Whirlwind (1986)

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 Struan's 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 Iranian 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 Helicopters, commissioned a journalist, Jackie Griffin, 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 related in Ken Follett's book On Wings of Eagles.

Backstory

When tai-pan Ian Dunross 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.

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 than 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 Kong. The pilots' escape efforts form the basic story and the action sweeps across many lives: lovers, spies, fanatics, revolutionaries, friends and betrayers. British, French, Finnish, American, Canadian, Australian and Iranian 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 the Bell 212, Bell 206, and Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopters and the British Aerospace BAe 125 business jet.

Locations

The settings for the story are the western and southwestern parts of Iran, as well as neighboring Persian Gulf states, Turkey to Lake Van, and the environs of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Actual locations within Iran include Tehran (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.

Main characters

Robert Armstrong: MI6 officer, appeared in earlier Noble House as a police inspector in Hong Kong, he was promoted to Special Intelligence, concerned with counter-espionage.

Freddy Ayre: ex-Royal Air Force helicopter pilot based at Kowiss

Marc Dubois: French helicopter pilot based at Bandar Delam

Kuram "Hotshot" Esvandiary: IranOil station manager based at Kowiss.

Colonel Hashemi Fazir: deputy chief of Inner Intelligence.

Andrew Gavallan: member of Struans' inner court, brother-in-law of Ian Dunross, 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 Kong 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 future tai-pan.

Yoshi Kasigi: Toda Shipping Industries executive and sometime ally to the Struan corporation.

Abdollah Khan: father of Azadeh Yokkonen, head of Gorgon clan, leader in Iranian Azerbaijan playing both sides.

Hakim Khan: brother of Azadeh Yokkonen, son of Abdollah Khan, later leader in Iranian Azerbaijan. He became ruthless and devious with his appointment to the position of authority in Tabriz.

Nitchak Khan: Qashqai Kalandar of Yazdek village in Zagros neighborhood.

Hussain Kowissi: mullah, town of Kowiss.

Ibrahim Kyabi: university student-turned-leftist.

Nathaniel "Nogger" Lane: helicopter pilot based at Tehran

Sharazad (Bakravan) Lochart : Iranian wife of Tom Lochart.

۞Tom Lochart: Canadian senior helicopter pilot based at Zagros Three, husband of Sharazad.

۞Rudiger "Rudi" Lutz: German senior helicopter pilot based at Bandar Delam

۞Duncan MacIver: medically grounded senior helicopter pilot, managing director of S-G Helicopter operations office in Teheran, appeared in earlier Noble House.

Genevere "Genny" McIver: wife of Duncan MacIver

Colonel Karim Peshadi: Imperial Iranian Air Force, cousin of Sharazad, Shah-loyalist military commander of Kowiss Air Base, Hero of Dhofar and uncle of Sharazad, possibly based on Nader Jahanbani.

Sandor "Sandy" Petrofi: Hungarian American helicopter pilot based at Kowiss.

Charlie Pettikin: helicopter pilot based at Tehran, Vietnam vet with Duke Starke.