BLACKFIVE: Exclusive interview w/ author Brad Thor

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Exclusive interview w/ author Brad Thor

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

Elise Cooper for BLACKFIVE

New York Times Number one bestselling author Brad Thor has written a new book, “The Apostle.” This fictional book is centered on rescuing a hostage, Dr. Julia Gallo, who is held by the Taliban in Afghanistan. To head the rescue team, the American President enlists Scot Harvath, a special forces’ operative. The book’s sub-plot involves a secret service agent, Elise Campbell, who overhears the possibility of the President’s involvement in the death of one his aides. Blackfive.net had the opportunity to interview Mr. Thor about his new book.

Mr. Thor stated to Blackfive that “as a political thriller writer my job is to be as current as tomorrow’s headlines and to speak with as much firsthand knowledge as possible.” When reading fiction do the readers wonder where fantasy becomes reality? A good fictional political thriller must have plots, sub-plots, and themes that are believable. There were a few themes in “The Apostle” which could have been based on a realistic situation.

First, there is the Secret Services’ quandary of overhearing a delicate, personal matter. In reading this, one reverts back to the Clinton years when there were numerous reports of the President’s infidelity. How many of Thor’s readers remember the secret service agents being compelled to testimony about President Clinton’s contemporaneous activities? Thor commented about the secret service agent, Elise Campbell that he wanted her character to have her “own mystery to unravel with and wrestle with her own points.”

The next theme involves the CIA’s bureaucratic mistakes, including wasting time and money for mandatory sensitivity training and the failure over 9-11. Thor states in his book that “management was more concerned with getting promoted and pushing their paperwork than making sure the operatives got the resources they needed.” Both CIA sources interviewed agreed with this statement during the years John Deutch and James Woosley Jr. served as directors. One former operative stated that both “Deutch and Woosley were risk averse. They cut some of our resources because there was not enough money in the payroll. A lot of people who did take risks were asked to retire.” However, he goes on to state that during the George Tenet and Michael Hayden years, “everyone was gung-ho and had the full backing of the Bush administration.” Besides the two former operatives, a high ranking official told Blackfive that “the guys in the field are viewed as heroes…the people at the headquarters are seemingly idiots. The problem with this is that many of the senior people at HQ came from the field…remember that someone has to evaluate them to make sure in light of the bigger picture that their plan makes sense.”

Mr. Thor writes in the book, “What puzzled him (Scot Harvath) more was that not a single management head had rolled at the CIA over the attacks.” Many at the CIA admit that they should have connected the dots more, but the other agencies should also share in the blame. As one former CIA official explained, “It was an American failure. It was a State Department failure because the terrorists should never have been given visas, a law enforcement failure because the FBI should have been on them once they entered this country and an intelligence failure because the CIA should have disrupted the attacks.”

Realizing that today’s world is a dangerous place, Mr. Thor was asked about his main character, Scot Harvath. He is hopeful that there are Harvaths in the world who will keep Americans safe. He wanted to write a book set in Afghanistan because he saw it as a place that would be back in the headlines. He stated that “as a political thriller writer my job is to be as current as tomorrow’s headlines.”

He explained that he writes the books for entertainment; yet, wants to give a voice to those that keep Americans safe. Thor stated that “I stand in awe of the men and women in law enforcement, in intelligence, and in the military. Every freedom I enjoy is because of the service and sacrifice of others.”

This is a very good political thriller because of its suspenseful and believable plots. Luckily for Scot Harvath fans Brad Thor is going to write a book with him as the main character every single year. The CIA parts should probably not have been put in the book since they did not add anything to the plot. If you want a book that has a likeable main character, a good sub-plot, and is fast moving, this is a great summer book to read. As Mr. Thor stated, “First and foremost I am an entertainer so I want to give people the best white knuckle job I am capable of based on believability.”