Review of The Date Farm

[DRN2019]

[i][Following is a volunteer review of "The Date Farm" by Jack Winnick.][/i]

[rwc=id391515-125]3 out of 4 stars.[/rwc]In Jack Winnick’s [i]Date Farm[/i], Lara, FBI agent, and “Adjunct Agent” to the Mossad and her husband Uri, Mossad, are called on to help solve terrorist attacks on the United States. The story is reflective of attacks that have occurred over time and takes you into the minds of the terrorists and the minds of those who work assiduously to help protect the United States. It paints a picture of the horrific minds of the powerful and how the faithful followers are led like lambs to the slaughter, some knowingly while others, not at all.





I rate this book [b]3 out of 4 stars[/b] because though the story is well developed, there are some matters of concern. The story seems grammatically sound, but there is some inconsistency in punctuation. [i]Date Farm[/i] starts excitingly, and this pushed me to continue reading. But it did not always grab my attention throughout. It dragged at points, though admittedly, some chapters edged me on to see what was coming next. As the story developed, I found it somewhat predictable as well.





The book would appeal to a general audience from the ages of 18 and older. I chose this target audience as there is a very steamy scene near the beginning of the book which I do not deem suitable for a younger audience. [i]Date Farm[/i] may particularly appeal to those who are fascinated by the reasons for terrorist attacks and what prevails in the minds of terrorists and protectors.





What I liked most about the book is the way that Winnick constantly alternates between the activities of the Iranian terrorists and that of the American security forces as this helps us to understand what is happening on either side and the reasons for the respective actions. Though fictional, Winnick did consult with “officials of the U.S. and Israeli governments” to create authenticity, not to mention his inclusion of an Iranian video war game that does exist. The thing I liked least, however, is that too much information is given as it relates to the intentions of the terrorists and this takes away from some of the suspense of the developing plot.





Nonetheless, you do fall in love with Winnick’s characters, Lara, and Uri. You root for them and anticipate their every move. They are believable characters who show undying devotion to each other. They are in tune with each other and have a playful nature to their relationship. They work well together and make great undercover agents, and their characters both engage and enrage the other characters in the book.





The places and people in [i]Date Farm[/i] are vividly described which helped me to both visualize the locations and understand the varying personalities of the characters. Sheikh Abidin, the lead terrorist, is painted as an ominous individual, who is very self-confident, sometimes overly so, and no one to be ‘messed’ with. Throughout [i]Date Farm[/i], his character is maintained, but interestingly, there is another character in the book that makes him doubtful, almost reticent when in his presence.





Jack Winnick’s [i]Date Farm[/i], though predictable, is an interesting read. The characters are more interesting than the plot, however. You do feel as if you know who they are, both major and minor characters alike.

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[i]The Date Farm [/i]
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