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Whirlwind (novel)
Encyclopedia
Whirlwind is a novel by James Clavell
, first published in 1986. It forms part of The Asian Saga
and is chronologically the last book in the series.
Set in Iran
in early 1979, it follows the fortunes of a group of Struans
helicopter pilots, Iranian officials and oil men and their families in the turmoil surrounding the fall of the Iranian monarchy
and the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini. Like many of Clavell's novels, it is very long and is composed of many interweaving plot strands involving a large cast of characters, as well as a detailed portrayal of Iran
ian culture.
The novel is closely inspired by the true struggle of Bristow Helicopters
to escape the revolutionary forces and get their employees and equipment out of the unstable, deteriorating situation in the region. Alan Bristow
, chairman of Bristow Helicopter commissioned a journalist who was married to one of his employees to write a report on the events in Iran. Bristow then gave his friend, James Clavell the resulting script to form the basis of the novel. Much of the story mirrors these and other contemporary events. In February 1979, U.S. Ambassador Adolph "Spike" Dubs
was murdered in Kabul
after Afghan
security forces burst in on his kidnappers, the actual event both mentioned and fictionalized into the plot of Whirlwind. Other companies operating in Iran faced similar dilemmas. For example, Ross Perot
's Electronic Data Systems
similarly became very involved in the rescue of two executives from prison in Tehran, events dramatised in Ken Follett
's novel On Wings of Eagles
.
learned in Noble House
that the North Sea
may soon be wide open for oil exploration, he sent Andrew Gavallan to Scotland
to quietly buy up real estate in Aberdeen so they would be positioned to take advantage of this trend. The North Sea oil
rigs, once built, are serviced by helicopter
, which leads to Gavallan being involved in the helicopter and oil services industries. These become main business ventures of Struan's in Iran during the 1970s, as depicted in Whirlwind.
. The pilots' escape efforts form the basic story and the action sweeps across many lives: lovers, spies, fanatics, revolutionaries, friends and betrayers. British
, Finnish
, American
, and Iran
ian are all caught up in a deadly religious and political upheaval, portraying the chilling and bewildering encounters when Westernized lifestyle clashes with harsh ancient traditions.
, Aérospatiale Alouette III
and British Aerospace BAe 125
.
, Turkey
to Lake Van
, and the environs of Aberdeen, Scotland.
Actual locations within Iran include Teheran (including Qasr Prison
, Evin Prison
,
Galeg Morghi, and Doshan Tappeh Air Base
), Tabriz
, Qazvin
, Mount Sabalan
, the Zagros Mountains
, Lengeh
, Bandar Delam, Siri
, the Dez Dam
and Kharg island.
Fictional locations include the city of Kowiss, Yazdek village and the safe haven
emirate
of Al-Shargaz, meaning protector.
۞ indicates leader of respective base
James Clavell
James Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
, first published in 1986. It forms part of The Asian Saga
The Asian Saga
The Asian Saga is a series of six novels written by James Clavell between 1962 and 1993. The novels all center on Europeans in Asia, and together they explore the impact on East and West of the meeting of these two distinct civilizations.-Overview:...
and is chronologically the last book in the series.
Set in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
in early 1979, it follows the fortunes of a group of Struans
Struans
The Struan family and company is a fictional family featuring heavily in many of the Asian Saga novels by writer James Clavell...
helicopter pilots, Iranian officials and oil men and their families in the turmoil surrounding the fall of the Iranian monarchy
Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
and the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini. Like many of Clavell's novels, it is very long and is composed of many interweaving plot strands involving a large cast of characters, as well as a detailed portrayal of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian culture.
The novel is closely inspired by the true struggle of Bristow Helicopters
Bristow Helicopters
Bristow Helicopters is a British helicopter airline originally based at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland, part of the Bristow Group based in Houston, Texas, USA....
to escape the revolutionary forces and get their employees and equipment out of the unstable, deteriorating situation in the region. Alan Bristow
Alan Bristow
Alan Edgar Bristow, OBE, FRAeS founded one of the world's largest helicopter service companies, Bristow Helicopters Ltd, which prospered primarily in the international oil and mineral exploration and extraction industries but also spread into search and rescue, peacekeeping and other fields.Born...
