This volume contains two short novels by Andre Jute, a favorite author of mine whom I often review. Both are meticulously researched and masterfully written depictions of the Cold War.
Bread and Circuses, the first one, works as a sequel to Vanguard Elite, following the lives of the deputies and aides who supported the leaders of the Russian Revolution. The novel depicts the reign of terror in the new Soviet Union begun by Lenin and continued by Stalin as a means of eliminating political opposition or of eliminating people who were inconvenient. The savagery of this, shown from the eyes of former aristocrat Lukich Kerensky and other supporting characters, is horrible and shocking. I actually emailed Andre at one point to be sure it was true. Unfortunately, it was very much accurate.
The second novel, Black Cabinets, chronicles the American side of things as it shows the development of key figures in the U.S. intelligence community during the same time period. Fans of Ian Fleming may enjoy seeing him appear as a character in the British Intelligence. Black Cabinets is a more subtle story with a calmer pace and a looser structure, but none the less engrossing.
Highly recommended.