La venganza de Odessa

Odessa #2

by Frederick Forsyth, Tony Kent, Efrén del Valle Peñamil (Translator)

El legado del «rey del thriller moderno»: la explosiva secuela de su clásico best seller Odessa.

Puede que los nazis perdieran la batalla. Pero la guerra no ha hecho más que empezar...

Han pasado cincuenta años desde que Peter Miller revelara los secretos de Odessa, una organización clandestina de antiguos nazis que luchaban por recuperar el poder. Ahora jubilado y convertido en una leyenda del periodismo, Miller se ha volcado en cuidar de su nieto Georg tras la muerte de su hijo y su nuera en un trágico accidente de coche.

Aunque Peter se apartó de su carrera para mantener a su nieto a salvo, no pudo hacer nada para impedir que el joven siguiera sus pasos y la reputación de Georg, que practica un periodismo incisivo y valiente, ha crecido rápidamente en el mundo digital.

Y este no es el único aspecto del pasado de Peter que ha florecido. Tras décadas en la sombra, y más poderosa que nunca, Odessa ha comenzado a extender de nuevo su veneno. El ascenso de la extrema derecha en Alemania, el auge de los partidos «patrióticos», la violencia contra los inmigrantes... Todos son síntomas de un peligro oculto que debe detenerse a toda costa.

Porque, mientras, los herederos de Odessa apuntan hacia su objetivo final: un sillón en la Casa Blanca.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Espionage, Mystery Thriller

444 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 12, 2025

About the author

Frederick Forsyth, CBE was a English author and occasional political commentator. He was best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan, and more recently, The Cobra and The Kill List.

The son of a furrier, he was born in Ashford, Kent, educated at Tonbridge School and later attended the University of Granada. He became one of the youngest pilots in the Royal Air Force at 19, where he served on National Service from 1956 to 1958. Becoming a journalist, he joined Reuters in 1961 and later the BBC in 1965, where he served as an assistant diplomatic correspondent. From July to September 1967, he served as a correspondent covering the Nigerian Civil War between the region of Biafra and Nigeria. He left the BBC in 1968 after controversy arose over his alleged bias towards the Biafran cause and accusations that he falsified segments of his reports. Returning to Biafra as a freelance reporter, Forsyth wrote his first book, The Biafra Story in 1969.

Forsyth decided to write a novel using similar research techniques to those used in journalism. His first full length novel, The Day of the Jackal, was published in 1971 and became an international bestseller and gained its author the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel. It was later made into a film of the same name.

Reviews

[Mª Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️

Es difícil leer este libro sin que la sombra de "Odessa" la original única e irrepetible, no planee sobre la lectura. Dicho eso, esta secuela cumple sin más.

Se desenvuelve a buen ritmo, no está mal hilada y contiene mucha acción. La trama se desarrolla en la actualidad y a dos bandas, una en Alemania protagonizada por el nieto de Peter Miller y otra en EEUU. Está bien hilada sin ser tampoco para echar cohetes. Su principal valor reside en que hoy, más que nunca, lo que narra suena muy real.

Por contra los personajes me han parecido clichés manidos, especialmente los matones de Odessa. Es el aspecto de la novela que menos me gustó.

El final correcto.

En conclusión. Un thriller entretenido. No hacía ninguna falta esta segunda parte, pero se deja leer.

[Dave Young · Rating 1 out of 5]

Frederick Forsyth is my favorite author, and when I heard there would be a sequel to Odessa File, I was looking forward to one final dose of Forsyth. I was disappointed. There is a link through Peter Miller and his grandson, but this was not a Forsyth book. It was quickly obvious that somebody else wrote it.
There is no inside information. There are no interesting backstories to give depth to the characters. Forsyth could create wonderful characters. The Jackal was a criminal and a killer but also brilliant and meticulous. Hasan Rahmani (Fist of God) worked for a tyrant but we could see his humanity, his hopes and his fears. Andrew Drake (Devil's Aleternative) became a terrorist but we saw first that he was a patriot who wanted to liberate Ukraine from Russian oppression. His motives are still valid 45 years later. The Badger (Avenger) chose loyalty to his friend over loyalty to his nation. These were real and complex characters.
Revenge of Odessa had nothing like that. This book was like the plot for an action movie where the bad guys threaten violence and murder so the "good" guys commit violence and murder and we are expected to be OK with that.
A massive disappointment. Will not read again.

[Guy Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deeply disappointing, lacking in any originality.
It seems this may have been languishing in Forsyth's bottom drawer (with good reason) and his literary executors saw a money making opportunity .
I found the entire premise of the new badder and more demonic Odessa , biding its time since the original Forsyth book to remerge boring.
The use of the original character grandson and the peopling of the book with older versions from the original Odessa file virtually cut and paste with wrinkles.
I have always enjoyed Forsyth's books as original, well researched and a gold standard in thriller writing.
This book could not be further from that.

[Joaquín Morán · Rating 4 out of 5]

La venganza de Odessa – Frederick Forsyth
Género: Thriller / Conspiración / Historia

No es Odessa. Y eso hay que decirlo desde el inicio.

La venganza de Odessa es una novela más ágil, más directa y claramente pensada para enganchar rápido. Forsyth deja de lado parte de la densidad que caracterizaba al primer libro y apuesta por una historia más accesible, con buen ritmo y una trama que funciona sin exigir demasiado al lector.

¿Es peor? No necesariamente. Es diferente.

Después de venir de lecturas pesadas —y en mi caso, incluso de un pequeño bloqueo— este libro cumple muy bien su función: te regresa el hábito, te mantiene interesado y te lleva sin esfuerzo hasta el final. Tiene ese equilibrio entre conspiración, contexto histórico y entretenimiento que hace que avances sin darte cuenta.

Pero hay algo más que eleva la lectura: la sensación de que no está tan alejado de la realidad. No por los detalles exactos, sino por los patrones. Redes que no desaparecen, intereses que se reciclan, estructuras que operan en la sombra y contextos políticos que permiten que ciertas cosas sucedan. No es una copia del presente, pero tampoco se siente ajeno a él.

Eso es lo que realmente incomoda.

Aun así, si vienes buscando la profundidad o el impacto de Odessa, aquí no está en el mismo nivel. Se siente más como una expansión del universo que como una obra que quiera sacudirte.

El final deja la puerta abierta —y no parece casual—. Más que cerrar un ciclo, da la sensación de estar construyendo algo más grande.

En resumen:
Un thriller bien ejecutado, ágil y, sobre todo, inquietantemente plausible. No es el Forsyth más profundo, pero sí uno más eficiente.

Calificación: ★★★★☆

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Odessa File is a classic Frederick Forsyth novel, but this sequel is not.
The reason that this book is not as good as the original is that it was written by Tony Kent and not Frederick Forsyth. Forsyth supplied a four page story outline for Revenge of Odessa and Tony Kent expanded the outline to 50 pages before writing the novel.
Although I found this a very weak story it appears that Forsyth approached Kent to write the book with him, and he approved of the completed novel before his death last year.
Tony Kent does write some reasonably tense moments here and there, but to me it read more like an outline for a film than a complete novel.

[Bob · Rating 2 out of 5]

**. 2 1/2 Stars: A Very Uneven Thriller - interesting In Its Concept, Disappointing In Its Execution And Cohesion!

I was very much looking forward to reading this book because it’s written by Frederick Forsyth (one of my all-time favorite thriller writers) in collaboration with Tony Kent; and more importantly because it’s to be marketed as a sequel to Forsyth’s classic thriller, The Odessa File.

I won’t take your time summarizing the plot of Revenge Of Odessa, as this can be read about in the Goodreads or Amazon Book Description. My review will focus on why this book - scheduled to be released on November 18th - is not one I’d highly recommend to thriller lovers.

I felt the book’s attempt to merge the different writing styles of the two authors was ambitious in scope but weak in execution. This fusion of styles didn’t work for me because Forsyth’s usual meticulous, well-researched, deliberate storytelling style often seemed to clash with Kent’s brisk, action-driven approach.

One result of this clash in styles is that the pacing often wavered - too slow in the buildup then suddenly rushed through key confrontations. Another key result is that character development was mostly one-dimensional. Further, while the protagonists seemed competent and compelling in moments, they much more often seemed like archtypes rather than fully realized individuals. Finally, the dialogue often seemed stilted, wavering between taut and overly explanatory. It’s as if the authors were tugging the narrative in two directions - Forsyth toward realism and restraint, Kent toward a cinematic feel.

Despite my criticisms, Revenge Of Odessa is likely to deliver enough suspense to satisfy long-term fans of the genre. The books underlying themes - revenge, legacy and the lingering shadow of history - are potent even if the execution doesn’t always match the ambition.

[Sabina · Rating 4 out of 5]

mucha acción, ha estado súper entretenido.

[Gregory Beaman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Clearly not written by Frederick Forsyth. The book is lazy and lacks the depth of a Frederick Forsyth novel. The simplistic virtue signalling and identity politics further betrays the excellence of Frederick Forsyth's work.

A massive disappointment.

[Charlie Hasler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The quality is not in the same league as the first book.

Good fun in parts but overall quite disappointing. 2.5 stars

[Montse #SeguiréLeyendo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Steven Z. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1972 English writer Frederick Forsyth published a novel, THE ODESSA FILE which encompassed the adventures of a young German reporter attempting to discover the location of a former SS concentration-camp commander, Austrian Nazi SS-Obersturmfuhrer and Commandant of the Riga Ghetto during 1943, Eduard Roschmann who earned the nickname the “Butcher of Riga.” In the novel, the German freelance crime reporter, Peter Miller learns that Roschmann was responsible for the death of his father and had committed acts of immense cruelty, torture, and mass murder. Forsyth’s novel, a blend of fact and historical fiction, follows Miller’s quest and learns that Roschmann is not alone. He is part of something more ominous: Odessa.

The name ODESSA is an acronym for the German phrase "Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen", which translates as "Organisation of Former Members of the SS". The novel depicts ODESSA as an international Nazi organization established shortly before the defeat of Nazi Germany for the purpose of protecting former members of the SS after the war. What was most concerning for Miller was that the organization was about to give birth to a new Reich—beginning with a nightmarish plot to regain their former power and carry out Hitler’s “Final Solution.”
Fifty years later, Forsyth, the author of worldwide bestsellers; THE DOGS OF WAR, THE FIST OF GOD, THE AFGHAN, THE KILL LIST among his thirteen novels and his co-writer, Tony Kent, a renown English writer in his own right has revisited the secrets of Odessa in their novel REVENGE OF ODESSA. Today we find Peter Miller is a retired journalist who is devoted to raising his grandson, Georg ever since his son and daughter-in-law died in a tragic car accident. Georg is also an accomplished writer who is investigating a series of terrorist attacks in Germany now finds himself the target of assassins and up against individuals involved with a resurgent ODESSA.

The novel begins with the death of Ohio Senator Jack Johnson and his intern Sophie Arnott in a house fire. The authors soon turn their focus to a Stuttgart soccer stadium where a mass terrorist event takes place. In the ensuing mayhem we are introduced to journalist and podcaster Georg Miller who was at the stadium and following his instincts goes to the hospital to report on casualties representing the Komet news magazine. Georg fears that the right-wing shift by German politicians and newspapers will use an Islamic terror attack as a means of limiting the civil liberties of Germans and immigrants for their own political agenda. The authors set the stage of a recurrent racism, anti-Islamism, and the rise of the Christian right represented by some of the soccer players who argue it is time to fight back. Georg believed this was a recipe for mass unrest since the stadium shooting followed other attacks months before which was unleashing unbridled hatred.
While investigating the shooting at the hospital Georg came across an elderly man who was suffering from dementia who believed that Georg was his father, Horst Miller who had been with the Federal Police, later the Bundesnachrichfendienst (BDN), Germany’s foreign intelligence service. Ackermann would inform Georg that he was responsible for his parent’s deaths and after conducting extensive research concluded that he was a policeman who moonlighted as an executioner for Odessa whose goal was to complete the work Hitler started. In his investigation Georg interviewed Ackermann’s wife Elke who reaffirmed her husband’s actions and ties to Odessa. Georg’s parents were killed when he was ten years old and raised by his elderly grandparents.

The authors are very cognizant of the contemporary shift politically worldwide and use these ideological movements to explain the resurgence of the Odessa, a more sophisticated and powerful rendition than its earlier historical phase. For example, was Odessa ratcheting up the Islamic threat as a means of increasing German right-wing nationalism as the Nazis did with the Communist threat in 1934 culminating in the Reichstag Fire?

Georg’s grandfather, Peter, a well-known journalist in the 1960s and 70s who publicized the Odessa threat, was scared that his grandson’s investigation would make him a target. Peter believed that the organization of ex-SS officers loyalists had never gone away and could not be killed. When Ackermann and his wife are murdered because they disclosed the existence of Odessa, Georg is convinced he is their next target, as is his grandfather Peter.

The plot moves back and forth between Germany and the heart of Washington as the death of Senator Johnson and his replacement by Cole Grisham in the Senate and events in Germany are somehow linked. The authors create an explosive tension that reflects the stakes that are now global. The resurgence of Odessa as a ruthless force infiltrating politics and terror cells worldwide is chillingly plausible. At a time when far-right movements, disinformation and political polarization are only too real, this novel taps into many anxieties and fears. Revenge of Odessa challenges the accepted conclusion that the defeat of Nazi Germany was final, that justice was served, and the horrors ended forever. Instead, the novel chillingly suggests that the defeat was only temporary; ideologies may go underground, but their roots remain.

A parallel story line is developed which involves a plot to Replace President Robert John Bauer’s Vice President with Cole Grisham. Both men are ideological soulmates creating a populist front but have the support of a fringe white supremacist movement in the United States. Their cover is very Donald Trump like – suppposedly standing up for those who feel betrayed by traditional politicians with their own economic agenda. The heart of the novel centers on the link between the two American politicians and Odessa.

The link is partially uncovered by the work of Vanessa Price, the only remaining staffer from deceased Senator Johnson remaining on Grisham’s staff. Two others have already been purged by Katie Braid, Grisham’s Chief of Staff. Vanessa soon learns that an American political action committee – America Tomorrow has been funded by a number of German corporate interests. Further, Vanessa learns that Braid and two other members of Grisham’s staff were also staffers on America Tomorrow since 2018. The key question was “what did a German fund have to gain from a White House administration dominated by Bauer and Grisham?

In this multi-layered historical thriller, the authors have created a number of questionable characters. First and foremost is Ben Klein, a police friend of Georg’s father who once he was killed served as his protector. Another is Scott Brogan, Georg’s god son and former British MI6 agent whose skills, though deplorable, uncover the depth of the Odessa resurgence. We are also introduced to Leo Renner, who may have seen himself as the new Fuhrer or at the very least “a nationalist messiah,” as well as the Krantz brothers who formed the muscle for Odessa. The authors effectively weave events in Stuttgart, Hamburg, and Washington alternating chapters until the various plot lines come together.

REVENGE OF ODESSA is a historical thriller that challenges the accepted conclusion that the defeat of Nazi Germany brought about the destruction of the Third Reich. Instead, the novel chillingly suggests that the defeat was only temporary; ideologies may dissipate, but their ideological core remains. Forsyth and Kent deliver a warning that evil does not always disappear. It asks how many resolved conflicts remain dormant and how many defeated ideologies remain underground to reemerge later. With that being said, the conclusion of the novel is predictable and though it lays the basis for a sequel it does not measure up to the original ODESSA FILE.

[Jane Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay and did improve in pace and excitement towards the end, but not as good as Frederick Forsythe, and I feel his name was used merely to attract readers who liked him and he had nothing to do with this book.

[Martin Warner · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tony Kent is not Frederick Forsyth

This was embarrassingly bad and a very pale imitation of one of the great thriller writers of the 20th century.

Really, really poor

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaaaaargh!!! It happened again…The second book in a row that has the denouement in the upcoming novel…I detest it when TV series employ a two-part, cliffhanger ending in episodes, and I loathe when authors do the same….Frederick Forsyth and his legacy author, Tony Kent, have done it with the Peter Miller efforts to destroy another Nazi empire through the new Odessa movement…This time, it’s Peter’s grandson, Georg…It’s a good thriller, but it’s only marred by this unfortunate two-part effort!

[Hanlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When you outlaw the truth, you pave the road to hell."

When I heard about the release of this book, I was over the moon for two reasons. Firstly, many moons ago, I discovered my love for spy thrillers through The Odessa Files, and secondly, Tony Kent is one of my favorite authors, so to me, this was a match made in heaven!
I can honestly say that this book did not disappoint!
It is a fast-paced, action-packed read that captured my attention from the very beginning.
In The Odessa Files, Ben served as our primary protagonist, and he returns in this book, though this time it is his grandson who inadvertently becomes involved with Odessa after being mistaken for his father.

