Shadow Over Babylon: A Novel [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

David Mason (Author), Bob Peck (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1994

American intelligence experts uncover a successful plot by a British businessman and a government minister to assassinate Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. Book available.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Mason's suspenseful debut depicts the international repercussions of a British securities expert's attempt to assassinate Saddam Hussein.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Covert action as a plot device is used in many thrillers, and it's employed to full effect in Mason's story about the British government's scheme to assassinate Saddam Hussein. Using an international security firm as a front, a team of operatives moves from Europe, through Saudi Arabia, and into Iraq for a rendezvous with Hussein in his hometown. The assassins must contend with Iraqi soldiers as well as U.S. intelligence, which is tracking their movements. With this basic plot, Babylon might have been a tense and exciting tale. Unfortunately, too much detail and characterization are held back in an effort to maintain suspense, and the listener becomes more confused than excited. Bob Peck's narration is excellent, but the material is too weak to sustain interest. Not recommended.
- Jay Rozgonyi, Fairfield Univ. Lib., Ct.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Highbridge Audio; Abridged edition (January 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0453008682
• ISBN-13: 978-0453008686
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,385,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping story about a plot to assassinate Saddam Hussein, February 26, 2007

By 

Helen Hancox "Auntie Helen" (Essex, England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shadow over Babylon (Paperback)

"Shadow Over Babylon" is the first book by David Mason and it's a gripping read very much in the style of Frederick Forsythe or Tom Clancy. The story revolves around a group of British ex-Special Forces men who are hired to assassinate Saddam Hussein and the planning and organisation involved to infiltrate Iraq, shoot Hussein and then escape. They draft in a sniper, Danny MacDonald, who is a deer stalker and we are introduced to Danny at the beginning of the book as he explains about shooting to a deer hunter. This aspect of the book - the technical detail of the sniper's craft - is fascinating and not something I've read elsewhere.

As the book progresses we learn more about the characters and the plans that they are making to carry out this difficult task, although we don't know the full plot at any time - as it unfolds we understand why they organised things as they did. There is a parallel story taking place in the American NRO (National Reconnaisance Office) as they find themselves tracking the team and trying to work out who they are and what they are doing. Big brother was definitely watching them!

The book has some technical detail but perhaps less than a Tom Clancy book - which isn't a bad thing. There is also more characterisation of the men involved in the mission - why they are doing it, how they handle the stress and violence - and even a couple of little romantic storylines for three of the main people involved.

And do they succeed in killing Saddam Hussein? Well, you'll have to read it to find out, but it's a really great read and there's a little twist in the tail which I wasn't expecting and was fun. Enjoy the story and the plot and the characters - this is an excellent debut novel by someone who clearly knows an awful lot about what he's describing and it's great fun to read a book with British special forces, rather than American ones, with the humour and amusing conversation of the Brits.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shadow Over Babylon is worth the time taken to read it., October 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shadow over Babylon (Paperback)

Mason was good at making this premise work, even though he was working with the handicap that came with setting this a few years back. We know the history of the Gulf War aftermath, so where's the suspense in reading about this crack team headed to take Mr. Hussein down? It's there all right. Obviously this is the work of a sharp intelligence. If Mr. Mason were to write another novel, I'd be sure to at least take a look at it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very satisfying read, December 17, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow over Babylon (Paperback)

An interesting and plausible plot. The author writes with authority, and tells an exciting story. The technical details of a Clancy novel and the twists of a Forsyth spy thriller. I hope Mason writes more.