Red To Black by Alex Dryden

The never ending Cold War is the theme of this book. The author paints a grim picture of Russian democracy, suggesting it is a total sham. The interaction and love between a British spy and a KGB Colonel fuel the exploration of the KGB’s domination of Russian affairs.

Many times this book seemed more historic than fictional. Having taught history years and years ago, this book accurately portrayed international events. Reading easily for a historic text it was a bit dry for a novel. The characterizations were colorful and confusing. The subterfuge of the intelligence community permeated the relationships in the book. There was never any certainty as to who was friend and who was foe. I found the book more frightening than any thriller. It reeks of truth and accuracy on a topic that affects the entire population of the world. Wars are fought over economics as often as religion. The military industrial complex has characterized the U.S. over the last century. There are still many who believe the Iraq war was simply over oil. When America feels economically threatened we generally react very negatively. The author’s premise may be fictional but if the KGB did subvert the economy of the European Union armed conflict could be inevitable.

This wasn’t an entertaining read as much as a thought provoking, scenario stimulating read. I recommend it but if you truly ponder the direction the author is leading to, it will make you uncomfortable.

Body of work of Alex Dryden

Review: http://bethsbookreviewblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-book-arrival-red-to-black-by-alex.html


Web site: No site found but an very interesting article in Publisher’s Weekly.