Customer Reviews

Red Sea: A Novel

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If you're interested in a novel about the terrorist threat against the United States, you may want to give RED SEA a try. Emily Benedek has written a novel that reveals, in chillingly realistic detail, how vulnerable the US can be to a terrorist attack.

The strongest part of RED SEA is the terrorist plot itself, which comes across as quite believable. Benedek is a professional journalist, and it's pretty clear that she did a lot of research for this book. You may not feel safe flying on an airplane after reading this novel, since Benedek reveals how easily explosives can be smuggled inside a jetliner. Also, much of this book takes place in Iraq, and I found Benedek's description of life in post-war Iraq to be very interesting.

The major weakness of this novel is the characterization, which is quite thin. None of the major players in this novel have much personality. Julian Granot, the Israeli secret agent, is pretty much a square-jawed superman who can do no wrong. The American characters are bland and lack color. RED SEA is much more plot-driven than character-driven for the most part, which made it less engaging, at least for me.

This novel reminds me a bit of BLACK SUNDAY, an old novel by Thomas Harris, which was also about a terrorist plot. If you liked that book, or have a pre-existing interest in novels about the War on Terror, you may enjoy reading RED SEA.

Although Emily Benedek is known primarily as a journalist from her dispatches in such publications as Newsweek and Rolling Stone, she has also authored a number of nonfiction works, two of which concern American Indian issues and one that deals with her own spiritual journey. This time out, Benedek makes her fiction debut with RED SEA, a novel that will alter your worldview.

Although RED SEA is considered a thriller, the backstory of its publication easily could lead one to conclude otherwise. Benedek, while reporting for Newsweek, is said to have made contact with a highly-placed Israeli counterterrorism expert who, because of his continuing role in the international community, could have his story told only as a work of fiction. Indeed, there are many elements of the novel that are consistent with backchannel knowledge. Its frightening beginning --- I'll only tell you that this is a simply wonderful book to pick up before a transatlantic flight! --- only heralds the planning of a more ambitious and catastrophic plot, directed against the United States but with worldwide ramifications.

The mastermind behind it is Mansour Obaidi, an Islamofascist whose history of actions against the United States goes back for decades. It is Julian Granot, a recently "retired" Israeli Special Forces commander --- the length of his so-called "retirement" seems to be at the discretion and pleasure of the Israeli military --- who slowly comes to realize that the high-profile first strike of the terrorists is but a prelude to what is about to occur. Granot is shocked, however, when he discovers Obaidi's involvement, for he has a personal history with Obaidi that will not end until one of them is dead.

Matters are complicated by the interjection of Marie Peterssen, a journalist who is very quick to realize that there is more behind the initial terror attack than was originally thought. Though Peterssen is not aware of it, there is a link between her, Obaidi and Granot, one that leaves both Obaidi and Granot vulnerable to each other and to Peterssen. As Obaidi's plot moves speedily to its execution, Granot finds himself stymied not only by his own superiors but by his nation's greatest ally: the one he is attempting to protect.

Granot discovers an unexpected ally, however, in Morgan Ensley, a maverick FBI agent who believes more in results than in protocol and who, upon making the acquaintance of Peterssen, is doubly motivated to protect and serve. The combined efforts of Granot, Peterssen and Ensley may not be enough, though, as Obaidi's ingenious plot to bring the United States to its knees proceeds inexorably to its conclusion.

More than a great debut, RED SEA introduces a cast of characters that, should Benedek be desirous of such, would easily sustain an ongoing franchise. It simply doesn't get any better than this.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Three commercial jets are blown out of the sky in Emily Benedek's debut novel, "Red Sea." Although Israel is not directly involved, its defense minister forms a panel to investigate the cause of the crashes. If these were indeed acts of terror, what were the sources of the explosions? There are a number of scenarios to consider: devices hidden in the luggage compartments, suicide bombers aboard the aircraft, and missiles launched from the sea are some of the possibilities. The Israeli government calls in Julian Granot to head up the task force whose mission it is to find out what happened and prevent additional carnage. Granot is recently retired from Shabaq (the Israel Security Agency), a former commander of a unit of special forces, and an expert in aviation security. Marie Peterssen (a knowledgeable aviation reporter with superb instincts) and FBI agent Morgan Emsley soon join forces with Granot. Emsley is jeopardizing his career by cooperating with a foreign intelligence officer, but he decides to act for the greater good regardless of personal risk. The identity of the villain, Mansour Obaidi, is revealed in the opening pages. He is an old enemy of Julian's, who eagerly awaits the day when "Islam would once again regain its proper role" in the world.

"Red Sea" has a sound enough premise. In today's perilous climate, any novel that tackles the themes of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism immediately grabs the reader's attention. Benedek has written for mainstream news publications and she has a good grasp of Middle Eastern geopolitics. In addition, she has frightening information to convey about the vulnerability of Western countries to attacks in the air and at their ports.

Unfortunately, the author lacks the expertise to develop her story in a satisfying way: Her characters are lifeless, the dialogue is artificial, and the plot is only minimally suspenseful. Benedek adheres to most of the hackneyed conventions found in novels of this type, up to and including a race against time to stop an apocalyptic event. The bad guy is a hedonist and a hypocrite who indulges his decadent tastes while he scorns the "infidels" and plans their destruction. The only obvious element missing is a romantic liaison for Marie. Here are two particularly grating examples of Benedek's lackluster writing: "Confusion was the oxygen in which Obaidi burned with life." Another: "The criminal mind is now inside me. It's not inside you." In addition, the author preaches in a heavy-handed manner about how oblivious Americans are of foreign cultures and the lessons of history. An implausible and clunky subplot about Marie's shadowy parentage does nothing to enhance the book's believablility. Emily Benedek has her facts straight, but she needs to hone her skills as a fiction writer.

