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Judd Ryker #1
The Golden Hour
The Golden Hour: In international politics, the hundred hours following a coup, when there is still a chance that diplomacy, a secret back channel, military action—something—might reverse the chain of events.As the top American diplomat for West Africa, Todd Moss saw a great deal about how diplomacy and politics actually work. But as he shows us, the results aren’t always pretty.
When Judd Ryker is appointed director of the new State Department Crisis Reaction Unit, he figures he has a mandate to help the United States respond more quickly to foreign crises, but he hasn’t reckoned with the intense State, Defense, Pentagon, White House, and CIA infighting and turf battles he would face. Then comes the coup in Mali. It is his chance to prove that his theory of the Golden Hour actually works—but in the real world, those hours move very, very quickly indeed, and include things he’d never even imagined.
As Ryker races from Washington across Europe to the Sahara Desert, he finds that personalities, loyalties, everything he thought he knew, begin to shift and change beneath his feet—and that friends and enemies come in many forms.An extraordinary thriller debut of twenty-first-century espionage, by a former deputy assistant secretary of state who "knows where all the bodies are buried—literally" (W. E. B. Griffin).
322 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2014
41 people are currently reading
852 people want to read
About the author
Todd Moss
10 books61 followersTodd Moss, formerly the top American diplomat in West Africa, draws on his real-world experiences inside the U.S. Government to bring to life the exhilaration—and frustrations—of modern-day diplomacy. His first novel, THE GOLDEN HOUR (Putnam/Penguin), was originally inspired by the August 2008 coup d’état in Mauritania. Todd was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State at the time and was dispatched by Secretary Condoleezza Rice to negotiate with the junta leader General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
Just weeks after Todd completed the first draft of THE GOLDEN HOUR about an army takeover in Mali, the real President of that country was overthrown in a coup. Within days, the northern half of the country was overrun by Tuareg separatists and Islamist extremists, a threat to Africa and the world that was only ended by a French military invasion in early 2013.
The sequel, MINUTE ZERO (Putnam/Penguin), about an election in Zimbabwe that goes awry, was released Sept 2015.
Todd is also the author of several non-fiction books on African development and economics. He currently works as Senior Fellow and Chief Operating Officer at the Center for Global Development, a think-tank in Washington DC and lives in Maryland with his family. He is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and has taught at the London School of Economics (LSE) and at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). He holds a PhD from SOAS and a BA from Tufts University.
Just weeks after Todd completed the first draft of THE GOLDEN HOUR about an army takeover in Mali, the real President of that country was overthrown in a coup. Within days, the northern half of the country was overrun by Tuareg separatists and Islamist extremists, a threat to Africa and the world that was only ended by a French military invasion in early 2013.
The sequel, MINUTE ZERO (Putnam/Penguin), about an election in Zimbabwe that goes awry, was released Sept 2015.
Todd is also the author of several non-fiction books on African development and economics. He currently works as Senior Fellow and Chief Operating Officer at the Center for Global Development, a think-tank in Washington DC and lives in Maryland with his family. He is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and has taught at the London School of Economics (LSE) and at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). He holds a PhD from SOAS and a BA from Tufts University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
August 5, 2015
Although this book began with many switchbacks [and forwards] in time, I managed to hang in there with the author as he told his story of diplomacy in the instance of a coup in Mali. The diplomat in focus is a newbie, with a theory about dealing with coups d'etat within a narrow time frame. He seems to be a placeholder for the power players, but he is brought to the fore by circumstances at the time.
The range of information, misinformation, confusion, and power playing was mind boggling, even though it rings true as this reader suspects the American public do not get a scintilla of what really happens when our politicians and their agenda connect and/or clash with those of other regions of the world, allies and alien forces alike.
I liked the professor-turned-State Department figure, Judd Ryker. I appreciated that there were absolutely no sexual intrigues, that he was a happily married man who was called from a beach vacation with his family when the crisis developed.
The cliffhanger aspect of the story is the role of Ryker's wife, Jessica, in the last scene. She is an intriguing character, as is their long-time acquaintance from graduate school, a Mali national, Papa Toure.
