A Line in the Sand

by Gerald Seymour

Book Overview

A decade ago, Frank Perry had privileged access to Iran's chemical-weapons installations -- a mission he believed was well behind him after he had built a new life in an English coastal village. But... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684854775
• ISBN13: 9780684854779
• Release Date: August 2000
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

One of Seymour's Best

This is another tightly plotted thriller from Gerald Seymour that is awfully hard to put down once you start reading. The author often places relatively ordinary people into extraordinary situations - and he does so in this book. Seymour doesn't write about superheroes - I can't imagine Harrison Ford playing any role in any film of a Seymour book. Instead Seymour creates highly believable characters, complete with foibles, weaknesses, irrational impulses and some strengths. The main characters in "A Line in the Sand" all have their own weaknesses, strengths and motivations. Seymour weaves these together with great skill to create a taut, tense thriller. Seymour books often differ from the Clancys and Ludlums of the world in another respect - don't expect too many happy endings. Seymour writes about worlds where there's a certain inevitability of disaster - and he often lets disasters happen. That makes his stories much more credible, and much more frightening than most.Seymour also poses moral dilemmas for his characters. He's not an author who thinks one side is completely right and the other completely wrong. For Seymour, all combatants are flawed in some respects. In "A Line in the Sand", Seymour creates a moral dilemma for the inhabitants of a small English village - do they support one of their own or deflect a threat to their village by casting that person out ?I enjoyed "A Line in the Sand". In fact, it's one of Seymour's best novels so far.

One of Seymour's Best

I didn't expect to like this book. I had read and tremendously enjoyed what some call Seymour's Northern Ireland trilogy (Harry's Game, Field of Blood, and the Journeyman Tailor), but I hadn't liked another effort, Kingfisher.But while I eagerly continue to wait for another Seymour thriller centered in Northern Ireland, I decided to read his book Untouchable, which while not perfect, had me in its grip from the first to last page.So I decided to give Seymour another whirl, and I picked out A Line in the Sand. After reading it in about two days, I have to say the analogy one reviewer made of Seymour's plots coiling around a reader like a boa constrictor as the tension builds to an unbearable level is well put. The book is very hard to put down, and really doesn't have any flaws (apart from a couple of minor facts not worth mentioning here).Furthermore, like in his other books Seymour doesn't just write a thriller, he presents the reader with an ethical question. "What would you do if you found out your neighbor was marked for death by a state sponsor of terror like Iran? Would you rally to his side, stand aloof, or try to drive him out of your pretty little village?"As for myself, I'd like to think that I'd continue to be a friend and neighbor, but suggest that my good friend the terrorist target take a long vacation until the threat subsided.Bottom Line: A superb read, it is reportedly being made into a movie even as I write this. I look forward to seeing that . . .. . . But I hope with all my heart that with his next book (titled Meaning No Evil) Seymour returns to his familiar stomping grounds of Northern Ireland and with all the wonderful characters that he created there: Inspector Rennie, Cathy Parker, Gary Brennard, and of course, Frankie, the IRA man.

Another Seymour Stunner

I think it is unfair to expect this book to grab you in the first few chapters; that is not Gerald Seymour's style. His style is that of a boa constrictor's, where the pressure builds slowly until you realize you are grasping for breath. It is like comparing John LeCarre to Tom Clancy. There is a world of difference, Clancy writes for the masses, and LeCarre is an author. Gerald Seymour is an author, and while this is not his best book ( Holding the Zero has that distinction ) it lives up to his fans' expectations. Frank Perry was an informant for MI6, the British Secret Service, but his use to them is over and they have let him go, with a new identity. However, the new identity has been breached, and now the Iranian secret service has sent their best man, the " Anvil ", to repay Perry for his treachery. The British try to move Perry out with yet another new identity, but Perry is not running anymore. He has a wife and son now, and lives in a small town where he has friends who will rally to him. Or so he thinks anyway. The tension builds as the Anvil makes his way to the small town where Perry resides, and the townspeople rebel at the presence of British security turning Perry's home into a small fort. Plot turns are sudden, with moments of unbearable sadness. What most impacts are the thoughts of Perry, as he reflects on his life and his decision to stay rather than run, with the implications of that decision. Seymour provides us with real people dealing in genuine ways with rather difficult situations. This separates him from the spoonfed drivel of Clancy, where the heroes are infallible and their motives are clear and good. Highly recommended.

The real world of espionage

Good plot, technically correct, well developed complex characters, plenty of suspense, a skillfully done sense of the outcome, multiple messages about life - what more does one want in a thriller? The England portrayed smacks of reality and deep understanding. It was difficult to put down.

Great read

A decade ago, under a different name, Frank Perry spied for his government against his customer, Iran when he fingered the locations of several of the country,s biochemical warfare plants. Frank was feeling safe in England for himself and his family until M15 informs him that Iran has fingered him for assassination. To the shock of the espionage community, Frank refuses to run.The Anvil is coming to destroy the enemy to his state. The English counterintelligence crowd feel obligated to protect Frank. This turns his peaceful village into a mini army post that divides Frank's neighbors. Most of them want their neighbor gone before the Anvil arrives. High Noon is coming to Suffolk.A LINE IN THE SAND is an exciting espionage tale because the prime players seem genuine in their multidimensional behavior. Frank is a bit crooked, making him a not so perfect hero. The Anvil has many redeeming qualities and is not just a religious killing machine. Even the M15 crowd seems less like super 007s and more like real people as they wonder if they should be proud of Franks' heroism or loathe him for placing them in danger. Even the townsfolk mob mentality of abject fear feels real. The charcaters destroy stereotypes that normally exist in this genre, which turns Gerald Seymour's novel into a triumph of the spirit.Harriet Klausner