The Turn-Around

by Vladimir Volkoff

Volkoff's 1979 novel Le retournement (The Turnaround) earned him international acclaim and was translated into a dozen languages. Dedicated to Graham Greene, whom Volkoff greatly admired, the novel's title refers to the intelligence manoeuvre of turning an uncovered enemy agent to one's own side. The book tells a story of espionage in which the American, French and Soviet intelligence services do battle, but also of a spiritual overturning which, unknown to these secret services, almost makes a martyr of the main character.

Genres: Fiction

416 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 1979

About the author

Vladimir Volkoff was a French writer of Russian extraction. He produced both literary works for adults and spy novels for young readers under the pseudonym Lieutenant X. His works are characterised by themes of the Cold War, intelligence and manipulation, but also by metaphysical and spiritual elements.

In the 2000s he returned to his Slavic roots, publishing several texts on Russian history and orthodoxy, and publicly declared his support for Vladimir Putin's policies.

In addition, Volkoff wrote historical biographies such as Vladimir, Le Soleil Rouge (The Red Sun) and Tchaikovsky, and also wrote for the theatre. He was awarded the Grand Prix Jean Giono for his work in 1995 and in the same year was made a Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur.


Also published as Lieutenant X.

Reviews

[Fonch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ladies and gentlemen you are asked for forgiveness for the delay in posting this new review, which was also promised to be written. My last review was on July 25, the day of Santiago Apóstol, and it was a review of "Las dos doncellas" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... , and "La señora Cornelia" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... (very good the latter, which served me to make a tribute to Hispanidad) (Goodreads users if Providence is propitious will be able to have these two reviews very soon).
Today St. Alphonsus Day (this Instagram review was posted on August 1st) I wanted to make a gift to my followers. If I may explain. It turns out that my mother is Andalusian, and there it is typical to celebrate both saints and birthdays, and it is a custom, which has been incorporated into our family. This month has not been very good due to certain circumstances, but August will be seen (he already announced that it was not good either). If you read my previous reviews you will realize that this author Vladimir Volkoff was already mentioned, and that I really liked his two novels "The Pope's Guest" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... , that Juan Manuel de Prada himself praised in his indispensable book "A Library in the Oasis", and is not Don @juan_manuel_de_prada https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... someone given to easy praise (read a wonderful article of @religionenlibertad written by @CarmeloLópez-Arias about his biography-thesis "Right to dream" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... (already you know that Goodreads does not allow links that are not from their website but, you can find that article in religion in freedom if they put Carmelo López Arias "Right to dream"), which will be my first reading when I return home. Even though I'm far behind in my @goodreads record This July I have been the month in which I have read fewer books, only eleven, and some very brief. In that novel "The Pope's Guest" by Vladimir Volkoff spoke of the life of a Russian bishop inspired by Metropolitan Nikodim, who met with John Paul I. A fantasy thriller. The second novel, "The Tsar's Men" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... (it is one of the best historical novels I have read) that was read to Vladimir Volkoff was a memorable historical novel that examined one of Russia's most convulsive historical periods in which Russia was on the verge of disappearing. The era of instability, or tumult that was from the end of Ivan IV until the arrival of Michael Romanov. Analyzing very critically the role of Boris Gudonov. . What followed was also very interesting, because from Poland there was an operation to put a Catholic Tsar the false Demetrius. This character has already been treated by both Prosper Merimee https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... , and Schiller, in fact, if you look for my review of Schiller's unfinished work "Demetrius" on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... you will get more information. If the right historical circumstances had occurred, Russia could have disappeared, or it could have become a Polish satellite state, and it would not have been Poland that would have been the victim of the partitions, and who would have disappeared, but Russia. It must be said that the Orthodox have not forgiven us for the false Demetrius, nor for the Fourth Crusade. But in their defense they did not ask forgiveness either for Photius (a man who should never have been a priest), nor did they ask forgiveness for the persecutions of Michael Cerularius very well described by Laszlo Passuth in "Born of the Purple" (so far the best reading of this year) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... , nor those of Andronicus (incomprehensible that Wikipedia shows such permissiveness with such a monster). Nor was forgiveness asked for the betrayal of the Orthodox clergy, who preferred the turban of the Turk to union with the Latins at the fall of Constantinople https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... The role of Gennadius was repulsive. While both Rome and the European monarchies should have done more to prevent the fall of this mythical civilization (at least in my view). In my opinion it is not enough that a few Genoese, Venetian, Castilian, and Aragonese mercenaries were the last support of Emperor Constantine. There you have to sing the mea culpa as the writer Lew Wallace points out in his novel "The Prince of India" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
But returning to the novel that concerns us, what is "Reconversion" about? Is it as good as the other two novels cited?
