Talk:The Dogs of War (novel)

Sierra Leone

I'm sure at one point that Zangaro is described as having a "lion mountain", this connected with SL's mineral wealth suggests that it is another inspiration.

For life imitating art, see Mark Thatcher. --MacRusgail 18:03, 1 May 2007 (UTC)

For Zangaro substitute the island of Fernando Po now part of Equatorial Guinea and for Irishman Cat Shannon read Scotsman Alexander Gay whom Forsythe met in Biafra when Gay was fighting as a mercenary(Gay was also a vital source of material for Day of the Jackal as he had acted as a bodyguard for a minor member of the French Government during the OAS troubles) Forsythe even posted bail for Gay when he was arrested for travelling on a false passport-ring any bells yet? In reality the mercernaries were told by Gay that the target was the Presidential Compound and they were to assasinate the despot in charge after first obtaining the details of his secret bank accounts(thought to contain many millions of dollars pillaged from his people) and the coup was to be completed by a contingent of battle hardened Biafran Troops. Their first objective was going to be the paramilitary barracks located inside the compound in order to nuetalise the persons inside using mortar fire however many years later it transpired that this intelligence was false or inaccurate and had been used by the Russians,Forsythe definately met with the mercenaries in Faro,Portugal in December 1972 prior to the operation and had acted as paymaster(however with the benefit of hindsight it is unclear if it was his money or another agency that funded this venture) As it transpires the venture turned to farce and the men were arrested in Lanzarote on board the fishing vessel Albatross and taken to jail,after a period of time and questioning,the spanish police reassured they were not gun running for the Basque Seperatists(each kept to the cover story they were oil prospecting) they were deported arriving at Tilbury,England under protest from the captain of a Fred Olsen cruise ship where the non brits continued onto other countries and the british contingent were interviewed by Special Branch and released without charge _________

On page 328 of the 1995 Bantam Books reissue, Forsyth describes how the Lion Mountain led to the naming of Sierra Leone. He did not, in this version at least, apply the lion mountain motif to Zangaro.

Tallil2long (talk) 07:32, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Cancer

In my version (Australian paperback 1982), Cat Shannon is dying of lung cancer, given to him by the little white sticks (cigarettes). Can anyone else verify the skin cancer part, and if so, what edition is that in? It may have changed from version to version. (Wouldn't be the first time).--Reynardo (talk) 13:47, 2 November 2008 (UTC)

Ok, I can confirm this now. Corgi edition 1985 p. 438 :"It was not the risks or the danger or the fighting that destroyed him, but the little white sticks with the filter tips. That was what he had learned from Dr Dunois in the Paris surgery. Up to a year if he took things easy, less than six months if he pushed himself, and the last month would be bad. So he went out alone when the coughing got worse and walked into the jungle with his gun and a fat envelope full of typescript, which was sent to a friend in London some weeks later."

If you want me to take a picture of the page, I'm willing to, but Cat Shannon died from suicide while he was suffering lung cancer in the original version of the book. I'm happy to allow that it might have changed in a later edition, but both should then be noted. --Reynardo (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 02:47, 30 March 2009 (UTC).

In the 1995 Bantam books reissue, p371, it states "It was not the risks or the danger or the fighting that killed him, but the trivial black mole on the back of his neck. That was what he had learned from Dr. Dunois in the Paris surgery." I have the book in front of me as I type. Interesting, isn't it? Tallil2long (talk) 07:29, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

I read a US edition in the mid-seventies which had the mole explanation; my UK paperback edition has Shannon with lung cancer. I wonder if it's a US/Rest of the World thing?Mr Larrington (talk) 14:32, 15 July 2010 (UTC)

I suspect it was changed in the States for "legal reasons." Either way, it's misleading to describe the differences as currently, so I'll amend the text. Nick Cooper (talk) 22:41, 1 June 2012 (UTC)

Yes the US edition does have the cause of his death as mole on the back of his neck..however the explanation that it was actually terminal Lung cancer does make more sense....although it does take a leap of faith as to how a semi retried physician with no office equipment [not even an X ray] could come to such a diagonius..! Forsyth always left two plot holes...for example Lamborgotti's fate..is always ambigious...its plain he does not survive...a clue is that in his biography its stated that he suffers from acute claustraophia of small enclosed places...and that a possible reason he "disappears"--is that he was captured and innured in a dungeon where he goes insane and is ultimating killed...another is that the unnamed mercenery writer in the book by his own admission writes for a living..blackmails Mason to obtaining a livelong pension....in return for his silence...about the part Mason had been in bringing coupde taut — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.5.184.226 (talk) 14:27, 3 December 2020 (UTC)

Coup ?

In the begining of the article, you can read : "when Forsyth himself financed an unsuccessful coup d'état against Equatorial Guinea on behalf of the Igbo people"; it's in total contradiction with the bottom of the article, saying : In researching The Dogs of War story, Frederick Forsyth pretended to be preparing a coup d'état against Equatorial Guinea in behalf of the Igbo people whom passionately supports; he was told it would cost $240,000 dollars American."

To me it sounds quite weird that Fr. Forsyth would had financed a real coup... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 130.79.156.223 (talk) 16:29, 12 December 2007 (UTC)

The book by Anthony Mockler, "The New Mercenaries" discusses the question of Forsyth's alleged plot, as well as suggesting which of the Biafra mercenaries his characters are modelled on. (83.13.39.98 (talk) 12:54, 4 February 2008 (UTC))

I think this article needs a revision. Facts at the top of the page to clash with those near the end. For example at the top Shannon is described as being an Irishman (which he is) however at the bottom he is listed as a being American. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.10.97.187 (talk) 13:55, 11 September 2008 (UTC)

Why did Shannon kill Bobi at the end?

I still don't understand his rationale for shooting the colonel, can somebody help explain? Thanks in advance. Ft763 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ft763 (talk • contribs) 01:27, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

He shot Bodi for two reasons: on behalf of the imported Immigrants who had been disenfranchised and those leader was the "General" who Shannon had fought for 3 months before and so that these disposed persons would have a homeland; and for a personnel reason as well: although he admits he is a killer/mercenary for money he also tells Eadean that he is also digusted at the fact of innocent persons dying just so profiteers such as Sir James Mason can get rich. Inronically Sir James Mason and his associates will probably become rich as they intended-only not as cheaply as they had planned since the book points out that while Bodi is the perfect figurehead government leader he commands no power among any of the groups of "Zangaro" [The two tribes and the immigrants]... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.49.134.75 (talk) 13:23, 12 March 2020 (UTC) In fact in real life as explained in the beginning of the book of western companies and African Heads of State Eadean would be sent back to Zangaro to make a usual Busineess arrangement for the mining of the Plantatin...The "General" would indeed furnish the manpower and Mason Co the equipment ..the only difference being the "General" would probably decline a "investment" donation to his personel account..although he would welcome a sizeable "donation" to the country treasury since his counties just about bankrupt anyway.... While Forsyth gives a "red herring" that Eadean will lose a chance of a fortune because of Bodi death...after all the epilogue says only that Mason and Eadean say nothing publicly about the Coup de tat..but never says that they didnt get rich..after all! Thus if Bodi became the new dictator he would be overthrown and killed (since Kimba was his only support); the country would collapse because of a power vacum and Mason would not get his hands on the Plantatin at all!