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The Assassination Option
James Cronley’s first successful mission for the new Central Intelligence Directorate has drawn all kinds of attention, some welcome, some not, including from the Soviets, his own Pentagon, and a seething J. Edgar Hoover. Now complications have sprung up all over, including a surprising alliance between the Germans and, of all things, the Mossad; and an unplanned meeting with an undercover agent against the Soviets known only as Seven K.. Cronley knows that if just one thing goes wrong, he’s likely to get thrown to the wolves. And he thinks he hears them howling now.
First published December 30, 2014
About the author
W.E.B. Griffin
351 books1,298 followersW.E.B. Griffin was one of several pseudonyms for William E. Butterworth III.
From the Authors Website:
W.E.B. Griffin was the #1 best-selling author of more than fifty epic novels in seven series, all of which have made The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and other best-seller lists. More than fifty million of the books are in print in more than ten languages, including Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Hungarian.
Mr. Griffin grew up in the suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1946. After basic training, he received counterintelligence training at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, and ultimately to the staff of then-Major General I.D. White, commander of the U.S. Constabulary.
In 1951, Mr. Griffin was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, interrupting his education at Phillips University, Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. In Korea he earned the Combat Infantry Badge as a combat correspondent and later served as acting X Corps (Group) information officer under Lieutenant General White.
On his release from active duty in 1953, Mr. Griffin was appointed Chief of the Publications Division of the U.S. Army Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Mr. Griffin was a member of the Special Operations Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Army Aviation Association, the Armor Association, and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society.
He was the 1991 recipient of the Brigadier General Robert L. Dening Memorial Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, and the August 1999 recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award, presented at the 100th National Convention in Kansas City.
He has been vested into the Order of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association, and the Order of St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by Norwich University, the nation’s first and oldest private military college, and by Troy State University (Ala.). He was the graduation dinner speaker for the class of 1988 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He has been awarded honorary membership in the Special Forces Association, the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, the Marine Raiders Association, and the U.S. Army Otter & Caribou Association. In January 2003, he was made a life member of the Police Chiefs Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and the State of Delaware.
He was the co-founder, with historian Colonel Carlo D’Este, of the William E. Colby Seminar on Intelligence, Military, and Diplomatic Affairs. (Details here and here)
He was a Life Member of the National Rifle Association. And he belongs to the Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Pensacola, Florida, chapters of the Flat Earth Society.
Mr. Griffin’s novels, known for their historical accuracy, have been praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for their “fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes.”
“Nothing honors me more than a serviceman, veteran, or cop telling me he enjoys reading my books,” Mr. Griffin says.
Mr. Griffin divides his time between the Gulf Coast and Buenos Aires.
Notes:
Other Pseudonyms
* Alex Baldwin
* Webb Beech
* Walker E. Blake
* W.E. Butterworth
* James McM. Douglas
* Eden Hughes
* Edmund O. Scholefield
* Patrick J. Williams
* W. E. Butterworth
* John Kevin Dugan
* Jac
From the Authors Website:
W.E.B. Griffin was the #1 best-selling author of more than fifty epic novels in seven series, all of which have made The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and other best-seller lists. More than fifty million of the books are in print in more than ten languages, including Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Hungarian.
Mr. Griffin grew up in the suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1946. After basic training, he received counterintelligence training at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, and ultimately to the staff of then-Major General I.D. White, commander of the U.S. Constabulary.
In 1951, Mr. Griffin was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, interrupting his education at Phillips University, Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. In Korea he earned the Combat Infantry Badge as a combat correspondent and later served as acting X Corps (Group) information officer under Lieutenant General White.
On his release from active duty in 1953, Mr. Griffin was appointed Chief of the Publications Division of the U.S. Army Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Mr. Griffin was a member of the Special Operations Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Army Aviation Association, the Armor Association, and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society.
He was the 1991 recipient of the Brigadier General Robert L. Dening Memorial Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, and the August 1999 recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award, presented at the 100th National Convention in Kansas City.
