Damascus Station

When I started reading Damascus Station by Mr David McCloskey, it was amidst the accolades and superlatives surrounding the book. I rarely hold much store in hype – it’s an age old tactic to drive up sales. With this in mind, I started to read. I had only devoured a dozen or so chapters, before I realized that this book is worthy of every ounce of praise. It is an astonishing, breath-taking novel. Both shattering in its raw exposition of war-ravaged Syria and uplifting in its undeniable quest to restore belief, trust and faith in a place where such things were forfeit, exchanged to just survive. Mr McCloskey has crafted a superb multi-faceted story. A layering of storylines that meld together seamlessly. A spy story – of securing an asset for vital intelligence capture; a love story – of star-crossed lovers; two-sides that never should mix, a Romeo and Juliet for modern times; a survival story – of the Ikhwan rebels existing against all odds against the brutal onslaught of the Assad war machine and a human story – of familial links, mixed motives, past histories and ultimately, their intrinsic ties to a regime that would ultimately destroy them. At its seemingly torn heart, Damascus Station shows it is still possible to keep the flames of hope burning, when all around is darkness. This reinstatement of hope is embedded within the complex and captivating characters Mr McCloskey has created. The protagonist, Sam Joseph is a CIA case officer with extensive experience in recruiting assets. He is sent to Syria under a none official cover (noc) to assist his fellow officer Val Owens - who’s under official cover as an Officer in the US Embassy – with an exfil of her asset, a chemical scientist Marwan Ghazali. It’s not revealing any spoilers to say the exfil goes sideways, Ghazali never shows, Owens is captured and Sam just makes it out alive. Having lost their key Syrian asset, the search is on to find another quickly. Someone who is well-connected within the Assad regime, but not too high as to cause suspicion. The CIA find a potential target in a mid-level official working in the Palace – Mariam Haddad, and Sam is sent back in to recruit her. Mariam is beautiful, accomplished and fearless, but conflicted in her loyalties. She is torn between her love for Sam versus her love for her hot-headed, impetuous and slightly crazy cousin Razan. Each of them pulling her in a different, often diametrically opposed direction, making decisions and undertaking actions where the ramifications are enormous. Sam, as a well-worn field officer, knows that the route he’s travelling down when he first kissed Mariam. He knew the political maelstrom he would whip up back in Langley, even so, he couldn’t stop. Getting into a relationship with an asset signals immediate disciplinary action and separation from the Agency. He’d had the drilling at the Farm – ‘never get involved emotionally’ – but the heart sometimes rules the head. From the moment that realization of his forbidden love for Mariam hits Sam, his ability to compartmentalize, think rationally and logically, becomes fractured, although throughout the book, Sam tries to convince himself to the contrary. Objective observation by the reader can see that events would have played out very differently had Sam regarded Mariam as just an asset, but nothing more than that. Of course, that story wouldn’t have delivered the outstanding book that Damascus Station is. The backdrop of crumbling Syria – a country steeped in rich heritage, history and culture – literally disintegrating under the weight of constant fighting is jarringly juxtaposed with the vibrancy and opulence of Paris and Villefranche-sur-mer and the stunning, peaceful beauty of Tuscany, and these locations provide the freedom for Sam and Mariam to explore their emotions more fully. It is however, telling that despite the picturesque calm of Tuscany, Mariam still feels the pressure of a heavy hand, crushing her, and only when she engages in the subterfuge demanded of her by the Agency, does that hand eventually release. Albeit all of the antagonists are typically sinister, evil and brutal in their efficient executions of the regime’s law, except for Ali Hassan, Head of the Security in the Palace. His character is portrayed as one of a soldier, doing his duty, despite however ruthless that requires him to be, but there is not a sense of perverse enjoyment, as there is with the others. His brother Rustrum – a savage animal, Jamil Atiyah - an unspeakable pervert and Basil Mahkluf, a sick, scalping-obsessed torturer. In the end, Ali is just as much a victim as those he interrogates. His life and his family wedded inextricably to the rise or fall of the regime. One cannot review Damascus Station without a word on the sheer authenticity and realism of every part of the book. The portrayal of tradecraft is perhaps the best that has ever graced a page. The depiction of the constant threat of the opposition, of keeping alert at all times and the terror of subterfuge in the ranks, whilst balancing the uncomfortableness of economy long haul flights, infuriating bureaucracies and political back-stabbing, removes the gloss of the cool super-spy image, to give insight into reality that is unforgiving, and is only inhabited by the undeniably patriotic and incredibly brave few. The denouement of Damascus Station is satisfying, especially after the phenomenal intensity of the scenes leading up to it, and one that I was so delighted to see. Fitting in every way. I am going to avoid saying highly recommended, in favor of this. If you only read one book this year, let it be Damascus Station. Unforgettable.

