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By Frederick Forsyth

Book Overview

'One of his best works for a long time' Sunday Times
'Another strong performance by a writer who know exactly what he's about' Publisher's Weekly
'A cunningly constructed action thriller . . . the story is terrifying and timely and grips you to the end' Daily Telegraph
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From the world-renowned, bestselling author of The Day of the Jackal and The Fox

It is 1999 and Russia is on the edge of total implosion.

Social and moral order has collapsed. The only rule is imposed by mafia-like criminal gangs. And a visionary patriot whose voice rises above it all: Igor Komarov.

It is in to this world that former CIA agent Jason Monk is plunged. Drawn out of retirement by the CIA's desperate bid to halt Komarov's meteoric rise, he must slip back in to Russia undetected and carry out a covert mission that the world depends on. With Komarov set to win the next election, Monk discovers a secret document that is smuggled in to the British Embassy in Moscow. Named The Black Manifesto, it reveals Komarov's horrifying and deadly secret agenda.

With many Western leaders persuaded that Komraov can lead his country into a new age, and the election looming, time is running out. . .

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0552139912
• ISBN13: 9780552139915
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Corgi Books
• Length: 540 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.0" x 1.3" x 4.3"

Customer Reviews

Compelling

I think it's ironic that this, the first Forsythe novel I read, should also be his last thriller. I read it on a long transoceanic flight a year ago and have become an avid Forsythe reader. This is my favorite of the books I've read so far, with Day of the Jackal a close second. I thought Forsythe's solution to the problem in the political system was intriguing, and the story was gripping.

Great spine tingler

I couldn't put this book down until I had finished. The places, dates and events brought History alive for me. Even the future events were vivid and realistic. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Forsyth's works. I give this work my highest recomendation. Read it, you'll like it, just as I did.

A Great Read!!

This is the first Frederick Forsyth book that I have read and I found the story to be riveting and the characters to be likable. The background historical information was very informative, too!

The Master's Final Stroke

In another example of his genius, in his last novel (Source : BBC World), Fedrick Forsyth has created a monster of a thriller of no mean proportions. The story starts off with the death of the President of Russia and the installment of a caretaker President who calls fresh elections. A former Soviet-era engineer with a gift of speech is one of the candidates and a cinch to win. However, his party has a secret manifesto, a black manifesto. A manifesto whoose objective is to cripple all of Russia's neighbours and establish a dictatorship even more powerful and renegade than the old Soviet Union. But, somehow by lax of security, even though the head of security is a former KGB colnel, the manifesto falls into the hands of a US diplomat. Alarms are immediatly raised, and a secret commitee is formed to discredit the candidate. A retired top - class agent is sent in a MI5 cum CIA operation. His misson? TO direct all ethinic minorities, the Islamic Mafia, the military, the Jewish businessmen, the Anti-Drug and Anti-Terrorist Squad and the Church of Russia against a advisary which would cause their mass slaughter. However, there is one trick still up the KGB colnel's sleeve - The Mafia, His own Balck Gaurd and 'Coup d'Êtat'. In future years this bestseller is sure to become a collector's item, not because of the fact that the author has declared it to be his final book but because of its sheer intense action and drama.