He has been vested into the Order of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association, and the Order of St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by Norwich University, the nation’s first and oldest private military college, and by Troy State University (Ala.). He was the graduation dinner speaker for the class of 1988 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He has been awarded honorary membership in the Special Forces Association, the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, the Marine Raiders Association, and the U.S. Army Otter & Caribou Association. In January 2003, he was made a life member of the Police Chiefs Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and the State of Delaware.
He was the co-founder, with historian Colonel Carlo D’Este, of the William E. Colby Seminar on Intelligence, Military, and Diplomatic Affairs. (Details here and here)
He was a Life Member of the National Rifle Association. And he belongs to the Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Pensacola, Florida, chapters of the Flat Earth Society.
Mr. Griffin’s novels, known for their historical accuracy, have been praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for their “fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes.”
“Nothing honors me more than a serviceman, veteran, or cop telling me he enjoys reading my books,” Mr. Griffin says.
Mr. Griffin divides his time between the Gulf Coast and Buenos Aires.
Notes:
Other Pseudonyms
* Alex Baldwin
* Webb Beech
* Walker E. Blake
* W.E. Butterworth
* James McM. Douglas
* Eden Hughes
* Edmund O. Scholefield
* Patrick J. Williams
* W. E. Butterworth
* John Kevin Dugan
* Jac
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 139 reviews
March 7, 2015
Tired of Jimmies' insecurities. After a promising beginning this story lags and veers off course. I'm used to better from Griffin. 4 of 10 stars
January 2, 2015
I have been a fan of W.E.B. Griffin for many years. The depth of story telling within his various series has been quite extraordinary and have given me hours of reading enjoyment over the years which makes my review of his latest novel painful. You see one of my favorite books of his writing is a distant fore-runner to this novel titled Honor Bound. It's of a green OSS recruit sent on what may very well be a suicide mission into Argentina to find a German Submarine resupply ship and deal with it. It does an exceptional job of showing you action, intrigue, a little romance woven into a historical tapestry that runs from politics to greed and other simply human concerns like family, honor and duty.
The Assassination Option regrettably does not follow into this tradition. This particular novel tends to 'tell you' things that are happening or most often 'tell you' things which have already happened ad nauseum. When it comes to direct action, conflict and resolution there are very few pages in which this book actually follows what should be the normal rule. For instance there is a scene where some alleged NKGB agents attempt entry into a secret Army compound and are essentially garroting an Officer of the Guard when another Officer who had risen to go on a "random" patrol to check on his company of guards ends up shooting the intruders and saving that officers life. This is dealt with in very short terms and doesn't feel like it's really even reported much or used to expand the book into the voice of an active role.
Instead we are treated to a series of various confessions involving one of the main characters who has come to the revelation that he was put in charge of DCI-Europe to provide the President of the U.S. a possible scapegoat to be thrown to the wolves. Now I have no objection that this arrangement was made, but the fact he has to keep repeating and getting into essentially the same conversation with most of the characters in the book is quite mind numbing. Topping that is a propensity to continually run into individuals from his own past with which whom he suddenly feels an urge to confess and tell them all about various classified things he is working on when their input or even help is usually of limited utility.
Unfortunately I just couldn't enjoy this book very much despite my usual bias in it's favor because of the author, earlier characters and my interest in the time period. I wish I could give this a better review but alas I cannot and while I will still probably continue to read W.E.B. Griffin's published works I will no longer hold out a high hope and excitement for new books from him.
The Assassination Option regrettably does not follow into this tradition. This particular novel tends to 'tell you' things that are happening or most often 'tell you' things which have already happened ad nauseum. When it comes to direct action, conflict and resolution there are very few pages in which this book actually follows what should be the normal rule. For instance there is a scene where some alleged NKGB agents attempt entry into a secret Army compound and are essentially garroting an Officer of the Guard when another Officer who had risen to go on a "random" patrol to check on his company of guards ends up shooting the intruders and saving that officers life. This is dealt with in very short terms and doesn't feel like it's really even reported much or used to expand the book into the voice of an active role.
