THE COMPANY

In this fascinating fictional look at the European operations of the CIA from the early 1950s to the mid-1990s, real people (Eisenhower, Reagan, Allen Dulles) abound. But the book’s focus is on some dozen fictional characters employed by the CIA, KGB, Mossad, MI5, and other organizations involved in the clandestine activities of the Cold War. Narrator Scott Brick is brilliant. He manages a large and diverse cast that includes Americans from differing backgrounds, as well as English, German, Hungarian, Russian, and Israeli operators of both sexes and varying ages. At the same time that he somehow manages to keep all of the characters separate, giving each a distinct voice, his reading beautifully conveys the moods of the story: elation, terror, suspense, disappointment, joy. Brick’s narration kept me hooked on the details of covert action through all 30 cassettes. R.E.K. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 03]