A warning for all those interested in Soviet Intelligence.

This is not meant to be a review, but rather a warning for all those interested in Russian intelligence.

This book, and Suvorov's other book "Inside the Aquarium: The making of a Top Soviet Spy" and one in the same. So only purchase one.

[Friday, October 15, 2004]

The story seems just too fascinating to be true - yet it is

If you've read Russian literature, you'll know that it's emotionally expressive, very vivid and breathtakingly fascinating. It's not that this book can be compared to literary masterpieces, nor does it attempt to be one - but it certainly follows the tradition in its own way.

Of course, Suvorov had great material to begin with, having gone through the Soviet army, Spetznaz and the GRU. The book was bound to be good because of that alone, even if he hadn't written it with such obvious passion. But he has; one of the greatest strengths of the book is that he has managed to capture the feeling of all the institutions and the whole situation so overwhelmingly well. Another is definitely the facts themselves - they are just interesting, not to mention important enough for this book to be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the history of the XXth century.

I feel this book is among the best (if not THE best) written on this subject, but the greatest thing about it is something quite simple - you needn't be interested in history to like it. You will anyway.

[Saturday, June 14, 2003]

Excellent book

In this book, the author gives the reader his personal impressions as a commanding officer from the Red Army in the 60s and the 70s. Suvorov speaks with pride about the enormous might that would have undoubtfully crashed the Western armies, had it come to an open conflict. "Aquarium" and "The Liberator" (also a must-to-read) provide the general picture of an army that is both mighty and pathetic, strong and weak, a picture very familiar to any Russian man.

[Wednesday, October 27, 1999]