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The Afghan Paperback – August 7, 2007

by Frederick Forsyth (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 5,650 ratings
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A nearly impossible undercover mission may be the only chance to stop a terrorist attack in this action-packed thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Frederick Forsyth.

When British and American intelligence discover an Al Qaeda operation in the works, they need a man on the inside to get ahead of a possible attack. They enlist Colonel Mike Martin, a hardened veteran, to go undercover. Colonel Martin prepares to pass himself off as former senior Taliban commander Izmat Khan and infiltrate the enemy. But nothing can prepare Martin for the dark and shifting world he is about to enter—or the terrible things he will find there.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    400 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    G.P. Putnam's Sons
  4. Publication date
    August 7, 2007
  5. Dimensions
    4.3 x 1 x 7.4 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0451221834
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0451221834
  8. See all details
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Popular Highlights in this book
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  1. It is proven that in a no-thought instinctive emergency a man will normally pull left. That is why driving on the left of the road, though confined to very few countries, is actually safer.
    Highlighted by 54 Kindle readers
  2. ‘Because it is a misnomer,’ said the professor. ‘The very word implies “back to basics”. But the planters of bombs in trains, malls and buses are not going back to the basics of Islam. They are writing their own new script, then arguing retroactively, seeking to find Koranic passages that justify their war.
    Highlighted by 50 Kindle readers
  3. They called themselves the students. In Pashto ‘student’ is talib, and the plural is the Taliban. From village vigilantes they became a movement and when they captured the city of Kandahar an alternative government.
    Highlighted by 45 Kindle readers
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Frederick Forsyth

“Forsyth is truly the world’s reigning master of suspense”—Los Angeles Times

“When it comes to espionage, international intrigue, and suspense, Frederick Forsyth is a master.”—The Washington Post Book World

About the Author

Frederick Forsyth is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of seventeen novels, including The Day of the Jackal and The Odessa File, as well as short story collections and a memoir. A former Air Force pilot, and one-time print and television reporter for the BBC, he has had four movies and two television miniseries made from his works. He is the winner of three Edgar Awards, and in 2012 he won the Diamond Dagger Award from the Crime Writers’ Association, a lifetime achievement award for sustained excellence. He lives in Hertfordshire, England.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ G.P. Putnam's Sons; Reprint edition (August 7, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0451221834
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0451221834
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.3 x 1 x 7.4 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 5,650 ratings

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  1. Frederick Forsyth

    Frederick Forsyth

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    Frederick Forsyth is the author of a number of bestselling novels including The Day of the Jackel, The Odessa File, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative and The Fourth Protocol. He lives in Hertfordshire, England. www.frederickforsyth.co.uk

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  2. James Martin

    James Martin

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
5,650 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Compelling
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2020
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Frederick Forsyth has done an utterly amazing job again!
This novel is not a conspiracy theorist's version of fiction, but a closely accurate account of the length nations go through to ensure national security.
Col Martin takes you on a journey through the tumultuous history of the Middle East right up through modern times when he poses as The Afghan. He relies on spooks in the US and Great Britain to keep his mission to only 10 people, (himself being one). Using every resource, the US must keep the real Afghani prisoner hidden. The Brits will "brush-up" Martin's skills. Collectively, they will labor night and day to solve an impropable puzzle against a cunning enemy with sleeper cells. For his part, Col Martin must infiltrate the top tier of terror organizations who hold the closely-guarded al-Israh plot to their hearts. If allowed to carryout, it will transcend 9-11. However, as the G8 summit approaches, will this SAS officer, who has come out of retirement, be able to pass as a Pashtun and complete Crowbar on time?
Only someone with the military experience, spy background and journalism credentials like Frederick Forsyth could pen such an astute and enthralling tale!
3 people found this helpful
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Gary Griffiths
4.0 out of 5 stars Forsyth on Caffeine
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2006
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That Frederick Forsyth is a master of pop international suspense thrillers is indisputable; previous works like "The Day of the Jackal", "The Odessa File", and "The Fist of God" set the standard for the genre. "The Afghan" is another very readable, action packed tale of radical Islamism bad guys and the good guys who pursue them. In a nutshell, Mike Martin, a retired British Special Forces Colonel with a long history of clandestine operations, is called back into action to impersonate an Afghan warlord, currently on extended vacation in Guantanamo Bay, with the goal of infiltrating Al Qaeda and determining the nature and target of a terrorist plot code-named "Al-Isra". A hyperactive Forsyth takes us through a frantic tour of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the caves of Tora Bora, the first Iraq war and Guantanimo Bay, complete with cameo appearances from Osama bin Laden himself and sidekick Ayman al-Zawahiri, side trips to Indonesia, Washington state's eastern mountain ranges and even Bosnia, peppered with quick tutorials in everything from the radical Wahhabi brand of Islam to the merchant marine fleet. Just reading it exhausted me.

