In an exciting sequel to The Wind Chill Factor, John Cooper comes to Berlin in the 1990s to search for his niece who could be the victim of a kidnapping--or entangled in neo-Nazi activities. 100,000 first printing. $100,000 ad/promo.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
"I am not I; he is not he; they are not they." Suspense fans will recognize the opening epigraph of Gifford's new novel as the one that, 19 years ago, began The Wind Chill Factor , perhaps the best Fourth Reich Nazi thriller ever. Now, after several intervening novels (most recently, Praetorian ), Gifford continues the story of the Cooper family--and the good news is that the sequel is nearly as good as the original. It's the 1990s, 20 years after the violent Siege of Cooper's Falls. Germany is unified, and John Cooper's sister, Lee, is married to Wolf Koller--industrialist, real estate tycoon and secret sponsor of right-wing terrorist groups whose riots and rallies seem to be staged to solidify Koller as the law-and-order power behind whoever runs the new Germany. But Koller is also the force behind a secret plan called SPARTAKUS; when his grown daughter, Erika, finds out about it, she tries to kill herself, fails and then vanishes. Desperate, Lee reaches out to John, now running a movie house/bookstore in Boston. Traveling to Germany to find the missing young woman, he becomes enmeshed in a web of shifting loyalties and international intrigue that's centered around SPARTAKUS, the threat of a united Germany and the shadow of Adolf Hitler. This is a more conventional thriller than its predecessor, but it stands on its own and makes the Cooper family history intelligible to newcomers without giving away the surprises of the first book. Unlike The Wind Chill Factor , moreover, this is told in the third person, giving Gifford more latitude in characterization and plotting. Withholding some twists until the very end, this outstanding thriller will nail readers to the page as it takes current events and concerns about the new Germany to a chillingly logical conclusion. 100,000 first printing; Literary Guild, Mystery Guild and Doubleday Book Club alternates.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
Twenty years ago John Cooper almost single-handedly shattered the underground rise of the Fourth Reich (The Wind Chill Factor, 1976). He now lives quietly in Boston, watching old movies in his theater, until he receives a plea for help from his estranged sister in Berlin, whose daughter is missing. Thus, Cooper heads back to Germany and into a maelstrom of murder and mayhem. Neo-Nazis roam the streets, and a billionaire industrialist named Wolf Koller-who just so happens to be married to Cooper's sister-offers a vision for a new, powerful Germany. Soon, Cooper and Koller are pitted against each other, for Lee Koller and her daughter are but pawns in Wolf's deadly game. Gifford has once again fashioned an absorbing, riveting, horrifyingly plausible tale. Readers looking for post-Cold War thrillers need look no further. Recommended for most fiction collections.
Dean James, Houston Acad. of Medicine/Texas Medical Ctr. Lib.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Dean James, Houston Acad. of Medicine/Texas Medical Ctr. Lib.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
medicore,
By
This review is from: First Sacrifice, The (Hardcover)
The First Sacrifice was a loaner from a relative who thought I'd love the setting of the book - Berlin, a city near and dear to my heart. And for me, it was the best part of the book - his descriptions of the city, its layout and familar haunts made me "homesick."The plot, on the otherhand, left much to be desired. This may be a function of me reading the sequel without having read the previous story - there are allusions to events that happened "earlier", but it didn't seem to make a huge difference to me. Essentially the story deals with the resurgence of a 4th Reich in the newly re-united Germany, with plenty of intrigue, twists, and double-dealing characters. Similar to a Le Carre or Ludlum book, but not nearly as well written or as tight. The book would make for a decent airplane read, short of that, not recommended.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Too Confused,
By
This review is from: First Sacrifice, The (Paperback)
The first sacrifice was to the readers of this book. The story really stretches believability and for no reason. Change some of the characters and you would buy into it. Another issue I had was the confusing sub plots that seemed to be through in just to add another 50 pages to keep up the size of Clancy or Ludlum books. Some of the characters were interesting and the end third of the book came together, but all in all it took an heck of an effort to get to the end. This is a book that takes all of your concentration to get through, and for all that work the pay off is not that rewarding.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Read,
By
This review is from: First Sacrifice, The (Hardcover)
I don't know what is up with the other reviews but I could not put this book down.
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