Uncle Target: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|1988 novel by Gavin Lyall}} |
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{{More citations needed|date=March 2020}} |
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| name = Uncle Target |
| name = Uncle Target |
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| title_orig = |
| title_orig = |
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| translator = |
| translator = |
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| image = |
| image = Image:Gavin Lyall – Uncle Target.jpg |
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| border = yes |
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| caption = First edition |
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| image_caption = 1990 UK paperback cover |
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| author = [[Gavin Lyall]] |
| author = [[Gavin Lyall]] |
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| illustrator = |
| illustrator = |
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| cover_artist = |
| cover_artist = |
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| country = |
| country = United Kingdom |
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| language = |
| language = English |
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| series = Harry Maxim |
| series = Harry Maxim |
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| genre = [[Thriller novel|Military Thriller Novel]] |
| genre = [[Thriller novel|Military Thriller Novel]] |
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| publisher = [[Hodder & Stoughton]] |
| publisher = [[Hodder & Stoughton]] |
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| release_date = |
| release_date = 1988 |
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| media_type = Print ([[Hardcover|Hardback]] & [[Paperback]]) |
| media_type = Print ([[Hardcover|Hardback]] & [[Paperback]]) |
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| pages = |
| pages = 288 |
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| isbn = |
| isbn = 0-340-41701-3 |
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| oclc = 18520939 |
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| preceded_by = [[The Crocus List]] |
| preceded_by = [[The Crocus List]] |
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| followed_by = [[Spy's Honour]] |
| followed_by = [[Spy's Honour]] |
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'''''Uncle Target''''' is a [[third person narrative]] [[novel]] by [[English people|English]] author [[Gavin Lyall]], first published in [[1988 in literature|1988]], and the fourth and last in his series of novels with the character “Harry Maxim” as the |
'''''Uncle Target''''' is a [[third person narrative]] [[novel]] by [[English people|English]] author [[Gavin Lyall]], first published in [[1988 in literature|1988]], and the fourth and last in his series of novels with the character “Harry Maxim” as the [[protagonist]]. The title is explained as a piece of army slang - Uncle Target meaning the person everyone is shooting at. This comes from WW2 Royal Artillery procedures, where "Uncle target" was a concentration of all a division's artillery.<ref>British Artillery Methods https://nigelef.tripod.com/maindoc.htm#Application%20of%20Fire</ref> |
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==Plot introduction== |
==Plot introduction== |
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The [[Palestinian]]-dominated [[Royal Jordanian Land Force|Royal Jordanian Army]]'s 17th |
The [[Palestinian people|Palestinian]]-dominated [[Royal Jordanian Land Force|Royal Jordanian Army]]'s 17th Armoured Brigade has revolted with [[Syria]]n assistance, and has seized the southern part of [[Jordan]], including the port city of [[Aqaba]]. However, the major concern for the [[British Army]] is that a prototype [[main battle tank]] on trials in the Jordanian desert has gone missing. After a [[terrorist attack]] in [[London]] fails, British [[military intelligence]] discovers that the tank is hidden in the ruins of an ancient [[Crusades|Crusader]] fort near [[Wadi Rum]]. [[Special Air Service|SAS]]-trained Major Harry Maxim, who formerly trained the Jordanian Army, is the ideal candidate to send in a [[commando]] raid to destroy the tank before it can fall into rebel (and thus [[Soviet Union|Soviet]]) hands. However, the mission is botched when Maxim's [[helicopter]] crashes, and Maxim, an infantryman with no Armoured experience, decides that the best chance for the survival of his small team is to attempt to drive the tank across a hundred miles of rebel held desert to the presumed safety of [[Saudi Arabia]]. |
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==The continuing romance== |
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Agnes Algar finds the emotional pressures of being Maxim's "[[significant other]]" more draining than the pressures of her work at [[MI5]]. |
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==Review== |
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The tank itself, and the culture of the soldiers who operate it, are the focus of this book, which has been compared to [[Tom Clancy]]'s ''[[The Hunt for Red October]]'' in terms of the amount of detailed information conveyed to the reader. |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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[[Category:Novels by Gavin Lyall]] |
[[Category:Novels by Gavin Lyall]] |
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[[Category:Novels set in Jordan]] |
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[[Category:Hodder & Stoughton books]] |
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{{1980s-spy-novel-stub}} |
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{{spy-novel-stub}} |
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Latest revision as of 00:20, 8 June 2024
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2020) |
 First edition | |
| Author | Gavin Lyall |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Harry Maxim |
| Genre | Military Thriller Novel |
| Publisher | Hodder & Stoughton |
Publication date | 1988 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 288 |
| ISBN | 0-340-41701-3 |
| OCLC | 18520939 |
| Preceded by | The Crocus List |
| Followed by | Spy's Honour |
Uncle Target is a third person narrative novel by English author Gavin Lyall, first published in 1988, and the fourth and last in his series of novels with the character “Harry Maxim” as the protagonist. The title is explained as a piece of army slang - Uncle Target meaning the person everyone is shooting at. This comes from WW2 Royal Artillery procedures, where "Uncle target" was a concentration of all a division's artillery.[1]
Plot introduction
[edit]The Palestinian-dominated Royal Jordanian Army's 17th Armoured Brigade has revolted with Syrian assistance, and has seized the southern part of Jordan, including the port city of Aqaba. However, the major concern for the British Army is that a prototype main battle tank on trials in the Jordanian desert has gone missing. After a terrorist attack in London fails, British military intelligence discovers that the tank is hidden in the ruins of an ancient Crusader fort near Wadi Rum. SAS-trained Major Harry Maxim, who formerly trained the Jordanian Army, is the ideal candidate to send in a commando raid to destroy the tank before it can fall into rebel (and thus Soviet) hands. However, the mission is botched when Maxim's helicopter crashes, and Maxim, an infantryman with no Armoured experience, decides that the best chance for the survival of his small team is to attempt to drive the tank across a hundred miles of rebel held desert to the presumed safety of Saudi Arabia.
The continuing romance
[edit]Agnes Algar finds the emotional pressures of being Maxim's "significant other" more draining than the pressures of her work at MI5.
Review
[edit]The tank itself, and the culture of the soldiers who operate it, are the focus of this book, which has been compared to Tom Clancy's The Hunt for Red October in terms of the amount of detailed information conveyed to the reader.
References
[edit]- ^ British Artillery Methods https://nigelef.tripod.com/maindoc.htm#Application%20of%20Fire
 | This article about a spy novel of the 1980s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. See guidelines for writing about novels. Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page. |