Night Soldiers

A thoroughly compelling read, I will be reading the entire series. Alan Furst was unknown to me until my local newspaper ran a story about his current novel, A Hero of France, since he was to appear in person at the next meeting of the paper’s book club. I read the review of the book, and it had elements that appealed to me. So I researched all his titles and decided to start at the beginning with Night Soldiers. Most of the spy stories I’ve read were told from the Western point of view, but this glimpse into the Stalin-era Russian operation was eye-opening. Furst’s narratives are well-paced and continuous; rarely does he build up suspense and then switch scenes, a device used by far too many writers. This book contains 5 chapters of about 100 pages each, with its own story that builds on the previous chapters. The wonderful descriptive prose does not take away from the actual story, but enhances it in a way that almost brings you to the scene. I’m ready for next book, and I’m certain that I’ll read them all.

What is it about this guy that attracts readers? He doesn’t write “spy novels,” but vignettes about ordinary people whose lives are peripherally affected by Extraordinary Events that are completely out of their control or even awareness. Real people probably had those same experiences. But there is no story and only the loosest connection among the many characters that resurface and fade after a suitable number of blank dividing lines (never mind chapters), it’s hard to remember or keep track, or care. The “novels” always concern 1934 to 1945, more or less, and it’s Germany or Russia versus everybody and the Jews trying to survive and largely failing. The good news is that the Allies won (but you knew that), until the Soviets took over half the world and we entered the Cold War. Furst writes well, but a 1930s travelogue-cum-political lecture is a poor substitute for an engaging story about people one can care for who actually progress through a narrative. And did I say boring to slog through 480 pages of needless description?

Furst has rabid fans and critical acclaim, but I steered away from “Night Soldiers” for a couple of years because I wasn’t interested in the history of the Balkans pre-WWII or even the Spanish Civil War after reading the usual novels. This was an error because Furst is a master of characterization and his detailed settings propel multiple plot lines at a good clip. The first quarter of the book flew by, then there was a quiet period (Soviet Union to Spain into France), then from Paris onward the action and tension built. Furst’s a first-rate story teller and I now appreciate why he has such a loyal fan base. Bewarned that it’s a long, complex book with plenty of characters to keep track of, but that’s a small price to pay for such a tale.

This is the third time I will read this novel. In my opinion, Furst’s Night Soldiers is the BEST international, historical, espionage novel. It’s the subtleties and factual detail about obscure, but details of pre-war Eastern Europe: Stalin’s Russia, Spanish Civil War, the NKVD and even the fascist parties in Bulgaria (Eastern Europe). Furst’s best book among many great researched novels about the turmoil in Eastern Europe. If you find the story of how small, but significant actions can alter the course of world events. This book is definitely for you.

This book far exceeded my expectations. Although I’ve enjoyed spy novels by Ian Fleming and Daniel Silva, I’m not really a fan of the genre. But this book is a different animal. It’s not a slam-bam, non-stop action adventure. Rather, it’s a literary spy novel that’s filled with excellent writing, moody atmosphere, memorable characters, historical imagination, plus some suspense scenes that keep the reader turning the page.

The plot involves a young Bulgarian man who is recruited by the Soviet spy apparatus in 1934. He winds up in the middle of the Spanish Civil War and then travels to Paris when World War II breaks out. It makes for historical fiction at its best and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes spy novels, World War II stories or anyone looking for a top flight piece of literature.

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