Growing up, my father had a boxed set of James Clavell paperbacks on the shelf, consisting of Shogun, Tai-Pan, Noble House, and King Rat. Though I'd often read the books my father had after he had finished reading them (heavy on the Follett, Ludlum, Higgins, and Forsythe) I don’t remember giving the Clavell’s much thought or even picking them up, maybe just because they were so . . . big.

However, when I heard the much ballyhooed Shogun mini-series was coming to television, I thought I'd read the book before watching the movie and pulled Shogun from the box. I remember getting only a few paragraphs in when I put it down, for some reason not drawn in. I picked it up now and again over the next few weeks, until the time I picked it up and then couldn’t put it down.

After finishing that masterpiece, I remember smiling at myself for my initial inability to get into it, because in retrospect, it couldn’t have started out in a more exciting fashion. I mean, the very first page begins with a ship about to be torn apart on the rocks. Of course, the Dutch sailors on board that ship are about to begin a fascinating, lifelong journey into the heart of another culture, while the English captain of that ship would go on to start a dynasty later to be known as the Noble House.

At any rate, after finishing Shogun, I tore through the remainder of that box set and became lost in the adventures of the Tai-Pan, who was there for the birth of Hong King, and in the later corporate machinations of Ian Dunross and the Noble House more than a century later. King Rat was something of a diversion, taking place in a World War II prisoner of war camp, but at least one character in that one turns up later in Noble House.

After that, I'd run out of Clavell’s to read, until the day I walked into the bookstore and saw his new book, Whirlwind, on the shelf. I immediately purchased it and took it home and . . . just couldn’t get into it. I picked it up every now and then and tried again, until the day I picked it up and couldn’t put it down.

Taking place in the late seventies, it concerns a helicopter company subsidiary of the Noble House based in Iran, who are caught up in the whirlwind of the Iranian revolution. It’s about as exciting a book as you’re going to find, contains one of the greatest love stories I think I’ve ever read in fiction, and also provides a nice history lesson into what actually led the Iranians to revolt against the Shah in the first place.

For those looking to learn more about that episode, whose reverberations continue to this day in the headlines of our newspapers, you could do a lot worse than lose yourself in this book. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be glad you did. ( )

Charlie McKenzie was called out of a retirement from the CIA that was forced on him after being found guilty and sentenced to an 18-month prison term for actions taken on the job. The rub is that he only did the job after receiving a personal assurance from Sam, the President's National Security Advisor that he would have full presidential immunity from prosecution. Except that Sam was "mistaken" about the president's intentions and there was no such immunity. And then he was denied compassionate parole to visit his dying wife or attend her funeral by someone very high in the executive branch. And the real kick is that now Sam is making the very same promises, if only Charlie will do this one job. Vowing to get even with the man who ruined his career and reputation, and caused him to let down his beloved Mary when she needed him most, Charlie agreed to do the job - after wrangling a $20 million down payment.

The situation at hand is the theft of one the most sensitive military technologies ever developed, from a highly secure lab in the New Mexican desert - by a rookie Russian spy, a young woman named Irina Kolodendova. Charlie's job is to retrieve "Whirlwind", the code name for the technology which was stolen, and bring Kolodendova into custody. In two and half days, at which time an open contract would be put out on Kolodendova's life. However, as soon as Charlie has received his instructions, Sam double-crosses him again by immediately contacting Johann Schmidt, a South African mercenary with his own reasons for hating Charlie, and puts him on whirlwind's trail with the promise that he can have Charlie if he can catch him.

And the game is afoot. Charlie is immediately impressed with Irina's skill and cunning, and quickly moves out of Sam's reach. But as soon as he becomes aware of Schmidt's involvement, Charlie and Irina must work together if either is to survive the chase.

A fast-paced romp across the entire American southwest, from Texas to the Pacific coast. Often irreverent, Charlie is a smart-aleck who knows exactly what he can accomplish and never doubts his abilities. He is tough and smart, but has an enormous soft spot for his wife, Mary, and for cats. And more and more respect and affection for Irina. Sam is a weasel, and Schmidt is evil incarnate. A great thriller. I loved it. ( )