Judd's young advisers are not well-fleshed out, but this I read as deliberate on the author's part. There are other characters who are intriguing for positive, negative and neutral reasons, including the U. S. Ambassador to Mali and the military commander who is sent to assist Ryker somewhat late in the story.
This book would lend itself to a film which could utilize many actors and locations. How many of us wouldn't like to know where Timbukto is, its history, and what it's like?
I would also like to see a sequel to this story that gives us more about Jessica Ryker, her role as a hydrologist, and any other roles she's playing besides wife and mother. Todd Moss left the story with an obvious opportunity for a follow-up. Judd Ryker would also be interesting to follow: does he return to academia, or does he survive in the political dog-eat-dog atmosphere that must be part of the real world that Todd Moss inhabited for a short while?
The range of information, misinformation, confusion, and power playing was mind boggling, even though it rings true as this reader suspects the American public do not get a scintilla of what really happens when our politicians and their agenda connect and/or clash with those of other regions of the world, allies and alien forces alike.
I liked the professor-turned-State Department figure, Judd Ryker. I appreciated that there were absolutely no sexual intrigues, that he was a happily married man who was called from a beach vacation with his family when the crisis developed.
The cliffhanger aspect of the story is the role of Ryker's wife, Jessica, in the last scene. She is an intriguing character, as is their long-time acquaintance from graduate school, a Mali national, Papa Toure.
Judd's young advisers are not well-fleshed out, but this I read as deliberate on the author's part. There are other characters who are intriguing for positive, negative and neutral reasons, including the U. S. Ambassador to Mali and the military commander who is sent to assist Ryker somewhat late in the story.
This book would lend itself to a film which could utilize many actors and locations. How many of us wouldn't like to know where Timbukto is, its history, and what it's like?
I would also like to see a sequel to this story that gives us more about Jessica Ryker, her role as a hydrologist, and any other roles she's playing besides wife and mother. Todd Moss left the story with an obvious opportunity for a follow-up. Judd Ryker would also be interesting to follow: does he return to academia, or does he survive in the political dog-eat-dog atmosphere that must be part of the real world that Todd Moss inhabited for a short while?
May 3, 2020
This was a fast and fun read. I’ve not read his books, but I am thinking this might appeal to Tom Clancy readers in its blend of action and politics. I have SEEN “The Hunt for Red October”, however, and I will say that I don’t think the hero here, Judd Ryker, is exactly Jack Ryan. But hey, they have the same initials. Mostly I appreciate the fact that this book helped solidify Mali on the map for me (right next to Burkina Faso which I learned about from American Spy last year). The second to last chapter where everyone is unmasked did remind me a little of a Scooby Doo episode, however.
January 1, 2015
I've been on the lookout for good reads that follow the same basic approach as Tom Clancy - master of the military, paramilitary, politico-techno-thriller, ever since Clancy stopped writing his own books. The Golden Hour is a nice fit, lighter on the techno, heavier on the politico, but a great read for a Clancy fan like me.
I have to admit that the first handful of chapters gave me something of readers' whiplash with back flashes, forward flashes, back flashes, again, etc. After the first 40 pp. I wasn't quite sure where or when I was in the book, but things smoothed out after that.
You know, most of today's politico-thrillers seem to stretch back to WWII or the Cold War or even post-Cold War storylines involving the USA, Russia, or China. I thought that this book was a nice escape from that since this story is set largely in western Africa. I enjoyed the diversion and the different angles that this geographic option provides.
The writing was good, certainly didn't get in the way of the storytelling, and once I navigated the early time jumps really came together.
The premise of the book is this. There is something called "The Golden Hour." This refers to the fact that someone who has had a traumatic accident is most likely to survive if they can receive adequate medical help within the first sixty minutes. The analogy, politically is that a political coupe or similar political upheaval is most likely to be remedied with the least amount of bloodshed and trauma if it can be resolved within the first 100 hours...the political version of "The Golden Hour."
Be advised that there is a very light smattering of f-bombs in this book. Other than those I didn't find anything that was particularly offensive. Nice job Mr. Moss! Nothing worthy of losing any stars.
5 stars. I hope Mr. Moss has many more stories to tell.
