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- Osama Caper
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- Author: Bruce Bullock
- Reviewer: Sonali T. Sikchi
- Publisher: 1st Books Library (2001)
- ISBN: 0759665281
- Rating: * Quill
- www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0759665281/scriquil
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- A terrorist from Saudi Arabia, an Arab from Iran, a pastor's son born in Egypt, a musical prodigy, anti-terrorist U.S. agents and plucky American kids: such is the international cast of this action story by Bullock.
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- Osama Caper is the tale of the unmasking of a terrorist plot by two 13-year-old boys. The book begins with Toby overhearing a conversation in Arabic on the bus going home from school. This spurs Toby and his best friend Kevin to begin spying on the two people planning the bombing. In their quest for information, they run into anti-terrorist agents, who are attempting to apprehend the two criminals by pretending to be on their side. They work alongside these experienced professionals, their youth, intelligence and bravery providing a fresh perspective on thwarting the goal of the lawless thugs.
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- Bullock builds the story from one suspenseful uncovering after another, weaving the different threads of the plot with the ups and downs of the cemented friendship between the boys and the budding romance between the agents Felicity and Quinn. He maintains the tricky art of the omniscient viewpoint consistently all throughout.
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- However, the book ultimately fails to deliver due to problems with the craft of writing. Every character, including the Arab men, talks in the same voice, has a hair-trigger temper and swears in English in the same fashion. The romance between the agents comes on strongly from the first encounter, without any warning, without any development, and remains in that niche to the end of the story. Inappropriate word couplings, such as languidly apprehensive, take-away some of the enjoyment of reading this fast-paced story.
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