The Berkut is set world war 2 Germany at the immediate ending of the war and shortly thereafter. It's an alternate history book written around the loose facts known of Hitler's whereabouts at the end. In this book rather than commit suicide he escapes in an ingenious plan leaving behind a body double's corpse (hence the need to burn the corpse so it is unidentifiable).

The escaping party is then tracked by a specialist Russian force which is mostly what the book involves. Tossed in is an American main character Beau Valentine who seems to serve no real purpose other than filler.

It was an alright story, extra points for originality however the dullness in the middle had my mind wandering and taking regular breaks from reading to maintain concentration. The ending was reasonable however the epilogue took it a bit into absurd territory. ( )

This is my very favorite WWII novel. The plot is ingenious and the ending will amaze, astonish, and shock you. The climax of the book provides a most satisfying ending--if only Hitler had received his comeuppance as he does here. It's too bad that no one ever made a movie out of this book. ( )

Read it - can't remember it - brought home to re-read.

Group O