I have to admit that the first handful of chapters gave me something of readers' whiplash with back flashes, forward flashes, back flashes, again, etc. After the first 40 pp. I wasn't quite sure where or when I was in the book, but things smoothed out after that.
You know, most of today's politico-thrillers seem to stretch back to WWII or the Cold War or even post-Cold War storylines involving the USA, Russia, or China. I thought that this book was a nice escape from that since this story is set largely in western Africa. I enjoyed the diversion and the different angles that this geographic option provides.
The writing was good, certainly didn't get in the way of the storytelling, and once I navigated the early time jumps really came together.
The premise of the book is this. There is something called "The Golden Hour." This refers to the fact that someone who has had a traumatic accident is most likely to survive if they can receive adequate medical help within the first sixty minutes. The analogy, politically is that a political coupe or similar political upheaval is most likely to be remedied with the least amount of bloodshed and trauma if it can be resolved within the first 100 hours...the political version of "The Golden Hour."
Be advised that there is a very light smattering of f-bombs in this book. Other than those I didn't find anything that was particularly offensive. Nice job Mr. Moss! Nothing worthy of losing any stars.
5 stars. I hope Mr. Moss has many more stories to tell.
December 13, 2015
I wanted to like this book. I really did. I love political/military thrillers, and I especially love stories set in Africa. But this thriller by Todd Moss just missed the mark. I kept thinking that something was going to happen to bring the plot together, something that made sense to me as the reader. But alas, all I got was that our hero somehow figured it out and saved the day without bothering to really show or even explain how it all happened.
Some basic inaccuracies also made it difficult for me to enjoy the writing:
- Is it really possible that the highly educated daughter of a U.S. senator and aspiring Peace Corps volunteer would never have heard of the country of Mali? How about a U.S. Army Special Forces colonel (O-6)? He thought Mali was somewhere in Afghanistan when told he was being sent there on a mission.
- Since when are Special Forces colonels sent on their own on operational missions? Sorry, not in our military.
- Do white American diplomats really so often use the lingo/jargon of their host nations when speaking to one another? The Yallahs got old pretty quickly.
I did finish the story, because I really wanted it to redeem itself at the end. But I would not recommend it to anyone.
Some basic inaccuracies also made it difficult for me to enjoy the writing:
- Is it really possible that the highly educated daughter of a U.S. senator and aspiring Peace Corps volunteer would never have heard of the country of Mali? How about a U.S. Army Special Forces colonel (O-6)? He thought Mali was somewhere in Afghanistan when told he was being sent there on a mission.
- Since when are Special Forces colonels sent on their own on operational missions? Sorry, not in our military.
- Do white American diplomats really so often use the lingo/jargon of their host nations when speaking to one another? The Yallahs got old pretty quickly.
I did finish the story, because I really wanted it to redeem itself at the end. But I would not recommend it to anyone.
January 1, 2015
I read this because it was referenced in a Monkey Cage article and because the protagonist is a professor of political science. It is indeed a page turner and well done. I wonder why several books i have read recently (Philip Klay) and this one set the professor's teaching school as Amherst. Amherst doesn't have a grad problem. Maybe because it is prestigious but not so well known? Anyhow, the book, while not an intellectual work, does make an interesting point about how models of politics and politics themselves are two different things. People and networks make prediction and understanding very limited from our coarse models of behavior in the discipline of political science. I think it also makes a good point that game up in Serial -- is that essential facts are often hard t pin down -- when humans are involved. It makes thinking about replicability and science very challenging...
Anyhow, great light reading.
Anyhow, great light reading.
November 2, 2014
Another type of book that I do like to read is international suspense novels. I was intrigued by this book due to the author's background. Well the author does lead a lot of his extensive knowledge to this book. Which I did like as it was very authentic. Not just fiction. Yet what I found lacking was the character development/personalities. I did not find the characters and what the whole coup was about that interesting. Thus I struggled to try and stick with this book. I did get about a third of the way and put the book down. Only due to the uninteresting characters and too much talking. If the talking had lead to more action as well then I could see myself sticking with this book despite the characters as the storyline would have grabbed me more with the faster pace.
