Title: The Taba Convention: A Jordan Kline Thriller
Author: Stephen W. Ayers
Review: This book started with a bang! But then it went downhill, the writing stalled the action with too many words and too much description of things I couldn’t care less about. Also sentence structure needs some work to make the reading flow better.
I really wanted to like this book, but I only liked parts. The concept was good and I think parts of the book pulled it forward, but the dialog was stilted and fell flat. Jordan is a great character, but he made mistakes that didn’t really fit with who he was suppose to be. The end was also a bit to convenient and staged in my opinion, it was big and exciting but needed a bit more realism and less James Bondish.
At rare times a great story can rise above ok writing, this may be one of those books for some readers out there. But I believe that with a bit more work on the writing, especially the dialog and the over descriptions, I think that this series could be very good. The author has written great supporting characters and a good mystery. In its current state I don’t see it going as far as it could with a bit of tweaking and rewriting. The potential is there, the story and characters are there, and the writing could be there if given a bit more work.
Publisher: Published June 4th 2011 by Createspace
ISBN: 1460988418
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 320
Quick Review: 2 1/2 stars (out of 5), the ½ stars is for potential.
Why I Read It: The author was looking for reviews and this sounded like something I would like.
Where I Obtained the Book: Sent by the author.
Synopsis: The Taba Convention The Jordan Kline Series – Book One Two deadly adversaries, one horrific conspiracy against Middle East peace. Disillusioned with the continued killing in the agency, Jordan Kline resigns to take up hotel management studies. Now the General Manager of the Sands Eilat hotel, Jordan enjoys life with his girlfriend Irit in the Red Sea resort town. An ex colleague is taken out on the Arava road, the long desert road leading from the Dead Sea to Eilat. On his way back from Tel Aviv, Jordan witnesses the dying man’s last words. They are words that will push Jordan reluctantly back into the world he had turned his back on. Jordan unravels a deadly conspiracy that threatens to engulf the Middle East in war. He becomes the most hunted man in Israel. Forced to use all his cunning, Jordan must stay one step ahead of men that kill to fulfill their deadly ambitions. The only problem is that Jordan does not know who they are, and time is running out as the historic date of The Taba Convention approaches. The Taba Convention is filled with surprising twists and turns, and interesting insights into the world of hotels interspersed in the suspenseful action. The future of the Middle East is in doubt right up until the climax at the Taba Hilton Hotel in Taba Egypt. The Taba Convention is a political action adventure thriller that will keep you turning the pages faster and faster.
Author Biography: Stephen was born to expatriate parents in Calcutta India. From the age of eight he was educated in English private schools. He attended St. Andrews Preparatory school in Pangbourne Berkshire and Shrewsbury School in Shrewsbury Shropshire.
Pursuing a career in hospitality, Stephen graduated cum laude from the prestigious Lausanne Hotel School, Switzerland. He has worked in and managed hotels in England, Israel, South Africa, Canada and most recently in Cyprus. In 1975, while working at the Ramada Tel Aviv he met his wife Mali. They were married a year later in South Africa.
Stephen returned to Israel from Canada in 1984 to take up the position of Executive Assistant Manager at the opening of the famous King Solomon’s Palace Hotel in the Red Sea Resort town of Eilat. The family lived there for the following eight years.
The idea to write a thriller on the Middle Eastern conflict between Israel and the Palestinians was born during the latter part of 1991 after experiencing Israel’s return of Taba to Egypt following International Arbitration. The following years living in Israel through the Palestinian Intifadas and the numerous suicide attacks have added to the extensive experience that Stephen was able to draw on. He also enjoyed being able to add anecdotes from his long and colorful international hotel career.
In his first book, he introduces the reader to Jordan Kline, the star of the series. Kline is an ex Mossad operative and now successful hotel manager.
Stephen began writing with Mali’s encouragement as a test to explore his own creativity and writing capabilities. Finally completed, Stephen requested that a few close friends read the draft manuscript. The amazing response has pushed Stephen to pursue publication of The Taba Convention, and to continue writing novels in the Jordan Kline series.
Serving as General Manager of the David's Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem Stephen hosted many foreign Presidents, dignitaries and their delegations. These included President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, President Sakaashvili of Georgia, frequent visits by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, as well as Israeli Cabinet Ministers and Parliamentarians. His experience has afforded Stephen invaluable insight into security procedures among various government organizations.
Stephen and his family currently reside in Toronto, Canada.
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