Cobraville [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Carsten Stroud (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 20, 2004

From the acclaimed author of Cuba Strait and the nonfiction Deadly Force, soon to be a Jerry Bruckheimer film, comes a brutal and compelling spy story that reflects the shifting international alliances that are shaking our globe right now. Captain Cole Langan's unit is sent into the jungle of Mindanao to fix a malfunctioning surveillance monitor - and directly into a trap set by an elusive Al Qaeda leader.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Betrayal among friends and enemies is the tie that binds in Stroud's latest standout novel of terrorism and international intrigue. When Sen. Drew Langan is given a classified tip that al-Qaeda is planning a bombing in Iligan City, the Philippines, where the United Nations is conducting a peacekeeping mission, he dismisses the communication as having little to do with him. Back at home, a little late-night Web surfing and an attempt on his life convinces Drew that maybe he should be paying more attention. At the same time, his estranged son, Cole, is embarking on a covert CIA mission just north of Iligan City. Cole is under no illusions as to the nature of the conflict he's stepping into: "What was actually happening here was obvious to anyone with a functioning cortex: Iligan City was the yawning iron gate of yet another United Nations feel-good rat-fuck fiasco, a doomed-from-the-get-go cub-scout jamboree that was slowly but inexorably sinking into the blood-drenched malarial swamps of Southeast Asia." Stroud (Close Pursuit; Cuba Strait; etc.) switches between Drew's investigation and Cole's jungle adventure, heightening the tension as the two men fight for their lives on two very different battlefields. The military scenes in the jungle are superb and the stateside political intrigue suspenseful and absolutely believable. The prose is sharp, funny, exciting and bloody. This is a solid, top-shelf performance from a quality writer who never fails to deliver.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In a hotel bar, U.S. Senator Drew Langan is handed top-secret documents with sketchy information about al-Qaeda activity in the Philippines, and before the night is over, he is stalked by an intruder who brings a knife to a gunfight. Meanwhile, his prodigal son, Cole, is sweltering on Mindanao, preparing his crack team of "repairmen" for a dicey infiltration under the noses of terrorists and UN peacekeepers, with the objective to fix some broken NSA surveillance equipment. It's a jungle out there, and father and son are both in for some nasty surprises before this juggernaut comes to rest. The action advances swiftly on all fronts, tropical greenery splashed with red as our scrappy band of covert warriors is lured into combat, while high-level intrigue seethes through the corridors of power back home. With sinuous plotting, you-are-there description, smart-ass dialogue, and a hard-boiled tone, this top-notch international thriller is a cut above most of Stroud's more popular competition. Staunchly recommended for action junkies. David Wright
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 676 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press; 1 edition (September 20, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786267968
• ISBN-13: 978-0786267965
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,243,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cross, double-cross and triple-cross, July 19, 2004

By 

Jerry Saperstein (Evanston, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Cobraville: A Novel (Hardcover)

A secret mission to the Phillipines, the perfidious French and Germans, Islamist militants, a U.S. Senator, his somewhat estranged son, a mysterious D.C. insider, a handpicked assault team, a venomous Jesuit, Secret Service and other agents . . . wow, everything you need for a party.

And a party is what Carsten Stroud delivers in "Cobraville."

Senator Drew Langan, a member of Intelligence Oversight Committee, meets with Gunther Krugman, who passes over a blue envelope containing an intercept from the National Security Agency --- that Langan is not entitled to read. On the same evening, an intruder apparently seeks to murder the Senator.

Thus begins the adventure. The plot takes one twist and turn after another. Unbeknownst to Langan, his son is a member of a team carrying out a sensitive mission in a region of the Phillipines occupied by Islamist militants. Gunther Krugman is missing.

This is one of the best crafted suspense thrillers I've ever read. Stroud's characters are richly developed and his scenes are persuasive: you can practically smell the stink of the jungle and the bouquet of the fine wines in the D.C., Virginia and Pennsylvania countryside.

Ultimately there is cross, double-cross and triple-cross and one hell of a fine read.

Jerry

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best book this year!, June 27, 2004

By 

Pangloss "soldierblue" (Woodstock, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Cobraville: A Novel (Hardcover)

"Cobraville" is one of those books that you start reading then decide to put everything else aside until you finish. It has a strong, fast moving, intriguing plot with a diverse cast of characters. There are good guys, bad guys and some that fall in between. The plot keeps you guessing to the very end and the real villian is revealed in a surprise twist. Mr. Stround just gets better and better. I highly recommend this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 stars, July 9, 2004

By 

Konrad Kern (OFallon, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cobraville: A Novel (Hardcover)

See storyline above.

Carsten Stroud, one of my favorite spy thriller writers, delivers yet another exciting adventure involving both politics and terrorism. This novel will keep you on the edge. The story and writing style, both solid, will keep thriller fans happy. The only bad thing I noticed was the editing. If there are three or four mistakes I usually won't mention it, but there are at least twice this many.

Highly recommended.