1st Publication date May 1988 United Kingdom Methuen
Hardback Publication date 1988 Methuen ISBN 0413140407 320pp
Paperback Publication date 6th April 1989 Mandarin ISBN 0749300035 496pp 178 x 111mm
From book cover.
1967-1969. Based on the true story of
how Israel's Mossad agents stole three tonnes of Mirage fighter drawings following
General de Gaulle's disastrous ban on the supply of these aircraft that were
vital to Israel's defence.
or
It is the late 1960s, and De Gaulle has canceled Israel's order for 50 Mirage
5 jet fighters and five missile-carrying high-speed naval craft. Against this
background, an Israeli fighter pilot is given the extraordinary mission by Mossad.
Reviewer
A reader from Greenwich, Connecticut,
United States
This is one of Follett's best books. De Gaulle has cancelled all Israeli orders
for the Mirage fighter, so since Israel can't buy them, they decide to steal
the plans. This is the story of how they did it
Dave's comment
This is a book that I have liked a lot as it is in my top five Follett's in at number one. The main reason is because it is based on true events that if it did not happen in real life, the author would be accused of having an over active imagination. The other reason that I like this book is because it shows that Switzerland is not boring all of the time. Well not in the late 1960's. This is a book that reads as if it was written very quickly and that the author had no trouble in getting it down on paper. The author's biggest problem might have been that the story was writing its self and that he had to fight to stay in control. James Follett appears to have had a lot of fun in the writing of this book.
Author James Follett comments
" Mirage is one of those stories that writers dream of having fall into their lap. I came across it in Israel while researching background material for Dominator
One of the agents wryly confessed to being distracted during the operation by the Apollo moon mission TV coverage.
I just had to incorporate this into the book. After all, you'd never see James Bond taking time off from chasing villains to watch the box! " James Follett
New Projects Latest Novel Very Short fiction Novels by Decade Novels by Cover Fiction Samples
Radio Plays Audio Bibliography: Radio Radio Play Directors
James Follett A-Z Radio Characters James Follett A-Z