hurry and finish the russian brothers story
343964
great story  just wish she would continue the seven brothers stories, very sad that its taking so long for another book
112550
I really need to go read the other brothers stories. And find out if they find the missing brother. Yep
2139599
For those who like be a fast paced, diverse story this book will not let you down. Be prepared to grab a cup of coffee and red through the night. The reuniting of Cotton and Cassiopeia only add to the story which begins in Siberia and travels around the world to Canada and finally back to the U.S.  A must read.
1857905
Russka is a great combination of fiction and history. It helps to understand Russian history and the Russian mindset. Even current events in Russia. Anyone who likes to read about history in a story is going to love it. I read it with my laptop on the side and digging into history on my laptop while reading Russka. 5 stars!
2257987
Few royal families in history have consistently been the focus of as much discussion, literature, stage plays, movies, and even music as the fall of the Romanovs - the end of the Tsars of Russia.  Not only is the period of Russian history fascinating because of the wealth of cultural information now known, but the fact that the fall of the Tsars was due to the influence of Lenin and the birth of the Bolsheviks and the subsequent rise of Communism through the Mighty Revolution to the fall of Communism as late as 1991.  The history of Mother Russia is at last celebrated in the great museums of St Petersburg - not the least of which possessions are the much traveled jewels that were the sole surviving evidence of the Romanovs after their brutal slaying in 1918.

Robert Alexander has obviously spent extensive research into this period, uncovering documents of significance and achieving bits of detective work in a quest to explain the still unresolved questions about the July 18th slaying of the Romanov family. To our good fortune Alexander has elected to transform all  of his research  into one of the more fascinating of the many novels about those perilous times, and in doing so he has created a concise, immensely readable, short novel that breathes new life into Russian history.

Told through the eyes of Leonka the Kitchen Boy, who was 14 years old (the same age as the Heir apparent Aleksei) and observed the night of the slaughter of Nicholas and Alexandra and their five children and few servants, THE KITCHEN BOY is a fresh look at an important event and its sequelae.  Leonka (now called Mischa as a very old and soon to die man living in America - the land of his refuge after the fall of the Romanovs) relates the inside story of the daily routines in the Ipatiev House (aka The House of Special Purpose), the final home in Siberia of the  royal family.  We learn the dynasty tradition and the errors made by Nicholas that lead to his fall, the Rasputin affair, and the idiosyncrasies of all the family members and their servants, forced to dwell in the heat of Siberia without the comforts of even ordinary people.  The story of the events leading up to and including the unbelievable slaughter of the members of this household and the subsequent multiple burials of their remains are all part of Mischa's story he is leaving on a tape for his sole survivor Kate, his grand daughter.  But the real reason for Mischa's final story on tape is to reveal the truth of what truly happened on the fateful July night in 1918 so that Kate might return the sequestered jewels of the Romanovs to Russia, assured that the Romanovs have been given a proper interment and that Communism has failed.

Thought the entire story is written in such a way that makes putting this book down very difficult, the best is saved for the last few chapters where surprises abound and at least one explanation for all the intrigue associated with the fall of the Tsars is explained. To reveal the ending would be a disservice to the inquisitive reader, whether that reader be an avid Russian history scholar or simply a lover of mysteries and intrigue novels. There is much to learn in this compact book and much to enjoy as a fine read by a talented writer.  Grady Harp, December 2004
805726
Meet Anya and her boyfriend Victor first on May 9th, at the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia. Although in her last year of high school. Anya is looking forward to getting married and staying at home to raise their family. Katia, Anya's best friend, thinks this is a bit old-fashioned. Victor and Anya have a five year plan as he is soon going to be joining the military and will be based in Leningrad. As he leaves he gives Anya a bell. (Anya loves bells.)

What happens when Yuri, a friend of the family, comes on the scene? He makes no secret of the fact that he like Anya. Will he be content to let her continue her long distance relationship with Victor?

There are a couple other stories woven into this one, one of which is Katia's uncle, Boris Petrovich who works in the coal mines in western Siberia. We also read of some of the economic hardships, food rationing etc. When the government declares that fifty and one hundred ruble notes will no longer in circulation after midnight what do Anya and others do? What about the stranger who flew into Red Square?

This is a VERY clean book. There is NO bad language and NO sex so very suitable for young people to be reading. There was some romance but very briefly written about, no details, just day to day life. I found it a little simply written for my liking but the author did not gloss over some of the hardships the Russians faced during this time. This made for a very real read.