I read "Damascus Station" on the advice of a friend who I rate highly. I love international thrillers, and crave really good ones. "DS" is well written, and filled to the brim with credible tradecraft and lots of gritty detail about the challenges for intelligence operatives of working in a hostile city such as Damascus. The story moves along well, the Syrian characters are well drawn, and there's an intriguing, plausible climax and ending. I remember quite a bit of the story, a month or two after reading it, which is a big compliment to the author. So definitely worth a look. Why only four stars? Well, I found the first half of the book a little slow. For what felt like long periods, not much happens. This may reflect real life, but I found "Damascus Station" a little too easy to put down, for a really cracking thriller. Despite the convincing tradecraft, I also found a few aspects of the story a bit improbable. That's true of many thrillers, but the fact the book makes a big point of being very realistic meant that those bits jarred a bit. Overall, though, a terrific read and I shall look forward to seeing if "Moscow X" maintains the standard.

Really enjoyable read, finished the book in a couple of days and didn't want to put it down. Shall be ordering his other two now. I bought this one after the former head of MI6 said it was the most accurate representation of intelligence work in fiction. It seemed fairly accurate in parts but short of a quick career with the CIA I am not sure how to confirm that further.

This premier novel by David McCloskey has rave reviews not least from Simon Sebag Montefiore. I found it a good read with a sufficiently multi-layered plot to want to keep going to the end. But I didn't find it impossible to put down. In fact the characterisation is weak and I found I didn't care so much what happened to Sam and Mariam for much of the novel because their characters lacked depth. This is also true ot their Syrian counterparts though we do get to know a bit more about Ali's motivations and character. For a long time the story plodded and relied on McCLoskey showing (off?) his knowledge of the workings of the CIA and building IEDs. It also relies on quite graphic depictions of violence that will put some readers off. I don't have a problem with this in itself but the plot needs to be carried by the character of the characters. There are some twists though mostly rather predictable. In the last 80 pages or so the pace certainly picks up and the plot becomes fast moving. But it ends in a way that's sufficiently open to lead into the next volume, which is already available. So an OK spy thriller but doesn't match the master spy writers.

As a primarily non-fiction reader I took a bit of a flyer on this novel as I have a nostalgic love of all things spy and espionage related, and I am very glad I did. I didn’t have much of an expectation for this story, but after just a chapter or two I found myself deeply engrossed in the main characters, wrapped up in its myriad plot lines, and unable to refuse the need to turn the page. Mr. McCloskey creates a deep and vivid world around the CIA, its operators, and those of the organizations it spars with daily. Set against the backdrop of a world and events we are aware of, he expertly weaves an intricate story diving into those currents flowing underneath and influencing what we’ve seen on the news. His experience with the CIA allows him to bring the fantastical world of spy craft and espionage we’ve gleaned from characters named Ryan or Bond down to a level you understand to be far more real and, because of it, far more dangerous. Gone are the elaborate gadgets and taglines, replaced by vivid descriptions of 12-hour long routes traveled across cites and OCD-esque observations of passersby made for the sole purpose of deciding if someone is following. His vivid explanations of tradecraft transport you swiftly into the shoes of the spy you always secretly wanted to be and his elucidations of the consequences of getting it wrong just as quickly ensure you question if you could really handle being in them. There are large swaths of legitimate suspense permeated with moments of genuine humor, driven by intricate characters both well written and well thought out. Mr. McCloskey endears you to his main characters almost as much as they are endeared to one-another while simultaneously fleshing out their supporting cast to the point you are awaiting their appearance in the text as much his protagonists. The villains of this tale are layered and complex. Some twirl their mustaches and plot truly evil things in the name of a greater good only they can see while others do evil because it’s the only path to survival. Who is truly guilty and who is redeemable? You must decide as the reader, but the choice is not obvious and your verdict may change several times and the pages turn. As a first attempt into the world of “spy novels”, Mr. McCloskey has created a gripping page turner that whisks you away into a world you only thought you knew. His first-hand experience in this world of global cat-and-mouse makes his story much more real and the detail he provides will lock you in and have you needing to know what happens. If you’re in the market for a thrilling read that offers a glimpse into a world we know exists but will likely never see, this book is for you.

Una delle spy stories più belle mai lette. Trama intrigante, attuale , ritmo. Capolavoro

Great thriller novel. Loved it.

This is the best thriller I have ever read. The background is the Syrian regime and one feels that the author knows it intimately. It is really well written. You won’t be able to put it down! I’m going to buy everything he has written. Wonderful to experience such excellence.

シリア アサド政権下のCIA潜入作戦。恐怖政治のもとでアサド派とジハード派と首を竦めて暮らす傍観者の群の社会に、化学兵器サリンの製造を抑止しようとCIAが凄腕を送り込み、政府機関で働く女性をリクルートする。ところがシリアの諜報機関はCIAに協力するとみなした人物の親族を人質にとって逆スパイを強要する。無慈悲な政府機関と犠牲を出しながらもじわじわと迫るCIAといったcat and mouseの駆け引きがこれでもかと語られる。WWIIのナチと英国諜報機関との闘いを彷彿させ、今の時代でもおなじなんだなあ、と感じさせる。ロシアの諜報機関が介入したりしながらサリンはそっちのけで、大立ち回りもないまま作者は真っ向勝負のヒューミント スパイ合戦をみせてくれた。