Devil's Alternative

by Frederick Forsyth

Book Overview

'Whichever option I choose, men are going to die.'

When the entire Soviet Union wheat crop is destroyed by a devastating string of failures, the population faces starvation. The USA is quick to offer assistance. They devise a plan to trade vital food resources with the Russians in exchange for sensitive political information. But the Politburo has other ideas: the invasion of Western Europe to commandeer the food for themselves...

As...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0670270814
• ISBN13: 9780670270811
• Release Date: March 1980
• Publisher: Viking Books
• Length: 403 Pages
• Weight: 1.21 lbs.

Customer Reviews

outstanding; classic Forsyth, one of his best

I have enjoyed most of Forsyth's novels, and I found The Devil's Alternative to be even better than The Day of the Jackal and The Odessa File, the books Forsyth is probably most known for. The plot and the multiple threads being woven together in The Devil's Alternative have been taken up a notch by comparison; a bit slow at first perhaps but well worth the wait by the end. It was fun to read this considering that it was written in 1979-1980. The American President in the book, William Matthews, was clearly modeled after Jimmy Carter; likewise, his hawkish National Security Adviser, Stanislaw Poklewski, reflects Zbigniew Brzezinski (Carter's NSC man) while the more dovish Secretary of State David Lawrence reflects Cyrus Vance (Carter's main Sec/State). And there's a Margaret Thatcher-esque Prime Minister in Britain as well. Forsyth was prescient with the issues in the book too - there's arms reductions talks and grain and technology transfers going on between the superpowers - plus the idea of nationalism behind the Iron Curtain being a force in the decline of the Soviet Union. But that's only part of what's going on in this book; add a power play within the Politburo, classic Moscow espionage, a sophisticated amateur operation against the Soviet Union, and the largest oil tanker known to man, and Forsyth spins a great tale in The Devil's Alternative.

Absolutely riveting.

There's no doubt about it. Frederick Forsyth knows how to spin a yarn. This international thriller takes the reader on a roller coaster ride that doesn't stop until the very last page.If, as many believe, The Day of the Jackal is the greatest novel of international intrigue ever written, The Devil's Alternative cannot be far behind.Maxim Rudin is the President of the USSR and General Secretary of the Communist Party. He's having a very bad year. Not only is his health failing but his country faces an impending famine. His enemies within the Politburo are plotting to oust him from power even as a group of Ukrainian nationalists plan murder and mayhem to embarrass the regime. The US President, Bill Matthews, has come to the realization that only a massive infusion of American grain can prevent a starving Soviet Union from starting World War III.Superimposed on this backdrop are a number of other interesting subplots. These include a forbidden romance between a British intelligence officer and a Russian woman and the maiden voyage of the largest oil tanker the world has ever seen.Forsyth seamlessly weaves together all plot elements in a way that captures the reader's imagination and holds it at gunpoint. Throughout the book, there are a number of genuinely surprising twists which are really quite remarkable to behold.The meticulous attention to detail that characterizes all of Forsyth's writing is very much alive and well here. It's hard to imagine the scope and depth of research that went into bringing this book to life.The Devil's Alternative is a monumental achievement. Highly recommended.

Great Author, Great Story

Another solid job by this author who I have always liked. This was another of his fast paced, easy to read stories with a good long story. I love the detail of the USSR government, you really feel like it in a non-fiction book at times. He has always used a lot of good factual details to make his books solid. Like the work of all good authors, you really grow to know the characters, like some and hate some - they have solid reasons for doing what they are doing in the book. There is a lot going on but the way he writes it you do not have any problems following the action. A great book that is well worth the time.

full of action and interesting twists

It's the early eighties and group of radical Ukranian nationalists have a debt to settle as The Soviet Union is facing a possible famine. After a Ukranian nationalist is found barely alive floating in the black sea, the stage is set for a plot which involves numerous european countries as well as the US and Israel. The character development in this novel is excellent. Frederick Forsyth has a way of bringing out the personalities of the main characters very well. His knowledge of geography really shows that he does his research before he writes. I like the way the book goes from one country to another carefully discribing what is going on but not always telling the reader how it's related to the plot until later. There are quite a few surprising moments which keep your attention. There are points were you may think the story is going nowhere and then there is an abrupt change of pace with no warning. It is books like this that can turn one into an avid reader of espionage novels.

One of Forsyth's Best

The Devil's Alternative is one of the finest thrillers ever written. In my opinion it ranks with The Negotiator as the best novels by Forsyth. What makes this book great is the realism. Forsyth knows his stuff, and has done a perfect job of researching the Halls of Power on both sides of the ocean. His depiction of the Soviet Politburo in action is one of the best representations in all of fiction. His use of technology (the tanker, etc.) is well done, with no inaccuracies. [Although it should be noted that the largest oil tanker in the world is the Jahre Viking, which is half the size of the Freya in the book] The characters, unlike most other thrillers, are not your everyday stock characters. Forsyth gives them a personality. The ending of this multi-layered thriller is also a gem, and no other author could have written such a perfect book.