Fourth & Gogol: The True Story of Russia's Top-Secret American Football Program

While I, myself, am not an expert on the genre, I recognize expertise when I read it. Kroll's handle on things technological, espionage-related and how to kill a guy with your bare hands -- on and off the football field -- is firm, baby.

The larger picture is not left un-splattered upon, either. Sure, times have changed since we pointed so many ICBMs at each other, but I sense a subtle bit of finger pointing going on between the pages here. Check the latest polls and you'll find a US citizenry that doesn't necessarily feel it's at war, strangely enough. Could Iraq and Afghanistan be this century's version of the Cold War? If so, what the heck do we call it? GWOT? Pshaw! Warm War? Well, getting warmer.

Anyhow, no matter what you make of "Fourth & Gogol" by the time you get to the pseudo-apocalyptic ending, you'll likely be viewing Mr. Tom Clancy's deadwood thrillers through the space dust in the rear-view mirror of your own literal stealth spaceship -- made in the USA, I might add.

Comrade Kroll, you have written a funny, funny novel. Now, about the film rights...


I am reading it again!   May 11, 2003
Perhaps the highest compliment I can pay to any author, or any literary work, is not being able to get enough of it. I simply didn't want the book to end -- so I am reading it again.

The post cold-war world is seeming chilly to the Russians, and the only way to save face is to beat the American's at their own game, American football. The (former?) KGB is involved as well with its "arsenal" of secret weapons and programs -- including my favorite secret-agents Bimbova and Bendova. The Americans also have their secret weapons and programs, including a reverse-engineered prototype of an inter-galactic hover craft that crash-landed near Roswell in the 1940's.

This is a hilarious work of creative genius. Kroll is great! The multi-faceted and multidimensional plot kept my interest throughout the book. And since a sequel is technically impossible, I would like see a prequel, with Bimbova and Bendova of course.


Hilarious & Out -of-this-World   April 17, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

An exciting adventure of the day after tomorrow, "Fourth & Gogol" is incredibly detailed, impossible to predict, subversively funny and yet deeply emotional. The scenes, from loading a Makarov automatic to the unique agony of football camp (called a "FULAG," insanely enough) to a horrifying rape of a teenager to a hysterically funny encounter with a cross-dressing ex-president aboard Air Force One to an evil Stalinist eugenics program, one is moved to believe Kroll has been overexposed to Kubrick, Clancy, P. J. O'Rourke and maybe even Voltaire. It's hilariously sick stuff with characters you'll never forget. It's the utter unporedictability of it that makes it such a worthwhile adventure.


Fourth & Gogol: or, Russia Throws the Bomb   April 16, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Mix one part "The Longest Yard" in with one part "Dr. Strangelove," a helping of "The Hunt for Red October," any Stanislaw Lem you've got at hand and then pour in some marinated (and I do mean marinated) Russian masters, hit "LIQUEFY," and you come up with "Fourth & Gogol: The True Story of Russia's Top-Secret American Football Program."

Who knew that an atom-bio confrontation, eugenics, genetic engineering, Area 51 and a wholesale invasion of the West by Russia could be humorous? I guess Alex Kroll did. And it is.

The Russians are stinging. Licking their wounds for losing the Cold War. So they set their sights on humiliating the Americans by beating them at their very own, most American game. Payback for the 1980 Olympic Hockey upset. They blackmail the NFL's best coach (he's got a betting problem) and arrest some of Russia's best athletes to form a team at football GULAG out in Russian Central Asia. They will take on the Americans at the coming Olympic Games, where football is to be the demonstration sport. The coolest part, possibly, is Russia's secret weapon: A special, central-computer controlled "Head-Up" football helmet system with visor displays showing formations, blocking assignments, pass routes etc.

Meanwhile, Russian dictator Hrapchenko decides to spring west and south -- seeking the direct route to the Persian Gulf and brie in Paris. Not that I'd blame him for it!

It's an insane, well-written read. That's all I'll say.