August 13, 2023
airport thriller, you know the drill
December 28, 2014
READER'S SUBJECTIVE REVIEW FOLLOWS;
I picked up The Golden Hour at Sam's based on the inside jacket, and that was obviously shopped better than the storyline. Moss keeps the storyline clues so well hidden that it's like playing golf at night; only Stevie Wonder gets it. The whole implication that the State Department actually effects foreign policy is what Golden Hour represents, but we all know it's about black op teams that make the changes necessary. Judd's wife Jessica is even the shadow leader of the Purple Cell--which seems almost like a SEAL Team in their questionably sanctioned hits and missions. Sorry guys, but State's the mouthpiece and the current 'Madam Secretary' on CBS gives them more testosterone than they likely deserve. Where's Colin Powell when you need him? Anyway, I had hoped to interrupt a string of Michael Connelly books with Todd Moss on a zephyr, but alas it didn't take. Definitely not the $15 price of admission, and I've got to wonder if the agent is a relative. So good luck with The Golden Hour; it sure didn't do anything for me. Give me Brad Thor for Christ's sake!
SPOILER PLOT SUMMARY FOLLOWS;
Prime Time for Reversing a Coup d'état. Judd Ryker is jerked from vacation at Kitty Hawk, NC, with his family to 'man up' the new Crisis Reaction Team at State. Given no resources or clout he is banished to the background, an author of a statistically supported work describing the first 100 hours of a coup d'état as the best time to reverse it. In his former Peace Corps haunt of Mali, trouble is brewing as a Peace Corps worker, Kate McCall, is snatched by bandits and held hostage. Her father is SEN Bryce McCall, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Kate's disappearance is quickly followed by the announcement in Mali that President Maiga has stepped down in favor of GEN Mamadou Idrissa. Judd smells a rat and sways State's position to support Maiga and reverse the coup. Judd is faced with all means of internal opposition, including the Army that has joined forces with the Mali military and wants to side with Idrissa. Judd pulls out all the stops in trying to reverse the slippery slope, heading off to London to confer with exiled GEN Diallo before heading to Bamako to straighten things out. He finds his confidant, Papa Toure, visits the Imam in Timbuktu and finally figures out what is happening; Idrissa is making money off of heroin trafficking. Unbeknownst to Judd, his wife Jessica is the leader of a secret reaction force called Purple Cell, which intercedes to rescue Kate and turn the tide against Idrissa as Maiga resumes control.
I picked up The Golden Hour at Sam's based on the inside jacket, and that was obviously shopped better than the storyline. Moss keeps the storyline clues so well hidden that it's like playing golf at night; only Stevie Wonder gets it. The whole implication that the State Department actually effects foreign policy is what Golden Hour represents, but we all know it's about black op teams that make the changes necessary. Judd's wife Jessica is even the shadow leader of the Purple Cell--which seems almost like a SEAL Team in their questionably sanctioned hits and missions. Sorry guys, but State's the mouthpiece and the current 'Madam Secretary' on CBS gives them more testosterone than they likely deserve. Where's Colin Powell when you need him? Anyway, I had hoped to interrupt a string of Michael Connelly books with Todd Moss on a zephyr, but alas it didn't take. Definitely not the $15 price of admission, and I've got to wonder if the agent is a relative. So good luck with The Golden Hour; it sure didn't do anything for me. Give me Brad Thor for Christ's sake!
SPOILER PLOT SUMMARY FOLLOWS;
Prime Time for Reversing a Coup d'état. Judd Ryker is jerked from vacation at Kitty Hawk, NC, with his family to 'man up' the new Crisis Reaction Team at State. Given no resources or clout he is banished to the background, an author of a statistically supported work describing the first 100 hours of a coup d'état as the best time to reverse it. In his former Peace Corps haunt of Mali, trouble is brewing as a Peace Corps worker, Kate McCall, is snatched by bandits and held hostage. Her father is SEN Bryce McCall, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Kate's disappearance is quickly followed by the announcement in Mali that President Maiga has stepped down in favor of GEN Mamadou Idrissa. Judd smells a rat and sways State's position to support Maiga and reverse the coup. Judd is faced with all means of internal opposition, including the Army that has joined forces with the Mali military and wants to side with Idrissa. Judd pulls out all the stops in trying to reverse the slippery slope, heading off to London to confer with exiled GEN Diallo before heading to Bamako to straighten things out. He finds his confidant, Papa Toure, visits the Imam in Timbuktu and finally figures out what is happening; Idrissa is making money off of heroin trafficking. Unbeknownst to Judd, his wife Jessica is the leader of a secret reaction force called Purple Cell, which intercedes to rescue Kate and turn the tide against Idrissa as Maiga resumes control.
