UNDER SIEGE

Stephen Coonts' most exciting, fast-paced novel yet marks the return of Jake Grafton, the unforgettable hero of his three previous New York Times bestsellers, Flight of the Intruder, Final Flight, and The Minotaur.

UNDER SIEGE captures a chilling nightmare scenario, one that has already devastated Columbia and sent shock waves around the world. In a novel as immediate and gripping as tomorrow's headlines, the war against drug lords is exploding within the borders of the United States--striking at the very center of American government.

When the kingpin of the Medellin drug cartel is extradited to Washington, D.C. to start trial, President George Bush is severely wounded by a hired assassin. Vice President Dan Quayle assumes the responsibility for directing the fight against a criminal army that now rules the streets.

Captain Jake Grafton, working for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the battle to regain control of our nation's capital, faces the dual threat of a determined assassin and an equally determined, vicious drug lord--both intent on plunging the United States into chaos.

Filled with a cast of vivid, compelling characters, and charged with the drama of the U.S. military's most deadly challenge by an enemy on our own soil, UNDER SIEGE is vintage Stephen Coonts and will resonate long in our imaginations.

UNDER SIEGE, filled with heart-stopping suspense and striking psychological depth, secures Stephen Coonts' reputation as one of our major contemporary novelists.

The only non-flying Jake Grafton tale was UNDER SIEGE, which I hoped would capture mainstream readers who refuse to buy books with airplanes on the cover. I got the idea for the book from accounts of Columbian narco-terrorism. These reports made it clear that the narcotics industry in Columbia, and in some other countries, is richer and more powerful than the elected government. What would be the result, I asked myself, if the weapons of narco-terrorism were exported to America? Not just bribery, extortion, and murder, which are already here in a big way, but para-military operations against the elected government? Jake Grafton had to be in the book: the publisher insisted. Still, he was only one of four or five main characters in the tale. This book introduced Washington Post reporter Jack Yocke. He also appeared in The Red Horseman several years later. Yocke's role in the tale kept growing because he was such a nice counterpoint to Jake's sidekick, Toad Tarkington.

Another star of the tale turned out to be Harrison Ronald Ford, the undercover cop. As I worked with him, I grew to like him so much that I began noodling about future stories in which he could star as the main character. The world of the undercover officer is filled with heart-attack suspense as they worm their way into merciless criminal conspiracies. Surrounded by men who would take their life if they make the tiniest mistake, these actors are never off camera--they must never, ever step out of character. Nowhere else in our society do public servants routinely place their lives in such peril.

The assassin, Henry Charon, was my attempt to write a likeable psychopath. I guess I succeeded, because numerous people have told me that the book would have been better if Charon had escaped in the final chapter. Amazingly, many people doubt that truly evil people exist despite all the evidence to the contrary. The intent to harm others makes people evil, even though in all other respects they are unremarkably normal.

Writing the book, I decided to take what I thought to be a serious literary risk by using President George Bush and Vice-President Dan Quayle as characters. The fact that I had never met either man left me free to draw the characters in a way that I thought best fit the story. The main advantage to this approach was that the characters arrived full of life, with public personas that the readers knew well.

I had a lot of fun with the Dan Quayle character. At the time the press had chosen to portray the vice-president as a witless booby, which I suspected he was not. The mail I received after the book came out was about evenly split--some thought I was too kind, others denounced me for character assassination--so I probably got the character about right.

The decision to use the real president and vice-president had two unanticipated side-effects. The first reared its ugly head when I sent the manuscript to the publisher six months before publication. I realized then that if anyone attempted to assassinate either Bush or Quayle, the book would be dead on arrival in the bookstores. I sweated buckets, and nothing happened. I learned my lesson though: never again will I make real public figures central to a story.

The second side-effect was that real public figures dated the book more quickly than I anticipated. George Bush turned out to be a one-term president. After losing the 1992 election, Bush retired to Maine and Quayle went back to Indiana. Neither has been seen much since. I assumed they would outlast the novel, not vice-versa.

Looking back, I think UNDER SIEGE was one of my best tales. The suspense level is high from first page to last and the book is crammed with good characters doing exciting things, which is my definition of fun reading. Jake Grafton comes off reasonably well in the role he had to play. Readers also seemed to enjoy Toad Tarkington, Rita Moravia, Jack Yocke, Harrison Ronald Ford, Henry Charon and T. Jefferson Brody. The only downer occurs when you finish the book and realize the resolution of the drug crisis that you just read about is pure fiction.

I just finished Under Siege. WOW
Judy Strube May 4, 2008
 

I recently read your book, Under Siege, and really enjoyed it. I have been able to read much more lately and I have been mixing some of the classics with books to entertain. After finishing your book, my very next book was Dante's Inferno. I was thrilled when I learned from Dante's book that the Acheron River ferryman's name was the name of your assasin, Charon. It was great to make that connection in back-to-back books. I also saw that you have lived in Boulder, CO. I grew up in Boulder, but now live in Missouri. I look forward to reading more of your books.
Tucker Brown May 2, 2008

I'm wading through "Under Siege". Like the NYT comment, "Escape reading at its best", which is readily translated to mindless. My first comment is I didn't buy the book; nor would I. The second is a bit more wordy. Beside there being a yawning void between you and Herman Melville, the story, as far as I've waded, is complex, unlikely, and seems to be a vehicle for interspersing a bunch of RWL (Right Wing Looney) shit. I assume you're a bright guy; not sure what you did in the A6, either a pump handle or an NFO. (NFO means No Future Outside) Your hero, dubya, is the worst president of the USA in my lifetime. The drug problem is not the suppliers, it's the customers. If we had real leadership in this country, we might not have the problem. Re welfare, why don't you help me out with that? Is welfare where people get money for not doing much? If so, I can think of a lot of cases. And while we're on the topic, why not tell me more about "entitlements". Please include all.
Pete Kantor July 25, 2007

Dear Mr. Coonts, I've read 2 of your books. The first, THE INTRUDERS. This book is so informative about the majestic aircraft carriers, I gave it to my 17 year old nephew. The second book I've recently finished is UNDER SIEGE. Now, I can't explain why I feel compelled to write to you about this. I read in the evening before falling asleep. Monday night, Sept. 10, I read the part about the suicidal Columbian terrorist that opened fire in the Capitol building. (I visited Washington D.C. for the first time in my life with my Mom and 18 year old daughter in May of this year. I am still overwhelmed by the immense power I felt being there for only 2 days.) I woke up Tuesday morning and I had to tell myself I had just been reading a book. On my way to work (Phoenix City Hall), somewhere around 7AM, I heard the news on the radio. I was instantly in tears with the rest of the nation. And you know the rest. I've been in shock over this terror imposed upon our Nation, but I believe it was lessened by the preparation I had the night before. You sir, are quite a writer. And I thank you." --Sincerely, Barbara A. Hunt "I have just finished re-reading Under Siege and once again enjoyed it immensely. For what it's worth, I believe it's the best political action novel going. I want to thank you for providing me with the vicarious thrill.
--James W. McCue

"...My compliments on your ability to make the characters so vivid and compelling. I hope you are planning more adventures for Jake and Toad (and Rita). Thanks, by the way, for bringing Rita back. Also, I really like Amy, she adds a nice touch to Jake and Callie's life." --Edward L. Blancett

"Having just read your book, Under Siege, I simply wanted to write and tell you how superb I found it to be. I have read all of your books, and to me, Under Siege is your best writing yet. I wish you great success with it and look forward to many more novels from you in the future." --David Hansberry