Rating: 
Summary: Cold War Espionage
Review: A moderately well written account of one man's increasing disaffection with Soviet society and his place in it as a middleranking Eighth Chief Directorate (KGB) officer in the Brezhnev era. Although regrettably ponderous in parts, as the writer obviously doctors dialogue to fill in readers unfamiliar with Russo-Soviet life, history and ways, the book reads easily and seems largely plausible. The work shares the faults of most defector-penned accounts in seeing only the faults of the USSR and none of the advantages; nor the faults of the US and "Western" world. For example, Sheymov's child is being exposed to unpleasant Soviet propaganda at pre-school..well, fine, but there is propaganda equally strong and often more subtle in the "West": one only need read a copy of "Reader's Digest" to see that...and what about the indoctrination of children in the US with "holocaust" stories, such as the fictional accounts of Anna Frank and "Schindler's Ark", which are so often presented as fact? In the end, one cannot say that this book has much more in it of a psychological nature to lift it above the accounts of other defectors' literary efforts (Suvorov, Levchenko et al), but is given 4 out of 5 marks for at least not being boring.
Rating: 
Summary: Their Tower of Secrets, our Garden of Freedom...
Review: If you enjoy reading spy thrillers than this is the book for you!!! Victor Sheymov gives his readers a detailed, but fascinating account of his life and ultimately his defection from the KGB. As a child growing up during the heart of the Cold War, I was (and still am) intrigued by "The Great Enemy". Having traveled to Russia and some of the surrounding States (while they were still the 'Soviet Union') I have seen first hand the hardships people there face daily, and realize how difficult it must have been for Victor. This book is one of the best I have read. Pick it up and you won't be able to put it down. From Victor's beginnings in the KGB, his surprisingly speedy climb through it's ranks and the culmination with his appointment to one of the most sensetive posts, the reader has a picture, never before seen in such detail, of just how corrupt the KGB really was, and how that ultimately leads to it's downfall. This is just a great book!!!! I Hope Vi! ctor and his family are doing well....
Rating:
Summary: The Real Thing!!!
Review: If you enjoy reading spy thrillers than this is the book for you!!! Victor Sheymov gives his readers a detailed, but fascinating account of his life and ultimately his defection from the KGB. As a child growing up during the heart of the Cold War, I was (and still am) intrigued by "The Great Enemy". Having traveled to Russia and some of the surrounding States (while they were still the 'Soviet Union') I have seen first hand the hardships people there face daily, and realize how difficult it must have been for Victor. This book is one of the best I have read. Pick it up and you won't be able to put it down. From Victor's beginnings in the KGB, his surprisingly speedy climb through it's ranks and the culmination with his appointment to one of the most sensetive posts, the reader has a picture, never before seen in such detail, of just how corrupt the KGB really was, and how that ultimately leads to it's downfall. This is just a great book!!!! I Hope Vi! ctor and his family are doing well....
Rating:
Summary: Still Useful Insights
Review: One might ask why twenty plus years on, the experiences of the author might have some significance other than to the historians of intelligence and the students of tradecraft and organization.
The primary reason I first bought this was that it dealt with Soviet SIGINT operations. Of course, one must keep in mind that in return for his exfiltration and a new start in the West, the suthor will not reveal anything that our side does not want him to even though the other side may have known what he revealed, we might not want that known by a third party in the intelligence business.
What is most relevent here and now is that the author was in the KGB, thoroughly understood its mindset, and broke with that mindset. It has been said that the KGB with its world wide tentacles was the only part of the USSR government that truly knew the situation both politically and economically.
Just because the KGB no longer exists in its old form, it formed the base of the Russian intelligence service of today. And most important of all, power has settled in the hands of Putin, who no matter how affable and westernized he may seem, spent all his working life in the KGB and its successor.
Consider that fact with the author' opinion that the Stalinists may come back. I think they will not but that authoritarianism very well might. After all the Russian never lived in a democracy before Communism and have no experience with it. And observe the semi anarchic business and social conditions in Russia. Belarus has already gone back to authoritanism.
Thus, this book remains useful for studying the other side, whether they prove to be friends or foes again.
Rating:
Summary: Throughly captivating and insightful!
Review: The author is a scientist/engineer with a true literary gift; Sheymov has taken a real-life experience and related it with the excitement of a Blackford Oakes adventure. This is the story of a man who - in the words of Milovan Djilas - "thought his way out of communism", which is made even more amazing given his privledged upbringing and lack of access to anything to which to compare communism. Sheymov risked everything (family, friends, career, life-style, life) in the belief that whatever was out there had to be better for his family. One can only hope that our government is still listening to his astute insight into the workings of the Russian political mind. He predicted that when the communistic system collapsed, Russia would flirt with democracy but then make a sharp reversal and return to Stalinism. The first part of the prediction has come true; hopefully, Sheymov can contribute to our country's foriegn policy to try to prevent the latter.
Rating:
Summary: Throughly captivating and insightful!
Review: The author is a scientist/engineer with a true literary gift; Sheymov has taken a real-life experience and related it with the excitement of a Blackford Oakes adventure. This is the story of a man who - in the words of Milovan Djilas - "thought his way out of communism", which is made even more amazing given his privledged upbringing and lack of access to anything to which to compare communism. Sheymov risked everything (family, friends, career, life-style, life) in the belief that whatever was out there had to be better for his family. One can only hope that our government is still listening to his astute insight into the workings of the Russian political mind. He predicted that when the communistic system collapsed, Russia would flirt with democracy but then make a sharp reversal and return to Stalinism. The first part of the prediction has come true; hopefully, Sheymov can contribute to our country's foriegn policy to try to prevent the latter.
Rating:
Summary: this book rules!
Review: This bood is awesome. I have read more than half of the book as of now. I like the way it is written, and the insight the author provides for the readers about the KGB. Some of the things though are hard to prove though. So it is hard to see whether or not some points were exagerrated in the book or not. Overall the book I like a lot. Peace!
Rating:
Summary: Fun and authoritative
Review: This book is fun. It provides a look at the career of a KGB officer with a level of detail that makes one thing abundantly clear: the KGB and CIA are more alike than one might think, for the simply reason that they are both bureaucracies. Smoothly presented, enjoyable throughout.
Rating:
Summary: Fun and authoritative
Review: This book is fun. It provides a look at the career of a KGB officer with a level of detail that makes one thing abundantly clear: the KGB and CIA are more alike than one might think, for the simply reason that they are both bureaucracies. Smoothly presented, enjoyable throughout.
Rating:
Summary: Cold War Fun
Review: This book was an interesting look at the KGB during the first part of the cold war. I think we all have a view of the KGB, which was formed during the years of the cold war, a large, well run organization that many times was one step ahead of the U.S. This author does not go against that view. The author is relating his experiences in the arm of the KGB that was responsible for information gathering, primarily against the U.S. and NATO. There are some interesting bits and you get a good look that this authors insight to "the game". This book details what actually happened in the KGB during this time with an inside account of the methods of the KGB and a run down of some of the missions they took part in. The author does a good job in providing the reader with many of the interesting tradecraft bit about the KGB. Overall this is an interesting book that gives the espionage junky an another look into the KGB. The book is well written and does not drag or stumble. It keeps the readers interest through out. If you are an armchair expert on the topic then this is another of the titles you will undoubtedly already have or will need to pick up. If you are the general reader then this is a good broad description of the KGB that is interesting, but not the definitive one volume work.
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