The Target by Bill Bowen

I found "The Target" by Bill Bowen to be an interesting and suspenseful novel that I enjoyed reading. It did not have the "action" that many thrillers have, but made up for it with the suspense and a group of characters that I wanted to know more about and desired to see how their plan would unfold. The mixing of the American plot and the sister of the terrorist made a unique contrast that added to the story in a way that made me want to better understand cultures and politics different from my own.Bowen holds degrees in foreign affairs from the United Air Force Academy and Georgetown University, and this education, along with his service in military intelligence and in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs provides a solid background to write about the events in this novel. The back of the book states that "The Target" reflects Bowen's concern about the combination of terrorism and nuclear weapons and the missing element of deter
rence in that equation. Reading the book, I too found myself thinking of terrorism, nuclear weapons, and how terrorist could be deterred from committing terrorist acts. I join Bowen in his hope that leaders of Iran, Pakistan, and other countries will understand the danger of uncontrolled proliferation.While, as I previously stated, the book didn't have a lot of "action," I still found myself eager to read and see what would happen next. I connected with the character Mike Curran, and wondered what I would do if I faced the same situations and opportunities that he was presented with at the beginning of the book and then throughout the story. Maybe one of the reasons I enjoyed this book as much as I did was because it made me think. Several times I actually stopped reading and thought a bit about what might really happen and how the events of this story might actually play out. I found Bowen's writing to be direct, thought provoking, and informative. Sure, it's a novel, but I
learned some things and found myself wanting to learn even more as I read.I would have liked to have seen a bit more action, and those scenes that did have action could have been a bit more detailed and exciting. There were also a few things that I'd have liked to have seen more developed, but I also understand that you can only put so much between the front and back cover.Overall, this first novel by Bill Bowen was an enjoyable read that made me think a little. I recommend it to anyone looking for a suspenseful read that makes you think about the times we live in and what could happen.

View this post on my blog: http://www.yourgamebook.com/the-target-by-bill-bowen-2.html