September 22, 2014
Espionage is not my favorite genre but I do love a good mystery! THE GOLDEN HOUR is a great mystery with many interesting characters and a complicated plot with a twist at the end I wasn't expecting. Mr Moss knows his subject well as he worked within the State Department in Washington. I really like Judd Ryker, the college professor hired by the U S government to use his theory of "The Golden Hour" that centers on the critical time of a response to a political crisis in order to be successful. There are many complicated twists and turns in resolving the coup in Mali and even Ryker comes under suspicion before the problem can be solved. The only thing I didn't like much about the book is the times when the story flashed back to the past. It was hard to know and remember these chapters were focusing on past events but I felt that especially in the beginning of the book when the past and present were closely intermingled. Some people don't like the short chapter format but for me it builds the intensity and suspense in the story and I feel like it really moves along better especially in a mystery/suspense novel. The ending was a bit Hollywood for me but that is fine. If Mr Moss gets a movie deal that would be great! I hope Mr Moss continues this series and I especially want to know more about Judd's wife Jessica and what her back story is because the final scene has me thoroughly intrigued! I received this book as a digital galley from the First to Read website and I waant to thank them for the opportunity to read this terrific novel!
September 12, 2014
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads for my honest opinion.
Todd Moss presents us with a realistic look at diplomacy, politics, and the inner workings of the US State Department. University Professor Judd Ryker’s theories on crisis response time, called the Golden Hour, catches the attention of the Secretary of State. Judd is quickly hired by the State Department as the director of the newly created Crisis Reaction Unit. A year later he finds himself in charge of handling the world-wide fallout from a military coup in Mali. But not is all as it seems.
This is a snapshot of world political intrigue after the cold war dissolves. Who is a patriot? Who is a spy? Who can be trusted? Judd dances through these questions, focusing on resolving the chaos before massive bloodshed fills all the streets of Mali.
The Golden Hour is a quick read that fills you with enough thoroughly researched data to help you comprehend the situation without deluging you with dull, dry statistics. I enjoyed the storyline, especially the surprise ending. A sequel better be close at hand.
October 29, 2014
Here's a book with an interesting premise: what if, like in medicine regarding heart attacks, there were a certain period of time in which intervention could halt/prevent/reverse a coup d'etat? In medicine, it's called the Golden Hour, in which aggressive treatment can make the difference between life and death.
Of course, in a political situation, it would be more than a chronological hour. And I am not sure anyone has actually done the research on this, except the fictitious professor in this novel. But as one who lives in a part of the world where coups d'etat happen not infrequently, it's an interesting consideration. What really drew me to this book was the fact that it takes place in Mali and it was recommended by Bruce Whitehouse, who writes the Bridges from Bamako blog. bridgesfrombamako.com
Not everything about Mali is accurate, but he actually does a pretty good job of portraying the country in a fairly positive light, which is important to me after the hatchet job Clive Cussler did in Sahara. I recommend this book.
Of course, in a political situation, it would be more than a chronological hour. And I am not sure anyone has actually done the research on this, except the fictitious professor in this novel. But as one who lives in a part of the world where coups d'etat happen not infrequently, it's an interesting consideration. What really drew me to this book was the fact that it takes place in Mali and it was recommended by Bruce Whitehouse, who writes the Bridges from Bamako blog. bridgesfrombamako.com
Not everything about Mali is accurate, but he actually does a pretty good job of portraying the country in a fairly positive light, which is important to me after the hatchet job Clive Cussler did in Sahara. I recommend this book.
September 29, 2014
This book put me to sleep. I had the hardest time concentrating on reading it. It’s a shame. I love thrillers and I do include political thrillers in that.
