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Of Our Own Device
What do you do when you realize that the American Dream you have been working for so hard is not enough if it will be yours and yours alone? And that what you are told to do will destroy the only true friend you have ever had?
Summer of 1985. Jack Smith is a rookie CIA case officer posted at the American Embassy in Moscow. Despite his gregarious nature, Jack is a lonely man: not only is he a reluctant spy, he is also gay. When he meets Eton Volkonsky, a talented nuclear physics student, Jack's bosses instruct him to develop the Russian as a future agent. Their friendship deepens, and Jack is torn between his suspicion that Eton and friends are with the KGB and his attraction to the man. But he continues telling himself and his bosses that he is just doing his job, developing his agent. Only when he leaves Russia does Jack admit that he has been fooling himself all the while. He takes on assignments in various countries, with a hope that eventually they will get him back to Moscow.
As introspection and growing doubts about what he does for living torment Jack, the world is buffeted by a whirlwind of dramatic events - diplomatic and spy wars, the rise of AIDS, the Chernobyl catastrophe, the war in Afghanistan and the disintegration of the communist bloc.
Summer of 1985. Jack Smith is a rookie CIA case officer posted at the American Embassy in Moscow. Despite his gregarious nature, Jack is a lonely man: not only is he a reluctant spy, he is also gay. When he meets Eton Volkonsky, a talented nuclear physics student, Jack's bosses instruct him to develop the Russian as a future agent. Their friendship deepens, and Jack is torn between his suspicion that Eton and friends are with the KGB and his attraction to the man. But he continues telling himself and his bosses that he is just doing his job, developing his agent. Only when he leaves Russia does Jack admit that he has been fooling himself all the while. He takes on assignments in various countries, with a hope that eventually they will get him back to Moscow.
As introspection and growing doubts about what he does for living torment Jack, the world is buffeted by a whirlwind of dramatic events - diplomatic and spy wars, the rise of AIDS, the Chernobyl catastrophe, the war in Afghanistan and the disintegration of the communist bloc.
566 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2017
2 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
M.K. South
1 book26 followersM.K. South has worked in international finance and development for over 20 years, living in or traveling to many countries including the ones featured in this debut novel. Currently, M.K. works in Eastern Europe and continues globetrotting, for work and to experience the world.
"I was born a vagabond," says M.K., "in a snow-clad little place thousands miles way from the sun-drenched city on the Black Sea my mother called home. I then lived, studied and worked in other countries, poor, aspiring and rich. I've experienced poverty and war, as well as peace and prosperity, and I've learned that you don't fully appreciate the latter, unless you've known the former. Today, I'm still living in a foreign country, working in several others in the region, and traveling yet to others because... I just can't get wanderlust out of my DNA."
"I was born a vagabond," says M.K., "in a snow-clad little place thousands miles way from the sun-drenched city on the Black Sea my mother called home. I then lived, studied and worked in other countries, poor, aspiring and rich. I've experienced poverty and war, as well as peace and prosperity, and I've learned that you don't fully appreciate the latter, unless you've known the former. Today, I'm still living in a foreign country, working in several others in the region, and traveling yet to others because... I just can't get wanderlust out of my DNA."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 27, 2018
I always find it very difficult to write a review of a book that deeply moved me. I had a look at my reviews of my all time favorite books recently, and had to hold myself back not to make them disappear forever. They sound like a disjointed mumbling of a ten year old girl who has just discovered the existence of an exclamation mark. Besides, these reviews are not very helpful.
But again, I am running out of words when I try to explain how GOOD this story is, how GREAT the characters are and how I want all of you to go through these oceans of emotions and to experience the same intensity of feelings while reading this book.
Ok...the story:
Set in the middle/end of the 1980s in Russia/West-/East Germany/USA this novel offers EVERYTHING that a fan of a powerful political spy thriller can only dream of: the most excited history, a spies' war on a very high level, complex politics, a lot of research (hats off to the author. WOW.) But even if this part alone deserves 5 stars, the best, THE VERY BEST, the most fascinating, stunning, breathtaking, amazing, grandiose part is...YES...a LOVE STORY.
The characters:
Jack, a CIA officer at the American Embassy in Moscow is a spy, he is lonely, gay and...simply one of the most compassionate characters EVER. Eton, a promising Russian physics student, a grandson of Professor Volkonsky, a world leading specialist in nuclear physics and a member of a nomenclature circle, with a mysterious family background and deeply in the closet (how it could be not at this time and in this country?!) But Eton is in the first place a talented musician, a songwriter, front man and lead singer of the band Krylia. So you see, according to fundamental laws of physics, they can't be together.
Their relationship:
is a developing one. It starts VERY slowly, the sexual tension could be hardly ignored from their first meeting, but this hidden slow-built-relationship is something you can't write THAT easy. You either can do it or not. M.K. South brought THIS love story and its development to uttermost perfection.
The writing:
very descriptive and could possibly be diluted in some parts, but during the most part of the book I felt it was authentic to the development of the story and the story just couldn’t do without it. I don't want to get rid of a single sentence. No way. Again, I have to thank/admire/ the author for all his historical knowledge and for his research and everything in between. It is just this kind of this accurate writing that left you astounded and speechless and amazed and force you to google and google and google. That makes your reading progress slower but it worth it, believe me.
In spite of all I said above, I'll try to remain reasonable.
You shouldn't read this book
if you do NOT like realistic historical fictionif you are NOT interested in politics AT ALLif your ONLY idea of a spy novel is James Bond moviesif your understanding of a love story ( I avoid on purpose the word romance here) is not possible without long detailed sex scenes Please, read this book
if you do NOT want to miss one of the most emotional and intense love stories EVER if you don't afraid to read a book of this lengthif you appreciate extremely well-done researchIf you LOVE historical fiction you can authenticate yourself withif you understand and estimate a beautiful and excellent writingAnd finally something for your eyes. My casting for the main characters:
Beautiful, emotional, exciting, scary, thrilling, fascinating... the list of adjectives could go on and on.
HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
P.S I'm in the worst book hangover EVER after. Damn you all, Eton, Jack and M.K South. Poor me :(
A fantastic BR with my girls, Alona, Sofia, Katerina.
November 9, 2019
***4.5***
It’s 1985, Glasnost and Perestroika have come to Russia, AIDS, which had been steamrolling through the gay community, is making its presence known to the world at large, and the Year of the Spy is in full swing between the C.I.A and the KGB. Welcome to the world compellingly and masterfully brought back to life by M.K. South in Of Our Own Device.
To his colleagues in the American Embassy in Moscow Jack Smith is a recently appointed junior officer with the USIA. In reality he’s a deep cover C.I.A. operative whose persona is that of a gregarious, friendly, and at times oblivious American, though he is no such thing. It turns out Jack is uniquely qualified for life as a spy. He’s a gay man who came of age in a less accepting era (I’m guessing he’s over 25 but under 30) and place. He grew up in an infelicitous household, complete with dead mother and an abusive, alcoholic, bigoted father. In short he knows how to hide in plain sight in spite of physically being a looker: tall & dark with cornflower blue eyes. All he wanted was an escape, a better life, a ranch in California, the reality of which the army and later the C.I.A. promise like a mirage in the desert.
Jack is tasked with befriending any and all comers and, when possible, recruiting future agents or being a dangle. He not only speaks fluent Russian but due to his own curious nature is knowledgeable of the mores and culture which endears him to the locals and he can’t help but return the affection. In spite of everything he’s wonderfully human and that’s one of the almost surprising things the author does so well: making the characters fully rounded individuals who live in a recognizable world and don’t necessarily subscribe the easy construct of spy, agent, villain, hero etc. Within Jack’s purview falls Eton May-Volkonsky, the son of an American and what amounts to Russian royalty; the grandson of, in the world of the book, the Soviet originator of the Nuclear Winter Theory and a physicist in his own right. He’s also a musician, a poet, and generally a sweet soul who seems almost too fragile for the harsh world of the 1980’s USSR. Even so, he’s no wilting flower in need of rescue. In need of love? Who isn’t?
The book opens, during a performance of Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky at the Bolshoi Theater, the spy/thriller fans may think of the Mission Impossible or Jason Bourne movies but as the story progresses it put me in mind of the Bourne books and even of Le Carre, with the almost relentless emphasis on the daily minutiae in the life of a spy which paired with that of a bureaucrat is endless reports, counter intelligence runs to make sure you are or are not being shadowed by the “organs”, answering to office drones who are not in the field, and agencies who at times have contradictory agendas. In Jack’s personal circumstances he also has to work extra to keep up the facade of a heterosexual man. All of this is exhausting when all he wants is a weekend trip to Helsinki, have some meaningless sex, and watch the Live Aid concert.
I don’t know how much is too much to reveal in terms of the plot/events of the book. The bare bones would be that Jack comes in to the orbit of Eton, Lara, an aspiring actress and the daughter of the Deputy Minister of Culture, and their circle of friends. Though they’re all young, 20 or 21, they’re irresistibly attracted to Jack and all of his Americanness. For Eton, Jack is wide open spaces and a dream-like California. I had “Hotel California”, the whole album, on repeat for a week. It really sets a tone for the book. Eton feels an unspeakable attraction for Jack, one he can’t quite iterate even to himself. He has no point of reference for it. Jack feels the same but he’s so deep in the closet due to work, the times, and choice that a future together isn’t a foregone conclusion not least of all because almost all of Jack’s interactions with Eton are based on suspecting Eton of possibly being a current or future KGB agent and trying, albeit halfheartedly, to recruit him as an asset for the C.I.A. Needless to say those are less than ideal circumstances for anything meaningful to develop and though this is definitely not a romance, M/M or otherwise, the relationship between Eton and Jack does shape the course of the story and ultimately of their lives. Some might object to some of Jack’s interactions with Eton, more specifically how he treats him, like a potential agent, however he behaves entirely how a well trained case officer should. Bravo.
The bulk of the story takes place during 1985 & 1986 at the height of a veritable spy tit-for-tat between the U.S. and the slowly collapsing USSR. These are perilous times, everything is in flux, the earth is shifting, who can be trusted? where do you draw the line? how close to the edge can you stand without falling over? how much of your authentic self can you sacrifice for what you believe to be the “greater good”? The denouement of the story takes us to the latter part of 1989 when the cracks that were evident within the power structures have become craters. Afghanistan, the Soviet Union’s Vietnam, is blowing up, Denmark legally recognized the first same-sex marriage, and things in Berlin are about to take a sharp turn. Coincidentally Berlin is where our principals meet again after a lengthy separation. They haven’t gotten through the years unscathed and they can’t remain static.
I won’t lie. The book is long and initially it gave me pause but once I started it was like reading the diary of someone, Jack, with a life way more interesting than my own. The bulk of the story is told from Jack’s P.O.V. but there is a small section of journal entries from Eton, which is genius, because we get to be in the head of this complicated, smart, and beautiful Russian man, Jack’s counterpart and very much his equal. They both come from a place where they need to hide an important part of who they are. Such are the seeds of what promises to be a great relationship. Jack and Eton will linger in your mind long after you turn the last page.
Ultimately this wasn’t a 5 star read for me because I desperately wanted, nay needed another chapter, an epilogue, or any kind of coda to comfort my heart as to Jack & Eton’s future. That’s how much M. K. South makes these characters vibrant and alive. I cared about them like dear friends whose story I never wanted to end.
For those interested in genre classification I’d say this is more of a spy/thriller/action-suspense with a same-sex couple as part of the story, and all that entails in that place and time, but definitely not a romance, though there absolutely is a love story.
