Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Check and Checkmate, You Bloody Tosser!

No, this is not a blog about chess, and it's not an Englishman writing it. I was just wondering what to title this one, and that came to mind. Make of that what you will.

The book continues to proceed, and I've gotten my terrorist group to the point now where they've committed to the Very Bad Thing (trademark pending) and are setting out to work on it.

The Covenant have been up to bad things up until now, of course. Killing targets for eight years running, culminating with the murder of a foreign leader. Now they're stepping up their game. One of their number has proposed an operation that, if successful, will tip the Middle East into war. And a war that can't be ended, by the way.

Didn't I tell you this Very Bad Thing really is a Very Bad Thing?

So, once more unto the breach, they go, and there's no backing down for them. Awhile back, in consulting with someone on the topic of the book, he was startled to hear the operational concept of the Very Bad Thing. He wondered if taking it that far might be crossing a line, if perhaps I should find the proverbial point in between, and not take it beyond that.

Well, I'm committed to carrying out the Very Bad Thing in full. The trick is going to be how I play out the rest of the book. (Yes, I do have a plan! I'm not just winging it!)

At least I'm reasonably sure the Covenant is a safe name to retain for the group. I believe it hasn't been used in this sort of genre. Unlike my original name for the group led by Cain Reilly, whose introduction can be found among some of the older blogs here. Cain, as originally written, headed up a Protestant Irish group called The Sons of Ulster. I thought it suited the group, and it didn't match up with any group found in a quick internet search, so I thought it would be fine.

Lo and behold, some weeks ago I was re-reading Jack Higgins' Angel of Death. (If you haven't read it, I do recommend it, by the way). Early on he used a terrorist group called... The Sons of Ulster.

Damn.

I was a very unhappy William, believe me...

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