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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
One of his Unputdownables. Good Ol-Skool tracking down of a mass murderer.
Read the Danish version. Remember it as quite intense and much better than the movie
Saw the movie of this one years ago, and liked it.... but the book is much better. Forsyth writes in a very straightforward fashion, so much so that you believe that this is true, even when parts of it are fiction.
A good page turner. Can imagine that this was quite shocking that such things happened and still existed in the 1970's, when the book was first published.
A good page turner. Can imagine that this was quite shocking that such things happened and still existed in the 1970's, when the book was first published.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An excellent historical educational thriller, and very cathartic at this particular time. The world could use a bit more unearthing and disrupting of evil nazi plans, since they do seem to keep coming back. I'd previously only read "The Day of the Jackal" by this author, and this book was much tighter and better written. I describe it as educational because it provides a ton of background information about everything that is going on in the book, which I found very helpful, since a lot of historical fiction incorrectly assumes the reader already has sufficient background knowledge. We've got some despicable bad guys, a really dumb protagonist, who is somehow muddling their way through, and a well paced story. Although written for an audience of 1972, I think it holds up well for an audience of 2024. I really enjoyed this one.
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Not as tense as "The Day of the Jackal", and the exposition is rather long.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Antisemitism, Murder, Deportation
Moderate: Gun violence
Omigod, I’m so craving for a page-turner book with exhilarating story…
Unfortunately, this book does not provide such luxury.
Anyway, the story is about a young German reporter who discovered a diary written by a Jewish Holocaust survivor, telling about the atrocities of the concentration camp in Riga, especially the commander, Eduard Roschmann. He is real, by the way, this Eduard guy. His nickname was the Butcher of Riga.
This eager reporter, named Peter Miller, immediately saw an opportunity for a great story. He decided to investigate about the whereabouts of Roschmann, who was believed to be alive and kickin’, despite his status as a war criminal. It was in 1963, so the West Germany’s government was in a mission to hunt down all former Nazis.
In the course of his investigative journalism works, Miller came across the ODESSA, a group solely established to protect ex Nazis of the SS, provided them with safe haven and assisted them in fleeing from the authority. The ODESSA’s West Germany branch was chaired by a man called the “Werwolf”. His organization was in the middle of developing a secret bubonic-plague rocket project with the Egyptian government. If you remember the Suez crisis in 1956, you’ll remember that Egypt was so pissed with the fact that they’re defeated by Israeli-British-French coalition, despite their political triumph (nationalization of the canal, etc).
Miller’s research brought him into the hands of a group of Jewish SS-hunters, who asked him to infiltrate the ODESSA by pretending to be a SS officer. It’s cool actually to see Miller’s being interrogated when he’s finally met with an ODESSA member. Various details on the SS, the most elite and vicious Nazis’ apparatus in World War II are described here. For those who are not familiar with the SS, well they’re the one who was responsible for establishing and managing concentration & extermination camps with mass gassing, inhumane treatment, malnutrition and appalling medical experiments.
Afterwards, the story just collapsed. The suspense built from the beginning no longer existed. I forced myself to read the rest, to be honest.
The other story line about the Israeli-Egyptian conflict was not really entertaining for me. I expected more focus to this issue, since in the following four years, there would be the famous Six-Day war in the Middle East.
The three stars given here is caused by the meticulous research Forsyth must've done before writing this book. In conclusion, I might not like his earlier style and plots. The Odessa File is his second novel after The Day of the Jackal. I do not share most people’s opinion that both novels are awesome. So sue me.
Unfortunately, this book does not provide such luxury.
Anyway, the story is about a young German reporter who discovered a diary written by a Jewish Holocaust survivor, telling about the atrocities of the concentration camp in Riga, especially the commander, Eduard Roschmann. He is real, by the way, this Eduard guy. His nickname was the Butcher of Riga.
This eager reporter, named Peter Miller, immediately saw an opportunity for a great story. He decided to investigate about the whereabouts of Roschmann, who was believed to be alive and kickin’, despite his status as a war criminal. It was in 1963, so the West Germany’s government was in a mission to hunt down all former Nazis.
In the course of his investigative journalism works, Miller came across the ODESSA, a group solely established to protect ex Nazis of the SS, provided them with safe haven and assisted them in fleeing from the authority. The ODESSA’s West Germany branch was chaired by a man called the “Werwolf”. His organization was in the middle of developing a secret bubonic-plague rocket project with the Egyptian government. If you remember the Suez crisis in 1956, you’ll remember that Egypt was so pissed with the fact that they’re defeated by Israeli-British-French coalition, despite their political triumph (nationalization of the canal, etc).
Miller’s research brought him into the hands of a group of Jewish SS-hunters, who asked him to infiltrate the ODESSA by pretending to be a SS officer. It’s cool actually to see Miller’s being interrogated when he’s finally met with an ODESSA member. Various details on the SS, the most elite and vicious Nazis’ apparatus in World War II are described here. For those who are not familiar with the SS, well they’re the one who was responsible for establishing and managing concentration & extermination camps with mass gassing, inhumane treatment, malnutrition and appalling medical experiments.
Afterwards, the story just collapsed. The suspense built from the beginning no longer existed. I forced myself to read the rest, to be honest.
The other story line about the Israeli-Egyptian conflict was not really entertaining for me. I expected more focus to this issue, since in the following four years, there would be the famous Six-Day war in the Middle East.
The three stars given here is caused by the meticulous research Forsyth must've done before writing this book. In conclusion, I might not like his earlier style and plots. The Odessa File is his second novel after The Day of the Jackal. I do not share most people’s opinion that both novels are awesome. So sue me.
saya sih tidak tertarik dengan pernik-pernik mengenai SS.
saya lebih tertarik pada bagaimana forsyth membangun imajinasi lewat buku harian tinggalan seorang yahudi yang pernah mengalami aniaya di riga, ditambah pengalaman forsyth sendiri mengelana ke austria, jerman, italia mau pun london.
buku harian itu terlalu lengkap sebagai sebuah buku harian.
sepertinya, penulis buku harian itu -yang adalah tawanan di sana- bisa leluasa mengetahui ukuran seluruh area, tahu nama-nama banyak orang di sana, tahu menyeluruh kegiatan mau pun lokasi kam konsentrasi itu. padahal dia cuma tawanan. benarkah buku harian yang dijadikan awalan novel ini bener-bener ada?
saya gak terlalu yakin.
karena itu, maka saya anggap novel ini sepenuhnya fiksi, meski menyebut banyak nama historis, pun peristiwa2 yang bener-bener ada. nama dan peristiwa historis itu digunakan untuk menuntun rangkaian cerita yang dalam arsip sejarah masih berlubang-lubang.
aneh juga,
seorang wartawan jerman, peter miller, masih nanya-nanya alamat dan lokasi tempat-tempat penting di jerman. tokoh in imemperlihatkan hasil konstruk dari penulisnya yang bukan orang jerman yang digunakan oleh penulis [forsyth orang inggris] menuntun pemabcanya mengenal pelosok-pelosok jerman.
kira-kira separoh tebal buku ini,
si jagoan baru mulai masuk ke sarang musuhnya; organisasi pelindung mantan perwira SS, ODESSA. sebelumnya, banyak halaman digunakan untuk meyakinkan kita pembacanya, mengenai apa itu SS, ODESSA dan peran "alumni" SS dalam perang-perang di timur tengah. saya pikir, ini upaya forsyth untuk menambahi bobot bahwa kisahnya yang cuma berawal dari buku harian itu adalah kisah yang berbobot global.
baguslah,
dan pesan moral yang mau disampaikan lewat novel ini adalah bahwa kejahatan holocaust itu bukan kejahatan kolektif, tapi personal sehingga kita bisa menuntut pelaku-pelakunya. jerman sebagai bangsa tidak membenci yahudi [diperlihatkan bahwa sang jagoan adalah wartawan jerman], tapi ada memang individu2 jerman yang jahat.
barusan selesaikan novel ini.
novel holywood. maksud saya, cocok bila difilmkan oleh industri film hiburan holywood sana.
urusan serius antar bangsa, antar ras, ujung-ujungnya adalah urusan pribadi.
mengapa miller ingin benar mengejar roschman, penjahat perang dari riga, adalah karena roschmann inilah yang membunuh ayah miller, kapten angkatan darat jerman. informasi yang ia dapatkan ketika membaca buku harian orang yahudi yang ia punyai.
tapi cara mengakhiri ceritanya memang berkesan antiklimaks. di hampir seperempat tebal buku, ketegangan itu memuncak, tapi dikendurkan begitu saja dengan berbagai kebetulan [bom mobil salah pasang, telepon putus shg pengawal pergi meninggalkan boss yg harus dilindungi.] yang bagi pembaca terasa menjengkelkan.
namun,
pembaca juga sudah dimanjakan dengan berbagai informasi mengenai nazi, SS dan sepak terjang mereka yang bagi sebagian besar orang masih tertutup. secara keseluruhan, buku ini menghibur.
baguslah... [pengen baca the day of the jackal..hehe... dulu pernah mengikuti di cerita bersambung kompas tapi gak runtut]
saya lebih tertarik pada bagaimana forsyth membangun imajinasi lewat buku harian tinggalan seorang yahudi yang pernah mengalami aniaya di riga, ditambah pengalaman forsyth sendiri mengelana ke austria, jerman, italia mau pun london.
buku harian itu terlalu lengkap sebagai sebuah buku harian.
sepertinya, penulis buku harian itu -yang adalah tawanan di sana- bisa leluasa mengetahui ukuran seluruh area, tahu nama-nama banyak orang di sana, tahu menyeluruh kegiatan mau pun lokasi kam konsentrasi itu. padahal dia cuma tawanan. benarkah buku harian yang dijadikan awalan novel ini bener-bener ada?
saya gak terlalu yakin.
karena itu, maka saya anggap novel ini sepenuhnya fiksi, meski menyebut banyak nama historis, pun peristiwa2 yang bener-bener ada. nama dan peristiwa historis itu digunakan untuk menuntun rangkaian cerita yang dalam arsip sejarah masih berlubang-lubang.
aneh juga,
seorang wartawan jerman, peter miller, masih nanya-nanya alamat dan lokasi tempat-tempat penting di jerman. tokoh in imemperlihatkan hasil konstruk dari penulisnya yang bukan orang jerman yang digunakan oleh penulis [forsyth orang inggris] menuntun pemabcanya mengenal pelosok-pelosok jerman.
kira-kira separoh tebal buku ini,
si jagoan baru mulai masuk ke sarang musuhnya; organisasi pelindung mantan perwira SS, ODESSA. sebelumnya, banyak halaman digunakan untuk meyakinkan kita pembacanya, mengenai apa itu SS, ODESSA dan peran "alumni" SS dalam perang-perang di timur tengah. saya pikir, ini upaya forsyth untuk menambahi bobot bahwa kisahnya yang cuma berawal dari buku harian itu adalah kisah yang berbobot global.
baguslah,
dan pesan moral yang mau disampaikan lewat novel ini adalah bahwa kejahatan holocaust itu bukan kejahatan kolektif, tapi personal sehingga kita bisa menuntut pelaku-pelakunya. jerman sebagai bangsa tidak membenci yahudi [diperlihatkan bahwa sang jagoan adalah wartawan jerman], tapi ada memang individu2 jerman yang jahat.
barusan selesaikan novel ini.
novel holywood. maksud saya, cocok bila difilmkan oleh industri film hiburan holywood sana.
urusan serius antar bangsa, antar ras, ujung-ujungnya adalah urusan pribadi.
mengapa miller ingin benar mengejar roschman, penjahat perang dari riga, adalah karena roschmann inilah yang membunuh ayah miller, kapten angkatan darat jerman. informasi yang ia dapatkan ketika membaca buku harian orang yahudi yang ia punyai.
tapi cara mengakhiri ceritanya memang berkesan antiklimaks. di hampir seperempat tebal buku, ketegangan itu memuncak, tapi dikendurkan begitu saja dengan berbagai kebetulan [bom mobil salah pasang, telepon putus shg pengawal pergi meninggalkan boss yg harus dilindungi.] yang bagi pembaca terasa menjengkelkan.
namun,
pembaca juga sudah dimanjakan dengan berbagai informasi mengenai nazi, SS dan sepak terjang mereka yang bagi sebagian besar orang masih tertutup. secara keseluruhan, buku ini menghibur.
baguslah... [pengen baca the day of the jackal..hehe... dulu pernah mengikuti di cerita bersambung kompas tapi gak runtut]
author: What did you think of the manuscript?
editor: Looks good. The true historical parts were interesting. Some of the action sequences were exciting and others were a little too Batmanesque. The twist at the end was very good, I didn't see that coming. Overall I like it but remember, this is the early 1970s and you have to add gratuitous sex scenes in the early and later sections of the book. Make them awkward and out of place and make sure to describe the young woman's anatomy in the most objectifying ways. And large breasts are a must. There might be a movie adaptation if you check all the right boxes.
3.5 stars - A good distraction from life here on Earth 2.0.
editor: Looks good. The true historical parts were interesting. Some of the action sequences were exciting and others were a little too Batmanesque. The twist at the end was very good, I didn't see that coming. Overall I like it but remember, this is the early 1970s and you have to add gratuitous sex scenes in the early and later sections of the book. Make them awkward and out of place and make sure to describe the young woman's anatomy in the most objectifying ways. And large breasts are a must. There might be a movie adaptation if you check all the right boxes.
3.5 stars - A good distraction from life here on Earth 2.0.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes