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987 ratings, 3.73 average rating, 152 reviews
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published
2004
by Books on Tape
binding
Audio Cassette
isbn
1415903425
(isbn13: 9781415903421)
description
In 21st-century Russia, ten years after the collapse of communism, the people decide to return a czar to power, to rule Russia and restore historic tr...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 1303)
Read in October, 2007
I enjoyed reading friends on goodreads reviews. I am also a Russian history nut and have traveled to St Petersburg and the Peter and Paul Fortress. This was such a fast paced intriging book that I read it in a couple of days. I think the mystery surrounding the missing children's bodys will never be solved. So, we have our wonderful imaginations to keep us interested.
By the way, I found the Amber room not as exciting. I have seen the real Amber room and and the privilege to speak with a R...more
By the way, I found the Amber room not as exciting. I have seen the real Amber room and and the privilege to speak with a R...more
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Read in July, 2008
Ekaterinburg, Russia: July 16, 1918. Ten months have passed since Nicholas II’s reign was cut short by revolutionaries. Tonight, the White Army advances on the town where the Tsar and his family are being held captive by the Bolsheviks. Nicholas dares to hope for salvation. Instead, the Romanovs are coldly and methodically executed.
Moscow: Present Day. Atlanta lawyer Miles Lord, fluent in Russian and well versed in the country’s history, is thrilled to be in Moscow on the eve of such...more
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Read in June, 2006
recommends it for:
adults
This was the first Steve Barry book I read and I have to say my favourite. This story explores the mystery of the Romanov family and what may or may not have happened to Princess Anastasia. It is fast paced and full of historical information without being overwhelming. Enough mystery to keep me wanting to read to the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
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Any ideas on why books aren't rated for language/content? Anyway, the story line was interesting enough but I stopped reading the book because of the language. Note to authors; "F-bombs" really aren't necessary to add emphasis to a situation, it just creates characters who lack the capacity to express themselves with any degree of intellegence
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Read in May, 2008
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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Read in August, 2008
recommended to Patti by:
Book Clubrecommends it for: Anyone who likes to punish themselves with reading drivel disguised as good research.
I haven't finished it yet, but I have already noticed 4 different spellings (and pronounciations!) for one character: Zivon, Zevon, Zinov, Zenov. C'mon man! If you don't care enough to get it right, why should I care to read it?
I could be wrong, this name variation could be a clue to the mystery. But I have a sneaking suspicion that Berry was so caught up impressing his readers with his own research of Russian history he forgot to check his own writing (and some editors forgot to check it to...more
I could be wrong, this name variation could be a clue to the mystery. But I have a sneaking suspicion that Berry was so caught up impressing his readers with his own research of Russian history he forgot to check his own writing (and some editors forgot to check it to...more
Read in November, 2008
As a kind of companion piece to "Child 44" which a read last week, this was really interesting. Whereas Child 44 was set at the height of Communism, this story takes place in the aftermath of Communism and democracy. Things have gone so badly, actually, that the Russian people now want their tsar back. The country tries to find the most likely descendant of the Romanovs, the tsarist family in power at the time of the Revolution in 1918. The Bolsheviks had the entire family killed to...more
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Read in October, 2008
recommends it for:
adults
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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Read in December, 2006
I bought this at Boston's Back Bay Station while waiting for the train to NYC. It was a bad time for me. I'd just spent a week looking at possible apartments. I had no idea what to do with my life. I had a terrible cold & crazy fatigue.
This book was a good escape. I'm sure it will make an excellent movie, although they'll have to dumb down the history parts. But action-wise it certainly will be entertaining.
The whole idea of bringing back Tsars to Russia is an interesting one. The b...more
This book was a good escape. I'm sure it will make an excellent movie, although they'll have to dumb down the history parts. But action-wise it certainly will be entertaining.
The whole idea of bringing back Tsars to Russia is an interesting one. The b...more
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Read in December, 2006
recommends it for:
people on plane rides, people who are demi-history nerds
I think that to enjoy this book, you need to be someone in my demographic: a history nerd who doesn't specialize in Russian history but knows enough of the basic details to be interested. If you are a Russian history scholar? This book will probably drive you up the wall.
However, I'm no scholar, so I'm able to ignorantly overlook any and all historical and factual mistakes that Berry makes while taking us on this action thrill-ride. It deals with one of the more provocative and famous as...more
However, I'm no scholar, so I'm able to ignorantly overlook any and all historical and factual mistakes that Berry makes while taking us on this action thrill-ride. It deals with one of the more provocative and famous as...more
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Oh my..What to say abt this.. I had a bad experience with Amber Room..and i approached this with dread.. The first chapter was promising..and i thought Steve Berry learned from his first book..but noo.. There he goes along the same path..
The most annoying this for me was the authors incessant attempt at tarnishing the Russians..I know he is american..but does he have to be so offensive to Russians( i am from India and not Russian).. I stopped reading this midway tired of these attacks..and his...more
The most annoying this for me was the authors incessant attempt at tarnishing the Russians..I know he is american..but does he have to be so offensive to Russians( i am from India and not Russian).. I stopped reading this midway tired of these attacks..and his...more
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Read in April, 2008
I started this book with very high expectations (I loved THE AMBER ROOM), but I found myself drudging through this one.