Full disclosure: The author offered me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, however after reading the first chapter I realized I was all in and purchased my own copy because, whenever possible I like to support artists/writers and don’t want any BS from Amazon. *fingers crossed*
Review also up on the blog
It’s 1985, Glasnost and Perestroika have come to Russia, AIDS, which had been steamrolling through the gay community, is making its presence known to the world at large, and the Year of the Spy is in full swing between the C.I.A and the KGB. Welcome to the world compellingly and masterfully brought back to life by M.K. South in Of Our Own Device.
To his colleagues in the American Embassy in Moscow Jack Smith is a recently appointed junior officer with the USIA. In reality he’s a deep cover C.I.A. operative whose persona is that of a gregarious, friendly, and at times oblivious American, though he is no such thing. It turns out Jack is uniquely qualified for life as a spy. He’s a gay man who came of age in a less accepting era (I’m guessing he’s over 25 but under 30) and place. He grew up in an infelicitous household, complete with dead mother and an abusive, alcoholic, bigoted father. In short he knows how to hide in plain sight in spite of physically being a looker: tall & dark with cornflower blue eyes. All he wanted was an escape, a better life, a ranch in California, the reality of which the army and later the C.I.A. promise like a mirage in the desert.
Jack is tasked with befriending any and all comers and, when possible, recruiting future agents or being a dangle. He not only speaks fluent Russian but due to his own curious nature is knowledgeable of the mores and culture which endears him to the locals and he can’t help but return the affection. In spite of everything he’s wonderfully human and that’s one of the almost surprising things the author does so well: making the characters fully rounded individuals who live in a recognizable world and don’t necessarily subscribe the easy construct of spy, agent, villain, hero etc. Within Jack’s purview falls Eton May-Volkonsky, the son of an American and what amounts to Russian royalty; the grandson of, in the world of the book, the Soviet originator of the Nuclear Winter Theory and a physicist in his own right. He’s also a musician, a poet, and generally a sweet soul who seems almost too fragile for the harsh world of the 1980’s USSR. Even so, he’s no wilting flower in need of rescue. In need of love? Who isn’t?
The book opens, during a performance of Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky at the Bolshoi Theater, the spy/thriller fans may think of the Mission Impossible or Jason Bourne movies but as the story progresses it put me in mind of the Bourne books and even of Le Carre, with the almost relentless emphasis on the daily minutiae in the life of a spy which paired with that of a bureaucrat is endless reports, counter intelligence runs to make sure you are or are not being shadowed by the “organs”, answering to office drones who are not in the field, and agencies who at times have contradictory agendas. In Jack’s personal circumstances he also has to work extra to keep up the facade of a heterosexual man. All of this is exhausting when all he wants is a weekend trip to Helsinki, have some meaningless sex, and watch the Live Aid concert.
I don’t know how much is too much to reveal in terms of the plot/events of the book. The bare bones would be that Jack comes in to the orbit of Eton, Lara, an aspiring actress and the daughter of the Deputy Minister of Culture, and their circle of friends. Though they’re all young, 20 or 21, they’re irresistibly attracted to Jack and all of his Americanness. For Eton, Jack is wide open spaces and a dream-like California. I had “Hotel California”, the whole album, on repeat for a week. It really sets a tone for the book. Eton feels an unspeakable attraction for Jack, one he can’t quite iterate even to himself. He has no point of reference for it. Jack feels the same but he’s so deep in the closet due to work, the times, and choice that a future together isn’t a foregone conclusion not least of all because almost all of Jack’s interactions with Eton are based on suspecting Eton of possibly being a current or future KGB agent and trying, albeit halfheartedly, to recruit him as an asset for the C.I.A. Needless to say those are less than ideal circumstances for anything meaningful to develop and though this is definitely not a romance, M/M or otherwise, the relationship between Eton and Jack does shape the course of the story and ultimately of their lives. Some might object to some of Jack’s interactions with Eton, more specifically how he treats him, like a potential agent, however he behaves entirely how a well trained case officer should. Bravo.
The bulk of the story takes place during 1985 & 1986 at the height of a veritable spy tit-for-tat between the U.S. and the slowly collapsing USSR. These are perilous times, everything is in flux, the earth is shifting, who can be trusted? where do you draw the line? how close to the edge can you stand without falling over? how much of your authentic self can you sacrifice for what you believe to be the “greater good”? The denouement of the story takes us to the latter part of 1989 when the cracks that were evident within the power structures have become craters. Afghanistan, the Soviet Union’s Vietnam, is blowing up, Denmark legally recognized the first same-sex marriage, and things in Berlin are about to take a sharp turn. Coincidentally Berlin is where our principals meet again after a lengthy separation. They haven’t gotten through the years unscathed and they can’t remain static.
I won’t lie. The book is long and initially it gave me pause but once I started it was like reading the diary of someone, Jack, with a life way more interesting than my own. The bulk of the story is told from Jack’s P.O.V. but there is a small section of journal entries from Eton, which is genius, because we get to be in the head of this complicated, smart, and beautiful Russian man, Jack’s counterpart and very much his equal. They both come from a place where they need to hide an important part of who they are. Such are the seeds of what promises to be a great relationship. Jack and Eton will linger in your mind long after you turn the last page.
Ultimately this wasn’t a 5 star read for me because I desperately wanted, nay needed another chapter, an epilogue, or any kind of coda to comfort my heart as to Jack & Eton’s future. That’s how much M. K. South makes these characters vibrant and alive. I cared about them like dear friends whose story I never wanted to end.
For those interested in genre classification I’d say this is more of a spy/thriller/action-suspense with a same-sex couple as part of the story, and all that entails in that place and time, but definitely not a romance, though there absolutely is a love story.
Full disclosure: The author offered me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, however after reading the first chapter I realized I was all in and purchased my own copy because, whenever possible I like to support artists/writers and don’t want any BS from Amazon. *fingers crossed*
Review also up on the blog
September 13, 2018
This book is very well researched which in this case is both a good thing and a bad thing. Let me explain. The good part is that the facts as laid out in the book make you want to go and look for more details, for pictures and more facts, a thing I did and enjoyed. The bad thing here was that South was not curbed by a good editor not to use all that research in the actual book but rather to use it in those mysterious magical 'writerly' ways so that we the readers get the story, get the emotions without the overload of all the nitty bitty facts. South tells the story using real life happenings to move the story forward and so I felt that the story had a very slow rhythm. Believe me I'm not a very slow reader and I've come to trust my judgement regarding this as I've known myself to read (gulp) down books at a much faster rate than I did this one. This one I couldn't.
So although I liked the story, I kept imaging it being told in another way.
As usual I enjoyed the company of my fellow buddies in this one, Lenka, Alona and Katrina :D
So although I liked the story, I kept imaging it being told in another way.
As usual I enjoyed the company of my fellow buddies in this one, Lenka, Alona and Katrina :D
December 10, 2019
Reviewed by Jenn for Diverse Reader
*********************************
Of Our Own Device by M. K. South almost felt like it was written just for me! It has all the things I love all together: mystery, suspense, history, spies, intrigue, and romance all rolled into one incredible book!
It’s 1985 and we meet Jack Smith, a rookie CIA Officer, posted at the American Embassy in Moscow. The eighties were crazy times in American/Russian politics and this book touched on so much of what was going on in those days. The spy/thriller aspect of this book is so well written and very compelling. I am so impressed by the amount of research that must have gone into this book. So…back to Jack! Jack is young, smart and he also has a secret. Jack does what he needs to for his job, for the way he believes he’s supposed to live. But Jack yearns and that yearning made me ache for him at times. Imagine being a gay man in 1985 with the AIDS epidemic…now imagine being in Russia at the same time. Not a very safe world for a man who already works in a dangerous profession. Jack gives himself little vacations away from his real world to carry himself through till the next time he can be his true self, but you feel his loneliness.
When Jack is assigned to recruit a target, things start to get really interesting. Jack isn’t expecting to like the group of young people he is to make friends with, but he does. His world is suddenly opening up and at the heart of that is a Russian student named Eton. Jack’s assignment to get close to the student who is working on a project having to do with the Nuclear Winter Theory. Getting close is Jack’s job, getting too close could be Jack’s downfall. Being attracted to an assignment isn’t ideal, being hopelessly attracted to a same sex assignment could be deadly. Now is the part where I can’t tell you more because of spoilers but trust me…it’s all so good!
This was my first book by this author and it’s a long one. I honestly didn’t realize how long until it was over because I was so invested and entertained throughout. The book touches on some heavy subjects, as mentioned above, the AIDS epidemic is a backdrop throughout the book. The history is also heavy at times, giving us those behind the scenes glimpses at a time in our history where I was paying more attention to Madonna than to Russia. I truly loved this part; I love when a book causes us to pause and remember…to give respect to those who came before us. In the case of this book, it’s the courage that gave me the most satisfaction. Jack and Eton, as well as all the people living through and surviving such seemingly insurmountable obstacles. A book like this makes us reflect on what was, what is and what we hope will be. If you can’t already tell, I loved this book. It’s a long historical fiction and those don’t always get the love they deserve…this one certainly deserves some love.
*********************************
Of Our Own Device by M. K. South almost felt like it was written just for me! It has all the things I love all together: mystery, suspense, history, spies, intrigue, and romance all rolled into one incredible book!
It’s 1985 and we meet Jack Smith, a rookie CIA Officer, posted at the American Embassy in Moscow. The eighties were crazy times in American/Russian politics and this book touched on so much of what was going on in those days. The spy/thriller aspect of this book is so well written and very compelling. I am so impressed by the amount of research that must have gone into this book. So…back to Jack! Jack is young, smart and he also has a secret. Jack does what he needs to for his job, for the way he believes he’s supposed to live. But Jack yearns and that yearning made me ache for him at times. Imagine being a gay man in 1985 with the AIDS epidemic…now imagine being in Russia at the same time. Not a very safe world for a man who already works in a dangerous profession. Jack gives himself little vacations away from his real world to carry himself through till the next time he can be his true self, but you feel his loneliness.
When Jack is assigned to recruit a target, things start to get really interesting. Jack isn’t expecting to like the group of young people he is to make friends with, but he does. His world is suddenly opening up and at the heart of that is a Russian student named Eton. Jack’s assignment to get close to the student who is working on a project having to do with the Nuclear Winter Theory. Getting close is Jack’s job, getting too close could be Jack’s downfall. Being attracted to an assignment isn’t ideal, being hopelessly attracted to a same sex assignment could be deadly. Now is the part where I can’t tell you more because of spoilers but trust me…it’s all so good!
This was my first book by this author and it’s a long one. I honestly didn’t realize how long until it was over because I was so invested and entertained throughout. The book touches on some heavy subjects, as mentioned above, the AIDS epidemic is a backdrop throughout the book. The history is also heavy at times, giving us those behind the scenes glimpses at a time in our history where I was paying more attention to Madonna than to Russia. I truly loved this part; I love when a book causes us to pause and remember…to give respect to those who came before us. In the case of this book, it’s the courage that gave me the most satisfaction. Jack and Eton, as well as all the people living through and surviving such seemingly insurmountable obstacles. A book like this makes us reflect on what was, what is and what we hope will be. If you can’t already tell, I loved this book. It’s a long historical fiction and those don’t always get the love they deserve…this one certainly deserves some love.
Read
September 10, 2018Scene: Two friends at a restaurant.
Friend 1: “Wow, the food here is really terrible.”
Friend2: “I know! And such small portions, too...”
