The Damascus Cover

By: Howard Kaplan

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's Summary

LA Times best-seller. Translated into seven languages. "Kaplan is up there with the best." (Clive Cussler, author)

In a last ditch effort to revive his career, washed-out Agent Ari Ben-Sion accepts a mission he never would have 30 years ago to smuggle a group of Jewish children out of the Damascus ghetto. Or so he thinks. 

In Damascus, a beautiful American photographer, Kim, seems to be falling in love with Ari, but she is asking too many questions. His communication equipment disappears. His contact never shows up. The operation is only hours away, and everything seems awry. 

Desperate to succeed, Ari might risk everything. Even his life. 

Soon to be a major motion picture.

©1977 Howard Kaplan (P)2018 Recorded Books

Gabriel Allon Had better Look Out!

As I began listening to the story, I thought that was a "prequel", to a "Gabriel Allon" story written by Silva using a "Nom De Plume". If you are a fan of Daniel Silva's character "Gabriel Allon", you will find that Howard Kaplan's "Ari Ben-Sion", is a spy who's personal inner conflicts,regrets and desires, makes him a very human version of "Allon".
Couple a great story and George Guidall's terrific presentation, I coudn't stop listening.

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Horrible story

This is a horrible story. I did not appreciate the graphic sex scenes. I won’t buy another book by this author

Not for me!

To be fair It could have been too realistic for my entertainment. The story line was challenging but the torture and mutilation part was more than I wanted to hear. I held out to the last and wished I hadn’t.

Too real to be accepted?!

Secret agent hero books have almost infallable characters with super human logic and strength. Here is a spy with almost more human frailty than is palatable. In this way, The Damascus Cover is both refreshing and disconcerting. Ari’s bad decisions are often those any one of us readers might make. Do I want to follow the exploits of a spy whose weaknesses are so commonplace? At first, I found this immensely frustrating. I began to accept this protagonist’s humanity as real. Still somewhat frustrated to the end — I kept wanting to yell at the character — I end my listening with appreciation for a well-written book and an excellent performance by George Guidall. It’s odd but I want more, hopefully with a character who is a bit more suitable for espionage than was Ari.

Disappointed

I was expecting something with intrigue plot development strong character and a powerful ding . Non of which happened. I plan in returning this book. Sorry not for me

Violent and depressing

(As posted in GoodReads)
The book was good, but extremely depressing! In the end, the reader realizes that the whole thing was meaningless for the most part. And of course, the expected and wish for "happy ending" was nowhere to be found!
It does go into the perfidy of the Syrians as well as the political love of torture and dismissal of respect for life. And it really is hard to tell, in the end, who – if anyone – was a "good guy" other than Ari. It was a good book, but I doubt that I will search out others in the same vein or by the same author.