Trying to read too much truth or policy into this story might take your mind off of a first rate espionage suspense story. Most certainly, the depictions of our involvement in Syria and its influencing factors are real enough. But it’s the characters and twists and turns of the plot that make Damascus Station. The story takes a bit to develop but don’t let that deter you. Once ramped up, the story is fast-moving with twists and turns that are not always predictable.
As for the characters, I liked that there were no “superheroes'” but rather believable yet colorful characters. In my opinion, the bad guys were just as rich as the good guys. The central figure, Sam, is a very likable character. Though he has a few flaws as a human being, he’s a believable central figure. Miriam, Bradley and the extremely colorful Proctor are but a few of the characters that deserve an audition. On the other side of the ledger of “us against them,” Ali is also a character that should endure.
Narration is always a hit or miss on new books but I thought Andrew Wehrlen did a very fine job. He managed voices for a broad base of ages, gender, and accents extremely well. I would like to hear him in another McCloskey book featuring the same core characters.