Frederick Forsyth. The Cobra

Frederick Forsyth has proven more than one time that he is one of the masters of politically thrilling undercover stories. All reported in a precise and breathtaking language, never vague or idle, stories as plausible as daily life and characters taken out of scenes of the real life. The Forsyth books act all on the threshold of real politics and fiction. And they profit from the craftsmanship of an excellent narrator. You never know whether you are already in the land of fantasy or still in the sphere of dirty reality.

After his last novel, The Afghan, where Forsyth focussed on international terrorism, he opens another field of universal threats with the world cocaine trade. And with the destination of an old master he has chosen another topic which is shaking the confidence in international politics. More than the one concerning international terrorism citizens of countries all over the world are asking themselves how it can be that a few members of a cartel in the mountains of Colombia should be able to poison the elites of numerous countries without being counterattacked by security forces and highly technical armies. What, they are going further in their critical review, could be the real reason behind this freedom of crime.

Forsyth gives answers and his political message is not shaped for convenience. The story begins with a special event in Americas White House where the president is confronted with the sudden death of the son of an employee. It was caused by the abuse of cocaine and social responsibility and a sentimental mood brings him to the conviction that it is necessary to fight world wide cocaine trade.

Investigations of the presidential office are leading to a former agent called The Cobra. This a little bit ancient appearing gentleman is going to be in charge to extinguish the cocaine cartel. The Cobra acquires another counterpart of former times and both begin to line up battle. Beside the excellent idea of trying to reduce the cargos and to raise competition between the criminal cartels, the story is dangerously losing attraction because suddenly the focus is on technical equipment.

More than hundred pages are wasted with precise and detailed descriptions of vessels, air vehicles and ballistic apparatus. The story is dominated by technical terms and the political plot is losing its drive. The message and really provoking thesis of the novel by insinuating the politicians and their weak characters are the real problem in fighting cocaine seems to deteriorate behind the technical dominance. So the development of the novel is as disappointing as the end of the war against the drug cartel itself.