Instead we are treated to a series of various confessions involving one of the main characters who has come to the revelation that he was put in charge of DCI-Europe to provide the President of the U.S. a possible scapegoat to be thrown to the wolves. Now I have no objection that this arrangement was made, but the fact he has to keep repeating and getting into essentially the same conversation with most of the characters in the book is quite mind numbing. Topping that is a propensity to continually run into individuals from his own past with which whom he suddenly feels an urge to confess and tell them all about various classified things he is working on when their input or even help is usually of limited utility.
Unfortunately I just couldn't enjoy this book very much despite my usual bias in it's favor because of the author, earlier characters and my interest in the time period. I wish I could give this a better review but alas I cannot and while I will still probably continue to read W.E.B. Griffin's published works I will no longer hold out a high hope and excitement for new books from him.
December 21, 2017
The last 25% of the book became interesting enough to earn it 2 stars vice 1...but if I could, it would be 1 1/2 stars.,,,,,....the hero in this book is no "I wish I were him" hero...so why is this interesting and why do people read it...well, it is written by WEB Griffin (though that is not going to be much of an attraction) and it has a catchy title...CLANDESTINE....well, the whole book seems clocked in "this should have been a good story but isn't" .
January 8, 2015
This is book two in the new series entitled Clandestine Operation Series. Captain James Cronley is back with the same characters we met in book one.
Cronley is now in charge of running the European division of the Directorate of Central intelligence, now known as the CIA. We are introduced to some new characters such as Maksymilian Ostrowski, a free Polish Air Force veteran now a displaced person. Russian triple-agent Seven-K who spied for the Abwehr Ost is also revealed in this story.
One of the things I like about Griffins’ books is that Griffin slips historical facts into the story such as the Katyn Forest massacre, Hoover’s botched attempt at Manhattan Project secrecy. I did note an error in the historical fact in that Griffin had created the USAF one year prior to its actual date of 14 September 1947.
Lots of suspense is provided with a top secret Russian agent Colonel Sergei Likbanev of the NKGB who is turned and taken to Argentina. Now the excitement builds trying to sneak his family out of Russia.
What I like about Griffin books are the mixture of fact and fiction along with mixing real people with fictional characters. Griffin also tends to insert one or more characters from prior books into the story. I wonder is the character Freddy Hessinger is a fictional portrayal of Henry Kissinger; there is a lots of similarities between the two in the story. In this series Griffin is giving us a historical look at post war Germany.
I noted this series which shadows cold war history, is revealing how history repeats itself in the headlines of today’s news. Anyone interested in historical fiction of the cold war will enjoy this book. Alexander Cendese narrated this book.
Cronley is now in charge of running the European division of the Directorate of Central intelligence, now known as the CIA. We are introduced to some new characters such as Maksymilian Ostrowski, a free Polish Air Force veteran now a displaced person. Russian triple-agent Seven-K who spied for the Abwehr Ost is also revealed in this story.
One of the things I like about Griffins’ books is that Griffin slips historical facts into the story such as the Katyn Forest massacre, Hoover’s botched attempt at Manhattan Project secrecy. I did note an error in the historical fact in that Griffin had created the USAF one year prior to its actual date of 14 September 1947.
Lots of suspense is provided with a top secret Russian agent Colonel Sergei Likbanev of the NKGB who is turned and taken to Argentina. Now the excitement builds trying to sneak his family out of Russia.
What I like about Griffin books are the mixture of fact and fiction along with mixing real people with fictional characters. Griffin also tends to insert one or more characters from prior books into the story. I wonder is the character Freddy Hessinger is a fictional portrayal of Henry Kissinger; there is a lots of similarities between the two in the story. In this series Griffin is giving us a historical look at post war Germany.
I noted this series which shadows cold war history, is revealing how history repeats itself in the headlines of today’s news. Anyone interested in historical fiction of the cold war will enjoy this book. Alexander Cendese narrated this book.
December 29, 2014
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
The setting for this novel is Occupied Germany in late 1945. The main character appears to be newly-promoted Army Captain James Cronley who has been assigned as the Chief of Directorate of Central Intelligence—Europe. In addition to various U. S. Army and Navy characters, Cronley is also working with a German General who somehow survived the war.
