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The Camel Club #1
The Camel Club
The exciting beginning of a talked-about series.
Existing at the fringes of Washington D.C., the Club consists of four eccentric members. Led by a mysterious man known as "Oliver Stone," there's also Library of Congress reference expert Caleb Shaw, computer genius Milton Farb, and laborer Reuben Rhodes. They study conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government in an attempt to discover the "truth" behind the country's actions.
Their efforts bear little fruit --- until the group witnesses a shocking murder, and becomes embroiled in an astounding, far-reaching conspiracy. Now the Club must join forces with a fifth person, a Secret Service agent, to confront one of the most chilling spectacles ever to take place on American soil --- an event that may trigger the ultimate war between two different worlds. All that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes.
Librarian's note: there are five novels and a short story in the author's Camel Club series. They are: #1. The Camel Club (2005), #2. The Collectors (2006), #3. Stone Cold (2007), #4. Divine Justice (2008), and #5. Hell's Corner (2010). The short story is #6. Bullseye (2014), a Will Robie / The Camel Club Short Story.
Existing at the fringes of Washington D.C., the Club consists of four eccentric members. Led by a mysterious man known as "Oliver Stone," there's also Library of Congress reference expert Caleb Shaw, computer genius Milton Farb, and laborer Reuben Rhodes. They study conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government in an attempt to discover the "truth" behind the country's actions.
Their efforts bear little fruit --- until the group witnesses a shocking murder, and becomes embroiled in an astounding, far-reaching conspiracy. Now the Club must join forces with a fifth person, a Secret Service agent, to confront one of the most chilling spectacles ever to take place on American soil --- an event that may trigger the ultimate war between two different worlds. All that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes.
Librarian's note: there are five novels and a short story in the author's Camel Club series. They are: #1. The Camel Club (2005), #2. The Collectors (2006), #3. Stone Cold (2007), #4. Divine Justice (2008), and #5. Hell's Corner (2010). The short story is #6. Bullseye (2014), a Will Robie / The Camel Club Short Story.
480 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2005
5950 people are currently reading
29909 people want to read
About the author
David Baldacci
244 books123k followersDavid Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, "because every mom needs a break now and then.”)
David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996; the feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 52 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. David has also published seven novels for younger readers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide.
In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States.
A lifelong Virginian, David is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia School of Law.
David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996; the feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 52 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. David has also published seven novels for younger readers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide.
In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States.
A lifelong Virginian, David is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia School of Law.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,599 reviews
December 24, 2011
Some people follow sports teams, other people follow actors or rock bands. But me, I follow authors. And while some people fantasize about celebrities they’d like to dine with, I have a list of rock star authors I dream of interviewing.
Recently, one of my dreams came true when David Baldacci agreed to an email interview with me. Upon hearing the news, my impulse was to jump and kick in a manner my legs haven’t experienced since the late 1980s, when I was a high school cheerleader. I quickly discovered my body is no longer qualified in jumping and kicking. It is, however, perfectly fine sitting at a computer conducting research on a favorite author. So that’s what I did. And here’s what I learned:
Before becoming an internationally-acclaimed bestselling author, Baldacci practiced law for nine years. He hit success with his first novel, “Absolute Power” and hasn’t looked back. He’s written more than a dozen best sellers. Baldacci’s works are translated into more than 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries. And over 60 million copies of Baldacci's books are in print worldwide.
Even I, an ardent Baldacci fan, was surprised by those statistics. And if I wasn’t a fan, upon learning those stats, I’d feel inclined to read a Baldacci title.
A good place to start is with Baldacci’s “The Camel Club.” This book is the first in a series which follows a club of D.C.-based truth seekers. The club consists of an unusual mix of four members: a man without a past currently called "Oliver Stone"; obsessive computer genius Milton Farb; blue-collar laborer Reuben Rhodes; and Library of Congress reference specialist Caleb Shaw.
In “The Camel Club,” the members witness a shocking murder in a D.C.-area park. While secretly trying to unravel the crime, the foursome is slammed into a plot that threatens national security and world stability.
If that’s not enough to get you reading Baldacci, perhaps a taste of my interview will do it. (The full interview is available on my blog, address below.)
Question: An enormous amount of research must go into your writing. Is there a particular research experience or discovery you’ll always remember?
Answer: Listening to incessant gunfire at Quantico while I was down there researching “Last Man Standing.” I felt like I was in the Middle East. Being nearly arrested by the FBI while toting around a German film crew in D.C. Ranks right up there. And then my experience on the Acela train after two passengers overheard me talking to a medical expert about poisoning someone for research for a book and summoned the police. That was fun too. Now whenever I travel, I duct tape my mouth shut just to be safe.
Recently, one of my dreams came true when David Baldacci agreed to an email interview with me. Upon hearing the news, my impulse was to jump and kick in a manner my legs haven’t experienced since the late 1980s, when I was a high school cheerleader. I quickly discovered my body is no longer qualified in jumping and kicking. It is, however, perfectly fine sitting at a computer conducting research on a favorite author. So that’s what I did. And here’s what I learned:
Before becoming an internationally-acclaimed bestselling author, Baldacci practiced law for nine years. He hit success with his first novel, “Absolute Power” and hasn’t looked back. He’s written more than a dozen best sellers. Baldacci’s works are translated into more than 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries. And over 60 million copies of Baldacci's books are in print worldwide.
Even I, an ardent Baldacci fan, was surprised by those statistics. And if I wasn’t a fan, upon learning those stats, I’d feel inclined to read a Baldacci title.
A good place to start is with Baldacci’s “The Camel Club.” This book is the first in a series which follows a club of D.C.-based truth seekers. The club consists of an unusual mix of four members: a man without a past currently called "Oliver Stone"; obsessive computer genius Milton Farb; blue-collar laborer Reuben Rhodes; and Library of Congress reference specialist Caleb Shaw.
In “The Camel Club,” the members witness a shocking murder in a D.C.-area park. While secretly trying to unravel the crime, the foursome is slammed into a plot that threatens national security and world stability.
If that’s not enough to get you reading Baldacci, perhaps a taste of my interview will do it. (The full interview is available on my blog, address below.)
Question: An enormous amount of research must go into your writing. Is there a particular research experience or discovery you’ll always remember?
Answer: Listening to incessant gunfire at Quantico while I was down there researching “Last Man Standing.” I felt like I was in the Middle East. Being nearly arrested by the FBI while toting around a German film crew in D.C. Ranks right up there. And then my experience on the Acela train after two passengers overheard me talking to a medical expert about poisoning someone for research for a book and summoned the police. That was fun too. Now whenever I travel, I duct tape my mouth shut just to be safe.
May 13, 2024
3.5 stars.
