Ascent from Darkness | Steven E. Wilson | An intense, action-packed thriller from cover to cover.

Ascent from Darkness | Steven E. Wilson | Phenomenal "Faction" at its Best!

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Ascent from Darkness

	Ascent from Darkness Steven E. Wilson H-G Books, 2007 - 656 pages average customer review:based on 13 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

An intense, action-packed thriller from cover to cover.

Benjamin Franklin Award finalist Steven E. Wilson presents Ascent from Darkness, a thrilling novel set against a backdrop of war, espionage, and hot and cold international clashes. When reluctant CIA agent Stone Waverly is assigned to seek the weapons-grade plutonium stolen from a Ukrainian nuclear plant, his search takes him from Odessa to Cologne to Amsterdam to Damascus. A race against time to stop terror ensues as Waverly, haunted by the past betrayals of a fellow operative as well as those closest to him, navigates the intrigue and outright ruthlessness rampant in Syra and war-riven Iraq. An intense, action-packed thriller from cover to cover. Also highly recommended is Wilson's previous novel, "Winter in Kandahar."

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Phenomenal "Faction" at its Best!

This is a truly great novel immersed in the current day Middle East that is highly entertaining but also informative. The book was honored this summer (2007) at both the New York Book Festival and the Hollywood Book Festival. Placed primarily in current day Iraq and Syria at the beginning of the Iraq War, it is a multi-layered novel with three primary stories--reluctant CIA operative Stone Waverly torn between his family and love for his country, Special Forces soldiers Tommy Waters and Billy Bates dropped deep behind enemy lines near Najaf at the onset of hostilities, and long-suffering Kurdish peasants Tenya and Jalal--that in many ways encapsulates the challenges and triumphs faced in the Iraqi conflict.

Beginning with the Anfel gassing campaign in 1988 to punish the Kurds for supposed collusion with Iran during the Iran-Iraq war, the story fast forwards to the period just before and after the US led invasion of Iraq. The chapters tend to be short and focused. There are many underlying themes here...what it's like to be a CIA operative or soldier and having to leave your family behind for years at a time to defend your country, the dangers lurking in nuclear- and bio-terrorism (I hope the terrorists don't get any ideas from the finale of the novel), the plight of the Kurdish people in Northern Iraq, and the ongoing struggle between the Arab Sunni and Shia populations in Iraq.

It is a wonderful story, even better than Winter in Kandahar (which I loved), in my opinion. You will love it!

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Another Great Read from Dr. Wilson

After reading Winter in Kandahar, I couldn't wait to order Ascent from Darkness, though I don't typically order until they come out in paperback. This book brought home the enormous difficulties of the Iraqi war, coupled with several wonderfully intriquing romances throughout the book. I love the way Dr. Wilson weaves his tale with such rich descriptions of his characters; I finished the book in record time, feeling as though I had known each of "his" people myself. Both Ascent from Darkness and Winter in Kandahar are well worthy of screenwriting.

Ascent from Darkness -- a great read

Steve Wilson's first work of fiction, Winter in Kandahar, is action-packed and, at times, quite difficult to put down. This timely thriller had it all - war, romance, science, international intrigue, betrayal, culture, family, greed, courage and perseverance under tremendous adversity, terrorism, and more. I very much enjoyed the short chapters, quick scene changes, and his writing style. This was a superb story, which I think really would make for a marvelous movie. I'm impressed with the skill with which Dr. Wilson tells the story, considering the cultural differences. Even more impressive is that this was his first work of fiction. Dr. Wilson's second book, Ascent from Darkness, has everything that his first book has and is even better. As in his previous book, this second adventure thriller was full of action and romance and extremely difficult to put down. Set at the beginning of the Iraq war in 2003, this novel makes it difficult to discern fact from fiction. At points, it even brought a tear to my eye. This story would be great for the big screen.

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A Fast-Action Read You Won't Want to Put Down

This fast-action novel is a compelling read. It also provides an interesting insight into the causes of the clashes between the ethnic Kurds and the Arabs of northern Iraq, the void left by military victory and the desire to right old wrongs. Special Forces soldiers and CIA operatives are depicted as professional and effective but with the feelings and emotions of real people. Like Wilson's last book, WINTER IN KANDAJHAR, the varied story lines, intrigue and mystery make it difficult to put the book aside at the end of a chapter.

reviews: 1, page 2, 3

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