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As the book opens, a transport plane carrying an elderly mullah, a very high-value prisoner, is shot down shortly after taking off from Bagram in Afghanistan. The mission had been to escort the mullah to a place where he would be interrogated and then imprisoned. Although there are several survivors, only two of them continue their assignment. The navigator, Michael Parson, and the Army interpreter assigned to the mullah, Sergeant Gold, leave the wreckage and attempt to continue the mission. What they face is a storm that won't allow for their rescue and a hostile winter environment that challenges their efforts to survive. The landscape is so barren that it could almost be another planet. There are occasional settlements; but on the whole, Gold and Parson must live by their wits. On the verge of freezing to death, they build a snow cave to protect themselves from the elements. Several times, Michael gives in to his unwavering hatred of the enemy and manhandles the elderly mullah, much to Gold's dismay. She is the voice of reason of the pair; eventually, Michael realizes that she is the better person of the two of them. Finally, they connect with another military group. When Gold and the mullah are captured by the Taliban, Michael separates from the group to save Gold from a horrible fate in what may prove to be a reckless decision. THE MULLAH'S STORM maintains a high level of suspense from beginning to end. Between the storm and the threat of enemy attack, the survival of the various characters is in serious doubt. Young does a fine job of painting a realistic picture of an imperfect man who is committed to whatever mission he is assigned. The contrast between him and Gold is nicely done. Their relationship is a completely professional one, and they develop into a fine team despite some very fundamental differences. And his portrayal of the Afghanistan setting is overwhelmingly real; you can feel the fatigue and hopelessness of trying to conquer its challenges. In fact, the weather was so severe it didn't seem likely that anyone could survive it for more than a few days, much less ten, which led to credibility issues. The weak link in this book is the characterization, with not much background provided about the two lead characters. I really wanted to know more about Sgt Gold. At times, Parson seemed like some kind of Superman, keeping on despite injuries, horrible weather, lack of sleep and lack of hope. Thomas Young served in Afghanistan and Iraq with the Air National Guard, has flown combat missions to Bosnia and Kosovo, as well as additional missions to Latin America, Africa and the Far East. He has been awarded two Air Medals, three Aerial Achievement Medals and the Air Force Combat Action Medal. Those credentials ensure that the tale Young has to tell is about as real as it gets without becoming non-fiction. The author has succeeded in translating his background into a fast-moving plot; and as a result, THE MULLAH'S STORM is a fine debut novel, even if the resolution was a disappointment. § Formerly a training development manager for a large company, Maddy is now retired and continues to enable the addiction of crime fiction fans as owner of the online discussion group, 4 Mystery Addicts(4MA), while avidly reading in every possible free moment herself.
Reviewed by Maddy Van Hertbruggen, November 2010
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