Sixty years before Georg Miller's grandfather Ben infiltrated and exposed Odessa, an underground network of former SS officers dedicated to protecting ex-Nazis, helping them escape justice, and infiltrating postwar society; an organization everyone thought was wiped out, but it seems as though they are as close to power as they have ever been. They were dormant for a very long time, but it seems as though they are still wheeling and dealing and were responsible for the death of Georg's parents.
What are they planning, and will Georg and his godfather, who is called in to help, be able to stop them in time?

I hope we will see a follow-up to this book because you can remove the head of the snake, but remember Cerberus had more than one head....

[Jerry B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frederick Forsyth was one of our A-/B+ list of favorite authors for the past several decades. Best known for his excellent first novel, the Day of the Jackal, he wrote somewhat sparingly -- if my math is correct, he conferred upon us just over 20 tales of international intrigue and terror over the past 50 years. I feared the worst to see a co-author on this title, somewhat a sequel to the Odessa File published in 1972. Indeed, FF passed away with we suspect little input to this swan song.

Unfortunately, the topic of “Revenge” did not appeal, nor frankly did the plot nor the writing style – accordingly, to leave our last memory as a good one, we abandoned this particular tale after over a third of the book left us uninterested and unmotivated, frankly a rare decision. In looking back, we accorded over 2/3 of his novels either 4- or 5- star ratings, not typically frequently bestowed.

So we wish we had better comments about this book per se, but his bibliography made for many an inspiring and enjoyable reading seesion.

[Raymond Soltysek · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not really a Frederick Forsyth novel. Very badly written.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long time for a sequel.

However, this collaborative novel carries the menace and sense of unease spilling into the modern political dimension where Far Right activism and surge for power continues apace. Odessa is not dead; the seeds of influence have spread and a new Germany is envisaged alongside supportive and likeminded allies.

This book chilled me to the bone. We live in a time of terrorist activities, a divergence towards extreme political parties and a rise of Islamophobia and Antisemitism. Societies seem fragmented; blame seems to be appropriated towards asylum seekers, whether through the influx of justifiable claimants or desperate souls, ignoring borders in uncontrollable illegal immigration.

This is a perfect background for a larger than life fiction. Where ideas from post war Germany resonate with a modern but changing Europe. Where NATO questions its main party, as the USA, led by a determined, off the cuff President appears to be operating unilaterally.

Therefore this latest book is not only relevant. It is both disturbing and thought provoking. It blurs reason and accepted reality blending fact and fiction in real time, without hindsight.

This makes for an uncomfortable read at times. But it is a page-turner in the truest sense.
For this is contemporary fiction that may be both reflective and prophetic.

[Trevor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frederick Forsyth’s ‘Odessa File’ was published in 1972 – I read it sometime in the 1970’s but remember little of it, except the premise of the story, which was that far from being defeated in 1945, the Nazi’s were laying low, regrouping and planning a comeback. It was an excellent book and a very popular film too.
‘The Revenge of Odessa’ published in 2025 and written by Forsyth (who passed away in 2025) but with Tony Kent, brings the basic premise right up to date but with a few twists. It is an enjoying and somewhat swashbuckling ride, but in truth lacks depth, perception and credibility. A fun and easy read but essentially lightweight.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A follow-on from the Odessa File which I haven’t read but I saw some reviews of this book calling it disappointing. I agree not because of a comparison but because of the poor quality of some of the writing.

Georg, grandson of a previous scourge of the Nazis, accidentally stumbles across evidence that they are on the rise again. His character is pretty well drawn as is the character of the American staffer, Vaness Price whose story was involving and definitely created a sense of real danger.

I did not feel like I was drawn too far into the world depicted in the book. The fight scenes, for example, came over as written at a distance, clumsy and non involving.

The whole premise of the story is of course, terrifying, especially in this time of history, with the rise of right wing ideology, so perhaps the reader will take it all as a warning.

