Path of the Assassin

January 6, 2003
If Thor's second international thriller had any more testosterone, it would grow hair. This follow-up to The Lions of Lucerne
is loaded with explosions, gunfights, car chases and hairbreadth escapes as Secret Service agent Scot Harvath battles religious extremists and incompetent CIA spooks to save the world from WWIII. The Hand of God, an apparent Israeli terrorist group, is blowing up mosques in Saudi Arabia, assassinating Arab leaders and hijacking airplanes, all in an effort to provoke the Arab world into war with Israel. Harvath tries to derail the terrorist plot and avenge the deaths of buddies killed in the first book. Aided by Meg Cassidy, a beautiful Chicago public relations expert, Harvath chases the terrorist leader and a silver-eyed assassin from Hong Kong through Europe to North Africa. However, since Cassidy is the only one alive who has seen the face of the terrorist leader, the assassin chases them, too, trying to kill Cassidy before she can point him out. The story is one bloody episode after another, with a touch of romance and colorful turf battles between the CIA, FBI, Delta Force and Harvath himself. Thor stacks the deck in favor of his hero—Harvath never makes a mistake, and his view of how counterterrorism operations should be conducted is invariably proven correct. To top it off, he boasts about his remarkable talents. With its infallible hero, fetching sidekick and wicked bad guys, this international shoot 'em up sticks close to formula, but the well-choreographed action and thrills will keep readers engrossed. Agent, Heidi Lange, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Jan.)Forecast:Thor is the host of a PBS travel show,
Traveling Lite. Cross-promotion with PBS, plus an eight-city tour, will give him an edge in this crowded genre.

Secret Service Agent Scott Horvath searches for Hassim Nidal, son of legendary assassin Abu Nidal. The only nonterrorist who can identify Nidal is Meg Cassidy, a public relations expert who somehow thwarts a hijacking by Nidal, then pairs with Horvath in working with the CIA to find him before he attempts another. They search four continents, avoiding death, with Horvath's instincts invariably correct. Audibly enjoying the reading, Armand Schultz endows Horvath with a macho bravado that propels the unlikely plot to its unlikely conclusion. Schultz revels in the dialogue between Horvath and the head of the CIA team, whom he despises, and makes the most of the nonstop action. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine