| Title | : | The Devil's Alternative |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0553264907 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780553264906 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 432 |
| Publication | : | First published September 17, 1979 |
The Devil's Alternative Reviews
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You know you have a master piece in your hand when you read this book. Although the plot does not unravel until the last two paragraphs of the last page, Mr. Forsyth exhibits his skill and mastery in weaving you into a deception that when the truth dawns on you it is like having ice cold water thrown at your face when you were deep asleep.
This is so good, I cannot begin to explain and point out the favorite sub-plots; the whole book is full of it.
I loved this book. An example of what an action thriller should be. -
Although this novel is not as well-known as some of Forsyth's other thrillers (
The Day of the Jackal,
The Odessa File) it should be rightly included among his best works. Forsyth imagines a Cold War-era scenario in which a grain-starved Soviet Union is forced to choose between arms concessions or WWIII, then introduces various complicating factors such as a radical Ukrainian nationalist faction looking to spit in the eye of Mother Russia, and continues flinging plot twists until the very last page.
Tom Clancy may have used this book as a guide when he assembled some of his early (read: best) techno-thrillers. -
Tension and the written word know no decade, so it doesn't really matter how long ago this book was written it is still exciting as hell. Written during what I consider to be the greatest era for spy/espionage novels, the 1970s-80s, this one is pretty much non-stop from the get-go and while the whole book is awesome the epilogue has some zingers in it that surprised the shit outta me. At times a true masterclass in how to juggle multiple story lines all within the same time frame without confusing the hell out of the reader.
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Wow! Just wow! This was my first Forsyth and I am reading to go find my second.
His research was astounding, his characters jumped off the page, and his pacing was perfect. Wonderfully plotted with plenty of surprises throughout and a few gems at the end. -
Probably the best of Forsythe's novels, although The Fourth Protocol is perhaps its equal. It incorporates all of the author's best qualities: a compelling plot with some unexpected twists, seemingly unrealated characters with intersecting story lines and thoroughly researched real-world context.
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Although a dated novel (first published in 1979), this is still an enjoyable read for Forsyth fans. About the aversion of global war via deft manipulation by players - leaders, bureaucrats, spies - of the then world's political powerhouses of USA, Russia and Britain. Engaging diplomatic and political suspense. Classic Forsyth.
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Another one of Forsyth's classics. A political thriller novel of global events set during the last decade of the cold war.
The book starts by highlighting an agricultural disaster that has happened in USSR (fictional, obviously) and their plans to remedy the situation. US finds out about it on their own accord and is planning to salvage the situation to their benefit. A bunch of Ukrainians are planning to commit an action that can have ripple effects for the global geopolitics. Once the wheels are set in motion, it becomes a hostage situation. From there, the story is set in real time, more or less.
This is my second Frederick Forsyth book. I was expecting a good world building and interesting details that mixes fact and fiction to provide a smooth flow of a story, and I was not disappointed. The first half of the book is clear world building. Once the stakes are established, second half is the hostage situation with global consequences told in real time. It might feel dated due to the time and setting it was written in (early '80s), it still is a fun read. Just not a plain espionage book as I was expecting it to be.
Would recommend if you are into these kind of books. -
This was one of the most exciting books I've ever read! It's a Cold War story about the US versus the Soviet Union, mixed in with some Ukrainian nationalists bent on raising hell in Russia and upsetting world events as a result. We've got the CIA. We have the Politburo. We have the world's wheat production, which -- when I first started reading this -- I thought was going to be boring, but actually turns out to be essential to the plot. We have weapons reductions. We have war plans. We have super tankers and terrorists. We have romance. I could go on and on. And Forsyth doesn't go into his usual excruciating 100 page detail on the planning of an assassination or hostage taking like he normally does. In this book, the head of the KGB is killed -- in one page! Amazing. No details at all. I loved it. Talk about a real departure for the author. Of course, there is planning, yes, but none of the mind numbing lengthy stuff that bores the average reader to death with so many of his novels. This is a real page turner. I couldn't recommend it more.
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This one started out reading more as a Tom Clancy-style thriller than the other Forsyth books I've read. All "Soviet-Union-plans-to-overthrow-the-West-using-brute-force-and-only-one-spy-can-stop-him!" sort of thing. Then at the half-way point it got rather interesting and quite tense for a couple of hundred pages. Then it got silly at the end. Shame. I really enjoyed that middle section. Still, a superior writer in the genre. Rated MA for adult themes and some violence. 3.5/5
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As long-time readers may already remember, Frederick Forsyth originally vowed that he would only write three novels. "The Devil's Alternative" was the book via which Mr. Forsyth broke that vow, and we the aficionados of thrillers are all the richer and grateful for it!
