Customer Rating: 
Summary: Nothing really HAPPENS!
Comment: While I enjoyed this book and found myself wanting to come back to it, it DID take me about 3 weeks to read. By the end of the book I was left with this unsatisfied feeling. Many scenarios begin to unfold but a pin is quickly put in the balloon and all the air let out. There were so many opportunities in this book to really make it interesting but they never materialized. I kept thinking something was going to happen, but it never did. The invisible Gestapo who seemingly trail Russell throughout the second half of the book would have been much more interesting had they actually materialized and terrorized him a bit (as we all know they did in reality). It's hard to describe this book. I loved the author's descriptions and thought most of the character development was excellent, but I found that I really did not care about the characters. There are other better WWII spy novels around and I suggest you look elsewhere. One I would definitely recommend is The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva - an excellent read.
Customer Rating:
Summary: more a historical tale than a Nazi Era espionage thriller
Comment: In 1939 Berlin, Englishman John Russell earns a meager living as a reporter in Germany where he has lived for a decade and half. Although he fears what is going on inside his adopted country, John does not want to leave because he loves his young son Paul and the lad's mother his girlfriend Effi Koenen; and wants to remain with them.
A Soviet operative hires Russell to write several articles to be published in Pravda lauding the Nazi accomplishments, but ignoring their atrocities in order to sell the nonaggression pact to the people. Although he detests extolling the virtues of this criminal regime, John accepts the assignment that will pay a lot. He agrees not because of the money, but he thinks he can help his home country with information. However, the British no longer trust John and the Nazis watch his every move threatening his two loves ones.
As in Russell's previous appearance (see SILESIAN STATION), he is an everyday guy caught up in world events; thus once again even with plenty of suspense and intrigue, ZOO STATION is more a historical tale than a Nazi Era espionage thriller. David Downing writes how everyman finds the inner vigor and intensity to become a superhero when the motive, opportunity and means enable the person to step up to the plate. In harrowing times, John swings the bat.
Harriet Klausner
Customer Rating:
Summary: Inside 1939 Berlin
Comment: An interesting look at Berlin leading up to WWII. A competent spy story. Not quite up to Ambler and Furst, but definitely reaching for that mark.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Decent Historical Thriller; 3.5 stars
Comment: The quality of writing, plotting, and characterization in this book are solid. Nothing exceptional but above average.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very good store
Comment: I throughly enjoyed this book - John Russell is very well written protagonist. Russell has a son and girlfriend in Berlin and, as such, wants to stay in Germany; however, this means moral choices - the decision to play it safe or helping people and newsstories get of country that would surely get him in trouble (dead) if caught.
A former communist acquaintance contacts Russell for human interest stories for Prada but is that really all the Soviets' want? And in the capacity of the Prada assignment, he comes under the scrutiny of English intelligence service and the Gestapo.
The story was very well researched and written with glimpses of Hitler Youth through Paul, Russell's son, and the propaganda from Effi, Russell's cynical actress girlfriend, who can only get parts in Nazi moral movies and plays that showcase the master race.
I hope that there will be a sequel to this book as I am curious how the characters will develop. I would hate to know that Paul (John's son) will be one of the countless Hitler Youth children drafted to defend Berlin prior to the Soviet invasion. Save him, David Downing!!!
Summary: Nothing really HAPPENS!
Comment: While I enjoyed this book and found myself wanting to come back to it, it DID take me about 3 weeks to read. By the end of the book I was left with this unsatisfied feeling. Many scenarios begin to unfold but a pin is quickly put in the balloon and all the air let out. There were so many opportunities in this book to really make it interesting but they never materialized. I kept thinking something was going to happen, but it never did. The invisible Gestapo who seemingly trail Russell throughout the second half of the book would have been much more interesting had they actually materialized and terrorized him a bit (as we all know they did in reality). It's hard to describe this book. I loved the author's descriptions and thought most of the character development was excellent, but I found that I really did not care about the characters. There are other better WWII spy novels around and I suggest you look elsewhere. One I would definitely recommend is The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva - an excellent read.
Customer Rating:
Summary: more a historical tale than a Nazi Era espionage thriller
Comment: In 1939 Berlin, Englishman John Russell earns a meager living as a reporter in Germany where he has lived for a decade and half. Although he fears what is going on inside his adopted country, John does not want to leave because he loves his young son Paul and the lad's mother his girlfriend Effi Koenen; and wants to remain with them.
A Soviet operative hires Russell to write several articles to be published in Pravda lauding the Nazi accomplishments, but ignoring their atrocities in order to sell the nonaggression pact to the people. Although he detests extolling the virtues of this criminal regime, John accepts the assignment that will pay a lot. He agrees not because of the money, but he thinks he can help his home country with information. However, the British no longer trust John and the Nazis watch his every move threatening his two loves ones.
As in Russell's previous appearance (see SILESIAN STATION), he is an everyday guy caught up in world events; thus once again even with plenty of suspense and intrigue, ZOO STATION is more a historical tale than a Nazi Era espionage thriller. David Downing writes how everyman finds the inner vigor and intensity to become a superhero when the motive, opportunity and means enable the person to step up to the plate. In harrowing times, John swings the bat.
Harriet Klausner
Customer Rating:
Summary: Inside 1939 Berlin
Comment: An interesting look at Berlin leading up to WWII. A competent spy story. Not quite up to Ambler and Furst, but definitely reaching for that mark.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Decent Historical Thriller; 3.5 stars
Comment: The quality of writing, plotting, and characterization in this book are solid. Nothing exceptional but above average.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very good store
Comment: I throughly enjoyed this book - John Russell is very well written protagonist. Russell has a son and girlfriend in Berlin and, as such, wants to stay in Germany; however, this means moral choices - the decision to play it safe or helping people and newsstories get of country that would surely get him in trouble (dead) if caught.
A former communist acquaintance contacts Russell for human interest stories for Prada but is that really all the Soviets' want? And in the capacity of the Prada assignment, he comes under the scrutiny of English intelligence service and the Gestapo.
The story was very well researched and written with glimpses of Hitler Youth through Paul, Russell's son, and the propaganda from Effi, Russell's cynical actress girlfriend, who can only get parts in Nazi moral movies and plays that showcase the master race.
I hope that there will be a sequel to this book as I am curious how the characters will develop. I would hate to know that Paul (John's son) will be one of the countless Hitler Youth children drafted to defend Berlin prior to the Soviet invasion. Save him, David Downing!!!