This book is part of a series but it appears that there is not a continuation of Anya's story in the next book! That strikes me as strange as although this book has an ending of sorts the author could have really fleshed out Anya's story and let us see how life turned out for her. I think some will be disappointed in the ending.
2511813
It's refreshing to meet a writer who does not rely on blood/gore, profanity and sexual scenes to create a powerful and moving story. So, readers, meet Dan Smith and his latest novel, Red Winter. As in Dark Horizons and The Child Thief, Mr. Smith draws the reader hypnotically into the storyline and you can envision yourself as part of the action. In Red Winter Nikolai (Kolya) Levitsy, a commander in the Red Army in 1920 Russia, deserts his post, fakes his death and begins the trip homeward bound to his family. He does not follow the beliefs of the Red Army and their campaign of torturing and killing. Arriving in his village of Belev on his beloved horse Kashtan he finds the village deserted, the men dead in the forest and the women and children missing. The only survivor is an old woman, Galina, who tells Kolya that Koschei, the deathless one, is responsible for all this. Arriving in his village on horseback a short time later are 2 women, Tanya and Lyudmilla, who are pursuing Koschei, as he committed atrocities to their family members. Thus, Kolya begins his search in earnest to find his wife Marianna and his 2 sons, Mischa and Pavel, hoping and believing that they are still alive somewhere. In his travels he meets Lev and his 12 year old daughter, Anna, Commander Orlov, Sergei, Svetlana,and their daughter Oksana, Gregori Ryzhkov and a fellow soldier, Krukov. Kolya, in 1920 Russia, knows that these people may not be who they say they are. Whom can he trust? How far will he have to travel to find Marianna and his family? Are they still alive? With Kashtan by his side and unknown aggressors on his trail, Kolya travels northward. Food is scarce, travel is dangerous, but Kolya knows he must find his family and find the kidnapper of his family, Koschei, to be whole again. He must also evade the men who are trailing him and perhaps confront them to determine their motives. Oh yes, let us not forget the dog, Tuzik, who finds a friend in Kolya and travels along. This book is a great and rewarding read, as Kolya the "good guy" and Koschei the "bad guy" eventually face each other. I finished reading this book yesterday and, as with all Dan Smith books, I know the story will stay with me for a long time. Kudos, Dan Smith for another good read!
4427481
After reading this book here are my observations:

- First, I don't think it's better than Dmitry's Closet.  I think it's just as good as Dmitry's Closest but better than Royal Flush.
- I was fascinated, intrigued and loved every interaction between Anatoly and Renee.  I wish their story would go on and on.....
- I loved reading some of the characters from the earlier books including Cory and Agosto.
- I found Gabriel a great addition with a great backstory.  I think you'll enjoy his contribution.
- I loved, loved, loved Dmitry's process of thought and reasoning of "things" and his demands as the founding leader and builder of the House of Medlov.  You'll understand what I mean after reading it...
- I look forward to reading Saving Anya and to continue reading Dmitry's short volume of several backstories.
- All in all, a wonderful read, especially if you are reading the books in the right order.  I have bookmarked special sections on my iPhone that I have read over and over again because I can't get enough of this book.  I actually read Dmitry's Closet and Dmitry's Royal Flush over again after reading "Anatoly" the first time, then read "Anatoly" a second time.  Yeah, I'm that hooked.  Well done, Latrivia Nelson!
4300369
Fast and racy, the plot is very much of our recent times. The Russians are the villains and centers around Ukraine and Crimea and world politics. Will wait for the next book !!
3335757
This is the tale told by a Polish Colonel in the Russian Army (Tsarist White Army) who is escaping from Vladivostok and making his way through Siberia and into Mongolia. It is a monumental journey both in the amount of time he will have to spend, and avoiding the Bolshevik forces along the way. Anyone who thinks that the Bolsheviks had the support of all the Russians should read this. It dispels any notions about bloodshed and slaughter among their armies. Ossendowski recounts that each day, you awoke with the understanding that you never knew how many hours you had left to live. The characters he encounters, how his knowledge of military strategy, his background in diplomacy and languages and the luck of being at the right places at the right time allow him to make it to Urga (now Ulan Bator) where he meets up with Baron von Untgen. The bloodiness of the White Russian generals, the Chinese Nationalist army, the Mongolian forces led by their cavalry and lamas and the Bolsheviks makes this a fascinating journal. Many parts were taken from actual facts and turned into a fictional tale, but it is based on actual events.