The constant changing of scenes from the hero to the villians was distracting, because they were not at all smooth. The names of the villians became confusing because of "code names."
I wanted to like hero, but the constant references to his past, that in my opinion had little to do with this story, mad...more
The constant changing of scenes from the hero to the villians was distracting, because they were not at all smooth. The names of the villians became confusing because of "code names."
I wanted to like hero, but the constant references to his past, that in my opinion had little to do with this story, mad...more
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Read in August, 2008
This was a solid effort and my first foray into a Steve Berry novel. My favorite fiction novels always involve facts, wrapped inside a fictional scenario and Berry does this one good. I knew very little of early 20th Century Russia or its transition from the tsar to Communism. He explains it all with ease. The story begins in modern Moscow, with it going along slow and cold. However, after it transfers to two (2) other locales, the locations seem to invigorate the story or vice versa and fr...more
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Read in November, 2005
When Russia decides to bring back the monarchy, Atlanta lawyer Miles Lord is charged with performing background checks on the favored Tsarist candidate. During his research, he is nearly killed by gunmen which propels him to further investigate the secrets these people were attempting to conceal. As Miles delves deeper into the mystery, he finds himself asking: What really happened on the fatal night the last Tsarist family was executed?
A little bit of history mixed with a lot of action an...more
A little bit of history mixed with a lot of action an...more
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I love Russian history and I love historical thrillers, so this should have been a slam dunk, right? Not quite so. While the premise was good — manipulation of a new Tsar for Russia only to find out that there was a true Romanov surviving descendant — I felt the book was merely adequate in the storyline. I can't help but think what kind of delicious damage Robert Ludlum would have done had he been given the chance to write this book.
I don't regret the read (in fact I'd recommend it for a d...more
I don't regret the read (in fact I'd recommend it for a d...more
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Read in June, 2008
Well, this was a nice piece of speculative fiction. Berry definitely did his research, on the Romanovs at least. I think telling us who the bad guy is in the second chapter was a bad idea though.
Half the fun of reading a book like this is in trying to solve the mystery, Berry ruins that pretty darn quick.
His outing of the bad guy so quickly definitely disrupted what I call 'the Ludlum template' (anyone who has read a Robert Ludlum book knows what I mean). The only saving grace in this ho...more
Half the fun of reading a book like this is in trying to solve the mystery, Berry ruins that pretty darn quick.
His outing of the bad guy so quickly definitely disrupted what I call 'the Ludlum template' (anyone who has read a Robert Ludlum book knows what I mean). The only saving grace in this ho...more
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Read in July, 2008
I am definitely enjoying the audio version of this book! I was somewhat familiar with the fates of the Romanov family during the Bolshevik revolution, but this book made me want to learn more. Any historical novel that makes me want to find a biography to further my learning has to be good!
This book takes the former mystery (solved just this year) of what happened to the two missing members of the royal family, whose remains were not recovered. It is fast-paced, alternating between modern...more
This book takes the former mystery (solved just this year) of what happened to the two missing members of the royal family, whose remains were not recovered. It is fast-paced, alternating between modern...more
Read in September, 2006
recommends it for:
Anyone fascinated with the death of the tzars and the Anastasia mystery
This book asks, what if the Russians decided, enough with democracy, we want our tzars back? An American lawyer is hired to search the Russian state archives to determine which of several claimants is the closest living relative to the Romanovs, the royal family who were executed in 1917. A distant cousin is the obvious front-runner, but the lawyer finds evidence that a great-grandchild of the tzar may have survived -- not Anastasia's children, but the children of Alexei's, the young prince who ...more
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Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
Those who love historical novels; Russia
Not my favorite Berry novel. I love Russian history and have travelled there several times, especially to St. Petersburg and the Peter and Paul Fortress. I was there when they decided to open the official burial place for the last Czar and his family.
Of course, this prophecy is that of Rasputin saying that the house of the Romanov's was doomed if a Romanov killed him. They did and the Romanovs were doomed.
There has been too much proof of Anastasia and Alexei being found with the DNA, et...more
Of course, this prophecy is that of Rasputin saying that the house of the Romanov's was doomed if a Romanov killed him. They did and the Romanovs were doomed.
There has been too much proof of Anastasia and Alexei being found with the DNA, et...more
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Read in November, 2008
Not one of his best books. Still a interesting book and definately a good read. Just not one of his best, the research into this one is obviously lacking.. when compaired to some of his others at least, and that makes the story somewhat two dimensional.
Actually what Sarah a couple before me has to say about it is probably the best way to describe this book.
I would reccommend the Amber Room or the Third Secret before anyone picks up this one.
EDIT* Now that I have finished the last ch...more
Actually what Sarah a couple before me has to say about it is probably the best way to describe this book.
I would reccommend the Amber Room or the Third Secret before anyone picks up this one.
EDIT* Now that I have finished the last ch...more
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quotes from this book
"He that endureth to the end, shall be saved."
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