Honorable Enemies

Combining espionage, terrorism and international politics, this energetic techno-thriller takes Michael Crichton's Rising Sun a step further, as Weber ( Defcon One ; Targets of Opportunity ) demonstrates how current tensions between Japan and America could drive the two countries to open warfare. When a boatload of Japanese tourists is fired on from a helicopter equipped with automatic weapons, Stephen Wickham of the CIA joins the FBI's Marcus Callaway and Susan Nakamura to track down the culprits. Meanwhile, a series of escalating terrorist attacks on Japanese and American citizens creates a crisis that can be settled only by a meeting between a stubborn American president and a proud and resentful Japanese premier. Weber manages to avoid jingoism and bias by giving equal weight to the dark side of both countries. More than an ironic touch, the book's opening locale--Pearl Harbor--suggests the root of the problem: the shadow of WW II looming ominously over both countries. Weber consistently maintains a thoughtful perspective as he spins his brisk and exciting narrative. (Mar.)