The Last Layover is a fiction novel based on real places and potential scenarios where an out of control government pushes America to the brink of financial and social collapse. This vulnerable state allows the unthinkable to happen, causing the comfort, security, and conveniences of our modern first world society to quickly come to an end.
Working with a team to analyze and defeat external threats to U.S. security, Dan must deal with a terrorist plot to smuggle in dirty-bomb material using the established drug-cartel methods. In the meantime, there's an internal threat from disgruntled military elements involving an attempt on the president's life using the "football": the mysterious suitcase that accompanies the president at all times, containing the codes and protocols to launch a nuclear strike.
Admiral Theodore Magnuson, director of the Office of Naval Intelligence, didn't like the idea of sending the Seventh Fleet to Vladivostok for a New Year's celebration with the Russians. The president didn't give a damn what Magnuson thought, however; he was after détente.
Fearing the worst, Magnuson decides to run his own intelligence mission, sending men into Russia and China. The admiral is certain the US visit to the usually closed Soviet port is a cover for something. Something big.
The Chinese are faced with a similar problem - and a big question. Why is a combined US-Soviet fleet steaming into the East China Sea?
Very complex, well populated, and terrifyingly plausible. The plot is solid and activity is presented in an alternating fashion to keep to a time line. Each character is necessary and is clearly portrayed. Spies are always interesting and have their own objectives and perspectives, with inherent danger being the common denominator. Extremely well-written, and not to be rushed through, but absorbed, assimilated, and enjoyed. See publisher's summary for plot clues without spoilers.
Pierce gives a stellar performance once again. No superficial attempt to approximate accents or vocal differentiation, just solid, clear renditions of a multitude of characters and narrations. I find the speed of delivery particularly appropriate to a novel with so much information and so many characters in that he does not rush through and leave the reader in the dust.
I would to some one who likes this genre. It's a good complex military/espionage thriller.
The secret friendship between the American admiral and the high Chinese government official.
I cried when the father of the young Chinese captain told Ben of his daughter's death. Ben and the young woman were in love and Ben was so alone.
I also cried when another major character died.
This story takes place in the 1980's when Russia was still communist and the cold war was still ongoing. The Russians have invited the US Navy to an otherwise prohibited navel base that is near to China.
Admiral Theodore Magnuson doesn't trust the Russians and feels they are planning something which will implicate the Americans. The American president is a peaceful trusting soul and will not head Magnuson's Casandra warnings. Therefore Magnuson develops operation Seagull behind the president's back. Operation Seagull enlists four former retired navy men (Jack Royal, Bob Miller, Ben Goodrich, Tom Lumas) who are now business men to go into Russia and China on business ventures to collect intelligence.
The story is complex and very involved. One has to listen carefully to keep abreast of all the nuances. There is tragedy and unspoken heroism. The president finally realizes just how correct Magnusons warnings are.
The book is a highly suspenseful military thriller with lots of action.
what if THIS had happened?
Before I begin, let me say up front that this may well be one of the best books I’ve read in quite a while. It is neither a fast, nor an easy read. In fact it is as complicated as one of those 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzles, and the author puts that puzzle together in a meticulous, understated way. This is a story of strategy, military, political and intelligence gathering, and each move sets off several moves in several other places and motivates a large cast of characters to act or react, which set off other moves, and more pieces of our puzzle fall quietly into place.
Several things add to the excellence of this book. First, of course, is, and must be, the writing, which is incisive, often eloquent, and very occasionally, lyrical. The use of language is brilliant, and the storytelling is truly amazing, especially considering that this is a tale that involves 3 (well, indirectly 4) powerful countries, each with its own set of important actors, and over 50 years of history. While this isn’t one of those fast paced, hold your breath thrillers, each event builds to a climax that contains enough action to satisfy the most particular adrenalin junkies. There is violence, and its impact is even greater because it is handled in such a matter of fact manner.
For such a large cast of major characters, the character building is close to incredible. Each person is unique, and each character has a definite purpose for being in the book, playing the role he or she is playing. This, BTW, is as true of the minor characters as it is of the major characters.
The author pulls no punches about the sometimes dubious morality of the field of intelligence gathering, or of the choices those in charge of intelligence services must make; choices that seem to casually sacrifice individuals for the sake of crucial knowledge. In fact, in some ways, this book reminded me of the writing of John Le Carre, in its brilliance, understanding of the ways in which Governments work, worldwide, and in its understanding of, and compassion for, human motivations. This author makes excellent use of “amateur” intelligence operatives, giving them just enough military background to make them plausible, but keeping them psychologically and emotionally separate from professionals.
The story is, in some ways, alternative, or perhaps speculative history, since it posits events that could have, but thankfully, did not occur. But the fact that they *could* have at a time when most of the world was in a state of flux gives this a deeper, and perhaps the most chilling of all, thriller aspect.
The narrator was perfect, too. He never attempted to reproduce foreign accents, because there would have been too many of them, and they would have ended up confusing the reader. Rather, he used very subtle phrasing and emphasis to delineate whether the speaker was American, Chinese or Russian, and he did it so well that it worked beautifully. This was not the kind of book one couldn’t put down, in fact, I had to do so several times, if only to absorb what I had read, and study the partially constructed puzzle in order to understand what I was seeing in my mind.
I can only give both book and narrator 5 stars, though I wish I could give several more, and recommend this book highly to anyone interested in history (alternate and actual), military history and procedures, diplomacy, or the world of intelligence.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this unbiased review from audioBookBlast dot com.
A very good read !
One of the best books I have been lucky enough to listen to. Excellent author ! An easy book to enjoy .
Would you try another book from Charles D. Taylor and/or Kevin Pierce?
Would you be willing to try another book from Charles D. Taylor? Why or why not?
Did The Twilight Patriots inspire you to do anything?
i liked the book but it's a bit dated. the overall story is not bad but there was a lot of millitary innovation since it came out and the book seems a lot dated because of it.
What would have made The Twilight Patriots better?
The narrator is reading as if to another group not used to English - Very slow and deliberate - tiring!
Has The Twilight Patriots turned you off from other books in this genre?
I have a large library on my shelves and several Audible spy/war novels - but this one is not for my shelves and would return it.
What didn’t you like about Kevin Pierce’s performance?
I am currently reading 4 books from our local library and have others booked. So I enjoy reading 2 to 4 books a week. I don't have too many I would reject.