Marco Polo, if you can [Large Print] [Hardcover]

William F. Buckley Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1982

Master of espionage fiction and National Book Award winner William F. Buckley Jr. brings us another in his best-selling series starring the intrepid CIA agent Blackford Oakes.

When a shadowy Russian mole threatens to undermine the free world's defenses by infiltrating President Eisenhower's National Security Counsel, CIA super-secret agent Blackford Oakes is called in to unmask the imposter. Then, Oakes turns the tables on the Communists by piloting a U-2 spy plane on a Gary Powers-style one-way mission behind the Iron Curtain. Sentenced to death and trapped in the depths of the Lubyanka prison, Oakes may have turned his last trick. Or has he?

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Published in 1982 and 1984, respectively, these are two of Buckley's popular Blackie Oakes spy thrillers. They feature the usual U.S./Soviet Cold War cloak-and-dagger action and provide "flawless entertainment" (LJ 3/1/84).
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Mixes politics, humor, suspense, and ingenious espionage capers in an enjoyable blend. --Publishers Weekly

Cuts closer to the bone than Le Carré has ever cut. --New Republic

Delightful reading for the spy thriller fan...absolutely must reading. --United Press International --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 414 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press (1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0896213617
• ISBN-13: 978-0896213616
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,976,560 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable Cold War Spy Tale, April 30, 2000

By 

"a_mom" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marco Polo, If You Can (Blackford Oakes Novel) (Paperback)

It's 1958 and a drunken Chairmen Khrushchev has just quoted verbatum from the top secret minutes of the National Security Council to President Eisenhower. Thus ensues an operation to find the KGB mole. The search takes our hero, CIA agent Blackford Oakes, to Germany, past the iron curtain into East Berlin.

So, how does Blacky come to find his U-2 experiencing an unrecoverable flameout over the USSR? Will he leave Lubyanka prison alive?

The suspense is wonderfully woven in this tale of suave, hansome and daring Blackford Oakes. I hated to put this one down. The ending is cleaver and unmistakably Buckley. This is a fun read.