After reading about 140 pages of this book, I’m giving up. Besides not being able to get involved with the plot or the characters, I had two problems. Instead of riveting action, suspense or excitement, there is too much text devoted to political posturing and intrigue about just who is in charge of what. The other irritating item was reading a lot of internal thought by Captain Cronley. I counted five or six instances where a puzzled Cronley asks himself, “What is going on here?”
I’ve read two complete series of Griffin’s earlier work: The Corps (all ten volumes) and Brotherhood of War (all nine volumes). Because of these collections of fine novels, I expected something much better with this book and was disappointed in the result.
The setting for this novel is Occupied Germany in late 1945. The main character appears to be newly-promoted Army Captain James Cronley who has been assigned as the Chief of Directorate of Central Intelligence—Europe. In addition to various U. S. Army and Navy characters, Cronley is also working with a German General who somehow survived the war.
After reading about 140 pages of this book, I’m giving up. Besides not being able to get involved with the plot or the characters, I had two problems. Instead of riveting action, suspense or excitement, there is too much text devoted to political posturing and intrigue about just who is in charge of what. The other irritating item was reading a lot of internal thought by Captain Cronley. I counted five or six instances where a puzzled Cronley asks himself, “What is going on here?”
I’ve read two complete series of Griffin’s earlier work: The Corps (all ten volumes) and Brotherhood of War (all nine volumes). Because of these collections of fine novels, I expected something much better with this book and was disappointed in the result.
January 22, 2020
We got this and several other as audiobooks and played them in the car. These are good stories, creating a continuing saga. I especially enjoyed the Brotherhood of War series, read by Eric Dove, and tend to replay those just to enjoy his narration.
April 29, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. The writing is excellent and the significant military detail flawless.
Young US Army 2nd Lieutenant Cronley is quickly promoted to Captain and given the job of heading the fledgling CiA’s European division at the end of WWII. President Truman is set on dismantling the OSS, trying to demilitarize the US intelligence apparatus while secretly moving select German officers to South America, the US, and into the new CIA Europe without the general population being aware as he prepares to challenge the Russians for European dominance in what became known as The Cold War. Of course, the military is generally opposed to giving up their intelligence function (OSS) and the power that goes with it.
Cronley is unsure as to why he was selected, understands that he is very inexperienced for the position, and bewildered by the fact that he has fully qualified and jealous field grade military officers (Majors and above) working for him along with a former German General and his staff.
Cronley surrounds himself with the best people he can find, trusts his gut, and does his level best to accomplish his mission that is often murky even to him. Garnering the best advice he can from the odd array of people working for him, he makes up for his inexperience with boldness, bravado, and brass balls. He makes mistakes, learns quickly, and keeps moving forward.
I really identify with the problems Cronley runs into under these circumstances because I was once in a similar, albeit much more mundane, situation when I was promoted extremely quickly, through no special skills or accomplishments of my own, and given a Company Command as an inexperienced 2LT reporting to a brigade level headquarters (run by a full Colonel) for administrative and tactical support while also reporting to a non-branch-qualified LTC on the Division staff for my unit’s work output. Few people pay much attention to a 2LT or anyone who was quickly promoted ahead of his contemporaries and given a position normally requiring significantly more experience. Even experienced Captains fetch coffee at Brigade and Division levels so I was forced, in self-defense, to sometimes behave in a manner not well tolerated by field grade officers at higher headquarters. Fortunately, I had a couple of wise Command Sergeant Majors and direct bosses who shielded me from their staff officer’s meddling and disdain at being forced to deal with me.
There is also a lot of fascinating background involving the power void existing throughout the world in 1945 as the Allies scramble to consolidate their individual influence and rebuild the damage caused by World War II.
Young US Army 2nd Lieutenant Cronley is quickly promoted to Captain and given the job of heading the fledgling CiA’s European division at the end of WWII. President Truman is set on dismantling the OSS, trying to demilitarize the US intelligence apparatus while secretly moving select German officers to South America, the US, and into the new CIA Europe without the general population being aware as he prepares to challenge the Russians for European dominance in what became known as The Cold War. Of course, the military is generally opposed to giving up their intelligence function (OSS) and the power that goes with it.
