CRITICAL MASS
Whitley Strieber
Forge Books
Thriller
ISBN: 9780765322531
The United States thought that what transpired on September 11, 2001, was the worst tragedy we ever could imagine. However, it is possible that those events failed to awaken the U.S. government or all the other major world powers, and complacency has once again caused us to let our guard down. The result of this is the possibility of a wide-scale attack that would dwarf September 11th and bring the entire world to their knees. This very plausible and frighteningly realistic terror is the core of Whitley Strieber’s latest effort, CRITICAL MASS.
Nuclear interdiction expert Jim Deutsch seems to be America’s last hope as he actively tracks a nuclear weapon being snuck into the U.S. illegally across the Mexico-Texas border. What he uncovers is merely the tip of the iceberg --- a conspiracy of global proportion that threatens life as we know it. Deutsch typically operates under deep cover and has ties to nearly every agency attached to the U.S. government. He is a fearless patriot who makes Jack Bauer look like a Boy Scout! Thankfully, his ex-wife, Nabila, is of Muslim descent and herself connected to the political underground --- making her a strong ally to have during a national security crisis.
As Deutsch continues his independent investigation into the smuggled nuclear weapon, he finds that the power behind this act is an organization of unknown dimension that is embedded in the American enforcement and intelligence communities. This puts him at high risk, and he quickly realizes he is out there on his own without a parachute or lifeline. A radical branch of Muslim extremists appears to be the driving force of this global terrorist threat with a leader labeling himself the Mahdi --- a holy soldier with the sole mission of destroying all non-believers and bringing about the “end of time.”
The telling event that transpires is the largest single terrorist act ever perpetrated on U.S. soil. A nuclear bomb of plutonium origin is detonated by plane above Las Vegas, leveling the entire area and causing unprecedented destruction. Deutsch had commandeered a small plane and pilot in an effort to find the nuclear bomb but is too late to stop this heinous act. The whole world is shaken, and global and religious leaders begin communicating in hopes of devising a game plan to prevent further destruction. A message comes from the Mahdi that demands all non-Muslim countries and leaders renounce their faiths and claim allegiance to Allah. This includes witnessing the President of the United States performing the salah --- the five prayers of each day --- for the entire world to see.
The President and his entire cabinet, warned that they cannot leave the Washington, D.C. area, are sequestered there against their will. Discussion is had over the most fearsome military operation ever conceived. Over a 30-hour period, Operation Dream Angel would deliver 1,750 W101 neutron bombs across all areas on the planet controlled by Muslim fundamentalists --- in essence, wiping them off the face of the earth along with millions of innocent people. There is both agreement and dissent in the cabinet about such an operation, and the President is at a crossroads. Meanwhile, Deutsch continues his trek across the country to get to the White House where he can offer his support and insight as a firsthand expert into this particular brand of terrorism.
Fearing further destruction and unable to retaliate, the majority of global leaders realize they must bow down to the Mahdi’s demands. The President of the United States complies with the renouncement request, and even the Pope and other religious leaders agree to concede that there is only one God --- the God of the Muslim people. Mosques are being destroyed around the world, and anyone appearing to be Middle Eastern is persecuted or killed. This is just the sort of panic the Mahdi had hoped for. Another devastating hit is taken as a nuclear attack upon Rome and Vatican City is perpetrated, destroying that entire area and marking a direct blow into the heart of Catholicism. The Mahdi and his followers continue their fight against those who have been given the scripture but do not believe in Allah.
All seems hopeless as at least 16 major cities around the world have been targeted for further attacks. But never count out Jim Deutsch, who has found his ex-wife and made it safely to the White House. Was the President’s bowing down on camera and accepting Allah all a ploy? Is the entire Muslim nation truly behind these attacks, or could it be a ruse by another global nation or extremist faction of Muslims seeking to tip the balance of power permanently? These issues are what Deutsch needs to resolve if there is any chance of further attacks being prevented --- particularly the weapon that is aimed directly at the White House.
Whitley Strieber has taken an extremely plausible situation and turned it into a novel that cuts to the core of everyone’s daily security fears in the modern world in which we exist. The fact that most countries in the world --- the U.S. included --- have no continuity of a government plan in place in the event that the “head is cut off” at the top leadership level is truly frightening. CRITICAL MASS is supremely effective in how uneasy it makes the reader feel once you realize just how vulnerable we might be. Strieber has turned this fear into a page-turner of a novel that hopefully will see its way to the big screen. It would make for a heck of a movie!
--- Reviewed by Ray Palen
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