did enjoy a cozy relationship and that everything you've ever done was right, justified, and, yes - heroic. Above all, never admit you were just a mistaken jerk. Instead, sanctify yourself. This is taking responsibility with a capital R. Something Ollie demands of everyone but himself.

The Jericho Sanction is great fiction. It's just too bad so many people will wish it wasn't fiction.