Cronley is unsure as to why he was selected, understands that he is very inexperienced for the position, and bewildered by the fact that he has fully qualified and jealous field grade military officers (Majors and above) working for him along with a former German General and his staff.
Cronley surrounds himself with the best people he can find, trusts his gut, and does his level best to accomplish his mission that is often murky even to him. Garnering the best advice he can from the odd array of people working for him, he makes up for his inexperience with boldness, bravado, and brass balls. He makes mistakes, learns quickly, and keeps moving forward.
I really identify with the problems Cronley runs into under these circumstances because I was once in a similar, albeit much more mundane, situation when I was promoted extremely quickly, through no special skills or accomplishments of my own, and given a Company Command as an inexperienced 2LT reporting to a brigade level headquarters (run by a full Colonel) for administrative and tactical support while also reporting to a non-branch-qualified LTC on the Division staff for my unit’s work output. Few people pay much attention to a 2LT or anyone who was quickly promoted ahead of his contemporaries and given a position normally requiring significantly more experience. Even experienced Captains fetch coffee at Brigade and Division levels so I was forced, in self-defense, to sometimes behave in a manner not well tolerated by field grade officers at higher headquarters. Fortunately, I had a couple of wise Command Sergeant Majors and direct bosses who shielded me from their staff officer’s meddling and disdain at being forced to deal with me.
There is also a lot of fascinating background involving the power void existing throughout the world in 1945 as the Allies scramble to consolidate their individual influence and rebuild the damage caused by World War II.
November 24, 2017
It was simply OK. The book started out as if WEB 4th had finally gotten the hang of his dad's writing style. However, it didn't take but maybe half of the book to dash my hopes. Its disappointing how the 4th is apparently bringing down his old man's rep as a prestigious story teller. Too much repetitive BS, too much wimpy inexperienced Jimmy, and virtually no action. I finished this one and am into the next (Curtain of Death) as I had borrowed both e-books from my library. Sadly, I would never spend real money on this series or the Presidential series. I am a BIG fan of WEB originals. I still hope that WEB 4th can turn this around and run with a great series, but not thus far. The readers giving this 4 and 5 stars are misguided. There is no way in hell they've read the older truly exceptional series (of bona fide 4 & 5 stars books) and think this is just as good. This is a 2-3 star book, period. If you want to read remarkable WEB Griffin books / series, go back to the ones from approx the 80s up to early 2000s. I seriously doubt that THE WEB Griffin is writing these newer books that have his son's name attached to them.
January 26, 2019
James Cronley thought that he had done well - he didn't know how well. His first successful
mission for the new Central Intelligence Directorate has drawn all kinds of attention some
welcome some not. On the plus side he is now a captain promoted to Chief, PCI, Europe and
in charge of a top secret spy operation. On the minus side a lot of people would like to know
about that operation including not only the Soviets, his own Pentagon and a furious
J Edgar Hoover. Conley knows that if anything goes wrong he will be thrown to the wolves.
Right off the bat complications spring up. He discovers a surprising alliance between the
former German Intelligence chief and the Mossad. A German family that Cronley never
knew that he had suddenly and suspiciously emerges and also he's due for a rendezvous
with an undercover agent against the Soviets known only as Seven K. It's only when he meets
Seven K that he gets the real surprise. This is the second book in the Clandestine Operations
series. Iv'e read 5 of Mr Griffins books and they were all pretty good. He writes war novels and
he has written many. This one runs the same as the others that I read and I gave it a 4.
mission for the new Central Intelligence Directorate has drawn all kinds of attention some
welcome some not. On the plus side he is now a captain promoted to Chief, PCI, Europe and
in charge of a top secret spy operation. On the minus side a lot of people would like to know
about that operation including not only the Soviets, his own Pentagon and a furious
J Edgar Hoover. Conley knows that if anything goes wrong he will be thrown to the wolves.