I’m at a complete loss. I don’t know how to rate this book. The espionage aspects were completely over my head, so essentially I skimmed 80% of it, looking for the love story parts. When I got to them, I found the writing sophomoric. The characters were well-developed but their dialogue was clumsy. Jack’s exclamation point-filled inner monologue was over the top. Eton’s diary entries provided a second POV that abruptly stopped.... “Of Our Own Device” had all the signs of a DNF but I couldn’t stop reading it. I couldn’t NOT finish. I had to know what happened and furthermore, if things didn’t work out for Jack and Eton, it was going to be REALLY unpleasant around here! So... I don’t know what to do with my stars. This was a weird restaurant. The food wasn’t great, yet I finished my dinner and ordered coffee and dessert. 🤷♀️
Friend 1: “Wow, the food here is really terrible.”
Friend2: “I know! And such small portions, too...”
I’m at a complete loss. I don’t know how to rate this book. The espionage aspects were completely over my head, so essentially I skimmed 80% of it, looking for the love story parts. When I got to them, I found the writing sophomoric. The characters were well-developed but their dialogue was clumsy. Jack’s exclamation point-filled inner monologue was over the top. Eton’s diary entries provided a second POV that abruptly stopped.... “Of Our Own Device” had all the signs of a DNF but I couldn’t stop reading it. I couldn’t NOT finish. I had to know what happened and furthermore, if things didn’t work out for Jack and Eton, it was going to be REALLY unpleasant around here! So... I don’t know what to do with my stars. This was a weird restaurant. The food wasn’t great, yet I finished my dinner and ordered coffee and dessert. 🤷♀️
September 13, 2018
4.5 stars.
Loved it!!
If you love a love story, but need it to be more then a simple romance, you’re going to love it!
If you love a story that is full of historical events that shaped our world as we know it, you’ll love this book.
But most of all I loved the characters!
I loved Eton’s clever naivety, his quiet and total love...
He is the perfect character for me.
I also really loved Jack, but OMG, Eton just stole my heart!
It’s very obvious that the author know what she is writing about and did a good background research of the period.
The writing is great even if sometimes it’s too detailed and in need of a better editing, it was still an amazing and intense read.
I would say this book is a mixture of Voinov’s Special Forces with Tal Bauer’s Enemies of the State.
Highly recommended!
I would definitely love to read more about E and J, or anything from the author.
Loved it!!
If you love a love story, but need it to be more then a simple romance, you’re going to love it!
If you love a story that is full of historical events that shaped our world as we know it, you’ll love this book.
But most of all I loved the characters!
I loved Eton’s clever naivety, his quiet and total love...
He is the perfect character for me.
I also really loved Jack, but OMG, Eton just stole my heart!
It’s very obvious that the author know what she is writing about and did a good background research of the period.
The writing is great even if sometimes it’s too detailed and in need of a better editing, it was still an amazing and intense read.
I would say this book is a mixture of Voinov’s Special Forces with Tal Bauer’s Enemies of the State.
Highly recommended!
I would definitely love to read more about E and J, or anything from the author.
October 2, 2018
Jack Smith is a somewhat reluctant CIA agent under deep cover in soviet era Moscow in the mid 1980s. Preternaturally handsome, he is at heart a gay man, but as a spy he is whatever the company requires him to be - as an American working in Soviet Era Moscow he does whatever is required to project an image of banal heterosexuality. Jack is smart, savvy, suspicious as is required of him, while remaining empathetic and as the novel progresses, increasingly sympathetic towards the group of Russian nomenclature students he has befriended as part of his job.
Erin Volkonsky is a shy, lonely PHD student, deeply closeted due to the spurious social conditions of the time, and an avid writer. It is through his writing that most of his (beautiful) characterisation takes place. Eton is also a near genius, ambivalent nuclear physicist and passionate musician, the grandson of a Soviet nuclear physicist, ”royalty” whom, due to his mysterious family history is marked as an unwitting pawn of the CIA in Moscow.
The relationship between Jack and Eton is a tantalising slow burn of forbidden sexual tension, angst and mutual suspicion. Spanning almost a decade, three continents, and set against a back drop of real life events - from the spate of US ambassador ejections from Moscow, Chernobyl, the Soviet-Afghan war to the fall of the Berlin Wall, it is as thrilling as it is unpredictable and the last 20-30% of the book is a perfectly nail biting race to its conclusion.
At almost 300,000 words oood is an opus. Part epic love story, Cold War spy thriller, history lesson and cultural exchange, this book is a REALISTIC and meticulously researched spy thriller and one of the best books I’ve read all year.
Erin Volkonsky is a shy, lonely PHD student, deeply closeted due to the spurious social conditions of the time, and an avid writer. It is through his writing that most of his (beautiful) characterisation takes place. Eton is also a near genius, ambivalent nuclear physicist and passionate musician, the grandson of a Soviet nuclear physicist, ”royalty” whom, due to his mysterious family history is marked as an unwitting pawn of the CIA in Moscow.
The relationship between Jack and Eton is a tantalising slow burn of forbidden sexual tension, angst and mutual suspicion. Spanning almost a decade, three continents, and set against a back drop of real life events - from the spate of US ambassador ejections from Moscow, Chernobyl, the Soviet-Afghan war to the fall of the Berlin Wall, it is as thrilling as it is unpredictable and the last 20-30% of the book is a perfectly nail biting race to its conclusion.
At almost 300,000 words oood is an opus. Part epic love story, Cold War spy thriller, history lesson and cultural exchange, this book is a REALISTIC and meticulously researched spy thriller and one of the best books I’ve read all year.
September 3, 2017
Detailed and knowledgeable, but perhaps a little overlong
At 766 pages this is quite a long novel, but the characters are richly formed and keep you wanting to find out what happens in the end.
The author does deliver huge detail to the daily life of an American spy in Moscow and East Berlin in the 80's including the boring stuff such as report writing. They also give good insight into counter surveillance routines, dead letter drops and the like as well as period detail of 80s Moscow and Berlin.
However, this is not the classic spy novel in so much the key characters are in a gay relationship. Whilst you may think this makes the book a m/m romance it does add an extra level of secrecy that needs to be kept against the background of prejudice and the AIDS epidemic.
As previous reviewers have said, the sex is quite graphic, but is essential to the main character development and story.
A good debut from a new author, that probably could have benefited from better editing but of definite interest to fans of spy fiction, Soviet/GDR history buffs, and readers looking for an intense m/m love story.
I received a review copy from the author and was not obliged to write a positive review.
At 766 pages this is quite a long novel, but the characters are richly formed and keep you wanting to find out what happens in the end.
The author does deliver huge detail to the daily life of an American spy in Moscow and East Berlin in the 80's including the boring stuff such as report writing. They also give good insight into counter surveillance routines, dead letter drops and the like as well as period detail of 80s Moscow and Berlin.
However, this is not the classic spy novel in so much the key characters are in a gay relationship. Whilst you may think this makes the book a m/m romance it does add an extra level of secrecy that needs to be kept against the background of prejudice and the AIDS epidemic.
As previous reviewers have said, the sex is quite graphic, but is essential to the main character development and story.
A good debut from a new author, that probably could have benefited from better editing but of definite interest to fans of spy fiction, Soviet/GDR history buffs, and readers looking for an intense m/m love story.
I received a review copy from the author and was not obliged to write a positive review.
January 17, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Of Our Own Device is set during the 80s and covers most of the decade. It primarily takes place in Soviet Russia and Germany. Both nations faced massive turmoil during the 80s, turmoil that played out on American televisions and left an indelible impact on my own childhood. Of Our Own Device covers everything from the AIDS crisis, to Chernobyl and the fall of the Berlin Wall, and does so with a strong sense of historical relevancy. The history in this book reads as factual and well defined within its place. And the fact we see so much of it from a Russian perspective adds to the novelty of the story. I don’t know anything about spy-craft, but everything about Of Our Own Device has a realistic, believable feel to it and I give the author huge kudos for the depth and breadth of the story and unwinding the complexity of Russian/US relations at the end of the Cold War. The only downside to this aspect of the book is the pacing. There are definitely moments that lagged and there were times the where the information was somewhat excessive.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Of Our Own Device is set during the 80s and covers most of the decade. It primarily takes place in Soviet Russia and Germany. Both nations faced massive turmoil during the 80s, turmoil that played out on American televisions and left an indelible impact on my own childhood. Of Our Own Device covers everything from the AIDS crisis, to Chernobyl and the fall of the Berlin Wall, and does so with a strong sense of historical relevancy. The history in this book reads as factual and well defined within its place. And the fact we see so much of it from a Russian perspective adds to the novelty of the story. I don’t know anything about spy-craft, but everything about Of Our Own Device has a realistic, believable feel to it and I give the author huge kudos for the depth and breadth of the story and unwinding the complexity of Russian/US relations at the end of the Cold War. The only downside to this aspect of the book is the pacing. There are definitely moments that lagged and there were times the where the information was somewhat excessive.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
June 2, 2018
I am pleased that I was lucky enough to read this powerful historical novel with beautiful, captivating figurative language. M.K. South, the author Of Our Own Device, managed to draw a faithful picture of the USSR during the last years of its life and of my own childhood, a childhood which happened to fall neatly into the post-Soviet era (I was born in 1977, and my school years stretched from 1984 until 1995). Even though, frankly speaking, I’m not a big fan of those historical events that include the Chernobyl disaster, the period of Perestroika and the Soviet War in Afghanistan, a full picture of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries turned out to be exciting and believable. And I’ll say more: I'm a little sorry that this novel doesn’t belong to my pen.
This fascinating love story, unfolding against the background of the historic events that are sweeping the world, kept me deeply engrossed with thrilling suspense, intriguing espionage and heartbreaking moments. The book is a mash-up of a thriller, romance, and historical novel. Each character is so well depicted you will feel, not only like you know them intimately, but you can visualize them right off the pages. The characters reach out and pull you in. I was very sorry when the book ended, as I wanted it to go on and on. I could share more of the plot with you, but I don’t want to be a spoiler. This book will entertain you, and you will feel like you experienced two lives very different from your own.
All I can say in summary is to read it. Highly recommended!
This fascinating love story, unfolding against the background of the historic events that are sweeping the world, kept me deeply engrossed with thrilling suspense, intriguing espionage and heartbreaking moments. The book is a mash-up of a thriller, romance, and historical novel. Each character is so well depicted you will feel, not only like you know them intimately, but you can visualize them right off the pages. The characters reach out and pull you in. I was very sorry when the book ended, as I wanted it to go on and on. I could share more of the plot with you, but I don’t want to be a spoiler. This book will entertain you, and you will feel like you experienced two lives very different from your own.
All I can say in summary is to read it. Highly recommended!
June 2, 2017
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Of Our Own Device is a novel that brings a level of meticulous attention to the daily life of an American spy in Moscow in the 80's. Ironically enough, its greatest fault is precisely that this commitment to realism tends to highjack the narrative to the detriment of its overall well presented homosexual romance. Add to this some technical issues with the writing proper and the fact its length exposes the fact of focus by amplifying it, and the reader is presented with a work of fiction that is very obviously not rounded up but that shows enough promise to keep on interested in future efforts from the author.
The historical, cultural and even linguistic recreation is where the novel shines. Soviet Russia, as seen from an outsider who has studied and immersed itself in it thoroughly, is depicted with great care. From the architecture, to the nuances of the Russian language, without forgetting the historical baggage that shaped up so much of the period covered, there is a tight command of the reality of the URSS. This extends to topics that impacted the 80's worldwide and so much more in the particular context of the novel, namely the AIDS epidemic and the debate over a potential nuclear war if the Cold War were to spiral out of control.