My first foray into the Baldacci world of espionage. I was told this was a good start and that the other novels in the series are even better.
On that advice, I will consider more despite some concerns about the unabashed cultural stereotyping in this one, saved by an engaging plot.
Thank goodness this is all fiction, right?
What an awful world it would be if we had spies and secret agents double-crossing each other, Western Government corruption, suicide terrorism and the threat of a nuclear war so easily unleashed by the touch of a button…
My first foray into the Baldacci world of espionage. I was told this was a good start and that the other novels in the series are even better.
On that advice, I will consider more despite some concerns about the unabashed cultural stereotyping in this one, saved by an engaging plot.
Thank goodness this is all fiction, right?
What an awful world it would be if we had spies and secret agents double-crossing each other, Western Government corruption, suicide terrorism and the threat of a nuclear war so easily unleashed by the touch of a button…
August 22, 2018
Updating just to correct some typos and grammatical problems.
Well....here I go. I can't really recommend this one. You know there are books by Mr. Baldacci that I enjoy greatly. I have noted before that he can be...that's "can be" one of those authors who can get very heavy handed about their political beliefs.
I find that the case here. He pretty much had me feeling he was really (really) mostly interested in making a political point. This is obviously a point to be agreed or disagreed on as I see some reviewers agree with me and others don't. Possibly it depends on how much you agree with him (Baldacci) and therefore how much that part of the book...sticks out or overwhelms the plot and characters. I don't know. You'll have to decide for yourself.
Now that said, this is not the primary problem with the novel for me and it's not why I give it a low rating. The novel starts out with an idea and a cast of characters we are to get to know. The primary protagonist is Oliver Stone. No not the movie maker. We have another refugee from the world of secret, black ops, covert...stuff. His having taken the name of the movie maker who's interest in conspiracies is sort of legend may just have been part of the reason why the name was chosen as our hero's nom de plume. Sadly however from the very first things spin out in several directions and the story gets not so much laid out with lots of threads...as it seems to fray out in all directions with the threads lashing about in the wind.
It wasn't that I couldn't keep track...I just came to the point where I didn't care to.
So, I don't plan to follow up with any more of the series and really can't recommend it. I just found myself too often losing interest and wanting to move on to something...interesting.
Oh and as I and others have said, Mr. Baldacci's politics quickly become the only true point.
Well....here I go. I can't really recommend this one. You know there are books by Mr. Baldacci that I enjoy greatly. I have noted before that he can be...that's "can be" one of those authors who can get very heavy handed about their political beliefs.
I find that the case here. He pretty much had me feeling he was really (really) mostly interested in making a political point. This is obviously a point to be agreed or disagreed on as I see some reviewers agree with me and others don't. Possibly it depends on how much you agree with him (Baldacci) and therefore how much that part of the book...sticks out or overwhelms the plot and characters. I don't know. You'll have to decide for yourself.
Now that said, this is not the primary problem with the novel for me and it's not why I give it a low rating. The novel starts out with an idea and a cast of characters we are to get to know. The primary protagonist is Oliver Stone. No not the movie maker. We have another refugee from the world of secret, black ops, covert...stuff. His having taken the name of the movie maker who's interest in conspiracies is sort of legend may just have been part of the reason why the name was chosen as our hero's nom de plume. Sadly however from the very first things spin out in several directions and the story gets not so much laid out with lots of threads...as it seems to fray out in all directions with the threads lashing about in the wind.
It wasn't that I couldn't keep track...I just came to the point where I didn't care to.
So, I don't plan to follow up with any more of the series and really can't recommend it. I just found myself too often losing interest and wanting to move on to something...interesting.
Oh and as I and others have said, Mr. Baldacci's politics quickly become the only true point.
August 23, 2007
I feel cheated that I even had to assign a single star to this pathetic excuse for a book.
Let me describe this book like this... this is the kind of book that comes in only two forms - paperback and audio. It's excrement smeared on paper and then bound and placed in airport bookstore shelves.
It's your basic Tom Clancy bite off of the terrorist plot to bring down the free world. The author has watched a couple of National Geographic Videos, maybe had lunch with about three or four guys who used to work for the State Department, NSA or CIA and spent a year or two in the Middle East and maybe read a Barnes & Noble edition of the abbreviated history of the Middle East as research for his big political thriller.
The book is utter crap and is an insult to anyone who likes political thrillers, knows anything about the Middle East and the politics of the region and anybody who just likes to read.
Lesson Learned: Never buy a paperback book from an airport bookstore no matter how bored you are or how long your flight's been delayed.
Let me describe this book like this... this is the kind of book that comes in only two forms - paperback and audio. It's excrement smeared on paper and then bound and placed in airport bookstore shelves.
It's your basic Tom Clancy bite off of the terrorist plot to bring down the free world. The author has watched a couple of National Geographic Videos, maybe had lunch with about three or four guys who used to work for the State Department, NSA or CIA and spent a year or two in the Middle East and maybe read a Barnes & Noble edition of the abbreviated history of the Middle East as research for his big political thriller.
The book is utter crap and is an insult to anyone who likes political thrillers, knows anything about the Middle East and the politics of the region and anybody who just likes to read.
Lesson Learned: Never buy a paperback book from an airport bookstore no matter how bored you are or how long your flight's been delayed.
July 22, 2025
A good, but not great lightweight thriller!
Caleb Shaw, Library of Congress employee and antiquarian book expert, Milton Farb, ex-Jeopardy champion and computer whiz suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, Reuben Rhodes, former NIS operative, and Oliver Stone, a cemetery groundskeeper with no apparent past, are an unlikely collection of eccentric, oddball misfits. They've formed The Camel Club - a small secretive group that holds regular meetings in the middle of the night to discuss their conspiracy theories and their darkest fears about Washington government operations! When, in the course of one of their midnight gatherings on Theodore Roosevelt Island, they inadvertently witness a murder, they find themselves up to their collective backsides in a plot that reaches to the highest levels of the government. The killers - a couple of rogue federal agents whose actions are being directed by a hidden mastermind - discover that their actions did not go unobserved and will now do anything to cover their tracks! But, we also quickly discover that they're bit players in an extraordinary, complex plan to kidnap the president and hold him ransom to Islamic terrorist demands. The US has its finger on THE button and the imminent launch of a warhead to Damascus threatens to push the world over the brink into a nuclear war.
My initial reaction to The Camel Club was disappointment! The plot was interesting enough alright and the discussions of the world's geo-political situation were solidly informative but the characters were cartoonish and the dialogue was downright stilted. At the mid-way point of the book, I knew I was going to finish the book but had mentally relegated my rating to "below average". The Camel Club was certainly not up to the standard I wanted to impose on Baldacci as a result of my enjoyment of past successes like The Simple Truth.
