Today I am reviewing Coercion by Tim Tigner for TLC Book Tours. As always, I am provided with a copy of the book in return for my honest review.
About the book (from the publisher): The phone rings and an offer is made, leaving you only seconds to decide. Betray your country, or watch your family drop dead before your eyes.
After the Iron Curtain’s collapse, Russia appears to be finished as a superpower. But KGB General Vasily Karpov is secretly working to restore Russia’s status by forcing Americans into traitorous acts of espionage and sabotage with the aid of a new secret weapon. Meanwhile, his biggest target is within Russia, where Karpov is plotting to capture the Kremlin for himself.
Former US soldier and spy Alex Ferris becomes the first to fathom Karpov’s grand plans. Racing from San Francisco to Siberia, Alex must elude ambushes, assassins, and death from exposure as he wages a one-man war against a growing global threat and the resurgence of the Soviets.
My review: The secret weapon here is an injectable substance that can stay dormant until activated, whereupon it causes the injectee’s death. Using that fact as bait, Karpov is able to manipulate his targets and make them betray all sorts of secrets; secrets that they would never reveal otherwise. And I have to add that, despite what the publisher’s blurb says, Karpov used it on Russians, as well.
It seems beyond the realm of believability, but we all know that in this day and age nothing is truly impossible and that there are people out there developing biological weapons as I write this.
The premise is a very compelling one and Tigner clearly knows a whole lot about Russia and the end of the cold war – Gorbachev is in power during these events. Tigner lived there and his vast knowledge about Russia during this time period lends a historical accuracy to the pages of this thriller.
There are some plot points that strained my credulity. I’ll not reveal them here because I don’t like to give away too many details. The hero is one of those superheroes – he reminds me of Ludlum’s Jason Bourne or the onscreen character Tom Cruise plays in the Mission Impossible series – that can seemingly do it all. On the printed page, that doesn’t always hold up to any sort of real scrutiny, but one just has to go with it.
It’s a complicated plot, with many characters, and Tigner manages to juggle all of it and keep the story moving forward. I also like the fact that he doesn’t resort to the kind of writing that makes all Russians bad guys. Tigner clearly has a great deal of respect for the people of Russia.
It’s an interesting and, often, riveting read.
About the author: Tim began his career in Soviet Counterintelligence with the U.S. Army Special Forces, the Green Berets. With the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tim switched from espionage to arbitrage. Armed with a Wharton MA rather than a Colt M16, he moved to Moscow in the midst of Perestroika. There he led prominent multinational medical companies, worked with cosmonauts on the Mir Space Station (from Earth, alas), chaired the Association of International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, and helped write Russia’s first law on healthcare.
Moving to Brussels during the formation of the EU, Tim ran Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for a Johnson & Johnson company and traveled like a character in a Robert Ludlum book. He eventually landed in Silicon Valley, where like minds with wild ideas come to congregate around the creation of (nightmares and) dreams. Now he launches new medical technologies as a startup CEO, and devises devious devices for fictional characters who aim to change the world.
Tim grew up in the Midwest and Europe, earning a BA from Hanover College and then a MBA in Finance and a MA in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. He now lives with wife Elena and their two daughters in Northern California.
One of you will be the winner of a copy of Coercion. Just leave a comment on this post and I’ll pick a winner on Sunday evening.
Happy Friday.
I think I might like this book. I lived in Berlin before and after the Wall came down. There were many things happening there, at that time, that would make a splendid series of books. Coercion sounds like something that may have been taken from those times.
As always, thank you for sharing this book with us.
This sounds like a book my husband would like. Count me in.
This sounds like a really interesting read! Right up my alley! Thanks for the opportunity! ;)
Sounds like a good thriller! Worth a read for sure!
Coercion would be enthralling and enjoyable. Thanks for your great review and wonderful giveaway.
Wow, Claudia. The author has a very interesting background! I would love to read the book. It sounds exciting. Thank you for reviewing it. ?
Sounds like a very compelling book! Such an accomplished author and handsome , too. I wonder if he likes miniature houses? Then he would be perfect, no?
Adding this book to my reading list.
Thanks for being a part of the tour!
My husband and I both love spy novels, maybe since both of our fathers worked for the NSA. My son is studying Russian at University of Tennessee and I think he would also enjoy this read. Thanks Claudia!
The world as we knew it has changed into a place that continues to frighten us all. The word ‘safe’ has certainly slid into oblivion. Our thoughts now seem to be consumed with areas of our l world where strange events happen every day…. somewhere. I appreciate your review, and have added it to my list of books to read.
Claudia,
This book sounds interesting. Thank you for the opportunity to win it.
Glad you made your trip to the city save and sound.
Susan
Put my name in the hat, Claudia. Thanks. Enjoy your blog. Susan
I would love to read this book.
Thank you.