sandybrady's review
adventurous
informative
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Entertaining retelling of an exciting adventure during the Cold War. The book focuses on the mundanity, emotional toll, and personal fallout that comes with being a spy, then ends with the daring escape of Oleg Gordievsky.
jbry44's review
It’s just dragged on and on and on. I could follow the storylines. I did listen to the book and that could’ve been the issue.
marco5599's review against another edition
4.5
Spy games, the real deal, in three parts (and an epilogue). Not gonna lie, I struggled with the first part, the Scandinavian years. Very dry. Tough to get through. But all that changes when Oleg Gordievsky sets foot in Margareth Thatcher's Great Britain. With more familiar times and territory (for me anyway) and a spy that has grown into a guy to care for (the risks he takes and why) the clandestine stuff becomes something that really speaks to the imagination. Mine anyway. Adventurous at first, but soon downright dangerous with palpable doubts, paranoia and pressure. It had me gasping for air at some point. Riveting read.
never4get's review
4.0
A real life story of a Soviet spy, Oleg Gordievsky, brought up in a KGB family, but who becomes disenchanted with Soviet philosophies once he is able to experience Western life in Denmark. He is approached by MI6 and so starts the lifetime story of his involvement with them as a spy, gradually working through the power chain [helped by his MI6 contacts].
The impact of the secrets he passes to MI6 cannot be under-estimated through the Cold War. Margaret Thatcher became involved in following his exploits, even though she did not know his identity, which was closely guarded.
The second part of the book takes on a racy pace as Oleg has to escape from Russia after he is recalled there. The escape plan that was set up by MI6 years before is set in place and miraculously is successful.
However, Oleg left behind his wife and 2 daughters, who had known nothing about his spying activity. She faced lengthy questioning by the Soviets. Eventually expatriated to the UK, her marriage with Oleg did not survive long. He still lives in UK, heavily protected.
The impact of the secrets he passes to MI6 cannot be under-estimated through the Cold War. Margaret Thatcher became involved in following his exploits, even though she did not know his identity, which was closely guarded.
The second part of the book takes on a racy pace as Oleg has to escape from Russia after he is recalled there. The escape plan that was set up by MI6 years before is set in place and miraculously is successful.
However, Oleg left behind his wife and 2 daughters, who had known nothing about his spying activity. She faced lengthy questioning by the Soviets. Eventually expatriated to the UK, her marriage with Oleg did not survive long. He still lives in UK, heavily protected.