‘Revenge of Odessa’ Undeniably Relevant Today

I’m not much of a book reader, visual media usually holds my attention better, but ‘Revenge of Odessa’ grabbed me from the beginning.

Key points:

I’m fascinated by how history plays into our current day political and social dialogue and the implications that come from that.

‘Revenge of Odessa’ is the book that checks all this off. This is the first Frederick Forsyth book I have read, and I can say that it’s an excellent book to start with. Set in 2025, this novel shares a lot of similar social and cultural discourse that we can find in the real world around us. It’s a book that grips you and draws you into the world Forsyth has crafted.

‘Revenge of Odessa’ is the long-awaited sequel to the genre-defining classic, ‘The Odessa File’ – a groundbreaking thriller that became a hit film and inspired generations of storytellers. The premise? The Nazis were never defeated; they were just biding their time.

‘Revenge of Odessa’ is the long-awaited sequel to the genre-defining classic, ‘The Odessa File’

The story starts with a mystery. Something so unexpected you can’t help but ask how is it linked to Odessa? Forsyth takes time to develop the world around the narrative. He builds tension. Every sentence is considered and draws you into this similar, yet dissonant and uncomfortable reality, too like our own. The opening scene is a flash-forward, teasing events from later in the story, but providing no comfort, only more questions.

At times, I found the story challenging to stick with. Forsyth invests incredible time and effort to build the world, but it can occasionally feel slow. Still the novel is relevant and carries so many important and relevant questions for our current day in age.

While this novel is fiction, you can’t deny its relevance.

How then, as Christians should we respond to this? How do we care for those around us? How can we be a voice that speaks against the corruption in our society? I firmly believe we should read and understand the history that for better or worse has created the world we live in, and while this novel is fiction, you can’t deny its relevance.

The premise is chilling. Odessa, a secret SS network surviving from Hitler’s Third Reich, continues working in the shadows to undermine political and social progress. The novel tackles dark, weighty themes and asks its readers to confront uncomfortable truths. I’d recommend it for older teens with a passion for history, and for adults who want a thought-provoking, morally charged thriller.

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I give ‘Revenge of Odessa’ 3.5 stars.

Review supplied with thanks to Sam Freeland, IT and Broadcast Support at Hope Media.

Feature image: Penguin Books