I think my problem was that this book was too dry. In a way it was too technical. It was like sitting in a long, boring meeting. It was all politics and no thriller. I didn’t care what was happening. I didn’t care about any of the characters. Really just way too dull for my liking.
That being said, I really think this book just wasn’t for me. I think this is going to be a really amazing book for some people. Just not me.
I think my problem was that this book was too dry. In a way it was too technical. It was like sitting in a long, boring meeting. It was all politics and no thriller. I didn’t care what was happening. I didn’t care about any of the characters. Really just way too dull for my liking.
That being said, I really think this book just wasn’t for me. I think this is going to be a really amazing book for some people. Just not me.
September 15, 2014
The African country of Mali undergoes a coup in which a general takes over. Judd Ryker is an American diplomat charged with returning the original president back to power. Judd's mentor taught him a concept called the "golden hour" which deals with the idea that the longer the new government stays in power the harder it is to unseat them. Add to this that the daughter of a U. S. Senator has been kidnapped in Mali and may be in the hands of terrorists and needs to be rescued. Many twists, turns and surprises along the way in this fast paced novel of political intrigue.
August 27, 2015
I really enjoyed listening to the audio book of the Golden Hour, a political security thriller set in Mali involving a fictional coup. The author was the US state dept security person for West Africa so the details of both Mali and the behind the scenes activities at the Embassy and other government facilities ring true.
It was a very enjoyable read and for someone who has lived in Mali, I can say that Todd Moss got the local details and color 95% right!
It was a very enjoyable read and for someone who has lived in Mali, I can say that Todd Moss got the local details and color 95% right!
August 16, 2014
Meh. I hope Mr. Moss keeps his day job.
September 23, 2015
Intriguing read! Review to come on my blog.
September 7, 2016
Poor character development, slightly sexist, ends like a Scoobee-Doo episode.
February 1, 2021
The news alert for the coup in Myanmar interrupted me as I was reading the final couple chapters of this, which was a bit surreal.
I found this book because I am familiar with Todd Moss’ academic work on economic development, and with his work at the CGD. I found myself wanting an extra ~300 pages of political theory, Malian politics, and the minutiae of working at the State department as an academic. I gather that Moss wanted people to actually read and enjoy the book, however, because he did not include them.
It’s fast-paced and fun, and the plot problems and too-easy ending are balanced out by the nuanced way Moss writes the main character. It would have been quite easy to have the American academic be the genius hero who knows everything and saves the day. Instead, the character is humble about his level of understanding and very often in need of serious guidance from the women and west Africans around him. This was, for me, the best part of the book.
There are also a few interesting insights about the incentives that face academics and government officials inside a bureaucracy as large and complex as the US government. Academics are pressured to come up with short, clear, actionable conclusions or else face being ignored completely. State Dept. officials compete with each other rather than cooperate. The many branches of the US government are often so insulated from one another that they attempt to carry out directly contradictory actions without realizing it. Elected representatives will take the credit and distort the story of how it really happened. It is fiction though, so it’s hard to call these real insights.
I found myself wanting the version of this book that would have existed had it been written for grad students in political/economic development—not because I thought it was too “dumb” or something silly like that, but simply because, for example, I would’ve loved to have read about Judd’s identification strategy for his “golden hour” work. Moss (wisely) wrote it for a much wider audience. 3.3 stars.
I found this book because I am familiar with Todd Moss’ academic work on economic development, and with his work at the CGD. I found myself wanting an extra ~300 pages of political theory, Malian politics, and the minutiae of working at the State department as an academic. I gather that Moss wanted people to actually read and enjoy the book, however, because he did not include them.
It’s fast-paced and fun, and the plot problems and too-easy ending are balanced out by the nuanced way Moss writes the main character. It would have been quite easy to have the American academic be the genius hero who knows everything and saves the day. Instead, the character is humble about his level of understanding and very often in need of serious guidance from the women and west Africans around him. This was, for me, the best part of the book.
There are also a few interesting insights about the incentives that face academics and government officials inside a bureaucracy as large and complex as the US government. Academics are pressured to come up with short, clear, actionable conclusions or else face being ignored completely. State Dept. officials compete with each other rather than cooperate. The many branches of the US government are often so insulated from one another that they attempt to carry out directly contradictory actions without realizing it. Elected representatives will take the credit and distort the story of how it really happened. It is fiction though, so it’s hard to call these real insights.