Closely connected is the espionage angle. Jack Smith, the apparently happy-go lucky diplomat who is in fact a deep cover for the CIA, is well realized. Through him the reader is introduced to the humdrum routine of being a spy on the Soviet side of the Iron Curtain. Constant surveillance detection, many reports to be witten, having to assess precisely what to divulge, to whom and how: this is high stakes spying but without the glamor that fiction so often glosses over it. The specific vocabulary also goes a long way to establish this solid sense of realistic espionage.
The paranoia that in a very literal way comes with the job, is also presented beautifully. In Jack's case it is doubly so given his being gay. The fact that homophobia is the status quo across both sides of the Curtain adds to the sense of dread and lapsed sense of identity. Jack cannot be openly gay in the States anymore than he can be so in Russia, where it is actually illegal to do so. Given that he is already in a position in which virtually all of his identity is a sham, Jack's hidden sexuality seals the deal in terms of psychological torment on more levels than one. The fact that Jack has to resort to many cover flings with women eventually takes its toll, too, as does his dawning awareness that his work for the CIA is often not in the interests of the American people.
In enter Eton, a nuclear physics university student and part-time rocker whi Jack has to develop into becoming an agent for the CIA. Throughout most of their interaction, Jack is never quite sure whether Eton is connected with the KBG or not, which means that Jack's budding attraction to him is already compromised from the very start..
Eton is a rather unique individual all around, full of idealism and fumbling for self-expression and love. The relationship takes time to develop, which is very refreshing, and it covers a gamut of emotions. It is many times frustrating, riddling with lies and suspicion, yet at the same time passionate and tender. It is also intimately woven in the context even as both men fight their circumstances in order to reach whatever 'love' is possible. This balance between strong emotional attachment and the harsh reality that must needs twist it, elevates Of Our Own Device above much of the m/m fare and is deserving of respect. As an aside, it is worth noting that while historical fiction, this novel gains a greater relevance in the present given the horrendous treatment of gay people in the former Soviet republics.
The novel begins to fall apart, to some extent, when it spends so much energy it going through spying routines that get extremely repetitive while merely touching upon major events in the main cast's development.
The technical problems come in the shape of many typos. It is surprising that this novel was beta read as even a cursory reading is enough to detect several instances of missing words, in particular articles and verbal conjugation mistakes, especially the lack of the past pasticiple suffix '-ed'. This can be easily fixed but it should most definitely be addressed in future releases.
The lack of focus that has been already mentioned needs be brought up again when it comes to the conclusion. It is so abrupt that the reader that after 600 odd pages the reader cannot help but keep scrolling down for the next chapter only to realize there is none. Once more, it is all the more jarring given that even mundane events have been described in great detail up to that point.
Ultimately, Of Our Own Device may be a bit too ambitious in all it tries to accomplish. What it does provide is a believable love story between two men, across years and across very different and even opposite cultures. It is quite good when it comes to capturing the zeitgeist of the end of the Cold War even if often wanders off on tangents.
Of Our Own Device is a novel that brings a level of meticulous attention to the daily life of an American spy in Moscow in the 80's. Ironically enough, its greatest fault is precisely that this commitment to realism tends to highjack the narrative to the detriment of its overall well presented homosexual romance. Add to this some technical issues with the writing proper and the fact its length exposes the fact of focus by amplifying it, and the reader is presented with a work of fiction that is very obviously not rounded up but that shows enough promise to keep on interested in future efforts from the author.
The historical, cultural and even linguistic recreation is where the novel shines. Soviet Russia, as seen from an outsider who has studied and immersed itself in it thoroughly, is depicted with great care. From the architecture, to the nuances of the Russian language, without forgetting the historical baggage that shaped up so much of the period covered, there is a tight command of the reality of the URSS. This extends to topics that impacted the 80's worldwide and so much more in the particular context of the novel, namely the AIDS epidemic and the debate over a potential nuclear war if the Cold War were to spiral out of control.
Closely connected is the espionage angle. Jack Smith, the apparently happy-go lucky diplomat who is in fact a deep cover for the CIA, is well realized. Through him the reader is introduced to the humdrum routine of being a spy on the Soviet side of the Iron Curtain. Constant surveillance detection, many reports to be witten, having to assess precisely what to divulge, to whom and how: this is high stakes spying but without the glamor that fiction so often glosses over it. The specific vocabulary also goes a long way to establish this solid sense of realistic espionage.
The paranoia that in a very literal way comes with the job, is also presented beautifully. In Jack's case it is doubly so given his being gay. The fact that homophobia is the status quo across both sides of the Curtain adds to the sense of dread and lapsed sense of identity. Jack cannot be openly gay in the States anymore than he can be so in Russia, where it is actually illegal to do so. Given that he is already in a position in which virtually all of his identity is a sham, Jack's hidden sexuality seals the deal in terms of psychological torment on more levels than one. The fact that Jack has to resort to many cover flings with women eventually takes its toll, too, as does his dawning awareness that his work for the CIA is often not in the interests of the American people.
In enter Eton, a nuclear physics university student and part-time rocker whi Jack has to develop into becoming an agent for the CIA. Throughout most of their interaction, Jack is never quite sure whether Eton is connected with the KBG or not, which means that Jack's budding attraction to him is already compromised from the very start..
Eton is a rather unique individual all around, full of idealism and fumbling for self-expression and love. The relationship takes time to develop, which is very refreshing, and it covers a gamut of emotions. It is many times frustrating, riddling with lies and suspicion, yet at the same time passionate and tender. It is also intimately woven in the context even as both men fight their circumstances in order to reach whatever 'love' is possible. This balance between strong emotional attachment and the harsh reality that must needs twist it, elevates Of Our Own Device above much of the m/m fare and is deserving of respect. As an aside, it is worth noting that while historical fiction, this novel gains a greater relevance in the present given the horrendous treatment of gay people in the former Soviet republics.
The novel begins to fall apart, to some extent, when it spends so much energy it going through spying routines that get extremely repetitive while merely touching upon major events in the main cast's development.
The technical problems come in the shape of many typos. It is surprising that this novel was beta read as even a cursory reading is enough to detect several instances of missing words, in particular articles and verbal conjugation mistakes, especially the lack of the past pasticiple suffix '-ed'. This can be easily fixed but it should most definitely be addressed in future releases.
The lack of focus that has been already mentioned needs be brought up again when it comes to the conclusion. It is so abrupt that the reader that after 600 odd pages the reader cannot help but keep scrolling down for the next chapter only to realize there is none. Once more, it is all the more jarring given that even mundane events have been described in great detail up to that point.
Ultimately, Of Our Own Device may be a bit too ambitious in all it tries to accomplish. What it does provide is a believable love story between two men, across years and across very different and even opposite cultures. It is quite good when it comes to capturing the zeitgeist of the end of the Cold War even if often wanders off on tangents.
December 16, 2019
That was a doozy.
Review to come
Review to come
September 3, 2017
I will be honest. I am having the hardest time writing this review. Not because the book was bad. Far from it. But because there is just so….much. The biggest problem I had with this book is just that the writing got…..slow? There would be action and you would get into it and then BAM tons of information that made me have to put the book down for a few. One thing you need to know is this is NOT a romance by any means. This book takes place in the middle of a crucial time in history. And although it is fiction, there is a lot of non-fiction and if you were alive then, a lot of things you might remember happening. I was too young at the time to really know what AIDS meant and what it meant to be gay in that time frame, but I do remember the uproar. And it's sad to say in all the advancement it's still hard for the lgbt community. In this book, for Jack it was impossible.
Jack was a spy for the CIA and deep undercover. He was also gay. Although after reading this I often wondered if he was more bi than gay? Jack has a lot he has to do as far as being an agent. And he has to hide that part of himself. Jack’s character, I felt for him so many times. He is never free to be himself. Ever. He is caught up in so many things sometimes I think he doesn't even know who he really is anymore. Definitely a hard life to lead. Then he meets Eton, who the CIA wants to recruit. But Jack isn't sure who,with Eton and his friends, are with the KGB. And Jack is about half in love from the moment they meet. During all the espionage and lies, Jack and Eton grow closer, and Jack is doing his best to hide what is developing between them. He also holds back information to keep his bosses from trying to get to Eton. Jack just wants Eton to follow his dreams and hearing his beautiful music makes him realize how wonderful a dream it is.
WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER
I think, though, out of all the characters in this book, Eton would have to be my favorite. No one knows what he thinks. Even as a reader you are so confused about Eton until the author starts letting you see Eton’s journal entries. And I was hooked. Eton is such a beautiful soul. The songs and poetry he writes make you cry it's so heartwarming. And when you look back at his actions you can see the yearning he has to be with someone.. He just can't. He can't be out and it's killing him. His music is how he expresses himself and I can just picture the passion on his face as he sings. And then as he sings to Jack. As they get closer, Eton finally gets a moment where he is free to just be himself. He doesn't have to hide himself He doesn't have to hide his feelings for anyone. He can just be. And the passion that erupts between the two is overflowing. And I, of course, bawled like a baby. When I think back or look back at what people who are gay had to go through, hell, are STILL going through, it makes these moments much more beautiful.
Even though I pointed out the passion in between these characters and and within themselves, please remember this is not a romance book. This book is about espionage and the crap going on between U.S. and The Soviet Union. And truthfully, a whole bunch of other countries. Information about each other was flying everywhere. People were being executed or imprisoned if they were 'busted’. The drama with Reagan and Gorbachev. The Berlin Wall. And I think the worst moment of all. Chernobyl. Gah the mess that is Chernobyl. To this day it's still off limits. And I'm glad the author didn't leave out the insanity of that in this book. What really happened and what happened with the people who lived there. It wasn't pretty. I also like that the author showed what it was like to be a spy. In so many books, being a spy is so glamorous. Like James Bond or something and it is far from it. Life as a whole for regular people can suck but can you imagine being a spy for real? Trying to hold together so many lies and stories to keep yourself under cover. AND having to remember everything you told every person you come in contact with and not forget a single thing. I think I would pass.
Overall, this was a good book. I would definitely recommend it to those of you who like books that deal with espionage and things of that nature. For those looking for a quick read or one of romance, this is not for you. (Although there is a little romance and definitely sex in the book). Still, that's not what this is about. Anyway, it is a good book and one that I hope that you all will like as much as I did. Happy reading!
Jack was a spy for the CIA and deep undercover. He was also gay. Although after reading this I often wondered if he was more bi than gay? Jack has a lot he has to do as far as being an agent. And he has to hide that part of himself. Jack’s character, I felt for him so many times. He is never free to be himself. Ever. He is caught up in so many things sometimes I think he doesn't even know who he really is anymore. Definitely a hard life to lead. Then he meets Eton, who the CIA wants to recruit. But Jack isn't sure who,with Eton and his friends, are with the KGB. And Jack is about half in love from the moment they meet. During all the espionage and lies, Jack and Eton grow closer, and Jack is doing his best to hide what is developing between them. He also holds back information to keep his bosses from trying to get to Eton. Jack just wants Eton to follow his dreams and hearing his beautiful music makes him realize how wonderful a dream it is.
WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER
I think, though, out of all the characters in this book, Eton would have to be my favorite. No one knows what he thinks. Even as a reader you are so confused about Eton until the author starts letting you see Eton’s journal entries. And I was hooked. Eton is such a beautiful soul. The songs and poetry he writes make you cry it's so heartwarming. And when you look back at his actions you can see the yearning he has to be with someone.. He just can't. He can't be out and it's killing him. His music is how he expresses himself and I can just picture the passion on his face as he sings. And then as he sings to Jack. As they get closer, Eton finally gets a moment where he is free to just be himself. He doesn't have to hide himself He doesn't have to hide his feelings for anyone. He can just be. And the passion that erupts between the two is overflowing. And I, of course, bawled like a baby. When I think back or look back at what people who are gay had to go through, hell, are STILL going through, it makes these moments much more beautiful.
Even though I pointed out the passion in between these characters and and within themselves, please remember this is not a romance book. This book is about espionage and the crap going on between U.S. and The Soviet Union. And truthfully, a whole bunch of other countries. Information about each other was flying everywhere. People were being executed or imprisoned if they were 'busted’. The drama with Reagan and Gorbachev. The Berlin Wall. And I think the worst moment of all. Chernobyl. Gah the mess that is Chernobyl. To this day it's still off limits. And I'm glad the author didn't leave out the insanity of that in this book. What really happened and what happened with the people who lived there. It wasn't pretty. I also like that the author showed what it was like to be a spy. In so many books, being a spy is so glamorous. Like James Bond or something and it is far from it. Life as a whole for regular people can suck but can you imagine being a spy for real? Trying to hold together so many lies and stories to keep yourself under cover. AND having to remember everything you told every person you come in contact with and not forget a single thing. I think I would pass.
Overall, this was a good book. I would definitely recommend it to those of you who like books that deal with espionage and things of that nature. For those looking for a quick read or one of romance, this is not for you. (Although there is a little romance and definitely sex in the book). Still, that's not what this is about. Anyway, it is a good book and one that I hope that you all will like as much as I did. Happy reading!
February 6, 2019
Ох, нуу... Что сказать? Как сказать?..
Текст про политику, шпионаж, межнациональные ценности и всеобщий обман. И про любовь, что выше эгоизма.
Читала долго, часто прерываясь. Буквально заставляла себя продолжать из чувства... солидарности. Чувства невнятного долга довести эту историю до конца. Прорваться с героями за пределы этой липкой серой тоски и безысходности.
Спасибо за ТАКИХ русских персонажей и непредвзятость. За неоднозначность, за право на ошибку и право эту ошибку исправить (как в личном, так и в общенациональном масштабе). Приятно знать, что, возможно, прочитавшие это американцы/европейцы/и пр. взглянут на холодную войну чуть иначе.
А вообще - было мощно.
Текст про политику, шпионаж, межнациональные ценности и всеобщий обман. И про любовь, что выше эгоизма.
Читала долго, часто прерываясь. Буквально заставляла себя продолжать из чувства... солидарности. Чувства невнятного долга довести эту историю до конца. Прорваться с героями за пределы этой липкой серой тоски и безысходности.
Спасибо за ТАКИХ русских персонажей и непредвзятость. За неоднозначность, за право на ошибку и право эту ошибку исправить (как в личном, так и в общенациональном масштабе). Приятно знать, что, возможно, прочитавшие это американцы/европейцы/и пр. взглянут на холодную войну чуть иначе.
А вообще - было мощно.
June 9, 2018
Of Our Own Device by M.K. South is a novel with great appeal to fans of espionage and stories with strong historical settings. Set during the time of the Cold War, the story introduces readers to very compelling characters. It takes place during the last years of the disintegration of the Soviet Bloc and when the rivalry between the CIA and the KGB reaches its peak.
Against this backdrop, Jack Smith, an inexperienced case officer with the CIA, is assigned to the American Embassy in Russia. A lonely character with homosexual tendencies, Jack will find himself irrevocably drawn to a young Russian nuclear physics student, Eton Volkonsky. And while he tells his agency that Eton Volkonsky could be converted to work for the CIA, he builds a dangerous admiration for the young man, one that will cloud his vision and judgment. Could it be that Volkonsky is a disguised KGB asset? He will have to consider this question more seriously only after being pulled out from Russia, but will he get another chance of meeting Volkonsky?
M.K. South’s Of Our Own Device is a great read that captures the spirit of a historical period with brilliance. The characters are layered and three-dimensional and readers will love Jack, a very complex and compelling character. It is interesting to notice the internal conflict he experiences, accepting his gay nature and reconciling his job with his personal and love interests. The author seems to have great knowledge of espionage during the tense period of the Cold War and paints an image of Russia that will remind readers of covert activities, international tension, and the nasty game of betrayal. The novel is well-plotted, fast-paced, and done in beautiful prose. This author has succeeded in captivating readers by skillfully blending historical facts with pulse-pounding fiction.
Against this backdrop, Jack Smith, an inexperienced case officer with the CIA, is assigned to the American Embassy in Russia. A lonely character with homosexual tendencies, Jack will find himself irrevocably drawn to a young Russian nuclear physics student, Eton Volkonsky. And while he tells his agency that Eton Volkonsky could be converted to work for the CIA, he builds a dangerous admiration for the young man, one that will cloud his vision and judgment. Could it be that Volkonsky is a disguised KGB asset? He will have to consider this question more seriously only after being pulled out from Russia, but will he get another chance of meeting Volkonsky?
M.K. South’s Of Our Own Device is a great read that captures the spirit of a historical period with brilliance. The characters are layered and three-dimensional and readers will love Jack, a very complex and compelling character. It is interesting to notice the internal conflict he experiences, accepting his gay nature and reconciling his job with his personal and love interests. The author seems to have great knowledge of espionage during the tense period of the Cold War and paints an image of Russia that will remind readers of covert activities, international tension, and the nasty game of betrayal. The novel is well-plotted, fast-paced, and done in beautiful prose. This author has succeeded in captivating readers by skillfully blending historical facts with pulse-pounding fiction.
May 3, 2018
Of Our Own Device by M.K. South is a deeply engrossing Cold War spy thriller that follows its American protagonist, Jack Smith, through communist 80's Moscow. It delves into real events and perennial conflict that will be recognized by those new to this genre, and fleshes out the lesser known, underground machinisms that faithful readers of the genre will relish. While Jack navigates as an undercover CIA operative he entangles himself with student nuclear physicist, Eton Volkonsky. As the relationship evolves, Jack is forced to balance his work (and suspicions that Eton could be a KGB agent) and his personal life, which is equally covert. Against the backdrop of a war between the two greatest world powers, with risk spiked upon the highest of stakes, Of Our Own Device punctuates the time, place, and tension with a wallop.
Fresh off of a binge-watch of The Americans, I was eager to stay in the Cold War era a while longer. Of Our Own Device absolutely delivered. The exhaustive research for details that must have gone into this story is reason alone to read it, but the icing is a strong plot and incredible character development. Covering every aspect from Nuclear Winter, Chernobyl, the introduction of HIV/AIDS, complicated spy games, and everything in between as driving plot devices, this book lends itself to a glorious symmetry of classic espionage and modern, albeit chronoscopic, romance. South has easily become one of my new favorite authors and I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
Review written for Readers' Favorite.
Fresh off of a binge-watch of The Americans, I was eager to stay in the Cold War era a while longer. Of Our Own Device absolutely delivered. The exhaustive research for details that must have gone into this story is reason alone to read it, but the icing is a strong plot and incredible character development. Covering every aspect from Nuclear Winter, Chernobyl, the introduction of HIV/AIDS, complicated spy games, and everything in between as driving plot devices, this book lends itself to a glorious symmetry of classic espionage and modern, albeit chronoscopic, romance. South has easily become one of my new favorite authors and I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
Review written for Readers' Favorite.
May 20, 2017
This is an excellent Spy Thriller. It’s always enjoyable to be able to up a book that can grab your attention in the first few pages, and then keep it all the way to the end. There are plenty of twist and turns in this story, and I enjoyed the complexity of it. This is certainly a book you can immerse yourself in. CIA operator Jack Smith enjoyed his job in Russia, even if he longed to be somewhere else that wasn’t so strict. Some of the things he enjoyed doing would most likely be frowned upon in the communist state. His job wasn’t too taxing having to socialise with all sorts of Russians, to see what he could learn and pass on to his superiors. This would help them recruit local assets. Jack had taken quite an interest in Eton, when he sees him playing in a band. Especially when he also finds out that he’s the grandson of the physicist, Mikhail Volkonsky. Besides being a very good singer, Eton had also graduated and majored in nuclear physics. Jack thinks the KGB isn’t taking too much interest in him, as he moves around in his flashy car, but he knows you can never be too careful with the Russians. It only takes one wrong move and he could find himself either locked up or expelled from the Country. He needed time to recruit the asset he thought could really help them. There is a lot to like about this book, and I would certainly recommend it as a very enjoyable read.
May 30, 2018
At first I thought the book could be a bit too long and that my attention span wouldn’t last until the end of the last page. Boy, was I wrong. Half way through the reading, I wish I could prolong is somehow. So, I decided to read slowly so I wouldn’t reach the end too soon.
In describing this book, I wasn’t certain I should see it as a love story, or a spy novel. If I had to pick ONE, it would have been a love story.
I thought that the plot was great and the ending left me wishing for a sequel. Soon.
In describing this book, I wasn’t certain I should see it as a love story, or a spy novel. If I had to pick ONE, it would have been a love story.
I thought that the plot was great and the ending left me wishing for a sequel. Soon.
September 28, 2018
3.5 stars
I loved the historical period - the Soviet Union in the mid to late 1980s - and having the m/m romance being set as part of a spy thriller. The historical details were really well done and the book was obviously very well-researched.
However, the book really, really needed an editor. It was way too long and the typos were rampant.
I did enjoy the epic scope of the love story but as a true "romance" there were things I don't really particularly like to see . I was also a little disappointed that, after slogging through over 800 pages, the story ends rather abruptly without a real HEA.
Overall, there were a lot of great things here. I hope the author gets a publisher/editor because I would definitely read more from her, particularly if her next books were a little more polished.
I loved the historical period - the Soviet Union in the mid to late 1980s - and having the m/m romance being set as part of a spy thriller. The historical details were really well done and the book was obviously very well-researched.
However, the book really, really needed an editor. It was way too long and the typos were rampant.
I did enjoy the epic scope of the love story but as a true "romance" there were things I don't really particularly like to see . I was also a little disappointed that, after slogging through over 800 pages, the story ends rather abruptly without a real HEA.
Overall, there were a lot of great things here. I hope the author gets a publisher/editor because I would definitely read more from her, particularly if her next books were a little more polished.
May 16, 2018
Of Our Own Device by M.K. South is a great read set against the backdrop of the Cold War in 1985. The reader is introduced to the covert nature of the work of prominent intelligence services. This is a real thriller for fans of espionage and historical novels. Jack Smith is a newly recruited CIA case officer assigned to the American Embassy in Moscow. Jack is an outgoing man but beneath his seeming joviality is hidden another side of him, one he doesn’t want the world to see: he is gay. Meeting the genius Russian nuclear physicist, Eton Volkonsky, offers the opportunity of a lifetime. Jack is attracted to the young student and believes that he can transform him into a great spy for the CIA. However, he continues to have doubts that the talented young man could be attached to the KGB, yet his stubborn heart won’t let reason take control. Will the truth dawn on him when he finally leaves Russia?
M.K. South has crafted a gripping story of espionage with powerful historical references, enabling readers to take a ride back into the '80s to relive dramatic moments like the Chernobyl disaster, the nuclear arms race, the AIDS epidemic, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and a lot more. While the book is centered on historical events like the disintegration of the Communist bloc, the author does an awesome job in offering wonderful insights into the Russian mindset, exploring the culture of the people at the time, unveiling the nature of spy work and the dangers associated with it, and taking readers on a powerful emotional ride with a gripping romance.
