Book Review on “The Devil’s Alternative”

This novel is written by Frederick Forsyth in 1979 portraying fictional cold war between USSR, USA and UK. The way in which Frederick narrates the political scenario and satellites of US monitoring wheat grains of Soviet Union is interesting. Internal struggle in Russian politburo and mentality of powerful people in the world during the cold war are clearly explained.

Treaty of Dublin between USSR and USA was supposed to bring peace in the world. But the treaty had its own demerits. Second thought brought in by Yefram Vishnayev of Russian Politburo was world war III. This cold war intensifies when Ukraine nationalists act against USSR by a hijack, making the minds of powerful people say ‘Whichever option I choose, men are going to die’. People have to die in one of the following means – Famine due to shortage of grains, World war III or Ecological disaster near coastal areas.

The character of Adam Munro, an agent of SIS in the novel is important. The source from which he gets the information about plans of USSR is given the code name as Nightingale. Munro builds risks on his ladylove’s life for the information. This character is different from all other characters of political leaders and Ukraine nationalists.

The fast pace of the story is due to the complexity in the plot and last few pages of the novel are action packed. Starting from a castaway named Kaminsky and to causes and facts of world war III, author is excellent in correlating various events. This novel deserves to be a masterpiece of Federick Forsyth.