CHINA'S DEADLY BACK DOOR (JASON HARTE SERIES Book 1) (English Edition) [Kindle-editie] beoordelingen het boek quotes

Alone in Southeast Asia, abandoned by his own government and sought after for murder, Jason Harte, a self-assured American pilot denies the dangers when he seeks an opportunity to engage in the ancient riverboat trade on the Mekong River of Laos. The opportunity turns out to be a mere mask stretched over the face of Fate who sneers when he is humbled and broken. The instruments of Fate are powerful, deceitful, often murderous adversaries who plot against him. In their grasp, Jason’s fledgling business is crushed and those close to him are killed. The loss fractures his belief system and calls into question the values that he assumed would escort him to success in business and in life. Left in the humiliating wake of destruction, he is a broken, dispirited man – the remains of an overly confident novice. Nevertheless, in that sepulcher of defeat, a rich ember of character ignites life in the embryo of a wiser man aborning. Entombed with him is the resolute urge for revenge and an enduring spirit that lifts him above tragedy.The scene for this 1972 epic of tragedy and triumph is initialized when he is discovered and attacked near the Laotian border. He is forced to kill the brother of Pu Nguyen, a vindictive antagonist. Jason steals a truckload of arms that are being smuggled by Pu Nguyen. The U.S. government abandons Jason and a Laotian warrant is issued for his arrest. A clandestine operative who claims to be a U. S. Navy Admiral mandates him to assist in a secret, perhaps unauthorized, plan. The putative Admiral wears polo shirts instead of blues and conducts meetings at the local golf club. Jason obeys the Admiral. He sells the stolen weapons to a band of Chinese counter revolutionaries. To Jason, risk is merely a challenge on a higher order of magnitude. He pursues an adventure in business while dealing with the Chinese rebels and Pu Nguyen.Three Hands, an equally ruthless but less obscene competitor, places Kefu, an innocent young woman, in Jason’s house as his spy. But Kefu and Jason fall in love. A nearly innocent tenderness attends their devotion – until she becomes a target through which Pu Nguyen will punish him.A local tong threatens Jason because he refuses to pay gangster style protection. He does not know that the secret leader of the tong is actually one of his closest friends.Jason, his riverboat business, and his self confidence are destroyed when an impostor closes a deceptive net, forcing a default on Jason's loan. Then he is literally brought to his knees when the tong retaliates by murdering his employee.Jason Harte, once arrogant and self-assured, is a guilt ridden, broken man. His values have been corrupted and his self confidence is wrecked.From these ashes he arises as a wizened, resourceful man – with Kefu’s loving help. Plotting carefully, he crafts the means to destroy his competitors, one by one – except Lee Lu Trane who is simply too powerful and whose future vengeance is assured. He must be dealt with in a later story.Simultaneously, Jason destroys the Red Fang. His friend, Xiang, is ruined and disgraced. To the dismay of Laotian society, Jason brutally crushes his friend.Jason’s obligation to the clandestine Admiral is unresolved. At the Admiral’s nudging, Jason and his men assault a Vietnamese airport from which the powerful Pu Nguyen runs his arms smuggling operation. Jason steals a million dollars worth of Pu Nguyen’s weapons and sells them to the Chinese counter revolutionaries.Pu Nguyen is outraged and crazed. He captures and tortures Kefu.A shaman advises Jason that revenge does not heal. He believes she refers to Kefu. But she referred to Xiang, his disgraced friend! Jason’s maturation process continues. He takes well deserved revenge on Pu Nguyen. But he forgives Xiang. Together they will build an empire in a later story.