An absolutely fantastic novel with nary a dull moment. Yes, it was written in 1979 and set in the "future" date of 1982 when the Cold War was still raging and the Soviet Union was very much a real entity....yet paradoxically, in 2015 it's surprisingly relevant, given the current crisis in the Ukraine and the renewed animosities between the Ukrainians and the Russians (not to mention the increase in piracy of cargo vessels).
Fascinating and detailed insights into the late 70s/early 80s political circles and intelligence communities of the US, UK, USSR, then-West Germany, then-East Germany, the Netherlands, and Israel alike (as well as significant and well-detailed descriptions of historical and geographical landmarks of these countries). And highly-engaging and well-developed characters.
A few nitpicks here, though not enough to for me to downgrade my 5-star book rating:
--In 20/20 hindsight, The author was obviously a tad bit incorrect in his prediction that OPEC would fall apart by 1982 (p. 99), or that Leonid Brezhnev would have retire of his own accord (as opposed to dying) by 1982.
--I'm pretty sure the Soviets would've used grams instead of ounces for measuring weight
--The Soviets referred to the Second World War as "The Great Patriotic War."
-- On p. 204, he commits two firearms-related technical gaffes, neither of which I would expect from a former British military officer:
1. Using "revolver" and "automatic" interchangeably
2. He lists a 9mm Tokarev and not a 9x18 Makarov as the KGB sidearm."
--If I'm not mistaken, the Israelis refer to their Head of State as "Prime Minister" as opposed to "Premier."
But enough nitpicking! Enjoy this excellent novel!
Regarding certain characters, I get the impression that Mr. Forsyth based them at least partially on real-life historical figures: for example, U.S. President William Matthews = Jimmy Carter, U.S. National Security Advisor Stanislaw Poklewski = Zbigniew Brezezinski, and UK Prime Minster Carpenter = Margaret Thatcher?
Also, how ironic that one of the hard-line Soviet characters, Marshal Kerensky, shares his surname with a real-life Russian democrat who fell victim to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917.
Favorite lines:
--"But he knew this front entrance was for congressmen, senators, **and other undesirables.**" [emphasis added](p. 146) Haha, good one!
--"You Scotch, Mr. Munro?" "Scottish, yes." "I'm Irish. You a Catholic?" "A what?" "A Catholic, for chrissake." "No, Church of Scotland." "Jesus, twenty years in the United States Air Force and I get to chauffeur a Scottish Protestant." (pp. 422-423) LOL! As a Catholic of Scots-Irish descent, I find this especially amusing.
Partial hypothetical Casting Call (had this movie been made in the 1980s when these actors were in their prime):
--Roger Moore as Adam Munro
--Robert Brown ("M" in five of the 007 films) as Sir Nigel Irvine, head of MI6
--Michael Gough (Alfred Pennyworth in the 1989 version of "Batman") as Sir Julian
--John Rhys-Davies as Soviet Premier Rudin
--Steven Berkoff as Yefrem Vishnayev
--Joss Ackland as Marshal Kerensky
--Walter Gotell (KGB General Gogol in several 007 films) as Soviet Foreign Minister Dmitri Rykov
--Ed O'Ross (played ruthless Georgian mobster Viktor Rostavili in the Schwarzenegger film "Red Heat") as Chavadze the Georgian)
--Curt Jürgens as West German Chancellor Busch
--Jack Watson (RSM Sandy Young in "The Wild Geese" and Cpl. Peacock in "The Devil's Brigade") as British Royal Marine Col. Holmes
--Richard Harris as British Royal Marine Major Fallon
--Shane Rimmer (American submarine skipper CDR Carter in "The Spy Who Loved Me") as USAF Col. O'Sullivan
--Anthony Peck (Executive Officer of the USS Dallas in "The Hunt for Red October") as LCDR Chuck Olsen, USN, gunnery officer of the USS Moran -
Set in the Cold War era, this is a thriller with a plot rivalling Ludlum in its scope but vastly superior in terms of realism & believability. Faced with a looming famine crisis, the USSR is in tough negotiations with the US over import of food grains & arms-reduction concessions. As the different protagonists and conspirators on both sides indulge in power struggles threatening the outcome of the negotiations, a group of Ukrainian nationalists end up almost sabotaging them through their own, independent actions. About four different story-lines start independently in the book and converge logically in the plot's climax.
