ICON (1996)
By
Frederick Forsyth
Icon was published in 1996 and describes the events of 1999
in Russia.
Elections are due to be held in January 2000. Neo-fascists
,led by United Patriotic Forces’ leader Igor Komarov, are locked in a fight
with resurgent Communists. Komarov was a brilliant orator, had captured public
imagination by promising to fix Russia’s problems and was leading in opinion
polls. He had an armed militia, Black Guards of his own led by ex-KGB chief. He was being
bankrolled and tactically supported by mafia groups. The juggernaut was rolling
along in unstoppable form.
But a handwritten Black Manifesto gets leaked from Komarov’s
office and finds its way into the British Embassy and from thereon to SIS and into the hands of its ex-head Sir
Nigel Irvine. The Manifesto contained plans for extermination of Jews, chechans
and other minorities, and converting Russia into a one –party state.
With the help of the famed Council of Lincoln, Sir Nigel,
set out to save Russia and the world from the imminent threat. He enlisted
Jason Monk who with a bit of pluck and stratagem,
ruins Komarov’s plan.
One thing about the novel struck me. Igor Komarov was a
great orator but never did press conferences. That passage is pure gold. It might
have contemporary relevance.
Comments
Post a Comment