"With an American president distracted by growing tensions
in North Korea and Iran,
an ominous new threat is emerging in Moscow.
A czar is rising in the Kremlin,
a Russian president feverishly consolidating power,
silencing his opposition,
and plotting a brazen and lightning-fast military strike that
could rupture the NATO alliance and bring Washington and Moscow
to the brink of nuclear war. But in his blind spot is the former
U.S. Secret Service agent, Marcus Ryker, trained to protect but
ready to kill to save his country."

"Rosenberg provides what most will see as a veiled story of
the rise of Putin in Russia,
though there are enough vague descriptors to leave the reader some
leeway in their interpretation.
Ruling the country with an iron fist, Aleksandr Ivanovich Luganov
proves to be not only a new Russian Czar, but also one who is prepared
to poke the hornet’s nest
in hopes of pushing the world to a new war.

And while his predecessors may not have been ready to push the red button,
Rosenberg creates this czar as happy to do whatever it takes,
nuclear obliteration or not.
Kraskin is an interesting character as well, though his timidity seems
to work only at certain times. There is surely much to this man who
tries to juggle his personal sentiments with the knowledge that
his father-in-law is becoming a dictator as ruthless as Stalin.
Trying to do what he feels is right may come at the ultimate cost,
though Kraskin may be ready to lose it all, including his family,
to save Russia."

Ved siden av konspirale spenningsromaner, skriver Joel Rosenberg
også atskillig realpolitisk kommentar.

( Goodreads >