Then came the second half of the book! The plot heated up dramatically and escalated into the page turner that I had been anticipating when I cracked the cover in the first place - overwrought and somewhat over that Hollywood top, to be sure - but compellingly enjoyable nonetheless with a suitably large suspension of belief! Sadly, the dialogue never did approach credible reality but the character development was exceptionally well done. The four club members evolved from weakly drawn oddballs into real men with skills, aspirations, interesting quirks and warm personalities that most readers will want to see more of. Alex Ford, a Secret Service agent on the outs in the twilight of his career, and his romantic interest, Kate Adams, a Department of Justice attorney and part-time bartender, were wonderfully crafted. Lucille Whitney-Houseman, Kate's feisty octogenarian landlady was a knee-slapping, brilliant comic masterpiece!
For me, the highlight of the entire novel was the stomach churning, electrically charged scene in which Acting President, Ben Hamilton, wrestles with himself and his cabinet over the decision to launch a nuclear warhead which would flatten Damascus and instantly snuff out six million lives. While his military advisers press for a pre-emptive strike as revenge against the terrorist kidnapping plot, Andrea Mays, the Secretary of State, assumes the role of the more pacifist voice of reason.
The Camel Club will never be labeled literature, to be sure, but it did manage to achieve the status of an enjoyable read! Baldacci fans and thriller readers won't go amiss with it!
Paul Weiss
Caleb Shaw, Library of Congress employee and antiquarian book expert, Milton Farb, ex-Jeopardy champion and computer whiz suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, Reuben Rhodes, former NIS operative, and Oliver Stone, a cemetery groundskeeper with no apparent past, are an unlikely collection of eccentric, oddball misfits. They've formed The Camel Club - a small secretive group that holds regular meetings in the middle of the night to discuss their conspiracy theories and their darkest fears about Washington government operations! When, in the course of one of their midnight gatherings on Theodore Roosevelt Island, they inadvertently witness a murder, they find themselves up to their collective backsides in a plot that reaches to the highest levels of the government. The killers - a couple of rogue federal agents whose actions are being directed by a hidden mastermind - discover that their actions did not go unobserved and will now do anything to cover their tracks! But, we also quickly discover that they're bit players in an extraordinary, complex plan to kidnap the president and hold him ransom to Islamic terrorist demands. The US has its finger on THE button and the imminent launch of a warhead to Damascus threatens to push the world over the brink into a nuclear war.
My initial reaction to The Camel Club was disappointment! The plot was interesting enough alright and the discussions of the world's geo-political situation were solidly informative but the characters were cartoonish and the dialogue was downright stilted. At the mid-way point of the book, I knew I was going to finish the book but had mentally relegated my rating to "below average". The Camel Club was certainly not up to the standard I wanted to impose on Baldacci as a result of my enjoyment of past successes like The Simple Truth.
Then came the second half of the book! The plot heated up dramatically and escalated into the page turner that I had been anticipating when I cracked the cover in the first place - overwrought and somewhat over that Hollywood top, to be sure - but compellingly enjoyable nonetheless with a suitably large suspension of belief! Sadly, the dialogue never did approach credible reality but the character development was exceptionally well done. The four club members evolved from weakly drawn oddballs into real men with skills, aspirations, interesting quirks and warm personalities that most readers will want to see more of. Alex Ford, a Secret Service agent on the outs in the twilight of his career, and his romantic interest, Kate Adams, a Department of Justice attorney and part-time bartender, were wonderfully crafted. Lucille Whitney-Houseman, Kate's feisty octogenarian landlady was a knee-slapping, brilliant comic masterpiece!
For me, the highlight of the entire novel was the stomach churning, electrically charged scene in which Acting President, Ben Hamilton, wrestles with himself and his cabinet over the decision to launch a nuclear warhead which would flatten Damascus and instantly snuff out six million lives. While his military advisers press for a pre-emptive strike as revenge against the terrorist kidnapping plot, Andrea Mays, the Secretary of State, assumes the role of the more pacifist voice of reason.
The Camel Club will never be labeled literature, to be sure, but it did manage to achieve the status of an enjoyable read! Baldacci fans and thriller readers won't go amiss with it!
Paul Weiss
January 16, 2023
5 Stars. Most enjoyable. We watch a conspiracy come to light through two perspectives. First through our own eyes. Plus we see things happening through the eyes of the four members of the Camel Club. I am still uncertain of the reason for that name, but they are a group of fringe eccentrics in the Washington area led by "Oliver Stone." The club's purpose? To ferret out conspiracies by, or against, the US government. It is amazing what they can discern from miscellaneous pieces of information and events to be re-assembled into a coherent whole. They hear a small boat in the fog out on the Potomac River. That leads to - oops, read the book! There's a murder and the repercussions slowly become apparent. Stone is a mystery; has he been involved in these situations in the past? The group watch the comings and goings of the President and his chief advisers, trying to develop a cohesive story from short strings of information. They are assisted by Secret Service Agent Alex Ford who may not be totally aware of his role but, since he is on the brink of being fired, has nowhere else to turn. A wonderful start for a continuing series. (October 2018)
March 30, 2018
Really enjoyed this book. Liked the characters especially Oliver Stone. It whizzed along at a good pace. Will look out for more
July 24, 2018
“Why can’t people just sit and read books and be nice to each other?”
The Camel Club started very slow for me. I had issues keeping all the characters straight. There were so many! I did enjoy the last half of the book once I was clear on who was who. By the end, I was reaching out for the second book.
The Camel Club begins with the apparent suicide of a government agent but this is far from the truth. Four men are witness to this "suicide". The four men are conspiracy theorists who seek the truth behind the conspiracies. They called themselves the Camel Club.
Oliver Stone, Milton Farb, Caleb Shaw, and Reuben Rhodes have been meeting in secrecy for many years. Unluckily, their last meeting place makes them a witness to this crime. Their lives will be in grave danger and if found, they might not live the week and perish at the hands of some very powerful people.
As the story progresses, we get to discover who Oliver Stone is and his past ties to the USA government. We also meet Agent Alex Ford who's a secret service agent who has had a good honest career. When Alex starts digging into the murder, he's demoted to White House protection detail. Unbeknownst to Alex, the stability of the USA is about to be challenged. Alex and the Camel Club are the only hope to prevent war.
The last part of the book is action-packed. The pages flew fast in a race to know the outcome. I couldn't wait for all the pieces to fall together.