The setting is well-developed and every aspect of it comes across well in the narrative, including the physical locations deftly captured in exquisite prose, the social and political climate within which the story takes place, and the culture that dictates the conduct of the characters. The writing is crisp and emboldened by the author’s rare sense of humor, the finesse in the development of suspense, and the skillful handling of character. Of Our Own Device is a riveting tale with a great conflict; an intelligently plotted story with more turns and twists than readers can foresee. A very exciting read!
M.K. South has crafted a gripping story of espionage with powerful historical references, enabling readers to take a ride back into the '80s to relive dramatic moments like the Chernobyl disaster, the nuclear arms race, the AIDS epidemic, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and a lot more. While the book is centered on historical events like the disintegration of the Communist bloc, the author does an awesome job in offering wonderful insights into the Russian mindset, exploring the culture of the people at the time, unveiling the nature of spy work and the dangers associated with it, and taking readers on a powerful emotional ride with a gripping romance.
The setting is well-developed and every aspect of it comes across well in the narrative, including the physical locations deftly captured in exquisite prose, the social and political climate within which the story takes place, and the culture that dictates the conduct of the characters. The writing is crisp and emboldened by the author’s rare sense of humor, the finesse in the development of suspense, and the skillful handling of character. Of Our Own Device is a riveting tale with a great conflict; an intelligently plotted story with more turns and twists than readers can foresee. A very exciting read!
May 20, 2018
Review for Readers' Favorite
We first meet Jack Smith in Of Our Own Device by M K South when he is working in the American Embassy in Moscow. On the surface he is one of the Cultural Attaches but in reality, he is a spy, tasked with identifying possible Russian officials and persuading them to work for the United States. He is a friendly, outgoing everyday guy, liked by everyone, but he has a secret, he is a homosexual. He mixes easily with the Russian people he meets and becomes involved with a group of young people, actors, musicians and playwrights. The father of one of them Eton originally defected from America to Russia and his grandfather is heavily involved in scientific research into the effects on the world following a nuclear bomb attack. Jack’s brief is to cultivate the family and discover what he can. He befriends the grandson Eton but events take a turn when he unwittingly falls in love with Eton who in turn loves him back. Jack is faced with the dilemma of either betraying his country or his lover.
Of Our Own Device by M K South is an epic book almost seven hundred pages long which needs to be read slowly and carefully. There are so many twists and turns as Jack hesitates about recruiting Eton and persuading him to spy against his own people. Time and time again Jack pulls back and his character is so well drawn that you suffer with him in every chapter. He is never quite sure if he is the bait for the KGB to turn him – something his own spy work would love – and he agonizes that Eton may be KGB himself and if not him then one of his friends. The tension rises and falls every time they socialize and every time Jack has to ‘doctor’ his reports to his own organization. The reader is privy to Eton’s secret diary but despite that, you are never quite sure who is on which side. The culmination, at the time of the breaking down of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union builds to a magnificent climax and I read breathlessly faster and faster towards the end of the book. Highly recommended for lovers of spy thrillers that are down to earth and realistic. I have no hesitation in giving this book 5 stars it was a great read.
We first meet Jack Smith in Of Our Own Device by M K South when he is working in the American Embassy in Moscow. On the surface he is one of the Cultural Attaches but in reality, he is a spy, tasked with identifying possible Russian officials and persuading them to work for the United States. He is a friendly, outgoing everyday guy, liked by everyone, but he has a secret, he is a homosexual. He mixes easily with the Russian people he meets and becomes involved with a group of young people, actors, musicians and playwrights. The father of one of them Eton originally defected from America to Russia and his grandfather is heavily involved in scientific research into the effects on the world following a nuclear bomb attack. Jack’s brief is to cultivate the family and discover what he can. He befriends the grandson Eton but events take a turn when he unwittingly falls in love with Eton who in turn loves him back. Jack is faced with the dilemma of either betraying his country or his lover.
Of Our Own Device by M K South is an epic book almost seven hundred pages long which needs to be read slowly and carefully. There are so many twists and turns as Jack hesitates about recruiting Eton and persuading him to spy against his own people. Time and time again Jack pulls back and his character is so well drawn that you suffer with him in every chapter. He is never quite sure if he is the bait for the KGB to turn him – something his own spy work would love – and he agonizes that Eton may be KGB himself and if not him then one of his friends. The tension rises and falls every time they socialize and every time Jack has to ‘doctor’ his reports to his own organization. The reader is privy to Eton’s secret diary but despite that, you are never quite sure who is on which side. The culmination, at the time of the breaking down of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union builds to a magnificent climax and I read breathlessly faster and faster towards the end of the book. Highly recommended for lovers of spy thrillers that are down to earth and realistic. I have no hesitation in giving this book 5 stars it was a great read.
June 22, 2017
4.0 of 5 - Thoughtful Thriller On a Par with International Spy Museum.
[Thanks to the author and Goodreads' MMRG Don't Buy My Love program for a free copy in exchange for an honest review]
I’m a fan of spy thrillers, and I really enjoyed this one. Perhaps it was because while reading this, I was also coincidentally in DC and visited the International Spy Museum. I really got into all the info there, which might also give a hint that I was already positively inclined to all that came with this novel.
This was comparable to other good real and fictional spy thrillers I’ve read. More unique to this was that at a broad level, this had the right (even) balance between the byzantine espionage and a slow-build gay romance. With both, M.K. South did a good job of going beyond the dual tropes of forbidden love, a Romeo-and-Julian pairing of two men from enemy countries, and an illegal gay romance (in this case, behind the iron curtain in the 80s).
The book’s length was indicative of its being full of plot, plotting, intrigue, and details. A lot of details, which my museum experience may have enticed me to tolerate a little more than those not so inclined. And tbh, I even found it a bit cumbersome at times, slowing the plot and getting me lost in those details. I had to laugh a couple times when the text reflected my thinking: with the MC (Jack) saying, “‘I see.’ [But] he didn’t, it was all so convoluted,” and with a description about the ploys being “intricate and with many moving parts, making it hard even for the players [and readers?] to get the full picture.”
But South did a good job of bringing it together in a conversant, understandable style told at a steady pace. Most everything was believable, the characters well developed, the tensions nicely building to a quite satisfactory ending. The few sex scenes interspersed along the way were fairly explicit, but more brief and matter-of-fact than erotic for how a man feels. This was made up for by a romance that seemed realistic and heartfelt.
Above all I loved the historical setting and its being surrounded by actual events nicely interwoven into the storyline. Things like Reagan, Gorbachev, glasnost, Chernobyl, the capturing and exposing of certain spies, and of course, the Berlin wall. It was interesting looking back on these from a post Cold War\80s AIDS crisis view. Having lived through those times, I thought South captured the mood and cultures well.
This all came to an expected but still exciting end. An end that alluded to what had been reflected throughout, especially midway through when the book’s title came into play, talking about Chernobyl as well as the dire predictions of a nuclear winter:
“We need to remember what we do to ourselves.
And that all that happens to us is of our own device.”
[Thanks to the author and Goodreads' MMRG Don't Buy My Love program for a free copy in exchange for an honest review]
I’m a fan of spy thrillers, and I really enjoyed this one. Perhaps it was because while reading this, I was also coincidentally in DC and visited the International Spy Museum. I really got into all the info there, which might also give a hint that I was already positively inclined to all that came with this novel.
This was comparable to other good real and fictional spy thrillers I’ve read. More unique to this was that at a broad level, this had the right (even) balance between the byzantine espionage and a slow-build gay romance. With both, M.K. South did a good job of going beyond the dual tropes of forbidden love, a Romeo-and-Julian pairing of two men from enemy countries, and an illegal gay romance (in this case, behind the iron curtain in the 80s).
The book’s length was indicative of its being full of plot, plotting, intrigue, and details. A lot of details, which my museum experience may have enticed me to tolerate a little more than those not so inclined. And tbh, I even found it a bit cumbersome at times, slowing the plot and getting me lost in those details. I had to laugh a couple times when the text reflected my thinking: with the MC (Jack) saying, “‘I see.’ [But] he didn’t, it was all so convoluted,” and with a description about the ploys being “intricate and with many moving parts, making it hard even for the players [and readers?] to get the full picture.”
But South did a good job of bringing it together in a conversant, understandable style told at a steady pace. Most everything was believable, the characters well developed, the tensions nicely building to a quite satisfactory ending. The few sex scenes interspersed along the way were fairly explicit, but more brief and matter-of-fact than erotic for how a man feels. This was made up for by a romance that seemed realistic and heartfelt.
Above all I loved the historical setting and its being surrounded by actual events nicely interwoven into the storyline. Things like Reagan, Gorbachev, glasnost, Chernobyl, the capturing and exposing of certain spies, and of course, the Berlin wall. It was interesting looking back on these from a post Cold War\80s AIDS crisis view. Having lived through those times, I thought South captured the mood and cultures well.
This all came to an expected but still exciting end. An end that alluded to what had been reflected throughout, especially midway through when the book’s title came into play, talking about Chernobyl as well as the dire predictions of a nuclear winter:
“We need to remember what we do to ourselves.
And that all that happens to us is of our own device.”
April 12, 2017
Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite - 5 of 5 stars
Of Our Own Device by M.K. South is a powerful thriller told around equally powerful historical events. For readers who enjoy political thrillers that are fast-paced and gripping, this book will be a
wondrous treat. The novel features one of the perennial conflicts of modern history, the tug-of-war between the CIA and the KGB, set in an age when spy work was the order of the day with a shaky relationship between the US and Russia. Jack Smith is a new CIA agent attached to the US embassy in Moscow, a novice who quickly develops a good relationship with Eton Volkonsky. Eton Volkonsky is a student specializing in nuclear physics. A simple friendship could be transformed into a great opportunity as Jack is tasked to coax the young Russian student into becoming a spy. The huge question is: Can he be so sure about the man he trusts or could Eton be on a similar mission for the KGB?
M.K. South has created a stellar thriller with memorable characters and readers will be thrilled with the drama that takes place within these pages. The reader gets the feeling that the author is an
expert in the workings of intelligence organizations. It is interesting to see how he weaves historical elements into the story, making relevant references to Afghanistan, the emergence of HIV AIDS, and a lot of verifiable information. There is a strong political and social commentary that punctuates the story and gives it life, unveiling a Russia that readers hardly know. Jack Smith is a well-crafted character and readers will love watching as he evolves through the political friction, the intrigue, and the game played by two intelligence bodies — the CIA and the KGB. Of Our Own Device is one that will be hard to put down. Tightly written and paced to keep the reader reading, nonstop.
Of Our Own Device by M.K. South is a powerful thriller told around equally powerful historical events. For readers who enjoy political thrillers that are fast-paced and gripping, this book will be a
wondrous treat. The novel features one of the perennial conflicts of modern history, the tug-of-war between the CIA and the KGB, set in an age when spy work was the order of the day with a shaky relationship between the US and Russia. Jack Smith is a new CIA agent attached to the US embassy in Moscow, a novice who quickly develops a good relationship with Eton Volkonsky. Eton Volkonsky is a student specializing in nuclear physics. A simple friendship could be transformed into a great opportunity as Jack is tasked to coax the young Russian student into becoming a spy. The huge question is: Can he be so sure about the man he trusts or could Eton be on a similar mission for the KGB?
