The Shadow of War: a historical fiction that puts readers in the middle of the tense moments of 1962

The Shadow of War by Jeff Shaara is an in-depth fact-based historical fiction about the heart-stopping moments of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Opening with the failed Bay of Pigs invasion as President John F Kennedy deals with its fallout. From Washington to Moscow to Havana, readers are taken along the tension-filled rooms and offices as destroyers circle Cuba as Soviet subs lurk beneath the surface and U-2 spy planes running recon from the sky and CIA operatives on the shores of Cuba. The question becomes who will make the first move, a wrong move and set off a war. We may know how the events played out but do we know the behind the scenes actions leading to those thirteen days in October 1962? How close was war? 

Jeff Shaara has been the name in fact based historical fiction for decades with his trademark "you are there" immediacy. His story definitely puts the readers in the middle of the historical events with realistic details. The Shadow of War holds to this standard as the opening chapter puts the reader right smack into the middle of the Bay of Pigs and does not let up as the pieces move quickly in this real life game of chess and cat mouse with fingers itching near the trigger. Even though I knew the outcomes of these events, Mr. Shaara has a way to write the events as if we are experiencing the tensions firsthand. If you enjoy historical fiction with political intrigue, I highly recommend The Shadow of War. 

The Shadow of War is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

The Patriots: a family story of secrets and love of country

The Patriots by Sana Krasikov is a family epic spanning three generations. From Depression era Brooklyn, New York when Florence Fein leaves college to take a job in Moscow. To post-Cold War American, where her son Julian is trying to learn the truth about his mother and her patriotism toward Russia as well trying to convince his own son, Lenny, come home. Julian works for an oil company which takes him to Russia frequently. He learns that the KGB is opening files, he sees his chance to learn the secrets his mother took to her grave. He uses this trip to also plead with his son to return to America as Lenny seems to have inherited his grandmother’s devotion to Russia. Will Julian finally learn the truth about his mother? Will he understand what he learns? Will Lenny return home with Julian? Or will he remain in Russia?

The Patriots is a story told in alternating viewpoints, Florence, Julian and Lenny, as a tale of the one family, two countries and the events which lead to the beginning and end of the Cold War. The writing is beautiful, almost lyrical, with sweeping descriptions of the locations, the emotions and events. I enjoyed the family discovery as an adult child sees his parent in a new light with, possibly, a new understand of her motivations and convictions. I found the book a little hard to read at times with the alternating time line and I suggest make note of the time and location given in an illustration at the start of every chapter. However, I enjoyed it and look forward to reading it again in the future. Overall, if you enjoy historical fiction, you will enjoy The Patriots.

The Patriots

is available on Amazon in hardcover and on the Kindle

and

Barnes and Nobles in hardcover and NookBook

Checkmate Run: a dangerous game of cat and mouse

Checkmate Run by Allan Alexander is an intriguing story of Soviet Russia during the Cold War. It is a story about one man’s struggle against powers which tried to quash personal expression and ideas that were different than the status quo. The events take place between 1965-1975 as a young man named Alex learns the harsh and life threatening reality that he faces every day.

The story opens with a prisoner getting ready for trial. A trial that is heavily swung in the government’s favor. He is found guilty and sentenced for hard labor. We then meet Alex, a young man who has recently published a poem in a national magazine. A poem which openly criticizes the government. Alex is of Jewish descent and he must use trickery and subversion in order to achieve his goal of becoming a doctor as the government is discriminatory toward the Jewish citizens. With the help of his aunt and her powerful friends, he is able to get into medical school. When a friend and fellow author, Andrey Simyavsky, has been arrested for treason, a series of events occur that will change Alex’s life forever. He vows to fight in any way he can. He soon becomes on the radar of the KGB, the Russian spy and state-security branch, and he must fight quietly and undermine the growing reaches of the government. Will the KGB finally be able to stop Alex? Will he be able to escape?

I enjoyed this book very much. It’s hard to give a description of the book without giving too much away. Every event in the book is a piece of the puzzle, a calculated chess move in which Alex tries to outsmart the KGB and they are trying to catch Alex in “illegal” activities. I always knew about the harshness of life behind the Iron Curtain but to read about it in such detail, it’s heartbreaking. I have a deeper appreciation for the freedoms we have here in the US. We may not like what people say or do, but we can do the simple things like openly criticize the government without fear of losing our freedom or our lives. I was also intrigued of how the book Doctor Zhivago played at role in the story. I must confess I’ve never read the book or seen the movie but now I will. The last few chapters move at a furious pace as the danger greatly increases for Alex. I highly recommend Checkmate Run. 

The Nibelungen Hoard: Treasure of legend and Cold War spies

Sometimes the treasures of legend lend themselves to appear in real life. The Nibelungen Hoard by Edwin M. Todd is a mystery surrounding a treasure which disappeared in the final months of World War II as certain German officials realized that the war was ending and they were on the losing side.

The story opens with the legend of the Nibelungen Hoard with King Siegfried of the Netherlands as he attacked and conquered the land of Nibelung. There he accumulated a great treasure which he gave to his new bride, Kreimhilde of Burgundy and the king is killed and the treasure goes missing. It is said that “Whoever possesses the Nibelungen hoard shall be called the Nibelungers and that the cursed treasure waits patiently to reappear.” Fast forward to Beelitz, East Germany, November 4, 1989 where an old woman waits for her grandson, Christopher. She must give him an important task, a task that she wasn’t able to fulfill. Her last words as she hands him the family Bible, are “Find. Give.” Rewind a little bit to March 1945, as Lena Mueller, a nurse at a field hospital takes care of a young soldier who mysteriously appears. The soldier’s name is Johann von Ritter, who was tasked by Himmler to hide treasure as Himmler sees the signs that Germany is losing the war and intends to run as the Allies are closing in. However, von Ritter does not do as Himmler instructs and he hides the treasure and leaves clues to its whereabouts in two letters: one to his sister and another he entrusts with Lena. Fast forward again to 1989, Christopher must decipher his grandmother’s wishes as the cold war spies from Germany, Russia and America are searching for the letters and to discover the location of the treasure. Who can he trust? And will the treasure be found?

I enjoyed this thrilling mystery of the end of the Cold War with its twists and turns. While I can’t say if the treasure is found, I will say the ending left me wondering what other mysteries this story will bring. I hope the author intends to write a sequel (if he hasn’t already) and give more to this great mystery. If you enjoy mystery thrillers, I highly recommend The Nibelungen Hoard.

The Nibelungen Hoard is available on

Amazon on the Kindle Unlimited for free and

on paperback for $13