"The Devil's Alternative" (1979) is a political thriller by Frederick Forsyth about a fictional oil crisis and KGB plot. Forsyth, a former journalist, is renowned for meticulously researched thrillers like "The Day of the Jackal" and "The Odessa File". Alistair MacLean wrote adventure thrillers like "Where Eagles Dare", while Sidney Sheldon focused on romantic thrillers.