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The Sentinels #2
Crude Deception
From June 1963, following the author's graduation from the Harvard Business School, until April 2005, when he sold his Resort Hotel company. Mr. Zuckerman enjoyed the privilege of working for forty-two years as a entrepreneurial problem solving leader in what many people regarded as the Golden Age of American Commerce. Through-out his career he would witness, hear, or become aware of major events that appeared to have a significant influence over people's lives, some positive and some not so beneficial. Provided with the free time of retirement, Mr. Zuckerman has concentrated his attention on researching contemporary events, the consequences of which, have been instrumental on peoples' lives.
While the history of free enterprise is clearly dominated by the many stories of high-minded success, there have been situations where resources were misdirected and manipulated in the pursuit of self-serving agendas, frequently achieved at the public's expense. Mr. Zuckerman uses his writing easel to illustrate what can happen when a small fictional group, “The Six Sentinels” decide to oppose the efforts and those of irresponsible intentions. To create the plot for each of his books, the author has chosen to connect the dots of history. By telling the story through the fictional lives of the principal players, he hope to create an entertaining was of portraying historical events that may be reoccurring in present time.
353 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 17, 2011
A well written historical temperate thriller, with a combination of fact and fiction, relevant to the world as it is today.
The Sentinels: Crude Deception is a mix of thriller and historical fiction with its central point based on a group of individuals called the sentinels, who have set out to break up a monopoly of seven major oil companies who began controlling the oil industry after World War II. The story begins with the seven American and British oil companies breaking the law by getting together for a private meeting. Jacques, one of the sentinel’s, spies from a nearby fishing stream at a private hunting and fishing club. He records each plane's individual make and model number as each plane passes above him, before landing for the meeting. This information is to prove proof that the seven oil company monopoly has gotten together. This is brought back to the sentinel table and the sentinels quest begins. Zuckerman has taken the element most common to government and politics, those which include the deceptions, greed and secretive societies. He has intermingled them with fiction, thrown in some past history and actual facts, to create this very realistic novel. We all know how controversial oil and government can be. However, Zuckerman takes us back to the era of 1946 and presents a group of heroes, the sentinels, who are not only graduates of an elite American doctoral program, but are also tied in to the global financial district. With a plan to break up the oil group, the sentinels acquire help from some of the current world’s most powerful private investors, Middle Eastern leaders and government officials. Crude Deception covers numerous issues that are relevant to the issues in the world as it is today. The characters in the book are very strong and focused on their agenda, which is to create their own kind of energy development fund, with the intent on putting a stop to the controlling financial grip the seven big oil corporations have on the current market. I found Crude Deception to be slow at first, but it did pick up speed at times and then settle down again. All the sentinels are distinct in their own way and, although they are all distinguished individuals, each have their own little quirks. I recommend this book for those who are into mild thrillers with a twist of history and government, otherwise you will lose interest quickly.
The Sentinels: Crude Deception is a mix of thriller and historical fiction with its central point based on a group of individuals called the sentinels, who have set out to break up a monopoly of seven major oil companies who began controlling the oil industry after World War II. The story begins with the seven American and British oil companies breaking the law by getting together for a private meeting. Jacques, one of the sentinel’s, spies from a nearby fishing stream at a private hunting and fishing club. He records each plane's individual make and model number as each plane passes above him, before landing for the meeting. This information is to prove proof that the seven oil company monopoly has gotten together. This is brought back to the sentinel table and the sentinels quest begins. Zuckerman has taken the element most common to government and politics, those which include the deceptions, greed and secretive societies. He has intermingled them with fiction, thrown in some past history and actual facts, to create this very realistic novel. We all know how controversial oil and government can be. However, Zuckerman takes us back to the era of 1946 and presents a group of heroes, the sentinels, who are not only graduates of an elite American doctoral program, but are also tied in to the global financial district. With a plan to break up the oil group, the sentinels acquire help from some of the current world’s most powerful private investors, Middle Eastern leaders and government officials. Crude Deception covers numerous issues that are relevant to the issues in the world as it is today. The characters in the book are very strong and focused on their agenda, which is to create their own kind of energy development fund, with the intent on putting a stop to the controlling financial grip the seven big oil corporations have on the current market. I found Crude Deception to be slow at first, but it did pick up speed at times and then settle down again. All the sentinels are distinct in their own way and, although they are all distinguished individuals, each have their own little quirks. I recommend this book for those who are into mild thrillers with a twist of history and government, otherwise you will lose interest quickly.
July 8, 2011
Crude Deception is the second book in The Sentinels series. The Sentinels are a group of well-connected people who perform various missions that protect American interests on a global basis. They discover that the major oil companies in America have formed a monopoly that will ever prevent anyone from entering the market in any part of the world. The difference to take note is that this takes place in the 1950s, and the story seems to really be about the formation of OPEC, an irony indeed considering its power and sphere of influence today.
However, to take one back to the time of this novel, the Sentinels come to experience the same government officials, lobbyists, businessCEOs , etc. who are in the pockets of the major oil companies. The President and other officials have a better idea, to create an agency that will open up the market to the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. It takes considerable risk for Jacques and Claudia Roth, as well as Mike Stone and Cecilia Chang, to begin the intelligence, form a plan, travel to places yielding financial support, and so on in order for their plan to develop.
As they inch forward each step, the threats change to life and death attacks. For the "Oil Club," as it is known, is more powerful than ordinary citizens realize and just as immoral and illegal in many of its actions guaranteeing its continued monopoly.
To say more would be a spoiler. Suffice to say, Crude Deception is an action-packed, intelligent adventure into the world of big business with some espionage, intelligence and counter-intelligence to exhilarate readers galore. Finely crafted story that reads more like reality than fiction!