, chairman of Bristow Helicopter commissioned a journalist who was married to one of his employees to write a report on the events in Iran. Bristow then gave his friend, James Clavell the resulting script to form the basis of the novel. Much of the story mirrors these and other contemporary events. In February 1979, U.S. Ambassador Adolph "Spike" Dubs
Adolph Dubs
Adolph "Spike" Dubs was the United States Ambassador to Afghanistan from May 13, 1978 until his death in 1979. He was killed in an exchange of fire after a kidnapping attempt.-Career:...
was murdered in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
after Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
security forces burst in on his kidnappers, the actual event both mentioned and fictionalized into the plot of Whirlwind. Other companies operating in Iran faced similar dilemmas. For example, Ross Perot
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
's Electronic Data Systems
Electronic Data Systems
HP Enterprise Services is the global business and technology services division of Hewlett Packard's HP Enterprise Business strategic business unit. It was formed by the combination of HP's legacy services consulting and outsourcing business and the integration of acquired Electronic Data Systems,...
similarly became very involved in the rescue of two executives from prison in Tehran, events dramatised in Ken Follett
Ken Follett
Ken Follett is a Welsh author of thrillers and historical novels. He has sold more than 100 million copies of his works. Four of his books have reached the number 1 ranking on the New York Times best-seller list: The Key to Rebecca, Lie Down with Lions, Triple, and World Without End.-Early...
's novel On Wings of Eagles
On Wings of Eagles
On Wings of Eagles is a 1983 thriller novel written by British author Ken Follett. Set against the background of the Iranian revolution, it tells the story of the rescue of Paul Chiapparone and Bill Gaylord from prison in Tehran by a team of Electronic Data Systems executives led by retired Col....
.
Backstory
When tai-pan Ian DunrossIan Dunross
Ian Dunross is a fictional character in James Clavell's novel Noble House, and a minor protagonist behind the scenes in Whirlwind.Dunross is the 10th tai-pan of Struan's, who rose to that office in 1960 and took the company public. Prior to this, he was a lifelong Struan's employee, a son and...
learned in Noble House
Noble House
Noble House is a novel by James Clavell, published in 1981 and set in Hong Kong in 1963.It is a massive book, well over 1000 pages, with dozens of characters and numerous intermingling plot lines. In 1988, it was adapted as a television miniseries for NBC starring Pierce Brosnan...
that the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
may soon be wide open for oil exploration, he sent Andrew Gavallan to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
to quietly buy up real estate in Aberdeen so they would be positioned to take advantage of this trend. The North Sea oil
North Sea oil
North Sea oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising liquid oil and natural gas, produced from oil reservoirs beneath the North Sea.In the oil industry, the term "North Sea" often includes areas such as the Norwegian Sea and the area known as "West of Shetland", "the Atlantic Frontier" or "the...
rigs, once built, are serviced by helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
, which leads to Gavallan being involved in the helicopter and oil services industries. These become main business ventures of Struan's in Iran during the 1970s, as depicted in Whirlwind.
Plot summary
Gavallan, based in Scotland, runs S-G Helicopter company operating in Iran during the Shah's reign. When Khomeini comes to power, Gavallan must get his pilots and their families, and his valuable helicopters, and the spare parts for the helicopters (of equal or greater value of the aircraft) out of the riot-torn country. Complicating matters is his power struggle with his company's secret owner, the Noble House of Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. The pilots' escape efforts form the basic story and the action sweeps across many lives: lovers, spies, fanatics, revolutionaries, friends and betrayers. British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian are all caught up in a deadly religious and political upheaval, portraying the chilling and bewildering encounters when Westernized lifestyle clashes with harsh ancient traditions.
Equipment
Aircraft used by S-G Helicopters throughout the story include Bell 212, Bell 206Bell 206
The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
, Aérospatiale Alouette III
Aérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
and British Aerospace BAe 125
British Aerospace BAe 125
The British Aerospace 125 is a twin-engined mid-size corporate jet, with newer variants now marketed as the Hawker 800. It was known as the Hawker Siddeley HS.125 until 1977...
.
Locations
The settings for the story are the western and southwestern parts of Iran, as well as neighboring Persian Gulf statesPersian Gulf States
Persian Gulf States can refer to:* Countries in the Middle East bordering the Persian Gulf and sometimes known as the Gulf States: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
to Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
, and the environs of Aberdeen, Scotland.
Actual locations within Iran include Teheran (including Qasr Prison
Qasr Prison
Qasr Prison is a prison in Tehran. It is one of the oldest Iranian political prisons.-History:It was built by the order of Fat′h Ali Shah of the Qajar dynasty in 1790 in the form of a palace. It was the first prison in Iran in which the prisoners got their legal advantages.-References:...
