Thanks @AndyC - it's a miracle! A World War Three thriller that I not only raced through, but which actually felt fresh and engaging. It's a bloody miracle for this genre, and fresh blood is so urgently needs. I mean it manages to do the complete opposite of what the genre currently looks like:
Characters that feel fleshed-out and actually engaging, rather than one-note cardboard cut-outs ready to fall over
Action that is tense! and action-packed! without feeling like an AAR for Hearts of Iron: WW3
A plot that actually understands that espionage and sabtoage means more than 'spiking Bundeswehr fuel supplies three miles behind the front'
Also, somehow, a plot that isn't 'And teh evil Soviets invaded because they is evil!!1!'
Strongly recommended, and genuinely can't wait for the next in the series
Likewise, the authors knew how to use wargaming in the best possible way (get a general feel) rather than the worst (do a rote de facto let's play)
Treating the genre with just the right amount of respect-it's a clear love letter to the classic technothrillers, but there's still the sense of seeing flaws "ie, do we really need to describe every tank as a T-64BV1K or make the Soviets clueless supervillains? I don't think so."