But if this sounds like a lot of ground to cover, it is vintage Forsyth. And as with most Forsyth, excepting "Day of the Jackal", this is long on action and light on background, making for a quick and enjoyable read. If there is a fault with "The Afghan", it is in the coincidence and speed of events that skip through the pages, more made-for-TV-movie than LeCarre. Ultimately it is a story more chilling in the likelihood of the occurrence of an "Al-Isra-like" event than as a result of Forsyth's plot or prose.

Notwithstanding, this is a reliable end-of-summer page-turner and, if not up to the standards of some earlier Forsyth work, definitely worth the effort. For another recent release with a more realistic and equally chilling installment on the war on radical Islam, I'd highly recommend "The Messenger" by David Silva, a more intricately drawn drama with a keener insight into the challenges - and unlikelihood - of solving the problem anytime soon.
8 people found this helpful
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mikes klndle
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book
Reviewed in the United States on February 29, 2024
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This book followed the great writing style that Frederick Forsyth is known for. The novel keeps moving, switching back and forth between the different elements of the book to keep the reader up to date with what all elements of the story are doing. I liked the flow of the story from beginning to end.
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Elías Kristjánsson
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good story with good insight on the subject, by master novelist.
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2014
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The tread of the story is well thought and imagery and exciting. What I find of most interest, is that it revels information taboo in a form of novel. The present conflict in Afghanistan has its roots in the “Great Game” or the interventionism of Imperial Russia and Britain in the 19th century.
The Soviet Union reinvented this game in the seventieths of last century by getting very friendly with Afghanistan and in 1978 the communists took over the government.
The mother country of Islam did not take it lightly to have communist government in a Muslim state and started cooperation with the Pakistani Secret Service to funnel great mass of money to stabilize
Madhhabs to radicalize young Muslims with the aim to make them mental slave, jihad soldiers.
The war addict, Uncle Sam used the opportunity to aid the Mujahedeen.
This radicalizing of young men have been spinning along and now the whole Muslim world is on fire, and the Gods of war are very pleased.
Elías Kristjánsson.
Iceland.
8 people found this helpful
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Nicky London
3.0 out of 5 stars Unfortunately, not the Forsythe I remember!
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2006
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Having read the "Day of the Jackal" and "The Odessa File," I was hoping for another masterpiece that rivaled the early works of Ludlum. I was disappointed and consider this an average book not up to Forsythe's early standards of excellence. There were also glaring inaccuracies and outdated references such as GS-15 being very low on the totem pole. Not only is it the highest grade in the GS scale (as mentioned in a previous review), but how can anyone think that a grade with 14 ranks below it would be among the lowest in rank? Also, the GS stands for "General Schedule" not "General Service." The SBS reference as "Special Boat Squadron" is incorrect and is actually "Special Boat Service." The statement that the SBS only recruits those from the Royal Marines is out of date. A little checking would have revealed that the SBS now accepts volunteers from any service. The M21 Sniper rifle mentioned infers that this is the current weapon in the inventory when in fact it was replaced by the M24 Sniper Weapon System in 1988. The errors could have easily been detected by professional editing and detracted from my enjoyment of the book.
5 people found this helpful
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Rietta
4.0 out of 5 stars My review
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2023
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Frederick does not disappoint. Good book. Only negative I wish main caracter was more involved and more drama on his part. But that said I think the caracter is more accurate written than the drama I would have liked.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Condition: great Delivery date: excellent
Reviewed in Canada on August 31, 2021
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No other comment except very satisfied.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The Afghan (book)
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 30, 2023
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A good read - typical Forsyth
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Naskar
5.0 out of 5 stars The Afghan
Reviewed in Germany on February 16, 2022
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Roman ist wenig überzeugend, eher enttäuschend
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Amazing
5.0 out of 5 stars Read and re-read and again
Reviewed in India on May 23, 2020
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An author who has no equal. I m revisiting all his books and he never ceases to amaze me. The research that goes into the book is mind boggling. Use google maps to check every location mentioned 😀 then you realize the effort.
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Philippe Valentin
4.0 out of 5 stars Very well documented
Reviewed in France on July 22, 2014
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The book is written half as a novel half as a documentary. The plot (starts with a detail that uncovers a big threat) is good and one can wonder whether it's real or not. As usual Frederick Forsyth knows how to manage the rhythm of the action and the information. It gives valuable insights about Afghanistan and Pakistan and the way people think and behave in this corner of the planet -which is way far from occidentals.
So -yes- I recommend reading this for your holiday break.
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