The Forbidden Zone

by Michael Hetzer

Book Overview

The year is 1984. The place, the Soviet Union. A struggling country awaiting the cure of "perestroika." For too many Russians, this land has become the Forbidden Zone.
In the waning days of the Cold War, Victor Perov, a brilliant Soviet scientist, agrees to a joint Soviet-American astrophysics project. Victor's faith in Communism and the Party is unwavering, but his impassioned scientific alliance with Katherine Sears, an American astrophysicist,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684854082
• ISBN13: 9780684854083
• Release Date: February 1999
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Utterly fantastic

I had my doubts about this one before I started it, thinking that the author would obviously know the Russian way of life as well as anyone, but would no doubt relate that knowledge in a clumsy writing style. I'm thrilled to say I was totally wrong! This thriller was as well-written as it was entertaining, and it gave as accurate a picture of the old Soviet Union as I'm sure is available in any novel. This is escapist fare at its best, because the setting is in a place that few outsiders have experienced first hand, and Hetzer does a first-rate job in making every scene exciting. The author himself wrote on this site that he has always been a fan of espionage fiction like that of Ludlum, and he outdoes his idol here with his treatment of the locales making Ludlum's seem like cardboard cutouts. I loved this book.

Hetzer delivers a BRILLIANT story about Soviet oppression!

If I had not been in such a hurry I might have missed this book!My search for books on space was about over when I happened on Hetzer's "The Forbidden Zone". What I thought was a book on space turned out to be the best novel I have ever read about the old Soviet Regime and its propagandistic gulag! This author puts you there as if you were a russian freedom fighter on the edge of death by barbed wire! I held each page between my teeth as if escaping the KGB! Brilliant stuff!!

Wonderfully Intriguing!

This novel made me a cumpulsive reader right from the start. Once I began reading it, I could not put it down. Russia is brought to life making the reader become apart of the story. As the reader, I felt as though I was actually there. This novel gives me the a great understanding of Russia. After reading this novel I was left with intense feelings, it really leaves you thinking. It's dramatic and takes turns that are very exciting.

Nightmares and restless dreams but you can't put it down

Nightmares and restless dreams? Michael Hetzer puts you there-where you do not want to be, and yet you cannot resist reading on through the psychological and political snafus of 1980's USSR. This almost historical novel brings a new dimension to our understanding of the Communist era and the people who seek to survive despite the consistent threats to life and sanity. The scenery is vivid, the detail frightening, the speed of the dialog riveting, the overall feel, breathtaking. Almost every emotion is touched, and just when you believe there is relief, there is another twist and the action builds up again. Every college senior should make this required reading before graduation as we all need to know where the world has been and where it may yet go when we do not stand firm for truth. A must read for all of us!

Worth entering the forbidden zones of the old Soviet Union

In 1983 Soviet Union, astrophysicist Victor Perov is a loyal communist when he meets American astronomer Katherine Sears during a joint science project. In spite of falling in love with his counterpart, Victor remains a staunch party supporter. However, his belief is shaken to the core when he learns that his brother Anton, allegedly killed in Afghanistan, is actually a guest of the KGB in one of their anti-therapy hospitals. Victor, with the aid of Katherine begins an all out search for his sibling, not knowing that Anton has a secret that if revealed will shake the Politburo to its very foundation. His greatest foe, who will do anything to stop his inquiry, is his own mother, a member of the Politburo. Almost as shocking to Victor is that several KGB dissidents try to assist Victor on his quest. Not knowing friend from foe, Victor's chances of finding his brother, let alone rescuing him, is less then the Berlin Wall crumbling. THE FORBIDDEN ZONE is a fantastic political thriller that brings to life the Russian people in the last decade before the Iron Curtain collapsed. The characters are all well written, especially the Russians, who come across as believable beings. The detailed story line is fast-paced and filled with action. Michael Hetzer's debut novel is a major success as a new star, to the joy of readers, has entered the sub-genre with a strong winner.Harriet Klausner