That said, I sort of enjoyed the read and may read the sequel if there is one, as seems likely given the ‘twist’ at the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my kindle. This is my honest opinion after a complete read of the book.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked The Odessa File, which I read a long time ago. Revenge of Odessa was a decent book, good cast of charactors(good/bad), interesting storyline/plot, but the story dragged along till the bullets started to fly. Some good action got the story ramped up and then it died a sudden death at the end. Too many questions were left unanswered and you'll need to wait for the follow up, which I might possibly read.
Thanks to G. P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the ARC of the novel.

[Elyse Leinweber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too violent imo

[Steve Marshall]

A bit clunky, not on a par with Forsyth’s best such as The Day of the Jackyl

[Carlos Lado · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sin la menor duda, el peor libro de Frederick Forsyth. Es más, tengo serias dudas que esté libro lo escribiese F.F.
La editorial o la familia de F.F. necesitaba hacer caja y sacó el libro.
El argumento es de "teoría de la conspiración ", disparate tras disparate. Nadie en su sano juicio puede creerse esta sucesión de astracanadas.
Es bastante triste que el último libro de un gran escritor como F.F. sea una oda a la mediocridad.

[Javier Bollain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Divertido y entretenido como todos los suyos, no sorprende

[Jordison Francisco · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Ressurgência de Odessa: Um Novo Capítulo de Vingança Por Frederick Forsyth e Tony Kent

Em 1972, Frederick Forsyth revelou The Odessa File, uma história envolvente que mistura fatos históricos com ficção, centrada na busca de um jovem jornalista determinado para descobrir o paradeiro de Eduard Roschmann, notório como o “Butcher de Riga”, um ex-comandante da SS responsável por atrocidades inimagináveis durante o Holocausto. O romance narra a jornada de Peter Miller para confrontar uma rede sombria, revelando que Roschmann não era isolado, mas fazia parte de uma organização mais ampla e sinistra — a ODESSA — que tinha como objetivo preservar e ressuscitar a influência nazista muito tempo após o fim da guerra.

ODESSA, uma sigla para Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen (“Organização dos Ex- membros da SS”), foi retratada como uma aliança clandestina internacional formada para proteger ex-membros da SS, garantindo sua sobrevivência e influência em um mundo pós-guerra. A narrativa de Forsyth alerta para uma realidade perturbadora: que esses vestígios do mal ainda ameaçam reacender-se — uma força ominosa tramando uma revivificação da “Solução Final” de Hitler.

Meio século depois, esse legado é revisitad em Revenge of Odessa, uma colaboração entre Forsyth — cujos romances como The Dogs of War e The Fist of God cativaram audiências globais — e Tony Kent, uma voz distinta nos thrillers de espionagem moderna. A história nos transporta para um mundo onde Peter Miller, agora aposentado e dedicado a criar seu neto Georg após a trágica perda de sua própria família, se vê mais uma vez envolvido em um jogo mortal. Georg, um jornalista investigativo e aspirante a autor, descobre ligações perturbadoras entre uma série de incidentes terroristas recentes na Alemanha e uma Odessa ressurgente, com ambições muito além da simples sobrevivência.

O romance começa em meio ao caos: a morte do senador de Ohio, Jack Johnson, e de sua estagiária Sophie Arnott, em um incêndio devastador na casa deles. Logo depois, a cena muda para um estádio de futebol lotado em Stuttgart, onde um ataque terrorista espalha o terror, colocando Georg Miller no centro. Ao cobrir as consequências para a Komet News, Georg percebe que sentimentos nacionalistas crescentes e retórica anti-imigrante estão sendo explorados — alimentando tensões que ameaçam se transformar em uma agitação generalizada. Seus instintos levam-no a um encontro casual com um idoso que sofre de demência, que afirma ser Horst Miller, seu pai há muito perdido, um ex-oficial federal alemão com ligações à rede secreta de Odessa.

À medida que Georg investiga mais a fundo, ele descobre verdades inquietantes: a esposa de Horst, Elke, confirma o envolvimento clandestino do marido com Odessa, revelando que Horst fazia parte de um esforço secreto para dar continuidade ao legado genocida de Hitler. A realização chocante é que a influência de Odessa persiste, agora mais sofisticada e perigosa do que nunca, possivelmente aproveitando-se do medo do extremismo islâmico e da instabilidade global para fomentar um novo Reich.

