The Puppeteers

by Ted Moss

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0972044213
• ISBN13: 9780972044219
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Last Knight Publishing Company
• Length: 340 Pages
• Age Range: 16 years and up

Customer Reviews

The Good Old Days...

Reading this Cold War thriller made me wonder if we were not much better off back in 1984 when all we had to worry about was the Russian nuclear arsenal. The book has a tightly woven plot and and the myraid settings are described in vivid detail such as-- "The smell of roasting almonds" in a scene on Alenby St. in Tel Aviv, or an abandonded U.S. Navy base in Newfoundland where "Salt hung in the air like a wet towel." The author has a descriptive voice unique to this type of novel and obviously knows his subject matter. A great novel not only for fans of the genre, but anyone wanting a great tutorial on the craft.

When Spies were Spies

For those who long for the now seemingly simpler days of the Cold War, this is a novel in the John Le Carre and Len Deighton tradition. Unlike many techno-thrillers of recent years that read more like the pages of Jane's Defense Weekly, the Puppeteers is powered by a strong, charachter driven plot that fully engages the reader. The author manages five point-of-view charachters without effort and draws the reader convincingly into their lives. And for those not drawn to this genre, I would say there is something in this book for everyone. The only minus was that the book started out a bit too busy. But by chapter three things had settled down and I was in for a good long ride. The author's handling of setting, plot and charachter more than made up for the intial buzz of activities he found necessary to introduce all of the players and issues.

When Spies were Spies...

For those who long for the now seemingly simpler days of the Cold War, this is a novel in the early John Le Carre or Len Deighton tradition. Unlike many techno-thrillers of recent years that read more like the pages of Jane's Defense Weekly, the Puppeteers is powered by a strong, charachter driven plot that fully engages the reader. The author manages five point-of-view charachters without effort and draws the reader convincingly into their lives. And for those not drawn to this genre, I would say there is something in this book for everyone. The only minus was that the book started out a bit too busy. But by chapter three things had settled down and I was in for a good long ride. The author's handling of plot, charachter and wide-ranging settings more than made up for the intial buzz of activities he found necessary to introduce all of the players and issues. A great read.

Fascinating

Some of the prose is stiff and mannered...no matter. "The Puppeteers" is fascinating. Every paragraph is infused with an insider's sense of the recent past, and anyone with a passing interest in foreign affairs will be held captive by the story. Ted Moss is one of those writers that you wish you could corner and question over drinks...easily one of the most authentic spy thrillers I've ever read. I highly recommend this book.

More than just a Cold War spy thriller...

Mr. Moss cleverly weaves the past with the present in this Cold War spy thriller and I believe the author has [on several levels] achieved something more than just a great spy novel. As an example, while this fictional account takes place in early 1984, actual newspaper passages such as the following dot each of the 59 chapters: "Senior Pentagon commanders now privately acknowledge that they and the administration seriously underestimated how long it would take to train the Lebanese Army as an effective security force." and "Officials revealed that U.S. Ships in the Mediterranean have been placed on high alert owing to creditable threats of potential suicide attacks by terrorists using aircraft." and "Terrorists wishing to acquire uranium cold easily steal it, a Los Alamos Physicist told the nuclear regulatory commission." and "In response to the future of U.S Marines in Lebanon, the President said any sudden withdrawal would raise concerns about U.S. commitment to the region." and so on. What man does not learn from the past, he is destined to repeat, as the saying goes. And for those not head-over-heals with this genre, the protagonist's impending divorce and child custody battle provides a realistic and often gut wrenching subplot. The book is set in the U.S., Russia, and several locations throughout Europe and the Middle East. On all accounts, I think the author clearly demonstrates he has walked his ground, but further, needs us to walk it too.