Author: Allan Topol
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Publisher: Select Books
Genre: international thriller, suspense, political conspiracy
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
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"...people shaped world events. Not just leaders. But others. Those with courage and daring."
Blurb - When former KGB agent
Dimitri Orlov orchestrates an alliance between two world powers bent on
domination, he unleashes a powerful chain of events that will rock the
Western World. The agenda? Eliminate the President of the United States
and seize classified military weaponry capable of shifting the balance
of world power.
But before this nefarious scheme can reach fruition, Craig Page is on the scene, joined by companion Elizabeth Crowder, ready to confront a painful past and the enemies that helped create it. But can the indomitable Director of Counterterrorism emerge victorious? Finding himself facing an old enemy unexpectedly catapulted into a lethal position of power, Craig is pushed to the limit in an effort to foil his enemy's deadly plans and keep potentially devastating military technology out of the hands of those prepared to destroy the world as he knows it.
Filled with thrills, twists, and danger, The Russian Endgame showcases best-selling author Allan Topol's talent for delivering electrifying, gripping expeditions into the world of international intrigue.
My review - The Russian Endgame by national bestselling author Allan Topol is a riveting tale of intrigue and espionage. Packed with action and dramatic twist-and-turns, it appears to be the final act of a three-part game of international conspiracy (Craig Page series
) featuring daring and bold ex-CIA agent, Craig Page. Now EU Director of
Counter-Terrorism, the former intelligence operative is called once again to thwart
a criminal master-plan that could tragically overturn the political and
military balance of our planet. While leading a fierce and sometimes reckless fight
against an unhinged and greedy enemy (Chinese General Zhou) and his sidekicks
(Russian President Kuznov and KGB agent Orlov), Page will also find emotional closure
after the devastating loss of his
daughter, Francesca, a brilliant investigative
reporter brutally murdered by Page’s Chinese adversary at the onset of this
series.
But before this nefarious scheme can reach fruition, Craig Page is on the scene, joined by companion Elizabeth Crowder, ready to confront a painful past and the enemies that helped create it. But can the indomitable Director of Counterterrorism emerge victorious? Finding himself facing an old enemy unexpectedly catapulted into a lethal position of power, Craig is pushed to the limit in an effort to foil his enemy's deadly plans and keep potentially devastating military technology out of the hands of those prepared to destroy the world as he knows it.
Filled with thrills, twists, and danger, The Russian Endgame showcases best-selling author Allan Topol's talent for delivering electrifying, gripping expeditions into the world of international intrigue.
My review - The Russian Endgame by national bestselling author Allan Topol is a riveting tale of intrigue and espionage. Packed with action and dramatic twist-and-turns, it appears to be the final act of a three-part game of international conspiracy (Craig Page series
) featuring daring and bold ex-CIA agent, Craig Page. Now EU Director of
Counter-Terrorism, the former intelligence operative is called once again to thwart
a criminal master-plan that could tragically overturn the political and
military balance of our planet. While leading a fierce and sometimes reckless fight
against an unhinged and greedy enemy (Chinese General Zhou) and his sidekicks
(Russian President Kuznov and KGB agent Orlov), Page will also find emotional closure
after the devastating loss of his
daughter, Francesca, a brilliant investigative
reporter brutally murdered by Page’s Chinese adversary at the onset of this
series.
With its frequent changes of
scene spanning throughout three different continents, Topol’s narrative is quite engrossing
and, given our current climate of political
turmoil, even resonating with an alarming plausibility. Now and then, the action reaches its peak at a highly engaging pace - no
wonder the author has been compared to masters such as Robert Ludlum and Tom
Clancy. While I believe readers of hardboiled espionage stories will enjoy
the fascinating premises and the tight plot of The Russian Endgame, I found Topol's writing to be wanting on a few counts.
The author’s need to connect the threads of the previous installments, and squeeze in the pages of this third episode as much background information as possible, makes for stilted dialogues that affect characterization and credibility. Interactions and conversations sound mechanical at times, and to those who haven’t had the opportunity to read the prequels (The China Gambit and The Spanish Revenge) the introduction of some of the characters may come across as abrupt.
The author’s need to connect the threads of the previous installments, and squeeze in the pages of this third episode as much background information as possible, makes for stilted dialogues that affect characterization and credibility. Interactions and conversations sound mechanical at times, and to those who haven’t had the opportunity to read the prequels (The China Gambit and The Spanish Revenge) the introduction of some of the characters may come across as abrupt.
***Review copy graciously offered by the publicist in return of an unbiased and honest opinion.
About the author - Allan Topol is the author of eight novels of international intrigue. Two of them, Spy Dance and Enemy My Enemy, were national best sellers. His novels have been translated into Japanese, Portuguese, and Hebrew. One was optioned and three are in development for movies. His new novel, The Russian Endgame, is the third in a trilogy of Craig Pages novels, following the successful The China Gambit and The Spanish Revenge. In addition to his fiction writing, Allan Topol co-authored a two-volume legal treatise entitled Superfund Law And Procedure. He wrote a weekly column for Military.com and has published articles in numerous periodicals including the New York Times, Washington Post, and Yale Law Journal. He is currently a blogger for The Huffington Post. To know more about him, please visit his website.