Enquanto isso, a narrativa se desloca para uma intriga política em Washington. A morte do senador Johnson desencadeia uma luta pelo poder, com Cole Grisham prestes a assumir sua vaga como vice-presidente — um homem cujo apelo populista e retórica nacionalista ecoam tendências políticas contemporâneas. Uma aliança sombria surge entre Grisham e um movimento radical, apoiados por elementos marginais dentro dos Estados Unidos, reminiscentes de recentes turbulências políticas. Vanessa Price, a única sobrevivente da equipe de Johnson, descobre conexões preocupantes: um comitê de ação política financiado por interesses alemães, chamado America Tomorrow, com ligações a grandes corporações, alimentando dúvidas sobre influência estrangeira na política americana.

Conforme a trama se desenrola pelos continentes — ligando Berlim, Hamburgo e Washington — a tensão aumenta. Os autores pintam um retrato sombrio de uma Odessa ressurgente, agora operando sob uma fachada de legitimidade, infiltrando governos e redes terroristas. Sua narrativa alerta que o espectro da ideologia nazista não foi completamente derrotado; ele apenas se escondeu, esperando o momento certo para ressurgir.

Um subplot importante envolve um plano secreto para substituir o vice-presidente do presidente Robert John Bauer por Grisham — uma manobra orquestrada por forças ocultas alinhadas com Odessa. A história explora como extremistas, supremacistas brancos e manipuladores políticos trabalham de mãos dadas, explorando queixas populistas para desestabilizar democracias ao redor do mundo.

Personagens como Ben Klein, ex-policial e protetor de Georg, e Scott Brogan, um ex-agente do MI6 com lealdades duvidosas, aprofundam a complexidade da narrativa. Os irmãos Krantz, força bruta de Odessa, exemplificam o mundo brutal que sustenta essa rede clandestina. Suas histórias entrelaçadas, ambientadas em cenários vibrantes em Stuttgart, Hamburgo e Washington, culminam em um clímax tenso, onde o destino das nações está em jogo.

Revenge of Odessa desafia a ideia reconfortante de que os capítulos mais sombrios da história estão realmente encerrados. Sugere que as ideologias que alimentaram o Terceiro Reich podem ter sido derrotadas militarmente, mas continuam a fervilhar sob a superfície — prontas para reemergir sob as condições certas. O romance serve como um lembrete contundente: o mal não morre; ele simplesmente fica dormente, esperando o momento de ressurgir.

Embora os reviravoltas da história mantenham o leitor na ponta da cadeira, alguns podem achar o final previsível, insinuando pontas soltas que podem ser exploradas futuramente. No entanto, Forsyth e Kent criaram um alerta convincente — que ressoa no cenário polarizado e alimentado por desinformação de hoje — sobre o perigo duradouro de ideologias extremistas e as sombras persistentes do passado.

[David Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a somewhat belated follow-up to 'The Odessa File' which I read many years ago. The first book was a great read and quite believable. It was well written in the style of most of the other books Forsyth wrote in the latter years of the 20th Century. This one is not as good and the style is somewhat different from FF. It starts fairly slowly (two stars) and it is probably only in the second half that things get more interesting (four stars). I would be interested to know if the author (Tony Kent) had any contact with FF before the latter died.

So whilst I would recommend any FF original I probably wouldn't read another written in the name of.....

[Simon Pitman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant page turner and excellent sequel to The Odessa File

[bryan fothergill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read. A great follow up to The Odessa File. This book leaves you wanting more, and hopefully there will be.

[Detlef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dies ist der lange erwartete zweite Band des in den 1980er Jahren erschienenen Romans »Die Akte Odessa« vom Großmeister der Spionagethrille Frederick Forsyth . Allerdings hatte sich Frederick Forsyth wegen seines Alters bereits einen Co-Autoren hinzugeholt, der ihn bei der Fertigstellung unterstützt. Dieser Co-Autor ist kein geringerer als der britische Thriller-Autor Tony Kent. Es ist sehr bedauerlich, dass der Großmeister das Erscheinen dieses zweiten Teils der ODESSA-Akten nicht mehr erleben kann. Denn er verstarb im Juni 2025, kurz vor dem Erscheinungstermin. Möge er in Frieden ruhen.

