Teen Fiction - Family & Relationships, Teen Fiction - Mysteries & Thrillers

Traitor

Name: Traitor
Author: Andy McNab
ISBN: 9780142407271

by Andy McNab, Robert Rigby

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Overview

Danny Watts' grandfather, Fergus, was a Deniable Operator in the SAS before he was betrayed, imprisoned, and falsely denounced as a traitor. Now Fergus has escaped, but the real traitor is determined to silence Fergus and Danny for good. Together Danny and Fergus are forced to go on the run in an against-the-odds battle for survival. As they try to clear Fergus' name, Danny learns all the military field craft, trade skills, and covert operations techniques that are second nature to his grandfather. When Fergus is recaptured, Danny must put those skills to the test and rescue Fergus before it's too late.

Synopsis

About the Author: Andy McNab's location is classified. Robert Rigby lives in the UK.

Claire Rosser - KLIATT

McNab is an experienced (highly decorated) British soldier and Rigby has written extensively for children. Their combined efforts here make for a compelling thriller with highly realistic details about covert operations. The main character, Danny, is 17 years old and has just been rejected by the British army because he is told that his grandfather, Fergus Watts, is a traitor. In a fury, Danny (an orphan) goes on a search for the missing grandfather, with the help of his friend Elena, who is a computer whiz. This is a set-up: a real traitor in the secret services wants to find Fergus and eliminate him, using Danny as bait to get Fergus to reveal his whereabouts. Danny does locate Fergus and is persuaded that he is innocent, and the two set about to clear Fergus's name and nail the real traitor. Here is when the reader, and Danny, find out how to stay hidden. There are detailed instructions about discovering tails, establishing an ERV (emergency rendezvous), and so forth, enough to satisfy the most reluctant reader. An added asset is the courage and intelligence of Elena, Danny's friend. The story ends satisfactorily but with plenty of openings for a sequel. We hope there will be one. (Editor's note: this is starred not because it's great literature, but because it has tremendous appeal.) KLIATT Codes: JS*—Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2005, Penguin, Putnam, 269p., Ages 12 to 18.

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Editorials

Children's Literature

Danny Watts, who wants nothing better than to join the army, finds his dreams shattered. Not by anything he has done, but because his grandfather Fergus, who Danny never met, betrayed his country and his regiment. Furious, Danny decides to track down his grandfather and turn him in. However, Fergus was a member of the elite Special Air Service, trained to evade capture. With the help of his computer savvy friend Elena, however, Danny manages to finally make contact with his grandfather. Fergus, however, maintains that he is innocent and that Danny was set up to lead people to Fergus. Can Danny, Fergus, Elena, and Elena's money-hungry father manage to help Fergus escape? While some of the plot elements seem far-fetched and too convenient—such as an SAS member keeping such an easy-to-crack password for his phone—the overall story is engaging and certainly entertaining. 2005, G.P. Putnam's Sons, Ages 10 up.
—Amie Rose Rotruck

VOYA

When seventeen-year-old Danny is turned down by the English military because they say his missing grandfather, Fergus Watts, is a traitor who sided with drug lords and later escaped from prison, Danny decides to track down his grandfather. He is drawn into a world of espionage and intrigue that connects him with his grandfather, helps him learn the truth, and sets both of them on an undercover adventure in which their very lives are in danger. The perspectives of Danny and his grandfather; Danny's best friend, Elena; a reporter who is trying to capture the Watts story for the newspapers; and the secret agents who are attempting to find Fergus and eliminate him once and for all round out the story's dimensions and bring it to life. The uncertainty caused by the abundance of undercover terminology is solved in part by the glossary in the front of the book, but it requires a good amount of page flipping for those who find the terms unfamiliar. Nevertheless the story is engrossing despite the fact that the characters could be better fleshed out. Readers will be curious about the sequel. Although this novel lacks the excitement and intensity of the Alex Rider books by Anthony Horowitz, teens who enjoyed that series want to try this one too. VOYA CODES: 3Q 3P J S (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2005, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 265p.; Glossary., Ages 12 to 18.
—Diane Tuccillo

KLIATT

School Library Journal

Gr 6-10-When Danny, an orphan who lives in a hostel in southeast London, is rejected by the Army due to the traitorous past of his grandfather, he vows to find the old man and make him suffer. His friend Elena is the computer genius who aids in his search. As Danny learns about Fergus Watts's exemplary service record and then his turn to the "other side," he becomes more and more angry. Once he tracks Watts down, the real story about the man's past unfolds. Danny is followed, bullets start flying from an unknown source, the only person who can confirm Watts's story is murdered, and Fergus is captured. The conclusion confirms that a sequel is forthcoming. A glossary of military terms is included at the beginning, but some readers are still likely to feel overwhelmed at the lingo and will have to flip back and forth frequently as the contextual clues are not helpful. Though it takes a while to get involved in the plot, the authors do deliver hearty doses of adventure and suspense. The book has a Tom Clancyesque feeling for younger readers.-Emily Garrett, Naaman Forest High School, Garland, TX Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.