The Devil's Shepherd

Rating:
Summary: This book will captivate you unlike any other
Review: From the very first page on, Steve Hartov exposes his reader to the fascinating world of espionage and terrorism unlike any author I have ever encountered. Only somebody who has experienced the Israeli intelligence service himself could have written such a breathtaking book. This might be Hartov's finest work yet, very closely followed by The Heat of Ramadan and The Nylon Hand of God, which are magnificantely written as well. The only problem one might have with this novel is to decide whether an intriguing character such as Eckstein, or the beautifully described locations around the world are the reason one is not able to put the book down. The Devil's Shepard is a true must for anybody who is interested in espionage, or who simply wishes to be completely captivated by a breathtaking story until the very last page of a book.

Rating:
Summary: This book will captivate you unlike any other
Review: From the very first page on, Steve Hartov exposes his reader to the fascinating world of espionage and terrorism unlike any author I have ever encountered. Only somebody who has experienced the Israeli intelligence service himself could have written such a breathtaking book. This might be Hartov's finest work yet, very closely followed by The Heat of Ramadan and The Nylon Hand of God, which are magnificantely written as well. The only problem one might have with this novel is to decide whether an intriguing character such as Eckstein, or the beautifully described locations around the world are the reason one is not able to put the book down. The Devil's Shepard is a true must for anybody who is interested in espionage, or who simply wishes to be completely captivated by a breathtaking story until the very last page of a book.

Rating:
Summary: Try it --- you'll like it!
Review: I am an avid reader, but truthfully, I have never really been interested in this genre, believing, foolishly, I see now, that neither the storylines nor the characters would be interesting to me. So, when a friend of mine gave this book to me I said, "Thank you!", but thought, "God, you don't know me at all." Well, how wrong I was! My friend knew that I LOVE a good yarn, a compelling story full of complex, well-drawn characters, and that is what this book delivers. Although I approached page one with trepidation, expecting nothing but technical descriptions of guns and ammo, flatly drawn characters of "heroes" and "bad guys", and totally unbelievable situations, what I got, starting on page one, were characters that are totally human in unbelievable situations that are totally believable. Add into the mix technical information that is understandable and descriptions of locale that has to bring out the wanderlust in any reader, and I just have to say that I loved the book. I loved the book so much that I went and tracked down the previous two of the trilogy and read those as well! (My friend said, "Told ya so!")

Rating:
Summary: Try it --- you'll like it!
Review: I am an avid reader, but truthfully, I have never really been interested in this genre, believing, foolishly, I see now, that neither the storylines nor the characters would be interesting to me. So, when a friend of mine gave this book to me I said, "Thank you!", but thought, "God, you don't know me at all." Well, how wrong I was! My friend knew that I LOVE a good yarn, a compelling story full of complex, well-drawn characters, and that is what this book delivers. Although I approached page one with trepidation, expecting nothing but technical descriptions of guns and ammo, flatly drawn characters of "heroes" and "bad guys", and totally unbelievable situations, what I got, starting on page one, were characters that are totally human in unbelievable situations that are totally believable. Add into the mix technical information that is understandable and descriptions of locale that has to bring out the wanderlust in any reader, and I just have to say that I loved the book. I loved the book so much that I went and tracked down the previous two of the trilogy and read those as well! (My friend said, "Told ya so!")

Rating:
Summary: A Keep-You-Awake-Late-At-Night Story!
Review: I put a lot of books right back on the shelf in the book store after reading the blurb or a few page but NOT THIS ONE! Hartov's plot and intrigue capture you right off the top and pull you into a modern day spy story that keeps you turning pages as fast as you can. There is a currency and relevance to his stories (read also the Heat of Ramadan - I haven't read The Nylon Hand of God . . . yet!) that rips you right into the risk and rapid pulse of Israeli intelligence operations like no other subject matter can today. With the cold war over and other great periods of worldwide espionnage ended such as WW II, readers like myself of true grit style spy stories can have a hard time finding compelling excitement in this genre. This is partly what makes his books so great. Hartov uses his real world experience in the spine tingling world of the Israeli conflict to spin phenomenal stories of life threatening excitement. This is the book to get if you love this genre!

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't finish it
Review: Set in war-torn Sarajevo, an Ethiopia in the grip of civil war, and Israel, Stephen Hartov's magnificent thriller is so vivid and compelling it may remind readers of Ken Follett's "Lie Down with Lions."

Hartov fields a Laurel and Hardy Israeli intelligence team: aging Eytan Eckstein and fatherly Benni Baum. Heavily battled scarred from previous secret operations, they`re on the verge of retirement, but make the mistake of accepting one more mission they can't resist--they're addicted to danger and excitement, and their loyalty to their people and their country is soul-deep.

Hartov beautifully plays off the men's military skills against their longing for rest. Alternating between the canny team work of "Mission Impossible" and Indiana Jones-style escapes, this is an almost perfect thriller: tense, exciting, brilliantly paced--and with deeply believable characters.

Rating:
Summary: Will Blow You Away -- No one writes spy novels like Hartov!
Review: The Devil's Shepherd, like is previous novels, THE HEAT OF RAMADAN and THE NYLON HAND OF GOD, are masterpieces of the spy and thriller genre. No one today writes spy novels like Hartov. He is up there with the best of the best like Le Carre and Forsyth. Hartov, a former Israeli Paratrooper and Aman (Israeli Military Intelligence) operative, writes with authority and an insiders knowledge. This sense of realism shows on every page. What sets Hartov's work apart from most technothrillers today is Hartov's ability to create living and breathing characters. Even the minor characters are distinct and well drawn. The characters are not supermen or superwomen, but real people with families, hopes and dreams, and fears and desires. Hartov's mastery of characterization also extends to his descriptions of time and place. His descriptions of everytihing from late night planning sessions in smoke filled rooms to covert actions in dark alleys come alive in rich, crisp detail. You will swear that you know these people and that you are there with them as they carry out their derring-do. I also think that this book, as well as his previous books, transcends the genre and will appeal to a wide range of readers who treasure a good story with rich detailed characters and locales. No matter who you are this one will surely blow you away!

Rating:
Summary: The ORIGINAL plot of intrigue in Africa
Review: This was without question a page turner. Our two heros are sent to rescue an individual who has knowledge of a mole within the Isreali government. As usually happens when our two hers go on a mission there is gunfire and action a plenty. The terrible twosome wind up in Africa to rescue their source. They have gun battles and problems all over the country. Hartov uses his vast insider knowledge of the Isreali spy world to make this book very believable. He is quickly becoming a noted author in this field. This book will make you an immediate fan. Read it, you will not be dissapointed.

Rating:
Summary: Getting better all the time
Review: With the end of Ian Fleming and Edward S. Aarons' careers, and the slowing of Forsyth and Clancy's output, finding great espionage adventures with fascinating backgrounds, interesting characters, eye-opening authenticity, and strong writing is getting harder and harder. Thanks the war gods for Steven Hartov. I've been reading his work from the beginning, and it just keeps getting better and better. His newest book, The Devil's Shepherd, is the best so far, which is saying something, considering the quality of the previous two. With his work, you can share the danger, understand both sides of the conflict, and practically feel the heat of the location, not to mention the battle. For fans of international thriller fiction, this is a must-read.