Forsyth's fascinating research into history and geography, weaponry, diplomacy and espionage, make his books not only fictional thrillers but loaded with sufficient true facts to also make them textbooks. The Devil's Alternative offers an inside look at Russia's Politburo and international diplomacy in a credible style, which is different from the far-fetched norm of other thriller writers. Also, the tendency of some other equally well-researched writers to delve into factual details can be irritating in drawing the reader away from the momentum of the story, but I found Forsyth to maintain that delicate balance quite well.
To conclude, I would rate this as one of Forsyth's best books, and one of the better thrillers I've read in quite some time. -
-Thriller potente.-
Género. Novela.
Lo que nos cuenta. En 1982, la combinación de una muy mala cosecha en la URSS con los efectos perniciosos de un pesticida en cuya producción hubo una grave falla, deja a los soviéticos frente a una futura hambruna. La posible negociación de compra de los excedentes de grano de Norteamérica podría implicar contrapartidas geoestratégicas que los líderes de la URSS no están dispuestos a admitir, por lo que se empieza a hablar en el Politburó de una operación para invadir Europa Occidental. Las vidas de un terrorista que lucha por la independencia de Ucrania, la de un agente de inteligencia británico en Moscú y la de un capitán de marina mercante noruego especializado en petroleros de gran tamaño, junto a la de otros muchos personajes, se irán cruzando de una u otra forma.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/... -
Oh what do I think about this book?? Well, I was lucky enough to squeeze out two stars in my rating of it when in all honesty it deserves much less. Several times I really just wanted to give up on this and move on to something else but the completest in me forced myself to finish this book nearly a month later.
Forsyth makes one huge mistake right off the bat in this one by introducing the reader to an endless stream of characters. That alone had my head spinning. People were dying, who they were is still beyond me. Occasionally I would be like, "Oh hey, that's a familiar name". I felt nothing for any of these characters.
There is supposedly a famine that is striking Russia and the US is willing to help out the country but the Ukrainians want to stand in the way. I dunno. Something about them taking over a tanker that has many foreigners on it and all the world's leaders are trying to save a couple men off this tanker and prevent the Ukrainians from dumping massive amounts of crude oil into the sea. I just have no earthly idea what I just read other than some mind-murdering book about Russian famine and terrorists.
Hope that if anyone plans to read this train-wreck that they can make out more than I was able to. Some of the other reviews I read about this book was quite promising but I guess I'm just not with the majority on this. Epic Fail! -
Frederick Forsyth novels were a familiar fixture in our household when I was growing up, as both my parents loved his work. He was amongst the first ‘adult’ reads that I was drawn to at the time. So, my love affair with his books began, and over the years I have read everything he’s written- keeping up with any new release/s.
As my mother has been in and out of hospital quite a lot over the past year and a half, I am keeping her supplied with books to read, and buddy reading them with her, or reading them to her when she isn’t well enough to read for herself. We have gotten through quite a lot of books in this time and it has been wonderful to discuss each one with her as we read/finish. It has been a great bonding experience for us, and Mr. Forsyth is our current author of choice- and we have both really enjoyed revisiting all his books, again.
Mr. Forsyth has a great knack for writing wonderfully suspenseful and exciting read, there is always great tension, action, drama, some danger, intrigue, and lots more to hold your attention. I can always count on him to deliver an intriguing read. -
'Whichever option I choose, men are going to die.' This is the Devil's Alternative, an appalling choice facing the president of the USA and other statesmen throughout the world. A very good premise. Moral dilemma. Something like Arjuna faced in the Kurukshetra on start of great war of Mahabharata. Krishna gave him ultimate gyan i.e. Geeta. Very enjoyable page turner.
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Superbly written and Outstanding. This book is like a riddle or a game of chess and Forsyth uncovers it for us through maze of events, people, attacks, counter attacks, interception and deception. Read through the end and you would bow to Forsyth.
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With all of those 5 star ratings... I just could not get into this book. Quit at page 53.
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Nothing except the weather is ever quite what it appears in Russia.
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Great plot, filled with mystery & action, could not put the book down until I finished it!
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Boring
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Spannende en knap opgezette thriller. Ondanks dat het boek al ruim 30 jaar oud is, is het nog verrassend actueel, met de strijd van Oekraïners tegen de Russische overheersing en de Russische onderschatting van de westerse eensgezindheid tegenover Rusland.
