Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Race Against Terror:
Got the criminal — not sure about the court.
Quick synopsis:
The trial of Al-Qaeda terrorist, Spin Ghul, years after his murder of American soldiers in Afghanistan.
Fact for Non-History People:
At its height right before September 11th, 2001, Al-Qaeda had about 3,000 core members, but because of how decentralized it can be, the exact number can’t be known.
Fact for History Nerds:
Al-Qaeda was suspected to be active in at least 56 countries in 2001.
My Take on Race Against Terror:
If you are thinking about skipping this review because the book has Jake Tapper’s name on it, then please humor me for a minute. I generally try to keep my reviews focused on the book I am reviewing, but I would be remiss not to bring up the fact that yes, this is Tapper’s second release of 2025, and yes, the other one gave people big feelings. Generally, people were enraged but for many different reasons which I guess is progress. For the record, I enjoyed Original Sin, which was about the Biden administration, but I also understand the criticisms. However, what does get lost in the controversy is that Tapper is a hell of a writer. This book is yet another example.
Divorced (mostly) from today’s fraught political environment is his newest release Race Against Terror. The story follows an Al Qaeda terrorist who traveled to Afghanistan and killed American service members. After various other murderous misadventures, he ends up in Italian court. Our story takes off from there as the U.S. attempts to bring him to justice in a criminal court. I won’t spoil any plot points and leave it there.
Two aspects of the story came off exceptionally well and made this a must read for me. First, the back and forth on how to deal with terrorists legally is a huge part of this story. Is what happens on a battlefield even something a court should be litigating? What type of court procedures should be used if you do? Tapper dives into all of this without putting the reader to sleep. There is discussion of post 9/11 activities including Gitmo and torture. Tapper clearly makes his abhorrence for torture clear, but every other aspect of the conversation is handled with nuance and clear-eyed discussion. Tapper recognizes that doing the right thing is not always a black and white conversation.
The second aspect which Tapper excels at is his dealing with the stories of the American service members and their families. I am an Iraq War vet, and I am highly sensitive to the way authors approach these situations. I am equally turned off by blatant pandering as much as unfair characterizations. What I can say from my perspective is that Tapper really listened to people when they talked. There are terms and words which I know came directly from people who fought in theater. I can’t even count how many times I read a book which tries to use military lingo and thinking but it comes off fake because the author is trying too hard to sound real. Tapper’s translation of the military aspects and his focus on the right things (as defined by me, it’s my review, and I say what I want) is truly singular.
In summary, if you skip this one because of Original Sin, you will be missing out on a great book.
(This book was provided as an advanced reader copy by NetGalley and Atria Books.)
Verdict:
Riveting. Buy it here!
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