I know that after he makes his way out of Asia, he traveled from the Philippine Islands to Vancouver, BC and then to Seattle. He went from there to New York where he met with men who would publish this book and then left for Poland. He was still a wanted man by the Red Army's NKVD (secret police) when they captured Warsaw, he had just died weeks before and they had his body exhumed for identification so they could inform Stalin that he was dead.
3154882
OMG i can't believe Read left us hanging - but in a good spot with one of the brothers (not going to tell you who you MUST read!).  I enjoyed the mystery that went along with the brothers and the story.  It is a good book and one of my many waiting for #2!!
634312
I love the Russian mob ties. Bad boys love hard. I thoroughly enjoyed the twist with Raze and the backstory.
2094966
Mix yourself a White Russian, take a puff and enjoy again and again !!!!
4237567
A bit like reading s Russian novel-but once you keep the story straight and for me give it a day or two to sink in - definitely a good read.i liked it all most as "A Gentlemen in Moscow."
3321130
I had read all of Rutherfurd's novels except for this one and purposely put this one off for last. A couple of reasons for this: First off, it's size. I read London long after having read Sarum, the Forest and the two on Ireland. I wasn't interested in tackling the trade paperback edition of Russka with 945 pages. It seemed like a daunting task and a time-consuming one at that. Another reason is the subject matter. Don't get me wrong, I love Russian history, but I found myself asking how a man who successfully wrote three immense novels on England's history and two on Ireland's history could possibly do any justice to Russia. I simply didn't trust Rutherfurd.

How wrong I was. As is the case with each of his novels, he travelled extensively to Russia, and on several occassions, over a number of years. I agree with many reviewers about the opening pages of the book. It does tend to get a bit tedious, but as always, I was glad that I gave him the benefit of the doubt. The opening chapter brings up the mystical aspects of the Russian steppe, and the invasions from Asia that are occurring at the dawn of the new millenium. It also sets the foundation for some Russian folklore that will pop up throughout the book. Some reviewers have lamented that there is no common theme. Well I tend to disagree with that. Russia's uniqueness, its unwillingness to change, the huge discrepancies in terms of social class, these are common themes throughout the book. He brings up the fact on numerous occassions that as Europe advanced into the modern age, Russia was still stuck in the Middle Ages. It's easy to see the themes if you understand Russia's history.

It also seemed to me that there were less families to be aware of, which made it much easier to read than his other novels with six or seven various stories being told at the same time. In Russka, the main families all interact with each other, making things easier for the reader.

This book is not for everyone however. If you are not familiar with the multigeneraltional saga novel, leave Russka alone. All you'll do is slog through less than a hundred pages and then come to Amazon and complain about it. Spare us. A good background on medieval and early-modern Russia is a must too. There is very little about the Soviet-era. He touches upon the 1930's briefly, and then skips ahead to the early 1990's. The opening and ending references made to "wind" are perfect.

After having spent a month with this book, it was hard to get to the last page and set it down, to finally let it go. I loved it.
3743090
In another sweeping saga reminescent of Tom Clancy's early works Mark Greaney gives us a story that is extremely well developed, has lots of different scenarios playing out yet they all seem to come together to weave a masterful story.

The Russian President is on a direct course of conflict with the west and especially the United States. He wants to get back to having a major presence in world affairs and believes the best way to get that is to take back some of the territories that Russia controlled before the iron curtain fell. But before he can do that he will have to neutralize the United States to keep them from acting. He hopes to do this through intimidation of a new weapon siting off their east coast.

Also during this time he is wanting to get his personal assets out of Russia so that his adversaries in that government can't seize or put a hold on his money. To do this he is going to engage a master financial mind to turn his money into Bitcoin.

The biggest hurdle to his efforts are going to be Jack Ryan, Sr. and Jack Ryan, Jr. and the whole group from the Campus. What they don't know is that their separate tasks are all going to converge into one big conclusion that will give the Russian President a real reason to have heartburn.

I love the way that Greaney has learned to develop his stories and how they have that same flare and flavor that Tom Clancy gave to every military / spy / political thriller. This book is long, but it is one of his best so far.

Enjoy!
3733152
Two brothers separated by war .After an argument the brother viewpoint differs!  One tries to help save some Jewish families from Natzi occupation of Russia and they begin making the forest their home . The other and his followers join with the Russian Army to fight the Natzi troops . Very powerful tale of a true story of brothers who saved 1200 people and never looked for glory ..