Die Fäden des ersten Teils, der im Spannungsfeld des kalten Krieges in den 1960er Jahren in Deutschland spielt, wurden bestens aufgegriffen und in die heute Zeit transformiert. Protagonist des zweiten Teils Georg Miller, ist der Enkel des Protagonisten Peter Miller aus dem ersten Band. Auch Georg ist in die Fußstapfen seines Greoßvaters gestiegen und Journalist geworden. Er arbeitet für das Hamburger Magazin „Komet“. (Ein Schelm, wer dabei an den „Stern“ denkt. )

Der Roman führt die Leser zunächst in die Räume des amerikanischen Senators Jack Johnson. Johnson hat sein ganzes Leben versucht, ehrlich und offen zu sein. Doch an diesem Abend steht eine Praktikantin Spohie aus seinem Team in seiner Wohnung. Sie möchte eigentlich einen Job in der Politik, aber vielleicht auch mehr. Doch Johnson wehrt sich. Da explodiert seine Wohnung und sowohl der Senator als auch die Praktikantin kommen dabei ums Leben. Aber einen Nachfolger auf dem Posten des Senators gibt es bereits.

Dann schwingt die Handlung nach Deutschland in ein Fußballstadion. Es spielen der VfB Stuttgart gegen den TSC Hoffenheim. Das Plätze im Stadion sind ausverkauft. Während die Fußballfans jubeln oder enttäuscht sind, gibt es plötzlich Detonationen und es werden Schüsse auf die Zuschauer abgefeuert. Unter „Allauh Akbar“-Rufen werden viele Menschen getötet. Es ist ein Terroranschlag noch nie dagewesenen Ausmaßes in Deutschland.

Gregor Miller, Reporter beim Hamburger „Komet“, war wegen einer Fußballreportage anwesend und fühlt sich nun berufen, eine Reportage über den Anschlag zu machen. Doch, was er dabei aufdeckt, hätte er nie erwartet. Denn manche Informationen betreffen ihn und seine Familie ganz persönlich.

Vielle echte Fakten aus der heutigen Zeit wurden mit der Handlung verknüpft, die im September 2025 spielt. Die AfD und ihr Erstarken bei den Wahlen und Umfragen spielt eine wesentliche Rolle, um die Existenz von ODESSA zu erklären. Aber auch der Terroranschlag zu Weihnachten 2024 in Magdeburg und die zunehmende Ausländerfeindlichkeit in Deuschland bieten Erklärungen. Das wird alles hervorragend in die Dramaturgie des Thrillers eingebunden.

Schließlich spielt im Rahmen der Dramartugie auch die Manipulation des amerikanischen Präsidenten eine Rolle. Die Organisation ODESSA hat sich nicht nur Deutschland als Ziel vorgenommen, sondern will endlich, nachdem es beim Zweiten Weltkrieg nicht geklappt hat, das Dritte Reich erschaffen und macht vor Amerika nicht halt.

Damit stellt sich Frederick Forsyth erneut ganz klar auf die Seite der Mahner, wie er es schon vor Jahrzehnten gemacht hat. Die Menschen, egal welcher Nation, sollen wachsam bleiben, wann immer es darum geht, eine Weltmacht zu erschaffen.

Auch wenn wie im ersten Teil der Protagonist zunächst etwas naiv wirkt, so lernt er schneller als damals sein Großvater. Schließlich hat er diesen jetzt auch an seiner Seite. Und da beiden klar ist, dass sie den Gegner nicht ohne Gewalt bezwingen können, holen sie sich mächtige Hilfe.

Deshalb können sich Leser dieses Romans nicht nur auf konsequente Ermittlungen freuen, sondern ihnen wird auch eine gehörige Portion Action geboten. Bei dem Terroranschlag im Fußballstadion bleibt es schließlich nicht, denn es gilt einen viel größeren Terroranschlag abzuwehren. Und dabei kommen jede Menge hart ausgebildete Söldner zum Einsatz. Der Wechsel zwischen den Handlungen in USA und denen in Deutschland macht genauso Spaß wie der Wechsel von Ermittlungen und Action.

Revenge of Odessa ist ein fantastischer und würdevoller Nachfolger und zweiter Teil von Die Akte Odessa. Und natürlich macht mich die letzte Anmeldung, dass ODESSA nie stirbt, ein wenig hoffnungsvoll, noch mehr darüber zu erfahren. Ein toller und spannender Roman!!!

© Detlef Knut, Düsseldorf 2025