What if the world's most dangerous terrorist came up with a foolproof plan to kill not just the president, but all of the U.S. leadership as well?
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews
Routine antiterrorist high-tech thriller with a cooly complicated hero, well-researched settings, and frighteningly accurate knowledge of lethal technologies. What would suspense writers do without Saddam Hussein? Mad, bad, impossible to know, the mustachioed dictator has kept the tired genre alive. Here, Saddam, annoyed at yet another US-sponsored attempt on his life, pays Carlos the Jackal a king's ransom to wipe out everybody who's anybody in the American government by sabotaging the President's Inaugural Ball at the Kennedy Center. The first hundred or so pages follow the sly but oh-so-impolite Carlos as he navigates the mostly out-in-the-open world of international terrorism, blithely laundering money, staying in great hotels, smuggling great gobs of plastic explosives past bored customs personnel, and finding the right fanatics for the job. But just when Carlos seems to have his lethal ducks in a row, the CIA and Mossad stumble on the fact that's something's up and turn for help to renegade agent Norman Richards, an exCIA man earlier bounced out of the Company for having an active conscience. Though newcomer Lichtman seems more interested in exploring the mechanics of mayhem than animating any of his tissue-thin characters, the endlessly suffering, quietly restrained Richards is a winner. Unlike Jack Ryan, Tom Clancy's lock-jawed bermensch, Richards, for all his tough-talking and misplaced idealism, is a sensible, decent guy. As interesting as Richards is, though, he's reduced to little more than an action toy as Lichtman sends him on a series of pointless chases that culminate in a surprisingly convincing last-minute rescue of Washington's fatuous Beltway elite. Rigidly formulaic, and far too predictable, but Lichtman's by-the-numbers debut proves that he can do a big-boys-with-bad-toys tale and create a believable hero to hang it on. The suspense this time, though, is lackingyou end up feeling sorry for Saddam. (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Review
"...antiterrorist high-tech thriller with a coolly complicated hero, well-researched settings, and frighteningly accurate knowledge of lethal technologies...[Lichtman's] debut proves that he can do a big-boys-with-bad-toys tale and create a believable hero to hang it on..."(Kirkus Reviews)
"Lichtman's debut novel gives us a glimpse into what could be America's worst nightmare complete with page turning suspense...An authentic glimpse into the terrifying underbelly of the world's covert operations...A good read." (New York Times' best-selling author of Triangle of Death)
"A high-concept spy romp, THE LAST INAUGURATION whipsaws the reader across the globe and through a series of ever escalating treacheries toward a final, satisfying resolution. Well researched, the novel places you at the epicenter of international intrigues and in the company of shadowy, soulless terrorists bent on diabolical revenge. Fun reading." (Glen Kleir, author of THE LAST DAY)
"THE LAST INAUGURATION is an exciting, realistic story with non-stop action throughout the book. Lichtman clearly understands and accurately portrays the terrorist's mentality, the Mid-Eastern peace process, and the mindset of Saddam Hussein, especially in these days." -- Lt. Col. Naor Seidmann, Director of the Israel Aircraft Industries
Saddam Hussein is mad as heck and he's not going to take it anymore. After an attempt on his life by American Marines, he enlists the help of Carlos the Jackal, the infamous international terrorist, to wipe out the President of the United States, his Cabinet, and most of the House and Senate. Afterward, it will be on to Israel, using a plan of bombing raids left over from the Gulf War. The balance of world power will shift to the Middle East, with Saddam as top dog. The author is an expert on terrorism and Middle Eastern affairs, and he uses his encyclopedic knowledge to make the action scenes horrifically real. The meticulous planning for Carlos' day of terror fascinates with the details of training terrorists, and gives an insider's view of a fanatic's mind. However, the plot suffers from too many of these scenes, and the writer often indulges his characters in pointless dialogue. The hero, a weak, disgusting drunk, is no match for the Iraqis' strength, single-mindedness and charm. When Carlos the Jackal is the most appealing character in the book, you know the story's in trouble, but they can fix that in central casting. -- From Independent Publisher
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very suprising book.,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Last Inauguration (Hardcover)
A friend gave me the book to read, and after reading the cover flap, I thought it would be a silly book, based off of some hollywood movies of recent. Boy was I wrong. The technical detail, and depth of characters should put this book in the scary section. Thumbs up to this author, I finished the book in 2 days, b/c I couldn't put it down!!
5.0 out of 5 stars
page turner,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Last Inauguration (Hardcover)
This book is a page turner. The characters, especially Carlos, are extremely well drawn and become alive to the reader. The story line is so believable that you, feel it could be true or really happen. The author has done an outstanding job. This is a must for all readers of spy and action books.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
After 9/11, chilling.,
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This review is from: The Last Inauguration (Hardcover)
Before 9/11, I would have considered this book an entertaining if light read but just a bit comic-like -- the characters are a little shallow, and the plot (to kill ALL the members of the House & Senate and the U.S. President at the same time) would have seemed unrealistic. But 9/11 has shown us that the horribly impossible is frighteningly possible and, in today's context, "The Last Inauguration" is a tightly plotted and well researched, fast moving drama.The novel starts with Saddam Hussein paying the terrorist Carlos the Jackal $50 million to kill all members of the U.S. government. The French caught Carlos in 1997 but by this time (in the novel) Carlos has trained 3 of Saddam's soldiers to be terrorists of his own capability and caliber. One of them insinuates himself into Washington life as a student at George Washington University and gains a part-time job at Kennedy Center - where the National Ball is to be held following the next President's inauguration. Carlos has designed an all-too believable method of killing 1500 people at one time - and it's only through some lucky coincidences that his protégé is stopped. This book reminds me both of Tom Clancy's "Executive Orders" in which a `plane is used as a missile to destroy the U.S. Congress and of the 1975 Robert Redford movie "Three Days of the Condor" in which Redford plays the sole survivor of a group of CIA analysts who do nothing more than read fiction to detect possible terrorist plots. Clancy's book shows us that truth can unfortunately emulate fiction -- so I hope that there are people working on anti-terrorism who really do read well-plotted dramas such as "The Last Inauguration." The book's post 9/11 credibility is further enhanced by the fact that Licthman has actually interviewed Carlos.
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