, Evin Prison
Evin Prison
Evin House of Detention is a prison in Iran, located in Evin, northwestern Tehran. It is noted for its political prisoners' wing, where prisoners have been held both before and after the 1979 Iranian Revolution...
,
Galeg Morghi, and Doshan Tappeh Air Base
Doshan Tappeh Air Base
Doshan Tappeh airport is located in the Piroozi street southeast of Tehran, the capital of Iran. It is in the middle of IRIAF main base. Nowadays the airport is closed since it is surrounded by houses and other urban areas...
), Tabriz
Tabriz
Tabriz is the fourth largest city and one of the historical capitals of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former...
, Qazvin
Qazvin
Qazvin is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 349,821, in 96,420 families....
, Mount Sabalan
Sabalan
Sabalan is an inactive stratovolcano in Ardabil province of northwestern Iran. It is the third highest mountain in Iran with a permanent crater lake formed at its summit. Sabalan has a ski resort and different tourist areas such as the Sarein spa...
, the Zagros Mountains
Zagros Mountains
The Zagros Mountains are the largest mountain range in Iran and Iraq. With a total length of 1,500 km , from northwestern Iran, and roughly correlating with Iran's western border, the Zagros range spans the whole length of the western and southwestern Iranian plateau and ends at the Strait of...
, Lengeh
Bandar Lengeh
Bandar Lengeh is a harbor city in, and capital of Bandar-Lengeh County, in Hormozgan province of Iran on the coast of the Persian Gulf. The harbor is 280 km from Lar, 192 km from Bandar Abbas, and 420 km from Bushehr. The weather in Bandar Lengeh is hot and humid, typical of coastal...
, Bandar Delam, Siri
Sirri Island
Sirri Island , is an island in the Persian Gulf belonging to Iran.Sirri island is situated 76 km from Bandar-e Lengeh and 50 km east of Abu Musa island. The island is one of six in the Abu Musâ Island Group ....
, the Dez Dam
Dez Dam
The Dez Dam is a large hydroelectric dam built in Iran in 1963 by an Italian consortium.The dam is on the Dez River in the Northwestern province of Khuzestan, the closest city being Andimeshk. It is high, making it one of the highest in the world, and has a reservoir capacity of...
and Kharg island.
Fictional locations include the city of Kowiss, Yazdek village and the safe haven
Safe haven
Safe haven may refer to:* Safe harbor, a harbor or haven which provides safety from weather or attack, or an analogous situation* Safe Havens, a syndicated comic strip drawn by cartoonist Bill Holbrook...
emirate
Emirate
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....
of Al-Shargaz, meaning protector.
Main characters
- Robert Armstrong - MI6 officer, appeared in earlier Noble HouseNoble HouseNoble House is a novel by James Clavell, published in 1981 and set in Hong Kong in 1963.It is a massive book, well over 1000 pages, with dozens of characters and numerous intermingling plot lines. In 1988, it was adapted as a television miniseries for NBC starring Pierce Brosnan...
as a police inspector in Hong Kong, he was promoted to Special Intelligence, concerned with counter-espionage. He was killed by General Mzytryk in retaliation for the death of Igor Mzytryk. - Freddy Ayre - ex-Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
helicopter pilot based at Kowiss - Marc Dubois - FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
helicopter pilot based at Bandar Delam - Kuram "Hotshot" Esvandiary - IranOil station manager based at Kowiss. After the revolution he became a notorious bully until he was killed for anti-Islamic crimes.
- Colonel Hashemi Fazir - deputy chief of Inner Intelligence. He was shot to death in Tabriz by General Mzytryk.
- Andrew Gavallan - member of Struans' inner court, brother-in-law of Ian DunrossIan DunrossIan Dunross is a fictional character in James Clavell's novel Noble House, and a minor protagonist behind the scenes in Whirlwind.Dunross is the 10th tai-pan of Struan's, who rose to that office in 1960 and took the company public. Prior to this, he was a lifelong Struan's employee, a son and...
, appeared in earlier Noble House. Gavallan is an aspirant to the office of tai-pan. He was married to Dunross' late sister Kathren. In Noble House, Gavallan worked in Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
with the other members of the inner court. Gavallan later plotted with Dunross to force current tai-pan Linbar Struan into early retirement and hinted at having his son Scot take over the corporation. - Scot Gavallan - helicopter pilot based at Zagros Three, son of Andrew Gavallan. Prospective next tai-pan after Linbar Struan.