Right off the bat complications spring up. He discovers a surprising alliance between the
former German Intelligence chief and the Mossad. A German family that Cronley never
knew that he had suddenly and suspiciously emerges and also he's due for a rendezvous
with an undercover agent against the Soviets known only as Seven K. It's only when he meets
Seven K that he gets the real surprise. This is the second book in the Clandestine Operations
series. Iv'e read 5 of Mr Griffins books and they were all pretty good. He writes war novels and
he has written many. This one runs the same as the others that I read and I gave it a 4.
January 2, 2025
finished 2nd january 2025 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner clandestine operations #2 entertaining story war over what is to become c.i.a. is up and running this covers a lot of that ground...the various powers that be opposed to the idea that they wouldn't control the narrative, not that an intelligence gathering unit will exist, but that they would control things...more of the give and take of someone knowing a secret that they feel entitled to because that's the nature of things, new battle lines drawn, american side, soviet side, british...germany...lots of flights of various airplanes by various pilots including a kind of rescue mission crossing the border of two sides. good read...if measured in degrees...a few degrees less than some of the other stories...was difficult to get a handle on the either open or perceived hostility between same side forces...either rank? promotion not "deserved"? info not shared? combination of things? or more so...hostility that didn't seem to have a place. not sure what was going on.
September 30, 2018
This isn't the best of W.E.B. Griffin's books. Of course, this isn't really his. It's his name on the book but written by his son. Unfortunately, as happens when authors do this, the substitute author doesn't have the same skill as the original.
The characters in this one follow a pattern that will be very familiar to anyone who's followed any of Mr. Griffin's series. A young man with unexpectedly high connections (as in, Presidential) and sudden authority beyond anything normal, as well as massive inherited wealth, goes in harm's way to protect truth, justice and the American way. That's about it.
The problem with this particular installment is that the dialogue is stilted and the character development isn't there. What we know of the behavior of our "hero" in this book makes him someone you might want to smack around, not emulate. He's an immature, irresponsible person who happens into doing some work the government needs done, succeeding largely because of people around him.
The characters in this one follow a pattern that will be very familiar to anyone who's followed any of Mr. Griffin's series. A young man with unexpectedly high connections (as in, Presidential) and sudden authority beyond anything normal, as well as massive inherited wealth, goes in harm's way to protect truth, justice and the American way. That's about it.
The problem with this particular installment is that the dialogue is stilted and the character development isn't there. What we know of the behavior of our "hero" in this book makes him someone you might want to smack around, not emulate. He's an immature, irresponsible person who happens into doing some work the government needs done, succeeding largely because of people around him.
August 15, 2024
In The Assassination Option, Griffin continues his story of the development of the CIA in Europe. Jim, the very junior captain put in charge, finally realizes he is there to take the fall when something goes wrong. He also realizes that some of the staff supporting him are not what they appear and he takes steps to actually exercise the authority his position gives him.
The main plot thrust of this book is the attempt to get out of Russia the wife and sons of the KGB agent that Jim turned in the first novel. Naturally, this is not easy to do, and the situation is vastly complicated by both the interagency rivalries that handicap American intelligence operations, and by the need for the infant CIA to borrow most of the resources it needs from the military.
It's a good story with a lot of tension and I'm looking forward to the next one.
The main plot thrust of this book is the attempt to get out of Russia the wife and sons of the KGB agent that Jim turned in the first novel. Naturally, this is not easy to do, and the situation is vastly complicated by both the interagency rivalries that handicap American intelligence operations, and by the need for the infant CIA to borrow most of the resources it needs from the military.
It's a good story with a lot of tension and I'm looking forward to the next one.
February 2, 2023
Addicting for me.
The characters and story line are just addicting for me. I never seem to tire of these easy reads.
Post WWII Europe, Germany specifically, is in the throes of reconstruction. The international powers are jockeying for position as they carve up the areas of occupation; tensions are high.
Truman has killed the OSS but, what to do with all the high value targets, information, and agents left behind from Germany's Abwehr? Enter the newly formed Directorate of Central Intelligence, the forerunner to our current CIA.
Interesting plots and story lines develop as we are taken on the journey to the beginning of the Cold War against the Red Menace that was the Soviet Union.
The characters and story line are just addicting for me. I never seem to tire of these easy reads.