My favorite character was Oliver Stone. A close second was Alex Ford. I was left wanting to learn more about the other three remaining Camel Club members. They all seem to have a very interesting past.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
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April 28, 2017
I'm just blabbering about this read:
- how insignificant we are. Why fight/appose/criticize/object to anything when we're simply not important? Depressing;
- some Americans will approve of the criticism in the book, other will be furious and frustrated;
- this book proves a point. How democracy is used as a weapon to control countries, a well done and straightforward explanation; sadly true as well;
- a cliffhanger ending; don't want to indulge in the series, so I'm unhappy;
- I liked, as in really liked, the big WHAT IF scenario in the book, not preposterous at all;
- a political plot with eccentric interesting anti-hero, conspiracy theorist characters. A spy thriller with the usual James Bond, over the top, plot. Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, Fredrick Forsyth, John Le Carré fans will love this book.
- there's a confusing 'message' in the book. Should Americans be proud of their weaponry? Sure. Should they be proud of the reason why they need it? uhummmm...if I was an American, I would be scared to death, instead. An angry world is an ugly enemy - is my humble opinion.
Everything is too predictable. We've seen these kind of heroes in too many self-soothing/ self-congratulatory, slap-on-the-back kind of books. I'll go for four stars, but actually would have liked 3.5.
Anyway, the book stirs thought, and that's a good thing. So I will stick to the four stars and be done with it.
- how insignificant we are. Why fight/appose/criticize/object to anything when we're simply not important? Depressing;
- some Americans will approve of the criticism in the book, other will be furious and frustrated;
- this book proves a point. How democracy is used as a weapon to control countries, a well done and straightforward explanation; sadly true as well;
- a cliffhanger ending; don't want to indulge in the series, so I'm unhappy;
- I liked, as in really liked, the big WHAT IF scenario in the book, not preposterous at all;
- a political plot with eccentric interesting anti-hero, conspiracy theorist characters. A spy thriller with the usual James Bond, over the top, plot. Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, Fredrick Forsyth, John Le Carré fans will love this book.
- there's a confusing 'message' in the book. Should Americans be proud of their weaponry? Sure. Should they be proud of the reason why they need it? uhummmm...if I was an American, I would be scared to death, instead. An angry world is an ugly enemy - is my humble opinion.
Everything is too predictable. We've seen these kind of heroes in too many self-soothing/ self-congratulatory, slap-on-the-back kind of books. I'll go for four stars, but actually would have liked 3.5.
Anyway, the book stirs thought, and that's a good thing. So I will stick to the four stars and be done with it.
November 27, 2010
2.0 stars. Probably would have given this 3 stars except for my extreme annoyance with the "heavy handed" political tone of the book. As far as I can tell from the authors depictions in the story, America is responsible for ALL of the evil in the world (especially in the Middle East), 9/11 was a justified response to American foreign policy and Americans are ignorant and racist. Great, thanks for that, now can we get on with the story. Oh, that is the story. Terrific!!!
Apart from the tone, this was a fairly fast-paced read with competent writing. I may check out the next book in the series at some point as I thought the basic premise of the Camel Club was intriguing. I just hope the author focuses more on story-telling and less on rhetoric in future books.
Apart from the tone, this was a fairly fast-paced read with competent writing. I may check out the next book in the series at some point as I thought the basic premise of the Camel Club was intriguing. I just hope the author focuses more on story-telling and less on rhetoric in future books.
August 29, 2025
Catching up…
The “Camel Club” is a group led by Oliver Stone, a former CIA-trained assassin. They investigate political conspiracies. There are 4 members besides Oliver which include Milton Farb, Caleb Shaw, Reuben Rhodes and honorary member, Alex Ford. Each person brings a unique set of skills to the table and to their own investigations.
I read this years ago, but after re-visiting it, I am now finally providing a review.
This was one of my favorite series of Baldacci. I understand why he has moved on, but considering the current political climate (2025), it almost seems necessary to resurrect this group, don’t you think?
What would you do if you believed the world was heading in a direction that could bring about humanity’s complete destruction?
A critical question for any of us readers, especially now. But in the case of this series, this question becomes the concern for the Camel Club.
The Camel Club, the first in the series, do not have a clubhouse, agenda or true organization to define them. But this intelligent group of individuals does believe in America, and what they feel needs to be done to save her soul.
How did they start? By unfortunately witnessing a murder. And, deciding to do something about it themselves. Which leads them down a dark and winding twisted path of more than they expected.
When the Secret Service chooses to turn their backs on the importance of this particular murder, Oliver seeks an ally in Secret Service Agent, Alex Ford. And, off they go to find resolution.
The group is charming and challenging at the same time. They certainly will make readers think as the club members continue their own debates about what is right and wrong. This is a fast-paced twisty plot that even with the book published in 2005 will certainly have readers left wondering…where is the Camel Club when we need them most – 20 years later?
The “Camel Club” is a group led by Oliver Stone, a former CIA-trained assassin. They investigate political conspiracies. There are 4 members besides Oliver which include Milton Farb, Caleb Shaw, Reuben Rhodes and honorary member, Alex Ford. Each person brings a unique set of skills to the table and to their own investigations.
I read this years ago, but after re-visiting it, I am now finally providing a review.
This was one of my favorite series of Baldacci. I understand why he has moved on, but considering the current political climate (2025), it almost seems necessary to resurrect this group, don’t you think?
What would you do if you believed the world was heading in a direction that could bring about humanity’s complete destruction?
A critical question for any of us readers, especially now. But in the case of this series, this question becomes the concern for the Camel Club.
The Camel Club, the first in the series, do not have a clubhouse, agenda or true organization to define them. But this intelligent group of individuals does believe in America, and what they feel needs to be done to save her soul.
How did they start? By unfortunately witnessing a murder. And, deciding to do something about it themselves. Which leads them down a dark and winding twisted path of more than they expected.
When the Secret Service chooses to turn their backs on the importance of this particular murder, Oliver seeks an ally in Secret Service Agent, Alex Ford. And, off they go to find resolution.
The group is charming and challenging at the same time. They certainly will make readers think as the club members continue their own debates about what is right and wrong. This is a fast-paced twisty plot that even with the book published in 2005 will certainly have readers left wondering…where is the Camel Club when we need them most – 20 years later?
April 3, 2023
Baldacci wrote this in 2005 but is still a good read. The plot, as told by four old friends, is complex but very believable. At some points, the story seems a little drawn out, but overall, I enjoyed it. The shadows of current politics is chilling.
September 26, 2025
Es fing eigentlich für diese Art politischen Thrillers eines amerikanischen Autors ganz gut an. Nachdem ich zuvor Harlan Coben wegen der primitiven Sprache abbrach, war Baldacci im ersten Eindruck gehobene Spannungsliteratur. Bis nach zwei Drittel das Komplott vollzogen wurde und ab dann war es nur noch peinliche Blockbuster-Action aus der verengten Sicht eines Landes, das in den letzten 10 Jahren sein wahres Gesicht erst gezeigt hat. Und so etwas habe ich tatsächlich zu Ende gelesen.
