The Man from Barbarossa

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**Title** **The Man from Barbarossa**
Hodder & Stoughton British hardcover edition.
Author	John Gardner
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Series	James Bond
Genre(s)	Spy novel
Publisher	Hodder & Stoughton
Released	1991
Media type	Print (Hardcover and Paperback)
ISBN	ISBN 034053124X
Preceded by	Brokenclaw
Followed by	Death is Forever

The Man from Barbarossa, first published in 1991, was the eleventh novel by John Gardner featuring Ian Fleming's secret agent, James Bond. Carrying the Glidrose Publications copyright, it was first published in the United Kingdom by Hodder & Stoughton and in the United States by Putnam.

More so than any other Bond novel before it, it acknowledges then-current real-life world events. The story begins in January 1991 just prior to the start of the Persian Gulf War, and later includes a description of the early stage of the war against Iraq. No reference to the end of the conflict is made, however, suggesting the manuscript may have been completed before the war's end. Gardner also predicted that hardliners within the Soviet Union might attempt a coup against the government, which did occur later in 1991 but under different circumstances. The book also strongly suggests that the Cold War was soon to end, which did occur that year in December.

John Gardner has stated on many occasions that of the 007 novels he wrote, this is his favourite because it was different and had a more creative approach than all his previous attempts. Additionally, Gardner believes that of all his novels, this was also Glidrose's favourite as well, although the American publishers took a strong disliking to it ^[1]. Critics had a mixed reaction with many feeling it was one of Gardner's lesser Bond novels. Additionally, many were quick to point out shared similarities in the novel's plot with Icebreaker, Gardner's third 007 novel ^[2]

1 Plot summary
2 Characters
3 Trivia
4 Publication history
5 References

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The Man from Barbarossa begins with a prelude that includes some background information on the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union codenamed Operation Barbarossa, the massacre at Babi Yar that occurred not long after, and information on Josif Voronstov, a fictional character said to be a deputy of real-life Paul Blobel who was primarily responsible for the massacre.

When the story begins, an elderly American living in New Jersey is kidnapped by a Russian terrorist group called the Scales of Justice. The man, Joel Penderek, was captured under the belief that he is Josif Voronstov, the war criminal partially responsible for the massacre at Babi Yar. The group demands the Soviet government put the man on trial for his crimes, and begins murdering government officials when leaders refuse and are slow to react. The situation is slightly more complicated as the CIA and the Mossad believe Voronstov to be a man located in Florida who they had under surveillance.

Captain James Bond is partnered with an Israeli Mossad agent, Pete Natkowitz, and two agents from the French Secret Service, Henri Rampart and Stephanie Adoré. They are assigned to work with Bory Stepakov and his assistant Nina Bibikova from the KGB to infiltrate the Scales of Justice posing as a TV crew so as to discover their real motive. Accomplishing this, they learn that the group plans to sabotage perestroika and supply Iraq with nuclear weapons before the United Nations-led coalition invades.

The man behind the Scales of Justice, General Yevgeny Yuskovich, is a cousin of Josif Voronstov who is identified as Joel Penderek. The trial was staged in order to shift focus away from Yuskovich's other plans.

[edit] Characters

Josif Voronstov

Deputy to Paul Blobel, the instigator of the massacre at Babi Yar. Said to have driven the victims to their deaths. Is actually Joel Penderek who is captured in Hawthorne, New Jersey by the Scales of Justice. Voronstov is put on a mock trial where it is discovered he is the cousin of General Yevgeny Yuskovich.

General Yevgeny Yuskovich

Yuskovich is the leader of the Scales of Justice and the primary villain of the novel. He attempts to sabotage perestroika and supply Iraq with nuclear arms.

[edit] Trivia

This novel firmly establishes that the "universe" inhabited by Gardner's Bond is not the same as that in which Fleming's version of the character resided, as it is strongly implied that Gardner's Bond was not an agent (or at least a 00-agent) in the early 1960s.
Part of this novel takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, which would later be one of the settings of the 1999 Bond film, The World Is Not Enough.
In the latter half of the novel, James Bond is suddenly killed during a gun battle — or so the reader is meant to believe. Bond's supposed body is recovered and is buried. The grave is marked by a piece of wood that bears the carving: "Here lies the body of a gallant British officer, thought to be Captain James Bond, Royal Navy, died for his own cause, January 9, 1991." News of Bond's supposed death reaches M who, in addition to Bill Tanner and Miss Moneypenny, is devastated by the news.