- Yoshi Kasigi - Toda Shipping IndustriesIran-Japan relationsIran-Japan relations are diplomatic relations between Iran and Japan, which were formally established in 1926. Throughout history, the two countries have maintained a relatively friendly and strongly strategic partnership.- History :...
executive and sometime ally to Struan's corporation. - Abdollah Khan - father of Azadeh Yokkonen, head of GorgonGorganGorgan Some east of Gorgan is the Golestan National Park. The city has a regional airport and several universities. Gorgan Airport was opened in September 2005.-Etymology:...
clan, leader in Iranian AzerbaijanAzerbaijan (Iran)Azerbaijan or Azarbaijan , also Iranian Azerbaijan, Persian Azarbaijan is a region in northwestern Iran. It is also historically known as Atropatene and Aturpatakan....
playing both sides. He died from a combination of heart problems and the intervention of his advisor Ahmed the Turkmen. - Hakim Khan - brother of Azadeh Yokkonen, son of Abdollah Khan, later leader in Iranian AzerbaijanAzerbaijan (Iran)Azerbaijan or Azarbaijan , also Iranian Azerbaijan, Persian Azarbaijan is a region in northwestern Iran. It is also historically known as Atropatene and Aturpatakan....
. He became ruthless and devious with his appointment to the position of authority in Tabriz. - Nitchak Khan - QashqaiQashqaiQashqai are the largest group of nomadic pastoralists people of Azeri descent who mainly live in the provinces of Fars, Khuzestan and southern Isfahan on the territory of modern Iran, especially around the city of Shiraz in Fars. They speak the Qashqai language which is a member of the Turkic...
KalandarChieftainChieftain may refer to:The leader or head of a group:* a tribal chief or a village head.* a member of the 'House of chiefs'.* a captain, to which 'chieftain' is etymologically related.* Clan chief, the head of a Scottish clan....
of Yazdek village in Zagros neighborhood. He thought about killing the entire Zagros Three crew but decided not to. - Hussain Kowissi - mullahMullahMullah is generally used to refer to a Muslim man, educated in Islamic theology and sacred law. The title, given to some Islamic clergy, is derived from the Arabic word مَوْلَى mawlā , meaning "vicar", "master" and "guardian"...
, town of Kowiss. He was saved multiple times by Conroe Starke, causing him to forsake the path of martyrdom in favor of violent Islamic activism. - Ibrahim Kyabi - university student-turned-leftist. He was killed while attempting to assassinate Hussain Kowissi.
- Nathaniel "Nogger" Lane - helicopter pilot based at Tehran
- Sharazad (Bakravan) Lochart - Iranian wife of Tom Lochart. She was killed by a grenade explosion in Tehran.
- ۞Tom Lochart - Canadian senior helicopter pilot based at Zagros Three, husband of Sharazad. His life was taken in the same grenade attack that killed Sharazad.
- ۞Rudiger "Rudi" Lutz - GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
senior helicopter pilot based at Bandar Delam - ۞"Dirty" Duncan MacIver - medically-grounded senior helicopter pilot, managing director of S-G Helicopter operations office in Teheran, appeared in earlier Noble HouseNoble HouseNoble House is a novel by James Clavell, published in 1981 and set in Hong Kong in 1963.It is a massive book, well over 1000 pages, with dozens of characters and numerous intermingling plot lines. In 1988, it was adapted as a television miniseries for NBC starring Pierce Brosnan...
. He almost died due to a heart attack during the Whirlwind operation. - Genevere "Genny" McIver - wife of Duncan MacIver
- Captain Karim Peshadi - Imperial Iranian Air Force, cousin of Sharazad. He was killed by revolutionaries for crimes against Islam.
- Sandor "Sandy" Petrofi - Hungarian AmericanHungarian AmericanHungarian Americans Hungarian are American citizens of Hungarian descent. The constant influx of Hungarian immigrants was marked by several waves of sharp increase.-History:...
helicopter pilot based at Kowiss. He attempted to kill Esvandiary unsuccessfully. - Charlie Pettikin - helicopter pilot based at Tehran, Vietnam vet with Duke Starke. He escaped Iran during the Whirlwind operation.