February 5, 2017
Four societal misfits and conspiracy theorists living in the Washington DC area have banded together to form what they refer to as the Camel Club. Led by Oliver Stone, a 60+ year old man with a mysterious past, they find themselves accidentally witnessing a murder. That launches them into an adventure beyond their wildest expectations involving a complex and bizarre terrorist plot.
I’ve been a David Baldacci fan since I read Absolute Power. His books don’t always quite live up to that one in my mind but I can pretty much guarantee a good read. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting as much from this one due to some less-than-positive- reviews from my Goodreads friends whose opinions I greatly respect. But I will say now that I enjoyed this one quite a lot. The characters were engaging, not only the four members of the Camel Club but the Secret Service, the terrorists, and even the politicians. The plot required some suspension of disbelief but was nevertheless interesting and moved along swiftly. Most of the novel ticked along fairly predictably but it was evident that something else was unfolding that I needed to be patient for. The payoff was worth it as the nature of the terrorist plot turned out to be anything but predictable and was one of the most unusual I have yet read.
Looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
I’ve been a David Baldacci fan since I read Absolute Power. His books don’t always quite live up to that one in my mind but I can pretty much guarantee a good read. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting as much from this one due to some less-than-positive- reviews from my Goodreads friends whose opinions I greatly respect. But I will say now that I enjoyed this one quite a lot. The characters were engaging, not only the four members of the Camel Club but the Secret Service, the terrorists, and even the politicians. The plot required some suspension of disbelief but was nevertheless interesting and moved along swiftly. Most of the novel ticked along fairly predictably but it was evident that something else was unfolding that I needed to be patient for. The payoff was worth it as the nature of the terrorist plot turned out to be anything but predictable and was one of the most unusual I have yet read.
Looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
June 30, 2015
The Camel Club is comprised of a group of men who are sort of a counter culture of their own after having served the country in some form or fashion, enough to be suspicious of the publicly fed information from the government. They lead an odd existence, each with unique quirks and eccentricities, and meet each month to compare notes on what they're hearing from various inside sources. On one of these evenings, they unfortunately become witnesses to a stunning event that puts them in the middle of a situation that threatens the safety of the country and the world.
There are several stories going on here that ultimately converge, which is an approach I happen to love for this genre. While it presents a challenge to keep up with all the characters, it certainly heightens the mystery, suspense and intrigue. There are quite a few twists and surprises that make it even better, ultimately leading to a pretty exciting climax, though I had some issues with some things in the ending. Political perspectives are also rampant with multiple points of view to keep it provacative.
I highly recommend this book and plan to continue the series.
There are several stories going on here that ultimately converge, which is an approach I happen to love for this genre. While it presents a challenge to keep up with all the characters, it certainly heightens the mystery, suspense and intrigue. There are quite a few twists and surprises that make it even better, ultimately leading to a pretty exciting climax, though I had some issues with some things in the ending. Political perspectives are also rampant with multiple points of view to keep it provacative.
I highly recommend this book and plan to continue the series.
September 4, 2022
I've read this series a couple of times over the years. I'll update with a real review eventually.
UPDATED 9/2022:
I'm back at it with audio from the library this time. Yes, I own the series in hard cover and look at the spines regularly but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to listen to it! I enjoyed Jonathan Davis but with so many critical male characters, another narrator or two would've made it just that much more awesome to listen to.
Oliver, Rueben, Caleb, Milton, Alex, and those around them have never been safer, or in more danger, than when they get hot on a trail. I love all of the twists, turns, and nuances as they work to unravel the tangle of lies and deception that they've stumbled into.
While it's scary to think about something like this happening, even twenty years post-9/11 this story remains relevant.
Story: 5 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Listening Speed: 1.6x
UPDATED 9/2022:
I'm back at it with audio from the library this time. Yes, I own the series in hard cover and look at the spines regularly but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to listen to it! I enjoyed Jonathan Davis but with so many critical male characters, another narrator or two would've made it just that much more awesome to listen to.
Oliver, Rueben, Caleb, Milton, Alex, and those around them have never been safer, or in more danger, than when they get hot on a trail. I love all of the twists, turns, and nuances as they work to unravel the tangle of lies and deception that they've stumbled into.
While it's scary to think about something like this happening, even twenty years post-9/11 this story remains relevant.
Story: 5 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Listening Speed: 1.6x
June 26, 2017
Across the street from the White House, tells a story of a man, dead and alive, Oliver Stone. Old and homeless, he and a small group of friends known as The Camel Club, witness a murder on Roosevelt Island.
I read this book many years ago, but for the life of me, I could not remember very much of it. Except for the fact that Oliver Stone lived homeless across the street from the White house and was a mysterious old man. Now that I have re-read this first novel in the series, scenes and characters have come back to me, though I had to finish the book because I still couldn’t remember the ending! Explosive, to say the least and so many characters involved, you really have to pay attention.
A topic that stands out in this novel is the amount of veteran characters who were betrayed by their own government and the people high up in it. The president is a pompous ass who loves the cameras and doesn’t seem to care much for ‘the people’, just his looks and his image. Carter Gray, the nation's intelligence chief, struck me as some kind of snake and had his own agenda and I wasn’t wrong about that in the end. Alex, a CIA agent, gets a rookie partner, Jackie Simpson, who is also the daughter of a Senator. Jackie Simpson should never have transferred from beat cop to CIA, she was dumb as a door nail and I really didn’t like her. She was like an annoying fly buzzing around your head and wouldn’t figure things out on her own. Then of course we have a few CIA characters who were corrupt, some deranged Muslims, and some Korean ninjas.
The conspiracy itself was creative and well thought out. As always with the government, things aren’t what they seem. The Camel Club characters were memorable, mainly because of their atypical personalities and behaviors. Hard to picture a few old men trying to save the world though. We find out who Oliver Stone really is and he is interesting enough to continue reading the rest of the series, because my first question is, where did Oliver Stone come from? All we know in this first novel is that Oliver Stone is a force to be reckoned with and I want to read more.
I read this book many years ago, but for the life of me, I could not remember very much of it. Except for the fact that Oliver Stone lived homeless across the street from the White house and was a mysterious old man. Now that I have re-read this first novel in the series, scenes and characters have come back to me, though I had to finish the book because I still couldn’t remember the ending! Explosive, to say the least and so many characters involved, you really have to pay attention.
A topic that stands out in this novel is the amount of veteran characters who were betrayed by their own government and the people high up in it. The president is a pompous ass who loves the cameras and doesn’t seem to care much for ‘the people’, just his looks and his image. Carter Gray, the nation's intelligence chief, struck me as some kind of snake and had his own agenda and I wasn’t wrong about that in the end. Alex, a CIA agent, gets a rookie partner, Jackie Simpson, who is also the daughter of a Senator. Jackie Simpson should never have transferred from beat cop to CIA, she was dumb as a door nail and I really didn’t like her. She was like an annoying fly buzzing around your head and wouldn’t figure things out on her own. Then of course we have a few CIA characters who were corrupt, some deranged Muslims, and some Korean ninjas.