I found myself wanting the version of this book that would have existed had it been written for grad students in political/economic development—not because I thought it was too “dumb” or something silly like that, but simply because, for example, I would’ve loved to have read about Judd’s identification strategy for his “golden hour” work. Moss (wisely) wrote it for a much wider audience. 3.3 stars.
December 2, 2023
This book was recommended to me by my wife who knows the author. It is an academic's fantasy--a political scientist who developed statistical models of political crises is appointed to lead the new Crisis Response Unit within the State Department and is tasked with leading the response to a coup in Mali, which involves multiple layers of deception related to drug smuggling, corruption, and Islamic terrorism. Lots of interesting characters (in addition to the protagonist) including a DC socialite who seems to be better connected and have more reliable information than people in government, a blowhard senator whose daughter is kidnapped in Mali, and a young CIA analyst who uncovers some of the deception behind the coup. A little contrived, especially the ending, and definitely not great literature, but a page turner, an interesting take on somewhat current affairs in Africa, and (from my second- or third-hand perspective) a very realistic portrayal of how our government works including the hierarchy and infighting/turf battles.
January 3, 2018
Fine for a vacation read, but pretty shallow and both final twists are signaled pretty early on. Reading this a few years after publication means the whole premise requires an extra-reinforced suspension of disbelief given the current state of State. More than that, staging this as quant-turned-State Department-appointee-turned-action-hero distracts from what should be the core conflict, namely the question of just which local powerbroker it is in the United States' interests to partner with, and the interagency paper-wrangling and authorities battles that shape how that question is answered by the U.S. foreign policy apparatus. The story edges into this territory at points but doesn't have the deftness to really stick to it.
November 18, 2017
This was a quick and easy read for me, a fun break from a lot of heavy non-fiction I've been reading lately. Todd Moss brings an academic eye to the classic spy thriller, and I really enjoyed his main character and the plot of this book, surrounding an African coup. There was some insider portrayal of the State Department that also seemed to be accurate, based on conversations I've had with folks who work in the federal government, and the action really didn't stop once it picked up. I'm looking forward to reading the subsequent volumes!
April 12, 2018
Todd Moss has written a series of adventure/thriller/mystery books based on what he knows best; The US Department of State and international relations. The protagonist character is Jud Ryker, a State Department Official and academic who has been appointed to head a crisis unit of the State Department. The Golden Hour begins with Jud's families long awaited beach vacation being interrupted by a coup in Mali. Good gripping story, I want to read Moss's other books now, maybe even some of his non-fiction serious work. Too many surprises that could be spoiled to give more detail in a review.
May 22, 2019
Todd Moss worked for one year in the State Department. He is now trying to parlay that limited experience and exposure into giving us tired old cliches: We can't trust U S security agencies to work together. Their employees likewise sabotage each other's results of espionage. Everyone has his or her own agenda. This is equally true for their international interlocutors who may have hidden allegiances they do not share with the Americans. This story is set in Mali, Africa.
August 21, 2019
A narrativa é bastante envolvente e prende a atenção do/a leitor/a. No entanto, o climax da história opta por resoluções muito simplistas - algumas muito pouco verossímeis inclusive -, o que prejudica muito todo o enredo tão bem construído até então.
August 26, 2017
Good read. Lots of action and interesting characters.
October 14, 2017
Too much politics in this one for me, but an interesting concept that the Golden hour can be applied to other field in addition to medicine.
November 11, 2017
Enjoyable enough airplane read. Spy thriller about a State Department bureaucrat(!) who prevents an outbreak of civil war in Mali. It was breezy and entertaining but not quite a page-turner.
November 21, 2017
A gripping novel about a coup and the inner workings of the US government. Particularly relevant in today's times!
October 25, 2018
Easy read with a great narrative. The deeper thoughts behind the "golden hour" could be better be summed in the final chapters. Nevertheless, the message is clear by how the story concludes.
January 30, 2020
Mike read: I had high hopes, but it kind of turned into a tedious reflection of the author's frustrations.
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