View source for Operation Red Jericho

{{short description|Young adult adventure novel by Joshua Mowll}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox book  | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
| name           = Operation Red Jericho
| title_orig     =
| translator     =
| image          = OperationRedJerichoCover.JPG
| caption  =
| author         = [[Joshua Mowll]]
| country        = United Kingdom
| language       = English
| series         = [[The Guild of Specialists trilogy|The Guild of Specialists]]
| genre          = [[Young adult novel]]
| publisher      = [[Walker Books]]
| release_date   = 9 August 2005
| media_type     = Print ([[Hardcover]])
| pages          = 266
| isbn           = 1-84428-625-8
| oclc= 60838315
| followed_by    = [[Operation Typhoon Shore]]
}}
'''''Operation Red Jericho''''' (September 5, 2005) is the first novel in [[The Guild of Specialists trilogy|''The Guild of Specialists'' trilogy]] by [[Joshua Mowll]].
== Plot summary ==
In 1920, the heroes of the story Rebecca and Doug McKenzie, leave [[Shanghai]] aboard their uncle's ship ''Expedient'', intent on discovering the whereabouts of their missing parents who have disappeared while on a secret mission to the deserts of Western China.
Faced with terrifying bloodthirsty pirates, submarines, and deadly torpedoes, their task quickly becomes a dangerous struggle to survive. Rebecca and Doug discover that the answers they seek lie in a tangle of mysterious age-old societies guarding ancient secrets, and particularly a strange and dangerous substance, known as Daughter Of The Sun, which lies at the heart of the mystery.
==Reception==
Upon publication, ''Operation Red Jericho'' won the Poppy Red Award for Innovation in Children's Books at the 2006 British Book Trade Awards.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}
The book was well received, with ''Operation Red Jericho'' being the ''[[Sunday Times]]'' Children's Book of the Week during September 2005.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}
''[[The Sunday Times]]'' said the novel "is not just an adventure story; it is a designer object".<ref>{{Cite news |date=2005-09-25 |title=Operation Red Jericho |work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref> A reviewer for the ''[[South China Morning Post]]'' expanded on this sentiment, writing, “Mowll's genius [...] is in his clever mixing of old and new storytelling devices, and a clear and intelligent voice that should appeal to both girls and boys”.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2005-08-28 |title=Operation Red Jericho |work=[[South China Morning Post]]}}</ref>
''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' referred to the novel as "intriguing" and highlighted the novel's various inclusions, such as "Becca's diary entries and sidebars" and "drawings from Doug's sketchbook", which provide useful background information".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-09-05 |title=Operation Red Jericho by Joshua Mowll |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780763626341 |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=[[Publishers Weekly]]}}</ref> ''[[Kirkus Reviews]]'' also highlighted such inclusions, stating that  the "excerpts from Rebecca’s diary, four beautifully produced gatefolds detailing ships, weapons, and submersible crafts, wonderful pencil sketches, photographs (and more) add dimension and authenticity to the high-seas hijinks."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Operation Red Jericho |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/joshua-mowll/operation-red-jericho/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=[[Kirkus Reviews]] |archive-date=19 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419161134/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/joshua-mowll/operation-red-jericho/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Booklist]]''<nowiki/>'s Francisca Goldsmith added that the "highly detailed" and "suitably authentic" reproductions "will have great appeal for readers who thrive on schematics and puzzles."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Goldsmith |first=Francisca |date=2005 |title=Operation Red Jericho |url=https://www.booklistonline.com/Operation-Red-Jericho-Joshua-Mowll/pid=1510037 |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=[[Booklist]]}}</ref>
Despite indicating that "readers will revel in the exciting setting, the abundant science and history," and numerous action sequences, ''Kirkus Reviews c''ritiqued the development of the novel's primary plot, indicating that "the urgency of the siblings’ search for their parents, the emotional core of the story, drowns in the wake of swashbuckling action".<ref name=":0" />
Goldsmith described the main characters, Becca and Doug, as "bold, inquisitive, and creative". They further commented on Mowll's writing style, mentioning the characters' "distinctive traits", such as Doug's overuse of the word ''lethal''.<ref name=":1" />
==Sequels==
''Operation Red Jericho'' was written as the first of a trilogy of books. A sequel, ''[[Operation Typhoon Shore]]'' was published in 2006, and the third book of the trilogy, ''[[Operation Storm City]],'' was published in 2008.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?mode=book&isbn=0763634751&browse=Title Official US publisher's page on author]
*[http://editions.flammarion.com/Peoples_Detail.cfm?ID=136134&levelCode=jeunesse Official French publisher's page on author]
[[Category:2005 British novels]]
[[Category:Novels by Joshua Mowll]]
[[Category:British adventure novels]]
[[Category:British young adult novels]]
[[Category:Novels set in China]]
[[Category:Fiction set in 1920]]
[[Category:Walker Books books]]