The conspiracy itself was creative and well thought out. As always with the government, things aren’t what they seem. The Camel Club characters were memorable, mainly because of their atypical personalities and behaviors. Hard to picture a few old men trying to save the world though. We find out who Oliver Stone really is and he is interesting enough to continue reading the rest of the series, because my first question is, where did Oliver Stone come from? All we know in this first novel is that Oliver Stone is a force to be reckoned with and I want to read more.
March 4, 2011
Extremely bad
I read this book because it was chosen by my book club - I don't think I would have bothered to finish it otherwise.
The plot is ridiculous and lunges around especially towards the end - it felt like a badly written James Bond movie. The nuclear strike was averted by just 1 second - that sort of timing is not dramatic - it's just annoying.
The characterisation was quite two dimensional and, in the case of Hemingway, quite nauseating - his accomplishments are just too unbelievable - standing on a 1 inch ledge in a gale force wind for 6 hours and being able to kill people with your fingers? Hai-ya!
I don't think these extremes are necessary to make an interesting character or story and the use of them just makes the book seem ridiculous.
I also found the writing very clunky and badly phrased. Some of the dialogue perhaps is accurate for the characters but the same inarticulate leaden style is in the narrative - I just found it to be very naive.
As for the educational aspects - I found that, at times, patronising. Worse though is that it spoiled the continuity of the writing. Perhaps if the elements were less convoluted then it may have made the going a bit easier? I really don't want to wade through so much instruction whilst reading escapist fiction.
On the whole I thought it was very poor and I would encourage anyone else to leave it well alone.
I read this book because it was chosen by my book club - I don't think I would have bothered to finish it otherwise.
The plot is ridiculous and lunges around especially towards the end - it felt like a badly written James Bond movie. The nuclear strike was averted by just 1 second - that sort of timing is not dramatic - it's just annoying.
The characterisation was quite two dimensional and, in the case of Hemingway, quite nauseating - his accomplishments are just too unbelievable - standing on a 1 inch ledge in a gale force wind for 6 hours and being able to kill people with your fingers? Hai-ya!
I don't think these extremes are necessary to make an interesting character or story and the use of them just makes the book seem ridiculous.
I also found the writing very clunky and badly phrased. Some of the dialogue perhaps is accurate for the characters but the same inarticulate leaden style is in the narrative - I just found it to be very naive.
As for the educational aspects - I found that, at times, patronising. Worse though is that it spoiled the continuity of the writing. Perhaps if the elements were less convoluted then it may have made the going a bit easier? I really don't want to wade through so much instruction whilst reading escapist fiction.
On the whole I thought it was very poor and I would encourage anyone else to leave it well alone.
August 9, 2016
These type of spy books usually put the onus on the hero, but here the credit for the happy ending was democratically shared. Having said that I'm far from an expert in the genre. I'm just scratching the surface. I'm interested in the book's entertainment value. I like the ending, so much that it bumped the score for the book by one star. I imagined Liam Neeson as Oliver Stone. He would have been great in the role. I was pleased with the handling of the various fronts. The Camel Club is a baffling concept. It's humbling to know that there are homeless people in the USA with brainpower and resources. I'd have been dead of hunger if I were in their place. I read the blurb for the book around 2008. I knew this book could deliver. I'm glad to have been proven right. I'm looking forward to the Camel Club sequels.
August 9, 2007
Same fun, eccentric characters from Baldacci's The Collectors, however, this book came first. Intricate plot, however, a few characters are used as mouthpieces to give long dissertations on the peaceful nature of Islam and the greed of Americans. Though his points may or may not be valid, it was delivered heavy-handedly and got tiresome. After all, I'm reading a novel, not a slanted history book on Middle East politics.
Aside from that, though, I enjoyed the story and the main characters. I'll read future adventures of the Camel Club as they are published.
Aside from that, though, I enjoyed the story and the main characters. I'll read future adventures of the Camel Club as they are published.
Read
March 1, 2012How wrong can you be. This started ok. I wondered why the treatise on the nature of Islam, was prepared to accept that somehow the relevance of that would make itself apparent.
Wrong again
20% read and starting to find it tiresome, but this was an author recommended by a friend so I ploughed on.
What a lot of characters and acronyms and superheros and who the hell is this book written for? Seems to me the target audience is an adolescent youth the author is hoping to 'educate' Yet I'm thinking it more a 'Mills & Boon for boys. I never thought I'd ever see "educate" and Mills & Boon in the same paragraph, but there you go.
The fact that I think this book has a target audience doesn't go down well with me. A book written specifically to sell rather than an outlet for the tale needing to be told.
By the time I had managed to get 50% read I really couldn't take any more.
I really didn't like all the extra information - seemed to me the author was trying to prove he'd done some research. Not impressed - he may have read a few things but I never got the impression that he really understood the 'research' he'd done, he merely wanted to impress the reader. Didn't work - not impressed.
A book gratefully abandoned. I have to admit there were some bits I liked ... but not many. If I was desperate to read something and no other options I might read this to the end.
February 6, 2020
On paper an interesting idea - The Camel Club ia small group of Washington, D.C. based civilian misfits led by "Oliver Stone", a former CIA trained assassin who investigate crime and/or conspiracy theories.
.
Sadly with the rise of James Patterson mega selling series, this was more about creating a serial brand than actually telling a good story in my opinion - although this is something I can write with hindsight. At the time it just felt like an interesting idea wasn't really built upon by the usually great storytelling Baldaccci. Still very readable, but one of those books you quite happily forget about once you've turned over the last page! 4 out of 12.
.
Sadly with the rise of James Patterson mega selling series, this was more about creating a serial brand than actually telling a good story in my opinion - although this is something I can write with hindsight. At the time it just felt like an interesting idea wasn't really built upon by the usually great storytelling Baldaccci. Still very readable, but one of those books you quite happily forget about once you've turned over the last page! 4 out of 12.
March 22, 2018
Read the review of the entire Camel Club series at my my blog
The Camel Club has an interesting premise in the action thriller genre. It consists of four washed up, eccentric senior gentlemen who want to make the world a better place. This premise intrigued me and made me pick up this book.
Now, I have read Baldacci's Will Robie before and I liked that series. The review of the series is available here. The Camel Club is different since it does not rely on one individual to move the plot along though some members of the club are more equal than the others. This book takes the standard islamic terror plot and gives it an interesting twist. For the most part, the US is portrayed more as sinners than as being sinned against. The outlook here is far more international than I would have expected, which is good in a way. As a result, all the characters are interesting - both the protagonists and antagonists.