My answer is that this is an interesting spy novel. Perhaps the best thing about it is that at the beginning Valdimir Volkoff dedicates this novel to an author that I love Graham Greene https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... . I bought this novel for one euro in a second-hand bookstore, but when I saw the dedication to my beloved Graham Greene. I already knew that I had one more point as a professor of mine from La Salle College (The Christian Schools) said. The Achilles heel of this novel is that the first half is appalling. It is written in an overly frivolous-parodic tone. A kind of Evelyn Waugh https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , but badly. Until this novel does not touch the religious question I was thinking, what crap have I bought. This novel is supposed to be about the French Spy Service's attempt to capture a Russian spy named Popov. This is done by the protagonist Kirill Lavrovich Volsky, who has much in common with the author of this novel, who participated in the Algerian war. At first he comes up with the idea because his American colleague Lester says and misses what not to say. The principle is important, and it is the key to explain the outcome of this novel, but I can not reveal it to you. Like the protagonist (who by the way actually dreams of being a writer earning the hilarity of one of his superiors Tolstoy who, although at first does not participate in the Culebrina operation will be key). The beginning is funny, as Volsky fears that he will be sent to a bad fate decides to take out this operation that almost seems a mixture of Mortadelo and Filemón https://www.goodreads.com/series/8161... or Basil Seal https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... or a novel in the style of "Scoop" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... only set in the world of spies. There are weird, ridiculous characters like Pouzo the hermaphrodite agent who writes novels of princesses on motorcycles, the divo. The secretary remembers Ian Fleming's James Bond Moneypenny https://www.goodreads.com/series/4962... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... . Volsky has to convince his bosses Sibert (who distributes memoirs of Charles De Gaulle https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... ), and Rat that it is possible to win for the cause the ruthless Popov. Saving distances reminded me a bit of "Smiley's people" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... when Smiley has to capture the fearsome Karla, that "Tinker, Tailor Soldier, and Spy" does https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... put a mole in MI6. It reminded me of that. Penkovsky's shadow https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... it is very elongated (you have to put the best writer of spy novels Frederick Forsyth https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... ). There is a personal component because Volsky is a white Russian and has a strong dislike for Popov. Reminiscent of the Vera from Oscar Wilde's "Vera and the Nihilists" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7... , as it is the most radical. Volkoff's digressions are interesting when reduced to a Gramscinian component https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... power-obtaining. It sounds like you're listening to Pablo Iglesias Turrión https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , and it also has a Darwinian component https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... of struggle of the strongest. Just as Stravogin https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Igor Maksimovich Popov despises communists, just as Ibsen's characters https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... seem to be one step ahead of others. Curiously, Volsky, who uses to capture Popov a white Russian named Marina Raevski. It offers three possibilities to destroy Popov, to make him switch to the Western bloc in this case to France defecting from the Soviet Union, or to have him as a mole. At first it seems that the operation is a disaster, and when it is going to be canceled, or it will die. There is a moment when what you get to think is that Marina Raevski has been taking money from French espionage (unforgettable the cold blood she shows to Rat, and Sibert) and then it turns out that the operation succeeds, because what is done is to return Popov to the Christianity of his youth. While this happens the reader sees how he broke his mother's heart, how he tortured the enemies in Lubyanka, how he could have killed his lover, or how he was a snitch with Pauluvcha emulating Morozov. Curiously, Bretcht dealt with this issue in his play "The Caucasian Chalk Cross" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... but with Nazism. Popov's confession with Vladimir (the Orthodox priest, who is also a white Russian) is priceless. It is a pity that his novel about St. Vladimir was not translated into Spanish https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... To compensate they are recommended the wonderful movie Vikings). We are left with doubts whether Popov's conversion is sincere (for Poirier, who was the former leader of French espionage before Sibert, that conversion would not be valid in the Catholic case. The ecumenism between Catholicism and Orthodoxy also appears in this novel), or sought to go a step further in his ideas. It is very interesting how Volkoff speaks of the conversion of some French Claudel https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , Frossard https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , Weil https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , Gabriel Marcel https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... The last part has a touch of Greene, and Le Carresiano, and I believe it (the outcome of the novel). Although he hates it, Popov is also a revulsive for an agnostic Volsky who must revive his apparently forgotten faith, and stop wanting to go to Frisquette's bed. I have been a fan of this genre that perhaps created the American John Fenimore Cooper https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... , and I have read espionage writers Paul Feval https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , Gaston Leroux https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , W. Somerset Maugham (Ashenden) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8... , Eric Ambler https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , John Buchan https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , G.K. Chesterton ("The Man Who Knew Too Much https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... ), Bruce Marshall ("Operation Iscariot" it is interesting to compare this novel with "Pedro II" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... ), Joseph Conrad https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... , Tom Clancy https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , Ian Fleming . Le Carre, Graham Greene. My favorite may be Frederick Forsyth, and a novel that I loved and recommend "Tremor of Intent" by Anthony Burgess https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... published in @acantiladoeditorial also read "The Dead Man in Deptford" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... about Christopher Marlowe. As you can see it is a genre with a long tradition, and this does not detract from it. Although it is a trivial motive that destroys the snake operation is very credible. In fact, the operation dies of success. It's a novel that when it gets us into the nitty-gritty, and gets halfway there, shows us what a great novel it is. If it hadn't been for the beginning I would have put the top grade. It's inferior to the other two novels I've read to this writer, but it's worth it. My grade is (4/5).

