THE LEGEND OF JOSEPH NOKATO

Mr. Bachmann writes mobile, politicized if rather indistinguishable action stories and this one begins with the hijacking of an emergent African leader's plane which eventually places one Prince Nokato in the hands of the Algerians while Ben Clancy, an American lawyer, gets back to Paris. Clancy is determined to find the man behind the gun, who proves to be a front for a broker in the Middle East, who again is covering for someone else. There's a little plastique-coated action but the real bombe surprise is the finish which redeems the familiarity of what has preceded it.