The Camel Club has an interesting premise in the action thriller genre. It consists of four washed up, eccentric senior gentlemen who want to make the world a better place. This premise intrigued me and made me pick up this book.
Now, I have read Baldacci's Will Robie before and I liked that series. The review of the series is available here. The Camel Club is different since it does not rely on one individual to move the plot along though some members of the club are more equal than the others. This book takes the standard islamic terror plot and gives it an interesting twist. For the most part, the US is portrayed more as sinners than as being sinned against. The outlook here is far more international than I would have expected, which is good in a way. As a result, all the characters are interesting - both the protagonists and antagonists.
September 24, 2018
David Baldacci's descriptive style of writing is worth reading. I like the way he puts all the events at bay.
As being a big fan of conspiracy theories, I had high expectations of The Camel Club. Tom Hemingway deserves more as a protagonist than a supporting role.
I'm glad David did justice with Tom Hemingway's martial arts and did not kill him by an ex-agent turned shooter.
Carter gray's assumed conviction of Tom Hemingway for doing the plot is a typical David Baldacci thing. Everything was before him and as being the best spy he did not comprehend until the last and after the anticipation of the Tom Hemingway's hideout by the protagonist i.e. Oliver Stone.
The end was balanced and he made everybody happy with it which is not the case all the time.
I'm looking forward to seeing Tom Hemingway in other books of the series. Quite a long book but worth reading. I enjoyed it.
As being a big fan of conspiracy theories, I had high expectations of The Camel Club. Tom Hemingway deserves more as a protagonist than a supporting role.
I'm glad David did justice with Tom Hemingway's martial arts and did not kill him by an ex-agent turned shooter.
Carter gray's assumed conviction of Tom Hemingway for doing the plot is a typical David Baldacci thing. Everything was before him and as being the best spy he did not comprehend until the last and after the anticipation of the Tom Hemingway's hideout by the protagonist i.e. Oliver Stone.
The end was balanced and he made everybody happy with it which is not the case all the time.
I'm looking forward to seeing Tom Hemingway in other books of the series. Quite a long book but worth reading. I enjoyed it.
July 12, 2014
This is a good & intelligent thriller albeit with a rather strange twist that sits perhaps less well with the more conservative (political that is) reader.
The story is about a group of talentfull misfits that have their own conspiracy club in Washington DC, their leader going by the name of Oliver STone is an friendly man with NO history whatsoever, as he is officially been dead for several decennia.
This group, the Camel club, witnesses by accident the murder of a Intelligence analyst. This sets them on the trail of a very large terrorist attack on US soil.
The terrorists are not just one dimensional characters, you get explained why they are there, what made them tick. And still you are shocked when you read about their acts of violence when the attack starts.
The book takes its time to set up the story which might be challenging for a casual reader, but it also shows insight in the DC politics. Which is perhaps a bonus with so much newsstations these days that lack depth in their coverage of the middle east and Washington.
David Baldacci does know how to write an entertaining tale and does so in the most comfortable way. His books shows that he wants to have his readers a better understanding in motivation of the baddies while he is not very forthcoming in the information on the "heroes" of his book. While it is easily to filter out how special the Oliver STone character is. I am sure that next Camel Club novels will delve more into the legend that is Oliver STone.
This 1st novel does entices me to continue with this series, but it also has to do with the writing style of mr Baldacci which suits me fine.
The story is about a group of talentfull misfits that have their own conspiracy club in Washington DC, their leader going by the name of Oliver STone is an friendly man with NO history whatsoever, as he is officially been dead for several decennia.
This group, the Camel club, witnesses by accident the murder of a Intelligence analyst. This sets them on the trail of a very large terrorist attack on US soil.
The terrorists are not just one dimensional characters, you get explained why they are there, what made them tick. And still you are shocked when you read about their acts of violence when the attack starts.
The book takes its time to set up the story which might be challenging for a casual reader, but it also shows insight in the DC politics. Which is perhaps a bonus with so much newsstations these days that lack depth in their coverage of the middle east and Washington.
David Baldacci does know how to write an entertaining tale and does so in the most comfortable way. His books shows that he wants to have his readers a better understanding in motivation of the baddies while he is not very forthcoming in the information on the "heroes" of his book. While it is easily to filter out how special the Oliver STone character is. I am sure that next Camel Club novels will delve more into the legend that is Oliver STone.
This 1st novel does entices me to continue with this series, but it also has to do with the writing style of mr Baldacci which suits me fine.
May 19, 2012
The Camel Club - a rag tag team of friends led by the "past-less" Oliver Stone - is a strangely capable group who's purpose is to discover the truth about what's really going on in the government. When they stumbles upon a murder that smells of corruption - it becomes a lethal race to discover the murderers' identities and silence them before the Camel Club is the one to get silenced.
The Camel Club combines mystery, suspense, and action in a moderately paced adult read. Readers should be aware that it contains non-graphic killing (references to blood and method of death), profanity, sexual banter, and numerous debates of Islamic and Western cultures.
Although The Camel Club is the first book in a series, it can be treated as a stand alone book.
See this and more content based reviews at Sarah's Reviews
The Camel Club combines mystery, suspense, and action in a moderately paced adult read. Readers should be aware that it contains non-graphic killing (references to blood and method of death), profanity, sexual banter, and numerous debates of Islamic and Western cultures.
Although The Camel Club is the first book in a series, it can be treated as a stand alone book.
See this and more content based reviews at Sarah's Reviews
March 20, 2021
I’m so glad that I stuck with this book and finished it! It felt very daunting in the beginning. There were so many characters being introduced, at least for the first 100 pages. Then there was a deep background for most of them. I almost gave up on it. Then about 250 pages in, the story took hold and I could not put it down! I’m not much for conspiracy theories, which is the inspiration for the Camel Club, but for me this is a story of how government typically works. I really enjoyed this group of four unique individuals who’ve been friends for years and work together in their spare time to uncover this corruption. I also enjoyed Alex and Kate and hope we see them in some of the other books from this series.
April 6, 2018
An introduction to the Camel Club, a group of conspiracy theorists led by the mysterious Oliver Stone who see a murder and get led into a major attempt against the US president. A monster book nearly 700 pages and I found the first 150-200 pages very slow in the set-up to the main story
December 28, 2018
Rating - 6/10(Okay) - Rip-off of White House Down!! :(
After reading the Camel Club series as a whole, the order of the books from better to worst is -
#5 > #4 > #2 > #3 >#1
After reading the synopsis of what the book will be about, I was thrilled. But I learned the hard way that not to judge the book by it's cover. The book, as the title suggests, is The Camel Club . It should revolve mostly around The Camel Club right? But this book gives us the impression that it will be based on them but throws stones at us by having them only in lesser part of the novel( I don't remember exactly the fraction). The book should have been named as The Revenge of the Arabs or White House Down... Not Again!!!
