Nine stars
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Jeff Shaara, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
A long-time fan of Jeff Shaara, I was quite eager to get this ARC audio of his latest novel. Those familiar with the author will know that he mixes historical accounts of some military or political situation with varied perspectives of the event, both well-known players and civilian. Shaara tackles the Cuban Missile Crisis in this book, which explores the heightened tensions between the Kennedy Administration and Soviet Premier Khrushchev, pushing the world to the brink of nuclear war. Told with intensity on all sides and keeping the reader on edge throughout, Shaara shows once more why he is at the top of the genre.
As the pressures of the Cold War mount, US President John F. Kennedy seeks to quell the communist sentiment in the Americas. His plan, led by a overly confident CIA, is to invade Cuba and take out its leader, Fidel Castro. When the Bay of Pigs turns out to be a massive failure, Kennedy is left wth egg on his face and trying to recover, as the CIA distances itself from its bad intel.
Focussing on the weakness of their mortal enemy, the Soviets look to take advantage and heighten their power base. Premier Nikita Khrushchev seeks to make a radical move by placing nuclear missiles in Cuba, pointed at America. This mirrors the placement of nuclear missiles in Turkey by the Americans years before. This move will have to be secretive and completely off the radar, so as to keep the Americans from reacting until it is too late. Khrushchev tries to entice the Cuban leader by showing that this will be a protection for his small island nation.
When news of the missile building makes its way to the Kennedy Administration, they are livid and demand that. the missiles be removed. Khrushchev refuses to stand down, citing the need and threatening to use force to show his power. The Kennedy-Khrushchev showdown over a period of thirteen days leads to what would almost certainly have been nuclear war and disaster.
All the while, American professor Joseph Russo watches through news coverage how the US tumble in Cuba, but turn things around during the standoff. Russo explores his own views, as well as those around him, to better understand the civilian angle to the Cuban Missile Crisis. While there is no clear knowledge of the intensity of the events between Kennedy and Khrushchev at the time, Russo offers up the naïveté of public sentiment until everything was done and the missiles left the Cuban territory. A gripping story told from many angles, Jeff Shaara leaves the reader in awe at how history took such a turn over such a short period of time.
Jeff Shaara is a master at the unique narrative presentation that fuels all of his books. Exploring a historical event with political and military undertones and providing views from many sides, Shaara tries to offer a complete story. His narrative is fueled by fact and uses direct quotations to add depth and the fiction flavouring of the story. As the story gains momentum, there is a push to discover unknown aspects to the Cuban Missile Crisis, found in the research aspect and civilian perspective of the story. Shaara's strong storytelling brings the book to life and keeps the reader enthralled.
While books based on historical events make it harder to develop plot points that have surprises, Shaara does not fail here. He does well to build up the tension and keeps the reader wondering by added lesser-known storylines in the larger piece, as well as grounding things through the civilian aspect. Shaara's able to keep the surprises and the unique angles while also making sure that he sticks to the history and leaves the soap box preaching for others.
While I do not usually comment on the narrator of audiobooks, I would be remiss if I did not mention Paul Michael's work on this piece (and all other Shaara novels I have listened to over the years). Michael breathes life into the story with the accents, clear narrative delivery, and strong variety of pacing. I love Shaara books even more because Paul Michael is at the helm, leading me through the story.
Kudos, Mr. Shaara, for another stunning piece of history that comes to life.
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