Geir Finne

The Svalbard Passage Geir Finne

A KGB plot to destroy America is discovered by an American pacifist and his journalist lover. The Russian government must eliminate the two before they are able to escape with their secret. The result: an Arctic chase of almost unbearable suspense across the frozen wasteland of Svalbard.

This action-packed romantic thriller, now a classic of historical fiction, was praised upon its initial release for shining light on little-known military and political realities. The novel was not devoid of the usual elements a reader expects in a thriller: intelligence services such as the KGB and CIA and their spies; political conspiracy, murder, crime and mystery. But the informative content of this page turner was what distinguished it from the pack. The book's co-author is a Norwegian professor at the world's northernmost university and a tireless researcher of the geopolitical significance of the European Arctic. In the past era of nuclear brinksmanship practiced by both the USSR and the United States, the powerful Russian Northern Fleet was headquartered in Murmansk. Its only access to the Atlantic was the Svalbard Passage, a sea corridor touched by the Gulfstream that remains navigable the year round. The Arctic island of Svalbard, a no-man's land since 1920, is home to various operations of many countries, Russia included. It is also near the North Pole, a mere eleven minutes by nuclear ballistic missile from America's industrial heartland. The Svalbard Passage played a role in raising awareness of this danger in the West. After the collapse of the USSR, the Northern Fleet ceased to be maintained. The novel, while retaining its status as a nail-biting thriller, lost much of its informative value. Now, however, the factual side of the book has been granted a second life. Russia under Putin has included in its military buildup the Northern Fleet and its port city of Murmansk. Access to the sea and proximity to the US are again of enormous military significance. The West again remains blind to a critical aspect of Russian military and nuclear strategy. For those hungry for thrillers with real-world import rather than mind-numbing series heroes, The Svalbard Passage is a must-read.

EDITORIAL REVIEWS

"Wryly drawn characters...absorbing."-Kirkus Reviews

"Tense drama...spectacular."-St. Louis Post Dispatch

"Riveting and fascinating."-Lerner Newspapers

"An absorbing tale...the stuff of which movies are made."-Rocky Mountain News

"Crackles ... a rousing good job." -Akron Beacon-Journal