Book Review: Osiris by Eric C. Anderson

Osiris
Author: Eric C. Anderson
Publication: Dunn Books (September 12, 2017)

Description: It’s a dilemma no Washington politician wants to confront—rescuing 5,000 Americans trapped in Baghdad.

Enter a crusty Marine, embattled Army officer, two Turkish spies and the ultimate cyber-warrior tasked with countering an ISIS regime carving out a new caliphate. Can they rescue an American embassy under siege by a weapon that even Washington’s military might can’t defeat? This is indeed a test of sheer will and technical expertise pitted against national pride and suicidal zealotry.

OSIRIS takes readers on a twisted path from the glittering palaces of Qatar to the dusty hell of central Iraq, replete with drunken Russian pilots, conniving American politicians, and unlikely heroes.

This is the first book in a trilogy ripped from today’s headlines that could leave tomorrow’s Europe on the brink of a new Dark Age.

My Thoughts: In this near-future military thriller things in the always boiling Middle East boil over into warfare. The story is told from a number of viewpoints in a number of Middle Eastern countries. One thread has the American Embassy in Baghdad under attack including a car bombing with a vehicle filled with radioactive materials. Rescuing the 5000 Americans trapped and dying of radiation sickness becomes a priority for the Americans.

This story had bunches of political maneuvering in the United States with everyone trying to find a way to cover their behinds. We see Turkey and Qatar adding to the chaos. In Turkey, the characters we follow are intelligence agents trying to find out what is going on and advising their bosses. In Qatar, agents are hired including an agent named ODIN to magnify the chaos by conducting cyberattacks.We see the Israelis taking advantage of the chaos to advance their own agenda.

This all-too-plausible thriller reminded me a lot of Tom Clancy's work but with even less character development than Clancy. The story is told from multiple viewpoints and is filled with techno-babble. This one doesn't have as much techno-babble about weapons but substitutes acronyms for various intelligence and military organizations. I wish I would have known about the glossary in the back before I started reading. Keeping the various alphabet agencies and organizations straight was quite a challenge.

This one is for fans of dense, political thrillers. I found it a compelling read but am not at all sure I know what really happened in the story.

Favorite Quote:

Roman bureaucrats decreed al-Baghdadi was nothing more than a terrorist. The jihadi knew better - this was a revolution. A revolution that ended in Baghdad, then Tehran, and on to Europe and Istanbul, where president-for-life Erdogan was busily undoing all the modern Turkish state's founder had fought to accomplish, thus becoming a direct threat.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from the publisher. You can buy your copy here.