Title: The Gatekeeper
Author: : Donald Peters
ISBN: 978-1543495867
Pages: 858
Genre: Thriller & Suspense
Headline: Brimming with tension, The Gatekeeper introduces protagonist Mark Taylor from an “outside looking in” point of view as he goes undercover in Afghanistan to accomplish a seemingly impossible mission.
Military fiction enthusiasts will want to have The Gatekeeper on their bookshelves. Donald Peters impeccably describes what warfare is like on the battlegrounds and within all of the intelligence and security services involved, using a delightfully powerful narrative.
Peters captures the turbulent experiences of one man in the midst of a chaotic venture whose outcome was far from guaranteed in this brilliant novel of struggle. In this gripping tale, we meet Mark Taylor, owner of NYC-based computer company, Taylor Software. His military background, however, is utilized when his father, Harold, an assistant inspector in the Office of Inspector General of the Central Intelligence Agency, sends him undercover to Afghanistan to investigate a CIA senior member suspected of having involvement in drug trafficking.
Being an ex-United States Delta Force officer, Mark is driven by his conviction of purpose. Upon his arrival at the war zone, the reader is charmed and compelled to empathize with Mark as his mission proves to be life-threatening. Uncovering the filthy secrets of the CIA’s Assistant Deputy Director of Intelligence Stephen Rodriguez, Mark and his small team are up against the CIA and their colleagues in other divisions of the United States Government; even the British M16, Russian Foreign Intelligence, and the FBI come after them as Mark pursues the truth. He draws on his knowledge of modern combat tactics to survive and finds the will to traverse the troublesome trail.
In this ambitious novel, Peters’ engaging approach enables the creation of a complex plot, but it is effortless in capturing your attention and keeping you on your toes. There was an unvarnished portrayal of multiple characters, to whom Peters dedicated a lot of time. These characters were complicated and deeply human, with their own strengths and weaknesses. The word-building was robust as Peters utilized the character’s senses and mood in creating the environment in which the struggle was taking place, making the reader feel as though they were there as well. Every scene led towards a larger goal, and The Gatekeeper is set up for a sequel that readers hope could match this prose’s brilliance, or–if Peters is up for the challenge–be better than this.
It is the author’s mastery of these otherwise generally classified topics that makes you wonder just how close this could be to reality.
Peters makes for a bold statement with The Gatekeeper, and his refreshingly haunting prose is hinting at more great and engaging stories to come. This novel is a great choice for ardent military and war fiction fans and offers gripping moments for devotees of other genres as well.