The Jihad Ultimatum

Randall ( The Hatteras Incident ) aspires to another The Hunt for Red October in this techno-thriller, and he carries it off pretty well. While a small band of Iranians scheme to terrorize the U.S. with Qaddafi-supplied atomic weapons, Gorbachev plans to capitalize on the chaos and relative American defenselessness to seize control of the Middle East. Rookie FBI agent Scotty Coldsmith and seasoned G-man J. J. Carteret separately track the terrorists, eventually joining forces in a crosscountry race that ends at Hoover Dam. Meanwhile the President must deal with an ultimatum that threatens jihad (holy war). The conspirators warn that the U.S. must abandon its influence in the Middle East (including Israel), side with Iran against Iraq and rebuild Iran's shattered economy, or else endure a series of nuclear blasts that will kill millions and cripple the American economy. In a myriad of settings a vast cast of characters interact and much blood is shed. While we may get more detail than we need or care to know on such matters as dam construction and electric-power systems, and some of the prose is dismayingly clunky, the plot races and police procedures and government bureaucracy are accurately drawn. (September)