Post WWII Europe, Germany specifically, is in the throes of reconstruction. The international powers are jockeying for position as they carve up the areas of occupation; tensions are high.
Truman has killed the OSS but, what to do with all the high value targets, information, and agents left behind from Germany's Abwehr? Enter the newly formed Directorate of Central Intelligence, the forerunner to our current CIA.
Interesting plots and story lines develop as we are taken on the journey to the beginning of the Cold War against the Red Menace that was the Soviet Union.
June 29, 2024
SNAFU
Jim Cronley is busier than ever. He’s heavily involved with the situation of the NKGB officer he dealt with in the last book. He’s feeling as if he’s teetering on a precipice while at the same time being on a Troika rushing through the snow hoping that he avoids being thrown out to the wolves. But he’s constantly making new enemies who are trying hard to make him fall on his face, while also being very inclined to shove him down if they can. But he’s made some good friends who not only support him but are also willing to tell him that he’s making a mistake before it’s too late to fix. So he’s going to do everything he feels his duty requires as well as he can before he’s torn down.
Jim Cronley is busier than ever. He’s heavily involved with the situation of the NKGB officer he dealt with in the last book. He’s feeling as if he’s teetering on a precipice while at the same time being on a Troika rushing through the snow hoping that he avoids being thrown out to the wolves. But he’s constantly making new enemies who are trying hard to make him fall on his face, while also being very inclined to shove him down if they can. But he’s made some good friends who not only support him but are also willing to tell him that he’s making a mistake before it’s too late to fix. So he’s going to do everything he feels his duty requires as well as he can before he’s torn down.
June 27, 2023
I’ve read a number of Griffin’s novels previously and hadn’t read his work in a while. This novel reminded me that he has the same template: start with a young guy with a quick wit who is promoted quickly, far above what is expected, and give him huge responsibility based on his intelligence. Next, surround him with a medium-sized group of people from a variety of backgrounds who support him. Then put him in situations that are difficult militarily and politically. Finally, he has a lot of sex with a female character. This novel seems to be part of an ongoing series and it follows his same template faithfully.
October 2, 2017
A one star story that goes just about nowhere and gives an unrealistic glimpse into that place and time. I gave it an extra star just for my personal remembrance of the occupying US Army in West Germany which I served during the 60's. Part of my assignments had me at the European HQ and in very close proximity with all officer ranks and I find the Griffin's portrayals insulting to the military and almost unbelievable.
July 20, 2021
I am not familiar enough with the history of our government's CIA, to know if this book is based on factual information wrapped in a narrative of fiction. I don't suppose it really matters, because I am enjoying this series of books by W.E.B. Griffin. Being knew to Griffin's writings, I didn't really have any expectations to worry about. I find the characters to be fascinating, the story is compelling -- because you really want Captain Cronley to succeed (even though he seems determined to shoot himself in the foot, because of a lack of discipline), and I have enjoyed the layout of the book (with Cronley's thoughts in italics, and the communications in shaded boxes). If there is not any fact behind the story of the CIA, I can sure see the way things like this could have happened. Although, I have wondered if we did try to get German officers, out of Germany and into Argentina. I expect I will be doing some reading on that subject soon.
May 5, 2024
Just more great stuff covering the period of transition of the OSS to the CIA and the efforts of the Truman Administration to keep "Operation Ost" out of the hands of the post-WWII establishment powers...Basically setting the stage for the Cold War confrontation of East vs. the West in Europe...I can only hope that the W.E.B. Griffin Estate cand find a legacy author to continue this Era's story line...Good Stuff!!!
December 8, 2016
Clandestine Operations series continues another series of WEB Griffin novels of World War II Honor Bound. Following the complete surrender of Germany, the Allies have moved to manage the Peace. This series is in a sense the continuation of the OSS, now disbanded. Truman has authorized DCI, and the organization is in its infancy.
May 21, 2017
A likable read. Griffins characters are similar in his various series but he weaves in some history and a fun plot. He seemed to have gotten sick of writing at the end of the book or had to make deadline. A came to an abrupt close. Setting up for the next I'm sure. Which may be out already I assume.
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