The book is a really fast read. I found that I couldn't put it down. I look forward to a new book from this author.

Benedek's vast storytelling experience ups the ante in the suspense genre by combining real-world expertise with an exceptional insight into the gray-colored world of underground terrorism. I find the topic a bit scary in some ways, but still have hope since the characters described in the book are bound to have real-life prototypes.

The paradox of "Red Sea," the new espionage thriller by E.A. Benedek, is best illustrated by its beginning and end. The story starts with three commercial airlines being blown out the sky by terrorists. The explosions kill hundreds of innocent people. Benedek brings readers inside the doomed aircrafts - and the prose packs an emotional punch.

The finish, however, takes place on a slow-moving freight ship chugging up the East Coast of the United States. The novel - already bogged down by a muddled middle - crawls to the rather pedestrian conclusion.

"Red Sea" simply runs out of energy and frustrates readers who pine for the clipped, frantic pace of the set-up. It's too bad. "Red Sea" has so much potential.

In her preface, Benedek, a journalist who wrote extensively about 9/11 attacks for magazines such as Newsweek, explains that she sat down with one of her sources to discuss airline security. When she put a tape recorder in front of him, he seemed unable to talk. "I snapped off the machine and asked him if it would be easier if I tried to tell the story in a work of fiction. Maybe, he said. Maybe," Benedek writes.

The result was "Red Sea," but unfortunately, this might not have been the right call. Benedek excels at explaining: showing readers the inside of a federal investigation. She knows her stuff. Her anecdotes about airline security, the holes in port security, and the challenges investigators have with the mounds of red tape are excellent. Her analysis of what probably happened on board the airliners downed by terrorists on 9/11 is fascinating - and rooted in smart guesswork from an expert. It probably could have made a fascinating non-fiction work in and of itself.

But Benedek struggles putting her expertise into fiction. There are too many loose ends, unlikely coincidences, and too many forays into the minutiae involved in a federal counterintelligence investigation. Who really wants two pages explaining all the necessary paperwork FBI agents are forced to write?

But the downfall of "Red Sea" lies in the characters. First, there are too many, way too many. Minor characters float in and out of the story and its difficult too keep track of them. Second, the main characters are flat - none of them are interesting enough to drive the narrative.

Julian Granot, the mysterious Israeli agent, feels cliché, and journalist Marie Peterssen doesn't feel real - she feels like a composite character created for a novel.

There are two parts of the plot that illustrate the difficulties with "Red Sea." The first is when Peterssen is kidnapped off the streets of Baghdad and held captive for nearly two days. Yet, FBI Agent Morgan Ensley, her romantic interest, isn't even aware that she's missing. She's kidnapped, held hostage, and released and the agent who has been wooing her and protecting her is oblivious that she's even gone.

Second, when Marie is released and back in America, she calls Ensley and this is how she describes Morgan finding out that Marie was kidnapped:

"Then she called Morgan, who didn't have too many answers for her about her kidnapping but let her know that her repatriation had been the result of a small miracle of diplomacy, although he wouldn't tell her a thing about it. He was thrilled that she had made it back home and he hoped to get back soon to see her."

Then Marie goes on the Internet - yes, the Internet - and discovers crucial information that the entire U.S. federal government is unable to locate. She calls Morgan to pass on the information and this is how the conversation starts:

"Morgan," she said. "It's Marie."
"Hey, girl, how are you?"
"Good, good, thanks. Where are you?"
"Closer than you'd think."
"You in the United States?"
"Something like that."
Marie was silent, her mind working. "Okay, first thing. Are you trying to stop the ship?"
"How would you come up with an idea like that?" Morgan asked.
"Oh, Morgan. Get over yourself. Get over your secret stuff. We don't have time for it."

To make matters worse, the reader already knows about the ship. The reader also knows that Morgan and Marie worked together to discover the threat of the ship. The conversation seems to exist in another world.

This is a common problem with "Red Sea." Information the reader has is revealed again - suspensefully, as if the details being revealed are new. It gives "Red Sea" are plodding, frustrating pace.

There are a couple of nice twists at the end, however, once you get there, it's too late.

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This was a good read. A novel of suspense and finally the good buys won, naturally. However it is the type of novel that includes things that could have happened that were bad and that is not good. Involves the East and the U.S.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"

This powerfully researched thriller brings the most important issues of our time to urgent life. Ms. Benedek knows what she's talking about. She's ahead of everyone. She understands the workings of a master terrorist's mind. Prepare to be gripped. This novel will not let you go.

I recently finished the Red Sea by Emily Benedict and strongly recommend it. I found myself unable to put it down. Emily Benedict is a great writer who aims to leave the reader asking questions. Most will reach the chilling conclusion (as I did) that we are no where near as safe as we think we are. Her characters are believable and the story line flows well. The Red Sea is a smart thriller, with lots of action, intriguing personalities and a topic that grabs you. What more can you ask for except the sequel.

If Tom Clancy were a female reporter, he might have written this book. As it is, Red Sea is an excellent thriller for our current post-9/11 world. Well researched and written, I highly recommend it.