A book is said to be a “reflection” in many ways of the man who wrote it.
In the case of Satan’s Spy, this is certainly true. For one, the author of the book, Andre Le Gallo, was a former spy for the Central Intelligence Agency for over 33 years. For another Andre Le Gallo has actually been at those places he describes in his book.
In regard to just how “plausible” the plot is of his book, especially one dealing with terrorist attacks, torture, weapons of mass destruction and devastating cyber attacks, General Michael Hayden, the former Director of the CIA confirms that Satan’s spy is “anchored in reality” – which sort of gives you pause when you really think about it.
In addition the book is so descriptive and well written that it draws you in and doesn’t want to let go. Making it hard sometimes to setting the book down at times very hard to do.
In this way, I suppose it certainly lives up to its reputation as a “spy thriller.”
The main character in the book is a man called “Steve Church” – who I describe as a “reluctant spy.” He is, of course eventually recruited by the CIA’s Director of Clandestine Services himself to infiltrate a hostile nation (Iran) and retrieve some sensitive intelligence information relating to that governments attempt to build a nuclear weapon, but at the same time he’s not exactly comfortable with all this and seems at times conflicted as it were.
So he enters Iran under an alias (or “non official cover”) as a Canadian businessman using a fraudulent passport. Which incidentally is exactly how real spies enter and leave foreign countries all the time.
So how the author describes this in the book is very accurate in terms of “tradecraft.”
Tradecraft, within the intelligence community, refers to the techniques used in modern espionage and generally, the activity of intelligence.
Oh ya, he is accompanied, interestingly enough by his girlfriend (Kella), a former French Intelligence Officer, who agrees to otherwise help him on his mission.
I should add that having additional, non essential personnel like a girlfriend on a mission, generally speaking is considered somewhat of a “liability” in many cases, but in this instance it all works out and she winds up assisting him in various surprising and unexpected ways.
There is also some interesting personal dynamics going on here as well, that makes for a more interesting story perhaps.
His mission, by the way is to make contact with an asset, recruited by his father, who he never met before, code-named “XY Sentinel” in order to get the information.
This is when a spy is most vulnerable and is most at risk of being discovered, captured or killed.
He is also relentlessly pursued by an Iranian counter-intelligence agent hell bent on capturing him called “Nousavi” – who turns out to be a rather interesting character in and of himself.
There he uncovers a nefarious plot by Iran to launch a devastating cyber attack against the United States.
So it is a fast moving tale, with a lot of twists and turns that eventually culminates in a dramatic escape through a series of ancient underground canals (or aqueducts) – where they are met by a CIA paramilitary team (operating in the country illegally of course), lead by US Navy SEAL’s, which provide them an escape out of the country.
In the end the timely reporting of intelligence information in this case disrupts the cyber attack and saves the US from disaster. It also earns both spies a thank you from the President of the United States himself – which makes for a happy ending.
I give it a thumbs up!
Satan’s spy is available for purchase over Amazon.com via Kindle download for $4.61 cents http://www.amazon.com/Satans-Spy-André-Le-Gallo-ebook/dp/B006L0UCYM
See related articles:
“The Red Cell is a fictional view of the clandestine war that began in 1979″, says noted author and former CIA spy Andre Le Gallo https://groundreport.com/the-red-cell-is-a-fictional-view-of-the-clandestine-war-that-began-in-1979-says-noted-author-and-former-cia-spy-andre-le-gallo/
Harold H. (Hal) Saunders then Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs in March 1979 failed to heed CIA spy’s dire warning that embassy in Iran needed more protection https://groundreport.com/harold-h-hal-saunders-then-assistant-secretary-of-state-for-near-eastern-affairs-in-march-1979-failed-to-heed-cia-spys-dire-warning-that-embassy-in-iran-needed-more-protection/
“Iran’s Quds Force responsible for the IED’s that killed Americans in Iraq”, says former CIA spy Andre Le Gallo https://groundreport.com/irans-quds-force-responsible-for-the-ieds-that-killed-americans-in-iraq-says-former-cia-spy-andre-le-gallo/