Review: A Real Page Turner
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 30, 2013
THE WINDS OF KEDEM  BY ROGER RADFORDAfter reading Roger Radford's unputdownable Schreiber's Secret, I had high expectations of this his first thriller and, oh boy, I wasn't disappointed!First we have our hero David Katri, who puts any predetermined ideas of a spy in the shade.  David was born a Jewish Damascene, growing up in the Jewish quarter of Syria's capital.  There were many restrictions for Jews there at the time, among them being the fact they were not allowed to travel very far from their homes.  They were totally isolated from the outside world.As David reaches his mid-teens, he yearns to escape to Israel, and so begins to plan.  Eventually, he follows his dream and escapes to Beirut. There he meets International Red Cross official Armand Legrand, an intermediary who helps Jews escape to Israel. Unbeknown to David at that time, his future is planned.By this stage of the book I am so hooked that all I want to do is read the next page!  The author, with his background of working as a foreign correspondent in the Middle East, brings so much of the atmosphere to life.  The reader feels as if they are there, sharing the wonder of David's first view of Israel.  On his arrival, David meets someone who arranges for him to live in a Kibbutz, but at the same time plans to recruit him for the future to work for the Mossad, the Israeli Secret Service.David quickly fits into life in a Kibbutz and makes friends with Arik Ben-Ami.  They are destined to be lifelong friends.  Soon it is time to do the compulsory three years in the army and both David and Arik serve in the same brigade commanding tanks.  An attack from the Syrian army is imminent.  This battle has repercussions that are later important to this story.The antagonist of the story is Rashid Sedawi.  After his family are killed by an Israeli bomb, he vows revenge, wishing the total destruction of Israel. He eventually joins a terror cell in Lebanon.As we follow David through his life, meeting Yael, who he marries, we are made aware of life in the Middle East for so many.  We learn about the culture of Jews, Muslims, Christians.  This book is an education on a way of life full of political tensions.  After his time in the army, David returns to life in the Kibbutz until one day he receives a phone call. This call changes David's life yet again.Now begins a tale of intrigue, treachery, love and much more.  The action is fast and furious and totally absorbing.  This part of the book the reader simply must find out for themselves.  Who will betray who?  What happens when David meets Fatima?  Is Rashid able to achieve his aim and destroy Israel?  Can David stop him?Where is the hydrogen bomb hidden?  What part does Abu Mussa, a Maronite Christian warlord involved in drugs and secrets, play?All will be revealed in a nail biting finish!This is certainly a must read.  I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!Definitely worthy of five stars.