Classic MacLean adventure - one of the best adventure titles ever, surely. Different from the movie. The first third is slightly reminiscent - a sub journey to the base. The second two thirds is more Agatha Christie. I didn't guess the killer but then MacLean characters were never that vivid - it's hard to tell them apart, everyone is tough, taciturn and professional.
It's a first person narrative - the Patrick McGoohan character. The ship character isn't very heroic. I kept thinking the sub should have sunk... that would've really upped the stakes. Gritty description of the snow - MacLean was good at this. The film adaptation should have been closer. I would've kept the mystery of the agent (s), only sunk the sub, had the Russians on the way and set the last bit on a Russian sub. It did kind of feel a cheat that the hero was totally across everything at the end... there would be more suspense from him being surprised.
Still, a very strong adventure book. He's done his research.
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