Billion-Dollar Brain

Infobox Book |
name = Billion-Dollar Brain
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = cover of the first edition
author = Len Deighton
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series =
genre = Science fiction novel, Spy Novel
publisher = Jonathan Cape
release_date = 1966
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages = 412 pp
isbn = NA
preceded_by = Funeral in Berlin
followed_by =

"Billion-Dollar Brain" (1966, ISBN 0-09-985710-3) is a Cold War spy novel by Len Deighton, and the fourth protagonised by an anonymous secret agent working for the British WOOC(P) intelligence agency, it follows "The IPCRESS File" (1962), "Horse Under Water" (1963), and "Funeral in Berlin" (1964). As in most of the author's novels, the plot of "Billion-Dollar Brain" is intricate, with many dead ends. The part of the movie was filmed in Helsinki.

Plot

The eponymous billion-dollar brain is a supercomputer, operated by "Facts for Freedom" (FFF) a private, right-wing American intelligence agency, run by General Midwinter. The Brain optimizes FFF agent operations, especially the deposition of Soviet power in Latvia — the FFF's test case insurgent operation for the ultimate destabilisation and deposition of world Communism. WOOC(P) send our unnamed hero to penetrate and stop the Finland FFF cell.

In Finland, the principal FFF agent is Harvey Newbegin, an opportunist American traitor running a phantom secret agent network in Latvia, and stealing the FFF money funding it, whilst passing intelligence to KGB Colonel Stok in Latvia. Meanwhile, in Britain, FFF agents infiltrated the Microbiological Research Establishment, Porton Down, England, stealing a weapons-grade virus. The FFF agents believe it destined to be an American weapon against the Russians, but traitor Newbegin will sell it to the Communists.

References