- Fedor Rakoczy - alias Dimitri Yazernov/alias Ali Bin Hassan Karakose/real name Igor Mzytryk, KGBKGBThe KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
agitator, son of Petr Oleg Mzytryk. He died as a result of mistreatment by numerous spy agencies after being captured in Tehran by Iranian Inner Intelligence. - John Ross - GurkhaGurkhaGurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
captain sent to destroy abandoned CIA listening posts. He died from injuries he received in a car bombing in Tehran. - ۞Harry "Scrag" Scragger - oldest S-G pilot, senior helicopter pilot based at LengehBandar LengehBandar Lengeh is a harbor city in, and capital of Bandar-Lengeh County, in Hormozgan province of Iran on the coast of the Persian Gulf. The harbor is 280 km from Lar, 192 km from Bandar Abbas, and 420 km from Bushehr. The weather in Bandar Lengeh is hot and humid, typical of coastal...
, DFCDistinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
and bar, AFCAir Force Cross (United Kingdom)The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
and bar. - Jean-Luc Sessonne - French helicopter pilot based at Zagros Three. He survived the Whirlwind operation.
- ۞Conroe "Duke" Starke - American senior helicopter pilot based at Kowiss, Vietnam vet with Charlie Pettikin. He was a committed Christian and "man of the book," a fact which saved his life on numerous occasions.
- Manuela Starke - wife of "Duke" Starke
- George Talbot - United Kingdom Embassy TehranIran-United Kingdom relationsIran – United Kingdom relations are the bilateral relations between the countries of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Islamic Republic of Iran...
MI6 Station Chief. He died in a car bombing in Tehran. - General Valik - chairman of IHC (Iran Helicopters Company, enforced partners of S-G Helicopters) and uncle of Sharazad. He died in the missile attack on the chopper ferrying him out of Iran.
- Sergeant Wazari - Iranian air traffic control based at Kowiss. Despite being marked for execution, he escaped from Iran during the Whrilwind conspiracy.
- Azadeh (Gorgon) Yokkonen - Iranian wife of Erikki Yokkonen. She escaped the situation in Iran over the border into Turkey.
- ۞Erikki Yokkonen - FinnishFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
helicopter pilot based at TabrizTabrizTabriz is the fourth largest city and one of the historical capitals of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former...
. After a series of traumatic events, he escaped Iran with his wife, Azadeh, via Turkey. - Zataki - leader of Kowiss komiteh (Islamic Revolution Committee). It was revealed that he was a victim of torture, which contributed to his dangerous mental state.
۞ indicates leader of respective base
Minor characters
- Ali Abbasi - Iranian helicopter pilot of General Valik. He died when the helicopter was destroyed attempting to cross the Iraqi border.
- General Hassan Aryani - Imperial Iranian Air Force, killed in a hang-gliding accident in 1975; based on HE General Muhammad Amir Khatami, CVO (1920–1975), Chief of Staff of the Imperial Iranian Air Force who served as Chief Pilot to the Shah and was married to one of his sisters, HIH Fatimeh Pahlavi (1928–1987)
- Jared Bakravan - father of Sharazad. He was killed in prison in Tehran.
- Sheik Bayazid - tribal leader, kidnapper of Erikki Yokkonen. He was killed by Yokkonen while attempting to escape from Tabriz.
- General Beni-Hassan - national IranOil liaison
- Sayada Bertolin - mistress of Jean-Luc Sessonne, secret Palestine Liberation OrganizationPalestine Liberation OrganizationThe Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
agent. She ended up being blackmailed by members of Fazir's Group Four agents. - Major Changiz - Shah-loyalist military officer based at Kowiss, second-in-command to Colonel Peshadi
- Elizabeth "Liz" Chen - Scotland-based secretary to Andrew Gavallan
- Paul "Profitable" Choy - the richest and most powerful Chinese businessman in Hong Kong, adversary to Andrew Gavallan, ally to Linbar Struan and witness to the death of David MacStruan. He was likely the mastermind of Linbar's sinister plots.
- Georges de Plessey - French chief EPF official
- Marc Dubois - French helicopter pilot based at Bandar Delam
- Ian Dunross - retired tai-pan of Struan's, protagonist and behind-the-scenes supporter of Gavallan, major character of Noble HouseNoble HouseNoble House is a novel by James Clavell, published in 1981 and set in Hong Kong in 1963.It is a massive book, well over 1000 pages, with dozens of characters and numerous intermingling plot lines. In 1988, it was adapted as a television miniseries for NBC starring Pierce Brosnan...
