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De: Frederick Forsyth

Narrado por: Steven Crossley

It is 1999 and Russia is on the edge of total implosion. Social and moral order has collapsed and what small semblance of control there is, is being imposed by mafia-like criminal gangs. While public opinion in the West is largely indifferent, the political analysts are less sanguine - Russian meltdown will make the disintegration of the Balkans look like the collapse of a cup-cake. Out of the chaos, however, a single charismatic voice is starting to be heard - that of Igor Komarov, a visionary patriot who claims he can restores Russia’s greatness and bring prosperity to the masses. He even woos Western political leaders with a rather more realistic analysis of the way forward for Russia. Komarov is set to win the next election when a document is smuggled into the British Embassy in Moscow. It’s called The Black Manifesto and it appears to show Komarov’s secret agenda - his political blueprint is really Mein Kampf, the rebirth of Russia will be as a New Third Reich with Komarov as Fuhrer. But can the document be authenticated? And what can the Western Alliance’s most secret Trilateral Commission do about it if it is? They need to find another voice the masses will listen to and obey rather than Komarov - an icon they can cleave to and trust. Once, not that long ago, he was called the Tsar.

And so develops a thrilling and increasingly frightening adventure - Jason Monk, ex-CIA, who used to run agents into the Soviet Union, is recruited and slips back into Russia, into the desperate Moscow world of poverty, luxury, gangsters and prostitutes and underneath it all, the titanic power struggle to ensure the outcome of the forthcoming elections.

©2011 Frederick Forsyth (P)2011 Random House Audio Go

Watch out for the reader! Before you buy, listen!

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

The reader ruined all my pleasure. Few “voices” and all story is “hacked” in small pieces hard to put together and follow. I don’t even know how to describe the feeling of “non connected phrases” not a story.I think I never felt like this. It totally ruined my book!The story might be OK (it usually is – I’ve listen to 4 other books by F. Forsyth) but I could not listen to it.

What did you like best about this story?

Could not listen to the end.

How could the performance have been better?

Someone else reading it maybe?

Any additional comments?

If you get it read by David Rintoul I'll give it one more chance.

A brilliant forecast of modern day Russia

Putin was elected so things could not be stopped unlike in this brilliant book icon by Frederick Forsyth stop fascism in Russia

Fantastic Fredric Forsyth

I read this novel several years back.. fantastic then.. even better today. Very clear narration.. cant praise this enough

Wow!

Incredible story and excellent reading.
I think this may be FF’s finest work. A story in two parts with each being complete and intricate.