M.K. South has created a stellar thriller with memorable characters and readers will be thrilled with the drama that takes place within these pages. The reader gets the feeling that the author is an
expert in the workings of intelligence organizations. It is interesting to see how he weaves historical elements into the story, making relevant references to Afghanistan, the emergence of HIV AIDS, and a lot of verifiable information. There is a strong political and social commentary that punctuates the story and gives it life, unveiling a Russia that readers hardly know. Jack Smith is a well-crafted character and readers will love watching as he evolves through the political friction, the intrigue, and the game played by two intelligence bodies — the CIA and the KGB. Of Our Own Device is one that will be hard to put down. Tightly written and paced to keep the reader reading, nonstop.
October 2, 2018
Jack Smith is a somewhat reluctant CIA agent under deep cover in soviet era Moscow in the mid 1980s. Preternaturally handsome, he is at heart a gay man, but as a spy he is whatever the company requires him to be - as an American working in Soviet Era Moscow he does whatever is required to project an image of banal heterosexuality. Jack is smart, savvy, suspicious as is required of him, while remaining empathetic and as the novel progresses, increasingly sympathetic towards the group of Russian nomenclature students he has befriended as part of his job.
Eton Volkonsky is a shy, lonely PHD student, deeply closeted due to the spurious social conditions of the time, and an avid writer. It is through his writing that most of his (beautiful) characterisation takes place. Eton is also a near genius, ambivalent nuclear physicist and passionate musician, the grandson of a Soviet nuclear physicist, ”royalty” whom, due to his mysterious family history is marked as an unwitting pawn of the CIA in Moscow.
The relationship between Jack and Eton is a tantalising slow burn of forbidden sexual tension, angst and mutual suspicion. Spanning almost a decade, three continents, and set against a back drop of real life events - from the spate of US ambassador ejections from Moscow, Chernobyl, the Soviet-Afghan war to the fall of the Berlin Wall, it is as thrilling as it is unpredictable and the last 20-30% of the book is a perfectly nail biting race to its conclusion.
At almost 300,000 words oood is an opus. Part epic love story, Cold War spy thriller, history lesson and cultural exchange, this book is a REALISTIC and meticulously realistic spy thriller and one of the best books I’ve read all year.
Eton Volkonsky is a shy, lonely PHD student, deeply closeted due to the spurious social conditions of the time, and an avid writer. It is through his writing that most of his (beautiful) characterisation takes place. Eton is also a near genius, ambivalent nuclear physicist and passionate musician, the grandson of a Soviet nuclear physicist, ”royalty” whom, due to his mysterious family history is marked as an unwitting pawn of the CIA in Moscow.
The relationship between Jack and Eton is a tantalising slow burn of forbidden sexual tension, angst and mutual suspicion. Spanning almost a decade, three continents, and set against a back drop of real life events - from the spate of US ambassador ejections from Moscow, Chernobyl, the Soviet-Afghan war to the fall of the Berlin Wall, it is as thrilling as it is unpredictable and the last 20-30% of the book is a perfectly nail biting race to its conclusion.
At almost 300,000 words oood is an opus. Part epic love story, Cold War spy thriller, history lesson and cultural exchange, this book is a REALISTIC and meticulously realistic spy thriller and one of the best books I’ve read all year.
April 11, 2017
REVIEWED BY JOEL R. DENNSTEDT FOR READERS' FAVORITE
Two aspects of M.K. South’s complex espionage thriller, Of Our Own Device, starkly define the reading experience one must expect upon tackling this lengthy novel. The plotting is meticulous and brilliantly satisfying. The sex is graphic, detailed, and same gender, but it is not gratuitous, and it is absolutely essential and integral to the book’s unfolding storyline. The year is 1985, an historical period rife with Cold War strategy and tactical maneuvering between two primary players: the superpowers - Russia and the United States. Jack Smith, in deep cover with an alternate backstory to keep him well hidden, plies his dual trades under the predatory and acute scrutiny of the Soviet Union as Gorbachev comes into power, a time when glasnost and perestroika serve to belie the undercurrent of severe danger inherent to his placement, especially considering the devastating and imminent threat of nuclear war.
Amidst the cunning games of spy vs. spy played out during this unstable time, Jack Smith develops a strategic and unintentional emotional/sexual bond with a young Russian would-be rock star, who happens also to be an up-and-coming physicist studying the potential effects of nuclear winter. M.K. South’s treatment of their most clandestine affair within his novel becomes the essential metaphor and conflict serving to propel his ever more thrilling and dangerous storyline. Which particular secretive revelation might cause more damage to them both becomes a crucial consideration. Meanwhile, the book accelerates progressively toward a fateful, unanticipated, but highly satisfying conclusion.
Two aspects of M.K. South’s complex espionage thriller, Of Our Own Device, starkly define the reading experience one must expect upon tackling this lengthy novel. The plotting is meticulous and brilliantly satisfying. The sex is graphic, detailed, and same gender, but it is not gratuitous, and it is absolutely essential and integral to the book’s unfolding storyline. The year is 1985, an historical period rife with Cold War strategy and tactical maneuvering between two primary players: the superpowers - Russia and the United States. Jack Smith, in deep cover with an alternate backstory to keep him well hidden, plies his dual trades under the predatory and acute scrutiny of the Soviet Union as Gorbachev comes into power, a time when glasnost and perestroika serve to belie the undercurrent of severe danger inherent to his placement, especially considering the devastating and imminent threat of nuclear war.
Amidst the cunning games of spy vs. spy played out during this unstable time, Jack Smith develops a strategic and unintentional emotional/sexual bond with a young Russian would-be rock star, who happens also to be an up-and-coming physicist studying the potential effects of nuclear winter. M.K. South’s treatment of their most clandestine affair within his novel becomes the essential metaphor and conflict serving to propel his ever more thrilling and dangerous storyline. Which particular secretive revelation might cause more damage to them both becomes a crucial consideration. Meanwhile, the book accelerates progressively toward a fateful, unanticipated, but highly satisfying conclusion.
June 7, 2017
Of Our Own Device by M.K. South is a stunning tale. One that features the Cold War. I was instantly hooked and intrigued by this writer's talent. Every page was well-written. M.K. South brilliantly brought this novel to life. Impressive. Fast-paced, thrilling, and an unforgettable story. Spies, politics, love, and much more can be found inside Of Our Device. The main character's increasing situation with a particular character was fascinating to watch unfold. Originally sent as an assignment, Jack ends up with more than just doing work related stuff. His attachment towards Eton is intense. I recommend this book, to all who love action and espionage thrillers. Plus, this contains male and male romance. Overall, an engaging read.
August 24, 2022
2.5 stars
Is this book worth 1,000 pages? Hell no.
Was the ending satisfying? Not really.
Do I regret reading it? Not really.
😂😂😂
Yeah, this is a weird one. So keep in mind that I read this book at a time when I was having trouble getting into anything. Like, ANYTHING. Nothing was holding my attention, so I thought, what the hell, let’s try that 1,000-page Cold War spy novel that’s been lingering on my TBR. It definitely can’t make the situation worse, and how often can you really say that with confidence?
The book uses its length to de-glamourize the life of an entry-level undercover CIA spy in Russia in the 80s, and I liked that. It’s much more a procedural than an action adventure. We’re talking days of planning for a signal pick up that includes 2.5 hours diversionary driving/wandering/walking both before and after in order to ensure you aren’t being tailed, and that might be the most exciting thing you do this month. Jack spends most of his time doing his cover job as a cultural attaché, which he also uses to gather information and develop helpful contacts.
It is Jack’s job to present as a friendly, gregarious, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, All-American that you can’t help but be drawn to, and to hang out with American-friendly Russians at a time when that was just starting to become a slightly less dangerous thing to be.
It was interesting to see Russia from this perspective, as Jack has already fallen in love with the country and the people by the beginning of the book. He very clearly sees Russia and the KGB/Russian government as two/three separate and often warring entities and has no problems keeping his feelings for each separate.
Jack’s sense of identity has not been subsumed by the CIA. It‘s a (mostly clerical) job that he fell into and happens to be good at and plans to use only insofar as it furthers his dream of eventually owning a ranch in California, which is no small thing for someone who grew up as poor and isolated as he did.
I liked all of these things, and I liked Eton and everything about their relationship. Due to the nature of Jack’s work, the relationship doesn’t get a lot of play page-wise — they often only get to see each other once a month or so — but they try to make the most of it and it becomes the driving force for many of their actions.
And yet, after the 250-page Part One, I put the book down for a few days because I wasn’t sure I was going to finish it. Partly because I found Jack’s internal voice a little immature, and therefore a little obnoxious, at times, even though it felt very true to the character and his age and the time period. (Honestly, fewer exclamation points would have helped a lot with that.) But mostly because I knew my satisfaction with the overall reading experience was going to depend so much on how it ended, and I could already tell that we were not on track to get far enough into the future for me to be happy by the end.
The crazy thing is, it came so much closer than I ever would’ve predicted. The book spans years and then comes within a day of a conversation that could’ve clinched the whole thing for me. The ending point is poignant and does serve a purpose in it’s own way, and had it been a 350-page book I would’ve been fine with it. But after 1,000 pages? Not quite.
But I enjoyed much of the journey, and luckily I read it at a time when that was its own kind of satisfying for me. If endings are less important to you, you’ll probably like it even more. If it’s going to bother you that Jack sleeps with women like it’s his job (because it is!) throughout his entire relationship with Eton, you should stay away.
Is this book worth 1,000 pages? Hell no.
Was the ending satisfying? Not really.
Do I regret reading it? Not really.
😂😂😂
Yeah, this is a weird one. So keep in mind that I read this book at a time when I was having trouble getting into anything. Like, ANYTHING. Nothing was holding my attention, so I thought, what the hell, let’s try that 1,000-page Cold War spy novel that’s been lingering on my TBR. It definitely can’t make the situation worse, and how often can you really say that with confidence?
The book uses its length to de-glamourize the life of an entry-level undercover CIA spy in Russia in the 80s, and I liked that. It’s much more a procedural than an action adventure. We’re talking days of planning for a signal pick up that includes 2.5 hours diversionary driving/wandering/walking both before and after in order to ensure you aren’t being tailed, and that might be the most exciting thing you do this month. Jack spends most of his time doing his cover job as a cultural attaché, which he also uses to gather information and develop helpful contacts.
It is Jack’s job to present as a friendly, gregarious, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, All-American that you can’t help but be drawn to, and to hang out with American-friendly Russians at a time when that was just starting to become a slightly less dangerous thing to be.
It was interesting to see Russia from this perspective, as Jack has already fallen in love with the country and the people by the beginning of the book. He very clearly sees Russia and the KGB/Russian government as two/three separate and often warring entities and has no problems keeping his feelings for each separate.
Jack’s sense of identity has not been subsumed by the CIA. It‘s a (mostly clerical) job that he fell into and happens to be good at and plans to use only insofar as it furthers his dream of eventually owning a ranch in California, which is no small thing for someone who grew up as poor and isolated as he did.
I liked all of these things, and I liked Eton and everything about their relationship. Due to the nature of Jack’s work, the relationship doesn’t get a lot of play page-wise — they often only get to see each other once a month or so — but they try to make the most of it and it becomes the driving force for many of their actions.
And yet, after the 250-page Part One, I put the book down for a few days because I wasn’t sure I was going to finish it. Partly because I found Jack’s internal voice a little immature, and therefore a little obnoxious, at times, even though it felt very true to the character and his age and the time period. (Honestly, fewer exclamation points would have helped a lot with that.) But mostly because I knew my satisfaction with the overall reading experience was going to depend so much on how it ended, and I could already tell that we were not on track to get far enough into the future for me to be happy by the end.
