Azrael

The third volume of DeAndrea's cold war espionage series, launched with Cronus and Snark, brings back his hero under the name Allan Trotter (he appeared previously as Driscoll, Dekker and Bellman). Trotter is a super spy who works for ""The Agency,'' which is run by ``The Congressman,'' who used to be ``The General'' and who reports only to the President. The Agency is an ultra-secret organization whose sole purpose is to keep the Soviets in check by combating liberalism in America, especially as it is fostered by the Cronus project, a communist plan to infiltrate the families of America's most powerful men. Azrael concerns the infiltration of the family that runs the most influential newspaper syndicate in the U.S. DeAndrea takes the opportunity to lambaste the liberal media for helping the Russians appear to be anything other than the bloodthirsty maniacs they really are. Right-wingers and red-baiters will love Azrael. Others may find that there is little difference between the Russian atrocities DeAndrea deplores and the U.S. heroics he applauds. As for the story itself, it is little more than a litany of cold war cliches, complete with crafty communists, token blacks, helpless women and psychopathic killers. (August 17)