Oh man!!! That is some accusation. I am not going to go straight ahead and say not to read the book. The book is about a conspiracy plot(which IMO is not that much of a conspiracy, one would also think so) involving kidnapping of the president for god knows what until, you know, The Camel Club saves the day by a slim chance. Yeay!! The intention of this was also not that great. There were also many plot holes I thought should be resolved. The book also made me think that I wasn't supposed to ask how this particular person knows so and so things.
But apart from, the book stood strong in terms of the characters. The characters were the main reason I read the book till the end. The life and struggle the characters face in the world of chaos was portrayed beautifully. I loved the chemistry between the characters. The book also made me cry at the end. The pain of loosing one's daughter without knowing that it is one's daughter was the sad part of this entire novel. The book also rained on facts regarding American history, life, culture and how it affects other countries. The action scenes were completely terrific(prologue is my most favorite).
I would give this book 3.8 stars. I wanted to give this book 5 but due to these factors I had to lower the score. My suggestion is that the author should spend equal amounts in crafting a story well deserved to it's name and also on current affairs. I hope that it gets better as I read the sequels.
After reading the Camel Club series as a whole, the order of the books from better to worst is -
#5 > #4 > #2 > #3 >#1
After reading the synopsis of what the book will be about, I was thrilled. But I learned the hard way that not to judge the book by it's cover. The book, as the title suggests, is The Camel Club . It should revolve mostly around The Camel Club right? But this book gives us the impression that it will be based on them but throws stones at us by having them only in lesser part of the novel( I don't remember exactly the fraction). The book should have been named as The Revenge of the Arabs or White House Down... Not Again!!!
Oh man!!! That is some accusation. I am not going to go straight ahead and say not to read the book. The book is about a conspiracy plot(which IMO is not that much of a conspiracy, one would also think so) involving kidnapping of the president for god knows what until, you know, The Camel Club saves the day by a slim chance. Yeay!! The intention of this was also not that great. There were also many plot holes I thought should be resolved. The book also made me think that I wasn't supposed to ask how this particular person knows so and so things.
But apart from, the book stood strong in terms of the characters. The characters were the main reason I read the book till the end. The life and struggle the characters face in the world of chaos was portrayed beautifully. I loved the chemistry between the characters. The book also made me cry at the end. The pain of loosing one's daughter without knowing that it is one's daughter was the sad part of this entire novel. The book also rained on facts regarding American history, life, culture and how it affects other countries. The action scenes were completely terrific(prologue is my most favorite).
I would give this book 3.8 stars. I wanted to give this book 5 but due to these factors I had to lower the score. My suggestion is that the author should spend equal amounts in crafting a story well deserved to it's name and also on current affairs. I hope that it gets better as I read the sequels.
May 12, 2019
5 solid and thrilling stars.
In the first book of the Camel Club series, we get introduced to the Camel Club, a group of conspiracy theorists whose aim is to uncover corruption in the upper reaches of the US government. This group is headed by Oliver Stone, whose real name is John Carr and who was a former CIA assassin. The Other members are Reuben Rhodes, a former military spy, Caleb Shaw, who works in the Library of Congress and Milton Farb, who was a child prodigy and now a web designer.
The Book gets started with three terrorists- Adnan al-Rimi, Mohammad al-Zawahiri and Gul Khan driving through the Interstate Highway near Virginia. A chopper then comes after their car and they flee inside the forests, where Adnan kills the latter two and places his lookalikes dead body with them. Then he enters the chopper and goes away.
Next, The Camel Club members accidentally witness the murder of Patrick Johnson, who was a data analyst in the National Intelligence Centre. He had been corrupting the files in the database on the orders of Tom Hemingway, one of the top most advisers Carter Gray, the intelligence chief.
The authorities were intent on writing it off as suicide, which was fuelled by the discovery of heroin in his lavish house. But the Camel Club, with the help of Secret Service Agent Alex Ford, started a more deeper and thorough investigation. For was assisted by Jackie Simpson, who is actually Carr's daughter.
For got kicked out of the investigation for his views and places on the presidential protection detail. The US president, James Brennan, was scheduled to go to his native town in Pennsylvania, which had renamed it self in honour of the local boy. But there on the dedication grounds, he was kidnapped by Adnan and other supposedly dead terrorists, and the world went to a complete meltdown. Tom Hemingway had orchestrated this and planned to return the president safely, but his plan was upset by Captain Jack, another former CIA assassin who had trained the terrorists. After much drama and a saga which almost lead to World War III, the president was finally rescued. The main events of the story shall remain untold, or else i would have to turn on the spoiler alert.
Overall, the book was fantastic and one of the best that i ever read. This book is highly recommended on your to read list.
In the first book of the Camel Club series, we get introduced to the Camel Club, a group of conspiracy theorists whose aim is to uncover corruption in the upper reaches of the US government. This group is headed by Oliver Stone, whose real name is John Carr and who was a former CIA assassin. The Other members are Reuben Rhodes, a former military spy, Caleb Shaw, who works in the Library of Congress and Milton Farb, who was a child prodigy and now a web designer.
The Book gets started with three terrorists- Adnan al-Rimi, Mohammad al-Zawahiri and Gul Khan driving through the Interstate Highway near Virginia. A chopper then comes after their car and they flee inside the forests, where Adnan kills the latter two and places his lookalikes dead body with them. Then he enters the chopper and goes away.
Next, The Camel Club members accidentally witness the murder of Patrick Johnson, who was a data analyst in the National Intelligence Centre. He had been corrupting the files in the database on the orders of Tom Hemingway, one of the top most advisers Carter Gray, the intelligence chief.
The authorities were intent on writing it off as suicide, which was fuelled by the discovery of heroin in his lavish house. But the Camel Club, with the help of Secret Service Agent Alex Ford, started a more deeper and thorough investigation. For was assisted by Jackie Simpson, who is actually Carr's daughter.
For got kicked out of the investigation for his views and places on the presidential protection detail. The US president, James Brennan, was scheduled to go to his native town in Pennsylvania, which had renamed it self in honour of the local boy. But there on the dedication grounds, he was kidnapped by Adnan and other supposedly dead terrorists, and the world went to a complete meltdown. Tom Hemingway had orchestrated this and planned to return the president safely, but his plan was upset by Captain Jack, another former CIA assassin who had trained the terrorists. After much drama and a saga which almost lead to World War III, the president was finally rescued. The main events of the story shall remain untold, or else i would have to turn on the spoiler alert.
Overall, the book was fantastic and one of the best that i ever read. This book is highly recommended on your to read list.
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