The crazy thing is, it came so much closer than I ever would’ve predicted. The book spans years and then comes within a day of a conversation that could’ve clinched the whole thing for me. The ending point is poignant and does serve a purpose in it’s own way, and had it been a 350-page book I would’ve been fine with it. But after 1,000 pages? Not quite.
But I enjoyed much of the journey, and luckily I read it at a time when that was its own kind of satisfying for me. If endings are less important to you, you’ll probably like it even more. If it’s going to bother you that Jack sleeps with women like it’s his job (because it is!) throughout his entire relationship with Eton, you should stay away.
March 10, 2017
Cold Warriors rejoice! A major fix for your addiction has arrived!
Okay, I'm being tongue in cheek, but "Of Our Own Device" has pretty much everything readers longing for a hit of classic Cold War spy fiction could want. Plus a bunch more. It's a big, sprawling book covering the Gorbachev era and the last years of the DDR, full of intrigue, double-crossing, deep cover operatives, and a very hot romance between CIA agent Jack and Eton, the Russian student he's been assigned to recruit.
So yeah. It's a bit like a John Le Carre novel meets "Brokeback Mountain." If you are a fan of Cold War thrillers, or just like reading about the perestroika era, "Of Our Own Device" will have plenty for you to enjoy. The descriptions of 1980s Moscow and Berlin are chock-a-block full of period detail, making you feel as if you're ducking in and out of metro stations and dodging Ladas and Zhigulis on the rainy streets right along with Jack, as he sneaks off to semi-sanctioned trysts with Eton. The major events and concerns of the late '80s are all there too, and even though we now know how it all turned out, you can't help but wonder and worry along with the characters over the arms race, nuclear winter, and Chernobyl. And then there's the vibrant semi-underground late-Soviet rock scene, of which Eton is a part: he's torn between becoming a nuclear physicist or a rock musician, and frequents both worlds, getting firsthand reports about the Chernobyl disaster while also rubbing shoulders with the likes of Boris Grebenshchikov and the members of Kino (I may have emitted a faint yip of joy at that part, I was so excited to see Viktor Tsoi et al. in fictional "person").
If this sounds like some kind of nostalgic fanfic, there is a certain element of that: there's plenty for late-Soviet devotees to check off while nodding contentedly to themselves. But the book is much more than a checklist of names and events, telling as it does against this background what you might call the ultimate story of forbidden love. Jack is a brash, smooth-talking, good-looking Wyoming cowboy who's supposed to be such a quintessentially loud American that no one would ever take him for a CIA agent. At the same time, he leads a second double life as a bisexual at a time when that was considered to be a major security risk, and has to keep his real inclinations secret even as he's ordered to use his esoteric skill set to seduce Eton, a suspected homosexual in a country where being gay was even more taboo than in the US. Jack isn't conflicted about his sexuality, but he is increasingly conflicted about the duplicity it demands of him, as well as the risk it entails for others: he is supposed to seduce Eton, who may or may not be a KGB agent, flirt with their mutual friend Lara, and maintain flamboyantly obvious relationships with CIA-approved female American partners. Jack is a pretty self-centered guy in the beginning of the novel, but as his attachment to Eton grows, so does his awareness that the games he's playing have real consequences for other people.
As might be guessed from the preceding description, there's a lot to this book, and like Jack and Eton's relationship, it starts off slowly. A super-quick read it's not, but it successfully immerses the reader in its time period and in the heads of its main characters, and as the tension between Jack and Eton builds, so does the suspense. Readers in the historical know will be acutely aware of the major events looming for the unsuspecting characters, and may be hard pressed not to scream at them that they just need to hang on a little longer, just a little bit longer. The last few chapters, set in Berlin in the fall of 1989, are, like the time itself, breathlessly, nail-bitingly chaotic, as the characters scheme and race to get on the right side of a wall that's about to come down. A definite recommendation for fans of spy fiction, Soviet history buffs, and readers looking for an intense M/M love story.
My thanks to the author for providing a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Okay, I'm being tongue in cheek, but "Of Our Own Device" has pretty much everything readers longing for a hit of classic Cold War spy fiction could want. Plus a bunch more. It's a big, sprawling book covering the Gorbachev era and the last years of the DDR, full of intrigue, double-crossing, deep cover operatives, and a very hot romance between CIA agent Jack and Eton, the Russian student he's been assigned to recruit.
So yeah. It's a bit like a John Le Carre novel meets "Brokeback Mountain." If you are a fan of Cold War thrillers, or just like reading about the perestroika era, "Of Our Own Device" will have plenty for you to enjoy. The descriptions of 1980s Moscow and Berlin are chock-a-block full of period detail, making you feel as if you're ducking in and out of metro stations and dodging Ladas and Zhigulis on the rainy streets right along with Jack, as he sneaks off to semi-sanctioned trysts with Eton. The major events and concerns of the late '80s are all there too, and even though we now know how it all turned out, you can't help but wonder and worry along with the characters over the arms race, nuclear winter, and Chernobyl. And then there's the vibrant semi-underground late-Soviet rock scene, of which Eton is a part: he's torn between becoming a nuclear physicist or a rock musician, and frequents both worlds, getting firsthand reports about the Chernobyl disaster while also rubbing shoulders with the likes of Boris Grebenshchikov and the members of Kino (I may have emitted a faint yip of joy at that part, I was so excited to see Viktor Tsoi et al. in fictional "person").
If this sounds like some kind of nostalgic fanfic, there is a certain element of that: there's plenty for late-Soviet devotees to check off while nodding contentedly to themselves. But the book is much more than a checklist of names and events, telling as it does against this background what you might call the ultimate story of forbidden love. Jack is a brash, smooth-talking, good-looking Wyoming cowboy who's supposed to be such a quintessentially loud American that no one would ever take him for a CIA agent. At the same time, he leads a second double life as a bisexual at a time when that was considered to be a major security risk, and has to keep his real inclinations secret even as he's ordered to use his esoteric skill set to seduce Eton, a suspected homosexual in a country where being gay was even more taboo than in the US. Jack isn't conflicted about his sexuality, but he is increasingly conflicted about the duplicity it demands of him, as well as the risk it entails for others: he is supposed to seduce Eton, who may or may not be a KGB agent, flirt with their mutual friend Lara, and maintain flamboyantly obvious relationships with CIA-approved female American partners. Jack is a pretty self-centered guy in the beginning of the novel, but as his attachment to Eton grows, so does his awareness that the games he's playing have real consequences for other people.
As might be guessed from the preceding description, there's a lot to this book, and like Jack and Eton's relationship, it starts off slowly. A super-quick read it's not, but it successfully immerses the reader in its time period and in the heads of its main characters, and as the tension between Jack and Eton builds, so does the suspense. Readers in the historical know will be acutely aware of the major events looming for the unsuspecting characters, and may be hard pressed not to scream at them that they just need to hang on a little longer, just a little bit longer. The last few chapters, set in Berlin in the fall of 1989, are, like the time itself, breathlessly, nail-bitingly chaotic, as the characters scheme and race to get on the right side of a wall that's about to come down. A definite recommendation for fans of spy fiction, Soviet history buffs, and readers looking for an intense M/M love story.
My thanks to the author for providing a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
August 12, 2018
A Spy Who Fell in Love. Set in Russia, around the 80’s, is a novel filled with action, history, secret romances, politics and high society culture. When first reading, I was curious about who the main character would be. A handsome, recruited spy, simply named Jack. The description of his looks made it seem he wasn’t the typical spy. He was the kind of guy that would stand out in a crowd, but not be suspect of anything more than friendly with the ladies. Only later to find out he not only gathered secrets, but he had one of his own. Being gay was not something that he could tell anyone; even his superiors couldn’t know. To think that not so long ago, it was still so taboo.
As I read on, the story delve deeper, revealing a story about a man in his life, juggling a dangerous career along with the secret of his true identity, and the relationship that develops between him and his target.
How ironic that a spy is given a secret identity, only to have to hide his own identity from those he delivers secrets to. The book has the details of history, political tension and forbidden lovers all rolled up in one and making you hold your breath until you find out what happens next.
I truly enjoy when an author allows you to see into the minds of the other characters, as well. To see what they’re thinking and what role they play, it really rounds a story out, and provides a fuller perspective of the events. It helped, as I wasn’t too into the main character, until I saw into his past and the role others played in shaping who he had become. M.K. did well in Jack’s character development, which helped me appreciate him more. The book was lengthy, and began to throw me off and bore me, but if you keep reading it will catch you, and you won’t be able to let go of this book until the end, where you will be flipping pages back hoping that you didn’t miss anything. The end left me curious and wanting more. What happened with him and his lover? Did they get to see each other again? Was he safe? Alive? Sequel?
As I read on, the story delve deeper, revealing a story about a man in his life, juggling a dangerous career along with the secret of his true identity, and the relationship that develops between him and his target.
How ironic that a spy is given a secret identity, only to have to hide his own identity from those he delivers secrets to. The book has the details of history, political tension and forbidden lovers all rolled up in one and making you hold your breath until you find out what happens next.
I truly enjoy when an author allows you to see into the minds of the other characters, as well. To see what they’re thinking and what role they play, it really rounds a story out, and provides a fuller perspective of the events. It helped, as I wasn’t too into the main character, until I saw into his past and the role others played in shaping who he had become. M.K. did well in Jack’s character development, which helped me appreciate him more. The book was lengthy, and began to throw me off and bore me, but if you keep reading it will catch you, and you won’t be able to let go of this book until the end, where you will be flipping pages back hoping that you didn’t miss anything. The end left me curious and wanting more. What happened with him and his lover? Did they get to see each other again? Was he safe? Alive? Sequel?
April 8, 2017
Of Our Own Device by M.K. South is the first book I've read that featured a protagonist who is a spy and also happens to be gay. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but what I got was an interesting spy novel. It was fascinating to go back in time to the days of the Cold War and how we thought then. I had forgotten the feel of it, but M.K. South captures the ambiance of that era perfectly. I especially related to the conversations about classic rock music and how important and prevalent it was, not only to young Americans, but to young people the world over. America and the Soviet Union had a mutual fascination with each other and M.K. South has a delicate way of emphasizing this without overdoing it.
What I liked most about Of Our Own Device by M.K. South is the protagonist, Jack Smith. There are so many aspects of him that reminded me of myself as a young man. I am also from a small town; I also dreamed of going to California and government service was my ticket to see the world, just as it was for Jack. I found the depiction of life as an American living and working in a foreign country spot on. The foreign students, the fellow Americans you meet, and the surveillance by the host country were all beautifully written. This is a spy’s life - not the constant action and adventure of a James Bond novel but the daily stress of living a lie and still trying to be a fun, decent, human being. M.K. South writes well and I look forward to more stories of Jack and his California dream.
What I liked most about Of Our Own Device by M.K. South is the protagonist, Jack Smith. There are so many aspects of him that reminded me of myself as a young man. I am also from a small town; I also dreamed of going to California and government service was my ticket to see the world, just as it was for Jack. I found the depiction of life as an American living and working in a foreign country spot on. The foreign students, the fellow Americans you meet, and the surveillance by the host country were all beautifully written. This is a spy’s life - not the constant action and adventure of a James Bond novel but the daily stress of living a lie and still trying to be a fun, decent, human being. M.K. South writes well and I look forward to more stories of Jack and his California dream.
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