If I hadnt won a copy of this book thru GoodReads.com this is NOT the type of book I would have ever picked to read. To my total amazement and enjoyment I truly enjoyed reading this adventure. The characters were interesting, good in the places they were at in the book, the plot more then carefully plotted and I learned a lot about the Cold War that really started before WWII ended. It seemed like a whole complete book to me that could and can be read individually! I enjoyed the authors preface, gave a GREAT idea of what the book might contain and his notes in the back about some of the major players in the book! A truly satisfying read that I enjoyed immensely!