[Philippe Malzieu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does French can write a great thriller like English? It is possible. This book is the proof. It is dedicated to Graham Greene.
Volkoff is the great-nephew of Tchaikovski. He is white Russian. His grandfather died with the mystic and delirious Admiral Kolchak. He was a specialist on Soviet Union.
Story of the book? It describe greatness and smallnesses of the secret services. There is the french one, with limited means. They decide to try to turn-around a Russian brilliant spy. The man is clever cynical and very effective. He was in station in many countries. Each time, he had many successes. He loves blond women with generous chest.
French spies find a women with this allure. She is downward of white Russian and she speaks the language. She accepts the mission. She lunches with Russian. They walk in Paris. By provocation, she leads him in the Russian cathedral of the Daru street. And incredible occurs. In this sacred place, the communist and atheistic spy has a revelation. This is not a conversion like Claudel in Notre-Dame. He becomes again orthodoxe naturally like he had driven back this truth. It's from my point of view an essential aspect of russian people. Impossible to understand Dostoievski or Poutine without take into account the mystical part of this people.
He agrees to collaborate with the French secret services. I would not reveal you the cynical end of the book.
For Volkoff, this was not his best book. He placed at highest the cycle of 4 works "The mood of the sea." that the success of this one enabled him to publish. I have read one of them "Olduvai". This one is better.

[Szetela Mateusz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than original

[Eirik · Rating 2 out of 5]

The storyline is exciting, but incredibly slow. I read it in Norwegian, which might mean that some of the magic from the dialogues have been lost in translation. Anyway I feel like this novel is a bit overrated.

[Anna Szyda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intellectually compelling story with Volkoff’s inimitable mix of politics, intrigue, espionage with a metaphysical touch. A great read. Timeless.

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

For me this was terrible, did not like one thing about it. Of course it is not my kind of work but i have read other spy type books and given them good ratings. I dreaded each day I picked it up to make myself read for an hour or so. NEVER NEVER this author again.

[SlowRain · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the few espionage novels that can be uttered in the same breath as those of John le Carré. What sets this novel apart is the twists in the plot (not your run-of-the-mill plot twist, mind you) and the very nature of the turn-around in the first place. The pace is slow and methodical, and it contains above average characterization and credibility for the espionage genre. I thought the narrative was a bit verbose at times, but it wasn't unbearable. It's a shame this one is out of print, so you'll have to find it in a used-book store.

[Jc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il y a quelques longueurs mais c’est du très bon John Le Carre : bien ficelé et complexe. En plus il y a tout le cote militaire en France qui très bien rendu. De plus c’est plein d’humour et c’est très bien écrit (j’ai un faible pour les gens qui utilisent le passe simple et l’imparfait du subjonctif). C’est aussi une bonne réflexion sur l’espionnage, la désinformation et la psychologie des individus qui grenouillent dans ce milieu. Enfin c’est aussi un regard intéressant sur le communisme

[Vafa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant spiritual thriller