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More straightforward than most. Nice twist on the last pages
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Kniha je možná trochu více rozvláčná, ale nejspíš se to dá připsat na vrub silnému politickému tématu. I tak je to solidní příběh z období studené války. Okolo ústředního motivu katastrofální neúrody obilí v Sovětském svazu autor rozvíjí spletitý příběh zákulisních praktik na obou stranách Železné opony. K tomu souběžně se odvíjející linie boje Ukrajinských bojovníků za svobodu dobře zapadá. Kniha mě hodně překvapila a určitě prubnu i další knihy od tohoto autora.
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Menegangkan! Novel dengan awalan yang memukau: dipertemukannya sebuah perahu yang terapung-apung, dengan muatan seseorang yg tak sadarkan diri terbakar ganasnya sinar matahari, oleh awak kapal di laut--yg tak sengaja melihat ke arah orang malang itu. Ketika udah diselamatkan di rumah sakit, orang malang itu bicara. Tapi tak seorang pun mengerti ucapannya.
Berita koran pun menyebar. Tak ada yg mengenal dia. Tapi salah seorang pembaca koran yg masih muda dan jeli mengenal bahasanya. Bahasa Ukrainia. Maka pemuda bernama Drake itu terbang dengan pesawat untuk menemui si orang malang dan mengobrol dengannya dan mulai mengajaknya untuk menyusun rencana 'gila'--disetujui tak lama kemudian.
Seorang agen spionase dari Inggris, Adam Munro, dipanggil untuk bertugas di Russia. Menggantikan seorang agen yg sakit parah. Tak disangka, di sana Adam dipertemukan dengan kekasih lamanya Valentina, yang bekerja di pemerintahan Russia. Yang artinya, untuk bisa bertemu dan berkomunikasi pun, mereka harus mencari tempat yang aman agar mereka tak dibuntuti oleh mata-mata. Pada saat yg sama, Russia dilanda krisis gandum.
Lalu Forsyth mulai menyuguhkan kapal tanker Freya dalam ceritanya--yang mana pada akhirnya kapal itu dibajak oleh rombongan Drake. Dan kisah novel ini pun masih belum selesai. Bacalah bukunya.. engkau akan membuka lembar demi lembar halamannya hingga habis.
Jika saya boleh kasih kritik terhadap penerbit ini, saya akan bilang bahwa novel ini cukup baik terjemahannya kecuali pada nomor halaman yang di tulis di atas: ukurannya terlalu kecil menurut saya. Sekian dan terima kasih.
-ARIF SYAHERTIAN, 21/20/2020 -
A forgotten book lying on my shelf, picked up casually, but unbelievably appropriate in view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine taking place right now. At times, I wondered if it was fiction or reality that my mind was taking in. Set in the early eighties, it is the story of young Ukrainians, born in the U.K., Canada and other parts of the world, but passionate about the land of their fathers, out to avenge the brutal suppression of their people, and determined to strike for freedom. And strike they do! The World’s largest Supertanker, the Freya, on her maiden voyage is approaching Europort on the Maas Estuary with a cargo of one million tons of oil, when she is highjacked with Captain and crew captured and immobilized. The demand: the freeing of two Ukranians imprisoned after a failed aircraft highjack; the Threat: oil spillage of unbelievable proportions, which could destroy the North Sea fishing grounds, as well as the Freya and her crew. The political machinations of the major powers, the often, disastrous ramifications of siding with the right cause tie the hands of the players, until the protagonist Adam Munro, erstwhile Instructor at the British Secret Intelligence Services, comes up with the “Devil’s Alternative”.
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Forsyth, the master of detail, as i would like to call him. Every single novel is not just a story, not just a plot full of interesting characters but is also a dossier of research. From nuts and bolts to international organizations everything is so well researched that for that little 'Fiction' printed at the back of the book, you would think it is all real.
The devil's alternative is another international thriller set in the time of cold war that takes the reader from oval office to the rotting fields of russia, from cold war espionage to full blown hijacking. An action packed novel, but unfortunately not a page turner. The plot is heavy but the pace is slow, information is plenty but the drama, the thrill, the suspence is low. The romance not ripe enough. The novel on the whole is very predictable, except what Mr. Forsyth does in the end. That last page revelation would make you jump out of your seat and say aloud "you cheeky, cheeky bastard, you have done it again". -
9/10 en 2012.
Como casi todo lo que he leído de él, efectivo 100%. Te atrapa con esta historia de la guerra fría, al menos a mí.
Aquí unos terroristas secuestran un superpetrolero y está a punto de liarse otra guerra mundial entre las superpotencias. Hoy suena típico, en el 79 era algo muy caliente.
