Mission Compromised: A Novel (Hardcover)

~ Oliver North (Author), Joe Musser (Author) "Major Peter J. Newman, U.S. Marines, reporting as ordered, sir..." (more)
Key Phrases: senior watch officer, watch chief, munitions train, White House, Air Force, National Security Advisor (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's hard to figure out just what North has in mind here: a little payback, perhaps, for some of the controversial ex-Marine's treatment by the Beltway establishment? A Christian tract disguised as a topical thriller? An attempt to use every single governmental abbreviation-from AmCits (American citizens) to WHDB (White House Data Base)-in one book? This giant novel (the first in a projected series of three) fits every one of those criteria, and also has a plot so convoluted that a snake might get motion sickness and characters so thin they make Tom Clancy look like Jane Austen. After flashbacks to three sets of killings in 1986, the narrative skips to 1994, when a career Marine Corps officer, Maj. Peter Newman, arrives at the Clinton White House to head a special projects office that hasn't been manned since another Marine-Oliver North-was booted out in 1987. "Look, if you think I'm going to accept a job only to go down in flames like he did, you'd better think again. I'll resign my commission first," Newman growls. But the major, who lost a younger brother in the military disaster at Mogadishu recounted in Black Hawk Down, takes the job when he realizes it will let him go after the warlords (including a rich Saudi called Osama bin Laden) responsible for that debacle. In a preface dated December 14, 2001, Fox News reporter North writes from aboard a U.S. warship with troops bound for Afghanistan, thanking coauthor Musser for his "gift for words" that "has made my military phraseology comprehensible to civilians." Perhaps those thanks were premature.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

North's debut thriller, the first of a three-novel series, is set in the mid-1990s and revolves around Maj. Peter J. Newman, a U.S. Marine assigned to a top-secret National Security Council staff position at the White House. (Guess whose old job and office Newman occupies.) Newman is ordered to coordinate a covert operation to eliminate a group of international law breakers including Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. When the mission is compromised, Newman and his personnel are left hanging, and a series of events unfolds exposing God's hand in Newman's life. While there will be strong demand from North's legion of fans and where T. Davis Bunn is popular, this novel is an irritating act of hubris. By having his character conveniently discover evidence that proves North acted with the full authority of the White House in the Iran-Contra scandal, the author uses fiction to clear his muddied name and get his version of the truth out to the public.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 640 pages
• Publisher: B&H Publishing Group; 1st edition (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805425500
• ISBN-13: 978-0805425505
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #602,040 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Minor Speed Bumps Can't Stop This Thriller!, September 9, 2002

By	Eric Wilson "novelist" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

After reading the Publishers Weekly review I was uncertain about diving into a book of over 600 pages. Nevertheless, the sharp-looking cover and intriguing liner notes sucked me into the story...and, boy, am I glad!

Despite a few minor speed bumps, "Mission Compromised" is a fast-paced military thriller. We follow the mission of a Marine, Peter Newman, as he coordinates secretive, UN-appointed teams for quick response in global hotspots. He is particularly motivated to see one team become successful in its assignment to assassinate Aidid, the man responsible for the Mogadishu disaster as documented in "Black Hawk Down." Newman's brother was a victim of the massacre, and Newman wants revenge. He also wants to repair his failing marriage, but has few tools to do so. As the story progresses, other factors--Russian, Iraqi, and American--come into focus and threaten Newman's teams, not to mention his very existence.

"Mission Compromised" is a solid thriller. The scope of the characters and plot never equals the scope of a Tom Clancy novel, but the global ramifications of the story do. To call the plot 'convoluted' is to claim amateur status as a reader of espionage novels. With Joe Musser's co-writing, North communicates clearly and effectively, though never oversimplifying the entanglements of any government operation. North's intimate knowledge of his subject matter adds to the breathlessness of the book, particularly in the last third. Sure, the ponderous military parlance might seem overwhelming, but it also underlines the veracity of the story as a whole.

As for speed bumps? Sections of the story do become evangelistic, but they are tame and far from overwhelming. Characters are believable, but never deeply studied. In fact, the book reads most often with the dispassionate delivery of a nonfiction account; when it does dip into emotionalism, it does so subtly--and managed to catch me off-guard on two separate occasions.

My main question upon completing the last page: Where does fiction end and reality begin? Scary stuff. Maybe I'd be safer not knowing.

53 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read., October 24, 2002

By	Eric S. Mccoy, Sr. "Eric McCoy" (Florence, KY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Who is better qualified to write a novel about covert missions overseas? Colonel North does an awesome job of explaining military procedure in terms that a civi like me can understand.

The premise of the book circles around covert mission involving the elite British & U.S. Special forces. Their mission: to eliminate terrorists and Saddam Hussein. Their obstacles, besides being killed, corrupt U.N. officials and politicians.

This is also an excellent Christian novel. Colonel North does a realistic job of explaining how a few of the central characters come to know Christ.

If your looking for a novel of full of suspense, action, military missions , and a strong Christian message.... this is the book for you.

Great show Ollie! Look forward to your next work of fiction.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Move Over, Tom Clancy, September 15, 2002

By	Judith Evans Hanhisalo (Duxbury, MA USA) - See all my reviews

Ollie North has written a tremendous book, packed with excitement, human interest, a detailed knowledge of the way things work at "the top," and a deep Christian faith. He and Joe Musser combine these elements into a thriller that keeps you up at night. Moreover, the characters are believable and they grow and develop throughout the book, which is pretty unusual in thrillers of this genre. Mission Compromised is an eerie blend of fact and fiction, leaving the reader unsure which is which. Well done all around.