- Ahmed Dursak - TurcomanTurkmen peopleThe Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
advisor to Abdollah Khan and later to Hakim Khan. He died due to injuries he received during the Bayazid assault. - Pietro Fiere - ItalianItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
second in command at Rig BellissimaIran-Italy relationsIran–Italy relations refers to the diplomatic relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Italian Republic.-Classical era:Sassanid Persia had intense, often adversarial relations with Rome and Byzantium in antiquity...
in the Zagros - Maureen Gavallan - wife of Andrew Gavallan
- Paula Giancani - AlitaliaAlitaliaAlitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. , in its later stages known as Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. in Extraordinary Administration, was the former Italian flag carrier...
stewardess - Sergeant Gueng - GurkhaGurkhaGurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
sent to destroy abandoned CIA listening posts. He died in Tabriz. - Mario Guineppa - manager at Rig Bellissima in the Zagros. He died of a heart attack.
- Henley - MI6 liaison based at Tabriz
- John Hogg - senior S-G fixed wing pilot
- Major Abdul Ikail - TurkishTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
police officer - Hideyoshi Ishida - Iran-Toda engineer
- Jahan - radio operator at Bandar Delam
- Fowler Joines - helicopter mechanic based at Kowiss
- "Effer" Jordon - Australian helicopter mechanic based at Zagros Three
- Ignatius "Pop" Kelly - helicopter pilot based at Kowiss
- Yusuf Kyabi - IranOil senior area manager based at Ahwaz. He was killed by revolutionaries.
- Colonel GeneralColonel GeneralColonel General is a senior rank of General. North Korea and Russia are two countries which have used the rank extensively throughout their histories...
Petr Oleg Mzytryk - alias Gregor Suslev, KGB Colonel General who appeared in earlier Noble House. After killing Robert Armstrong and Hashemi Fazir, he was himself killed by Iranian revolutionaries in Tabriz. - Nasiri - Zagros base manager
- Willi Neuchtrichter - German helicopter pilot based at Lengeh
- Numir - new site director at Bandar Delam
- Doctor Nutt - S-G company doctorPhysicianA physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
based at Kowiss - Abrim Pahmudi - newly-appointed SAVAMA head.
- Emir Paknouri - first husband of Sharazad, goldsmith
- Ali Pash - radio operator at Lengeh
- Pavoud - Iranian chief clerk based at Kowiss
- Colonel Peshadi - Shah-loyalist military commander of Kowiss Air Base, Hero of DhofarDhofar RebellionThe Dhofar Rebellion was launched in the province of Dhofar against the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, which had British support, from 1962 to 1976. It ended with the defeat of the rebels, but the state of Oman had to be radically reformed and modernised to cope with the campaign.-Background:In...
and uncle of Sharazad, possibly based on Nader JahanbaniNader JahanbaniSepahbod Nader Jahanbani was a senior general in Iran under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. He was born into a family with a long military history. His father, Amanullah Jahanbani was also a general, and his mother was from Russian aristocracy...
. He was shot in Tehran. - Sergeant Qeshemi - police officer at Lengeh
- "Rod" Rodrigues - American helicopter mechanic based at Zagros Three
- Vien Rosemont - CIA officer. He died in an ambush in NW Iran.
- Mimmo Sera - Italian company man based at Rig Rosa in the Zagros
- Sir Percy Smedley-Taylor - director of Struan's Holdings, MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, appeared in earlier King RatKing RatKing Rat may mean:* Uromys rex, a species of rat* King Rat , by James Clavell set in World War II* King Rat , released in 1965, based on the James Clavell novel* King Rat , an urban fantasy novel by China Miéville...
. Was revealed to be a Soviet agent after Igor Mzytryk was interrogated. - Linbar Struan - Twelfth tai-pan of Struan's, who assumed that office in 1975 following the ostensibly accidental death of his predecessor David MacStruan. Prior to this, in Noble House, he was a member of Struan's inner court and an aspirant to the office of tai-pan.
- Sergeant Tenzing - GurkhaGurkhaGurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
sent to destroy abandoned CIA listening posts. He died in an ambush in NW Iran. - Hiro Toda - tai-panTai-PanThe term tai-pan was originally used to describe a foreign businessman in China or Hong Kong in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Cantonese colloquialism is now used in a more general sense for business executives of any origin...
of Iran-Toda Shipping joint partnership, appeared in earlier Noble House - Massil Tugul - PalestinianPalestinian peopleThe Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
air traffic control tower operator based at Kowiss - Jon Tyrer - American helicopter pilot, second-in-command based at Bandar Delam
- Ed Vossi - helicopter pilot based at Lengeh
- Watanabe - chief engineer of Iran-Toda Shipping joint partnership
- Suliman al Wiali - Syrian assassin and head Group Four intelligence agent