However, to take one back to the time of this novel, the Sentinels come to experience the same government officials, lobbyists, businessCEOs , etc. who are in the pockets of the major oil companies. The President and other officials have a better idea, to create an agency that will open up the market to the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. It takes considerable risk for Jacques and Claudia Roth, as well as Mike Stone and Cecilia Chang, to begin the intelligence, form a plan, travel to places yielding financial support, and so on in order for their plan to develop.
As they inch forward each step, the threats change to life and death attacks. For the "Oil Club," as it is known, is more powerful than ordinary citizens realize and just as immoral and illegal in many of its actions guaranteeing its continued monopoly.
To say more would be a spoiler. Suffice to say, Crude Deception is an action-packed, intelligent adventure into the world of big business with some espionage, intelligence and counter-intelligence to exhilarate readers galore. Finely crafted story that reads more like reality than fiction!
September 30, 2011
Crude Deception by Gordon Zuckerman
This book read more like a history book than a novel. What little bit of research I did on the premise seems to hold true with the author’s vision, frightening to say the least. Post WWII intrigue by the oil industry to seize the world is the theme of the book.
I liked the book but would have preferred to have a little more background about the Sentinels. The Sentinels appeared to be a well connected, off the books, oversight group with international implications. Perhaps a forward giving their role and background would have made the book more comprehensible. There is a fair amount of mild action with international travel.
There are tie ins to the modern day if you are at all familiar with history. Big business is not painted with a broad brush. It is clear that some big business was corrupted or corruptible but others strove for honesty.
Overall it is a tale of greed that certainly resonates with Enron, Madoff and Haliburton. There is even a Black Water connection provided by the Samson group. Once again if you don’t know your history you are doomed to repeat it. It appears as a nation we aren’t very concerned about history.
I recommend it.
This book read more like a history book than a novel. What little bit of research I did on the premise seems to hold true with the author’s vision, frightening to say the least. Post WWII intrigue by the oil industry to seize the world is the theme of the book.
I liked the book but would have preferred to have a little more background about the Sentinels. The Sentinels appeared to be a well connected, off the books, oversight group with international implications. Perhaps a forward giving their role and background would have made the book more comprehensible. There is a fair amount of mild action with international travel.
There are tie ins to the modern day if you are at all familiar with history. Big business is not painted with a broad brush. It is clear that some big business was corrupted or corruptible but others strove for honesty.
Overall it is a tale of greed that certainly resonates with Enron, Madoff and Haliburton. There is even a Black Water connection provided by the Samson group. Once again if you don’t know your history you are doomed to repeat it. It appears as a nation we aren’t very concerned about history.
I recommend it.
September 30, 2011
Crude Deception by Gordon Zuckerman
This book read more like a history book than a novel. What little bit of research I did on the premise seems to hold true with the author’s vision, frightening to say the least. Post WWII intrigue by the oil industry to seize the world is the theme of the book.
I liked the book but would have preferred to have a little more background about the Sentinels. The Sentinels appeared to be a well connected, off the books, oversight group with international implications. Perhaps a forward giving their role and background would have made the book more comprehensible. There is a fair amount of mild action with international travel.
There are tie ins to the modern day if you are at all familiar with history. Big business is not painted with a broad brush. It is clear that some big business was corrupted or corruptible but others strove for honesty.
Overall it is a tale of greed that certainly resonates with Enron, Madoff and Haliburton. There is even a Black Water connection provided by the Samson group. Once again if you don’t know your history you are doomed to repeat it. It appears as a nation we aren’t very concerned about history.
I recommend it.
This book read more like a history book than a novel. What little bit of research I did on the premise seems to hold true with the author’s vision, frightening to say the least. Post WWII intrigue by the oil industry to seize the world is the theme of the book.
I liked the book but would have preferred to have a little more background about the Sentinels. The Sentinels appeared to be a well connected, off the books, oversight group with international implications. Perhaps a forward giving their role and background would have made the book more comprehensible. There is a fair amount of mild action with international travel.
There are tie ins to the modern day if you are at all familiar with history. Big business is not painted with a broad brush. It is clear that some big business was corrupted or corruptible but others strove for honesty.
Overall it is a tale of greed that certainly resonates with Enron, Madoff and Haliburton. There is even a Black Water connection provided by the Samson group. Once again if you don’t know your history you are doomed to repeat it. It appears as a nation we aren’t very concerned about history.
I recommend it.
July 26, 2011
From the start I was excited about the premise (fighting Big Oil!) and feeling a thrill from the espionage and staying one step ahead of even unexpected threats. I could imagine myself on these missions, trying to catch conspirators red-handed and setting up a plan to thwart their efforts.
There were some awkwardly unbelievable moments (stuff that would never happen in the 40's, like a woman being offered a vice president position in a bank, and a Saudi Prince taking the women's side when a potential business partner unthinkingly slights a woman...) and a really straight-forward narrative that just kind of strolled ahead without much reflection or style. I'm not used to that, preferring more lyrical, deep prose. Aside from those things, it was an enjoyable story - especially if you like spy thrillers and/or international business conspiracies. Or, you know, if you'd like to enjoy a bit of fantasy where women are movers and shakers in international banking in the 1940's. LOL
There were some awkwardly unbelievable moments (stuff that would never happen in the 40's, like a woman being offered a vice president position in a bank, and a Saudi Prince taking the women's side when a potential business partner unthinkingly slights a woman...) and a really straight-forward narrative that just kind of strolled ahead without much reflection or style. I'm not used to that, preferring more lyrical, deep prose. Aside from those things, it was an enjoyable story - especially if you like spy thrillers and/or international business conspiracies. Or, you know, if you'd like to enjoy a bit of fantasy where women are movers and shakers in international banking in the 1940's. LOL
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews