The Soloist: A Nazi Collaborators Deadly Mission Against the City of New York By Donald Gates
He's a Finnish soldier who, in response to the invasion of his homeland in 1939, cut down scores of enemy troops while acting on his own behind Red Army lines, then went on to join a Waffen SS brigade in order to personally wage war deep inside Russia. Now, in December of 1944, he is in Manhattan, sent by Nazi Germany to pave the way for an operation which, if successful, will claim the lives of tens of thousands of Americans. While Germany's purpose for the mass killing of civilians on American soil is to leverage the Roosevelt government into truce talks aimed at stalling Allied advances in Western Europe after Normandy, the battle-hardened Finn is privately on a mission of his own. Driven by an intense hatred of the United States for what he views as its ongoing support of Russian efforts to crush Finland and bring it under Soviet control, he devises a murderous, retaliatory plan and, once established in New York, secretly sets out to implement it. In doing so, he uses his skills as a solo operator to adapt to a menacing environment, evade capture by the FBI, and brutally eliminate anyone seen as an obstacle to his violent agenda. The Soloist: A Nazi Collaborators Deadly Mission Against the City of New York
Great historical thriller
Well researched book, with a thoroughly complex antagonist. Takes you on a thrilling ride on a believable fiction tale. I couldn’t put it down because it was addictive. Great historical thriller. 5 stars. 308 Donald Gates is a fine espionage author with an enviable knowledge and an admirable work ethic, and The Soloist is no less than a gripping, interesting, exciting thriller, which lingers more on the cerebral than the action, and relies on the intelligence of its reader - which is always a good thing, and something I take as a compliment, as the reader. In the vein of Frederick Forsyth, the antagonist is the lead character, and a very cool, callous one he is at that, going about his business with the ruthless efficiency of Forsyth’s Jackal, as he plots and prepares a large-scale Nazi-terrorist atrocity on American soil, whilst being frantically tracked by dedicated FBI agents, during the closing moments of World War Two.
The plot is a simple one, and is not over-complicated or unnecessarily convoluted, as some in this genre tend to be. That said, it is informative, well-researched, and Gates displays a highly respectable knowledge of his subject matter, both in respect of the construction aspect of the planning, and of military dynamics, on the sides of both the Nazis and the Americans. I did feel that perhaps Gates spent a little too much time concentrating on the schematics and intricate planning of Laurila’s very blue-collar caper, and would have liked to see more of the war and general action scenes; the scenes in Europe are probably where this book is at its best. Also, perhaps a more clear-cut protagonist – the character of Kramer is developed well, and is afforded a very personal backstory, but I felt he was just sharing the limelight a little as the primary investigator.
All in all, though, The Soloist is a high quality, extremely accomplished and professional espionage thriller. If you like this genre of books, you will do a lot worse, and to be honest, even if you don’t, I still think you’ll enjoy it a great deal. It was a very easy read, and I soared through it very quickly, yet no corners were cut in terms of its authenticity or procedural accuracy. I am finding myself more and more engaged by books about Nazi Germany in the second world war, and The Soloist is a good one.
308 I really enjoyed the perspective of the bad guy throughout this WWII novel. Plot twists were good and I liked the efforts of the FBI agents in their attempts to track him down. Highly recommend it. 308 Good read!!
WOW! This was an amazing story! So many twists and turns. But at times it seemed like the nasty Nazi was made to look like the protagonist. Puzzling 308
Absolutely Fantastic Thriller!
I don’t often read books in this genre but the very interesting title drew me in. I couldn’t put it down! The writing just pulled me into this amazing story of would-be domestic terrorist Jorma Laurila and his involvement in an attempt to murder thousands of innocent people because of his real and perceived injustices. So many reviewers have already given away much of the plot. Let me just say I gasped and cringed and even prayed while reading this story as the cold-blooded killer Laurila methodically worked toward his goal. My heart ached for his innocent victims and was in my throat toward the end when it looked as though his neighbor and her son would end up being his victims. The writing is so well done. Even when we’re taken back a few years to set up the back story, it flows seamlessly together. From it’s opening pages to its incredible conclusion Special Agent Kramer and others are just as methodically working towards trying to find and arrest Laurila before it’s too late. Incredible attention to detail in every aspect of the book. Just wow. Do yourself a favor and read this book. It’s just that good. 308 I enjoyed reading this spy thriller set in an area of the US. The research that went into writing such an exhaustive novel must have been immense, and the detail of the writing is admirable. There is extensive detail of the aqueduct construction scenes were too much and got confusing for me as well. The characters were all well developed and convincing. The one thing that didn't make sense however for me was why the main character, the spy from Finland would leave his car in the parking lot of his apartment complex with four flat tires and license plate attached? As meticulous as the spy was throughout the whole novel, this didn't make sense to me and seemed out of character for his behavior. I am giving the book a 4-Star rating, although I think the author should consider paring the length down and doing some editing. Great story though !! 308 Donald Gates ‟The Soloist” seems as real as it can get. If this is Gates's first novel, then look out there's a thrill ride coming.
Laurilla, a veteran of the brutal Winter War between Finland and Russia, the protagonist or main character, Laurilla was convinced that the United States would allow Russia to sweep Finland and place his country under Russian rule. He carried that thought with him all his life, and his hatred grew. When given the opportunity by the Nazis to deliver a crushing blow to the USA, he jumped at the chance, trained, and was covertly secreted into the USA, New York. A spymaster mission sometimes boring, the operator is incredibly smart, and with steel nerves, he went to work. This story seems so real that I thought that I was there. The FBI and their role were extremely well done, and all the characters fit like a glove to the setting and story. I could go on, but why? Just read the book.
308 I couldn't put it down!! Espionage, mystery, and the 1940’s as the setting all drew me into this book and the more I read the less I wanted to put it down!
This is a fantastic first book for author Donald Gates and if this story is any indication of how his writing will go, he has a long career ahead! 308 Got to like an anti-hero story
Interesting story. It is an anti-hero story about a Finnish spy trying to exact revenge on Americans for their involvement with the Russians fighting the Germans. It’s a little convoluted. The spy is sent to NYC with a goal of poisoning the water supply. The FBI are involved in this rambling cat and mouse game. I like the story but the format of not having delineated chapters rubbed me the wrong way. Only ding here. 308
