The Target
Mike Curran is an ordinary American – the son of a South Side Chicago cop, a Notre Dame graduate, an Iraq War veteran, and a LaSalle Street stock broker. When he is a victim of a dirty bomb attack at Union Station, he gives up on the government and embarks on a journey from despair and revenge to a striking demonstration of deterrence. In contrast to Osama bin Laden hiding in Afghanistan, Mike and a group of like-minded associates enjoy tremendous resources and freedom of action. His greatest problem is with his conscience.
Aisha al-Rashid, a moderate descendant of Arabian royalty and the sister of one of the Union Station bombers, serves as a thoughtful counterpoint, as her path exposes her to the Americans’ plot.
Barbara from Berkeley, an intellectual liberal blogger, provides a third perspective on the unfolding story.
The Target reflects Bowen’s concern about the combination of terrorism and nuclear weapons and the missing element of deterrence in that equation. It is his hope that the leaders of Iran, Pakistan, and other countries will understand the danger of uncontrolled proliferation.
“The Target persuasively captures the rarely-presented perspective of the war veteran who has managed the sometimes overwhelming transition from the ‘extreme highs and nearly bottomless lows’ of combat to the routine of a normal life. The choices that he and his friends make are chillingly possible in today’s world. Bowen’s characters have much to say.”
Neil B. Crist- recipient of the USAF Academy Jabara Award for Airmanship, the Silver Star, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, and 22 Air Medals.
